Magic Maker

The revolution will not be televised.... it will be on Facebook Live!https://facebook.com/jnicholesmithEvery day at Noon {UK} Join Whyfinder and niche brand expert J.Nichole Smith for her pirate broadcast of daily inspiration, Q+A, interviews with some of the most successful, interesting and inspiring entrepreneurs, thought-provoking topics, workshops and more.If you're an entrepreneur or you fancy becoming one - and you care about making a difference - this is YOUR place to get support, share ideas, find courage, get fired up and connect with like-minded enchanted rebels!Presented by jnicholesmith.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Self-esteem is the ability to see yourself as a flawed individual and still hold yourself in high regard.” Esther PerelIn today’s episode, Nic reveals how to stop hustling for proof and get out of the perfectionism paradigm. Particularly, you will learn why we all have need to prove ourselves, why this tendency is especially challenging for entrepreneurs, how to trust yourself, and why there is no RIGHT or WRONG. Tune in and find out more!What you will hear in this episode:·            00:33 – What's up with Nic?·            01:24 - What can you expect from today's episode·            02:20 - Human need for proof and how it is related to impostor syndrome·            03:04 - Why you should be confident regardless of your imperfections·            04:27 - Why hustling for proof is especially tricky for entrepreneurs and how to deal with it·            07:06 - How to trust yourself·            9:27 - The key point you should know about “Right and Wrong”Episode links:Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Monday, Nic shares the 4-Step Process, a very important tool that will help you to stop in the moment when you are feeling swept up, overwhelmed, or upset and make choices about how you want to act and react in a relationship to those emotions. More specifically, you will learn about the 4 steps of the NERA tool, how to locate a problem, explore it, and reframe it, and ultimately how to change the reaction pattern in a given situation. Tune in and find out more!What you will hear in this episode:·            00:33 – Why for Nic new year begins on February 1st·            01:55 - What can you expect from today's episode·            03:10 – A tool that will help you to stop, restart, reframe, and rewrite·            04:17 - Who did create the tool?·            05:23 - The 4 steps of the NERA tool·            08:16 - Noticing the name of the problem and how to explore it·            10:28 - How you can reframe the issue·            13:18 - Why do we immediately jump to the most negative conclusion and how to change that pattern·            16:18 - An appeal that Nic has it for youEpisode links:Best Practice, Inc.https://bestpracticeinc.com/Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Nic shares a very important truth and a very important tool that will help you navigate the wild crazy waters of entrepreneurship! Stay tuned as you will learn about Nic’s simple yet powerful fact about emotions, how we can use resilience in practice to better handle stress and setbacks, and why curiosity is the key in relationships.What you will hear in this episode:·            00:33 – Why you should check the previous episode if you haven't heard it already·            01:01 - What can you expect from today's episode·            02:40 - What "Chill" means for Nic and why it has a such a great impact on her·            05:06 - Simple yet powerful truth about feelings·            6:26 - The idea of resilience and·            08:23 – How to use it in practice·            11:59 - The importance of being curious·            13:17 - Share your comments on this topic in our FB group·            13:38 - A sneak peek to the next episode·            14:01 - Let's spread our Magic Makers manifesto!Episode links:Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Last week's episode with Denisehttps://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/raw-imperfect-and-real-with-denise-duffield-thomas/ 4 Agreements Bookhttps://amzn.to/2sALeYO 5th Agreement https://amzn.to/2sALeYO Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"So, why are we thinking that we have to be perfect before we're allowed to have money?" Denise Duffield-ThomasThis Monday, Nichole is rejoined with Denise Duffield-Thomas, a money mindset mentor, a coach, a motivational speaker, and CEO of Lucky Bitch. She also wrote a book Get Rich, Lucky Bitch, a practical and fun take on the law of attraction, revealing what it really takes to manifest your wildest dreams.In this very personal and uncensored call, Nic and Denise talk about all the stuff that went wrong in the past year. Moreover, they share their fears and mistakes regarding their relationships, body image, and money. Specifically, you will find out why Denise deems that public speaking should be free of charge, why you don’t have to be perfect to be successful, how Reiki helped Nic to get mentally prepared for the last October conference, why it’s important to just show up, and many more!What you will hear in this episode:·            00:32 – A summary of a "raw & dirty" call with Denise·            09:46 - What went totally wrong for Denise last year·            19:35 – Why speech should be free of charge·            27:29 – Why you don’t have to be perfect to make millions of money·            37:23 – The one thing that each of us has to deal with it through the entire life·            44:48 – Nic’s energy healing with Reiki and how it helped her to host the recent conference ·            50:47 – Denise’s take on resilience, how she cultivates and uses it·            53:54 – Why it’s important to just show up·            01:01:27 – Why it’s just a matter of a choice·            01:07:56 – Denise’s plans for 2020Episode links: Lucky Bitch:https://luckybitch.com/Get Rich, Lucky Bitch book:https://www.amazon.com/Get-Rich-Lucky-Bitch-Release-ebook/dp/B00BSG124IDenise's Website:https://www.denisedt.com/Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"In the next decade, it's not about my accomplishments or how many countries I've been, it's about the depth and the quality of my relationships, both with other people and especially with myself" J. Nichole SmithMagic makers welcome to season 5! In the very first episode of 2020, Nichole is taking a look back at the last decade and shares her personal and business highlights. Stay tuned and find out how Nic spends her wintertime, how she picked her perfect place to reflect, what resolutions she set for the 20s, a lifelong lesson that she learned, and many more! In addition, Nic prepared a special template that will help you to review your past 10 years. Go grab it and write your magic highlights!What you will hear in this episode:·            0:32 – How Nic spends her wintertime ·            2:52 – What can you expect from this episode·            4:52 – Starting a year on the sea and time to reflect·            09:54 – A Decade in Review template·            10:06 – Nichole’s personal and business highlights throughout the last decade·            24:18 – How she finally found her spiritual path·            26:27 – Nic’s resolution for the next decade and a lifelong lesson·            32:43 – Why you should subscribe to the podcast·            33:34 – Who is the guest on the next episode?Episode links:A Decade in Review Template:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/decade-in-review.pdfMagic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"All the best stuff is on the other side of fear" J. Nichole SmithIn the last episode of season 4, Nichole talks about her journey of overcoming fear, doing it anyway, and why you should do it, too! More specifically, Nic reveals why she and her husband gave their daughter the middle name of Danger, what challenges she had to face when she came to the UK, and ultimately why a specific song had such an impact on her and how it can benefit to you as well. What you will hear in this episode:·            0:32 – Happy holidays! ·            1:51 - Feel the fear and do it anyway·            3:24 – Why Nic and her husband decided to give their daughter the middle name of Danger·            5:36 - The desire to avoid discomfort and how Nic fought against it·            8:14 - Nic's move to the UK and the challenges that came with it ·            14:05 – Why “Do It Anyway”, a song by Martina McBride, had such an impact on Nic·            14:47 - The lyrics of the song·            16:27  – The message Nic wants to leave you with·            18:11 – What to do if you want to give as a Christmas giftEpisode links:Susan Jeffers’ book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anywayhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Feel-Fear-Anyway-Indecision-Confidence/dp/0091907071/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IPUC1X2BDFSE&keywords=feel+the+fear+and+do+it+anyway&qid=1576003664&s=books&sprefix=feel+the+fear+an%2Cstripbooks%2C152&sr=1-1 Lyrics of “Do It Anyway” by Martina McBridehttps://www.metrolyrics.com/do-it-anyway-lyrics-martina-mcbride.html More on this topic from me (and photos of Brazil!)https://workingwithdog.com/the-possible-project/ Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"We all have permission to do what we love, we just have to prioritize it." J.Nichole SmithThis Monday, Nichole reveals how she used a method that was shared in the previous episode and approached to Ruth Ridgeway over Instagram. Stay tuned and learn why Nic approached her, how Ruth builds momentum by doing what she loves, and why you should do the same! In addition, you will find out all the details about Momentum Mastermind that is currently open and the new lunch of the Nic’s membership “Working with Dog”.What you will hear in this episode:·            0:32 – The launch of the membership “Working with Dog” and what you can expect from this episode·            3:14 – What it means to build a brand that matters·            5:56 – Why you have to give yourself permission·            7:14 – Ruth Ridgeway and why Nic approached her over Instagram·            09:10 – A big takeaway that Nic got from Ruth and how it relates to Ruth’s products·            13:00 – The idea of “Screw it! I am going to do what I love, anyway!” and·            13:12 – The question Nic wants to leave you with·            14:58 – A great example of why the best stuff comes from the place of love·            16:15 – Why you should check Momentum Mastermind·            18:25 – As always, let’s continue our conversion at Magic Makers Facebook group! Episode links:Mastermind - a few spots available before January!https://go.jnicholesmith.com/mastermindLast Week's Episode:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/building-relationships/Ruth Ridgeway Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ruthridgewayxo/ Heal journal:https://ruthxo.com/journal I am a woman who... journal:https://ruthxo.com/i-am-a-woman-who Self Love Challenge:https://ruthxo.com/challenge Puddle + Ink: Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/puddleandink/ Websitehttps://puddleandink.com/Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"If you want to achieve your big dreams, you've got to put yourself in the way of opportunities. This will require getting out of your PJs and leaving your house once in a while." J. Nichole SmithToday, our host, Nichole explains how to jumpstart your momentum by building relationships! Stay tuned and find out why Nic never uses the word "Networking" for creating new contacts, how Nic made an amazing connection, why mutual friends are valuable, how to approach people online, and ultimately why you should just do it! In addition, you will learn about Nic’s mastermind, the new opening of her membership called “Working with Dog”, and Dynamite Circle membership, definitely worth checking it out! What you will hear in this episode:·            0:32 – The message that was a very important part of Nichole’s growth ·            3:01 – The piece of advice that Nic got really early in her career ·            4:30 – Why Nic prefers “Building Relationships” over “Networking” ·            5:25 – What it really means to build your relationships and where you can do it ·            7:19 – An example of an amazing connection that our host made ·            8:42 – All you need to know about networking events ·            9:42 - Making connections online and the importance of mutual friends·            13:16 – The advantages of the membership sites·            14:17 – Nic’s mastermind and the new opening of her membership called “Working with Dog”·            15:24 – Dynamite Circle membership  ·            16:08 – Just do it! ·            17:36 – The message Nic wants to leave you with·            18:39 – Tips to make that first introduction·            22:41 – Let’s continue our conversion at our Facebook group! Episode links:Mastermindhttps://go.jnicholesmith.com/mastermind Working with DogPlanning Challenge:https://workingwithdog.com/planning-challenge/Join/Waitlist: https://workingwithdog.com/join Dynamite Circlehttps://www.tropicalmba.com/dc/Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Is the stuff that feels most urgent to you, right now in your business, is going to feed your bank account or your ego?” J. Nichole SmithIn today’s episode, our host, Nichole shares how to focus on profit and revenue activities instead of focusing on your ego. Particularly, you will learn about 4 messages, accompanied by an exercise, that will help you to put your "I" aside and increase your income! Besides, you will hear about Nic’s hard-learned lesson regarding her ego, why you should relax instead of hustling, how you can get Nic’s new program Strategy Safari, and many more!What you will hear in this episode:·            0:32 – How quickly is stuff moving?·            2:27 – Today's topic and how to relax while keeping the momentum·            5:00 – Nic’s hard-learned lesson of paying a debt and how is related to ego  ·            6:49 – Ego v.s. Profit exercise·            9:17 – The question that Nic has it for you·            10:06 – How you can get Nic’s new program Strategy Safari, a 200 pages workbook that will set you up for 2020!·            12:59 – How to focus on profit and revenue centric activities and·            14:45 – 4 messages that will help you do it  ·            23:33 – The message that Nic wants to leave you with·            24:11 – Join our conversion on this episode’s topic at our Facebook group!Episode links:Ego v.s. Profit exercise:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/ego-v-s-profit/Strategy Safari:http://go.jnicholesmith.com/mm-planner The Graceful No episode:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/the-art-of-the-graceful-no/ Black Friday Facebook Thread:https://www.facebook.com/88927303285/posts/10157626995583286?sfns=mo Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Overwhelm is one of the #1 reasons why people don’t buy from us” J. Nichole SmithToday, Nic reveals how to simplify your product to become more intelligible to your customers and eventually build momentum! Learn the two main reasons why you should simplify your offerings, what is revenue pyramid, how to group your products, and where you can download the worksheet that will help you get the wheels turning! Besides, in the spirit of the holiday season, our host explains why this is a great period of the year and why you should separate yourself from all the upcoming buzz. What you will hear in this episode:·            0:32 – Why this is a great period of the year and·            2:00 – And why you should separate yourself from holiday “noise”·            3:17 – What you can expect from this episode ·            5:08 – Two reasons why you should simplify your offering ·            8:13 – A simple strategy to make your product more intelligible·            9:00 – Revenue pyramid and the idea of grouping your products·            12:10 – Where you can download the worksheet that accompanies this episode·            13:11 – Recapping·            14:57 – The key to successful marketing·            15:24 – Share your insights on this topic at Magic Makers FB group·            16:23 – Sharing is carryingEpisode links:Simplify Your Product to Build Momentum Worksheet: https://www.jnicholesmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/e39-simple-products.pdfMagic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If someone asks you what do you do for a living and you have a 10 minutes long answer, then you should definitely take a listen to this episode! Today, our host, Nichole shares how to craft your simple message to build a momentum with your prospective clients. More specifically, you will learn about Nic’s experience of visiting Tribe Love conference in Toronto and how it is related to this subject, how to get quick and dirty version of how to communicate with your “Why”, and the most importantly the structure of the “I Believe” statement that will ultimately help you to create your most effective message. Tune in and find out more!What you will hear in this episode:·            0:32 – Why this is one of the best Magic Maker’s episodes·            3:36 – Let’s dive into crafting of “I Believe” statement·            5:10 – Two fundamentals of “Why” finding·            5:32 – Key things to simplify your message to build momentum and·            5:55 – Nic’s story that depicts it perfectly·            7:23 – More specifically, what happened at Tribe Love conference in Toronto·            11:58 – Why you need quick and dirty version of how to communicate with your “Why” and·            13:34 – What you really need to do to get it·            14:11 – The structure of the “I Believe” statement”·            16:35 – Let’s workshop Nic’s “I Believe” statement and share yours at our FB group!·            19:10 – What are the trigger words and how to use them·            20:41 – Why you should keep the language very simple·            24:02 - If you enjoyed it, share it. Thank you!Episode links:What is a Brand Statement & How Do I lGet One?https://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/brand-statement/Finding Your Magic:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/finding-your-magic-s1-e5/Magic Makers Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/magicmakershqSimplify Your Message to Build Momentum Exercise: https://www.jnicholesmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/e38-simple-message.pdf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Your “Why” doesn’t do you much good to fund the freedom and the fulfilled lifestyle if you don’t already know how to grow a profitable business.” J. Nichole SmithThe Magic Maker Live conference is done and Nic is back in the game! In today’s episode, our host guides you through 12-Step Momentum Formula that will help you become, do, and have all you ever want! But, before that, you will learn about finding your “Why”, the concept of “Be, Do, Have”, and what Identity Mantra is. Then you will dive into 12-Step Momentum Formula, a Nic’s sonic journey accompanied with workbook and graphics that will help you on your path to freedom and lifestyle you desire. What you will hear in this episode:·            0:45 – Welcome back·            1:39 - How Nic spent the past couple of months·            2:13 – How Nic for the first time overcome entrepreneurial frustration·            4:04 – Nichole’s recent energy work·            6:14 – Magic time and introduction to 12-Step Momentum Formula·            8:41 – What Nic started realizing about her superpower·            14:45 – What you should take into consideration in order to find your “Why”·            17:21 – What critical piece Nic was missing to complete her Momentum Formula·            19:48 – The concept of “Be, Do, Have”·            23:04 – What Identity Mantra is and how It can help you become what you want to be·            27:00 – Where you can find Identity Mantra workbook·            28:52 – Diving into 12-Step Momentum Formula and more specifically into the first “Be” phase·            31:51 – The second “Do” phase·            35:41 – The third “Have” phase·            38:52 – The 12-Step Momentum Formula in brief·            42:56 – If you find the formula interesting, check Nic’s new Magic Maker Mastermind program·            43: 52 – If you enjoyed, spread the word! Thank you!Episode links:5 Laws of Entrepreneurship:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/the-5-laws-of-entrepreneurship/Jim Fortin's Podcast: 'Transform Your Life from the Inside Out'https://www.jimfortin.com/podcast/How to discipline yourself into consistent action:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/podcast/how-to-finally-discipline-yourself-into-consistent-action/Magic Maker Mastermind:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/mastermind12-Step Momentum Formula:https://www.jnicholesmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/be-do-have-formula.jpg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey Magic Makers!Welcome back to another awesome episode of the Magic Maker Podcast.Today I am bringing you another interview. This is only the third one we’ve ever had on this podcast and this is a woman you might not know, but you are going to be really thrilled to meet. Today, I am speaking with Abbey Woodcock who is the founder of Freelance Co-op and we are talking about something so critical if you are a person who trades money for time, which is basically all of us. But if you’re someone who works one on one with clients, you will probably have found in your business that it is often very, very difficult to get that process of finding the person, bringing them on board, getting the work done, going back and forth with revisions, finalizing the work, delivering the files, getting paid to be quite a difficult process, especially when you know you can’t control your client and sometimes your energy on your yourself is quite low. And then sometimes the deadlines get extended and then you feel guilty. So you feel like you have to give a discount. It becomes this whole crazy mess of expectations and work being done, work not being done. So what Abbey is bringing us today is this amazing ‘workflow’ that we’re going to talk about in terms of how to get that done in a way that’s productive. And then she’s going to dive deeper into this workflow. She calls the maker workflow at Magic Maker Live in October. Our conference in London and Abbey is a sponsor of this conference and we are so thrilled to have her there. She is going to be such a wonderful support for everyone in the room who is struggling with this. And I know over my career being a photographer, a designer, and a consultant, this is something that is so important and so many of us just don’t know what to do. And she has developed this amazing system to help us with that. Read more Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Season 4 of the Magic Maker Podcast!I am so thrilled to be coming to you with this season, all about momentum. This first interview I'm so thrilled about because it is with the amazing Denise Duffield-Thomas who is one of our keynote speakers at Magic Maker Live coming up in October. As I'm recording this intro to you today, it is the first day of Autumn and it actually really feels like it here in the UK. For many of us, this is our favorite time of year. We love summer, right? It's great, it's warm, we play, we get outside, but there's something so restorative about autumn and it's such a great time to get back to work.So I'm really excited in this season of the podcast, which is starting in the Fall, to explore the ways that we as entrepreneurs really can create momentum in our businesses and in our brands. It's all well and good to know the things and to do the things here and there to try and build your brand and build your business,but it's really the momentum: consistently showing up and doing the work that really makes the difference.So as I mentioned, we're going to kick this season of momentum off with an interview with the lovely Denise Duffield-Thomas. If you're not familiar with Denise, I'm excited to introduce her to you. She is phenomenal. She is a money mindset mentor. Recently she wrote and published the book ‘Chillpreneur’ (Hay House) but I found her several years ago when I read her book ‘Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!’, which is all about breaking through money mindset blocks. If you're someone who's struggling with money mindset (because let's face it, we all do)... You might want to check out that book because it really did fundamentally change my life.But today what I want to chat with Denise about, is connecting to a bit of magic. As you know, this is called the Magic Maker Podcast and unashamedly am a person who is now raising my hand and saying, ‘I believe in magic!’ But what I mean by magic, is a pretty loose definition... but really it's all the stuff that you can't totally define or necessarily prove that works, the unseen stuff that really helps you create the change that you're looking for.In my definition of magic, it includes everything from whatever your version of spirituality is to using modalities like EFT and Reiki and kinesiology, to manifesting and law of attraction stuff... Whatever it is that beyond the super practical, that really moves the needle on your growth.It's taken me a long time to admit that this is what I believe in and it's only after time and time again this is the stuff that has actually worked for me... You can really only push through with your plans and your action steps and your metrics and your marketing for so long....Read More Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most fun things to do as an entrepreneur or a small business owner is to see your brand or your logo or your artwork come to life in a physical, tangible objects, whether it's a mug or a tee shirt, or a big banner, the tanking up over your storefront. Being able to see your business and brand in a physical way for all the world to see and enjoy is really, really thrilling. This is a really fun, ego-driven part of being a small business is to make stuff. And it is also a really important part of what makes brands special. In particular brands versus businesses. Brands are often more concerned with the swag than a typical business. Why? Because they take time and money to create. And really it's just about feelgood factor rather than some necessarily return on investment. So today as we've been exploring brand cool, I want to take you through what I call artefacts, which are the tangible or sort of swag or physical objects that are a part of what make brand special and a part of what helps people have a more deep and fun connection with them based on this stuff.View show notes and grab free workbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I want to take us through this idea of experience and how to purposely actively create experiences for our customers that are going to delight them, which of course has the wonderful impact of delighting us as well. View show notes and grab the free workbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you hear the word brand, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For most people it has something to do with a logo or packaging or maybe a physical products, maybe a tagline or an idea. But most of what we think of when we think of brands is something visual. We think of something that we can see, and this is a huge part of what makes a brand magic. So in the last few episodes we've been diving into what I call brand cool, which is that mythical magical stuff that does make a brand more magnetic than just a business. And one of the most critical pieces of that is the visual stuff that goes in. We're going to look at the key pieces of a visual brand aesthetic, which include color photography, the logo, other icons and illustrations, fonts. And we're going to have a quick peek at what I call channel art, which is all this stuff in your digital channels. View show notes and grab the free workbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the first elements of brand cool is the words and language that a business uses to convey its messaging to get its ‘why’ across to its customers and fans.We talk and talk and talk and talk. It's much harder to be succinct.And for this language to work in your brand, it's got to be sharp. It's got to be punchy because these days nobody reads. So let's look at some of those pieces and what they are, the brand cool words that I want to take you through today:Brand statementTaglineMethodOrigin