The BS-Free Service Business show will be taking a break through the holidays, so please enjoy this new episode of Duped - Schemes on Your Screens: A 2023 Recap and 2024 Predictions.

As 2023 comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on the year that was and make some predictions about what lies ahead in 2024.

For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online.

2023 is nearly over, so it’s time for my annual look back at the year. In this episode, I will share my high and lowlights, what I really think about this weird year, and what’s on deck for 2024.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

To stay in the loop by email, sign up for updates at https://bsfreebusiness.com/newsletter/

There are two types of service business owners I encounter when I talk about marketing. First, there’s the marketers. They’re always happy to be testing things out in their own business. Then, there are the rest of the service business owners who would rather do anything but marketing. 

In this episode, I’m sharing my guide to marketing a service-based business, no matter how you feel about it. 

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com

To stay in the loop by email, sign up for updates at https://bsfreebusiness.com/newsletter/

The BS-Free Service Business show will be taking a break this week, and you can expect a new episode next week. This week, please enjoy a new episode of Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business, to celebrate it's kickoff!

We wanted to start off this season with a state of the industry, a state of the nation, if you will, on what's going on with online business as we head towards the end of 2023. 

In this episode of Duped, we’re giving you a rundown on the state of online business right now and what you should be watching for in the coming months.

For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online.

Do you need a coach? To buy a program? Or just a regular massage? Support comes in many different forms for our business, but do you figure out what kind of support you need? 

In this episode, I’m digging into the different types of support for entrepreneurs and how to figure out what’s right for you.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com

To stay in the loop by email, sign up for updates at https://bsfreebusiness.com/newsletter/

Simplicity and sustainability are the cornerstones of having a business without the BS and that works for you. But it’s far too easy to make plans and decisions that can overcomplicate everything. 

In this episode, I’m sharing six specific things to check in on before you start making big plans. 

Learn more at: bsfreebusiness.com/simple-and-sustainable-business

Building a successful agency requires a lot of different skills. Especially leadership skills.  But which ones do you need to focus on? Which ones make the most difference? 

In this episode, I share the top six leadership skills every micro agency owner needs.

Learn more at: bsfreebusiness.com/successful-agency

Every business owner knows that growth is never linear. Sometimes, it’s so far from a straight line that you wonder if you’re doing something wrong. 

In this episode, we’re looking at the messy and momentous growth path for micro agency owners. 

Learn more at: bsfreeebusiness.com/growth-path-for-micro-agency

Like every business model out there, the micro agency is subject to a wide variety of myths that are total and complete BS.

In this episode, we’re going to look at what a micro agency is and dispel four common myths.

Learn more at bsfreebusiness.com/microagency

If you want to grow your service business, you may wonder what your options really are. Do you need to hire? Do you need a team? What’s really right for you?

According to conventional business wisdom, there are only two paths to follow when growing a service business. (Don’t get me started on how this lacks nuance and is genuinely some oversimplified BS.) 

That’s why in this episode, I’m exploring what to consider when deciding whether you should stay solo or run a microagency.

Learn more at: bsfreebusiness.com/agency-or-solo

It’s been a weird year, and I know I’m not alone. Is it the economy? Is it something else? And WTF should we all be doing about it?

In this episode, I will share my thoughts and some insights into what’s happening this year for so many of us business-wise.

Learn more at bsfreebusiness.com/truths-about-2023

It impacts everything from the types of clients you work with to how much money you can pay yourself and even how you feel about your work.

In this episode, I’m sharing a practical and proven approach to pricing for service business owners.

Learn more at bsfreebusiness.com/pricing-of-services

This is a re-release of an episode we recorded three years ago, but it is foundational to my work. It takes a look at the problems and the tactics and online business and while it's been a few years, unfortunately, it's still all very valid. So, I thought it was worth pulling out of the archives.

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Have you ever looked around at some of the other businesses in the online business industry and thought “that seems shady as hell”? Or, have you ever wondered how some of the people in this industry manage to fly under the radar while operating with an “anything goes” attitude?

That’s why I decided it was time to go deep into the underbelly of the online business world and start unpacking WHY this industry is so seriously messed up. 

More importantly, I wanted to see what can be done to start moving the needle back towards creating an ethical and honest approach to doing business online.

In this podcast and post, I’m putting a spotlight on the dark side of the online business industry, and sharing why now is the time for the status quo to change dramatically. 

