Today's episode is personal, partially because it's my second baby's first birthday (Happy birthday Mabel!)

And since this episode lands on that day, I wanted to share what the last year has actually looked like for me: going from one kid to two, navigating a birth experience that didn't go the way I expected, and rebuilding my business around the reality of motherhood (not the fantasy version).

This isn't a full birth story, but I do open up about what I learned the hard way: self-trust under pressure, boundary-setting when it's wildly uncomfortable, and why protecting my energy is not optional… because it's part of what my clients are paying for.

If you're a mom (or future mom) building a business and want to protect your own peace and power as you grow your profits, this episode will hit hard.

[00:00:00] - Why I'm recording this on Mabel's first birthday and why this episode is more personal than usual

[00:02:19] - The shift I'm making: more privacy, more separation between "me" and "my business"

[00:08:24] - Walking into the hospital expecting a chill birth… and getting blindsided by dangerously high blood pressure

[00:10:18] - Magnesium, restrictions, stalled labor, and the pressure to accept interventions I didn't want

[00:15:03] - The moment everything escalated: conflict with a midwife, boundaries drawn, and firing part of my care team

[00:21:00] - The core lesson: trusting my intuition in extreme circumstances and what that unlocked in me

[00:31:05] - The past year of motherhood + CEO life: protecting my energy, redefining priorities, and refusing to perform online

[00:40:56] - "My business is not my baby." Building a business around my life is non-negotiable

[00:46:50] - The new rule: I don't owe anyone an explanation and I'm done being palatable

1. "My business is not my baby. My babies are my baby."

2. "My birth experience told me I could trust myself and my intuition and my gut instinct, even in very difficult circumstances."

3. "I know that I can piss people off, and it can still be the right thing to do."

4. "Part of what my clients are paying for is access to my powerful energy."

5. "I am no longer available for shrinking myself or for choosing somebody else's comfort at the expense of what I know is right."
   
   

If you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes episode, I'd love it if you'd follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a fellow CEO-mom (or future CEO-mom) who needs the reminder to trust herself and protect what matters most.

What if instead of trying to "stop the scroll," you started talking to your audience like they already care about what you have to say?

I'm sitting down with Mackenzie Heflin to talk about how coaches and experts can use storytelling to build real community and make sales, without gimmicky hooks, performative content, or feeling like you have to constantly be "on" online.

We talk about what it actually looks like to treat platforms like Threads, TikTok, and Instagram like a private community instead of a stage, and why that shift changes how people connect with you, trust you, and decide to work with you.

Mackenzie shares how to educate without overwhelming, how to use client stories when it's not your lived experience, and how storytelling becomes one of the most effective long-term sales tools for experts.

[00:00] Why "stop the scroll" marketing isn't building community or sales
[00:03] Mackenzie's origin story and building a high-trust Facebook community
[00:06] Losing her platform overnight and the storytelling realization
[00:11] Treating social media like a private community, not a stage
[00:18] Educating without overwhelming (and why more info doesn't convert)
[00:24] Using client stories when it's not your personal experience
[00:32] Storytelling as a business owner vs. a content creator
[00:45] AI, storytelling, and why your voice still matters
[00:55] Invitation to the Nourished Business Accelerator (NBA)

"You'll never catch me trying to convince people why they should learn storytelling. I just teach people how to story tell."

"The simplest shift I have my clients make is changing how to into how I—because it makes your audience care about you, not just the information."

"When you give people too much information before they're ready, that doesn't lead to conversion—that leads to confusion."

"There's a difference between a storyteller as a content creator and a storyteller as a business owner."

"Using chat is like using a backup camera in your car. You still have to know how to be able to drive your car."

Mackenzie's Storytelling Membership

Apply For The Nourished Business Accelerator (NBA) - Applications close January 31 (this is the FINAL round before my offer suite changes!)

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share it with a coach or expert who's ready to build community and sell in a way that actually feels aligned.

Blogging might sound like a content marketing strategy that died off in 2019, but what if it's actually one of the most powerful ways to attract paying clients, not just likes?

I've been blogging for over 15 years, and my very first role in the online business world was managing a blog for a seven-figure health company

So while blogging has gone through plenty of "is this even still relevant?" phases, I'm genuinely excited to see long-form written content making a strong comeback in 2026… just not in the post-every-week-forever kind of way.

In this episode, I'm joined by Jana O, content strategist and creator of the capsule blog framework.

We talk about a smarter, more sustainable approach to blogging designed specifically for coaches, service providers, and practitioners who want clients, without the content treadmill.

Jana breaks down how a small, intentional library of just 12–20 strategic blog posts can become the foundation of your entire marketing ecosystem, why constant posting can actually hurt your messaging, how repetition builds trust and demand, and how to use AI to write faster without losing your voice or authority.

If you've ever loved blogging but hated the pressure of consistency or wondered if written content could work better than chasing social media trends, this conversation is for you.

[00:00] Why blogging is quietly making a comeback in 2026

[02:56] Jana's background and how the capsule blog strategy was born

[05:52] The two blogging mistakes that stop content from converting

[10:30] What a capsule blog is, and why 12–20 TOTAL posts is enough to be successful

[14:09] Why constant posting creates marketing whiplash (and what to do instead)

[30:40] Capsule blogs, SEO, and using AI without sounding generic

[44:03] More on Jana's free blog strategy training

"You're not a blogger. You're a coach with a blog, or a practitioner with a blog, or a business owner with a blog."

"You don't actually have to blog consistently. Nobody told me that… and it changes everything."

"A capsule blog is 12 to 20 pieces of content. It'sa small but mighty content collection that does the heavy lifting for you."

"Once you identify what your audience really needs to hear, you can stop creating new things all the time and start repeating the messages that actually sell."

"Repetition doesn't make you boring. It makes you money."

• Jana O's free blog strategy training

• Jana's program mentioned in the episode: High Leverage Content
  
  

If you're listening to this and realizing you're ready for more income, more alignment, and a cleaner way to enroll dream clients without cold DMs or high-pressure sales tactics, I'd love to support you inside The Nourished Business Accelerator (NBA).

We're enrolling for our FINAL cohort of the program before this version of the program closes for good, so if you've had your eye on working with me at a high-touch level, now is the time to apply!

Click HERE to get your application in before the deadline!

And if you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with a friend who's ready to grow their business without burning out.

What if the reason your business feels heavier than it should has nothing to do with your effort, your strategy, or your consistency?

In this episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of a realization that hit me hard after looking back at 2025: even with incredible clients, meaningful work, and a business that kept running through massive life changes… it still wasn't my most profitable year.

So in Part 2 of this series, I'm breaking down the real-world shifts that premium positioning actually requires, especially when "doing more" isn't an option.

We're talking offer realignment, tighter boundaries, and the messaging and brand upgrades needed to attract a more sophisticated buyer.

If you've built something successful but it feels heavier than it should or you've hit a ceiling you can't logic your way past... this one's for you.

Episode Timeline Highlights

• [00:00] – The question that changed how I looked at my "successful" 2025
• [01:54] – The 3 ingredients premium positioning requires (and why missing one breaks everything)
• [04:20] – The big decision: I'm closing the Nourished Business Accelerator as it currently exists
• [10:18] – Why my best work is with established business owners (and what that changes in my offers)
• [18:34] – Moving away from evergreen and back to cohorts (and why that fits my energy best)
• [25:37] – Stronger qualifications + "just because they can pay" doesn't mean they're a fit
• [36:07] – The messaging shift: speaking to a more sophisticated buyer (and what I'll stop talking about)

Top Quotes From The Episode

• "Premium positioning isn't just about raising your prices and hoping your nervous system can keep up. It only works when your identity, your offers, and your messaging are actually aligned."
• "Sometimes you have to really make a big change… it might require some pretty massive changes to what's already working."
• "This isn't about making more money... it's about a complete business and life alignment."
• "Just because somebody can pay me doesn't mean that they're ready to actually work with me at the level that I am best qualified to serve."
• "This is really a way to pull my power back into the leadership role that I know I need to be in. 2026 is the year that I stopped giving my power away."
• "What got you here won't get you there, and the next level of growth often requires a different structure."

Links & Resources

• Apply for the Nourished Business Accelerator (NBA) before doors close on January 31!

If this episode hit home, take a second to follow the Nourished CEO Podcast and leave a rating + review—it helps more ethical, ambitious entrepreneurs find the show.

And if you know someone who's ready to stop overdelivering and start leading with real power, share this episode with them!

What does it actually look like to evolve from growing a massive online audience to stepping into true thought leadership?

In this episode, I'm sitting down with Cory Ruth, registered dietitian, PCOS expert, long-time 1:1 client, and now published author of "PCOS Is My Power".

Cory and I have been connected for over six years, so having this conversation at the moment she's launching her book feels incredibly full circle.

We talk about how Cory built a large, loyal Instagram audience without chasing trends or watering down her expertise, and why writing a book became the natural next step in her authority as a dietitian entrepreneur.

Cory shares what it took to turn years of clinical experience and content creation into a traditionally published book, why credibility matters more than virality, and how staying grounded in her mission has created long-term trust and staying power in her business.

If you're a health or wellness entrepreneur who wants to be respected as an expert, build authority beyond social media, and create impact that lasts, this episode is a powerful example of what that evolution can look like.

