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One thing we see leaders struggle with lately is this quiet disconnect between who they want to be and how they actually show up under pressure. They care about their clients. They care about their business partner. They care about their teams. They’re capable. They’re driven. And yet, stress hits and suddenly they’re snapping, shutting down, or taking everything back on themselves. This isn’t about being a bad leader. It’s about self-awareness, and it matters now because it directly affects trust, time, clarity, and team health.

In this episode, we dig into why competent, caring leaders still react in ways that surprise them. You’ll hear reflections on fear, intensity, and patterns that show up sideways when emotions go unexamined. We break down how emotional awareness, not just personality tests or journaling prompts, can prevent the drift into micromanagement, burnout, and miscommunication. This conversation bridges personal growth with business leadership, illustrating how understanding your emotional triggers can strengthen trust, team culture, and decision-making.

What to listen for in this episode

How unexamined emotions show up in leadership — reactions like micromanaging, avoidance, and intensity often stem from fear or unrecognized patterns rather than actual business problems.

Practical self-awareness cues to notice — learn how to identify moments when you’re reacting instead of responding and how that awareness impacts team dynamics and personal life.

Why emotional intelligence is a practice, not a switch — lasting growth takes time and reflection, and you’ll hear honest stories about how this looks in real leadership — from professional settings to family life.

As leaders, we don’t just manage tasks, we model emotional intelligence. So here’s a question to sit with this week: What repeated reaction in your business is actually pointing to an unmet emotional need within you and what might it teach you if you listened?

Tune in to transform not just how you work, but how you lead yourself and others.

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/

Send us a text

Imagine sitting down to work with your laptop, coffee sitting off to the side and suddenly realizing you’ve forgotten the one thing that makes your work truly matter: people. “Wait, how do we even do this again?” is this thought and eye opening conversation that we have. We know there’s more success than software and AI that makes your business run. Today, we’re talking about the human side of business, the emotions, connections, resilience, and understanding where these are the things that stick around when platforms and automation shifts.

We break down the top soft skills that will define business resilience and growth going into 2026 and beyond. We reframe the pressure many entrepreneurs feel from tool overload and instead spotlight the skills AI can’t replace, emotional intelligence, communication and active listening, adaptability, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, time and energy management, resilience, and stress management. With laughter, real talk, and practical reflections on life as business owners, we make the case that mastering these soft skills aren't optional, they’re foundational for businesses that thrive when things change.

What to listen for in this episode

Why emotional intelligence matters more than any new software or AI tool and how it builds trust, strengthens relationships, and boosts retention.

The difference between communication and active listening and how real listening reshapes collaboration, decision-making, and remote/hybrid team dynamics.

Adaptability, leadership, teamwork, and resilience as survival skills are not just “nice to have” traits for business owners navigating change and uncertainty.

Which of these skills feels strongest for you right now? And which one do you keep putting off because it feels uncomfortable?

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/

Send us a text

Imagine logging into a Zoom call, coffee in hand, with great hope... only to sit through 45 minutes of aimless chatter about last week’s “updates,” wondering why you’re even there. That’s the experience discussed: the silent time-sucker we all dread, pointless meetings. With humor, frustration, and real-world examples, we narrate those meetings where nothing gets resolved, energy drains, and you’d rather be knocking out tasks on your to-do list.

In today’s conversation, we walk through what makes meetings feel like a waste and how to turn them into purposeful, clarity-driven, productive ones. From identifying when a meeting isn’t even necessary to crafting clear agendas, engaging participants with intentional conversation, and ending with actionable next steps, we offer practical guidance that transforms meetings from chaotic to clarity.

This episode isn’t about productivity hacks, it's about mastering the soft skills of communication, structure, and respect for people’s time, so your meetings actually matter.

What to listen for in this episode

Why most meetings feel pointless: We describe the common experience of meetings without agendas, direction, or outcomes and how that leaves participants mentally checked out.

The soft skill of clarity: Learn why clarity in purpose, communication, and outcomes isn’t optional. It's essential to meeting effectiveness and team alignment.

5-step structure for better meetings: A practical walkthrough of how to decide if a meeting is needed, define its purpose, set the agenda, lead collaborative conversations, and conclude with clear next steps.

