The Thrive Podcast

***Repost episode: Originally aired June 13, 2023*** 99% of business is just trying things and seeing what sticks But when we're in the process of trying new things, we have literally zero idea of it's going to work. So we start to panic. What if it doesn't work? What if I look stupid? What if no one buys? What if I can't figure this out? This is SUCH a common worry for entrepreneurs because our work involves so much uncertainty. Today's episode is all about what I do when I'm having these moments of panic and worrying - what if this just doesn't work? Here's what I talk about: - Is this productive worry or not? - Failure is the price of admission - Are you really just afraid of other people seeing you fail? - Actually solve the problem - How to get comfortable with uncertainty - Failure is the only way forward Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney https://www.nicolehaney.com/

Here's what we're talking about in this episode: - Persistence is the key to your success - The journey to finding my first job post graduation - Being persistent in putting myself through school - Not being immediately successful doesn't mean you won't succeed - You need to believe that it's possible for you to do the things you want to do - Applying to Western 32 times before I was offered a job - You see other people's success, but don't see all the failures that came before it - Being persistent doesn't mean doing the same thing over and over - it means being *adaptable* Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney https://www.nicolehaney.com/

***Repost episode: Originally aired April 11, 2023*** Do you feel STUCK in your business? Running a business is exceedingly hard. You're on social media for what feels like 100 hours every week. Your to-do list is 16 pages long. You're even putting yourself out there and doing sales. And still.....nothing. Sometimes it can feel like you are pushing forward, doing all the things, and yet somehow you feel like you're in the same place you were yesterday. What if I told you there was a way to get out of this rut and PUSH your business forward very quickly? There's a tactic that I used to use all the time that moved my last business forward VERY quickly. But I had stopped doing it....until yesterday. In today's episode I share with you: - What I did yesterday that is going to make this conference absolutely INCREDIBLE - Why I decided to be BOLD and put myself out there in ways I hadn't for years - The things that had been holding me back from using this tactic (and how I realized that I am a badass) - Why hearing no can be incredibly value for your business' growth - How to get past your fears of putting yourself out there in BIG ways - Why you should use this tactic to move your business forward a million times faster Let's connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney https://www.nicolehaney.com/

Here's what we talk about in today's episode: - You have to get on the bike - You will get it wrong over and over again - until you get it right - Why it's so hard for high achievers to push past failure - The *massive* failure I had pitching to a national grocery store (and what I learned from it) - Your rejections will give you the information you need to be successful Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney

***Repost Episode: Originally aired Feb 13, 2024*** You're pursuing big goals. Whether those goals are to have a beach house in Hawaii, to bring your kids on vacation, or to feel like you can pay your bills comfortably, you know that when you reach those goals you're going to feel amazing. But what about right now? Most of us who are pursuing big goals are willing to sacrifice a lot to get there. But if you're trying to reach your goals at any cost you have to stop and consider if you're sacrificing too much. If you're sacrificing being truly happy right now in exchange for the belief that: Someday, when I reach my goals, I'll be happier I recently came to this realization so in today's episode, we're talking about how to be happier today while still pursuing your big dreams. Here's what we talk about: - Why I've changed my thinking on how I pursue goals over the last couple of months - How I got into the habit of sacrificing everything in pursuit of my big goals - The blue sky paradox - The gap vs. the gain and how focusing on your progress will lead to more happiness - What will actually make you happy with your life? - Blissful dissatisfaction - How to remove the pressure from the process of chasing your dreams Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/

Life is full of unanticipated twists and turns. When Ashley Rowe got laid off from her job, she was devastated. She had worked hard to get to where she was and loved her job - her career was everything she had hoped for. But little did she know that while this hardship was one of the biggest challenges of her life, she would become a successful marketing entrepreneur because of it. Here's what we talk about in today's episode: - How Ashley turned a major hardship in her life into a successful marketing business - Why she believes that community is so important in entrepreneurship - Why you might need to take a big risk (or several) to build the business of your dreams - Finding your fire and understanding the reasons to keep showing up for your dreams - How she stopped minimizing her success as a woman entrepreneur - How she deals with trolls or negative comments - How to succeed at social media by establishing trust and creating real connection Connect with Ashley: https://www.instagram.com/_newleafco_/ https://newleafco.ca/ Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney

Here's what we talk about in this week's episode: - How accepting imperfection helped me get past the nerves of public speaking - How our efforts to be perfect are actually resulting in less value, not more - Creating community on social media by sharing your imperfections - What people want is YOU (you are the differentiator) - Sharing your struggles and telling people what has helped you instead of teaching Shout-outs in this episode include: https://www.instagram.com/becksbroth/ https://www.instagram.com/life0ferica/ https://www.instagram.com/sucheta.khurana/ Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/

Here's what's in today's episode: - The difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset - How we can get better at things over time, even if we aren't good at them at first - The new thing I'm doing that requires a growth mindset - Believing that it's possible to do the thing you are trying to do - Finding proof to help you believe you are capable of doing the thing you're trying to do - Believing that you can do (and have done) hard things

Here's what's in today's episode: - Why you need to stop caring if other people think you look stupid - No one who has been successful will judge you for making a change - Why you need to start before you're ready - Take action and the confidence will come - The no's I got recently and how they helped me improve my business - Stop wasting all your time posting to socials and start focusing on revenue generating activities

I'm celebrating New Year's on June 1st Yup, I'm changing things up. I noticed recently that the goals I set for myself in January no longer made sense for my business or life. It turns out that during the winter when I'm feeling blah and unmotivated, I end up creating the wrong goals for myself. And then I struggle to work towards them because, again - that blah feeling. So instead of trying to force myself to do what everyone else is doing, I've decided to do something that makes sense *for me* and set some new ones in the summer. This week's podcast episode is all about marching to the beat of your own drum and how incredible it can be for your life and business. Here's what we talk about: - Why I'm doing New Years in June - Why you need to do what's best for you, even when others don't understand or hassle you about it - The trap of normality - You become exceptional by doing things differently Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney

When Helen Smith started her business in 2017, she was hand making silicone teething products in her home Fast forward five years and she now has a $10 million company selling foam play furniture across North America. From showing up on social media and building community to warehousing and operations, Helen and I talk about what it took to get her business to where it is today. Here's what we talk about: - Why she shifted from teething products to play furniture - How they used Facebook groups to drive organic traffic to their online store - The importance of building trust and community with your customers - Why they shifted from a pre-order model to a drop model and the benefits of not holding inventory - Why she took a deal on Dragon's Den and what happened after the show - The importance of asking questions in business and learning from others Connect with Roo & You and Helen: https://rooandyou.ca https://www.facebook.com/groups/rooandyou https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-smith-rooandyou/ https://www.instagram.com/helensmith.__/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

Natalie Young started her business as a wedding and family photographer. But as her family started to grow, she realized that 12 hour days shooting weddings every weekend wasn't going to fit her life anymore. So she decided to make a bold change: She completely shifted her entire business into branding photography for businesses. And she made the change overnight. This bold and courageous move has allowed Natalie to live the life she wants to have that supports her goals *and* her family. Listen in to hear how Natalie has created a life by design. Here's what we talk about: - Quitting her job to go all in on her business - Dealing with the fears of growing competition in photography space - How her and her husband work together in the business successfully - How she managed client disappointment when she changed her business model - How they consistently attract clients into their business - Why outsourcing can help you stop trading time for money - How she manages the slow seasons in her business Connect with The Mint Studio: https://www.instagram.com/themintstudio_/ https://www.themintstudio.ca/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

**Repost episode. Originally posted Aug 1, 2023*** Feeling stuck? In this week's episode, I'm talking all about feeling stuck in your business. From what's causing it to what you can do about it, this week's episode is fiery so get yourself ready! Here's what we talk about: - Why it's better to learn as you go than try to make everything perfect before you start - You don't need more knowledge - The real thing that's holding you back is fear - It *is* working, you just need to do it *more* Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

**Repost episode. Originally aired July 18, 2023** You wake up. It's 2am. Your heart's pounding. You're sweaty. And you can't stop thinking: Who am *I* to be trying to do *this*? We've all been there. Imposter syndrome is a freaking monster and it can really take over your thoughts. Because you're new at this. Because you're making mistakes. Because you have no idea what you're doing. But here's the secret that no one tells you: No one knows what the hell they're doing. We're all screwing up. Over and over again. And doing our best. Making it up as we go. In today's episode I'm talking about imposter syndrome and how I deal with it when it comes up for me. Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

*Repost episode* Originally posted June 13, 2023 99% of business is just trying things and seeing what sticks But when we're in the process of trying new things, we have literally zero idea of it's going to work. So we start to panic. What if it *doesn't* work? What if I look stupid? What if no one buys? What if I can't figure this out? This is SUCH a common worry for entrepreneurs because our work involves so much uncertainty. Today's episode is all about what I do when I'm having these moments of panic and worrying - what if this just doesn't work? Here's what I talk about: - Is this productive worry or not? - Failure is the price of admission - Are you really just afraid of other people seeing you fail? - Actually solve the problem - How to get comfortable with uncertainty - Failure is the only way forward Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

A few weeks ago, we went to St. Lucia I got to get out of the dreary cold days (BYE Canadian winter) and into the sun. I swam in the ocean. I relaxed in a mineral bath, stood under a waterfall, and ate some of the best food I've ever had. It was awesome. But the best thing about this vacation was the perspective shift it gave me I was thinking about all the things I worry about on a regular basis: Do I have enough business? Am I making enough money? Will this client hate the way I coach? What if no one comes to my conference? And I realized something important about these worries: None of this matters. In fact, most of the things we worry about don't matter. If the client hates my coaching, they'll fire me. And I'll get a new client. If I'm not making enough money, I'll figure out how to make more. These are all solvable problems. And they aren't really what matters. I was sitting on the beach, looking out at the ocean, and I realized: *This* is what matters. Spending time with my husband. Having adventures. Laughing. Enjoying life. It's incredible what a little perspective can give you. For me, in this moment, it's given me back my happiness.

