Why We Chose Homeschooling + How I Run a Business While Homeschooling

One of the biggest reasons I became an entrepreneur was freedom—but not just the freedom to work from anywhere or set my own schedule. I wanted to build my business around my family instead of fitting my family around my business. In this Behind the Business episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, I'm taking you behind the scenes of why our family chose homeschooling, what our homeschool days actually look like, and how I balance homeschooling three kids with running a business. I'm sharing our Charlotte Mason approach, why we only homeschool for a few focused hours each morning, the resources and curriculum that make homeschooling sustainable for me as a working mom, and how I structure my workday around our family's rhythm. You'll hear about: • Why we chose homeschooling—and why I don't believe there's one right choice for every family • What a Charlotte Mason education looks like in our home • How we use living books, short lessons, narration, and nature study • How I homeschool while still finding focused time to run my business • What I look for when choosing homeschool curriculum • Why I think in rhythms instead of trying to perfectly "balance" motherhood and entrepreneurship • How entrepreneurship has given our family more choices and flexibility • Why your career should support the life you actually want to create Whether you homeschool or have absolutely no interest in homeschooling, this episode is really about something bigger: intentional living. You don't have to copy someone else's version of success. Instead, ask yourself: What do I want my life to look like—and how can I build my career or business around that? Plus, if you've ever wondered whether you could turn your experience into a coaching business, check out my free Career Coach Startup Kit. www.classycareergirl.com/coachwebinar

Feel like your life is too unpredictable to stay consistent with your business goals? In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan shares the simple weekly planning system she uses as a working mom, homeschool mom, business owner, and woman who absolutely does NOT have endless time. Because honestly? Most moms are not bad at planning. Life just doesn't follow the plan. In this episode, Anna breaks down: Why most planning systems fail moms The biggest mindset shifts that reduced her overwhelm Her simple 4-part weekly planning system How to prioritize what actually matters most Why flexible rhythms work better than rigid schedules How to stop mentally carrying everything at once The truth about consistency, motherhood, and building a business Why the goal of planning is peace — not perfection This episode is for the overwhelmed mom trying to balance business, family, work, and real life without constantly feeling behind. ✨ Download Anna's free weekly planning template to create more calm, clarity, and flexibility in your week. https://www.classycareergirl.com/freeplan Because you do not need a perfect system. You need a system that supports the life you're actually living.

Does selling your offer make you cringe? In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan shares how she overcame her fear of sales, made her very first sale, and learned how to sell in a way that feels natural, relational, and pressure-free. Because honestly? So many women have something valuable to offer… but freeze the second it's time to talk about money, invite someone into their offer, or actually sell. In this episode, Anna breaks down: Why so many moms struggle with sales The biggest myths keeping women stuck Why selling does NOT have to feel pushy The simple mindset shift that changed everything for her How she made her very first sale The biggest sales mistakes women make online Why conversations matter more than followers The simple sales rhythm she still uses today How to make your first $1,000 from home without complicated funnels or overwhelm This episode is for the woman who wants to build meaningful work and flexible income from home — but needs a simpler, more human approach to sales. ✨ Download Anna's free First $1K Income Roadmap Workbook to learn how to create your first offer, find clients, and start making income from home. https://www.classycareergirl.com/1kplan Because helping people is a good thing. And your calling and motherhood do not have to compete anymore. 

Feel like you don't have enough time to market your business? In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan shares the simple 30-minute marketing plan she would use if she were starting from scratch today as a busy mom. Because honestly? Most moms don't have a marketing problem. They have a time and simplicity problem. In this episode, Anna breaks down: Her simple 15-minute conversation strategy that leads to clients The second 15-minute content system she uses to stay visible online Why most marketing advice doesn't work for moms The biggest mistakes women make when trying to grow online Why conversations matter more than complicated funnels The truth about growing a business in tiny pockets of time How she made her very first $97 sale before work one morning Why consistency matters more than perfection This episode is for the woman who wants to build meaningful work and flexible income from home — without spending all day online or burning herself out trying to "do it all." ✨ Download Anna's free First $1K Income Roadmap Workbook to learn how to land your first client and create flexible income from home. https://www.classycareergirl.com/1kplan Because conversations lead to clients. Clients lead to income. And small consistent action can completely change your life.

Have you ever quietly thought to yourself: "This life doesn't fit me anymore…"? In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan shares the 5 biggest signs it may be time to create work that better fits motherhood, family, and the season of life you're in now. After years of pushing through burnout, emotional exhaustion, and trying to make corporate life fit motherhood, Anna realized something important: Success should not feel like survival mode. In this episode, you'll learn: The hidden signs your current work rhythm no longer fits your life Why motherhood changes your definition of success How burnout shows up emotionally before physically The difference between hustle and meaningful work Why "balance" may not be the real goal How to start rebuilding your life and work differently Small shifts that can help you create more peace, flexibility, and alignment This episode is for the woman who wants more than just surviving the week. The woman craving meaningful work, presence at home, and a slower, healthier rhythm. ✨ DM Anna the word 1K on Instagram for her free "First $1K From Home" roadmap and workbook or go to https://www.classycareergirl.com/1kplan Because maybe success isn't building a business that pulls you away from your life. Maybe success is building work that allows you to fully enjoy your life too.

What if the problem isn't your discipline… but the rhythm of your life? In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan shares the deeply personal shift that changed how she viewed success, motherhood, work, and burnout. After years of chasing achievement and pushing through exhaustion, Anna realized she didn't want to choose between career success and being present at home. She wanted a third option — meaningful work and flexible income that actually fit real life. In this episode, you'll learn: Why so many working moms feel emotionally exhausted How motherhood changes your definition of success The real reason burnout happens Why rigid schedules often fail moms How to create motherhood-friendly work rhythms The difference between balance and alignment Practical shifts that reduced overwhelm and helped Anna rebuild differently How to simplify your business and protect what matters most If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or stuck between ambition and family life, this episode will encourage you to slow down, rethink your rhythms, and create work that supports the life you actually want. ✨ DM Anna the word PLAN on Instagram for her free 90-Day Planner or go to https://www.classycareergirl.com/freeplan 🎧 Listen now and start rebuilding differently.

If you've been craving a slower, more meaningful way to work and live, this episode is for you. Feeling burned out from corporate life… but unsure how to actually make a change? In this personal episode, Anna shares the moment she realized she couldn't keep living under constant stress and pressure — and the slow, intentional steps she took to start rebuilding her life differently. You'll learn: How to know when burnout is a sign something needs to change Why clarity and vision matter before making a career move How to create a realistic timeline and income goal for transition Why the "slow build" creates more peace than quitting overnight How to identify skills you already have that could become income The importance of solving ONE problem instead of doing everything How to build meaningful work around real life and motherhood If you've been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or stuck between wanting meaningful work and wanting more presence with your family, this episode will encourage you to take the next small step forward. ✨ DM Anna on Instagram @classycareergirl and share what resonated most with you from this episode. ✨ Grab your free weekly planning template here: ClassyCareerGirl.com/freeplan ✨ If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review to help more women discover the podcast this summer.

🎙️ Rebuilding Differently Motherhood, Platform Growth & Building Meaningful Work Around Real Life There are seasons where life takes center stage… and seasons where we slowly begin rebuilding again. In this episode, Anna shares why she is intentionally focusing on platform growth and visibility again after stepping back during a full season of motherhood, homeschooling, family life, and real life responsibilities. This conversation is for the woman who feels like: ✨ her message has changed ✨ her business has evolved ✨ her online presence feels outdated ✨ she's overwhelmed trying to "keep up" online ✨ and she wants to rebuild differently Inside this episode, Anna shares: • why platform growth matters more than ever • what publishers are really looking for today • why moms need a different approach to business growth • how to grow visibility without hustle culture • the power of tiny consistent actions over time • and why this summer may be your season to show up again This is not about pressure, perfection, or chasing algorithms. It's about building meaningful work, flexible income, and visibility around real life. Especially in the middle of motherhood 💛 ☀️ Join the Summer Campus Waitlist: https://forms.gle/t6f4SXCjuVuUsMsdA 💻 Download the Free $1K Income Roadmap Workbook: https://www.classycareergirl.com/1kplan 🎙️ Subscribe to The Classy Career Girl Podcast for weekly episodes on motherhood, calling, meaningful work, business growth, and flexible income from home.

I've been in this game since 2011. I've seen the trends come and go, from the early days of blogging to the rise of TikTok. And for a long time, I fell into the same trap many of you are in right now: I thought more posts = more progress. I was working through naps, obsessing over my business on weekends, and trying to be everywhere at once. But my client list wasn't moving. The truth? It wasn't my effort that was the problem—it was my focus. If you're a mom trying to build something meaningful in 15-minute pockets of time, you don't need a bigger, louder strategy. You need a simpler one. In today's episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, I'm getting honest about the 4 marketing mistakes I made and how I finally shifted from "just posting" to actually solving problems and building connections. We're diving into: Why "content" doesn't bring clients (but conversations do). The myth of "feeling ready" before you take action. How to stop making marketing about you and start making it about them. My 15-minute rhythm for finding your first (or next) client. You don't need hours of uninterrupted time to change your life. You just need the right plan. ✨ Ready to make your first $1,000? Join us in the 1K Moms Club on Substack for the exact workbooks and 15-minute daily plans I use. Founding members get 20% off until May 1st! 👉 ClassyCareerGirl.com/momclub #ClassyCareerGirl #1KMoms #MompreneurLife #MarketingTips #WorkFromHomeMom #SmallBusinessGrowth

Stop posting. Start talking. 🗣️✨ Are you feeling the pressure to be everywhere, all the time? If you're a mom trying to hit that first $1K, the advice to "post daily, show up on every platform, and be everywhere" isn't just exhausting—it's impossible. I have three daughters. I'm homeschooling and running a home. I don't have the bandwidth to sit on my phone from 9 to 5, and I'm guessing you don't either. Here's the truth: My first clients didn't come from a viral TikTok or a perfect Instagram feed. They came from: A conversation at a local networking breakfast. A referral from a business school classmate. An informal chat with a friend from Bible study. When I was on maternity leave back in 2014, I didn't post at all. Instead, I had one simple video and a system that invited people into a conversation. I didn't come back to zero; I came back to 70 people waiting to talk to me. Your business should support your life, not compete with it. If you're stuck in the "content loop," shift your focus from content to conversations. You don't need a complicated funnel or a massive audience to get your first client. You need: 1️⃣ One real conversation. 2️⃣ One clear offer. 3️⃣ One simple way to help. Ready to simplify? I'm sharing the exact "Call Invite" script my clients are using to book calls in under 24 hours over on the podcast today. 🎧 Listen to the latest episode: 📩 Join the 1K Mom Club on Substack for the full workbook: classycareergirl.com/momclub #ClassyCareerGirl #MomsMakingMoney #EntrepreneurLife #WorkFromHomeMom #BusinessSystems #First1K