I think that the one thing we don’t talk about nearly enough, when it comes to small business owners that work from home is the very real risk of isolation. Because you don’t really have co-workers to talk to at the water cooler every day.
 
Sure, some independent, online entrepreneurs, like this week’s guest, Miranda Nahmias have teams, but they’re not necessarily sitting right beside you.
 
However, Miranda is one of many entrepreneurs who found a way to work around the isolation aspect of the entrepreneur lifestyle, via Facebook Groups. Not only does she regularly participate in discussions, but she also is the moderator and admin of two Facebook groups:
 

• A group intended to help freelancers get clients
• The Chronic Illness Facebook Group

 
She’s also an admin for the Writing Revolters Facebook Group, which I’m also a member of.
 
What this episode covers:

• Miranda Nahmias on the work that she does at Miranda Nahmias & Co
• How she went from working for her dad’s publishing company to running her own agency
• Miranda looking back on day one/ week one: “I wish I would have been more serious about my email marketing in the beginning” and why that’s important to her
• How Miranda used to really struggle with stepping outside her comfort zone with calls, video recordings, etc.: “it was really, really hard”
• Miranda to other introverted business owners: “with practice, it got to the point where stepping outside my comfort zone came much more naturally to me”
• Why Miranda believes there’s a place for everybody out there (in the online business world)
• Teaching her courses and what happened that she never expected: “most of her students are introverts as well!” and how relating to their experiences really helps.
• How Miranda’s free five day get new clients challenge is about forcing her introvert-dominated audience outside their comfort zone.
• How Facebook plays a role in Miranda’s business, and how she treats it as a business tool rather than a distraction
• Miranda’s passion for community and creating community in her business (why it matters to her)
• How being open and vulnerable yourself when you run an online community can help people get over the shyness of being open and vulnerable in Facebook Groups, especially in groups like Miranda’s chronic illness group, which of course is something deeply personal and not easy.
• Biggest and most common mistakes clients make with social media: “they don’t really look at all their marketing together”, and how to fix that
• The importance of having a plan when it comes to social media and why that’s likely the reason why it isn’t working
• Why Miranda loves keeping spreadsheets to plan out marketing strategies and how she approaches it
• How having a team has helped Miranda, but why she doesn’t think it’s for everyone.
• Why her advice to solopreneurs transitioning to working alone to working with a team should start by testing it out via working with just one team member.
• What having a team is really like and why starting before the workload gets overwhelming is important.
• Why Miranda loves not actually having a “typical day” and the importance of her one day a week to focus on her own business.
• Miranda’s interest in working towards steady passive income and writing a book over the long-term.
• Why Miranda describes her business as friendly, educational…and pink!

 
About Miranda:
 
Miranda Nahmias is a systematic marketing expert for female online service providers. When she’s not writing epic, actionable blog posts, she’s doing everything she can to help lady biz bosses achieve their dreams in the most stress-free way possible! Miranda does this by providing amazing resources and done-for-you services that use her proven systematic marketing techniques to allow busy female service providers score more clients and #growlikewoah in their businesses. 
 
Where you can find Miranda Online:
 
The Miranda Nahmias & Co. website
Follow her on Instagram
@mirandanahmias (twitter)
Watch her YouTube Videos
 
How you can follow this podcast (and learn more about its host)
Twitter
Get podcast news and updates in your inbox
Check out my website

​ I don’t know about you, but I hate customer profiles, despite the fact that they’re such a common marketing tactic.
 
In fact, I wrote an entire article on finding your ideal audience, and why I hate customer profiles for the Think Creative Collective Blog.
 
That’s exactly why I invited Mirela De La Cerda, the founder of Project M London to talk about her experiences using emotional branding, AKA archetype branding to help fashion and beauty brands successfully reach their customers.
 
For those of you that don’t know this, archetype-based branding allows brands to tap into the emotions, meaning, and mindset behind their business and their products.
 
In other words, it’s essentially the unconscious message that companies put “out there” about who they are/ what they do, and how this impacts consumer purchasing decisions. 
 
