Why You Should Listen
This episode is part strategy, part confession, and part systems-playbook. I share the personal and professional triggers that pushed me to change course, the framework I use to evaluate what’s working, and the concrete services and products I’m building around a video-first approach. I also get candid about life events — grief, family health, and time — and how those realities influence the business choices I make.
If you want clarity about where to prioritize your time, how to make content ownership non-negotiable, or how to productize and memorialize expertise so your brand outlives any single platform or season, listen up. I walk you through the OWN framework (Own your audience, Work smarter, Nail your brand), how I’m implementing it, and the steps you can take to do the same.
Thank you
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Episode Highlights: What You'll Walk Away With
A clear explanation of the OWN framework I’m using to evaluate every decision.
Why email and owning your audience is non-negotiable (and how I’m merging Substack with my main list).
How to make video your anchor content and repurpose it efficiently across platforms.
Practical automation and AI considerations for service-focused creators.
Which systems I’m building (SOP packs, on-demand courses, custom GPTs) to memorialize my work and scale without losing quality.
Real-world platform notes: Rodecaster Pro call feature, Substack live stream access, and GoBrunch mobile inconsistencies.
Actionable steps you can take right now to refine your content strategy and start productizing your knowledge.
The Why: What Prompted the Pivot
Quick version: the pivot wasn’t born from a single dramatic moment. It was a series of small, uncomfortable realities converging — personal events (family deaths, a dad’s cancer diagnosis, an aunt’s advanced illness), life-stage reflection (I’m about to turn 54), and backstage messages from people telling me how my work actually helped them. Those combined to make the obvious clear: time is finite and my choices matter. I can either keep chasing new tactics or double down on what genuinely moves the needle for my audience.
That clarity led me to ask the question Amy Hager asked me: “What if you just continue to do what works?” It was one of those questions that shifted everything. It forced a ruthless inventory of my offerings: what truly delivers value, what drains my bandwidth, and what can be systematized or productized so the value persists even when I’m not personally delivering every single time.
Introducing OWN: My Decision Framework
I use a simple three-part framework to decide where to invest my time and energy. I call it OWN:
Own your audience — Build direct relationships through channels you control (email lists, CRM). Prioritize people over platform algorithms.
Work smarter — Use automation, AI, SOPs, and repurposing to distribute content consistently without burning out.
Nail your brand — Be intentional about tone, topics, and the lasting value you deliver: content that outlasts trends and algorithms.
This framework is both a filter and a blueprint. Before I invest in a new format, tool, or partnership, I run it through OWN. Does it help me own my audience? Can it be automated or made sustainable? Does it strengthen my brand identity?
Own Your Audience — Why Email Still Matters
We talked about owning the list with intention. Here’s what I’m doing and why:
Email is central: When you own the inbox, you reduce dependence on platform algorithms that change overnight.
Merging Substack and main list: I’m evaluating how to merge Substack’s audience into my main CRM so notifications and access are seamless. Tools like Zapier, Integrately, or Make.com can bridge gaps — e.g., parse incoming Substack emails and update your CRM automatically.
Anchor content on Substack: Substack supports articles, audio, video, and even live streaming. If live video is your anchor, Substack can be a home base for a certain audience segment.
Actionable step: If you don’t have an email list, start one this week. If you have a list but aren’t using a CRM, choose one (even a simple spreadsheet is better than nothing). Use an integration tool to keep everything synced.
Work Smarter — AI, Systems, and Productization
Working smarter isn’t about replacing human judgment with a machine. It’s about combining my 20+ years of experience with automation and AI so I can deliver consistent, high-quality service without burning out.
Highlights of how I’m doing that:
AI certification: I recently completed an AI consultant certification. The goal: credibility, knowledge, and the ability to responsibly deliver on client promises. A certification is not a magic badge — you must back it up with real workflows and results.
Niche AI services: Rather than being a generic “AI consultant,” I’m niching my AI offerings to support video-first marketing strategies and streaming workflows (e.g., content repurposing, episode planning, automating social clips).
Systems and SOPs: My most-watched content has been on SOPs. That’s because consistent systems preserve quality. I’m packaging SOP packs and workflow templates so creators can buy, adapt, and plug them into their operations.
Memorializing content: I’m turning evergreen teachings into on-demand courses and SOP libraries so my knowledge survives platform shifts and personal transitions.
Custom GPTs and "pickaxes": I’m building custom AI tools that mirror the way I’d train a team member to do the work — so the output is aligned to my voice and quality standards.
Actionable step: Pick one repetitive task in your content workflow (e.g., create episode show notes, produce social clips). Document the steps once, create a simple SOP, and explore an automation to take at least one manual step off your plate.
Nail Your Brand — Be Human, Systematic, and Unapologetic
Brand is not just visuals or a tagline. Your brand is the consistent set of choices you make about tone, topics, and the people you serve.
Here’s how I’m nailing mine:
Bring guests back, but own the show: I realized my channel had become other people talking. I reclaimed the brand by producing more of my own content, then intentionally adding guests who bring clear processes and value.
Tone is non-negotiable: Warm, thoughtful, justice-minded, and practical. My personality will remain in the work — I don’t leave bits of myself behind to fit a mold.
Be human on camera: It’s okay to share life details — family, dogs, health, real errands — because that builds community and trust. People don’t just buy content; they buy the person behind it.
Memorable quote I shared:
"Where you are is where you're meant to be. You're affecting the people you're meant to affect."
Actionable step: Write your brand promise in one sentence. Then test every piece of content against it: does this deliver that promise?
Your Questions Answered in This Live: Platform Notes & Tech Reality Checks
Tools and platforms are helpful but imperfect. Here are a few pragmatic notes from my testing and community feedback:
Rodecaster Pro 'Call Me' feature: There was a global issue impacting call-ins. If you rely on platform features, have fallback plans and keep your users informed.
Substack live access: Some creators reported delays in access to live streaming features. If you use Substack, plan lead time for support and consider alternative notification strategies.
GoBrunch: Excellent desktop experience but inconsistent on mobile devices. For community coworking, the mobile experience must be strong; otherwise your members may be locked out.
Integrations: Zapier / Integrately / Make.com are lifesavers for syncing email notifications from platforms like Substack into your CRM. Use them to keep your audience data unified.
Actionable Checklist You Can Use This Week
Set aside 60 minutes to audit what content formats worked in the last 12 months. Identify the top 1–2 that drove leads or deep engagement.
If you don’t have an email list, create one and add a simple lead magnet. If you do, pick one weekly cadence to start and commit to it for 90 days.
Document one SOP this week: the process to go from a live stream to three social clips. Make it reproducible.
Choose one automation (Zapier, Integrately, or Make.com) to remove a manual task from your workflow — even something small like auto-adding new subscribers to your CRM.
Commit to a content anchor: decide if your anchor is video, audio, or long-form writing. Plan how you’ll repurpose that anchor into at least three other formats.
Be human on camera this week: share one small personal detail that builds trust (a family moment, a health win/faux pas, or a behind-the-scenes workflow).
Final Takeaways
If there’s one thing I want you to leave with, it’s this: you get to make the rules. You can and should re-evaluate your plan when life or strategy changes. Time is finite; pick the work that matters and make it sustainable.
Practical reminders:
Own your audience — email and CRM first.
Work smarter — SOPs, automations, AI as augmentation, not replacement.
Nail your brand — be clear about tone, value, and the people you serve. Show up as yourself.
I’m committed to continuing to show up, teach, and build systems that help creators scale without burning out. I’ll be launching products, hosting creator labs, and opening limited coaching spots. Yes — I will charge for coaching, because modeling paid value is part of the work. If you want to coffee-chat, DM me for the link and we’ll schedule it.
If this episode resonated with you, here’s how to keep the momentum:
Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss future episodes and product launches.
Leave a review — it helps other creators find the content.
Subscribe or DM me to set up coffee time — I’m scheduling coaching and hands-on workshops soon.
Pick one item from the Actionable Checklist and commit to it this week.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for the messages that remind me why I keep doing this work. And if you’re hesitating on a change because you think you’ll have time later — don’t. The people who need your work might be waiting for you to show up now.
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