The Sassy Strategist Podcast brings you the "how-to's" of running a small business that brings you financial freedom and a fulfilling life. If you're a solopreneur or small business owner and offer creative, professional, or consumer services, this podcast is for you. Host, Kim Dawson shares insight and effective strategies to help you build a profitable business that brings you joy, purpose, and the lifestyle you desire. Kim also interviews subject matter experts to share their experience a ...
…
continue reading
1
Mastering Your Niche: Unveiling The Power of Your Brand with Mallika Malhotra
38:11
38:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:11
On this episode of the Sassy Strategist Podcast, host Kim Dawson interviews Mallika Malhotra, the Brand CEO, as she unpacks the crucial elements of brand strategy for entrepreneurs navigating crowded marketplaces. Delving into the challenges of standing out and gaining traction, Malika shares her expertise in helping experienced entrepreneurs defin…
…
continue reading
1
Pricing Models for Your Service-Based Business with Kim Dawson
46:28
46:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:28
In the initial stages of launching a service-based business, it's common to start with lower rates to attract clients and gain experience. Many entrepreneurs begin by charging hourly, ensuring they are compensated for their time. However, as expertise grows, sticking to hourly rates can hinder long-term profitability. In this episode of the Sassy S…
…
continue reading
1
Unlocking the Power of Curiosity and Authenticity: Kim Dawson's Journey to a Purpose-Driven Business, Hosted by Emily Aborn
45:48
45:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:48
Unlocking the Power of Curiosity and Authenticity: Kim Dawson's Journey to a Purpose-Driven Business, Hosted by Emily Aborn In this episode of the Sassy Strategist podcast, host Kim Dawson swaps roles with her friend and fellow podcaster, Emily Aborn, who hosts two podcasts - She Built This and Content with Character. Emily interviews Kim about her…
…
continue reading
1
Stop Waiting for Change and Start Creating It Yourself with Kim Dawson
25:46
25:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:46
Have you been feeling stuck, unmotivated, or simply “meh” about your business lately? Does it feel like you’re in a holding pattern waiting for something to change? Are you telling yourself that eventually things will start to happen for you, and at that point you’ll finally be ready to move forward? Then don’t miss this episode of The Sassy Strate…
…
continue reading
1
Staying Small While Growing Your Team with Kim Dawson
32:40
32:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
32:40
There’s a misconception out there that scaling is the only way to increase revenue, increase profit, have more time, and run your business more efficiently. However, many solopreneurs and small business owners don’t really want to scale. In fact, what many call scaling, isn’t really scaling at all! In this episode of The Sassy Strategist, host Kim …
…
continue reading
1
Building a Profitable Business When You Don't Want to Be a CEO with Kim Dawson
21:44
21:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:44
You love being a small business owner and you started your business because you wanted to make a living doing something you love. But there is pressure coming from all around you telling you to “grow and scale” - whether it’s creating passive revenue streams, hiring employees, growing your team, or even building to sell. The message you’re told is …
…
continue reading
1
How to Get More Clients by Selling Results with Kim Dawson
32:01
32:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
32:01
When selling to potential clients remember one thing - they want to know that you can provide what they need, do it within their budget, and if they hire you they’ll get results. To successfully sell your services, you need to be able to communicate these results at rates that align with the value of these results. Pricing too high or too low can s…
…
continue reading
1
How to Create an Effective Marketing Strategy for Your Business with Kristi Mitchell
49:00
49:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:00
Not every business owner enjoys marketing, but it’s necessary if you want to grow your business. However, you can make marketing work for you, even make it enjoyable, if you adopt a different approach. Marketing can feel overwhelming if you think you need to implement every marketing strategy and be everywhere all the time. There are several option…
…
continue reading
1
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Taking On a New Client with Kim Dawson
38:18
38:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:18
Even the most experienced business owner can get nervous before a sales call. We might be worried about whether or not we make the sale, and if we don’t, how it will affect our revenue. Maybe you wish you didn’t have to worry about sales or marketing, and you think you’d be happier if you could just do what you love to do in your business. In fact,…
…
continue reading
1
How to Do SEO Yourself with Karen Callahan
55:59
55:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:59
You’ve heard about SEO and how it can really drive traffic to your website, but you keep putting it off. SEO can seem overwhelming, overly technical, and can feel like there is too much to learn. However, SEO can actually be easy to learn and implement in your business. SEO may also be the most effective marketing tool in your toolbox, and one you …
…
continue reading
1
Is Social Media Really Worth Your Time? with Kim Dawson
39:40
39:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:40
Are you spending copious amounts of time and energy on social media marketing and not getting the results you want? Is the pressure to be active on social media and keep up with the latest social media trends making you feel exhausted and frustrated? Have you considered breaking up with social media but fear your business won’t survive? Do you wish…
…
continue reading
1
How to Build Systems in your Business that Work for You with Yvonne Heimann
51:01
51:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:01
Do you experience FOMO when you hear your fellow entrepreneurs talking about the latest tools they use, like ClickUp, Monday, or Asana, and wonder why you haven’t used these tools yet? Are you feeling disorganized in your business because you don’t have systems and processes in place and documented? Do you keep hearing that running your business wo…
…
continue reading
1
How to Price Your Biggest Proposal with Confidence with Kim Dawson
26:08
26:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:08
Have you ever had the opportunity to pitch a proposal to a client bigger than any other client you’ve ever had? A project that is so full of potential you can’t imagine losing this opportunity, but fear you will? If so, you’ve undoubtedly been nervous about what to include in the proposal, and how much to charge. You don’t want to charge too little…
…
continue reading
1
How to Achieve Your Goals by Being Open to Possibilities with Jamie Chapman
1:00:05
1:00:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:05
Do you find yourself struggling with decisions because you feel conflict between what you want (or think you want) and what you’re told you should want? Do you want to forge your own path in business, and in life, but not sure how to do it, or where to start? Then don’t miss this episode of the Sassy Strategist podcast where host Kim Dawson intervi…
…
continue reading
1
How to Create Content that Connects with Your Ideal Client with Emily Aborn
53:28
53:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
53:28
Does creating consistent and interesting content feel too time-consuming? Have you considered hiring a content writer, but fear they won’t be able to accurately capture your brand or your voice? Do you wonder about content strategy and how you can build a genuine connection with your audience? Then don’t miss this episode of the Sassy Strategist po…
…
continue reading
1
Selling Your Services by Being Yourself with Kim Dawson
23:46
23:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
23:46
If you’re not a fan of sales or selling, it might be because you’ve been taught traditional sales strategies such as pre-planned scripts, sales templates, or high pressure tactics. But the most effective sales strategies are the ones that break tradition, and focus on getting to know people, and finding ways to help them. In fact, having only one s…
…
continue reading
1
How to Stand Out in a Highly Competitive Industry with Kim Dawson
26:01
26:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:01
With so much of our business being online, does it feel like the amount of competition you have is endless? Do you struggle to feel seen and heard, and want to know how you can stand out so your audience can find you, without having to follow social media trends or copy everyone else? Do you want to create a unique brand, but unsure how to overcome…
…
continue reading
1
How to Stop Overthinking and Start Moving Forward in Your Business with Kim Dawson
26:49
26:49
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:49
Do you ever feel like you’re working all of the time, but not making progress? Is the *work* you’re doing more thinking and less action? Do you struggle to make decisions in your business because you fear making mistakes? Overthinking, or as some call it “Analysis Paralysis” affects many of us, especially entrepreneurs. We get stuck in thinking mod…
…
continue reading
1
…And We’re Back! (Why I'm NOT ending the show) with Kim Dawson
14:44
14:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
14:44
Host Kim Dawson shares why she decided NOT to end the Sassy Strategist Podcast, and gets honest about the struggles we face as entrepreneurs to make decisions. Kim talks about her own struggle with her brand name, and why naming anything in our business feels so important (and why we’re so afraid to make a mistake!). Kim also discusses her plans fo…
…
continue reading
1
The Next Stage in the Entrepreneur Journey with Kim Dawson
17:42
17:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
17:42
Host Kim Dawson gets personal and shares the “why” behind her work, and what she is planning for the next stage of her own entrepreneurial journey. Discussing the importance of entrepreneurship as a means to creating a meaningful and purposeful life, Kim shares exciting news, including how she will continue her mission of bringing you, the small bu…
…
continue reading
1
5 Signs You Should Raise Your Rates with Kim Dawson
19:36
19:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
19:36
Making decisions around raising your rates can be tough. We often worry about the amount we should charge for our services and how a price increase will affect our ability to retain and attract clients, but choosing the right time to increase our rates is equally important. On this episode of the Sassy Strategist Podcast, host Kim Dawson discusses …
…
continue reading
1
How to Niche Down in Your Business with Kim Dawson
21:53
21:53
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:53
If you are a solopreneur or small business owner, you have probably heard of niching down and the importance of it for growing your business. However, you probably also have concerns about niching, and wonder if it is right for you. On this episode of the Sassy Strategist Podcast, host Kim Dawson discusses different options for niching down in your…
…
continue reading
1
The Enneagram and Entrepreneurship with Christina Granahan
51:03
51:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:03
When you’re a solopreneur or small business owner, especially working in the service industry, your business is just as much about connecting with your clients as it is the service you provide. Our work can feel personal, and we often prefer to grow our businesses in a way that aligns with our values, our interests, and what feels right to us. On t…
…
continue reading
1
Rethink Your Tax Strategy with Ronica Brown
40:47
40:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:47
While talking about taxes isn’t the most glamorous topic of conversation, it’s a necessary one for all of us, especially if you own your own business. On this episode of The Sassy Strategist Podcast, listen in to Ronica Brown, CPA, advisor and tax strategist and I as we attempt to make “tax talk” interesting, and dare I say, fun. Well, at the very …
…
continue reading
1
How Strategy Took Me From Fear To Success with Kim Dawson
20:40
20:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:40
For the first time on the show, host Kim Dawson shares her own personal journey of building her business, which she nearly quit several times. Kim shares the mistakes she made during the first few years, including spending too much time and energy working on tasks that didn’t bring results, without having a plan that truly aligned with her goals an…
…
continue reading
1
Managing Your Business During a Personal Crisis with Julia Becker Collins
45:24
45:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:24
Julia received the call of her cancer diagnosis at 5pm on Friday, March 13, 2020, just as businesses throughout the country began shutting down from the COVID-19 pandemic. Julia Becker Collins, COO of Vision Advertising, was met with the challenge of dealing with a life changing medical diagnosis, with offices closing and the world in chaos, all wh…
…
continue reading
1
Convert Leads Into Clients Using Email Automation with Bev Feldman
19:44
19:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
19:44
Bev Feldman is a marketing technology consultant at Your Personal Tech Fairy and helps coaches & solopreneurs create and maintain email automations that can build trust and nurture relationships with subscribers. Bev takes care of the tech side of email marketing so that you can focus more on the aspects of your business that bring you joy. On this…
…
continue reading
1
Changing Your Pricing As Your Grow with Kim Dawson
25:55
25:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:55
As your clientele and business both grow, you may find that the rates you once charged for your services, no longer sustain you, or your business. Perhaps you are ready to hire help, but you’re unsure how you can afford it, or your experience level means it’s time to start increasing your rates, but you’re not sure how to go about doing so. In this…
…
continue reading
1
Website Strategies to Attract Your Ideal Client with Robyn White
52:10
52:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:10
Robyn White is is the owner and founder of RDW Design Studio, a boutique website design studio specializing in strategic websites for home professionals and creative service providers. Through her supportive, streamlined, and stress-free design process, Robyn creates websites that are not just beautiful, but also prioritize attracting your ideal cl…
…
continue reading
1
Discover Your Innate Marketing Genius with Christina Frei
30:47
30:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:47
Christina Frei is a branding and marketing specialist and consultant for smart business owners who are trusted advisors to their clients. She helps them identify what she calls their “one voice, one strategy”, and brings sanity and clarity to their marketing life. On this episode of the podcast, Christina and I talk about finding your “innate marke…
…
continue reading
1
Changing Your Market As You Grow with Kim Dawson
20:24
20:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:24
When you first launched your business, you were probably taking clients from anywhere you could get them. But overtime, you may have created a market and a niche and not even known that you created it. As your interests, experience, and knowledge have grown, your ideal client may be very different from who you originally thought you’d be serving in…
…
continue reading
Growing a business from solopreneur to CEO comes with many changes, challenges, and opportunities to grow. Beth Blaney started her business as a freelance bookkeeper and has so far built her company to a team of seven, and is still growing. In this episode of The Sassy Strategist, Beth shares her story of how she built her business, along with insi…
…
continue reading
1
Write, Publish, & Market Your First Book with Jodi Brandon
45:38
45:38
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:38
Many business owners have considered writing a book to share their expertise, build credibility, or grow their business. However, the process of writing and publishing a book brings about many questions - should you self-publish or go the traditional route, who do you need on your team, and how will you get your book out into the world? This week’s…
…
continue reading
1
Increasing Revenue by Hiring Employees with Kim Dawson
16:44
16:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
16:44
At a certain point in your business, you may find that your business can no longer sustain itself with just you on the team. You need to increase your revenue, but you’re working long hours trying to get all of your client work done, and run your business. While you haven’t met your revenue goals just yet, you also don’t have the time or capacity t…
…
continue reading
1
From Copywriter To CEO With Content Strategist Abby Herman
37:53
37:53
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
37:53
Like many small business owners, Abby started her business on the side, working as a copywriter and content creator, while working full-time as a school teacher. She now runs a successful business with employees of her own. On this episode of the podcast, Abby and I talk about taking your business through many different stages of growth, including …
…
continue reading
1
Budgeting for Your First Hire with Kim Dawson
31:30
31:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:30
You’re at maximum capacity and ready to start hiring employees, but you’re not sure how you’re going to pay for it. You’re stuck feeling overwhelmed doing everything yourself, but you’re also overwhelmed thinking about having to go through the process of hiring. Who should you hire first? How much will they cost your business? Will you need to give…
…
continue reading
1
How Client Values Influence Business Growth with Kim Dawson
25:15
25:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:15
Identifying what your ideal client values, and aligning this with your own business values, is probably the most important factor in helping your business move forward. What your clients value most will determine which services and/or products you offer, how you will market them, and what you will charge for them. In this episode of The Sassy Strat…
…
continue reading
1
Increase Client Sales Without Discounting with Kim Dawson
21:47
21:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:47
Host, Kim Dawson discusses various ways to create sales incentives for prospective clients without offering discounted prices. Solopreneurs can often be tempted to discount their services in order to make the sale, but Kim gives several reasons why discounting can be bad for your business, and for your clients. Kim offers pricing strategies that ca…
…
continue reading
1
Creating a Membership Program with Jacq Fisch
49:21
49:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:21
Jacq Fisch is a writer and intuitive writing coach, as well as the founder of Write Like a MOFO, a monthly membership program for writers and creative entrepreneurs. Jacq joins Kim to talk about how she went from corporate job to freelance copywriter to writing coach and membership community founder. The two discuss the process of launching, buildi…
…
continue reading
1
From Graphic Designer to CEO: Building Your Team and Scaling Your Business with Kim Dow
35:44
35:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:44
If you're a solopreneur looking to scale your service-based business and build your team from the ground up, don't miss this episode of The Sassy Strategist Podcast! Host, Kim Dawson interviews Kim Dow, CEO/Owner, Publisher, and Creative Director for Sass Magazine and Sass Studios where Kim (Dow) shares her story of launching her graphic design bus…
…
continue reading
1
Marketing For Your Personality Type with Brit Kolo
35:03
35:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:03
Do you feel like the marketing strategies you’re “supposed to do”, just don’t feel right for you or your business? Do you wish marketing felt more natural, and even fun? Then don’t miss this episode of the Sassy Strategist Podcast where I interview Brit Kolo, Creator of The Marketing Personality Type Framework at MarketingPersonalities.com! Br…
…
continue reading
1
Scaling A Service-Based Business with Kim Dawson
16:03
16:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
16:03
We’re all talking about scaling our businesses, adding revenue streams, and even adding passive income to our service-based businesses. However, service businesses by their nature are not designed to be scalable business models, so how do you overcome this obstacle and scale your business? In this episode of The Sassy Strategist Podcast, Kim shares…
…
continue reading
1
Welcome Back! - The Reboot Episode with Kim Dawson
10:44
10:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
10:44
After taking a bit of a break from the show, Kim Dawson is back to hosting the Sassy Strategist Podcast. In this 'welcome back' episode, Kim talks about what it means to her to be an entrepreneur, why she launched the show back in 2015, and her plans to continue bringing useful and meaningful content to solopreneurs to help you scale your business,…
…
continue reading
1
How To Choose The Right Technology For Your Business with Jaime Slutzky
48:36
48:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:36
Does this sound like you? You’ve got client information located in multiple documents and spreadsheets. You’re sending PDFs through email and asking for handwritten signatures. You’re losing business because you aren’t following up with your leads. You know you need better software, systems, and automations in place, but you don’t even know where t…
…
continue reading
1
How To Go From Overwhelmed to Focused and Efficient with Kris Ward
53:51
53:51
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
53:51
Business owners are often talking about time management, but few think they have the time to implement a system that works, or even know where to begin. What we do know is we are stressed, have never-ending to-do lists, and have trouble focusing on what needs to get done in order to achieve our goals. In this episode of The Sassy Strategist Podcast…
…
continue reading
1
How a Wedding Planner & Designer Created a Niche and Tripled Their Sales
54:00
54:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:00
Do you work in a highly competitive industry and need to figure out how to stand out from your competition and have plenty of clients? Do you know how to be successful by sticking to your niche, and saying “no” to clients who are all wrong for you? In this episode of The Sassy Strategist, Moira Thompson & Natalie Pinney of Whim Events share with us…
…
continue reading
1
How To Build Your Business With Brand Photography with Melissa Henry
51:05
51:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:05
You’ve heard that personal brands are the way to go if you want to build a thriving online business. But what does that even mean? And how do you present that personal brand online if you’re introverted and reluctant to put yourself out there? In this episode of The Sassy Strategist, brand photographer Melissa Henry shares with us the ins and outs …
…
continue reading
1
How To Build Relationships Online and Grow Your Business with Abby Herman
53:34
53:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
53:34
Relationships are a necessary part of business growth because your content is only going to take you so far. Yes, content is important and yes, so is SEO. But people want to buy from people in our micro economy--not from logos and brands. In this episode of The Sassy Strategist, I’m talking to Abby Herman of Write Solutions about relationship marke…
…
continue reading
1
How To Say "No" In Business with Kim Dawson
38:11
38:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:11
Do you struggle saying "no" in your business? Whether it's saying no to potential clients you don't want to work with, or so-called "opportunities" that are more hassle than they're worth, learn four effective strategies for saying "no", and start saying "yes" to spending your time and business effort how you see fit. Be sure to listen in if you're…
…
continue reading
1
How To Use SEO Marketing In Your Business Strategy with Meg Clarke
42:54
42:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:54
You spend a lot of time and money on your website; you need it to do its job. But that doesn’t mean you create content and throw it on your site. You need search engine optimization (SEO) so that Google can find you. I’m talking to Meg Clarke of Clapping Dog Media this week on The Sassy Strategist, and she’s sharing her insight into why SEO doesn’t…
…
continue reading