In this episode, you’re getting FOUR power-house content creators all in one episode.

For the season 1 finale, we’re bringing it back to Chicago with Eddie Schleyner, DemandJen (Jen Allen-Knuth), and RajNationr. Each are crushing it in their own way in the B2B consulting, coaching, and content creation space. They’ve created thousands of followers and raving fans while balancing their lives outside of work.

We're diving into betting on yourself, content creation, the power of unique personal branding, and the courage it takes to stand out in the digital era. Here are a few of my favorite takeaways:

• Authenticity Over Perfection— why dropping the corporate façade in favor of a more genuine, personal touch transformed these folks’ digital presences.
• Handling the Naysayers— why maintaining positivity and authenticity online is key to success and also key to maintaining a healthy relationship with social media and content creation (aka not paying attention to the trolls).
• Courage to be Different— how experience builds confidence and why staying true to your unique voice is crucial for long-term success.

This episode is for you if you want to elevate your personal brand, engage more authentically with your audience, and gain the courage to be different in a crowded space. Let’s get into it.

Jump into the conversation:
(02:46) Building Digital Reputations
(25:54) Transitioning to Entrepreneurship
(34:32) Balancing Side Hustles and Full-Time Jobs
(42:51) The Creative Process

More from The Reeder:
🟩 Get your Reed Between the Lines merch here: https://devin-1-shop.fourthwall.com/
🟩 Website: https://www.thereeder.co
🟩 Subscribe: https://www.thereeder.co/newsletter
🟩 Partner with The Reeder: yo@thereeder.co
🟩 Content Growth Guide: https://www.convert.thereeder.co
🟩 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed
🟩 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@learntoreed

Erica Schneider spent over 7 years in content, has over 70,000 followers across Twitter and LinkedIn, and transitioned from in-house roles to a successful entrepreneur of a coaching and content business, Cut The Fluff.

She’s a successful entrepreneur, creator of impactful writing courses, and a relentless crusader against bro culture on social media. Her journey from a full-time job to self-employment—while raising twin toddlers—has given her a unique perspective on building a rewarding career and multiple income streams.

Erica opens up about financial challenges, the importance of building a supportive community of entrepreneurs, and her successful ventures into online courses. We'll also hear about the lighter moments, like her viral tweet satirizing hustle culture and the joys of growing your business and family at the same time. It's a deep dive into the balance of work and family, and creativity and authenticity. A few of the key takeaways from our conversation are as follows:

• Start with a side hustle to build an audience and validate your business idea before taking the full leap into entrepreneurship.
• Authenticity is essential; care genuinely about the content you create to sustain long-term success (and avoid the hustle-culture vibes).
• Avoid the feast or famine cycle of entrepreneurship by focusing on recurring revenue streams like courses and subscription services.

Jump into the conversation:

(01:01) Meet Erica Schneider
(09:52) The Viral Tweet
(12:28) Anti-Hustle Culture
(30:22) The Leap to Entrepreneurship
(34:23) Balancing Parenthood & Career
(46:28) Coping with Guilt and Finding Balance

⬛ Follow Erica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-schneider66/
⬛ Sign up for Erica’s newsletter, Cut the Fluff: https://cut-the-fluff.ck.page
⬛ Check out our sponsor, ClickUp: https://clickup.com

More from The Reeder:
🟩 Get your Reed Between the Lines merch here: https://devin-1-shop.fourthwall.com/
🟩 Website: https://www.thereeder.co
🟩 Subscribe: https://www.thereeder.co/newsletter
🟩 Partner with The Reeder: yo@thereeder.co
🟩 Content Growth Guide: https://www.convert.thereeder.co
🟩 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed
🟩 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@learntoreed

2x CMO. 2 acquisitions. 3 books. 1 llama merch line.

Meet Kyle Lacy, current CMO of Jellyfish. Not only is he a renowned CMO and thought leader in marketing, but he’s also a family man who's managed to strike an enviable balance between his professional and personal life. He’s authored a couple of successful books and has over 45,000 LinkedIn followers, and Kyle stands out not just for his marketing brilliance but also for his down-to-earth insights on work-life balance. And his creativity for marketing (specifically merch drops) is one of the most memorable and impactful things he has brought to companies he has worked for.
In this episode, we’re diving into how to create swag that people actually want to wear (and buy), his “surprise and delight” brand philosophy, and the nitty-gritty of managing work-life balance (and/or guilt, to be honest). Here are a few of my favorite takeaways:

• Incorporating merch stores as a part of the sales cycle can surprise and delight prospects. It's more than just a revenue stream; it’s a differentiator.
• Unique and creative experiences resonate more than generic gifts. (Cue Kyle’s story on Lessonly’s golden llama.)
• Balancing work and family life is an evolving art. Kyle shares how he’s learned to shut off on weekends after experiencing burnout, including how to communicate with your kids about your work life to prevent guilt, build connection, and share teaching moments.

This episode is a goldmine for anyone grappling with the balance of ambition and family or looking to elevate their brand game to new heights. Let’s get into it.

Jump into the conversation:

(01:33) Meet Kyle Lacy

(03:27) Wins & Losses in Writing 3 Books

(12:43) The Golden Llama: How to Create Great Merch

(27:38) Surprise and Delight in Sales

(29:09) The Role of Great Design in Client Experience

(37:15) Balancing Career and Family Life

(48:43) Communicating with Kids About Work

⬛ Follow Kyle on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylelacy/