Bird Means Business: Recent Episodes
Bird Williams
Welcome to the Bird Means Business podcast. Each week you’ll hear practical tips on navigating your business journey from someone who has walked in your shoes! Host and serial entrepreneur Ashley "Bird" Williams shares her lessons learned so you avoid making rookie mistakes. Whether you’re in the dream, launch or growth stage, this podcast gives you no-nonsense tools to help you take flight.
“I want to be the resource that I wish I had when I first launched my business and had no idea what I was doing.” - Bird Williams
Ahh, we are officially at 100 episodes of Bird Means Business Podcast! I started this podcast two years ago and I want to genuinely thank you for being here!
To celebrate 100, I’m Keepin’ it 100!
In this episode, I’ll be recounting some of the amazing topics we’ve covered and guest episodes we’ve had!
I’ll also be sharing a really big update with you in full transparency… like I said to keep it 100 and real with you!
So be sure to stay tuned in until the end. I hope you enjoy this quick, fun recap to celebrate this amazing journey!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Scroll through over 100 episodes at birdwilliams.com/podcast
- Ep. 73 with with Steven Boyd Wallace of Hardly Tomorrow
- Hang out with Bird on Instagram
- Thank you! Bird's Digital Marketing Assistant, Haven
- Thank you! Bird's MIL, Mignon, who helps with transcribing the podcast audio
- Thank you! Bird's podcast editor, Joel
- Ep. 95 Reframing Your Life with Photographer, Phylicia J. L. Munn
- Stay connected with Bird through her weekly email
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“And then they're protected by that because they're not starting off in rookie season, trying to figure it out. They're getting the backing of a proven brand that already has notoriety to its name, and access to the brain trust that is the founders of that brand. So they're able to move with some confidence, having better resources.” -Terry Williams
Have you ever thought about franchising your business or how franchising even works?
In this week’s episode I have one of my favorite guests back on the show, my husband and business partner, Terry Williams!
We are talking all about how we’re now franchising our gym business, The League, which we launched as crazy kids back in 2013.
You’ll get to hear and learn about:
- How we got to where we are today
- Making the decision to franchise
- How franchising looks
- How to make money in a franchise
- Things to consider if you want to franchise your business
Expanding your brand is such an exciting process, I hope this episode will help bring awareness and help set you up for success if franchising is in your future!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Episode 11: Managing Money in Marriage
- FREE Personal Budget Template
- Episode 63: Mindset Coaching Session with Terry Williams
- FREE Mindset Coaching Worksheet
- Episode 56: BTS of our Gym Business Launch with Terry Williams
- Learn more about owning a League Franchise
- Ep. 51 LLCs and Trademarks with Soluto Uba
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“We get into business because it’s a passion of ours, because we want to make money, because we want the flexibility, we want the time, but I really think that God has placed certain things in your life to impact the world in a positive way.” -Zach Windahl
Today we have Zach Windahl on the show, an author and entrepreneur who has helped thousands of people better understand the bible and grow closer to God through his company, The Brand Sunday. This episode is an incredible conversation with Zach based around his book, “Launch with God.”
Zach’s book is a tool to help launch a business with God on your team, while learning how to impact your neighborhood and the world.
In almost every business, even if it’s not Christian-based, you can find a way to root your business to positively impact those around you, and when you do so it’s going to come back and bless you in return.
Tune into this powerful conversation to learn practical tips on how to
- Launch a business with God
- Learn how leaning into your faith helps you work from a place of peace instead of anxiety as a business owner
- Understand how to balance resting in faith and putting in hard work
… and so much more!
If you don’t consider yourself a person of faith, there’s still so much gold in this episode for you!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Launch with God, by Zach Windahl
- The Bible Study, by Zach Windahl
- PJ Morton's version of "Let Go"
- Connect with Zach on Instagram
- Connect with The Brand Sunday on Instagram
- TheBrandSunday.com
- ZachWindahl.com
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“In business and entrepreneurship innovation is what really drives your ability to make money and be successful. You have to think outside the box and be a problem solver.” - Ebony Green, M.S., CCC-SLP
This week you’re going to hear an incredible story about how a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), Ebony Green took her business to a huge milestone of 7 figures in revenue despite a pandemic.
Ebony Green is a certified SLP and CEO of Casa Speech and Development Services, a company that provides life changing therapy to children and adults with disabilities. Ebony acquires the knowledge to improve patient’s outcomes but also the passion to help other SLP’s to develop their businesses.
You’re going to love this episode full of extremely valuable takeaways for growing your business, servicing people and communities, overcoming setbacks and so much more!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Business Coaching with Ebony for SLP professionals: @slpcontractsqueen
- SLP Courses from Ebony
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Just because you put out a website doesn't mean that people just find you.” - Jessica Freeman
Have you ever wondered how you can optimize your website to be the best it can be OR if you even need a website when you first launch your business?
In this episode you’ll learn all things web design and creation as you hear from Jessica Freeman, the Atlanta based and award winning web designer of Jess Creatives, who helps nutrition and fitness business owners build authority and get more clients.
I often get a lot of questions about websites and I’m so pumped to have Jess on the show to provide expert advice and guidance to these questions that you may be wondering too like...
- How to know which website platform to choose?
- When launching a new business, should I focus on social media or a website?
- What is SEO? How does it work and why is it important?
- What are the most important website pages to have?
- What should I have in place before building my website?
- What are the most important website metrics to track?
Tune in to hear the answers to these questions and learn how to utilize the powerful tool of a website for your business!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Learn from Jess at jesscreatives.com
- Connect with Jess on IG/social media: @jesscreatives
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Sometimes you don’t know what path you’re on, you think you’re supposed to do one thing and then you realize you’ve spent a lot of time building a skill set in another lane that can be useful to doing something else. ” -Phylicia J. L. Munn
Yall. Get ready to hear such an incredible story from celebrity photographer, Phylicia J. L. Munn.
Phylicia is a Georgia bred, LA-based photographer who pivoted to photography after spending close to a decade in finance. Since transitioning to photography full time in 2019 her portfolio has grown over the past 3 years to include brands such as Netflix, Vanity Fair, Universal Music Group, and Ferrari... to just name a few! She celebrates diversity and prides herself on creating positive imagery of those who are underrepresented.
Phylicia joins me on the show this week to share her story about how taking a pause in a pretty dramatic way gave her the clarity to step into what she’s doing today.
You’ll hear her share all about what the moment looked like when she decided to make the switch, some of the biggest lessons learned as a photographer, and the very real life adjustments she had to make for her photography career to thrive in a pandemic.
Her story is so powerful, after our conversation together I began to think about what I’m doing and how I can be more effective when I make space to pause. So I hope this episode will help you reflect on the power of your pause too.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Connect with Phylicia on Instagram
- Phylicia J. L. Munn's website
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
There’s only a few weeks left until it’s officially the holiday season! Have you started planning what will be happening in your business during the next few months?
It’s a game changer to plan early. In this episode we’re talking about how to plan for the holidays and some tips to think about as you’re navigating this busy season in your business and in your life.
I’ll cover important tips to consider when planning your:
- Promotional offers
- Marketing content
- Rest… yes rest is a priority too this season!
Tune in to begin your business holiday planning session!
Also, as you’re strategically planning, I have a FREE year end business checklist to help you close out the year strong in your business. Be sure to grab the link below!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Check out my free resources!
- Ep. 53 Your Year-End Business Checklist
- The League is franchising!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“As your business and the revenue you’re generating grows, you start changing your mindset from, “I’m hungry I need to get clients” to “How can I build a business in such a way that it can feed into [where you need it to be] to step back from your business and draw income.” - Helen Ngo
Tune into this episode to hear financial planner Helen Ngo talk all about saving for retirement as an entrepreneur, a subject that business owners need to eventually prioritize.
But let’s be real, saving for retirement isn’t as realistic in the beginning of growing a business, when priorities are making a living and paying bills. However, a few years in when you're able to start saving for your future, many business owners get stumped on what that even looks like.
Helen Ngo, CEO and founder of Capital Benchmark Partners has over a decade of experience in investment management and running her own financial planning firm. She has unlocked the key to financial freedom that most people get wrong. She’s an expert in personal finance and helping women create more wealth for themselves.
In this episode, Helen walks us through how to prepare for retirement through these 3 main steps:
- Assess your cash flow and personal budget to project how much you actually need to save for retirement
- Evaluate your current tax situation and determine what type of retirement plan you need to implement
- Consider your current cash flow and potential investments to determine what can actually be put aside for retirement
As a business owner retirement looks totally different than working in a corporate 9-5 job where you have a 401k set up for you. In entrepreneurship, you’re responsible for setting up your retirement! Have you considered this step? If not, I know you’ll love this episode and tips from Helen!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Episode 27: Money Talk with Financial Planner, Helen Ngo
- Brown Ambition Podcast
- Connect with Helen for financial planning
- Connect with Helen for business coaching
- Connect with Helen on Instagram
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“When we started our first business we didn’t know what we were doing. We wanted support, so we structured a Board of Advisors. It’s so great to be like, “Hey, this is what we have going on, give us your feedback on your ideas on how to build the brand.”
Today I am answering the question, “Do I need a Board of Advisors?”
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by alllll of the things in entrepreneurship this episode is for you!
I’ve heard too many stories of solopreneurs feeling alone and uncertain about having to make decisions without advice, support, or accountability.
Having a sounding board of people with extra resources who have your best interest at heart can provide a tremendous advantage, and you may already have people in your network who would love to support you in a more structured way.
If you’re not super familiar with what Board of Advisors are or if you’re unsure if this is something you need in your business, tune into this episode because I’ll be covering great points like:
- Defining how a Board of Advisors can support your business
- Understanding the difference between a Board of Advisors and a Board of Directors
- Knowing what to have in your contract and how you should communicate
- Strategizing to find the right people for your Board
I hope this will help you think about where you are and what you need to reach your goals!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Instead of saying do this and put your money here, fundamentally build the foundation of your business well.” - Iffy Ibekwe
As an entrepreneur it’s easy to only think about growing your business and forget about the bigger picture. Entrepreneurship is an incredible way to build wealth, but how?
This week I have Iffy Ibekwe on the show, an estate planning attorney and evangelist for intergenerational wealth transfer and legacy building with effective wills and trusts. Iffy activates intentional women so they can take agency over their lives and build impactful legacies.
Some of the biggest takeaways in this episode are:
- How to start building wealth at the beginning of entrepreneurship
- How to protect your personal and business assets
- How to think about wealth building and estate planning
These are crucial topics for business owners and if you get this right your future self will thank you. Tune into this episode to begin sowing seeds today that will have a huge impact for years to come!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Iffy's Sweets and Treats
- Iffy's Website
- Connect with Iffy on Instagram
- Connect with Iffy's law firm on Instagram
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Remove yourself from the narrative that this work can be accomplished by one action. It’s not attending a workshop, a training, it’s not doing one social media campaign. This is long-term lifelong work that has to be sustained. So being willing to put yourself or your organization in a position where you’re constantly learning and unlearning is part of the work of shifting your posture.” - Virginia Cumberbatch of Rosa Rebellion
This week I have two phenomenal women with me on the show, Virginia Cumberbatch and Meagan Harding, the co-founders of Rosa Rebellion, a platform for creative activism by and for women of color.
