Staying Informed with Teresa Ruiz Decker

[00:00:00] Emily Thompson: Welcome to Being Boss, a podcast for creatives, business owners and entrepreneurs who want to take control of their work and live life on their own terms. I'm your host, Emily Thompson. And today I'm joined by Teresa Ruiz Decker to talk about staying informed. We're exploring the importance of plugging in as a modern human, how it will help you identify the areas where you're meant to make an impact, how to unplug, because sometimes that's necessary too.

[00:00:28] And the benefits of keeping your finger on the pulse of what's happening in the world of business ownership, entrepreneurship and within your own industry. We're also sharing more about what we've been stirring up here at Being Boss, a new newsletter called Brewed. You can find all the tools, books, and links

[00:00:45] we reference on the show notes at www.beingboss.club. And if you like this episode, be sure to subscribe to the show and share us with a friend.

[00:00:56] Sometimes seeing someone else's path to success helps us clearly map out our own. It's why we all like business podcasts, right? Well, I'm here to share a show for you to check out the Female Startup Club Podcast, an amazing resource that shares insights and learnings from the world's most successful female founders, entrepreneurs, and women in business.

[00:01:16] And our reason episode, I loved hearing how Michelle Grant, the founder of Lively, the lingerie and swimwear brand built and sold her company for $105 million dollars in just three years, the total boss move. So if you're looking for a new pod to inspire your next steps, listen to the female startup podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts

[00:01:42] Teresa Ruiz Decker is the owner, lead writer and chief bad-ass at Dream Catch copywriting and consulting. Teresa went from cubicle queen to entrepreneur after being laid off from a large nonprofit in 2017 and never looked back. Four years later, Dream Catch focuses on brand messaging and writing for organizations out to change the world for the better they help nonprofits and small businesses find a natural writing voice and know the right messages for their audiences.

[00:02:14] Welcome Teresa to Being Boss. This has been a long time coming, but you are here. 

[00:02:18] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Yes, I am. I'm so excited to be with you. I just love your energy, love everything about you and have for years. So coming full circle today. 

[00:02:28] Emily Thompson: Yeah, we are. We're going to have a really good conversation. I know this is going to be true.

[00:02:35] We've been talking for years and I'm sure that that's going to be something that comes out of how we begin this, but to give everyone a basic introduction to yourself and what it is that you do, let's open this up with you telling us a little bit about your entrepreneurial journey and how it is that you got to where you are today.

[00:02:54] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Well, I was reflecting on it and, being boss is actually a huge part of my journey. Like I remember I had this idea, of course I hated my job at the time I was working in house. I think I was working for a university, which can be great, but super bureaucratic. And I've always done marketing communications, but it just, it was difficult.

[00:03:19] I was about to have a baby and, I never liked anyone telling me what to do, which has always been my problem.

[00:03:32] So, looking up things and I came across like this idea of starting your own business or starting your own blog. And I just started to do a lot of research and, funny enough, I didn't see a lot of women in that space at the time that we're talking about entrepreneurship and specifically something that I learned from you, which was creative entrepreneurship.

[00:03:55] And so when I found your podcast and this was years ago now, I was just like, oh my God, I love this. And I loved how just like down to earth, you too were and are, and how you talked about not just business but life. And, that really impacted me in the way that I saw myself as an entrepreneur, because I thought, wow,

[00:04:19] If these two women could build businesses that they love around their life, then I can do it too. And it just, it just really influenced me. And so, I studied entrepreneurship, listening to your podcast, if you other folks, reading books, reading articles for a long time.

[00:04:38] I had been freelancing already. And I kind of did that to dip my toe in the water and it, and it worked out good. I was getting projects and I figured out I was pricing too low and, and things like that. But fast forward years later while I'm studying and sort of like doing these freelance projects, I had a second kid, I was at a large nonprofit.

[00:05:03] I had gotten another job and then I got laid off, got laid off from that job and it sucked. But there was like this little voice inside of me that was just like, maybe this is it. You've been saying, you're going to do, start a business. You've been, writing on a blog for yourself.

[00:05:23] No one, no one paid me. Right. I just did these things. I created work for myself when nobody would hire me. but maybe this is ed. And so I, I looked at my husband, we were scared shitless and I said, look, Give me three months to make the same income that I made at the job. If I don't do that, I'll go back.

[00:05:41] I promise you, we can go back to nine to five, but if I do then, we're going to make it fly and watch me go. 

[00:05:51] Emily Thompson: Three months. That's such a short time. It's like stressing me out. 

[00:05:59] Teresa Ruiz Decker: I was like, I gotta, I gotta do it. I think when you have two kids and you're backed up against the wall for rent and stuff, it just changes your mindset and what you think you need a year to do.

[00:06:10] You magically get your ass into gear and you realize like, okay, I'm either going to do it or I'm not. And I did it. And so, yeah, I made that up and more. And my first year, I've been in business for years now, my first year I broke six figures. you were also a big part of that and I've been breaking six figures since because I hire smart people like you to coach me.

[00:06:34] I listen to smart people, it's all the things combined with hard work. 

[00:06:40] Emily Thompson: Right. Combined with hard work for sure. And it's been, it's in such a pleasure of watching you build and do what you want to do. And there is something to be said too. I've seen lots of information, lots of stats and articles and tweets, it's cetera, around like forced entrepreneurship and around how people who don't choose a hard entrepreneurship necessarily, but are forced into it.

[00:07:04] Like they have to it's a make or break sort of situation tend to be significantly more successful and have better long-term businesses. Meet their goals faster and maybe not necessarily easier, but I mean, definitely faster than people who choose this path because of that, because of that half to this of it.

[00:07:27] And I think you're a perfect example of that. 

[00:07:29] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Yeah. 

[00:07:29] There's a lot of, you got to have a good fire in your belly, and I think, I read Jensen churros, how to be a bad-ass and, she talks a lot about making the decision, don't dance around it. Don't sit with it and hold hands and, wonder if you're going to do it, just do it.

[00:07:47] You make the decision and you go for it. And I think that ends up being one of the hardest things, whether you're just starting your business or creating anything new, because I'm going through that process again, it's just sitting her ass down and doing the work. 

[00:08:01] Emily Thompson: Yeah, it's doing all of that, but it's also like one of the things I've always admired about how you work with your clients is you you're making connections, right.

[00:08:12] You're really caring about what it is that they're doing. You are diving in, I think a little bit deeper than people who are just, looking for clients and hiring them and doing the work and delivering it and moving on. And I think that. That like deepness of the work that you do also plays into the success that you found for yourself..

[00:08:33] Teresa Ruiz Decker: That's such a good point, and thank you because that's a huge compliment. you know Dream Catch, I'm a writer. So dream catch right now focuses on copywriting and brand messaging. And we also do communication support, but really my specialty is writing. I have found that the best way to write for someone is to know them is to understand them is to believe in them and know their goals and, to full heartedly, give my skills to support what they're doing, because again, like that's, that's my mission in life.

[00:09:07] And, I was sharing before, I think the through line in all of my work is storytelling, to really change the world for the better. And so when you're working with people like that, that inspire you right out the gate, you definitely want to give it your all. And I do think there's something to be said about, just getting clients in the door versus really choosing the right people to work with understanding their needs deeply and knowing can I help them or not?

[00:09:35] Because if you can't, you, you don't want to bring them on board. You really want to hand pick those clients, that you connect with that that you can give your all to, and then make sure you do that. Give them a very good experience from beginning to end. 

[00:09:50] Emily Thompson: Yeah. Well, I want to talk about this mission because it's a small one that's sarcasm.

[00:09:58] If you're not catching that everybody, this idea of storytelling to change the world for the better of inspiring action, with the words that you write, you work a lot with you call them a social impact leaders. Like the work that you're doing is not small by any means like your mission is big. And it's so funny.

[00:10:17] Cause you're talking about having a fire in your belly and saying like, you work with people deeper and you're just like, oh, that's just how that's how you do it. But like you do it deeper and bigger than most in general. So I do want to highlight that. and how that plays into this mission of yours.

[00:10:37] I've seen you work through. I've seen you delivered on, this idea of this is changing the world with what you're writing, why this mission and do you sleep?

[00:10:53] Teresa Ruiz Decker: I do, although the two kids I have don't help all the time. I love my sleep. Yeah. Here’s a fundamental sort of belief that I have and everybody is talented in some way. Right. We all have gifts and we can all use them in different ways. It just so happened that when I was working in-house at different places, I started to understand and realize what really resonates with me.

[00:11:19] What is the work that means something to me so deeply that I could still pull myself out of bed to get it done. Even when things are not going great. Even when things look really crappy, what's going to get me out of bed. So. I've worked at the LA times. I've worked at universities, I've worked for investment firms and I've done a lot of different things because, I studied journalism, in college I got a master's degree in communication.

[00:11:47] And so I think when you're in the communication field, you can do a lot. Right. It's very broad. But after all those experiences, at the end of the day, I kept telling myself, my heart and my intuition are pulling me towards the work and the world solving problems. Right. And not just my problems or a client problems, but the big problems.

[00:12:08] If you look around at the world today, it's, it's easy to get discouraged. Right. We have a lot of social issues at play. A lot of environmental issues. I mean, you name it, it looks like we're facing it. if you look at where the United States has been over the years, sometimes I feel like we're reliving the 60's

[00:12:29] in some ways, because there's a resurgence, a resurgence of social activism, people are awakening again, and they're looking around and saying, wait a minute, this doesn't feel right. This doesn't seem right. It doesn't look right. So I think when you look at that, and then you say to yourself, two things either, there's nothing I can do.

[00:12:49] I'm going to throw my hands up in the air, forget it. I'm going to put my head on the sand and that's okay too. Right? Cause not everybody is out to do this work, but then there's another group of people that say, you know what? I can't change everything, but I can change something for someone I can do one thing a day with my skills, with my time, with my life that could make the world better in my corner, where I live at.

[00:13:15] And so I really believe in that, sort of. I think you find more meaning in your work when you find something that resonates with your soul. And so I encourage people to do that a lot. It sounds very lofty, but you'd be surprised how easy it is. If you just listen to your intuition and you kind of listen to the clues that are dropped about what

[00:13:35] means the most to you. So, my writing, and social justice, it was like, I started looking around, I saw all these great women who would use, writing to change the world. I took like this really cool Chicano literature class. And there were a bunch of Latino authors in there. And Chicanas, of course, and that was my first taste of like, wow, look at these women just like pouring their heart onto the page.

[00:14:01] And they are fighting right with words and sharing their, their beliefs, their thoughts, their pain. And that really, that changed me. It shook me. I was like, wow, words are powerful. And then later I got introduced to Roxanne Gay. She is an incredible social justice writer and she has several books, super active on Twitter.

