The Game Changer

In the process of building a business, every business owner has defining moments where you are forced to stop, step back, and ask yourself a hard but important question: “Am I doing the right thing here building a business?” In the past few months, that’s the place where I have been. There were big things that happened that caused me to reevaluate everything. There were also small inklings, nudges, and signs from God that led me to today, the last episode of The Game Changer podcast. My husband, Travis, always said that when you make a job transition, there are always push factors and pull factors. It’s in these two ways that I’ll be talking you through this decision. I'm here to provide that reasoning in a way that is hopefully helpful to you as you navigate how to make these decisions. Shop the going out of business sale https://katiewussow.com/goodbye

So many of us have ideas that we’re sitting on. Our self-generated creative work, the things that we do for ourselves are often what is most important and meaningful. But it is also the work that can be the most easily pushed aside. We struggle to make tangible progress and our ideas never come to fruition.Today’s episode is all about how to produce your own self-generated creative work. Joining us is Jessica Abel, a former indie cartoonist-turned-entrepreneur. She coaches other mid-career creatives who want to build more autonomous lives and teaches them how to run sustainable businesses without burning themselves out. Jessica specializes in helping creative people get focused and organized so that they can produce the work they care so much about. Tune in to hear about:>> How to practically decide what projects are the most important to pursue>> Breaking down your huge projects into manageable action steps>> What to do when you find yourself in the dark forest – aka the “messy middle” part of any project  JESSICA’S Creative Compass Challenge: https://jessicaabel.com/compassJESSICA’S WEBSITE: https://jessicaabel.com/JESSICA’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/autonomouscreative/JESSICA’S FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/jccabel JESSICA’S TWITTER: https://twitter.com/jccabel KATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

In 2020, 12-year veteran wedding photographer, Sarah Bradshaw was coming off of her best year ever in business. But then the pandemic hit as well as other unexpected things – Sarah had to move to be closer to her family which meant changes in her business.Today’s episode was initially going to be about how to move your business into a new city. But Sarah took it a step further to talk to us today about how to shift your business model. A business model is your plan for making a profit, which customers you’re going to serve, at what price point, and will it be enough for you to sustain a living? Sarah’s going to be teaching us about:>> Difference between an aspirational middle market client and a true luxury market>> How she made the decision to scale her business up and up-level her client base instead of scaling the business down to match the Greenville market.>> Identifying marketing strategies that leverage your strengths and get you in front of the right people.SARAH’S WEBSITE: www.sarahbradshaw.comSARAH’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbradshawphotoSARAH’S FACEBOOK PAGE: https://facebook.com/sarahbradshawphotographyKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

This episode is all about how to craft a welcome sequence to help you turn your email list from strangers into fans. This is something that you should put into place if you already have a lead magnet and you are already emailing your list consistently. In this episode, I’m breaking down:>> What you’re risking if you don’t have a welcome sequence>> 8 things you can talk about in your welcome sequence>> A simple framework for creating your first welcome sequence from scratchKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.comGET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

Email marketing shouldn’t be transactional. It’s not about getting clicks, open rates, or even getting sales. Email is about building connections so it needs to be personal and consistently add value for your readers.In part 1 of my interview with Bobby Klinck, we talked about how to do email marketing differently from other entrepreneurs. In today’s part 2, we’ll be getting into actually writing the emails that build a connection with your audience. You’ll learn:>> Addictive story-based email structure – how you can write emails with personal stories that still have a point>> What kinds of stories we should be telling >> Practical ways that you can collect your stories – big and small – so that you never run out of things to write about.LinksBobby’s Book: Email Marketing That Doesn’t SuckBobby’s Email Marketing Resource HubBobby’s Free Stuff: BadA$$ Online Marketing UniversityKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

How do you write emails that people actually want to read? If we’re trying to use email to build relationships and connections, people are going to need to at least have some interest in reading our stuff.To help us with this, I’m joined today by one of my business mentors, Bobby Klinck. Bobby is a lawyer turned business coach who helps entrepreneurs build profitable knowledge businesses. Bobby and I love to talk so we had to split this into two episodes. In part 1, he talks about:>> How email fits into your marketing plan and helps you turn strangers into raving fans>> Why it’s important to write emails like a friend, not like a brand>> The four parts of a story-based email structure that can help you write truly addictive emailsLinksBobby’s Book: Email Marketing That Doesn’t SuckBobby’s Email Marketing Resource HubBobby’s Free Stuff: BadA$$ Online Marketing UniversityKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

When we think about email, we tend to think about just the regular newsletter. Don’t get me wrong, those emails are important but there are so many other ways you can use email to strengthen your relationship with your subscribers.  Today we're talking about five ways that you can use email marketing in your service business. We are talking about:>> A concept called permission marketing and how it applies to email>> Why you don’t need to worry about unsubscribes>> 5 kinds of email sequences you need in your business besides the standard newsletterKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

