EmpowerHER Business Podcast

Hosted by Linette Cottrell/Coach/Accountant/Writer

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

130

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

Welcome to the EmpowerHER Business Podcast—the unapologetic space where women of color go beyond the highlight reels, create our own tables, and build wealth without losing ourselves. This is not another hustle-harder business podcast. Here, we tell the truth about the human side of entrepreneurship: money trauma and money stories, financial avoidance, CEO identity, the messy middle, and the emotional weight of building something of our own. We explore how our histories, identities, and experiences shape the way we lead, grow, and relate to money. Hosted by Linette Cottrell—accountant, financial leadership advisor, speaker, and creator of Compassionate Accounting™ and Holistic Financial Leadership™—each episode blends candid conversations, practical financial wisdom, mindset shifts, and soul-aligned leadership. We don’t separate the numbers from the woman behind them. Here, revenue is not your worth. Wealth and well-being can coexist. Your business should support your life—not consume it. ✨ If you’re ready to replace financial overwhelm with clarity, lead with grounded confidence, and build a profitable, sustainable business with peace, purpose, and legacy—you belong here. 🔔 Subscribe and join a growing community of women of color changing the face of entrepreneurship. #BlackWomenInBusiness

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 20, 20263 min

The Cost of Financial Avoidance — Your Peace of Mind Matters

What is financial avoidance really costing you? It's not always about money. Sometimes it's the bank account you haven't reconciled, the tax return that still needs attention, or the financial reports you've been putting off reviewing. What starts as one unfinished task can slowly become a source of anxiety, uncertainty, and mental exhaustion. In this episode of the EmpowerHER Business Podcast , host Linette Cottrell explores the hidden emotional cost of financial avoidance and why taking one small step toward resolution can bring relief long before the problem is completely solved. In this episode, we explore: Why small financial issues can become emotionally overwhelming The hidden mental and emotional costs of avoiding your business finances How financial avoidance affects confidence and decision-making Why you don't need to solve everything to begin feeling better How one intentional action can move you from avoidance toward resolution Here's something to remember: You don't have to clean up years of financial records today. You don't have to understand every report or have all the answers. You simply have to decide that you're ready to take the first step. Because sometimes, relief begins the moment you stop avoiding what needs your attention. 🎧 Listen now and discover how one small step can bring you closer to financial clarity, confidence, and peace of mind. The business you're building should support the life you desire to live. Connect with EmpowerHER Bookkeeping + Advisory: https://empowerherbookkeeping.com #FinancialAvoidance #FinancialWellness #WomenEntrepreneurs #FinancialClarity #BusinessFinances #EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

October 13, 20263 min

Business Comparison, Social Media, and Financial Confidence

It can feel as though every other woman in business has everything figured out. You see the new clients, revenue milestones, beautiful branding, growing teams, and sold-out events—but you rarely see the financial uncertainty behind the scenes. In this episode of the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette Cottrell explains why another entrepreneur’s social media presence is not an accurate measure of her business’s financial health—or yours. You can be incredibly talented at what you do and still need guidance in another area of your business. Being a CEO does not mean knowing how to do everything. It means recognizing what your business needs, asking questions, building the right team, and making sure those needs are addressed. Instead of comparing your reality to someone else’s highlight reel, give yourself grace and focus on what is happening inside your own business. Remember: Your responsibility is not to keep up with her. It is to take care of the business you are building and make sure it supports the life you desire to live. Learn more about EmpowerHER Bookkeeping + Advisory at https://empowerherbookkeeping.com . Listen and subscribe: https://pod.link/1704913643 Visit: https://empowerherbookkeeping.com Instagram: @empowerher_bookkeepingfl YouTube: @EHBPODCAST If this episode helped you see financial avoidance differently, share it with a woman business owner who may need permission to look at her numbers without judgment. Then subscribe to the EmpowerHER Business Podcast for more conversations about money, leadership, confidence, and the life behind the business. Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

September 28, 20263 min

Financial Avoidance How to Face the Numbers Without Shame

Sometimes you are not avoiding the numbers. You are avoiding how the numbers make you feel. In this episode of the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette Cottrell explores the emotional side of financial avoidance. A bank balance, QuickBooks file, or financial report can carry fear, disappointment, old memories, and questions about whether there is enough. That reaction does not make you irresponsible or bad with money. It may mean the financial picture feels emotionally unsafe to face alone. Linette offers a more compassionate way forward. Your financial statements are information, not a judgment about who you are. A past mistake is not your identity, and an area that needs attention is not proof that you have failed. You will leave with two questions that can make looking at your finances feel safer, smaller, and more manageable. In This Episode You Will Learn Why financial avoidance is not always procrastination or irresponsibility How numbers can trigger fear, disappointment, shame, or painful memories Why financial statements should be treated as information rather than judgment Two compassionate questions to ask before reviewing your finances How financial confidence can begin before everything is organized or perfect If you have been telling yourself, 'I am just not good with money,' this conversation offers a gentler and more useful place to begin. Listen and subscribe: https://pod.link/1704913643 Visit: https://empowerherbookkeeping.com Instagram: @empowerher_bookkeepingfl YouTube: @EHBPODCAST If this episode helped you see financial avoidance differently, share it with a woman business owner who may need permission to look at her numbers without judgment. Then subscribe to the EmpowerHER Business Podcast for more conversations about money, leadership, confidence, and the life behind the business. Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

September 21, 20263 min

Making Money but Still Feel Financially Insecure? | Financial Clarity for Women Entrepreneurs

You can be making money, serving clients, and building a successful business—and still feel financially insecure. In Episode 1 of The Woman Behind the Business , Linette Cottrell explores why increased revenue does not automatically create financial confidence—and why financial clarity begins with understanding where your business stands today. If your business appears successful but you still feel uncertain about your finances, anxious about taxes, confused by your numbers, or unsure where the money is going, this conversation is for you. In this episode, you’ll discover: • Why revenue and financial confidence are not the same • How financial uncertainty can exist alongside business success • Why avoiding your numbers increases financial stress • How clarity creates relief and supports better business decisions • Why understanding your finances is an essential part of becoming the Financial CEO Through Compassionate Accounting™, Linette reminds women entrepreneurs that financial disorganization is not a personal failure. You do not need shame or judgment to move forward—you need a clear, honest understanding of where you are. The Woman Behind the Business is a series of conversations about money, leadership, confidence, and the life behind the business. Subscribe to the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, leave a comment, and share this episode with another woman founder. Learn more: https://empowerherbookkeeping.com Listen to the podcast: https://pod.link/1704913643 YouTube: @EHBPODCAST Instagram: @empowerher_bookkeepingfl #FinancialClarity #FinancialConfidence #WomenEntrepreneurs #BusinessFinances #WomenInBusiness #FinancialLeadership Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

September 9, 202656 min

Truth About Women Entrepreneur Burnout No One Talks About

Success isn't supposed to cost you your peace—but for many women entrepreneurs, it does. If you've been building your business while slowly losing yourself, this conversation is for you. In this episode of the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette Cottrell sits down with Ashley Williams, Fractional Business Strategist and founder of Exceptional Services Agency, to unpack the hidden cost of ambition. Together, they explore burnout, self-abandonment, boundaries, rest, self-trust, and how to redefine success so you can build a thriving business without disappearing in the process. In this episode, you'll learn: Why high-achieving women often experience burnout and self-abandonment How healthy boundaries create sustainable business growth The role of rest and self-trust in long-term entrepreneurial success How to redefine success without sacrificing your well-being Practical mindset shifts to build a business that supports the life you actually want 👉 Follow the podcast and share it with a sister who needs this conversation. We’re on a mission to help Black women make it through the first five years in business — and thrive far beyond them. #BlackWomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #BurnoutRecovery #Boundaries #SelfTrust #WomenInLeadership #FounderLife #SmallBusinessOwner #BusinessStrategy #WorkLifeBalance #PersonalGrowth #EntrepreneurLife #EmpowerHERPodcast #BlackFemaleFounder #SuccessMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessPodcast #SelfCareForEntrepreneurs Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

September 2, 20266 min

Soul Spa: 6 Financial Beliefs Women Founders Must Release

Some of the beliefs we carry about money can quietly shape the way we price, earn, spend, save, and grow our businesses. What if some of those beliefs are no longer serving you? In this episode of The Soul Spa Series, we’re creating space to examine six critical financial beliefs women founders may need to release. From the stories we’ve learned about money to the expectations we place on ourselves as business owners, these beliefs can influence how we make financial decisions and how confidently we lead our businesses. This is an invitation to pause, reflect, and create a healthier relationship with money and business growth. In this episode, you’ll learn: Six financial beliefs that may be limiting the way you think about money and business. How your beliefs about money can influence your decisions as a founder. Why releasing outdated financial beliefs can create space for new possibilities. How to become more intentional about the way you earn, manage, and think about money. Why your financial mindset is an important part of building a sustainable business. 👉 This episode is part of The Soul Spa—short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding. #EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpaSeries #FinancialMindset #MoneyMindset #WomenFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #BusinessFinances #FinancialLiteracy #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #MoneyBeliefs #FinancialGoals #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessOwner #BusinessSuccess #PurposeDrivenBusiness #FounderMindset Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

August 26, 202639 min

When Personal Experience Turns Into a Passion for Change

What happens when a personal experience becomes the spark for building a business with a bigger purpose? For LP, one experience in her early career planted a conviction that would eventually lead her to create Houstory. In this episode of the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette Cottrell sits down with LP (Lauren Pan), The Intentional Leader, strategic HR leader, entrepreneur, and founder of Houstory. LP shares the personal experiences and career journey that shaped her passion for change—from witnessing the impact of systemic unfairness while working with at-risk youth, to spending a decade in strategic Human Resources and recruiting, and ultimately channeling those experiences into her most intentional venture yet. This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, authenticity, leadership, and what happens when you build a business around something you deeply believe needs to change. In this episode, you’ll learn: How a personal experience in LP’s early career sparked the idea for Houstory. How her decade in strategic HR and recruiting refined the way she thinks about systems, people, and business. Why authenticity and intentionality are at the heart of how LP leads and builds. How LP turned a deeply held conviction into an entrepreneurial venture designed to create meaningful change. What entrepreneurs can learn from building a business that is rooted in personal experience, values, and purpose. 👉 Follow the podcast and share it with a sister who needs this conversation. We’re on a mission to help Black women make it through the first five years in business — and thrive far beyond them. #EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #BlackWomenInBusiness #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #WomenEntrepreneurs #HousingCrisis #HousingJustice #RentalTransparency #AffordableHousing #BusinessLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #EntrepreneurMindset #WomenInBusiness #GenerationalWealth #FinancialWellness #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #Houstory #LaurenPan #SmallBusinessOwner #CommunityBuilding Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

August 17, 20269 min

Messy Middle of Business Evolution | When You’ve Outgrown Your Business

You’re not lost. You may simply be in the messy middle of business growth—where what used to work no longer fits, but what’s next hasn’t fully revealed itself. If your business feels different lately, this Soul Spa is a reminder that growth can feel uncertain before it becomes clear. In this episode of The Soul Spa Series, we’re talking about the messy middle of business evolution—the space between what was and what will be. Maybe your offers no longer excite you, your approach to serving clients no longer feels sustainable, or the way you’ve been managing your business doesn’t fit the woman you’re becoming. That doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. Sometimes, it means you’re growing, learning, and evolving into a new version of your business. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why outgrowing what once worked can be a natural part of business growth. How to recognize when your business is evolving, even when the next chapter isn’t clear. Why feeling uncertain doesn’t necessarily mean you’re falling behind or losing focus. How to give yourself permission to sit in the transition instead of forcing immediate answers. Why the messy middle can be a meaningful part of becoming the next version of your business. 👉 This episode is part of The Soul Spa—short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding. #EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpaSeries #TheMessyMiddle #BusinessGrowth #BusinessEvolution #WomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessMindset #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessOwner #BusinessJourney #BusinessStrategy #PurposeDrivenBusiness #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #GrowthMindset #BusinessSuccess Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

August 3, 20267 min

Permission to Change the Plan | Why Every Entrepreneur Must Pivot

The goals you set in January were based on who you were and what you knew then. But growth changes perspective—and sometimes the best thing you can do is give yourself permission to change the plan. In this episode of The Soul Spa Series: Summer Permission Slips (Part 2) , we're talking about why pivoting isn't failure. As you grow through entrepreneurship, your business, experiences, and clients teach you new lessons. Whether you've discovered a new opportunity, refined your services, shifted your priorities, or realized your original goals no longer align, you're allowed to recalibrate without guilt. In this episode, you'll learn: Why changing your business goals is a sign of growth—not failure. How new opportunities can reshape your original vision. When it's time to pivot, refine, or let go of plans that no longer fit. How to trust yourself as you evolve as an entrepreneur. Why giving yourself permission to change creates space for sustainable success. 👉 This episode is part of The Soul Spa—short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding. #EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpaSeries #PermissionToPivot #BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurMindset #WomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #BusinessStrategy #MidYearReset #GoalSetting #PurposeDrivenBusiness #MindsetShift #BusinessCoach #PersonalGrowth #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #BusinessSuccess #Leadership #PivotWithPurpose Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

July 22, 202645 min

Every Business Has Slow Seasons—Here's How to Survive Them

Every business goes through seasons of growth, momentum, uncertainty, and slowdowns. The key to long-term success isn't avoiding hard seasons—it's building a business that's prepared to survive and thrive through them. In this episode of the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, financial experts Rhonda Monique and Nikki return to discuss what they're seeing across the industries they serve and what every business owner needs to understand right now. Learn how to navigate business cycles, strengthen your cash flow, prepare for uncertainty, and build a profitable business that lasts. In this episode, you'll learn: Why slow seasons are a normal part of business—not a sign you're failing How to manage cash flow during uncertain times The importance of contingency planning and building cash reserves Practical strategies for staying profitable through every business season How to create a resilient business built for long-term success Follow the podcast and share it with a sister who needs this conversation. We’re on a mission to help Black women make it through the first five years in business — and thrive far beyond them. #BlackWomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth #CashFlow #BusinessFinance #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy #FinancialPlanning #BusinessSuccess #WomenInBusiness #StartupTips #BusinessPodcast #Profitability #BusinessOwner #SmallBusinessTips #CashReserve #Leadership #EmpowerHER #BusinessResilience Support the show ✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE 🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!