In this episode of Big Dreams Great Teams, Paula Maidens is joined by messaging strategist, copywriter, and ChatGPT trainer Tahnée Sanders, founder of The Strategy Studio. Together, they explore the common frustrations that come with outsourcing marketing, particularly when the results don’t quite “sound like you.”

Tahnée shares why so many small business owners end up rewriting the content they outsource, and reveals the real issue behind most marketing challenges: messaging. She explains why creating a strong messaging strategy is essential before hiring a marketing team or copywriter, and how using AI for marketing can be powerful.

From the difference between ChatGPT and Claude to how to train AI tools to reflect your tone of voice, this conversation is packed with practical advice for business owners who want to streamline their marketing, get better results, and maintain authenticity.

This is a must-listen for anyone looking to scale their marketing efforts, whether they’re hiring help or exploring using AI for marketing in their business.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why marketing hires often miss the mark in small businesses
• The critical missing piece that leads to disappointing outsourced content
• How to know if your business is truly ready to delegate marketing
• Strategic tips for using AI without sounding robotic or generic
• The role of a messaging strategy in ensuring brand consistency
• How to get started with using AI for marketing in a more personalised and effective way
  
  
  

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 – Welcome & Guest Introduction

02:00 – Why Marketing Hires Often Don’t Work Out

05:30 – The Hidden Power of Messaging Strategy

08:45 – Why Assumed Knowledge Breaks Outsourcing

12:30 – When & How to Review Your Messaging

15:30 – ChatGPT vs Claude: Which AI is Best for Business?

18:30 – How to Train Your AI to Sound Like You

22:00 – Should We “De-AI” Our Marketing Content?

26:00 – Smart Tips for Using AI for Marketing Effectively

30:00 – Where to Learn More from Tahnée

LINKS MENTIONED:

✨ Download Tahnée’s ChatGPT Brand Voice Guide
Get her 3-prompt Brand Voice Mastery Guide to start sounding more like you in under 20 minutes: https://thestrategystudio.myflodesk.com/qy35mtsskb

📝 Kickstart Your Content Planning with Tahnée’s 20-Minute Guide
Download her simple guide to spark endless content ideas for marketing your business: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6358ca8812249eb974a437f4

🌐 Visit The Strategy Studio
Explore Tahnée’s services and resources: https://thestrategystudio.com

📱 Follow Tahnée’s on Instagram
@thestrategystudio

💼 Connect with Tahnée’s on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/Tahnéesanders

CONNECT WITH PAULA:

Website:https://paulamaidens.com/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/paulamaidensconsulting/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulamaidensbuildingawesometeams

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulamaidens/

In this solo episode of Big Dreams Great Teams, Paula Maidens shares practical hiring tips for small businesses, unpacking the five key shifts that are shaping how small business owners need to approach hiring in 2025 and what to do to make your next hire the right one.

If you're a business owner planning to hire this year (or even thinking about it), this episode is your heads-up on the new realities in today’s hiring market. From the rise of AI-polished CVs to shifting salary expectations and faster hiring cycles, Paula unpacks the essential tips that will help you avoid common hiring traps and bring the right person into your business with confidence.

You’ll hear why relying on ‘gut feel’ is no longer enough, how to stand out to the right candidates (without sounding like a robot), and the #1 mistake that’s costing small businesses top talent right now.

Whether you're hiring now or preparing to grow later this year, this is essential listening to protect your time, energy and money, and hire with clarity in a rapidly evolving market.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• The 5 big shifts in hiring you need to understand in 2025
  
  
• Why AI is changing how resumes are written (and what that means for you)
  
  
• What makes a job ad stand out in a crowded market
  
  
• Why speed is now a critical hiring advantage
  
  
• The do’s and don’ts of listing salary ranges
  
  
• How to use reference checks to avoid expensive hiring mistakes
  
  
• Paula’s favourite interview structure to find the right fit fast
  
  
  

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 – Welcome from Byron Bay + Why Hiring Feels Different in 2025

