Small Business Casual
Where small business meets your favorite pair of slippers. A little quirky, not too buttoned up, one less accessory, ahhh… just right. Welcome to Small Business Casual, where we focus on designing sustainable, cozy, and thriving businesses tailored to your LIFE. Not the other way around! From general business and marketing to making sense of the behind-the-scenes chaos, I’m Emily Aborn, your host and Small Business Copywriter! I’m here to walk alongside you as we make running our businesses less of a roller coaster and more like a scenic train ride (don't forget the snacks!). Want to be a guest on Small Business Casual? Send Emily Aborn a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/smallbusinesscasual
Episodes
"I can't post unless I'm adding value."
Sound familiar?
We've all said it (or thought it) at least once or twice. "Delivering value" has become a silent gatekeeper for our content, and the idea of what "value" means can stop us cold.
We hold off on emailing our list, posting on social, or pitching that podcast until we have the perfect freebie, tip, how-to... something valuable...
"Authenticity" used to be one of my favorite words of all time! It meant something real, genuine, original, of the utmost quality. It offered permission to show up as yourself, not perform or pretend!
Then... #internet.
Suddenly, everyone was "stepping into their authentic self." From every coach, in every caption, selling every course, the word was everywhere. And when a word is everywhere, it becomes...
3 Years ago, when I started this podcast, I decided to go 100% in on myself. The first of many times I would show up for ME.
I’ve learned since that when you take a bet on yourself, when you’re willing to go “all in”, you end up showing up even more fully for others.
Today, to celebrate the 3-Year Podiversary of Small Business Casual (previously named “Content with Character”) and my 40th bday, I’m pulling back the curt...
Instead of overthinking, what if you experimented about it instead!?
“Don’t get stuck with where you have not succeeded. Go on to something else. You don’t know what will unfold.” - Natalie Goldberg
In this episode, we get into where experimentation and "just trying it" fits into life and business, and how a try-before-you buy mentality can end up being a winning strategy for success and happiness.
In the episo...
When to hold em’ and when to fold em’... THAT is the question.
And in creative ventures and businesses, it’s one of the hardest things to answer when it comes up. When do you quit, stop pushing, throw in the towel, and when do you keep going?
While there’s no clear answer, magical checklist, or formula, there are some questions you can ask yourself and some gut checks that can help give you a lot of clarity on whether or...
Have you ever seen a business owner pay for help and then get all a gazillion different opinions from Mary, Larry, Harry, Tom, Billy, and Sally? Maybe it's been YOU seeking helper after helper whose help isn't "working"?
It can be really frustrating and entirely unhelpful when we poll everyone and anyone for help on how to move forward and proceed.
Too many cooks in the kitchen can cause you to be for...
Have you been burned by bro marketing? Exhausted by all the social media hacks? Underwhelmed with the "just manifest it" advice?
If so, you're going to LOVE the wisdom of my guest, Jessica Lackey.
Jessica reminds us that when you play by their rules, the house always wins in the entrepreneurial casino.
We discuss how to stop betting on tactics and build a business that actually works for YOU as we tackle ...
Do you feel guilty if you don't post or engage on social media for a week? Do you feel like you did something WRONG if you just spent an hour scrolling instead of being productive?
I recently asked this question about social media guilt on LinkedIn, asking people to share their experience with this no-win guilt phenomenon, and the comments and solidarity totally surprised me! Lots of people felt equally guilty posti...
Over 80% of internet users rely on search engines regularly, and billions of searches happen every day! If you're not thinking about how people find you through search, you're missing a massive opportunity for your business.
In this episode of Small Business Casual, I’m joined by Marketing and Business Strategy Consultant, Sarah Moon, for a deep dive into what’s working in search in 2026
We go beyond keywords a...
Calling all word nerds!!
And, of course, non-word nerds who are ready to start writing with more impact.
This episode is for you!
We’re getting tactical and hands-on as I share tiny writing shifts that make a massive difference in how your emails, social posts, web copy, and marketing land.
These aren’t complicated shifts. You don’t need an MFA in Creative Writing or to spend the next year curled up with your dictionary...
In the world of AI, misinformation, and a whole lot of suspicious stuff out there in the ether... building trust matters more than ever as small business owners and creators!
In this episode, we’re going to get into what you can do to build it apart from simply saying, “Trust me!”
We're laying a foundation of trust by addressing 5 important pillars you can't afford to overlook. Plus, a bonus one that so many p...
Entrepreneur, Freelancer, Self-Employed, Business Owner, Small Business Owner, Founder, CEO... what's in a name?
Don't they all just mean the same thing? Does it even matter what we call ourselves? Does it matter what we call our clients?
In this episode, we’ll explore why "entrepreneur" vs. "small business owner" feel a bit different. We'll get into what they actually each MEAN on pap...
Words aren't neutral. The specific words you choose shape how people perceive you, your business, and your message.
Sometimes, it's just a word, and trying to find the exact right one is just overthinking in disguise, and sometimes... the tiniest words matter.
Two words, two different ways of saying the same thing, can feel completely different and set a totally different tone.
Semantics is defined as: the bran...
You know what I'm talking about...
That ONE thing that's been sitting on your to-do list for weeks, taking up mental real estate, making you feel behind. I can all but guarantee that the mental weight of NOT doing it takes WAY more energy than just doing the damn thing!
In this week's Love Note, I share with you the results of my mini-four-week Love Notes Experiment and challenge you to pick your one 10-mi...
We're wrapping up our series exploring Don Miguel Ruiz’s book and philosophy, The Four Agreements, and applying it to our modern businesses and creative endeavors.
Marketing, content creation, client relationships, boundaries, and perhaps most importantly, your relationship with YOURSELF, we’re going to examine what it means to do your best, not to be confused with "be perfect". This is Part the final epi...
OOPS! I already failed on my ten-minute self-induced time cap for these weekly love notes. Forgive me this once, and I will try not to let it happen again!
I had too much GOOD stuff to share with you this week! I'm sharing five perhaps uncommon things that have been helping me feel happier lately.
Big time happiness boosters sans dopamine crash and without the cost of selling your soul to the social media scroll.
I...
Today, we’re digging into the wisdom from Don Miguel Ruiz’s book and philosophy, The Four Agreements, and applying it to our modern businesses and creative endeavors.
Marketing, content creation, client relationships, boundaries, and perhaps most importantly, your relationship with YOURSELF, we’re going to examine what it means to stop making assumptions and how freeing it can be. This is Part III in a four-part series,...
Just like I'm always encouraging YOU to do, I'm experimenting here on Small Business Casual!
For the month of February, each Friday I'm going to give a little love note, an extra helping, a brief, to-the-point weekly episode where I'll share something along the lines of:
- A lesson learned or challenge faced and the outcome
- A cool new tool or resource
- A podcast episode I loved, was featured on, or ju...
Today, we’re digging into the wisdom from Don Miguel Ruiz’s book and philosophy, The Four Agreements, and applying it to our modern businesses and creative endeavors.
Marketing, content creation, client relationships, boundaries, and perhaps most importantly, your relationship with YOURSELF, we’re going to examine what it means to not take things personally and how freeing it can be. This is Part II in a four-part serie...
I'm breaking all the cardinal rules of podcasting and marketing in this one and giving you a grab bag of things that've been on my heart and mind as many of us face what to say, how to help, and what our role is in the world right now.
In the episode:
- 3 Resources I've found helpful in navigating the current news climate
- My new PodMatch network member status and what that means for YOU
- 3 Local events yo...
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