Small Business Casual: Content Marketing, Productivity, Customer Experience for Entrepreneurs & Creators

Епизоде

• AI "Tells" & What They're Costing Us 07.07.2026 26мин

  Text Emily! "It's not X, it's Y", the rhetorical "honestly?" and oh, the em-dashes! The overt tells and... the little gut feelings when you suspect AI... what are they costing us? When our readers and listeners' spidey senses go up, when their AI radar is activated, it can quietly cost you their trust. Which means it can also cost you business. In this episode, I walk through 10 AI "Tells" and why they matter. I also give you permission NOT to overthink and scrape your copy clean of all...
• Leave It or Live It? Permission to Quit and the Power to Persist 30.06.2026 20мин

  Text Emily! I learned two very simple and polar opposite lessons in June: Quit what you hateKeep going on what mattersThe key is mastering the art of discernment to determine which is which! Lesson #1: Leave It - If you don't like it, quit! If something in life or business is coming up with more "cons" than "pros", you don't need to try to convince yourself it's a good fit. You can quit! If it's causing you harm, if you just don't like it anymore, if you've outgrown it, you...
• Stuff They Don't Say: The Business Owner Roller Coaster w/Kristy Ouellette 23.06.2026 33мин

  Text Emily! Since 2014, Kristy's been pivoting, innovating, and doing things differently as she stays visible in a highly competitive industry. In this episode, I sit down for a candid conversation with Kristy Ouellette, founder and owner of Mickey Guru Travel Company. We get into all the twists, turns, speed bumps, roller coaster rides, and magic of entrepreneurship: How Kristy and I met (the power of showing up) Travel agent myths and misconceptions, busted!How Kristy's st...
• Being Intentional Where You Show Up - Both Online & Off! 16.06.2026 25мин

  Text Emily! With limited bandwidth and a desire to reduce digital distraction, all while INFINITE options tug at you... How do you decide where to actually put your time, energy, and efforts? Is social media for the birds at this point? How do you make time for more showing up in real life? How do you choose things that won’t make you completely exhausted? In this episode, we’re going to answer all of those questions (and then some) as we walk through where to s...
• 5 Ways to Connect & Be Seen: How Who You Know Increases Your Visibility 09.06.2026 34мин

  Text Emily! In last week's episode, we talked about how the next person you meet could change your life. Today, we're talking about what happens after you meet them, and more importantly, how other people can help you be MORE VISIBLE. In this special compilation episode, I bring together FOUR guests whom I know, like, love, and trust to share five out-of-the-box ways to increase your visibility. We talk about the power of collaboration, creativity, cohesion, community, and consistency ...
• The Next Person You Meet Could Change Your Life 02.06.2026 28мин

  Text Emily! The best advice I ever got was just six words: "Get out there and meet people!" A former business advisor nudged me out of my retail shop and into the community over eight years ago. Her words changed my entire life. And today, I hope they change yours too! No matter what you're seeking: growth, clarity, connection, new friends, next steps, the answer is almost always in the people you meet. We're all just walking ripple effects, creating more ripple effects. In this episod...
• Offering "Value" Isn't What it Seems: 5 Unexpected Ways to Deliver Value 26.05.2026 16мин

  Text Emily! "I can't post unless I'm adding value." Sound familiar? We've all said it (or thought it) at least once or twice. "Delivering value" has become a silent gatekeeper for our content, and the idea of what "value" means can stop us cold. We hold off on emailing our list, posting on social, or pitching that podcast until we have the perfect freebie, tip, how-to... something valuable to offer before we're allowed to show up. Value isn't only found in a commodity. It's not always ...
• Is Authenticity Dead? Bringing Fresh Life to Overused Buzzwords 19.05.2026 24мин

  Text Emily! "Authenticity" used to be one of my favorite words of all time! It meant something real, genuine, original, of the utmost quality. It offered permission to show up as yourself, not perform or pretend! Then... #internet. Suddenly, everyone was "stepping into their authentic self." From every coach, in every caption, selling every course, the word was everywhere. And when a word is everywhere, it becomes a bit generic and loses its intended depth. In this episode, I'm questio...
• Going 100% in on YOU: How "all-in" changes everything 12.05.2026 28мин

  Text Emily! 3 Years ago, when I started this podcast, I decided to go 100% in on myself. The first of many times I would show up for ME. I’ve learned since that when you take a bet on yourself, when you’re willing to go “all in”, you end up showing up even more fully for others. Today, to celebrate the 3-Year Podiversary of Small Business Casual (previously named “Content with Character”) and my 40th bday, I’m pulling back the curtain and sharing behind-the-scenes truths, learnin...
• What if You Just Tried It? The Power of Experimentation 05.05.2026 32мин

  Text Emily! Instead of overthinking, what if you experimented about it instead!? “Don’t get stuck with where you have not succeeded. Go on to something else. You don’t know what will unfold.” - Natalie Goldberg In this episode, we get into where experimentation and "just trying it" fits into life and business, and how a try-before-you buy mentality can end up being a winning strategy for success and happiness. In the episode: What does experimentation look like in business?...
• When to Throw in the Towel (and When to Push Through) 28.04.2026 25мин

  Text Emily! When to hold em’ and when to fold em’... THAT is the question. And in creative ventures and businesses, it’s one of the hardest things to answer when it comes up. When do you quit, stop pushing, throw in the towel, and when do you keep going? While there’s no clear answer, magical checklist, or formula, there are some questions you can ask yourself and some gut checks that can help give you a lot of clarity on whether or not to keep going and when to throw in the towel on t...
• Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen: When Serial Help Becomes a Recipe for Disaster 21.04.2026 25мин

  Text Emily! Have you ever seen a business owner pay for help and then get all a gazillion different opinions from Mary, Larry, Harry, Tom, Billy, and Sally? Maybe it's been YOU seeking helper after helper whose help isn't "working"? It can be really frustrating and entirely unhelpful when we poll everyone and anyone for help on how to move forward and proceed. Too many cooks in the kitchen can cause you to be forever catching up. It can create chaos, endless pivots and updates, and unw...
• Leaving the Casino: Building a Business that Actually Works for YOU with Jessica Lackey 14.04.2026 42мин

  Text Emily! Have you been burned by bro marketing? Exhausted by all the social media hacks? Underwhelmed with the "just manifest it" advice? If so, you're going to LOVE the wisdom of my guest, Jessica Lackey. Jessica reminds us that when you play by their rules, the house always wins in the entrepreneurial casino. We discuss how to stop betting on tactics and build a business that actually works for YOU as we tackle some of the bigger, better questions. In our convers...
• Business Owner Guilt Trip: Overcoming False Guilt 07.04.2026 33мин

  Text Emily! Do you feel guilty if you don't post or engage on social media for a week? Do you feel like you did something WRONG if you just spent an hour scrolling instead of being productive? I recently asked this question about social media guilt on LinkedIn, asking people to share their experience with this no-win guilt phenomenon, and the comments and solidarity totally surprised me! Lots of people felt equally guilty posting as they did NOT posting! People felt just as bad being ON it a...
• Human vs. Search Engine: A modern SEO strategy with Sarah Moon 31.03.2026 55мин

  Text Emily! Over 80% of internet users rely on search engines regularly, and billions of searches happen every day! If you're not thinking about how people find you through search, you're missing a massive opportunity for your business. In this episode of Small Business Casual, I’m joined by Marketing and Business Strategy Consultant, Sarah Moon, for a deep dive into what’s working in search in 2026 We go beyond keywords and algorithm hacks and instead look at building a solid foundati...
• DO Sweat the Small Stuff: Tiny Writing Shifts that Make a BIG Difference in Your Business 24.03.2026 26мин

  Text Emily! Calling all word nerds!! And, of course, non-word nerds who are ready to start writing with more impact. This episode is for you! We’re getting tactical and hands-on as I share tiny writing shifts that make a massive difference in how your emails, social posts, web copy, and marketing land. These aren’t complicated shifts. You don’t need an MFA in Creative Writing or to spend the next year curled up with your dictionary... these are simple, small, specific...
• Words that Build Trust 17.03.2026 30мин

  Text Emily! In the world of AI, misinformation, and a whole lot of suspicious stuff out there in the ether... building trust matters more than ever as small business owners and creators! In this episode, we’re going to get into what you can do to build it apart from simply saying, “Trust me!” We're laying a foundation of trust by addressing 5 important pillars you can't afford to overlook. Plus, a bonus one that so many people neglect to strengthen! Inside the episode: What...
• Entrepreneur vs. Small Business Owner: What's in a Name? 10.03.2026 25мин

  Text Emily! Entrepreneur, Freelancer, Self-Employed, Business Owner, Small Business Owner, Founder, CEO... what's in a name? Don't they all just mean the same thing? Does it even matter what we call ourselves? Does it matter what we call our clients? In this episode, we’ll explore why "entrepreneur" vs. "small business owner" feel a bit different. We'll get into what they actually each MEAN on paper, and we’ll identify together which one YOU might be while giving you permission t...
• A Matter of "Semantics": Dirty Word or Secret Weapon? 03.03.2026 27мин

  Text Emily! Words aren't neutral. The specific words you choose shape how people perceive you, your business, and your message. Sometimes, it's just a word, and trying to find the exact right one is just overthinking in disguise, and sometimes... the tiniest words matter. Two words, two different ways of saying the same thing, can feel completely different and set a totally different tone. Semantics is defined as: the branch of linguistics concerned with meaning. You get into wor...
• If it Takes 10, Do it Then! Weekly Love Note with Emily ❤️ 27.02.2026 10мин

  Text Emily! You know what I'm talking about... That ONE thing that's been sitting on your to-do list for weeks, taking up mental real estate, making you feel behind. I can all but guarantee that the mental weight of NOT doing it takes WAY more energy than just doing the damn thing! In this week's Love Note, I share with you the results of my mini-four-week Love Notes Experiment and challenge you to pick your one 10-minute (or less) task that's been haunting you. Together, let's knock i...