storyHashtagsView show notes and grab free workbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instinctively, I’m sure you can relate to what I mean when I say ‘brand cool’ because we’ve all had experiences with products from ketchup to shampoo, coffee houses to cars, shoes to electronics… where we just can’t get enough of a particular brand: its cool just sucks us in.You can bet that doesn’t happen by accident. That level of desire is crafted and curated and today I want to give you an outline of the individual categories you need to master to get your own brand cool. In the next few episodes we’ll dive further into each one because there’s just way more to cover than we can get through in one episode.View show notes and free workbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of my favorite lines from my book The Million Dollar Dog Brand is ‘Be The Fox Pee.’Sounds crazy. Well, what’s really interesting fact is that apparently fox pee is one of the most stimulating smells in the world for dogs.They love it. They go absolutely mental for it. They can't deny it. They want to roll in it, lick it.You want to be absolutely insatiably absolutely crazy making to your customers and clients that they absolutely are obsessed with.View show notes and free workbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are now at a point where we can evolve a little bit of this brand conversation into something I call a brand statement. Now if you haven't figured out your why and you don't feel like you have this big perfect picture of the ideal brand, that's fine. Remember, what we want to achieve is to just have a work in progress.So the challenge that I'm laying down for you today is to work on your brand statement in progress.View Show Notes and Download Workbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the things that seems a little bit funny to us when we start to get out there and try and market for the first time as entrepreneurs is just how hard it is to really get people to notice what we're trying to say.There are so many businesses and products in the marketplace and it is so hard to get noticed.And one of the most important ways is to craft communication that really stands out from everybody else's. But this is quite a task. This is not an easy thing to do and every brand and business is trying to do it.One of the secrets to making this work is to do what seems completely opposite to our nature as human beings and logical creatures. And that is to talk less about what we do and to talk more about why we do it.View Show Notes & Free Workbook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is normal?!If there's one thing that most of us have in common that we are programmed and taught as early as we can remember, it's that we're supposed to be normal. We're supposed to be just like everybody else. We're supposed to fit in because if we stand out, then people make fun of us, they call attention to us, and that can be literally the most horrifying thing when you're a kid or a teenager to stand out, especially if you feel like you stand out in a way that you feel a little insecure about.If you want to build a brand, the time for fitting in is over. View Show Notes and Freebie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So one of the things I talk about all the time as a branding expert is having a brand statement. This is sort of like an elevator pitch and you can find lots of resources on jnicholesmith.com to help you craft your very own. That’s for another video. But my brand statement is, well, you’ve already heard it.I help entrepreneurs find freedom and fulfillment by building brands instead of just businesses.Now you won’t really hear in there is what I do for a living or what I sell necessarily. But you do hear what I care about and what I care about is helping entrepreneurs. And what I care about is helping entrepreneurs find freedom and fulfillment. And what I care about is helping entrepreneurs build brands instead of just businesses. So it gives you a good insight into what I do and why I do it and who I do it for.View Show Notes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey, magic maker. This is a very special episode of the magic maker Podcast for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that this is the first ever interview we've ever had on this podcast. Our interview today is one of my absolute business crushes and absolute idol in my life of someone who I have tremendous respect for. And that is Ms Ash Ambirge of the Middle Finger Project. I call her a Badass bitch because she is out there helping women disrupt, helping them be disobedient and create change and absolute magic in their lives by doing the brave thing.View Show Notes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you believe in the universe, wizards, ghosts, tarot, vampires, manifesting, or even God – you have to be a little bit mad to throw your head and heart into unrelenting faith in something you cannot prove.Typically, magic gets pitted against science in the battle for proof. We humans like to be sure, and how can you be sure of something you can’t quite explain or prove? In life, and in business, looking at data and facts is an absolutely essential element in smart decision making and planning… but it’s not the complete picture.I developed what I call the ‘Entrepreneurial Spectrum’ which highlights the opposites of entrepreneurs who are naturally inclined more towards facts and data – this end of the spectrum is called the ‘Method’, and those who are naturally included towards art and emotion – this end, I call ‘Madness’ . Most of us fall to one side or the other of this spectrum- and most of us are most comfortable with other people who sit on our side of the spectrum because we feel more belonging with people who believe what we believe. Both titles of ‘method’ and ‘madness’ are coined with love.View Show Notes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Of all the business models I have ever built and grown - by far the most superior in every way is a membership site. I conceived of my first membership site in 2015 and brought it to life in 2016... it is called 'Working with Dog' and it is now a thriving community for pet entrepreneurs.If, like I was, you’re searching for a better business model - a better way to apply your skills and passions while also building a sustainable business that affords you BOTH more freedom AND allows you to have a bigger impact with the people and causes you care about most… then this episode may just be the first domino you tip to trigger a cascade of small decisions that leads you to that life and business… so it’s worth sticking around and having a listen.And with that - I think it’s time we make some magic, shall we?View Show Notes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A couple of years ago when I was setting about to change my whole life because I got myself into a position where I had started the wrong business, I was completely miserable and knew that I was missing out on probably the best part of my career by doing the wrong thing.I was spending my time in all the wrong ways. I had spent a ton of