Welcome to the two-hundred and thirty-seventh episode of the Heart + Hustle Podcast!

Spring is the perfect time to refresh your business. In this episode, we share a step-by-step guide to decluttering your digital space, refining your goals, streamlining processes, refreshing your marketing, organizing finances, reconnecting with clients, and prioritizing your well-being. Join us for practical tips to boost productivity and set yourself up for success this season.

Follow Us on Social Media

Follow us on Instagram.

Instagram: Charisma | Angelica

Threads: Charisma

Meet the hosts: Angelica Yarde and Charisma O’Keefe

We’re now on Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Play Music, Acast, and Stitcher! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and rate and review.

Episode Transcription

00:00.66
Angelica: Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Heart and Hustle podcast. I’m Angelica Yard.

00:04.72
Charisma: And I’m Charisma O’Keefe. We are here every week talking to you about small business, medium business, big business, entrepreneurship, balance, and all the things. We have been recording for seven years, eight years—a long time.

00:17.78
Angelica: Yes.

00:19.00
Charisma: Which one?

00:20.00
Angelica: Since 2016.

00:21.00
Angelica: It has to be eight or nine years.

00:22.57
Charisma: Yeah, yeah.

00:22.96
Angelica: It’s eight.

00:23.83
Charisma: It’s been a long time. A lot of times, we interview amazing people from different fields. When we’re not interviewing, we dive deep into subjects that benefit your business.

00:37.84
Charisma: This week, we are going to talk about spring cleaning your business, which is honestly one of my favorite topics. I really love seasonal topics because I think there are certain things that are best done at different times of the year. That way, you’re not overwhelmed all the time—you can break things up throughout the year.

00:55.87
Angelica: Yeah.

00:57.38
Charisma: I love spring because it feels like there’s a little less pressure. A lot of the things you need to do toward the end of the year feel overwhelming.

01:06.18
Angelica: I think you’re so hyped for fall that fall feels like pressure. You wait all year to get through the summer, which is so hot, and you’re just trying to survive.

01:16.92
Angelica: So spring does feel a little less crazy, but it’s still important.

01:20.78
Charisma: Yes.

01:21.48
Angelica: Though, for me, spring feels busy because we have birthdays and events.

01:22.43
Charisma: It does feel busy. But I mean in terms of business—it doesn’t feel as high-stakes. At the end of the year, there’s this sense of, “I have to get everything done.”

01:32.12
Charisma: At the beginning of the year, a lot of people put pressure on themselves, thinking, “My business has to do these things this year.” Spring feels like a natural time to pause, reassess, and move forward without so much stress.

01:40.32
Angelica: You need to talk to my clients because they are stressing me out.

01:41.90
Charisma: Yeah.

01:44.20
Angelica: They didn’t get the memo. March has felt like a race to do everything before Q2. It’s insane.

01:57.81
Charisma: But for me, spring feels like a natural start to the year. I know a lot of people say that. I personally like the January start because I have a January birthday, so I’m always in goal-setting mode.

02:12.13
Charisma: But for others, winter is tough. There’s bad weather, dark skies—it’s a lot. Spring, on the other hand, feels like a fresh start, a good time to reconnect with your business, refocus, and reevaluate goals without the same pressure as January.

02:27.92
Charisma: Especially for one of my businesses, where the busiest time is from August to the end of the year—especially October through December. That’s such a chaotic period. So spring feels like a great time to step back, set new goals, and do some business spring cleaning to set up for summer and beyond.

03:11.17
Angelica: We have a handful of tips and tricks to help you get your business together for spring.

03:23.11
Angelica: My clients didn’t get the memo that I should be spring cleaning—they are lighting my schedule on fire for the next three months. Hopefully, I can go back and do my own spring cleaning later.

03:36.45
Angelica: One of the first things you should be doing—and honestly, you should be doing this every week—is decluttering your digital space. You need to KonMari your digital setup because I have seen some of your desktops and they are a mess.

04:02.86
Angelica: I’ve seen the screenshots, the cluttered folders. It’s time to clean up. Start organizing your files, get rid of old documents, and archive old clients or products. Label things correctly. When you’re busy, it’s easy to throw things in random places. Now’s the time to go back, get things in order, and document new systems.

04:23.04
Angelica: Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails. If your inbox is out of control, clean it up. Get rid of those newsletters you don’t read anymore.

04:35.35
Angelica: Update your software and passwords. Cybersecurity is a big deal, and the hackers are hacking. Tech is a vulnerable space, so stay ahead of it.

05:12.66
Charisma: Yes.

05:24.05
Angelica: It’s not just one system that’s vulnerable—it’s all of them now. Remember back in the day when people would say, “You can’t hack Macs?” Yes, you can. So, please update your software, update your passwords, and make sure you have everything up to date with the latest and greatest.

05:39.52
Angelica: Make sure you’re using a password-saving system instead of writing things down on a little piece of paper next to your computer. Get it together, friends. It’s 2025. There’s LastPass, 1Password—so many options you could be using. Utilize one of those services.

05:58.20
Angelica: And one final digital decluttering tip—review your website and social media. This is a great time to archive old content that no longer serves your purpose. It’s okay. It won’t hurt you anymore. Remember back in the day when people were afraid to archive content? They worried it would impact visibility. It doesn’t matter anymore. Algorithms don’t care. You can archive that stuff.

06:16.81
Angelica: You can start removing old blog posts that no longer align with your messaging, especially if they’re outdated. If you wrote a list of “Top 10 Things to Do for Juneteenth 2020,” and it’s now 2025, it’s time to take that post down.

06:28.23
Angelica: Check for broken links. Use a broken link checker. If you don’t want to sign up for a service, hire an SEO specialist—they’ll use the same tools and provide a report. Start removing those broken links. There are so many opportunities over the next three months to get your life together.

06:53.77
Charisma: Yes.

06:58.21
Angelica: You don’t have to do all of this tomorrow. That’s why you have the season of spring. Some people hear “spring” and think, “March 20th, March 24th—I need to clean everything right now.” No.

07:10.18
Angelica: You have three whole months. Take your time. Go through once a week and complete a new task to tidy up your digital space. Make things more efficient so that when your busy season hits, you’re ready to go.

07:27.63
Charisma: Yes, I love it. All right, so the second step to spring-cleaning your business is assessing your business goals. A lot of you made business goals at the beginning of the year.

07:39.34
Charisma: Maybe they were a good fit, maybe not. Maybe you’ve already started working on them and realized, “I thought it was going to be A, but now it feels like B.” Maybe you need to make adjustments. Ask yourself: Are these goals still relevant to my plans for the year? Does this feel right? Is this where I want to be spending my time, or do I need to pivot?

08:15.18
Charisma: Sometimes it’s about setting more realistic goals. Now that the year has started, you can look back at January and February and reassess. Maybe you want to shift focus.

08:26.89
Charisma: This is a great time to check your progress—see what’s working and what needs adjusting. The year is still young; it’s only March. I know it feels long for a lot of people.

08:39.43
Charisma: January felt long. February felt long—even though it’s the shortest month!

08:39.58
Angelica: Yep.

08:43.70
Charisma: A lot of people have said, “This is the longest February I’ve ever experienced.” I get it—it feels like the year is dragging, but we’re only in March. If there was a goal you didn’t set at the beginning of the year but now realize you want to accomplish in 2025, you still have time! You can start today and still finish by the end of the year.

09:20.34
Charisma: Use this time to reassess your goals, lean back in, and refine your strategies so you can make the most of summer.

09:32.26
Charisma: For me, summer in Florida is brutally hot, so I actually enjoy working because I’d rather be indoors than outside in the heat.

09:55.25
Charisma: I get a lot of work done, so I want to make sure my projects—both work-related and creative—are lined up. I don’t want to fall into the trap of just binge-watching TV all summer. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good binge session, but I also want to make progress on my creative and business goals.

10:15.00
Charisma: Having those plans set before summer hits—when the heat makes me feel tired all the time—helps me stay productive.

10:05.69
Angelica: Yes, for sure. I am already mentally over it, and it’s not even…

10:12.70
Charisma: Like, it hasn’t even started, but…

10:13.02
Angelica: It’s not even starting yet, but if it gets a little too warm on this warm spring day that we’re having, I’m like, “Oh no, I’m not ready.”

10:23.07
Charisma: Pay him.

10:23.02
Angelica: So, one of the third things you could be doing to help spring-clean your business is starting to streamline your processes.

10:34.06
Angelica: Processes are my baby—I love them. But I understand the state of software right now is messy. And for new kids who are coming in, or if you’ve been in the industry for the last five years, I’m sorry—it’s overwhelming.

10:47.85
Angelica: There’s so much happening, so much clutter, and it’s not good. People are integrating AI into systems, but these AI models are not good. You know what I mean?

11:01.01
Angelica: It’s just so frustrating and so annoying.

11:01.43
Charisma: Mm-hmm.

11:03.09
Angelica: So, this is a great time to start looking at the processes and systems you use. Evaluate what’s effective and what’s not. One of the first things you can do is find something to help you automate your repetitive tasks.

11:16.16
Angelica: I tell people all the time—I’ve told people on the podcast millions of times—templates are your friend. For emails, for responding, for communication. You don’t have to ask ChatGPT to create these templates for you. You can do it yourself and save them in your own system. I promise you, it’s good to go. Have a Google Doc or something in your email system.

11:36.10
Angelica: There used to be add-ons in Gmail. I don’t know— not everyone has G Suite anymore. Whatever email system you’re using, make sure you have templates set up so you can easily respond to people. It’s easy in Outlook, too. Get those things together.

11:52.35
Angelica: Gather all your information for your responses—the things you typically respond to on a regular basis—and have those templates ready so you can just customize them when needed.

12:01.20
Angelica: Scheduling, invoicing—if you have invoices that could be auto-renewed every month, set up the auto-renewal feature in your finance or accounting software. That way, you can just send the invoice when it’s due instead of manually doing all the work every month.

12:22.13
Angelica: Lots of accounting systems now have that feature. It’s fine. Let’s just take advantage of the technology and the efficiency boosts we have in 2025.

12:35.20
Angelica: Another thing you could be doing is outsourcing. Outsource to people. Stop doing things you don’t want to do if you can afford it.

12:41.45
Charisma: Yeah.

12:43.98
Angelica: Do those things. Or, if you have a partner, a friend, or someone in your life who wants to make a little extra money or be helpful, consider asking them.

12:52.34
Angelica: If you have a friend who’s really good at accounting and you don’t want to do it, pay them for a couple of hours a month to handle invoicing and set up your accounting instead of struggling through it yourself.

13:03.10
Angelica: You not doing it isn’t helping you or anyone else. I know we often try to be masters of everything, doing all the work in our businesses. But we all need to recognize when it’s time to have someone step in. Not doing it creates a roadblock to your success and growth.

13:22.38
Angelica: And one of the last things you could be doing right now is refining your workflow.

13:27.15
Angelica: If something is taking too long—like if you are the bottleneck in creating proposals or invoices—hire someone else to do that.

13:31.48
Charisma: Mm-hmm.

13:34.54
Angelica: There are RFP specialists who do this for a living. Writing proposals is their life, their passion. Hire an RFP specialist to write your proposals and get those things done.

13:45.20
Angelica: If you’re great at the beginning of the sales process—like generating leads—but struggle with closing deals, hire a closer.

13:54.77
Angelica: Hire someone to do the follow-ups. Do something, but don’t allow yourself to be the bottleneck for your success and growth.

14:02.83
Charisma: Yes. I love it. I really feel like spring is such a great time for all of this because, again, you want to get ahead of it.

14:12.45
Charisma: We’re still kind of in the beginning of the year, so let’s reel it in and get things together before we go too much further.

14:18.93
Charisma: The fourth thing you can do to spring-clean your business is refreshing your marketing strategy.

14:24.10
Charisma: For a lot of people, spring might not be their peak sales season.

14:32.93
Charisma: I know for many product-based businesses, their big season is typically fall and winter—especially with winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and others.

14:41.80
Charisma: So, this is a great time to ask: Does my marketing look the way it needs to? Is it ready for the holiday season?

14:52.30
Charisma: And I know some of you might be thinking, “Holiday season? It’s only spring!”

14:58.97
Charisma: But I don’t want you to be stressed out when the holidays come.

15:03.42
Charisma: If you plan now, you won’t be scrambling later.

15:07.23
Charisma: The first thing to check is your branding materials. Make sure your logo, business cards, website, and social media presence all align with your current brand identity.

15:19.27
Charisma: And those align across the board and make sense across the board, right? I’m not saying you need to go out and get a complete rebrand or anything like that. If your branding materials currently reflect your brand, great.

15:31.96
Charisma: Just make sure they reflect it across the board, right? Just make sure that it’s cohesive. The second would be planning a seasonal campaign. Again, this is a time to remind the people who are interested in your stuff that you have products or services, and you would love for them to buy.

15:51.86
Charisma: Or, if you don’t run a product-based business, you can always reach out and engage with your audience. Check in on that email list, make sure you’re growing it, and connect with your customers on social media. You can ask for feedback during the spring, but the goal is to stay in touch with your current clients and those you hope will become your clients and customers.

16:19.65
Charisma: I think offering a discount in the spring is not a bad idea. A lot of people, especially with the cost of living right now, are feeling the financial strain.

16:30.14
Charisma: People are concerned. They’re spending less. They want to support small businesses, but they’re looking for the right ones to support. So having a seasonal campaign to show them you’re the right small business to support—and maybe offering a little discount code or freebies—could be a smart way to approach the season.

16:54.58
Angelica: Yeah, it’s a good time for referral links. If you have referral sales, like “send this to a friend and get 20% off” or “get 30% off,” now is the time to use them.

17:00.63
Charisma: Yes.

17:03.00
Angelica: This is a great time to start doing that, especially for small businesses.

17:06.04
Charisma: It’s about creating those brand fans before we get to the holidays.

17:09.46
Angelica: Right, right.

17:11.16
Charisma: I’ve had a few friends introduce me to brands over the past couple of months, and I’m already thinking, “Oh, I definitely want to buy gifts from them when the holidays come around.” I buy my gifts pretty early—starting in October—because I like to spread out my purchases.

17:31.53
Charisma: People don’t think it’s true, but now is really the time to start thinking about how to secure those holiday sales.

17:38.61
Angelica: Yeah, it really is. I bring up referrals because small businesses often overlook them, and it’s frustrating. I refer people to small businesses all the time—not because I expect anything in return, but because I genuinely like to share good things. However, it would be nice if businesses incentivized it.

17:53.26
Angelica: It makes me more inclined to put links in my stories or do what I need to do to get people to check them out. Right now, I’m just sharing by texting people and mentioning them in this podcast.

18:04.19
Angelica: But I often buy things that are referred to me. Our friend Shelly just posted some shoes—I’m buying those shoes because she said they were great.

18:11.80
Charisma: I did see those shoes.

18:12.59
Angelica: And I’m buying those pants too.

18:13.73
Charisma: Those are cute.

18:17.11
Angelica: She lives in New York, and if she says those shoes hold up, I believe her. I’m not going to argue—I’m just buying them. Another friend of mine posted about a company that makes these Rice Krispie-style treats, but with a twist. They’re based in LA, and they look amazing—so cute, with fun flavors.

18:33.85
Angelica: I’m buying a ton of those to give to my friends over spring break. I trust people when they recommend things.

18:39.90
Charisma: That sounds delicious.

18:41.38
Angelica: I can’t wait for you to try one!

18:44.12
Charisma: Oh my God. There’s also this candy brand—I can’t remember the name, but I’ll tell you later so we can put it in the show notes. Margot is obsessed with it.

18:55.80
Charisma: I don’t even like candy, but I want to try it because she’s so hooked.

18:56.30
Angelica: That’s the power of influence.

19:02.55
Charisma: She saw it on TikTok, then found it at World Market. After trying it, she ordered it directly from the company’s website because she loved it so much.

19:12.52
Angelica: Right.

19:13.77
Charisma: She talked about it nonstop for a week. The order came in, but I have a feeling she won’t be able to save me any because she’s completely obsessed. The brand is so cute, and the packaging is great. We were even saying this candy would make a perfect gift.

19:22.66
Angelica: Exactly.

19:39.05
Angelica: She’s not wrong! Speaking of, I want to mention a friend of the show—someone who did an episode with us way back when—who owned Sweet Utopian Milk. She’s looking at coming back with a small-batch ordering company.

19:55.83
Charisma: What?!

19:56.26
Angelica: And I need you all to hit up her Instagram and tell her you want it.

19:57.32
Charisma: That’s exciting!

20:01.85
Angelica: She posted last night asking for opinions. This morning, she was already working on it and started asking more questions about other things.

20:09.33
Charisma: Oh my goodness.

20:09.93
Angelica: I’m very hyped for this. I will put the link to this episode.

20:12.52
Charisma: I’m very excited. I need her to partner with Donutsy and make all my fat kid dreams come true—let me have the milk and the donuts.

20:14.92
Angelica: But please…

20:20.50
Angelica: Genuinely, blow up her Instagram.

20:22.13
Charisma: Yes. I’m actually going to text him right now and be like, “Please, please reach out and make that happen.”

20:25.58
Angelica: I’m so excited for this.

20:26.91
Charisma: Get together.

20:28.56
Angelica: Not that I need good news, but I haven’t had good news.

20:31.93
Charisma: This is very big for Orlando. This is really good news.

20:35.48
Angelica: You guys don’t understand.

20:36.12
Charisma: This is happy.

20:36.74
Angelica: So the next thing you can start doing—this is probably a sore spot because it is tax season.

20:39.98
Charisma: Okay.

20:42.40
Angelica: I understand that the girlies have gotten their tax bills back and are already stressing. So after that conversation with your accountant, when you realize you weren’t saving as much as you should have been or didn’t have enough write-offs, start cleaning up your finances.

21:05.97
Angelica: This is an easy thing to do. Everyone should be doing it, whether they have a business or not, but especially as a business owner—this is the time.

21:10.97
Angelica: We are in a volatile market. We knew this was going to happen regardless of who won the presidency. That’s always a possibility. So here we are.

21:21.97
Angelica: If you have stocks like mine, your notifications are up and down—mostly down. And you’re just like, “You know what? It is what it is.” We knew this was coming.

21:30.97
Angelica: Now, if you’re a business owner, and some tariffs are affecting your products, or if you’re seeing rising costs in materials, you need to go back in, review your budget, start cutting things off, and figure out how to lower those numbers.

21:40.97
Angelica: Unfortunately, that might mean layoffs, which is why we’re seeing so many right now. Businesses are predicting market losses a year ahead and seeing how it will affect their profit sharing.

21:57.07
Angelica: While a lot of it is corporate greed—executives aren’t getting laid off, bonuses aren’t being cut, board members are still getting paid—I hear you, I’m with you, I’m frustrated too.

22:10.97
Angelica: But if you really look at your numbers, from materials to systems, your costs have already gone up this year due to the broader economy.

22:20.97
Angelica: Nvidia stock affects you as a business owner because if you have a digital-based business, you’ll likely need to upgrade your computer at some point. If you need to do that in the next year, computers are now more expensive than they were two or three years ago.

22:36.46
Angelica: So, you need to start looking at ways to cut costs. If that does mean layoffs, there are ethical ways to do it.

22:48.96
Angelica: We could even do an episode on layoffs.

22:50.08
Charisma: That would actually be a very good idea, though it sounds stressful for me. But maybe we could also bring in another person because…

22:54.73
Angelica: Stressful, emotional, yeah.

23:01.96
Angelica: We need to have an HR business partner. If you’re in HR and specialize in layoffs, or you’re a consultant on the topic, please reach out to us.

23:04.85
Charisma: Wow.

23:11.77
Angelica: I know layoffs were even a movie plot a couple of years ago, but if this is your expertise and you’d like to talk with us, please send us a note.

23:18.97
Angelica: Also, thank you to those who have been pitching themselves since we’ve come back.

23:22.68
Angelica: We’d love to talk to you because ethical layoffs are possible, and it’s a conversation worth having—especially for small businesses.

23:31.97
Angelica: A lot of business owners are going to find themselves in that position this year, simply because the cost of doing business has skyrocketed.

23:40.97
Angelica: That’s just where we are in the economy, at least in the United States. I know it’s affecting other places globally, but the U.S. is seeing it very upfront and very soon.

23:51.17
Angelica: The second thing you could be doing to clean up your finances: organizing your invoices. Make sure your tax records are up to date. If you just filed your taxes, you’re done—now get everything together for next year.

24:03.00
Angelica: And analyze your profitability.

24:07.97
Angelica: This ties back to cutting costs and figuring out what markets you may need to enter.

24:15.97
Angelica: There was a conversation about a Canadian business owner who vacations in the same place in upstate New York every year. This year, a lot of Canadians have been canceling their vacations.

24:28.19
Angelica: If that’s happening to you, you’re losing profitability right now.

24:31.97
Angelica: So what should you be doing so that when summer starts, your nights are booked? Your lodges are full?

24:41.49
Angelica: You should be reaching out to new markets and new customers.

24:49.50
Angelica: Unfortunately, no matter how you feel politically, it doesn’t matter. It affects all of us the same. We are viewed as a country as a whole.

24:59.97
Angelica: Globally, people are seeing the actions being taken and responding with their wallets—because that’s one of the few ways general citizens feel they can make an impact.

25:10.97
Charisma: Uh-huh.

26:02.20
Charisma: Pivoting is the reason that I am still an entrepreneur. Don’t be afraid to pivot. Honestly, it’s a good thing in the long run. So yeah, don’t be afraid to fail fast. Don’t be afraid to pivot.

26:15.69
Charisma: The next step would be reconnecting with the clients and customers you currently have. You’ve already done the work to make sure your marketing is in order. You know that your branding is in order. You know that your brand voice is the way it needs to be.

26:30.37
Charisma: So why not reach back out and reconnect with the clients and customers you already have? This is a great time to do that. If you have a smaller business—maybe you run an Etsy shop or something along those lines—this would be a great time to send a thank-you note. Show your appreciation and let your past customers know:

26:51.03
Charisma: “Hey, we really appreciated that little thing you bought six months ago. We’re thinking of you.”

Obviously, that won’t work for all businesses, but think about your brand and the best way to reach out.

27:06.82
Charisma: To me, if a small business I’ve supported in the past reaches out and sends me a note—handwritten or not—that says, “We appreciate you. We’re thinking of you,” I’m going to buy again. That will make me want to support them.

27:16.92
Angelica: That is genuinely why I shop at Badass. It’s local here.

27:20.65
Charisma: Because it’s like, “Oh, you’re thinking of me? Cool.” There are certain coffee shops where I basically know the owners at this point. They can literally DM me or comment on my story, and I’ll think, “You know what? I’m going to go to XO. I’m going to go to Create.”

