10 real conversations with female founders.

After taking a much-needed break from this newsletter at the start of the year, I had the idea to focus my time here in conversation with some of the amazing women I know who are experts at what they do.

What I loved most is how easily it all came together. The women who showed up were game and talked honestly about their businesses, their challenges, and what’s working now. As you’ll see from the list, the topics were varied — from trademarks to journaling, from product and business launches to Human Design, and more.

I’m sharing them here in case you missed any the first time around, thinking perhaps there’s a bit more space in your days to watch or listen now.

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The list.

Here’s what we got up to.

There’s so much wisdom and actionable advice in these 10 conversations. I hope there’s something that sparks your curiosity or answers a burning question about your business (or life).

And if watching on Substack’s not your thing, you can listen to them on the Business/Women with Katherine Danesi Podcast on Spotify.

Keep on summering.

I’m going to keep on summering. What that means for this newsletter is that it will land in your inbox when I really have something to say.

And If there’s a topic you’re itching for more information on, just hit reply and let me know. That’s the goal after all… to write what I know for sure (and most likely learned the hard way) that can help you the most.

Until next time.

Katherine

About Nicole:

Nicole Swartz is a trademark attorney and founder. In 2015, she started a beauty brand that was sold in hundreds of retailers around the world. But there was one big problem — she didn’t trademark her brand. One day, she woke up to a cease-and-desist letter in her inbox. Someone had trademarked her brand name and now they owned it. She had 30 days to rebrand everything. That nightmare turned into a mission: Nicole became a trademark attorney to help other female founders own their brands. Today, she runs one of the top 3 trademark law firms in the U.S., with over 2,000 trademarks filed and a 99.8% success rate.

What we covered:

1. The cost you don’t see coming is the one that hurts most.
Nicole built a beauty brand for two years before losing her business name overnight when a Cease & Desist Letter arrived in her inbox. The cost went well beyond the legal fees.

2. There’s a gender gap in trademark filings and it isn’t random.
The difference between the rate at which men and women file for trademarks is real. She tells you what’s behind it.

3. The moment to file isn’t when you’re ready, it’s before you need it.
Nicole explains when it’s the right time to file (and when it isn’t). This is a must-watch.

4. Your LLC isn’t protecting your brand.
Nicole breaks down what founders have in terms of business protection versus what they actually own.

5. She thought no one could replace her as the lead attorney in the practice.
The first attorney Nicole brought on taught her something she didn’t expect. The lesson stuck.

6. She built a firm that runs without her. Then had a baby. Then proved it.
This is an example of what building on your own terms actually looks like. And may not be how you would do it, and that’s the point.

Watch the conversation above or listen on Spotify.

Follow Nicole here: Website | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn | Substack

And if this has been a wakeup call for you, take her upon her offer for a free consultation.

I interviewed Nicole last August - here’s the link to our first conversation.

Until next time.

Katherine

This is what I discussed with .

Grace is the founder of The Hivery, a San Francisco, Bay Area-based women’s coworking space, inspiration lab, and membership community for women creating their next chapters....whether growing a business, writing a book, or getting paid for their art and expertise.

A trailblazer in community-centered programming and gorgeously designed community spaces, Grace has hosted luminaries including Jill Biden, Diane von Furstenberg, Shannon Watts, Marie Forleo, and Chip Conley, and has been featured in Forbes, Elle, Architectural Digest, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

She has built a network connecting thousands of women entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders and is a recognized expert in community-based businesses, purpose-driven work for women, and a respected mentor on how to create our lives like artists.

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Here are the highlights from our inspiring conversation.

1. The idea you keep dismissing might be the one you need to pursue.
We often don’t lack clarity. We lack the courage to take seriously and act on what we already know. Grace shared her experience and what finally got her to take action.

2. Your creative past is the blueprint.
Grace went from professional ballet dancer to tech marketer to founder, and every piece informed the next. What looks like an unrelated detour rarely is.

3. Grief is a business catalyst nobody talks about.
Losing her mother didn’t just break Grace’s heart, it broke open the question of whether her work actually meant anything. Learn how she worked through this loss (journaling was instrumental).

4. What community really is and why it matters when you’re at an inflection point.
Grace shared her very specific idea of community — The Hivery as an inspiration lab and what this means in relationship with others.

5. Beauty as a message to yourself.
Grace designed The Hivery to feel like a dance studio meets the coolest ad agency you ever dreamed of working at. She shared why this was so important and how it aligned with the ethos of The Hivery.

6. Constraints create your best ideas.
When Grace reopened The Hivery, she had almost no bandwidth for the curated programming that had been on of the hallmarks of the The Hivery’s initial physical space. How she solved for that constraint became the best thing she’s ever done.

7. The Victory Bell.
Members have rung it since 2014 for milestones big and small. Learn why this is so important to the community she’s built.

Grace dropped so many pieces of wisdom. As a female founder, at least one of them will apply to you.

Watch up top or catch the episode on Spotify.

Follow Grace here: Website | Instagram: Grace & The Hivery | LinkedIn | Substack | The Art of What’s Next Podcast

And if you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area and want to check out the magic at The Hivery, get your Free Day Pass here.

Until next time,

Katherine

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About Sana.

Sana Akhand is a somatic relationship coach, conscious matchmaker, and tech founder based in New York City. Her core belief—you have to regulate before you can relate—became the foundation for everything she built: a private coaching practice for couples and individuals, matchmaking dinner parties for singles ready to meet differently, and UNION, an app delivering personalized three-minute somatic practices exactly when people need them most.

Her unconventional approach to love went viral when her story of living separately from her husband made national headlines, landing her in The New York Times, Good Morning America, Business Insider, and The Tamron Hall Show. She’s also the host of “Thriving in Love,” a podcast that challenges relationship norms most of us never thought to question.

Here’s some of what we discussed:

1. The “checking all the boxes” trap. Sana had the career, the marriage, the Manhattan apartment and still felt completely empty. Her grandmother’s death forced one question that shifted her direction.

2. When you suppress your truth, the Universe gets louder. Before Sana told her husband she needed her own space, she had a bad fall that left her bedridden for a month. Her take: when we avoid what we know we need, the Universe finds a way to get our attention.

3. Relationship problems aren’t communication problems, they’re nervous system problems. No amount of “I statements” fixes a triggered nervous system. Emotional patterns live in the body, not the mind.

4. Do it first, then get the validation… not the other way around. There’s a tendency to want other people’s approval before you move forward. We dug into Sana’s approach.

5. Investor outreach. What worked for Sana and what didn’t.

6. Investor pitch feedback. Pitching is challenging. How to mine even an unsuccessful pitch for gold.

7. Solitude is the shortcut from performing to purpose. Ten minutes a day of tuning inward is what keeps Sana from abandoning ship when things are slow. Her word for this practice: rebellious.

This is the most wide-ranging conversation I’ve had yet.

Watch or listen up top, or catch the episode on Spotify.

For more from Sana…

Download the app: UNION

And follow Sana here: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Substack | Thriving in Love Podcast

Until next time,

Katherine

Three female founders walk into a Brooklyn cafeteria…

True story. Last week, I met up with two other fabulous women business owners for lunch at a cool, only-in-Brooklyn “cafeteria.” It was a long lunch and we closed the place at 4pm. The food and the conversation were excellent.

We talked books (we’re all avid readers) and we talked business. In terms of the latter, we all shared what’s working and what we wish was working, and what we love doing and really don’t like doing at all.

And we discussed how we talk about what we do. In that topic… gold.

Most often, when female founders say what they do, they’re really telling you how they do it. They’re not telling you the impact of their work, the outcome they deliver.

This was not just a lunch-time conversation. I see it consistently with my clients. And heck, I often fall into the “how” pit myself. Today, I want to pull this apart in order to help you think (and talk) differently about what you actually do.

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What you do is the outcome you deliver.

We’re talking transformation. It’s what you help your client achieve and how you make them feel. It’s the real reason they want to hire you. They may not come out and say it, but it’s what they’re looking for.

Let’s take my business as an example. I help my clients build thriving, consistently profitable businesses in support of the life they want to be living. I help them feel empowered and confident as business owners.

How do I do this? Strategy, advisory, and coaching. Weekly calls. Ongoing support.

You get the idea. This applies whether you’re operating a B2B model, selling services to companies, or a B2C model, supporting individuals.

Always think about your work in terms of the outcome you help them achieve.

Why do we default to the “how”?

The first answer to this question is that it’s easy. And it’s understandable. When someone asks what we do, the role, the title, the “how” is what’s readily available so that’s what we go with.

The next answer gets to the layer below this. I think there’s a part of us that’s reluctant to own the impact of our work. There’s some sort of block or thin film that keeps us from accessing that next level, beyond the how.

What creates the block?

There are a few things at play:

1. It can be hard to get perspective on our work “from inside the jar.”

2. We may not believe we created the outcome.

3. We’re reluctant to state our impact for fear of it seeming like we’re bragging.

4. We can be afraid of standing out when we own what we do and thus being cut down (aka “tall poppy syndrome”).

Be honest. Do any of these sound familiar?

Why it’s important to figure this out.

Let’s start with the most obvious answer. You’re out somewhere and meet someone new. And they ask you what you do.

Most often founders default to the title they’ve created for themselves. In my case, that would be Business Strategist & Advisor for female founders of service-based businesses. Is that true? 100% yes. But does it tell the whole story? Absolutely not.

Take this scenario one step further — whether it’s meeting other women businesses owner IRL or connecting with them online — where your goal is be memorable enough to potentially get referrals. When you say you’re a branding expert or website developer for women business coaches, how do you stand out from the rest so that you’re referrable?

Then there’s your website, newsletter, and social media posts. The content you create for all of the above broadcasts to the world (and hopefully your ideal client) what you want to be known for. If you’re staying in the “how” and not the transformation, you’re missing out on potential opportunities (clients and collaborations).

Lastly, there’s the moment when you’re actually pitching a client. As I like to say, no one cares “how the sausage gets made.” They care about the sausage itself. How are you going to change their business and life?

We’re talking about positioning.

When you stay at the level of deliverables:

• “Brand strategy”

• “PR support”

• “Digital marketing”

you become harder to differentiate.

The agencies and founder-led businesses that grow faster tend to articulate:

• What decision gets made

• What problem gets solved

• What risk gets removed

• What outcome becomes possible

when a client works you.

You’re selling the transformation, not the activity.

How to move beyond it.

Okay, so we know why it happens and the impact on our businesses. Now we need to look at some ways to get to the heart of what we do. The outcomes or transformation we deliver.

Ask “to what end?” or “so what?”

These are questions I use when I’m working with clients on their service offerings. I’ll ask them what they do. To which as noted above, nine times out of ten they’ll respond with how they do it.

Once we get clear that we’re looking for outcomes, they’ll answer again. This answer is closer to revealing the real work they’re doing. And yet often, it’s still not quite there. It’s not getting to the heart of what the client is gaining in the process of working with them.

At which point I ask, “To what end?,” often more than once. For example, “I design branding that elevates their business.” Excellent… To what end? What does “elevating their business mean”?

Another version of this question also works, “So what?”. ”I create on-brand websites for female-founded service-based businesses.” So what? What does an “on-brand website” get the founder?

The next time you’re describing what you do, push yourself to ask one of these questions and keep asking until you get to the true outcome you deliver.

And additional point here… This is the outcome/the feeling that only can deliver for them, because there is only one you with your unique set of expertise, interests, experiences, etc. They will not achieve the same result working with anyone else. Let that sink in.

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Ask your clients.

Yes, really. Survey your clients — ask them where they were before they started working with you and where they are today.

Pay attention to what they tell you when you meet with them. There’s often gold in these off-the-cuff comments.

Record your online work sessions, then feed the transcripts into ChatGPT / Claude / Gemini. Ask your AI tool of choice to pull the themes that run through them and the phrases that come up most often.

Ask your close founder friends.

This helps with the “inside the jar” block. Often other founders see us and the impact of our work more clearly than we do. I’ve had this happen in my circle, and I’ve seen lightbulbs of recognition go off in the process.

I say “recognition” because the knowledge was always there inside, but the person couldn’t articulate it for themselves. Your mutually supportive founder friends are gold.

Become more accurate about the value you already create.

This is how you stand out. This is how you attract the right clients. This is how you scale your business with less effort.

📢 Here’s what’s coming up on Substack Live.

It’s time to mark your calendars once again:

I hope you’ll join us.

Until next time.

Katherine

#ICYMI

Lindsay is an author, speaker, and mentor here to help you step into your full power as a creative and as a leader. Through keynotes, coaching, and retreats, she helps you bridge the gap between where you are and where you’re called to be. Whether your leap looks like writing a book, shifting careers, or finally choosing the life you know you’re here for, this journey will expand you in ways you can’t yet imagine.

What we dove into:

I met Lindsay in a beautifully serendipitous way and I share this story at the start of our conversation. And yes, it was bound up in the topic of creativity (and this Substack). While the “main course” is a discussion was “The Anti-Marriage Pact,” Lindsay generously shared her wisdom about having the courage to follow your own path.

• How Lindsay came to writing.

• Her novels and book of poetry.

• On getting 200 rejections and sticking with her writing.

• Lindsay’s (thoughtful) leap from Goldman Sachs to building a business being a creative spark for others.

• Creative channeling and conscious co-creation.

• How the idea for “The Anti-Marriage Pact” came to her.

• Sticking to what she knew was right for her main character EJ in “The Anti-Marriage Pact” and why she took a stand.

• TEDx talks (sometimes things can be easy)

• Helping women reconnect with their creativity.

If you’re feeling blocked or are creatively curious, this is for you.

Watch our conversation above or catch the episode on Spotify.

Pre-order the book (released on June 2nd): “The Anti-Marriage Pact”

And follow Linsday here: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Substack

Until next time.

Katherine

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Katerina Simonova-Liggio is a Strategic Growth Partner and Fractional CMO for founder-led DTC brands. Through her consultancy, No Matter, she helps brands navigate growth, positioning, and complexity with what she calls “strategy with soul” — a blend of insight, instinct, discernment, and data-informed thinking. With 15+ years spanning brand-side, agency, editorial, and founder roles, Kat specializes in helping businesses build from the inside out, creating marketing ecosystems that feel both effective and deeply human. Her work sits at the intersection of brand strategy, storytelling, lifecycle marketing, and the evolving role of AI in modern business and creativity.

What we discussed:

Kat and I have known each other for many years now and have both evolved our businesses in that time. We discussed what we both believe is the way to grow brands and businesses so they’re true to the founders, creating the products and services that could have only come from them.

• Brand strategy with soul — why this topic and why now?

• The brands that stand out aren't built on better tactics; they're built on deeper self-knowledge.

• The importance of knowing the “why” of your brand (or business).

• The Brand Archetype approach.

• The Five Pillars.

• How and why you need to learn to listen to what your body is telling you.

There are so many takeaways from our conversation that you can immediately apply in your business.

Watch our conversation above or catch the episode on Spotify.

Uncover your Brand Archetype: Get the exercise here.

Connect with Kat: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

Until next time.

Katherine

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Laura L. Rubin is the founder of AllSwell Creative, a mindful writing company devoted to cultivating self-awareness and creativity through journaling. A leading voice in the modern mindfulness movement, Rubin has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue, and Forbes for her work connecting the simple act of writing with the science of emotional wellbeing.

Rubin is also the founder of EndsWell, a nonprofit initiative that pairs trained journaling facilitators with underserved communities, using the written word as a tool for healing, self-expression, and resilience. She lives in Sag Harbor, New York.

Here are some of the highlights from our talk:

• Why journaling is having a moment (and why it’s so necessary)

• Accessing your own innate wisdom

• Why dopamine is running your life and how to take back control

• The power of awe, appreciation, and the Like list

• Laura’s 4x4x4 Method to help you get started with journaling

• How “The Big Unlock” came into the world

• Why businesses are getting turned on to journaling

• Laura’s new nonprofit - EndsWell

• The reality behind Laura’s shift from PR agency CEO to AllSwell founder and author

And so much more. Definitely watch the video or catch the podcast episode on Spotify.

Buy the book: “The Big Unlock: Liberate Your Creativity Through Mindful Journaling”

And follow Laura and AllSwell here:

AllSwell Creative | Instagram | LinkedIn | Substack

Make sure to sign up for AllSwell emails when you visit the site.

Until next time,

Katherine

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Ruchi Pinniger is a former Wall Street hedge fund CFO turned international speaker, venture capital investor, and Founder and CEO of Watch Her Prosper, a financial mentorship and consulting firm for women-led service-based businesses. With nearly two decades of corporate finance experience, she blends practical strategy with a holistic approach, offering financial guidance, bookkeeping, tax readiness, and prosperity mindset coaching. Ruchi has helped thousands of entrepreneurs transform their relationship with money, release guilt, and align personal and business goals. A recognized industry leader, she speaks globally and serves on nonprofit boards while living in New York City with her family.

Here’s what we covered:

• Ruchi’s backstory and why she launched Watch Your Prosper

• The lessons she learned from launching her own business

• The Three Pillars of Redefining Prosperity™ Framework: Well-being, spirituality, healthy relationships with people, and money

• Ruchi’s RIR Method™ for addressing negative thought patterns

• The most common challenge she sees in founder-led businesses: “I’m profitable, why do I feel broke?”

• Revenue reality: Why focusing on revenue alone is insufficient

• What does your prosperous life look like?

This was such a rich (pardon the pun) and fun conversation. Watch (or listen to!) it above.

Follow Ruchi on Instagram and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Ruchi’s upcoming Redefining Prosperity™ Workshop here where you can use the code FOUNDERSPROSPER for $100 off your investment.

Until next time.

Katherine

Join me for my next live video in the app.

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On wanting to clone myself.

It happens pretty much every time.

I’m invited to attend something or I hear about an IRL or online event via a friend, a fellow female founder, or some form of digital media (email, social) on a particular day and time, and I decide I’m going. Then that process repeats itself. So that inevitably there are two to three places I want to be (virtually or in person) at exactly the same time on the same day.

The latest… I host a monthly gathering for female founders in Manhattan the last Tuesday of the month. For April that means Tuesday the 28th. Needless to say, I need to be at my own event.

Late last week I learned that Restauranteur and Author Will Guidara would be doing a live, in-person event at Barnes & Noble Union Square to talk about and sign his new book “Unreasonable Hospitality: The Field Guide.”

I loved “Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.” So much so that I considered attending his second annual The Summit gathering in Nashville, before ultimately deciding against it. So when I saw that he was going to be in New York, I knew I wanted to be there. Until I saw the date and time. Which is, of course, at the same time as my monthly founder salon.

Hence my wanting to clone myself.

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Prioritizing IRL events.

One of the shifts I made going into 2026 was to prioritize IRL events over virtual group meetups. I still attend webinars on topics I want to learn more about and those held by founder friends I want to support. But when it comes to networking, I’m focusing on those spaces where I can meet people in the flesh.

And I’ve shifted my language to accompany this change. I’m no longer “networking,” I’m “connecting.” I changed the title of my Google Tracking Sheet and my associated Gmail folder to reflect that.

And you know what? It feels better. I really don’t like networking but I do love connecting. So that’s what I do now.

When you connect, especially in-person, conversations stick, you associate people with their ideas, you get ideas for ways to help and connect beyond event. For me, this is the basis of good business and new opportunities.

Planting seeds.

Growth isn’t linear.

You can put in a ton of work meeting new people, following up, reaching out, pitching, marketing yourself in a certain way, essentially “doing all the things,” and the results may not be immediately visible.

This is where I see founders get frustrated and want to give up or do something else… now. Note, I struggle with this right along with you.

That’s when I ask:

• Is it really not working?

• Are you really doing everything you can, consistently?

• Have you given it enough time to get the result you’re looking for?

The reality is you can’t predict when and how the seeds you plant today will bloom. You need to plant them anyway. You need to do the work anyway.

Because there’s growth happening underground. And when things do start working, it can happen quickly. You need to be ready.

I came across this Instagram Reel last week. It touches on so many of these points in terms of the creative process. And to be clear, I consider building a business to be a creative process.

“Resting time is making time.” Amen to that.

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Here’s what’s coming up on Substack Live.

I hope you’ll join us.

And a few pre-postscript p.s.’s.

1. Did you know that can listen to my Substack Live conversations in audio mode?

   1. Here’s the link to the show on Spotify

   2. You’ll find it in Apple Podcasts (I’m having trouble finding it, but a friend showed me it in the queue in her Apple Podcasts app, and I can see the podcast download in my stats, so I know it’s there)

   3. In the Substack App, just click on the headset icon for audio-only mode

2. If you’re in the New York area and you’re not yet on the invite list for my monthly Business/Women Salon, just reply to let me know you’d like to be added. I chose a spot near Union Square that’s central for those coming Brooklyn, Downtown and Uptown Manhattan, and New Jersey. I’ll send you the details for April.

3. If you’re interested in Will Guidara’s unreasonable hospitality philosophy, he has a bi-weekly newsletter called Pre-Meal. The latest issue tells the story of a gas station that has a popcorn stand installed between the pumps. Simple, yet oh so powerful.

4. One other language adjustment I made late last year was (in most cases) replacing “but” with “and” (see exception above). As in, “The call went well AND next time let’s make sure to move more quickly to the business topics so we get through the agenda.” Normally it would have been a “but,” and now it’s an “and.” It sets up just about any statement you make to be more positively received by the listener. One client told me she’s using it now in her business and with her partner. #gamechanger

Until next time.

Katherine

#ICYMI

Allison is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Human Design Guide, and Change Catalyst helping ambitious seekers shift from the inside out. Her work blends subconscious re-patterning, Human Design, and intuitive guidance for real, long lasting change. Since 2008, she’s guided clients through career pivots, relationship patterns, health challenges, and identity shifts–so they can reclaim their truth and live in alignment with their natural rhythm and design. She offers both 1:1 work and group mentorship, and teaches workshops on both coasts, including NYC, SF, and LA.

Here’s what we covered:

• Her path to hypnotherapy and how she practices it with clients

• What Human Design is

• The BodyGraph

• The five Types, how they operate, and their associated Strategies (including mine and Allison’s)

• How to tailor your approach to your business so it’s aligned with your Human Design

• Bringing Human Design to your relationships (business and personal)

Definitely check it out up top.

And follow Allison on Instagram, and visit her website where you can use code KD10 for 10% off all of her Human Design offerings.

Until next time.

Katherine

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If you’re not yet in the know, Etalon is a wellness brand reimagining posture as a pathway to alignment - physically, mentally, and emotionally. With a background in engineering and years as a yoga and Pilates teacher, Kristina has brought together science, movement, and intuition to create products that support women in feeling stronger, more present, and more connected to themselves. Her work is rooted in a simple idea: when you change how you carry your body, you change how you move through your life.

Kristina and I had a wide-ranging conversation during which we touched on:

• Kristina’s founder’s journey

• How her relationship with her body led her down the path to Etalon

• What alignment means to Kristina (think more than just the body)

• Reinventing herself, going from employee to founder

• Defining success on her own terms (in spite of the pressure of living next door to Silicon Valley)

• The importance of being close to your customer

• Connecting the dots

Etalon is on a mission:

I hope you’ll watch the entire conversation above.

Then follow Etalon and Kristina on Instagram, and visit their website where you can use code KATHERINEDANESI for 15% off your first order.

Until next time.

Katherine

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After Noon Foods makes dried dressing blends you mix with oil and vinegar to create fresh, homemade dressing in minutes. Made with real herbs and spices, the brand is built for busy home cooks who care about flavor, quality and convenience. After Noon Foods brings a modern, better-for-you update to a familiar pantry staple.

In our conversation, we discussed:

• Their origin story — why this product and why them.

• When they launched the business and what the early days were like.

• The many learnings they’ve had since then (think initial product order, marketing, packaging, and more).

• The importance of testing.

• What Expo West is and what it’s like to attend.

• What the SKU Accelerator is and why they applied even though they didn’t fit the usual profile of startups accepted.

• Their advice for other women wanting to launch their own brands.

• What’s next for After Noon Foods.

Everything they shared was gold.

Check out the entire conversation above and don’t forget to get in on what Erica and Kelly are up to with After Noon Foods on Instagram and their website, where you can use code HOMEMADE25 for 25% off your first order.

Until next time.

Katherine

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This is a quick note to let you know that the first Substack Live has been moved from Wednesday, 4.1 to Friday 4.3 and will now take place at 12:00 noon EDT.

Connecting With Food - After Noon Foods founders Kelly Duerr & Erica Gendell

You’ll receive an email just prior to when it starts.

And if you’re new to Sub…

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What really happened.

Back in January, I shared that this newsletter was going on hiatus for the first quarter. My reason for the break… “Nothing dramatic. Just an honest break to focus on different strategies, tactics, and activities.”

The truth is I ran out of steam and I ran out of ideas. The thought of writing it each week began to feel like a slog. I was no longer eager to share what I was seeing in the businesses I was working with (and in my own).

Out of nowhere it hit me that I needed to just stop, and it was like, “Of course.” As soon as I admitted that to myself, I felt so much better (yes, I felt lighter). I knew I really wanted to leave this behind for a while. So I did.

It wasn’t easy and I still knew it was the right thing to do. So, I share this:

Thank you “gentle readers” who told me that they’d miss the newsletter landing in their inbox on Wednesday morning. It made me feel a bit bad and also it helped me to know that when I’m doing something for the love of it, it works.

And I was no longer doing it for the love of it.

Aries season as the start of my personal New Year.

I knew on December 31st that the traditional New Year was a non-event in my life. I could feel it. So much so that it didn’t even register.

In those first days of 2026, I decided to honor the astrological new year which is the start of Aries season. That meant giving myself the grace to not force anything (or worry!) until March 20th. It turns out that was a gift.

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The fallow period.

My Human Design Type is a Generator. That means I work best (in business and life) by following what lights me up, by being energized and excited about an idea and what I’m doing.

When December hit, nothing was lighting me up or getting me excited. This continued into the traditional start of the New Year. My creative well was dry. And most of the places I’d been showing up online (platforms and networking groups) no longer felt good when looked at under the lens of real outcomes (emotional and otherwise).

If I was to truly lean into my design, it would mean doing nothing (client work aside). I quickly learned it’s really, really difficult to do nothing. And there was this — it’s so easy to think that doing something (anything) is better than doing nothing.

But that’s not always the case. Forcing myself to do nothing rather than do things that didn’t feel right or were not generating a desired result was not easy. Yet I came to see that, over time, by not giving into the temptation, I was gradually opening up some space for other things to come in.

A first green shoot emerging out of the soil.

In late February, looking for something that might help, I joined a creative salon hosted by author and creativity coach . It was a tea held at a Soho hotel on a Friday afternoon and it was an intimate group. I’d not met Lindsay before. She was warm and welcoming and clearly a pro at these types of gatherings.

She started by having each of us introduce ourselves and what we did, and share what had us inspired and excited at the moment. Note that at this point, I was still in full “fallow mode.”

There were five women ahead of me. As I listened to each of them share what has them jazzed at the moment (so many interesting things!), all I could think was, “F*ck. What am I going to say when it’s my turn?” Really, f*ck. What could I make up, even though it wasn’t my lived experience, to satisfy the group so they would move on to the next lovely human.

Then I decided not to go that route, not to let myself of the hook. I decided to tell the truth. I simply said, “Nothing. Nothing has me inspired or excited at the moment.”

As I said, Lindsay is a pro. The rest of the group just looked at me, not sure what to say, but Lindsay had exactly the right response. She said, she’s been there, and it’s a really tough place to be. And she appreciated that I shared that with the group and had the courage to hang out in that uncomfortable liminal space. That was exactly what I needed to hear.

We moved on to brainstorming an idea another female founder had for a new Substack and then (my courage up now) discussing how I could extend my monthly Business/Women Salon meetups to longer, more intensive gatherings on a quarterly basis. I left Lindsay’s afternoon tea slightly uplifted and moved on to see some art at a few galleries on Broadway south of Canal.

Whether I realized it or not at the time, the seeds had begun to sprout in the compost of what I had let die away. A week or so later, I knew exactly what I wanted my Substack to be in its next iteration. I was excited by the idea, like tingly in my body excited, in a way I’d not been in a very long time.

What to expect here going forward.

Each month, I’ll be writing one long form piece like those you’ve come to expect, with business advice and guidance. Note(!) I’m always open to answering burning questions you have about your business in an upcoming newsletter. Just hit reply with your question(s) and I’ll confirm receipt.

The rest of the month, I’ll host two to three Substack Live conversations with other female founders. These are women who are expert at what they do. They’ll share their knowledge, wisdom, and expertise and, in some cases, their learnings as they’ve grown and evolved their businesses.

No two will bill exactly alike. But I can promise you they’ll be interesting and you’ll have at least one nugget to use in your business (and life). Choose which of them resonate and meet you where you’re at.

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The Substack Live schedule.

Here’s what’s coming up, so mark your calendars! April starts off with some real Aries energy… there are four Lives on the schedule.

To kick things off on April 1st (no April Fooling here), we have the founders of After Noon Foods. If you have an idea for a healthy food you want to bring into the world, this is for you or you’re just curious about what it takes, this is for you.

April

April 1 - 11 am EDT — Connecting With Food - After Noon Foods founders Kelly Duerr & Erica Gendell

April 9 - 2 pm EDT — Getting Aligned with Etalon founder Kristina Rudzinskaya

April 15 - 1 pm EDT — Let’s Talk Human Design with

April 29- 1 pm EDT — Redefining Prosperity for Female Founders with Watch Her Prosper founder Ruchi Pinniger

May (so far)

May 6 - 11 am EDT — “The Big Unlock: Liberate Your Creativity Through Mindful Journaling” with author, creative coach, and AllSwell Creative foudner

May 19 - 1 pm EDT — “The Anti-Marriage Pact,” Creative Channeling, and Overcoming the Starving Artist Narrative with writer and creativity coach

I hope you’ll join us.

On alignment.

My Substack Live guest on April 9th is Etalon Posture Bra founder Kristina Rudzinskaya. I was introduced to the brand at the end of 2025 and have been wearing my Etalon bra pretty much daily since then.

That consistency has made all the difference. My posture has noteicably improved. I now carry myself differently in my body, and I even walk differently (yes, more aligned) which is, frankly, awesome.

What I've found fascinating is the body really knows how it wants to be once you've shown it what correct posture is. Even when I'm not wearing it, my body auto-corrects if I happen to be hunched over my laptop.

Recently, the Etalon team interviewed me about creating meaningful connections, practicing discernment, learning when to say, “no,” and alignment in business and the body.

E: What does “living in alignment” mean for you right now — in your work, your relationships, and the communities you choose to invest in?

K: For me, living in alignment means showing up in the most present and truest way possible, no matter the circumstance or the setting. It means creating and holding respectful boundaries and exercising the right to say “no” when something feels out of alignment…

Read the full interview here: Strategy Meets Self-Knowledge With Katherine Danesi.

And if you know your body is whispering to you for better alignment, use code KATHERINE DANESI at checkout for 15% off your first order.

A new chapter.

Thanks for hanging around while I figured this out. I am truly grateful.

Until next time.

Katherine

#ICYMI

A New Year update.

First off, Happy New Year! 🎆

I hope you enjoyed a real break from your business and spent engaged time with those who matter most to you. I mean really, it’s why we do what we do, right?

After much thought (and more than one gut check), I’ve decided to spend my time a bit differently as we move into 2026. And part of this shift in my business is putting this newsletter on hiatus for the first quarter (possibly a bit longer).

Nothing dramatic. Just an honest break to focus on different strategies, tactics, and activities.

If you’re a paid subscriber, no worries. I’ve already paused paid subscriptions, so no action is needed on your end.

While I’m on pause, I’ve unlocked a good portion of my Substack archive so you can explore past posts by topic whenever it’s useful.

👉 Business/Women Archive

Just click on the magnifying glass on the top-right of the list of articles to search for an answer to your question.

There’s a lot there on pricing, structure, scaling, and running a business that actually moves the needle and makes sure your business works for your life.

I hope you find it helpful.

Ways to work with me in 2026.

If you’re thinking, “I could actually use help with my business this year,” or you know someone who could, here’s how I’m working with clients right now:

• Strategic Advisory Sprints
  Short, focused engagements for founders who want clarity, structure, and a real growth plan… fast. We look at the whole business (offers, pricing, capacity, finances, team) and map the right next moves for you to take in the right order to get you unstuck and taking thoughtful (and exciting!) action.

• Business Model Redesign
  A focused reset for when what used to work… doesn’t anymore and scaling beyond where you’re at seems impossible. We rebuild the foundation — your offers, pricing, positioning, delivery, capacity, and team — so the business actually supports the revenue you want and the life you’re trying to live.

• Ongoing Strategic Advisory
  For founders who don’t need another coach cheering from the sidelines, but do want a trusted, senior thinking and accountability partner as they implement, make decisions, and scale their business.

This work is best suited for established service-based businesses that are doing well, but feel stuck, stretched, and unable to generate meaningful, sustainable growth (aka they can’t get to “the next level”).

You can learn more here:

→ Website
→ Services
→ About

If this email has been forwarded to you, you’re likely in the right place.

TL';DR.

I work with established service-based founders through Strategic Advisory Sprints, Business Model Redesigns, and ongoing Strategic Advisory. This is for businesses that are doing well but feel stuck, stretched, or more complicated than they need to be in order to grow. Details here.

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In gratitude.

Mostly, I want to say thank you. For reading. For replying. For spending your time here. I don’t take that lightly.

I’ll be back. Just giving things a little breathing room for now.

Thanks for being here… until next time.

Katherine

#ICYMI

We’re closing out 2025. Looking back, there were 70 posts published here, and frankly, not keeping count as the weeks went by I was surprised. I thought I’d share the best of this crop of pears (opens, reach, comments, likes, shares) to use as part of your year-end business review and planning for 2026. They’re listed in…

Read more

Now we’re onto pricing. This is a sensitive subject for pretty much every female business owner I know. My guess is you’re one of them.

So let’s dig in.

Read more

Last week, we dove into ways to scale a business with no retainer clients.

This week, we’re exploring a pain point of pretty much every seasoned creative founder I work with. They’re maxed out. They’re tired. They’re actually afraid of scaling because they equate growth with more work.

Let’s dig in.

Subscribe now

How do I grow my business without drowning? I’m fully-booked, but my revenue isn’t increasing and I’m stretched way thin.

This is the question I hear from creative founders more than any other and for good reason. “Fully booked” sounds amazing. And it is. Until you realize it’s become a ceiling for your business. One you don’t know how to move beyond.

You’re not able to scale because you’re at capacity. And capacity, not demand, is what determines your ability to grow. It includes your pricing, systems, team, offer design, and more.

Let’s break this down.

What’s actually happening?

When clients ask this question, it’s almost always a mix of:

1. The business model can’t support growth.

• You’re selling time, not outcomes.

• You’re offering too many custom solutions.

• Your pricing was set in 2021 and not revisited since then.

2. The founder is the bottleneck.

Everything routes through you. Review, approvals, delivery, client communication, all of it. You’re running the creative business equivalent of a “one-man band.”

3. You have no systems in place.

This works beautifully until you hit a wall. Then it stops.

1. Raise your effective hourly rate (yes, even if you don’t bill hourly).

Most founders underprice simply because they’re too busy to stop and think about how they’re designing their fees.

If demand is consistent and your calendar is full and you’re not getting any pushback on your rates during the business development process, that’s the market telling you to adjust your pricing... up.

Revisit your fees with that in mind.

2. Simplify your offerings.

If everything is custom, nothing is scalable.

Ask yourself:

• Which services are truly profitable?

• Which clients energize me?

• Where do projects run smoothly vs. drag endlessly?

Cut what’s not profitable and what’s not working for you.

Double down on the offer(s) where you can deliver great work that you enjoy and send money to the bottom line doing it.

3. Redesign your delivery model to remove yourself as the bottleneck.

This part can be… uncomfortable. Because this is where the leverage lives.

Some ideas to help make this shift:

• Document the way you work (your method, templates, review steps) — think SOPs.

• Automate what can be automated.

• Delegate what doesn’t require your brain.

• Bring in support before you think you’re ready.

Your job is to design the experience for your clients. Not to personally execute every piece of it.

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4. Buy back your time strategically.

If you hire someone only to give them low-value tasks, you won’t feel the relief.

Instead, ask: What work do I do that someone else could do 80% as well?

Yes, as a recovering perfectionist I know this is not easy. But I can tell you, it works.

Start there.
That 80% unlocks enormous capacity.

5. Replace intensity with consistency.

The biggest trap I see: you work like a maniac during busy delivery seasons and do zero business development.

Then you wake up shocked that your pipeline is empty.

Try this instead:

• One hour per week of proactive business development. This is non-negotiable.

• One to two marketing channels done regularly (not five done sporadically).

• Quarterly review of pricing, profitability, and capacity.

Consistency is what scales a business.

6. Let the numbers, not your wave of emotions, guide you.

Look at:

• Your true capacity in terms of your time and money

• Your average revenue per client

• Your delivery timeline

• The cost of support

• Your profitability by offering

Your path to growth becomes clear when the math is on the table.

Most founders make decisions based on overwhelm instead of data. Trust the data.

The truth.

You’re not stuck because you’re not working hard enough.

You’re stuck because the current version of your business is maxed out.

Your next level requires a different design — one that gives you space, margin, and actual room to grow.

And yes, it’s absolutely possible.

Your turn… submit your question.

Does this crack something open for you?
What’s the question you’d love answered in this AMA series?

Hit reply and send it my way.

I read every question myself.

Until next week.

Katherine

#ICYMI

Here’s the question. I hope you find this helpful.

Subscribe now

How do I scale a business when I have no retainer clients? It either rains or pours. I can not forecast anything!

This is such a good and important question!

To get started, I’m going to make a couple of assumptions so that we’re on the same page. The first is that you’re a service provider and your work is project-based (perhaps you’re a branding expert or a web designer).

And then I have a few questions…

• Why do you not have retainer clients?

• Does your area of expertise lend itself only to project-based engagements?

• Or is it a case of it being the way you’ve always done it?

• Is it possible to shift future proposals to retainers rather than project fees?

• How could you restructure the way in which your services are delivered to shift to 6- or 12-month retainers?

My goal with these questions is to create some space for new ways of thinking about your business.

Offering structure

Assuming your core offering is project-based by default, I’d ask you to consider whether there’s an aspect of what you do that can be designed as a retainer. This would be a service that complements your core offering.

Some examples:

• Is there one aspect of what you do that clients want on repeat? If so, package that as an entry level offering to allow people to experience your magic or as an add-on once someone has complete a project with you.

• Monthly advisory — a set number of hours per month that you’re available to answer questions, advise, guide your clients for a set monthly fee

• Monthly maintenance — this works well for website designers/developers

• Quarterly design/content refresh — too often we think in “all or nothing” terms; this gives you a middle path where the client signs on for an annual retainer that you can invoice monthly or quarterly

• A membership — is there an aspect of your work that can be applied to a group setting once you’ve completed the core project?

These are just a few ideas to get you imaging the possibilities. The idea here is to keep your main services intact and add an offering that is retainer-based to reduce the financial impact of the feast or famine cycle (aka, smooth out your cash flow).

Cash flow

This is the challenge with project-based work. As you point out, it either rains or pours. This directly impacts your monthly cash flow. I’ve written about this topic in detail — you’ll find that article here.

Having a solid handle on your consistent monthly outflow (expenses) and the timing of your inflow (revenue) is key. With that number you can calculate the amount you should ideally have in savings to help smooth out your cash flow and provide a cushion for lighter revenue months.

Seasonality

Every business has some seasonality baked into it. When does your ideal client typically look for what you have to offer? What months are typically quiet (perhaps it’s year-end or the summer). If you’ve been in business for at least a year, you’ll start to see patterns. And awareness of those patterns allow you to plan for them in your savings and cash flow, as described above.

That said, traditionally quiet periods can unexpectedly be busier some years. I have one client who for whom this is typically their slow season and they’re busier than ever leading right up to the Christmas break.

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Payment structure

How (electronically!) and when you get paid is critical to your project-based business.

• Always send an invoice for 50% deposit up front, with payment to be received before the work starts.

• Then the next 25% is invoiced at a reasonable, mutually agreed upon milestone. That could be as simple as midway through the project — for example 6 weeks into a 3 month project. Payable upon receipt.

• The last 25% invoiced before the project is complete or final deliverables are sent. Again, this is payable upon receipt.

• If it’s a short project, go with 50% and 50%

This does a couple of things. It helps you to avoid doing work for which you don’t receive payment; and it mimics a retainer… in this example above, 3 months, but it could be 6 or 9 months. If the project is short, let’s say 4-6 weeks, keep it to two invoices of 50% each. And map out your revenue and cash flow with this in mind.

Set up the right payment structure from the start. And always get payment before the work starts.

Business Development

As you’ve no doubt heard before, there’s working IN your business and working ON your business. When you’re in “pour” season, it can be easy to devote all of your time to client work (working in your business) and spend none of it tending to your own needs (working on your business).

In my clients’ businesses, this most often shows up as forgoing any proactive business development work. Which of course leads to the “rain” season once current the client project(s) end.

One way to help is to schedule even one hour per week for proactive business development activities. It gets booked on your calendar and it’s non-negotiable. You can reschedule it within a given week if need be, but you cannot punt it to the next week.

Your Team

If you have a team, even a VA, leverage them to free up your time to work on your business, doing the high value activities that only you can do. As your revenue increases, thoughtfully grow your team to support this continued evolution.

Client Feedback/Testimonial + Referrals

When you wrap a client project, ask them to complete a feedback form regarding your work together, one that includes a request for a testimonial, or simply ask for the testimonial on your wrap call or via email. And let them know that you always welcome referrals… those from current and former clients are always the best.

Your turn… submit your question.

Does this have you thinking about your own business? What would be helpful for you to know?

It could be on the topic of getting new clients, your positioning, your offerings and pricing, hiring a team, your operational setup… Whatever challenge you’re facing that has you stuck or opportunity you’ve created that has you not quite sure how to move forward.

Just hit reply to this email to submit your question.

Until next week.

Katherine

#ICYMI