When Kristine Beese was in the financial services industry she came upon a shocking statistic: On average, over the course of their careers a man will earn $1 million more than a woman In fact, for every $1 of net wealth that men have, women only have $0.32 And this gap is *growing* What this means for women is that we need to make different financial decisions than men in order to achieve our financial goals This realization led Kristine to create Untangle Money, a business that provides financial planning products focused on the needs of women. Here's what we talk about: - Why the first iteration of her business didn’t work (and what she did about it) - How she picked herself back up after a major setback in her business - Heard of the pay gap? You might not have heard of the gender *wealth* gap - Why the old financial model doesn’t work for women and what we need to do to make our finances work for us - Real advice on what you should be doing with your money, including whether you should pay off your mortgage, save money, invest, or pay down debt - Why saving for retirement might look different from what you’ve been told (this blew me away!) - Her experience going on Dragon’s Den, what she would do differently, and how it changed her business Connect with Untangle Money: https://www.untangle.money/ https://www.instagram.com/untanglemoney Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/https://www.nicolehaney.com/

I used to be a huge over-thinker I would spend literally *hours* making pros and cons lists, drawing decision trees, and absolutely agonizing over finding the right answer. Until I realized something that changed everything for me: There is no right answer. Life is not a test you can get 100% on. Life is messy. And the choices we make in our businesses and our day to day lives are not going to be perfect. There isn't a right choice and a wrong choice. There's just choices. Decisions. You just make one. And then - if it's not right for you - you make another one. We have to stop trying so hard to be perfect. To not "fail" by making the wrong choice. Which is what we're talking about today: - The path I've taken on being an over-thinker and a worrier - There's no right decision - Why you need to see business decisions as experiments - Starting with a decision MVP - What I've learned from failures in my current business - You will never have 100% certainty - Not making a decision is still a decision - Taking small steps in the right direction Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/https://www.nicolehaney.com/

Does your schedule feel overwhelming? As entrepreneurs, we are often doing a million things at once. We're trying to generate more revenue, launch new products and services, lead a team, and stay on top of social media. Plus, we have our personal lives and goals on top of all of that. When you add everything up, you start to realize you don't have enough time to focus on everything all at once. Which is the situation our guest today found himself in. Luke Amaral is the Co-Founder of MVMT Strength, a strength and conditioning gym in London, Ontario. When Luke found himself in this very situation, he realized that he needed to determine what his current goals really were and the best ways to stay focused on achieving those goals. Here's what we talk about: - How Luke took the big leap into entrepreneurship - The early days of MVMT Strength when Luke left his career and moved across the country (while expecting a baby!) to start a business - The process of acquiring clients using online sales funnels and how this has changed over time - How they built an incredibly strong community of members that are like family - How to stay focused and consistent in working toward your goals - Why focusing your time and attention on the 20% of your work that is giving you the most results will skyrocket your success - Letting go of previous identities that are no longer serving you Connect with Luke and MVMT Strength: https://mvmtstrength.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mvmtstrength/ https://open.spotify.com/show/0BTifNV4Iw5ky462SgO1q2?si=ffb679ae11ff4b1f Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/https://www.nicolehaney.com/

You're pursuing big goals. Goals that will improve your life significantly. Whether those goals are to have a beach house in Hawaii, to bring your kids on vacation, or to feel like you can pay your bills comfortably, you *know* that when you reach those goals you're going to feel amazing. But what about right now? Most of us who are pursuing big goals are willing to sacrifice a lot to get there. But if you're trying to reach your goals *at any cost* you have to stop and consider if you're sacrificing too much. If you're sacrificing being truly happy right now in exchange for the belief that: Someday, when I reach my goals, I'll be happier I recently came to this realization so in today's episode, we're talking about how to be happier *today* while still pursuing your big dreams. Here's what we talk about: - Why I've changed my thinking on how I pursue goals over the last couple of months - How I got into the habit of sacrificing everything in pursuit of my big goals - The blue sky paradox - The gap vs. the gain and how focusing on your progress will lead to more happiness - What will actually make you happy with your life? - Blissful dissatisfaction - How to remove the pressure from the process of chasing your dreams Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/https://www.nicolehaney.com/

You've had an epic fail in your business. What's your first instinct? For most of us, it's to hide. And to make sure that no one finds out. But today's guest, Jake Karls, says what you should be doing is actually the opposite. Jake is a co-founder of the $17 million dollar chocolate bar company, Mid-Day Squares. And not only does he believe in building in public, he's a real-life example of how doing so can lead to far greater success. Here's what we talk about: - How Mid-Day Squares went from hand production in a condo to a $17 million business (and how it wasn't an overnight success) - Why investors didn't believe in them (but eventually changed their tune) - Why real success comes not from skill but from enduring and staying in the game - How to find the courage to be vulnerable and show your true self online - How vulnerability can help you build better relationships - Why you shouldn't worry that people will judge you for showing your flaws Connect with Jake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-karls-653106ba/ https://www.instagram.com/jakekarls_/ Follow / Buy Mid-Day Squares: https://www.instagram.com/middaysquares/ https://www.middaysquares.com/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

As entrepreneurs, we have to make about a million decisions each day. It can feel overwhelming and sometimes you you get stuck in a cycle of not knowing what choice to make. But sometimes you've already gathered all the information you need to make the best choice. Sometimes the right decision is right in front of you - you just need to see it. Our guest today is Beckie Prime, Founder & CEO of Beck's Broth. Beckie is sharing with us her thoughts on building a bone broth business from scratch, trusting her gut, and following your dreams. Here's what we talk about: - How she shifted from a marketing professional to a holistic nutritionist to founding Beck's Broth - Why listening to your intuition can be the best thing for your business - Why she is willing to share the hardest moments in her business with her online community - Grounding yourself every day to avoid burnout - How she funded the transition from farmer's market to grocery - Take the leap and the net will appear - The importance of building a network and community Shout out to Rootree: https://rootree.ca/ Connect with Beckie: https://www.instagram.com/becksbroth/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

