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$48,000 in 14 days sounds like a book sales fairy tale, until you hear the real numbers: Shelby has sold about $710 worth of books. The twist is the point. She writes “Market Like a Boss” to make money through her business, using the book as a lead magnet, a credibility shortcut, and a trust-building sales asset that walks into every room with her.

We talk through the mindset shift that changes everything for entrepreneurs, consultants, and service providers: the book is not the product, it is the marketing tool for your brand. Shelby breaks down how authorship helps her stand out in a crowded digital marketing space, open speaking opportunities, and turn 10 chapters into 10 ready-made workshop topics. She also shares what surprised her most after publishing: faster sales conversions, stronger pricing confidence, more inbound leads, and prospects who trust her before the first meeting.

Then we get tactical. Shelby outlines her launch and visibility strategy: recruiting 40 local “book influencers,” leaning on video for authentic storytelling, landing TV and radio interviews through PR relationships, and using podcast interviews for reach and SEO backlinks. Finally, she explains where the $48,000 actually comes from, including increased service pricing, new retainer contracts, website projects, branding shoots, and paid trainings, plus the lesson she repeats for every new author: do not disappear after launch day.

If you’re writing a business book, building a personal brand, or trying to turn your expertise into clients and speaking gigs, this is a practical blueprint. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s stuck on “perfect,” and leave a review with your biggest question about using a book to grow a business.

Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com

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AI is not waiting for anyone’s comfort level, and small business owners feel that tension every day. We talk through the good, the bad, and the ugly of AI marketing from a real-world perspective, including what’s changed as of June 2026 and why “it knows too much” isn’t a strategy. The goal is simple: use AI to move faster and think clearer without letting it erase the thing that makes your business recognizable.

We get specific about what we avoid, especially AI-generated graphics and logos. If your posts suddenly look like everyone else’s, your branding stops working. We break down why consistency matters, why AI visuals often come out busy and uneditable, and the easy mistakes people miss when they don’t proof details like dates and business names. Then we dig into the logo problem from the production side: if you can’t get a true vector file (SVG, AI, EPS, print-ready PDF), you can’t reliably scale and print it for signs, vehicles, and high-resolution uses. AI can be great for inspiration, but professional execution still matters.

On the flip side, we share how we actually use ChatGPT daily as a collaboration tool: brainstorming content strategy, organizing thoughts, refining offers and packages, and workshopping ad ideas with real budgets. Think of it as a way to get unstuck, reduce overwhelm, and pressure-test decisions, while still applying your experience so you don’t sound copied. If you want practical guidance on using AI without sacrificing your brand identity, this one will help.

Subscribe for more small business marketing clarity, share this with a friend who’s overwhelmed by AI, and leave a review if it helped. What are you using AI for in your business right now?

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I opened a second sign shop location, got three months in, and then lockdown hit. Suddenly my calendar meant nothing, my assumptions about growth got tested, and I had to figure out how to keep two employees paid while the world argued about curfews, safety rules, and who was “bringing COVID” into town.

What kept us afloat wasn’t luck. It was a fast pivot to the unglamorous work everyone needed right then: six-foot floor stickers, distancing decals, door signage, and simple instructions that helped schools and restaurants reopen. One school district referred another, and that referral chain turned into orders across roughly 25 school districts. I share what we priced, why we cut margins, and how that compliance signage became the cash flow that carried the business when everything else felt uncertain.

At the same time, the digital marketing side took a brutal hit: I lost about 75% of my clients in the first few months because marketing was treated like an “expense” to cut. That experience changed how I talk about marketing strategy, consistency, and why stopping your marketing often costs more than you think. I also get real about the second year being harder, closing the Stuttgart location, and what I learned about risk, leases, planning, and building a backup plan before the next big leap.

If you run a small business, a sign shop, or a marketing agency, this story will help you think clearly about resilience, client retention, and strategic planning when conditions change fast. Subscribe, share this with a business owner who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest lesson from 2020.

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Your LinkedIn isn’t broken, it’s just missing you. Shelby McFarland sits down with LinkedIn specialist Katie Rasure to get radically practical about what actually grows a personal brand, drives B2B leads, and builds a reputation people remember. We start with the real-world moment that proves the point: meeting someone in person and instantly recognizing them from their LinkedIn presence, then watching that relationship turn into trust.

Katie shares her story from graduating during the pandemic to using LinkedIn as more than a job board, curating a smarter feed, and building relationships that opened doors. She also gets candid about entrepreneurship pivots, burnout, and how quickly your mindset can shift to “I’ll just take a quiet job” when you’re overwhelmed. That honesty matters because it shapes a healthier approach to marketing: consistency without hustle culture, and visibility without pretending you have it all together.

Then we break down the tactics: how to make LinkedIn content feel human with storytelling, what to post (and what not to), how often to post without frying your brain, and why chasing every trend can backfire with the LinkedIn algorithm. Katie explains why a simple written post with a recognizable selfie can outperform fancy formats, and how to prospect without sounding like a bot by commenting first and connecting second. We also talk scheduling, engagement routines, and why most reposts don’t move the needle unless you add real perspective.

If you want LinkedIn growth that’s built on human connection and repeatable habits, hit play. Subscribe for more marketing conversations like this, share the episode with a friend who’s stuck on LinkedIn, and leave a review so more business owners can find it.

Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com

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You can feel the energy of a real networking floor in Conway, Arkansas as we bounce from booth to booth at a Women in Business Showcase, asking one simple question at a time and letting the answers stack into a blueprint for modern entrepreneurship. Founders and leaders share what helps them recover from burnout, how they set boundaries when business feels all-consuming, and why “work-life balance” is less about perfect schedules and more about being present where you are needed.

We dig into small business marketing that actually works, especially authentic content. You will hear how teams build trust with real photos of real staff, local context that matches their community, and transparency when a review or job does not go as planned. The lesson is clear: consistency and showing up beat polished perfection, and credibility is built in public through ownership, communication, and care.

Along the way, we cover practical business fundamentals that protect growth: networking habits, asking for help, staying persistent in sales, tracking business performance with real accounting clarity, and getting legal documents in place before a crisis hits. You will also hear honest leadership insights about time, family responsibilities, and how women can celebrate themselves as much as they champion everyone else.

If you got something from these stories, subscribe, share this episode with a friend building a business, and leave a review so more women entrepreneurs can find it. What idea are you going to use this week?

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Most business owners don’t need another marketing “hack.” They need the uncomfortable truth about why visibility does not automatically turn into sales and what to do when the phone is not ringing.

Shelby McFarlane talks with Arkansas insurance agent Nick Tuberville about the gap between marketing and selling, especially in service businesses where you are not shipping a product, you are selling a promise. We get practical about what actually drives growth: showing up locally, starting conversations, and building relationships strong enough that people choose you even when you are not the cheapest. Nick explains why “direct marketing” still matters, how his team hustles for real interactions, and why speed is not always your friend when a better conversation can open the door to life insurance and deeper coverage reviews.

Then we go into the modern stuff without the hype: Google Business Profile basics, the never ending game of SEO, and how AI is changing search and sales training. If you are experimenting with tools like ChatGPT, we talk about what is useful right now and what is still too early to trust. We also share the messy reality of onboarding salespeople, what accountability looks like when performance dips, and why tracking activity can be the fastest way to rebuild momentum.

If you want a clearer marketing strategy, a stronger sales process, and realistic expectations about ROI, this one will hit. Subscribe, share with a business owner who’s stuck, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

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You can study marketing for years and still feel unprepared the first time a real client and a real deadline land on your plate. Mattie and Alexis step in for Shelby and tell the honest version of what it looks like to break into a marketing career when your path is not perfectly linear, from a creative background to an esthetics business owner who fell in love with the marketing side before learning the fundamentals through an online digital marketing program.

We get into how both of us actually got hired at a marketing agency, including the awkward part nobody talks about: reaching out when you think you are “not qualified enough.” One of us moved to Arkansas with no local network and job hunted through Facebook, emails, and a single Zoom call. The other leaned into persistence, followed up multiple times, and discovered that initiative and coachability can matter as much as a four year degree. If you’re searching for an entry level marketing job, a marketing internship, or a way into digital marketing without a perfect resume, you’ll hear practical, real world context.

Then we share what we’ve learned working with a marketer who stays authentic with her team and her clients, and why hands on client work changes how you think about SEO, social media strategy, content creation, and results. We close with two simple marketing tips that drive outsized impact: stay consistent with your posting schedule, and get crystal clear on your target audience so your content converts.

If this helped you, subscribe to the Marketing Happy Hour Podcast, share the episode with a friend who’s trying to get into marketing, and leave a review so more people can find it.

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One painful week in a 500 square foot apartment changed everything for Shelby McFarland and it eventually became the foundation for how she leads, sells, and builds. Shelby shares the part of her story she rarely tells, then connects it to a simple framework she uses to guide decisions when life feels messy and business feels heavy.

We break down her BOSS mindset acronym: Bold, Opportunistic, Strong, and Service Minded. Shelby gets specific about what “bold” looks like when you’re scared, how to treat rejection as redirection, and why strength is not about pretending you’re fine, it’s about showing up anyway and owning your choices. Her favorite piece is servant-hearted leadership, and she tells a real story about helping a long-time prospect even after he signed with someone else, because doing the right thing is the brand.

Then we shift into practical digital marketing: how to increase visibility with consistency, why video is so powerful right now, what to watch in your analytics (impressions matter), and how SEO supports everything you do. Shelby also shares how she uses tools like ChatGPT for prompts and keywords while still rewriting to keep content authentic. If you’re building a business, a personal brand, or a team, you’ll leave with a mindset you can practice and a marketing plan you can stick with. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com

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