Small Business Casual

Emily Aborn
  • 5.0 (37)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Where small business meets your favorite pair of slippers.  A little quirky, not too buttoned up, one less accessory, ahhh… just right. Welcome to Small Business Casual, where we focus on designing sustainable, cozy, and thriving businesses tailored to your LIFE. Not the other way around!  From general business and marketing to making sense of the behind-the-scenes chaos, I’m Emily Aborn, your host and Small Business Copywriter!  I’m here to walk alongside you as we make running our businesses less of a roller coaster and more like a scenic train ride (don't forget the snacks!). 

  1. The Cost of Yes: Saying "no" with kindness and ease

    4D AGO

    The Cost of Yes: Saying "no" with kindness and ease

    Text Emily! Sometimes saying "yes" can cause us undue stress and leave us feeling overcommitted, behind, and even resentful.  Yes can cost you time, money, energy, burned bridges, quality, and more.  In this episode, I talk about building a thriving business that isn’t about saying yes to everything and everyone; it’s actually about saying NO more often.  This two-letter magical strategy can change your entire life.  Inside the episode:  Seasons for yes and seasons for no -which one are you in? The financial, time, energy, relationship, quality, and health cost of "yes"4 Questions to ask before taking on something new Introducing your new two-letter strategy: 5 "No's" to implement in your businessHow to say no without burning bridgesAnd more!Resources & Links Mentioned:  Heather Maguire (The Unconventional Intuitive) Instagram Setting Boundaries for Business & Life Episode  4 Questions to Ask Before Saying Yes Episode 4 Top Takeaways from 53 Podcast Guest Interviews Episode Say YES to connecting with me (or no to waiting to connect, you're choice :))  I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Substack

    34 min
  2. The Website Mistake Even Experts Make with special guest host, Jenny Belanger

    OCT 30

    The Website Mistake Even Experts Make with special guest host, Jenny Belanger

    Text Emily! You are in for a TREAT with this bonus episode. No tricks, I promise.  When I listened to episode #96 of Jenny Belanger's podcast, Small Business Website Design Made Simple, I reached out immediately to ask if I could share it on my show with YOU!  Jenny is a WordPress website Designer and Creative Director at Jenny B Designs as well as a fellow New England Podcast Group Member. As a website design-copywriting duo, Jenny and I often get to collaborate and help people create personality-packed and money-making websites that business owners are proud to show off and share.  Jenny shares about Expert Overwhelm in the way only she can and how to avoid this common mistake in your website copy.  Connect with Jenny and check out her show:  Original episode with extended show notes Jenny's Website: Jenny B Designs  Follow Jenny on Instagram  Other links mentioned:  JOIN US in the New England Podcaster's Group  Rebranding Aging 4U Connect with me!   I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInSubstack

    21 min
  3. Making Good Decisions, Better! What makes a bad decision bad?

    OCT 28

    Making Good Decisions, Better! What makes a bad decision bad?

    Text Emily! How do you know if a decision is good or bad?  Can a good decision have a bad outcome? Can a bad decision have a good one?  In this episode, we’re going to turn over this concept of what makes a good decision good and a bad decision bad AND I’ll give you some curated tips on making BETTER decisions, no matter how great or small!  What a Taoist parable can teach us about the decisions we make Distinguishing quality decision-making from outcomes 4 Things that make a good decision good How you feel about your decision matters5 Ways to make your next good decision, betterThe field of possibilityThe 2-way door framework Shipping it Indecision is still a decision And more! 👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES FOR LINKS & Resources Mentioned  Mark Graban's "My Favorite Mistake" podcast episode, featuring yours truly  Make a good decision and connect with ME:  I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Substack

    35 min
  4. Damned if you do, damned it you don't!

    OCT 21

    Damned if you do, damned it you don't!

    Text Emily! It seems no matter what you do (or don't do), someone, somewhere has something to say about it.  You can't and will never make everyone happy. Certain people will never be happy no matter what you do, and you most certainly can't make everyone and yourself happy at the same time.  In this episode, we discuss choosing the right strategy for YOUR life and business for your marketing, networking, boundaries, pricing, content and more!  Showing up in a way you love Pricing yourself for sustainability and growth Setting reasonable boundaries and expectations around responsiveness Content and messaging that says it all... without saying too much! To niche or not to niche Growing your business your way Networking And more! Links & Resources Mentioned  SBC Episode: Making Small Talk Bigger Connect with me for a 90-minute Strategy Session!  Connect with me!   I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Substack

    30 min
  5. The Dark Side(s) of AI: Where to draw the line in YOUR business

    OCT 14

    The Dark Side(s) of AI: Where to draw the line in YOUR business

    Text Emily! You might think it's saving you time, but what's AI costing you and your business?  “When I see a post from friends or colleagues that screams, 'AI WROTE THIS,' I scroll right by. You might think it’s saving you time, but it’s causing you to lose a member of your audience. I want more of you and your authentic voice. Not the voice of a tool you’ve outsourced your talent and transmissions to.” -Anjel Hartwell  I'm back with more AI talk! This time, I'm not looking on the bright side like I did in my episode on Creative Ways to Use AI in your business...  This time I'm sharing some of the dark side(s) of AI. Cause what's a spooky month without some truly horrific findings, amiright?  In this episode, we're looking at energy expenditure, the tradeoffs to outsourcing our brilliance to AI, and whether or not these tools that are making business "easier" are really worth it.  Listen to hear:  Is using AI outsourcing our brilliance? What are the energy costs associated with AI, and what role do we play in the overall environmental impact? What are the privacy/safety concerns when using AI? What creative/copywriting risks do we run with AI? Does it really save time? How do we as business owners draw the line for ourselves? And so much more? 👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES FOR LINKS & Resources Mentioned  Want to connect with the human behind this podcast?  I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Substack

    39 min
  6. Removing the Ghosts that Haunt Your Business (sage not required)

    OCT 7

    Removing the Ghosts that Haunt Your Business (sage not required)

    Text Emily! All sorts of ghosts can haunt our businesses… from missed opportunities, forgotten content, and neglected relationships that are all but decaying away.  Don't worry, you can put away your sage... And you won't need your book on exorcism or spell-breaking...  This episode has all you need to look the ghosts that haunt your business in the eye and shoo them away. Time to breathe some fresh life into our business as we explore some of the ghosts that will be way less spooky once we face them.  In the episode:  Ghosting your audience (when you're the ghost!) Ghosting clients and collaborators Cleaning out the emails that are haunting inboxesReviving the ghost of content pastSmaller, less scary, but still important ghosts to face off with 5 Tips for beginning your business exorcism And more! 👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES Want to connect with me? I promise, I'm not scary!  I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Substack

    28 min
  7. Does Your Business Need a Rebrand? With special guest, Lindsay Dreyer

    SEP 30

    Does Your Business Need a Rebrand? With special guest, Lindsay Dreyer

    Text Emily! Almost every business owner finds themselves asking the question at one point or another, "Does my business need a rebrand?" How do you know when it's time to fully overhaul your brand and when it's time for a simpler refresh? I'm joined by my fellow cozy small business owner friend, Lindsay Dreyer of City Chic Real Estate (rebranding to REVERIE in October 2025), to help you answer these very questions and more about the rebranding process.  In the episode, we share personal stories, lessons learned, the emotional ups and downs of evolving a brand to match growth and reflect your new direction, and more! Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or leading a team, this episode is packed with insights to help you make confident branding decisions. The difference between a brand refresh and a full rebrand, and how to know which your business needsPersonal experiences and challenges faced during the rebranding processTips for managing timelines, teams, and expectations during a brand overhaulImportant questions to ask collaborators Actionable advice for making your brand feel truly “you”And more!  Links Mentioned:  👉🏻 Emily's ULTIMATE REBRANDING GUIDE  Jess Mercier | JM Artist/Designer Website | Instagram | Brand Transformations Podcast Tuo Studio Connect with Me, Emily Aborn  m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Substack Connect with Lindsay Dreyer Founder of Happy Agent Co. and The Happy Agent Method, Broker and Owner of City Chic Real Estate, and mom of three.  🌎 Website | 📲 Instagram | 🎙️ Podcast

    43 min
  8. Small Talk that Keeps us From Playing BIG

    SEP 23

    Small Talk that Keeps us From Playing BIG

    Text Emily! In last week’s episode, we talked about literal small talk… the awkward weather banter at a networking event, the Zoom conversation you get stuck in that seemingly goes nowhere fast, and the idle chit chat that’s draining. We learned that while small talk SEEMS small, it can act as a catalyst for bigger conversations and deeper talk. What starts small can have a BIG impact.  Today, we’re going to get into figurative "small talk": the language and patterns that seem little (sometimes even three letters or less), but they can show up in BIG ways in your business and mindset.  Ready to stop shrinking your presence and learning the small words that keep you from playing BIG?  What do I mean by words that keep you playing small? 6 Ways our language may unintentionally keep us from playing BIGResources and ideas to start removing these things from your everyday vocabAnd more! Resources and Links:  👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES (on Substack) including articles, stats, reference links, and bonus info!  Jenny Belanger's Episode #91) What High-Converting Websites Don't Do Playing Big by Tara Mohr "Some um, surprising advice for public speakers" by Mignon Fogarty Ready to play and say BIGGER? Let's Connect!   I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more.  Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU.  Email: emily@emilyaborn.com Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Substack

    31 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

Where small business meets your favorite pair of slippers.  A little quirky, not too buttoned up, one less accessory, ahhh… just right. Welcome to Small Business Casual, where we focus on designing sustainable, cozy, and thriving businesses tailored to your LIFE. Not the other way around!  From general business and marketing to making sense of the behind-the-scenes chaos, I’m Emily Aborn, your host and Small Business Copywriter!  I’m here to walk alongside you as we make running our businesses less of a roller coaster and more like a scenic train ride (don't forget the snacks!). 

Information

  • Creator
    Emily Aborn
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    136
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Small Business Casual
  • Show Website
    Small Business Casual

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