What do a classroom of 20 tiny humans and a booked-out online business have in common? A lot more than you think.
In this episode, I’m joined by Halle Schmidt - a former teacher who turned her transferable skills into a fully booked online service provider business. We talk about the real journey from teaching to entrepreneurship, how to translate your background into client-ready skills, and the one mistake that keeps most new service providers stuck after signing their first client.
Whether you’re a teacher ready to step out of the classroom or a mom curious about building an online business, this conversation will show you what’s possible—and how to get there faster.
You can learn content strategy from a literal piece of garbage.
The most memorable piece of content I saw wasn’t a viral trend or a 10-step list - it was a 15-second TikTok about how to put on a trash bag. And I still think about it every time I take out the trash. That’s what sticky content does: it’s simple, actionable, and unforgettable.
In this episode, I’m breaking down why endless lists don’t make you bingeable, what actually makes content stick, and how mom brands can use this shift to land collabs, grow affiliate $$, and become the authority in their space. You’ll leave knowing exactly how to create one scroll-stopping idea your audience remembers the next time they cook dinner, handle a tantrum, or scroll Instagram / TikTok.
Resources + Links:
Watch my reel on the “garbage bag hack” here
DM me “garbage” on Instagram @katthevirtualgem to map out sticky content for your mom brand
Back-to-school season isn’t just a reset for the kids: it’s a reset for you and your business.
In this episode, I’m sharing three simple ways to tap into the fresh-start energy of September, so your content feels relevant, seasonal, and magnetic… without adding more to your plate.
Whether your kids are already back or you’re in the final stretch of summer, these strategies will help you shift your content themes, connect more deeply with your audience, and focus on one clear goal for the next 90 days.
You’ll learn:
Why September is a hidden content goldmine (even if your audience isn’t all moms)
The 3 shifts to make your content instantly relevant this season
How to tie your offer into back-to-school energy without being salesy
Links & Resources:
DM me on Instagram @KatTheVirtualGem to map your fall content plan
What if taking a break didn’t mean disappearing?
In this honest conversation with returning guest Sarah Petrillo (@thesassycollab), we unpack the guilt that comes with stepping away from social media—even when you know you need the break.
If you’ve ever felt like logging off might mean falling behind, being forgotten, or letting people down… this episode is your reminder that rest ≠ irrelevance. We talk about how to recognize the early signs of burnout, how to listen to your body (and energy), and how to detach without ghosting your community or yourself.
We talk:
• How to know it’s time for a break (before burnout hits)
• The subtle signs of content fatigue you might be ignoring
• Why we feel guilty for unplugging (and where that comes from)
• Social media as connection vs. distraction
• How to return without pressure—or a dramatic comeback
This is your reminder that you don’t owe anyone your energy when you’re empty. Your business, your audience, and your creativity will be just fine—and so will you.
Resources + Links:
Connect with Sarah → @thesassycollab
Her free Notion Self-Care Planner: https://thesassycollab.kit.com/cd42ef045a
Loved this episode?
Subscribe, leave a review, or DM me on IG @katthevirtualgem — I’d love to hear what hit home.
If you’ve ever wondered how to actually make money from your podcast (without a massive audience or relying on $3 ad payouts), this episode is for you.
Podcast producer Claudia from Work With CML is back — and we’re breaking down the real ways to scale your podcast, monetize your episodes, and turn your content into new leads, clients, and income streams.
Whether you’re just getting started or already deep into the podcast game, this episode gives you clear, actionable tips to grow your show and use it as a tool for your business — without performing, overthinking, or burning out.
We’re diving into:
The unexpected ways your podcast is already making you money (even if you can’t see it yet)
How to use your show as an extension of your offer suite
Simple strategies for adding sponsors, ads, and digital products
Why most people market their podcast wrong — and how to fix it
The 3 must-have calls to action to grow your audience and your income
How to use your podcast to build long-term authority (without massive downloads)
This is your reminder that your podcast doesn’t have to be a numbers game — it can be a strategic tool that drives connection, leads, and cash flow when done right.
Connect with Claudia:
Instagram → @workwith.cml
Website → www.workwithcml.com
What if your strategy didn’t require a checklist?
In this conversation with Sarah Petrillo of @thesassycollab we dive into the tension between content that connects - and content that performs.
If you’ve ever felt like you're “doing everything right” on social media but still feel disconnected, this episode is for you. Sarah shares how she’s moved from social media management into intuitive business mentorship, what “soul meets strategy” really means, and how to stop diluting your essence and value in the name of consistency.
We talk:
What happens when strategy turns into performance
How to reconnect with your why (without the pressure)
The real power of slow mornings and energetic boundaries
Why alignment is the new algorithm
This episode is a full permission slip to stop pushing and start practicing presence — in your content, your schedule, and your energy.
Resources + Links:
Connect with Sarah on Instagram → @thesassycollab
Catch her Tarot Tuesday (you will LOVE it, I promise)
Her freebie Notion Self-Care Planner: https://thesassycollab.kit.com/cd42ef045a
Loved this episode?
Subscribe, leave a review, or DM me on IG @kat.thevirtualgem — I’d love to hear what resonated.
You’re not here to perform.
You’re here to connect.
And this final part of the series is about how to actually do that — without defaulting back to pressure, posturing, or someone else’s tone.
We’ve unpacked the freeze, the shame, the fear of sounding salesy, and the misuse of pain points. Now, we bring it all together and ask: What kind of marketer do you actually want to be?
Because you can write honest content. You can speak with nuance. You can show up in your leadership without shame or superiority.
In this episode, we talk about:
– The 3 shifts that will make your content more powerful and trustworthy
– How to talk about pain without simplifying or shrinking it
– Why clarity > coercion, and how to create messaging that reflects your values
– What it means to lead through presence instead of pressure
If this series cracked something open for you, Clubby is the next step.
This is where you unlearn the old, shame-based content culture — and build a marketing rhythm that reflects your real voice, your real leadership, and your real brilliance.
No pressure. Just power.www.socialmediaignited.com/the-clubby
Let’s talk about the kind of content that made you feel small— and why it seemed to work.
In this episode, I’m naming what most people won’t: a huge chunk of online marketing wasn’t built on trust. It was built on FAKE urgency. On manipulation. On shame.
It worked—technically.
It sold offers. Filled masterminds. Grew brands.
But what did it cost?
This episode is for the service provider who’s done with recreating the kind of content that once made them feel behind. The one who’s rewriting what authority and trust look like. The one who’s rebuilding a relationship to their message that doesn’t rely on pressing pain points just to convert.
We’re unpacking:
– Why shame creates urgency (but not safety)
– What happens when you sell from superiority
– And how to recognize the moment you choose to lead differently
Listen now to break the trance of “content that works”—but doesn’t feel good.
In Part 3, we’re talking about the fear of sounding “salesy”—and why that fear might actually be a sign you’re finally doing it right.
Yes, your audience is in pain.
No, you don’t need to poke the bruise to prove your point.
In this episode, we’re getting into one of the most common things I hear from online service providers: “I don’t want to use pain points—I don’t want to sound like them.”
This is your guide to naming pain with power, not shame.
You’ll learn how to speak to what your audience is actually navigating without collapsing them into the problem—so you can connect with clarity, not superiority.
This episode covers:
– The difference between calling someone out vs. calling them forward
– Why shame collapses but clarity reflects
– What tone actually builds trust (and what breaks it)
– How to audit your pain point content and rewrite it with nuance
Make sure you tune into Parts 1-3, and check out Part 5, live now!
So you finally want to talk about your offer—but that voice creeps in:
“Ugh, I don’t want to sound salesy.”
In this episode, I’m breaking down why that fear is actually a good sign - and not something you need to bulldoze through. If you’ve ever hesitated to talk about your work because you didn’t want to sound pushy, manipulative, or like those people—this one’s for you.
You’re not afraid of marketing.
You’re afraid of being seen as the thing that once made you feel small.
And that’s not fear. That’s discernment.
In this episode:
– Why your fear of sounding salesy is rooted in integrity, not insecurity– What real marketing actually is (and how it’s different from sales)– How to create content that positions powerfully without pressure
Listen now for a much-needed reframe that will change how you approach your next post. See you in Part 4!
You’re not bad at marketing. You’re just remembering how it once made you feel.
In this first episode of my 5-part mini series on Shame + Mean Girl Marketing, we’re talking about the freeze that happens when smart, capable online service providers go to market their work...then shut down. You know how to help people. You know your offer is good. So why does content creation feel so sticky?
Because your nervous system is remembering marketing that hurt and tricked you - not inspired you.
This episode is a reckoning. It’s not strategy tips or visibility hacks. It’s about why your body resists content, and what happens when you stop trying to “get over it” and start listening to what that resistance is actually saying.
This is for the service providers who’ve whispered:
“I hate sharing wins.”
“I don’t want to sound like them.”
“I don’t want to be performative, but I still want to be seen.”
Listen now to shift the way you relate to your content - for good.
Keep listening for Part 2, where we’re unpacking why shame-based content seemed to work—and what it cost us.
Welcome Back to Ignition! I chatted with Claudia again from Work With CML all about ghosting your podcast... and what to do next. If you are someone who's ghosted your podcast (or any social media platform for that matter) this episode is for you.
We get into why someone might ghost their podcast - usually related to burnout, and how to avoid this. Claudia shares some steps you can take if you find that you’ve ghosted your podcast and you want to come back.
Claudia is a Podcast Producer and shares her perspective on why your business will benefit from a podcast. Whether you want to create authority, connect with your audience on a deeper level, or attract ideal clients, podcasting is a huge business asset.
You can connect with Claudia on Instagram at @workwith.cml and find more information about working with her on her website: www.workwithcml.com. If you are interested in working with Claudia, you can also find her inquiry form here.
And if you're interested in being a guest on Ignition, please fill out the inquiry form below!
IGNITION: Podcast Guest Application
The rinse and repeat content system that allows you to triple how much content you create, without any fancy workflows or systems.
This is one of those simple to implement ways to create more content, and because you are creating more, you are practicing more, which as we know, helps you get better.
You're not out of content ideas. You're just using them once. And that stops with your next post.
In this episode you'll learn the number one rule of marketing, how to turn a single idea into 3 high-impact posts, and a repeatable content system that builds trust, saves time, and keeps you consistent.
If you are tired of burning out trying to stay visible and consistent, you feel like content takes forever to create, and you want a sustainable system that keeps you top-of-mind with dream clients, this one is for you.
If you want content that lands and converts? This is exactly what I teach inside The Content Clubby - my weekly content membership, where you'll get:
- 5 fresh content prompts every week
- Mini trainings to help you understand content and marketing even more
- And even more importantly? The WHY behind why we post what we post.
Can't wait to see you inside the clubby!
https://socialmediaignited.com/the-clubby
If you have been scrolling on your feed for more than 2 minutes... then you have seen the consistent "How to break out of 200 view jail" posts from gurus, coaches, and content experts...
...and I know you are someone who wonders why no matter WHAT you post, when you go and check that reel you did this morning, you are always a little wtf when you see it's sitting at 172 views, 3 likes (one of which is defintiely your mom).
And I get it!!! It feels exhausting to constantly post and wonder why the heck you can't get over that 200 view hump and that yes you would love to "break out of the jail"... but in this episode, we're going to talk about exactly why it does NOT matter if you do...
(if you aren't answering these 3 questions consistently in your content)
And - ICYMI - The Content Clubby is officially OPEN! This is your content membership for content that's actually based in buyer psychology and true marketing principles versus just use this hook and trending audio. I can't wait to see you inside!
The Clubby — Social Media IgnitedAs always, you can connect with me over on Instagram at @katthevirtualgem and if you loved this episode, make sure you go ahead and leave a review or share with your friends!
I am so excited to welcome Claudia Lems from Work With CML on this episode about starting a podcast!
Claudia is a Podcast Producer and shares her perspective on why your business will benefit from a podcast. Whether you want to create authority, connect with your audience on a deeper level, or attract ideal clients, podcasting is a huge business asset. Claudia shares her top tips for starting a podcast!
You can connect with Claudia on Instagram at @workwith.cml and find more information about working with her on her website: www.workwithcml.com. If you are interested in working with Claudia, you can also find her inquiry form here.
And if you're interested in being a guest on Ignition, please fill out the inquiry form below!
Not all coaches.
Not all teams.
And I’ve had the pleasure of working with some incredible leaders who truly walk their talk—who value collaboration, integrity, and actual business strategy.
But this is about the other side. The part of the industry we don’t always talk about publicly.
The performative “team culture” that punishes critical thinking.
The strategy-free marketing wrapped in cute branding.
The idolization of coaches who haven’t touched their own business in years… and the worship that’s required just to stay in the room.
This is the stuff I’ve seen behind the scenes.
It’s not a personal takedown - it’s a pattern.
And if you’ve ever felt like the smart one in the room who got pushed out for asking too many questions or lost relationships just because you stopped investing...
You’re not alone. You’re not too much. And you’re not imagining it.Ready to connect? Hit me up on Instagram @katthevirtualgem
You didn’t miss your shot. The market’s not “too saturated.”
And no - you don’t need to go back in time to 2020 to be successful.
But if your content isn’t landing clients?
If you’re showing up and still hearing crickets?
You might not be too late…
But you are being too quiet.
This episode is the wake-up call for every online service provider waiting in the wings, playing it safe, or blaming the algorithm instead of learning how to actually communicate your value.
P.S. Need help getting back into content without rewriting everything? Grab my free 5 Day Content Challenge here:https://katthevirtualgem.myflodesk.com/itsnotyouitsyourcontent
And if this episode hits? Come DM me on Instagram @katthevirtualgem — you know I’ll be yapping over there.
If your content sounds like it could’ve been written by any other SMM, VA, or OBM on the internet… your dream clients are scrolling right past you.
And it’s not because you suck at content.
It’s because your content sounds like everyone else’s.
In this 6-minute episode, I’m breaking down:
✨ The 3 reasons your content is blending in (and how to fix it fast)
✨ A simple audit you can do right now to stop sounding like every other voice in your niche
✨ How to inject YOUR voice, perspective, and authority into your posts without burning it all down
No rebrand.
No content vault.
No new batch day.
Just content that actually sounds like you - and actually makes it easier when it comes to selling.
P.S. Need help getting back into content without rewriting everything? Grab my free 5 Day Content Challenge here:https://katthevirtualgem.myflodesk.com/itsnotyouitsyourcontent
And if this episode hits?Come DM me on Instagram @katthevirtualgem — you know I’ll be yapping over there.
So you ghosted your socials again… now what?
Spoiler:
Your audience isn’t sitting around keeping track of how long you’ve been gone.
But they are wondering if you’re going to disappear on their business too.
Here’s what they’re not waiting for:🚩 Another apology post
🚩 Another reintroduction
🚩 Another “Oops, I’m back!” vibe
What they are waiting for?
Content that reminds them exactly why they should trust you — and makes them want to work with you now.
In this episode, we’re breaking down:
✅ The 3 types of posts you need to drop after ghosting (no over-explaining required)
✅ Why hopping on a random trend isn’t fixing your consistency problem
✅ How to come back strong without sounding like everyone else
Because the problem isn’t that you took time off…
It’s that when you come back, you’re wasting posts instead of creating content that makes people think:
“I need to hire her, now.”
⚡️ Ready to get back in the game without the cringe “sorry I was gone” post?
Listen in + swipe the exact 3 post types that reestablish authority and get your audience paying attention.
P.S. Need help getting back into content without rewriting everything?
Grab my free 5 Day Content Challenge here:
https://katthevirtualgem.myflodesk.com/itsnotyouitsyourcontent
And if this episode hits?
Come DM me on Instagram @katthevirtualgem — you know I’ll be yapping over there.
Most of the business coaches selling you content strategies and content vaulets? They built their audiences years ago - under completely different conditions.
They had massive organic reach.
They didn’t have to compete with an oversaturated algorithm.
And now? They’re still pushing the same strategies from 2020… even though they don’t work the same anymore.
And what they aren't showing you while teaching these strategies?
🚩 They have teams writing their content, handling engagement, and running paid ads.
🚩 They’re playing a numbers game - which you do NOT have time for as you are still trying to get booked out.
🚩 They don’t have to test their own strategies anymore… but you do.
You’re not struggling because you’re bad at content - you’re struggling because you’ve been given the wrong blueprint.
→ You don’t need another viral hook or engagement hack.
→ You need content that positions you as the expert and makes your dream clients take action.
→ And that starts with understanding buyer psychology—not outdated Instagram tactics.
✅ Stop copying people who haven’t had to market themselves in years.
✅ Start creating content that actually moves your audience toward working with you.
✅ Focus on what makes people buy - not just what gets likes.
If this episode connects with you, come yap with me on Instagram at @katthevirtualgem
Looking to start implementing shifts in your content TODAY? Check out the free 5 Day Content Challenge here
https://katthevirtualgem.myflodesk.com/itsnotyouitsyourcontent