Bombshell Business Podcast With Amber Hurdle

In this week’s episode I sit down with John Robertson of Fortlog Services, culture alignment specialist and workforce wellness expert. We discuss various aspects of leadership, how the best teams operate, and how when the two are in alignment, crises can be easily addressed and resolved. Key points from our conversation include:  Wellness is more than not being sick Leaders who finish well are defined by what they're for, not what they are against Why the event is never the real crisis Reframing crisis as an opportunity, wherein crisis is defined as the point at which the status quo is no longer working Leadership qualities & qualifiers: Authenticity, Commitment, Enthusiasm, Service How to operate in the workplace: play to compete, share common goals, teams “in the stands” supporting those “in the action” How do you want people to describe you non-physically? Intrigued? Ready to up your leadership game? Tune in on your favorite listening app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube! About John Robe

In this week’s episode I get to discuss one of my favorite topics - fashion! Image consultant, Melanie Lippman joins me today to discuss her process in helping women define what makes them feel confident from the inside out. Ever have those moments of dread when going somewhere and you have “nothing to wear?” That’s almost certainly not true. Melanie shares how a clear definition of your goals, and specifically what that looks like, will begin your journey of unlocking your style and boosting your confidence.  Melanie and I explore the framework for her style consulting:  Clothes are an extension of your identity and speak before you do Women are trained from a young age to make others more comfortable, and that ultimately affects their style  If you want to show up and have an impact, you cannot look the same as everyone else Defining your personal style will unleash great confidence in you Ready to learn more about how to determine your style and unleash your confidence? Tune in on your favorite li

Today I talk with Alejandra Santos, accounting and finance consultant experienced with nonprofits, restaurants, real estate, wealth management, and startups.We discuss the various financial intricacies of starting a new business and how to keep an established business healthy, strong and profitable.  Alejandra focuses on:  How do you avoid going broke fast? The biggest challenges entrepreneurs face The importance of EBITDA and the implications on hiring and firing Early-stage startups and 4 essential tactics The perils of poor accounting How to deal with quiet quitting as a business owner Why a fractional CFO makes sense Interested in the financial gold we discuss? You should be! Tune in on your favorite listening app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube! About Alejandra Santos Alejandra Santos is the founder and CEO of Startup Tandem. Her organization helps entrepreneurs build well grounded high performing organizations, position their financials for an exit, and continuously mentor teams to h

Do you ever feel like you are struggling to connect with your customers? Or maybe you feel like you cannot find them no matter where you look… This week Kate DiLeo and I tackle these issues and more with our deep dive into my favorite topic: branding! And no, we do not discuss logos and colors, those are best left to experienced graphic designers after you develop your brand. Kate and I delve into the details of:  The Brand Trifecta: What do you do? How do you solve my problem? How are you different or better than the rest? How most companies get caught up on storytelling rather than building a conversation with their customers. Understanding that your goal in sales should be converting, not convincing. Knowing your ideal customer inside and out! What are they, and what are they NOT? Protecting your mental and emotional energy as an entrepreneur, and how that translates into business and which customers you attract. The importance of your personal brand! To learn more about the Brand Trifecta, and

This week I sat down with my amazing friend, Jennifer Eggers, to discuss her perspective on adaptive leadership. She shares how an incorrect medical diagnosis led her to the realization that resilience, at its core, is about the ability to reinvent oneself. Jennifer uses that experience, along with decades of coaching c-level executives, to work with leaders and organizations facing disruption to improve their capacity to adapt. In this engaging conversation Jennifer and I discuss: Recognizing your influence and stepping into your power The unwritten way of how to get promoted and the importance of internal networking Focusing on your personality and how to use it to your best advantage Resilience is the number one skill leaders need Moving from resilience to reinventing yourself in order to be relevant in your industry You do not want to miss the great insights and actionable advice Jennifer shares so tune in on your favorite listening app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube! About Jennifer Eg

Today, copy-writer extraordinaire Lucy Bedewi shares how rejection led her to turn inward, using her extensive writing experience to create My Write Hand Woman, a company with strategic messaging and bold copywriting for brands that want to stand out and scale rapidly. Our discussion includes: Losing her first job out of school in just 90 days and how she matched a corporate writing salary as an entrepreneur in the next 90 days! Being the smallest fish in your community The importance of how you start your day:  Journaling Affirmations Personal Development Writing in a human-centric way  Developing and using your brand voice Showing up more as yourself each day To hear all that Lucy has to share, and learn more about the importance of your copywriting, tune in on your favorite listening app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube! About Lucy Bedewi Lucy Bedewi is the copywriter behind the brand My Write Hand Woman. She specializes in writing personality-packed copy that converts for women-run bu

In this episode we showcase some of our most popular guests from 2022 and highlight their answer to the question I ask at the end of each episode: “What parting piece of advice would you give a Bombshell: a bold, brave, unwaveringly confident woman in business?” Tune in to hear the wisdom for the following episodes: Personal Development Cannot Happen Without Personal Disruption with Pauline Nguyen (120) Personal Growth as the Path to Personal Power with Annie Holcombe (148) Creative Careers: Making a Living with Your Ideas with Jeff Madoff (142) From Impoverished Immigrant to Successful IT Bombshell Business Owner with Alejandrina Aguilar (156) Surviving and Thriving Through an Economic Downturn with Tom Park (139) The 5 Step Formula to Moving Past “Failure” with Tiffany Napper (138) The Magic of Surrender with Kute Blackson (154) Up Your Leadership Game with EQ with Kathleen Riessen (136) Growing Your Brand with a “Wow” Factor with Robin Craigen of Moving Mountains (147) Where Business Strategy M

Today, marketing pro Rebecca Lombardo shares her story of tenacity and continuous self growth that eventually led her to realizing her dreams. Rebecca shares: How pushing through for just one more day landed her in LA working her dream job Her process of breaking through a limited mindset and getting out of her own way The aha moment that led her to branching out on her own entrepreneurial journey How she and her business partner leveraged their individual strengths to build a unique, trustworthy brand from day one Her journey in building a new way of booking online travel that ensures guest satisfaction To hear more of Rebecca’s amazing story and how to find your own success path, tune in on your favorite listening app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube! About Rebecca Lombardo Rebecca went from being unemployed, homeless, sleeping in her car at 30 years old to standing in Jackson Hewitt, Kraft Heinz and Revlon boardrooms in Manhattan giving the CEOs marketing advice. She now has an amazing hus

In today’s episode money coach Mikelann Valterra shares her tools and processes to help you take control of your finances, become financially clear and focused, and thrive. Together we explore the following concepts: Why is a personalized spending plan the ultimate tool to creating a life you love? What is your money autobiography? What are the three main types of money personalities? What is “money fog” and why does it cause so much financial anxiety? How does high earning trap people (golden handcuffs) in the “money life drain” and what is the way out? What does “financial elegant simplicity” mean and how does it supercharge your money life? Why is having an engaging hobby or passion—like Tango—a key to enjoying your life, and how do you find the financial resources for it? To learn more about the emotional and psychological effects money has on all of us, tune in on your favorite listening app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube! Links & Mentioned Resources Free E-book: 7 Step process “How to

In today’s episode high-tech marketer Martha Aviles shares her story to give other women, especially minorities, the encouragement to continue pushing forward in their careers - even when it seems impossibly hard.  Our discussion dives deeper into: How to acknowledge your own self-worth as an employee and negotiate pay raises. She explains how she once asked her supervisor for a 30% pay raise – and got it. How to “operate scared” and to speak up and present your worth through facts and accomplishments. How she broke the glass ceiling as a Latina in technology to become a top executive in the hot Austin tech scene. How to be bold and not look back. Martha had to leave her dream job after being forced to lay off 70% of her staff due to the oil and gas industry tanking. What opportunities are available for women – especially minority women – in technology, and why she thinks more women don’t take advantage of them.  To learn more about the value of empathy and self-worth, and how to be fierce yet profess