Episode Timeline & Highlights

[00:00] – Why entrepreneurs feel pressure to choose between being relatable and being respected

[03:08] – Cory's early business journey and what it takes to stay in one niche long-term

[07:55] – Why PCOS and women's health are still underserved in traditional education

[13:53] – The blood sugar breakthrough that shaped Cory's personal health and professional focus

[19:11] – The rise of misinformation online and why credentials still matter

[22:12] – Behind the scenes of the book: why Cory wrote "PCOS Is My Power"

[27:29] – What traditional publishing really looks like for a dietitian entrepreneur

[32:09] – How creating courses and writing a book follow the same authority-building framework

[35:44] – Balancing credibility, personality, and leadership on social media

[47:01] – Cory's vision for her book and the impact she wants it to have

Top 5 Quotes from Cory Ruth

1. "I aim to be the person I wish I had when I was really struggling in the trenches of this diagnosis."

2. "We needed one medically sound, evidence-based PCOS book written by a registered dietitian without a food agenda."

3. "Credibility matters more than virality, especially when you're putting health information out into the world."

4. "If you're creating content, you already have a book, you just don't realize it yet."

5. "PCOS doesn't have to take your power away. It can actually put you back in the driver's seat of your health."

Links & Resources

• Order the book: PCOS Is My Power (available in print + audiobook)

• Cory Ruth on Instagram: @thewomensdietitian

• Website: www.thewomensdietitian.com

• Apply For The Nourished Business Accelerator (NBA)

Closing

If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to rate, follow, share, and review The Nourished CEO Podcast. It helps more mission-driven entrepreneurs find conversations like this.

And if Cory's journey from growing an audience to becoming a published author sparked something in you… know that stepping into deeper authority is built one aligned move at a time.

I'll see you next week on The Nourished CEO Podcast. 💛

I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly how I'm preparing to make 2026 my most profitable year in business, and it has nothing to do with working harder, cramming more clients into my calendar, or forcing myself to scale in ways that don't feel good.

This year is about reclaiming my energy, my leadership, and my standards so I can build a business that actually feels fun again while also making more money than ever.

In this first part, I'm sharing the real reason my growth has felt capped over the last few years, even though my skills, results, and offers are solid. I walk you through the identity shift I'm making to stop giving my power away through people pleasing, over-accommodating misaligned clients, and following industry rules that don't match with how I'm wired.

If you've hit an income ceiling, feel scattered or resentful, or know you're ready to lead with more conviction and fewer apologies, this episode is for you.

Timeline Highlights

[00:00] Why 2026 will be my most profitable year without working harder, and why saying no is essential
[01:07] The realization that changed everything: I was not stuck because of skill or offers, I was giving my power away
[02:39] The three transformations I'm focusing on in 2026: identity, offer design, and messaging
[05:16] How being good at everything led to over-delivering, scope creep, and exhaustion
[11:07] Why responding and accommodating is not how I'm meant to lead or grow my business
[14:14] The truth about evergreen enrollment and why I'm reintroducing cohort-based experiences
[18:38] My new boundary around "desperation hires" and who I will and will not work with moving forward
[26:27] How a past high-level peer experience impacted my confidence in positive and negative ways, and why I'm taking my power back for good
[37:52] Designing my business and schedule around the life I actually have now as a mom of two
[40:27] Why this is Part 1 and what's coming next with offer structure and messaging
[42:27] Invitation into the Nourished Business Accelerator and who it is designed for

Top 5 Quotes from the Episode

1. "2026 is going to be my most profitable year ever, and it has nothing to do with working harder. It has everything to do with taking my power back."
2. "Every single time I tried to accommodate instead of lead, I drained myself, dimmed my impact, and settled for less than what I'm actually capable of."
3. "I was confusing being responsive with being of service, and that mistake was slowly exhausting me."
4. "I finally had to accept that I can't rescue anyone, no matter how hard I work or how much I care."
5. "Being happy, energized, and fully myself isn't selfish. It's actually what creates the best results for my clients."

Links and Resources

• Instagram: @LauraSchoenfeldRD
• Apply for Nourished Business Accelerator

Closing

If this episode resonated with you and you're ready to take your power back in your business, make sure you follow the Nourished CEO podcast so you don't miss Part 2.

And if you enjoyed this conversation, I would love it if you would rate, review, and share the show with someone who needs the reminder that growth does not require more hustle.

Running an online business has always come with ups and downs, and after more than 12 years as an entrepreneur, that part isn't new to me.

What is new is the level of emotional exhaustion and volatility I'm seeing lately, especially among high-performing women who are doing everything "right" but still feel drained, on edge, or mentally stuck.