In this episode we have an incredible conversation about how to use your space as a business owner to co-agitate for racial justice. You’ll learn how to practically show up as a business owner and evaluate your internal practices, processes and organizational paradigm before rushing to external statements and efforts.
As a business owner it can be intimidating to show up and use your platform and voice appropriately and effectively. This episode will equip you with actionable tips to help you navigate all of this in your business.
I invite you to listen with an open heart. I believe it will make you, the way you do business, your community and our nation better.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Gen Activist: a Rosa Rebellion podcast
- Follow Rosa Rebellion on Instagram + Twitter
- RosaRebellion.com
- Podcast: “The Only Way Out Of This Is Opportunity For Everybody”: John Bryant On A New Marshall Plan for America
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
After being in quarantine for well over a year people are searching for community now more than ever. As an entrepreneur you really have to fight isolation in business because it will lead to burnout. Community is key because entrepreneurship is hard and you’re going to need that extra support for the highs and lows.
Today we’re talking all about the power of community: not just why it’s important in business, but also how to find it.
Because we weren’t designed to do entrepreneurship alone.
Community can feel a little vulnerable at times but sometimes it takes you taking the first step. You’ll become more courageous when you lean into an opportunity to practice courage.
Tune into this episode to open your mind up to new ways to find community and learn why it’s so powerful on your journey
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Join the Prepare to Launch Challenge
- Ommabe Chiropractic
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
This week’s episode is all about what you should consider if you’re looking for a business partner.
If you’re going into business with someone else, or you’ve already launched your business with a partner and it’s not going as planned, you’re in the right place because I’m going to break it all down in this episode!
Some considerations I’ll cover are:
- The different types of business partners
- Do you even need a business partner?
- Making sure you choose the right person
- The Operating Agreement
- The importance of communication skills
- Alternatives if you don’t need a business partner
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Join the Prepare to Launch Challenge
- Ep. 51 LLCs and Trademarks with Soluto Uba
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Yes these 10 steps might feel a little daunting but, my friend, when you take one step the next step is that much easier to take as you begin to build momentum. You’re going to get ideas, you’re going to get a rush of inspiration and that’s going to fuel you to move forward.”
Do you ever find yourself asking these questions:
“Am I really ready to launch this business idea I have?”
“Where do I even start?”
If so, you’re in the right place!
In this quick episode, I give you a rundown of the 10 crucial steps to get your business started.
Then, we’ll take what you learn to the next level with the Prepare to Launch Challenge!
This FREE 10-day challenge will bring you even more clarity and confidence as we take actionable bite-size steps together to get your business off the ground!
I want to help you win BIG, and I want to be the kind of resource that I wish I had when I launched my first business years ago and had no clue what I was doing.
Already launched your business? You can still join! Maybe you missed some of these steps or you need a good refresher, you’re totally welcome!
Tune into this episode to hear the 10 steps involved in launching your business, and, if you want to dive deeper, don’t forget to join the Prepare to Launch Challenge that starts on September 20th!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Join the Prepare to Launch Challenge!
- Episode 73: From Renting a Chair to Owning the Building, with Aidah Sama
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“The amount of information I have learned, post claiming I'm an entrepreneur, has expanded a thousand times. And if I even had a quarter of that information, prior to becoming an entrepreneur, I feel like we would be in a much different and better place.” - Brandi Carson
I believe the first step in being a successful entrepreneur is having an entrepreneurial mindset and one way to accomplish this is by listening to other entrepreneurial stories.
And that’s exactly what I have in store for you my friend! In this week’s episode. I have Brandi Carson of Posh and Private Event Design on the show sharing advice from her incredible entrepreneurial journey and knowledge she’s obtained over the years.
Brandi has been a huge part of my growth as a woman, a business owner, and mom. She’s a hypewoman full of so much wisdom and I crave being in her presence.
In this episode you will get to hear all about:
- How she got started with her event design business (she’s been in the game for 14 years!)
- What she would do differently if she’d known then what she knows now
- The importance of setting and communicating boundaries as a business owner
- Managing motherhood and business
Tune in to learn from Brandi and use her practical advice to navigate your own business building journey!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Subscribe to Bird's weekly emails
- Follow Posh and Private on Instagram
- Follow Posh and Private on Linked In
- Follow Posh and Private on Facebook
- Follow Brandi on Instagram
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“It’s hard to be you and feel like you’re not offending anybody or saying the wrong thing but I think really the biggest thing is finding yourself and being yourself in a place that is so saturated.” - Elly Brown
You’re in for a real treat with this episode as fashion and beauty blogger Elly Brown joins me on the show!
Elly began her blog Uptown With Elly Brown in 2014 as a way to encourage and uplift women in all walks of life. She knows that the demands of motherhood can lead us to feeling overwhelmed and lonely and she wants you to know that you shouldn’t have to navigate it alone.
It has been incredible to watch her business evolve over the years and I can’t wait for you to learn from her experience through our conversation in this episode!
We cover so much ground! You will hear us share about:
- Comparison and competition
- Monetization and how to make money as an influencer
- Our content planning strategies and the tools we love to make it all happen
- Building our dream teams
...and so much more!
I know this episode will be valuable to you on your business building journey.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Bird's Free Masterclass: the 4 Make or Break Keys to Business Building Success
- Ep. 58: Is Your Marketing Strategy Just Social Media?
- Taylor Madu
- The Full Focus Planner
- Connect with Elly on Instagram: @UptownWithEllyBrown
- Elly's website: www.uptownwithellybrown.com
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“We’re all in business because we are solving a problem, right? We think what we offer the world is helping somebody. So, the more money you make in your business [will] allow you to help people better, to solve problems better. If you have limited resources you can only do so much with your product or services. The more those resources grow the better you can make it!”
I had the honor of chatting with Helen Ngo on her podcast Live and Earn, and I loved the conversation so much that I want to share it with you here too!
In this episode, we discuss how my upbringing shaped my relationship with money and how I perceive and manage money today personally and as an entrepreneur.
We cover important moments throughout my journey that I know can help you in yours like:
- The impact my childhood had on my mindset about money
- Why I chose to leave my 6-figure job on Wall Street
- Overcoming challenges managing money together in marriage
- A reframing to help manage anxiety around money
- How we are teaching our kids about money at an early age
- Entrepreneurial money tips I share with clients
I hope this conversation will inspire you as you navigate finances in your personal life and in business!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Helen Ngo’s website
- Ep. 27 Money Talk with Financial Planner, Helen Ngo
- Subscribe to Bird's weekly emails
- Ep. 54 How to Choose Your Entrepreneurial Endeavor
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“We believe that if one of you is called to entrepreneurship then the family is called to entrepreneurship, it’s a joint calling.” - O.L. & Sway Buckley
I’m SO pumped that you’re here to invest not only in your business but also your marriage!
We sometimes try to pretend we can isolate our businesses away from our personal lives and that’s just not the case. How we decide to work inside our business will impact our personal lives in the same way the health of our marriage will affect our business, whether one or both partners are in the entrepreneurial lane.
This week we’re joined by two special guests, O.L. and Sway Buckley. This power couple are co-founders of Marriedpreneur Life Institute and the hosts of The Marriedpreneur Life podcast, where they help faith based marriedpreneurs create momentum in life and business. Couples come to them to seek high level systems with laser clear strategies to launch and grow their legacy purposefully and profitably.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- A breakdown of each of the 3 types of marriedpreneurs
- The unique challenges that each type faces
- Practical tips and examples to overcome challenges for each type
Tune into this episode to identify which marriedpreneur type you are and walk away with clarity on where you’re going together. I know you’re going to love it!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Marriedpreneurlife.com
- Marriedpreneur Life Podcast
- Marriedpreneur Operating Systems Checklist
- The Love & Launch Challenge
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I was about to have to struggle through a life of all of the potential side effects of this drug I was gonna be on for decades, when all I had to do was not have dairy. So this is why I tell my story.”
Your personal health weighs a lot on the health of your business. The better you are, the better you'll show up for your clients, your team, your vendors, your community, and so on.
This week I’m talking about how my holistic health journey has changed my life in such a powerful way.
Are you wondering why I’d share about holistic health when I’m supposed to be a business resource? Let me tell you friend, it matters how you show up to your business. Especially in the early years when you’re doing #allthethings. So don’t forget to prioritize YOU.
I hope this episode brings you inspiration to invest in yourself and learn the options available to you!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Work with Bird
- Free Masterclass: the 4 Make or Break Keys to Business Building Success
- Connect with Bird on Instagram
- Dr. Mark, My Holistic Doctor
EDIT: In the podcast episode, I accidentally say my holistic health journey started in 2014, but it was actually 2018!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“When you remove the obstacles, it exposes the options to get you closer to the opportunity.” - Terry Williams
Have you ever set goals for yourself at the beginning of the year and fall off from trying to reach them? Or maybe your plans change and that goal is no longer relevant but you don’t have any new goals set?
I’m here to tell ya, you’re not alone! Now that we are at a mid-year point, I want to check in with you on your goals so we can get back into a good rhythm together!
Today, I’m joined by my husband, Terry Williams, to talk about growing into your goals. Terry is a mindset coach and will be sharing his GROW framework to guide you through the steps to get crystal clear on what you need to do now to make it happen.
This is a conversation that welcomes you in on the work to go through the steps for yourself while he takes you through the GROW coaching model to identify:
- Goal in front of us
- Reality present to us
- Options and opportunities we have
- Way forwardWhat reality is present to us
Tune in to gain much needed momentum to get you moving toward your goal. It’s never too late in the year to get started!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- GROW Into Your Goals Worksheet
- Great Day for a 5K Challenge
- Terry's Website: terrythetrainer.life
- Connect with Terry on Instagram
- Episode 63: Terry's previous mindset coaching session on BMB
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“All people know is we’re busy and hustling, but they have no idea how much we truly care about each of the people who are following us.”
This week on the show we’re joined by Lisa Rigoli, the Corporate Side Hustler, who is dedicated to sharing her experience and framework to help others build an online presence while attracting and nurturing their ideal audience on the gram without spending countless hours.
If you’re planning to launch a product or service, being intentional with how you engage with those who are interested while the offer is available for purchase is KEY to a successful and profitable launch.
Lisa shares her 5 steps to effectively nurture your audience during a launch while providing us with actionable strategies to launch with intention.
So tune in and get ready to take notes as you learn how you can launch with a ready to buy audience!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Instagram: The Corporate Side Hustler
- Instagram: Live Launch with Lisa
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
"I don’t want to be tied down to my office or feel the need to be there all day because of this."
Have you ever heard of the term Registered Agent?
I’m not gonna lie, when I launched my first business I actually had to google what this was and STILL got it wrong. As a business owner, you’ll want to be familiar with this term.
In this episode, I have two special guests on the show, Diane and Debra, who are Registered Agents and founders of Strategic Training & Consulting. We will be talking all about what a Registered Agent is and answer common questions about this role and why they’re key in business!
In this episode you’ll learn:
- What is a Registered Agent?
- Can you be your own Registered Agent?
- When is the best time to hire a Registered Agent?
- What does the process look like working with a registered agent?
I know you will enjoy hearing these powerful ladies talk about their story, mission, and learning from their wisdom for business success!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Free Masterclass: 4 Make or Break Keys to Business Building Success
- STC on Instagram
- STC on Facebook
- STC’s Website
- STC on Linked In
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Nobody builds a business just to have it crumble the minute they’re not there.”
-Brittany Keeling
After a month off for summer break and maternity leave, Bird Means Business podcast is BACK! During the month of July we’ll have guest episodes each week, jam-packed with powerful wisdom and practical tips you can apply right away!
This week, we are kicking things off with Brittany Keeling and she’s schooling us on 5 systems which will take you from scattered to scaling. Brittany is the CEO of Be Elevated and a business operations and launch expert. She has tons of knowledge about business and strategy, so get ready to take notes!
If you’re ready to scale your business, tune in to this episode!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- 5 Systems to take you from scattered to scaling guide
- Prove It Plan: Bird's online course for developing a strategic business plan
- Follow Brittany on Instagram IG
- Follow Be Elevated on Instagram IG
- Be Elevated Website
- Brittany's YouTube Channel
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Sometimes your business is just not working. And knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing when to go.” - Steven Boyd Wallace
This week we are closing out May with another incredible guest shining light on Mental Health awareness month. Tune in to hear Steven Boyd Wallace, a small business owner, actor, and the host of Hardly Tomorrow, a podcast about mental health, entertainment, sports, politics, and more discuss a very candid conversation about his mental health journey and how that looked when having to close down one of his past businesses.
My hope is that anyone out there who may be going through something similar will know they are not alone, gain some valuable tools to navigate the process, and ultimately feel inspired to keep moving forward.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Ep. 66 An Artist's Entrepreneurial Journey with Ally Wallace
- Website: Hardly Tomorrow
- Follow Hardly Tomorrow on Instagram
- Listen to Hardly Tomorrow podcast on Spotify
- Listen to Hardly Tomorrow podcast on Apple Podcasts
- Bird's Interview on Hardly Tomorrow Podcast (Episode 3)
- Follow Steve on Instagram
- Subscribe to Bird's weekly emails to stay in the loop!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Gone are the days where all of your business documents are stored in file cabinets. It’s the digital age and this means we have access to tools and technology that:
- Improve our efficiency
- Allow for easier collaboration
- Provide automation, meaning it’s working for you while you’re not working on it at the moment. (WINNING!)
In this episode, I’ll be giving you a glimpse into my 10 favorite tools I use to run my online business. I understand it can feel overwhelming to make a leap with a new tool or technology in your business, but the more comfortable you get with being uncomfortable, the easier it will become and the more you will expand your possibilities!
Being strategic with these tools is a game changer that allows us to work smarter not harder, get stuff done, and have more freedom than ever! Stay tuned in until the end to catch my number one piece of advice when it comes to choosing your tools and technology needs.
Here are links to each of the top 10 tools in my online business:
- Dubsado: business management system
- Kajabi: email service provider
- Asana: project management system
- Loom: record video messages of screen for tutorials
- Google Docs: long-form content, templates, etc
- iCal: daily calendar to house all tasks
- Anchor: podcast hosting platform
- Zoom: video conferencing platform
- Squarespace: website host
- Canva: graphic design platform
Like I mentioned, my most asked about tool is Dubsado...
Dubsado Discount Code: When you sign up at http://dubsado.com and use my code “birdwilliams” you’ll get 20% off your first month or year! So, you can start off by using Dubsado's free trial for your first 3 clients, and once you add your 4th client, you will receive the 20% discount if you used my code when you signed up!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Join the Prove It Plan Community for Monthly Live Q&A sessions with Bird!
- Episode 16: How I Automate Client Communication in my Online Business
- Subscribe to my weekly emails
- Episode 58: Is Your Marketing Strategy Just Social Media?
- Check out Bird's freebie process
- Episode 13: How I Launched My Podcast in 5 Weeks with $9.95
- Episode 44: BTS of the Bird Williams Rebrand
- Go Live HQ website templates
- What's Your Deadline Challenge: and tag me @heybirdwilliams on Instagram to make it real!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
“I highly encourage anyone when you’re going into entrepreneurship, don’t just think about your business plan, how much you need to have in your savings, but also what type of support you need to have emotionally and mentally.” - Just Davia
You’re in for a real treat! In this week’s episode, you’ll be hearing from Mental Health and Burnout Consultant, Just Davia!
She’s a lifelong introvert who’s managed to create an entire career around talking to people. Despite the introverted stereotypes, she comes alive when she gets to engage in meaningful conversations around racial equity, mental health, and well being!
She’s built a business to help other professionals break through burnout and shame.
In this episode we talk about:
- How to protect your mental health as an entrepreneur
- The importance of not only identifying as a business owner
- A big lesson she learned early on in business
- Unique mental health challenges entrepreneurs face
- Hustler mentality and being “self-made”
- Why you should treat your search for therapy like dating
This discussion is so important and intentionally timed with May being Mental Health Awareness month.
This month we will have two guests from the Mental Health space to bring light to the topic and equip us to be our best whole selves as entrepreneurs. So be sure to tune back in as we bring awareness to such an important topic!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Prove It Plan: my 5-week strategic business plan development course
- More Than a Therapist Journal
- Ep. 34 How I (Don’t) Do It All
- Just Davia on Instagram
- Just Davia on Twitter
- Just Davia Website
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
In honor of Mother’s Day this week, I’m celebrating mamas out there and sharing 5 lessons I’ve learned as a Mompreneur that can be helpful to any type of mom!
Motherhood will look different for everyone -- whether you’re in the corporate world, running your own business, or working as a stay at home Mom. No version of “mama” is better than another.
Get ready for a special episode!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Prove It Plan is open for enrollment!
- Episode 65: Celebrating Women in Business
- Episode 34: How I (Don't) Do It All
- Episode 42: Start Strong: My Morning Routine
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Whatever you do, do it with a spirit of excellence.” -Aidah Sama
Have you ever craved wisdom, knowledge, and a deep conversation from a veteran entrepreneur? I’m bringing all of that to you in this episode!
You’ll hear from Aidah Sama, a hair stylist and third generation entrepreneur who has been in the game for decades.
Imagine going from renting a chair in a hair salon to owning the building. Can you say, GOALS?!
Over the course of her 20 years in the hair and fashion industry Aidah’s work has been published in numerous magazines locally and nationally, and she’s recognized among the top artists in her industry. Her ultimate goal is to expand her operation and provide mentorship to budding entrepreneurs.
In this episode, you’ll hear all about:
- The entrepreneurial journey from leasing to owning
- How Aidah overcame rejection from a bank, returning with a proven concept. Boom.
- The power of humility and using small beginnings to your advantage
- The importance of investing in yourself and your business from the beginning
I’m telling you, this is one you don’t want to miss!
There is nothing compared to the wisdom that comes from actual experience, and Aidah brings so much gold throughout this conversation!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Prove It Plan: 5-week course for developing a strategic business plan
- Book: Rich Dad, Poor Dad
- Instagram: Aidah Sama
- Instagram: Studio 2:12
- Book with Aidah: Studio 2:12
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
In this episode we’re talking all about what happens AFTER you make a new hire!
It doesn’t just stop with finding great talent and sending offer letters. It’s key that you develop an onboarding process to make sure they feel equipped and empowered in their role.
Tune in to learn some great Pro Tips for what to do “After the Hire” when:
- Sending the Offer
- Onboarding + Training
- Checking In + Conducting Performance Reviews
- Transitioning + Firing
If you haven’t yet listened to Episode 71, How to Hire (Part 1), make sure you start there! A lot of what I share in this episode is based on the foundation you set in the actual hiring process, all of which we covered in Episode 71!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Free Download: Your Hiring Checklist
- Episode 71: How to Hire (Part 1)
- Book a private Strategy Session
- Ep. 24 Bookkeeping, Payroll and Taxes in your Small Business, Part 1
- Ep. 25 Bookkeeping, Payroll and Taxes in your Small Business, Part 2
- Prove It Plan: developing a strategic business plan (5-week course)
- Ep. 41 Why You Need a Total Immersion Weekend
- Ep. 4 Lesson 3: Hire Slow, Fire Quick
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“In the long run, you cannot grow your business if you don’t grow your team. Period.”
In this week’s episode we are kicking off a 2-part series all about the hiring and post hiring process! As a business owner we must understand the importance of hiring.
If you know you need to hire someone onto your team but you don’t know how to navigate the hiring process OR you know you’ll need to hire at some point and you really need to get a strategy together, you’re going to love this series!
Grab your favorite journal and get ready to take notes as you learn all about:
- Defining the role
- Creating the job description
- Getting the word out about the position
- Interviewing
Remember to tune back in next week where we will cover what you need to do after the hire!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Schedule a Consultation Call
- Book a Private Strategy Session
- Join the email tribe to be in the know!
- Ep. 4 Lesson 3: Hire Slow, Fire Quick
- Team Strong: Building a Winning Business Culture (free download)
- Ep. 19 The 7 P's of Marketing
- Prove It Plan: my online course for developing a strategic Business Plan
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I bootstrapped it and made it work, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Those lessons are really helping me out today now that I have more experience.” -Dr. Lauren Collins
This week I’m bringing Dr. Lauren Collins, a chiropractor, entrepreneur, doula, wife, and mama on the show! We’re talking all about the importance of holistic health and business practices as a business owner.
In this episode you’ll hear Dr. Lauren shining light on finding the harmony between being an entrepreneur, a mom, and juggling all of the things life brings!
Tune into this episode to hear us chat about:
- Taking risks
- Having an individualistic approach vs. embracing community support
- Fitting your business into your life, instead of the other way around
- Accepting the different seasons in business
- Giving yourself permission to shift or pause
- Knowing when you shouldn’t push for the next thing
- Understanding basic business principles when starting out
- Honing in on the ideal client you want to serve, even when there’s push back
- Charging for your services (and not only considering the market rate)
She also shares all of the things she wishes she would have known when stepping into the health and wellness entrepreneur space. There’s so much gold packed into this episode, you don’t want to miss this one!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Dr. Lauren's website
- Listen to The MultiFaceted Mama Podcast
- Abound Chiro: Dr. Lauren's practice in Dallas, Texas
- Prove It Plan: my signature Business Plan development course
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Have you ever wondered, ”Do I really need an attorney when I’m just starting out? What could an attorney help me with? What’s the process like? Is it gonna be really expensive?”
This week we’ll dive deep into how hiring an attorney will help you and your brand no matter what stage of business you’re in! Let’s get your questions answered and break down some barriers… because hiring an attorney might not be as daunting as you think.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The different types of business attorneys
- All about pricing: hourly rates, retainer structures, pricing ranges
- What to expect during the process
- Stages of working with an attorney
- The best time to reach out (plus a free email template to get the party started!)
Hiring an attorney is a crucial step in protecting you and your brand! Tune in to this episode to learn how to make it all a lot less intimidating!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Email Template for Introducing your brand to an Attorney
- Episode 57: How to Secure Your Money Team
- Episode 51: LLCs and Trademarks with Soluto Uba
- Episode 8: How to Raise Funding for Your Business
- Prove It Plan: my strategic Business Plan development course
- Episode 15: What to Know When Signing a Commercial Lease
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“If I’m not functioning at my full capacity, my business will never flourish. I need to be at my full capacity.” -Starla Garcia
In this week’s episode I’m sharing a powerful conversation with an incredible guest, Starla Garcia. Starla is a registered dietician and recent 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier. She opens up about how her journey to wellness came after battling an eating disorder as a student athlete.
Today, Starla helps runners to stop under fueling to reach their next personal record with realistic and sustainable nutrition.
She has built an inspiring business and in this episode you’ll learn how she’s navigating entrepreneurship, plus powerful tips you can apply today. We dive deep into:
- The importance of having a money mindset
- Overcoming imposter syndrome and getting out of your own way
- 5 decisions that attributed to her rapid business growth in just one year
Tune in to learn all about how she took what she could have been defeated by and turned it around to create a thriving business that serves the run community.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Bird's Goals Realignment Workshop: Saturday, March 27th
- Episode 58: Is Your Marketing Strategy Just Social Media?
- Follow Starla on Instagram
- Join Starla's Facebook Group
- Check out TheHealthyShine.com
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Clutter is the physical manifestation of chaos in your mind.” - Patrice Washington
Have you ever gotten so caught up in business tasks and projects that by the time you’re done your space and systems are a hot mess, but you keep trucking through your to-do list without making time to clean things up?
Did you know having clutter will affect your creativity and your ability to make space for the new?
In honor of the first day of Spring approaching, I’m sharing tips on how you remove clutter in these 3 areas...
- Your mind
- Your physical space
- Your business systems
As you go through this deep cleaning process in your business, all sorts of ideas will start to flow. This is the beauty of decluttering!
Tune in to this episode to gain some momentum in your business and learn how to enhance your creativity and productivity!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Sign up for Bird's weekly emails
- Episode 63: Mindset Coaching Session with Terry Williams
- Episode 42: Start Strong: My Morning Routine
- Episode 41: Why You Need a Total Immersion Weekend
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Artists are actually major self-starters, because we have to be able to create strong work and also have the skills to communicate and promote it.” - Ally Wallace
Have you ever wondered how to grow your business as a creative entrepreneur?
In this week’s episode you’ll hear from Ally Wallace, an incredible artist with a flourishing brand.
Tune in to hear her share her journey of building a brand as a full time artist. She’s sharing all about how she’s learned to build structure around her business to thrive and grow while STILL making room for creativity.
You will hear powerful tips about how to grow a creative business including scheduling, networking, marketing, and more! This is one you don’t want to miss.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Subscribe to Bird's weekly emails
- Alexandria Wallace Website
- Follow Ally on Instagram
- Episode 64: How to Plan a Photo Shoot
- Episode 38: How to Intentionally Launch Your Biz
- The Artist's Office on Instagram
- The Artist's Contract
- Book Your Private Strategy Session with Bird
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Women in business are a driving force in our nation's flourishing economy. There are 114% more women entrepreneurs today than there were 20 years ago!
March is Women’s History Month and March 8th is International Women’s Day so in this week’s episode we are celebrating women in business!
Tune into this episode to hear:
- Stigmas women face and how to overcome them
- How you show up as a woman in your everyday life affects your career life
- Ways women in business can support one another
- How to be intentional with celebrating the women in your life this month
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Stigmas Women Face article
- Women-Owned Businesses Stats
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Everything you do in your business is investing in your legacy… yes, even when planning for a photo shoot!”
In this week’s episode I share 7 key steps when planning a photo shoot for your brand. These professionally shot photos are so handy to use in your marketing with updating your website, landing pages, your social media, and so much more!
You’re gonna love this episode if you know it’s time to give your brand a fresh, new look!
You’ll learn:
- How to develop a strategic shot list that adds character and relatability to your photos, instead of just plain ole’ smiling at the camera
- The importance of finding the perfect photographer for you
- Ideas for capturing photos that resonate with your audience
- A trick for getting in the zone ahead of the photo shoot to boost your confidence
When I sent my photographer a fully prepared shot list of exactly what I wanted to capture during our shoot, he was super impressed! But hey, I knew planning and preparing for your shoot allows you to get the most out of your time. I was ready, and you can be too!
Get a head start by downloading this free Shot List Ideas Guide!
There’s so much goodness packed into this episode. And after you take these steps and crush your photo shoot, be sure to share some of your awesome images with me!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Philip Bell Downing's Street Letter Box
- Nina Harrison on Instagram
- Download your Shot List Ideas Guide
- My awesome photographer: Matt Daniel
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Daily doings determine destiny.” -Terry Williams
Are you wondering "where did all my creativity go?"
It might be time to pause and dig in a bit deeper.
This week we have the honor of journeying through a mindset coaching session with the one and only, Terry Williams.
It’s a pretty big deal that he shares some of the pieces of his framework with us, since he facilitates mindset coaching in some really powerful rooms -- like with professional sports teams, global brands, corporations, etc.
Here’s some of what you’ll journey through during the session:
- “Hold That Thought”: research shows that 47% of the time our thoughts aren’t focused in the present moment
- The 4 H’s: hero, highlight, hardship, hope
- 12-month goal setting: what does it practically look like to live into your hope statement?
Make sure you download this Mindset Coaching Worksheet so you can follow along as you engage in the session. Otherwise, you will need a pen and paper.
Are you ready to go on this mindset coaching journey with Terry? You’ll unlock some powerful tools, and watch as the words you write, talk back to you.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Free download: Mindset Coaching Worksheet
- How a NASA scientist accidentally invented the Super Soaker
- Nina Harrison on Instagram
- Book a Mindset Coaching Session: TerrytheTrainer.Life
- TerrytheTrainer on Instagram
- Brian Tracy’s The Power of Self Discipline
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and humble yourself. It’s okay to not know everything and to find people willing to help you.” -Erin Lashley
Does tax time stress you out? Because it doesn’t have to when you…
… have a tax strategy based on your overall business goals.
… don’t ignore your taxes.
… work with a tax professional to lower your tax liability.
… know you aren’t paying the IRS more than you need to.
I could keep going, but you get the point!
You’re gonna love this episode with Erin Lashley of Pay it Forward Taxes, because we talk about alllll of it:
- Why it’s important to have a tax strategy early on
- Why you should first understand your overall business goals in order to devise a tax strategy
- Two of the top mistakes entrepreneurs make with their taxes
- A practical example for tracking and categorizing expenses before you set up your business bank account
- Tax tips and write offs
- Learning to sabbath and rest
My friend, I need you to take a deep breath and lean in to what I’m about to say next:
You will not grow your brand if you try to do everything yourself. At some point you’re going to have to outsource and relinquish control and that takes a lot of trust.
But that’s what it takes to build a better brand. Don’t do it alone!
A great way to start is by downloading this free tax preparation checklist to see what you have, what you need and then head on over to PayItForwardTaxes.com to book a consultation session!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Tax Tips for Influencers: 100+ deductions influencers can write off on their taxes
- Your Free Tax Preparation Checklist
- Pay It Forward Taxes Website
- Pay It Forward on Facebook
- Pay It Forward on Instagram
- Pay It Forward on Twitter
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Diversity is inviting someone to the dance. Inclusion is inviting someone TO dance. It’s when their song comes on at the dance!” -my neighbor, Ryan
In this week’s episode, we explore what celebrating diversity looks like when you don’t have a big team of employees.
In episode 61, you’ll learn:
- Some great questions to ask yourself about your brand’s inclusion
- What it means to be performative
- A time when I got this wrong and how I addressed it
Links mentioned in the episode:
- History.com article on Madame CJ Walker
- Nina Harrison’s Instagram: follow for inspiring stories of African-American legends all month long!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I was asked ‘Why are you leaving this secure job to go into something that you’re not sure will work?’ And there was just something I felt in my heart. I couldn’t focus at work. I was enjoying this one day more than my entire work week. So, I decided I wanted to do this all the time.” - Faby Broussard
This week’s episode is loaded with so many powerful takeaways for entrepreneurs -- whether your business is in the food space or not!
Tune in to hear about:
- How this business was birthed from a personal health issue. Faby realized what worked for her could help so many others
- The transition from feeling uninspired in her 9-5 job, to going full-time working on her business
- Launching a delivery service months before streets would be flooded by Hurricane Harvey, one of the biggest natural disasters the city had ever seen
- Why it worked for Fab and Fit (and their customers) to transition from just delivery, to a physical location
- Their best advice for newbie entrepreneurs!
And you’ll love the end of the episode. We talk about how folks are afraid to start a business because they don’t feel like they know everything, when the truth is NONE of us know everything. You just have to use the resources you can access, and do it afraid.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Fab & Fit Foods: Houston’s Best Meal Prep
- IG POST: “Choose Your Hard”
- Fab & Fit Foods Instagram
- Fab & Fit Foods Facebook
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
What you’re REALLY asking is:
“Is this business idea I have worth pursuing?” or
“This side hustle or freelancing I have going on... could I really build it into a sustainable business such that I could leave my 9-5 one day?”
Well, in this week’s episode, we’re going to explore exactly that, my friend.
So much goodness packed into this quick episode; you don’t want to miss it!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- FREE Masterclass: 4 Make or Break Keys to Business Building Success
- Join Bird’s weekly emails
- Enroll in Prove It Plan
- How to Choose an Entrepreneurial Endeavor
- IG POST: “Choose Your Hard”
- How to Raise Funding for Your Business
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“There is no one size fits all for marketing. Your marketing strategy should be unique to your brand. It should flow from the core of your business’ purpose and values to the specific group of people you want to serve.”
Whew! This is a good one.
When 37% of respondents to a recent IG poll said social media was their entire marketing strategy… I knew we needed to address this on the show!
You’ll want to tune in if:
- You’re just kinda winging it with your marketing efforts
- You’re annoyed with social media (spoiler alert: I am too)
- You want to think about marketing more holistically and consider other options for growing your business
What you’ll learn in this episode will help you think more strategically about how to reach your ideal client.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- FREE Masterclass: The 4 Make or Break Keys to Business Building Success
- Episode 19: 7 P’s of Marketing
- Episode 37: Should I Share Biz Posts on my Personal Page?
- Join Prove It Plan: online course for strategic business plan development
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I’ve learned the hard way how important it is to secure your Money Team early on.”
You’ll save yourself and your business so much time, money and energy by getting this right from jump.
My friend, please do not file your own business taxes without a CPA, or sign on the dotted line without an attorney’s review. This may seem harmless when you’re just getting started, but let me tell you… it can be detrimental.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Who is my Money Team?
- Why do I need a Money Team?
- How do I work with my Money Team?
- How do I get started with a Money Team?
And to take it one step further, I’m hooking you up with a FREE email template to make it that much easier to get started! Click this link to grab the goods.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Free Email Template to Start Securing your Money Team
- Free masterclass: 4 Make or Break Keys to Business Building Success
- Learn more about Prove It Plan
- My CPA: Alby Abraham
- Ep. 24: Bookkeeping, Payroll and Taxes Part 1
- Ep. 25: Bookkeeping, Payroll and Taxes Part 2
- Ep. 51: LLCs and Trademarks with Soluto Uba
- Ep. 15: What to Know When Signing a Commercial Lease Agreement
- Wanna dive deeper? Book a Strategy Session
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“You get the kind of toilet paper you’d have in your own home.”
Ever wonder what a business launch looks like from idea to conception? This week I have my favorite person, husband and business partner, Terry Williams, on the show and we share the behind the scenes look into the launch of our gym business, The League.
Here are some highlights from the episode:
- Are you in an industry, stuck doing something in a way you know could be improved? Could you create your own program/product/service?
- Learn why a financial model can help make your business idea more real. It’ll give you answers to questions like “when will we become profitable?” or ”how much money will we need to start?”
- Don’t be discouraged by low launch numbers or a slow start. Keep going.
… and so much more!
This episode is one you’ll love!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Learn more about Prove It Plan
- Episode 54: How to Choose an Entrepreneurial Endeavor
- Episode 8: How to Raise Funding for Your Business
- DM me on Instagram: @heybirdwilliams
- Email me: hello@birdwilliams.com
- Our first business: The League: Elite Training Facility
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Too much movement and you can’t see minor changes until it’s too late.” -Jedediah Jenkins
So as we take a pause and search the landscape of needs in our businesses, what areas need the most attention? How can we invest into our business to really take them to the next level?
In this episode, we explore the importance of investing in our businesses and how that practically looks. I share four of the ways I invested in Bird Williams in 2020 and the impact it’s made, with hopes to inspire you to do the same.
Because we can’t keep doing the same stuff and expect different results, amiright?
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Learn more about Prove It Plan
- Join the Weekly Email Tribe
- Episode 41: Why You Need a Total Immersion Weekend
- Jedediah Jenkins’ book, “To Shake the Sleeping Self”
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Great things are, by their very nature, unique and unconventional. Therefore, to achieve them, we must go against the herd mentality. And to do that is scary.” -Mark Manson
Are you ready to be misunderstood? This is 1 of the 15 questions I ask you to answer, to help nail down your entrepreneurial endeavor.
Because it’s a question I get, and a frustration I hear, so often:
“I really want to start a business, but I’m multi-passionate, and it’s so hard to choose from allll of the different business interests and ideas I have!”
If this sounds like you, you're in the right place. And this episode could very literally change the trajectory of your life. That might sound dramatic, but it’s actually exactly what happened to me.
Asking myself some of these questions back in 2012 was pivotal. The light bulb went off, and I launched my first business a year later.
So in this episode, you’ll ask yourself 15 important questions to help you hone in on the entrepreneurial endeavor that’s right for you.
And even better, I turned these questions into journal prompts that you can download for free to really spend time exploring what your next step should be. Yeah, I’ve got you covered!
This episode is extra special to me for a few reasons:
- These were the questions that brought me to entrepreneurship, changing my life forever.
- This is a question I get a lot from entrepreneurs-to-be or those wondering if a side hustle or passion project can actually be a viable business that’s worth leaving their 9-5
- I see a lot of entrepreneurs get this wrong by trying to do waayyyyyy too much with limited resources, and therefore never really having their business take flight.
- The saying “follow your passion” can be really misleading and unsustainable. I explain why in the episode.
There’s just so much goodness packed into this one! Get it in yo life.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Choosing an Entrepreneurial Endeavor Journal Prompts
- Book a Consultation Call with Bird
- Book a Strategy Session with Bird
- Learn more about Bird’s Prove It Plan course
- Mark Manson article
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
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For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Even if you’re in the pre-launch stage, an episode like this will help you be more strategic in how you build your business as you prepare to launch.
This week’s episode is full of tips on what to do in your business as you end the year strong and build momentum for what’s to come.
We talk about:
- How to review, then reassess
- The importance of auditing and updating internal docs and marketing
- Expense considerations
- An annual meeting agenda
... and so much more!
Remember, we’re building a better brand, which means we don’t look over the nuts and bolts, we embrace and lean into setting a solid foundation so we can grow our businesses in confidence!
Download the free guide: Year-End Business Checklist, and start knocking off these items this week!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Free Download: Year-End Business Checklist
- Episode 27: Money Talk with Financial Planner, Helen Ngo
- Episode 29: Simple and Strong: Advice from Veteran Entrepreneurs
- Bird’s online course, Prove It Plan
- Episode 51: LLCs and Trademarks with Soluto Uba
- Free Download: Team Strong: Building a Winning Culture
- Episode 41: Why You Need a Total Immersion Weekend
- Sign up for my weekly emails to stay in the know!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Think about what it felt like when you were losing and someone helped you win. How can you step into that moment for someone else?”
This week’s episode is inspired by this quote I read years ago that really resonated.
Is generosity top of mind as we’re growing our businesses? Is giving something we even really consider?
Tune in to learn why you should make generosity part of your growth strategy, the connection between generosity and gratitude, and three ways to adopt a lifestyle of generosity:
- Make it authentic
- Make it anonymous (where you can)
- Make it automatic
Remember, we’re building a better brand -- a holistic business that leaves us truly fulfilled, making a lasting impact. And I’m so honored to be on this journey with you.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Bird’s Black Friday Promo: an exclusive group coaching workshop for only $47!
- Medical News Today article
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“You don’t need a paper LLC, you need a performing LLC.” -Soluto Uba
This week I have Soluto Uba on the show to talk about LLCs and Trademarks, and boy does he deliver!
We cover so much legal goodness in this one. You’ll definitely wanna take notes:
- Business formation and LLCs
- A paper LLC vs a performing LLC
- A powerful internal document you need to have in place
- Corporate formalities
- Trademarks vs Copyrights
- When to trademark
- Understanding if you need a DBA
- Business write offs
And so much more! This really is one you don’t want to miss if you want to set a strong foundation as you launch or grow your brand. As always, shoot me a DM on Instagram if you have any follow up questions!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- The Uba Law Group Website
- Tax Savings Masterclass
- Business Launch Blueprint course
- Facebook: The Uba Law Group
- Instagram: The Entrepreneur Lawyer
- YouTube: The Entrepreneur Lawyer
- Tick Tock: The Entrepreneur Lawyer
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
This week, Bird Means Business podcast hits its 50th episode, so we’re celebrating!
Tune in to hear 10 powerful snippets from each of the rockstar guest entrepreneurs we’ve had on the show!
If you’re new to the pod, this isn’t our normal format, but you’ll love getting a sneak peek into some of the most magical moments of Bird Means Business. Get ready to be inspired!
Guest episodes referenced:
Episode 10: Team Strong with Terry Williams
Episode 14: Vibe with Your Tribe with Terry Williams
Episode 18: From Food Truck to Restaurant with Patsy Vivares
Episode 23: Hair Salon Start Up Brandi Lisenbe
Episode 27: Money Talk with Financial Planner, Helen Ngo
Episode 31: Own Your Voice with Sahar Paz
Episode 36: Marriage + Business with Terry Williams
Episode 40: We Can Rival with Mair Fragrance
Episode 45: Start Up Story: Active Faith Sports with Kirbi Smith
Episode 49: Navigating Mental Health in Entrepreneurship with Marlene Williams
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Anxiety is when we are living too far into the future.” Marlene Williams, PhD
I took so many notes, I don’t even know where to start.
I can say that you certainly won’t regret listening to this week’s show. It’s some of the most practical information on how to handle anxiety and depression I’ve ever heard, and I know these tips can help you too!
We talk about:
- the unique mental health challenges entrepreneurs face
- some of the signs you could be dealing with anxiety or depression
- a four-step process of how to manage anxiety and depression
- how entrepreneurs can protect their mental health from the outset
The thing is: you’re not alone. Marlene shares how everyone experiences some form of anxiety or depression -- the problems arise when it significantly impairs your ability to function in life or work. And there’s this powerful moment when she turns fear on its head and you realize fear isn’t as powerful as you think. Whew!
I’m no mental health expert, but I’m always happy to chat with you and guide you in the right direction if you feel any of this. Sometimes we just need someone to walk the journey with us.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Dr. Marlene Williams’ Instagram
- Free Guide: Self Care is in the Everyday
- Steven Furtick’s podcast
- Bird shares her experience with postpartum anxiety
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Life happens in seasons.”
I’m lowkey obsessed with all things mommying, so addressing this topic in this month’s “Your Questions Answered” series was so much fun!
I share three key business considerations to allow for more flexibility, freedom and growth as a mompreneur in a service based business. I also answer some questions you may have if mommying is on the horizon, but you’re not sure how to fit it into running your business.
There’s also a BIG announcement at the end! Eek!
If you’re a mom or mom-to-be, this is one you won’t want to miss!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there, you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.” -Zig Ziglar
So how do I manage feeling so overwhelmed with all of the details? Tune into to hear a fundamental flaw that causes us to spiral out of control. And I walk you through exactly how to combat this, step by step. Cause I got you!
Overwhelm is real. But I’ll bet you’re doing better than you think. You may just need more structure, some accountability and a bit of guidance.
I’m always rooting for you to win!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Let’s Chat! Book a Consultation Call
- Learn about my signature Prove It Plan course
- My project management system: Asana
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Your systems will save you.”
This week we’re starting a 4-part series called “Your Questions Answered,” which came from a Instagram Stories party we had a couple of weeks ago. Be sure to connect with me on Instagram if you haven’t already!
So how do you keep clients coming back again and again? Tune in to hear:
- My top 4 strategies for customer retention
- How this looks for different business types: brick and mortar, product-based and service-based
- How I apply these strategies in my businesses and with my clients
There’s so much goodness packed into this episode. You don’t want to miss it.
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Wanna dive deeper? Book your private strategy session at birdwilliams.com/strategy
- Ep. 19: The 7 P’s of Marketing
- Ep. 16: How I Automate Client Communication in my Online Business
- Free Guide: Team Strong: Building a Winning Culture in Your Business
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I didn’t consider myself to be an entrepreneur...” -Kirbi Smith
When Kirbi said this I immediately saw the faces of newbie brand builders I’d recently spoken with who also didn’t see themselves as such. Who had explained to me how weird it felt to own that they were actually running a real business.
Maybe you’re in that same boat. This has been an idea or project or hobby for so long that it feels weird for you to accept that transition. Keep reading.
I asked Kirbi what caused her to make that mental shift, given that she is now Chief Operations Officer of Active Faith Sports, a brand in over 92 countries! She said it was realizing that it didn’t have to look one particular way. That her unique story of being an athlete turned school teacher didn’t preclude her from being able to run a successful business. She could do it her own way.
I could not love that more.
And I’d even take it one step further to say, your differences HELP you as you build your brand. Because instead of meshing in with all the noise in the market, you bring your unique set of experiences and secret sauce to the table, which is more relatable and creative.
My girl Kirbi drops SO MANY gems in this episode! I love our conversation and all of the practical tips you’ll be able to pull from it -- especially if you’re looking to launch an apparel brand! Take a listen and then shoot me a DM to let me know what you think!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Connect with Kirbi: @iamkirbi
- Connect with Active Faith Sports: @activefaithsports
- Get you some goods: activefaithsports.com
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“But I’m so glad I started the way I did, with the logo Meagan made me.”
Because you have to start somewhere, my friend. You have to take that first step, or you’ll forever be right where you are today.
This week I take you behind the scenes of my rebrand process. I share everything from why I rebranded, how my branding looked before and after, the importance of consistent branding and (maybe most importantly) the mistakes I made that you can avoid!
Here’s what changed in my rebrand:
- Business Name
- Website
- Logo
- Name of my Signature Program
… and more!
There were a lot of moving parts in this process, and you get to see it all. Whether you’re rebranding or launching your business for the first time, this is one you don’t want to miss!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- That new new: www.birdwilliams.com
- Rachel Hollis’ Girl Wash Your Face
- Episode 21: How Dubsado automates client communication through my website
- Canva: free and easy graphics tool
- My awesome friend, Meagan
- Caitlyn McGuire Marketing: branding and strategy
- Go LIVE templates for Squarespace
- Matt Daniel, Photographer
- Annie McDonald, Graphic Designer
- Ready, Set, Launch!
- Episode 19: The 7 P’s of Marketing
- Prove It Plan, my signature business plan course
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Change. Crisis. We all know it’s inevitable, but what process can we use as we manage it again and again in the wild world of entrepreneurship? Especially since as solopreneurs, we don’t have a big team to carry some of the weight.
In this week’s episode I share the three steps I take when ish hits the fan.
You’ll also learn:
- A 15-second calming exercise
- How to avoid making impulsive decisions
- “Bad, good and best” scenarios + probability weighting
- How to respond, using both a change and crisis example
… and so much more!
My goal for each episode is for you to walk away with something practical you can do this week to make a change for the better.
Shoot be a DM on Instagram to let me know what that is for you this week!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Listener Shoutout: ShopPalomaBlanca on Instagram
- Want to work through a messy situation in your business? Book a Strategy Session!
- Exciting announcement coming next week! Subscribe to my weekly emails to hear it first!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“You have to get quiet to live loud” -Terry Williams
We’ve all heard about the power of a morning routine -- but have we made the necessary mindset shifts and practical adjustments to allow this powerful practice to really set us up to win?
This week I’m sharing all about what it took for me to adopt a morning routine and the two intentions that made all the difference.
If you don’t have a morning routine or want to improve yours, you’ll love this episode!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- My free guide: Self Care is in the Everyday
- Morning market update: Robinhood Snacks
- Skincare regimen: Dr. Hauschka
- You drink coffee, I drink “water with four shakes of Pink Himalayan salt” :)
- My current Quiet Time devotional
- My Daily Planner
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“What this weekend did for me was validate the direction I sensed my business needed to go in... and that was HUGE.”
It wasn’t a relaxing retreat or a brainstorm sesh. This weekend was all about clarity.
The moment I heard about a “Total Immersion Weekend” I knew my baby business desperately needed it.
Tune in to learn how a weekend like this can impact your business, and tips on how to structure and get the most out of your time away!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Wanna chat? Book a Consultation Call
- Wanna dive deeper? Book a strategy session
- What I’ve learned about keeping up with the content is in Episode 21: My Content Process
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I thought, ‘Let me link up with one of the industry’s best.’ It was a wild and crazy idea.” -Mair Emenogu
You’re in for a real treat!
This week I’m chatting with the founder of Mair Fragrance, and we talk about everything from why Mair decided to launch a fragrance brand, the catalyst for leaving her corporate job, how she learned the behind-the-scenes industry insights, how she financed her business, her advice for new entrepreneurs and more!
This episode is bound to motivate you and give you some solid takeaways wherever you are in your business journey!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Connect with Mair Fragrance on Instagram
- Mair Fragrance on Macy’s
- Connect with Mair Emenogu on Instagram
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Do you have the entrepreneurial itch but don’t quite know how the transition from your 9-5 will work? This episode is for you, my friend!
I share all about:
- What you can do before you leave your job
- Three mindset shifts needed as you transition into entrepreneurship
- The question: “Can I keep my 9-5 job and add my business as an additional stream of income?”
- My story of transitioning into entrepreneurship
I also reveal an exciting project I’m currently working on!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Join my non-spammy weekly email tribe for business tips and motivation
- Ep. 13: How I Launched My Podcast in 5 Weeks with $9.95
- Hire a Financial Planner: Helen Ngo
- Ep. 27: “Money Talk with Financial Planner, Helen Ngo”
- Book a consultation with Bird
- Ready, Set Launch: The First 10 Steps to Launch Your Business
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
I’ve been saying “I think this might be my new favorite episode” a lot lately. But this one, for real, is one for the books!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Intentional launch tips and strategies
- The Dos and Don’ts for creating a simple launch marketing strategy
- A Behind the Scenes look into two of my business launches
There is SO much gold packed into this one!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Listener Shout Out: Van Ware of Ware the Heart Is Photography
- Ready Set Launch: The First 10 Steps to Launching Your Business
- Prove It Plan (formerly Bird's Eye View Business Plan)
- Episode 37: Should I Share Posts from My Biz Page to My Personal Page?
- Episode 64: How to Plan a Photo Shoot
- Strategy Session with Bird
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“I’d rather have 100 engaged followers than 10,000 indifferent followers who I can't actually serve.”
In this week’s episode, I’m answering a question that a newbie entrepreneur emailed me -- one that I think many business owners wonder about.
You’ll hear how I break down the email line by line, and interject my answers to the question. Then I summarize the overall thoughts on how to move forward.
My goal is to “teach you to fish” so that as you tune into the podcast, you’re sharpening your ability to think about your business from a Bird’s eye view (heyyy!) and leave better equipped to answer these questions along your journey.
Once you listen, send me a DM on Instagram or an email to hello@birdwilliams.com and let me know what resonated with you most. I’d love to hear!
If you want to dive deeper into questions like these in your business, go to https://birdwilliams.com/strategy to schedule our 1-hour strategy session. You’ll leave with a game plan of next steps and an audio recording of our session. Because I want to set you up to win!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Your brand is worth nothing (even if it’s “worth” millions) if it comes at the expense of your family time suffering. Family cannot take the back seat. Family deserves the best of you, not the rest of you.” -Terry Williams Whew! In this week’s episode I sit down with my husband and BFF, Mr. Terry Williams. And there is just so much goodness packed into our conversation.
We get really real, discussing our takeaways from nearly 8 years of running a business together, as well as new revelations that came when we began marriage counseling last year.
We share what we’ve learned about:
- Saying “That can wait” and accepting when there are unhealthy approaches to work
- Adopting an “us” mentality
- Finding practical ways to balance work and family time
- Thinking about what's subconsciously being communicated when working on your laptop in the bedroom
- Asking: “What can I learn here?”
- Embracing the power of Quiet Time
If either you or your spouse is an entrepreneur, or plan to be in the future, you’ll really appreciate this one!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Here’s a link to the yummy and oh so clutch meal prep company we mention, Fab and Fit Foods
- Jump into fitness, nutrition and mindset coaching with TerrytheTrainer (formerly TerrytheTrainer App)
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“We couldn’t grow our business to where it is today if we’d kept [Terry] as the focal point.”
You want to start a business, but it makes you nervous to put yourself out there.
You want to grow your business but you’re not sure how to position yourself within your company’s branding.
In this week’s episode, I break down considerations for being the face of your brand.
My answer changes based on the business we’re talking about. Tune in to learn the difference!
We dive even deeper into your positioning as the CEO in my signature course, Prove It Plan (formerly Bird’s Eye View Business Plan). Click to learn more: www.birdwilliams.com/proveitplan
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“If you say ‘yes’ to everybody, you're saying ‘no’ to your husband, your kids, your self care...”
As business owners we have a LOT to juggle. It’s kinda mind blowing at times when I look back at all we accomplish in a single week.
So how do we do it all? In short, my experience is that we can’t take all the credit, because we don’t do it alone. It really does take a village, intentionality and a whole lot more to not lose yourself in pursuit of growing your business.
I share 5 ways I (don’t) do it all, and it gets pretty real.
You’re gonna love this episode if you:
- Have a million things on your to-do list and feel defeated and overwhelmed
- Need permission to say “No”
- Compare yourself with other “successful” entrepreneurs who seem to have it all together
So much goodness packed into this one!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- https://kyraunfltd.com
- https://birdwilliams.com/strategy
- https://birdwilliams.com/consultation
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Don't rely on your business partner (or anyone else) to be the source of your encouragement.”
Let’s just say what we all feel: entrepreneurship can be lonely. There are times when the people in your life just don’t get it or don’t know how to encourage you. This is why I'm giving you practical ways to encourage yourself.
In this week’s episode I share a statement I once read before each consultation call when I first launched my consulting business. Because sometimes you have to hype yourself up in even the smallest moments.
If you need a pep in your step, you’re gonna love this episode.
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“How are you… really?”
In this week’s episode I’m asking you to pause and check in with yourself. Because don’t we all need that reminder?
Here we are in the middle of 2020, a year we will never forget. Let’s take inventory so that we can realign, analyze, celebrate, and ultimately finish this year strong.
I leave you with two practical tips on how to check in both personally and professionally. I know we’re all busy, but these are two things that you CAN do and I promise you will be glad you did.
I also mention my free guide Ready Set Launch: the First 10 Steps to Launch your Business. Click here to download and get started! Because, what are you waiting for?
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Have at least that one person who wants the best for you, is willing to have those hard conversations with you, and who sees the TRUE you.” -Sahar Paz
Born into semi-quarantine in Iran, one year before the Islamic Revolution, Sahar was very aware of her inner voice from a young age. She has such a powerful story of strength and resilience, and I know you’ll pull so much from this episode, both personally and professionally!
In Episode 31, you’ll learn:
- What it means to find your voice, and then own it.
- A very helpful core values exercise!
- The power of strong relationships, and why some friendships are just for seasons.
- How to heal in your triggers.
- The value of a Board of Advisors.
I absolutely love connecting you with incredible entrepreneurs because it’s one of the best ways to learn! This is one you don’t want to miss!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Podcast: Own Your Voice: Cultivating Voices of Impact, Episode 1
- Own your Voice Strategy Firm: a personal branding firm which gets behind conscious leaders
- Sahar Paz’s Instagram
- Ashley at the Own Your Voice Summit
- Terry at the Own Your Voice Summit
- Book: The Crossroad of Should and Must
Here is the list of resources I mention for embracing anti-racism
- Instagram: @beabridgebuilder
- Instagram: @erinvlashley
- Instagram: @rosarebellion
- Netflix: 13th
- Podcast: Brene Brown and Austin Channing Brown
- Podcast: Brene Brown and Professor Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist
- Podcast: Serial, Season 3
- Podcast 1619
- Book: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
This week’s episode is inspired by a conversation I had with an MBA student who was struggling to figure out how to find a niche in her business.
If you’re wondering whether or not to drill down on a specific type of client and it’s become paralyzing, you’ll find this quick episode freeing!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Do you want to be cute or do you want to make money?”
At the start of 2020, Terry and I decided to make “Simple and Strong” our focus for the year, and Lord knows we needed that intention more than we realized! Fast forward a couple of months and I’m hearing this same theme in conversations with veteran entrepreneurs: keep it simple.
As an entrepreneur, you’re already juggling so much, so simplify everywhere you can! Your sanity will thank me!
Tune in to hear three ways to simplify as you launch your business.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Book a Strategy Session
- Download my free guide on the first 10 steps to launching your business
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Success doesn’t come in these big, one-off moments, success comes from the mundane; the small, everyday decisions that you commit to being consistent in something that matters to you.”
Y'all this is a really special episode to me. Listening to the playback had me all in my feelings. I share about personal failures and successes from high school through Investment Banking, which really shaped the person I am today.
I explain how:
- What stops us isn’t what we feel, it’s what we believe.
- Taking the road less traveled pays off.
- You can apply your secret sauce, and stay true to yourself and stand out from the rest.
- It’s not the critic who counts.
This all comes from three life lessons I share:
- Lesson 1: “If you're going through hell, keep going.” ― Winston Churchill
- Lesson #2: “Do You, Boo!” ― Someone on the Internet...?
- Lesson #3: “Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald
If you know someone who needs to kick their limiting beliefs to the curb and go after their dreams, share this episode with them!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- 21st Century Women: Women Empowering Women Conference
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Usually people come to me thinking that they have a money problem, but they really have a habit or organizational problem.” -Helen Ngo
My friend, you are in for a treat! In this week’s episode I sit down with my very own financial planner, Helen Ngo who is honestly one of the smartest people I know. And she keeps it alllllll the way real!
There are SO MANY incredible takeaways, including:
- Choosing to pursue your passion over pressure from family or friends
- How being an entrepreneur can affect your kids (the good and the bad)
- Why at the end of the day, it’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how much you can keep.
- The better way to adjust your budgeted expenses
- Why not everyone should be an entrepreneur (yikes)
- The power of strong relationships when starting your entrepreneurial journey
- Why you should Marie Kondo your client list
We also talked about how owning a business is really about creating economic opportunity, not just for yourself, but for the people you are serving. Whew! I took so many notes myself!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Helen’s 2020 Financial Planning Checklist and Calendar
- Follow Helen on Instagram: @meethelenngo
- Check out Helen’s Financial Planning Firm: Capital Benchmark Partners
- Ready Set Launch: the first 10 steps to launching your business
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“It’s almost like watching a movie that I’m actually in, and I just don’t know the ending… but I know that I’m gonna win.”
Our world is reopening. For some it’s exciting, and for others it’s scary. As business owners we have the fun job of serving our clients in the best way possible and managing the non-stop behind the scenes, all while trying to make it run seamlessly.
Tune in to hear practical tips around putting yourself in your clients’ shoes, getting their feedback, and communicating with your team.
And if quarantine has made you really rethink some things and sparked the desire for you to finally launch that business of your dreams, the first step is developing a solid business plan.
I’d love to journey with you through this process! Join the Prove It Plan community and watch your business take flight!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Everything flows from you. Your business will reflect you.”
This week we close our 2-part mini series on Bookkeeping, Payroll and Taxes. Go ahead and get ready to take notes because it’s a good one!
After listening to Episode 25, you’ll understand:
- The importance of having a CPA you love (not one you barely hear from or one who makes you feel rushed or intimidated)
- Why you should pay yourself (your personal financial health will affect your business)
- How to pay yourself as an owner (equity distributions vs. payroll)
- Why you should be making estimated tax payments
I’m so grateful to have a CPA who does ALL of this for my businesses! Abraham Professional Services handles all of our payroll, bookkeeping and taxes. I’ve worked with Alby for years and he’s just the best. Go to http://birdwilliams.com/alby to connect with him, and remember to mention the Bird Means Business podcast to book your free initial consultation!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“You, my friend, are the real deal! You’re in this for the long haul! We’re not playing games over here. If you aspire to have a 6, 7, or 8 figure business, you need to ACT like you already have one! Go ahead and establish strong principles and financial disciplines NOW, and I promise you will thank me later.”
This week we start our 2-part mini series on Bookkeeping, Payroll and Taxes, and I promise to keep it not boring and super insightful!
In Episode 24, I answer these questions:
- Why do I need an accountant?
- What is bookkeeping?
- Do I really need to separate my personal and business bank accounts? (Spoiler alert: yes you do)
- How should I be tracking my business’ financials?
- How do I work with my accountant when it comes to bookkeeping?
The first crucial step is getting a great accountant. Need one? Look no further! Alby Abraham has worked with me for years and now also serves many of my clients and friends. Go to https://birdwilliams.com/alby to connect with him, and remember to mention the Bird Means Business podcast to book your free initial consultation!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“It was rough but we saw the vision and we saw what it could be, so we went for it. It was bigger than what we needed but we knew that people were gonna come.” — Brandi Lisenbe
As an entrepreneur, there’s nothing more educational or inspiring than listening to how other entrepreneurs actually launched and grew their businesses.
In this episode, my dear friend, Brandi Lisenbe, joins us to share her journey in growing her hair salon, Do or Dye Tx.
From not even having a website at launch, to opening in a small space that she quickly outgrew, Brandi’s story is sure to leave you inspired to think big in your business!
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why Brandi went from being a hairstylist to owning her own salon
- Challenges around finding the right space for her business
- How customer service played a key role in the vibe of her hair salon
- How Brandi works with her business partner, the co-owner of Do or Dye
- Misconceptions about entrepreneurship
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Instagram @buenobrandi
- Instagram @doordyebrandi
- Do or Dye Tx Website
- Instagram @doordyetx
- Join the Bird Williams Email Tribe
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“You don’t have to be infected in order to be affected. And If you haven’t been affected negatively [by the virus], you carry a responsibility to see to it that it affects you positively.”
COVID-19 has affected us all. And this global pandemic is having a devastating impact on small businesses. In challenging times like this, we still need to stay strong, sharp and productive. It’s our responsibility to see this crisis in a way that will positively affect us.
In this episode, I want to share 7 takeaways that you should note as an entrepreneur in response to the coronavirus.
Find out how I’m managing to keep my businesses intact during a difficult time as well as what you can do to stay ready and alert!
In this episode, you will learn:
- How COVID-19 has affected each of my business
- The impact of COVID-19 to small businesses
- 7 practical takeaways in this challenging time
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Bird’s Signature Course: Prove It Plan (formerly Bird’s Eye View Interactive)
- Join the Email Tribe
- Helen Ngo’s IG: @meethelenngo
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Your systems will save you.”
You want to connect with your audience, and do so consistently so that your ideal client begins to know, like and trust you.
This means regular content that this client can look forward to each week, for example. And unless you’re a unicorn content creator, keeping up with all of this will be SO rough without an effective content process.
Tune in to learn how I generate and capture ideas and the useful tools I use to make it happen, all while maximizing productivity!
In this episode, you will:
- Understand the importance of consistent weekly content
- Gain ideas for how to get inspiration
- Discover the tools I use for content creation and managing content-related tasks
Links mentioned in the episode:
- FREE DOWNLOAD: Social Media Content Calendar
- Learn More about Prove It Plan (formerly Bird’s Eye View Interactive)
- Join the Email Tribe
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Be fired up! You have to start and figure it out to make it work.”
Turning your unique and innovative idea into a profitable business is not easy as it looks. Before you start investing tons of money and time, it’s helpful to know if your business idea is viable.
When you have a great idea, you get excited - you’re fired up to implement it. But, have you considered, for example, whether your business has the potential to bring in enough profit?
If you’re not sure, tune into this episode! You’ll learn the vital keys and red flags you need to know when it comes to deciding if your idea makes a good business or not!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- What to consider before going all out with your business idea
- The red flags to be aware of as you navigate starting your business
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Marketing is more than your promotion and social media. This is not what marketing is all about. It’s about your product, price, and the rest of the Ps!”
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word marketing? Is it PR? Advertising? Promotion? Social media? Sales? You probably thought along those lines, but let me tell you that marketing is sooooo much more.
If you’re wondering why your marketing efforts aren’t producing results, then you might be only focused on one part of the whole Marketing Mix.
In this episode, you’ll learn about the 7 Ps of marketing which are vital to achieve maximum results in your business! Understanding these 7 Ps will help you see marketing in a different light and be more effective in your overall strategy
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why marketing is not all about promotion
- How your location/place has a lot to do with your marketing
- Why first impressions are so crucial
- The importance of understanding how you want your business to look to the world
- How your “People” are such a key ingredient in your marketing mix
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Want to take a deeper dive into how you're marketing your business? Click here to check out Prove It Plan (formerly Bird’s Eye View)
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Success to me would be the day that I can sleep better at night and be okay with how things are... and not be so anxious about what will happen tomorrow.” — Patsy Vivares
How do you turn your food truck business into a restaurant? What are the risks and challenges you need to prepare for when you plan to venture from wheels to bricks?
In this episode, you’ll learn about Patsy’s incredible journey on transitioning her food truck to a brick-and-mortar restaurant, just 3 months since its launch!
If you’re looking to grow your business or venture into the food space, then make sure you give this episode a listen! Find out how Patsy dealt with the challenges of starting Sticky’s Chicken as she shares with us her real experience on what it's like to be an entrepreneur and what she does to get through those tough days that seem to never end.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How Patsy started Sticky’s Chicken
- What made Patsy decide to go from a food truck business to a restaurant
- How to manage your personal life when you’re an entrepreneur
- How to deal with those hard days
- The importance of having a support system
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“When you get access to knowledge, be sure to actually apply it!”
Entrepreneurship is a process. Like dancing, it has its phases. In order to perfect your dance, you must find your rhythm and adapt with each stage!
Tune in for a glimpse of what to expect from this wild ride of entrepreneurship and how to navigate each step of the way!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How taking action builds momentum AND how to capitalize on that momentum
- Why you shouldn't wait for someone to invite you onto the "entrepreneurial dance floor"
- How THIS IS AWKWARD for everyone, not just you
- The importance of thinking of your business in phases
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“You have goals, but do you have systems?”
Automating client communications in my business has saved me so much time and space in my brain, because I know the administrative tasks are being handled in the background.
You’ll love this episode if you are frustrated with having to manage which client contracts are completed or remembering to send client reminders of past due invoices. With Dubsado, you can automate your client communication process so that so much of this runs on its own, after the initial set up. Tune in for practical examples and tips on how to maximize Dubsado in your business!
Discount Code: When you sign up at http://dubsado.com and use my code “birdwilliams” you’ll get 20% off your first month or year! So, you can start off by using Dubsado's free trial for your first 3 clients, and once you add your 4th client, you will receive the 20% discount if you used my code when you signed up!
I’d love to know what you think! Shoot me a DM on Instagram (@heybirdwilliams) if you have any questions
Click here to download Ready Set Launch, my free guide on the first 10 steps to launching your business. It’s one of my most popular guides!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Are you preparing to sign a commercial lease? Exciting times!
Even if you’re not quite there, but you know you’ll do this down the road, you’re going to really appreciate this episode!
We dive into:
- how to work with your real estate agent and attorney
- what the process of securing a lease could look like
- facets of a commercial lease, which will help you feel more knowledgeable and confident as you go through this process!
Remember, I’m no lawyer, so make sure to put any of your legal documents by an attorney that you trust.
Click here to download your Commercial Lease Checklist, and begin the process of turning your dream space into a reality.
If you are looking for an outstanding attorney or real estate agent, Vince Harding is a dear friend and trusted advisor of ours. Go to https://birdwilliams.com/harding for his contact info.
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
"Connect with their story and not their situation. Knowing someone’s story is so much more powerful than knowing their situation because it allows for deeper connection." - Terry Williams
This is just one of the many gems from this week's episode with Terry Williams.
You may already know the importance of connecting with your tribe -- having them know, like and trust you -- but you may feel stuck with actually navigating that process.
Tune in to hear how we address connection in our businesses and the huge impact it's made.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- What authentic connection with clients looks like
- How to reframe your thinking to be more relatable
- How to make your own story more accessible to clients
- Practical examples of how this all plays out
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Do you have a podcast idea but don’t have a lot of time or money? No worries… I got you.
In this episode, I lay out the steps to launch your podcast in less than 5 weeks for little to no money. No excuses, baby!
Share this episode with a friend who has been talking about starting a podcast and needs some motivation and guidance!
And as a bonus, I have a FREE 24-step Podcast Launch Guide with the steps to launch your podcast, plus a weekly checklist to make sure you’re covering your bases once your podcast is set up! Click here to download the free checklist and get started today!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
What do you do when you’re trying to “crack a code” in your business model, while staying true to what echoes deep down inside? You pause, reflect and realign. At least that’s what I’m attempting to do.
This episode is all about where I’m finding myself, and my baby business, as it’s taken off faster than I assumed it would in just 3 short months, which is exciting (and scary)!
Tune in to hear how I’m navigating this rapid growth, and get some takeaways and encouragement if you find yourself in a similar place.
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Have you ever disagreed with your spouse about how to spend money? No shade, we’ve all been there!
If you’re going into business with your significant other, talking about money is something you’ll have to get comfortable with, so you might as well start now! And the stronger your personal finances, the faster your growth potential is for your business!
Tune in to hear how once my husband and I finally started budgeting, we uncovered some shocking spending habits and ultimately set up a system allowing us to save while maintaining individual freedom!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- When you should start budgeting (spoiler alert… right now)
- Why you shouldn’t ignore budgeting
- How to help minimize discretionary expenses
- JOINT accounts vs PERSONAL accounts: A “fair” system between you and your spouse that also promotes freedom
And I also share a simple personal budget template that I’ve used over the years. Click HERE to download the template, and modify it for your needs!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
For my first ever podcast guest, I’m inviting my favorite person… my husband, Terry Williams, on the show. Terry is the Co-Founder and Lead Instructor at The League, our very first business.
If you’re interested in the importance of language, motivation, responsibility, or in pouring into the lives of others, this episode is for you.
What you’ll learn:
- What “Team strong - all day long” means to Terry and I, and why you need this phenomenon in your life
- The valuable side effects of investing into the lives of others
- How to quickly and easily determine who your first hire should be when you start a business
- How pouring into yourself and loving yourself well gives you a better chance at entrepreneurial success
- Terry’s vital answer to the question, “But what if I fail?”
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Brian Tracy’s: Responsibility is Really “Response-Ability”
- Bird’s Free Guide:Building a Winning Culture in Your Business
- Let’s chat! Schedule a 30-minute Consultation
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
For factors beyond my own ability, my gym business hit six figures within its first calendar year.
We’re talking six figures in revenue (not everybody mentions that part!), but it only took one additional year to make six-figures in profit.
I strongly believe there are at least five major factors that caused our business to grow so quickly:
- What happened in the dark: those things my husband and I did in our careers before we ever imagined we’d own a business
- Adapting to market needs: pivoting when the services we had weren’t exactly what our clients wanted or needed
- Grit and hustle: scooping up water with red plastic cups after a pressure washer situation gone wrong. Entrepreneurship ain’t always so sexy.
- Loving people well: focusing on people as people instead of people as customers. Wanting people to feel seen, heard, and loved.
- The grace of God: there were so many tough moments when an answer came from a dream, or random phone call, and things just fell into place in a supernatural way.
Another key factor was starting with a strong business plan. In my 5-week online course, Prove It Plan (formerly Making Cents of It) you’ll journey through each facet of your business and connect with me and other business owners through our private, member’s only group. I’ll host monthly LIVE Q&A sessions and there’s a bonus offer of having me review your business plan one-on-one at the end of the course!
If you’re wondering where to even start, download my free guide: Ready, Set, Launch: the First 10 Steps to Launching your Business. If I’d had this list when I first launched The League, I would have saved so much time and money.
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Money, money, moneyyyy! This episode is all about what it looks like to raise funding for your business.
When I launched my first business, The League, in 2013, my husband and I didn’t have the personal funds to do it alone. So we raised capital from investors (family and friends) and also secured an SBA loan.
In this episode, I’ll answer:
- Should I self-fund or raise funding?
- How much money should I raise?
- What are different options for raising funding?
- What does the funding process actually look like (investors vs bank financing)?
- What’s an important next step after raising funding?
I’m so glad that not having my own money saved up didn’t stop me from starting. The countless level of impact and life change we’ve seen through her gym business made it all worth it!
If you’re thinking, “Before we even start talking investors, I don’t even have much of a structure for my business,” I have two helpful resources for you:
“Ready, Set, Launch” is a free guide on the first 10 steps to launching your business. If I’d had this list when we launched The League… whew! I would have saved so much time and money.
My 5-week online course, Prove It Plan (formerly Making Cents of It). You’ll journey through each facet of your business and connect with me and other business owners through a private, member’s only Facebook group. I’ll host monthly LIVE Q&A sessions and provide additional guidance and resources.
Whether or not you join the course, I encourage you to invest in establishing a strong foundation with a business plan. You will be so glad you did!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
We’re at the start of a new year AND a new decade. For 2020, it feels like everything will be be next level - including our dreams. There are still unknowns, there always are, but you can manage this by breaking down your dreams into bite-sized goals.
This episode is for you if:
- Your goals seem crazy and you don’t know how to navigate them
- You want to break your goals down into quarterly, monthly, and weekly actionable steps to actually get things done
- You need a system, but don’t know where to start
Here’s my process:
- Dream big. Start with your end-goal in mind
- Work backward from there, planning quarter by quarter so it’s not overwhelming
- Remember your why when you start feeling stuck
- TAKE ACTION. It’s one thing to make a grand plan, but it’s another to do the dang thing!
If you need some motivation to simply do the next thing, I have some resources for you (see below)!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Ready, Set, Launch: a free guide on the first 10 steps to launching your business. If I’d had this list when I launched my first business in 2013, I would have saved so much time and money.
- My 5-week online course, Prove It Plan (formerly Making Cents of It). You’ll journey through each facet of your business and connect with me and other entrepreneurs in a private, member’s only group. I’ll host a monthly LIVE Q&A and provide additional guidance and resources.
- Free download: Team Strong: Building a Winning Culture in Your Business
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
“Is a business plan really that important?” In this week’s episode, Ashley dives into the meat and potatoes of what a business plan actually is, why having one will help you make crucial decisions for your business and the different ways to utilize it!
You need a business plan if:
- You have a business idea that you’re not working on now but you want to set a firm foundation so that once you’re ready, you’re already prepared.
- You’re in the process of a launch, but you missed this important step and before you make a lot of mistakes you want to nail down what you’re doing and how it will actually work.
- Your business has been around for a few years and you want to grow, but you’re not really sure if your business can handle that growth. You need to go back to the drawing board to clarify things.
Going through the process of a business plan proves your idea to yourself (and potentially to investors or partners as well)! You’ll make sure you’ve covered all your bases, saving you a lot of time and money.
Some elements of a business plan:
- Your purpose or mission
- The problem you’re solving
- Your solution to that problem
- Information on your team
- Competition or the Market Landscape
- Information on your product or service
- Business Model (how you’ll make money)
- Financial Projections
And, guess what? You don’t have to navigate this alone!
Click here to learn more about my 5-week business plan course, Prove It Plan (formerly, Making Cents of It).
You’ll journey through each facet of your business and connect with me and others in the course community through our private, member’s only group, where I will host monthly Q&A and provide additional guidance and resources.
Whether or not you join the course, I encourage you to invest in establishing a strong foundation. You will be so glad you did!
Links mentioned in the episode:
- Prove It Plan (formerly, Making Cents of It)
- Bird’s Podcast Studio Makeover
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Today, Bird Means Business is officially LIVE.
It’s my birthday week!! So in this special birthday episode, I’m gifting you with my newest project: Bird Means Business Podcast!
Tune in to hear how my background is in a brick-and-mortar gym business, so with the launch of my small business strategy firm, Bird Williams, I’m venturing into the online business space and learning a LOT.
One of those lessons is the importance of consistent weekly content. After trying two other formats, I decide to go all in and choose podcasting, which is more natural to me and allows me to connect better with you, my audience!
Learning how to figure out what is or isn’t working is half the battle. Don’t get stuck thinking you have to write a blog or be perfect on camera to be successful. Find what works for you! Adaptability and vulnerability will take you far as an entrepreneur!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Welcome to the show!
In this first episode, you learn why Bird Means Business is here, and host, Ashley "Bird" Williams, shares her background: Going from a small high school to a large university, then to New York City as an Investment Banking Analyst on Wall Street, Bird eventually chooses to leave Corporate America and pursue entrepreneurship.
She launches a gym with her husband in Houston, TX, and after six years of running a successful business, Bird is inspired to help other entrepreneurs by starting a small business consulting firm, Bird Williams. Less than a month into her new firm, Bird launches a podcast, Bird Means Business, alongside it.
Tune in to hear more on Bird’s journey from Corporate America to entrepreneurship, the growth of her first gym business and how Bird Means Business came to be!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Wondering if your husband’s-cousin’s-brother’s-new spouse, who took an accounting class in college, should handle your startup business finances? Nah, fam.
In this episode, you’ll:
- See why securing a money team from the beginning will save you tons of money, time and energy
- Hear great tips on what to look for when interviewing your attorney and accountant
- Learn to be proactive versus reactive, setting the groundwork now so you’re fully prepared when tax season comes knocking at the door
- Understand the importance of starting with a business plan
You’ll also hear how Alby Abraham was crucial in rescuing my first business from a tangled web of incorrect IRS classifications and bookkeeping errors, ultimately saving us thousands of dollars.
You can work with Alby too! Go to birdwilliams.com/alby to connect with him and get a free consultation with the code: Bird Williams Consulting.
Don’t be like me and go through the agony of working with four accountants before finding one that’s best for your business!
I’ll tell you this: you will save thousands of dollars by picking the right team early on. There’s so much great information in this episode! I’m so excited for you to hear it!
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
Quick clients are not always quality clients. Yep... you’ll have to say ‘no’ to some clients.
In this episode, we talk about the importance of defining your ideal client and methods to use to weed out those clients who aren’t aligned with your business.
There’s a strategy that goes into packaging your product or service which will lead to new clients falling in love with your team and allowing your business to really grow. Bird shares a story of how this refocus really transformed her gym business.
You need this episode if:
- You’re just trying to get any and every person in the door to reach your income goals
- You have low customer retention rates and don’t know why
- You’re trying to understand how to attract the best clients
This small change in my business helped grow a strong community and culture, while saving us so much time and money.
It’s not easy, especially in the beginning, but saying ‘no’ can be vital to the future success of your business.
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast
In this week’s episode, you’ll learn the importance of hiring, training, inspiring, and, yeah... sometimes firing your internal team.
We’ll explore this idea behind “Hire Slow, Fire Quick” and why it’s important to acknowledge those red flags that come up.
Remember, your team sets the tone of your business’ culture, so take these helpful notes to avoid having to act out of desperation.
Download my free guide on Building a Winning Culture in your Business to dive even deeper!
You’ll love this episode if:
- You know you’ll need to grow your team, but not sure how or when
- You have a team but know there’s room for improvement
- You have a high turnover rate
- You need to improve your business and team culture
The human component of our business is by far the hardest, yet the most important. I think you’ll draw a lot from this episode -- I can’t wait for you to hear it!
As always, there’s some very special bonus footage from Baby Terry. This week he explains why there’s no time for bad hires and how scary it is.
Click here to read the transcript of this episode!
Want to work together? Click here to get started
For more great episodes, visit: www.birdwilliams.com/podcast