More Than A Few Words

Let’s face it—if you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve got knowledge people would pay for. Years of experience, hard-won lessons, and insights that could save someone else time, money, and frustration. But turning that wisdom into a profitable business? That’s where things get tricky. It’s not enough to just “know stuff.” You need a structure, a system, and a way to package your expertise so that it delivers real transformation—not just another downloadable PDF gathering dust on someone’s hard drive. That’s exactly what Mary Henderson and I tackled in this conversation. She breaks down why the wisdom economy is booming and how experts can build e-learning businesses that are more than just scattered courses and offers. The key? Start with a strong foundation. Instead of jumping straight into selling, take the time to unpack your full inventory—your skills, experiences, and even personal challenges—because that’s where real value lies. Then, create a framework that simplifies complex ideas, delivers resu

In another of my continuing What Went Wrong series I chatted with Tracy Brinkman, a business success coach, podcast creator, and host of the Dark Horse Entrepreneur podcast. Tracy shared a story that every business owner can relate to: the time he created something he was certain people would love—only to be met with silence. Years ago, Tracy poured his heart into developing a goal-setting seminar. He thought he had all the pieces in place—a clear concept, valuable insights, and a hungry audience. But when he launched, there wasn’t a ripple of interest. Why? Tracy realized he had skipped the most crucial step: asking his audience what they actually needed. It’s a classic trap. Like Tracy, many entrepreneurs try to appeal to everyone, believing that casting a wide net will bring in more fish. But in reality, it’s the focused approach—speaking directly to a specific audience—that truly resonates. Tracy's story is a powerful reminder that vague messaging and generic offers often get lost in the noise. His hard-w

  Using AI to add a neighborhood feel to your marketing may sound contradictory, but it’s possible when approached with the right mindset and structure. In this conversation with Peter Murphy Lewis, a fractional CMO and founder of StrategicPete.com, we explored how AI can actually make your messaging more authentic and personal. Peter shared actionable strategies for turning AI into a trusted assistant that speaks in your voice and resonates with your audience. Key Points from the Conversation: Ask the Right Questions: Start by compiling questions that generate the best AI responses. Document both the questions and the resulting answers to build a repeatable process. This is like creating a cheat sheet for future prompts that keeps your AI interactions consistent and productive. Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop clear instructions for different content types, whether it's a LinkedIn post, newsletter, or blog. Think of this as choosing the right outfit for the occasion—what works f

I know you think you know everything there is to know about LinkedIn, but trust me—there’s always more to learn. That’s exactly what I found when I chatted with Sam Swirsky, a LinkedIn coach and writer who’s helped some of the biggest content creators build hyper-engaged fan bases. He shared actionable advice on how small business owners can do more than just collect followers—they can cultivate real, engaged communities on the platform. Key Takeaways and Actionable Insights: Engagement is a Two-Way Street: Comment thoughtfully, respond to messages, and create posts that invite genuine discussions. Make your audience feel seen and valued—relationships build loyalty. Try This: Start or end your next post with a question that sparks conversation. Avoid Engagement Pods: They might give you vanity metrics, but they won’t build meaningful relationships or generate business results. Try This: Focus on interacting authentically with five new people every week. Go Live (Even if it Scares You): Whether live or p

In every sales conversation, there comes that moment when you're so excited about what you do, you want to share everything you know. But that is often a mistake, as Janice Porter, a LinkedIn trainer and relationship marketing strategist explained in our conversation, for the What Went Wrong Series Janice found herself giving away premium insights during free webinars and initial consultations. Like many of us who started as educators, her natural instinct to teach was getting in the way of building a sustainable business.    During our conversation, Janice shared her journey of learning to balance generosity with strategy, walking the fine line between offering value and undervaluing your own work. Here are the key takeaways from our discussion: Stop Giving Away the Store - The key is to give enough value to demonstrate expertise while leaving room for clients to want more. Finding Balance in Presentations - Instead of solving every problem upfront, focus on sparking curiosity. Let potential clients see wha

  If you’ve been playing around with ChatGPT to write a few social posts or even draft a blog, congratulations—you’re off to a good start. But let’s be honest, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In this conversation with Stephen Lewis, a seasoned marketer and head of Sydney-based agency Tailist, we explore how to make ChatGPT your marketing partner rather than just a copy assistant. With insights drawn from years of experimenting with AI tools, Stephen shares practical advice on turning ChatGPT into a research powerhouse, a strategic consultant, and a creative collaborator for your business. Here are a few key takeaways from our conversation: ChatGPT as a Research Tool: Most people think ChatGPT just mimics human writing, but it's also a brilliant research assistant. Since it has "read" countless blog posts, forums, and articles, it can provide deep insights into audience preferences, fears, and motivations that people might not even admit in a traditional interview. Ask Better Questions: If you

E-mail marketing has changed, and so must your approach if you want to reach your audience in 2025. I chatted with MV Braverman, founder of Inbox Welcome, to talk about e-mail deliverability—a topic often overlooked but absolutely essential. While we all obsess over catchy subject lines and beautiful designs, none of that matters if your e-mails never make it to the inbox. MV shared practical advice to help you understand deliverability and improve your results. Here are a few of the key takeaways: Authentication is Non-Negotiable To combat spam, providers like Google and Yahoo now require senders to authenticate their e-mails. Tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC ensure your e-mails are verified and trustworthy. But here’s the catch: while platforms like MailChimp can help you authenticate campaign emails, that’s only part of the puzzle. MV recommends a comprehensive setup covering all your email streams—like invoices, auto-responders, and proposals. Reporting Matters DMARC doesn’t just verify your emails—it

I sat down for a conversation with Vince Warnock, an 11-time bestselling author and one of Adobe's top 25 marketers in the world. But what made our chat truly special wasn't his impressive credentials - it was his willingness to share his biggest mistakes and what he learned from them. Main takeaways from our conversation: 1. Even accomplished professionals battle imposter syndrome. Vince shared how he sabotaged his first book launch by canceling major media interviews with Forbes and Entrepreneur because that inner voice kept telling him he wasn't good enough. The lesson? Those feelings are normal - even Seth Godin and other marketing giants experience them. 2. The key to managing self-doubt isn't eliminating it - it's building a support network. Vince learned to surround himself with people who understand these challenges and can step in before self-sabotage takes hold. As he put it, "Imposter syndrome isn't bad. What's bad is what you choose to do with that information." 3. Lead magnets need strategic alig

I love podcasts! As a host and a guest, I’ve seen firsthand how they spark connections, showcase expertise, and open doors to new opportunities. But being a podcast guest isn’t just about showing up—it’s about building relationships, adding value, and promoting your appearance long after the recording ends. That’s why I was so excited to chat with Angel Tuccy, who knows the podcasting world inside and out. With 15 bestselling books and a knack for connecting hosts and guests through her Need a Guest Facebook community, Angel shared some practical, no-nonsense advice on how to make the most of podcast guesting as a marketing strategy. Key Points from the Conversation: Quality Over Quantity in Podcast Pitches: Instead of cold-emailing dozens of podcast hosts, focus on building genuine relationships. Engage with hosts by listening to their shows, sharing their content, and interacting meaningfully before pitching yourself as a guest. Promote Your Appearances: Don’t let your podcast interviews fade into obscurity

Consistency, Community, and Credibility There’s this common myth that as a business owner, you’ve got to do it all. LinkedIn can feel overwhelming, but today, Nina Froriep debunked that myth and showed us how to simplify and thrive on the platform. Her approach is a breath of fresh air—practical, doable, and built for business owners who’d rather spend time serving clients than battling algorithms. Key Takeaways: Consistency Beats Frequency: Posting once a week at the same time and day yields better results than flooding the platform randomly. Think of it as training both the algorithm and your audience—regularity builds recognition. Engagement Builds Credibility: Your LinkedIn feed is a virtual business card. Posts with thoughtful comments and genuine engagement show potential clients and collaborators that you’re active and respected in your field. Small Groups, Big Impact: Nina’s LinkedIn engagement group thrives because members prioritize reciprocity and accountability. They comment on each other’s posts

You know that sinking feeling when you realize you’ve been ignoring great advice or giving up on something that actually worked? We’ve all been there, myself included. That’s why I loved this conversation with Matt Nettleton. As my most frequent podcast guest, Matt brought his signature blend of insight and candor to our “What Went Wrong?” series. Together, we revisited the missteps that taught us valuable lessons—like ditching a successful accountability group, setting goals that feel more like a prison sentence than a roadmap, and stubbornly resisting good advice. If you’ve ever tripped over your own decisions, this one’s for you. Actionable Takeaways Stick With What Works: If a process, group, or habit is driving success, don’t abandon it just because things are going smoothly. Consistency beats complacency. Shrink Your Timeframe: Break those massive annual goals into manageable chunks. Try a “12-week year” approach to stay motivated, track progress, and pivot as needed. Listen to Advice (Even When It’s H

When I was Vice President of Creative Services at Conseco, we were always out of literature for key products. In the insurance business literature is all you have to sell, so these outages would cripple our sales team. Out out of stock list was routinely close to 300 different items and climbing. While we had numerous meetings on the subject nothing ever changed. So I stopped talking about procedures and policy and asked a simple question "If our goal was a back order level of 100 what would we do?" Defining a specific target, instead of vague "get better" gave a focus to our discussions. Every day we knew exactly how far we were from our target. As an added incentive, I offered to take the print team to any restaurant in town if we reduced our back orders to 100  by September. 1. The date gave us the sense of urgency we needed to keep this in the forefront of our discussions. We kicked off every production meeting with a brief conversation about the back-order list and the ideas started flowing.  We institut

I love games. Whether it’s playing cards with family, a quick round of trivia, or even the occasional video game, there’s something so engaging about the world of play. But I’ve never really thought about applying the principles of games to business—until I spoke with Rob Alvarez of Professor Game. Gamification, as Rob explains it, is about using elements of play to motivate action and achieve goals, and it’s not just for big companies. From language apps to skincare quizzes, the possibilities are endless. Gamification Defined: At its core, gamification uses elements of play and game design to achieve goals that would otherwise be difficult to reach. It’s not just about entertainment; it’s about motivating people toward meaningful actions. Two Approaches to Gamification: Rob shared examples of gamification in action: Duolingo: This language-learning app gamifies the process with streaks, leaderboards, and rewards, encouraging daily engagement in small increments rather than overwhelming sessions. Skin Ca

Good marketing isn’t all one thing or another. It’s really about creating a hybrid approach, pulling together the best elements of different strategies to move your brand forward. In today’s episode, I spoke with Alex Thoric, a seasoned digital marketer and entrepreneur, about how combining organic content and paid advertising can create a winning formula. Our conversation reaffirmed something I’ve believed for a long time: successful marketing isn’t just about tools and tactics; it’s about understanding people—how they think, what they trust, and how they engage. Here are the key points from our conversation: Trust Takes Time and Touchpoints Alex shared a fascinating framework: on average, it takes 7 hours of content, 11 interactions, and 4 different channels for a potential customer to trust your brand enough to make a purchase. This means marketers need to think long-term, building relationships over time rather than chasing quick wins. Short Content for Quick Wins, Long Content for Loyalty Short-form

Failure can feel like a four-letter word for entrepreneurs, but it doesn’t have to be. It can also be an opportunity to learn and grow, but let's face it failure is painful, so sometimes it is nice to learn from other people's mistakes. That's why I decided to launch the What Went Wrong series, I wanted to create a space for honest conversations about missteps and miscalculations—and the incredible lessons they teach us. For the first episode, I invited Emily Aborn, a copywriter, speaker, and podcast host, to share her entrepreneurial journey. From opening a non-toxic mattress store to building a successful women’s entrepreneurship community before finding her true calling, Emily’s experiences are a masterclass in learning to pivot, listen to your gut, and embrace the opportunities hiding in what might feel like a dead end. Key Points from the Conversation Follow Your Passion, Not Someone Else’s Path: Emily’s entrepreneurial journey began in health education but veered into unexpected territory when she ign

Stand Out by Finding Your Unique Flavor How often have you been told that the first step to creating marketing is getting crystal clear on your customer. Who are they? What do they need?   That's just the starting point. The real magic happens when you figure out how to be different. And I'm not talking about different for the sake of being different. I'm talking about leaning into what makes you unique.   It's like choosing what kind of apple you want to be. If you just say you're an "apple" in general, you'll get lost in the crowd. But if you decide, "You know what? I'm going to be a Honeycrisp" - now you're really getting somewhere. Because the pears and oranges of the world can't compete with your Honeycrisp flavor. You've carved out your own niche, and you're owning it.   The same goes for your business. When you get clear on what makes you special - your origin story, your values, your signature process - that's when the magic starts to happen.   Sure, it might mean turning away some customers along the

If you’re like me, you’ve probably found yourself working so hard on your business that burnout feels inevitable. That’s why I was excited to talk with Rob Tracz, a performance coach who helps entrepreneurs transition from burnout to breakthrough. With his holistic Prime Performance Coaching framework, Rob tackles the physical, mental, and emotional hurdles entrepreneurs face. Together, we unpacked strategies for navigating burnout, building resilience, and sustaining success. 3 Key Insights from the Conversation Avoiding Burnout Starts with Awareness Rob shared that the first step in overcoming burnout is recognizing where you are on your journey. Reflect on the stressors you’ve been managing, how long you’ve been juggling them, and how much longer you can keep going. Setting clear deadlines can create a mental finish line, helping you endure challenges more effectively. As Rob reminded me, you’ve survived 100% of your tough moments so far—you’re stronger than you think. The Team Triangle: Your Built-In

I bet you're thinking this is going to be another marketing tip. Well, not today. Instead, I want to tell you about something I'm working on that I'm really excited about.  We all learn best from our mistakes, but mistakes can be painful. So I want to help you learn from other people's mistakes. That's why I'm inviting back some of my favorite guests to share stories of their adventures through entrepreneurship. We will talk about what were they hoping would happen, what went wrong, and what did they learn. Curious? Ready for a couple of lessons? Then join me every Sunday morning for a new series called What Went Wrong.  Then be sure to check out the other conversations during the week filled with marketing tips to help you grow your business. NEVER MISS ANOTHER CONVERSATION     

Content Co-Creation with AI: The Human Touch Makes It Greater You know, when it comes to creating standout content these days, the real magic happens when you get humans and AI working together. Now, I know what you might be thinking - "But Lorraine, won't the AI just do it all?" Well, let me tell you, that's not the case at all. You see, while AI is getting smarter every day, there's still one thing it can't quite replicate - the unique human perspective. And that's the secret sauce of content co-creation. If you just hand an AI a prompt and let it go, sure, you might end up with something slick and well-written. But is it going to have that special something that really resonates with your audience? Probably not. That's where you, the human, come in. By collaborating with the AI, by guiding it, by infusing your own experiences and creativity, you can take that initial AI-generated output and turn it into something truly remarkable. It's like baking a cake - the AI can give you the recipe, but it's up to you

There’s a common myth that as a business owner, it’s your business, so you must do it all. Carolyn Bisaleeski’s journey shows just how limiting that mindset can be. A former accountant turned coach and author, Carolyn shared her story on More Than a Few Words about breaking free from micromanagement, finding clarity, and creating a business aligned with her true purpose. Her insights are a must-listen for anyone feeling stuck in a role they’ve outgrown. Here are the key takeaways from our conversation: Recognizing the Red Flags Carolyn explained how feelings of dread, stress, and misalignment with her work signaled that she was no longer in the right place. For her, the daily grind became unbearable, and she realized it was time to reevaluate what she truly wanted. The Power of Clarity Once Carolyn became clear on her goals, she made decisions quickly. Within a month, she let go of her accounting firm, resolved her commitments, and transitioned to a career that felt meaningful. Clarity, she said, makes de