S2:E2 Homemade Granola and letting go of all the Shoulds
Meet your Season TWO Co-Host: Alexa Howell
Alexa is a brand strategist and business mentor for small business owners who want to grow their business in a way that feels aligned, authentic, and without burning the candle at both ends of the stick.
Don’t burn the business down just to change your offer.
Alexa and Erin talk about how it’s OK to pivot as a small business owner and that we don’t hit a point where we’re supposed to have it all figured out.
Letting go of the shoulds in the business to uncover what we really want. We talk about what a sustainable business is and how to create one.
If you’ve ever wanted to make your own granola, been curious about life in Cleveland, or want a new favorite TikTok follow, listen in as we explore so much in this 40-minute episode.
“Shoulds are usually somebody else's narrative. Shoulds are borrowed language.” - Alexa
If your business isn’t feeling like something you want or you plan to make a big pivot, here are a few tips we discussed:
Begin offloading the work that doesn’t feel good around the same time you’re bringing in work that does.
Zoom out to the bigger picture to think about why you want the change or why it doesn’t feel good
Track your time to understand where it’s going so you can make adjustments
Don’t be dramatic and blow up your business
Implement little changes each week to lighten the load
Talk to someone else! Never underestimate the value of brainstorming with an expert or a business friend
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:25 Creative Conversation Starters
03:11 Family Connections and Reunions
05:51 Travel Experiences and Reflections
08:33 Food Obsessions and Culinary Adventures
11:14 Work-Life Balance and Time Management
14:12 Social Media and Personal Branding
15:04 Introduction to Alexa Howell
16:26 Navigating Business Growth and Change
20:16 Defining Sustainable Business Practices
22:47 Strategies for Business Sustainability
27:05 The Importance of Community in Business
30:34 Honesty and Self-Reflection in Business Goals
Mentioned in the Episode:
I’m your host, Erin!
Systems pro, avid fiction reader, and new Portugal resident
It takes a minute to get to know the real me. So when I decided to start a podcast, I knew it had to be different than your usual show. While most guest-led episodes limit us to just one conversation, I wanted Two Desks Down to be more than that.
Here, you’ll learn you aren’t the only one having that problem, business advice from experts, and what books to add to your TBR.
two desks down
This is the small business podcast where you can drop in - just two desks down - to get advice from people who get it, make a new friend, and have some fun. Every season’s a new guest. Every episode is less than an hour. And every single one’s a good listen.