27:36.24
Charisma: Just engaging with me brings them to the front of my mind, reminding me why I love supporting them—because they actually care. I think we’re seeing more people shift toward that narrative of wanting to support small businesses. They want to know where their money is going.

For so long, people supported big companies like Amazon and Shein without knowing exactly what their money was funding. Now, they’re realizing that their money isn’t always being used well.

28:05.69
Charisma: So a lot of people are returning to the “shop small” mentality. This is a great time to reconnect and remind them:

28:17.98
Charisma: “Hey, I am a small business. I’m doing this myself or with a small team. We’re here, and we care about you.”

When customers buy a cup of coffee from us or purchase from our Etsy shop, we want to show them how their money supports the community, our families, and our work. People want to hear that.

28:29.40
Charisma: I also think this is a great time to reach out and request testimonials or reviews to attract new business and referrals.

28:34.93
Angelica: Exactly.

28:39.19
Charisma: Like we were just talking about, referrals are really beneficial this time of year because they put you on people’s radar. They give customers time to become fans of the brand so that by Christmas, they’ll want to buy from you.

28:52.58
Angelica: Yep, for sure. And again, that’s why I revisit the brands I support.

29:13.01
Angelica: This is why I spend my money where I spend it. Some companies truly go above and beyond. I understand that doing so is hard sometimes—you don’t always have the bandwidth as a business owner. But if you’re experiencing a slow period right now, this is the time to do it.

29:31.98
Angelica: Whatever your slow season is, take advantage of it. Your customers will be your greatest referrals. The biggest thing I learned as a studio owner was that the people buying my cards and art constantly referred others. That helped spread the word so quickly.

29:32.34
Charisma: Thank—

29:34.66
Angelica: I could not have paid for that type of engagement.

29:35.92
Charisma: —you.

29:37.54
Angelica: I would have gone broke trying to reach that many people through sponsored posts. Organic, word-of-mouth referrals are incredibly powerful.

29:49.44
Angelica: The last thing you should be doing right now—especially because it’s spring—is preparing for seasonal shifts. If you can’t tell by how we sound, it’s still gross outside.

29:59.28
Charisma: I was just about to say—I literally muted myself because I had a coughing fit.

30:00.68
Angelica: I—

30:02.48
Charisma: So—

30:03.65
Angelica: I was like, we sound wild.

30:05.18
Charisma: Yeah.

30:06.34
Angelica: Allergy season.

30:06.82
Charisma: At least I can talk because I couldn’t speak this weekend. So it’s an improvement.

30:10.24
Angelica: Yes. It’s allergy season. It’s spring break, which means people are traveling. If you live in a spring break destination like we do, you’re seeing an uptick in travel because the weather’s a little warmer, and people are getting out of their winter bubbles and heading south.

30:24.44
Angelica: So we are constantly being exposed to everyone’s airplane germs, no matter what precautions we take. Between the pollen trying to get us and the germs trying to get us, it’s a rough life.

30:35.34
Charisma: Oof. Yep.

30:38.88
Angelica: This is a good time to start prioritizing your well-being and avoiding burnout. I think I started the call saying, “I’m burnt out.”

30:47.70
Charisma: Yep. We are both ways away from burnout.

30:50.36
Angelica: We are—I’m there.

30:53.38
Charisma: It’s wild that our burnout is timed together.

30:53.35
Angelica: Look at that.

30:55.98
Charisma: Wow.

30:56.22
Angelica: Yeah. Look at that. We’re synced.

30:57.50
Charisma: Yeah. We’re so in sync.

30:58.30
Angelica: Synced up.

30:58.66
Charisma: Yeah.

30:59.06
Angelica: You know, I love it. I can’t be synced up the other way, so I guess burnout will do.

31:02.65
Charisma: Yep. I love it.

31:05.89
Angelica: Here are some things I’ve started doing this year that have helped me manage the craziness. Like I said, this is a very busy season for me, and things picked up insanely fast.

31:17.85
Angelica: Taking regular breaks and setting boundaries is crucial. If you don’t, you’re going to find yourself working weekends, glued to your computer. Like we talked about last week with Shea Walker—if you haven’t listened to that episode, she covered great boundary-setting tips. She’s a mom, and even though her kids are older, she still respects those boundaries.

31:29.00
Charisma: Yes.

31:31.86
Angelica: I think sometimes working parents assume that because their kids are older, they require less time, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

31:43.52
Angelica: If you remember your own adolescence, you know that was the time you needed your parents strapped in for the ride—whether you wanted them there or not. It was chaotic. So, definitely create good work-life boundaries. And if you don’t have kids but have a partner or just yourself, you still deserve a break.

32:07.92
Angelica: So, get that together.

32:08.34
Charisma: I like that boundary—just don’t have children.

32:11.64
Angelica: Don’t have kids. That’s the boundary.

32:13.42
Charisma: That’s a hard boundary.

32:14.57
Angelica: Hard boundary. No kids.

32:16.39
Charisma: Yes.

32:16.42
Angelica: But if you do have kids, or even if you don’t, you still need to create boundaries for yourself. Just because you don’t have children doesn’t mean you have to overwork yourself.

32:26.23
Charisma: Yes.

32:28.31
Angelica: A lot of my friends who don’t have kids think, “Oh, I have extra time, so I can take on more work.” No! You still need rest. You are still human.

32:35.43
Charisma: Yes. Otherwise, you’ll burn out.

32:37.91
Angelica: You will burn out.

32:38.99
Charisma: Yeah.

32:39.89
Angelica: Another key thing is creating a positive workspace that inspires productivity. Yes, the news is bad—we get it. But people don’t go to work to be bombarded with it. Most of them don’t even want to be at work in the first place.

32:52.49
Angelica: If you have employees or contractors, please don’t overload them with the latest headlines, especially in the U.S., where it’s constant. If you were to update your team every hour on the hour with the world’s disasters, nothing would get done.

33:09.01
Charisma: Yep. Constant.

33:10.15
Angelica: You’d never get anything done. As a manager or business owner, if you have people working under you, you set the tone.

33:25.52
Angelica: It’s your responsibility to bring the vibes. I literally told David yesterday that I’m about to change my LinkedIn position to “Chief Vibe Officer” because that’s what I’m about to be.

33:34.95
Charisma: Yeah.

33:34.90
Angelica: I’m just here for the vibes. Good brand vibes. After talking to Shea last week, I realized—she’s right.

33:40.15
Charisma: Yeah.

33:41.06
Angelica: The vibes are everything.

33:41.54
Charisma: Yeah.

33:42.62
Angelica: Your brand’s vibes matter right now.

33:42.75
Charisma: Well—

33:44.49
Angelica: And I need everyone to get their vibes up because the world outside is bad.

33:51.12
Charisma: Yeah.

33:51.19
Angelica: It’s up to you to create a workspace that fosters productivity and inspiration. Your employees and contractors aren’t going to bring that energy on their own—it’s your job to set that tone.

34:01.64
Charisma: Yeah.

34:01.98
Angelica: Just getting to work is already a struggle for some people. So, create that environment. Whether it’s adding art to the walls, redecorating, introducing fun challenges, or hosting virtual happy hours for global teams—do something. You have to bring the vibes. That’s on you.

34:21.48
Angelica: And lastly, focus on continuous growth. Successful people are always looking for opportunities to improve—whether that’s going back to school or taking a course.

34:36.07
Angelica: Now, I’m going to be shady, and I don’t care if you hear me shading you—I don’t care.

34:36.07
Angelica: Your Bitcoin certification? I don’t care about that. I don’t know who you paid for that certificate claiming you’re a “Bitcoin Master,” but stop doing that.

34:50.21
Angelica: Stop wasting your money on that nonsense. Cryptocurrency certifications might be important in the future, but not the way you’re going about it. Paying random, unverified people for blurry, low-quality JPEG certificates? Stop. Just stop.

35:01.57
Charisma: Nope. Yeah.

35:06.37
Charisma: Nope.

35:07.06
Angelica: Do something else.

35:08.01
Charisma: Yeah.

35:07.97
Angelica: So spend your money on a certification that will help you and your cause. As a business owner, if you have been running a service-based business, this is actually a good time to get your PMP certification or project management certification. If things go south with your business, if you reach a point where you have to shut your doors, take a step back, transition to part-time, or return to the workforce, your PMP certification will open many more doors than not having one.

35:29.35
Angelica: Because you are a project manager. You’ve been doing the work. Now, with that certification, it’s so much easier to get a product or project manager job. That certification gives you an edge over simply saying, “Hey, I was an entrepreneur for 15 years, and I already did that.” Well, guess what? The hiring algorithms don’t recognize that.

35:54.81
Angelica: The hiring systems scan for the PMP certification.

35:58.36
Charisma: Yeah.

35:58.37
Angelica: And they flag you as a viable candidate.

36:00.52
Charisma: Right.

36:01.13
Angelica: So find ways to make yourself hireable—just in case. I’m not wishing anything bad on anyone, but it’s always smart to have a backup plan. And for many, the backup plan is returning to work.

36:12.56
Angelica: That’s everyone’s backup plan.

36:14.04
Charisma: Yeah.

