In this podcast, Amanda Rae discusses the importance of balancing immediate survival mode with long-term business success. Emphasizing the need for solopreneurs to plan not just for their next sale, but for the next three and ten years, she highlights the value of setting clear, adaptable goals. Amanda also explores practical strategies for achieving these plans. Finally, she underscores the importance of continually reassessing and adjusting plans to ensure sustained growth and success.
“When you're a solo business owner, you have to gamble on yourself. You can take money and you can go and invest them in some way, shape, or form or you can invest them in you. When you invest in you and you take a gamble on yourself, you are in complete control.” — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
00:52 Summer Planning for Success
04:28 Balancing Survival Mode and Long-Term Success Plans
11:36 Investing in Yourself for Long-Term Growth
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae discusses her connection with the song "Thank You, Aimee," appreciating its clever lyrics and the theme of turning adversity into motivation, which she relates to her entrepreneurial journey. She emphasizes the importance of overcoming negativity and using criticism constructively to fuel personal and professional growth. Amanda reflects on the continuous personal development required in business and highlights the significance of managing emotions and staying resilient in the face of challenges. The podcast underscores the need for mindset shifts and emotional strength to navigate the entrepreneurial path effectively.
“A journey has lots of ups and downs, [so] instead of letting the naysayers and the haters and the gossips and the whisperers break you, fully, to where you stop and you give up, you use that as inspiration to keep going, to keep building, to keep getting better.” — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
01:05 Relating Taylor Swift's "Thank You, Amy" to Personal and Entrepreneurial Growth
08:00 Overcoming Negativity and Embracing Growth in Entrepreneurship
14:23 Embracing Personal Growth and Emotional Resilience in Business
This episode of the HatsOff Podcast, hosted by Amanda Rae, delves into the common tendency to delay beneficial actions, whether it's getting a massage for physical relief or optimizing one's business with tools like 17hats. Amanda reflects on why people procrastinate on self-care and business improvements, emphasizing that taking small, proactive steps leads to greater productivity, happiness, and success. Through personal anecdotes and insights, the podcast encourages listeners to seize opportunities for growth and change their mindset from seeing necessary tasks as burdens to viewing them as pathways to improvement and fulfillment.
“You don't have to set everything up to get value, you just have to start.” — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
01:35 Overcoming Procrastination: Embracing Actions for Personal and Professional Growth
05:39 Taking the First Steps: Breaking Down Barriers to Using 17hats Effectively
09:40 Seizing Growth Opportunities: Transforming Challenges into Advantages
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae explores strategies to overcome the "boogeyman under the bed" syndrome, where overwhelming projects become paralyzing. She stresses the importance of separating emotional baggage from the project itself, focusing solely on the tasks at hand. When dealing with complex tasks like workflows, tackle one section at a time, starting with your most profitable revenue stream and writing down each step in your process. By approaching projects incrementally and methodically, you can reduce overwhelm and steadily progress toward completion.
What You’ll Learn
00:33 Overcoming Overwhelming Tasks
04:21 Stripping Away Emotional Baggage
08:31 Planning and Building Confidence Step-by-Step
14:39 Tackling Workflow Projects: Break It Down and Focus on One Section
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae emphasizes the importance of practice in achieving business success. She explains that consistent practice builds confidence, which is crucial for performing well under pressure and gaining clients' trust. Amanda offers practical tips on effective practice methods, such as recording and reviewing scripts and refining workflows step by step. She concludes by encouraging listeners to incorporate daily practice into their routines to foster continuous growth and improvement in their business.
“Practice, practice, practice, because when you get to the moment that you actually have to do it, now you're going to say it with confidence, which at the end of the day is going to give you a better result.” — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
02:29 Building Confidence Through Practice
07:49 What Confidence Looks Like: Communication Tips
12:01 Mastering the Art of Practice: Improving Your Pitch
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae delves into common misconceptions and assumptions in business that may hinder growth. She explores the pitfalls of low pricing strategies, the drawbacks of striving for perfection in aesthetics, and the importance of streamlining client scheduling. Additionally, she emphasizes the benefits of niche specialization over offering a broad range of services and discusses the necessity of embracing automation for improved client engagement. Through insightful anecdotes and practical advice, Amanda encourages listeners to reassess their business practices and prioritize strategies that lead to long-term success.
“Instead of looking for the next thing that is going to spark your growth, think about what you're doing now and can you do it better.” — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
04:48 Misconceptions About Pricing
08:30 Why Perfection Isn't Key to Success
11:21 Why Client-Driven Schedules May Be Hurting Your Efficiency
13:51 The Downsides of Offering Too Many Services in Your Business
17:46 How Automation Boosts Client Engagement and Conversions
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, the CEO of 17hats, Amanda Rae, and guest, Carissa Woo delve into the critical role of automation and process in business growth. They emphasize how lead automation and immediate engagement can significantly enhance client trust and conversion rates. Amanda highlights the newly launched Marketplace by 17hats, connecting users with verified, successful partners to share practical tools and strategies. This episode also offers advice for solopreneurs on maintaining resilience, creating a vision with clear milestones, and the importance of proactive client communication for sustained success.
What You’ll Learn
02:48 Exploring Amanda's Roots: Growing Up in Small-Town Texas
17:34 The Beginnings of 17hats: From User to CEO and Beyond
22:49 Mastering Lead Automation: Boosting Engagement and Conversions
36:51 Launching the 17hats Marketplace: Connecting Consumers with Verified Experts
41:05 Staying True to the Vision: Evolving with Simplicity and Robustness
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae shares practical advice for solopreneurs striving to balance business and family life. She emphasizes the importance of embracing one's current capacity and cherishing small moments with loved ones. The podcast offers heartfelt insights and actionable strategies for navigating the challenges of solopreneurship while nurturing meaningful relationships. “Whether you are doing volunteer work or you're the boss or maybe you're the employee or you're the mom or you're the teenage mom (because it's a whole different hat) … each one of those playing fields in life brings out a different you [and] you have to embrace [those] different parts of your personality.” — Amanda Rae What You’ll Learn 06:28 Finding Your Best in Each Moment 09:26 The Power of Little Things in Parenting 12:14 Navigating Multiple Roles with Grace 14:52 Navigating the Illusions of Social Media 17:07 Instilling Grit and Perseverance in the Next Generation 20:21 Nurturing Relationships Amidst Busy Lives Resources Mentioned: "The Alter Ego Effect" by Todd Herman
This episode of the HatsOff Podcast dives into creative ideas for reels on social media platforms. Host Amanda Rae shares various content ideas and strategies for those who might feel stuck or uncertain about what to post. She emphasizes the importance of engaging with your audience through authentic and relatable content, such as behind-the-scenes glimpses, client testimonials, progression stories, and tips and tricks related to your industry. Additionally, Amanda encourages consistency and experimentation, reminding listeners that success on social media requires dedication and a willingness to adapt and grow.
“I think [it] is so important to reveal [your] products, transformations, things you bought, things you're doing because again, you are your brand, you are the number one representation, you are the walking billboard for your brand all the time. So people need to see your face and they need to recognize your face." — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
01:37 Optimizing Your Time on Social Media
05:07 Social Media Marketing Ideas
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, host Amanda Rae, the CEO of 17hats and special guest, Emily Warren from the 17hats team discuss the newly launched 17hats Marketplace. The Marketplace connects buyers with trusted professionals offering templates and services for small businesses. The marketplace aims to provide valuable resources for small business owners, showcasing exclusive items and processes to enhance business operations. Amanda and Emily emphasize the importance of community support and learning from successful business owners to navigate challenges and grow in the small business industry.
“Our current marketplace sellers are people who are in the grind right now, they are current small business owners. It just means that their templates are that much more effective, [and is] what’s propelling their business forward.” — Emily Warren
What You’ll Learn
02:47 A Deep Dive into 17hats Marketplace Templates and Beyond
11:09 Cultivating Trust: The Quality Assurance Process of 17hats Marketplace
20:06 May Marketplace Madness: Exclusive Daily Features Await!
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae, CEO of 17hats, delves into the intricacies of the marketing funnel and the importance of brand trust, alignment, visibility, and readability in growing a thriving business. She emphasizes the significance of reaching the third generation of clients and discusses the key steps of awareness, interest, and consideration in the marketing funnel. Amanda shares practical tips for enhancing brand awareness beyond social media, highlights the role of unique content in cultivating client interest, and underscores the need for streamlined contact methods to facilitate effective conversion.
“One of the most important things that I can tell you … is you need to make contacting you as easy as possible. If it is difficult to contact you, they're done. They are not going to [reach out to] you.” — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
01:52 Building Brand Trust and Alignment
05:29 Understanding the Marketing Funnel
08:17 Expanding Your Reach with Brand Awareness
13:27 Cultivating Interest Beyond First Impressions
18:35 Enhancing Consideration for Effective Conversion
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae, CEO of 17hats, discusses the common distractions that solopreneurs face in their businesses, such as social media, being a 'yes' person, lack of policies and boundaries, getting too engrossed in details, and procrastination. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, time blocking, documentation, knowing your vision and goals, and overcoming procrastination to reduce distractions and improve business efficiency. By focusing on these aspects, entrepreneurs can streamline their workflow, make informed decisions, and achieve greater success in their business endeavors.
What You’ll Learn
01:03 Navigating Social Media Distractions
03:19 The Pitfalls of Being a 'Yes Person' in Business
07:10 The Importance of Knowing Your Policies and Limits
09:55 Balancing Passion and Productivity
13:59 Tackling Procrastination to Reduce Stress and Distractions
15:52 Essential Strategies to Overcome Your Distractions
In this episode of the HatsOff Podcast, Amanda Rae, CEO of 17hats, delves into the significance of perception in business, emphasizing the key aspects of perceived value, availability, personality, and values. Amanda explores the vital connection between aligning client perceptions and business delivery to foster trust and enhance conversions. She provides insightful tips on how businesses can effectively manage these aspects to create a strong and authentic brand presence in the market.
What You’ll Learn
01:13 Perceived Value: Shaping Business Impressions
09:55 Cultivating Perceived Availability
15:11 Business Personality: Crafting a Consistent Brand Image
17:43 Brand Values: Aligning Perception with Purpose
Welcome to another engaging episode of the HatsOff Podcast by 17hats. In this episode, host Amanda Rae delves into the captivating world of vision and its profound impact on the journey of small business owners. In this thought-provoking discussion, Amanda explores the significance of having a clear vision, the benefits of planning and strategizing, and the role vision plays in sustaining motivation and preventing burnout. Get ready to embark on a transformative exploration into the power of vision in shaping the success and fulfillment of entrepreneurs like you.
“Only if you wake up each morning, recognize where you want to be and take on the discipline, the hardships, excitement, and work of the journey, that’s the only way to make dreams a reality.” — Amanda Rae
What You’ll Learn
00:15 Cultivating Clarity Through Vision
04:00 Establishing Personal Vision Clarity
07:17 Crafting Business Vision: Dreams to Reality
09:23 Crafting Client-Centric Vision
13:05 Your Vision as a Guiding Light
In this episode, host Amanda Rae interviews Joey Thomas, a successful business coach. They discuss the importance of brand positioning, knowing the ideal client, and creating a valuable client experience. They deep dive into the concept of Perceived Value and the four pillars to increase it: brand identity, client experience, pricing model, and product quality. Joey shares experience-driven insights and tips for small businesses to thrive in the market.
What You’ll Learn
00:46 Understanding Perceived Value and Business Branding
10:57 Redefining Business Value: Beyond Monetary Transactions
14:27 Decoding the Language of Value
19:57 The Four Pillars of Perceived Value
27:11 Establishing Trust through Value Alignment
In this episode of the HatsOff podcast, Amanda Rae discusses why running sales in your business may not be beneficial. She explains the psychology behind price-conscious consumers and the importance of building trust with potential clients. Amanda also emphasizes the value of cultivating the right clientele and provides insights into offering discounts and referral programs. Tune in to learn why pricing and selling strategies can impact your business's long-term success.
What You'll Learn
00:32 Attracting the Right Clients for Long-Term Success
04:21 Building Trust as a Business Strategy
06:03 Avoiding the Pitfalls of Discount Conditioning
11:18 Pricing and Undermining Your Business
In this episode of the HatsOff podcast, Amanda Rae hosts Mariette Martinez, a long time 17hats user and a business and finance educator. They delve into the importance of maintaining financial transparency in one's business, with a focus on understanding your financial inflow and outflow. Mariette offers insight into how to manage and organize your finances, as well as differentiating between bookkeepers and accountants. Mariette also emphasizes how different business structures have different tax obligations and advises business owners to exercise patience with their journey towards their goal.
What You’ll Learn
01:00 Mastering Financial Fitness
07:27 Overcoming Tax Season Anxiety
15:28 Understanding Different Transaction Categories
22:03 Transitioning from Paper to Digital Receipts
26:48 Understanding Different Tax Obligations
32:24 Bookkeeper vs. Accountant in Your Business
In this insightful episode, host Amanda Rae delves into the critical aspects of guiding potential clients through the decision-making process. From unraveling the startling statistic that 40-60% of purchasing processes end in no decision to exploring the power of trust and transparency, she explores strategies to stand out in a saturated market. By providing glimpses behind the curtain, answering key questions, and crafting authentic experiences, you could lower this unacceptable statistic. Join Amanda Rae as she informs you on how to transform frustration into action and elevate your business through service, trust, and genuine connection.
What You'll Learn
00:19 The Startling Truth About the Purchasing Process
05:21 Standing Out in the Sea of Choices: Capturing the Overwhelmed Buyer
10:08 Unveiling Your Essence
14:04 Turning Frustration into Action
In this episode, Amanda Rae and Meredith Ryncarz discuss the importance of understanding and optimizing business processes and workflows. With a keen focus on client-centricity, they stress the importance of timing, clarity, and simplicity in communication and follow-up strategies. Through candid discussions and practical advice, they demystify the process of refining workflows, ensuring that businesses prioritize efficiency, client satisfaction, and long-term growth. With a blend of personal anecdotes and professional insights, this podcast offers a valuable roadmap for entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of workflow optimization.
What You'll Learn
02:34 Unpacking Process and Workflow
05:42 The Relationship Between Process and Workflow
09:37 Taking Responsibility: Evaluating Processes Amid Client Challenges
16:40 Streamlining Your Workflow: Simplifying the Process
21:04 Crafting Workflow: From Sticky Notes to Software Integration
In this episode of the HatsOff podcast, Amanda Rae, the host and CEO of 17hats, delves into the essential topic of finding leads for your business. She emphasizes the significance of raising awareness about your business and highlights the fact that no one will hire you if they don't know you exist. Amanda provides valuable insights and strategies on identifying your ideal client profile, the importance of getting out and interacting with people, building relationships and partnerships, the power of trust and engagement, and ultimately taking action to expand your network and reach potential clients.
“Trust is huge. You cannot underestimate trust. And trust, when it comes to the buying experience, is a bigger player than price.” — Amanda Rae
“You show up in an authentic way, and that is a huge path … to business growth, but also professional growth, [and] personal growth as well.” — Amanda Rae
What You'll Learn
01:39 Mapping Your Ideal Client Profile
04:55 Building Strategic Partnerships
09:10 Engagement and Follow-Up Strategies
11:28 Leveraging the Chain of Command in Industry Relationships
15:19 Building Trust and Genuine Connections