Holistic Business Growth with Jess Parvin: Recent Episodes
Jess Parvin
Welcome to Holistic Business Growth, a podcast for visionary service-based online entrepreneurs, including healers, coaches, designers and more. I'm your host, Jess Parvin, a holistic business coach, branding expert and web designer. In these episodes I give you short, practical insights that you can apply to your business as you grow or pivot. Holistic means that all the parts of your business are interconnected, so we focus on many areas including goal-setting, mindset, branding, web design, marketing and more!
Check out my website for FREE resources as well as my Holistic Business Plan Course, or to schedule a FREE consultation! www.JessParvin.com
Music for the podcast created by Josh Harty (from the song "Wired" on his album "Holding On")
In this soul-stirring episode, I'm joined by my friend and collaborator Carly Arbuckle—intuitive medium, angel messenger, energy healer, and Human Design guide—for a powerful conversation about trusting your inner guidance and stepping fully into your purpose.
Carly shares how her unexpected path from the corporate world to entrepreneurship began with a spiritual awakening, leading her to discover and develop her psychic gifts and, eventually, integrate Human Design into her healing work. Her approach helps women connect with their Spirit Team, decode their energetic blueprint, and take aligned action with confidence.
Some of what we dive into:
✨ How to recognize what’s energetically aligned for you
✨ Trusting your unique Human Design authority to guide decision-making
✨ What your Spirit Team can (and can’t) help you with
✨ How Projector energy has shaped Carly’s entrepreneurial journey
✨ Cultivating faith, intuition, and self-trust—one step at a time
✨ Why you’re never more than one step off your highest path
✨ How to move past fear and show up for what fascinates you
A few channeled nuggets of wisdom from Carly:
🔮 “No one is going to beat you to your own Destiny.”
💗 "Life is not a test, it’s a gift. EASE is available to you at every moment- if you choose it."
We also share details about our upcoming live workshop in Madison, WI on June 8: “Find Your Center: How to Activate Your Embodied Intuition & Spirit Guidance in Uncertain Times” —a Human Design & Mediumship experience for women ready to reclaim and amplify their intuitive power.
Learn more about Carly: https://humandesignmedium.com
Workshop Info: https://jessparvin.hbportal.co/public/68235c4070f5a60019c54f6a
If you've ever felt uncomfortable selling your services—tight in your chest when talking about prices, hesitant to share your offers, or afraid of being "too much"—this episode is for you. We're diving deep into what it really means to sell from the heart, and how soulful entrepreneurs can reframe sales as a sacred act of service and transformation.
Selling doesn’t have to feel pushy, icky, or performative. When rooted in love, alignment, and authenticity, it becomes expansive—an energetic invitation, not a transaction. I’m sharing the mindset shifts, energetic prep, and practical tools that have helped me and my clients sell with more confidence, clarity, and joy.
✨ Highlights include:
- How to detach your worth from the outcome of a sale
- The most common sales fears—and how to lovingly reframe them
- Why visibility is a vulnerable AND revolutionary act
- Energetic practices to ground and prepare before client calls
- A heart-centered approach to pricing and receiving
- How to stay consistent, magnetic, and aligned in your messaging
- Why your work is medicine, and how to lead from that knowing
If you’re ready to sell with soul—and serve without sacrificing yourself—this conversation will support you every step of the way.
Also mentioned:
Join the Soul Profits Mastermind - a 6 month group coaching journey for heart-centered women soulpreneurs. More info: https://jessparvin.com/mastermind/
Get my FREE "Heart Centered Selling" Meditation!
Shift from fear to love, trust, and gratitude before a sales call or launch!
https://jessparvin.com/freebies/#med
Thanks to our sponsor:
Magic Mind "mental performance shot"
Save up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code HOLISTIC20 at checkout
https://magicmind.com/holistic20
In today’s episode, I’m joined by my client Elizabeth A. Burnham—a certified somatic coach, Reiki practitioner, and recent participant in the Soul Profits Retreat in Mexico.
Liz is in the early stages of building her soul-aligned business while also navigating the demands of full-time corporate work and single motherhood. Her story is deeply inspiring, and I think this episode will really resonate with anyone balancing a full life—career, family, responsibilities—while stepping into their purpose as a Soulpreneur.
We dive into:
✨ What it’s like transitioning from an unfulfilling corporate job to building a personal brand rooted in soul-alignment
✨ The importance of getting support early on in your journey
✨ Time & energy management as a single mom, full-time employee, and healer
✨ How being a Projector in Human Design influences her business strategy and energy flow
✨ Letting go of “toxic hustle culture” and creating a sustainable business from a place of ease and alignment
✨ Practicing deep self-compassion at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey
✨ My tips for getting started as an entrepreneur—and why experimenting is part of the magic
✨ Her reflections on the Soul Profits Retreat in Mexico, including:
- Learning to “ride the waves” of stress and overwhelm with more ease
- Letting go of control and resetting nervous system patterns
- Stepping away from cultural conditioning and reconnecting with joy and presence
- Tapping into the soul of her business
- Being seen, supported, and celebrated by other women Soulpreneurs
This episode is a beautiful reminder of the power of community, clarity, and courage on the path to purpose.
If you want support building a thriving, sustainable business as a healer or coach AND be in community with supportive, like-minded women soulpreneurs-- join me in the Soul Profits Mastermind! https://jessparvin.com/mastermind
Learn more about Elizabeth’s work as a somatic coach & reiki practitioner here:
https://elizabethaburnham.com
https://www.instagram.com/elizabethaburnham
Thanks to our sponsor:
Magic Mind "mental performance shot"
Save up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code HOLISTIC20 at checkout
https://magicmind.com/holistic20
In this solo episode, I break down some of the most important mindset shifts + strategies for new entrepreneurs to cultivate the attitude needed to walk this path of soulpreneurship. I hope you find it inspiring and insightful!
Some of what we cover:
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The Power of Experimentation: Treating Business Like a Science Lab
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Entrepreneurship is a series of experiments, not a linear path to success. Every offer, marketing campaign, or pricing change is just data collection.
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Redefining Failure as Feedback
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Failure is just unmet expectations. It doesn’t mean you’re bad at business—it means you’re learning!
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Overcoming Perfectionism, Fear of Failure, & Imposter Syndrome
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Perfectionism leads to procrastination, fear of failure keeps you from taking bold action, and imposter syndrome convinces you that you’re not “ready” yet. These are just a few of the most common blocks that entrepreneurs have, and we're always working on them!
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Getting Comfortable with Discomfort
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If you’re never uncomfortable, you’re not growing. New client outreach, raising prices, going live on social media—all uncomfortable at first but necessary for business expansion!
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CEO Mindset vs. Freelancer Mindset
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Freelancer Mindset: Trading time for money, saying yes to everything, waiting for opportunities.
- CEO Mindset: Owning your expertise, setting boundaries, making strategic decisions, treating your business like an asset, INVESTING in yourself and your business and not treating your business like a hobby!
If you're starting or growing a purpose-driven business and want support, please reach out and schedule a free Clarity Call to see how Holistic Business Coaching + Human Design can help you create the mindset and strategy to reach your big goals!