[00:14:24] And do from there, it just go, the list goes on. There's Tony Morrison. There's just all these incredible writers. that changed the world. And of course, some were more familiar with like Maya Angelou, but there's actually like tons and tons of people like me that are using our words to really shape the world that we want to see and to also change hearts and minds. 

[00:14:49] Emily Thompson: Just low key like that.

[00:14:54] I love, I wish everyone could see you talking and how, how animated and how excited you get when you are saying you're moving around, you are using your arm. Like you are, you are living this. And I love this so much. And it's one of the reasons, it's one of the reasons that I have enjoyed working with you so much is again, that passion that you have for this work.

[00:15:19] And I want to dig into this piece of, of staying informed of and really you brought it up with this idea of like connecting with what matters most, because I think those two things are really closely aligned because we're just in case everyone's wondering where we're wanting to take this it's in this direction of staying informed and why it matters and what it looks like.

[00:15:43] And especially, you're a mom of two, you own a business, you're a writer you're writing for work. Hopefully you're also writing for pleasure. and, and you have made this social impact, your mission. So how do you one, like find time to stay informed? Like what does that look like for you? and why take the.

[00:16:09] To stay informed. 

[00:16:12] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Those are both really good questions. So here's, I'll start with the why, and the why ends up kind of driving the how in some ways, but what I'll say is that, again, you can sort of choose to look away or you can choose to look toward what's happening and then figure out what issues resonate most with you.

[00:16:35] And so I think each of us have something that calls to us or speaks to us. I think it's just a matter of figuring out, what really strikes a chord and what we're willing to give our time to, because our attention is the most valuable thing that we have and what we focus on, obviously, we get more of, and so I think there's a fine line in the way that we approach this.

[00:17:00] For me, it's like, if I want to change the world, I need to understand what's happening, but I can't take it all in at once. Right. It's just too draining. It's just too much. It's overwhelming. And so a lot of the times what I'll do is I'll time myself, look, here's some things that I've seen or heard that I, I really care deeply about like the things that are happening right now with immigration.

[00:17:24] Right. Here's how I know that that matters to me because it breaks my heart. If something breaks your heart, there's usually a reason why, and you should probably look into that more, but like, that's one of the things, right. And I think. There are a lot of different topics, but I look at that and I think, wow, that's so fascinating to me what's happening right now.

[00:17:46] And it breaks my heart, but I also have hope. And so, to be intentional about those things and to listen and then try to really do your research, you, you need to be informed. And I think this is part of my journalism background. It's not just being informed. It's being informed from credible sources and you have to be very careful about that.

[00:18:08] I think especially now, So how do we do this? I think depending on the issue, I've done different Google searches and I've done, different searches on social media. And I really try to follow those organizations that I see, have a good mission. So a lot of times I will look for bipartisan organizations.

[00:18:27] If I'm looking at political news, I don't want to go too far to the right or too far to the left. I just want to hear what's happening sort of in the middle ground a lot of the time. And that can be tough in today's environment, but, maybe I'll do a Google search on non-partisan, news organizations.

[00:18:45] And so you might find a nonprofit that dedicates their journalistic practices to having, very unbiased coverage and they'll, they'll present both sides. Right. And so stuff like that is the stuff that I look for and gravitate towards. I think when I'm focused on specific issues like immigration, a lot of times I will again do a Google search or even search inside of Instagram.

[00:19:12] And look for those writers or other people that I respect, who do they follow? What do they like? What do they like? What do they share? And a lot of times, it's a, it's a breadcrumb, you follow one thing to another thing, the same thing that you would do too. I don't know, if you're a person who's really into whatever hiking, you know what I mean?

[00:19:33] You're going to start to find everything that you can relate to. That it's the same thing with your social justice issues. Now, the difference is, is that, you can't go too wide, really narrow it down to one or two things that you care about and go deep into those issues versus going broad into everything or else you'll get tired.

[00:19:51] And I think the other key is to stand formed up until a certain extent, like we only have so much time. In the day and we only have so much money. And so I really believe in being selective about the organizations that I follow staying informed, but when I need a break, I give myself a break.

[00:20:10] there are a good, there are weeks when I don't look at it at all, because I know like I felt like just so raw and just like one big nerve sometimes because of the pain of the world that I see around me. And so, I do take time to give myself breaks, but I also remember like, unless I'm informed, I cannot be an advocate for these issues.

[00:20:32] I cannot come to the table and ask anyone to change their mind unless I am well-informed unless I know what I'm talking about. And that is so crucial, whether or not we're talking about social justice issues or you're talking about your business, you just need to be informed. and in that way, you feel better about the decisions that you make, about where you put your money about where you put your attention, where you put your resources.

[00:20:55] I mean, you can feel more confident and moving forward on where you want to put your focus when you stand for 

[00:21:04] Emily Thompson: Fact. I have a couple of points that I want to follow up on this. I love that you're saying I love everything that you're saying. A couple things in particular. I want to highlight one being this idea of like staying informed, but taking breaks because I feel like oftentimes, responsible human beings will find themselves in a place where they just want to keep their finger on that pulse.

[00:21:31] And like, you've said it like it will rip you to shreds. There is so much happening in the world. So there is this balance legit balance. Cause I know there can be some issues around that bird sometimes, but I think there is some balance between staying informed and unplugging when you need to, to take care of yourself so that you do have the cup filled for going out and doing the things that you want and need to do in the world, but also how important it is to stay informed.

[00:22:01] Because I feel like sometimes too on the sort of there's like one end of the spectrum there is it's a spectrum right? One end is, staying totally informed all the time and you can't sleep at night because of it because how could anyone right in the middle is this nice balance of unplugging when you need to, to take care of yourself, but keeping your finger on the pulse enough so that you are aware and can make decisions and have conversations and take actions that you want to take.

[00:22:29] And the other end of that spectrum is anyone who just can't even, or won't even, aren't staying informed on anything. And if you're walking around with those blinders on, you're not taking the opportunities that you can to be informed about the things that do matter to you. One, you, you're not getting in tune with what matters to you, right?

[00:22:50] You're not listening in to the things that are breaking your heart, to know where it is that you do have the ability and the passion and drive to make some sort of change. And you aren't doing anything like you're, you're not being very boss. Just put it as plainly as I can. Right. There is this responsibility we have is like current humans on the planet earth.

[00:23:18] who are, if you're here listening, those, you want to do work that fulfills you. it requires some level of you sticking your nose in the shit.

[00:23:31] Teresa Ruiz Decker: You do. And I think that's part of being, if you're interested at all in changing the world as part of the deal, you have to be willing to stick your neck out. You have to be willing to sacrifice something. Whether it's your time, your energy, your money, or even people liking you or not.

[00:23:48] that comes up a lot. I hear people saying, well, I care about that, but I don't want to offend anyone. I understand, I'm a relationships person. But the truth is, if you're still worried about, offending everybody that you're not standing for anything, then you're not doing anything, like you said.

[00:24:09] And I think, and then I think that's how the world just stay stagnant, right? Because we're all just sitting here, quiet, afraid to offend each other, afraid to say something and we don't need to have that fear. What we need to do is be brave and be bold, whether it's with your business or with your volunteering or whatever you do, especially right now.

[00:24:30] I think women, I think, trans, LGBTQ folks, I think right now we need to be super brave. We need to use our voice people of color. We just need to use our voice. We cannot be silenced by, the larger majority because we're afraid. 

[00:24:52] Emily Thompson: Agreed. I also have another point that I want to want to bring up.

[00:24:57] And you mentioned sourcing and how incredibly important this is. And I'm just going to say this right here. If you are getting all of your information from social media, you're doing it wrong. 

[00:25:10] Just gonna leave that right there. If the only information that you are getting on, whatever calls it, it is, you are quote, unquote passionate about if social media is the only place,

[00:25:21] and you are not doing it justice by any means. Do your work, do the work required to do the work right? And go out there and read controversial things to see how the other side is thinking, finds, find your own sources, make sure they're credible, make sure things are being sourced back, linked back to other things.

[00:25:45] go back to what you learned in high school for how to write a research paper and use that these days. And if you don't remember that, Google it, how to write a research paper, read that, learn about sourcing things and how to identify credible sources and get off social media to find the information that you are looking for to be well-informed.

[00:26:08] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Absolutely. Yeah. I, I just, I agree with everything that you just said. We're in, amazing times, but dangerous times because we are, so much information is coming at us and, we already have inherent bias right. In each of us. We're just programmed that way to grab a toward, towards the things that we agree with.

[00:26:31] But it's really important for us to also, like you said, look at that other side. And I think, studying journalism for as long as I did and working in a newsroom and understanding the way stories are picked, understanding the way that a publisher influences, what the journalists cover, an event, how the business side impacts the news.

[00:26:53] I think opened my eyes to how fragile our democracy is with, in regards to journalism. And of course now we see this whole entire explosion of people. Anyone can write anywhere. Right. Which is a beautiful thing, but anyone can write anywhere. So you have to be careful. You need to be careful about what you're taking in.

[00:27:16] And so I think it's really important. Like you said, to look at both sides, many times I'll be looking at something on, let's say here's a great example. There was the image, about the, the border incident with the Haitian immigrants, right? So I'm reading this story and I'm thinking. Yeah, what is this about?

[00:27:33] Let me see what's going on. And so, I looked at the story on like four different platforms. How did Fox news cover it? how did the New York times cover it? How did NPR cover it? And then, how did this, uh, nonpartisan, nonprofit, how did they cover it? And so I'm looking at all these things and I'm seeing the differences and what they leave in and what they take out.

[00:27:57] And I think, when you do that, it gives you a more clear picture. It's not necessarily that any one source is going to give you the absolute truth it's at, by looking at many sources, you get closer to a truth, than just looking at one. And social media is not the place to be, I think exclusively, because although you can find, like again, like breadcrumbs of things, you want to make sure that you are selective about what you put in front of yourself.

[00:28:25] Your attention is valuable. Your energy is valuable. Be careful about where you focus that. 

[00:28:31] Emily Thompson: Absolutely.

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[00:30:21] Okay, so that's social justice. Really we could talk 14 days, just that subject. But I want to sort of turn the knob a little bit because, and we all know the importance of that. There's some really great tips for you. I love that description that you gave of like how you dug deeper into a specific situation.

[00:30:43] And I encourage everyone to do similar things, for yourself and the things that you are passionate about. But I want to turn the knob a little bit into business, into being business owners and staying, staying informed in your industry because I often think actually I know I experienced this myself, my.

