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! 🎙️

Would you walk away from a life that looked like your dream on paper?

In this episode, I'm joined by Sara Vezensek, and her story is one that I think so many high-achieving women are going to resonate with.

Sara went from growing up in Slovenia, where the luxury world felt like something out of a movie, to living what most people would call the ultimate success story — working on superyachts, flying private, managing million-dollar deals, and earning incredible money at a young age.

But behind all of it, she felt trapped, constantly on call, and disconnected from the freedom she thought success would bring.

We dive into how she walked away from that life and built a business on her own terms — one rooted in freedom, ownership, and intentional growth.

Sara breaks down how to create messaging that actually converts (without needing a massive audience), how to simplify your content strategy, and how to stop trading time for money by building scalable, high-impact offers.

[00:01:58] - Sara shares how growing up in Slovenia shaped her perspective on money, freedom, and what was possible for her life.

[00:03:58] - She opens up about achieving "dream life" success on paper — and why it still left her feeling trapped and unfulfilled.

[00:07:27] - We talk about building an online business when no one around you understands what you're doing — and how she borrowed belief from others.

[00:11:10] - Sara explains why you don't need a massive audience to make sales and how specificity is the real key to conversion.

[00:15:42] - She walks through her content strategy for creating "aha moments" that help your audience see themselves in your messaging.

[00:23:24] - We discuss why vanity metrics can be misleading and how to use data to actually understand what's working in your marketing.

[00:33:38] - Sara breaks down how to stop selling your time and start building leveraged offers that create both income and freedom.

"Whatever limits that we think we have just do not exist, and we're our own boundary to what is possible."

"I had it all on paper — I was super successful, making basically my yearly salary per month — but deep down I was so unhappy."

"You do not need a huge audience to make sales. It's not about getting more views, it's about speaking to the right person in an aligned way."

"If you're currently selling your time, you can't scale your time past what you already did — which is why your knowledge has to become the thing you sell, not just access to you."

"Being busy does not make you money. Simplify it and focus on the money-making activities that actually grow your business."

• Sara Vezensek on Instagram
• Sara's Website
• Masterclass: 100K in Sales in 45 Days
• Take the CEO Type Quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you're following the podcast, and I'd love if you took a moment to rate, review, and share it with someone who needs to hear this. It helps more people find the show, and I'm so grateful you're here.

This week's episode is a short update and a behind-the-scenes look at what we just kicked off inside The Foundry.

If you've been following along—especially if you listened to the Own Your Authority masterclass—this is a peek into how that work is starting to come to life in a real-time container with clients.

I'm sharing what we focused on in week one, why we're starting with deep personal alignment (not strategy), and how this process is designed to help experienced business owners build something that actually fits their life and capacity.

I also talk about what to do if you missed enrollment, whether that's joining the waitlist for the next round or working with me one-on-one in the meantime.

And if you haven't finished the last episode yet, consider this your reminder to go back and listen... it's a good one.

• [00:00] – Why this week's episode is shorter (and what to listen to if you're behind)
• [00:00:55] – What The Foundry is and who it's designed for
• [00:02:10] – A behind-the-scenes look at week one: orientation + preparation
• [00:02:35] – Why we're starting with alignment, not strategy
• [00:03:54] – The role of real-life constraints (capacity, family, health) in business decisions
• [00:04:57] – Using personality and self-knowledge tools to guide alignment
• [00:07:38] – How we're using AI to identify patterns and build aligned decision frameworks
• [00:08:34] – What to do if you missed enrollment (1:1 support + waitlist)

• Own Your Authority Masterclass (previous episode)
• Apply for 1:1 Private Advisory
• The Foundry Waitlist

If you enjoy listening, make sure to follow, rate, and review the podcast—and share it with someone who could use a more aligned approach to building their business. I'll see you next week!

Have you ever felt like you're doing everything right in your business—following the strategies, hiring the coaches, implementing the frameworks...and yet something still feels off?

In this episode, I dive into what I call the "Good Student Trap."

It's the pattern I see in so many high-achieving entrepreneurs who built successful businesses by following someone else's rules… only to realize that the business they built may not actually fit who they are anymore.

In this conversation, I unpack why so many smart, hardworking experts end up plateauing—not because they lack effort or strategy, but because they've been executing someone else's playbook for too long.

I share my own experience of realizing I'd fallen into this trap, how life changes can create misalignment in your business, and why the real work isn't about trying harder... it's about stepping back and rebuilding a business that actually reflects who you are now.

Timeline Highlights

[00:00:00] – Why many established entrepreneurs hit a plateau, and the surprising reason it might not be about strategy at all.

[00:03:29] – The moment entrepreneurs leave traditional jobs… and unintentionally recreate the same system inside their own businesses.

[00:09:57] – The two major reasons business owners start feeling disconnected from the businesses they built.

[00:12:13] – What the "Good Student Trap" really is and why high achievers are especially vulnerable to it.

[00:17:01] – How constantly looking for the "right way" to run your business leads to building someone else's vision instead of your own.

[00:19:34] – My personal experience investing over six figures in coaching, and realizing execution alone wasn't solving the problem.

[00:23:13] – The turning point: stepping back to ask whether the business I built actually fits who I am today.

Top Quotes from the Episode

1. On the hidden cause of business plateaus:
   "What if the real problem is that you've been executing someone else's strategy so well for so long that you've completely lost track of whether that strategy was ever right for you in the first place?"

2. On unintentionally recreating the system you tried to escape:
   "Instead of truly escaping that system, you literally just build the same system in your business. You're looking for someone else to tell you what to do."

3. On the mindset many high-achievers bring into entrepreneurship:
   "You get so wrapped up in doing things the right way—saying things the right way, pricing things the right way—that you never stop to ask if what you're building is actually what you want."

4. On the risk of blindly following expert advice:
   "If you're a good student, you're the one who actually takes action on everything you're told to do. And that's where the trap can happen."

5. On the real work of evolving your business:
   "I needed to slow down and really think about what I'm doing here instead of just going nose to the grindstone and hoping I'll magically feel better about it."

Links & Resources

• Free Masterclass: Own Your Authority
  https://lauraschoenfeld.com/masterclass

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

Enjoyed This Episode?

If this episode resonated with you, make sure to follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share it with another entrepreneur who might be stuck in the Good Student Trap. Your support helps more experts find the show and build businesses that truly fit who they are.

If your business used to feel easier and now it feels like you're pushing twice as hard for half the results, this episode is for you.

In this conversation, I'm breaking down why the strategy that built your business (especially during the 2020–2023 online boom) may no longer be the strategy that grows it.

We're talking about the subtle signs your business model has expired, why more content and more execution aren't fixing the problem, and what's actually happening in today's more sophisticated, skeptical market.

This isn't about burning it all down. It's about recognizing when your external strategy is out of sync with your internal authority, and how to realign your business so it actually fits the version of you running it today.

In This Episode:

[00:00] The subtle signs your old strategy has stopped working (even if it technically still "should")
[00:01] Why this usually isn't an execution problem
[00:02] How the 2020–2023 market rewarded volume, hype, and big sweeping promises
[00:06] The "new wine, old wineskin" problem — when your business can't stretch with your growth
[00:12] The shift to a more skeptical, selective buyer
[00:15] Why AI killed the volume advantage
[00:31] The difference between external authority and internal authority — and why both matter

Top 5 Quotes from This Episode

"The strategy that you used to build your business was designed for a specific moment in time, and that moment has now passed."

"You kept running it, you kept trying to optimize it, you kept trying to make it work harder, not realizing that your issue isn't execution. The issue is the business doesn't fit you anymore."

"What does it take to "stop the scroll" in this new era that we're getting into? It's depth. Depth is the competitive advantage right now."

"You cannot out-execute an alignment problem. I have tried. Trust me, it does not work."

"You can't confidently sell an offer that you don't even fully align with anymore… and there's no amount of execution that can overcome that gap. It doesn't matter how disciplined you are."

Links & Resources Mentioned

Own Your Authority Masterclass:
https://lauraschoenfeld.com/masterclass

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

If this episode resonated, make sure you're following the show so you don't miss what's coming next. If you found yourself thinking, "Oh wow… this is me," take a minute to rate and review the podcast — it helps more coaches and experts find conversations like this.

And as always, share this episode with someone who's been quietly wondering why their business suddenly feels heavier than it used to.

I'll see you next time.

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