Poolside Podcast

#151 Austen Tosone recently celebrated working one year as a full-time content creator. She now has eight ongoing income streams and is launching an SEO masterclass. Her secret? Treating what some consider a hobby like the business it is. In this episode, I sit down with Austen and talk about everything from her background in the magazine industry to how she kept her content creation work going throughout the pandemic. Austen shares her advice for creators looking to transform their side hustle into a full-time job. She shares tips about batching content, when to create searchable vs algorithm-based content, missed opportunities she’s seeing from the brand side, and where she sees the creator economy going. If you want to turn your content into a profitable business, this is the episode for you. Follow for more: www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital www.instagram.com/almostffamous Show Notes: Celebrating Austen’s first full year as a content creator! We dive into what led her to this point and what it was like being one of the original bloggers. Austen shares the key strategies she learned working in the magazine industry that she applies to her content creation today. The importance of learning how to be adaptable, flexible, and resilient in your career. What does it take to tackle a career in social media? How the pandemic suddenly changed Austen’s career plan and what she did to keep her content relevant as the world suddenly changed. How Austen decided she was ready to make the leap into full-time content creation. Diving into Austen’s eight income streams. What is the content planning process like and does she focus on one platform over others? The importance of creating both searchable and algorithm-based content. Where does Austen see content creation going as an industry? Missed opportunities for brands looking to work with creators. What’s next for Austen? We talk about her new SEO masterclass and more. Mentioned in this Episode: Austen’s Website: https://austentosone.com/ Keep Calm and Chiffon: https://www.keepcalmandchiffon.com/ Austen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austentosone/ Austen’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/austentosone Austen’s Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/austentosone/_created/ Austen’s TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZML4KHLMj/

#150 This is a solo episode with yours truly and I’m talking about the steps I’m taking to prepare my business (and myself) for having a baby. I share my journey on hiring people, what the goal is by June 1st in terms of workload and how I’m hoping to never take back any of the work I’m delegating out. I share the other steps in my process right now including reviewing my current clients and firing the ones that aren’t aligning, making smaller to-do lists and changing my perspective on what it means to be productive. www.instagram.com/almostffamous www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital

Episode Description: #149 With over 15k YouTube subscribers, Chris Jackson understands what it takes to grow a community on YouTube. In episode 149 of the Poolside Podcast, I talk with Chris about his experiences growing his channel, ‘Tiny Blue Games.’ Chris explains what he did to reach his first 1000 subscribers, four strategies to monetize a channel, which content types earn higher income, the importance of branding, and more. He gives actional tips to optimize your channel, including notes about thumbnails, titles, SEO, and the ‘About’ section. Chris explains the importance of paying attention to the right metrics to review your content and goes over how he does this on his channel. YouTube can be a challenging platform to grow on. If you’re looking to start, or grow, a channel, this episode is a great place to start. Follow for more: www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital www.instagram.com/almostffamous Show Notes: Who is Chris and what kind of videos does he post on his channel, ‘Tiny Blue Games?’ How to use your side hobbies to build your career skill set. Why did Chris decide to start a YouTube channel? And how does he maintain it while balancing a full-time job? Chris’s keys to growth on YouTube and how to give back your time to your community. What has Chris learned about personal branding since starting this channel? How to manage creating videos your core audience loves vs ones that will get a greater reach. Dealing with getting stuck in a niche of content. Best practices for thumbnails, titles, SEO, and more. If Chris started over, what would he do to build an audience in 2022? How to make money on YouTube; 4 potential revenue streams. Mentioned in this Episode: Chris’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TinyBlueGames Message Chris for marketing support: [email protected]

Episode Description: #148 As a 3x founder, content creator, and the CEO of Hermana Agency, Kayley Reed has been working deep in the creator economy for the last decade. In this episode, I talk with Kayley about her new tech startup, norm. A contact reader, pricing calculator, and more, norm. was built to empower creators to negotiate their worth in what is now a billion-dollar industry. Kayley and her team have been working tirelessly over the last year to find investors, build hype, and design the product their community needs. We talk about the problems norm. solves, how Kayley's team grew a waitlist of over 500 people, how norm. is keeping creators central to the business, and where Kayley sees influencer marketing going in the future. If you're a creator or a brand that hires creators, this episode is the perfect place to learn about the industry's new norm. Follow for more: www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital www.instagram.com/almostffamous Show Notes: A bit of background on Kayley: Who she is, her journey in the influencer marketing world, and what she’s working on now. How Kayley’s unique perspective in the influencer space allows her to see major gaps in the market. What is norm. and what problems does it solve? How Kayley is keeping creators at the centre of everything norm. does. How did Kayley and her team make sure people would really want this product? What strategies did Kayley and her team use to build fomo around norm.’s launch? What’s it like to work with investors? Where does Kayley see the influencer marketing industry going? Discussing the democratization of social media. How can influencers decide which platforms to focus on? How is Kayley juggling two businesses at the same time? How to transition from entrepreneur to business owner. Mentioned in this Episode: norm.: https://www.itsnorm.ai/ norm. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsnorm.ai/ Kayley’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayley.e.r/ Hermana Agency: https://www.instagram.com/hermana.agency/ Andie’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andoej?lang=en

#147 When your whole life suddenly changes, how do you find the energy to prioritize yourself? In episode 147 of the Poolside Podcast, nutrition and fitness coach, Michelle McGrattan, talks about how she pulled herself out of a hard time by staying true to her own advice, 'The Michelle Method.' Michelle has been on the podcast twice before, and we had a ton to catch up on. Michelle talks about everything from her divorce, moving across the country, and her new role at Barre Belle Toronto, to motherhood, boundaries, and social media. We dive into handling criticism on social media, the importance of community, and how to get through bad days. This episode is a great reminder that, even through tough times, taking care of yourself is number one. Follow for more: www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital www.instagram.com/almostffamous Show Notes: Michelle dives into her background, the ‘Michelle Method,’ her role at Barre Belle Toronto, and her passion for nutrition and fitness. How to connect with what motivates you on social media. Pulling yourself out bad days through connection and community online. Michelle’s wake up calls for living a healthier lifestyle and what originally got her interested in nutrition. Dealing with self doubt on social media. How to stop comparing, share authentically, and make room for everyone at the table. How Michelle’s mindset and perspective on life have changed over the last few years. Divorce, moving cities, and business changes; how community got Michelle through the hard times. Diving into Michelle’s morning routine. The tools and routines Michelle recommends to slow down and listen to your body. Balancing business and a baby; how setting firm boundaries has helped Michelle stay on top of her priorities. Mentioned in this Episode: Michelle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichellemethod/ Barre Belle: https://www.barrebelle.ca/

#146 What’s working and what needs to evolve in the influencer marketing space? In this episode, I talk with Kristen Novak, founder of WILD Public Relations, about what it’s like to run a PR agency in 2022. We dive into what brands are looking for from influencers, what it’s been like working in PR over these past couple of years, and Kristen’s own experiences running a business while becoming a mother. We talk about the importance of finding your niche as a content creator, the mental health struggles many influencers face, and where the industries might be going in the future. This episode gives influencers and content creators a peek behind the curtain into the needs and expectations of public relations firms and brands. Follow for more: www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital www.instagram.com/almostffamous Show Notes: Kristen dives into why she founded WILD Public Relations, the negative connotations associated with “agencies,” and what she was doing before she started WILD. What exactly is PR and how is it different from marketing? Would Kristen do anything differently if she could start over with WILD? What’s it like to run a business as a new mom? Kristen’s tips and personal mental health journey. Kristen’s favourite projects she’s worked on and what she loves about running her own business. How has WILD managed to adapt throughout all the shutdowns these past couple years? Plus, what it’s like for PR agencies to be able to run events again. Diving into influencer marketing: What’s working, what needs to evolve, and what are brands looking to see? The importance of choosing a niche for your content creation. What types of content is Kristen tired of seeing? Discussing authentic content versus following trends. How does WILD sort through and choose influencers to work with? Where does Kristen see influencer marketing and PR going in the future? Addressing mental health concerns in the influencer marketing space. Does Kristen have plans to open another business? Mentioned in this Episode: WILD Public Relations: https://wildpr.ca/ WILD Public Relations on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wild.pr/