[00:31:06] predisposiveness dealing with the world on fire right. Often keeps my nose in that pile of shit. And I should go over here and like, just smell some just grass, just neutral grass is a smell great. Doesn't smell bad. It's just grass. Right. Smelling the grass of my industry.

[00:31:29] That's the ridiculous metaphor ever. I'll drop it soon. let's talk about staying informed in your industry, right? So it's important to stay informed, obviously the things that are happening in the world. but as business owners, as people who are showing up to do this work to affect whatever changes we're trying to affect, we also have to know how to, or we have to know what's going on

[00:31:53] within our industry within entrepreneurship and business building. and your industry being for you, it's writing journalism, for me, it's podcasting, community building, retail. Right. what do you have to say about, or why do you think bosses should also pair, keeping your finger on the pulse of social issues?

[00:32:19] As well as what they're doing in their businesses. 

[00:32:23] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Yeah. You know what, I think this ends up being a key to your growth as an entrepreneur. I do. when I looked at my business, I was like, you know what? If I really want to grow this thing, if I really want to keep going, boy, I'm going to have to keep learning.

[00:32:40] Like, I think entrepreneurship is just, you are an eternal student, you have signed up for that and that you're going to learn the hard way, or are you going to learn an easier way from other people? I've always chosen to go the easier route. Let me just learn from other people and what they're doing and how they're doing it.

[00:32:58] So when I have a problem again, or I'm not sure about something I'm so quick to research and to look things up and to, to hire people, to be quite honest with you. because I really, I really understand what my limitations are as a boss, right? There are some things that I just don't know. And because of that, I just have to keep reading and learning and listening and finding the right people who are going to help me level up.

[00:33:26] And so I think when you don't do that, you. You might just find yourself become stagnant faster than what you would like. But if you can tell you to learn and stay informed, I think it will really help you propel your growth faster, like a lot faster. And that's why I love the project that we work on together.

[00:33:47] Can I talk about that or.

[00:33:53] I love Brewed. Our new newsletter that, you came to me with this great idea and I thought math course, I thought to myself, God, she's so fucking smart. of course, of course we need this. Like, yes, I would definitely, not, uh, like read that. I would love to write that. let's put together a strategy on how to help bosses stay more informed and what I love

[00:34:19] about what we’re doing with Brewed is that, we have a few key areas that we landed on, but we know people are constantly sort of struggling with and, or interested. so its money, its mindset, its productivity, right? And so, uh, we talked about it and we're like, let's really give the people what they need and what they want.

[00:34:38] Yes. We could spend all day, looking up fund ranks about 50 ways to make a green smoothie, but that's not what we're talking about here. What we're talking about is business, right. We're getting down to business and we want people to really level up and scale up their businesses. So, so where do we go for those resources?

[00:34:56] And so it was really fun. I think, curating a [00:35:00] collection of, websites, podcasts, all these different places for us to find resources for bosses so that they can more easily stand for them for their business specifically. And I think the beautiful part is that, Now when the first few months of creating this and it keeps evolving to a certain extent where we're finding different themes that we're really leaning into.

[00:35:25] and I think that that's been such a powerful thing is to be able to share resources with the community that will hopefully help them because, it takes a lot of time to dig up this stuff and we're just doing it for you, right? So if you're subscribing, we're going to do the work for you. We're going to handpick and curate the best that we find out there for your business.

[00:35:45] That's why we're here. And so you don't have to do that anymore. Take that one off your plate. Let us put that in your inbox every Wednesday. And we also add a little bit of, judge, a little bit of spice in there, with the writing, like you told me, like feel free to make it fun and snarky and whatever.

[00:36:02] And you can definitely feel there's a voice that comes through. It's not just like an auto-generated feed sort of thing. 

[00:36:09] Emily Thompson: No, we're giving it soul for sure. Yes. A couple of gray. Yes. Brewed, brewed, Brewed is a thing. We're going to talk about that so much more here and then over the next couple of weeks, and then it'll just continue going out for the foreseeable future.

[00:36:24] But this idea of staying informed in your industry is something that it's funny. I realized how important it was whenever I, without thinking about it unplugged. So a couple of years ago, whenever I was going through through burnout, which I've talked about multiple times here, I didn't realize that I had unplugged from the industries, right.

[00:36:45] From entrepreneurship, from podcasting, from all of those things. I was just trying to take care of myself. Y'all so, it is what it, there are times when you unplug mine was a long one. It was a long unplug. It took a long time to restart that. Hard-drive and it was so long that whenever I was ready to plug back in, I realized that the entire world had changed around me.

[00:37:11] And I'm thinking podcasting in particular, I obviously had been keeping tabs on all kinds of other things, but the world of podcasting had changed so much in the 12 to 18 months that I had, I had unplugged, that I realized just how important one, how much of just a sort of daily, weekly sort of habit it was before without me thinking that I was doing it and do how much I used that, keeping my finger on the pulse to make decisions, to show up and talk about things to like literally just run my business.

[00:37:51] Right. And so I remember, I remember plugging back in. And signing up for a couple of new newsletters and looking back at some blogs that I used to visit and, and, and just catching up. And then, because I realized how important it was once I had it back, I've doubled down. So I've really become a very adamant readers and reader of a couple of newsletters, a couple of podcasts, industry newsletters, whenever, whenever Shopify sends me their annual reports of God knows what I'm reading it.

[00:38:28] Right. Like I am making very pointed, I'm taking very pointed action to stay incredibly informed. And so one thing that I was missing, I was like, okay, so I have it for podcasting. I have it for e-commerce. What about just creative business, like boss stuff, right? Why is there a newsletter for boss stuff? And so I started searching around and looking for one, and there are a couple as a putting in air quotes there in air quotes are a couple, but none of them I found helpful.

[00:39:06] None of them gave me the kinds of information that I felt I could use to make decisions that day or next week or next month. It was just sort of flippant. Like, here's some weird quotes, here's some things unrelated that happened. Like what about for real industry specific newsletter for creative business owners who are doing business predominantly online.

[00:39:32] Yeah, bosses. And I was like, well, just like that podcast I launched several years ago. If I can't find it, I'll make it

[00:39:45] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Right. Yes. You create it. 

[00:39:48] Emily Thompson: Yeah. So I worked on it for a couple of weeks. Here's what it looked like. I told the team early 2021, I was like, all right. Being Boss is back up and running. The community is going great. Like we're doing it again. High five. What next? I know we're going to launch a newsletter and everyone loved the idea.

[00:40:09] Especially around the fact that I'm always talking how important email newsletter is. Y'all you've heard me say it. I'm saying it here, your email newsletter is one of your most important marketing assets you have for your business period. However, it being boss, we weren't using it well. 

[00:40:26] Teresa Ruiz Decker: We just worked with that, right?

[00:40:27] Emily Thompson: Like for sure, for sure. Well, I say that at Almanac, my newsletter is my most used most like useful marketing asset. At being boss, I wasn't quite doing it. So whenever I took this to the team, they love the idea. What is this going to look like? I started with like, massaging it out. That sounds weird, but that's what was happening.

[00:40:53] you're out what it was going to be. but I, wasn't having a really hard time, really narrowing in making some hardcore decisions and putting into action. And that's when I was like, I know I need to call Teresa. She's going to, she's going to make this, she's going to boss this out for me. And that's exactly what has happened.

[00:41:11] You've helped give this project so much shape. literally like you sculpted it, you sculpt it every week and send it out. you were so instrumental in helping me take this idea that I had were really, I remember what I came to you with was I want this newsletter to help bosses make decisions. I want it to be the kind of information that's going to help them understand what's happening in the world of entrepreneurship.

[00:41:39] Of creative business, and give them the kind of advice it's going to help them make decisions. So things like, if you are thinking about, moving your project management to Asana, they do not sponsor us. then including some product updates as to what is going on at Asana in your email newsletter, it might help you make the decision to make that move or not

[00:42:04] those sorts of things. So for us, it was, it was really about making it easily accessible for you to. Gain the kinds of insight across dozens of sources and the internet, the things that you most need to know to make decisions, because I have found personally, and I think you have as well that staying informed as an entrepreneur, as a business owner or within your industry is imperative for you to stay relevant for you to stay in a place where you are making good decisions based on what is happening now.

[00:42:43] And so that you can take the actions that you most need to take. Yes. 

[00:42:48] Teresa Ruiz Decker: All of that. Yes. And, I think there's a couple of things in there that I want to like, just also build on what you said and the first [00:43:00] is making decisions and what's funny is that, here's how I think it works. I think subconsciously we're taking in things all the time and whether or not we act in that moment, the exposure to things changes our trajectory.

[00:43:12] So you might see something in the Brewed newsletter and you might think, oh, that's sort of interesting. I'm going to come back to it. Right. And maybe you don't do anything that day, but maybe you remember it. And a few weeks later you go, you search your inbox, you find the thing, you read it, you let it sit with you for a little while.

[00:43:27] And then, it kind of like ends up being an idea that you carry with you and maybe it turns into something else and turns into something else. So what you have to remember is it's not so much that you do something in that moment with it. It's that you're exposing yourself to new ideas, new concepts, new information, to keep your brain going and to keep everything sort of flowing inside of you so you don't become stagnant.

[00:43:50] So that was the first thing. And then the second thing that I was going to flush out a little bit more was really about, if someone is interested in building a newsletter, the way that you have done, like some of the things I think that people need to pay attention to is, and I'm only kind of talking on this more because I understand that.

[00:44:11] our newsletters are very powerful vehicles and they're owned by us, right? That is that's the real estate that no one's going to take from you. And we all just saw that with Facebook, sort of like shutting down this week and Instagram down and all the things will go down and they can even change, all their, technology so that your stuff is not seen as much, but your newsletter, those email addresses those people that are most engaged, that belongs to you.

[00:44:38] And so the way that you build and craft something is super important. And so those conversations that we had in the very beginning about not just the content, right. But God, what does process look like? How do we get this thing out every week? I mean, we went into a lot of detail in that strategy plan that we created together.

[00:44:56] I've been doing newsletters for a long time. And what I've seen is that they can easily get held up on the small things every week, unless you have a process that everybody is aligned on from the beginning, or at least you're aligned on. So what are the days that you do the writing? What are the days you do the publishing?

[00:45:14] Those are very obvious, but the things that people miss sometimes in between are the reviewing for copy edits. How do we make sure that the testing and the building is built into the process so that you have enough time to find any broken links, any errors, any grammatical stuff? Do you need a second set of eyes on it?

[00:45:32] Who's going to be the final approver of your working in teams. and if not, how are you going to make sure that what you're pushing out the door is at least high quality enough to meet your standards? So I think there's a lot that went into our process that I think is valuable for other people.

[00:45:50] And, maybe that's all. 

[00:45:52] Emily Thompson: Perfect. You're right. We went deep into, I mean, into all the things you. I'm going to, if I'm going to build something, that's going to be great. Right? So we, like, we put this idea and the building of it through its paces and really for the purpose of, early this year to, I sort of made some commitments at being boss.

[00:46:17] We have our values. One of them is resourcefulness. we want to be resourceful within the company, but it's also something that I put forth to bosses, Google, figure it out, read a book, ask some questions. Who can you like all these things? Resourcefulness is one of those like values I hold for being boss the brand, but also generally just being boss.

[00:46:40] so one, how can we aid in further resourcefulness? And then two, one of the commitments that I made was that we would show up to provide the support that we are most aligned to provide. Right. I mean, there's tons of things that we can do as a company here at Being Boss. and we thought, is it time to make another podcast?

[00:47:05] Is it tightened? should we do more blogging? Like what should it look like? And whenever I really got down to it, it was, it was this resource gathering, right. It was us giving very timely, very well-thought sort of quippy and fun, uh, right. Bits of news and updates and things around money, mindset and productivity that could help bosses what do 

[00:47:32] Teresa Ruiz Decker: the work?

[00:47:34] Yeah. So, but yeah, I mean really into scale up, I think that was one of the things that really stuck out to me is, we talked about it and it was like, do we want this to be, B2C or is it going to be, B2B? And of course our businesses is B2B. So how do we make this really like an industry publication.

[00:47:53] And really once I got that in my mind, I was like, okay, great. now I understand a little bit more the problem that we're trying to solve, [00:48:00] who our audiences, and really, you know why we're doing this. And so I think when you have clarity around some of those areas, it really helps, especially when you're looking to, curate high quality content, you have to sort of understand what what's going to resonate with people and what is it?

[00:48:19] And I really like going through that process with you, because there's an opportunity for us to collect a lot of things, but then refine, right? So we're constantly figuring out well, what makes sense for our bosses and what doesn't, and let's peel away the things that they don't need. And let's only keep the things that we feel like are going to be of true value to them.

[00:48:37] Emily Thompson: Yeah, right. Oh, so earlier we were talking about that process of looking through sources and finding the things that are going to help you it's that it is again, one of the things that we do for you and whether you're staying informed on social justice issues or looking for an industry publication or, or just something, related to entrepreneurship would be whatever.

[00:48:59] there is something to be said about. Oh, you do have so many sources that you can go to, but do you have someone you can trust? Who's going to bring those sources together for you to give you those more, most important pieces for moving forward. so anyway, this has been a project that we've been working on for months, for months and months.

[00:49:19] Again, I told the team about this. I think it was January. It was like one of my, like my early year planning pieces. Like, here's the thing I want to do this year. it took me a couple of months of spinning my wheels by myself until I was finally like, y'all, I'm not going to do this alone. I need help.

[00:49:36] Right. and then called Teresa said to help me make this happen because for me, I have, I know how important. To stay informed, as a business owner, it's something that I've experienced for years, whether it was unknowingly. And then very knowingly when I realized that it was a piece that was missing.

[00:49:59] And I know that we've all over the past couple of years, sort of, been reminded if not learning for the first time, right. How important it is to stay informed on larger issues. and if this is one thing that we can do to make it easier for you to get what you need to move forward in the way that we are most aligned to provide for you as creative business owners who were doing business predominantly online, then we're here to do it.

[00:50:31] We are here to do it. And so Brewed has been going out for a couple of weeks. maybe even two-ish months by the time, uh, by the time this episode goes out with. We didn't want to talk about it too much cause we wanted to work out the processes first. Right? 

[00:50:48] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Totally. 

[00:50:50] Emily Thompson: Right. So we solve, launched it to our list about two months ago.

[00:50:54] we are, now ready to talk about it out loud at something it's been a long time since I've created something new. Right. And the podcast has been going for years. The community has been going for years. Almanac has been going for years. So this was a really great way to get back into what is it that we want to create it being boss?

[00:51:15] How can we support and provide, provide value to our audience and our listeners, to our community, in the way that we are most aligned to provide it and Brewed was born 

[00:51:33] Teresa Ruiz Decker: and, throughout the process, I just, I have loved and I totally respect how much you think about. Your community needs, you know what I mean?

[00:51:42] Like, and just really like truly, I think. you have a heart for creative entrepreneurs and I just love watching it. And I mean, I would not, my business is doing catch consulting. I wouldn't even arrived at that name if I hadn't been in your mastermind. And so it's always been clear to me, what a heart you have for creative entrepreneurs.

[00:52:05] And I think that this needs that, or as an extension of that, it's just a different sort of, way that you are building others up. And I love it so much. And I really hope that this community finds value in it. And if there's anything that we can do to improve, to change, to whatever, we are so open to that sort of feedback.

[00:52:27] We are so open to hearing back from the community that we serve and. Sure with other people, if you like something, if something made you laugh, like forward it, share it. maybe not everyone in your life as an entrepreneur, but if you have a business bestie, you better be sure to share that one with them because they could probably get something out of it.

[00:52:49] Emily Thompson: Absolutely. Oh, and I appreciate that as you were saying, it's because bosses are my friends, you know? Right. Like I'm, I'm not just like, I don't serve a people that they do not eat amongst, like bosses this community, even if, even if I don't know you specifically, I know if you were listening to this, I've never met Emily, we're not friends.

[00:53:12] I get it, but if you're here, I know you somewhat on some level, I know you, and it's because so many of my, so many of my people are bosses. and so it's easy for me to be connected to that because when I am one of you and too, you are my people and not in like a weird way, but just like, you have people, bosses are my people.

[00:53:36] So I appreciate you saying that it was very, very fun for me to put this together. and it is officially available. So if you are interested in, checking out Brewed, the new email from being boss, you can find that at beingboss.club/brewed it's B R E W E D. We'll also include a link to that in the show notes.

[00:53:59] And then if you do like it definitely share it with your friends. This is a place where we are putting some really good energy and the entire team is in on it. A podcast where you're just listening to me talk, right. we are all working together to curate the sources, to put them together. Every single week Teresa is writing these really great emails.

[00:54:20] and they're going out and we're already getting so much feedback from bosses who are really appreciating these sort of short snippets of important things for them, whether it is mindset, money, or productivity, that they can take into their work week every single week. And like you said, too, if it's not something you can use today, you never know when it's going to be helpful to know.

[00:54:40] I always get really tickled at myself whenever I'm reading it. Like, especially like my podcast, industry newsletters and things. And this is also just, I think, a product of living in the house 24, 7 for years. So few things to talk about, but it gives me things to talk about that aren't the world burning down.

[00:55:03] Teresa Ruiz Decker: You do need a break on the world going down. 

[00:55:06] Emily Thompson: Indeed. If you want something else to talk about, go find a really great curated newsletter to sign up for. My vote is for Brewed. And you're going to have some new things to talk about with your friends. 

[00:55:19] Teresa Ruiz Decker: I love that so much, 

[00:55:22] Emily Thompson: Greg, please. Right. Okay. I think we might have touched on everything.

[00:55:29] I appreciate you so much coming and sharing one, your passion for the social impact work that you're doing for giving bosses, these ideas for how it is that they can stay connected and informed, but also take care of themselves and then forever and ever helping me build a Brewed for bosses. 

[00:55:48] Teresa Ruiz Decker: My absolute honor and pleasure.

[00:55:51] And like I said, I've been listening to your podcast for years. So thank you for everything that you've poured into the world, because I do think that it does change lives. So I'm happy to have been here. Thank you for everything. Can I mention my new podcast. 

[00:56:07] Emily Thompson: Absolutely. Where can people find you around the webs and talk about that podcast, please.

[00:56:12] Let's put it in the 

[00:56:12] Teresa Ruiz Decker: world. Okay. So I am working on a new project it's called matriarch and the making it is going to be a podcast and it will be focused on the stories of incredible everyday women changing the world for the better for themselves and for future generation. So I am so excited, uh, just to start interviewing a lot of incredibly strong, wonderful women that I have met over the years.

[00:56:39] talking about how they've overcome challenges professionally, personally, and really changed the trajectory of their lives, but also the lives of their families, of their communities. And there are so many women that are doing this every single day. I just couldn't sit by on the sidelines anymore without standing up to tell their stories.

[00:57:00] So that's what I'll be doing in January of 2022. Building the thing right now. So anyone else who's building something right now. I feel your joy. I feel your pain. I'm in the middle of it too. And we will get there, but if you'd like to learn more, our website will be up in live, uh, by let's see November.

[00:57:21] And you can find more information@matriarchmaking.com. That's matriarch making.com same handle on Instagram and on Twitter. So you can find information there, but I hope you'll come and listen and hear some stories because I already know Emily's going to be a guest on my. 

[00:57:40] Emily Thompson: Oh, I can't wait. It's a yes.

[00:57:42] Yes, I'll do it. Love it. And where can people find you for your copywriting chops? 

[00:57:51] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Oh, if anybody was, like a writer that has some soul, you can find me at dreamcatchercopywriting.com. And so you'll see my picture there and all the things, but I would love to write for other, businesses that have a mission in the world.

[00:58:08] And I'm so happy just to sort of meet other people from the being boss community. I love being in the clubhouse. I was in and out and now I'm back and I just love the energy there. It's like no other, so I hope that, I can see a few of you on there too. 

[00:58:24] Emily Thompson: Perfect. Okay. Last question then for you, what is making you feel most boss? 

[00:58:31] Teresa Ruiz Decker: Creating something new and actually doing it, less talk about it and just do it again.

[00:58:39] I think that is when you are your most boss. It's great to, pray, reflect, think plans strategize, but at the end of the day, you just need to do it. So that's what makes me feel. 

[00:58:52] Emily Thompson: Ah, indeed bosses do that. 

[00:58:57] Teresa Ruiz Decker: That's right. If I may love 

[00:59:02] Emily Thompson: it. Thank you so much for joining me here. I can't wait to continue writing with you.

[00:59:08] All right, boss, because you're here. I know you want to be a better creative at business owner, which means I've got something for you each week. The team at being boss is scouring the news, the best entrepreneurial publications and updates and releases of the apps and tools that run our businesses and is curating it all into a weekly email that delivers the must know tips and tactics in the realms of mindset, money and productivity.

[00:59:32] This email is called Brewed. We brew it up for you each week to give you the insight you need to make decisions and move forward in your creative. Check it out now and sign up for yourself at beingboss.club/brewed. That's beingboss.club/ B R E W E D. Now until next time, do the work be boss[01:00:00] .