Are you struggling to find motivation? At the end of 2023, I needed a break.   And I thought that once I got it, I would feel better. Refreshed. More motivated.   But when Jan 2nd arrived, I didn't feel like doing any of the work that I knew I needed to do.  I thought maybe it's just this week. It's a short week, I'm still in holiday mode.   (so I put my sweatpants back on and ate some more cheese).  I thought that for sure next week I'd feel like doing the work.  Then the next Monday came around and I still didn't want to do anything.   Eventually, I realized: I need to stop waiting around to feel motivated. Motivation isn't guaranteed. And truly, it often just isn't there for a lot of us. But we still want to work towards our goals. We still want to pursue our dreams and reach for more. So we need to motivate ourselves to get off the couch, put some real pants on, and do the things that will get us there. In this week's podcast episode, I'm sharing all the things I do to motivate myself when I'm just not feeling like doing the work, including a couple that are hilarious but truly work. Everyone feels this way sometimes but you've got this. Let's go 2024!

I'm not growing my business this year. I really never thought I'd say that and honestly I went back and forth on whether or not I would share this. But I thought it would really resonate with other entrepreneurs who are experiencing this right now. Last year, I ran my first ever business conference. It was amazing and a ton of fun and I'm so very proud of what I was able to accomplish and bring to other entrepreneurs needing a sense of community. But it was also an enormous amount of work. Most of which, I did on my own. Most of you know that I'm the type of person who works really hard, doesn't make excuses, and follows through on the promises I make to myself and other people. But the thing I didn't want to admit to myself is that after hustling so hard for years: I'm really burned out. It hasn't just been the last year. I've been working very, very hard to build the life I want for myself for the last eight years, since I started Boho. It wasn't until I finally slowed down over the holidays that I realized something I hadn't before: Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. And I've been sprinting for eight years. Are there seasons in your business when you need to sprint? Absolutely. But it shouldn't be every single day for eight years. It takes a long time to build a successful business. You can't sprint the entire time. So this year, I'm not growing my business. Instead, I'm *stabilizing* my business by implementing the systems and supports it needs to continue sustained growth in the years to come. My main focus for this year? My own happiness. Something I've neglected for quite some time. It's ok to work really hard AND it's ok to slow down when you need to. We can build businesses and be happy at the same time. And that's what we're talking about on today's episode. Choose happiness. Life's too short for anything else.

You built a website. You even worked on your SEO (after figuring out what SEO means). You ran google ads. And social media ads. And you *still* aren't making any more sales. Who else has been here before? Building an e-commerce business - or even an online presence in general - can be extremely challenging. Thankfully, today we are talking to an e-commerce expert, Sarah Jansel. Sarah started her entrepreneurial journey building an e-commerce clothing brand, and has since pivoted into helping others build, brand, and grow their own online presence. And today, she's sharing alllllll the secrets on how to be successful online. Here's what we talk about: - Why Sarah quit her 20 year corporate career to help entrepreneurs build e-commerce businesses - How she found the courage to continue making changes in her career and improve along the way - Why walking away from your first business is not a failure - What the transition looked like going from solopreneur to CEO with a growing team - The main reasons you aren't getting traffic to your website - Why it's so important to get offline in promoting your online business - Why your paid ads aren't converting (and what to do to improve them) - Why you shouldn't rely on going viral to build your business Connect with Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjansel/ https://www.instagram.com/janselandco/ https://www.janselandco.com/ Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

The food industry is a wild ride. It's filled with ups and downs and requires a ton of capital and a ton of work. But it's also one of the most rewarding and fulfilling industries to be in. Today, I'm chatting with Alex Messina of Just Soup and Just Sauce. Alex was born into the food business. His father Carmelo, who immigrated to Canada from Sicily, founded Mema Foods in 1989. Alex learned the business from the ground up and, today, operates the company with his brother Gabriel.  Alex came up with the idea for Just Soup and Just Sauce, a new line of ready-to-heat soups and sauces made with simple, premium ingredients and sold in recyclable glass jars.  Today, we get a real, raw, and honest look into what it's like to build a food brand in the grocery space. Here's what we talk about: - Why you need to have capital or get access to capital to scale a CPG brand - Figuring it out and doing whatever it takes - Why you need to pay a premium to get your products on store shelves - Why you should consider private labelling your products - Using social media to build a community behind your brand - How to bounce back after hearing no - The importance of having patience in building your business - Why Alex actually forgot his birthday this year - Why having a mentor can significantly improve your mental health as an entrepreneur Connect with Alex: https://www.instagram.com/justsoupjustsauce/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-messina-9ba49b56/ https://www.mema.ca/ Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/

Are you thinking about your goals for the new year? As the year starts to wind down and come to a close, I can't help but think: Where will I be a year from now? It's so incredibly exciting to imagine all of our big goals coming true, which is why as entrepreneurs we all LOVE to set goals. But are you setting the *right* ones? A few years ago, I realized I was driving my life in the completely wrong direction. I had been working SO hard. 18 hour days, solving insanely difficult problems, losing (lots of) sleep, all in service of the goals I had laid out for myself. But eventually I realized: All the things I was working so hard at were only serving to drive the car in the *wrong direction* The goals I had were never going to help me achieve the life I had been dreaming of. Which is why today I wanted to talk to you about how to choose the *right* goals to work on for 2024. Here's what we talk about: - How I ended up driving in the wrong direction with my goals - Why it's so easy to get off track with your goals - What do you want your life to look like in 10 years? - Why you need to be able to reach out and touch your visualization of the future - Asking yourself how you can achieve each of the aspects of your visualization - Continue asking "how" until you have an actionable thing to work on - Setting your goals based on your dream of your future Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/

Do you believe that anyone can be an entrepreneur? I do. But I also believe that to be successful, it's critical that you develop a certain set of skills Because being an entrepreneur is exceptionally hard work. It requires you to constantly operate outside of your comfort zone. It will push you to your limits and then some. As an entrepreneur, you are climbing a mountain. It's really hard work and is going to require more from you than you could have imagined. There will be times when you just want to sit down on the side of the mountain and not ever take another step. But you CAN get there. To get to the top of that mountain you will need certain skills. And that's what we're talking about today. Here's what we talk about on today's episode: - Why being resourceful is FAR more important than getting the exact answer to your questions - Why I think you WILL take things personally (but it's ok) - Learning how to stand back up after you fall - Having grit and being determined to reach your goals - Being willing to fail publicly and embarrass yourself - Building a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/msnicolehaney/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney

It's a question I'm asked over and over again: How am I supposed to make money at this?! It's certainly not quick or easy to make money in business and it's usually not as simple as just increasing your price. You have to consider a ton of factors, including your overhead costs, volume of sales, cost of goods, sales channels, positioning.....the list goes on and on. Which is why the blanket advice of "increase your price" doesn't work - it doesn't take literally anything else into consideration, including whether or not you'll remain competitive at a higher price point. Here's the reality: It takes most businesses 3-5 years to turn a profit. It requires taking a lot of factors into consideration. It takes a TON of hard work and determination. But if you put in the time and work, you CAN get there. And today, I'm going to tell you how. Here's what we talk about on today's episode: - Why you should stop listening to the IG gurus telling you that you can make a lot of money overnight - We have to determine why you aren't making the profit you want before we determine the solution - Double down on what's working and put systems in place to support these things - Opening up new sales channels for the same product - Selling a different product to the same customer to increase your cart value or customer spend - How, why, and when to increase your price (and when it doesn't make any sense to) - Decreasing your costs to obtain more profit Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney

Do you have a big dream for your business? Me too. I wanted to host a business conference that not only educated people but also motivated and inspired them to reach their own goals. Except - I had no idea where to start. I'd never organized an event of this size before and I had no idea what I was doing. But I figured it out. And so can you. And in today's episode, I'm going to show you how. Here's what we're talking about today: - I can't believe I'm hosting a business conference! - How I overcame each challenge in creating this conference - The key thing that differentiates people who succeed from people who quit - Why you need to let yourself fail first - How I changed my strategies for planning the event, getting sponsors, and getting registrations (and now have over 100 people signed up!) Register for the conference here: https://www.nicolehaney.com/conference Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

Are you looking at your competition? Dealing with competition can be SO difficult. You keep hearing people say nice things like "there's enough to go around" But you can't help but think - is there *really* though?! I mean, *they* are crushing it. So is there really any room for me? Will anyone buy from me? Will they put me out of business? It's really easy to get sucked into their highlight reel on IG and forget that you are a force to be reckoned with. So what do you do when you start to feel the weight of competition? That's what we're talking about today: - I've never been traditionally competitive - The two ways I've dealt with competition in the past - What I did when I thought a competitor was copying me - How to let competition fuel you to reach your goals - ...or tuning out the competition and focusing on your own business - Why you shouldn't be watching people who aren't striving towards similar goals Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

Do you ever feel like you're just not making any traction? I feel this way all. the. time. As entrepreneurs, we all dream BIG. Which is amazing and inspiring but can also be suuuuuper demotivating when you start to feel wonder: Why aren't we there yet? Is this working?? How will I ever get there? Is it even possible?! But the reality is: It IS working. It's just taking longer to get there than you expected. Which makes sense. You're building a freaking empire. You're climbing a mountain. You're trying to bring your dream to life by continuing to put one foot in front of the other over and over and over again. And that? That takes TIME. Today I'm sharing with you how I realized that my dream - that I've been working on for 8 years - IS possible for me. It's just going to take a bit more time. Here's what we talk about: - Why it feels like it's not working - The tyranny of how - BIG dreams don't happen overnight - The things you do every day are what's going to get you there - Why you can accomplish more than you think in the next 10 years - Keep swinging at the pinata Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

