Entrepreneur Encounter
Entrepreneur Encounter is a weekly podcast designed to support creative business owners in developing the soft skills that lead to lasting, values-aligned growth.
Hosted by Dana Johnson, founder of a boutique Pinterest marketing agency for wedding pros and creatives, and Sara Lowell, a consultant specializing in business management & team leadership along with podcast management, each episode explores the mindset shifts, communication skills, and leadership habits that empower entrepreneurs to grow sustainably—without the burnout.
Through real stories, practical frameworks, and transparent conversations, Dana and Sara offer a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to run a purpose-driven business in a constantly changing world.
Whether you're building your visibility, managing a team, or simply trying to stay grounded while growing, this podcast is your companion in business and in life.
Episodes
145 episodes
The 5 C's Leadership Framework Every Entrepreneur Needs to Build a Team That Thrives | EP 32
You started your business with a vision, the strategy, the hustle, the late nights figuring out the marketing funnel. But somewhere between onboarding your first client and managing your growing team, a quiet panic set in. Nobody taught you
•
26:38
How to Pivot Your Business Without Panicking: A Strategy Guide for Entrepreneurs | EP 31
You've been building something real. You've put in the hours, made the sacrifices, and shown up even when it was hard. But lately, something feels off - the offer isn't landing the way it used to, the calendar isn't as full, or the direction yo...
•
20:52
Growth Mindset for Leaders: How Entrepreneurs Build Real Confidence Without Having All the Answers | EP 30
You're running a business, and people are looking to you for answers. Your team needs direction. A client asks something you didn't see coming. And in that split second, instead of saying "I don't know yet," you feel the pressure to perform cer...
•
17:13
Why Leaders Get Stuck: Overcoming Fear of Change in Business Growth | EP 29
You built something from nothing, your systems, your team, your entire identity wrapped up in the thing you call your business. And then one day, quietly, something stops fitting. Maybe it's a role on your team, a service you've been offering f...
•
20:34
Stop Micromanaging: How Entrepreneurs Can Delegate, Build Trust, and Scale Without Burnout | EP 28
You've poured everything into this business — late nights, early mornings, every decision running through you. You send the follow-up, review the contractor's work, loop yourself into every conversation. But somewhere between checking in for th...
•
18:11
Written Communication in Leadership: How Remote Teams Build Clarity and Trust | EP 27
You hit send on a quick Slack message, short, efficient, to the point. "Can you fix this today?" Simple enough, right? But minutes later, the reply comes back feeling off. Maybe defensive. Maybe stressed. And you're left wondering: Wait, wh...
•
23:01
Active Listening Skills for Leaders: Transform Your Business Communication and Build Trust | EP 26
You're nodding along in a conversation about your business, doing everything a "good listener" should do. But internally? You're thinking "I know where this is going" or "I've explained this before." When the conversation ends...
•
14:04
How to Create Clear Business Messaging That Converts | EP 25
You've updated your website. You've rewritten your offers. You've posted about your service's countless times. But somehow, people still ask questions you thought you already answered. They hesitate during discovery calls, saying "I think I get...
•
22:03
Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: How to Navigate Conflict Management Without the Drama | EP 24
It happens. You’re halfway through your workday and feel drained. Drained from all the decisions, the client's work and everything else that has come your way. Now you see you need to discuss a difficult situation and you’re not ready. You end ...
•
22:14
Building Psychological Safety Through Emotional Intelligence in Leadership | EP 23
You've walked out of meetings wondering why something felt off, right? The agenda was clear, expectations were set, projects were outlined but somehow, your team seemed distant. Not resistant, just... quiet. No pushback, but no questions either...
•
26:55
Emotional Regulation for Leaders: How to Turn Emotional Intelligence into Actionable Leadership Skills in Stressful Moments | EP 22
So, you’ve just stepped away from a tough conversation with your team. In your head, you’re rerunning every word you said, every tone you used, and you think I knew better than that. That inner dialogue many of us experience after a st...
•
20:33
What does it mean to Lead with Emotional Intelligence: How Self-Awareness Transforms Leadership & Business Performance | EP 21
One thing we see leaders struggle with lately is this quiet disconnect between who they want to be and how they actually show up under pressure. They care about their clients. They care about their business partner. They care about the...