Let’s talk about the five things you should add for a successful year and talk about the five things you need to leave behind in 2022!   Five things to leave behind in 2022 #1. Leave behind at least one person who takes energy and doesn’t give energy to you.   #2. Leave behind at least one activity that moves you away from your goals.   #3. Leave behind at least one belief that has no evidence to support it.   #4. Leave behind at least one habit that keeps you from being your best.   #5. Leave behind at least one tool or expense you don’t use or need.   When you leave these five things behind it will open up space for the people and opportunities that align with your values, needs, and life’s goals. Five things to establish for a successful 2023 Next up, we cover the five things you can establish for a successful new year. Meaning if you decide on these things, it will give you inspiration and practical direction to tackle your new year in a way that supports who you want to become and what you want to ac

This episode features my friend of many years, Matt McWilliams, who is the undisputed king of affiliate marketing, at least in my corner of the internet. That’s why I loved sharing his actionable advice in such simple and understandable ways. In this episode, we talk about: How to gain clarity on the exact steps it takes to start, grow, and monetize your online platform. How to ​build up the confidence necessary to share your message with the world. ​ Why you deserve to create a good income doing what you love, and  How to acquire the tools and strategies needed to succeed with an online business and build your own online platform. If you are looking for a way to create an income online or are looking for a way to create other income streams in a highly strategic way, this episode is for you! Tune in on your favorite listening app, on the website, or watch it on YouTube! About Matt McWilliams Matt McWilliams is a four-time affiliate manager of the year who helps online business owners make money as an

Alejandrina Aguilar came from a very low-income background and started working at the age of five years old in Mexico. Her mother went to the U.S. before her to make a better life for her, as she waited years for her mother to earn enough money for her daughter to join her. “Allie” endured significant challenges to become the Bombshell Business Woman she is today, owning an IT firm and serving on multiple boards in the largest urban economy in Florida and the 12th largest in the U.S., Miami…in a male-dominated industry,  no less. She shares her story with you to prove that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.  Yet as inspiring as her story is, we also get into her area of expertise: information technology. She breaks down her basic checklist of what any business should receive from its IT provider. Allie says the goal is to manage and maintain instead of breaking and fixing, as the solution often costs far more than the maintenance. “Recovering is harder than protecting,” Allie touts, and she is sp

You won’t want to miss this episode where my guest, Nina Simons, engages us in a fascinating discussion on leadership that is probably unlike one you’ve experienced before. I’m throwing out floaties to those who need them because we are swimming in the deep end this entire episode! (My favorite!)  Some takeaways from this chat include: How to step into leadership by surrounding yourself with other women leaders so you can support and accelerate each other’s learning. (And men need this, too! It’s not always a “good ol boy’s club.” It could be strong male bonds that are needed as much as women need to support women!) What leading with diversity and equity at the forefront looks like, and how belonging is such an easy offer to extend. What relational intelligence is and how prioritizing relationships in designing and planning projects and outcomes is critical for success. Carl Jung’s feminine vs. masculine energy concept and how our society has historically devalued the qualities we associate with feminin

Best-selling author and transformational speaker, Kute Blackson teaches us the art of surrender through his own story and observations from working with countless people seeking a greater purpose. He talks about the lies we tell ourselves that keep us from our greatness, as well as why pain can be a powerful teacher. Pointing out how many of us want a baked cake without putting it in the oven, Kute offers the following solid advice to navigate the big questions : Stop seeking your purpose. (You read that right…keep reading…) Instead, move in the direction you love, and the next step will be revealed. Passion is not enough - develop a skill. Look at the skills that you have and what problems you are uniquely suited to solve. Money is a function for adding value - solving a pain, problem, or challenge is the path to earning money. Find a group of people you feel an affinity and a connection to. About Kute Blackson KUTE BLACKSON is a beloved inspirational speaker and transformational teacher. He speaks

