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We often misunderstand the role of Virtual Assistants (VAs). Today I chat with self-proclaimed “jill-of-all-trades when it comes to digital marketing and techie skills” Emily Reagan about everything from defining the difference between a general assistant and a specialized marketing VA, all the way to the importance of real-time feedback loops during launches.

We also cover:

📌 Clarifying roles and responsibilities

📌 Specialization over generalization

📌 Onboarding and SOPs

📌 Hiring for the long term, not just the launch

📌 Investing in skilled (vs. low cost) help

📌 Capturing real-time feedback during launches

📌 Post-launch debriefs

Emily shares practical advice on avoiding common pitfalls when working with VAs, from setting clear expectations to how to actually build a well-rounded team. She’s the master of all things “finding your unicorn VA” – and my go-to for how to maximize your VA’s potential to boost your business!

Links mentioned:

👉 Emily on Instagram: @emilyreaganpr

👉 Hire A Unicorn: https://hireaunicorn.com

Grab my Ultimate Cheat Sheet For A Brand Story That Converts: https://brandmagnetic.com/cheatsheet

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

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Yesterday I was meal-prepping (new year, new me) with my therapist friend Farya Barlas’ podcast in my ear – and her prompt struck me so hard I had to pause mid-stir: What are the 3 things people always say about you?

I kept circling back to “strength”… and then I realized something uncomfortable — I’ve always been tough, but in business I was still operating like it was “just my little thing”… because I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

So in this Empire Diaries episode, I’m sharing the real shift I’m making in 2026 — the one that finally feels like the slingshot is pulled back and I’m ready to release: tighter messaging, way more conversations with my people, ruthless ownership of my time, and a bigger focus on paid growth so my sales don’t move at an organic crawl.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The past “strength” stories — from sleeping in hostels + rough shoots to the identity shift happening now
• Why I’m actively choosing to use AI less for my content — and what I’m reclaiming instead
• The obsession I’m leaning into: talking to real humans (ICA calls) and letting that shape everything
• The machine I’m building in 2026 — Trust Shift trainings, ads, and a faster path to scale

Links mentioned:

• Sign up for The Trust Shift: http://brandmagnetic.com/theshift
• Say hi on Instagram: @brandmagnetic

Grab my Ultimate Cheat Sheet For A Brand Story That Converts: https://brandmagnetic.com/cheatsheet

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

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Lauren Shaw was on top of the world, taking an amazing trip in Patagonia... And then she got home, sat down at her computer… and just absolutely couldn’t get herself to do any work.

She knew exactly what needed to be done.

But something about the WAY she was selling (and her current program) no longer fit her life today.

In this episode, Lauren and I talk about what happens when your business is technically “working,” but your energy is whispering (or SCREAMING at you), telling you it’s time for a rebuild.

We unpack how to recognize those signals early — and how to reimagine sales in a way that feels supportive, human, and sustainable, especially in a world where AI is now part of the equation.

In this conversation, we cover:

📌 The moment Lauren realized her resistance wasn’t random – it was a signal
📌 How to tell the difference between discipline and misalignment

And then we pivot to talk about SALES.

📌 Where AI can support sales (and where it can erode trust fast)
📌 Why forcing yourself to sell harder is usually the wrong move
📌 What it looks like to rebuild a sales process around energy, clarity, and trust

If selling has started to feel heavier than it used to — or you’ve found yourself avoiding work you used to enjoy — this conversation will help you understand why… and what to do next!!

Links Mentioned

👉 Join Lauren’s workshop (or watch the replay) – the 2026 Sales Call makeover:
http://brandmagnetic.com/salescallmakeover

Get $200 off Lauren’s sales accelerator program using code MARIANA200

👉 Grab my Ultimate Cheat Sheet for a Brand Story That Converts
https://brandmagnetic.com/cheatsheet

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

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At the start of this year, I wanted to do something different. I decided to not think about resolutions.

I really felt like I was being called to think about WHO I need to become.

In this Empire Diaries episode, I’m sharing what’s actually guiding my decisions in 2026. Not a long list of goals, like basically every other year of my life and business.

But an actual identity shift that’s changing how I manage my time, my energy, and Brandmagnetic.

This episode was inspired by something unexpected: watching an interview with Mel Robbins and learning how many iterations her life and career went through before things really clicked. It was the reminder I needed. Success is never linear! Becoming the right person matters more than getting everything “right” the first time.

I’m also taking you behind the scenes of how I’m thinking about this whole year.

In this episode, I share:

📌 Why “seven-figure founder” is the identity — not just a revenue goal
📌 The shift from setting goals to becoming the person who naturally achieves them
📌 How managing my time (down to the hour and sometimes the 15-minute block) has completely changed my peace of mind
📌 The tools and habits I’m using to stay focused during a big pivot to an evergreen model
📌 My word of the year — “Multiply” — and what that actually means in daily business decisions
📌 A powerful year-in-review exercise that helped me see patterns, clarity, and momentum I would’ve missed otherwise

If you’re entering the new year feeling clear but serious… excited but intentional, this episode will meet you right there.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:
👉 The Year-In-Review exercise I mention. So worth it! (Free, no opt in needed)I absolutely love this exercise. https://www.kvaleadership.com/year-in-review
👉 Grab my FREE Ultimate Cheat Sheet for a Brand Story That Converts https://brandmagnetic.com/cheatsheet
👉 Get lifetime access to the Instant YES Machine™ https://brandmagnetic.com/yesmachine

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

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A few days ago, I was floating in turquoise water in the Bahamas — completely alone, no noise, no phone — and I said a prayer I’ve said many times before:

“God, you’re the CEO of my business. Show me the path.”

And one word came through so clearly it stopped me in my tracks.

Multiply.

Not hustle.
Not grind.
Not even grit — though I love that word deeply.
Multiply.

In this Empire Diaries episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of the moment that shifted how I’m thinking about 2026 — from my word of the year, to the simple engine I’m building right now, to the 30-day focus that’s designed to turn clarity into revenue.

This isn’t a “set goals and hope” episode.
It’s a this is what I’m actually doing episode.

Inside this episode:

📌 The mastermind conversation that sparked my original word of the year — and why it ultimately wasn’t quite right
📌 The beach moment that changed everything (and why “multiply” landed so hard)
📌 The two pillars I’m committing to until I hit consistent seven figures
📌 My exact 30-day focus — what I’m building, what I’m strengthening, and what I’m ignoring
📌 The simple funnel I’m finally locking in (ads → Instant YES Machine → webinar → Brand Video Accelerator)
📌 Why clarity — not complexity — is what’s making this season feel exciting instead of overwhelming

If you’re craving momentum, consistency, and a business that compounds instead of exhausts you — this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

Links Mentioned

👉 Grab my Ultimate Cheat Sheet for a Brand Story That Converts
https://brandmagnetic.com/cheatsheet

👉 Get lifetime access to the Instant YES Machine
https://brandmagnetic.com/yesmachine

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

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If you’ve ever stared at your own sales page and thought, “Something here feels… off,” you’re going to love this one.

In this conversation with sales page specialist Samantha Burmeister, I share the story of touring a house I genuinely liked… right up until the realtor casually repeated one tiny reason other buyers had passed. In an instant, I couldn’t unsee it — and Sam explains how our copy can do the exact same thing to dream clients when we overload the page with the wrong details or way too much pain.

We get into:

📌 The two biggest sales page mistakes Sam sees all the time: overcrowded “above the fold” sections and pages that marinate people in pain instead of possibility.

📌 How to structure your hero section using Sam’s simple “why / what / how” model so people know exactly what this is and how to take the next step.

📌 Why aligning with your buyer’s potential (not their problems) changes who you attract — and helps you stop calling in the Eeyores of your niche.

📌 A cleaner way to decide what actually belongs on your sales page (and what can go), based on what your best clients really needed to know to say yes.

📌 Simple tracking + one-question surveys you can use to see what’s working, grab real buyer language, and keep improving your copy over time.

Connect with Sam and her work:

Website: nomadcopyagency.com

And if you want help telling your own story in a way that builds instant trust and emotional connection, grab my Ultimate Cheat Sheet for a Brand Story That Converts: https://brandmagnetic.com/cheatsheet

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

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You know that moment when you finally hire someone… and suddenly your business feels real?

Kirsten Graham has watched that happen over and over again. One of her clients told her, “Now that I have a marketing VA 20 hours a week, I feel like a real business owner.” That’s the shift this whole episode is about — moving from “I should be able to do everything myself” to “I’m building something bigger than me, on purpose.”

Kirsten has been a business owner for 30+ years (real estate, mortgages, gyms, and now a VA + coaching company), and she’s seen the same pattern with every overwhelmed entrepreneur: we sit in Canva, tweak posts, and call it “working” because it feels safe. In this conversation, she breaks down how to step out of busywork, hire the right kind of virtual assistant, and build a team that actually supports your revenue and your sanity.

In this episode, we get into:

• Why burnout is optional, and why our culture makes it feel required.
• The three types of VAs her company focuses on (bookkeeping, software/tech, and marketing) and how to know which one you need first.
• “No unicorns allowed” — why your bookkeeper should not be your content creator, and how to write a clear job description instead.
• How to hire slowly, fire quickly, and run interviews with “elimination first, hiring second” in mind.
• The confidence and creativity that unlock when you finally stop trying to do everything yourself.

If you’ve been stuck in that loop of “I know I need help, but I don’t even know where to start,” this episode will make delegating feel less scary — and a lot more strategic.

Links mentioned:

• Connect with Kirsten: https://sixfigurebusinesscoaching.com
• Free resource — Double Your Income with a Marketing VA: https://outsourcingforbosses.com

If you haven’t yet, grab my magical Instant YES Machine™ and take your copy from forgettable to ! https://brandmagnetic.com/yesmachine

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

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This is a tiny Thanksgiving love note from my almost-gone voice — because I couldn’t not pop in today and tell you how wildly grateful I am that you’re here, listening, building, still caring this much about your work.

I share why I’m choosing to believe that “2026 is already my favorite year ever” even while everyone’s talking about how hard it is to sell right now… and why I’m doubling down on Brand Videos as the bridge between skeptical buyers and real trust. If you’ve been circling my world and wondering when to jump in, this is your personal invitation.

In this minisode, I talk about:

• What I’m most grateful for as I build Brandmagnetic and the kind of humans I’m calling into this community
• Why I only want to work with heart-led, mission-driven entrepreneurs who care deeply about the people they serve
• How a single Brand Video can meet your future clients at a soul level — before you ever get on a call with them
• What’s inside Brand Video Accelerator 2.0 (six months of support, my AI ‘dream team’ of bots, coaching, and community) and why the Black Friday 24-hour window is the most affordable way to work with me

If you want to join us inside Brand Video Accelerator 2.0 during Black Friday, you can find all the details here: brandmagnetic.com/BlackFriday

Have any questions about the Accelerator? DM me a note: https://instagram.com/brandmagnetic

This is the absolute best deal ever for the Accelerator — founding members only. Doors close in 24hs! http://brandmagnetic.com/blackfriday

If we haven't yet - let's connect on Instagram! Find me at http://instagram.com/brandmagnetic