In this episode, we're joined by Lorrie Thomas, CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of Web Marketing Therapy, for a deep dive into creating marketing that actually works—without the stress.

Lorrie has been a pioneer in online marketing since 1999, navigating everything from the dot-com boom and bust to today's AI-driven social media landscape. She specializes in helping intentional leaders build marketing processes and systems that support their professional goals while keeping things fun, healthy, and profitable.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why marketing should be fun (yes, the F-word!)
• The "diagnose, prescribe, and guide" approach to marketing therapy
• How to prioritize marketing projects for maximum impact
• What's changed (and what hasn't) since the dot-com era
• Using AI as a "virtual sparring partner" without losing your soul
• The power of leading with love in all business decisions
• Why ideal clients matter more than any clients
• The importance of owning your magic and creating your "blue ocean"

KEY TIMESTAMPS:

[0:00] - Introduction to Lorrie Thomas and Web Marketing Therapy
[2:00] - Making marketing fun: Why the "F-word" matters
[5:00] - The Marketing Therapy approach: Diagnose, Prescribe, Guide
[9:00] - Creating marketing processes and systems that work
[12:00] - Prioritizing projects: Baking your marketing cake in order
[19:00] - From dot-com boom to social media: What's changed?
[24:00] - The classics of marketing that never change
[30:00] - Content is the entire kingdom, not just king
[34:00] - AI in marketing: The soulless vs. the strategic
[42:00] - Using AI as a virtual sparring partner
[47:00] - Lead with love: Marketing wisdom for heart-centered entrepreneurs
[55:00] - Owning your magic and attracting ideal clients

[61:00] - The marketing therapist approach: No cookie-cutter solutions
[68:00] - Confidentiality, customization, and the boutique agency model

Connect with Lorrie Thomas: https://lorriethomas.com/

Host and Sponsor:

Ariel Faith - Speaking and Education - arielfaith.com

Bring Your Brand to Life With Story-Driven Strategy, Marketing, and Photography.

https://arieljoyfaith.com

https://youtu.be/D2WbJeqdtcA

Revolutionizing Marketing: Education Over Promotion

In this episode of 'You Matter in Business,' host Ariel Faith converses with Lorrie Thomas, founder of Web Marketing Therapy, marketing evangelist, and author. Lorrie shares her journey from teaching marketing at UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley to founding her own company.

Her innovative concept, 'MarkEding'—a blend of marketing and education—aims to shift the perception of marketing from pushy sales tactics to education-based relationship building.

Lorrie discusses the stress and resistance many feel toward marketing and provides insights on how to make marketing feel authentic and less overwhelming, whether for small businesses or larger organizations.

The conversation highlights the importance of setting clear goals, using high-quality content, and maintaining a collaborative and enjoyable work environment.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:54 Lorrie's Marketing Philosophy

02:12 Educational Approach to Marketing

03:03 Real-Life Marketing Challenges

04:00 The Importance of Authenticity in Marketing

07:00 Overcoming Marketing Overwhelm

08:07 Effective Marketing Strategies

09:53 Building Strong Marketing Relationships

17:39 Recycling Content for Marketing

26:42 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser

Contact Lorrie Thomas:

https://lorriethomas.com/

Host and Sponsor: Ariel Faith - Speaking and Education - arielfaith.com

Bring Your Brand to Life With Story-Driven Strategy, Marketing, and Photography.

https://arieljoyfaith.com

https://youtu.be/D2WbJeqdtcA

What if disappointing people wasn't the worst thing in the world? In this surprisingly liberating episode of You Matter in Business, we explore the graceful art of letting people down while still doing what's right for you and your business.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The Disappointment Resume: Celebrating the times you chose yourself
• The Disappointment Styles Quiz: Are you an Over-Explainer, Slow Fader, Guilt Spiraler, or Pre-Apologizer?
• Why "That doesn't work for me" is a complete sentence
• The freedom that comes from being willing to disappoint people
• How to deliver disappointment with clarity and kindness
• Why you don't owe elaborate explanations for your boundaries
• The difference between grace and people-pleasing

Perfect for: Women entrepreneurs 45-75 struggling with boundaries, business owners who say yes when they mean no, professionals recovering from people-pleasing patterns, coaches and consultants who over-explain their decisions, values-driven leaders choosing themselves, women building businesses they can actually live in.

Real talk: Your business will never thrive if you're running it based on not disappointing anyone. You'll end up working to live instead of living to work. This episode gives you permission to disappoint people who expected you to stay small.

Especially timely for: After the holiday season, family gatherings, year-end requests, and any time saying no feels extra loaded.

Host and Sponsor:

Ariel Faith - Speaking and Education - arielfaith.com

Bring Your Brand to Life With Story-Driven Strategy, Marketing, and Photography.

https://arieljoyfaith.com

https://youtu.be/D2WbJeqdtcA

What if the permission you've been waiting for needs to come from only one person - you? In this lighter, more playful episode of You Matter in Business, we explore the permission slips women entrepreneurs keep waiting for and why you're actually the only signature that matters.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The "Permission Slip Hall of Fame" - which ones are you waiting for?
• How perfectionism disguises itself in clever costumes to keep you safe
• Why you'll never feel completely "ready" and how to move forward anyway
• The Ready-or-Not Game: Taking action before perfect preparation
• How to use discomfort as data instead of a stop sign
• Practical exercise: Writing your own official permission slip
• Why "good enough" is actually good enough for your launch

Perfect for: Women business owners 45-75 building heart-centered businesses, entrepreneurs struggling with perfectionism and procrastination, coaches waiting to feel "ready," values-driven professionals who need permission to do things their way, women transitioning to meaningful work who keep delaying launch.

The truth: You've been qualified this whole time. You've been ready enough. The only thing standing between you and moving forward is waiting for someone else to say "okay, you can go now." This episode gives you permission to give yourself permission.

Host and Sponsor:

Ariel Faith - Speaking and Education - arielfaith.com

Bring Your Brand to Life With Story-Driven Strategy, Marketing, and Photography.

https://arieljoyfaith.com

https://youtu.be/D2WbJeqdtcA

Corporate Credit: Not Just for Big Corporations

Building corporate credit isn't some exclusive club forFortune 500 companies. If you have an EIN, you can do this. Sue Schuster breaks down how any business owner can strategically leverage credit across Experian, Dun & Bradstreet, and Equifax to unlock serious funding—we're talking $300,000 to $500,000 per EIN within 90 days.

The catch? Most Main Street businesses don't realizethey're still relying on personal guarantees instead of building true business credit. (And yes, that means your home is still on the line.) Sue emphasizes checking your actual corporate credit before approaching lenders—don't assumeyou have it without verification. She shares how established businesses can access term loans, bridge loans, and equipment financing without touching personal assets.

Beyond funding, Sue gets real about entrepreneurship andmotherhood. After running a swim school through the 2007-2009 crisis, she learned her kids noticed the exhaustion more than the hustle. Her advice? Set boundaries, forgive imperfect moments, and remember that family relationshipsultimately matter more than any business success.

Ready to stop mortgaging your home for your business?

Key Points

• Corporate credit through EIN is available to allbusiness owners, not just traditional corporations—meaning sole proprietors and LLC owners can build business credit independent of personal credit.
• Creating separate LLCs for each property allows you tobuild independent corporate credit profiles while simultaneously protecting assets across your portfolio.
• Presence and boundaries matter more than businessPerfection—relationships and family ultimately deliver greater fulfillment than chasing entrepreneurial success.

Chapters

00:00:00 - Corporate Credit Basics for Business Owners

00:02:33 - Building Corporate Credit Across Three Bureaus

00:04:55 - Using Business Loans for Growth and Expansion

00:07:11 - Building Business Credit Without PersonalGuarantees

00:10:15 - Alternative Funding Options Beyond Banks

00:12:04 - Protecting Rental Properties with Separate LLCs

00:14:20 - Balancing Motherhood and Business Ownership

00:17:16 - Being Present for Your Kids Matters

00:19:05 - Working Mothers as Role Models for Success

00:21:02 - Corporate Credit vs Main Street Funding

00:22:06 - Building Corporate Credit for Quick Funding

00:24:12 - Getting the Word Out to Busy Business Owners

00:25:41 - Building Corporate Credit Without PersonalGuarantee

00:27:24 - International Coaching and Funding Services

Connect with Sue, Schedule a free business credit report analysis

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/wtguXbvCsFDQTBBwzMcB

Website Sue P.

Sue P. Schuster's Website

Would you like to be a guest on this show? Apply Here

https://admin.arielfaith.com/guest-podcast-lp

Visit arieljoyfaith.com

Building Your Business Safety Net Without Risking YourHome

A Must Listen To Episode! 30 plus years in Business, and no one ever told me this! Yikes!

Most business owners think they're building corporate creditwhen they're actually setting themselves up for disaster. Sue Schuster, a corporate credit and profit acceleration coach with over 20 years of business ownership experience, reveals a crucial truth: your EIN is a separate entity that can build its own credit history—completely independent from your personal finances. (This is something she learned while building and selling her successful swim school.)

Here's the catch: many banks and popular business cardsdon't report to major credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, and Experian. Without an intentional strategy, businesses never establish true corporate credit. Even more surprising, American Express transactions don't automatically report to Dun & Bradstreet—you must request it, yet missedpayments report automatically.

Why does this matter? Strong corporate credit providesaccess to funding at better rates without pledging personal assets like your home as collateral. Sue emphasizes that women entrepreneurs especially need this knowledge to protect themselves when businesses struggle or fail. Theprocess involves establishing a credible business presence first, registering with credit bureaus, then building trade lines through vendor accounts before advancing to tier-two creditors like Lowe's.

Ready to separate your personal and business financesproperly?

KEY POINTS

• Listen to discover the systematic approach that protectsyour personal assets while building legitimate corporate credit.
• Most business owners unknowingly build credit with thewrong vendors — many accounts don't report to major bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet and Equifax, meaning entrepreneurs waste time establishing creditThat doesn't actually count.
• The corporate veil protects personal assets in ways many don't realize — maintaining separate finances shields entrepreneurs (especially women) from losing homes and personal property when the businessstruggles occur.
• Trade lines with vendors must come before tier-twocreditors— establishing foundational credit through the right vendors is essential before advancing to higher-level financing, preventing the need to pledge homes as collateral later.

Chapters

00:00:00 - Building Business Credit Without Personal Risk

00:02:34 - Understanding Corporate Credit for Business Owners

00:04:11 - Building Business Credit from Scratch

00:05:50 - Using Business Funding for Growth

00:07:21 - Banks Don't Report Business Credit

00:08:49 - Building Corporate Credit: Common Mistakes

00:10:10 - Building Corporate Credit for Your Business

00:12:20 - Building Corporate Credit Through Vendor Tiers

00:14:28 - Piercing the Corporate Veil Explained

00:15:47 - Piercing the Corporate Veil and Asset Protection

00:17:43 - Building Business Credit with Startup Cards

00:19:09 - Learning from Business Owner Mistakes

00:20:02 - When to Start Building Corporate Credit

00:21:15 - Setting Up Your Business Address Properly

Take her Up on this!!!!!

Schedule a free business credit report analysis

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/wtguXbvCsFDQTBBwzMcB

Website Sue P.

Sue P. Schuster's Website

Want to be a guest? Apply here

https://admin.arielfaith.com/guest-podcast-lp

Want to overcome comparison in business? Develop an abundance mindset for entrepreneurs.

Struggling to celebrate another woman's win when it's theexact success you've been working toward? Let's get real about comparison, envy, and the art of genuine celebration in business.

In this episode, you'll discover:

- Why that uncomfortable twinge of envy is actuallyuseful information

- The scarcity lie that makes other women's success feelthreatening

- How to distinguish between comparison as informationversus judgment

- Why her success doesn't diminish yours (and the proof)

- Practical steps to practice genuine celebration, evenwhen it's hard

- How championing other women actually strengthens yourown success

- The abundance mindset shift that changes everything

Perfect for: Women entrepreneurs 45+ buildingheart-centered businesses, professionals struggling with comparison ,and competition, coaches feeling envious of peers' success, values-driven business owners seeking authentic community, women wanting to shift from scarcity toabundance thinking.

Real talk: You can feel that initial "ouch."AND genuinely celebrate her win. Both things can be true. This episode permits you to be human while practicing the art of celebration.

Host and Sponsor Ariel Faith's website: arieljoyfaith.com

For Women in Business, Because You matter in your Business.

Join OurCommunity of REAL Women In Business.

Do you ever second-guess your work? This episode is for you.Your heart know exactly what you want to say in yourbusiness, but your mind keeps finding reasons to change direction? In this episode of You Matter in Business, we explore the exhausting cycle of message-changing that plagues heart-centered women entrepreneurs.

In this episode, you'll discover:

- Why constant message tweaking confuses your audienceand costs you opportunities

- How to distinguish between your heart's clarity andyour mind's protective chaos

- The hidden cost of perfectionism disguised as"making it better"

- Why you'll get bored with your message before youraudience even understands it

- The freedom that comes from committing to consistentcommunication

- How to recognize authentic evolution versus fear-drivenpivoting

Perfect for: Women business owners 40+ transitioning to heart-centered work, entrepreneurs struggling with marketing consistency, coaches and consultants who keep rewriting their message, values-driven professionals seeking authentic business communication strategies.

Host and Sponsor Ariel Faith's website: arieljoyfaith.com

For Women in Business, Because You matter in your Business.

Join Our Community of REAL Women In Business.