What if the meetings you cancel tomorrow are the same ones stealing your team’s creativity today?

Episode mentioned: From Meeting Overload to Meaningful Time: Soft Skills for Smarter Collaboration | EP 12

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2277708/episodes/18107906-from-meeting-overload-to-meaningful-time-soft-skills-for-smarter-collaboration-ep-12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szUQJuw3kFs

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/

Send us a text

You know that jittery moment when you’ve crafted the perfect post, you love what you’ve written, you're ready to hit “publish.” But then your heart sinks: what if everyone sees this? What if they judge me? So you don’t. You archive it. Drafts sit untouched. It’s a familiar freeze many creatives know too well: when marketing yourself feels less like sharing your work and more like putting your soul under a spotlight. We’re about that exact fear, why self-promotion freaks us out, and how you can gently break through that barrier without losing yourself in the process.

We walk you through why marketing feels so personal, especially for creatives who invest so much of themselves into their everything. This isn’t about lacking skill; it’s about vulnerability, identity, and the invisible weight of being seen.

We share how the discovery of a softer, less intimidating path to visibility using Pinterest. Rather than forcing constant appearances or chasing social media trends, Pinterest offered a steady way to share without pressure. We break down a four-step gentle strategy, from repurposing existing work to letting data guide you that helps rebuild confidence and eventually makes showing up on higher-pressure platforms (like video or Instagram) feel natural and powerful.

What to listen for in this episode

Why marketing triggers “impostor syndrome” for creatives and how realizing it’s not about your lack of skill but about identity exposure can reframe the whole experience.

How Pinterest can serve as a low-stakes “training ground” for visibility, a place to post without pressure, where your content can quietly work for you over time.

A four-step repeatable process to rebuild confidence, repurpose existing content, track what resonates, lean into analytics instead of self-judgment, and eventually use that momentum to show up authentically elsewhere.

What if every time you hesitated to share your work, it wasn’t because your art wasn’t “good enough,” but because you were trying to show up in a way that didn’t feel like you? Maybe confidence isn’t built by pushing harder, maybe it's built by giving yourself permission to show up in a way that feels kind.

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/

Send us a text

Ever hire talented people, set up strong systems, and still feel like something in your team just isn’t clicking? We bring you into the messy middle of team building, the part no one warns you about. The part where miscommunication, awkward conversations, and unmet expectations creep in… even when you’re “doing everything right.” We share a real story from behind the scenes, one that every business owner will instantly relate to.

We break down why soft skills (not software) are the foundation of every successful team. We why communication gaps turn into frustration, why assumptions derail projects, and how simple shifts in clarity, boundaries, and emotional intelligence can transform your entire work environment. Whether you’re a team of one or leading a full department, this conversation will help you understand the human side of business and how it impacts performance, culture, and long-term growth.

What to Listen for in This Episode

Why your systems aren’t the problem; your soft skills are: Discover the real reason talented teams experience tension, missed expectations, and burnout even with strong SOPs, tools, and workflows.

Three shifts that immediately improve communication: Learn how clarity, psychological safety, and active listening can dramatically change how your team interacts and performs.

How soft skills shape culture, trust, and leadership: Hear how one business owner transformed her team by adding soft skills into her culture and why your leadership sets the tone for everything.

Reflection: Where is a lack of soft skills creating friction in your business or with your clients and what skill do you need to strengthen to lead with more ease?

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/

Send us a text

Have you ever had one of those days where something small sets the tone, your tech isn’t cooperating, you're behind schedule, and suddenly a simple question from someone feels heavier than it should? That’s exactly how we kicked off this episode. But instead of brushing it off, we leaned into the moment. Because if we’re honest, those little flashes of irritation or overwhelm often reveal something deeper: sometimes we are the ones creating the friction in our own business without realizing it.

We unpack how self-awareness quietly shapes the way we lead, communicate, and run our day-to-day operations. We talk about those unexpected emotional reactions—tightening up when a client emails, feeling bothered by a teammate’s question, or reading tone into a message that wasn’t there.

Together, we explore why these patterns show up, how they impact our relationships and results, and why developing self-awareness doesn’t require a personality overhaul, just small, intentional shifts. By understanding how we operate internally, we get to build businesses that feel lighter, smoother, and more aligned with who we want to be as leaders.

What to Listen for in This Episode

Self-awareness as a foundational leadership skill: How understanding our own patterns, energy levels, and triggers helps us lead with more clarity and confidence.

The ripple effects of our reactions: Why tone, tension, and miscommunication happen, and how they affect our clients, teams, and business growth more than we realize.

Simple shifts to become more grounded leaders: Practical ways we can pause, reflect, ask for feedback, and create open communication that strengthens trust and relationships.

A question for to reflect on:

Where is a lack of self-awareness creating friction in your business right now and what reaction do we keep having that we haven’t taken the time to explore?

Let’s sit with that one together. Our next level of leadership might start right there.

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/

Send us a text

There’s a moment every entrepreneur knows too well, the instant when you realize the chaos you’re experiencing could have been avoided with one simple thing: clarity. We’ve lived it ourselves. Like the time one of us confidently marched toward a Friday deadline… only to find out the client thought everything was due on Monday. Cue the panic, the late-night scramble, and the unnecessary stress that stole time we’ll never get back. And the truth is, that moment didn’t happen because we didn’t work hard—it happened because we didn’t confirm what was said. That single disconnect changed everything, and it’s exactly why we wanted to have this conversation today.

In this episode, we dive deep into confirmation as a skill, one that touches every corner of our personal and professional lives. Together, we unpack how easy it is for “yes ma’am” moments, assumptions, and mismatched expectations to slip into our work and relationships and cost us time, money, and sanity.

We explore active listening, communication methods, boundaries with clients, systems that prevent miscommunication, and even how confirmation helps us build trust with ourselves as entrepreneurs. From parenting to project management to navigating big goals, we talk honestly about the moments we’ve gotten it right… and the many times we absolutely didn’t.

This episode is packed with stories, practical tools, and reminders that overcommunication isn’t micromanaging, it’s leadership. It’s clarity. And it’s what keeps us from having to clean up messes that never needed to happen.

What to Listen for in This Episode

1. Why active listening is the foundation of confirmation: We break down what it really means to listen (not just wait for your turn to talk) and how restating or clarifying what you heard instantly strengthens trust and prevents misunderstandings before they snowball.

2. Matching the message to the method: We talk about choosing the right communication channel for the situation, when something needs an email instead of a DM, why project management tools matter, and how written follow-up can save hours of cleanup later.

3. How confirmation builds trust with clients, teams, and ourselves: This episode goes deeper than communication strategy. We explore how confirming expectations helps us stay accountable to our goals, create more honest systems for ourselves, and avoid the overwhelm that happens when we rely on assumptions instead of clarity.

If y

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/

Send us a text

Ever had that moment where you’re waiting, waiting for someone to notice your hard work, waiting for the “right” opportunity, waiting for permission to finally take that next big step? We’ve all been there. In this episode, we get real about those moments of hesitation and how taking initiative, rather than waiting for validation, can change everything. Through honest stories, laughs, and lessons learned, we unpack what it means to stop seeking the green light and instead be the green light for your own success.

You’ll hear how to spot opportunities, act on them with confidence, and simplify the way you show up daily so you can make progress without the burnout. Whether you’re an early-stage entrepreneur or a seasoned creative, this conversation is your reminder that no one’s coming to save your business, you are.

What to Listen for in This Episode:

The truth about initiative — why it’s not about doing more but about deciding not to wait for permission to act.

Turning hesitation into momentum — how taking even micro-steps builds your confidence and keeps you moving forward.

Creating opportunities instead of waiting for them — how we turned “what if” moments into sustainable growth for ourselves and our clients.

🎧 Tune in now to hear how you can build trust, take ownership, and create the opportunities you’ve been waiting for, all without waiting for anyone else’s approval.

Support the show

Whether you’re looking to grow your visibility through Pinterest Marketing or streamline your Podcast Operations and Team Management, we help business owners and creatives build sustainable systems that work for them, not against them.

Want to learn more about how this can work for you and your business, reach out to us!

Connect with Entrepreneur Encounter:

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/3azyca95

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneur-encounter/

Host Sara Lowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youarerembertllc/

Website: https://www.youarerembertllc.com/

Host Dana Johnson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/

Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/