The Sustainable Creator

Ever wonder what it’s actually like to share a stage with MrBeast and Will Smith? In this episode, we chat with Kahlea Wade, founder of the influencer management agency Alora Society, about her incredible experience MCing the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai.Who is this episode for? This conversation is a must-listen for creative service providers who are feeling stuck, looking to scale, or trying to figure out how to step fully into a position of authority. If you are navigating a major business transition or want to know how to position yourself for massive global opportunities, press play.A Quick Break for The Break Room:We love bringing you these conversations, but we also know that building a creative business can feel incredibly isolating. If you're an entrepreneur who spends most of your time building other people’s businesses and you need a space to focus on your own, come join us inside The Break Room. Surround yourself with peers who are solving the same problems, hyping you up, and holding you accountable.The Pivot: From Educator to AuthorityKahlea shares the raw, behind-the-scenes truth about making the difficult choice to shut down a highly successful course business when she started to resent the work and feel out of alignment. She breaks down the strategic difference between showing up online as a helpful "how-to" educator versus an industry authority, and how making that mindset and content shift is what ultimately put her in rooms with top global creators.Quick-Hitting Highlights:The Dubai Experience: The palpable energy shift when MrBeast's entourage walked in, and the 10-11 hours of sleep Kahlea survived on over four intense days of speaking.Social Strategy: How Kahlea intentionally splits her strategy, using Instagram to attract creators and LinkedIn to secure massive speaking gigs and brand decision-makers.Next-Level Networking: A genius tip for conference networking—taking selfies with new connections to help them put a face to the name later.Quote of the Episode:"If you're going to give up, it has to be when it's the best day for you. Give up then. And I never allowed myself to quit on a hard day." — Kahlea Wade Kahlea's Reading & Learning List:10x is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan The Blue Book (Devotional) Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath Allie K. Miller's AI MastermindReady to level up your creative business? Don't wait for the perfect moment to start treating your business like the priority it is. Come join us inside The Break Room today to get the accountability and community you need to reach your next milestone!Connect with Us!Kahlea Wade: Connect with Kahlea on LinkedIn or slide into her Instagram DMs at @kahleanicolee.Jo & Lyndon: Share that you listened to this episode on Instagram and tag us at @JoandLyndon and the podcast at @thesustainablecreator.

Today, we are sitting down with Chenell Basilio, a newsletter growth strategist who helps creators cut through the hacks and grow their email lists sustainably. Chenell shares her entrepreneurial journey, transitioning from experiencing intense burnout doing client ads to building a thriving email list that sits at around 40,000 subscribers today. We dive deep into the mechanics of her "30 Days of Growth" email sequence and nerd out on the marketing strategies you need to grow your own audience effectively.In This EpisodeThe Power of Deep Research: For her first email, Chenell spent 40 to 50 hours reverse-engineering how top creators built their newsletters. Creating insanely valuable, deeply researched content acts as a powerful flywheel, naturally encouraging people to share your work.Redefining Subscriber Quality: You cannot rely on open rates these days because platforms like Apple will automatically open almost every email. Instead, a high-quality email list is defined by the actual humans who actively reply to your emails, share your work without being prompted, or buy your products.The "Hidden Genius" Concept: Many creators pour time into an incredible project but never share it out of fear of posting on social media. However, sharing personal stories and leaning into transparency often generates the most replies and creates the deepest audience connection.Mastering Cross-Promotions: When collaborating, the size of a partner's email list matters far less than the engagement of their audience. A dedicated email from a smaller creator with raving fans will often yield leaps and bounds more subscribers than a quick shoutout in a massive newsletter.Be Shameless and Keep Going: The biggest piece of advice from successful people in the creator space is simply not to quit, because everyone else eventually will. Don't be afraid to be a little more shameless when asking for collaborations, and never take a "no" personally!Connect with UsFollow us on Instagram: @joandlyndonFollow the podcast on Instagram: @thesustainablecreatorConnect with Chenell BasilioListen to her co-host the Growth in Reverse podcast, where she breaks down how top creators grew from zero to 50,000+ subscribers.Check out her 30 Days of Growth sequence and join her newsletter at 30daysofgrowth.co.Join The Breakroom!Ready to build a sustainable business alongside a supportive community of like-minded creators? Join us inside The Breakroom! Head over to joandlyndon.com/the-breakroom to learn more, get access to our Friday Peer Masterminds, and become a member today.

If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your book on a Barnes & Noble shelf, you need to hear this episode.Today, we are joined by the amazing Sam VanderWielen, an attorney-turned-entrepreneur who scaled her digital product business to over $10 million using just two products. We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of her incredible book, When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy!Most people think getting a book deal means instant wealth and a massive team doing all the heavy lifting. Sam is pulling back the curtain on the grueling 4-year process of getting a Big Five book deal. She shares why an advance doesn't actually pay the bills, and how she managed to grow her business by several hundreds of thousands of dollars while writing a manuscript and navigating profound personal grief.In this episode, we cover:The actual timeline and steps of traditional publishing (hint: for non-fiction, you write a proposal, not a manuscript!).Why 100% of the book marketing falls on the author, and Sam’s genius "B-roll by month" evergreen content strategy.How to keep your creative business afloat using established email marketing and ads when your capacity is completely maxed out.Navigating the emotional toll of writing a book while experiencing loss, and learning to give yourself permission to let your work just be "good enough".What to include in influencer marketing boxes to make sharing your work foolproof.🌟 Join The Break Room!You don't have to navigate the marathon of entrepreneurship alone! Come join us inside The Breakroom, our membership community for creative service providers who crave honest conversations, actionable strategy, and real support. We actually read Sam's book together in our book club (and she even showed up to our call!). 👉 Click here to join The Break Room today!Connect with Sam VanderWielen:Grab her book: When I Start My Business, I'll Be HappyInstagram: @SamVanderWielenNewsletter: Subscribe to Sam's Sidebar Podcast: Listen to On Your TermsConnect with Jo & Lyndon:Website: joandlyndon.comInstagram: @joandlyndon Podcast Instagram: @thesustainablecreator If you enjoyed this episode, please do us a favor and share it on socials (tag us and Sam!), and leave a review to help other creators find the show. We appreciate you!

In this episode of the Sustainable Creator podcast , we get the absolute pleasure of talking with Aashima Verma, the brilliant founder of the ad agency AV Marketing. Aashima shares her powerful story of leaving her corporate marketing job at just 26 years old to bet on herself, landing a $30,000 first month right out of the gate. Today, she runs a multinational agency that specializes in scaling seven-figure education companies and coaches using paid ads.Whether you're a creative solopreneur currently eyeing the agency route or an established service provider looking to streamline your operations and team, Aashima's insights are a masterclass in sustainable business growth.In this episode, we discuss:The power of niching: Why focusing your services on a specific industry makes messaging, selling, and delivery significantly easier.The truth about follower counts: How Aashima generated over $2 million in agency revenue while maintaining an audience of less than 4,000 followers.Hiring like a pro: Why she prefers to "date" new team members by hiring them as contractors first , and how she uses paid test projects based on real client scenarios to assess talent .The CEO identity shift: The challenging but necessary mental transition from being a "smart marketing specialist" to stepping fully into the CEO seat.Connect with Aashima Verma:Instagram: @theaashimavermaYou can also find her sharing her expertise on LinkedIn and Facebook.Connect with Jo & Lyndon:Ready to scale sustainably? Join our dedicated community for creative service providers, The Breakroom. Come pull up a chair to get peer mastermind support, honest feedback, and the tactical frameworks you need to grow your business without losing your mind.Follow us on Instagram: @joandlyndon & @thesustainablecreatorSupport the show: If you enjoyed today’s episode, please do us a huge favor and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or drop a comment on our YouTube channel! 

Have you ever tried to write your brand story and ended up staring at a blank page? Or maybe you know your story, but the thought of sharing it online puts your nervous system straight into fight or flight?This week on The Sustainable Creator podcast, we are so excited to welcome Larissa Riley, a messaging strategist and brand story architect! Larissa shares why storytelling is so essential for your business and explains why massive corporate brands actually struggle to do it authentically. She also breaks down her incredible cinematic storytelling framework and teaches us how to find our "Page 86", the pivotal, rock-bottom moment that connects us deeply with our ideal clients.If you've been wanting to show up more authentically but aren't sure how to do it without oversharing, this episode is exactly what you need.In this episode, we cover:The critical difference between messaging (what you say) and copy (how you say it)Why your lived experience is your biggest advantage over corporate brands.How to uncover your "Page 86" moment and connect it to the people you serve today.Strategies to safely share your story without triggering a vulnerability hangover, like testing stories with "loose connections" and choosing the right platforms.A simple, three-step journaling framework to help you map out the cinematic elements of your life.Connect with Larissa:Follow her on Instagram: @sunscribe.creativeVisit her website: thesunscribe.comConnect with Jo & Lyndon:Ready to get off the income roller coaster? Join us inside The Breakroom, our membership community for female creative service providers who want to build sustainable businesses that support their dream lives.Looking for customized support? Learn more about our 1:1 Coaching to dig deep into your unique business model, messaging, and offers.If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it means the absolute world to us! We drop new episodes every Tuesday.

Today on the Sustainable Creator podcast, we are chatting with Saba, the founder of Her Support System and In Demand VA. Saba is a systems genius who supports female founders with their team systems and projects, and coaches women to become highly profitable virtual assistants.In this episode, Saba breaks down how to build adaptable service provider business systems that can free up at least 10 hours of your week. We discuss everything from the "first 100 days" blueprint for onboarding new systems to simple hacks like Google Chrome group tabs and why ClickUp is her absolute source of truth. Whether your system is a simple notebook or a robust project management platform, Saba shares exactly how to eliminate friction and get your time back.Connect with Saba:Website: hersupportsystem.com Instagram: @hersupportsystem_Connect with Jo & Lyndon:Instagram: Come hang out with us at @joandlyndon and @thesustainablecreator!Join The Break Room: Need a space to step away from client work, connect with other service providers, and build your business foundation? Join us inside The Break Room: https://www.joandlyndon.com/the-breakroomFree Resources: Grab our list of 80 Ways to Make Your Business More Profitable: https://joandlyndon.kit.com/c1ee5a2d0e

Does SEO feel like both a buzzword and a totally foreign language? If you want to increase your website traffic but don't know where to start, you are in the right place.In this episode, we are so excited to welcome Courtney Jones. Courtney runs Little Creative Company, an SEO-focused web design studio, and she is a master at taking tech-heavy concepts and breaking them down in a simple, digestible way. We're nerding out on how to actually get your website found on Google so you can stop hustling so hard for leads and start working smarter.In this episode, we cover:Why Google is like a librarian, and how SEO is just the "Dewey Decimal System" for your website.The difference between technical SEO (your website's foundation) and on-page SEO (your website's framing).How to build a realistic 100-day SEO plan to get your site optimized without the overwhelm.Why writing just 1-2 SEO-optimized blogs a month is enough to see real compounding growth.The tools you need to find the exact keywords your ideal clients are searching for.Join Us in The Break Room! Want to see exactly how this is done? Courtney is hosting an exclusive workshop inside our membership, The Break Room, on April 21st at 1 p.m. EST! She'll be sharing visual tutorials so you can see exactly how to apply these SEO strategies to your own website. Click here to join us: https://www.joandlyndon.com/the-breakroomLinks & Resources Mentioned:Keyword Tools: Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, and Keywords Everywhere Connect with Courtney Jones:Website: littlecreativecompany.comInstagram: @littlecreativecompanyConnect with Jo & Lyndon:Instagram: @joandlyndonWebsite: www.joandlyndon.com

Working for yourself is an absolute dream, but it can get incredibly lonely when your only coworker is your dog! If you are craving local business friends but the thought of traditional networking events makes you want to hide under the covers, this episode is exactly what you need.Today, we are joined by the queen of community herself, Kelci Borges. Kelci is the founder of the WeAreSheRose agency and the Boise Breakfast Club, a local community that boasts over 700 members! Kelci shares her incredibly relatable story of pivoting from a burnout-inducing, multi-six-figure social media agency to building deeply impactful in-person spaces.Whether you just moved to a new city, or you're finally ready to step out of your solopreneur silo, Kelci is sharing her step-by-step playbook for finding your people without the awkward small talk.In this episode, we cover:Why Kelci is transitioning from a booming social media agency to focus on human connection.How to build your own "Networking First Aid Kit" so you never freeze up in a room full of strangers again.The psychology of connecting over feelings instead of facts (and why you should stop asking people what they do for work!).The hilarious and effective "Polite Snoop" strategy for joining conversations.A step-by-step "First 100 Days" plan to successfully plug into a new local network: Researching rooms, becoming a familiar face, and going deep.Connect with Kelci:Follow Kelci on Instagram: @wearesheroseCheck out her local events: The Boise Breakfast Club & The Boro Breakfast Club (Nashville) Time-Sensitive: Join Kelci’s free online event on March 18th to get a taste of the Breakfast Club and learn how to "Make Q2 Your B*tch"! Join The Break Room! Are you looking for a safe space to connect with other creative service providers who actually get what you do? You don't have to do business alone. Come join us in The Break Room for support, systems, and a culture that champions your growth: https://www.joandlyndon.com/the-breakroomIf you share about this, tag us @thesustainablecreator & @joandlyndon so we can cheer you on!Lastly, we'd be over the moon if you took 30 seconds to give us a review!

Are you capped out on 1-on-1 client work but have absolutely zero desire to build a massive agency or manage a big team? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Sustainable Creator podcast, we are sitting down with Becky, a boutique agency owner and expert in all things memberships.We are diving deep into the world of service-based membership models, the perfect pivot for creative service providers who want to scale their income and serve more people without burning out. Becky breaks down exactly why you shouldn't try to sell "community" (and what to sell instead) , how to ethically raise your prices and protect your capacity , and the exact 100-day milestones you need to hit to get your membership off the ground.Whether you're a photographer, copywriter, or web designer, if you've been looking for a sustainable way to leverage your existing frameworks into recurring revenue, this episode is for you! In this episode, we cover:Why service-based memberships are the ultimate alternative to the traditional agency model.The big myth about needing to be an "educator" or "community leader" to start a membership.Why people buy outcomes, but stay for the community.How to use pre-sales and a "lead-in offer" to validate your membership before you build it.The critical 100-day checklist for a successful membership launch.Connect with Becky:Agency: Check out Affinity Collective to see how her team designs, builds, and manages top-tier memberships.Podcast: Listen to the Build with Becky podcast for quick, 7-minute voice-note style deep dives into membership strategy.Instagram: Follow her at @buildwbecky.Connect with Jo & Lyndon:The Breakroom: Ready to get in the room with other creative service providers? Join us inside The Breakroom to learn how to earn more without burning out.Instagram: Tag us and let us know your biggest takeaway from this episode at @joandlyndon and @thesustainablecreator.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It truly makes our year.

Today, we are so excited to have Kendra Ashton with us to talk heavily about sales, specifically how to sell in the DMs. If you've ever wanted to make more money in your business but felt like selling in direct messages just feels gross, this conversation is exactly what you need. Kendra is a family and wedding photographer, as well as a business coach, who gets 85 to 90 percent of her sales straight through her DMs. She brings an incredibly refreshing, "human-first" approach to social selling that focuses on building genuine connections.In this episode, we break down why pursuing humans instead of just pursuing the sale naturally leads to more business. We discuss the mindset shift of "simmering" your sales rather than forcing a stressful "rolling boil" , and why it is so crucial to remove barriers by keeping potential clients right there in the chat instead of sending them away to a website. Kendra also shares practical tips on how to start these conversations, the importance of using your unique communication skills, and how to follow up gracefully when life happens and conversations stall out.If you loved this conversation and want to fix your cash flow slumps, Kendra is actually our guest speaker inside of The Breakroom for March! We are going to dive even deeper into the psychology of sales and share some incredible stats we couldn't fit into this episode.You can make sure you are in the room for that by signing up for The Breakroom at https://www.joandlyndon.com/the-breakroom. We would love to hear your takeaways from this episode, so come send us a message on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/joandlyndon/. You can also connect with Kendra for her photography at https://www.instagram.com/kendraashtonphotography/ or for her business education at https://www.instagram.com/kendraashtoneducation/.Would you be willing to leave a review for the pod? It really does make a difference!

Today, we have Elisa with us, who is the founder and CEO of ZealCast Studio, a podcast management agency specifically for female creatives. We are diving deep into the world of podcasting for your business and how it can help you build authority and leverage your brand without the hustle.Elisa shares incredible insights on how long-form audio can build a deep know, like, and trust factor with your audience in just 60 minutes. We talk about the real impact podcasting can have on your sales funnel, including a story of a client who received five-figure inquiries from just a single episode. But the best part is that you do not need to burn out or buy a fancy video studio to see these results. Elisa gives us permission to start scrappy, explaining how you can launch a show using nothing more than your phone's voice memos, a free editing tool called Audacity, and Spotify for Creators.We also cover how to repurpose your transcripts into blog posts and Pinterest links to drive SEO traffic, and why batching your episodes is the ultimate boundary to protect your peace. Podcasting does not have to be overwhelming, and this conversation will give you the clarity you need to start sharing your voice sustainably.If you are looking for a community of people who truly "get it," we would love to invite you inside The Breakroom. It is a safe, supportive membership with other creative entrepreneurs building sustainable businesses where you can ask for help and learn together. Join us at https://www.joandlyndon.com/the-breakroom.You can connect with Elisa and learn more about her services on Instagram at @zealcaststudios or visit her website at zealcaststudios.com. You can also find us on Instagram at @JoandLyndon to share your thoughts on today's episode.Ps - if you've made it this far we'd really appreciate you writing a review for the pod!

If you are sitting at your 9-5 desk right now, dreaming of handing in your notice but terrified of losing that steady paycheck—this episode is for you.Leaving the corporate world isn’t just about logistics; it’s a massive identity shift. Who are you without the job title? How do you handle the "money scaries" without a bi-weekly deposit?We are sitting down with Ashley Mina (aka Your Work Wife), founder of The Working Gal Co, to talk about the messy, honest reality of making the jump from employee to entrepreneur. Ashley shares her own story of navigating a layoff that forced her to bet on herself , and gives us the "cheat codes" she wishes she had when she started.In this episode, we chat about:The Identity Crisis: Why you have to "grieve" your corporate self before you can build your new one.The "Scrappy" Mindset: Why getting a "bridge job" (like working the front desk at a barre studio) is a smart strategy, not a failure.Signs You Are Ready: Why overthinking your client proposals is actually a green light to quit.The "First 100 Days" Plan: A tactical guide to your first three months, including the "Brag Folder" technique.Health Insurance: Practical tips on handling benefits, spousal support, and negotiating stipends.Whether you are plotting your escape or are already in the thick of your first year solo, this conversation is the permission slip you need to build a business that actually supports your life.Connect with Ashley Mina:Instagram: @yourworkwifeashleyWebsite: yourworkwifeashley.comCheck out her communities: The Working Gal Co. & Gals Against the Grain Connect with Jo & Lyndon:Website: joandlyndon.comInstagram: @joandlyndonJoin The Breakroom: The Breakroom MembershipWork with us 1:1: Apply for Coaching

Hosted by Jo & Lyndon, coaches for creative service providers, this episode of The Sustainable Creator explores how to escape the social media churn and build a marketing engine that lasts.If you’ve been treating Pinterest like Instagram, you might be missing out on your most sustainable traffic source. We sit down with "Pinterest Queen" Coley Lane to demystify the platform and create a roadmap for creatives who are tired of the content hamster wheel. Coley breaks down why Pinterest is the ultimate tool for longevity—where a single post can drive traffic for years rather than hours.We dive deep into the psychology of the Pinterest user, the difference between "click-worthy" vs. "save-worthy" content, and why you need to stop planning for today and start planning for three months from now. Plus, Coley shares a concrete, step-by-step 100-day plan for beginners to go from zero to fully optimized without the overwhelm.In this episode, we cover:Pinterest vs. Social Media: Why you need to treat Pinterest like a search engine (SEO) rather than a social feed.The Content Strategy: How to turn one blog post into 10+ pieces of Pinterest content.Click vs. Save: Understanding which graphics build your audience and which ones drive traffic to your offers.The 100-Day Plan: A month-by-month breakdown of exactly what to do when starting a new account.Trends & Timing: How to use Pinterest Trends to spot waves before they happen.Video Strategy: Is video worth it on Pinterest in 2026? Mentioned in this episode:Coley’s Website: lifegoalsmarketing.comColey’s Instagram: @itscoleylaneFree Board Mapping Exercise: Get the guide herePinterest Shop (Templates & More): Shop herePinterest Trends Tool: trends.pinterest.comJoin The Breakroom: Ready to dive deeper? Join our membership for creatives, The Breakroom, where you can access the replay of Coley’s exclusive masterclass, "Pinterest Like a Pro in 2026". 👉 joandlyndon.com/the-breakroomJoin the Conversation: Do you use Pinterest for your business, or has it been on your "someday" list? Let us know your biggest takeaway from this episode in the comments! 👉 www.youtube.com/@TheSustainableCreatorPodConnect with us on Instagram: @joandlyndon