New Freebie:
"From Confusion to Clarity: Goal-Setting for Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs" - watch the workshop now!
https://jessparvin.com/freebies/
Also mentioned:
Schedule a 90 minute Human Design Coaching Session
https://jessparvin.hbportal.co/public/6539725b2f2e8300c91082b6
Or buy your in-depth Soulpreneur Human Design Guidebook to learn more about your HD and how to apply it to your business!
https://jessparvin.com/product/soulpreneur-hd-booklet/
Thanks to our sponsor:
Magic Mind "mental performance shot"
Save up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code HOLISTIC20 at checkout
https://magicmind.com/holistic20
The "New Paradigm" in Human Design refers to a major evolutionary shift that Ra Uru Hu, the system's founder, predicted would occur around 2027. This shift marks a transformation in the energy dynamics of humanity and the way we live, interact, and evolve as a collective. It's based on the movement of celestial cycles, particularly the transition from the Cross of Planning to the Cross of the Sleeping Phoenix.
As we move into the new paradigm (aka “the Age of Aquarius” in Astrology), we enter an environment where the old way of being just won’t fly. Authenticity will be an absolute must. We will need to own, celebrate and share our unique gifts and get out of our heads and into our bodies.
That is why NOW is the time for you to fully embrace your Purpose and share your gifts with the world. The New Paradigm is a new way of thinking and doing things that will change the way people operate.
Some key takeaways:
- In order to thrive in the New Paradigm, people need to make energetic shifts within themselves.
- In the New Paradigm, people are drawn to authenticity like never before. Customers, clients, and collaborators will resonate with businesses that reflect their unique essence rather than conforming to outdated formulas.
- Knowing your unique Design and using it to create supportive practices, take aligned action, and make decisions from your intuition are the best ways to navigate this transition and thrive in the new era.
I also talk about how money is changing, how to navigate entrepreneurship and why now is the BEST time to launch a soulpreneur endeavor!
I talk about my recent live workshop that shows people how to leverage their Human Design to set aligned goals, take strategic, action, uncover their blocks, and much more! Watch the replay:
Aligned Action 2025: An Interactive Manifestation Workshop using Human Design
Also mentioned:
The Holistic Business Growth Mastermind- join me + an intimate group of female entrepreneurs in this transformational 6 month journey to launch or grow your business!
Soul Profits Retreat in Mexico - March 2-8
Still a couple spots left! Make huge strides in your business while spending a relaxing week in paradise!
You're invited to an intimate conversation between my sister, Sam, and I today on the podcast! We get super honest about our struggles and wins in 2024, and start to craft our vision of 2025- both professionally and personally.
Sam is also an entrepreneur, world traveler, expat (living in Mexico since 2017), and Manifesting Generator with multiple interests and creative ideas-- so you know we have a lot to talk about!
Here's just a sample of what we cover:
- What we’re most proud of in 2024, and what our intention/ goals are in 2025.
- Balancing the masculine and feminine in your life and in how to create holistic goals.
- The moment we’re living in right now and what opportunities are available to us to create our dreams in a non-linear way
- Taking action towards our goals and what that looks like in an aligned, feminine way
- Being an ex-pat living in Mexico (and talking about my upcoming retreat in Sam’s hometown!)
- What it's been like for her living in a city that is a "spiritual vortex"
I hope you enjoy this spontaneous, fun episode!
If you want to hang out with me and Sam IN-PERSON, join me for the Soul Profits Entrepreneur Retreat in Playa del Carmen, Mexico March 2-8, 2025. More info: https://souprofitsretreat.com/
Check out Sam's website- Parvin Music
https://parvin-music.com/
Listen to the first interview I did with Sam back in 2022!
Today on the podcast, I’m thrilled to welcome my long-time friend and recent collaborator, Candy Phelps!
Candy is the CEO of Bizzy Bizzy Creative Agency, a thriving business she’s successfully run for over 15 years. She’s also a serial entrepreneur with a knack for launching unique ventures, including our joint endeavor, the Soul Profits Retreats.
In this lively and insightful conversation, Candy shares her journey of self-education and creative problem-solving, which has been the cornerstone of her success as a business owner. We also dive into some of the hard lessons she’s learned along the way and her unique approach to launching new businesses today.
Here’s a sneak peek at what we cover:
- Candy’s journey from freelancing during the Great Recession of 2009 to teaching herself the skills she needed using YouTube.
- How she overcame a major money block about seven years into her entrepreneurial journey—and the shifts that followed.
- The hilariously creative way she recently built a niche business (hint: it’s inspired by one of the best films of the ‘90s!) by leveraging her SEO skills and “working backward.”
- Why empowering and uplifting women entrepreneurs is at the heart of her work.
- The insights she gained from our co-hosted 1-day Money Mindset retreat and what she’s most excited about for our upcoming retreat in Mexico.
And, of course, we spill all the details about the Soul Profits Entrepreneur Retreat happening this March in Playa del Carmen, Mexico! We couldn’t be more excited to blend productivity, strategy, mindset, community, and travel into an unforgettable week.
Listen to the full episode for all the details, and if you’re curious, check out our retreat page. We’d absolutely love to see you in Playa del Carmen in March!
Retreat Details:
https://bizzybizzycreative.com/soul-profits-entrepreneur-retreat-mexico/
Candy’s Businesses:
https://bizzybizzycreative.com/
https://shopmotormouth.com/
Elaina Ray is a growth strategist and business mentor who helps entrepreneurs unlock their next level, scale in a structured and streamlined way, and hit milestone after milestone. She's also a self-made multimillionaire, a speaker, world traveler, podcast host, and author of the book, Becoming Self-Made.
I have been following Elaina for years, have worked with her a couple of times in her small group containers, and have been hugely inspired by her content. I know you’ll be inspired by this episode as well!
Some of the things we discuss include:
- Elaina’s path to entrepreneurship, and the “tipping point” that launched her on a “rocket ship” path of growth into the multi-millions.
- Important mindset AND strategy shifts for new entrepreneurs, to connect with high-level, super-aligned clients.
- How she helps clients craft their messaging to connect their offer with their ideal audience.
- The path she took from selling 1-on-1 coaching packages, to groups and other offers, and how she created her own messaging and marketing through listening to her audience.
- Her own experience with mindset blocks, “failures” and being visible online, and how she keeps moving forward and growing her business at an accelerated pace.
- How she’s changed her messaging recently around money and mistakes she made in the past
And SO much more!!
Learn more at https://elainaray.com
Get her Free Trainings: https://elainaray.com/freegifts
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyelainaray
In Human Design, the 9 energy centers represent the core energetic hubs within your bodygraph, each corresponding to a specific aspect of your life, such as emotions, communication, identity, and intuition.
As a Soulpreneur, understanding your energy centers in Human Design is essential for aligning your business with your true essence. Defined centers provide you with consistent strengths, allowing you to bring stability and reliability to your work. For example, a defined Throat Center helps you communicate your message with clarity and authority, while a defined Sacral Center fuels your ability to work with sustained energy.
Undefined centers, on the other hand, give you the flexibility to adapt and gain deep wisdom from external influences, such as understanding the needs and desires of your clients or collaborators. They also show us where we need to do shadow work, or where we've learned hard-won lessons.
Understanding our own undefined energy centers gives us so much insight into our ideal client's struggles/ goals/ desires, because they are generally on a similar journey as us.
So in this episode, we go through each energy center and talk about the the lessons they may be teaching you, and how you can apply that to your messaging/ content to call in the most aligned ideal clients ("niche").
If you don't have your HD chart in front of you as you listen to this episode, I recommend that you grab it (FREE!) on my website: https://jessparvin.com/freebies
You can also buy "The Soulpreneur HD Guidebook" now for only $44! This is an in-depth custom document ALL about your unique Human Design, and how to leverage it to create or grow a soul-aligned business. https://jessparvin.com/product/soulpreneur-hd-booklet
And if you want to dive deeper into HD, please join me on September 20 for my FREE Masterclass! https://jessparvin.com/intro-to-hd
Heather Burkart is an Ayurvedic practitioner and yoga teacher focused on helping women heal and find balance through the various seasons of life. In this interview, we talk about one of my favorite topics - Ayurveda- and how it can help you find balance with the seasons and natural rhythms of your body. Heather is especially focused on Menstrual Health and has created an array of online courses, group programs, as well as 1-on-1 services to support women on their wellness journey.
Ayurveda is the sister-science of Yoga, and is a really comprehensive system that looks at each person individually, based on their unique constitution (Doshas). It offers us advice for lifestyle, diet, meditation, yoga practices, other habits and more.
The first step to understanding and practicing Ayurveda, is to know your predominant Dosha(s), which each correlate to different natural elements. We also discuss how the doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha can be applied to our Business Cycles, and offer us wisdom around finding balance in our work, throughout various seasons.
Heather has great advice for:
-Incorporating Ayurveda into your Yoga practice, customizing it depending on your Dosha
-Eating and exercising for various seasons (ex: Summer = fiery Pitta season!)
-Tapping into the Intuition of your body to guide you towards balance
-The best time of year for launching offers and other business phases
-How to get un-stuck in your business using the Ayurvedic Doshas
-How Vedic Astrology is related to Ayurveda, and what the cycles of the moon + planets tell us about our own wellness
And much more!
I also share a bit about my recent 3 week stay at an Ayurvedic facility in India and what has transformed for me since then.
Learn more about everything that Heather does to support women’s wellness: https://herwellbeing.com/
Join her Full Moon Circle for Women! https://insighttimer.com/meditation-groups/women-s-full-moon-circle
Podcast episodes, yoga practices, and more on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@herwellbeing-ayurveda-yoga
More Ayurveda Resources for women: https://herwellbeing.com/ayurvedic-courses/
What is the real importance of good Branding? Well, in short, it's everything. It is the most important thing to focus on, as it sets the foundation for your business.
Branding encompasses your audience, niche, offerings, and pricing, all of which contribute to your position in the market. In this episode, I discuss the importance of getting the branding foundation right from the beginning, before creating offers, building a website, or engaging in social media and other marketing. This gives you confidence and clarity in your messaging and visuals so you can move forward with ease.
I also recap last week's Online Masterclass: Branding by Design, where we looked at Human Design (your 'unique energetic blueprint') and how it can be a total game-changer in the Branding process. Knowing your design, and living in alignment with it can save you a ton of steps when you go to create a Holistic or Soul Brand as a purpose-driven solopreneur. If you missed the live Masterclass, you can catch the recording by signing up here: https://jessparvin.com/branding-by-design-masterclass/
If you're ready to launch your Soul Brand and would like to do it in a supportive, accelerated environment with other like-minded women, join my Soul Brand Strategy group- we start July 16! https://jessparvin.com/soul-brand-strategy/
This is one of the most common blocks that I see again and again with clients, myself, and friends. We are sabotaging ourselves and preventing our businesses from growing, all in pursuit of the ever elusive "perfect" outcome. In this episode we dig into why we do this and what it looks like (usually). I share personal anecdotes and have 2 exciting new offers for those of you who are ready to move past this block!
Why are we Perfectionists?
- Societal or familial conditioning Were you pushed to get perfect grades in school? Or did you feel pressure to look perfect?
- We might be “trained” to be perfectionists via schooling or in certain work environments, especially a more "masculine" environment that sets us up with unrealistic expectations and doesn’t value creativity, “the messy process” or see failure as a necessary part of growth.
- You might actually be wired for perfectionism. I have seen this theme show up in some peoples’ Human Design Readings, as well as in my own chart.
How does perfectionism show up in our work?
- Not taking ANY action because we think we need to be 100% “ready”, or have 100% clarity on the end vision.
- A time-suck: You could spend 1 hour on an A- version or 16 hours on an A+ version. . . what’s really going to move the needle forward in your business?
- Being a control freak : Thinking only I can do this “right” (perfectly) which keeps us from growing our biz, and trusting others to take on tasks that aren't in our wheelhouse.
Hey Madison! Join me LIVE on June 25 for a Soulpreneur Circle on Perfectionism at the new Bohemian Oasis Healing Center.
My new group coaching container, Soul Brand Strategy, kicks off July 9! Learn more about this 6-week accelerator for new and "stuck" entrepreneurs.
Book a 90 minute Human Design reading here (where you can ask any questions like "why am I such a perfectionist?!" and we'll find the answers through the wisdom of your design)
What does the process of working with a Holistic Business coach to birth a new soul-aligned venture actually look like? Surprisingly, it has very little to do with things like marketing tactics, content creation, quarterly goals, etc.
The real magic is in the personal healing- because personal growth and business growth are intertwined.
In this episode I share some insights in my personal healing journey as well as how I typically work with clients as a Holistic Business Coach. My favorite tools for personal and business growth include:
1. Human Design
A “holistic self-knowledge system” that combines astrology, Kabbalah, Myers-Briggs, I Ching, quantum physics, the chakra system and a load of other stuff in order to generate an “energetic blueprint" called a BodyGraph chart. I generally look at the chart with my client during one of our first sessions, and it gives both of us so much insight into how to move forward to grow/ birth their business.
When people have their chart read it’s often like being truly “Seen” and understood for the first time.
Together we can unravel the conditioning and trauma (which causes self-doubt, anxiety, limiting beliefs, and SO much more) from who you truly ARE and get profound validation sometimes.
2. Branding
My first podcast episode ever was about “Branding as a Manifestation Tool”, so it feels like I’ve come full circle at the start of this new season. And it absolutely is a manifestation tool - a way to step into our highest self.
Besides the "fun" part of Branding (picking colors, fonts, etc.) there is a SHADOW side of the process- including what comes up as we work on things like naming our gifts, calling in our dream clients, sharing our magic with the world, etc. There’s healing that happens as we work through those blocks and create a physical manifestation of your highest self- in the form of a website, social media posts, branding photography, etc.
If you're looking for guidance and support as you embark on or continue your (healing) entrepreneurial journey, please reach out to me for a free no-pressure "clarity call" consultation. www.JessParvin.com
What's more important that living your Purpose?
