The Dream Biz® Podcast | Anti-Hustle Business Strategies for Creative Entrepreneurs

Christi Johnson, Compassionate Business Coach for Creative Business Owners
  • 5.0 (18)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Are you a creative or neurodivergent entrepreneur ready to ditch hustle culture and grow your business in a way that puts your mental health first? This podcast is for you! Join me weekly for actionable tips to grow your business at your own pace and make marketing feel fun and easy. Whether you’re redesigning your offers, refining your marketing strategies, or finding clarity in your vision, I’m here to guide you every step of the way and help you make your business unique to who you are and grow your biz without the burnout. Let's make your Dream Biz® a reality, shall we?

  1. MAR 25

    203 | From Corporate Burnout to Farm Life with Gina Walker [Dream Biz Journey 10]

    Ever feel like your business is a 'wild west' of open tabs and stories about not being 'smart enough' for the tech? As a seasoned business consultant and former educator, Gina Walker specializes in removing the friction between running a business and understanding the technology that runs it. Whether you’re stuck in 'tutorial junkiness,' wrestling with email marketing, or fearing your business is just an expensive hobby, Gina provides the roadmap. She helps her clients trade technology fatigue for streamlined systems, allowing them to finally find the freedom that drew them to entrepreneurship in the first place. Gina is here to give you the permission slip to stop doing it all, and start doing what works for your life and your business. In this episode, Gina shares how: Growing up as a military kid taught her to pivot Corporate success led to burnoutAn adventure with her friend turned into becoming a high school teacherMeeting her husband led her to farm life She became an accidental entrepreneur After moving to a farm in Texas, Gina built a direct-to-consumer farm business. She noticed other women repeatedly saying, “I could never do that” about tech which sparked her consulting work. We talk about following your energy, shifting from employee to CEO mindset, celebrating small wins, and using journaling to challenge self-doubt. Get your free no-fuss guide to Tech from Gina HERE. Connect with Gina at ginalwalker.com, on Instagram @gina.l.walker, and on Facebook at Gina L Walker Consulting. 00:29 Meet Gina Walker 02:18 Big Dreams and Purpose 04:26 From Corporate to Farm 11:02 Finding Her Superpower 15:47 Saying Yes to Pivots 19:28 Follow Your Energy 24:32 CEO Mindset Shifts 31:20 Beating Self Doubt 37:10 How Gina Helps Clients

    41 min

  2. MAR 11

    202 | Flexible & Easy Content Planning for ADHD Entrepreneurs

    Have you ever downloaded someone's content plan only to find it just… doesn't work for you? In this episode, I'm diving into a real conversation from a recent mastermind call about why cookie-cutter content plans fall flat — and what to do instead. I'm sharing the simple framework I use to create content consistently without the overwhelm: the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your offer. I'll walk you through how to use these basics to always have something meaningful to post, why repeating yourself is actually a good thing, and how sharing your personality quirks and telling stories (yes, even about snowboarding and Stardew Valley) can be some of your most powerful content. Plus, I make the case for lo-fi, imperfect content — and why your phone videos from your couch might actually outperform anything you'd shoot in a studio. If you've been staring at a blank screen wondering what to post, this one's for you. If you found this helpful, I'd love it if you took a moment to rate and review The Dream Biz® Podcast — it truly helps the show reach more people like you! And if you're ready to build a business strategy rooted in creative play (without the burnout), come join me in the Dream Biz® Playground at christijohnsoncreative.com/playground. I'd love to see you there! Hang out with me on Instagram at @christijohnsoncreative!

    33 min

  3. FEB 25

    201 | Iterating Your Offer and Finding Your Path

    Today I’m telling you the behind the scenes stories of how I created The Dream Biz Playground and the iterations it went through.  As neurodivergent humans, we are often shamed for being “not disciplined” or being “quitters” or “not following through.” But I like to think we are just really good at knowing what is for us and what isn’t.  You might think if you changed your offer then you’re a failure or you built it wrong the first time when actually you were just doing a very necessary part of business: iterating!  Listen in to this episode to learn: How my first 2 launches of my community flopped and why How iterated from The Dream Biz Mastermind, to The Lab, and now to The Playground Why creative play is foundational to discovering what you want from your business  How my coach helped me use my CliftonStrengths to build my Most Me Offer Coaches Mentioned:  Katrina WidenerMolly BalintTracy StangerFollow me on Instagram Work with Me!

    39 min

  4. FEB 18

    200 | Hustle Culture or Cozy Culture? Which is Best for Business?

    Today's topic is inspired by a threads post where they were wondering where the people were who didn't follow hustle culture, but also didn't fall into the soft/cozy culture of business and how they actually think business should be a mix of both. Let's talk about it! How do you build a sustainable business? For me, it involves: Putting self-care as a foundation Following your natural energy rhythmsSpending time on things you LOVE so that they feel easierStarting with self acceptanceWant to work with me? Visit christijohnsoncreative.com

    26 min

  5. FEB 4

    199 | How to Prevent and Recover from Burnout as a Business Owner

    Today I’m sharing with you some signs of burnout as a business owner, what you can do to prevent burnout, and how to recover from burnout if you’re in it.  *Note* These are my personal opinions and are not to be taken as medical or professional advice. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or burnout, please seek the help of a licensed professional.  Burnout can happen when we experience periods of prolonged stress or when we are not experiencing joy in our daily lives.  Signs of burnout: Anxiety Feelings of restlessness Overwhelm with no end in sight Sickness Dispondance; lack of joy How to prevent/recover from burnout: Remember you are not bad for suffering from burnout; you are human Find a way to release stress physically (exercise, dancing, jumping jacks, singing, etc) Ask for help Remove things from your plate (you may need help doing this because everything probably feels important Take up space; be aimless Care for your physical body (take time to do your hair, put on clothes, eat nourishing meals, get enough sleep) Practice Creativity (go on photo walks, take up old hobbies, start new hobbies. It’s ok if you’re not “good” at it.) Liz Moody Podcast Episode mentioned on Creativity and Burnout Follow me on Instagram @christijohnsoncreative  Work with me christijohnsoncreative.com

    29 min

  6. JAN 28

    198 | Chuck the Suck: A Fun Game to Make Your Daily Operations More Fun

    In this episode, business coach Christi Johnson teaches you a fun game to play to make your daily operations in your business more fun: Chuck the Suck. To play Chuck the Suck, you write down all the things that you absolutely hate doing in your business and don't bring you joy. You then tear them off into little strips and decide what to do with the strips. Do you want to burn them? Rip them up and throw them away? Or make a game out of it like one example Christi gives? Once you've decided what you never want to do again, you then commit to running your business without all the sucky things because the truth is there's nothing that you HAVE to do. You can either not do the thing or delegate it. Let Christi know what you put on your Chuck the Suck list! Message her on Instagram at @christijohnsoncreative or email her christi@christijohnsoncreative.com

    10 min

  7. JAN 21

    197 | Creativity and Making Big Moves Towards Your Dreams with Kevin Chung [Dream Biz Journey 9]

    In this episode, creative business coach Christi Johnson and creative entrepreneur Kevin Chung talk about building a creative life on your own terms. Kevin shares how he’s balancing contract work with his creative business, why he and his wife made a bold move to Costa Rica, and what it really looks like to pursue big dreams one intentional step at a time. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why creative play and curiosity matter (especially when business feels heavy or high-stakes) Kevin’s “creative lore,” from Disney inspiration to building a creative business The mindset shift from chasing formulas to experimenting with what feels inspiring What sparked Kevin and his wife’s decision to move to Costa Rica—and how quickly it came together How vision boards, writing things down, and daily intention created momentum Lessons from an early “failed” course launch and what he learned about audience + messaging How Kevin balances steady income with creative freedom (and why that’s a valid path) His long-term dream of hosting creative retreats/residencies and building community through collaboration Connect with Kevin Chung: Instagram: @standoutcreativebusiness Substack: standoutcreativebusiness.substack.com

    50 min

  8. JAN 14

    196 | The Science of Procrastination & How to Master Your Time with Robin J. Emdon [Dream Biz Journey 8]

    In this episode, Business Coach Christi Johnson chats with Robin J. Emdon (the “Procrastination Slayer”) about why procrastination isn’t laziness—and how to build momentum toward your goals using brain science (not willpower). In this episode, you’ll learn: The difference between procrastination vs. laziness (and why it matters) Why “staying busy” can still keep you stuck How to build momentum on what actually moves your dreams forward How stress/“threat mode” shuts down follow-through (especially for ADHD brains) Robin’s simple brain-based framework for productivity (dopamine, focus, and the right amount of pressure) Free gifts from Robin: Get the book as a free PDF at reallyusefultips.com Join the free 5-day Skyrocket Your Productivity Challenge at skyrocketyourproductivitychallenge.com

    47 min
See All (203)

5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Are you a creative or neurodivergent entrepreneur ready to ditch hustle culture and grow your business in a way that puts your mental health first? This podcast is for you! Join me weekly for actionable tips to grow your business at your own pace and make marketing feel fun and easy. Whether you’re redesigning your offers, refining your marketing strategies, or finding clarity in your vision, I’m here to guide you every step of the way and help you make your business unique to who you are and grow your biz without the burnout. Let's make your Dream Biz® a reality, shall we?

Information