150 episodes. Honestly, when I started this podcast, I wasn’t thinking about milestones. I just wanted to have conversations with entrepreneurs and share the lessons hidden inside their journeys. And yet here we are....150 episodes later.

In this solo episode, I step back from the usual interviews to reflect on what I’ve learned along the way, about business, freedom, resilience, and legacy.

Here’s what I dig into:

• Why I believe mistakes are just lessons in disguise.
• How freedom from and freedom to are two very different things.
• The way money and freedom are always intertwined.
• Why your business isn’t just your baby | it’s an asset meant to fund your life.
• How thinking about legacy changes how you grow your company.
• And why building a business that doesn’t depend on you is the real path to both time and wealth freedom.

As I share my reflections, I also talk about my own journey, like how giving up alcohol five years ago became an unexpected lesson in consistency and compound results.

The real bottom line? Freedom of time opens the door to freedom in every other area of life and business. And that’s what I wish for you.

Some entrepreneurs build one business and call it a day. Dalene Allen has built — and sold — more than one… and kept right on making powerful connections.

In this episode of The Real Bottom Line, I sit down with Dalene to unpack her journey from direct sales leader earning pink Cadillacs, to running and selling the largest business referral network in Atlantic Canada, to launching her own networking company.

Dalene opens up about how she navigated each exit, why she believes human connection will always beat automation, and the simple habits that keep her network alive and thriving.

You’ll hear:

• How she turned a Mary Kay career into a sellable asset
• What it really takes to exit a franchise business
• The 10-minute-a-day LinkedIn strategy that works
• Her top tips for beginner, intermediate, and pro networkers
• How to instantly make new contacts feel welcome

Whether you’re building a business to sell or looking for better ways to meet the right people, Dalene’s story is packed with ideas you can put to work right away.

Connect with Dalene Allen
Email: dalene@networkingnaturally.ca
Website: networkingnaturally.ca

In a world obsessed with algorithms, trends, and going viral, what if the true key to social media success was simpler and more human? This week's guest, Ingrid Deon, founder of the organic social media agency Word-Craft, makes a powerful case for ditching the algorithm-chasing and focusing on what truly matters: authentic conversations.

Ingrid shares her inspiring and unconventional path to entrepreneurship—from her roots in journalism to becoming a single mom working three jobs, to a pay dispute that ultimately led her to launch her own agency with major national clients.

This episode is a masterclass in the "social" part of social media. Ingrid explains why genuine, two-way conversations are more critical than ever in the age of AI, how to create content that sparks real engagement, and why you don't need to be on every platform to succeed.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why you should stop trying to "game" the algorithm and what to focus on instead.
• How to find your brand's unique voice and personality online.
• Actionable tips for creating content that encourages comments and conversation.
• The surprising power of "older" platforms like Facebook for building community.
• How to know when it's the right time to outsource your social media.

Connect with Ingrid Dion:

• Website: word-craft.ca