For the past 6 months, I've been studying to be a certified Soul Purpose Coach. This has got me thinking about all things related to our Purpose- how do we find it? How do we make it "real" in the world? How might it change/ evolve? And what holds us back?
In this episode we dive into all things Purpose-related:
- Potential barriers to living a life of purpose (ex: conditioning, lack of community, fear/ blocks)
- How to tell if your current work is not in alignment with your purpose
- How Human Design gives us insight into our Purpose/ Life Theme, and much more
- Most people know their purpose but need someone to give them "permission" to live it.
- How my own journey has evolved, giving me clues to my Purpose and then expressing it in different ways
So whether you're still searching for your higher calling, or you are currently building a business that is purpose-driven and soul-aligned, you will find this episode thought provoking and helpful.
If I can support you in finding and expressing your purpose, contact me to learn more about my Holistic Business AND Purpose Coaching packages.
To get your Human Design Chart read (+ a mini coaching session around your work/ Purpose) now through November 10 - book here: https://jessparvin.hbportal.co/public/6539725b2f2e8300c91082b6/1-My_services
What is Human Design and how can we use it to help us in our businesses and careers?
Human Design is an amazing tool that combines ancient wisdom like astrology, the chakra system, I-Ching, and more with quantum physics. Each of us has a "unique energetic blueprint" that is represented by our HD chart which is created based on the day and time that you were born.
I have been exploring this amazing tool for a few years on my own, and recently have been using it with coaching clients who are looking for guidance as they start or grow a soul-purpose buisness. Mainly, HD is an incredible opportunity for us to look at who we are, inately, without all of the conditioning that has likely taken us away from ourselves. It is my favorite tool for helping us tap into the wisdom of our body, and our own intuition- the most important step in personal or professional growth.
In this episode I talk about the basics of Human Design, how it has impacted me (with lots of examples from my chart), and how I've seen it help clients. I also describe most of the key aspects of a Human Design chart, and how they're useful, such as:
-Energy Types: There are 5 types and each one has a unique way of being in the world. This is very much tied to our work because it gives us insight into how we naturally interact with others, what our main strengths are, and what kind of rest/ replenishment we need.
-Strategy & Authority: These are probably the most important aspects to know because they give us guildelines for making decisions and reaching our highest potential.
-Energy Centers: Cooresponding to the Chakra System, whether your centers are open or "defined" can give you a lot of insight into how much you are affected by other peoples' auras
-Gates & Channels: The combination of these "gifts" starts to point us towards our greater purpose.
-Incarnation Cross (aka Life Theme): The big picture "red thread" that is connecting us to our highest selves and greater purpose in life.
and more!
Between now and November 10 I will be offering a special on HD Business Growth sessions: We will look at your chart and I will describe to you the most important aspects of it. We will discuss an issue you're having in your job/ business and we'll look to the chart to see what clues it gives us to help you move through it. Only $150 for 90 minutes. Email me jessparvin@gmail.com if you're interested!
This is a vulnerable episode that I was NOT excited about recording! I launched a group coaching container and it failed. But I see the value in failure and embrace it as an integral part of the learning process. So I'm sharing with you my own experience in hopes that it resonates with you, no matter where you are on your journey.
Amy Edmondson author of “Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well” says there are various types of failure, but the one we want to focus on she calls “Intelligent Failure” and this is defined as “a failure that comes from the undesirable result of an experiment” but the experiment itself was worthwhile because it taught you something, and can probably be improved upon to create different result next time.
How can we embrace "intelligent" failure, learn from our mistakes, share authentically because we know that others can also learn from our mistakes, and fail less often (and more gracefully) over time?
In this episode I share my own recent experience and contemplate universal questions and struggles that I know EVERY entrepreneur faces, such as:
-Creating a sense of experimentation and PLAY in our business, and other creative endeavors
-Balancing the experimentation with structure, frameworks, accountability, etc. when it is necessary
-Looking at internal and external factors that may have contributed to a failure, acknowledging them and learning the necessary lesson (without beating ourselves up in the process!)
-Being aware when we feel FEAR - what is it trying to teach us? Are we in danger, or are we on the path to something new and exciting? How can we look under the fear and use it to propel us towards our highest self?
-Having goals, a big vision, etc. but letting go of the outcome. And letting go of perfectionism!
I hope you find this episode validating and valuable! Please share with anyone you think could benefit from it, and send me a message on Instagram (@holisticbizgrowth) about your relationship with failure! It's time that we normalized it.
Jessica Mele is a writer and philanthropic advisor who has just wrapped up 8 years working at the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, and is now launching her new brand - Jessica Mele Creative -which showcases her creative, comedic writing AND her advising services. She’s also about to launch a new solo theater project called “Eat the Mama” (at the same time as moving her family and launching her new business!), which she tells us about.
Jess is also is a recent client who started working with me about 6 months before her planned leave from her previous job (which had a term-limit). We worked on bringing all of these seemingly disparate parts of her (the writer, comedian, artist, advisor, philanthropist, etc) into her new brand in a way that feels cohesive but super unique. Now in this episode we were able to look back (as well as forward) and discuss her big Transition into entrepreneurship- the ups and the downs!
Some of the highlights include:
- How & when she started planning to leaver her wonderful job that had an 8 year term-limit
- “Coming out” as a creative person and blending her creative work with her “professional” career to launch a business that represents all of her
- How we worked together and identified the common themes of “storytelling” and “collaboration” in all of the work she does, and built a brand around that
- The imposter syndrome/ fear that comes up around being an artist, and the importance of making art anyway because personal stories are interesting and inspiring
- How to merge our “personal” and “professional” life as entrepreneurs- what do we share and not share?
- Clarifying our values and always coming back to that when making decisions, creating content, starting business relationships, etc.
- What her version of “The Transition” into entrepreneurship has looked like
And then. . . we get into Astrology!
Listen to the whole conversation for so many nuggets of wisdom - I think you will find it very inspiring, especially if you're a new entrepreneur, a creative person/ artist, or are going through a period of dramatic transition.
Check out her beautiful new website (designed by yours truly): https://jessicamelecreative.com/
If you're in the San Francisco area, go to her 1-woman performance of "Eat the Mama"! http://www.zspace.org/eatthemama
Learn more about my new GROUP COACHING program that starts September 14! https://jessparvin.com/group-coaching/
You have found your passion/ purpose and you feel like creating a business is the next step for you. Congratulations! Entrepreneurship is an amazing container for personal growth and it can provide so much flexibility and freedom to allow you to live your best life. BUT where do you start?! You might be feeling confused and overwhelmed thinking about all the things to do like:
- Clarify your offerings & pricing
- Get branding assets like photography, a logo, copy and more
- Figure out a marketing strategy and content creation plan that feels good
- Build a website
- Set up an email marketing system and create a "funnel"
- and so much more!
Take a breath. You're not alone! In this episode I talk about the most important things to consider when starting a business, so you don't waste months or years (like I did!) trying to figure everything out on your own (with the help of Google).
I also talk about my new 8 week Group Coaching container that I just launched! I am so excited to gather a small group of women entrepreneurs and go through this journey together of clarifying, strategizing, embodying and birthing your buisnesses! We start September 14, so if you are interested please take a look at my website and contact me if you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation!
More info: https://jessparvin.com/group-coaching/
Britt Tucker is an inspirational speaker and coach who helps women step into who they’re created to be. Through workshops, trainings and speaking all over the world she uses her voice to connect with all kinds of people and has created a business that is truly aligned with who she was born to be.
Britt tells us how she began her entrepreneurial journey, 9 years ago after working in corporate but feeling unhappy and unfulfilled. She then decided to jump into entrepreneurship, starting with corporate trainings, and then adding coaching and inspirational speaking.
I was fascinated by the fact that she has made a living talking to groups of people, and asked her a lot of questions about where that talent (and confidence!) comes from. We also discuss:
-What steps she took to make 180 change her life and start a business at the age of 30
-Working as a professional, touring speaker and what that looks like
-The creative entrepreneurial cycle (always changing and evolving every couple years or more!)
-Great tips for speaking to large or small audiences and how to get started
-How she prepares to speak to different audiences
Learn more about what Britt does on Instagram @BrighterwithBritt
On this episode of the podcast, I interview (in person) my friend and recent client, Gina Bower of Amplify Your Heartpath. Gina is a brand photographer, copywriter, and creative collaborator for women creating heart-centered, intuition-led businesses. We have so much in common in the way we approach business and life, so it was a lot of fun to work with Gina to create her new branding and website. During our process of creative collaboration, we both experienced growth in surprising ways that have helped us serve our clients even better.
Some other topics covered: *How she built a new business aligned with her personal values, after closing the first version of her business years ago.
*How she allowed herself to take things slow this time, acknowledging the different seasons of her life, and trusting that it’s all perfect.
*Setting boundaries and intentions with clients, and sometimes being flexible, so that both you and the client are clear on expectations.
*The process of helping women open up and be authentic and comfortable during their branding photoshoot
*Letting go of the “Shoulds” and ideas of perfection to embrace outcomes that are surprising, beautiful and unique- and how this important process is the best part of collaboration.
*How we can all benefit from each other’s vulnerability and putting ourselves out there
Gina and I have perfectly complimentary businesses and similar ways of helping women entrepreneurs tap into their intution during the process of launching a business, so we are excited about the possibility of collaborating in the future! If you’re inspired by this episode and feel the calling to launch or relaunch your business in a supported, collaborative environment, we’ve got you covered with photography, copy, web design, branding, coaching AND creative collaboration.
Check out Gina's beautiful new website: https://amplifyyourheartpath.com/
And follow her on instagram! https://www.instagram.com/amplifyyourheartpath/
This was such a fun podcast episode to record! I met Raphaela over a year ago at a ceremony in Mexico, and we’ve stayed in touch since. Recently she decided to launch her new business, after a year of studying with shamans, diving deep into her own personal healing, and now helping other women follow a similar path.
Raphaela Röckinghausen guides intuition-led women to radically heal and shift their lives through intentionally curated community and going inward. She lives between Mallorca, Spain and Mexico, and her services include in-person women’s circles, 1:1 kambo experiences & 1:1 rapè sessions. What are kambo & rapè? Well, we talk about that in the podcast!
I had the pleasure of working with Raphaela on developing her new brand through creating the logo, and chosing the color scheme and fonts. Then I built her a beautiful new website using my Shiva Template. Since she picked the “Full Support” Shiva option, all she had to do was give me her photos, text and other content, and I transformed the template into a unique expression of her brand. Take a look at Raphaela’s site here: https://raphaelahealing.com
Learn more about my budget-friendly Shiva Template (with DIY or Full Support options): https://jessparvin.com/shiva-template
Samantha Gladdish is a No BS Business Mentor, Lead Gen & Sales Expert, and Lover of All Things Online Marketing (and Food!). Samantha is the host of The Wellness Witch podcast, which is in the top 4% of podcasts globally. She is also the CEO of holisticwellness.ca - an online business that helps women optimize their health and hormones.
I was really excited to interview Sam and pick her brain about all things marketing, since she has successfully grown not 1, but 2 online businesses, in the wellness and business spaces respectively. It was especially refreshing to hear that her guiding principal has always been to listen to her intuition, and take consistent "imperfect" action, knowing that every step might not be perfect, but overtime it will (and has) lead to huge progress.
Some topics we cover:
- How Samantha created a successful multi 6 figure online business and the framework she used to scale so quickly
- "Working Backwards" to create her 2nd business (as a wellness business coach & mentor)
- How to sell to your ideal client with authenticity and integrity
- How daily consistent imperfect actions can lead to something big
- Her favorite marketing platforms/ processes
- How to re-frame social media
- Her favorite tools for tapping into her intution
- The importance of self-care & setting healthy boundaries as an entrepreneur
- Why & how defining a niche can skyrocket your sales
- and more!!
Learn more about what Sam does:
Sam’s Business Mentorship website: https://www.samanthagladish.com
Her wellness website: https://holisticwellness.ca
Wellness Witch Podcast: https://holisticwellness.ca/podcast
Sam on Instagram: @holisticwellnesswitch @samantha_gladish
*Also mentioned in the episode. . .
I have a new freebie to help you create your BEST year yet in 2023! Get my free Goal Setting & Planning Mini-Course here: https://jessparvin.com/2023
After recording this episode, I left for Guatemala. The first stop on a 6-month "digital nomad" adventure. For the past few years, I have been living and working abroad for 2-4 months a year, and this year I am extending it to half the year. I frequently get asked how this lifestyle is possible, and in this episode I'm sharing all of my advice, my plans and lots of helpful links for anyone considering living & working abroad!
I know that I am SO lucky to have freedom & flexibility in my business and my life as well as the PRIVILEGE to travel wherever I want, thanks to where I was born and the body I inhabit.
I love helping other people start and grow businesses that support whatever lifestyle they desire. If you're looking to travel or live abroad while working, I hope you'll find this advice useful.
First of all, there's the question of dealing with your house or apartment. House sitting vs. renting your place- which option (if either) is best for you? Some resources mentioned:
LuxuryHouseSitting.com
Airbnb
Sabbatical Homes.com
Furnished Finder.com
Secondly, you'll need to find a place (or places) to live abroad.
Should you rent ahead of time or wait until you get there? The answer is, it depends on where you’re going and what time of year.
How can you decide where to go?
Use digital nomad groups on FB and/or larger communities created for digital nomads. Resources Mentioned:
Unsettled (global community for travelers with work/ live retreats)
Volunteer Abroad: volunteerworld.com
Digital Nomads Mexico FB group
Finally, you'll need to handle some other logistics, like. . .
- International phone plans: I recently discovered e-sim company Airolo
- Insurance: Do you need travel insurance? Do you need "digital nomad insurance"? I am using Safetywing.com for the first time, because they have a simple package made for digital nomads specifically.
- Packing: After several months-long trips I offer my advice on how to pack efficiently!
- Your business: Do you need support? How can you stay in communiciation with clients (if necessary) even when you're many time zones away? Every business is different, but it can be invaluable to work with a coach who can help you figure out all of these logistics.
Contact me for a free consultation if you need help configuring your business to fit a more nomadic lifestyle!
PS- For information on sustainable, conscious travel, check out this great documentary called The Last Tourist
*Note: there may be affiliate links contained in this content
Logistics & Advice
Phone plan (Airolo)
Insurance (safetywing) - do you travel insurance? Do you need “digital nomad” specific insurance?
Packing, what I’ve learned from the past few months long trips. Why less is more.
Getting support for your business - how to incorporate your “typical” workday into a new lifestyle
-advice: getting away from your “normal” life can actually open up a lot of time and energy.
-Do you need support? VAs, tech support, automations in your website, etc.
I LOVE helping coaching clients with these questions.
If you are thinking about traveling or living abroad while working, I’m happy to coach you through more tailor-made logistics. Book a consultation now!
So you’ve started a business, or you’re starting a “side hustle” that you hope will grow into your main gig. . . The MOST important thing at this point is to look legitimate and professional, so potential clients/ customers know that you’re an expert in your field and that they can trust you to help them create the transformation they’re seeking.
Your website is the HOME of your brand. It’s where people will spend time before they meet you, building that know/ like/ trust factor. Generally, if you don’t have a website, your business does not look legitimate. It’s homeless :(
And if you do have a website, but it’s poorly designed, hard-to-navigate, or doesn’t evoke the feelings & emotions you want your brand to express - it’s NOT going to help you grow your business and bring in new clients.
In this episode I help you navigate all of the many questions that come up around web design, including:
-Which CMS (content management system) platform to chose? There are SO many options out there (Wix, Squarespace, Wordpress). . . I walk you through some of the pros and cons of the most popular, and talk about all the reasons why I chose to work exclusively with Wordpress.
-To DIY or not? I am not in the habit of always trying to sell a fully customized, brand new website to everyone. I know that might not be possible for you, so you're considering DIY-ing the design and/or website build. But you need to have all of the information going into that decision. I talk about the pros and cons of both DIY and hiring someone- what questions you need to ask yourself and/ or the professional you're considering hiring.
-Finally, I offer some solutions that fit nearly every budget, level of experience, and type of business. My recently launched Shiva template comes in two options: DIY or full-support. Check it out if you're ready to have a beautiful, functional, professional-looking site ready in just a few days or weeks!
For more information on Shiva: https://jessparvin.com/shiva-template/
Toral Livingston-Jha is a leadership & personal development coach, mindfulness teacher and coach mentor serving heart-centered change makers. I had the joy and honor of working with Toral as her business coach and designer for the past 9 months.
When she hired me as a business coach, some of the work we did was around clarifying the WHY and HOW of her business, as well as WHO she really wanted to serve. Throughout our coaching sessions, we also discussed identity, limiting beliefs and how societal conditioning can affect how we show up in our business. This led to the realization that her old branding & website did not reflect her authentic voice, identity or personality. So we embarked on a re-brand and new website design!
In this episode, Toral shares how she overcame burnout, after years of working as an environmentalist in the non-profit and private sectors. It was only after hitting an emotional and physical wall that she hired her first coach, and realized her life's calling. We also discuss:
- Doing the "personal growth" work so that we can show up fully for our clients, and create more abundance for ourselves and everyone around us.
- How mindfulness is woven into every aspect of her work. If we can get to know our own mind, our habits, etc. we can recognize how they are getting in the way of us reaching our goals and then choose to change.
- Growing a business intentionally and steadily, always recalibrating if it feels out of alignment with our highest values.
- Pricing revelations she’s had around the value she’s providing, the space she’s holding for clients, the importance of the “in between” time with coaching clients, and more.
- How the process of stepping into an aligned brand can boost your confidence, uplift your work, and call in the EXACT ideal client you had in mind.
Evangelina Chavez is the founder of Synchronicity, a company that uses quantum technology to identify and eliminate limitations of the electromagnetic field of our clients, directing all that energy to the generation of abundance. Sounds pretty cool, right?
I have been working with Synchronicity and "the quantum machine" for a few weeks now and am SO excited about the shifts that have happened, that I wanted to share it with everyone. We talk about the amazing results that their clients get through this quantum technology + coaching AND we have a special offer at the end of the show!
Some gems from this episode include:
- How Synchronicity helped me get out of my months long "slump"
- What the heck is quantum technology and what does "electro hypnosis" mean?
- How this technology helps us accelerate the abundance that we are creating in our lives, and businesses + reach our goals quickly without working more.
and so much more!
Synchronicity's Website :https://synchronicity.com.mx/en
Synchronicity on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Synchronicity-101241668967892
We all want to work less and make more, right?! Working 8 hours day/ 5 days a week is actually pretty crazy when you’re an entrepreneur! You are always on, you are always putting yourself out as the FACE of the brand. You’re always doing ALL the behind the scenes work to keep the wheels moving, in addition to working with clients. This takes much more energy than a traditional job, where you have people to share the workload with, and your individual responsibility is much less.
You want to create more abundance (money, energy, value, etc.) but you don’t want to sacrifice more time (your most precious asset) AND maybe you don’t necessarily want to serve less people, because you’re really passionate about how you can help people.
Often we think that the solution to making more money is to add more on to our plate. Maybe that looks like adding more clients OR creating more service offerings. But this takes up more of your time and energy. So consider what you can take out that might free up more time and energy, and then what you need to do with that extra time to create more money in a streamlined, simplified way.
In this episode I offer 6 ways that you can simplify your business right now, to create more abundance of time, energy and money!
This is an episode that has been in the back of my mind for a while. It was a little bit challenging to record! If you haven't reflected back on your "journey", I highly suggest creating a voice memo or writing down all of the steps you've taken on the path to get to where you are. Because wherever you are, it's perfect. And I am so grateful for the long, windy, sometimes unsure path that lead me here today.
In this episode, I basically breeze through the last 40 years, sharing the highs and lows of my journey to becoming an entrepreneur, and then how my business has changed and evolved in the past few years. I also break down the three parts of Holistic Branding that I consider essential for each entrepreneur to explore:
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Strategy
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Implementation
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Embodiment
The embodiment piece is significant for this episode, because I believe that we all have a story, or at least parts of our story, that are relevant and valuable to incorporate into our brand.
Who is your ideal audience and what parts of your story would most resonate with them? How can you authentically and safely share your story publicly? For me, it looks like creating this podcast episode, as well as social media posts and newsletters. For you, it might look different, but we all have so much wisdom to share, and vulnerability is the key to authenticity and connection. . . the basis of a good life, a good business, and good (holistic) marketing!
Sandhya Sudhakar has made it her mission to change the way people feel about how they show up at work, and in turn how connected, engaged, and motivated they feel while they are there. She does this through Career, Leadership & team coaching, as well as workshops using the Enneagram framework.
After ‘checking all the boxes’ as an adult, Sandhya found herself working for a company whose values she didn’t align with, and it led her to emotional burnout. This sent her on a journey of self-discovery that led to entrepreneurship. Her journey was greatly influenced by the Enneagram personality framework, which she now uses as a way for individuals, teams and leaders to tap into their authentic work style.
In this episode, Sandhya gives us some great advice for managing our physical, mental and emotional energy as well as our time. And we discuss how the idea of “productivity” changes dramatically when you switch from working for someone else to working for yourself.
Learn more and download her Free Personality Assessment Guide on her website:
https://www.yourselfatwork.com/
Follow Sandhya on Instagram!
Julie McGill is a freelance attorney, as well as a professional astrologer, and founder of the Cosmic Gem brand. Jules has built her life around these seemingly opposing professions, but she explains to us how they actually compliment each other. Part of her journey has been to bridge the divide between these two worlds, and respond to society’s prejudices and preconceptions around what astrology is.
Julie has used astrology as a North Star in her own life, and now she helps clients discover the benefits through natal chart readings, as well as love and life readings that take into account how the position of the planets are affecting the world, and us as individuals. In this episode, she tells us about creating her business, the process of rebranding (and the soul-searching that went into it) AND she gives us juicy insights into how the stars are affecting us all right now!
Be sure to check out Julie’s (new) website and get on her fabulous email list- she sends out 2 emails per month packed with information about the stars and useful advice for navigating various astrological periods.
The Cosmic Gem Website
We hear the term “money mindset” a lot in the entrepreneurial space lately. What does this mean? How can you identify what is holding you back, when it comes to earning, spending and saving money? And how can you shift your mindset towards more abundance, ease and clarity when it comes to money?
The patriarchal society that we all live in has a lot to do with the value we place on money, and how it shows up in our lives. In this episode I question the layers of conditioning that have been placed on people in our society (especially women) and name some of the common “themes” of limiting beliefs that this conditioning creates.
Almost all of our limiting beliefs are centered around:
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Security
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What other people think
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Society’s idea of right and wrong
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Self Doubt
Then we look at how these limiting beliefs tend to manifest themselves in our business:
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Overgiving
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Scarcity Mindset
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Charging too little
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Feeling icky about “selling yourself”
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or not, this episode will help you identify some of the ways that your “money mindset” could use some improvement, by identifying the conditioning you’ve grown up with and the ways that might be showing up in your life.
Recently I returned from a three week trip to Costa Rica, which included a 6 day silent retreat in the jungle. Looking back, I see so many benefits to this period that I didn’t even count on, including taking a break from technology and my schedule, spending time immersed in nature, reconnecting to my inner voice, and much more. But one of the most valuable pieces is how it helped me nurture my creativity, and receive guidance from my intuition. In this episode I suggest ways that we can all recharge our creative battery, even if a week-long sabbatical is out of the question, and why that is necessary for business development and growth.
Formerly an international expert at the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, Mel influenced hundreds of millions of dollars and helped launch the global campaign to eradicate malaria. After working in 25 African countries by the age of 30, Melody found herself hyperventilating through a panic attack, utterly confused why she felt so stressed, exhausted, and unhappy inside the life she always thought she wanted.
In the wake of her pain, she quit her dream job, sold her belongings, and traveled solo around the world to answer a question that was relentlessly keeping her up at night: In all her work fighting for the freedom and healing of others, was she living free herself?
Now her life mission is to give stressed out, overworked professional’s permission to create more space in their lives, choose themselves, and find the freedom they’ve always wanted. She does this through her company Soulcation - as a podcast host, coach, and most recently— author. Her new book “Soulcation: Living a Live You Don’t Need a Vacation From” comes out in April.
In this episode we follow Mel’s story into entrepreneurship, and she gives us lots of juicy tips on how she navigates unsteady waters while always preserving her sense of freedom, fun, and experimentation. She also walks us through the process of writing, self-publishing and marketing her first book!
Check out ALL of the great things that Mel does on her website, and get on her mailing list to be the first to know about her new book! https://www.melodymiles.com/
A lot of entrepreneurs struggle with being the face of their brand- even if they have a "personal brand"- and this can make branding & marketing a HUGE hurdle!
But, like it or not, marketing/ selling is an essential part of being an entrepreneur. There’s no way around it if you want to grow, BUT there is a way to do this that feels good and authentic and creates value for both YOU and your audience. And guess what? The bonus is that marketing can actually be a catalyst for huge personal growth and really important mindset shifts!
In this episode we look at HOW and WHEN to make your branding & content about you, and when to focus more on the client/ customer.
Read the blog post version of this episode here
Check out The Holistic Business Plan Course here
Follow me on Instagram and watch the full live video series: Holstic Branding
I'm SO excited to be here in Mexico, interviewing my sister Sam Parvin, in-person! Sam is an entrepreneur and the owner of Parvin Music, a music licensing & creation company that helps brands uplevel their marketing through the power of music. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Sam was the Global Music Consultant for Coca-Cola. When she was suddenly let go from that job, she saw the vision she had for her future start to disappear. But within a few months, she moved to Mexico and created her first business. Now she works with international companies like Modelo and Maker's Mark while living by the beach in Playa del Carmen.
We skip around a bit in this episode because we had so many interesting topics to cover, like: trusting your intuition and co-creating with the universe, identifying your dream client and marketing solely to them, investing basics for financial freedom, the ups and downs of living & working in Mexico, the holistic 'ecosystem' of branding and how music fits in, and so much more!!
Go to Sam’s website for a free worksheet on how to incorporate music into your brand: https://parvin-music.com/
And check out my Goal-Setting & Marketing Course (use the coupon code mentioned in the episode for 50% off!): https://jessparvin.com/goal-setting-course/
Books Mentioned:
Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine By Mike Michalowicz
Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom PlaybookBy Tony Robbins
Happy New Year! After taking a month-long travel break, I'm back with an episode about goal-setting a planning for the year. I walk through the most important steps that will help you visualize your future, create the business that you want, and step into that future with clarity and ease. 1. Visualization - Who are you a year from now? 2. Create goals from this subconscious place, not what you think you SHOULD do.
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What steps do you need to take to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be?
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Identify and explore what might be holding you back.
We wrap up with a list of the most common areas of your business that might sabotage you from reaching your goals!
If you want to dig deeper and really create momentum towards reaching your goals this year, check out my new Goal Setting & Planning Mini-Course! https://jessparvin.com/goal-setting-course/
And for the next month only, I am offering a special new year package: $777 for 4 coaching sessions AND access to my full-length course, The Holistic Business Plan. Contact me for more information: jessparvin@gmail.com.
Holly Marley-Henschen is a marketing expert, ‘word witch’ and certified Storybrand Certified Guide. Working within the StoryBrand framework, Holly helps entrepreneurs and businesses communicate clearly and effectively in their business, Brighter Brand Marketing.
In this episode, we dig into SO many interesting topics, such as:
-The distinction between freelancing and being a business owner, and the work involved in creating a Brand
-How to free up time & energy while growing your business holistically
-The importance of branding, and the intersection of visual branding, strategy & messaging
-The “hero’s journey” way of framing your message
-The StoryBrand way of laying out a website and leading customer’s to take the action you want
-Authentic, intentional marketing techniques that feel good, not sleazy
Holly’s website: https://www.brighterbrandmarketing.com/
Create your own BrandScript: https://www.mystorybrand.com/
The books Holly mention are Building A StoryBrand by Donald Miller and The Big Leap* by Gay Hendricks
I've learned a lot in 5+ years of full-time self-employment. Looking back, there are a lot of lessons I needed to learn to get to this point. I want to share these with you, in hopes that maybe you can implement them earlier in your entrepreneurial journey! 1. Valuing my time more. 2. Being very intentional with my offerings and who I serve. 3. Investing in myself (self-care & personal growth)
- Putting myself out there, setting big goals and then detaching from the outcome.
In this episode, I mention my upcoming "Abundant & Aligned 2022 Mini-Mastermind" happening Dec. 2&3. Click here to learn more
You're an online entrepreneur (or aspiring one) because you value freedom, flexibility and creativity. You want your work to reflect your life and for all of it to harmoniously work together. . . But you're confused and overwhelmed. There is SO much to do as an entrepreneur! Where do you even start? Enter The Holistic Business Plan. In this episode I go through the 5 parts of this framework that I have spent years perfecting, using and coaching others on. It includes: 1. Goals & Planning
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Mindset
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Branding
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Your Website
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Marketing
When these 5 parts are in balance, you will have a successful online business.
In my new 'Holistic Business Plan' Course I go more in-depth into each of these areas, with video coaching, worksheets and resources for new or pivoting entrepreneurs who want to find clarity and focus in the direction they are taking their business. Check it out here
My first "Visionary Entrepreneur" interview episode! Samia Shalabi is an artist, entrepreneur and world-traveler. Her jewelry business, Karazi Design, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year (check out her shop link below for 20% off until Oct. 25!) In our interview, we talk about what it’s like to make a living as an artist, and how to pivot and “make it work” when necessary. Samia always knew that travel would be a major part of her life, and built her business around that freedom and flexibility that she craves. Now she works with artisans in her part-time home of Bali, as well as in India, and leads small group tours in India and Morocco. We also touch on how COVID changed her business and forced her to take it completely online, which was a blessing in disguise.
https://karazidesign.com/
I recently returned from a 2-week, no-work vacation and in this episode I share a few of the things that I did right (this time)! 1. Plan ahead as much as possible - make lists of what you need to get done before you leave, which clients you need to talk to, what automations you might need to set up, etc.
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Communicate with clients and employees as early as possible. . . remind them more than once when you are going to be gone, and ask them to put in any “requests” for work a couple weeks before you leave.
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Delegate! If you have tasks that still need to be done while you’re gone, try hiring a Virtual Assistant.
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Put up your email vacation notification a day or two before you leave. Include instructions for clients in case they have an “emergency”. If you are totally unavailable, consider giving them a back-up option, like contacting your VA or giving them the contact of another person or company that does what you do.
After more than 5 years of self-employment with a service-based business, I've had my fair share of "nightmare" projects and clients and also A LOT of great clients! In this episode I share what I've learned about attracting the right kind of client and how good communication and education can prevent nightmare situations. Here are the basics we cover: 1. Get clear on who your audience is and speak to them directly in your marketing, on your website, etc. 2. Create a list of questions to ask yourself AND the client when considering taking on a new client or project. 3. Create clear boundaries and communicate them to your client (in a contract and/ or “new client onboarding” page or pdf). 4. Charge more! (check out my PRICING audio training). The client will be more committed and communicative, the perceived value will be higher. You might be doing yourself AND your client a disservice by undercharging, because it seems less valuable and “important”. 5. Listen to your gut and stick to those boundaries you set!! If you feel like something is “off” in the initial consultation, really think about whether or not you should take on this client. You can say No! 6. If you still need help. . . hire a business coach with more experience.
In this episode I discuss the 3 most common ways that people pivot their business:
- Taking an existing business online - This can look like you changing the whole way that your business is presented, and what you offer, or it could just look like you finally creating a website, social media accounts and having an online presence for the first time. For example, a lot of brick-and-morter businesses realized during the pandemic how extremely valuable having a good, useful website is as well as social media and other forms of online marketing.
- Changing your services. For example, you might be a healer who didn’t have much of an online presence, and most of your clients came to you through referrals. Then COVID hit and now you are offering online consultations, and thinking of creating an online course or some other offering to supplement your income now that you’re not seeing as many in-person clients.
- Niche-ing or targeting a different audience. This is common in a lot of industries, especially the coaching industry. As coaches begin to grow and level-up their business, they will increase their prices and narrow down their niche. That sounds counter-intuitive to a certain extent, but when you have a specific niche, it is easier to know what they need, for you to provide that to them, and to streamline your marketing messaging, your onboarding process, and your workflow because you will know exactly who you’re speaking to. So the “when to niche or change your audience” question often comes up for existing entrepreneurs when you are feeling scattered, out of alignment with your audience, or overwhelmed by doing too many things for too many types of clients.
All of these types of pivots have 1 thing in common: REBRANDING. When you make a big change in your business, you need to get the message out to the world about the change, and strategic as well as visual rebranding is very important.
Strategic rebranding is where you re-define your audience (esp. important if you’re in category #3, niche-ing), clarify your offerings (esp. important for category #2), and get super clear on your messaging.
Visual branding may not be absolutely necessary- especially if you’re in category #1 or #2, though if you’re changing your audience it is absolutely necessary in my opinion. Your visual branding (i.e. your logo, fonts, color scheme, photos, etc.) is the vehicle that tells your story, and if you’re changing the story you should change the vehicle so people pay attention.
Need help pricing your services? Download my FREE audio training- Pricing for Service-Based Entrepreneurs: The 8 Essential Steps
In this episode, I discuss what it was like to be on the "other side" of a rebrand/ new website launch! I recently changed my business from Jess Parvin Designs to just Jess Parvin, created a new visual brand identity and launched a new website (JessParvin.com). Some of the big takeaways from this experience were: 1. Having new branding and/ or a new website creates a buzz- it's a great marketing tool in and of itself. I got a lot of new client inquiries right away, because people were curious about the new site and my services! 2. TIME is so valuable. I hired a coach to get through this project and creating that time container really pushed me to get it done. Sometimes hiring an expert is the best investment because it saves us so much time in the long run, and time is the only resource we have that's not renewable!
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Perfection is overrated. Getting your message out there is the most important thing, so don't use
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I discuss why I changed my name and what it means to now have a "personal brand", including the mindset shifts I went through and the vibe I'm aiming for with my new branding.
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I put my prices on the new website publicly for the first time. I discuss the pros (and potential cons) of doing this.
Read the related blog post here!
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Welcome to Holistic Business Growth with Jess Parvin! In this very first episode, I discuss my recent branding photoshoot for my new website/ rebrand, as well as my reasoning for starting a podcast. I recently had a photoshoot with Bobbie Harte, an amazing branding photographer here in Madison, Wisconsin. These photos will be the bedrock of my new website and new branding (together with a new logo, fonts, etc.).
One of the pillars of my 5-part Holistic Business Growth process is Mindset and shifting our mindset is key to embodying the badass boss we were born to be! I see good photography as an essential tool in this process- because when we can see our "highest self", we can more easily be her.