Shows
The Digital Junk Drawer3 Shifts I Wish I’d Made SoonerHey hey, I’m Kathleen Stewart—your host and resident weirdo. Welcome back to The Digital Junk Drawer—the podcast for creative service providers who are building businesses that actually work for their brains.This episode is for anyone who’s looked around at their life and thought, “I have everything I wanted… so why don’t I feel okay?” I’m taking you inside my own moment of reckoning—the night I realized I’d built all the external safety I thought I needed, but none of the internal safety I actually craved.You’ll hear the three change...
2025-08-1510 minThe Digital Junk DrawerFix the Math, Not Mindset.Hey hey, I’m Kathleen Stewart—your host, your favorite capacity witch, and the voice behind The Digital Junk Drawer. This is the podcast for creative service providers building businesses that don’t burn them out.In this episode, we’re digging deep into pricing—why your self-doubt might not be the problem, and why confidence culture is keeping you from the real fix.I’m walking you through my own story of undercharging (hello, $20k transformation for pennies) and what finally clicked: your confidence can’t carry a broken business model. You need structure that supports...
2025-08-0113 minThe Digital Junk DrawerUnfiltered Q&A: From Surviving to ThrivingHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice, unexpected strategy, and occasional unhinged wisdom.Today’s episode? Absolutely chaotic—in the best way.I sat down with my bestie and two daughters for a totally unplanned backyard Q&A, complete with long weekend drinks, unfiltered convos, and big-hearted reflections on why I started my business in the first place.It’s messy. It’s funny. It’s a little spiritual. And somehow, it’s one of the most hones...
2025-05-2333 minThe Digital Junk DrawerDream Clients Saying No? Let’s Talk About WhyThis episode is all about unpacking the emotional side of objections. Spoiler: it’s not about your price or how many modules your program has. It’s about whether someone feels safe becoming the version of themselves your offer asks them to be. Big identity shift energy.We’re talking nervous system regulation, why “maybe later” usually means “I’m scared shitless,” and how to make your offer feel easier to walk toward—without fake urgency, guilt trips, or slashing your rates just to get the sale.If you’ve ever spiraled after a great sales convo turned i...
2025-05-1617 minThe Digital Junk DrawerCanceled the Offer Everyone Expected—After a Capacity-First Pricing AuditHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and honest strategy.Today, we’re talking about burning it all down—intentionally. I’m walking you through how I made the decision to cancel Ink to Income (my group program), why the numbers looked good but the energy didn’t, and how my own audit helped me finally see what I’d been avoiding.Here’s what I share:The personal story behind canceling my program—even after a major la...
2025-05-0917 minThe Digital Junk DrawerYou’re Not Bad at Business—Your Workflow Just Wasn’t Built for YouHey hey, I’m Kathleen Stewart—your host and resident weirdo. Welcome back to The Digital Junk Drawer—the podcast for creative service providers who are building businesses that actually work for their brains.In this episode, we’re diving into what it really means to create systems that flex with your energy instead of forcing you into a “one-size-fits-none” framework. Spoiler alert: you’re not bad at business—you’ve just been trying to use systems that were never designed for you.We’ll break down my own flexible process, why it works for neurodivergent creat...
2025-04-1111 minThe Digital Junk DrawerWhy Client Projects Fall Apart (and How to Keep Them On Track)Hey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo. Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer—the podcast for creative service providers who are building businesses that don’t burn them out.Today we’re diving into the client timeline mess—why it happens, how to fix it, and how to make your client experience feel luxurious as hell without piling more to-dos onto your plate.Let’s be real: most timelines fall apart because no one’s leading the project, there’s no built-in accountability, and everything feels way too casual. This episode is your step-by...
2025-04-0413 minThe Digital Junk DrawerHow to Build a Brand Character That Sells (and Slaps) w/ Kal from Words Hurt CopyToday’s guest is Kal from Words Hurt Copy—a copywriter with a theater background, a killer newsletter, and a gift for turning brand voice into full-on character development. This convo is for anyone who wants to write more emotionally resonant content and build a business that actually feels like you. Kals a copywriter whose entire vibe is giving “what if a sassy little theater goblin built your brand?” and I am totally here for it. If you’ve ever:🌀 Felt stuck trying to “sound more like yourself” online🎭 Wondered why your brand doesn’t feel like anything...
2025-03-2839 minThe Digital Junk DrawerMy Clients Thought Boundaries Would Kill Their BusinessHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, the podcast where creative service-based businesses come for unfiltered advice, actionable strategies, and a little bit of fun.Today, we’re talking about boundaries—the thing you know you should set but secretly worry will scare clients away. Spoiler: It won’t.If you’ve ever:Answered client emails at 11 PM because you felt bad making them waitSaid “yes” to scope creep because you didn’t want to seem difficultFelt like setting boundaries would make clients leave…Then this episod...
2025-03-2114 minThe Digital Junk DrawerOverworked & Underpaid? The Cost of No Systems (And 3 Ways to Fix It)Hey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, the podcast where creative service-based businesses come for unfiltered advice, actionable strategies, and a little bit of fun.Today, we’re talking about systems—the thing you keep saying you’ll set up “when you have time.” But let’s be real: that time will never magically appear.If you’re running your business on vibes, hope, and a million scattered Google Docs, this is your intervention.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why “I don’t have time fo...
2025-03-1418 minThe Digital Junk Drawer4 Tips to Surviving Slow SeasonsHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, the podcast where creative service-based businesses come for unfiltered advice, actionable strategies, and a little bit of fun.Today, we’re talking about something every freelancer and creative business owner experiences: slow seasons. They suck, but they don’t have to derail your entire year. Instead of hoping your next dry spell magically disappears, I’ll show you how to prepare for it, smooth out your cash flow, and make slow seasons work for you.What You’ll Learn in T...
2025-03-0719 minThe Digital Junk DrawerWhy the Perfect Biz System is a Scam (And What to Do Instead)Hey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, the podcast where creative service-based businesses come for unfiltered advice, actionable strategies, and a little bit of fun.Today, we’re talking about why systems are sexy (yes, I said it) and how to make them work for you. No more forcing yourself into frameworks that aren’t built for your brain. Instead, we’re covering how to design systems that fit your energy, simplify before automating, and stop drowning in a graveyard of unused tools.If you’re tired o...
2025-02-2817 minThe Digital Junk DrawerWebsite Woes? Olivia Su on Making Your Site Work for YouHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, the podcast where creative service-based businesses come for unfiltered advice, actionable strategies, and a little bit of fun.Today, I’m joined by Olivia Su, a web designer who helps service providers create websites that actually work. We’re talkin why so many websites fail to attract clients, how to avoid common mistakes, and what every service provider should have on their homepage. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by building your site or confused about where to start, Olivia’s got the...
2025-02-2149 minThe Digital Junk DrawerFinding Your Brand Voice & Making Your Copy Stick With Hanna MarcusHey there, I'm Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for unfiltered advice, actionable strategies, and a little bit of fun.Today, I’m joined by Hanna from Boundless Copy to talk about something that so many of us struggle with—sounding like ourselves in our business. If you’ve ever stared at your website copy and thought, “Ugh, this doesn’t sound like me at all,” or felt like you had to be more professional to be taken seriously, this episode is for you. We’re breaking do...
2025-02-1431 minThe Digital Junk DrawerIt’s Not Me, It’s You: Dealing with Difficult Clients Without Losing Your SanityHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies.Today, we’re talking about difficult clients—the ones who push boundaries, expect magic without effort, and make you question your entire existence. If you’ve ever felt like you were over-delivering, underappreciated, or just plain drained by a client relationship, let’s unpack that.I’ll be sharing:A personal story about a coaching client who thought “showing up” = instant sales (spoiler: it didn’t).How I got stuck re...
2025-02-0715 minThe Digital Junk DrawerThe Year I Said Yes to Everything: Why Being a Yes-Person Cost Me More Than MoneyHey there, I'm Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies.Today, we're talking about the year I said yes to everything—and how it nearly destroyed my business and sanity. If you've ever found yourself saying "what's one more task?" or pushing through exhaustion to please clients, this episode is your wake-up call.I'll be sharing:A personal story about how one client's constant requests led me to learn everything from podcasting to launch managementHow being a "ye...
2025-02-0413 minThe Digital Junk DrawerPost Less, Profit More with Rebecca StanisicHey there, I'm Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies.In this episode, I'm chatting with Rebecca Stanisic, a content strategist who helps overwhelmed business owners create content that works smarter, not harder. Rebecca shares:Why more content isn't always better and how to make your existing content work harder for youThe "3-1-1 approach" to content planning that allows for both structure and flexibilityHow to measure content effectiveness beyond vanity metricsWhy clarity in your business goals is essential...
2025-01-2451 minThe Digital Junk DrawerEmbrace Your WeirdHey there, I'm Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies. In this episode, I'm tackling authenticity in business—no filters, no perfect personas, just real talk about being yourself and thriving because of it.I'll be sharing:My personal journey from background player to embracing visibilityWhy hiding your quirks is holding your business backHow authenticity actually helps you stand out in an oversaturated marketThe surprising business benefits of embracing your "weirdness"What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWh...
2025-01-1714 minThe Digital Junk DrawerProfessionally Unprofessional: Building a Business That Works for YouHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies. In this episode, I’m chatting with Felly Day, founder of Felly Day Studio, about the ups and downs of building a business that doesn’t fit inside the traditional professional box. Felly shares:Her journey from VA work to running a content repurposing agency.The hard lessons learned from bad coaching advice.Why backing yourself (even when others don’t) is essential for success.If you’ve ev...
2025-01-1041 minThe Digital Junk DrawerMessy Action: Escaping the Planning TrapHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies.In this episode, we’re tackling business planning—not the kind that keeps you waiting for everything to be perfect, but the kind that gets you to take messy, imperfect action. If you’ve ever been stuck in a cycle of spreadsheets, color-coded plans, and “just one more tool” procrastination, this one’s for you.I’ll be sharing:My own cringeworthy story about being trapped in the procrasti...
2025-01-1010 minThe Digital Junk DrawerPricing Your Services Like a ProHey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies. In this episode, I’m tackling pricing—no fluff, no “charge your worth” nonsense, just real-world tips to help you figure out what to charge and where to start. I’ll be sharing:How to calculate your baseline costs so you’re not losing money.Why billable hours aren’t always what they seem.Three pricing strategies you can use to create packages that actually work for your business...
2025-01-1009 min