Brilliant Business Moms With Beth Anne Schwamberger

If you're a mom on Instagram, we bet you've seen a gorgeous Lily Jade bag. On today's episode of the podcast, we are pleased to welcome Meggan Wood, owner and creator of Lily Jade. We talk about her design process, working with social influencers, product manufacturing, and what it's like to be a husband-wife team. Let's get started! Listen Now   On the Podcast 00:34 - The Inspiration Behind Lily Jade02:45 - Growing a Business Rapidly04:45 - Working with Social Influencers08:45 - Meeting Manufactures, Taking Feedback, & Lily Jade 2.016:02 - Working With Your Husband21:24 - Giveaways Galore26:00 - Adorable Mom Moment29:45 - Our Own Lily Jade Giveaway The Inspiration Behind Lily Jade Meggan is married to Landon and mom to two girls, Caroline, 11, and Madeline, 7. Before becoming a mom, Meggan always loved cute totes and accessories. As a new mom, she hunted for a tote that would meet her needs, but didn't scream diaper bag. She worked in outside sales before coming home to be a SAHM, and she wanted a fashio

This episode wasn’t on our schedule, but it was on my heart, so I wanted to pop in and share some business wisdom with you ladies. Listen Now   It’s not that I think I am so wise, it’s just that looking back over the last year and taking stock of how things have gone, I realized something that I couldn’t help but share. I know many of you out there feel the pressure to keep spinning your wheels. You feel like you’re caught up in the rat race, or on a hamster wheel and you can’t get off. I want to encourage you to hop off the wheel and do something different. First, I wanted to start by saying that I am so excited the podcast is back. Thank you so much for letting me in your ears every single week, and truly, I am so pumped for what’s ahead! As I’m recording this, it’s midday on Feb 16th. Our podcast downloads for the month of February are already over 27,000 downloads. Without context that might not mean much, but let me tell you, this is already a RECORD high month for us! You all know I took this past year

Creating A Babysitting App Audrey remembers the specific moment she realized she needed creative childcare solutions. She was talking with her soon-to-be partner Amy in their church lobby, lamenting their childcare problems: the expense of a babysitter, the struggle of finding a good babysitter, the guilt of asking family for favors again... you get the idea. Thinking outside the box, they "decided to change (their) own destiny and formed a local babysitting co-op.” After lots of quick wins and great successes, these ladies realized they had stumbled upon a parenting hack that could help lots of families. They eventually changed their mission from serving their local group of about 16 moms to helping moms across the country. On a personal note, my mother was part of a babysitting co-op when I was little. She always talked about how amazing it was and how lucky they were. When Chris and I lived in South Carolina, I nearly got a co-op together -- but I found the logistics difficult and it never got off the grou

Today on the show I’m *chatting* with Vanessa Quigley of Chatbooks (and, no, I couldn’t resist the pun!). She is a mom of seven and Chatbooker-in-Chief of the photo subscription app, Chatbooks. Since its founding in 2014, Chatbooks has grown into a huge company. We are so excited for her success! Welcome to the show, Vanessa! On The Podcast 1:02 - From Idea to Company 7:08 - Hilarity and Wild Success With A Viral Video Ad 10:37 - Working Closely on a Project 12:30 - More with Real Mom 13:04 - Organic ROI 14:26 - Start Up Business with Investors 17:45 - Working with your Husband 21:04 - Start Up Mom Hustle 23:46 - Day In The Life 24:42 - Adorable Mom Moment Listen Now From Tender Moment to Brand New Company Until she became a mom, Vanessa didn’t take memory keeping seriously. When she had her first child, she bought her first camcorder and camera. Vanessa began using these tools to record their family story through scrapbooking - the old school way! Vanessa remembers, “I would put my baby to bed and spend hou

I am SO excited to bring you this show today! We are going to talk about the ONE strategy that has impacted my sales the most this year! I'm super passionate about this topic. Honestly, I try to talk about this strategy with business owners everywhere I go. I constantly want to convince more people to use this strategy because the difference it has made for me is seriously crazy-cakes. Do you have a guess as to what it could be? Knowing me, you might think this strategy is Facebook ads, but it's not! I love this strategy because it's approachable and affordable for business owners. Facebook ads are how I get customers in the door, but this strategy is how I build relationships and sell the things I want to sell. The strategy is hosting webinars. I know you've probably heard a lot of online business owners talk about webinars over the years, and maybe you already have decided opinions about them. If you're rolling your eyes at this point and thinking, "Webinars aren't for me. Business mom out," I need you to g

Hannah Hageman is a mom we met within the last year, when she was just starting a blog online. And it's been really interesting to see how she's transitioned that blog into a service-based business. We thought she'd be great to bring on the show since she hasn't had a business that long, but she's already bringing in an income and supporting her family! Hannah is mom to two adorable boys and wife to one handsome husband. Her web design company is focused on helping local businesses get visibility. Welcome to the show, Hannah! On The Podcast 00:45 - A Colorful Past 04:05 - Transitioning from Blog to Business 08:13 - Earning Your First Client 12:06 - Dealing With A Demanding Client 14:34 - Firing Clients 16:30 - Creating A Client Questionnaire 20:27 - Start-Up Costs For A Web Design Business 24:50 - Doubt and Nervousness 27:29 - A Day In The Life Of A WAHM 30:40 - Hannah's Adorable Mom Moment Press Play on the Podcast Player Below to Learn How Personal Finance Impacts Your Business with Rachel! A Colorful Pa

If you don't recognize the name Rachel Cruze, you'll likely recognize the name of her dad: Dave Ramsey. She now serves as a Ramsey Personality and uses her knowledge and experience from growing up as Dave’s daughter to educate others. We were so excited to sit down with Rachel at the Nashville Business Boutique and chat with her. We loved what she had to say, and know you will too! On The Podcast 00:25 - Rachel's New Book 01:43 - Mommy Guilt 05:43 - Comparison & Growing A Business 09:17 - Identifying Business Priorities with Money 11:46 - Growing Up As Dave Ramsey's Child 14:15 - Allowing Your Kids To Fail 15:22 - Rachel's Business Insecurities 19:18 - Rachel's Adorable Mom Moment Rachel's New Book As Rachel traveled the country and talked to people about personal finance, she began to notice really similar themes bubble up. That common theme is this: more than ever we're letting other people's lives and lifestyles determine how we spend our money. Comparison is so integrated into our lives, particularly

It's not a rumor. The Brilliant Business Moms podcast is back!!! HOLY COW, you guys! It's been a long time since we talked! But I'm finally back with Episode 139. In this episode we'll give you the down low on what's been happening here at Brilliant Business Moms since the last time we talked. So the last time we chatted was March 2016. And I have to say, we planned a break - but not that extensive of a break! I'm super amped to get going again. Here's what's happened since we've been gone. Listen To The Show   Goodbye, Sarah. During one of the last episodes you heard, we told you my sister Sarah was leaving Brilliant Business Moms. That remains the case. Sarah made a really tough choice, which was the right choice for her, and left the brand. You can now find Sarah at SmallBusinessSarah.com, where she's written another eBook! Search 'Sarah Korhnak' on Amazon for all of her titles, like this one. Sarah is an accountant by trade, so she approaches small business advice from a very practical place. I'm excited

Ohhh social media! It can be an incredible way to grow your audience and customer base, but it can also be an overwhelming, never-ending black hole of time-wasting insanity. Social media can bring out the best in us, and... the worst in us! And playing the comparison game can make a mamapreneur feel so completely inadequate that she gives up before she even gets started! So, what's the verdict? Should you just break up with social media altogether? Well... our answer might surprise you! On this episode of the Brilliant Business Moms Podcast, Beth Anne Schwamberger is joined by Bringing Up Betty Podcast Host, Sarah Evans. They cover: Life-changing biz and mom tips! (Seriously, Sarah shared about this sippy cup and it looks pretty life-changing to me!) What forms of social media work best for which types of content and businesses. How to choose a social media platform for your business - and why there's more than just strategy involved. Whether or not you should do it all... and if you shouldn't... what shoul

