Here's What I Learned: Ditching Biz-as-Usual for Values, Freedom, and Doing It Your Way
Welcome to Here’s What I Learned — the podcast for progressive entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses without sacrificing their values, creativity, or capacity. I’m Jacki Hayes: systems strategist, unapologetic smutty romantasy fan, and D&D geek. Around here, we get real about what it actually takes to build a business that fits your life. Every episode offers something to take with you — sometimes through conversations with values-driven founders, sometimes through solo episodes where I dig into the lessons I’m learning inside my own business. We explore the choices we’re testing, the questions that create clarity, the experiments that move us forward, and the systems that stay simple on purpose. If you value integrity, curiosity, and time freedom—and you’re looking for inspiration that’s as practical as it is empowering—you’ve found your people. Hit play, and let’s rewrite the rules together.
Episodes
This episode is a full, honest debrief of a launch that didn’t convert — and what I learned anyway.
I promoted a brand-new workshop more than any other offer I’ve ever put out into the world. I showed up consistently. I talked about it everywhere. And it got zero signups.
Instead of spiraling or scrapping the idea entirely, I treated the launch like an experiment. In this episode, I walk you through what I tested, what ...
Welcome to Season 10 of Here’s What I Learned. I’m Jacki Hayes — a systems thinker with a soft spot for smutty fantasy books and anything involving dice rolls. I help creative business owners build systems that feel honest, doable, and actually supportive of the life they want.
This season, we’re leaning fully into the idea that business is one big experiment — made up of dozens of smaller ones happening all the time. ...
As I wrap up Season 9 and look ahead to Season 10, I wanted to do something a little different — a mixtape of the moments and ideas that still shape how I think about work, rest, and doing business differently.
These clips remind me why I started Here’s What I Learned in the first place: to have honest conversations about what’s working, what’s not, and how we can build businesses that actually fit us.
You’ll hear from ...
In this final mixtape edition of Here’s What I Learned, three entrepreneurs share the biggest business lessons they’ve learned since their last visit—covering how to redefine success, simplify operations, and build sustainable systems that actually fit real life.
You’ll hear practical insights on shifting from default offers to energy-aligned work, using experiments to “fail faster” and learn smarter, and embracing th...
This is the second mixtape I'm sharing as we head toward episode ninety-nine. The question this time: How have you evolved as a business owner over the years? You’ll hear short notes on what changed, what stayed, and how that shows up day to day—from editing offers and schedules to trusting your judgment and keeping plans simple enough to follow. If you missed the first mixtape, you can head back and catch it aft...
This mixtape is one of three I'm sharing as we head toward episode ninety-nine. I asked past guests (and I chime in, too): What’s one experiment you tried in your business that didn’t land the way you expected—and how did you respond? You’ll hear quick stories, what they noticed, and the next moves they made so you can translate the lessons to your own context.
Topics:
- Why energy and scope are part of quality ...
What if you only marketed your business in ways that actually brought you joy? What if you could ditch the pressure to “be everywhere” and still build a thriving, values-aligned brand?
In this episode, I’m joined by M. Shannon Hernandez—founder of the Joyful Business Revolution and messaging strategist for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. Shannon brings a refreshing, radically human approach to marketing that centers joy...
If leads are slipping and proposals stall, it’s tempting to blame the platform. In this solo episode, I explain why most “tool problems” are really process gaps—and how I use my CARE framework (Clarity, Align, Reduce, Ease) to make the tools you already have work better. I walk you through defining “done,” reducing decision fatigue, setting cues you’ll actually notice, and when it does make sense to pilot new software...
What if your best marketing strategy isn’t a formula—but your ability to actually care?
In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, website strategist and messaging expert Krista Walsh joins me to challenge the “best practices” baked into online business culture. From canine reactivity to content strategy, Krista shares how empathy—not exploitation—is the key to both personal breakthroughs and sustainable marketing.
This ...
When we talk about building businesses that work for us, what does that actually mean in practice?
This week on Here’s What I Learned, I’m joined by Faith Clarke—organizational culture strategist and co-creator of Feminist Founders—for a deep, energizing conversation about values-led business, strategic collaboration, and how we unlearn the reflex to fix everything... especially when it’s uncomfortable.
Faith shares wha...
When your business relies entirely on your energy—how you feel, how focused you are, how much you can give—your systems need to work with you, not against you.
In this re-released conversation from the Business with Ease summit, I sat down with strategist and Solopreneur Sisterhood founder Becky McCleery to unpack what it really means to design systems around your natural rhythms—not rigid routines.
We talked about:
- ...
What if building a successful business didn’t require you to constantly show up, speak louder, or outwork everyone around you?
In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, I’m joined by Tara Reid—business and marketing strategist for introverted entrepreneurs—who shares how she built a sustainable, visibility-driven business without burning out. We talk about shifting from done-for-you services to scalable offers, how t...
What does it really look like to build a business around your lived experience, your values, and your bandwidth—especially when capitalism tells you to do the opposite?
In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, I’m joined by Megan Dowd—equity-centered coach, trademark Word Nerd, and the kind of business owner who doesn’t shy away from nuance. We dive deep into how to dismantle exploitation in your own business, what th...
If business feels quieter right now—more space, fewer deadlines—you’re not alone. And you’re definitely not doing it wrong.
In this solo episode, I’m sharing the small shifts that have helped me (and the solopreneurs I work with) navigate slow seasons with clarity and care. This isn’t about scaling or optimizing every minute of downtime. It’s about noticing what’s already working… and gently building from there.
Wheth...
What if the way you’re “supposed to” grow your business… doesn’t actually work for you?
In this episode, I’m joined by marketing strategist and entrepreneur Sarah Gemmell for a conversation that goes beyond funnels and frameworks. We talk about what it really means to build a business around your strengths, your season of life, and your capacity—especially if you're neurodivergent, caregiving, or just done with th...
What does it take to lead a business through seasons of change—and still feel like yourself inside of it?
In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, Katherine Danesi joins me for a candid conversation on navigating uncertainty, evolving your offers, and creating a business that honors your actual life. From her days as a Fortune 500 exec to startup COO to systems-driven coach, Katherine has learned the value of doing bu...
What if the way you build your business mattered just as much as what you build?
In Season 9 of Here’s What I Learned, we’re shining a light on the path less promoted—the one paved with sustainable practices, nervous-system-friendly marketing, and business models rooted in your values.
This season, we go beyond strategies and into the systems, beliefs, and lived experiences that shape ethical, sustainable growth. You’ll...
We’ve made it to the end of Season 8—and today, I’m sharing the biggest themes that came up across every conversation I had with this season’s incredible business owners. These aren’t just talking points; they’re real-world lessons from folks who are rewriting the rules of business in ways that actually work for their lives.
From rethinking what success really means, to drawing clear boundaries, to ditching outdated no...
Can you build a business you love and keep your day job—without burning out?
I sit down with Chelsey Newmyer, behavior change specialist and founder of From Overwhelmed to Under Control, to unpack what it really takes to do both. From redefining productivity to letting go of the shame around evolving your offers, Chelsey offers insight-rich stories and strategies for creatives who are done with hustle culture and ready...
When your inbox values don’t align with your ethics... it’s time to change the rules.
In this conversation, Jacki sits down with Bev Feldman—email strategist, tech fairy, and outspoken advocate for human-first systems—to unpack what it really means to run email marketing through a lens of consent, clarity, and care.
Bev isn’t here to shame your funnel. She’s here to reframe it.
We talk about walking away from “bro market...
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