Business & Brunch

Alicia Croci
  • 4.0 (1)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Business & Brunch is the podcast for women who are done playing by the rules and ready to build a business that actually fits their life — not the other way around. Hosted by Alicia Croci — business coach, mom, and self-trust hype woman — each episode blends simple strategy, powerful mindset shifts, and the permission you’ve been craving to take up more space (and make more money doing it). If you’re ready to ditch the hustle, trust yourself deeper, and build a freedom-based business without sacrificing your real life in the process, you're in the right place. Grab your coffee (or a mimosa), open your notes app, and let’s brunch our way to the business and life you actually want. Follow Alicia on Instagram @aliciacroci for even more behind-the-scenes and brunch-fueled business advice. aliciacroci.substack.com

  1. 4D AGO

    The Email Marketing Strategy That Feels Like Texting Your Bestie with The Copywriting Mama

    If your best ideas are living rent free in your Notes app instead of reaching your people and making you money, this episode is for you. On this week’s episode of Business & Brunch, I’m sitting down with email marketing specialist and single mom Cassidy Handel, aka The Copywriting Mama, to talk about how email marketing can become one of the most powerful connection and sales tools in your business without feeling gross, pushy, or performative. Cassidy built her business in just over two years, created her signature retainer service Inbox Empire, and became known for her very honest, very real approach to helping small business owners actually use their email lists instead of letting them collect digital dust. We’re getting into what really works when it comes to email strategy, list building, and showing up online as yourself, even when you’re worried about being judged. In this episode, we cover: * Why your Notes app content deserves a bigger audience and how to get it there * How to turn high performing social posts into emails that make sales * Why there are basically no rules in email marketing and why that’s a good thing * How to integrate your faith and values into your business without being pushy or awkward * Why cleaning your email list matters more than growing it * Why trying to appeal to everyone guarantees you connect with no one * How to repurpose content between social and email without burning out * The truth about send times, open rates, and what metrics actually matter * The very real danger of pricing yourself out of the people you actually want to help This conversation is such a reminder that your email list should feel like hanging out with your people, not standing on a virtual stage screaming buy my stuff. You get to show up as your full self, humor, faith, opinions and all, and build an email strategy that actually supports your life and your business. Inbox Empire - DFY Email Marketing for Socially Successful Brands: https://thecopywritingmama.com/retainer Connect with Cassidy: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecopywritingmama Threads: @thecopywritingmama Website: https://thecopywritingmama.com/retainer This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    36 min

  2. JAN 26

    How Podcast Guesting Increases Your Visibility and Grows Your Business with Candace Dudley

    If social media feels loud, exhausting, and like it’s asking for way more than you want to give right now, this episode is for you. In this week’s episode of Business & Brunch, I’m sitting down with podcast guest coach and mom of three, Candace Dudley, to talk about how podcast guesting can become a powerful visibility strategy without recording 30 reels in 30 days or showing up everywhere online. Candace has produced over 200 podcast episodes, has been a guest on 50+ shows, and has built her business by doing visibility differently. We’re breaking down what actually works when it comes to guesting, pitching, and showing up confidently, even if you feel brand new or not fully “ready.” In this episode, we cover:• Why podcast guesting is an underrated visibility strategy for busy business owners• How to choose niche speaking topics that make hosts say yes• What to do if you want to guest on podcasts but don’t have a website yet• How guesting helps build authority, trust, and long-term visibility through search and backlinks• The mindset shift that makes pitching feel aligned instead of awkward• Why not every guest episode goes live and why that’s not a failure• Candace’s favorite way to pitch podcast hosts and where to do it• How repetition builds confidence in your message and strengthens your content everywhere else This conversation is such a reminder that you don’t have to do business the hard way to grow. You can show up as you are, lead with value, and build visibility in a way that actually supports your life. Grab Candace’s Podcast Guest Tracker:https://candacedudley.myflodesk.com/tracker Join her free Podcast Matchmaking Community for hosts and guests:https://stan.store/CandaceDudley/p/match-making Connect with Candace Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candacedudley/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@candacedudleyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacekdudleyWebsite: https://www.candacedudley.com/Podcast: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    35 min

  3. JAN 20

    The Identity Shift Required to Manifest a Successful Business and a Rich Life

    If Episode 1 cracked open your manifestation blocks and Episode 2 helped you build a business that actually fits your life as a mom, this episode is where it all locks in. Because here’s the truth no one says out loud enough.Manifestation doesn’t respond to effort.It responds to identity. In this episode, we’re having a real, slightly unhinged, very honest conversation about the identity shift that has to happen before your business growth, money goals, and “rich life” vision can actually land and stay. We’re talking about why you can regulate your nervous system, clean up your workload, visualize the dream life, and still feel like something isn’t clicking.Spoiler alert. It’s usually because you’re still operating from the version of you who survived chaos instead of the one who’s ready to receive stability, ease, and expansion. This episode connects the dots between nervous system safety, subconscious identity, and why your brain will quietly sabotage success if it doesn’t feel familiar yet. Not because you’re broken. Because your brain is literally trying to keep you alive. We’ll unpack:• Why your current identity might be loyal to struggle even when you consciously want ease• How “being productive” can be a trauma response dressed up as ambition• The difference between wanting success and being available for it• What it actually looks like to shift from survival-based identity into leadership energy• How this identity shift supports everything from manifestation to sustainable income growth This is the conversation that bridges intention and embodiment.The moment where you stop trying to become her and realize you’re already practicing being her, just with less self-trust than you deserve. If you’ve been feeling like you’re doing all the “right” things but your life and business haven’t caught up yet, this episode will hit in that quiet, nervous-system-deep way. And yes. This is exactly the work we deepen inside Soft Mama CEO.Season-aware leadership. Identity safety. Regulated ambition.The kind of growth that doesn’t require burning yourself down first. Pour the coffee. Or the wine. Or both.Let’s talk about who you’re becoming. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    16 min

  4. JAN 12

    Doing Less, Earning More: A Capacity Based Approach for Moms in Business

    If you are a mom with kids under five and running a business, feeling overwhelmed does not mean you are doing something wrong. It means your workload was never designed for nap schedules, interrupted sleep, emotional labor, and being the default parent. In this episode of Business & Brunch, we are breaking down why traditional productivity advice fails moms with young children and how to build a capacity based business that actually supports your life in this season. This conversation is not about doing more or managing your time better. It is about designing your business around reality, not fantasy. Inside this episode, we cover: * Why most productivity advice does not work for moms with kids under five * How to stop planning your business like you have uninterrupted adult hours * What “enough for this season” really looks like when you are building a business and raising young kids * The mindset shift from doing it all to focusing on what actually moves the needle * How to create spaciousness and momentum without shrinking your income goals If you want a business that grows without constant overwhelm, guilt, or burnout, this episode will help you rethink workload, capacity, and leadership in a way that feels grounded and sustainable. This is about building a business that fits your life now, while still honoring where you are going next. 🎧 Press play, take a breath, and let’s talk about doing business in a season that matters. If you are ready to stop forcing your business to fit a season of life it was never designed for, Soft Mama CEO was created for you. This is a 12 month business and mindset mastermind for moms who want to grow sustainable income, lead with grounded confidence, and build a business that supports their nervous system, capacity, and family life. If this episode felt like a deep exhale, you will feel right at home inside Soft Mama CEO. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    16 min

  5. JAN 5

    2026, the Year of the Horse: How to Remove Manifestation Blocks So You Can Actually Receive

    2026 is not the year to force outcomes or white knuckle your way to success. In astrology and Chinese symbolism, 2026 is the Year of the Horse, an energy rooted in momentum, freedom, stamina, and forward movement that feels natural instead of frantic. And here is the part most people miss. Horse energy only works when your nervous system is regulated enough to hold speed and expansion. In this episode of Business & Brunch, we are talking about how to remove your current manifestation blocks so you can fully receive in 2026, not just in a woo woo way, but in a grounded, neuroscience backed, nervous system informed way. Because manifestation does not start with the universe responding to your desires. It starts with your brain deciding whether expansion feels safe. Inside this episode, we cover: * What the Year of the Horse means energetically and why 2026 rewards alignment over effort * The most common manifestation blocks showing up for moms in business right now * How your nervous system and brain wiring influence what you can receive * Why identity lag can quietly stall momentum even when opportunities are present * The neuroscience behind receiving, regulation, and sustainable success * How to prepare your body and brain to hold more money, ease, and growth this year If you are a mom building a business and you want success that supports your life instead of draining it, this episode will shift how you think about manifestation, capacity, and growth in 2026. This is the foundation for grounded momentum, aligned expansion, and becoming the version of you who can actually receive what she desires. 🎧 Press play, refill your coffee, and let’s talk about riding the energy of 2026 instead of fighting it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    14 min

  6. 12/30/2025

    What I’m Leaving Behind in 2025: What I’m No Longer Available For in Business & Life

    This episode isn’t about setting resolutions.It’s about deciding what you are no longer available for. In the final episode of Business & Brunch for 2025, I’m sharing exactly what I’m leaving behind — in my business, my mindset, and my life — as I step into 2026 with clear boundaries and zero tolerance for what drains me. After a year that stripped everything down to the bone, I had to get honest about what was costing me too much. Hustle culture. People-pleasing. Overcomplicating my business. Outsourcing my voice. Building something that competed with my life instead of supporting it. This episode is a raw, real conversation about the boundaries that changed everything — and why my business will never come before my life again. Inside this episode, we talk about: * Why hustle disguised as “responsibility” is keeping so many women burned out * The difference between intentional action and performative productivity * How people-pleasing shows up in marketing, pricing, and messaging * Why simplicity is one of the most powerful business strategies you can choose * The cost of overusing AI — and how it quietly erodes trust and authority * What it actually looks like to build a business that supports your nervous system * Why I’m done proving myself — and how that shift changed my confidence, offers, and boundaries * A simple end-of-year release ritual to help you let go of what you’re done carrying into 2026 At the end of the episode, I walk you through a powerful New Year’s Eve release + intention ritual to help you physically let go of what you’re done carrying into 2026 — and intentionally anchor what you do want to bring with you. I share: * How to create a simple “burn list” for everything you’re releasing * Why folding the paper away from you matters when letting things go * How to set intentions by folding toward you and grounding into what you want to receive * A quiet, symbolic ritual you can do after the kids are in bed to close out the year with clarity and peace If you’re a mom building a business and craving more space, sustainability, and presence — without giving up your income or ambition — this episode will feel like permission you didn’t know you needed. And if you’re ready to stop hustling, simplify your strategy, and build a business that truly supports your life, I invite you to join Soft Mama CEO — my signature space for women who want a spacious, six-figure business that works with their season of life, not against it. As you head into the new year, ask yourself:What am I no longer available for — and what am I intentionally calling in? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    24 min

  7. 12/22/2025

    The Year That Almost Broke Me

    2025 was the year that stretched me to my limits — financially, emotionally, and spiritually. In this episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes chapter I almost didn’t want to talk about: losing nearly 90% of my income, questioning my identity, releasing work that no longer lit me up, and seriously considering walking away from my business altogether. This year was known as the year of the snake — a season of shedding layers, identities, relationships, and paths that were never meant to come with us into the next chapter. And for me, that shedding wasn’t gentle. I talk openly about: * What it feels like to lose income overnight as a mom in business * Why pivoting into mindset and energetics required me to release fear of judgment * The healing work I had to face when old wounds resurfaced * How slowing down, trusting God, and simplifying my business changed everything * And the two phrases that carried me through the hardest days: “You do not yield” and “To whatever end” If you’re a book girly who’s read Throne of Glass, you’ll understand exactly why Aelin’s story mattered so much to me this year. And if you’re not — you’ll still feel the truth behind choosing not to surrender who you are, even when everything familiar falls away. If 2025 stretched you, cracked you open, or forced you to become someone new — this episode will remind you that you didn’t fail. You transformed. What You’ll Hear in This Episode * Why 2025 felt like a breaking point — and why it wasn’t a mistake * Losing 90% of my income and what it revealed about my business * Outgrowing “safe” work and listening to the call for something deeper * Pivoting into mindset and energetics without needing permission * Almost returning to corporate — and why I ultimately chose alignment * Healing old wounds instead of pushing harder * Simplifying my business to support life as a two-under-two mom * The book-girly lesson that kept me going when I wanted to quit * Why shedding is often the doorway to embodiment Who This Episode Is For * Moms building a business who feel stretched thin * Entrepreneurs navigating an identity shift or pivot * Women who lost momentum, income, or passion and feel scared to admit it * Anyone standing at the edge of a new chapter, wondering if they’re strong enough Key Takeaway Some years aren’t about expansion — they’re about release. And when you refuse to yield during the shedding season, you don’t lose yourself. You become her. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    20 min

  8. 12/15/2025

    2026 Business Planning for People Who Hate Planning

    In today’s episode of Business & Brunch, we’re talking about 2026 business planning — without the rigid spreadsheets, unrealistic expectations, or planning guilt. This is for service providers (especially moms) who want clarity and consistency, but also want a business that actually fits their real life. I’m breaking down a simple, flexible planning approach that works with your capacity — not against it — so you can move into 2026 feeling grounded, clear, and confident (instead of overwhelmed and behind). No perfection. No pressure. Just a plan you’ll actually use. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: * Why traditional planning doesn’t work for service providers or moms * The mindset shift that makes planning feel supportive instead of suffocating * The 3x3 Planning Method (3 focus areas, 3 offers, 3 rhythms) * How to plan your year without mapping every single month * The Minimums + Moments system that keeps your business moving in any season * How to create direction in your business without burning yourself out * What you actually need written down to call yourself “planned” for 2026 Who This Episode Is For: * Done-for-you service providers who hate rigid planning * Moms building businesses while juggling real life * Business owners who want clarity without overcomplication * Anyone who wants consistent income without feeling chained to their calendar Take Action After Listening: After this episode, write down: * Your 3 Focus Areas for 2026 * Your 3 Core Offers * Your 3 Business Rhythms * Your Minimums (non-negotiables) * Your Moments (expansion actions when you have capacity) That’s your plan. Truly. Ready for Support? If you want help turning your 2026 vision into a simple, sustainable business strategy — with accountability, structure, and space for real life — apply to Soft Mama CEO. This is where we build businesses that support your life, not run it. https://wildlycreativestudio.com/soft-mama-ceo/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=post Join the Free Community: The Second Shift If you want a taste of my world, join my free Telegram community — a space for moms who want real connection, real conversations, and real support (business + inner work). And yes… the Moms After Dark chat is exactly what it sounds like. https://wildlycreativestudio.myflodesk.com/second-shift-opt-in This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aliciacroci.substack.com

    17 min
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About

Business & Brunch is the podcast for women who are done playing by the rules and ready to build a business that actually fits their life — not the other way around. Hosted by Alicia Croci — business coach, mom, and self-trust hype woman — each episode blends simple strategy, powerful mindset shifts, and the permission you’ve been craving to take up more space (and make more money doing it). If you’re ready to ditch the hustle, trust yourself deeper, and build a freedom-based business without sacrificing your real life in the process, you're in the right place. Grab your coffee (or a mimosa), open your notes app, and let’s brunch our way to the business and life you actually want. Follow Alicia on Instagram @aliciacroci for even more behind-the-scenes and brunch-fueled business advice. aliciacroci.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Alicia Croci
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Alicia Croci
  • Show Website
    Business & Brunch