Episodes

  • 997: The One Thing That Can Change Everything

    997: The One Thing That Can Change Everything
    Aug 13 2025

    As we're getting close to the last episode of The Self-Employed Life podcast, I wanted to leave you with something helpful and actionable. Here it is! Pretty common advice that I offer to many coaching clients and it's certainly a big part of the conversation with prospective members of my High Achievers group. What is the one thing that can change everything?

    Sell to the Rich: The Insiders Handbook to Selling Luxury –

    • Website

    Contact Jeffrey –

    • JeffreyShaw.com

    • Books by Jeffrey Shaw

    • Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs

    • Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!

    Valuable Resources –

    • The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out!

    • Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap.

    • Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!

    Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • 996: Tom Roberts - From Fear to Flow

    996: Tom Roberts - From Fear to Flow
    Aug 6 2025
    In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the great pleasure of speaking with the author of the forthcoming book From Fear to Flow: Transcending the Ego and Living the Life You Were Meant to Live, Tom Roberts. Tom uses his experience on the racetrack and in dentistry to challenge the conventional view of flow as simply a performance tool and instead presents it as a natural, authentic state of being that emerges when we learn to quiet the ego. We explore how flow mirrors deep meditative states, why the ego is often the biggest obstacle to our growth, and how to move through the four stages of flow without burning out. Our conversation offers insights that will resonate with anyone who is ready to rediscover the power and freedom already within. Guest's Contact – Linkedin Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • 995: Christina Guthier -Joyfully Exhausted: The Bright Side of Giving Your All

    995: Christina Guthier -Joyfully Exhausted: The Bright Side of Giving Your All
    Jul 30 2025
    In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the great pleasure of speaking with occupational health psychologist Dr. Christina Guthier, author of Joyfully Exhausted, about the often misunderstood concept of burnout. We discuss the idea that not all exhaustion is bad, explore the difference between joyful and harmful exhaustion, and examine the effort-reward imbalance that many self-employed people face. Christina emphasizes the importance of managing our energy and recovering from hidden efforts we may not even realize are draining us. Our conversation is a refreshing reminder that it’s okay — and even healthy — to love your work, as long as you prioritize recovery and recognize your limits. Since childhood, Christina was fascinated to observe different states of exhaustion in adults after work (including unpaid care work). At Ruhr-University Bochum, she majored in organizational psychology, conducted corporate social responsibility (CSR) field-research as student assistant at the marketing department, and worked at eligo GmbH where she helped develop recruiting software. During her M.Sc. Psychology at Heidelberg University, she majored in Organizational Behaviour and Adaptive Cognition learning a lot about the complexity of performance ratings and leadership behavior as well as cognitive biases and decision heuristics. At the same time, Christina also completed her train-the-trainer certificate during her internship at the career services and development department at Mannheim Business School. Then she focused on occupational health psychology (particularly on burnout research) during her PhD at Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz. Christina’s PhD thesis on "How to create healthier study and work environments" got awarded with the Alfred Teves dissertation award 2020. Additionally, her meta-analysis on the reciprocal relationship between job stressors and burnout (published in Psychological Bulletin) got awarded with the Schmidt-Hunter Meta-Analysis Award 2022 by the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (division of the American Psychological Association). Finally, as a self-employed scientist, she has started to translate (her) research insights into actionable advice by giving a TEDx talk, getting interviewed for German media outlets (e.g., Der Spiegel, deutschlandfunk nova), and writing articles for different journals and magazines (e.g., Leader to Leader, change magazine). Additionally, she has supported organizations as a speaker, trainer, and coach with shifting their mindsets regarding exhaustion and recovery. Guest's Contact – Linkedin Website Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
  • 994: The Power of Paradox in Business and Life

    994: The Power of Paradox in Business and Life
    Jul 23 2025

    People are typically very uncomfortable exisitning in what appears to be a paradox. I think where we often get tripped up is when we believe we have to resolve these tensions—pick one truth and discard the other. But what if wisdom and life comes from learning to stand in the paradox? To hold both truths at once.

    Sell to the Rich: The Insiders Handbook to Selling Luxury –

    • Website

    Contact Jeffrey –

    • JeffreyShaw.com

    • Books by Jeffrey Shaw

    • Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs

    • Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!

    Valuable Resources –

    • The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out!

    • Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap.

    • Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!

    Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • 993: Katie Keller Wood - Busting the Myth of Work-Life Balance

    993: Katie Keller Wood - Busting the Myth of Work-Life Balance
    Jul 16 2025
    In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the pleasure of speaking with Katie Keller Wood, Montessori educator, TEDx speaker, and author of the upcoming book Alignment: A Montessori Approach to Reimagining Work-Life Balance. We challenge the myth of work-life balance and instead explore the powerful metaphor of a life mosaic—how different aspects of our life can align without rigid separation. Katie shares how purpose-driven work, often viewed with guilt or skepticism, can actually be a vital source of personal meaning and fulfillment. She draws from Montessori principles in order to emphasize the importance of not losing oneself in their meaningful work, but instead cultivate awareness, alignment, and joy in all areas of life. This episode is for anyone wanting to do their purpose work and create a meaningful life without burning out. Dr. Katie Keller Wood grew up in the world of education, and delights in helping people find new ways of thinking about the world. Discovering Montessori education, both as a pedagogy and a philosophy, was pivotal for her, and she is on a mission to bring a Montessori perspective of work to everyone. Katie has had the great honor of working with hundreds of middle and high school Montessori teachers from all over the world through the training program she runs, called CMStep. She is recognized as a leader in Montessori programming for adolescents and adults. Any given semester might find Katie teaching undergraduates at the University of Virginia, where she earned both her bachelor’s and her doctorate degrees, master’s students at Xavier University, or doctoral students at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is active in the Montessori research and teacher education communities. Katie does her work because she believes that a more peaceful, just, equitable, and sustainable world is possible, and that it takes all of us leading our aligned lives to bring this world forward. Katie lives in Richmond, Virginia, and is a TEDx and keynote speaker and a sought-after presenter for workshops and conferences. Alignment: A Montessori Approach to Reimagining Work-Life Balance is her first book. Guest's Contact – Linedin Website Book Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • 992: Julia Phelan - Understand the Science of Learning to Truly Change Lives

    992: Julia Phelan - Understand the Science of Learning to Truly Change Lives
    Jul 9 2025
    In this episode of The Self-Employed Life podcast, I had the great pleasure of speaking with learning scientist, curriculum expert, and the “Workshop Whisperer”, Julia Phelan. In this episode we explore how well-intended coaches, consultants, and course creators can unknowingly do harm when they don’t understand how people actually learn. Julia shares insights into why oversimplified advice discourages learners and how to design effective experiences for people at all levels. We also dig into the myth of learning styles, the difference between good content and good delivery, and what it really means to create learning experiences that empower rather than overwhelm. Whether someone is leading a team, creating a course, or crafting a keynote, this conversation will help anyone build with purpose and make a lasting impact—without ever losing sight of your learner. Julia is the co-founder of To Eleven an innovative education consultancy firm specialized in using evidence-based principles and approaches to develop, evaluate, and improve learning experiences. Julia and Ellen co-founded To Eleven to utilize knowledge of how learning works to shape the design and development of meaningful and engaging learning experiences for learners of all ages. Julia has a Ph.D in Education from UCLA and spent much of her career as a research and learning scientist at UCLA as well as consulting and advising for school districts, philanthropic organizations, academic publishing, ed tech, corporate training, and government agencies. She is currently an advisor for the National Laboratory for Education Transformation. Guest's Contact – Linedin Website: To Eleven Solutions Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
  • 991: Overwhelm is Aliveness in Disguise

    991: Overwhelm is Aliveness in Disguise
    Jul 2 2025

    Do you suffer from feelings of overwhelm? Too much going on, too much to do, too much of whatever? I know I do and it's always been a source of wasted energy. In this episode I offer a whole reframing of overwhelm, a shifting of how you might think about it with hopefully positive results. Give it a try!

    Sell to the Rich: The Insiders Handbook to Selling Luxury –

    • Website

    Contact Jeffrey –

    • JeffreyShaw.com

    • Books by Jeffrey Shaw

    • Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs

    • Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!

    Valuable Resources –

    • The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out!

    • Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap.

    • Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!

    Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • 990: Emily Paul - Unlock the Power of Alchemy in Your Business

    990: Emily Paul - Unlock the Power of Alchemy in Your Business
    Jun 25 2025
    In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the great pleasure of speaking with Emily Paul, a member of my High Achievers year-long coaching group. We explored the concept of alchemy—what it really means and why it's essential for entrepreneurs. Emily shares how she helps high-achieving individuals dissolve old patterns, tap into deeper intuition, and reconnect with their authentic selves through the transformative power of alchemy. She also explains how her work goes beyond traditional coaching, why energy healing can be just as powerful remotely, and why now is the time for changemakers to fully embrace their brilliance. This episode is for anyone ready to begin their journey to true freedom and step into who they were meant to be. Rather than letting health challenges, diagnosis, and perceived expectations from others define who she is, from an early age Emily committed to blazing her own path including: ● Completing her senior year of high school in the Iowa town where she lived while her parents and two younger siblings moved a seven hour drive north... ● Declining a teaching career in her early twenties to instead follow her heart and passion and move to an island in the Caribbean to pursue a path of humanitarian service... ● Realizing why she’d been dying her hair for a decade did not reflect her true self, she chose to gray naturally at age 35. Emily revels in the sacred space beyond what we’ve experienced or been led to believe is our truth… The potency of Emily's work lies in decades of her own dedicated self-cultivation and the mastery with which she walks clients through their own internal maze to access latent energy and wisdom. Daoist-infused Alchemy is one means she uses to ignite profound and lasting transformation. Customized integrative coaching/mentoring, ceremony and group facilitation are further means she engages to invoke newfound freedom for her clients. With a Master’s of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Bastyr University and a Women and Gender Studies -BA- from Macalester College, Emily has sought out teachers, mentors, and healers - both within the United States and internationally - who have guided her exploration of meditation, mindfulness- based practices, coaching/mentoring, leadership development, somatic acuity, energetic healing, and perennial wisdom for well over twenty-five years. All Services and Programs are geared toward personal transformation and cultivating calm confidence in order to show up in an unprecedented way AND find fun in playing a bigger game with life. Guest's Contact – Website Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins