In this episode of Small Business School, host Staci Millard sits down with PR expert and podcast pitching strategist Christina Lenkowski to break down what publicity actually is, why most entrepreneurs misunderstand it, and how podcast guesting can become one of your highest ROI growth strategies in 2026.

They dive into the difference between being visible and being strategically visible, why smaller podcasts often outperform big-name shows, and how to leverage guest appearances into long-term content and credibility.

Key topics covered:

• The 3 pillars of marketing: owned, paid, and earned media
• What publicity really means (and what it’s not)
• Why podcast guesting builds trust faster than ads or social media
• The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when pitching themselves
• Why “spray and pray” pitching is hurting your brand
• How to identify the right podcasts for your business
• Why small to mid-size podcasts often convert better than large shows
• How to repurpose podcast interviews into high-impact content
• The importance of relationship-building in modern marketing

If you’ve been chasing visibility but not seeing results, this episode is your reminder that where and how you show up matters more than how often. Podcast guesting isn’t just about exposure, it’s about connection, credibility, and conversion.

Connect with Christina:

Instagram: @publicityxchristina

Website: https://www.publicityxchristina.com/quiz-landing-page

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

In this episode of Small Business School, Staci breaks down key lessons from Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell and shares what most entrepreneurs are missing when they try to apply it. If you’ve ever felt stretched too thin, stuck doing low-value tasks, or unsure when to hire, this conversation will shift how you think about time, money, and scaling your business.

Staci dives into the three most powerful concepts from the book then challenges them with a financial lens that most business owners overlook. Because buying back your time isn’t just a mindset shift…it’s a numbers game!

Key topics covered:

• Why your time is your most expensive asset and how to use it wisely
• The mistake most entrepreneurs make when hiring too late
• Why you need to build capacity before you scale
• The truth about delegation (and why doing everything yourself is costing you growth)
• Why cash flow and not revenue should guide your hiring decisions
• How to actually calculate your “buyback rate” and ROI on your time
• The hidden stress trade-offs of outsourcing too quickly
• Why speed in business can cost you more than it earns
• How to delegate properly so your business doesn’t break as you grow

Buying back your time isn’t just about freedom, it’s about building a business that can actually afford the life you want.

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

In this episode of Small Business School, host Staci Millard sits down with nutrition consultant Michelle Lentz to talk about the one thing most entrepreneurs overlook: their nutrition.

Michelle shares how ditching fad diets and focusing on simple, sustainable habits can completely transform your energy, productivity, and overall well-being. From meal prep shortcuts to understanding cravings and building a supportive community, this conversation is packed with practical tips for busy business owners who want to feel better without adding more to their plate. If you’ve ever said “I don’t have time to eat healthy,” this episode is for you.

Key topics covered:

• Why nutrition is the foundation of your energy, focus, and business success
• The problem with fad diets (and why they’re not sustainable)
• How to simplify healthy eating even with a packed schedule
• The importance of protein, balanced meals, and whole foods
• How community and accountability can transform your habits
• Easy meal prep strategies that take 30 minutes or less
• The truth about sugar cravings and how to manage them
• Why fueling your body properly leads to better leadership and productivity

Your business cannot thrive if you’re running on empty. When you prioritize your nutrition, you’re not just improving your health, you’re showing up as a better leader, making clearer decisions, and building a more sustainable life and business.

Connect with Michelle:

Instagram: @nutritionbymichelle

Website: nutritionbymichelle.ca

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

In this episode of Small Business School, Staci sits down with entrepreneur, investor, and CEO School founder Suneera Madhani to unpack what it really takes to grow a business beyond the early stages. From building a fintech company to $160M in revenue to creating a multi-seven-figure education platform, Suneera shares the exact mindset, systems, and decisions that helped her scale without burning out.

If you’ve ever felt stuck doing everything in your business, overwhelmed by growth, or unsure how to move from hustle to strategy, this conversation will show you what’s possible and how to get there.

Key topics covered:

• The critical shift from founder mode to CEO mode (and why it unlocks freedom)
• Why scale actually creates more time—not less
• The real reason most women-owned businesses struggle to grow past 7 figures
• How to identify where you are the bottleneck in your business
• The truth about profit, impact, and why they are not in conflict
• What investors actually look for when deciding where to put their money
• How to stop “doing everything” and start building a business that runs like a machine

Scaling isn’t about doing more, it’s about thinking differently. When you step into the role of CEO, you stop being the one holding everything together… and start building something that can grow beyond you. And that’s where the real freedom begins.

Connect with Suneera:

Instagram: @suneeramadhani

Website: https://www.theceoschool.com

https://www.joinworth.com

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

Welcome back to Small Business School! In today’s episode, Staci sits down with manifestation and mindset expert Danielle Amos to unpack the deeper truth behind wealth, self-image, and why so many entrepreneurs are quietly settling. This episode challenges everything you’ve been taught about hard work, money, and success. From breaking generational programming to understanding how your beliefs shape your results, Danielle shares a powerful perspective on abundance as your birthright and how to actually step into it.

Key topics covered:

• Why people are moving away from the “millionaire” goal and what’s really behind it
• The truth about manifestation and why it’s not just a trend
• How subconscious beliefs and early programming shape your financial reality
• Why hard work alone won’t create success (and what actually does)
• The role of mindset, energy, and identity in building wealth
• How your self-image sets the ceiling for your results
• The power of controlling your inputs to change your outcomes
• Why fear-based thinking is keeping so many entrepreneurs stuck
• How to rewrite your beliefs around money, opportunity, and success
• A simple but powerful journaling practice to start shifting your reality today

Download Danielle’s free guide: The Millionaire Tool Kit https://successsociety.danielleamos.co/the-millionaire-tool-kit.html

A step-by-step resource to help you reprogram your beliefs and step into a wealth-building self-image

Connect with Danielle:

Instagram: @thedanielleamos

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

In this episode of Small Business School, Staci sits down with Andrea Krones of Inkling Design to unpack what truly makes a website effective in today’s digital landscape. With over 20 years of experience, Andrea shares how websites have evolved from simple “online placeholders” to strategic, user-focused experiences that guide visitors toward action. From user experience (UX) to messaging, SEO to AI, this conversation dives deep into what service-based business owners need to know to create a website that not only attracts visitors, but converts them.

Key topics covered:

• Why your website needs to do more than look good, it must guide visitors to take action
• How user experience (UX) directly impacts whether people stay on your site or leave
• The importance of clearly communicating what you do within the first few seconds
• Why trying to speak to everyone weakens your message, and what to do instead
• How to create a simple, strategic customer journey that leads to conversions
• The truth about SEO and why your website only works as hard as you do
• What AI can (and can’t) do when it comes to building a high-converting website

Your website isn’t just a digital business card, it’s one of your most powerful tools. When done right, it builds trust, communicates your value, and guides your audience to take action. But it requires intention, clarity, and strategy.

Connect with Andrea:

Instagram: @inkling.design

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

In this episode of Small Business School, Staci sits down with Anjali Handa, leadership coach, corporate trainer, and creator of the Powerful Presence Workshop, to unpack why presence (not performance) is the missing piece for so many entrepreneurs.

Drawing from her experience training corporate leaders and leading transformational seminars for hundreds of people, Anjali shares how small business owners can develop the same level of confidence, clarity, and authority without needing a corporate budget.

Key topics covered:

• Why visibility is the most important skill for entrepreneurs in 2026
• The key differences between corporate leadership training vs entrepreneurial skill development
• Why most small business owners approach growth reactively instead of proactively
• The concept of presence vs performance and how it changes everything
• How quickly people form impressions (hint: it’s faster than you think)
• Why humility does not mean shrinking
• The hidden ways entrepreneurs play small in their messaging and delivery
• How in-person experiences are making a major comeback in business
• Why how you say something matters just as much as what you say
• The role of visibility in driving revenue (and why it’s not just about access to capital)
• How presence impacts leadership, team dynamics, and client relationships

As business continues to shift back toward human connection and in-person interaction, your ability to show up with confidence, clarity, and authenticity will set you apart.

Connect with Anjali:

Instagram: @anjalihanda

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

In this episode of Small Business School, Staci sits down with Britt Holmes, founder of Merit Media, to unpack how small businesses can navigate the shift toward paid advertising and use ads strategically to grow in 2026. With more than 14 years of experience in digital advertising, Britt has worked across hundreds of campaigns and managed multimillion-dollar ad budgets before launching her own agency focused on helping small businesses scale with smarter ad strategies.

Together, Staci and Britt break down the realities of modern marketing, how to know when your business is ready for ads, and the key mistakes entrepreneurs make when trying to run them themselves.

Key topics covered:

• Why organic social media reach has declined and what that means for small businesses
• The return of the “pay-to-play” marketing model in the digital era
• How Britt went from managing $40M in e-commerce ads to building an agency serving small businesses
• Why running ads isn’t as simple as setting them up and walking away
• The foundational elements every business needs before investing in ads
• How ads differ for product-based vs service-based businesses
• The biggest misconceptions about DIY ad courses and quick-win marketing strategies
• Why businesses need to commit time and testing before expecting results
• What realistic ad timelines and budgets look like for small businesses
• Smart questions entrepreneurs should ask before hiring an ad agency

As marketing continues to evolve, visibility is no longer just about showing up, it’s about showing up strategically. For small businesses ready to grow, paid ads can become one of the most powerful tools available when used with the right systems, expectations, and expertise behind them.

Britt invites you to check out this recent blog post https://www.meritmedia.com/post/how-to-spot-a-rookie-ad-expert

Connect with Britt:

Instagram: @meritmedia.inc @brittholmeslive

Website: meritmedia.com

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.