Empowered Business

Monica Froese

The Empowered Business Podcast® is the go-to show for online entrepreneurs and content creators who want to create and sell digital products using smart, scalable strategies without getting overwhelmed or chasing every new trend. Hosted by digital product strategist and AI educator Monica Froese, each episode delivers practical insights on how to build a sustainable online business using AI, sales funnels, and streamlined systems. Listeners will learn how to turn their knowledge into high-converting digital products, leverage AI to work faster and more efficiently, and implement marketing strategies that move the needle. From product ideation and content creation to optimizing funnels and growing an e-commerce shop, this podcast breaks down what’s working right now and how to apply it. With a clear focus on real results (not recycled tactics), The Empowered Business Podcast empowers creators, coaches, and online business owners to confidently grow their revenue. New episodes every Thursday.

  1. 4d ago

    111. The AI Aftertaste: Why Your Content Doesn't Sound Like You (And How to Fix It) with Bernadette Shepherd

    I did the exact thing every AI expert tells you not to do. I opened a blank chat, dumped my entire brand into it, and expected magic. What I got back was a robot doing a bad impression of me. Bernadette Shepherd has a name for that feeling, and once she said it, I could not unhear it. She calls it AI aftertaste. In this session from our AI That Sells Summit, she walks through the exact system she built to get rid of it for good, the same one she now uses to run actual AI employees inside her business. In Today’s Episode We Discuss: What AI aftertaste actually is: Bernadette defines AI aftertaste, that unmistakable feeling when AI is trying to sound like you but missing the mark. She explains why it happens: AI is trained on general knowledge, not on your specific brand, so it defaults to generic phrasing unless you give it structure to work from. The Brand Brain framework: Bernadette walks through her Brand Brain, a system of documents that trains AI to write, think, and sound like you no matter which tool you use. I love that it treats AI like a new employee who needs real onboarding, not just a brain dump and a prompt. Brand voice and platform playbooks: Bernadette explains how she captures brand voice at a general level, then builds platform specific playbooks using real samples of your writing.  The AI blacklist and negative prompting: Bernadette describes her AI blacklist, a list of phrases and patterns you never want AI to use, plus how to add your own custom restrictions. She explains why telling AI what not to do matters just as much as telling it what to do. Brand DNA, offers, and your ideal client: we discuss how the Brand Brain handles multiple offers and different transformations, as well as how the system captures brand DNA, offer details, and ideal client avatars (so AI stops guessing and starts writing with real specificity). Content hills and your spicy takes: We cover  content hills, the strong opinions and mic drop moments that are uniquely yours. Learn why capturing these gives AI a much clearer sense of how you actually think about your industry. The story bank and phrase bank: Bernadette breaks down two of my favorite layers, the story bank that holds your wins, lessons, and transformations, and the phrase bank that captures the exact words and phrases you use so AI stops guessing your language and starts pulling it verbatim. System messages and avoiding content rot: We dig into what Bernadette calls context engineering, the system instructions that tell AI exactly which part of your Brand Brain to use and when. She explains why this keeps your conversations from breaking down as they get longer. Projects, skills, and where the Brand Brain lives: Bernadette and I compare notes on using projects versus skills inside Claude and ChatGPT, and how the right setup depends on your own workflow and how many brands or businesses you’re running. Building AI employees: Finally, Bernadette demonstrates how she uses her Brand Brain to run actual AI employees, including her content manager (Maya), who researches, drafts, and even spins up sub agents to handle multiple platforms at once. Resources Mentioned: Grab Brainer, Bernadette’s tool for building your Brand Brain, the 8 layers of brand context that train AI to write like you instead of everyone else. Learn more about Claude Cowork, the desktop tool I use to connect my Brand Brain files directly into my AI workflows. Join the Empowered AI Collective (my free community). Tired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 © 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    59 min
  2. Jun 5

    110: 7 Things We Stopped Doing Manually Using Claude Connectors

    If you have been hearing the term MCP connectors everywhere lately and wondering what it actually means for your business, this episode is going to give you the real answer from people who are building with these tools every day. I sat down with five of my closest business friends, all women who run online businesses, to talk about how we are using MCP connectors inside our Claude accounts to automate workflows we used to do manually. Some of us were spending hours every week on things that now just happen. A few of the examples we share in this conversation made the whole group stop and stare at each other. This is one of those episodes you are going to want to listen to with a notepad nearby. In Today’s Episode We Discuss: ​ What MCP connectors actually areUsing the Kit MCP to uncover email list insightsBuilding live dashboards with connected dataUsing Airtable as a single source of truthThe Meta Ads MCP and live ad performance reportingStacking MCPs to automate entire workflowsAutomated content creation and newsletter workflowsUsing Fathom with Claude to systematize meeting follow-upHow MCP availability is influencing tool decisionsPersonal use cases beyond the businessResources Mentioned:  Liz Stapleton:  How to back up Thrivecart Learn CoursesDestini Copp:  Creator’s MBA BoardroomHow I Built an Automated Monday Kit Growth Report (Kit MCP + Claude)How to Use the Kit MCP to Build an Email Analytics DashboardMonica Froese: Empowered AI Collective7 Ways the Kit MCP Is Making My Email Marketing SmarterRuth Poundwhite: Free Quietly Ambitious CommunityThe Aligned AI LabSteph Blake: The Blake CollectiveSteal My Claude Workflows  FREE AI goodies from the Weird Hermits mastermind members Tired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 © 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    47 min
  3. May 21

