Mondays With Molly: Transformational Stories for Entrepreneurial Women

Hosted by Molly Hebda

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Jan 2024

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About the show

On this podcast, host, Molly Hebda, and her brand photography clients as they cozy up on the emerald green couch to have fun, intimate conversations about their transformational journeys. These conversations are meant to inspire other women on their entrepreneurial journey, so they don’t feel so alone in their struggles, fears, and doubts. New episodes every Monday.

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January 16, 2024Episode 210 min

Empowering Women and Finding Their Voice through Personal Branding

In this episode, Molly discusses her plans to focus on personal branding and personal brand photography over the next few weeks through a series of podcasts. While she has worked with many brands, one of her passions is empowering women and helping them find their voice. She realizes most of her photography clients think that they just need headshots but many need more images to tell their full brand story - this is where personal branding comes in. Molly explains that when starting a business, the desire is usually to help people, not necessarily be in the spotlight. Allowing yourself to be visible through your brand will help you help more people. However, visibility does not come easily due to fears of criticism, imposter syndrome, and past thoughts holding us back. If our purpose is to help others, being visible is not really about us and does get easier the more we show up. Over the next few episodes, Molly will discuss the power and importance of visibility, crafting purposeful messaging without oversharing, telling your visual brand story, amplifying your personal brand, and how personal brand photography plays a role in confidence and storytelling. She welcomes any questions from listeners on becoming more visible and will provide guidance on defining personal brand messages and visual stories. The goal is to help people feel confident being visible this year to make a difference. Connect with Molly: Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - photos for your business ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (lock in current prices now) Headshot Days - ⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Last dates available) Boudoir / Maternity / Personal Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (lock in current prices now)

January 8, 2024Episode 112 min

The Power of Pressure: Harnessing Challenges for Success

In this episode, Molly welcomes listeners back to season 2 of her podcast Mondays with Molly. Molly's word of the year is "ease" - she wants to bring more simplicity and ease into her life. However, she acknowledges this doesn't mean not working towards goals and plans. She discusses how many people fail to achieve New Year's resolutions because they don't follow through on the steps needed or lose momentum. Molly shares a reflective story from her family trip to Alaska last summer. While on a scenic drive, they stopped and she noticed and took photos of a beautiful pink wildflower. Not until the end of the trip, sitting in the hot springs outside of Fairbanks, did she find out the pink flower was fireweed. Its seeds lay dormant for years until a fire stimulates germination, making it one of the first plants to recolonize burned areas. This story resonated strongly with Molly in reflecting on her business and goals for the new year. She compares the "pressure" of challenges like floods or the pandemic to the heat needed for fireweed seeds. Successful people use difficulties to power forward rather than get worn down. Molly hopes listeners will do the same if faced with "burning down" events - push through obstacles to pursue dreams. Molly shares she's been "stuck" reflecting on challenges like her business flood from 2023 and the higher expenses that came after. But she's finding "glimmers" of growth that are igniting motivation to change and revamp many aspects of her business over the coming year. She's excited to move forward with a renewed sense of "pressure" and "fire in her belly" to achieve more in the new year. Molly encourages listeners to find their own sparks of hope to keep moving towards goals. Connect with Molly: Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - photos for your business ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (lock in current prices now) Headshot Days - ⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠ (Last dates available) Boudoir / Maternity / Personal Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (lock in current prices now)

January 1, 2024Episode 4120 min

Visualizing 2024: Part 2 of Goal Setting for 2024

In this episode, host Molly Hebda wraps up Season One of Mondays With Molly with Part Two of her goal-setting discussion. Molly begins by expressing her gratitude to the listeners for their support throughout the past year. To start, Molly recaps part one of the discussion, where listeners were encouraged to reflect on 2023 and evaluate what worked and what didn't, both personally and in their businesses. She highlights the importance of identifying themes and throughlines to focus goals effectively. Molly then suggests several goal-setting exercises for listeners to try. One such exercise involves writing a detailed description of their perfect day, from the moment they wake up to the activities they engage in throughout the day. By visualizing and writing down their goals, Molly explains that they will feel more real and tangible to the brain, even if they have not yet been achieved. Another exercise Molly recommends is "brain dumping," where listeners write down all the accomplishments they desire to achieve in the coming year. By doing this, they will be able to identify overarching themes and priorities. Molly shares her own personal goals, which include health/fitness, financials, and improving business processes. For each goal, she breaks it down into specific steps and poses questions to guide progress. In addition to setting goals, Molly suggests choosing a theme or a "word of the year" to ignite energy and focus efforts. She shares that her own word for 2024 is "ease," as she aims to streamline her business operations. Molly concludes by encouraging listeners to set goals that excite them and make a difference, regardless of their size. As season one comes to a close, Molly extends her gratitude to the listeners and invites them to join her for the start of season two next week. She also takes the opportunity to wish everyone a happy new year, coinciding with the airing of the episode on New Year's Day. Connect with Molly: Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - photos for your business ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - ⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠ Boudoir / Maternity / Personal Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

