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The Soft Startup

The Soft Startup

By: Em Conrad
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About this listen

The Soft Startup is all about redefining what it means to be a startup founder and CEO. For decades, startup founders have been characterized as the pinnacle of hustle culture. I'm here to challenge that as living, breathing proof that you can work a day job, prioritize R&R, and found a successful startup.

Join me every week as I share tips on how to found a startup as a normal person with a good idea while staying sane.

EMRAD LLC 2025 Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Post-Holiday Blues: How to Get out of a Founder Funk

    Post-Holiday Blues: How to Get out of a Founder Funk
    Dec 26 2025

    Feeling stuck, unmotivated, or quietly wondering if you’re cut out for entrepreneurship? You’re not alone—and you’re not broken. In this episode of The Soft Startup Podcast, we’re talking honestly about the founder funk: that heavy, foggy season where momentum stalls, confidence dips, and everything feels harder than it should.

    We’ll unpack:

    • What a founder funk actually is (and why it’s so common for bootstrapped entrepreneurs)
    • The difference between burnout, boredom, and misalignment
    • Gentle, practical ways to get unstuck without hustling harder or forcing motivation
    • How to reconnect with your original vision—or evolve it without guilt
    • Small mindset and strategy shifts that can help you move forward again

    If you’re building a business slowly, sustainably, and on your own terms—but feel like you’ve lost your spark—this episode is your reminder that you can pause, recalibrate, and keep going.

    ✨ Perfect for: early-stage founders, solopreneurs, creatives, and anyone building a business while trying to protect their energy.

    Connect with me & continue the conversation:

    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesoftstartup
    • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesoftstartup

    If this episode resonated, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a founder friend who might be in their own funk right now.
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    21 mins
  • Winter Arc, but Make it Chic

    Winter Arc, but Make it Chic
    Dec 19 2025

    We all want to take our goals seriously, but how do we do it while we enter the holiday season? Here's a guide to achieve your Winter Arc, Double Down December, etc., while staying sane!
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    22 mins
  • How to Startup When You Literally Have $0

    How to Startup When You Literally Have $0
    Dec 4 2025

    You're a normal person with a normal paycheck (or less) and you have a great idea... but how do you turn it into a business? In this episode, I go over a high-level overview of how you can go from zero to hero with literally $0 to your name.

    If you liked this episode and want to learn more, please listen along at The Soft Startup wherever you get your podcasts and follow on Instagram or TikTok @thesoftstartup

    My TikTok Link

    My Instagram Link

    Links to References Mentioned:

    • The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
    • Michela Allocca's Don't Depend on Daddy Podcast
    • Michela Allocca's Break Your Budget Instagram
    • Michela Allocca's Break Your Budget Site
    • Katie Gatti Tassin's Money With Katie Podcast
    • Katie Gatti Tassin's Money With Katie Instagram
    • Katie Gatti Tassin's Money With Katie Site
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    20 mins
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