    109: 7 Ways the Kit MCP Is Making My Email Marketing Smarter

    If you've been on an email platform for years and feel like you're managing your list on vibes and surface metrics, this episode is going to hit differently. I've been on Kit since 2016 and I thought I had a solid handle on what was happening in my account. What I found when I connected the Kit MCP to Claude stopped me in my tracks. Some of it was validating. A lot of it was uncomfortable. All of it was useful. Today I'm walking you through seven specific things I did inside my own Kit account using the Kit MCP, what I found, and what I built because of it. In Today’s Episode We Discuss:  What an MCP actually is and why it changes everythingCleaning up over 1,200 tagsAnalyzing broadcast performance to find patterns I couldn't see beforeBuilding a daily campaign idea system from live dataBuilding an account audit dashboard and a daily campaign idea system from live dataUnderstanding unsubscribes as a financial pictureReplacing Zapier automations with Claude Cowork workflowsGenerating campaign ideas directly from subscriber and performance dataResources Mentioned:  Start your free 14-day trial with Kit and have access to the MCP from day one. Available on all paid Kit plans. Learn more about Claude Cowork, the desktop tool I use to run multi-step automated workflows without Zapier. Explore Airtable, the tool I use to build my product library and connect it to my daily email campaign system. Tired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 Kit Email Marketing Service ProviderThe email platform serious creators build onDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.© 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    25 min
  4. May 11

    108: How to Use Claude to Write a Revenue-Generating Newsletter on Autopilot with Dr. Destini Copp

    If you’ve been sending weekly newsletters and wondering why they’re not converting into actual revenue, this episode is going to change everything. My friend Dr. Destini Copp was in the same boat a few years ago—doing all the things the experts told her to do, staying consistent, nurturing her audience—but the money just wasn’t there. So she put on her marketing professor hat and spent six months studying the newsletters that had sold for millions of dollars. What she discovered completely transformed how she approaches email marketing. In this presentation from our recent AI That Sells event, Destini breaks down her Mini Magazine Method and Teach and Pitch framework, and then shows you exactly how she’s automated her entire newsletter writing process using Claude. She literally wakes up on Sunday morning to a fully written, branded HTML newsletter ready to review and send. If you’ve been spending hours every week writing emails or you’ve been inconsistent because it takes too much time, this system is going to blow your mind. In Today’s Episode We Discuss: Why most newsletters don’t convert into revenueThe mini magazine methodThe teach and pitch frameworkPlanning with your promotional calendar firstAutomating newsletters with Claude SkillsConnecting Claude to external tools and using CoworkUsing performance data to improve resultsGetting started and next stepsResources Mentioned: Dr. Destini Copp’s Resources: Destini’s Website Free Newsletter Profit Audit Newsletter Profit Club (membership) HobbyScool Newsletters to Study: Morning Brew The Skimm The Hustle All Healthy Everyday AI Tools & Platforms: Claude AI Gamma App – For creating AI-generated slide presentations Kit – Email service provider Squarespace – Website platform Substack – Newsletter and social media platform The AI Newsletter Workshop & The Claude Migration Workshop are included in the Empowered Business Society® membership. Alternatively, you can purchase each of these workshops individually within the Empowered AI Collective.  Tired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 Newsletter Profit ClubTurn your newsletter into a revenue-generating asset with systems, support & AI tools Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.© 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    52 min
  5. Apr 17

    107: Claude Is Running Our Businesses and We're Not Exaggerating

    In this episode, I'm sharing a live roundtable conversation with my mastermind group. We discuss how AI is transforming our businesses—from fully automated blog posts and newsletters, to landing pages that update themselves, to custom skills that handle everything from SEO to project management. We dive into the real workflows making us more productive and creative, so we can serve clients faster and free up our time for what matters most. AI doesn’t just make things faster—it makes them better. If you want more inspiration (and actionable free resources), check the full episode, and join our free Empowered AI Collective community. The future of business workflows is here! Resources Mentioned: Join the Empowered AI Collective on Skool and grab the All Action Pass for AI That Sells by Monday April 20th (currently $29, goes up to $49 when event kicks off). Roundtable Speaker Free Resources Kate Kordsmeier: Claude Prompts for your Social-Free BusinessDr. Destini Copp: Creator Business ScorecardLiz Stapleton: 10-Minute Time Waster AuditJody Bore: Visibility Audit/ScorecardSteph Blake: Steal My Ckaude WorkflowsRuth Poundwhite: The Free AI Sales KitTired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 © 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    1h 1m
  6. 11/06/2025

    106: This Simple Email Shift Made Me $23K in 8 Weeks

    In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a huge shift I made in my email marketing this year—one that completely transformed how I sell, connect, and engage with my audience. The truth is, traditional promo blasts weren’t working anymore. Open rates were dropping, clicks were slowing, and my subscribers weren’t unresponsive—they were just tuned out. So, I decided to stop shouting into the inbox and start a real conversation. What followed were four “inbox experiments” that reignited my list, rebuilt connection, and brought in over $23,000 in organic revenue—all without ads, affiliates, or new funnels. In Today’s Episode We Discuss: Why I ditched traditional flash salesThe creation of the Empowered Edge newsletterHow email replies boost deliverabilityThe four inbox experiments that changed everythingExperiment 1 – Giving away my Magic App Mapper GPTExperiment 2 –  Encouraging replies and user engagementExperiment 3 – Turning engagement into $8,500 in 24 hoursExperiment 4 – The Taylor Swift-inspired Easter egg huntThe five biggest lessons from these experimentTurning replies into revenueResources Mentioned: Learn more about the Quick Win Workshop: Inbox Experiments. Tired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 © 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    17 min
  7. 10/23/2025

    105: 2025 Black Friday Playbook: Proven Strategies from My Peer Mastermind

    Black Friday doesn’t have to be a race to the bottom. In this roundtable episode of The Empowered Business Podcast®, I’m sitting down again with my peer mastermind to pull back the curtain on what’s actually working in our businesses this holiday season. We’re sharing the real strategies behind our Black Friday promotions, how we’re using AI and automation to make it easier, and why you don’t need to discount everything to make big sales. If you want a peek behind the scenes of how seasoned digital product creators plan, sell, and stay sane during the busiest sales season of the year, this conversation will spark plenty of ideas you can implement right away. In Today’s Episode We Discuss: Planning Black Friday promotions strategicallyUsing Black Friday to prime for bigger launchesCreating urgency that feels goodSelling without discountsTripwires, bumps, and upsells that convertWhat to do if you don’t have a ready-to-sell offerUsing AI for idea generation and automationEmail strategies that stand outMindset and experimentationCollaborating and supporting each other.Resources Mentioned: Learn more  about the Weird Hermits Roundtables (and learn more about the Roundtable contributors!). Tired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 © 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    57 min
  8. 10/16/2025

    104: How Becky Beach Streamlined Her Way to $100K Months Using AI and Automation

    What if I told you that one person could run four different businesses, hit a $100K month, and still have time to pick up their kid from school at 4pm? That’s exactly what Becky Beach has done, and in this episode, she’s pulling back the curtain on how she built a multi-six-figure digital product empire without burning out or hiring a massive team. Becky breaks down her revenue streams, her email strategy across four different lists, and the one mindset shift that completely changed her mom blog business. If you’ve ever felt like you need a bigger team or more hours in the day to scale, this conversation is going to challenge everything you thought you knew about growing a sustainable business. In Today’s Episode We Discuss: The power of multiple income streamsManaging four businesses with minimal team supportThe kids printables breakthroughEmail marketing strategy across four listsThe PLR business model and AI’s impact Building the Becky Beach AI shopTraffic generation strategiesThe power of networking and bundlesAI-powered productivity systems  Resources Mentioned: Connect with Becky on: Instagram, X, YouTube, and Facebook.  Grab Becky’s free workbook and the UX-Enhanced Funnel Assistant GPT to improve your conversions. Check out The Becky Beach Show Podcast and the Business Beach Club. Tired of piecing it all together on your own? The Empowered Business Society® is where creator business owners implement AI strategies, get real feedback, and stay current on what's working. Monthly Get It Done Weeks, live Coffee Chats, exclusive training, and a community of people who genuinely get online business. Join for $49/month! 🙌 © 2021-2026 Froese Media LLC | All Rights Reserved Find us on Skool, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Visit the Empowered Shop®

    44 min
4.9
out of 5
142 Ratings

About

The Empowered Business Podcast® is the go-to show for online entrepreneurs and content creators who want to create and sell digital products using smart, scalable strategies without getting overwhelmed or chasing every new trend. Hosted by digital product strategist and AI educator Monica Froese, each episode delivers practical insights on how to build a sustainable online business using AI, sales funnels, and streamlined systems. Listeners will learn how to turn their knowledge into high-converting digital products, leverage AI to work faster and more efficiently, and implement marketing strategies that move the needle. From product ideation and content creation to optimizing funnels and growing an e-commerce shop, this podcast breaks down what’s working right now and how to apply it. With a clear focus on real results (not recycled tactics), The Empowered Business Podcast empowers creators, coaches, and online business owners to confidently grow their revenue. New episodes every Thursday.

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