How would you handle a debt of a million dollars?
In this week’s episode, Sydney bravely dives deep into how she managed a million dollars in debt while building businesses, struggling with a difficult business partner, handling a rough pregnancy, and having a husband unable to work while he navigated applying for a green card... It was a lot. But she learned SO much.
Audrina and Sydney talk about the importance of relationships and why you shouldn’t burn bridges when you don’t have to. As Audrina neatly puts it, “Don’t set fire to the house you might want to come back to.” Relationships are a key foundation in business, not just with your employees and investors, but also your friends and family. Communicating when you can (almost to the point of overcommunicating) is so important.
As business owners, whatever happens in your business goes into your personal life, and it can feel like there’s no real separation between. So, if you’re going through a similar situation to Sydney—such as navigating business debt or breaking up with a difficult business partner—the best advice is to really dig into self-care. Feeling stressed won’t make the outcome and results any better, so remember to look after yourself and give yourself grace.
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
When you think about the pivots you’ve made in your life and business, how have you managed your mindset? And what have you learned?
In today’s episode, Audrina and Sydney give the inside scoop on the pivots at The Hive, with a rapid-fire overview of everything that happened in the last six months. They’re actively going through so many pivots right now and shifting the entire business following all the lessons they’ve learned—both good and bad. (Sometimes things blow up… but that’s how you truly learn.)
Being an entrepreneur is so rewarding, but it’s definitely not easy. You really don’t know what it takes until you’re doing it! There’s only so much you can be taught because a lot comes from getting your hands dirty and learning as you go. Tears and overwhelm will happen, but you’ve just got to get through it and keep going with an open heart, curiosity, and faith in the process. We have control over so little, but we do have control over our mindset.
A key theme in this episode is taking care of yourself so you can show up as the best version of you. What can you do right now for yourself? It could be a deep breath, having a glass of water, taking a call on a walk—do what you can to reset your brain and you’ll feel better for it.
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
Resources We Mentioned:
Much like Ross and Chandler trying to get a couch down a flight of stairs in Friends, are you embracing “pivoting”?
In today’s episode, Sydney and Audrina discuss the importance of evaluating what’s working (and what isn’t) in your life and business. Pivoting doesn’t have to be scary—see it as a chance to improve with every single opportunity. It’s not always about burning everything to the ground and starting again, it’s about asking the right questions and actually listening so you can implement ideas to make things smoother.
Taking the time to work out where the “clunky” areas are in your business gives you the opportunity to fix them. The best advice is to constantly revisit the different processes and get feedback. Are you a solopreneur without a huge team to ask? That’s okay! Talk to current clients, past clients, and even prospective clients who said no, because every piece of constructive criticism is valuable (even the hard feedback). Be really intentional and embrace constantly pivoting.
Audrina talks about her process in her business, Summit Chasers Network, and how vital it is to step back and look at the bigger picture. As a business owner, think about how much your clients are paying you, how much your outgoings are, and what your margins look like, but, more importantly, how does your business make you feel? We are our businesses, so they need to make us feel good.
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
Do you feel your age? (Does anyone?)
In this week’s episode, Audrina and Sydney touch on their personal experiences with the interesting (and sometimes weird) process of aging. Even though we feel the same on the inside, we look different on the outside—and that’s something we all experience. Our bodies change as we age and go through life, from wrinkles starting to appear to allergies and food intolerances, through to the major physical undertaking that is pregnancy (and everything that comes with that).
As women, the physical side of aging can be tricky to navigate because there’s so much weight wrapped up in what we look like and how we show up. We go through the strange experience of feeling “too young” and then “too old”… but really, it comes down to mindset. We need to shift from being hard on ourselves to being grateful for what we (and our bodies) have achieved. Getting older is a privilege—we won’t always look the same, but that’s a good thing. It means we’re continuing to evolve.
At the end of the day, age is just a number. It’s about how you feel on the inside and how you show up. We’re always adapting and growing, so it’s important to learn to fully accept and embrace ourselves as we are right now. We’re badass women who are constantly juggling so many things, so showing up and doing the best we can is all we can ask for.
