Erica Vander Sande on the top 4 percent email that made her furious, why she doesn't take business advice from men, and how to use Claude as your business's best friend.

Erica is back from a chaotic summer, kids just started school, and she is diving straight into something that has been sitting with her. She got a marketing email telling her that The Mina Company puts her in the top 4 percent of women in business by annual revenue. Instead of feeling proud, her first reaction was anger.

This episode is Erica unpacking that reaction. She talks about why business advice built around 60 hour work weeks and zero boundaries has never applied to her life as a mom who is also the housekeeper, the chauffeur, and the emotional thermostat for her whole family. She explains why the wage gap between men and women in business is not about ambition or ability, it is about how differently AI is being used on each side of that gap.

The back half of the episode is a genuinely practical breakdown of how Erica uses Claude day to day, from automating client intake with Zapier to getting a weekly team agenda delivered straight to Slack, and why she thinks a Claude subscription should be the last thing a broke entrepreneur cuts, not the first.

• The email that set her off. Erica breaks down the "top 4 percent" email that was meant to be celebratory and why it instead triggered a wave of frustration and self doubt.
• Seven years of low months and high months. A candid look at what it actually took to build Mina from a laptop and a newborn to a business with real profitability.
• Why she doesn't take advice from men in her industry. Erica explains the difference between founders who have a partner managing the household behind the scenes and founders who are doing both jobs at once.
• The thermometer, the chauffeur, the party planner. A real accounting of the invisible roles Erica carries on top of running a company, and why she doesn't outsource most of them.
• Why women's businesses stay small. Erica connects the high number of women owned businesses to the low average revenue those businesses generate, and lays out her theory on why.
• What her mom's side hustles taught her. A story about growing up watching her mom sell Mary Kay to cover gaps in the family budget, and why that pattern still shows up in how women build businesses today.
• Using AI like an expert, not a search bar. Erica explains the difference between asking AI to plan a birthday party and asking it to build you a business plan, a pricing model, or a public speaking career.
• Real automations she uses in her business. From a Zapier and Claude integration that handles client intake to a weekly Slack message that hands her team's agenda, Erica shares what her actual AI setup looks like.
• Claude versus ChatGPT. Why Erica uses both, but leans on Claude specifically for business decisions because it pushes back instead of just cheerleading.
• The real advice. If you can only afford one subscription right now, Erica says it should be Claude, before a coach, before a course, before anything else.

• Business inquiries: The Mina Company
• Personal connection and coaching: Erica Vander Sande

Conversations in the Dark podcast, Erica Vander Sande, women in business and AI, using Claude for business, top 4 percent women in business, gender gap in entrepreneurship, mompreneur burnout, AI for small business owners, The Mina Company, automating a small business

If this episode challenged how you think about AI and your business, leave a review or send it to a woman in your life who is still doing everything the hard way. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark are on the way. Subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

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A new podcast from Erica Vander Sande on grief, motherhood, business, and the conversations we usually only have in the dark.

Episode Summary

In this first episode of Conversations in the Dark, host Erica Vander Sande opens the mic on her brand-new show, the "grown-up" evolution of her former podcast, Breaking Through. Erica explains why she rebranded, what listeners can expect, and why she believes the most honest conversations happen when we're not looking each other in the eye.

Erica shares a bit about her life: she's a mom of two girls (ages 7 and 10), a wife, and a business owner who together with her husband, owns or co-owns nine businesses. She also runs The Mina Company, a full-service online marketing agency serving small and medium-sized businesses. Along the way, she talks candidly about ADHD, parenting, grief, faith, energy work, and the highs and lows of building a business.

This episode is less about answers and more about an invitation: to sit by the fire, skip the eye contact, and get honest about the stuff that's still hard.

What We Cover

• Why "Conversations in the Dark"? Erica explains the shift from Breaking Through to this new show, and why darkness literal and metaphorical, invites more vulnerability, honesty, and raw emotion than we usually allow ourselves.
• What to expect going forward. Grief, motherhood, ADHD family life, marriage, entrepreneurship, and spirituality are all on the table often all tangled together, the way real life actually works.
• Life as a mom of two. Erica reflects on parenting girls ages 7 and 10, moving out of the "little baby phase," and offers an encouraging word to parents still in the thick of early childhood.
• Marriage and a nine-business household. A candid look at what it's like to run a busy, sometimes chaotic family life while co-owning multiple businesses with her husband.
• Building The Mina Company. Erica talks about founding her marketing agency, the swings between rapid growth and painful setbacks, and where the business stands today with a team of seven.
• Faith, doubt, and energy work. Erica opens up about going to church weekly, questioning God, meditating, and practicing energy work, all while staying unapologetically, imperfectly human.
• An invitation, not a lecture. Erica shares why this podcast isn't built around a content calendar or audience research, it's built around showing up honestly and trusting the conversation to find the people who need it.

Memorable Moment

Erica describes the show's namesake image: sitting by a fire in the dark, looking at the flames instead of each other, because that's when people feel safe enough to be honest, to cry, to rage, and to say the hard things out loud.

Connect with Erica

• Business inquiries: The Mina Company
• Personal connection & coaching: Erica Vander Sande

Show Notes Keywords

Conversations in the Dark podcast, Erica Vander Sande, Breaking Through podcast, grief and motherhood podcast, ADHD parenting, small business marketing agency, The Mina Company, faith and entrepreneurship, women in business podcast, vulnerability and honesty podcast

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, leave a review or share it with someone who needs to hear it tonight. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark drop soon subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever feel like life (or your business) is forcing you to slow down—whether you like it or not? In this refreshing and relatable episode, I’m sharing how embracing an intentional pause can actually make you more resilient, creative, and profitable in the long run.

I pull back the curtain on:

• The mindset shift it takes to choose to slow down—before burnout chooses for you
• How to prep your finances, your team, and your clients for a season of rest
• What it really looked like for me to pause this summer, honor my family, and refill my own cup
• How I protect my energy (and revenue) during slow seasons—without spiraling into scarcity
• My behind-the-scenes strategy for easing back in with fresh energy, warm leads, and aligned offers
• How to use intentional “off” seasons as a powerful momentum-builder for your next growth phase

This is your permission slip to rest, reset, and remember: your worth is not tied to your output.

• Pausing is a sign of wisdom, not weakness.
• Your business should support your life—not the other way around.
• Prepare for slow seasons with savings, flexible team structures, and creative planning.
• Use pauses to reconnect with what actually lights you up—then return with intentional momentum.
• Easing back in is just as important as stepping away.

If this episode hit home, share it with a friend who needs to hear it.

And if you’re craving more peace, profitability, and spaciousness, let’s connect.

https://theminacompany.com/

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We’re talking about what it really looks like to face the things you’ve been avoiding—personally, professionally, emotionally. In this episode, I share a raw and real story of finally booking a long-overdue doctor’s appointment, the emotional weight behind it, and why I’m done doing the hard things in the dark.

We unpack:

• The powerful shift from avoidance to action (even when it's scary)
• Why it’s okay to do things with shaking hands and a pounding heart
• The power of community and accountability when you're navigating hard things
• How personal growth and business evolution go hand-in-hand
• The permission to rest and the push to pursue what feels hard but true

Whether you're in a season of change, confronting old fears, or just feeling like everything’s a little tender—this one is for you.

• You don’t have to feel brave to take the next step—just take it.
• Retreating to process is okay, but isolation can stall your growth.
• The most meaningful growth often begins in discomfort.
• A “phone-a-friend” rule might just be the accountability shift you need.
• Your people want to show up for you—let them.

• Shoutout to Becca from [Motherhood Mentor] for the “24-hour rule” wisdom
• How community (like my Mastermind group) makes the scary things feel possible

If this episode hit home, send it to a friend who needs a little courage today—and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss the good stuff.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let’s be real: your content isn’t converting, your creative energy is flatlining, and you’re wondering if you’re just screaming into the void. Sound familiar?

In this deeply grounding episode, we’re diving into the real reason your marketing might not be working—and it’s not your strategy. It’s your nervous system.

We talk about:

• Why creative burnout happens (and how to know if it’s happening to you)
• The sneaky impact of daily overstimulation on your marketing energy
• How your nervous system is your business’s nervous system (yes, really)
• Why “half-assing” some things is a strategic power move
• Creating magnetism by doing what lights you up (not drains you)
• Why AI can be your easy-button, not your enemy
• Real examples of clients hitting burnout and how we helped them shift

From marketing overwhelm to parenting chaos to reclaiming presence in everyday life, this episode is a permission slip to slow down, regulate, and reimagine how you show up.

• If it feels heavy, it probably is. Lighten your load before you burn out.
• You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be where your energy flows best.
• A dysregulated business owner = a dysregulated business.
• Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is half-ass what doesn’t matter.
• You can protect your peace and still show up powerfully in business.

Whether you’re a solopreneur drowning in to-do lists or a growing team feeling the tension, we help you align your marketing strategy with your nervous system. Let’s make space for the work that lights you up.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is your sign to stop overthinking and do the thing—even if it scares the hell out of you.

In this soul-led episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes journey of launching something completely new: my business realignment sessions. After months of inner work, tough conversations, second-guessing, and stalling, I finally hit send on the email that made it all real—and I’m bringing you with me through that deeply human moment.

This episode is for the woman who:

• Has been sitting on an idea that won’t leave her alone
• Is hiding part of her gifts because they might feel “too much” for others
• Feels called to evolve her business… but is terrified of what others might think
• Needs a little courage to take the next step—even if she’s not sure where it leads

We talk about:

• How I’ve secretly used energetics, intuition, and channeling in my agency for years
• Why I finally decided to blend spiritual gifts into my work—out loud and unapologetically
• What it felt like to send the “this might change everything” email
• Releasing the fear of what others think (even your friends or family)
• The power of just doing the uncomfortable thing

Whether you're launching a new offer, shifting your identity, or simply feeling stuck in a season of waiting, this episode is your reminder: your next move doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be honest.

• Fear of judgment is real—but your light is stronger.
• You don’t have to keep your gifts separate. Integration is where alignment lives.
• The “big scary thing” is usually the door to everything you’re craving.
• You can evolve your business without starting over.
• When it’s time to move, MOVE—even if your voice shakes.

If you’re feeling off in your business, burnt out by your offers, or unsure how to integrate your deeper gifts—my new 1:1 Business Realignment Sessions are open. Come as you are. Bring it all. Let’s find what’s next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been told you just need “better balance.” In this candid and energizing episode, we’re throwing out the myth of perfect balance and exploring what it really looks like to live, parent, and build a business from a place of peace, presence, and practicality.

Inspired by a powerful conversation in her mastermind group, your host unpacks why traditional definitions of balance are setting us up for burnout—and what it means to replace that with intentional rhythms, flexible systems, and a little life-hacking along the way.

Inside this episode, we talk about:

• The truth behind “balance” and why it doesn’t work (especially for moms)
• A powerful analogy for managing priorities without losing your mind
• Life hacks that actually bring peace (even if they look “lazy” from the outside)
• Why your inner critic is lying to you—and how to quiet it
• Creating a life your kids will want to emulate (not escape from)
• Practical, mindset-shifting examples of choosing joy over constant striving

You’ll walk away from this episode feeling seen, understood, and ready to toss out the color-coded schedules in favor of something that truly works for you.

• You can’t boil every pot on the stove at the same time.
• Balance is seasonal, not static—and that’s a good thing.
• Life hacks aren’t lazy. They’re smart, sustainable, and sanity-saving.
• Peace is a better goal than perfection.
• Your childhood self deserves a life that feels joyful, not just productive.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Firing a client is never easy—and if anyone tells you it is, they’re either lying or numb to the emotional toll it takes.

In this episode, I’m getting deeply honest about one of the hardest parts of being a service-based business owner: knowing when it’s time to let go of a client… and actually doing it. Whether it’s energy drain, boundary breaches, or just a gut feeling that it’s no longer aligned, we unpack what to look for, what to ask yourself, and how to walk away with grace, clarity, and peace.

Inside this episode, we talk about:

• How to know when it’s time to fire a client (even the “good” ones)
• Why letting go is essential to long-term alignment and business growth
• The spiritual, emotional, and energetic weight of holding onto misaligned clients
• How to audit your pricing, boundaries, and client fit with honesty
• The “client rating system” I’ve used—and why it’s about more than just money
• Why we can’t people-please our way to sustainable success

This is a compassionate, no-fluff conversation about the real stuff behind the scenes of a healthy business. If you're a heart-led service provider struggling to let go of someone who’s no longer a fit, this episode is the reminder that you’re allowed to choose you.

• You’re not a bad business owner for letting someone go—you’re a wise one.
• It’s okay to not be the right fit for someone anymore—and to say so with love.
• Energy leaks often start as subtle nudges. Listen before they roar.
• You don’t have to be everything to everyone. You were never meant to.
• Letting go creates space for better clients, aligned opportunities, and a lighter spirit.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.