#145 Social media management rates seem all over the place when you start googling it, asking around and just the general public's opinion. In this episode, I talk about my experience trying to charge enough to grow my business as well as the factors you need to consider when setting your prices including: The type of client (industry, business size, etc), scope of work, experience level, skills + people you need to make the work happen and how much you think your time is worth. Every client has a customized monthly fee based on all of those things mentioned. The industry is still growing and as social media & content creation continues to change, the cost for social media creation and management should also change. www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital www.instagram.com/almostffamous

#144 Business coach and author, Jana Boyko is a powerful guide for anyone walking an entrepreneurial path. She teaches aspiring entrepreneurs how to approach business in ways that are both mindful and strategic, and proves that it’s possible to create a vibrant, prosperous relationship with the work that feels most compelling to us. Her coaching practice, All of Her Business, is dedicated to holistically supporting women in their transformation from employee to entrepreneur. In this episode, we dive into questions and prompts from her recently released Bedside Business Plan journal. Jana shares the evolution of her business over the last two years and how rewarding the journey of creating this journal has been amidst a stressful and busy year. We talk about ways aspiring and current entrepreneurs can create a conscious business that supports you, your mental health and overall wellbeing while still being financially successful. She gives us advice on how to set boundaries and create an intentional morning routine that sets you up for success. Jana gives us a look into what the Bedside Business Plan journal looks like and the process you can expect to go through. https://www.instagram.com/allofherbusiness/ www.bedsidebusinessplan.com www.allofherbusiness.com

#142 Mitzi Payne is the co-founder of Arcade, a digital-forward creative agency specializing in strategy, content, and distribution and the host of Waves Social Podcast. In this episode, Mitzi walks us through her entrepreneurial journey of growing her side hustle into a full time business. Her passion for branding is apparent as she explains the importance of creating a strong brand that is more than your logo and colour. We talk about the mistakes businesses are making in their digital marketing strategy and why social media isn't the be all end all for brands. Mitzi gives us a great perspective on building a foundation for our brand and why it's okay to grow, evolve and change your brand. https://www.instagram.com/helloarcade/ https://www.instagram.com/mmmitzi/

#141 Kristina Sammut is an executive leadership coach and the founder of Frontier Leadership, a business offering niche specialty training with a highly integrated program for women in leadership, negotiation, career advancement, and entrepreneurship. In this episode, Kristina shares her background and education in leadership and executive coaching and how her previous careers led her to where she is now. We talk about how to know your worth, the three key challenges women face when asking for what they want and advice for how to successfully negotiate. https://www.instagram.com/frontier_leadership/ https://www.frontierleadership.ca/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinasammut/

#140 Tara Salloum is the founder and creative lead at Counter Culture. In this episode, Tara shares her journey through digital marketing and agencies before deciding to launch her own business, Counter Culture. She talks about the biggest mistakes brands are making when it comes to influencer marketing, misconceptions about ROI and how the industry has changed over the last few years. Tara gives advice for content creators who are looking to grow their influence and how to stay inspired. https://www.instagram.com/taraleighrose/ https://www.instagram.com/counterculture.agency/

#139 Jess Moskaluke is a Canadian country singer and songwriter. In this episode, Jess shares the journey of her country music career, why it's important to take a step back and reflect on how far you've come and how imposter syndrome exists in all industries. She talks about what it's like to be a woman in the music industry and how we can help change the male-dominated genre. We talk about the pandemic, how she had to pivot and why she launched her business, Hand Picked by Jess. https://www.jessmoskaluke.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jessmoskaluke/

We are back for season 2 of Poolside Podcast! Thanks to everyone who has listened and has stuck with me through this journey. On this episode, we're talking all things content and what you should be thinking about as we move into Q4 and 2022. Utilize technology to make your content creation and distribution more efficient, optimize your content with keywords, use data to determine what content will resonate with your audience and why creating valuable content is key to success. Follow me on Instagram HTTP://www.instagram.com/almostffamous Follow Poolside on Instagram HTTP://www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital.ca

#137 This is a solo episode with your host Rachel Antony. I talk about my entrepreneurial journey - what I took in school, the jobs that I had, how I ended up starting my own business and what I learned along the way. www.poolsidedigital.ca www.instagram.com/poolsidedigital/ www.instagram.com/almostffamous

#136 Marc Binkley is the Vice President Digital & Marketing Strategy at Anstice, a Canadian-based communications firm that uses human science to solve business problems and create meaningful tools for change. This conversation was originally an Instagram Live which is why the conversation sounds a little choppy and we are reading questions from the audience. Marc talks about why pivoting quickly is a defining factor for businesses in determining their success throughout the pandemic and as well continuing to move through it. It’s important to understand your consumers, how they’re interacting and how they’re engaging with your brand. We talk about emerging trends including long form content including blogs, podcasts, longer video, etc. Marc shares his opinion on budget mix. As we evolve our marketing strategies and look out to the rest of 2021, how should a brand be dividing their budget? Marc recommends looking at your goals quarterly or yearly and work backwards with the budget you’re working with. When deciding what the right media mix is for your business. https://anstice.ca/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

#135 Sunjeev Prasad is the founder of Steet Gentlemen. He helps ambitious men feel more confident by improving their mindset & style. In this episode, he shares his journey to helping men find the confidence they are missing in their life by not only helping them redesign their wardrobe but redesign their mindset around who they are as a person. We talk about how impactful you're exterior look can be on how you present yourself to the world, how quarantine has helped people understand the value of appearance + confidence and Sunjeev's advice for improving your confidence right now. ⁣ https://www.instagram.com/streetgentlemen/ https://www.streetgentlemen.com/

#134 Maria Koutsogiannis is the creator and founder of Food by Maria, a blog, a cookbook, an app - all of the things. In this episode, Maria shares her content creation process, why she chooses to go with a more edited, magazine-type look for her photos and how she manages so many clients per month. We talk about the importance of finding your own voice, building a brand that reflects who you are but also how to get inspired from other people on the internet. Maria shares how she has been using her platform for not only body positivity but how filters impact our wellbeing, why mental health is so important and social justice issues. She gives her advice for people who want to use their platform to spread a message, monetize their account or just build a brand you're proud of. https://www.foodbymaria.com/ https://www.instagram.com/foodbymaria/ https://www.instagram.com/mediabymaria/

#133 Leo Perez is the Creative Director at Anstice. In this episode, she shares her journey of starting as an art director and graphic designer and moving her way into a creative director role. She gives advice for anyone who wants to get into the field and have a career in the creative field. We talk about why data analysis is so important when it comes to creating marketing campaigns and why consumer behaviour is key to successful creative. Leo shares what a brand audit is, what the process of building a brand is and the questions that she asks along the way. We talk about what makes a good brand and how it’s about the relationship with the consumer and not the product or logo itself. https://www.instagram.com/leoperezh/ https://www.instagram.com/a.leo.bit/

#132 Kaylor Betts is the founder of the Mental Wealth Project aimed at helping people find their peace and purpose to live a more fulfilling life. Kaylor shares his mental health journey and the internal struggles he faced growing up. He started as a personal trainer, opened his own gym and then four years ago launched the Mental Wealth Project when he realized how important mindset was. We talk about why labeling mental health can be a cop out, how to change your mindset around your own mental health struggles and why waiting for life to go back to “normal” isn’t going to work. https://www.instagram.com/mentalwealthproject/ https://www.mentalwealthproject.com/

#131 Matt Beauchamp is a Dad blogger in Calgary with a full time job at an international marketing & PR firm. In this episode, he shares how and why he started his blog, what the feedback was and what it's like being one of the few Dad bloggers across Canada. We talk about realizing the value of your time, choosing what brand deals to take and why saying yes to everything is not always a great idea. Matt gives his advice for people who want to get started in the blogging + influencing world and why you really need to be passionate about what you're talking about to be successful. https://www.instagram.com/dashingdad_yyc/ https://dashingdad.ca/

#130 Paige Pinder is a tarot reader and marketer. This episode is a bit different than usual, I'm sharing my personal tarot reading that Paige did for me about my business. I wanted to share the experience with you, record the predictions and give an inside look into how someone like Paige ends up in the tarot reading business. https://www.instagram.com/paige_ofcups/

#129 Melanie Trottier is a social media expert and content creator, she shares her journey of finding her career path and why it’s more about experience and building connections than it is education. We talk about our experiences with social, how you can make it a positive space to be in and why social media is the best place to network. She shares how she grew her TikTok account to almost 40K, what her content strategy looks like now and how she’s encouraging her community to create content with her 28 day challenge on Instagram. Melanie also gives us 3 instagram hacks. https://www.instagram.com/melanielaurene/

#128 Raquelle Kilotaitis is the co-founder of Carte Blanche, an agency focused on brand and influencer marketing. In this episode, we dive into the world of influencer marketing and talent management. Raquelle shares the journey that led her to co-found Carte Blanche. We talk about the misconceptions of influencer marketing and what managers do for influencers as well as what her day to day looks like. She shares what they look for in an influencer before they work together and why follower numbers don’t matter as much as people think. We talk about rates, negotiating and her advice for people who want to level up their influencer game. https://www.instagram.com/carteblanchemgmt/ https://www.carteblanchemgmt.com/

#127 Abdul Ahmed is the co-founder and CEO of Adesso, a Canadian men's lifestyle brand that specializes in unique and functional products. In this episode, Adbdul shares his journey through fashion and how Adesso grew from the market's need for more options in the men's fashion space. He talks about where Adesso as a brand began and how it's evolved into a more purposeful brand with the intention of creating a safe community and platform for men to build confidence in themselves by looking and feeling good. He emphasizes why brands should use their voice to create good and give back to the community instead of focusing just on sales. Abdul shares how Adesso is trying to break the stigma of men being vulnerable, talking about mental health and the struggles of self-confidence. He also shares the business lessons he has learned along the way, his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and how Adesso is pivoting in light of the new digital age we are in. https://www.instagram.com/adessoman/ https://adessoman.com/ https://www.instagram.com/abdulb_ahmed/

#126 Bailey Stanworth is the founder of Play Digital, a digital marketing agency, a co-host on the podcast What Day Is It? And an influencer + dog mom. In this episode (part two of two), Bailey talks about what her personal brand has evolved into, why consistency and authenticity are so important and what her content creation process looks like. We talk about finding your own voice and doing what feels right for you, not following what everyone else is doing. She shares how she manages her time between her business, podcast and own account + her advice for people developing their personal brand. https://www.instagram.com/baileyjst/ https://www.instagram.com/playdigital/ https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-day-is-it/id1450232346 https://www.instagram.com/whatdayisitpodcast/

#125 Bailey Stanworth is the founder of Play Digital, a digital marketing agency, a co-host on the podcast What Day Is It? And an influencer + dog mom. Bailey walks us through her marketing background and how + when she decided to start her own agency. We talk about hiring, time management and how Bailey found her first clients. She gives her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, how to start a business and her top tips for businesses wanting to grow their audience on Instagram. Part one of two. https://www.instagram.com/baileyjst/ https://www.instagram.com/playdigital/ https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-day-is-it/id1450232346 https://www.instagram.com/whatdayisitpodcast/

#124 Janine Sept is a wedding photographer and Clarity Coach. In this episode, Janine walks us through how she became a successful wedding photographer and how she integrated her partner into the business. She shares the journey on the decision to work on herself, become more mindful and adjust her life to be more enjoyable for and her loved ones around her. We talk about the common obstacles women face as entrepreneurs and some of the ways to overcome them. Janine shares how journaling and meditation have changed her mindset and why it’s important to make the space you need in your life. We talk about the power of social media, how being consistent on stories changed her business and personal brand and why you need to build accountability into your goals for 2021. https://www.instagram.com/janinedeanna/ https://www.janinedeanna.com/

#123 Kayley Reed is the founder of Hermana Agency, an influencer marketing agency and a content creator. In this episode, we talk about personal branding and influencer marketing. Kayley shares her content creation process for Instagram, how she decides which brands to work with and why gifted campaigns can be harmful to the industry as a whole. She talks about her agency, Hermana and how she decides which influencers to manage as well as the misconceptions about influencers working with an agency. Kayley gives her advice for people who want to become influencers or work on improving their online presence. https://www.instagram.com/hermana.agency/ https://www.instagram.com/kayley.e.r/ https://www.hermanaagency.com/

#122 Kayley Reed is the founder of Hermana Agency, an influencer marketing agency and a content creator. In this episode, we talk about all things TikTok. How the platform has changed over the last year, how brands are using it and what influencer marketing looks like on TikTok. She shares how she built her TikTok following of more than 50K followers by really niching down and how to find your own niche by finding something you absolutely love. Kayley walks us through her content creation process and her advice for people wanting to up their game on the platform. https://www.instagram.com/hermana.agency/ https://www.instagram.com/kayley.e.r/ https://www.hermanaagency.com/

#121 Maria Koutsogiannis is the creator and founder of Food by Maria, a blog, a cookbook, an app - all of the things. In this episode, she shares the journey of her blog and how she took the leap of quitting her full-time job to pursue a career as a food blogger. She talks about how she’s created multiple revenue sources and how to determine when to delegate jobs within the business that you aren’t good at or don’t enjoy. She shares her advice as a business owner, a content creator and as a food blogger. https://www.foodbymaria.com/ https://www.instagram.com/foodbymaria/ https://www.instagram.com/maria.koutsogiannis/ https://www.instagram.com/mediabymaria/

#120 Ariane Tonka is the Founder and CEO of Ovrgrnd, a digital marketing agency, and 66Agency, an influencer marketing agency as well as an influencer. In this episode, we talk about the importance of understanding your goals before launching social media campaigns, ads and strategies. Why influencer marketing is so powerful and how to put together successful influencer campaigns. Ariane shares her journey as a business owner and content creator, how she decides what brands to work with and why it's important to build your personal brand on things you already love. https://www.instagram.com/arianetonka/ https://ovrgrnd.ca/ https://66agency.com/

#119 This is part 2 with Tanisha Cherry, an influencer and podcast host. In this episode, we talk all about pitching. We talk about why you don't need to do gifted campaigns and how to pitch brands. Tanisha talks us through her Kate Summerville campaign as an example and provides great advice for how to determine your rates and what goes into taking a photo for a campaign. https://www.instagram.com/tanisha.cherry/ https://www.instagram.com/cherryloungepodcast/

#118 Tanisha Cherry is an influencer and podcast host. She's the queen of content and knowing your value when it comes to content creation and the platform you've built. In this episode, Tanisha shares how she became an influencer, her advice for aspiring content creators and how her perspective has evolved over the years. She talks about how to find your purpose and your intent, how to grow organically and find that community. This is part one of two, EPS 119 is about pitching. https://www.instagram.com/tanisha.cherry/ https://www.instagram.com/cherryloungepodcast/

#117 Megan Krepakevich is the founder of Social Integrity, a social media management and coaching business. She’s empowering entrepreneurs to create a signature online presence by understanding their value and brand. In this episode, we talk about social media strategy and personal branding. Megan shares her experience with both and the journey that has led her here. She gives her top tips, tricks and advice for establishing an online presence, why consistency is so important and why everyone should focus on storytelling first, selling second. We chat about mindset, imposter syndrome and how to show up as an expert in your niche without feeling like a fraud. https://www.instagram.com/megankrepakevich/ https://www.instagram.com/social.integrity/ https://www.socialintegrity.ca/

#116 Meighan recently completed her Masters of Architecture at the University of Manitoba and in 2018 she was a co-curator of the Winnipeg Design Festival. Meighan is indigenous, she is a maker, she is a designer and artist. Her art + research explores the role that storytelling plays in design, and how both have become the vessel for learning more about her own identity. In this episode she shares her journey to where she is today, the process that she goes through when helping a brand understanding their design, how her education and experience give her a different perspective on branding and how she started her freelance business. https://www.instagram.com/meighan1090/ https://meighan.myportfolio.com/

#116 Michelle McGrattan is the founder of The Michelle Method and an instructor at Barre Belle. In this episode, Michelle shares why a morning routine is so important for setting up your day and how she has learned to set boundaries for herself. She talks about why she rebranded her business, what the Michelle Method is and how she's helping her clients change their lives in a positive way. We talk personal branding and how she's grown such a strong and loyal community while still being true to who she is. https://www.instagram.com/themichellemethod/ https://michellemcgrattan.com/ Previous episodes: EPS 45: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/poolside-podcast/id1380532510?i=1000431616310 EPS 98: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/poolside-podcast/id1380532510?i=1000466619097