The beauty of selling handmade items is that your creativity is your only limit. Molly Goodall certainly hasn't limited herself with her wildly successful children's clothing brand - Little Goodall. We are seriously in love with these truly adorable products! Handmade children’s coats that double as imaginative costumes!? Yes, please! The visionary behind this product, Molly Goodall, ia fashion designer by trade who solved a need in her child’s life with one of the cutest pieces we’ve ever seen! We are huge fans of Molly’s business savvy and learned a ton from her process. Join us! On The Podcast 01:09 - More About Molly01:55 - Fashion Designer Turned  Etsy Store Owner06:02 - A Roaring Success!08:17 - Keeping Up With Demand09:35 - How Outsourcing Helped Molly's Business Thrive15:04 - The Handmade Decision: Raise Prices or Get Help18:43 - Selling a Licensed Product21:02 - How Does Licensing Work22:35 - Wild Things to Write About - Molly's Book Deal!28:55 - Great Trade Shows for Handmade Sellers33:34 - Why Rai

Have you ever looked at the photos on another blog and wondered, "How in the world do they get those gorgeous shots?!" Wonder no more, because Johlene Orton of Flavours and Frosting is giving away all her best photography tips in this episode. You don't have to be a food or recipe blogger to use her advice. Johlene is self-taught and has progressed from an automatic camera user to a manual pro. You'll be empowered to do the same after learning from her! On the Podcast 01:27 -  Meet Johlene03:58 - Transitioning From Product-Based To Blogging Business05:26 - Building A Blogging Income08:28 - No One Ever Said Blogging was Easy!11:14  - Getting Started With Photography12:41 -  Food Blog Photography Resources14:50 - Key Ingredients To Awesome Food Photos16:37 - Experimenting With Backlighting19:20 - The Rule of Thirds22:06 - Shooting Angles for Food Photography23:50 - Tips on Using a Manual Camera26:41 - Tripod and Tether Mode29:52 - Behind The Scenes of a Food Photography Shoot31:16 -  Food Blogging Struggles34:

When a stay-at-home mom on a budget launches a blog, her path to success is often different from the fantastical stories we tend to hear about. Success means plugging away - even when results are small and growth is slow. Success means focusing on what really matters - helping your audience and giving generously. We love the kind of success Laurie Hise represents. It's real. It's genuine. And there are no casualties along this path. If you can relate, listen on. (And even if you plan to "make it" much faster, Laurie has some crazy good Facebook tips you'll want to hear!) On The Podcast 01:26 - Meet Laurie02:07 - Mom On A Mission04:20 - Many Blogs Fail - What's Laurie's Secret?05:30 - Why Laurie dislikes "Success Stories"06:29 - Why Comfort Zones are Bad for Readers08:09 - Solve a Problem? Build a Business!09:38 - Can Low Expectations be a Good Thing?12:00 - Free Ideas for Driving Traffic14:50 - Does your Business have a Magic Word?16:33 - An Insane Commitment to Facebook18:18 - How Laurie Wins with Facebook2

From the minute you start chatting with Jamie Samples, one thing is clear: she is one-of-a-kind! Jamie truly stands out in a world that tells us all to be the same. She's a country girl at heart, an animal lover, and a firm believer that we'd all be better off if we did business like our grandpa's!  Jamie has tons of wisdom to share on setting yourself apart with both the niche you choose and the way you choose to market. She has such a crystal clear understanding not just of what her target market needs from her, but how they need for her to reach them. You won't want to miss hearing from this brilliant lady - she's full of wisdom, kindness, and wit! On The Podcast 01:05 - Get To Know Jamie02:50 - Niche Down, Niche Down!05:27 - Understanding The Horsing Industry06:24 - Rebranding, Risk Taking, And Diving In09:22 - Failing Forward, Jamie’s Personal ‘Learning Opportunity’13:36 - Affiliate Marketing And Authenticity15:58 - Thinking Like A General Contractor18:39 - Facebook or Twitter? Depends On Your Goals21:0

On today’s show, we’re shaking things up a bit. Rather than grilling a guest with questions, we are the ones in the hot seat! Can we take the heat?! You'll have to listen to find out :) We're chatting with Maggie Frank-Hsu, a content marketing and social media consultant. Maggie and Beth Anne met at Social Media Marketing Day in San Diego, and they bonded over a mutual love for social media along with agreeing that, "hey, this motherhood thing is really hard!" They've been grabbing coffee and chatting all things business ever since.  Since Maggie really knows her stuff when it comes to social media, we decided to be a little bit vulnerable today. We gave Maggie complete reign to tear us apart when it comes to our Facebook strategy. "Throw us the book!" we told Maggie, and she kindly obliged. (In all honesty, Maggie is super sweet! We knew we were in good hands!) On The Podcast 02:00 - Facebook Growth to Over 200K03:24 - Without a Goal, What's the Point?05:10 - More Than A Like07:34 - 3 Questions to Ask for P

Get a sneak peek (ok I guess it's a sneak listen!) of our Audiobook, Time Management Mama - Making use of the Margins to Pursue your Passions. Finally, there's a realistic book on Time Management just for moms. To get our book, head to http://brilliantbusinessmoms.com/audible and search for Time Management Mama. When you sign up with Audible, you'll get one book free!

Has a setback in life forced you to get creative? Have you ever found yourself wondering what would happen if you transformed a creative knack into a business? That’s Katy’s story. She took a challenging time in life and made the most of it, and her dedication has paid off. Katy has also created a unique technique for turning her handmade drawings and art into digital masterpieces that she can print or sell digitally over and over again. Tune in to hear her unique technique, and great advice on the pros and cons of digital versus print work for artists and creatives. On The Podcast 01:13 - Flying The Little Red Flag03:01 - Katy’s Unique Process06:20 - Hand Drawn Digital Prints08:30 - Creative, Passive Income11:40 - Managing Digital Sales14:35 - Tips for Finding A Local Printer19:16 - Printing Logistics21:39 - Use This Tip to Fool-Proof Working with a Printer!23:38 - Adding New Services27:30 - Taking A Creative Sabbatical29:36 - Custom Book Cover Design32:20 - Who’s Your Competition?38:14 - “Mommy Did It”- Ka

What if your customers marketed your product for you everywhere they went? That would be amazing, right? That's exactly what happened to Katie Alarid when she created her adorably unique baby turbans. Immaculately accessorized babies were marketing her product all over the country, and her business has grown enormously in less than two years' time! Katie's turbans are now in 23 boutiques, and she sells even more of them from her own online shop.  Is there a product you can create that would market itself? Can you make something so unique, eye-catching, or useful that people can't help but talk about it? I think you can! On the Podcast 01:10 - See A (Tiny) Need, Fill A Need06:21 - A Business is Born08:04 - Getting Into Boutiques12:00 - Driving Online Traffic14:48 - Instagram Strategy = Cute Babies20:40 - Why Starting with Wholesale has Made Katie Successful in Retail24:43 - Honoring Boutique Owners28:59 - The How + Why of ReBranding32:52 - BluTaylor’s Preemie Program39:07 - Why 'BluTaylor'?41:06 - Katie's Ado

A few weeks ago, we sat down with Crystal Paine, author of the book, Money Making Mom, and founder of the site, MoneySavingMom.com. Crystal has run a successful online business for 10 years, and she has so much wisdom to share! She hopped on Blab with us and allowed our audience to ask her anything! The Result? The Most Epic Business Coaching Session Ever! Crystal gave incredible advice on what to do when you don't feel legit as a work-at-home mom, how to overcome low site traffic, and how to generate more income when you make handmade items. Her responses were so incredible that we took several of them and made them into separate blog posts full of great tips. Check out the related blog posts here: What to do When Blog Traffic is Slow How to Balance a Business and a Baby ... without going insane! How to Make Passive Income as a Handmade Artist How to Make the Most of your Popular Posts There were a few technical issues with the Blab, but you can listen to a streamlined, edited version of it in podcast forma

Does growing your email list feel like a slow, painful process? It can be especially difficult as a shop owner without a website to call your own. How do you attract those leads? And how do you create a landing page to get them without setting up your own website? Danielle Arran of the Etsy Shop NarraNest will teach you how to do it with a unique strategy that's increased her email list by 10X in just 2.5 months. Her results are astounding! But they're results that a real Mamapreneur just starting out in business - a woman just like you - was able to attain. On the Podcast 01:28 - Nesting for Baby, Nesting for Business03:30 - Danielle's Unique Opt-In Offer06:05 - How to Use Facebook Ads to Grow your List10:42 - Facebook Ad Quick Tips15:52 - Gleam for Giveaways18:44 - What to do with a Closed Giveaway21:52 - How to Advertise without Wasting your Money27:25 - Danielle's Exponential List Growth30:50 - Danielle Ignores the Gurus - Maybe you Should Too!53:39 - Danielle's Awesome iPhone Trick43:10 - A Unique Way t