•
16:25
Soft Skills Are the New Competitive Edge in a Tech-Driven World | EP 20
Imagine sitting down to work with your laptop, coffee sitting off to the side and suddenly realizing you’ve forgotten the one thing that makes your work truly matter: people. “Wait, how do we even do this again?” is this thought and ey...
•
25:38
How to Run Effective Meetings That Save Time and Boost Clarity (Meeting Productivity Tips for Leaders) | EP 19
Imagine logging into a Zoom call, coffee in hand, with great hope... only to sit through 45 minutes of aimless chatter about last week’s “updates,” wondering why you’re even there. That’s the experience discussed: the silent time-sucker we all ...
•
15:33
How Pinterest Helps Creatives Overcome Imposter Syndrome & Build Confidence in Marketing | EP 18
You know that jittery moment when you’ve crafted the perfect post, you love what you’ve written, you're ready to hit “publish.” But then your heart sinks: what if everyone sees this? What if they judge me? So you don’t. You archive it. Drafts s...
•
9:46
Why Systems Alone Can’t Fix Your Team Problems (Soft Skills Matter) | EP 17
Ever hire talented people, set up strong systems, and still feel like something in your team just isn’t clicking? We bring you into the messy middle of team building, the part no one warns you about. The part where miscommunication, awkward con...
•
12:10
Self-Awareness in Business: The Hidden Skill That Improves Decision-Making and Trust | EP 16
Have you ever had one of those days where something small sets the tone, your tech isn’t cooperating, you're behind schedule, and suddenly a simple question from someone feels heavier than it should? That’s exactly how we kicked off this episod...
•
18:13
Confirmation as a Skill: Avoid Miscommunication in Your Business | EP 15
There’s a moment every entrepreneur knows too well, the instant when you realize the chaos you’re experiencing could have been avoided with one simple thing: clarity. We’ve lived it ourselves. Like the time one of us confidently marched toward ...
•
24:45
Stop Waiting for a Rescue - How to Take Initiative in Your Business | EP 14
Ever had that moment where you’re waiting, waiting for someone to notice your hard work, waiting for the “right” opportunity, waiting for permission to finally take that next big step? We’ve all been there. In this episode, we get real about th...
•
25:04
Overcoming Entrepreneur Burnout: Setting Boundaries and Managing Priorities | EP 13
Ever had one of those weeks where it feels like you’re just putting out fires?You start your day ready to tackle a big project, and suddenly your inbox explodes, software issues, client “emergencies,” and endless messages that der...
•
25:47
From Meeting Overload to Meaningful Time: Soft Skills for Smarter Collaboration | EP 12
We’ve all been there, sitting in a meeting halfway through, realizing it could’ve just been an email. We’ve been in those meetings, too, lots of motion, zero progress. In this episode, we decided to change that narrative by pulling back the cur...
•
21:41
Lessons in Leadership: Real Advice for New Managers and Entrepreneurs | EP 11
You know that moment when you realize leading a team feels a lot like parenting? You’re guiding, teaching, and sometimes repeating yourself a hundred times but this time, the “kids” have deadlines and invoices. In this...
•
17:22
How to Build Rapport That Doesn’t Feel Fake or Forced | EP 10
Have you ever looked through your LinkedIn connections and realized you don’t actually know most of them? You’re not alone. In this episode, we peel back the layers of what authentic networking really means, beyond the surface-level me...
•
25:25
How to Have Difficult Conversations Without Burning Bridges | EP 9
Ever held back a conversation for so long that it turned into a ticking time bomb? In this episode, we get real about the messy emotions, mounting overwhelm, and quiet assumptions that can build up when we avoid speaking our truth. From burnout...
•
32:20
When Growth Stalls: What to Do When Your Team (or Clients) Stop Evolving | EP 8
It’s one of the hardest moments as a leader, you pour your energy, knowledge, and heart into helping someone grow, only to realize they’re not moving forward. Maybe it’s a client who resists every strategy you put in place, or a team member who...
•
30:10