December 12, 2023Episode 4024 min

Reflecting on 2023: Part 1 of Goal Setting for 2024

In this, Part One of Two, episode of Mondays with Molly, Molly emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the past year and setting intentions for the new year. Grab a notebook & pencil or your iPad to take join in! She encourages listeners to celebrate their business successes, such as launching new products or services, helping new clients, or speaking publicly. By reflecting on these achievements, Molly believes that it can help keep us motivated and inspired. Molly also prompts listeners to reflect on the lessons they have learned over the past year. She shares her own lesson about needing more processes and batching to allow for more travel and flexibility. By noting what can be improved, listeners can make adjustments and grow from their experiences. One key aspect that Molly discusses is identifying the clients that listeners most enjoyed working with this year. By understanding the qualities that made these clients great, listeners can attract more of these ideal clients in the future. Molly also encourages listeners to let go of any projects or tasks that drain their energy. This allows for a more focused and fulfilling work experience. Analyzing business data is another crucial part of Molly's reflection process. By examining sales and profits monthly, listeners can spot trends and make informed decisions for the future. Molly shares that her own business is slower in September, and content analytics can reveal which topics and formats performed the best. This information can be used to adjust marketing strategies and offerings for a successful new year. Overall, Molly's reflection process is designed to help listeners celebrate their accomplishments, learn from their experiences, and align their goals and marketing strategies with their values and ideal clients. She invites listeners to share their own reflections or voice messages to be featured in the next episode. Molly emphasizes the importance of self-care and celebration before diving into goal-setting for the new year. From the episode: Share a quick Voice or Written message on today's reflection - hello@mollyhebda.com Connect with Molly: Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - photos for your business ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - ⁠LINK⁠ Boudoir / Maternity / Personal Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

December 4, 2023Episode 3923 min

You Are a Badass: A Life-Changing Book for Entrepreneurs

In this episode of Mondays with Molly, host Molly dives into the topic of mindset and its importance for small business owners and entrepreneurs. She starts by referencing a quote from Jen Sincero's book, You Are a Badass, that encourages not caring about what others think of you. This sets the tone for the episode's focus on overcoming mindset obstacles. Molly then recaps some of the common marketing mistakes she discussed in the previous episode. These include lack of clarity and goals, inconsistent branding, not showing up online consistently, ignoring data and analytics, and not batching tasks. However, she emphasizes that the underlying issue behind these mistakes is usually mindset-related. Throughout the episode, Molly shares her conversations with struggling business owners who are facing mindset challenges. These challenges range from a lack of self-confidence and imposter syndrome to negative self-talk and limiting beliefs ingrained in childhood. She urges listeners to reflect on their own mindset obstacles and consider how they may be affecting their marketing efforts and goals. The highlight of the episode is Molly's discussion of attending a talk by Jen Sincero, author of "You Are a Badass". Molly shares how reading this book has been a life-changing experience for herself and many others. Some themes from the book include confronting negative thoughts, embracing spirituality, cultivating gratitude, facing procrastination and excuses head-on, and addressing money mindsets. In conclusion, Molly encourages listeners to reflect on their own mindsets and consider areas that may need improvement. She highly recommends Jen Sincero's book, You Are a Badass, as a valuable resource for working on mindset issues. Molly also invites feedback on the podcast and gives a sneak peek into her plans for upcoming interviews in the new year. Overall, this episode provides a detailed exploration of the importance of mindset for entrepreneurs and offers a powerful recommendation for further reading and personal growth. Get the book: Jen Sincero - You Are A Badass - LINK Connect with Molly: Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - photos for your business ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - LINK Boudoir / Maternity / Personal Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

