In over 13 years of podcast experience, Jessica has never seen a marketing agency do what Deanna and Ashley are doing with their podcast. Ducks Unplugged isn't just a show about marketing; it's a living, breathing reflection of who Blue Duck Agency is and what it feels like to work with them.

About our guests

Deanna Dolecki is president of Blue Duck Agency, a boutique female-founded marketing agency. A Gen X professional with over 25 years in marketing, Deanna leads with strategy, flexibility, and a refusal to take herself too seriously. Ashley Ruggeri is a senior marketing executive and millennial mom with over 15 years of experience building results-driven programs. Together, they run Blue Duck and co-host Ducks Unplugged, a show as authentic as the agency itself.

What we cover

• Why Deanna and Ashley launched a podcast to differentiate in an industry where agencies all sell the same things
• The insight that changed how Jess sees their show: it's not that the podcast shaped their culture, it's that it mirrors it
• How their low-prep, bullet-point-only approach produces more authentic (and more entertaining) episodes than scripted content ever could
• The basement studio story and why a corner of Ashley's son's toy room beats a professional studio
• Their production process: batching four episodes per shoot, a dedicated producer named Cindy, and a director who has mastered the angles
• Why their ideal clients watch the podcast before ever getting on a call and what that means for their sales cycle
• The dream client Deanna is absolutely going after (hint: it involves online dating)

About Blue Duck Agency

Blue Duck is a full-service, results-based marketing agency specializing in acquisition, retention, and loyalty programs — with deep expertise in membership and subscription businesses. Every client works directly with senior staff. No hand-offs, no junior teams running your account.

Subscribe to Ducks Unplugged on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DucksUnplugged

Ready to leverage podcast guesting to attract dream clients? Schedule a call with Jessica now at http://interviewconnections.com/call

Episode Description:

Podcast guesting is one of the most powerful networking strategies available to coaches today, but are you making the most of the time before and after the recording? In this episode, Jessica sits down with networking expert, speaker, and podcast host Michael Forman to talk about how to network with a servant's heart, turn pre-show conversations into lasting business relationships, and why a simple handwritten thank you note might be the highest-ROI move in your entire marketing strategy.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why the best networkers lead with giving, not getting, and how to bring that mindset into every podcast conversation
• The "gold nugget" question to ask a podcast host that immediately sets you apart from every other guest
• How to make a host feel comfortable and truly seen during your pre- and post-show chats
• Why handwritten thank you notes have a 100% open rate (and how to actually get someone's mailing address)
• The simple follow-up sequence that keeps you top of mind without being pushy
• When to use a CRM vs. staying personal with your top 50 contacts
• Tips from Michael's new book, From Airwaves to Income, on monetizing your podcast

Connect with Michael: michaelaforman.com

Ready to turn podcast interviews into dream clients? Book a call at interviewconnections.com/call

Jessica Rhodes interviews Dr. Tom Sims, author of On Call in the Arctic, about storytelling, perseverance, trust, and the lessons entrepreneurs can learn from memoir. Tom shares what it was like to serve as the only doctor in Nome, Alaska, caring for thousands of people in extreme conditions with limited resources and no margin for error.

This episode explores how powerful stories build trust, why memoir matters, and what business owners can learn from Tom’s experience about improvising, staying flexible, and persevering through uncertainty. It’s a moving conversation about leadership, purpose, and finding your way when instinct is all you have.

1. Why storytelling matters so much in podcast guesting and business
2. What makes a memoir powerful
3. Lessons from practicing medicine in remote Alaska
4. How to earn trust in skeptical environments
5. Why perseverance is essential in entrepreneurship
6. How to reconnect with the reason you started

Visit ThomasJSims.com to learn more about Tom, his book On Call in the Arctic, and join his email list.

If you enjoy this episode, grab the book, leave a review for Tom, and share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur or storyteller!

Ready to share your story on podcasts?

Book a discovery call with me now at https://interviewconnections.com/consult/

Podcast guesting helped Julia Blackwell grow her online wellness program from 15 members to over 120 clients.

In this episode, fascia release practitioner and educator Julia shares how she transitioned from a local practice to an online business and why podcast interviews became her most powerful marketing strategy.

Jessica Rhodes and Julia discuss:

• How podcast guesting generates organic leads

• The call-to-action that converts podcast listeners into clients

• Why experts should focus on teaching instead of pitching

• How Julia is now expanding into practitioner training

If you want to grow your business through podcast guesting, this episode shows what’s possible when you turn your expertise into conversations.

Learn more about Julia:

https://www.thefasciaremedy.com/

Book a discovery call with Interview Connections:

https://interviewconnections.com/consult/

In this episode, Jessica sits down with her business coach, Kevin St.Clergy, author and host of Beyond Blind Blaming, to talk about why so many entrepreneurs stay stuck even after investing time, money, and effort into “fixing” the problem.

Kevin shares the origin story behind the Blind Blaming framework, why traditional “root cause analysis” often fails inside the same circle of influence, and the simple method he teaches to finally see what you have been missing: Reflect, Connect, Decide.

They also talk about the real-world results Kevin experienced after hiring Interview Connections, including how a refined one-sheet helped generate over $20,000 in keynote sales before most interviews even went live, and why “readiness” is the most underrated factor in successful podcast guesting.

1. What “blind blaming” is and how it keeps smart business owners stuck in the blame loop
2. Why you often cannot identify the true root cause from inside your current environment
3. Kevin’s RCD method: Reflect, Connect, Decide (and how it creates transformation)
4. The mindset shift behind MFD and why decisiveness changes everything
5. Why podcast guesting works brilliantly for the “ready” client, and fails fast for the unready one
6. How Kevin uses a 77-question readiness assessment + 90-minute intensive to build a 90-day plan
7. The behind-the-scenes story of how Kevin found Interview Connections (and the ROI that followed)

1. 0:00 Kevin shows Jessica his backend system that generates AI call prep plans and tracks referrals/upsells
2. 5:06 The “Readiness Assessment + 90-minute intensive” becomes Kevin’s main offer
3. 12:44 Jessica’s full introduction of Kevin and why she hired him as her business coach
4. 14:57 Kevin’s story: finding Interview Connections through Google, fixing the one-sheet, and getting booked fast
5. 20:24 The origin of Blind Blaming and how the framework became a book, program, and certification
6. 28:00 Jessica shares her dad’s principle: “Just decide” and asks Kevin about MFD
7. 28:22 Kevin breaks down RCD: Reflect, Connect, Decide and why outside perspective is required
8. 33:35 The “divine timing” story: Kevin’s connection to Jessica’s dad, Jim Palmer
9. 36:45 Kevin explains the $997 Readiness Assessment: identifying red flags and building a 90-day plan
10. 43:00 CTA strategy: when to send people to Amazon vs your own site, and how to bring buyers back for bonuses

1. “How you do anything is how you do everything.”
2. “When everybody in your sphere of influence is stuck in the same loop, it’s almost impossible to see a different way.”
3. “Reflect, Connect, Decide. Awareness creates the transformation.”
4. “Readiness is everything. Podcast guesting is wildly successful when the foundation is solid.”

1. Kevin’s book and home base: Blindblaming.com
2. Take the Business Readiness Assessment now at https://interviewconnections.com/business-readiness-assessment

Andrea Engstrom is the founder of BOLD Mastermind, the author of Bold Confidence, and the host of the Andrea Engstrom Show. Her mission is to help women entrepreneurs gain clarity, confidence, and powerful connections so they can build thriving businesses and lives on their own terms. She specializes in guiding women to turn their expertise into high-value coaching programs that generate significant income while supporting freedom, fulfillment, and intentional lifestyles.

But this episode started with something that made me laugh…

Andrea shared that she received my marketing texts three times a week for 13 months before signing up to work with Interview Connections — and she never unsubscribed.

Why?

Because she knew the timing would come.

That story turned into a powerful conversation about:

• Why consistent follow-up is NOT annoying when done with integrity

• How nurturing your list builds long-term revenue

• The power of podcast guesting to create alignment and authority

• And why coaches have a responsibility to share their message

Andrea didn’t stumble into coaching.

She built a six-figure income in real estate investing after being inspired by a podcast interview. Later, after hearing Amy Porterfield say “bet on yourself” on The Ed Mylett Show, Andrea walked away from a six-figure position to launch her own coaching program.

In her first:

• 6 weeks → $63,000 in sales

• 90 days → $134,000 in sales

• 2 years → Her first million

And she did it organically.

Andrea shares the exact messaging framework that helped her scale from $50K months to $100K months without feeling spammy in the DMs.

Here are the 4 G’s:

1. Gratitude – Thank them for engaging.
2. Genuine Compliment – Notice something real about them.
3. Good Question – Keep it simple. Open conversation.
4. Gift – Offer value before asking for anything.

No pitching. No weird energy. Just real conversation that naturally leads to opportunity.

Andrea breaks down her three primary lead generation strategies:

• Workshops (low-barrier, high-conversion events)

• A strategically built Facebook group

• Social engagement turned into conversations

And we dive into something I talk about constantly:

If you don’t have a conversion strategy after someone discovers you on a podcast… you’re leaving money on the table.

Workshops. Masterclasses. Salons. Live trainings.

People need time with you before they buy.

Andrea now works just three days per week and structures her calendar around only high-value activities:

• Sales

• Coaching

• Strategic visibility (like podcast guesting)

She shares how she built a small but powerful team to support:

• CRM and automation

• Marketing and copy

• Appointment setting

• Client experience

And how authoritative positioning (like booking through an assistant) increases conversions.

One of the biggest takeaways?

It wasn’t one of my solo episodes that sealed the deal for Andrea — it was hearing me guest on someone else’s podcast.

That conversation created alignment.

That’s the power of borrowed authority and authentic storytelling.

If you’re a coach, your message matters.

And podcast guesting is one of the fastest ways to multiply your impact.

Andrea is hosting her workshop:

100K in 90 Days

Where she walks through exactly how she generated $134K in her first 90 days as a coach.

Grab your spot at:

andreaengstrom.com

Ready to get on podcasts? Schedule a Discovery Call with Jessica today at https://interviewconnections.com/consult/

In today’s episode, Jessica sits down with longtime Interview Connections client Scarlett Stanhope, also known as The Biz Hippie, a money and abundance coach who helps coaches and entrepreneurs transform their relationship with money so they can fully support themselves doing work they love.

Scarlett shares how she pivoted from general life coaching into abundance and money coaching after seeing how many coaches were leaking cash, avoiding their numbers, and operating from scarcity. With a background in accounting and finance combined with deep mindset work, Scarlett brings her clients a blend of strategy and energetics to building sustainable coaching businesses.

Together, Jessica and Scarlett unpack why scarcity energy can quietly repel clients, how avoiding your finances gives money control over your life, and why stepping into “legit business owner energy” is essential if you want people to trust you with their money.

They also dive into the tactical side of growth, including how to track your marketing metrics, why guessing doesn’t scale, and how Scarlett uses podcast guesting and in-person networking as her top client-generation strategies.

If you’ve ever felt stressed checking your bank account, unsure what’s really happening in your business, or tempted to chase random marketing tactics instead of following your data, this episode is a must-listen.

1. Why your relationship with money directly affects your ability to attract clients
2. How scarcity energy can quietly sabotage conversions
3. What it really means to step into “legit business owner” identity
4. Why knowing your numbers calms fear and creates clarity
5. How to track marketing and sales metrics instead of shooting in the dark
6. Scarlett’s two most effective ways to get clients
7. How podcast guesting fits into a sustainable growth strategy
8. Why tracking your time, energy, and money together leads to smarter decisions
9. The difference between guessing and scaling
10. How to plan for cash flow instead of reacting to financial stress

Want to take your relationship with money to the next level?

👉 Discover your Money Mindset Type with Scarlett’s free quiz:

thebizhippie.com/quiz

👉 Learn more about Scarlett’s signature program Empowered Abundance:

thebizhippie.com/abundance

Ready to get on podcasts? Book a discovery call at https://interviewconnections.com/consult