#114 Katherine Johnsen is the gorgeous face behind @beachykj. She shares her personal brand story and how she’s built a brand around sneakers and making streetwear accessible. KJ talks about how to find your niche and why it’s so important to remember that you can’t be everything to everyone. She gives her tips for building a brand, growing on social and sharing consistently. Listen to why diversifying content and platforms are key, her content creation process and how she decides on which brands to collaborate with. https://www.instagram.com/beachykj/ http://beachykj.com/ Previous episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/poolside-podcast/id1380532510?i=1000421175835

#113 Welcome back to Poolside Podcast. We're in a new season and I'm ready for the guests that I have lined up for you. In this episode, I share what I have learned during the pandemic such as the value of time, slowing down and relaxing and having a perspective shift. Let me know what you think of the episode by DMing me or leaving a rating and review. http://instagram.com/poolsidedigital/ http://instagram.com/almostffamous/

#112 with Connor Curran. Connor is the co-founder of Local Laundry, a brand dedicated to building community and selling only Canadian made garments. On this episode, we talk about the importance of community and collaboration, why it’s so important for small businesses especially to build community and how the partnerships and collaborations are chosen with Local Laundry. We talk about COVID, BLM and how the ever-changing landscape has forced all businesses to adapt, understand their values and grow. Connor shares his advice for small business owners for navigating these challenging times and how LL has become a different business than it was 6 months ago. https://www.instagram.com/locallaundry/ https://locallaundry.ca/

Reposting of the interview I did for The Small Business Mastermind Podcast. Full transcript here: https://www.olympiabenefits.com/the-small-business-mastermind/episodes/13/how-influencer-marketing-helps-small-businesses-reach-new-customers For more informative episodes, click here: http://www.olympiabenefits.com/podcast

#110 Sanja Serwa is the founder of Vossity, an online store curating nontoxic, organic and cruelty-free beauty and wellness products. She shares the evolution of her business Vossity and why + how she started her own skincare line. We talk about the lessons she’s learned along the way and why hiring part-time help has allowed her to scale and grow her business. We talk about social media for small businesses, the best practices and why consistency is so important. We discuss the value of influencer marketing and how to properly execute as a small business. Sanja gives her advice for small business owners on using social media, influencer marketing and overall business tips. https://vossity.com/ https://www.instagram.com/vossity.beauty/ https://www.instagram.com/sansanjovs/

#109 Maria Jose is a Calgarian content creator and blogger under the handle @aglimpseofmaria. There she beautifully curates high fashion looks and shares fashion inspiration, travel guides and wellness tips. In this episode, we discuss how Black Lives Matter has impacted us through social media, how we've decided to use our influence to spread information and how brands can move forward in a respectable and conscientious way. We share our perspectives and very different experiences on how to use your platform to stimulate change, how you can reach out to black people in a respectful way, why education and awareness should be chosen over silence, marketing and PR etiquette and what influence means to us in 2020. https://www.instagram.com/aglimpseofmaria/

#108 This episode is a mashup of answers from inspiring and powerful entrepreneurial women that I look up to. They are all answering the question "During this time, what have you learned about yourself and your business and what will you carry forward with you into the future?" Jackie from Lace Brick Design: https://www.instagram.com/lacebrickdesign/ https://lacebrickdesign.com/ Jana from All of Her Business: https://allofherbusiness.com/ https://www.instagram.com/allofherbusiness/ Jess from Love for Lewiston: http://www.loveforlewiston.ca/ https://www.instagram.com/jsjanzen/ Marlo from Barre Body Studio: http://barrebodystudio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/barrebodystudio/ Christine from LifeLet: https://www.instagram.com/christineanne403/ https://www.instagram.com/lifelet.co/ Katie from DWK Interiors: https://www.dwkinteriors.com https://www.instagram.com/dwkinteriors/

#107 Tanya is the brand director and partner of the Upside, Canada's largest online place to shop for and consign authenticated designer goods. Tanya shares her journey of falling in love with consignment as a young girl through her Mom and how she turned that passion into a business. She gives advice for finding a business partner and why being true to your values is important in both business and life. We talk about how COVID has affected The Upside, how they have evolved their campaigns and her advice for business owners as they navigate the current climate. https://shoptheupside.com/ https://www.instagram.com/shoptheupside/ https://www.instagram.com/tawnyp/

#106 Chris Kneeland is the co-founder of Cult Collective, The Gathering and Communo. In this episode, Chris talks about what makes Cult Collective different as an agency and how that translates into their perspective on client work. He talks about what qualifies a “cult-like” brand and shares his insights on how business owners should pivot their own strategies to build a cult-like brand. We talk about how COVID has impacted businesses and brands and what business owners should be doing right now to take advantage of the current climate. He defines what success means to him and why now is the perfect time to redefine what it means to you. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kneeland-838b2921/ https://cultideas.com/ https://communo.com/ https://cultgathering.com/

#104 Lisa Webb is the founder of Women, Wine and Wellbeing. Lisa shares her story about becoming a Canadian Expat when her and her husband decided to move to France in 2010. Since then she has lived in multiple different countries with her family but is now back in Calgary building a business and community for herself. Lisa shares what she learned about living abroad and how she has incorporated that into her life back in Calgary with her family. We talk about her business, Wine, Women and Wellbeing and why she created it and how she has grown it across the country. She gives her advice for setting big goals and believing in yourself to make it happen. https://www.winewomenwellbeing.com/ https://www.instagram.com/winewomenwellbeing/

#104 Jana Boyko is the founder of All Her Business, a conscious business coaching company that focuses on helping women transition from an employee to an entrepreneur in a holistic way. Jana talks about conscious entrepreneurship and why establishing your values is so important for the outcome of your business. We talk about creating moments of nourishment, joy and gratitude during a chaotic time in the world and why learning to control how your perceive events is key to your mental wellbeing. Jana gives her advice for business owners on evolving your business and using this time to ground yourself in what you want to be doing. https://allofherbusiness.com/ https://www.instagram.com/allofherbusiness/ https://www.instagram.com/janaboyko/

#103 Johanna Adriaansen is a digital marketing coach for driven and passionate females. She has grown her own freelancer business by helping businesses and influencers level up their social media presence. Johanna shares her journey from the path of a nutritionist to marketing business owner, how she transitioned from managing social media accounts to coaching macro influencers on turning their influence into a business. We talk about how engagement is affecting everyone and why building and fostering a community online is so important when it comes to growth. She shares her best tips for people who want to jump into the influencer world and grow their Instagram into a source of income. Johanna says why it's important to diversify platforms and have a blog or email list that you can connect with your audience. https://www.johannaadriaansen.com/ https://www.instagram.com/johhhanna/ https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/girl-meets-gram/id1376049524

#102 Tony McGrath is the CEO of the Grand, the oldest theatre in the downtown core of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and presents cutting-edge contemporary performing arts from around the world. Tony McGrath walks us through his journey of his lucrative investment banking career, to starting a consulting business with his wife and now his journey as the newly appointed CEO of the Grand. He talks about how his definition of success has changed over the years and why having an impact is more important than income. Tony is very open and real about the ups and downs of a career and life, but how to channel that into a new perspective and to move forward. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomcgrath/?originalSubdomain=ca https://www.instagram.com/tonymcgrathyyc/ https://www.thegrandyyc.ca/

#101 Forrest Zeisler is the co-founder of Jobber, an award-winning platform that helps small home services businesses organize their entire operations. Forrest shares his journey of starting Jobber after his first failed start up. He talks about the lessons he learned from that experience and how he applied them to start the second company. He talks about why you should narrow your focus on a niche first before you expand. We talk about hiring your first employee, what they looked for at Jobber and why hiring for culture was (and still is) so important to them. Forrest shares why building culture deliberately is so important, why it's worth the work that goes into it and some practical tips for business owners. https://getjobber.com/ https://www.instagram.com/getjobber/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/forrestzeisler/?originalSubdomain=ca