money. I felt like a total failure and I was working on starting over during that time. I developed a lot of what I talk about now in all the different courses and videos like this where we dive into things like exploring your why and finding work that is truly fulfilling to help you find the freedom that you're looking for as an entrepreneur.View Show Notes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the things I remember dreaming about and worrying about from a really early stage in my business is how I was going to get income or revenue in. That wasn't so hard. So if you are a service provider or you make physical products, maybe this is something that you can relate to because obviously building a business is hard and a lot of us have a story that it needs to be hard to count and that's a whole different, that's a whole different topic we can dive into later. But one of the answers to this issue as an entrepreneur when you were out there hustling to try and get clients or to try and get sales is to have revenue streams or sources of income in your business, which feel easy and or can be sold or bought while you sleep. Most of us call these passive income products and most of us have them on our mind because it sure sounds good to wake up with money in your bank account that you don't have to go out and deliver anything for, right? So if you are interested in bringing passive or leveraged income into your business and you're not really sure where to start, you're definitely going to want to pay attention because we are going to dive into it today and I'm going to give you some really helpful tips on how to actually make that transition from whatever you're doing now to having some passive or leveraged income in your business. Let's make some magic.View Show Notes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I want to dive into a strategy to help you get past that perfection monster when you're bringing new products into the world. And more important than that, make sure that the products you are bringing to the market are things people actually want and are willing to pay for. So you don't end up wasting all of that time and energy getting it just right and then have no one buy it.View show notes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I wanted to talk to you about the fourth stage of finding freedom and fulfillment as an entrepreneur, which is all about funding your freedom.View show notes.If you want more free resources to help you work through this, visit us over at facebook.com/groups/magicmakersHQ. This is a place where we have conversations all the time about topics like this and support and chanted rebels like you who want to find freedom and fulfillment by building brands instead of just businesses. I hope to see you inside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I want to take you through stage three of what I call the Seasons of Freedom and Fulfillment, which gets you from just being a newbie, starting out to a business owner who actually does have freedom.View show notes.If you want to talk more about how to grow your brand, make sure you visit us over in our free Facebook group, facebook.com/groups/magicmakersHQ. This is where we provide a ton of free resources for enchanted rebels like you who want to find a freedom of fulfillment by building a brand instead of just businesses. We've got tons of support over there, and also it's a great place to have conversations about what stage you're at and where you're headed next, and we have tons of ways to support you in that journey. I hope to see you there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I believe that there are four seasons that every entrepreneur goes through from being a Newbie, just starting out to a seasoned business owner who has a freedom and fulfillment, which is sponsored and paid for by their business. A lot of people never get there because the seasons are tricky. Now I believe in building a brand instead of just a business, so that is definitely a part of the stages. The first stage is growing your business, understanding how to make money and get stable. But the second stage, which we're going to talk about today, is about crafting a brand. Visit the show notes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I wanted to walk you through the very first stage of the process that gets you from wherever you are now to that freedom and fulfilment. I mentioned it’s not going to happen overnight and it does happen in stages and today I want to walk you through the first stage, which is how to grow your business.Visit show notes.We have a ton of resources to help you grow your business over on jnicholesmith.com so definitely check it out. There’s usually a free challenge and tons of downloads to help you get started with this phase and to figure out where you’re at now and what your next steps are. You can also join the conversation in our free community at facebook.com/groups/magicmakershq. This is the place where I hang out all the time and can answer your questions and really provide a ton of resources for enchanted rebels like you who want to build a brand instead of just a business and who want to find freedom and fulfilment.Because I promise you it is possible to both have a sustainable business and a life and we can help show you how.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I wanted to talk to you about the fundamental steps between wherever you are now and actually reaching that freedom and fulfillment. There is a formula, right? So as I mentioned, finding freedom and fulfillment as an entrepreneur sounds a little dicey, right? Most of us spend way too much time doing stuff that we hate and when you're a business owner, freedom is probably the last thing you feel like you have a lot of and that's because it happens in stages. View show notes.If you want more free resources to help you work through this, visit us over at facebook.com/groups/magicmakersHQ. This is a place where we have conversations all the time about topics like this and support enchanted rebels like you who want to find freedom and fulfillment by building brands instead of just businesses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I love getting to spend this time with youIt feels like such an oasis from the busy ness of life and business. TO sit down, and chat about some of the big stuff that’s swirling around us.In my work as a consultant and brand-builder, I have seen a recurring theme with entrepreneurs - and I certainly have been no exception… and that is we have a tendency to jump to a great idea, a great product, or a great business model - get VERY excited about it - and immediately start working away at concepts, plans, domain names and taglines. Motivated by WHAT a GREAT idea it is, or by what HUGE potential it has… we often don’t slow down the idea generating machine long enough to ask ourselves ‘is it right for me’?I once stated an entire business, poured a ton of money into it, and scraped away at it for 2 years before asking myself this question - only to be a little mortified by the answer…Yes, it may be a great idea, it may be a great business, but is it right for ME, is it a good fit for my skills, resources… and most importantly…is the pain it will require me to endure, the kind of pain I’m willing to bear to get what I want?One of the big big questions I ask my clients, and myself, a to help protect against getting carried away with good ideas that aren’t right for us, is to ask... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So often as business owners we seem to gravitate towards the hard thing. We over complicate, we add layers, we go 10 steps when 4 will do. Many of us are somewhat obsessively driven to bring perfect things into the world, to tell the WHOLE story (heaven forbid we leave out a single detail) and to give EVERYTHING we’ve got into EVERY endeavor.Visit the show notesSome of this is honorable - we want to exceed the expectations of our customers, we want our products and services to help and deliver the promised results and we are deeply committed to producing high-quality everything…. But SOME of this is also quite destructive. Perfectionism, and obsessively serving, are typically symptoms of fear, not indicators of success.Most of this stuff comes down to the simple fearFear of what other people will think and say about us. We want to be loved, liked and accepted. We seek to fill in our wells of insecurity - the depths of our ‘not enoughness’ with praise, recognition and public proof of our greatness … because THEN we can prove to ourselves (and everyone else) that we truly are worthy of happiness and love... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am so excited to kick this second season of the Magic Maker podcast off with some foundational ideas about what it means to be an entrepreneur. I believe the concepts I am going to introduce to you today are profoundly helpful to achieve one of the most valuable gifts I aim to give the entrepreneurs I work with - and that is clarity. A more simple, clear lens through which to view all the moving parts and complicated thought patterns of 'entrepreneuring'.Visit the show notes. Today I am going to introduce you to the the forces I believe are working for or against our success, so that you can begin to wrap your head around navigating them in a more purposeful way. In my experience this not only brings better results (like more money and more productivity) but it also reduces stress and increases joy and flow. Basically I think these laws are THE ANSWER to shift from looking at one piece of your business at a time, to mastering the skill of entrepreneuring… the very complex and challenging art of ‘doing it all, all at once’ with more grace, ease and efficacy... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, my friend, digital marketing expert and wellness guru Amanda Cook and I are exploring the themes we taught at the Magic Maker Retreat. These themes include my 5 laws of Entrepreneurship, (especially the first one, mindset) and some ways you can leverage them to create real growth this year in your life and business.Visit the show notes. Don't miss the free workshop I mention, where you can dive deeper into these laws, and where you can uncover the 3 Secrets that unlock productivity and change while you're learning to manage and master the 5 Laws: https://www.jnicholesmith.com/workshop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am dedicated to helping entrepreneurs find freedom and fulfilment by building brands instead of just businesses. What I do is a mashup of marketing consulting, brand development, strategy, problem solving and usually a little bit of magic.Visit the show notes. The pursuit of freedom is something I take very seriously. It’s the reason many of us started our own business: to have time to spend with our families, to be our own boss… to have a ‘lifestyle business’ but man how quickly that becomes something that looks a lot less like freedom and a lot more like overtime, stress and like 24/7 commitment and worry!When my clients come to me it’s almost always because they are a long, long ways from anything that feels like freedom or fulfilment. Almost always it’s burnout, overwhelm, confusion, or dissatisfaction that brings people to my door. When we begin our work, it’s usually in the aim of creating or building something. A brand, a website, a plan…Most of my clients are standing at some sort of crossroadsMy job is to help them navigate some sort of fairly radical change. A change that will ultimately get them closer to their version of freedom or fulfilment.This process, is messy. Sometimes painful. It’s confronting. It’s raw.The insight I want to share with you today is a glaring truth that has emerged from hundreds of these conversations…. and that is this:No matter how much you want to convince yourself that it’s what you do, build, sell, create, trademark or perfect that will ensure the success of your brand, the ugly truth, is that it is in fact what you let go of that will define you.It will not be what you have – but what you release – that will make or break you.In my experience, our ability to let go, is the single greatest challenge we face as entrepreneurs.And unfortunately, as I expect many of you already know, that letting go, almost always involves walking straight into an inferno of huge fear … Your resilience in the face of that fear and failure that defines your success... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Art of the Graceful NoAs entrepreneurs, most of us are pretty damn keen to get more done, in less time. We’re always ready for a productivity hack, a tool, resource or FINALLY the PERFECT planner to help us feel like we’re more efficient. Last week we discussed the importance of rewarding the small behaviors we’d like to see ourselves repeat (and replacing that punishing internal dialogue that’s constantly telling us why we don’t deserve rewards or praise if we’re not 100% perfect).Visit the show notes. Well if you’re embarking on this journey, which at its core is really about self-love, I expect you’ll find quite quickly, that one of the most difficult parts of the cycle I outlined last week - is actually setting boundaries and properly taking care of yourself. Putting our own needs first, for most of us, is the most difficult, backwards thing we could possibly do. It feels selfish. It feels uncomfortable. We worry about asking for what we want and need and what others will think when we do. The absolutely pinnacle of all of these boundary-setting and self-care, is the moment when you actually learn to say NO.Now, let’s be honest, saying no to yourself can be as hard or harder than saying no to others, but the idea here, is learning easily access and use a graceful no.This is an incredibly important milestone in your journey as a business owner, leader, employer, and happy human. The graceful no isn’t just about saying no, either, it’s also about speaking up for what you want or need, instead of staying silent. It’s about honoring your needs, even when it is awkward.I want to tell you a little story about a recent situation that really challenged me in the graceful no department… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discipline, by its nature, is force. Punishment. To be disciplined is to be punished.Discipline, VerbTo train by instruction and exercise; drill.To bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.To punish or penalize in order to train and control; correct; chastise.I have trying my whole life to be more disciplined… believing that I am an absolute failure at taking enough of the right action at the right time.Visit the show notes.I have built constructs and entire businesses even in order to FORCE myself to ‘be more disciplined’.We probably all over our own definitions of discipline: for me, discipline means finishing what I start, not procrastinating, using more will-power more often, and just DOING the stuff I find impossible to DO... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For some of you, what I’m going to reveal today might freak you out, offend you, or trigger you. You may get offended, write me off as an over-sharer, or you just won’t get it. But I’m willing to take that risk, because for some of you, this may just be the permission slip you’ve been waiting for your whole adult life.Visit the show notes.I feel compelled to share this deeply personal journey up a mountain that for 30 years I have been positive was absolutely unclimbable, in case you are standing there looking up a mountain that is equally unsurmountable, and you need a hand to hold and a little push to take that first step.Although this episode might not seem like it has much to do with building a brand or growing your business, I can assure you it does, so stay with me. But fair warning, this episode gets REALLY real.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of my favorite books (and probably one of yours too if you’ve read it) is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. If you haven’t read it - move that to the top of your reading list! Nearly every page of Big Magic is quotable, but one of my favorite bits:“Do whatever brings you to life… Follow your own fascinations, obsessions and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart. The rest will take care of itself” - Elizabeth GilbertVisit the show notes. Elizabeth is talking about Creativity - but this sort of how I think of our lives as brand builders. We don’t have to limited by the unoriginal thinking and boring, confining structures that normal people get stuck in. We get to trust and follow our fascinations. I believe building a brand and a tribe, instead of just a business, is where that whole ‘the rest will take care of itself bit’ actually becomes true... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most important things to understand about a brand (and I think most difficult when you’re new to the idea) is the magic stuff that makes a brand a brand.I believe that the stuff that makes a brand a brand, starts with you:human + business = brandVisit the show notes.What is a Brand?A brand is a business infused with the best bits of humanity.If it’s a personal brand, or a brand built by one or more entrepreneurs, then that humanity comes from the people who craft it. It’s THEIR unique flavor, their beliefs, their weird, their cool, that give the brand it’s magic.Businesses that aren’t brands, lack humanity.They are robotic. They lack the magic fairy dust, the x-factor that gives brands such an incredible advantage in the marketplace. This is why I advocate that we build brands instead of just businesses.Now, before we go any further, it’s important to point out, that a brand can afford to embark on adventures, and take more risks, because:Building a brand is a LONG TERM strategy.From a business point of view, all about creating a ‘Sustainable Competitive Advantage’, a business that is more popular, profitable and influential for a longer period of time. From a human point of view, building a brand means creating something you’re actually proud of and something that matters to the world... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, one of my business partners, dear friends and wise mentors, Jane Harrell of ‘cause Digital Marketing gave me one of my favorite mantras… She said:Nic, you CAN do ANYTHING, but you can’t do EVERYTHING.Visit the show notes.Oh man, she totally got me. I am one of this hectic, serial entrepreneurs who really struggles to focus on one thing at a time. Can you relate to that? I am busy now, learning the lesson of not just how to say no to the things I don’t want to do, but how to say no to the things I DO want to do… learning to priortize.It’s true, we can achieve anything we desire, but we cannot achieve everything that comes to our mind, that we scribble down in our notebook or add to our Trello board and our pinterest. And that’s OK.Today I'm going to share the 2 Myths we need to tackle, and 5 Steps to take one-at-a-time to really achieve 'having it all' without 'doing it all'... this is an ESSENTIAL skill to master if you want to truly achieve FREEDOM as an entrepreneur! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The traditional definitions of success don’t lead humans to happiness.Today I want to tell you about where the idea of ‘magic maker’ comes from, and give you a bit more insight into what it means to be or aspire to be a magic maker.Visit the show notes. As I set about to evolve my own brand, what I stand for, why I do what I do… I’ve excavated great depths, look for the deep roots and wellsprings of meaning beneath potentially superficial skills like photography, graphic design and marketing strategy. What I discovered, is that my superpower is to actually that process itself - helping others find THEIR OWN versions of these roots and wellsprings.But the reason I CARE about that, has very little to do with helping them build a ‘successful business’. Why? Because in my experience the traditional definitions of success don’t lead humans to happiness… and while MOST people start out wanting to be ‘successful’ in order to fuel their ego, their bank account, to achieve prestige, impress their absent parents, prove they’re smart or independent… the reality is once you have ticked all the boxes of superficial success, wealth, prestige, recognition and performance… you are likely to find yourself in a state of misery… burnout… stuckness… even hopelessness.Magic Makers rise above this fate, and today we're going to uncover WHY... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Magic is what happens when you find balance between method and madness, science and art. Welcome to the Magic Maker podcast, the place where entrepreneurs who want to find magic can access ah-ha moments and simple steps to big dreams.Welcome to the Magic Maker Podcast. This space exists to give you weekly insights, inspiration and actionable tips to help make it easy for you to live by our magic maker code:Do GoodBe RealFind Happy andBuild Brands that MatterVisit the show notes.In this inaugural episode, which was released on Friday the 13th, we're exploring superstitions associated with the number 13, celebrating Magic Maker host, magic making and branding expert J.Nichole Smith's 13th year as an entrepreneur, as well as exploring the 4 ways psychologist Richard Wiseman believes we can make our OWN luck. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.