Grab your favorite mug because you’re about to get a steamy cup of real talk poured from Sarah Walton, this episode’s guest. Together, we discuss: Common themes women in the business world.  How rampant “high functioning codependency” is among women and how women do the  invisible work to keep society functioning as we overglorify “selflessness.” Honoring anger as an indicator of a boundary violation. Why women in business plateau and what to do about it. How unspoken family rules act as barriers to our success.  Tough relationship choices we have to make to stay on our paths to becoming.  What the myth of “success” is for women in business. And more! Tune in on your favorite podcasting app, check out the show notes or watch it on YouTube. About Sarah Walton Sarah Walton is a business mentor who’s been featured on The Today Show, speaks at women’s conferences all over the world, and has helped hundreds of women start and grow businesses they LOVE. She honed her business building skills working with

Talk about tenacity! Amanda Ament took seven years to bring her product SIMPLE bars to market with no cane sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no sugar alcohols, and she hasn’t looked back since! As a frequent traveler with MANY dietary restrictions I was an immediate fan girl! I met Amanda at a conference where her mentor shared her product from stage and I had a sample sitting in front of me, so I immediately asked her to be a guest on my podcast. Amanda, who is remarkably young, is on a mission to educate the masses on hidden sugars found in food products, how our society normalizes it, how its effect on our bodies is extreme, and on how many health problems it causes. She wants busy professionals and beyond to understand the positive impact of quitting sugar and moving towards clean eating to support our best livelihood!  We cover everything from what she had to sort through to bring her product to market to the benefits of lowering sugar to live a healthier life without the downside of sugar binges. U

Tyann Marcink Hammond has truly earned her title in the Vacation Rental Industry as the “Queen of the Guest Experience.”  Generous with her knowledge,  Tyann freely shares just how she is able to drive direct bookings, repeat bookings and even capture guests' passionate testimonials because their minds are blown by their experience with her two brands: Branson Family Retreats and Missouri Haus. But life would not be nearly full enough for this leader with remarkable bandwidth with just that! In addition to being a vacation rental owner and manager, she is a mom, a wife, and oh yeah…also a brilliant ambassador for Touch Stay digital welcome books, the co-host of The Guest Cast podcast, an industry leader and consultant, the co-creator of VR Mastered Vacation Rental Boot Camp, an author and speaker…and she still the juice to be a good friend, too! (Shew, girl!) My team member and I were recently able to enjoy one of Tyann’s pre-conference activities on behalf of Touch Stay, and I’m here to tell you that her

If you’re not following Lauren Madewell, Chief Operating Officer of Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals, on LinkedIn for her insightful posts and funny guest-facing videos, you are missing out! Her adorably on-brand campy (in the best way) guest videos both deepen the emotional connection with their brand while offering helpful guidance to make guest stays easier and less stressful. Never afraid to look goofy to share the love, she also takes her employee experience, her guest experience, her influence on the VR/STR industry, as well as her stewardship as a leader in the Great Smokey Mountain community, very seriously. Something clicked for her at the VRM Intel Women’s Summit in 2021, and the fire that was lit ignited an inferno of activity that has ultimately put this emerging industry leader on stage among industry power houses at this year’s VRMA International Conference. (Not too shabby for someone who wasn’t even on LinkedIn, the VR industry water cooler, even a year ago!) It’s been a JOY to watch Lauren in

Cue: “This Girl is On Fire,” and THEN start this episode!  Alex Husner, along with her partner in crime and our guest on episode 148, have taken the Vacation Rental Industry by storm! One of the many things I love about this Bombshell is she always operates in a spirit of continuous improvement and never settles, while taking others along with her as she elevates. Committing to and announcing the Alex & Annie Podcast at VRMA International 2021, she and Annie took a leap of faith that paid off, and are now coming back to VRMA 2022 hosting its first ever red carpet event for the “Homerunners” premier. She also was appointed as the Board Chair of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB, was recently appointed as CMO of Casago, a national VR brand, after achieving remarkable success as her beloved former local brand, Condo World, and was also recently appointed to the Vacation Rental Management Association's (VRMA) national board of directors.  But no need to widen any door frames to get Alex’s head thr