It's been a year since I started podcasting! Which is WILD. I never thought I'd start a podcast and definitely didn't think I'd still be doing it a year in. It turns out, only 1% of all podcast make it past episode 21. And since we are now on episode 48, I feel like I'm on the right track. But I still can't believe it's been a year since I started this show. I've learned so much along the way and today I'm going to share with you the top 5 things I've learned over the last year. But the coolest thing about today's episode is that these things don't just apply to podcasting - they apply to anything you are doing in your business. I'm also sharing with you more details about the conference!! I'm starting this episode out with telling you more about the business conference I'm running and offering a special gift to you for listening in. Sign up for the conference here: https://www.nicolehaney.com/conference Ready? Let's go! Here's what we're talking about this week: - It's been a YEAR! - Why the advice "just start" is so widely used - but is also hugely accurate - Learning how to show up authentically vs. trying to be perfect - It's never going to happen the way you think it's going to happen - The importance of showing up consistently - The things that feel hard today will feel easy in a year Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

I used to be quiet and shy I know, I know. Hard to believe, right? So then how did I go from being a wallflower to being extroverted and social? I started acting as if I already was. And eventually, over time, I actually became more extroverted. Cool, right?! Acting as if is such a powerful tool that you can use in your business and life to become the person you want to be. Today I'm sharing with you how I've done this over and over again in my life and how I continue to use this tool to improve myself and take on the traits that I admire in other people. Here's what we talk about: - The interaction I had last week that make me remember this tool - How I became more extroverted and social - Why using this tool might feel awkward at first - Why you don't have to wait to own your identity - How I've reinvented myself as over and over again and how you can too - Why "acting as if" leads to actually becoming the person you want to be Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

Who else *loves* the start of the school year? I know I'm not alone in loving that fresh-start feeling that you get when the air turns crisp at back to school time. Even as an adult, back to school feels like an opportunity to re-set and re-evaluate my goals. I get a new journal, new clothes, and a fresh outlook on where I'm going in my life and business. Which is why I'm so excited to *finally* share with you my journalling method that literally changed my life. If you have big goals and dreams, you don't want to miss this episode. Here's what I talk about: - How my journalling method helped me dramatically change my life - How I moved all areas of my life forward at the same time - Why I think it's *not* healthy to focus on one thing at a time - How I use goals to get more balance in my life - Creating goal categories and why you need to set small achievable goals - Celebrating your wins - Using daily reminders to keep your thoughts on the right track and maintain a healthy mindset Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

Are you still moving towards your goals? Seems like an easy question, right? But the reality is that is *so* easy to get off course without even realizing it. Most of us start our businesses thinking that the pursuit of the business itself will eventually get us to our goals. But what if it's not? What if - in pursuit of success - you've gotten a bit off track? This is why it's so important to constantly go back to our game plan and ask ourselves: Am I still on the right path? Today's episode is all about pursuing your goals and making sure you are still moving in the right direction. Here's what we talk about: - Why it's so important to check in on our goals - How you can reach your goals in FAR less time than you are thinking - What needs to be true for these goals to happen? - Small steps in the right direction every day Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

Do you know who you are talking to with your marketing? When Jenessa Olson started Ecologicca, she faced a unique challenge: How do you get people to buy into something that's a completely new to idea? After doing tons of market research, including actually calling her customers, she realized that she didn't have to convince people that what she had was valuable. She just had to find the right people who could already see the value. Using this information, she was able to successfully scale her business and now works with worldwide organizations like Fairmont Hotels to provide cleaner, healthier air quality to their customers. Here's what we talk about: - Why some of your health problems are likely being caused by poor air quality - Why Jenessa ditched going to law school to become an entrepreneur - The reason she decided to tackle the problem of fast-fashion - How she handled her first business crumbling in the course of 72 hours - Why preventative health is important to Jenessa and why clean air is the solution - Why she cold called the Dean of Bio Chemical Engineering at Western and how it changed the course of her business - How to effectively use social media for market research - How she has secured business with large organizations through data-driven information and effectively communicating value Connect with Ecologicca: https://ecologicca.com/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

You might be losing a ton of revenue Most of us are so focused on working on our businesses that we fail to consider the most important thing: Our customers. I mean, really we're all in the business of trying to sell things *to people* But often as we start trying to make our businesses more profitable, or make them fit into the lifestyle that we want, we make decisions that benefit us and our businesses - but don't benefit our customers. And the truth is if you want people to buy things from you, you need to make it easy for them to do so. You have to give the customer what they want. And that might cost you some money up front. But in the long term? You'll earn *way* more than you are currently worried about saving. Our job as business owners is to figure out how to do this while still ensuring we have the business we want. Here's what I talk about in today's episode: - My experience buying dog food from a small business - Why you might be leaving money on the table - Why you need to stop making it difficult for customers to buy from you - Finding creative solutions to your problems that both serve your customers and support your business Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

Feeling stuck? In this week's episode, I'm talking all about feeling stuck in your business. From what's causing it to what you can do about it, this week's episode is fiery so get yourself ready! Here's what we talk about: - Why it's better to learn as you go than try to make everything perfect before you start - You don't need more knowledge - The real thing that's holding you back is fear - It *is* working, you just need to do it *more* Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

You wake up. It's 2am. Your heart's pounding. You're sweaty. And you can't stop thinking: Who am *I* to be trying to do *this*? We've all been there. Imposter syndrome is a freaking monster and it can really take over your thoughts. Because you're new at this. Because you're making mistakes. Because you have no idea what you're doing. But here's the secret that no one tells you: No one knows what the hell they're doing. We're all screwing up. Over and over again. And doing our best. Making it up as we go. In today's episode I'm talking about imposter syndrome and how I deal with it when it comes up for me. Connect with me: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