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
If you were watching a film of your life right now, what would you be screaming at the TV for the main character (aka you) to change, do, or stop ignoring?
In this week’s episode, Audrina and Sydney reflect on what they’d like to stop ignoring, change, and do in their businesses and personal lives. They both get real and raw, with relatable truths around taking yourself—and your work—way too seriously and the anxiety around finding out answers you might not want to hear.
You’ll be nodding along to this episode as Sydney and Audrina discuss being human and giving yourself grace (because we’re all just doing the best we can). They wrap up this honest episode by talking about what they’re afraid of and why it’s no longer going to hold them back.
As female entrepreneurs, we often struggle with making the ask and charging what we should be. Audrina and Sydney go behind the scenes into what’s changing at The Hive and dive into the mindset shifts we need to go through to help us recognize (and own) the value we bring.
In This Conversation:
Audrina and Sydney are planning on revisiting these questions in a few months, so watch this space to see how their answers have changed!
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
So, if you were watching the film of your life right now, what would you be screaming at the main character to change, do, and stop ignoring? Have a think and reflect on it, and if you feel comfortable, come and share your thoughts on Instagram or LinkedIn!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
What happens when life is moving at full speed and you’re expected to manage running a business amidst the chaos?
In this week’s episode, Sydney and Audrina delve into the real challenges they’ve experienced while continuing to show up as the face of their business. From the small, daily struggles of crying children and very vocal dogs to large-scale, terrifying natural disasters, we go behind the scenes of what it takes to keep moving when clients are counting on you—and how to prioritize your own well-being in the process.
Life actually happens! Any entrepreneur knows it’s a constant balancing act to be present in your business and in your personal life. There are times, though, when one side weighs more heavily. In these times, it’s essential to be aware of the support system you have—who can you delegate some tasks to, who can take over if you need some recovery time, and who can provide a shoulder to lean on?
As women, and especially as mothers, we often feel like we need to do everything all the time. It’s so important (and healthy!) for us to be able to ask for help. Building your business is consistent work, and one person can’t do it all. Creating schedules and systems might feel restrictive, but in actuality, it will help clear your mind because all the tasks in your head are now down on paper and organized. Trust us – it works!
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
Resources We Mentioned:
Minute Moments: Master of Time Blog Post
What does it really mean to be an entrepreneur? It’s not the lavish lifestyle you might think—Spoiler: it’s a whole lot messier.
In this week’s episode, Audrina and Sydney dive into what their days as busy founders entail, without sugar-coating anything. Before becoming entrepreneurs, we all pictured the ideal lifestyle: relaxed mornings by the pool, afternoon pilates classes, and restful evenings – with a full night’s sleep!
Now we know better! While we think it’s a great lifestyle to aspire to, we’ve learned that running your own business is A LOT of work. You need to prepare yourself to embrace the reality of entrepreneurship; it’s consistent outreach to build a community, practicing your pitch and gaining confidence in selling your services, and learning new skills you never thought you’d need.
But we promise you it is still the best choice we’ve made—this life is 100% worth it for us.
Sydney and Audrina discuss their top tips for getting comfortable with sales and the importance of asking good questions, to yourself and your clients. We explore the length of time it really takes to get your business off the ground, and whether you start strong or have slow growth, don’t get discouraged—it usually takes more time than you’d think! This time period, though, has the ability to show how resilient and flexible we can be in both our business strategies and our mindset.
What has surprised you the most about being an entrepreneur?
Let us know in the comments!
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
What made you start your own business, and what keeps you going? Is this whole thing even worth it?
In today’s episode, Sydney and Audrina explore the circumstances that led them toward entrepreneurship—and what keeps them there. They discuss how their past has shaped their businesses, the rough patches behind the scenes, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
As entrepreneurs – and women – we often have different responsibilities and priorities to manage in addition to building and maintaining our business. It can be difficult at times to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but when we look back, we can see how far we’ve come and how much we’ve grown since beginning this journey. The ways we have changed (for the better!) can sometimes go undetected, but we encourage you to stop and think about this—you’ll be surprised to see how many skills you now have!
Entrepreneurship allows us to dictate our future. It provides more flexibility, the ability to channel your passions into your work, and the opportunity to see other people interact with your creation. Your business reflects who you are and will show you just how strong you can be. You have one life to live—make the most of it and do what makes you happy!
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
Resources We Mentioned:
The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
Do you ever stop and think about how all your past decisions led you to where you are now?
In Part Two of this episode, Sydney and Audrina continue their discussion on how their choices have shaped their present careers, future career paths, and personal relationships. Being an entrepreneur is in Sydney’s blood! She was born into a family of entrepreneurs, as both her parents are business owners who made sure all their children grew up knowing what it takes to run a business. She explores how her life experiences have formed the ideas for multiple businesses, including The Etho and The Hive.
The path of entrepreneurship is not usually a linear journey, it ebbs and flows with each decision you make. We’ve discovered that the people we meet along the way have a huge impact on the success of our businesses. Hiring the right people makes all the difference! Sydney explains that her team is the reason The Hive was able to keep running while she was going through some life-changing events with her family.
Being an entrepreneur gives us the ability to work for ourselves in a way that is true to our values, and more importantly, the ability to not work for a company making decisions we don’t agree with. From struggling to success – we’ve been through financial difficulties and broken relationships on the way to having the companies we have now. Don’t worry, we’ll go through the details of each (and how we made it out the other side!) in future episodes!
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
Do you ever stop and think about how all your past decisions led you to where you are now?
In this week’s episode, Sydney and Audrina discuss how their choices have shaped their present careers, future career paths, and personal relationships. Audrina dives into her experience being laid off from a company where she was an instrumental part of their growth and felt secure in her position. She explains how she felt blindsided by the decision, but can see now that it was the push she needed to get out of a company she didn’t align with.
This exit from the corporate world made Audrina realize she had become complacent in her career and forced her to refocus on options she hadn’t considered before––like entrepreneurship. Becoming complacent is often one of the worst things to happen in your job because it stops you from moving forward and reaching your full potential. The main tip here is to listen to your gut!
Both Sydney and Audrina discuss how manifestation and vision boards play a large part in their future planning, enabling them to achieve their work and life goals. By thinking about the future as if you already possess the skills, finances, or position you’re envisioning, your brain activates differently, allowing you to move in that direction without even realizing it!
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
Resources We Mentioned:
Saving for the future self: Neural measures of future self-continuity predict temporal discounting
You can read more about this research and Hal Hershfield here.
How much have you changed in the last decade? Would people from your past recognize the person you are today?
Change is the only constant and it seems inevitable that one person will go through so many variations of themselves in their lifetime. As Sydney and Audrina discuss their past, they uncover the pivotal moments that altered the course of their relationships, business, and life.
In speaking about their past relationships, both hosts pinpoint the moment when they met their intuition. With similar experiences in learning to trust their intuition, they can both see how the feeling had been present for a while before they actually listened. (Hindsight is always 20/20!)
As women we play so many different roles, and are used to just swapping in and out based on who we’re interacting with. What we often forget though is that all our roles are connected. A positive or negative experience in one role will impact the rest. Audrina and Sydney explain how setting boundaries and trusting their intuition has helped them manage their businesses and allowed them to make tough decisions about relationships.
In This Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/
Resources We Mentioned:
Deeper Than Money By Chloe Elise
We all have fears and anxieties that can hold us back, but true strength is found in your ability to work through those feelings and use them as a learning experience.
In the very first episode of Swearing By It, Audrina and Sydney delve into the doubts they had before committing to this podcast and explore the reasons why they chose to pursue this goal anyway.
As women in the business world, it’s often challenging to allow ourselves to show our struggles and open up about our experiences. Through this podcast, Sydney and Audrina aim to change that way of thinking by creating a safe space for women to ask questions, share their stories, and build their business and confidence.
In this Conversation:
For more unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, family life, and managing the daily demands of “doing it all”, click the Follow button so you don’t miss an episode!
If anything we talked about resonated with you, we’d love to hear about it! Always feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or future topics you want to hear.
Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearingbyit/
LinkedIn:
Audrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrinablackburn/
Sydney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymsherman/