If you've been feeling overwhelmed by all the "shoulds" in online business, what platform to use, how to show up, what strategy is "working right now," this conversation is going to feel like a breath of fresh air.

In this episode, I sit down with Julie Ciardi to unpack what's actually happening in the online space right now, why so many entrepreneurs are feeling burned out by traditional social media, and what it looks like to build a business that's rooted in your voice instead of the algorithm.

We also dive into the rise of Substack as a powerful alternative for creating real connection, long-form thought leadership, and sustainable growth without feeling like you're stuck on a content hamster wheel.

We also explore how Human Design can help you stop second-guessing your messaging, trust your natural way of communicating, and finally feel confident in how you show up. If you've been craving a simpler, more aligned way to grow your business, this episode is for you.

• [00:04:36] – Julie's journey from IBM VP to entrepreneur and why she rejected the traditional social media path early on

• [00:07:14] – Why she refused to get on the "content hamster wheel" and chose a different growth strategy

• [00:10:24] – The moment Substack clicked and why she originally didn't want anything to do with it

• [00:12:14] – Why Substack is more than a newsletter platform and how it works as a full media hub

• [00:13:05] – The return of organic reach and why it's working differently here

• [00:14:30] – The hidden impact of ads and algorithm-driven feeds on your nervous system

• [00:16:44] – How Substack simplifies content creation and replaces multiple tools and workflows

• [00:19:30] – The reality of current content workflows and why they feel so overwhelming

• [00:21:01] – The culture shift on Substack and why collaboration and real connection matter

• [00:25:21] – Why your best buyers may be leaving traditional platforms and what that means for your strategy

• [00:29:15] – Why being early on emerging platforms creates massive opportunity

• [00:30:17] – Why repurposed content falls flat on Substack and what actually works instead

• [00:41:19] – How Human Design reveals your natural communication style and builds confidence

• [00:50:41] – Why most marketing advice only works for certain people and not others

• [00:53:32] – The danger of following the wrong strategy and how to come back to what works for you

"I'm a seven-figure founder who did not build my business on organic social media. I made that decision early on because I wanted to spend my time creating thought leadership for my clients, not performing like an actor or comedian just to grow on Instagram."

"When I discovered what Substack actually was, I felt like I struck gold because it's not just a newsletter platform. It's your media company, your publishing house, your podcast host, your video platform. It's everything in one place."

"Organic reach is still possible on Substack, and in eight years of business I had never grown organically. So to show up there, just being myself and speaking long-form, and then see it explode, that was a completely different experience."

"You don't pick a niche anymore. You pick a soapbox. When you speak from conviction and actually say what you believe, you naturally repel the wrong people and call in the right ones."

"When someone has clarity and confidence in what they're here to say, they will say it. Your body will actually tell you the best way for you to communicate, whether that's writing, speaking, or video."

• Julie's Substack and main hub

• Substack by Design Podcast

• Take the CEO Type Quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who's ready to build their business in a way that actually feels like them.

It's my 39th birthday, and instead of just reflecting on the past year, I'm sharing something that has completely shifted how I think about business, decision-making, and personal alignment.

In this episode, I'm diving into how your birth chart can offer powerful insights into how you're actually wired to operate, and what that means for building a business that truly works for you.

We're unpacking why so many entrepreneurs feel stuck, burned out, or inconsistent (even when they're doing "all the right things"), and how misalignment, not lack of discipline, is often the real issue.

I'm also sharing how this lens has transformed my own business decisions, from how I structure my offers to how I show up as a leader, and how you can start using it to build a business that feels as good as it performs.

• [00:00] – Why my birthday always sparks a deeper reset (and why Q2 is when things actually take off for me)
• [02:47] – The moment I realized birth chart data was scarily accurate and why I couldn't ignore it
• [07:16] – Why I trust this more than most personality tests I've ever used
• [10:01] – What a birth chart actually is (and how to use it without "spiritualizing" it)
• [16:09] – The decision-making mistake that was quietly sabotaging my business
• [19:57] – How outsourcing my decisions cost me time, money, and momentum
• [22:10] – Why my energy works in intense bursts (and why consistency-based models failed me)
• [24:05] – The real reason my revenue declined when I switched to an "evergreen" model
• [26:11] – The uncomfortable truth about likability and how it was hurting my business growth
• [31:21] – Why my business is designed for slow, sustainable authority, not fast growth
• [33:26] – How I knew popular marketing strategies weren't a fit (even when they "worked" for others)
• [39:16] – Why podcasting is my most powerful marketing tool and converts better than anything else
• [44:56] – Why relationship-based selling works better for me than cold audiences or ads
• [47:08] – The surprising way money is tied to my identity and how that shapes my pricing
• [54:34] – The intuitive skill I've been underestimating (and how this tool validated it)
• [58:53] – Why misalignment, not effort, is the real bottleneck in your business
• [01:04:01] – The costly mistake of copying other people's strategies and how it pulled me off track
• [01:05:01] – The key questions to ask yourself to uncover where your business is out of alignment

"The level of clarity and accuracy that I found [in analyzing birth charts] was just something that I couldn't ignore."

"If I'm waiting and deliberating and seeking more input, this isn't something that actually makes my decisions better. If anything, it actually makes them worse."

"Most standard business models are built with the assumption that you should be able to put consistent, steady, daily output into your business, and that model is not a fit for me."

"If I want to kill my business and just run it into the ground, the goal is that I should try to be more likable."

"When your business model doesn't fit your design, you often experience it as a personal failure, rather than a failure of the business model."

• Apply for The Advisory
• Take the CEO Type Quiz
• Birth Chart Tools:
  • https://astro-seek.com
  • https://astro-charts.com

If this episode got you thinking about how you're actually wired to run your business, take that as a sign to explore it further.

And if you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to follow, rate, share, and leave a review! It helps more people discover the show and build businesses that truly fit who they are.

I'm unpacking a pattern I keep seeing with smart, successful entrepreneurs who are doing everything right, and still ending up burned out, stuck, or even making less money.

I dive into what really happens when you commit to a business model that was never designed for you, and why following "proven" strategies can quietly pull you further away from your strengths.

I also share a very personal behind-the-scenes look at my own business evolution: what I changed, what I got wrong, and the moment I realized I had built something that didn't actually fit me.

If you've ever questioned your direction, your decisions, or your ability to grow, this episode will help you reframe what's really going on, and show you a way forward that actually works for you.

• "They didn't end up worse because they were lazy or gave up. They ended up worse because they were good students of the wrong formula."

• "If you hired a coach, followed everything they said, and it didn't work… that's not a personal failure. It's a diagnostic failure."

• "You can be working harder than ever, putting in more time, more money, more effort, and still be going a hundred miles per hour in the wrong direction."

• "At some point, you stop trusting yourself… because you've outsourced your instincts and let someone else become the CEO of your business."

• "It's not that you're incapable of building a successful business. It's that you've been trying to force yourself into a model that was never designed for you."

• [00:00] – Why successful entrepreneurs can still end up worse off

• [03:06] – The hidden cost of implementing the wrong business model

• [05:18] – Why "success leaves clues" can actually mislead you

• [10:53] – The moment your business starts draining more than it gives

• [15:49] – My personal experience with an Evergreen model that didn't fit

• [28:25] – The trap of overbuilding teams too early

• [36:20] – Losing trust in yourself—and how to rebuild it

• [43:02] – Rebuilding your business around your natural strengths

• [49:08] – Why profit, energy, and alignment matter more than revenue

• CEO Type Quiz: https://lauraschoenfeld.com/quiz

• Apply for 1:1 Advisory

• DM "advisory" on Instagram for more details

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear this message. And if you enjoyed it, don't forget to follow, rate, and leave a review—it really helps more people find the show. See you next week! 🎙️