36:14.22
Angelica: Figure out how to ensure you’re a strong candidate while continuing to grow your business. Is there new software or technology in your industry?

36:26.84
Angelica: Now is the time to take a course and learn it. Read books, watch YouTube channels, listen to podcasts. I don’t know what Michelle Obama and her brother are talking about tomorrow, but I’ll probably listen just in case it’s valuable.

36:37.67
Charisma: Right. Right. Yeah.

36:41.73
Angelica: I don’t know. This morning, I watched a documentary about creating sensory-safe spaces for people with autism and other neurodivergent disorders. It was so useful and insightful for me and my clients.

36:51.93
Charisma: Mm-hmm.

37:00.31
Charisma: I actually have a client who will be launching a course on that soon. She’s a specialist, a parent of a neurodivergent child, and she also works in both the medical and education fields.

37:14.67
Charisma: She’s creating a course because many people are concerned about school support and whether resources will be available. She’s putting together a really great course around that.

37:24.99
Angelica: Yes.

37:26.26
Charisma: I’ll definitely share more when it’s done.

37:28.86
Angelica: Very exciting. And you might wonder, “What does a graphic designer need to know about that?” Well, I’ve already been in business meetings discussing how environmental spaces affect neurodivergent clients, what sensory overload looks like for children, and how to fix it.

37:44.90
Charisma: Right.

37:49.10
Angelica: I’ve already done this work. Now, I’m further educating myself on how others approach it. And when this course launches, guess what? I’m probably going to take it. These are things you can be doing to continue growing.

38:02.89
Angelica: I understand—it’s a lot.

38:08.72
Charisma: Right.

38:02.89
Angelica: I know we only have 24 hours in a day, and I know it’s not the same 24 hours as Beyoncé because I don’t have Beyoncé money. But you do what you have to do to make it work. Figure it out.

38:14.84
Charisma: And please remember, spring is a season, right?

38:15.04
Angelica: Exactly.

38:17.45
Charisma: We’re not saying you need to do all of this tomorrow.

38:17.54
Angelica: Yes.

38:20.44
Angelica: We’re not saying that by April 30th, you need to have everything done. You have a whole season.

38:23.74
Charisma: Right.

38:24.92
Angelica: And guess what? Time is arbitrary. It’s made up. You can do this whenever you want.

38:28.71
Charisma: Yep.

38:30.07
Angelica: You can listen to this episode, take notes, and come back to it in the fall.

38:30.48
Charisma: Realistically, yep. You know, there are seven sections here.

38:34.04
Angelica: It does not matter.

38:36.56
Charisma: So, you might decide, “Hey, I’m going to tackle one section per week.” That’s probably what I’m going to do. And actually, I’ll be doing it out of order—because I do what I want.

38:49.67
Charisma: The first thing I’m going to do is prioritize my well-being and set that up for spring. I’m changing up my space and remodeling my office to create a cozy vibe.

39:07.51
Charisma: For so long, we’ve been taught that to be productive, we need a specific type of environment. Many workspaces are sterile, but I prefer a cozy atmosphere. I’ve learned that I can be cozy and still get a lot of work done. When I’m in hyperfocus mode, I get so much done—while wrapped in a blanket.

39:28.42
Charisma: So I’m leaning into that. I’m designing a dark academia, cozy vibe for my office. I used to have bright whites—a white bookshelf, a white desk—but while I liked it, I realized I love dark, moody, cozy spaces.

39:53.78
Charisma: Think about the house in Knives Out—that’s what I want my room to feel like. When I’m in a space like that, I feel calm and relaxed. Remodeling my office to match that aesthetic will be a huge boost to my well-being.

40:01.67
Angelica: Mm-hmm.

40:07.03
Charisma: So that’s something I’m doing for spring. Again, you don’t have to do things in order. Do them in the order that’s best for you. Take it day by day, step by step. It’s a whole season. But we’re interested to know which of these spring cleaning tips you’re going to try with your business, and let us know how they work.

40:23.75
Charisma: If you’re switching up your space, show us! If you’re working on a new marketing campaign, let us know about it. If you’ve put in some new SOPs you’re excited about, we’d love to hear about them.

40:34.87
Angelica: Yes, please do! You can rate and review wherever you listen to podcasts, or comment on our social media, on Instagram @HeartHustlePodcast. You can also comment on Spotify.

40:46.09
Angelica: So now you can go into your favorite little green app that we still have beef with—because you know why—but you can go in there, comment, and let us know what your spring cleaning tips were, or how using these tips benefited your business. We always love hearing from you, so please,

41:03.31
Angelica: Feel free to reach out and let us know how it’s going.

41:06.45
Charisma: All right, guys, enjoy the start of spring, and we’ll see you next week.