What this episode covers:

• What Project M London is all about
• How working as a fashion journalist and lecturer before she started her own business influenced Mirela’s work: “an urge to understand, to learn things”.
• Mirela’s focus on translating what she learns about her clients and her experiences with them into tangible products, strategy, and things that make people think.
• The Carl Jung influence: using patterns we typically have in our brands, which directly engage with universal human experiences and gut emotions/ “what feels right”.
• Branding vs. emotional branding: the key differences.
•  How Mirela’s clients have responded to the idea of emotional branding. Spoiler alert: they loved it! And here’s why…
•  Mirela on archetype branding: “it’s like everyone is speaking the same language” and what’s missing in the alternative approaches to branding.
• What should you read before you dive in further (see resource links in show notes)
• Mirela’s advice for those who are thinking of starting a business: why confidence is important…
• London vs Rio De Janerio’s fashion, beauty, and entrepreneurial scene
•  How Mirela connects with both markets (UK and Brazil) now vs. how she would like to connect with both markets in the future
• What can make a huge difference when introducing your business to new markets (I.E: new cities, countries, etc.)
• Mirela on starting her career pre- “the exploding popularity of social media” and then how it transformed when the social media age started
• How and why Mirela’s approach was inspired by her country’s recession period.
• Mirela’s focus on physical activity for mental health, and a sneak peek of what her average week looks like
• Mirela’s “to-do list freak” focus on setting boundaries for herself and her clients, and how she schedules meetings: why having discipline matters to her…
• How keeping both a Google Calendar and having a paper planner facing her all the time helps her remember important dates, and keep track of ideas
• Mirela’s interest in mentoring new entrepreneurs, creating more spaces for entrepreneurs, and expanding her reach worldwide and why that matters to her
• Mirela to new entrepreneurs: “don’t be afraid to invest in your idea” and how to follow through on that
• Who is influencing Mirela’s work? Those who believe in selling a purpose and meaning…
• Mirela’s focus on motivation, meaning, and mindset and why that’s important to her.

 
About Mirela:
 
With 15 years’ experience in the fashion and beauty industries, Mirela's work combines research, strategy and cultural aspects in order to create strong brand stories. A background as a fashion journalist and lecturer allowed her to understand the market challenges from different perspectives, which motivated the creation of her first consulting business, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Working with major fashion companies, she realized that a lack of clear identity was the main obstacle in their growth, leading to the research of Jung’s archetypes as a branding strategy. During an MA course at London College of Fashion, the concept was further explored on case studies about British brands.
​
In 2016, she created Project M London, an emotional branding consultancy based on the concept of archetypes targeted at fashion and beauty companies. The main focus is to help brands understand their unique motivation, meaning and mindset.

​Resources discussed in this episode:
 
Hero and the Outlaw by Margaret Mark & Carol S. Pearson
Building Brands and Believers by Kent Wertime
Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious
Google Calendar (available via G-Suite)
Simon Sinek's Ted Talks
 
Where you can find Mirela and Project M London Online:
Project M London's Facebook Page
The Project M London Website (English Version)
 
How you can follow this podcast (and learn more about its host)
Twitter
Get podcast news and updates in your inbox
Check out my website

The debut episode of People Behind the Business is inspired by a Facebook Live masterclass I had the pleasure of leading on how introverts can pitch businesses…the introvert friendly way.
 
In fact, it also includes a brief audio clip of the original Facebook Live, in order to kick off the discussion. Special thanks to Kasey Pierce of 819 Social for inviting me to speak in her Facebook Group,  Learn Social Media Marketing for Introverted Entrepreneurs.
 
Once upon of time, I was a shy introvert who would break out into a pool of sweat whenever I did public speaking.
​
So even though I’ve found coping tactics that actually work, I had to come to terms with my shy introversion for the second time when I started my own business. And when I finally figured out what works best for me, I found an introvert friendly way to connect with other entrepreneurs, and also potential clients.
 
The debut episode is a reflection on how my confidence has evolved over time. It is also one of the rare opportunities that I get to share how I attracted everything from my first blog followers, to my first clients.
 
What this episode covers:

• An intro to my work/ what I do besides podcasting
• Why I can identify with what introverts like yourself who want to run a business, but don’t find that selling yourself and what you do comes naturally
• Why being an introvert isn’t necessarily an excuse for putting on a fake act, or avoiding pitching other people….
• I’ve built a business of being my introverted self and pitching major CEOs and etc. that blew many of my peers’ minds (but honestly you can too)
• My advice to introverts who are feeling the pressure to put on an act when starting out as business owners, and trying to appeal to customers, investors, etc.
• Why most introverts are feeling the pressure to be salesy and “in your face”
• Why I think introverts have something valuable to offer the business world
• Where online groups and social media can be a valuable tool for connecting with your potential clients and customers
• The value of finding things in common and keeping an eye on what’s going on in your prospective customers’ lives can make pitching feel a lot more natural
• Why you should be an active participant in your prospective clients’ social media posts before you ask them if they’re interested in your products or services
• Who you know in common and why that’s important
• Why your pitch needs to include specific feedback (how the prospective can improve and how you help)
• What online groups should you join and the value of researching interests first…
• Where you can do your research to get to know these online groups
• How to survey (and a free resource for doing that!) and how having an email list makes that a lot easier

 
About me:
Rosemary Richings, founder of rosemaryrichings.com works with small business owners in the retail and E-Commerce sectors, with a social conscience. 

She specializes in the writing, editing, and content strategy aspects of developing and enhancing the reach of her clients' websites. 

Rosemary's work has been featured on websites such as Search Engine Journal and ProBlogger, and she's worked with everything from major organizations such as Yellowpages Canada and E-Bay to start-ups such as Lokafy and BeFunky Inc. 

Her background in content creation, copywriting, and social media marketing comes from over seven years of experience running her own blog, along with direct collaborations with not-for profit organizations such as the Toronto Fringe, Parks and Recreation Ontario, and Shakespeare in Action.

She's also a graduate of George Brown College's web and print editing program, with an English and Theatre Studies BA, and several years of formal writing training.
 
Resources mentioned:
 
Quiet Revolution: Unlocking the Power of Introverts (Susan Cain's website, for those who want to learn more about her)
Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking (accidentally referred to as “quiet in a world that can’t stop talking” so think of this as me correcting myself)
Google Analytics included in G-Suite
Twitter
Quora
Reddit
The surveying resource that you can “opt-in” to via email, that was mentioned in the episode
 
How you can follow this podcast (and learn more about its host)
Twitter
Get podcast news and updates in your inbox
Check out my website

Before Thursday's launch I just wanted to introduce you to the podcast just so you know what to expect when you tune in this season. Here's a segment from Anchor to explain to you what you're signing yourself up for:

What this segment covers:

• The Story Behind People Behind the Business
• What kinds of guests I've had on season one
• How People Behind the Business is different than other business podcasts
• The core objective: going beyond the resume version of what small business owners are doing to earn their living and build something valuable

​Episode one will be released on Thursday, June 7th 2018 at 5Pm EST. Bad news is that it is taking longer than I expected to get my podcast on Apple Music and Google Play. But...when it is available on those platforms, I'll announce that!

Currently you can listen to my podcast on Anchor FM, SoundCloud, this section of my website, and my Medium Digest Page.  More options are coming soon...including Stitcher!

I also invite you to attend the Facebook Live I'm doing shortly before I launch episode one. You can learn more about that
 right here.

About me:
​
Rosemary Richings, founder of rosemaryrichings.com works with small business owners in the retail and E-Commerce sectors, with a social conscience. 

She specializes in the writing, editing, and content strategy aspects of developing and enhancing the reach of her clients' websites. 

Rosemary's work has been featured on websites such as Search Engine Journal and ProBlogger, and she's worked with everything from major organizations such as Yellowpages Canada and E-Bay to start-ups such as Lokafy and BeFunky Inc. 

Her background in content creation, copywriting, and social media marketing comes from over seven years of experience running her own blog, along with direct collaborations with not-for profit organizations such as the Toronto Fringe, Parks and Recreation Ontario, and Shakespeare in Action.

She's also a graduate of George Brown College's web and print editing program, with an English and Theatre Studies BA, and several years of formal writing training.