Learn more at: https://bsfreebusiness.com/the-dark-side-of-online-business/

Systems can be powerful for a solo business owner, but unfortunately, they can also totally derail you. 

In the final installment of the Staying Solo series, we’re looking at systems and their crucial role in helping you stay solo by ditching the busy work. 

Learn more at: bsfreebusiness.com/ditching-busywork-with-systems

One of the biggest frustrations faced by service business owners who want to stay solo is that they feel like they’re eventually going to hit an income ceiling.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of an income ceiling, it’s essentially when you can’t make any more money because you’ve hit the maximum pricing you can charge and the number of clients you can serve. 

So the real question we need to explore is if there’s really an income ceiling for service business owners.

The truth? The answer is complicated, and that’s what we’re going to dive into in this essay and episode, along with some specific and proven ways to break the income ceiling.

Learn more at bsfreebusiness.com/income-ceiling

Solo doesn’t mean alone. You don’t need to go it alone with your service business. In fact, you shouldn’t. But what kind of support do you need, and when?

In this episode, we’re diving into just what kinds of support you need as a solo business owner…and it’s about way more than simply hiring a random coach or taking yet another course. 

Find out more at bsfreebusiness.com/solo-support

Most of us start our businesses for more flexibility and freedom, but somewhere along the way find that we’re trapped in a cycle of hustling. To stay solo, you need a realistic planning process that works for you and keeps you from chasing things that simply don’t matter to you.

In this episode of the Staying Solo series, we’re talking about planning with a focus on how to do it in a way that actually works not just for your business but your brain and your life. 

Find out more at bsfreebusiness.com/rethinking-planning

Service business owners often think that the “service” part of the business model means they have to run themselves ragged serving their clients. Or that they need to work around the clock to reach their goals. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

In this episode, we’re digging into the need for “space” as a solopreneur, what that really means, and why it matters more than most of us realize. 

Find out more at bsfreebusiness.com/staying-solo-by-creating-space.

Too many solo business owners are underpaid (or not paid at all) as they fall into the trap of overinvesting in the business or pricing their services too low. And I’m not here for it.

In this episode, we’re looking at the nuts and bolts of paying yourself a salary as a solo business owner as part of our Staying Solo series. 

Find out more at: bsfreebusiness.com/getting-paid

Have you ever been told you’re playing small? Or that for you to have a legit business, you need a team? Or that you must have a mindset issue if you’re not wanting to constantly grow?

I definitely have, and in this episode, we’re having a heart-to-heart about the idea that “staying solo” means you’re playing small because nothing could be further from the truth. 

Find out more at: bsfreebusiness.com/staying-solo

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…summer! It’s time for fun in the sun, beach reads, being by the water, and living it up.  And now’s the time to prepare for the summer slowdown so you can make the most of it.

In this episode, I’m sharing practical ideas for ensuring you have a summer slowdown, including getting your priorities in order, taking time off, downgrading your marketing, and more.

Find out more at: bsfreebusiness.com/summer-slow-down

In this episode, we’re exploring the world of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and its use in the online business and coaching world, with a focus on what you, as a consumer, need to be aware of. 

I’m joined by Kathleen Oh, a coach trained as a Master Practitioner in NLP, to get her perspective on its problems and the potential for harm. 

Learn more at bsfreebusiness.com/neuro-linguistic-programming

Does selling your services stress you out? Do you wish you could skip it entirely and focus on doing what you do best? You’re not alone in that I know many of you hate making sales because it sucks up so much time and energy. 

In this episode, we will ditch the stress and get your time back by diving into simple sales for every service business. 

Find out more at: bsfreebusiness.com/simple-sales

We’ve all been there. We’re overwhelmed and ready to burn it all down if one more client asks you one more question. It’s chaos, and you’re out of capacity for any of it. 

In this episode, we examine how sustainable client service systems can help you tame the client service chaos. 

Find out more at: bsfreebusiness.com/client-service-chaos

What if there was a way to do less of the things that drag you down and more of what you enjoy doing in your business? What if what you’ve been taught about systems is way too complicated for what you actually need? 

In this episode, we’re talking about creating sustainable systems for your service business, including why it can be so much simpler than you may think. 

Learn more at: bsfreebusiness.com/sustainable-systems