This week, I am honored to introduce you to my client, Bridget Michael. Bridget is the founder of Deu Doulas in Germany and Spain and has been attending births as a birth doula since 2006. She has worked hard to train doulas and her stories of her early days of marketing are particularly inspiring. She is a true powerhouse and is making a movement in Europe with doulas.  We met in 2020, and by then she had already been in the birth industry for more than a decade. And when we started working together, she expressed her desire to do things differently in her business.  In this episode, you will be hearing about the natural progression of her business’s growth.  It's such a gift for me to witness people walking in their purpose,moving forward on their path, and  to be a part of and witness a client’s growth.  I hope you find her story inspiring, enjoy!    Connect with Bridget Michael on IG:  https://www.instagram.com/doulabridget/   Let’s Connect: https://www.instagram.com/nichole_joy__/

What does it mean to be a heart-centered entrepreneur? First let’s go back to our first heart experience - in the womb. In Joseph Pearce’s  book Evolution's End, Pearce explains that a few days after conception, a clump of vibrating cells form what will become the baby's heart. The heart is the first organ to form, and the vibrating cells tune to the mother's heartbeat, and to her breath. Then after the baby is born, we naturally hold the baby on our left side, even when you're right-handed. The reason: we hold babies close to our left side because it’s closer to our heart. Somewhere along the journey of growing, we are conditioned to lead with our brains, rather than our hearts. Many school systems teach this: logic. Logic isn’t necessarily a ‘bad’ thing; however, it is limiting. Comprehension and critical thinking are helpful, but why are we not learning to listen to our bodies, sink into our heart space and lead with our hearts? And if we look closely, we can actually see how this is manifesting to big companies who are mostly focused on the numbers, on the efficiency, and on the profits earned. In this episode, you’ll feel  the importance of leading from your heart in business… and beyond. Because your heart is  your compass, guiding you  toward your life path, your mission, and your purpose in the world. Leading with your heart and understanding your "why" will serve as a strong energetic business foundation as you build your own business. Enjoy!   Resources Mentioned:  Evolution’s End by Joseph Chilton Pearce  Frequency: The Power of Personal Vibration by Penny Pierce Start With Why by Simon Sinek   Let’s Connect:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichole_joy__/

In this week’s episode, you’ll hear the business birth story of a member of the Online Business School, Stacy Mayfield. . Stacy recently  completed her first year in the Online Business School, and has renewed for another year.    Stacy is a disabled, queer, neurodivergent, self-proclaimed from small town Alabama. She has a killer red lipstick collection and a tendency to go her own way. Her defiance has led to her over four years of human design study. She studied from multiple different teachers and has a pending certification as a full spectrum doula, postpartum doula, childbirth educator with birthing advocacy, and she's launching her new leg of her business Applied Woo, this month as a love letter to birth workers.Her mission is to give birth professionals spiritual tools to refresh or  reinvent their missions.    In this episode, she shares so much about what her experience has been like navigating the birth world, how she used human design in her journey, and really what led her to this strong mission that has a foundation on reproductive justice.    So if you’re curious about her journey, make sure to tune in.   Connect with Stacy:  https://www.instagram.com/appliedwoo/

This week, I’m so excited to bring back the Business Birth Stories where I feature my clients’ and their journey inside Online Business School (https://members.nicholejoy.com/online-business-school-membership).    To kick off its return, I invited my former client and the owner and founder of Blissful Womb, Brittany Zeer. I'm very honored to know Brittany and to have been invited to witness and been part of her journey thus far in her life and in her business.   In this episode, we talked about her journey and how she found success when she finally listened and gave in to her authenticity.   If you’re curious about how she did it, tune in to episode 163 and join our conversations!    Connect with Brittany:  https://www.instagram.com/blissfulwombcare/ https://blissfulwombcare.com/blissful-cycles  

Quick Announcement: A New Program Comes to the Online Business School this week!    The new live program called Standout Online and Grow Your Online Presence is still open and it has available options that fit your business needs and your budget. Join us and experience a full year of new curriculum and new features in the membership!   > Online Business School (OBS) NOW ENROLLING > Q1 in OBS: Stand Out Online & Grow Your Online Presence   Now for this week’s episode:    If your social media strategy includes creating and scheduling 30 - 60+ days of content, learning algorithm hacks, and repurposing like a mother without doing the deeper inner work, then you may be focusing on the surface level, and putting a bandaid on your social media strategy.   I’m talking about hiding behind your logo, not really being yourself, not showing your face, and not really connecting with your audience, to name a few.    You may be putting a bandaid over a deeper issue.   Let me explain.   I’m not a doctor, but I will tell you that one of my gripes with western medicine is that it tends to favor bandaids. It doesn’t usually seek out the root cause of the symptom.   While the band aid might ‘fix’ or mask symptoms, it doesn’t  really do anything for the deeper issue, and it doesn’t really make it go away. Most of the time, it makes the underlying stuff fester.    Whether we’re talking about your health or your business, if you’re stopping at the surface level of building an online presence, you might find yourself spinning your wheels to get a logo, branded graphics, create loads of content…   And still have no clients, no inquiries. And therefore, no business revenue.   I say all of this because I’ve been there. For the first year in my own business, I lived the bandaid life when it came to my social media presence. I had a logo, branded graphics & a list of quotes / affirmations in constant rotation. And for a long time, I was still making $0.   Then I finally uncrossed my arms and decided to look at what was underneath the bandaid.   And I can tell you, that the more I do the inner work, the more I take down the walls on my online presence, the more connected I feel with my community online. And… the easier it is for me to connect with my dreamy soul clients - and for them to find me.   So if you have all the bells and whistles for your social media strategy but find yourself still not getting any sales, then I invite you to go deeper. If you’d like my support & guidance along your journey, this is exactly what we’re doing this quarter in the Online Business School.  Let’s Connect:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichole_joy__/

Quick Announcement: Online Business School is open for enrollment!    We will have an all-new curriculum with new features starting this quarter on January 22nd. We’ll be starting with learning how to grow your online presence for this quarter, and you are welcome to join us whether you prefer to join for just this quarter or stay for the whole year!    > Online Business School NOW ENROLLING https://members.nicholejoy.com/online-business-school-membership > Q1 in OBS: Stand Out Online & Grow Your Online Presence https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/standoutonline   Now for this week’s episode:  I’ve seen a lot of, and to some extent, contributed to the message that starting a business online is easy, effortless, and that all you need is a cell phone and some wifi. While those things can be true: I do believe there are ways to make it easier and more effortless, and for most things a cell phone will do… there is more to it. It’s still A LOT.   And sugarcoating entrepreneurship feels like it’s not serving you.   Preparing you for one of the ultimate life transformations, entrepreneurship (outside of motherhood, being in relationship & grief, IMO), feels important.   Not in a gatekeeper, scare tactics way…But in a ‘prepare me the best you can, so that this business ownership ride is smoother’ way Because here’s the thing:   Yes it’s AMAZING. Yes I wouldn’t trade it for cubicle life. Yes it fulfills my soul on a DEEP level.   BUT it’s not always easy because I am a human, with real emotions and very real rude mental chatter, navigating this journey that veers off the standard program. Putting myself out there again and AGAIN.   So let’s normalize some of the previously sugarcoated things about starting an online business.   But first, ask yourself WHY. Why business? Why online? Why a social media presence?   Because if you can go in, knowing that even with the hard parts, it’ll all be worth it, your experience navigating the roller coaster will be smoother, with more ease.   Here are the 4 things I’d tell my best friend before she starts an online business:  #1 - It takes work. There are hardly ever quick fixes. Yes, there are the people who are genetically designed to have a clear path to ‘success’ and a 26 inch waist. But for the majority of us, we have to get up and DO the things to build our desires - whether that’s booty gains or a dreamy business. #2 - You’ll need Faith. You’ll need this when it looks like things aren’t working. It’s easier to have faith in the corporate safety program, because there’s a ton of evidence around us that it works. Building a dream business, though? There isn’t as much evidence, you have to believe it before you see it. #3 - Learn to navigate ‘failure.’ In my experience, a lot of us ‘fail’ a lot before we succeed. So if you’re in it for the long run, you might as well get all comfy and cozy with foul balls and strikes. The quicker you learn how to move through the feelings associated with “failure” and don’t allow it to stick, or mean something about you, the quicker you’ll grow.    #4 - Embrace being imperfect. To all of the people pleasers of the room: there will be people who don’t vibe with you or your work. And that’s okay. It just means that they are not your people, and you will eventually find yours.  There are so many things that any aspiring online business owner needs to know, but I’m curious, what part resonated with you the most? If you’re already in business, what would you add to this list?  Let’s Connect:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichole_joy__/ Watch the podcast on YouTube! https://youtu.be/s7W-A4WN5sY

Quick Announcement: All new curriculum in the online business school!  We  will start having quarter by quarter topics and ongoing support in between for people inside the online business school container. You'll be able to join individual quarters as a standalone, or join just one quarter if that's what you prefer. And if you are a member in the online business school, you would get to come to all of them.  Course menu: https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/coursemenu Now for this week’s episode: I spoke to some of my clients after getting back from the holidays, and found out that most of them were not feeling that “New Year jumpstart energy” just yet.  They were not vibing with it and they still felt very much like they were recovering. But guess what, even I did not have everything planned out – and I even made a planner!  And it wasn’t because I wasn’t ready yet. It was mostly because of the energy wasn't supportive of me doing that just yet. Our bodies during this season naturally want to pull inward, hibernate, and rest as we experience the cold of winter. But because we are conditioned to adhere to the Gregorian Calendar which is most commonly accepted throughout the world, we feel like we have to go start to kick-off a new year just like everybody else. The thing is, this calendar might not be in alignment with our body's rhythm. And that’s okay.  If January 1st isn't your preference, you have options. There are alternatives that you can try out and see what feels correct for you.  You can approach this concept of playing with time as it pertains to your dreams and your goals in your business, from a different lens. If you want your dreams to become inevitable and guaranteed to happen, then do this: drop the arbitrary date.  You will not quit your dream just because you did not hit a benchmark by December 31st of an arbitrary time. You will do whatever it takes no matter how long it takes to reach your dreams.  That’s when your dreams become a guarantee.  So my advice to you is: what if you drop the date and take off the limits  to your dreams, your goals, whatever, and move forward? No matter how long it takes, what do you think might happen then?   Let’s Connect: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichole_joy__/ Stand Out Online: Grow Your Online Presence: https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/standoutonline  

FREE party next week and you're invited! Here's the 411: You + me on zoom planning out your 2023... setting energetic forecasts... making vision boards... so that you step into 2023 focused AF and crystal clear about what you're going to do. Because listen - those dreams don't move unless you do. I'll help you light that fire under your tush. See you there! Oh, and be sure to RSVP here: https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/2023planningparty Reminder: 50% off courses through 12/31/22. Here's the menu: https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/coursemenu

Quick announcement: note that my holiday bazaar of 50% off courses AND my new audiobook is still going on. I decided to keep it going through 12/31/22 to allow you more space to decide what’s best for you. AND, all course members (of any course) are invited to a bonus strategy session this Thursday, 12/8. This is a great opportunity to ask me questions about how to apply what you’re learning in the courses to YOUR business. And if you need guidance, get in my DMs or email me and I’m happy to help. I have a lot of curriculum at this point, so I’m here to help you find exactly what would be the most supportive of you at this point in your journey, even if that’s a specific podcast episode. Course menu: https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/coursemenu Audiobook ‘Just Start’: https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/juststart Now for this week’s episode: Sooooo many of you want to build a mostly passive business. Meaning, you create resources for people to learn from you on their own time, so that you can help your community, while living your life, taking care of your littles, and just BEing. A few examples of passive products in my business include: Self-paced or on-demand workshops / classes/ courses Other digital resources: e-books, audiobook, guides, checklists In my business: the pregnancy library (cheat sheets, birth plan), the virtual doula’s content toolkit and a collection of online business courses Here’s the thing that I learned about passive courses (over 200 people have purchased my business courses, another 250ish have taken my online birth courses, plus another 150+ have accessed my business courses through other support containers) a lot of people may purchase a course, yet only a percentage of them actually watch it. Now, I do believe that you don’t HAVE to watch every single minute of every single course that you purchase to get what you need out of it. I trust you to lead yourself to exactly what YOU need, when you need it. And still, as a heart-centered entrepreneur, I don’t want you to just buy my courses. I want you to watch at least some of the modules and more importantly, take action & apply some of what you’ve learned. You’re not going to build a 6-figure online business by collecting digital courses. No matter how deeply discounted they are. And that doesn’t really help anybody. We want to HELP our people. I want to HELP you take action. I actually feel like my job in this respect is two-fold: 1) to help you expand the way that you think about the various topics that I teach on, and 2) to help you take action. So here’s my tip. I started this back in March of 2020 and LOVED it. Consider adding a bonus live session for your students. In my business, I’ve offered bonus Q&As and this week I’m offering a bonus strategy session. I love this because it allows us to go deeper into the conversation, apply the teachings to YOU and YOUR specific business, and connect on a deeper level. This is particularly important in the online space, where meeting someone and building trust can be more nuanced. P.S. Don’t forget to check out the holiday bazaar for 50% off my courses! When you’re IN by 12/8, you’ll get an email from me on 12/8 inviting you to a BONUS group strategy session on zoom (with the link). See you there! https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/coursemenu

I wrote a book in 3 weeks & in this episode, you’ll hear how. Here’s the thing - I didn’t even put paper to pen for this. I spoke the whole thing into an audiobook FIRST. I know, I know… that’s not how we’re ‘supposed to’ do it. But hey, you gotta do what works for you, right? Enjoy a little peek behind the scenes of my creative process, audible and paperback plans for the book. Plus, a rundown of my new audiobook, “JUST START: Go beyond mindset. Bring your business vision to life. Get started online today!” Click here to check out the new book & save during the listening launch party: https://nicholejoy.kartra.com/page/juststart