Uncomplicating Business with Sara Torpey

Hosted by Sara Torpey

Business

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Episodes

187

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Business gets WAY less complicated when you keep it human. In the Uncomplicating Business world, we use a simple, flexible four-part framework—ground, plan, connect, sell—to help you simplify decisions, set (and keep!) effective timelines, and show up consistently without burning out. You’ll hear bite-sized solo episodes and thoughtful interviews that turn messy challenges into actual actions, from pricing with confidence to building trust with yourself, your offers, and your community. Come for the clarity, stay for the momentum. Let's create *functional success* - where successful businesses are one part of our successful lives - together.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 1218 min

How to get Unstuck: 6 Three-Word Questions Every Business Owner Needs

This episode is for you if you ever feel stuck, off track, or like your brain is running the show - and not in a good way.The other day, a client told me that the questions with the fewest words are always the most powerful ones. So I sat down and wrote out the questions I ask clients over and over again... the ones that create real change, real movement, and real progress. Turns out, not a single one of them is longer than three words (who knew?!).Today I'm sharing all six:What's working? (The one I lead with every single time, and yes, there's a reason for that)Is it true? (The assumption-challenger your brain really doesn't want to hear)What's the evidence? (Because your emotional brain and your data are often telling very different stories)Does it matter? (The fastest way to cut your to-do list in half)Why not? (The question I should have tattooed on my forehead)Now what? (The one I'm asking a lot of clients right now as we head into the second half of the year)These are post-it note questions. They're simple on purpose. And at least one of them is exactly what you need right now.Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelab(Summer bonuses available through the end of June!)Grab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

June 2, 2026Episode 1114 min

The Messy Middle vs. Actually Hard: How to Tell the Difference

This episode is for you if you've been telling yourself "business is just hard"... and wondering if that's actually true, or if maybe you're making it harder than it has to be (doh).There's a real difference between the natural messiness that comes with growth (and yes, success is messy; no that's not the problem!) and the kind of hard that happens when you're taking 30 steps when 3 would do. Today we're talking about how to tell which one you're in.I'm sharing four common ways business owners turn the messy middle into an uphill battle:The role your expectations are secretly playingThe gap between your plan and your actions (and what's actually creating it)What connection — or the lack of it — is doing to your momentumThe confidence disconnect that makes selling feel way harder than it needs toThe question I keep coming back to - one I learned from a colleague at Encyclopedia Britannica, of all places - is: what's the problem you're actually trying to solve? Because when you can answer? Everything else gets a lot simpler.You don't need to berate yourself to success. You don't need to be shoving yourself uphill. But you do need someone willing to ask you the hard question - because trust me, we are ALL very good at ducking it. Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

May 19, 2026Episode 1013 min

Simplifying Chaos: 3 Questions for Busy Business Owners

This episode is for you if your business is *technically* working… and it still feels like you’re running at full tilt, 24/7. You’re helping people, making money, and seeing results - and also wondering, “Why does this still feel so hard?”As our businesses grow, some things get lighter and others get a LOT heavier. There are more decisions, more offers, more moving parts, and more pressure to “do it again” because it’s worked before. When it gets heavy, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything is broken – it just means it’s time to simplify.Today I'm sharing three grounding + simplifying questions I use for myself and my clients, and we’ll talk about how to stop reinventing the wheel, trust what’s already working, and make your business feel like you again... just without burning yourself out.Remember - you’re not doing it wrong. Feeling maxed out usually means your business has outgrown how you’ve been running it.Here is the link to the event Kim and I are doing together on 5/20: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/higherprices Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

May 5, 2026Episode 947 min

High Ticket Sales for Helpers and Healers with Kim Kiel

In this episode, I’m talking with sales and messaging expert Kim Kiel about something so many helpers and healers struggle with: charging 'high ticket' prices for the work you love to do. We're talking through what it really means to treat sales as an act of service, why raising your prices isn't you being greedy, and the way niching down helps simplify sales and selling. If you’re worried you’re charging too much, offering way too much for free, or scaring people off with your prices, this conversation is for YOU.A few of the key takeaways:--> Sales as an exchange of value and a way to help people get what they actually need, it gets a lot easier to show up, build relationships, and invite people into paid work.--> Raising your prices to reflect your expertise and the transformation you provide doesn’t just support you -- it ALSO attracts more committed clients and gives you more room to offer scholarships, discounts, or free resources in a sustainable way.--> Getting clear on who you’re for and speaking to the folks who are already close to a yes makes your messaging sharper, your offers clearer, and your sales conversations a lot less stressful. Ready for these and more?Listen ON!Join our Here is the link to the event Kim and I are doing together on 5/20: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/higherprices Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

April 21, 2026Episode 812 min

What’s In the Way? How to Turn Stuck Plans into Progress

In this episode, we're talking about one of sneakiest places business owners get stuck: the GAP between thinking about what we want to do and actually doing it. We're talking about passive planning (the thinking and mapping things out) and active planning (putting those plans on your calendar and into motion), and how to bridge between the two.Three key takeaways:--> Passive vs. active planning: Both are essential—thinking time and calendar time—and progress depends on connecting them with clear decisions.--> It's mindset AND strategy: Sometimes the issue is time or tools, but also? It can be doubts like “no one will want this,” which stop you from even trying.-->Your calendar is a decision tool: Giving your business “client-level” space on your calendar is one way to create the structure that turns plans into revenue. Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

April 7, 2026Episode 745 min

Stop Pelting People with Pitches: Invitational Selling with Kristen Sobel

In this episode, I talk with my friend and *expert* sales coach Kristen Sobel about how to make sales human, honest, and maybe even kind of fun (?!). We talk through what sales really IS (relationship-building and trust) versus what we’re all afraid it is (pushy, gross, or slimy), and talk through the invitational version of selling that we both teach clients - which does NOT require pelting anyone with pitches.Kristen shares her uber-simple approach to sales through mindset, systems, and habits, and we get into the obstacles we ALL have including perfectionism, over-delivery, and all the sneaky ways we avoid selling—even when we want our businesses to grow.My favorite takeaways:Sales = Trust (Empathy + Authority)Sales is about FIT on both sides.If sales calls keep stalling,it's not that you’re “bad at sales.”Ready to avoid selling less and instead have sales and selling be a normal, sustainable part of running your business? Listen on! Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

March 24, 2026Episode 616 min

Seven Crazy-Simple, High-Impact Tips for Business Growth

In this episode, I’m sharing seven crazy simple yet high-impact tips that can make a real difference in how your business feels and grows. These are small ideas pulled straight from real & recent client conversations, and they'll help you as much as they helped my clients :).The goal in this episode (and always, really) is to help you see that you don’t need to make giant changes or become someone you're not to succeed - - you just need simple, consistent practices that you can actually stick with.For example...Don’t bury the lead—be clear and direct first.Simple priorities have to live along side your long, overwhelming lists.Your business grows through discomfort and seasons.Ready for the whole list? Listen on! Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

March 17, 2026Episode 539 min

Less Cringe, More Connection: How to Be Human on LinkedIn + Everywhere Else with Molly Godfrey

In this episode of Uncomplicating Business, I’m joined by my friend and brilliant LinkedIn strategist Molly Godfrey for a conversation about connection — on LinkedIn, sure, and also, everywhere else. We talk about connection IS [genuine curiosity and care without a specific agenda], and how trust sits at the center of everything we do as business owners.We get into:- Why LinkedIn is more like your favorite coffee shop than you realize;- The convergence of trust and connection in successful networking;- The nuance of figuring out someone’s capacity for depth of connection (and why that matters!);- What to do when you feel disconnected, comparison-y, or in your headMolly also shares how she handles lots of inbound connections without losing her mind (or human-ness!)---------Join us live on the 24th!We’re hosting a live session, “Connection Without the Cringe,” where we’ll get practical about how we track, follow up, and actually use connection as a real, working part of our businesses.👉 Sign up here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/connection Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

March 3, 2026Episode 419 min

Make Fewer Decisions and Get More Done: How to Simplify Decisions in Business

If you feel like the million tiny decisions every day is the equivalent of a million tiny papercuts, you’re not alone—I’ve been there too. In this episode, we're talking about decision fatigue and I'm sharing the simple ways I use (and teach my clients) to make fewer, smarter decisions so we can all get more done. We're talking about simplifying processes, goals, and systems in planning, connecting, and selling so there's less overwhelm and more energy for the stuff that really matters.3 Key Takeaways--> Fewer goals = fewer decisions.--> Simple systems beat heroic effort.--> Decide once, then stop re-deciding.Ready for ALL of this? Listen on! Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: https://www.torpeycoaching.com/thelabGrab your free masterclass here: https://torpeycoaching.kit.com/freemasterclass

February 17, 202639 min

Stop Chasing Chaos in Your Business with Stacey Andon

In this episode, I'm sharing my dear friend and grounding ninja, Stacey Andon, with you to talk about what being grounded *really* looks like in life and business. We talk through the difference between reacting and responding, why so many of us think chaos is “normal,” and how small, simple grounding practices can change the way you move through your day, your work, and your relationships - and make ALL of it simpler.My fave 3 take-aways:Effective grounding is layered - we need intellectual, emotional, and physical grounding working together.Feeling behind, fixing everything, and chasing validation are signs of being ungrounded (and they’re more optional than they seem).Tiny check-ins—like pausing to breathe and asking, “Am I reacting or responding?”—can start shifting you out of chaos and into grounded, intentional work.Ready to hear ALL of this good AND more? Listen to this week's episode! Join the Uncomplicating Business Lab Community: Torpeycoachingtorpeycoaching.com/thelab Book a free 1:1 conversation about coaching: Torpeycoachingtorpeycoaching.com/book-online Check out Selling for Weirdos here: ThinkificSelling for Weirdos with Sara TorpeyFacebookLog in or sign up to view