You’ve probably heard people talk before about the importance of having a clear niche, or you’ve thought about niche-ing down yourself. So how exactly can you be sure it’s the right move for you?Tune into today’s episode where we’ll talk about what it really means to niche down and how to know when you should. Having a clear niche lets you powerfully attract the right kinds of clients to your business so it’s important to know:>> Five signs that you’re ready to define your niche>> Common misconceptions about what it really means to niche down>> How to make sure that your chosen niche will help you build a profitable businessKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

You may not know this, but your business has one job, and one job only – generate an income for you as the owner. Erica Goode, a former corporate accountant turned fractional CFO, joins us in today’s episode to help us answer the question of how your business can start doing its one job. Besides being passionate about the topic of helping entrepreneurs pay themselves what they deserve to earn from their business, she’s breaking down for us:>> How you can know how much you can afford to pay yourself (and how to overcome the fear of picking the wrong number)>> The mechanics of paying yourself depending on what kind of business entity you have>> How you can get started with paying yourself even when you aren’t making what you want to make yetSign Up for Erica’s Money Stuff Newsletter: https://www.ericagoode.com/ Erica’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erica.goode.cpaKatie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/Katie’s Website: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/planBook: No B.S. Small Business Book by Casey GrahamArticle: More Than Half of Entrepreneurs Forego Salaries When They Launch Their Companies Episode 104, Five Reasons Why You’re Spending Too Much Money on Your BusinessEpisode 105, How to Plan for Smart Business Investments in 2022 (and Avoid Buyer’s Remorse)Episode 114, How to Achieve Financial Sustainability in Your Business with Dondrea Owens

You’ve probably seen countless examples of creatives like you quitting their jobs and making real money from their creative talent. You know that building a business is possible, but why does it seem like it’s working for everyone besides you?Building a long-term sustainable business will require you to continue to operate in your role as a creative but also step into a new role as a business owner. Listen in today as I talk about how you can build confidence as a business owner so that you can build a truly sustainable business. I’ll be exploring:>> How our internal beliefs can keep us stuck and unable to learn new skills>> Where real business success is actually built (hint – not the exciting, external stuff but the boring internal stuff)>> How clarifying your owner’s intent can help you stop caring about what other people are doing and focus on your own businessFREE TRAINING: How to Build a Sustainable Business Doing What You Lovehttps://katiewussow.com/webinar KATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/planNo B.S. Small Business Book by Casey Graham

Too often we just look at our business as a snapshot in time – we don’t look at the big picture. We don’t appreciate the trajectory. We don’t document our actual progress. One tool that will keep you encouraged and motivated and see your progress – tracking your KPIs (key performance indicators).Listen in on today’s episode as I talk about measuring your KPIs. Let me help you measure the things that actually matter in your business as well as teach you:>> What KPIs are and how they are different than goals>> Things you can measure besides sales, likes, and follows>> How to choose the right metrics for your unique businessLinksKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

I’m talking to Courtney Fanning on today’s episode about what makes website copy effective, and how you can get good results from your copy even if you are DIYing it. Listen to know:>> What do you need to be clear on before you write a single word of your website.>> The minimum viable product version of the MVP – the core pages that you need to finally publish your website.>> Practical ways you can understand the voice of your ideal customer>> Four kinds of buyers that might be landing on your website, what each of them really needs to see before they hire you.Take the quiz to find out what kind of buyer you are: https://www.bigpicturebranding.com/quizCOURTNEY’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bigpicturebrandingCOURTNEY’S PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/BigPictureBranding/KATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

Improving the quality and quantity of our sleep might be the most effective productivity strategy that no one is talking about.A lot of entrepreneurs and creatives feel like they struggle with motivation, focus, energy, and discipline.  If that's true of you,  you might not need a productivity hack, fancy planner, or more caffeine.You may need to improve your sleep.Tanessa Shears joins me for this episode to talk about sleep and the impact that it has on our daily performance and productivity. We talk about why sleep matters so much and realistic strategies to start getting more of it. TANESSA’S WEBSITE: https://www.tanessashears.com/TANESSA’S INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/tanessashears12 WAYS TO BIOHACK YOUR ENERGY: https://www.tanessashears.com/energyBECOMING LIMITLESS PODCAST: https://www.tanessashears.com/podcastKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

Video content is one of the most powerful ways to really connect with people online and introduce them not just to your brand, but to you. To help us with this, I’m joined on this episode by Lashonda Brown. Lashonda makes an income from YouTube and also consistently creates short-form videos on Instagram (including REELS). Lashonda spent 10 years as a commercial film producer but has since transitioned to being a full-time YouTuber and educator for entrepreneurs. This conversation will get you to think differently about video and make you feel like even being a YouTuber is attainable.LASHONDA’S YOUTUBE: www.lashondabrown.com/lashondambrownLASHONDA’S INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/lashondambrownLASHONDA’S WEBSITE: www.lashondabrown.comKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

First of all, I want to let you know, if you don’t already – you WILL have people that don’t pay. That WILL happen to you. Big or small. Consumer or business. Services or products. Every business owner deals with non-payment. It’s important to have a game plan for handling it in a way that is professional and fair but also compassionate and human.This week’s episode has the goal of providing an approach that will help you be firm, but still flexible when dealing with clients who don’t pay. You’ll be learning how to create clarity and avoid drawn-out and ambiguous client situations as well as knowing a couple of pitfalls to avoid this situation.BOBBY KLINCK Legal Templates (affiliate link)KATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

Most creative entrepreneurs that I work with accomplish more in a day than most people could ever dream of. But they still don’t feel like they’re doing enough. The reason? Wildly unrealistic expectations for themselves and what can get done in a day’s work.Today I’m joined by my friend and former client, Cristina Slabic. Cristina is a productivity coach and is certified in Michael Hyatt’s Full Focus system of productivity. The idea of the full focus system of productivity is really to help us to focus. Not try to do everything, but do the most important things. Cristina is going to help us with practical strategies and tools to stay on track and make consistent progress on our most important goals.CRISTINA’S WEBSITE: http://cristinaslabic.comCRISTINA’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/cristinaslabicCRISTINA’S FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/cristina.slabicBEGIN TODAY ON PURPOSE FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/begintodayonpurposeKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

Technology has made owning a business easier and cheaper than it has EVER been. And on top of that, it’s always getting better and better.With so many tools, and so many different ways to use them, sometimes it’s really challenging to know what’s going to be right for you.Over the past six weeks, I’ve made some big changes in the technology that I’m using to run my business. On this episode, pulling back the curtain on my own business and sharing what I’m using and how I’m using it.KATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/planPLATFORMS MENTIONED * Denotes affiliate linkUpcoach (Coaching)ThriveCart (Checkout & Course Hosting)Dubsado (CRM)* Get 20% off your first year with my affiliate link.Creator Studio (Social Media Scheduling)Wave Apps (Bookkeeping)Calendly (Scheduler)Canva Pro (Graphic Design)ConvertKit (Email Marketing)Buzzsprout (Podcast Hosting)   Zoom (Video Conferencing)ShowIt (Website)Zapier (Automation)Evernote (Notetaking)Nozbe (Task Manager)*

Instead of making a real financial plan for your business, with real numbers, a lot of creative entrepreneurs prefer a more passive approach. Unfortunately, "trying your hardest and seeing what happens" isn't the best approach to managing your finances. Dondrea Owens of The Creatives CFO, a CPA and the CFO for women entrepreneurs, joins us today to help us create a real financial plan for our businesses so that we can achieve true financial sustainability. Listen to know:>> Why it’s important to focus on profitability from the very beginning of your business.>> The three different budgets you should have for your business so that you can adapt to changing circumstances.>> How to break down financial goals into actionable strategies and tactics.DONDREA’S WEBSITE:  https://www.thecreativescfo.com/DONDREA’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thecreativescfo/ DONDREA'S FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/thecreativescfo FREE BOOKKEEPING CHECKLIST: https://www.thecreativescfo.com/bookkeeping-checklistKATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/planFREE BUSINESS CHECKING ACCOUNTS:Bluevine, https://www.bluevine.com/Novo, https://www.banknovo.comFREE BOOKKEEPING SOFTWARE: Wave Apps, https://www.waveapps.comAPPLY FOR AN EIN ONLINE: https://www.irs.gov

We spend a lot of time learning the hard skills of entrepreneurship. And that makes sense, right? We need to learn the strategies, tactics, and technical skills to build a business doing what we love.But even though most of our energy goes to the hard skills, the soft skills of entrepreneurship are just as important. Successful pitches, networking connections, and sales conversations often come down to what we say and how we say it.Tune in to this episode to hear about the four magical phrases that will help you to come across as confident and clear when you’re proactively marketing your business.KATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan

Sales calls aren’t about showing your client how great you are. It’s about showing interest, learning about their needs, goals, and challenges. Sales calls convey in a really simple way: “I get you, I get your problems, and I can help.”It’s important to ask the right kinds of questions that can help you understand your client. For today’s episode, we are talking about the specific questions you need to be asking on your sales calls. Learn about the five types of questions to construct a sales call script, words to take out of your prospective client’s mouth and put directly into the proposal, and the questions that you need to ask to stop getting ghosted.KATIE’S INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/KATIE’S WEBSITE: https://katiewussow.com/GET THE FREE 90-DAY PLAN TEMPLATE: https://katiewussow.com/plan