December 4, 2023Episode 3825 min

Avoid These Common Marketing Mistakes: Tips From Molly

In this episode of Mondays with Molly, host Molly Hebdo delves into the world of marketing and highlights some common mistakes that business owners often make. She provides valuable advice on how to avoid these pitfalls and create a successful marketing strategy. One of the first mistakes Molly addresses is the lack of clarity and goals in marketing. She emphasizes the importance of defining what you want to achieve from your marketing efforts, whether it's increasing sales, growing your audience, or building brand awareness. By setting clear goals, it becomes easier to create the right content and measure the success of your marketing campaigns. Consistency is another major mistake that Molly discusses. She advises business owners to establish a regular posting schedule, even on days when inspiration may be lacking. By creating and scheduling content in advance, you can ensure a consistent presence and engage with your audience regularly. Molly also stresses the importance of maintaining consistent messaging and branding across all platforms to build trust with customers. Ignoring data and analytics is another mistake that Molly highlights. She encourages business owners to review metrics on social media, website traffic, and newsletter opens/clicks to understand what resonates with their audience. Molly recommends utilizing tools like Google Analytics and MetaCool, which aggregate data in one place, making it easier to analyze and improve your marketing efforts. Lastly, Molly discusses the importance of batch-creating content in advance. She shares her own experience of dedicating full days to planning, writing, and scheduling content for weeks ahead. By doing so, you can save time and reduce the stress of wondering what to post daily. In summary, Molly's advice revolves around defining clear marketing goals, maintaining consistency in posting schedule, messaging, and branding, analyzing data to improve, and batch-creating content in advance. By following these recommendations, businesses can create intentional and effective marketing strategies that yield long-term success. Episode Links: Yes, some of these are affiliate links but I only recommend stuff I absolutely Love! One-to-One Clarity Sessions - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Jan '24 Marketing Workshop Waitlist - LINK Metricool scheduling & analytics - LINK Flodesk email/newsletter(get 50% off) - LINK Connect with Molly: Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - photos for your business ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - ⁠LINK⁠ Boudoir / Maternity / Personal Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

November 20, 2023Episode 3724 min

Reflecting on Gratitude: How It Helps Evaluate Personal and Professional Growth

In this episode of Mondays with Molly, host Molly delves into the topic of gratitude and its importance in our daily lives. She emphasizes finding your own way to add this practice, which helps us recognize and appreciate the little things that bring us joy. By training our brains to focus on the positives, we can cultivate a more grateful mindset. Molly shares her own experiences of gratitude, highlighting the joy she feels both personally and professionally. The podcast also touches on Molly's unique family traditions during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead of the typical turkey feast, Molly and her family embrace different themes, finding joy in creating their own traditions. Professionally, Molly expresses gratitude for the growth through trial and error, and valuable lessons throughout. She is thankful for her new and repeat clients as well as exciting upcoming projects. Beyond her own business success, Molly values her local community and the support she receives from fellow women entrepreneurs. She actively engages in workshops to help others avoid struggles and find success in their own ventures. The episode concludes with Molly reflecting on her personal growth, both mentally and physically. She discusses the importance of setting boundaries and achieving a healthier work-life balance. Prioritizing self-care is a source of pride for her. In closing, Molly encourages listeners to make gratitude a regular practice rather than just during this time of year. She hopes that by noticing the small joys in life throughout the year, people can feel grateful for where they are in their own journey. Connect with Molly: Follow on Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - ⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠ Email Molly at Hello@mollyhebda.com

November 13, 2023Episode 3634 min

Rebuilding Strength: 5 Years After My Near-Death Experience

In this episode of Mondays with Molly, Molly opens up about her personal journey of undergoing an experimental medical procedure where the doctor didn't know if she would survive. Molly explains the initial fear and optimism she felt when the doctor specialist explained the experimental procedure to her. The risks involved, including the possibility of bleeding out or dying during the procedure, made her decision incredibly difficult, but not going through it would be more of a risk of survival. Thankfully, she survived the procedure but faced a challenging recovery due to the trauma she had endured. Over the past 5 years, Molly has heavily relied on therapy to process her experience. The surgery had a significant impact on her physical health and fitness, and she has been slowly rebuilding her strength. She discusses how even simple tasks like walking upstairs or doing multiple photo shoots used to drain her energy. However, in the last month, she has finally started back to regular fitness classes and has already noticed improvements in her energy levels and strength. Molly believes that sharing her story allows her to better connect with her clients/community and build meaningful relationships. She hopes that her story provides comfort to others who may be struggling, reminding them that they are not alone. Throughout her healing journey, Molly has learned the importance of listening to her body, seeking support from a community, and showing herself grace. Mentioned in the episode: Barre It All Fitness ⁠Own Your Vibe - ⁠Local Women in Biz Group Connect with Molly: Follow on Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - ⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠ Email Molly at Hello@mollyhebda.com

October 30, 2023Episode 3536 min

Bella's Journey: From Brazilian Boutique to Gracefully Bold - A Tale of Resilience and Reinvention

In this episode of "Mondays with Molly," Molly sits down with her Brazillian friend, fellow entrepreneur and co-author, Bella. They reminisce about how they first met at a women's networking event where Bella gave her first keynote speech. This led to them co-authoring a book with 12 other women and where their friendship began. Bella takes us back to her upbringing in Brazil, where she got married at a young age and opened her first boutique at just 17 years old. Despite facing challenges and eventually getting divorced, Bella's determination led her to the United States in pursuit of learning English. However, her initial dreams of studying architecture were thwarted by visa issues, prompting her to pivot and open the first Brazilian Jewelry store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. As the conversation unfolds, Bella shares her experience of how creating her jewelry naturally helped her brand build the tight-knit community she lovingly coined, Gracefully Bold, through various events. However, the pandemic brought unforeseen challenges, and shortly after, Bella was forced to let go of her business. This period was mentally challenging for her***, but reconnecting with her mother proved to be a saving grace. Now, Bella has embarked on a new chapter by founding the Gracefully Bold Club, an initiative aimed at bringing women together. She is excited to host an intimate conference on November 11th in Chicago, centered around the themes of longevity and minimalism. With limited tickets available, Bella hopes to create an unforgettable experience for those in attendance. Molly expresses her enthusiasm for Bella's new endeavors and commends her for embracing this next chapter with grace and courage. Bella encourages women to embrace their true selves and embody the essence of being gracefully bold. This episode beautifully captures the essence of Bella's journey. ***Content Warning***Friends, Bella opens up about her mental health and suicidal thoughts. We are grateful for her honesty and openness to share something that affects so many people in our world today. If you are struggling there is help available. Dial 988 to talk to someone at the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Text "HOME" to 741 741 for a live-trained crisis counselor. You are loved and there is hope. Connect with Bella: Gracefully Bold Club on Instagram - LINK Bella on Instagram - LINK Connect with Molly: Follow on Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - ⁠LINK⁠ Email Molly at Hello@mollyhebda.com

October 23, 2023Episode 3429 min

Lessons Learned: Balancing Business and Adventure

Welcome to another episode of Mondays with Molly podcast! In this episode, your host Molly Hebda takes you on a journey through her travel adventures in 2023 and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. Throughout her travels, Molly discovered the power of planning and how it positively impacted her business. By committing to travel once a month, she found that she could fully dedicate herself to her clients during the other three weeks. Molly reflects on the importance of establishing efficient systems before frequent travel, emphasizing the significance of batching work, automating processes, and effectively communicating schedule changes to clients. She also emphasizes the value of allowing time for self-reflection while on the road. As Molly shares memorable moments and breathtaking sights from her journeys, it becomes evident that Scotland holds a special place in her heart. She delves into her love for the UK and its people while also discussing personal growth and the lessons she learned about slowing down and practicing patience. In the latter part of the episode, Molly delves into the batching strategies and automation she implemented since being grounded. She explores the benefits of scheduling social media posts in advance and encourages listeners to plan self-care trips while implementing processes to balance travel and business effectively. Molly concludes the episode by outlining her plans to create a female entrepreneur travel experience and expressing her excitement about working with a client on an upcoming trip to Japan. Join Molly Hebda on this captivating episode as she unveils her extraordinary travel adventures, the lessons she learned, and how she successfully balanced her business with her passion for exploration. Don't miss out on this uplifting and informative podcast episode! Mentioned in the episode: Kendell Explores The Photographers Voice Own Your Vibe - Local Women in Biz Group Connect with Molly: Follow on Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Photography - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Headshot Days - ⁠LINK⁠ Email Molly at Hello@mollyhebda.com