In this episode, I'm joined by Hope Pedraza, a functional practitioner and Nourished Business Accelerator alum who takes a truly holistic approach to burnout, nervous system regulation, and emotional resilience in business.

We talk about why business feels heavier right now, how hypervigilance and dopamine-driven patterns sneak in, and what it actually takes to stay grounded and clear when growth isn't linear… without sacrificing your health, boundaries, or sense of self in the process.

[01:28] – Why remembering that business has ups and downs isn't always enough

[05:14] – The rise of hypervigilance, uncertainty, and "waiting for the next shoe to drop"

[07:15] – How obsession with numbers turns into mental spirals and anxiety

[11:22] – Why perfectionism and the need for things to "work the first time" blocks growth

[13:26] – Reframing business growth as "up and down on the way up"

[16:23] – A real-life example of setting boundaries — and why the body can react so strongly

[33:26] – Dopamine hits, identity, and how validation-driven business leads to burnout

[41:50] – Practical first steps to detach from outcomes and regulate your nervous system

1. "Your business is only as healthy as the body you have to build the business."

2. "Running a business in constant hypervigilance is a huge energy suck."

3. "Growth isn't about "getting there" it's about who you're becoming along the way."

4. "If you need more and more wins to feel okay, that's not excitement... that's dopamine."

5. "Discomfort doesn't mean it's wrong. Sometimes it just means your nervous system doesn't feel safe yet."

• Hope Pedraza on Instagram: @thehopepedraza

• Website: hopefulandwholesome.com

• Podcast: The Hopeful and Wholesome Podcast

• Free Resource: Holistic Energy Detox
  
  

If listening to this episode made you realize that your business feels heavier than it needs to — or that you're ready for more income, alignment, and confidence without burning yourself out — I'd love to support you inside my mentorship, The Nourished Business Accelerator.

Inside the NBA, I help coaches and experts create premium offers that reflect the real transformation they deliver and build clean, ethical systems for enrolling dream clients... without cold DMs, manipulative tactics, or high-pressure sales calls.

Click HERE to apply for the NBA program

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another business owner who needs to hear that emotional exhaustion isn't a requirement for success.

In today's episode, I'm talking with my client Chris Sandel, an eating disorder nutritionist who runs a high-ticket hybrid program helping clients fully recover from longstanding eating disorders.

Chris has been in business since 2009, but when he came to me, he wanted a more dependable, sustainable way to grow without relying on trends, burnout-level content, or the hope of going viral.

Together, we rebuilt and elevated his premium hybrid offer, clarified his messaging with a clean, repeatable framework, and implemented a simple but powerful marketing system that now allows him to consistently enroll aligned, high-paying clients.

A huge part of that has been helping Chris develop a content approach that actually fits his personality and values, including returning to Instagram after years away and learning how to make the platform work for him, not the other way around.

And because of this work, Chris doubled his revenue and had his highest income year yet... in a year when many practitioners struggled!

If you've ever wondered what sustainable growth looks like without sacrificing your integrity or your energy, this episode will give you clarity and inspiration.

1. "I truly believe that people can fully recover… it doesn't matter whether it's been a couple of years or multiple decades."

2. "I like the messiness of people's lives and how that interplays with nutrition."

3. "I want to be able to find the thing that people want and message it in a way that entices them to come in."

4. "There was just a trust... I will figure this out, and the only way I'm going to figure it out is by keeping at it."

5. "I'm not one for dancing or doing trends, so I just focused on simple carousels where I can eloquently convey a single thought... and it works."

[0:22] – Why Chris's fundamentals-first approach helped him grow sustainably in a difficult year for online practitioners.

[4:03] – Chris shares how he became an eating disorder nutritionist and why he believes full recovery is possible.

[12:13] – The turning point that led Chris to build a scalable high-ticket hybrid program, and why earlier group offers never stuck.

[17:09] – How we structured his hybrid offer and created a messaging framework that allowed him to communicate its value with confidence.

[28:01] – Chris's return to Instagram, why he refused trends, and how simple, thoughtful carousels now bring in major reach and new clients.

[37:22] – How sending more frequent emails increased connection, engagement, and conversions.

[46:41] – The transformation: clarity, consistency, and doubling his revenue without burnout or performative marketing.

• Connect with Chris:

• Website – https://seven-health.com

• Instagram – @sevenhealthcompany

• Work with me inside The Nourished Business Accelerator (NBA)

If Chris's story encouraged you to take a more grounded, sustainable approach to your own business, I'd love for you to rate, review, follow, and share the podcast.

It truly helps more practitioners build aligned, profitable businesses without compromising who they are. Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next week on The Nourished CEO Podcast!