You've been told that if your business isn't scaling, you're falling behind. But what if that message was never meant for you—or most of us online business owners—in the first place?

This Talk Copy to Me episode is for anyone who's built a business around their actual life and wondered why all the marketing out there seems to assume you want something completely different.

Jess Freeman, of Jess Creatives, joins me to talk about what it really means to run an ordinary, sustainable, and profitable business on your terms.

We also dig into the 2026 State of Online Business Survey results that Jess just released, and the data is both validating and a little eye-opening. From referrals to AI to why 27% of respondents are struggling with getting clients, this one's full of real talk about what's actually happening behind the scenes of online businesses right now.

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EPISODE 184.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/state-of-online-business-jess-freeman/

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Get to know our guest expert, Jess Freeman

Jess Freeman is the award-winning founder of Jess Creatives, where she helps nutrition and fitness pros get found, trusted, and booked with websites that actually match their expertise.

With over a decade of experience in web design and SEO, Jess is all about no-fluff strategies that highlight what makes her clients stand out—so their websites finally reflect the level of excellence they bring to their work. Based in the Atlanta suburbs with her husband and daughter, Jess can often be found sipping Diet Dr. Pepper, reading a murder mystery, or at the gym.

After listening to this episode, grab your tickets to the 2026 Ordinary Business Summit (or get on the waitlist!)

Then, check out the 2026 State of Online Business Survey results here. And don't forget to listen to The Ordinary Business podcast when you're done.

Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform—and even transform—its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as ADHD-ish, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about working with me or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit my website to learn more about my business, services, and products

What if you could write a book without the crushing weight of actually having to sit down and..write the book?

See, many people freeze at the idea of writing a business book because it feels like a massive undertaking. But it doesn't have to be. You can build a book by writing smaller pieces of content—like blog posts. And those blog posts can serve your business right now while you're working toward building something bigger.

In this solo Talk Copy to Me episode, I'm walking you through two methods I've personally used to create books from smaller pieces of content. Both work. And better yet, both let you publish useful content that attracts your audience today while building toward a finished book tomorrow.

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EPISODE 183.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/writing-a-book-one-blog-post-at-a-time/

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Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about working with me or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

Here's something nobody tells you when you publish your first book: you're probably going to need to update it. Maybe not right away, but at some point, your industry will change, your expertise will evolve, or technology will make entire chapters obsolete—and you'll have a choice to make.

Jodi Brandon from Write Publish Market is back on the podcast today, and this time we're talking about something most authors don't plan for: revising a book after it's already published.

Jodi just released the third edition of her book (also titled Write Publish Market!), and she's getting honest about what prompted each revision, how to decide between updating your existing book versus writing a new one, and why treating your book like a "working document" is actually the smartest business move you can make.

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EPISODE 182.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/revise-a-published-book-jodi-brandon/

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Get to know our guest expert, Jodi Brandon

Jodi Brandon is a book publishing strategist and coach for business owners and leaders, and the founder of Jodi Brandon Editorial. Jodi has used her 20+ years experience in book publishing to partner with 850+ business owners, leaders, and CEOs to write, publish, and market a book to use as a marketing asset within their business ecosystem. She is the author of Write.Publish.Market., 3rd Edition and the host of the Write Publish Market podcast.

Want more of this great publishing info we've been talking about? Then buy Jodi's updated book here.

To learn more about working with Jodi, visit her website and listen to her podcast. Then, connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about working with me or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

Think you need to have it all figured out before you write a book? Think the words will just flow once you finally sit down to write? Think you can't possibly juggle a book project with everything else on your plate?

Well, it's time to stop wondering and start taking action if you are actually interested in writing a book for your business.

I hear so often from clients and colleagues that writing a book has been on their to do list for quite some time. And with an MFA in creative writing, I'm all too aware at the effort it takes to get a book—especially how long the process can take from ideation to an actual book in your hand.

Which is why I invited a former guest back on the show to tell me all about her experience of writing a book while running a business.

Jessica Lackey joins me back for another Talk Copy to Me episode (after her episode 123 appearance about building thought leadership) to talk about her new book, Leaving the Casino: Stop Betting on Tactics and Start Building a Business That Works.

If you've ever wanted to take a glimpse behind the scenes to see what a book-writing process was like for someone else (or get inspo to finally sit down and write your own book), you're going to want to tune in.

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EPISODE 181.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/writing-a-book-while-running-a-business

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Get to know Jessica Lackey, author of Leaving the Casino: Stop Betting on Tactics and Start Building a Business That Works
Jessica Lackey is the founder of Deeper Foundations, a consulting and training firm that helps expert-led business owners grow and scale sustainable companies rooted in stronger business foundations. She brings a unique blend of corporate expertise and soulful business building, drawing on an MBA from Harvard Business School, a coaching certification from iPEC, and experience at McKinsey & Company and Nike, Inc. Jessica has supported over 200 entrepreneurs through her programs, blending systems thinking, operational rigor, and deep values alignment. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband.

She can be reached at https://deeperfoundations.com/

Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about working with me or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

Have you been avoiding YouTube ads because they feel overwhelming, expensive, or just... a lot? You're not the only one overwhelmed by the idea of video advertising. But that being said—you might be making it harder than it needs to be.

Whether you have zero dollars to spend or a real ad budget ready to go, there are ways to get started with YouTube advertising that meet you exactly where you are.

In this Talk Copy to Me episode, Google Ads coach and Inside Google Ads podcast host Jyll Saskin Gales walks through everything a small business owner needs to know about YouTube advertising.

From the simple "promote" button inside YouTube Studio to full Google Ads campaigns, Jyll breaks down the different ad types, targeting options, and what actually makes a YouTube ad work—including her two-second test for diagnosing why an ad isn't converting.

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EPISODE 180.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/how-do-youtube-ads-work-with-jyll-saskin-gales/

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Get to know our Google and YouTube Ads expert: Jyll Saskin Gales
Jyll Saskin Gales is a Google Ads Coach, and the founder of the Inside Google Ads course, podcast, and bestselling book.

She advises business owners, agencies, marketers and freelancers across industries, helping them get the best ROI from their marketing. Jyll worked at Google for 6 years and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about working with me or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

Ever wonder why your Google Ads aren't converting, even when your targeting feels spot-on?

The problem might not be your ads at all—instead, it's likely your website. Why? Well, before you sink money into paid advertising, your site needs to prove it can convert visitors organically. Otherwise, you're just paying for traffic that bounces.

In this episode, Google Ads strategist Olivia Lawson joins me to discuss exactly what needs to be in place before you hit that "launch campaign" button.

From crystal-clear CTAs and price transparency to your entire sales process, we're covering the foundational work that determines whether your ad spend becomes profit or just expensive data.

If you're considering paid ads (or already running them without seeing results), this conversation will save you serious time and money.

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EPISODE 179.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/what-to-do-before-paying-for-google-ads

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Get to know our Google Ads expert: Olivia Lawson
Olivia Lawson is a certified Google Ads strategist and proud data nerd based in Austin, Texas. She loves digging into the numbers, spotting what’s working, and optimizing campaigns to make your ad spend work harder.

Olivia helps small business owners feel confident in their Google Ads by creating clear, data-backed strategies that bring in more qualified leads and sustainable growth for their business.

Check out Olivia's Google Ads ROI Calculator or visit her website to learn more about working with her.

Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about working with me or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

Curious what copywriting trends are actually worth paying attention to in 2026? With AI tools everywhere and everyone yapping about what you "MUST" do on social media, it's hard to know what's real advice versus what's just noise.

And I'm so tired of all the noise.

That's why, in this episode of Talk Copy to Me, I'm joined by four other experienced copywriters to share our 2026 copywriting predictions with you. We're not just guessing here; we're recognizing patterns from our actual client work and what we see people sharing on social media.

You'll hear from Rebecca Tracy, Courtney Fanning, Hannah Plourd, Sam Burmeister...and me, of course.

We're talking about the rise of done-with-you offers, why AI-written content is making people cringe, how POV and voice are becoming non-negotiable, the return of long-form content, and the role of bonuses in sales. Plus, I'm sharing why I think FAQs are about to have a major moment.

This is not an episode you want to miss!

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EPISODE 178.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/copywriting-predictions-for-2026/

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Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about my VIP intensive options or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

You know that feeling when you're constantly putting out fires instead of actually building your business?

Yeah, me too. After a handful of years of running my business reactively—scrambling to create content, adjusting to life transitions, and well, simply surviving—I'm ready to build something more strategic, sustainable, and dare I say...enjoyable.

In this Season 5 kickoff of Talk Copy to Me, I'm pulling back the curtain on my 2026 plans. You'll hear about the shifts I'm making, the programs I'm working on, the stages I'm already booked to speak on, and why I built an entire personal creative project (that lasts throughout the year!) to avoid burning out with work and work only. If you're also coming out of survival mode and ready to be more strategic, this one's for you.

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EPISODE 177.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: Coming soon!

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Here's the info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about my VIP intensive options or just book a strategy session to get started right away
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products