Crush the Rush™: The Female Entrepreneur Podcast for Sustainable Business Growth

Hosted by Holly Haynes
  • 5.0 (175)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

Crush the Rush™ is the female entrepreneur podcast for sustainable business growth—created for women business owners who want to scale profitably without burnout, hustle culture, or constant social media. Hosted by Holly Haynes, business strategist and former Fortune 500 executive, this business podcast for women helps established female entrepreneurs build intentional, scalable businesses using simple systems, organic client attraction, and values-based strategy. Each week, you’ll learn how to: Grow a profitable business without working 24/7Attract clients organically without Instagram or daily postingBuild simple, scalable business systems and workflowsCreate predictable revenue through evergreen marketing strategiesLead like a CEO while protecting your time and energyThrough practical strategy episodes and honest conversations, Crush the Rush™ breaks down what it actually takes to grow a sustainable business in today’s online economy. New episodes every Monday. If you’re a female entrepreneur ready for clarity, systems, and sustainable growth—this podcast is for you.

  1. 1d ago

    637 - Why Midlife Women Are Overwhelmed by Wellness Culture (And the Self-Leadership Skills That Actually Fix It)

    If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the things for your health—eating well, exercising, trying to manage stress—and somehow still feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or like you’re constantly starting over, this conversation is for you. In this episode, I’m joined by Courtney Townley, a health and self-leadership expert with more than three decades of experience in the wellness industry. Courtney is challenging the traditional wellness playbook and sharing why lasting health isn’t about more willpower, stricter routines, or another protocol. It’s about learning how to lead yourself. We talk about the hidden stressors that impact your health, why midlife requires a different approach to wellness, and how to stop treating every detour like a complete failure. Courtney also breaks down the four practices behind her Consistency Code framework and shares simple ways to make decisions that move you toward the life and health you actually want. 00:00:00 — Why your health struggles may have nothing to do with willpower  00:01:30 — Courtney Townley on creating a life-first business  00:03:00 — Using a “priority filter” to decide what deserves your yes  00:04:30 — The problem with information overload and “info obesity”  00:06:00 — Why stress management is a major part of health  00:07:30 — Unnecessary stress vs. on-purpose stress  00:09:00 — Courtney’s “stress bucket” and the dimensions of health  00:10:30 — How midlife hormonal changes can affect stress resilience  00:12:00 — What self-leadership means and why wellness programs often fall short  00:13:30 — Why transformations don’t last without changing your self-image  00:15:00 — The importance of balancing intense effort with rest and recovery  00:16:30 — Ask yourself: What does health mean in this season of my life?  00:18:00 — How one small decision can move you back toward better health  00:21:00 — How to realign quickly when life derails your plans  00:24:00 — Sleep, wellness trends, and Courtney’s daily self-check-in  00:27:00 — The four practices inside The Consistency Code  00:28:30 — Where to connect with Courtney Townley and find her book  CONNECT WITH COURTNEY: Website: graceandgrit.com Instagram: @gracegrit Podcast: Grace & Grit Book: The Consistency Code 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 💡 Download the SEO / GEO Audit Skill → www.hollymariehaynes.com/seoaudit 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly → HollymariehaynesContact

    637 - Why Midlife Women Are Overwhelmed by Wellness Culture (And the Self-Leadership Skills That Actually Fix It)

  2. Aug 10

    636 - Why Free Content Isn't Converting (And the Low-Lift Offer That Does)

    What would change in your business if social media became optional—not essential? In this special crossover episode, Holly sits down with Sophia Parra to explore how entrepreneurs can grow, nurture their audiences, and make sales without relying on constant social media content. After becoming a mom, Sophia reduced her workweek from 60 hours to just 18. That shift forced her to identify which activities were truly moving the needle—and which ones were simply keeping her busy. She shares how she replaced disconnected marketing tactics with a circular visibility ecosystem built around three essential priorities: growth, nurturing, and sales. You’ll hear how low-lift offers, listening tours, strategic collaborations, and stronger boundaries can help you create more conversations, convert warmer leads, and protect your schedule. This episode is packed with real numbers, practical strategies, and honest insights about what works when you stop trying to be everywhere online. 00:00:00 — Two different playbooks for scaling without social media 00:01:30 — Creating a life-first business after becoming a mom 00:03:00 — Reducing a 60-hour workweek to 18 hours 00:04:30 — Why Sophia made social media optional in her business 00:06:00 — The three marketing priorities: growth, nurturing, and sales 00:07:30 — Auditing the role social media actually plays 00:10:30 — Building a circular visibility ecosystem 00:12:00 — Why content alone does not create meaningful nurturing 00:13:30 — How a low-lift offer creates conversations and clients 00:15:00 — Using listening tours to grow an email list and build authority 00:18:00 — Replacing sales calls while protecting your schedule 00:22:30 — Conversion rates from Sophia’s low-lift offer 00:25:30 — How collaborations expanded Sophia’s network and audience 00:27:00 — Boundaries and mistakes to avoid with low-lift offers 00:30:00 — The key to pitching high-profile collaborators 00:33:00 — Monetizing your audience like an influencer 00:36:00 — Why you need to stop guesting and start hosting 00:37:30 — Resources for building your own visibility ecosystem Connect with Sophia: Website: gotocoach.club Instagram:  @sophiaparra Podcast: Marketing Unfiltered Free Resource: https://www.gotocoach.club/audit She's A Big Deal Beta: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iXW0B1s0PSqxJjDVpr0Z2PDrqfRblGj_dHzDO0FeLNQ/edit?tab=t.0 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 💡 Download the SEO / GEO Audit Skill → www.hollymariehaynes.com/seoaudit 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly → HollymariehaynesContact

    636 - Why Free Content Isn't Converting (And the Low-Lift Offer That Does)

  3. Aug 7

    635 - AI for Small Business: What to Play With and What You Should Never Deploy

    AI can help you move faster—but speed alone does not guarantee better results. In this episode, Holly sits down with Cris Valerio, founder of Main Street Operator, to explore how small business owners can use AI more thoughtfully, strategically, and confidently. After building her career as a financial journalist and working in product roles at companies like Uber and Instacart, Cris left corporate life to create a business that brings enterprise-level AI and operational strategy to Main Street businesses. Together, Holly and Cris unpack the difference between experimenting with AI and actually deploying it inside your business. They also discuss why adding AI to one random task can make an entire workflow more complicated, how “lazy AI” can damage customer trust, and why the best AI systems should create more opportunities for meaningful human connection. 00:00:00 — Meet Cris Valerio and learn how she brings big-tech AI strategy to small businesses 00:01:30 — What it means to build a life-first business without shrinking your ambition 00:03:00 — Leaving corporate life while supporting a family and raising two young children 00:04:30 — Cris’s journey from financial journalism to Silicon Valley product leadership 00:06:00 — Why Cris wanted to build technology for operators instead of only customers 00:07:30 — How AI is narrowing the technology and cost gap for small businesses 00:09:00 — The difference between playing with AI and deploying it inside your company 00:10:30 — Why curiosity and experimentation make learning technology easier 00:12:00 — What shadow AI is and why your business needs clear AI policies 00:13:30 — How poorly implemented AI can damage the customer experience 00:15:00 — Why “lazy AI” can cost you clients, partnerships, and trust 00:16:30 — The problem with bolting AI onto one isolated part of a workflow 00:18:00 — How thoughtful automation can create more human conversations 00:19:30 — Build a transferable AI “business brain” with a simple folder system 00:21:00 — A practical AI workflow for networking and follow-up emails 00:22:30 — Why AI is simultaneously overhyped and underestimated 00:24:00 — Why speed is not the most important measure of AI ROI 00:25:30 — Using AI tools that take action instead of only generating ideas 00:27:00 — The least glamorous part of entrepreneurship: finding your sales loop 00:28:30 — Why Cris chose a smaller, more diverse community of ambitious women 00:30:00 — What Cris wishes she had known before starting her business 00:31:30 — How to identify where AI can help—and what not to spend money on CONNECT WITH CRIS: Website: mainstreet-operator.com Instagram:  @mainstreetoperator  Edge Audit: Mainstreet-operatorThe AI Edge Audit — Free Download | Main Street Operator — Main Street Operator Private Podcast: Mainstreet-operatorPrivate Podcast — Main Street Operator 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 💡 Download the SEO / GEO Audit Skill → www.hollymariehaynes.com/seoaudit 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly → HollymariehaynesContact

    635 - AI for Small Business: What to Play With and What You Should Never Deploy

  4. Aug 3

    634 - The Paid Ads Strategy Female Entrepreneurs Are Missing (And Why It Beats Posting Daily) with Ashley Brock

    What if growing your business didn’t require posting every day, constantly checking your DMs or chasing the algorithm? In this episode, Holly sits down with Ashley Brock, founder of Paid Ads Academy and an eight-figure business owner who has managed more than $200 million in advertising spend. Ashley shares how entrepreneurs can use paid advertising to become more findable—so the right people discover their businesses without relying entirely on organic social media. Ashley breaks down why paid ads can be an anti-social, life-first growth strategy that continues working while you spend time with your family, serve your clients or step away from your phone. She also explains why successful advertising is about much more than Facebook and Instagram, how to choose the right platforms and what needs to be in place before you start investing. 00:00:00 — Why paid ads can be an anti-social, life-first growth strategy 00:01:30 — What building a life-first business means to Ashley 00:03:00 — Using stronger boundaries to separate work, family and phone time 00:04:30 — Leaving a six-figure corporate job while pregnant 00:06:00 — Growing a business without relying on daily social media activity 00:07:30 — How advertising helps customers find you across multiple platforms 00:09:00 — Why paid advertising goes far beyond Facebook and Instagram 00:10:30 — Choosing platforms based on customer behavior and business goals 00:12:00 — Combining search ads, social ads, prospecting and retargeting 00:13:30 — How to think about ad budgets and customer lifetime value 00:15:00 — Why learning ads feels overwhelming at first—and how it becomes easier 00:18:00 — Using AI to audit your calendar and reclaim valuable time 00:19:30 — What must be proven before you invest in advertising 00:21:00 — How AI can connect advertising and sales data for faster decisions 00:24:00 — The support, delegation and weekly structure behind Ashley’s business 00:27:00 — Letting go of DMs, sales calls and founder-only responsibilities 00:28:30 — The testimonial ad Ashley recommends creating first CONNECT WITH ASHLEY: Website | https://www.paidadscoaching.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/ads.with.ashley/ TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@ads.with.ashley YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ads.with.ashley LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyjettonbrock/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WinWithPaidAds/ 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly → HollymariehaynesContact

    634 - The Paid Ads Strategy Female Entrepreneurs Are Missing (And Why It Beats Posting Daily) with Ashley Brock

  5. Jul 27

    633 - My Monthly PR Process: What I Actually Do Every Month to Stay Visible Without Social Media (Part 4 of 4)

    What if growing your audience didn’t require posting on social media every single day? In this closing episode of the PR and AI Visibility series, Holly pulls back the curtain on the exact monthly visibility process she uses to attract new subscribers, students, and qualified leads with a small team. This isn’t a list of random marketing ideas. It’s a coordinated, repeatable system built around the activities that create the strongest return: strategic partnerships, community speaking, podcast appearances, email marketing, SEO, and generative engine optimization. You’ll learn how each part of the system supports the others, why community speaking produces the fastest results, and how long-term visibility compounds when your content, relationships, and offers are intentionally connected. 00:00:00 — Introduction to the summer PR and AI Visibility series 00:01:30 — The exact monthly visibility process Holly uses behind the scenes 00:02:18 — Why partnerships and community speaking produce strong ROI 00:03:00 — What a meaningful micro-partnership can look like 00:04:30 — Why strong partnerships are built through relationships, not cold outreach 00:05:08 — Setting a goal of one to two community speaking opportunities per quarter 00:06:00 — How a press page simplifies speaking pitches and event preparation 00:06:55 — The second visibility pillar: podcast placements 00:07:30 — How Holly researches podcast opportunities using relationships and Rephonic 00:08:22 — Why podcast guest appearances are a core lead-generation strategy 00:09:00 — How Holly evaluates guest pitches for the Crush the Rush Podcast 00:10:30 — The strategic role of the newsletter’s Community Corner 00:12:00 — Creating a visibility flywheel by coordinating partnerships and content 00:13:00 — How SEO and GEO extend podcast and community conversations 00:15:00 — How partnerships, podcasts, SEO, GEO, and email work together 00:16:30 — Choosing the right visibility strategy based on your growth goal 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly →  HollymariehaynesContact

    633 - My Monthly PR Process: What I Actually Do Every Month to Stay Visible Without Social Media (Part 4 of 4)

  6. Jul 20

    632 - How Female Entrepreneurs Can Use AI for PR Without Hiring an Expensive PR Firm (Part 3 of 4)

    What happens when someone asks ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity to recommend an expert in your industry? Does your name appear, or does your competitor get the opportunity? In this episode, Holly welcomes award-winning PR strategist, former U.S. diplomat, and Small Business PR host Gloria Chou back to the podcast for a timely conversation about PR, AI visibility, and the changing way customers discover brands. You’ll learn how podcast interviews, media mentions, expert quotes, and other third-party features can strengthen your authority signals. Gloria also shares how she uses Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Claude for different parts of her business and how entrepreneurs can use these tools to research relevant angles, write stronger pitches, and compete with larger brands without a massive PR budget. 00:00:49 — The question every entrepreneur should ask about AI recommendations 00:02:14 — Gloria Chou shares what building a life-first business means to her 00:03:28 — How AI is changing discovery, trust, and purchasing decisions 00:04:39 — Why PR features can become powerful authority signals 00:06:02 — The opportunity for small businesses to compete with major brands 00:07:40 — How AI tools are making PR research and pitching more accessible 00:08:36 — Using Perplexity to find trends, angles, competitors, and podcasts 00:10:31 — Why specific data makes a pitch more compelling 00:12:14 — The two elements every strong pitch needs: specificity and relevance 00:14:30 — Gloria’s CPR pitching method explained 00:15:29 — What to prioritize when you only have a few hours for visibility 00:17:42 — How to find PR opportunities through HARO, Substack, and social media 00:20:26 — How Gloria uses Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity in her business 00:23:36 — Why AI visibility creates an opportunity for quieter, smaller brands CONNECT WITH GLORIA: Website: https://gloriachoupr.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr/ 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly → https://www.hollymariehaynes.com/chat

    632 - How Female Entrepreneurs Can Use AI for PR Without Hiring an Expensive PR Firm (Part 3 of 4)

  7. Jul 13

    631 - The PR Strategy You're Missing: How to Get Featured and Build Authority Without Pitching 24/7 (Part 2 of 4)

    You know you’re great at what you do, but how do you get more people talking about it? In this episode of our PR and AI Visibility summer series, Holly sits down with publicist and author KJ Blattenbauer to break down how entrepreneurs can build credibility, attract opportunities, and become known as the go-to expert without spending every day on social media. With nearly 30 years of experience in public relations, KJ shares why sustainable visibility is less about chasing attention and more about creating a clear message, owning a distinct point of view, and building authority assets that continue working when you’re offline. You’ll learn how to clean up your digital presence, write a stronger media pitch, use AI without losing your personality, and approach rejection as useful data—not personal failure. 00:01:45 — What building a life-first business means to KJ 00:02:55 — Creating “calm money” through predictable income and strategic visibility 00:04:05 — How boundaries, rest, and protecting your peace improve your business 00:05:15 — Why success is now about leverage, systems, and peace 00:05:50 — What sustainable visibility looks like in practice 00:07:00 — The first step: refining your positioning statement 00:07:35 — How to get your digital “house” in order and build trust 00:09:20 — “You’re a big deal—act like it” and the truth about expertise 00:11:05 — What public relations really means beyond books and press coverage 00:13:25 — How to develop a clear, quotable point of view 00:14:35 — The five-sentence media pitch and why brevity matters 00:19:50 — Three ways to build authority and strengthen media relationships 00:22:10 — How to handle rejection and treat every response as data 00:23:20 — How to use AI for PR without losing your human voice 00:25:40 — A free resource for finding media and expert opportunities 00:26:50 — The long-term visibility habit that builds stronger relationships 00:28:35 — KJ’s mindset reset before a major media appearance 00:29:10 — The advice KJ would give herself at the start of her PR career CONNECT WITH KJ: Website: https://www.hearsaypr.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KJBlattenbauer 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly → https://www.hollymariehaynes.com/chat

    631 - The PR Strategy You're Missing: How to Get Featured and Build Authority Without Pitching 24/7 (Part 2 of 4)

  8. Jul 6

    630 - From Best Kept Secret to Best Known: The 3 Visibility Shifts Female Entrepreneurs Need Right Now (Part 1 of 4)

    You don't need another certification...you need more people to know how incredible you already are. In this episode of Crush the Rush, Holly is joined by branding strategist and former investigative journalist Amanda Berg, founder of Liberty Type. Together we're unpacking one of the biggest myths keeping business owners stuck: believing more credentials will solve a visibility problem. If you've ever thought..."I'm really good at what I do...so why does it still feel hard to book clients?"...this conversation is for you. Amanda shares why the businesses that become household names aren't always the most qualified and they're simply the clearest. They dive into practical ways to communicate your expertise, stand out in crowded markets, and create messaging that makes your ideal clients instantly feel understood. 00:01:10 — Meet branding expert Amanda Berg 00:02:20 — What building a life-first business looks like 00:05:15 — Why talented experts stay underbooked 00:07:00 — Credentials vs. credibility 00:08:10 — Why visibility matters more than another certification 00:10:30 — How to stand out in a crowded market 00:12:15 — The power of specific messaging 00:15:10 — Creating brands people instantly remember 00:17:30 — Why stories create trust faster than facts 00:19:50 — Amanda's Best Known Challenge 00:20:25 — Using Fathom + AI to improve your messaging 00:23:20 — Building an agency around long-term client relationships 00:26:15 — Brands Amanda believes are winning visibility today 00:27:25 — Why email marketing is still her favorite platform 00:29:10 — Where to connect with Amanda CONNECT WITH AMANDA: Website: https://libertytype.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/libertytypeco/ Podcast: https://libertytype.com/podcast 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: 🎯 Free Quiz: What's Standing Between You and Consistent Business Income? → hollymariehaynes.com/quiz 👉 Download the Anti-Social Shift Private Podcast → hollymariehaynes.com/shift 🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com 📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes 🗨️ Chat with Holly → https://www.hollymariehaynes.com/chat

    630 - From Best Kept Secret to Best Known: The 3 Visibility Shifts Female Entrepreneurs Need Right Now (Part 1 of 4)
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About

Crush the Rush™ is the female entrepreneur podcast for sustainable business growth—created for women business owners who want to scale profitably without burnout, hustle culture, or constant social media. Hosted by Holly Haynes, business strategist and former Fortune 500 executive, this business podcast for women helps established female entrepreneurs build intentional, scalable businesses using simple systems, organic client attraction, and values-based strategy. Each week, you’ll learn how to: Grow a profitable business without working 24/7Attract clients organically without Instagram or daily postingBuild simple, scalable business systems and workflowsCreate predictable revenue through evergreen marketing strategiesLead like a CEO while protecting your time and energyThrough practical strategy episodes and honest conversations, Crush the Rush™ breaks down what it actually takes to grow a sustainable business in today’s online economy. New episodes every Monday. If you’re a female entrepreneur ready for clarity, systems, and sustainable growth—this podcast is for you.

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