When we start a business, we all want it to look "legitimate" We want the big, shiny facility, the commercial packaging, a beautiful website, and a killer social media presence. We want what the other - successful - businesses in our industry have. We want our brands to to look and feel just like them. We want people to think we're successful. We want other people to take us seriously. But here's the thing no one tells you when you start a business: Everyone starts at the bottom. And works their way up. So when you're comparing yourself right now to people 5 years ahead of you, you're forgetting: They started right where you are right now. With the janky website. The product stored in their cars. The long hours standing on their feet making batch after batch with their own two hands. The plastic wrapped, self-labelled, labour of love. Don't believe me? Take it from Erica Rankin, founder of Bro Dough. Erica started her business at the end of 2019 and now, just a few years later, Bro Dough is offered in over 120 stores across Ontario. But she didn't start out with everything perfect and shiny. Erica shares with us the behind-the-scenes messiness of starting a food business on your own. Here's what we talk about: - How Erica went from a desk job to a successful health food business in just a few years - Why she did things that *don't scale* - The expensive mistake of trying to make your business look "legitimate" - Why she went from a big production facility to moving everything back into her condo - How she leveraged social media to build a community of friends - Why you should ignore the algorithm, numbers, and views - The reason she completely changed her product and dealing with negative feedback - How she's funding her business and why she brought on investors Connect with Erica: https://eatbrodough.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brodoughcanada/ https://www.instagram.com/life0ferica/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

GUYS. This week's podcast episode is SO GOOD. This week, I'm sitting down with my friend, Zach, and as always we have such a great conversation! We talk about a little bit of everything entrepreneurial but our conversation seemed to keep coming back to two things: The first is that you just have to get out there and TRY things. Things that might not work. Things that you might not end up loving in the long term. You have to just keep on throwing darts at the dartboard because, as Zach mentions, it's better to try and fail, then to never have tried at all. The other main thing was this: You are going to become a different person in pursuit of these things that you're trying. And that person? Well, they're pretty freaking awesome. Regardless of whether or not this thing you're working on right now ends up working out. Here's what we chat about: - Why Zach has tried multiple things in his career - from starting a band to being an Accountant to becoming an entrepreneur - You don't have to have it all figured out right now - It's about who you become in the process of trying to reach your goals - Why he decided to close his first business after four years (and why he didn't sell it) - Not making a decision is still making a decision - Taking risks and just trying the thing - Build the bridge as you're walking across it - Why Zach is now a mortgage agent and how he wants to make a difference in people's lives Connect with Zach: https://www.instagram.com/havensmortgages/ [email protected] Mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/britthavens/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

Have you ever considered selling your business? If we're being honest, most of us have thought about this at some point. Entrepreneurship is hard and sometimes it can seem pretty attractive to think about selling the business and spending the rest of your days on a beach in Hawaii. Right? I know I'm not alone in this. But how do you actually do it? How long does it take? How much can you sell for? And what, exactly, would make your business attractive to be acquired? Today I'm chatting with Alf Goodall of Cobble Design. Alf is in a unique position to tell us what a buyer is looking for in a business because he was one - in June 2022 he bought Cobble Design, a 35 year old successful landscaping company in Zurich, Ontario. Alf shares his experiences in leaving an executive corporate position and buying a business, including what he was looking for when choosing a business to buy. - Why Alf decided to leave a senior executive position after 34 years and become an entrepreneur - When you're 90, what will you have regret not having done in your life? - Why being an entrepreneur might be financially *more stable* than a corporate job - Why he decided to buy a business instead of building one - What it REALLY looks like to sell a business (it's probably not what you think!) - Vendor takebacks: what they are and why you need to know about them - Why financials aren't the only thing to consider for your valuation - Why you don't want to wait until you want out of the business to sell - Founder mindset vs. scaling mindset Connect with Alf: https://www.cobbledesign.ca/ https://www.instagram.com/cobble_design_inc/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfgoodallexecutiveleader/ Connect with Nicole: https://www.nicolehaney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/

"How long is this going to take?" I was surprised to hear the question, but also really happy that this person was asking it. Because we think it's not going to take long at all. And people on social media tell us that we can make six figures overnight. But it's taking a whole lot longer than that. We're six months into our businesses and we can barely pay our bills, let alone make six figures. When this happens, we feel like failures. We feel like we're doing it wrong. We want to quit. But here's the truth: Building a business takes a whole lot more time, effort, and energy than people on social media would have you believe. So if you've ever felt like this - if you're struggling to make it work - I have some advice for you in today's episode. Here's what we talk about: - The interesting question I was asked in a webinar this week - Why most entrepreneurs feel like they are failing - Building a business takes time - The problem with listening to people who say you can get rich quick - Why you *don't need* to get rich quick - How long are you willing to commit to pursuing your dream? Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

99% of business is just trying things and seeing what sticks But when we're in the process of trying new things, we have literally zero idea of it's going to work. So we start to panic. What if it *doesn't* work? What if I look stupid? What if no one buys? What if I can't figure this out? This is SUCH a common worry for entrepreneurs because our work involves so much uncertainty. Today's episode is all about what I do when I'm having these moments of panic and worrying - what if this just doesn't work? Here's what I talk about: - Is this productive worry or not? - Failure is the price of admission - Are you really just afraid of other people seeing you fail? - Actually solve the problem - How to get comfortable with uncertainty - Failure is the only way forward Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

Building a business requires you to do things you don't want to do. I mean, let's be honest - no one REALLY wants to do their bookkeeping. Or post to social media every freaking day. Or work on the weekends. But we show up and we do it anyway. Because it matters. Because we are building something bigger than ourselves. But sometimes - *sometimes* - it can be REALLY hard to motivate yourself to do the crappy stuff. So if you're struggling lately to do the damn thing that you KNOW you need to do, you aren't going to want to miss this week's podcast episode. I'm breaking down allllll the things I do to get myself to just to the damn thing already. Here's what I'm talking about: - The misconception around self-disciplined people - There's no magic pill - Why it's important to hold yourself accountable - No BS - what's it going to take? - Keeping the commitments you make to yourself - Why I didn't go to the beach last weekend - Why habits make things a million times easier - The magic of time blocking and time management Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/https://www.nicolehaney.com/

This week we are hanging out with my friend, Todd, from Kintore Coffee. Todd is crushing it in the coffee space in Ontario. In just five years, he's taken his business from roasting coffee out of an air popper in a barn to being in 150 stores across the province, including Loblaws, opening a cafe in Embro, and launching a cold brew line. Todd has such a great perspective on what it takes to build a business - and I couldn't agree with him more. Say yes and figure it out as you go. Move at the rate of cash. Learn as much as you can. Make the best of what you have, where you're at, and keep improving as you go. Here's what we talk about: - How he started a coffee company with an popcorn air popper - Why he decided to go all in on Kintore Coffee - How he got Kintore Coffee into grocery stores - The importance of figuring things out as you go - Decision fatigue in business - Why you need cold brew coffee in your life - How learning from other entrepreneurs is one of the best things you can do - Taking risks in your business Connect with Todd: https://www.instagram.com/kintorecoffeeco/ https://kintorecoffee.com/ Drinks With Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1zVkvHc4bc1fE181T8aOZ9 Connect with Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/https://www.nicolehaney.com/

This week's episode is SUCH a good one because I'm chatting with my friend Erica from Bear+Fox Apparel. As soon as I hit record on this one, Erica and I basically just started chatting, so you guys get to hear our recorded conversation. Just in case you have kiddos around, I wanted to let you guys know that there's lots of swearing in this episode Here's what we talk about: - The cringey business moments that we all have when we're starting out - Why it's so important to attract your people and repel those who aren't - How we manage self doubt every day as an entrepreneur - Why Erica decided to write a book (and what it was like writing it) - What led her to start a podcast - How to be more authentic and transparent with your audience - Why working hard in your business isn't what leads to burnout Connect with Erica: https://www.instagram.com/bearandfoxapparel.ca/ https://bearandfoxapparel.ca/ Drinks With Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1zVkvHc4bc1fE181T8aOZ9 Connect with Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

You post to Instagram and approximately 20 people see it. So you try TikTok and get marginally better success - but it's still not the tens of thousands you were hoping for. Week after week you create, edit, and upload podcast episodes but only 5 people are listening (and you're pretty sure one of them is your mom). You keep doing all the things but you feel like you're not making any traction. No one is watching. You start to feel like it's all just not worth your time. Who else can relate to this?! But here's the thing: The KEY to success is to keep showing up even when you're only reaching 20 people. And to show up as if it were 20,000 people. In today's episode, I'm talking to Stefanie Furgiuele from Original Genes. Stef started her business as a passion project, painting jean jackets for friends as a creative outlet. Now, she's reaching thousands of people and partnering with massive organizations like Pinterest and Holt Renfrew. Here's what we talk about: - Stef's story and how she got started painting jean jackets and then moved into the event space - How she figured out her financials so she could go all in on her business - How to get big brands reaching out to you for business - Making expensive mistakes - Why it's so important to surround yourself with people who get it - How to keep showing up as the person and business you want to be (even when it feels like no one is looking) - How to get past other people's opinions of you Connect with Stef: https://originalgenes.ca/ https://www.instagram.com/originalgenes_to/ Goals & Gratitude Conference: https://www.nicolehaney.com/conference Connect with Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/ https://www.nicolehaney.com/

Considering raising funds for your business but have no idea where to start? Most of us have no idea where to start when it comes to getting investors. Where do you find these elusive investors? What do you say to them? And how do you get them to give you the much needed capital for your business?! Nadia and Simone from Marlow have been through the entire process - multiple times - and are here to give us all the deets on exactly how the process works from an entrepreneur's perspective. Marlow is a company that's creating a movement around menstrual wellness, starting with the first lubricated tampon experience. They have created a community centered around menstrual wellness that is a safe space that's empowering women across North America. Here's what we talk about: - Why your first version of your product doesn't need to be perfect and the value of adapting quickly based on customer feedback - The unglamourous side of entrepreneurship that's never talked about - Why it's so important to create opportunities for people to champion your brand - The numerous ways to fund your business (that might not be what you expect!) - Where and how to find investors for your business - Why bringing on investors is like a marriage - How to get investment before you even have a product - The key things you need to do to get investors interested Connect with Marlow https://wearemarlow.com/ https://www.instagram.com/marlow/ https://www.tiktok.com/@wearemarlow Connect with Nicole https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolehaney/https://www.nicolehaney.com/