Running a business with huge dreams and big goals is amazing. If someone would’ve told me 13 years ago I’d be coaching small business owners and creators from all over the world how to build their OWN dream businesses, I think I’d say, “NO WAY,” but also do a little happy dance inside counting down the days til this moment came true. 

But focusing on my own dreams, while helping others achieve theirs, and trying to be a present mom can really take a toll on my own health- physically and mentally if I’m not careful. 

And to be completely honest, I’ve struggled in that area. Throughout the year I’ve gone through lots of ups and downs with my physical health. I’ve felt self conscious, I’ve felt like no matter what I do I can’t lose weight and I just feel like my body is changing and I don’t know what to do to figure it out. 

On the flip side, I’ve struggled with my mental health. Being a...

I don’t know about you, but when things feel extra heavy and life keeps throwing obstacles my way, I find it really hard to not feel lonely and attacked. 

Especially, when those difficult seasons start to impact my business. 

When the business struggle hit hard and the sales stop coming in, it’s hard not to second guess yourself and think about whether or not you should even keep doing this. You start to question whether all your hard work is even worth it. 

And the last thing you wanna hear from people when you’re feeling this type of way is to find the blessings. 

In moments like these, you just want answers and someone to tell you what to do. You want someone to hear you out, to support you, and all of your problems to go away! 

What you DON’T wanna hear is someone’s woo-woo B.S saying: “Hey, maybe you should try practicing some gratitude.”

Or at least that’s what you think.

But here’s a crazy...

Oh the HOLIDAYS! I feel like people are either full on Mariah Carey during the holidays or they're total scrooges.

Personally, I’m a HUGE fan of the holiday season. I love celebrating with my friends and family, participating in all the holiday activities, making memories, and just spending time together.

But, the holidays as a bakery owner is TOTALLY different story!

You're either busy as hell, drowning in orders, or you’re making NO MONEY and struggling.

During the holidays it was typically a really slow season in my bakery, The Cake Mamas. When you think about it, the holidays is the one time a year, EVERYONE is baking- even if they’re terrible at it. Yeah, we would have custom orders to get us through, but really where we made the MOST money during the holiday season was with corporate parties and events.

Now, you may be reading this as a home baker, or you’re renting a commercial kitchen, or you simply don’t have the capacity to fulfill large...

MOST business owners I work with have previously NEVER taken a business course in their life.

And that’s because they never thought they’d wind up starting something of their own, from scratch, and making that their primary source of income. 

But the MOMENT you put a price tag on your stuff, you’ve got to start INVESTING in your BUSINESS SKILLS just as much as you’re investing in your products and services.  

Why? Because becoming the BEST baker, artist, creator, or freelancer you can be isn’t going to do sh*t if you can’t SELL what you’re creating. 

And if you’re not bringing in sales, you’re not really running a business. You’re running a NON-PROFIT organization! 

Get ready for some TOUGH love, sis: It’s NO ONE else’s responsibility to invest in your skills. And if you don’t show up for yourself and do the WORK, your business, and bank account are gonna suffer!

And if...

When it comes to MARKETING your business, I’ve often heard people say, “It’s all about spreading the word to AS MANY PEOPLE as you can.”

And to be honest, everytime I hear this, I roll my eyes. And this is why… 

One of the most important things about running a business is getting the word out there. You have to talk about your business, you have to get out into your community, you have to reach different audiences. 

And yes, you SHOULD be using hashtags on social media and talking about what you do when you meet new potential customers.

But if you think that marketing your business just means talking about your business, posting whatever content you want, with no idea who you’re speaking too and what you can do for them, consider this blog post a long-overdue INTERVENTION. Because sis, this is exactly why your SALES suck! 

To reach (and attract) the right customers, you need to focus on reaching the RIGHT people first. These are...

Pop quiz: What’s a super simple, powerful and inexpensive AF way to GRAB people’s attention, establish your brand’s IDENTITY, and make sure you’re not boring and totally forgettable?

The answer – Your BRAND LOGO.

Your logo is the FACE of your business.

A great logo visually communicates your brand’s personality. It builds recognition, gets people to trust you, AND helps you STAND OUT in the crowd.

Basically, it makes you UNIQUE and lets everyone know who you are and what you’re about. 

Now that you know that your logo adds a sh*t ton of value to your brand, you’re probably thinking – OKAY Janelle, but how the hell do I create a great logo with ZERO design skills?! And NO MONEY to pay for a graphic designer??? 

Want my hot take? 

Use Canva.

Canva is a FREE design tool where you can design practically ANY KIND of visual content.

I swear by it because it’s SUPER easy to use and comes with TONS of templates that...

Summer’s OFFICIALLY here, and with the long days and the kids home from school it’s REEDUCATION time in the Copeland household.

When I first got started in entrepreneurship, Eddie and I did a SH*T TON of reading to ensure we were on the right track with how we were running our business. We also read some amazing, INSPIRING books that have had long-lasting impacts on our MINDSET, work ethic, and life. What we’ve found is sometimes, you just need to hear some REAL stories and tips from crazy smart people to get off your a** and make BIG changes in your life and business. 

So this week, I’m sharing my summer reading list with you so you can experience the mind-blowing literary goodness too! 

The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

If you know me, you already know I’m BIG on PUSHING YOURSELF to get sh*t done. And that’s why I’m OBSESSED with this book. It talks about the importance of taking charge of your life. It touches on...

(Spoiler: YES, and here’s why!)

So you’ve FINALLY hit your dream follower count on Instagram. 

Good for you!

After MONTHS of tracking analytics, scheduling AMAZING content, and building a community from the ground UP, you’ve finally hit a number that you’re proud of. And with so many people engaging with your content you can’t WAIT for the sales to come rolling in. 

The problem? - they don’t.

And you’re left wondering, “what the HELL am I doing wrong?”

Sis, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. 

The TRUTH is: If you’re still relying 100% on social media to market your business in 2022, you’re setting yourself up for FAILURE.

Sooooo many business owners think that social media is the bread and butter of effective marketing. And I’ll be the first to say that that’s BULLSH*T. Although social media is a NECESSARY and GREAT tool to expand and reach new audiences, it’s NOT the end-all-be-all to...

Friend, money is a SENSITIVE topic. Especially when it comes to starting a business.

And that’s because EVERYONE’S situation is different.   

So many people who want to start their dream biz feel like they’re FALLING SHORT because they’re a victim of their financial circumstances. Because they don’t have money, they can’t move forward. Because they filed bankruptcy, there’s no way they can run a business. Because they’re in DEBT, they can’t start. 

And BELIEVE ME when I say, I get it. 

I had just filed BANKRUPTCY before building what became a 7-figure business and the reason I’m able to mentor business owners like you today. 

But if there’s ONE thing we believe in the Copeland family, it’s that you’ve got to take things as they are, and PUSH forward despite the circumstances against you. Friend, you are NOT your circumstances, you are what you make of them. READ THAT...

Sooooo many of you are AFRAID to fail, that you refuse to even try. 

But guess what? If you don’t try, you’ve ALREADY FAILED. 

Failure is JUST an EXPERIMENT. Nothing more, nothing LESS. 

The same goes for rejection. 

No one likes to be told NO. No one likes to feel unwanted. No one likes to feel not good enough. 

But the thing we all forget is being told NO is never personal.  

Now real talk: I KNOW it’s hard. Believe me. 

BUT if you can get out of your own head, put your ego aside, REJECTION can be a GIFT. 

Y’all meet Jia Jiang. 

He’s an author and entrepreneur, and like a lot of us, rejection scared the sh*t outta him. 

So he decided to confront it. 

He went out and asked people for the WILDEST, WEIRDEST, UNCONVENTIONAL things that he KNEW would result in a No: 

Like asking for a “burger refill” or asking to plant flowers in a neighbor’s garden(!?)

100 days of STRAIGHT...