Why (and How) to Review Your Goals Before the Month Ends

Happy Tuesday!

Quick question: when's the last time you actually looked at the goals you set for yourself — not the ones from January, the ones from this month — and asked, "How am I actually doing on these?"

If you just got a little uncomfortable, good. Stay with me. That discomfort is exactly what today's episode is for.

Welcome back to the Pam Speaks 2 You Creative Business Podcast, the show where we talk about the real, unglamorous, absolutely necessary business components of being an independent author or creative professional. I'm Pamela Hilliard Owens, and today we're talking about something that sounds almost too simple to deserve a full episode: reviewing your goals at the end of the month.

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Here's a question I want you to sit with before we even say hello.

If a total stranger landed on your website, scrolled your Instagram, or picked up your book right now — could they tell, in about ten seconds, who you are, who your work is for, and why any of it matters to them?

Not "sort of." Not "if they read three more posts." In ten seconds.

If you hesitated even a little — good. Stay right there, because this episode was built for exactly that hesitation.

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Welcome to Season 2, Episode 19 of the Pam Speaks 2 You Creative Business Podcast — the podcast for independent authors and creative professionals who are done playing small and ready to build something real. I am your host, Pamela Hilliard Owens, and I am so glad you are here with me today.

Whether you are listening on the Pam Speaks 2 You app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts — welcome. I mean that every single week, but I mean it a little extra today, because we are talking about a phrase that gets thrown around a lot in creative circles, and I do not think it gets unpacked nearly enough.

That phrase is "creative freedom."

You have heard it. Maybe you have said it yourself. "I just want the creative freedom to write what I want." "I left my job for creative freedom." "That is what this business is supposed to give me — freedom." It sounds wonderful. It sounds like the whole point. And yet, I talk to independent authors and creative professionals every single week who have all the freedom in the world on paper — nobody telling them what to do, no boss, no committee, no gatekeeper — and they feel more stuck, more anxious, and less free than they did when someone else was setting the rules.

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Quick question. When was the last time you sat down to work on your book, your art, your business — and felt completely alone with it? No one to ask if the cover concept is working. No one to tell you the newsletter you spent three hours on this morning is actually pretty good. Just you, a blinking cursor, and a to-do list that never gets shorter.

If that sounds familiar, stick around. Today I'm doing something a little different. Instead of interviewing someone else or breaking down somebody else's strategy, I'm going to walk you through the one place I built specifically to solve that problem — the Pam Speaks 2 You app. What it is, what's actually inside it, and why it might be the missing piece for your creative business. Let's get into it.

Today's episode is one I have been wanting to do for a while, because it answers a question I get all the time from the people in this community: Pamela, what exactly is the PS2Y Branding and Marketing Academy, and is it right for me?

And my answer is almost always: yes. Yes, it is right for you. But I want to give you the full picture today — not just a quick pitch, but a real, honest conversation about what the Academy is, why I built it, what it covers, and most importantly, why it can genuinely change the trajectory of your creative business.

Independent authors can develop a cohesive personal brand that resonates with their readers. Elements in this episode include author platforms, visual identity, author voice consistency, and the fact that readers follow authors as much as they follow books.

An audio course on this topic is available at pamelahilliardowens.com

You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Welcome to Pam Speaks to You, the podcast dedicated to helping independent authors and creative professionals build thriving businesses. I'm your host, Pamela Hilliard Owens, and today, with Season 2, Episode 14, we're tackling a topic that I believe is absolutely essential to your success and well-being: healthy boundaries in your creative business.

If you're anything like me, you probably got into this creative work because you're passionate about serving your audience. You love what you do. But somewhere along the way, you may have noticed that without clear boundaries, your passion can turn into burnout, your generosity can feel exploited, and your creative energy can be completely depleted.

Today, I'm going to share a personal story with you, followed by three powerful tips that will help you establish and maintain healthy boundaries in your creative business.

Welcome back to Pam Speaks 2 You, the podcast for independent authors and creative professionals who are done playing small and ready to build something real. I am your host, Pamela Hilliard Owens, and I am so glad you've decided to listen to Season 2, Episode 13.

Now, I have to ask you something: When was the last time someone asked what you charge, and you felt that little flutter of panic? That tiny voice that popped up and whispered, 'Is that too much? Will they think I'm being greedy? Maybe I should just lower it a little...'

If that sounded familiar, you are in exactly the right place today, because we are talking about pricing. Specifically, we are talking about the psychology behind why so many of us — writers, artists, coaches, creatives of every kind — consistently charge less than we should. And more importantly, we're going to talk about what to do about it.

Here's what I want you to take away from this episode. One: you will understand the real reason you underprice — and spoiler, it has almost nothing to do with your actual market. Two: you'll understand how your price affects the way buyers perceive your work before they've even read a single page. And three: you'll walk away with specific, practical steps to start pricing with confidence — and a script for how to talk about it without sweating through your shirt.

Thank you for supporting the sponsors of each episode who have short, 30-second ads.

Those ads help to support the podcast.

Visit the Pam Speaks 2 You website, view the testimonials, review and invest in the branding and marketing audio ebooks and courses, and sign up for the newsletter to receive all of the updates.

Here is the link.

Thank you!