02:14 – Shift #1: The AI Impact on CVs, Cover Letters & Interviews

07:03 – Shift #2: Generic Job Ads Are Turning Candidates Off

10:21 – Shift #3: Why You Must Move Quickly to Secure Top Talent

13:45 – Shift #4: Salary Expectations Are Higher - Here’s What to Do

18:54 – Shift #5: Reference Checks Are More Valuable Than Ever

21:50 – Paula’s Top Hiring Tips for Small Businesses in 2025

24:12 – Wrap-Up: How to Hire with Confidence in a Changing Market

LINKS MENTIONED:

🎯 Kick-Ass Interview Masterclass – Master your interview skills with Paula’s short course. Click here: https://paulamaidens.com/go/kick-ass-interviewing-masterclass/

📞 Book a Dream Team Discovery Call – Get Paula’s personal guidance for your next hire. Click here: https://paulamaidens.com/go/discovery-call-45-minute/

CONNECT WITH PAULA:

Website:https://paulamaidens.com/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/paulamaidensconsulting/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulamaidensbuildingawesometeams

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulamaidens/

In this practical and eye-opening episode of Big Dreams Great Teams, Paula Maidens dives into the hidden fears that hold many small business owners back from making their next hire.

If you've ever delayed writing a job ad, second-guessed your interview process, or wondered if you're really ready to bring someone on board, this one’s for you. Paula shares real, actionable hiring tips for small businesses, pulling back the curtain on what’s really going on beneath the surface of “I’m just too busy to hire”.

With over 20 years' experience and her proven Hiring Mastery™️Method, she’ll walk you through the five common fears around hiring from fear of making the wrong choice, to concerns about cost, onboarding time, and “what if no one good applies?”. You'll walk away with small business hiring strategies you can implement straight away to start building the dream team your business needs.

This episode is full of smart, honest and down-to-earth hiring advice for small business owners who are ready to stop doing it all themselves and start hiring with clarity and confidence.

🔍 Paula also shares how you can work with her via her Hiring Mastery™️Method whether you want strategic hand-holding or a repeatable DIY process.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• The five most common fears keeping small business owners stuck when it comes to hiring
  
  
• Why your job ad might be attracting the wrong applicants and how to fix it
  
  
• The overlooked cost of delay when you put off your next hire
  
  
• Fresh hiring tips for small businesses that make onboarding feel achievable
  
  
• How to build your confidence in interviews and assess candidates with ease

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 – Why small business owners delay hiring (and how fear shows up)
03:45 – Hiring tips for small businesses: Fear #1 – What if I hire the wrong person?
09:40 – Smart hiring tips: Fear #2 – I can’t afford the hire I really want
15:20 – Time-saving hiring tips: Fear #3 – I don’t have time to train someone properly
22:50 – Fear #4 – What if they don’t work out? (and how to handle it like a pro)
29:15 – Small business hiring tips: Fear #5 – What if no one good applies?
36:00 – How fear-based procrastination delays hiring (and costs you more than you think)
41:30 – Hiring tips for small business owners: How the Hiring Mastery™️Method builds confidence
44:40 – Book your Dream Team Discovery Call and get personalised hiring advice

LINKS MENTIONED:

Explore the Team Performance Audit – a powerful tool to pinpoint where trust (and performance) is breaking down in your business. This includes a detailed questionnaire, a 45-minute strategy call, and a written recommendations report.

🔗Click here: https://paulamaidens.com/go/team-performance-audit/

Book a Discovery Call - Unsure of where to start? Let’s talk it through. Access my free resource - a complimentary 45-minute discovery call to explore your specific challenges and what support will make the biggest difference.

🔗Book here: https://paulamaidens.com/go/discovery-call-45-minute/

Transform your hiring process with the Hiring Mastery™️ Method – a comprehensive self-paced course designed specifically for small business owners who want to hire with confidence, not overwhelm. Get the clarity you need to make better hiring decisions, plus enjoy a bonus Private Implementation Call with Paula for personalised guidance tailored to your business.

🔗Get Started here: https://paulamaidens.com/go/hiring-mastery/

CONNECT WITH PAULA:

Website: