Advertise on podcast: Conversations That Build Better Businesses

Marketing can feel like a never-ending list of things you should be doing. In this episode, Carleen sits down with Caroline Lewis, CEO and owner of Lawson House Agency, to talk about what to know before you spend another dollar on marketing. Caroline shares why every business needs a marketing plan, how to figure out what a lead is actually worth to you, and why your brand and website need to be solid before you put money into ads. It’s a grounded, practical conversation about letting the numbers guide your marketing decisions. Key Takeaways Know what a lead is worth to you, in dollars and in time. Not every platform or campaign is right for your business.Start with a plan. Know who you’re targeting and what you’re saying before you choose platforms or set a budget.Fix the foundation first. If your brand, website, and next steps aren’t clear, ad dollars won’t convert.Track what’s working. Review your numbers regularly and ask every new client how they heard about you.Look back at the last three months. Where did your new clients come from, and does your spending line up with that?About Caroline Lewis Caroline Lewis is the CEO and owner of Lawson House Agency, a Chattanooga-based marketing agency that helps small businesses build brands, websites, and marketing strategies that actually move the business forward. A former Director of Operations turned agency owner, Caroline brings a practical, numbers-aware approach to marketing and helps business owners connect their marketing decisions to the bigger picture. Connect with Caroline Website: lawson-house.com Free Website Audit: https://www.lawson-house.com/brand-audit Schedule a Call: https://contact.lawson-house.com/widget/bookings/lh-schedule-a-call Social: @lawsonhouseagency Listener Offer Caroline is offering $100 off her strategy session for listeners. Mention Carleen or C2 Accounting & Business Support when you schedule. Presented by C2 Accounting & Business Support Website: https://c2-acctg.com Book a Complimentary Consultation: https://c2-acctg.com/complimentary-consultation/

Steve August took his first startup to a multimillion-dollar exit and served as CMO of a $100M company, all while white-knuckling it every day. At 54, an ADHD diagnosis reframed everything. Carleen and Steve talk about the three challenges every ADHD entrepreneur faces (the Scattered Week, the Dopamine Desert, and the Inevitable Drift), why it’s wiring and not character, and how to build systems that work with your brain, including the financial follow-through that so often slips. Special offer: Use code CARLEEN for $50 off your first month of the ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator at https://adhd-accelerator.com Connect with Steve: ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator: https://adhd-accelerator.com Website: https://steveaugustcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-august-b2b-adhd-business-founder-coach/ Presented by C2 Accounting & Business Support Website: https://c2-acctg.com Book a Complimentary Consultation: https://c2-acctg.com/complimentary-consultation/

Interior designers have more coaches, software options, and business resources to choose from than ever, which can make the next investment harder to decide. Carleen talks with Sonia Barney, interior designer and founder of Kaivari, about the cost of trial and error spending, how to invest with intention, and how to get clear on what your business needs next before you commit. In this episode: Why trial and error spending costs more than money Why any outside support is a partnership that needs your time and effort How to start with your friction points and budget for support before a crisis Sonia Barney is an award-winning interior designer, business educator, and founder of Kaivari, where she helps designers stop guessing, invest in the right support, and build businesses that fit their goals. Kaivari: www.kaivari.com Free resources, Questions to Ask Before You Hire and the Coach Approach Quiz: https://www.kaivari.com/free-resources Instagram: @kaivarico Presented by C2 Accounting & Business Support Website: https://c2-acctg.com Book a Complimentary Consultation: https://c2-acctg.com/complimentary-consultation/

Self-doubt isn’t proof that something is wrong with you. It’s information. Strategy and accountability coach Rebecca Page-Chapman joins Carleen Lamay to talk about the feeling almost every business owner has and rarely admits to. Rebecca built a seven-figure franchise over 20 years, lost it to COVID, and rebuilt from there. She shares the difference between confidence and certainty, the four shapes self-doubt takes (freeze, delay, loop, and mask), and how to tell protective doubt from fear. Carleen ties it back to the numbers, from underpricing to avoiding your financials. You’ll leave with one simple thing to do the next time doubt shows up. Connect with Rebecca: https://rebeccapagechapman.com. Take her short quiz to find your pattern: https://self-doubt-pattern.lovable.app Presented by C2 Accounting & Business Support Website: https://c2-acctg.com Book a Complimentary Consultation: https://c2-acctg.com/complimentary-consultation/

People are no longer just typing keywords into Google. They’re asking full questions in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity, and those platforms decide which businesses get named in the answer. Carleen sits down with digital marketing strategist Melissa McGraw to talk about what AI visibility really means, where AI platforms pull their information from, and why blog posts and a dedicated FAQ page are the first two moves. They also get into how to train AI to sound like you, and why your marketing spend deserves the same scrutiny as every other line on your P&L. If you want to show up as the answer instead of chasing a ranking, this one is for you. Connect with Melissa Website: https://thecreativepotential.com Free 30 Minute SEO Session: https://calendly.com/melissa-82/30-min-seo-free-session Presented by C2 Accounting & Business Support Website: https://c2-acctg.com Book a Complimentary Consultation: https://c2-acctg.com/complimentary-consultation/

From 30 projects and no help to a seven-figure firm: Lauren Vallario shares how she became the CEO of her design business. How does a solo designer become the CEO of a seven-figure firm? Lauren Vallario, founder of Lauren Vallario Designs, joins Carleen Lamay to share how she went from juggling 30 projects with a part-time assistant to leading a lean, intentional team. Lauren Vallario talks about the wake-up call at High Point Market, learning to charge what her work is worth, and why delegation was her toughest hurdle. She also shares the coaches and advisors who shaped her growth, and why understanding her numbers changed how she makes decisions. If you’re a creative business owner standing at the edge between doing it all and leading, this one is for you. CONNECT WITH LAUREN VALLARIO Website: https://www.laurenvallariodesigns.com Instagram: @laurenvallario.designs * Lauren's Docuseries Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbJslWEZmQ0 * Lauren's Docuseries Episode 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYmOVyRJGok * Lauren's Docuseries Episode 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2_UrzZgLX0 Presented by C2 Accounting & Business Support Website: https://c2-acctg.com Book a Complimentary Consultation: https://c2-acctg.com/complimentary-consultation/

Many of the money problems we label as cash flow issues are really legal gaps in disguise. Attorney Autumn Witt Boyd, founder of AWB Firm and the Fine Print Academy, joins Carleen to talk about refund policies, chargebacks, vendor contracts, trademarks, and how to budget for legal protection as your business grows. You'll also hear what to do if you ever get a cease and desist, and one simple step you can take today to close a gap. About Autumn Witt Boyd: Autumn Witt Boyd is an attorney and the founder of AWB Firm, one of the only law firms in the country built specifically for online business owners, and the Fine Print Academy, its legal education arm. After a decade of litigating disputes in courtrooms, she made it her mission to help entrepreneurs close legal gaps before they become a crisis. She has practiced law for almost 22 years. Connect with Autumn: Website: https://awbfirm.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awbfirm YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AWBFirm Free Five-Minute Legal Audit Checklist: www.awbfirm.com/audit Presented by C2 Accounting & Business Support Website: https://c2-acctg.com

Most business owners don't think about HR until something's already broken, and by then it's expensive. Carleen sits down with Akpene Torku Sims, HR and Leadership Development Consultant, to talk about the real cost of staying reactive on people issues (think: a $2,000 fix that turns into an $87,000 lawsuit), what a new hire actually costs once you factor in training and ramp-up time, and how even solo business owners can build an org chart before they need one. They also get into where AI actually helps in hiring, and where it just adds noise. Connect with Akpene: www.ezerunfolding.com Book a consult: https://ezerunfolding.zohobookings.com/#/4182195000006841426 Learn more about C2 Accounting & Business Support: https://c2-acctg.com Book a Complimentary Consultation: https://c2-acctg.com/complimentary-consultation/

Nancy Quinn, founder of Profit Insiders Coaching, joins Carleen to talk about why so many interior designers stay busy but broke. They dig into the money stories behind chronic underpricing, why scope creep is quietly eating your margins, and how getting confident with your numbers changes everything, from what you charge to how many clients you actually need. If you've ever wondered whether you're worth what you're charging, this one's for you. Guest bio: Nancy Quinn (formerly Nancy Ganzekaufer) is the creator of Profit Insiders Coaching, where she helps interior designers build profitable, sustainable businesses through pricing strategy, systems, sales, and confidence coaching. Alongside associate coach Leslie Myrick, she developed The Key, a pricing tool built from a combined 40 years of industry experience. Connect links: Website: profitinsiderscoaching.comFreebie: Design Profit Checklist — https://nancyganzekaufer.activehosted.com/f/99Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancyquinncoach/

Being busy and being effective aren't the same thing, and Lisa Crilley Mallis is here to help you tell the difference. Carleen Lamay sits down with Lisa Crilley Mallis, founder of Impactive Strategies, to talk about the gap between being busy and being effective. They dig into what actually makes something your Zone of Genius, why business owners resist delegating email and money most, and how staying outside your genius zone shows up as lost revenue, not just lost time. Lisa shares how to find your own Zone of Genius and start delegating strategically, even without a big team. Connect with Lisa: ImpactiveStrategies.com Take her free Time Thief Audit: bit.ly/time-thief

You did everything right. Hit the goals, built the business, checked every box. So why doesn't it feel like enough? In this episode of Conversations That Build Better Businesses, Carleen Lamay sits down with Bridgette Simmonds, the Reset Queen, to talk about the gap so many high-achieving women feel between looking successful and actually feeling it. Bridgette shares her own journey from chasing achievement to helping leaders redefine success through breathwork and sustainable performance, and the two of them get honest about the guilt, the money habits, and the identity questions that come with "making it." If you've ever felt the disconnect between what your numbers say and what you actually believe, this one's for you. Connect with Bridgette: Website: https://www.bridgette.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgettesimmonds/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgettesimmonds/ Take her free Success Reset Quiz: In under five minutes, discover the pattern that might be keeping you stuck in stress, overthinking, burnout, or pressure-driven performance, plus your first step toward success that feels as good as it looks. 👉 https://bridgetteco.typeform.com/ResetQuiz