Earlier this week, something big happened …
That’s right, I’ve launched the Independent Business podcast, powered by our favorite independent business and clientflow champions, HoneyBook. I’m so excited for you to join me as I interview some of the most brilliant minds in business.
But before we move away from this exciting milestone, I want to take a moment to share with you how (and why) we built this podcast for you, and what you can expect from it.
The story is deeper than you might think!
Why independent business?
Look, it’s not breaking news that when you’re an independent business owner, life isn’t always a cake walk.
You’re eager to learn and grow as an entrepreneur, but you’re not sure who to trust or what information you’re consuming is sound. You need to be able to make smarter decisions faster, but what advice should you follow?
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It’s also hard to look around you each and every day and see others thriving in seemingly similar spots, while you’re still struggling to figure it all out. What are they doing? How are they doing it? What do they know that you don’t?
Then there’s the fact that it’s virtually impossible to scroll social media without that six-figure or seven-figure narrative of “what success looks like.†You know there are no magical benchmarks intellectually, but it’s hard to feel like your success measures up to how others define it, if that’s not where you are. Are you doing it wrong? What does success actually look like?
Your independent business champion
Right now, there aren’t a lot of folks really fighting for you, and I hear that from so many of you every single day. You see politicians filming on Main Street during campaign season, but more than 80% of you feel frustrated due to the lack of government support.
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For too long, we’ve accepted the status quo of a system that doesn’t fully deliver on the promise of fostering and supporting independent businesses, even when good intentions are in play. As an independent business owner, you deserve to have someone out there fighting for you and empowering you with actionable information.
And that someone is me — as well as all of the incredible guests who have taken part in this journey so far, and HoneyBook. (That’s right, you’ve got an independent business army behind you now!)
I now report to you, my independent business community. My goal each and every day is to make you proud and do right by you, and this podcast is only the beginning.
Accessible for all independent business owners
When I first started out as a community builder, one of the most valuable lessons I learned is that accessibility should be a proactive effort, not a reactive one. This is a core value I share with HoneyBook.
That’s why we designed this podcast, from the start, to be accessible for all. But what does that mean, exactly?
Every podcast is available in all formats:
Full audio across multiple platforms
A packed YouTube channel with every podcast episode, as well as tons of other resources for independent business owners like you!
A full transcription of each episode available for screen-readers
We also worked closely with business accessibility expert Erin Perkins, who fully audited what we were building with the Independent Business podcast. She helped us identify areas where we were doing great accessibility work, as well as opportunities for us to dream bigger about how we make a more inclusive and accessible podcast experience for all independent business owners.
That’s right, everybody is invited to the Independent Business Podcast party.🎉
And we mean everybody
Taking accessibility a step further, it’s not enough to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table. It’s also important for everyone to have a voice at the table, because those are two very different things, and the latter is often overlooked.
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That’s why we’re going out of our way with this podcast to actively engage and showcase a wide array of different voices in the independent business space, coming from all backgrounds, areas of expertise, and perspectives.
For example, we’ve already dropped our first three episodes with Ellen Yin, XayLi Barclay, and Donald Miller. But in the upcoming episodes this season, you’ll hear from:
- Sharon McMahon of Sharon Says So
- Danielle Coke of Oh Happy Dani
- Ankur Nagpal, founder of Teachable and Ocho
- Tori Dunlap, New York Times bestselling author of Financial Feminist and podcast host
- Antonio Neves, workplace engagement expert
Too often, some of the most brilliant minds get left out of conversations, if they’re even considered at all.
While we know the work is very much in front of us, not behind us, we are striving from day one with this podcast to walk this journey of making the conversation of independent business as inclusive and diverse as possible.
You are the magic in your independent business
Recently, a friend asked me over coffee what my greatest hope was with this podcast. I’ll tell you what I told her, but first what you may not know is that this podcast has lived in my heart as a dream for a very, very long time.
I’ve always loved talking to people and interviewing people. I love connecting the dots, but in a way that’s of genuine service to others — that’s you.
For years, however, I believed the same lie so many of us fall for:
“It’s already been done.â€
But as I’ve told many of you countless times:
“Sure, it’s been done, but it’s never been done by you. Your impact is and always will be unique. Go for it. Be gutsy.â€
So, what was my answer to her?
“I want to show every independent business owner out there the power they’re looking for is something they already possess within.â€
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You’re also the success equation you seek
What your success equation looks like will be unique to you, but that’s exactly how it should be. You’re the greatest variable in your business, and you’re also the magic that makes everything work.
This podcast is not designed to give you all a cookie-cutter independent business success framework. There’s no such thing.
You are unique. Your passions are unique. Your talents are unique. Your visions for what success should look and feel like for you are unique. So, of course, the path you walk as an independent entrepreneur will be unique.
That’s why you can never forget you are the magic within your business. You are the ultimate artist behind your masterpiece, and I’ll be here cheering you on every single step of the way through this podcast.
Like an ace up your sleeve, I’m the independent business investigative reporter in your pocket helping you understand the science of self-made success. Check it out and subscribe today!👇
