The Side Hustle Gal

Dannie Fountain & Caitlyn Allen
  • 4.6 (8)
  • CAREERS

The Side Hustle Gal, to us, is someone who works harder than anyone else we know. They're focused not only on their business, but also a myriad of other commitments that tug at their time. They dream of seeing their inspiration become reality and they crave deep conversation. This podcast, this space, is a place for us to be authentic and real. We're ready to chat about the gritty parts of business that make us cry. We're ready to talk about how the hell we handle the day to day when life gets hard. We're ready to challenge the idea that you can't be a successful Side Hustle Gal. Dive in, dig deep, and enjoy your journey. We're here for you, babe.

  1. 07/14/2020

    Episode 320 | Season Outtro!

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are wrapping up Season 4 of the Side Hustle Gal podcast. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:Recap the season.  Predictions on the future. FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript - Season Outtro    Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:00:21] Hello and welcome back to the side hustle gal podcast. This is it. The final episode of the season. Wow. Uh, we had some, we had some incredible guests this season, and Caitlyn and I were talking before we jumped on the recording, and. It's been a good one. I think back to the interview with Amanda Gulino from A Better Monday and all of the advice that she had for us, uh, that conversation we had with Jackie at pineapple development girl is killing it. Uh, the conversation we'd have with Carrie and with Bauma, Carrie works for core marketing group, um, uh, runs work bigger. Um, and even Rosalia is conversation on her company about consent. It's really run the gamut that season, all kinds of topics for your head and your heart, and I'm just so proud of it. I think the best part to you, we talked about this in our season intro, is that at least one of us only knew what three guests. Four guests.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:01:26] Yep.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:01:27] And everyone else was strangers to both of us.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:01:30] Yeah. I think that was really cool because it showed a different type of, or a different side to having conversations with other business owners. I feel like a lot of podcasts, um, they bring on guests that are their friends or guests that other people have already interviewed. So you already know kind of how the interview is going to go. But. Having conversations with new people can a be awkward. Um, and that just shows you kind of how well entrepreneurs can talk on their feet, um, and answer questions on their feet. But then. To have like real relationships with people just by being able to relate to them and how they run their business or what business life is like. I think that is something to be said for some of these interviews as well.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:02:21] Yeah. I think last season we were probably 50, 50 people we know and people we didn't know, and it was our best season to date at the time. And this season is what, like 70, 30, 80, 20, and I would say this season's even better than last season. Um, so for the podcast hosts out here, like the lesson from this interview, people you don't know because the more. Strangers we have in our seasons, the better we feel about the seasons went. Um, so Caitlin and I were also talking to, and we want to do a little bit of crystal ball forecasting. This is totally and completely just for fun, but we're recording this episode in March. You're not going to hear it until the middle of July. And right now we're in the midst of Coronavirus. Oh  Caitlyn Allen: [00:03:14] Covid19 2020. Oh my goodness.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:03:18] California is shelter in place. New York, I think is thinking about it, but they haven't done it yet. Everywhere else, gyms are closed. Fitness places are closed.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:03:29] Yeah. We just got the call yesterday that aho fitness. Uh, the gym that I'm, I'm the business manager for has to, had to shut down by 8:00 PM yesterday.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:03:40] Yeah. And the, I mean, that's where we're at right now. And we haven't even reached the crest of the curve that everyone keeps talking about.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:03:48] We haven't been testing people. So there's really, there's so many more people that are infected that we just don't know about because of the testing has been so limited. Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:03:58] And I just read yesterday too, that 20 to 30 have the highest, uh, in asymptomatic infection rate. A 20 to 30-year-olds have it more than we think they do, and they're the most likely group to be asymptomatic too, which is crazy. So, Caitlyn, I want to ask you, uh, April, may, June, July, four months from now, when folks are actually listening to this, where do you think will be,  Caitlyn Allen: [00:04:24] uh, this is so scary to think about. Um. I think as I'm over here coughing, like, Oh my God, do I have the virus? I am coughing and very sick. This is really funny. I think, uh, okay. Funny is not the right word. Just let me rephrase, not the right word there. I think in July. Um, it's going to get worse before it gets better, in my opinion. Um, I think there are still a lot of people, especially where I live, who I'm, Hmm. Don't think that this is a big deal. Um, they don't comprehend, uh, I don't think they want to comprehend. Um, the. The effect that this is going to have on everything from getting groceries, um, to our economy too. Work. How different the workplace is going to be moving forward from this childcare. Um, I think that this virus is going to change a lot of. Things that we probably wouldn't even think about. Um, moving forward. So in July, I feel like  Mmm. Like I said, it's going to get worse before it gets better. I think it's gonna probably peak in the end of April, beginning of May. Um, but I think July is when we're gonna really start to see a lot of changes. I think there's going to be a lot of, a lot more work from home jobs. Um, I think employers are going to switch a lot of employees to the more we more remote work, you're going to see a lot of policies enacted for what worked from home actually looks like for employers. Um, because like Dannie said yesterday on her Instagram stories, people don't know how to show up for work when they're working from home. And I think a lot of policies are going to be enacted around that. I think, uh. A lot of businesses are going to shift their focus from brick and mortar to more online businesses, online business, so that if anything like this ever happens again, they have a that second source of income. Um, Oh, what else do I think? I think that it's just going to be a big shift in our culture and I think. Uh, millennials in particular, and I don't even think they're millennials anymore. Do any, what are the kids that are like a little bit younger than us right now, but not millennials?  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:07:02] Gen Z.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:07:03] I think everybody's blaming the millennials right now. Look here. We're not the ones on spring break in Florida right now. Okay. It's not the millennials. We are out of college. That is gen Z get it right. Those kids, um, I think they're going to see a change in what school looks like and what college looks like. And, um, I think there's going to be a lot more protocol and a push for the CDC to have the pandemic office. Again, I think that, um, uh, we're going to see a shift in policy around. What going to the hospital potentially looks like, or, um, and political, unrest. I think we're going to see that. So I'm excited to see kind of what happens from this virus right now. It's a little bit scary. Um. As somebody who lives down by the border, it's going to be super interesting to see kind of what happens over the next few weeks as we continue to shut down borders. Um, change what flying looks like, and, um, what protocols are federal entities around here put into place because there's really nothing right now. Dannie, I feel like I've been talking forever and I've just been, um, what are you, what are you thinking?  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:08:29] I agree with a lot of what you said. I think I would add three things. Um, so to the flying piece, I think back to post 911 flying and how we went from kind of secure to like, everybody has to be screened. Um, I, I think that's might actually be like. Wellness screening now as a part of boarding planes, just because people will be afraid that another silent virus could escape from its originating site. Um, so I wouldn't be surprised if in the next few years we see that enacted,  Caitlyn Allen: [00:09:03] no flying if you have a temperature.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:09:07] Um, another thing that I see impacting is, Mmm. Just this. Like more empathy. Um, so I've been following the immunocompromised friends of mine for years on Instagram, but just watching the conversations around. like everyone's panicking. But immunocompromised people have been begging for the ability to self-quarantine for years. U

    21 min

  2. 07/07/2020

    Episode 319 | Rianna Hill of Pancake Digital Solutions.

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are talking with Rianna Hill of Pancake Digital Solutions.. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:The start of the side hustle to the development of a digital marketing agency. Trusting yourself and the experience you have. The importance of schedules as well as you’re alone time. GET MORE: Website | Instagram | Facebook | FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:00:21] Hello and welcome back to the side hustle gal podcast. Caitlyn Allen: [00:00:26] Oh, I'm supposed to go. Oh my goodness. Hi guys. Welcome. I am so excited to be introducing who is joining us today. Rianna of pancake. Digital solutions. Why did I just blank on what your business name is? I'm so excited. Rianna is. Awesome. Like, I just don't even know how to explain her. Um, I met Rianna with, uh, one of my clients, Joey. Um, she worked with us, uh, with a trademark, and then she actually coached me how to work on Facebook ads, um, through indie law. So that was a lot of fun. Mmm. And with that, I created a great relationship with her and she is just the best person to talk to about a lot of digital marketing. Um, I feel like her and Dannie could be like besties because they do a lot of similar things. Um, so yeah, I'm super excited to introduce Rianna Rianna. Can you tell us a little bit about you and about why you identify with being a side hustler?  Rianna Hill: [00:01:39] Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you so much, Caitlyn. That's a very sweet intro. I'm definitely enjoyed being working with you off and on over the past few years. That's been been wonderful. Um, so yeah, my name is Rianna . Um, yes, like the singer, but without the H, uh, having her coming around was kind of the best thing ever because now everyone can say my name, so that's pretty cool. And I'm currently living on the Washington state peninsula, which is kind of that broken off piece in the top left corner. Um, lived in seven different States as I am currently a Navy wife and expectant mother to be. So that's kind of the exciting things about me. And why do identify as a side hustler? I mean, honestly, that could really be my whole life is being a side hustler. I remember some of my earliest memories are like walking around and picking up change and finding stuff in the. A couch cushion seats too, as like my first job. So my parents started giving me various jobs and once I learned like, Oh, I could mow my own lawn, then all of a sudden it was like, Oh, let me mow the neighbor's lawn. Oh, let me pull their weeds and you know, have little invoices and spreadsheets. Um. So when I started my career in 2009 and I was trying to apply to different restaurants, you know, no one's going to hire a teenager with no experience in 2009 it's just not happening. So, um, I started doing that freelancer stuff online, you know, making logos, learning how to make websites. And now that I'm a Navy wife and we move all the time, it's really become my reality. So that's a. That's definitely my identity in a nutshell.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:03:24] So you currently run, um, uh,  digital marketing agency, right? So how did you, do you currently identify as a side hustler or have you taken that kind of full time.  Rianna Hill: [00:03:41] Yeah. You know, that's a great question. So a lot of the work that I started doing originally, um, was very much kind of side hustle work while I was still in school and I did get out and get a a few part time jobs. Um. For my first couple of years out of my undergraduate school. Uh, but even then, even after I went full time, I still kept doing that freelancing stuff on the side, very much a side gig thing. Um. I also bought my first house when I was 19, and I manage that on the side. So that's kind of, I've always got a little projects like that going on. And so, uh, when we started moving around and I wasn't able to, we weren't living in one place long enough to have kind of that full time job. That's when I turned my agent, like my freelancing into an agency. But I also work for another company that I've been working for, uh, for, gosh, almost. Almost three years now, uh, with a little bit of a break last summer. and so I do have my agency full time, but I still have side hustles as well. Now I write for a couple online magazines and, um, Oh, manage, still manage our properties, pick up random jobs here and there. I did a seasonal job at a liquor store here for fun. Um. You know, to get out and meet people in a new place. So it's just, it's kind of, it's kind of a lifestyle, really. The whole like, and thought of having just one full time job seems so well, what do I do with the rest of my time? So that's definitely a big part of what I still do. Okay.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:05:20] Oh my gosh. I feel like Dannie can relate 50 million different levels. Like if she doesn't have 20 projects going on, I'm like Dannie, who are, you no, I am super curious though, because when I hear that, my first, my like initial gut reaction is, Oh, um, G how do you plan your day? Or like, how do you plan for. All of the things. So can you run us through what kind of your goal setting or planning looks like? Um, especially as you transition into different seasons. If you decide to take on some seasonal work or you know, you're launching something in your business, but you also have a big project with the side hustle that you're working on. Um, what does kind of your, so goal setting, and then what does your week look like?  Rianna Hill: [00:06:14] Sure. So that's definitely something that has changed a lot. Um, a lot of, especially once I left the office space and didn't have, you know, set hours within an office. It was a lot more difficult to set my own schedule because all of a sudden you have all this time freedom, which is amazing, and you think, Oh, now I'm going to be able to do all these things that I needed to. Yet setting that schedule is so difficult. Um, even as we crave it as creatures of habit. , especially when you're not experienced, you'll be going through and looking at, Oh, you know, I'm going to spend a couple of hours on this project. It's a couple of hours on this project. But then one of those projects all of a sudden takes twice as long as you thought it would, and then all of a sudden you get this new project that comes through and it's the end of the day and you haven't even started on the to do list that you started for yourself. So that was a huge learning curve for me. Um. When, especially when I was living in New York after having moved to South Carolina, not knowing where we were moving. Then we moved to Hawaii, but anyway, and it just was like, how do I plan my day? I don't even know how long I'm going to be here. There's all these uncertainties, which. Honestly, it was a huge benefit, uh, because I had to work through that and figure out, you know, Oh, I can't just take a lunch break and then sit and watch Netflix for three hours, and then my whole afternoon is gone. So as much as I tried to push myself into the schedule, what I realized with this, having all these projects and these different seasons and things changing, I mean, we'll live some more for three months and you know, then have to move again. And so that can really change. Constant, that constant change. I mean, you can't really have that structured rigid. set schedule. So what I've done is been able to switch on being very goal focused and say, okay, you know. This, this client project is needs to be done at this time. I can focus on doing that project at once. So every morning I set three specific goals and work on those as three specific tasks as opposed to trying to time block. And that has tremendously increased my productivity as well as that feeling at the end of the day. Like, Oh yeah, I did these three tasks, even if I wasn't able to get to anything else. You feel accomplished, which is really the battle of self-employment. Now, I'm also currently, I'm about to finish up my doctorate. I'm one class away from doing my dissertation, so that has been another interesting a Into my weekly schedule to shift to that next question. And what I have found is I can lump these things together. So my doctorate is in business administration, and so some of that, like last fall, my class was process. And

    21 min

  3. 06/30/2020

    Episode 318 | Jam Session on Mid-Year Goal Setting / Check-ins

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are having a Jam Session on Mid-Year Goal Setting / Check-ins. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:Knowing when its time to cut loose a goal.  The importance of pivoting. How to measure your goals. FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript - Goal setting Jam Session   Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:00:21] Hello and welcome back to the side hustle gal podcast. You've got just me and Caitlyn today for our last jam session of the season. Holy shit.  Uh, so today we are going to be talking to you about maybe your goal checking and setting new goals at the midyear if you need to plus maybe telling you something about the goals that we set this year. Yeah. Uh, so let's dig right in. First thing that we want to talk about is how to check in on your goals. And we should probably preface this by saying that there are literally dozens of different ways to set goals. A couple of years ago, right in a Pomeroy, and I wrote a book interviewing a bunch of different goal-setting experts, and there were so many different things that we discovered. Um, so first there's no right way to goal set. Um, but checking in on your goals is interesting, right? Cause I feel like we set goals and then I used to be the person that would like set goals in my power sheets and then never use the tending list throughout the year.  um, so checking in on your goals is really about A, is this thing still important to me? B, have I achieved it? C. If I haven't achieved it, is it because of A or because of needing to put processes in place to get shit done? What do you think, caitlyn?  Caitlyn Allen: [00:01:50] Yeah. Um, I think this is a very interesting thing because with my clients, I actually do quarterly goal setting. Um, so mid year is usually not really. Okay. Kind of review outside of financial goals. Um, but I do know that if you set big goals for the year, you should be, in my opinion, checking in on them at least quarterly to make sure that they're staying up to date. Um, and I know this podcast episode is going live in July, I think. So it's perfect time to be talking about that midyear check-in and yeah, I think that it's. the check-in is more about is this working or am I just not working on this thing? Is it. Providing what I'm expecting it to provide, or did I write this down because everybody else was doing it? So taking a look at what your goals were and what Headspace you were in when you wrote them, and then really reevaluating the year. I think especially true with this year, the Coronavirus has thrown a damper on a lot of different things, or. Um, is making a lot of us pivot our businesses. And so this is kind of the perfect time to think about, okay, what were my goals then? What are my goals now? And how do I get there for the next six months or next three months? And I think that kind of brings us into how to pivot and create new goals unless, Dan, do you have anything else to say about checking in.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:03:31] No, I think it had a pivot. Basically, this year is more important than ever. Right? Like you and I were talking before we started recording this episode. What if like what if they just don't matter anymore? Oh, and I think with Corona, that can be especially true. I think about those folks who had in-person events planned for Q2. That I ended up getting canceled or in person events for Q3 that have had rough ticket sales because no one wants to commit to an in person event right now. Um, so how do you pivot? How do you adjust? I'm a good example of, this is even my own in person event. I have an in person event in September of this year, and I literally launched ticket sales the first week of March, and at the end of that week, it was declared a pandemic. And so we, we immediately stopped promoting ticket sales. Early bird was supposed to end March 31st but like we extended it through the end of may that, um, because you have to, you have to shift and adapt. A lot of event planners have put into place ways to still hold their event digitally. Ah, like if coronavirus is still a thing in September, we're just gonna mail everyone swag and snacks and hold it virtually. Mmm. So while the event industry is a more concrete example, there's other ways that this can be impacted because businesses are putting. Not essential projects on hold to focus on shifting. I'm even seeing that at work at Google, like all of the non-essential tests and planning that we have for Q2 gone out the window. Caitlyn Allen: [00:05:16] Um, a lot of our sales goals have had to shift as well for a lot of business owners I work for.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:05:22] Yeah, exactly. Um, so it's, it's an interesting, right? It's a, a reminder of those dream to do list. That we have and that we've never gotten done. We've seen a lot of personal ability to do that. I mean, my Instagram has been flooded with people organizing their homes and doing all those projects that we'd ever got to. A friend of mine is live documenting her home renovation that they just decided to do since her and her husband are both at home right now. Um. So there is a lot of that going on and it makes you think about, you know, what's important because a lot of times we just carry things over on our to do, to do list from one day to the next to the next  to the next. And next thing you know, for six months you've been carrying this item over. Maybe it's time to scratch it off and let it go.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:06:15] Or really do the damn thing now because we have time. So like for me, I was super excited. I bought a course at the beginning or the end of last year, and I was like, hell yeah, this is the time I'm going to do this thing. And then. As you guys know, or as Dannie knows, my mom got really sick and I had to go back to Michigan and just a lot of things kept getting in the way and it kept getting pushed on the back burner. But now we have time, like take some time to  finish those courses. Take that time to read that workbook that you purchased. Take this time to really focus on your business too, and come back stronger than ever because.  this isn't going to last forever. It's just a season, just like anything else. Um, and it's the perfect time to make those pivots, if that's what you want to do.   Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:07:08] yeah, that's spot on. So if you're going to pivot and if you're going to set new goals, let's talk about measuring those goals, right? Um, so you've all heard of smart goals, right? Simple, measurable, actionable. Repeatable, right? Something like that. Anyway, look into smart goals. It's a good way to measure it. And before we started recording, Caitlyn and I were talking about the difference between measuring quantitative goals and qualitative goals, right? Quantitative goals, easy to measure. Did you hit your numbers? Did you produce the X number of things that you plan to produce? So for us, did we complete all 20 episodes of season four. Like, that's really easy. You either publish 20 episodes or you didn't.  Um, but those qualitative goals, write those in a little bit harder to measuring, to understand and to think about. So when you're setting, qualitative goals, think about breaking the master qualitative goal into quantitative chunks. So if you're writing a book. Maybe set a goal of recording writing 2000 words a week, or if you want to build a coaching program, set a goal of developing one chunk of it a week for the next seven weeks and really break it down so that way you have ways to check the box in in an actually measurable way, and you don't find yourself at the day of the deadline with. No book written or no program developed  Caitlyn Allen: [00:08:45] and schedule time on your calendar to do the damn thing. Like that's what I see missing all of the time is, Oh yeah, I'm going to do, I'm going to write a chapter of my book this week because that's my goal is to write a chapter a week for the next three months. It's not on their calendar, like they're not actually doing the thing. So when you're writing and you're making these smart goals or these quantitative goals, um, I always recommend having a chunk of time in your week and always putting it at the beginning of the week cause we know that we're going to switch it. Let's be honest, we

    21 min

  4. 06/23/2020

    Episode 317 | Rosalia Rivera of About Consent Podcast

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are talking with Rosalia Rivera of About Consent Podcast. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:Knowing when it is time to turn away from something because the passion is gone. The impact that the cultural landscape can have on your side hustle. being able to take a step back and separate family life from your side hustle. GET MORE: Rainn Pod: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Parenting: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript   Caitlyn Allen: [00:00:21] Hey guys, welcome back to the side hustle gal podcast. I am so excited today because we have Carey of cor marketing. Um, Carey and I met a couple of years ago, um, when Rosemary Watson, um, connected us. We went to a like retreat together type thing. Um, and it was just, it was so much fun to connect with entrepreneurs and that's something that a lot of us probably don't do, especially for side hustling. There is a lot of work that's going into it. So I'm taking the time to go out and meet people, uh, can bring you business because now Carey and I work together. So Carey, tell us a little bit about, you.  Carey Osenbau: [00:01:06] Um, my name is Carey Osenbau I have kind of been in this, um, what you would call like web and marketing space, probably almost 15 years now. I started back in early two thousands before this whole. Online VA space really was a big thing. It was just starting to pick up steam. I worked in the legal field and realized very quickly with two small children that that wasn't going to be an option for me anymore unless I wanted to pay massive amounts of money to. For daycare costs and what's the point of working at that point? So, um, I quickly, I had to find another solution and I stumbled upon this world of, um, designing websites, designing e-commerce. So I quickly dove in, made some connections, and. Started, um, providing those services, um, learning all that I could about design and development. I'm pretty much self, self taught myself from the very beginning. Um, since then I worked for multiple companies, um, worked for startups, Mmm. Wellness practitioners. And so learning the ins and outs of all their different types of businesses, but all while still continuing to provide, Mmm. You know, services to other clients on the side. So I was still, while I had like full time jobs throughout my, um, for the last 15 years, I always continue to work on the side building websites, um, making connections, um, and essentially continuing to run that type of business. Ref mainly off of just referrals. So, you know, I would do something for somebody and then they're like, Hey, you know, Carrie's really good at what she does. If you need a website, go give her a call. So. For the longest time, I've essentially grown my side business based purely off of referrals. Um, I did go back to school and get my biz finished up, my business degree. So I was able to kind of connect all the pieces as far as being able to help small businesses and medium sized businesses, tie everything together through marketing, through business structure, and then also design and development and marketing their businesses online. Mmm. So I think seven years ago, after working full time for a wellness practitioner, I, um, was pregnant with my now seven year old and I decided to jump back into taking my side hustle full time. And so, um, continued to grow. Over the last two years, I've gotten so busy that I decided, um, that it was time to build a team. And so, I mean, last year we did our first, um, six figure year, and it's been a, an amazing kind of journey and all the, uh, the Austin businesses that we get to work with.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:04:08] So it really sounds like a lot of connections have brought you the business that you've had. How do you. Like, how do you build those connections, um, outside of like, of course somebody is a, a client and then they're referring, but how have you really built those connections? And then the followup question to that is, are the. Times that you connect with people who are referrals. Is that ever awkward? Um like, Oh, well this person knew you, so you must be good type of thing, versus they're finding you organically and they think that you're good, if that makes sense? Carey Osenbau: [00:04:49] Okay. Um, so as far as being able to connect with people, that's always been a big struggle for me. Um. I don't know. I don't consider myself an introvert. Once I get to know somebody, I kind of like open up and like blossom. And then, you know, I'm a chatterbox, but it's, I've always been kind of shy in nature. So that's always been one area that I've struggled in. So I've been, I kind of look for opportunities and honestly, um, with the online Instagram community has really, um, made it easier to connect with people. That are doing the same types of work that you're doing and being a, you know, a work from home entrepreneur, it's really hard to get out unless there's somebody that's put something together. I'm some kind of community to where that you can get out and meet other type of like minded business owners. So having the Instagram community has been amazing. Um, and the opportunities that have actually come from that. And being able to promote other people because you're meeting all different types of people that do different things. So if you're niched and specialized in one specific thing, you may have, um. Somebody that you've connected with that maybe does similar type of work, but if they say, specialize in Squarespace and they come across a client that needs Shopify help, then they're, because you've made that connection and you've built that trust factor with them, they're more willing to give you that referral because you have built that. Um. That relationship with them. Um, and then one thing that has really helped too with the referral base business is is essentially how you treat your customers. And, you know, I tried to always provide the best experience, um, go above and beyond. Um. What my offering is, and really tried to educate and, and give the best product that I can. And that has really helped too. Um, it's, the service that you provide is also self-promotion because if, if your client has a great experience, obviously they're going to refer you to other people because once you build that trust with a client, there. More willing to give you, like they're trusted people that they have relationships with. So, um, and then the second part of your question was, can you, um,  Caitlyn Allen: [00:07:21] yeah. So do you ever find it awkward when you have a. Referral come through, um, where they just, instead of knowing your work and knowing what you offer, they just kind of come in and are like, well, you've worked with this person, so I'm sure that you can do this. Like, is it ever awkward trying to explain your products to somebody who already thinks that you can give them what they need?  Carey Osenbau: [00:07:48] Um, I think I've been in this business so long that maybe in the beginning it was, I mean, I've had some, um. Maybe drawbacks to that. But as I've continued to grow and I'm actually like one of the things that has helped with that as, as far as like niching, but I do understand what you're saying. Cause sometimes if you niche so far down, people are like, well, do you do this? And being like. With my company, we are kind of like a one stop shop. We do a lot of different things. So, um, it is surprising to clients sometimes all of the different types of services that we offer because we don't always communicate that in our marketing and advertising. Um, and then also, um, as far as people that maybe just organically have found me, um, it's usually based. Same. It's based on what we have advertised our services to be, but then once you get to know the the customer, then it's easier to kind of just tell them like all the additional stuff Caitlyn Allen: [00:08:50] So some things that he liked to go above and beyond for a client. But let's talk about going above and beyond for a client because there can be going above and beyond and shooting yourself in the foot. So how have you dealt with that? Um, are you dealing with that? Has that been a struggle?  Carey Osenbau: [00:09:08] Well over, probably I say th

    21 min

  5. 06/16/2020

    Episode 316 | Carey Osenbau of Cor Marketing Group

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are talking with Carey Osenbau of Cor Marketing Group. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:How you can build your side hustle solely from referrals. How to. build connections for your businesses outside of just your client referrals. The difference between finding a client organically vs a referral and how to approach each.  Finding the difference between going above and beyond for a client and going too far. GET MORE: Website | Instagram | Linkedin | Pinterest FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript   Caitlyn Allen: [00:00:21] Hey guys, welcome back to the side hustle gal podcast. I am so excited today because we have Carey of cor marketing. Um, Carey and I met a couple of years ago, um, when Rosemary Watson, um, connected us. We went to a like retreat together type thing. Um, and it was just, it was so much fun to connect with entrepreneurs and that's something that a lot of us probably don't do, especially for side hustling. There is a lot of work that's going into it. So I'm taking the time to go out and meet people, uh, can bring you business because now Carey and I work together. So Carey, tell us a little bit about, you.  Carey Osenbau: [00:01:06] Um, my name is Carey Osenbau I have kind of been in this, um, what you would call like web and marketing space, probably almost 15 years now. I started back in early two thousands before this whole. Online VA space really was a big thing. It was just starting to pick up steam. I worked in the legal field and realized very quickly with two small children that that wasn't going to be an option for me anymore unless I wanted to pay massive amounts of money to. For daycare costs and what's the point of working at that point? So, um, I quickly, I had to find another solution and I stumbled upon this world of, um, designing websites, designing e-commerce. So I quickly dove in, made some connections, and. Started, um, providing those services, um, learning all that I could about design and development. I'm pretty much self, self taught myself from the very beginning. Um, since then I worked for multiple companies, um, worked for startups, Mmm. Wellness practitioners. And so learning the ins and outs of all their different types of businesses, but all while still continuing to provide, Mmm. You know, services to other clients on the side. So I was still, while I had like full time jobs throughout my, um, for the last 15 years, I always continue to work on the side building websites, um, making connections, um, and essentially continuing to run that type of business. Ref mainly off of just referrals. So, you know, I would do something for somebody and then they're like, Hey, you know, Carrie's really good at what she does. If you need a website, go give her a call. So. For the longest time, I've essentially grown my side business based purely off of referrals. Um, I did go back to school and get my biz finished up, my business degree. So I was able to kind of connect all the pieces as far as being able to help small businesses and medium sized businesses, tie everything together through marketing, through business structure, and then also design and development and marketing their businesses online. Mmm. So I think seven years ago, after working full time for a wellness practitioner, I, um, was pregnant with my now seven year old and I decided to jump back into taking my side hustle full time. And so, um, continued to grow. Over the last two years, I've gotten so busy that I decided, um, that it was time to build a team. And so, I mean, last year we did our first, um, six figure year, and it's been a, an amazing kind of journey and all the, uh, the Austin businesses that we get to work with.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:04:08] So it really sounds like a lot of connections have brought you the business that you've had. How do you. Like, how do you build those connections, um, outside of like, of course somebody is a, a client and then they're referring, but how have you really built those connections? And then the followup question to that is, are the. Times that you connect with people who are referrals. Is that ever awkward? Um like, Oh, well this person knew you, so you must be good type of thing, versus they're finding you organically and they think that you're good, if that makes sense? Carey Osenbau: [00:04:49] Okay. Um, so as far as being able to connect with people, that's always been a big struggle for me. Um. I don't know. I don't consider myself an introvert. Once I get to know somebody, I kind of like open up and like blossom. And then, you know, I'm a chatterbox, but it's, I've always been kind of shy in nature. So that's always been one area that I've struggled in. So I've been, I kind of look for opportunities and honestly, um, with the online Instagram community has really, um, made it easier to connect with people. That are doing the same types of work that you're doing and being a, you know, a work from home entrepreneur, it's really hard to get out unless there's somebody that's put something together. I'm some kind of community to where that you can get out and meet other type of like minded business owners. So having the Instagram community has been amazing. Um, and the opportunities that have actually come from that. And being able to promote other people because you're meeting all different types of people that do different things. So if you're niched and specialized in one specific thing, you may have, um. Somebody that you've connected with that maybe does similar type of work, but if they say, specialize in Squarespace and they come across a client that needs Shopify help, then they're, because you've made that connection and you've built that trust factor with them, they're more willing to give you that referral because you have built that. Um. That relationship with them. Um, and then one thing that has really helped too with the referral base business is is essentially how you treat your customers. And, you know, I tried to always provide the best experience, um, go above and beyond. Um. What my offering is, and really tried to educate and, and give the best product that I can. And that has really helped too. Um, it's, the service that you provide is also self-promotion because if, if your client has a great experience, obviously they're going to refer you to other people because once you build that trust with a client, there. More willing to give you, like they're trusted people that they have relationships with. So, um, and then the second part of your question was, can you, um,  Caitlyn Allen: [00:07:21] yeah. So do you ever find it awkward when you have a. Referral come through, um, where they just, instead of knowing your work and knowing what you offer, they just kind of come in and are like, well, you've worked with this person, so I'm sure that you can do this. Like, is it ever awkward trying to explain your products to somebody who already thinks that you can give them what they need?  Carey Osenbau: [00:07:48] Um, I think I've been in this business so long that maybe in the beginning it was, I mean, I've had some, um. Maybe drawbacks to that. But as I've continued to grow and I'm actually like one of the things that has helped with that as, as far as like niching, but I do understand what you're saying. Cause sometimes if you niche so far down, people are like, well, do you do this? And being like. With my company, we are kind of like a one stop shop. We do a lot of different things. So, um, it is surprising to clients sometimes all of the different types of services that we offer because we don't always communicate that in our marketing and advertising. Um, and then also, um, as far as people that maybe just organically have found me, um, it's usually based. Same. It's based on what we have advertised our services to be, but then once you get to know the the customer, then it's easier to kind of just tell them like all the additional stuff Caitlyn Allen: [00:08:50] So some things that he liked to go above and beyond for a client. But let's talk about going above and beyond for a client because there can be going above and beyond and shooting yourself in the foot. So how have you dealt with that? Um, are you dealing with that? Has that been a struggle?  Carey Osenbau: [00

    21 min

  6. 06/09/2020

    Episode 315 | Beelma McCaffrey of Work Bigger

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are talking with Belma McCaffrey of Work Bigger. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:What it takes to get your side hustle off the ground and into a full-time gig. Knowing when it is time to make pivots in your side hustle. Connecting with your pain points and coming back stronger from them.  Audio Freebie! GET MORE: Website | Instagram FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript   Belma McCaffrey   Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:00:21] Hello and welcome back to the side hustle gal podcast. We're so excited to have Belma McCaffrey here today from work, bigger talking about all things side hustling, and Belma. Thank you so much for being here today.  Belma McCaffrey: [00:00:34] My pleasure. Hi ladies. Thank you so much for having me.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:00:39] Of course, we'd love to hear from you a little bit about what you do and why you identify as a side hustler. Belma McCaffrey: [00:00:45] Yeah. Uh, so I run a career development coaching platform called work bigger. And our mission is to help people do work they love. That makes an impact that makes a difference in the world without burning out. And we do that through a group coaching membership. We do that through, um, private coaching and also working with organizations to lead to lead trainings. And I identify as a side hustler because work bigger was a side hustle for, I want to say a little more than two years. Uh, before I started running it full time. And that experience of building, launching, building, and just running a business as a side hustle taught me so much about myself and what it takes to get something off the ground. And it was. I couldn't have done it without really starting it as, as a side hustle. So yeah, that's why I really, I really connect to the work you ladies are doing here with the podcast. And you know, um, when I heard about you guys, I was like, yes, this is awesome. I know there's like a whole movement of side hustle happening cause I think people are really looking to bring their dreams and their goals to life. And you can always do it by jumping into it full time. It's not, it's not realistic or possible for everyone. So. Um, being able to start something while you're still working, I think is, it's just powerful. It allows you to get to that, you know, to that longer term vision that you have.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:02:19] Yeah. And I feel like it also allows you to have art to like express passion that you might not be able to in your everyday life or your corporate job, um, on the side as well. So it keeps you, I dunno, for me, when I first started out, it kept me very motivated in my corporate job as well as like, because I was. Finally feeling passionate again, I guess, if that makes sense.  Belma McCaffrey: [00:02:44] Absolutely. It's, um, you're like filling gaps that you can't fill with your, with your nine to five, right. Or with your like full time job. And that's, um. Yeah. And I can share more too about like why I started work bigger and, and all of that, if that'd be helpful for you guys. But  Caitlyn Allen: [00:03:03] yeah, we'd love to hear, we'd love to hear more.  Belma McCaffrey: [00:03:06] Yeah. Um, so I started work bigger because of a personal pain point. I, I spent all of my twenties. I was really ambitious and driven like, right as soon as I graduated college. Uh, but I. You know, I was like excited to be working. I just felt really lost and disconnected a few months into my first job, and I thought the pro, like I thought the job was the problem. I was like, Oh, this just isn't the right job. So. I'm going to go find another job. And I did. And I approached that job. That other job would like that same like ambition and excitement, but then I would hit a wall and I realized from like, you know, even my college years, I was like approaching my career path just without clarity, without intention. I was trying to answer that question of what do I want to be when I grow up and what do I want to do with my own life? And. It was really hard. So after working in media for about seven years, I decided to go back to business school full time. So I gave up a pretty. Pretty good salary too, for like for the age that I was at. Uh, and I S yeah, I gave up that salary. I had to pay like all of the tuition that comes with, with business school. And that's where I saw that all of my classmates are kind of in the same boat. Everybody was like, Oh, we're here in business school cause we're hoping to pivot and we don't know exactly what we want to do with that. But you know, maybe this will be our chance to like do it over. And as I, you know, as I thought about that and just continue to business school, I was like, this is pretty crazy. Like we're spending all this money. And all this time, and we're still not clear if we're going to get the ROI we're looking for, right? Like maybe we'll make more money, but is it gonna fill that gap that we're all looking to fill with with our careers? So that's kind of when I fell into pers, a professional development and coaching and started really thinking about what can we do to solve this problem, right? So that we're not spending all this money on grad school. We're really approaching it from a place of intention and clarity and where we have morer purpose behind what we are doing. So that's, that's why it started. And I also started to see too that as people stayed in this like cycle, I really talk about it as a cycle, right? You like test one job. It's not it. You test another job, you test another job, and then all of the meanwhile you're kind of like stuck in this place of frustration trying to figure it out and it's not working. I started to see that the longer people were in the cycle, the more they were making compromises and giving up on the things that they really wanted. Like it's okay if I don't, um. Fulfill my longterm dream. I'll just stick with like making some money or it's okay if I don't make a lot of money. And I just thought I was like, what a shame. Like people are giving up on the stuff they really desire because they aren't seeing that it's possible. So that's why I started it. It just came from like that personal struggle and I was like, this is, this is ridiculous. Like we need to do something. Something about this.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:06:06] That's honestly so relatable. Um, the audience knows that I work at Google in my nine to five, and there's this like assumption that those elite companies, right? You never experience things like this. Um, but even there, there's. There's a feeling of getting trapped in, of getting stuck in that cycle. Have you heard of the book pivot by Jenny Blake? It's this book cause that talks about, uh, like thinking about your career as pivot points instead of this ladder thing and that seems so in alignment with what you're doing, like setting people up to make those pivots.  Belma McCaffrey: [00:06:48] Yeah, I have heard of that book and I think her, her work is incredible. Um, exactly. And it's about too, like making those pivots, knowing what you're trying out and. You know, putting, you know, intention behind, there's different experiments and tests, right. Versus being like, okay, I'm going to try this, but like, I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to get out of it. Right. So you have like clear metrics in terms of what you want to get. Yeah.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:07:15] So I'm curious, you talk about this being a loop and a loop can kind of go two directions, right? The loop can either suck you in tighter and tighter and tighter, so it's impossible to escape that circle, or the loop can propel you out and spit you out really fast and hard. And I'm curious what advice you would give to people trying to achieve that second thing while they're stuck in the loop.  Belma McCaffrey: [00:07:44] So the loop that propels you out as the propelling of positive, or is it like, I'm so burned out, I'm just giving up? Or like I need to take like a break. What is, how do you define us for talent? Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:07:55] But it honestly could go either way, right? Like you get chewed up in spat out or you get propelled into the next best thing.  Belma McCaffrey: [00:08:03] Yeah, so I love, I love that you use that example. I think th

    21 min

  7. 06/02/2020

    Episode 314 | Jam Session on The Downsides of Hustle Culture

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are having a Jam Session on The Downsides of Hustle Culture. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:H FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript - Downsides of Hustle Culture   Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:00:21] All right. Welcome back to the side hustle gal podcast. We've got a doozy for you today. You're hanging out with just me and Caitlyn for another one of our jam sessions, and today we're going to dive in to the downsides of hustle culture. Uh, so we've got a few different topics that we want to talk about with you. We're going to cover burnout, hustle-porn privilege, and how that factors in and unsustainable expectations and unhealthy lifestyles. So Caitlyn, let's start with the last two and I'm going to toss it to you.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:00:51] Yeah. So I think for me, hustle culture has really impacted, um, me to have unsustainable expectations and unhealthy lifestyle choices. I think a lot of the times. When we think of hustle culture, we think, Oh, we can get all of this done and then we'll have a break. But especially when you continue to hustle and continue to hustle and continue to hustle, you never get that break. Um, because you've created this unsustainable expectation to yourself, into your clients and to those around you that. You can continue to do all of the things that you're putting on your plate and that they're putting on your plate. Um, which then of course leads to some unhealthy lifestyles, like not sleeping or not taking. Um. Time off for yourself, which then leads to burnout, which is another thing that we've talked about. So I think for me, that's really what a hustle culture has. Um, how, how it has impacted me personally. And. It's not a sustainable expectation to continue to hustle and continue to hustle and continue to hustle. Because at the end of the day, if you're just hustling and you're not putting, you know, systems or processes, um, for yourself, but also for your business in place, all you're doing is doing a lot of work that. You didn't have to do in the long run. Dannie, how do you think, do you feel like you've seen the unsustainable expectations that unhealthy lifestyles?  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:02:35] I feel like. A lot of this in some ways is what I experienced when I began side hustling, right? The side hustlers experience hustle culture in a completely different way than full time entrepreneurs because we have less time. We have more expectations because we want this thing to do well, right? Because we're dedicating the very limited and precious time that we have to it. So I think that. It all, it all boils down to unreasonable expectations. We set unreasonable expectations. It leads down healthy lifestyles. It leads to burnout. It leads to a lot of these other things. So I guess what I'm saying is. We need a gut check and a reality check on the way that we're goal setting. Cause everything comes back to that, right? Like the messages that we're feeding ourselves during our goal setting process plan in effect, the way that we behave as a result. Caitlyn Allen: [00:03:32] Yeah, definitely. And it's also when you're setting those goals, making, making sure that you're checking in with yourself and your body, um, and how your feeling because yeah, $100,000 might feel attainable because you can hustle your way to it, but is it actually attainable for your body? And for. Yourself at that given given point, and maybe it's not, and that doesn't mean you're a failure if it's not. It just means that you have to take yourself into consideration into these goal setting scenarios. So I think that especially with the unhealthy lifestyle, that's something that we really, especially a side hustlers like. Going to work? Are you making breakfast or are you making lunch at in the morning? Or are you getting lunch delivered to work when you come home because you're side hustling? What are you eating? Like the, just the simple basics of putting stuff into your body. Are you able to go to the gym and get a workout in or are you able to take some downtime in the evening to do some yoga or even meditation? Um. And I'm not saying that you have to be working out at the gym. What I'm saying is  you also need to be putting time and energy into helping your body, because that's the only way that you'll continue to have energy. And if you don't have energy, you're not going to want to do anything. And that's only going to be more stressful on the long run. Um, which leads to burnout. So, Dannie, let's talk a little bit about burnout. Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:05:09] Oh, burnout. I feel like there are two kinds of people in this world. Those that plan for burnout and those that don't, and I fall in the second camp. I grind and I grind in my grind and grind and grind, and then all of a sudden burned and I'm Burntout and I shut down for 24 hours and then I grind and I grind and grind and grind. It's just a cycle. I feel like Maddox would. I have some, some, some thoughts on this subject, but burnout doesn't necessarily mean either that your body and your mind are completely run ragged. Burnout could surface as irritability, forgetfulness, hunger. Like how many times have we as entrepreneurs, sat nine to five in our desk chairs? Three back to back meetings, meetings, and completely forgotten about lunch. I mean, I think it goes back to the like unhealthy lifestyles piece, but burnout is more than just the like complete and utter shutdown that we think about and burnout. Burnout is producing lower quality work because you've got too much on your plate. I mean, I've been there. I remember like five years ago, I delivered a project to a client and it wasn't my best work. And I was like, I know this isn't my best work, but I'm so tired. And like, it shouldn't take sending that email to a client to realize that. Um, so when we're thinking about burnout, it's. Creating spaces to pause. I remember the first time I ever meditated and I'm so not a woo person, and I was so like skeeved out and doubting about meditation, but I remember it. It was with my good friend Dalma and she was leading this meditation. She started the meditation with a full body scan, and even if I don't have the patience for meditation, that full body scan shocked me. The tension I was holding in my jaw, the tension I was holding in my shoulders, the clenching that was happening in my gut and my knees and my toes. I've been doing it for so long. I, I didn't notice. I had no idea that this was happening. And so. I think that in the same way we can do a full body scan of our physical bodies for the purpose of meditation, we can do a full mental scam to check in on burnout. Um, and so I think we can schedule it in our calendar. Like Rana Pomeroy talks about CEO check-ins on Fridays, right? To check in on how your business is going. But what if we scheduled five minutes to. Just like listen in on and throw away our mental clutter. And I think that both of those things together could really help prevent burnout. Caitlyn Allen: [00:07:54] Yeah. And I think we all experienced burnout very differently for Dannie. She can just take 24 hours and like turn off for a little bit and then turn back on. Um, for me it's very different. It's that I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. And then I'm being an a*****e and I'm, my friends have to be like, Caitlyn, what's, what's going on there? Um, and then I have to take a week or a couple of weeks to really like check in with myself, figure out where I'm feeling the burnout. Um, is it. My client work isn't a expectations that I've put on myself. Is it this is it that, like I really have to dig deep into , um, where I'm feeling, uh, the, the pressure I think. Um, so I, I, I've always found it interesting that people call it burnout. For me. It's like. Pressure, like pressurized. Um, because that's, that's how I tend to feel it and I tend to hold on to it. Um, but I agree. Even just checking in with yourself at the end of the week, or even at the end of the month or even quarterly when you're writing your goals, like, Hey, does this actually feel attainable this month? Um, I think. Well, exactly what you said, Dannie. That was, that's so good to just start doing that.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:09:20] Nailed it. Absolutely nailed that.

    21 min

  8. 05/26/2020

    Episode 313 | Lauren Marsicano of Networking Maverick

    Today Dannie and Caitlyn are talking with Lauren Marsicano of Networking Maverick. We believe in accessible content and that anyone who wants to learn from this content should be able to. In order to support this, we’ve had every episode of Season 4 transcribed. The transcriptions are available at the bottom of every episode blog post. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:Building and protecting your Queendoms!!! Ways to completely thrive in a male-dominated field. Conquering self-doubt in the early days of your side hustle. Embracing your many different personal facets. GET MORE: Website | Instagram FOLLOW YOUR HOSTS: D Website | D Instagram // C Website | C Instagram Get the Side Hustle Starter Kit Episode Transcript   Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:00:21] Hello and welcome back to the side hustle GAO podcast. Today's guest is from a group we haven't talked about yet, which is the create and cultivate insiders group. If you've ever been to a create and cultivate conference, you can join, create and cultivate insiders, which is basically, um, a great small group of those of us that super love, create and cultivate and want to have deeper relationships. There's monthly mentoring and all of that good stuff, but that's not what we're here to talk about. I am so excited to introduce Lauren Marsicano to you. Lauren hank you so much for being here, and please tell us a little bit about your journey.  Lauren Marsicano: [00:01:02] Well, thank you so much for having me here, Dannie. I'm so excited. Create and Cultivate is an amazing organization. I love the online group, which is how we connected and and probably like you, and like many people listening. I'm just a part of so many different women's empowerment groups online. So I love the connections that we build. Which is fantastic. So my name is Laura Marsicano. I'm an attorney. I own my own law firm, but I also have a side hustle. So the side hustle actually is a networking Maverick LLC, which is a women's empowerment group. It's online. It also now has live events in Miami and South Florida. So if you're in the area, you know, you feel free to come out to any of my monthly networking events and workshops. But it all started because of my main business. So for, I don't know, since I was 14 years old, I wanted to be a lawyer. Right after I wasn't going to be an actress or a model, I decided to get, you know, lawyer sounds really good I love debating. And so my whole path, uh, until about two years ago was just being a lawyer. I did, you know, the undergrad, international business and finance. I went to university of Miami school of law. I studied law at Oxford university under a fellowship and became a lawyer. So, yay. But I was not expecting to feel unfulfilled. Like I became a lawyer pass the bar exam, and about a year and a half into it, got my quote unquote dream job. You know, the six figure lawyer working for multinational corporations, billion dollar corporations, but I still wasn't happy and I had two friends of mine that I sat down with her. They're like, Lauren, we know exactly what the problem is. You've got to start your own business. Right? And I think that happens to a lot of people when I was like, no, no, no, no. My own business, I'm not 60 years old. You know, like that's when you start a law business. But I launched my law firm and we ended up making six figures in our first year from, and I attributed it all to networking and connections, but I love being a lawyer and I love what I can do with my lawyer hat on. But there's so much I'm restricted from doing as Lauren Marsicano Esquire, right? That Esquire puts so many restrictions on how much I can help the business owners that come to me. Cause that's who I serve. I'm a business attorney. And so I was at these networking events and people were like, how did you make money your first year? How you know, most law firms fail, not, you know, not only do they not make six figures, they're gone. And people go back to their original. A hustle, whatever, you know, whatever law firm they were in, and it was a lot of women. It was a lot of women at these events telling me this, and those are the people I like serving the most anyway as a lawyer. And so I was like, you know what? I need to start another business. And it can just be online. It started just online. It's, it was YouTube videos and it was Instagram posts and it was live streams and all these different things. Just giving. Women specifically. So I always, my tagline is, no matter whether I'm with the law firm or with networking Maverick, I'm helping female entrepreneurs build and protect their queendoms. So I call it queendoms, right? Cause we all have our queendoms. Right. Um, and so networking Maverick became my side hustle because of my main hustle. And so that's where, that's where I'm at now, helping women on both sides. Now it's offline and I do live events monthly. I partnered with a group called startup sisters USA that's, um, you know, in Tampa, Atlanta, I think they've launched a couple of other cities now. And I'm the Miami president. And so networking Maverick partners with startup sister to bring these, uh, live events and bring women together locally, which I love. And that's my, that's my background.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:04:40] No, I've loved that so much. I can relate. I first told my grandma that I was going to be a lawyer when I was three. Caitlyn also is super into politics.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:04:53] I planned on being a lawyer too.  Lauren Marsicano: [00:04:55] Oh,  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:04:57] Neither of us went to law school, but we both, we both have a friend. Our friend Sam. Uh, went to law school, graduated with a law degrree, became an attorney. Um, but she knew after her first year of law school that entrepreneurship was the path for her. Um, so Sam's dream one day is to start a scholarship. That's the like, Oh f**k scholarship. That would pay, like if you decide after your first, after like one owl that you don't want to be a lawyer anymore, this scholarship would like pay off your one hour loans.  That's free. Yeah. Um, so all of, so all of those to say, I love your story. For those in the audience that are listening, I mean, this girl's a badass, top 40 under 40 lawyer in the nation, Oxford, who doesn't dream of studying abroad at Oxford, all the things, um. So I wanna I wanna dive in and I'm going to ask the obvious question first because I think it's also a good question to ask. Law is so male dominated. How did you carve out your niche in that space? I know classic question. I want to know.  Lauren Marsicano: [00:06:13] No, but is it is, and especially so, not only am I an attorney, my, for my business, when I'm the business attorney side, I'm litigation. So litigation is even more male dominated, right? Like women come in and we're called the court reporter. Right? So that's, that was my first experience actually for, I'm this huge, I don't wanna get too technical. It's like, it's there, like motions for summary judgment or big motions they can prevent you from going to trial. And it was my first year as an attorney and I walk in, I, I've, you know, prepared so much and the opposing counsel was probably like, I dunno. I don't want to make them too old, but let's say he's like 70, let's say 70 year old white male. And uh, he, he called me a court reporter first and I was like, Oh no, I'm here. I'm your opposing counsel. And he like, he didn't slap my full butt, but you know when they do like that top of the butts lap where they like, Pat, you like the lower back. But it's a little too little while. So I've got a big badonkadonk. So I mean, it's not all of his fault. He passed my lower back and it's like, well, good luck. Little lady. Like, and I crushed him and it felt good.  Dannie Lynn Fountain: [00:07:21] But also that little lady, the fucking Southern like Lauren Marsicano: [00:07:29] which actually you don't find a lot in Miami because we're very like, you know, European, Hispanic, whatever. But this guy was like an old white Southern attorney from, I think Bible belt, Florida or something. I think he drove down maybe for the hearing. I've never seen him again. I'd never seen him on another case, but I crushed them and it felt amazing. And even at the end you was like. Oh, good. Good job. Little lady. And I was like, you can't even give me that. Like you can't, even after I crush you just give me some kind of respect and like just a handshake, like a normal hand shake. This was all before the me too movement, by the way.  Caitlyn Allen: [00:08:04] I can't, I can't with that type of, ca

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About

The Side Hustle Gal, to us, is someone who works harder than anyone else we know. They're focused not only on their business, but also a myriad of other commitments that tug at their time. They dream of seeing their inspiration become reality and they crave deep conversation. This podcast, this space, is a place for us to be authentic and real. We're ready to chat about the gritty parts of business that make us cry. We're ready to talk about how the hell we handle the day to day when life gets hard. We're ready to challenge the idea that you can't be a successful Side Hustle Gal. Dive in, dig deep, and enjoy your journey. We're here for you, babe.

Information

  • Creator
    Dannie Fountain & Caitlyn Allen
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2020
  • Episodes
    68
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    The Side Hustle Gal