Does it have to be this HARD?

The holiday season is often described as the most wonderful time of the year. But if you run a product-based business, it can also be one of the most overwhelming. In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on a conversation I had with someone about the holidays and just how much pressure comes with navigating the busiest season of the year as a small business owner. I was talking about how overwhelming it all feels when she asked me a simple question: Does it have to be this hard? It caught me off guard, but it also got me thinking. How much of the stress and overwhelm is simply part of running a business, and how much of it have I come to accept as something I can't change? What would happen if I took a step back and thought more intentionally about the experience I actually want to have? This episode is about questioning the way we've always done things, recognizing where we have more control than we think, and considering whether we can create a different experience for ourselves — even during the busiest time of the year. Because maybe it doesn't have to be this hard. Let’s Connect If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway. Send me a message or share this episode with someone who might need it. Subscribe & Review If you’re enjoying Voted Least Likely, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show 💗 Connect with the Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

I did it. We hosted a live podcast event, and it actually went well. So why did I leave with such an unexpected feeling? In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on what it was like to bring the podcast to life in front of a live audience, including all the fears and doubts I had in the lead-up. I talk about the pressure I put on myself, the relief I felt when it was finally over, and what it was like to realize that something I’d been so nervous about had turned into a genuinely good experience. But the most surprising part came at the end. I felt sad that there are people I can't share this with. It was an unexpected reminder that even when we’re proud of ourselves, accomplish something meaningful, or have a moment worth celebrating, those experiences can bring up complicated feelings about the people we wish we could share them with. This episode is about facing your fears, letting yourself feel proud of what you’ve done, and navigating the emotions that can surface when success doesn’t feel quite how you expected it to. Because sometimes the hardest part isn’t doing the thing. It’s figuring out what to do with everything you feel afterward. Let’s Connect If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway. Send me a message or share this episode with someone who might need it. Subscribe & Review If you’re enjoying Voted Least Likely, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show 💗 Connect with the Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

In this solo episode, I'm sitting down to do my Q4 planning exercise with you. And to take an honest look back at Q3... Instead of just setting new goals and moving on, I'm revisiting the goals I set for the previous quarter and asking: What did I actually accomplish? What didn't happen? And why? It's a practical look at the less glamorous side of running a business: setting goals, missing some of them, changing course, and continuing anyway. If you've been putting off your own quarterly review, grab a notebook and do this one alongside me. Because sometimes the most useful thing you can do isn't to set a BIGGER goal. It's stop, look at what actually happened, and decide what you're going to do next. Let’s Connect If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway. Send me a message or share this episode with someone who might need it. Subscribe & Review If you’re enjoying Voted Least Likely, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show 💗 Connect with the Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

I am re-airing this episode because Sarah will be joining me as a guest at the Voted Least Likely Podcast LIVE Recording tonight, October 7th. Voted Least Likely Podcast: LIVE🎙️ "An evening of Ambition, Rejection, and continuing anyways" Grab your ticket here (there's a couple left!): https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/voted-least-likely-podcast-live-recording-tickets-1998961385314 Episode Description: In this episode of Voted Least Likely, I’m joined by celebrity stylist Sarah D’Arcey for a conversation about building something of your own — even when you don’t feel fully ready. Sarah shares how she grew her styling business while still working a corporate job, navigating uncertainty, and the quiet belief that something bigger was possible. What struck me most in this conversation is how much of entrepreneurship is built in the in-between seasons. We talk about: - Building your business alongside a full-time job - The mentors who shaped Sarah’s early career — and why encouragement at the right time changes everything - Why you never truly feel “ready” to leap into entrepreneurship - The uncertainty that comes with betting on yourself - Staying humble and grounded as the landscape of business changes Sarah speaks candidly about the self-doubt, the pivots, and the discipline required to create longevity — not just visibility. This conversation is a reminder that success is rarely loud in the beginning. It’s often built quietly, in small rooms, before anyone else sees it. If you’re in the middle of building something — while juggling work, responsibilities, or fear — this episode will resonate deeply. As always, thank you for being here. Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

I am re-airing this episode because Eliza will be joining me as a guest at the Voted Least Likely Podcast LIVE Recording on October 7th. Voted Least Likely Podcast: LIVE🎙️ "An evening of Ambition, Rejection, and continuing anyways" Grab your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/voted-least-likely-podcast-live-recording-tickets-1998961385314 Episode Description: Eliza Trendiak has been an entrepreneur since before she even knew the meaning of the word. Whether operating a successful lemonade stand or charging the kids in the neighbourhood for gymnastics lessons (despite not being a gymnast), Eliza has always loved turning an idea into a tangible business. She spent the first 15 years of her career in the hair styling industry, first as a stylist, and then as a salon owner building and selling her brand of 4 salon locations in Vancouver, Canada. Seeing other women succeed in business is a huge passion of Eliza’s and she loves to connect and encourage other business owners any time she can. You will regularly find her making ridiculous videos (her words, not mine) on social media using humour to highlight her attempt at balancing motherhood and business ownership. This episode first aired while Eliza was working on her new brand called Lavoh, a line of sustainable and reusable makeup remover cloths which she launched in the Spring of 2024 and has grown into an impressive brand. In this episode we cover how you know when it's time to pivot, the importance of community in business, and that we're both ready for any awards show. Follow Eliza's journey on IG: https://www.instagram.com/elizatrendiak/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elizatrendiak Learn more about the Voted Least Likely Podcast here: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

We’re taking Voted Least Likely offline 👀 On October 7th, I’m bringing the podcast offline and into the Leah Yard Designs studio for a very special LIVE recording. I started Voted Least Likely because I wanted to have the conversations about entrepreneurship that I felt were missing — the rejection, the failures, the pivots, the uncertainty, and all the moments that don’t make it onto social media. For this live recording, I’ll be joined by Sarah D’Arcey and Eliza Trendiak for an honest conversation about ambition, building a career, taking risks, figuring things out as you go, facing rejection, and continuing anyway. No polished success stories. No pretending we have it all figured out. Just a really honest conversation with people who have been in the trenches too. October 7th · 6–9 PM 📍 Leah Yard Designs Studio 🎟️ Grab your ticket here Come hang out, listen in, and maybe leave feeling a little less alone in your own journey.

Do you really need to niche down? In this episode, I'm joined by Shelan Markus, a multi-faceted entrepreneur, lawyer, artist, and community builder. Shelan is the Executive Director of Level Justice, a national organization focused on justice education and human rights, and the founder of City and She. Shelan is also the host and founder of How She Made This, a Vancouver-based talk series that brings together women-identifying, transfeminine, and gender-diverse entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders to share the real stories, strategies, and experiences behind their work. We talk about what it looks like to follow your creativity, start before you feel ready, and deal with the very real imposter syndrome that can show up when you're building something new. We also get into something I've been thinking about a lot lately: you can't do everything yourself forever. As entrepreneurs, it's easy to hold onto tasks because we think we'll do them faster, better, or cheaper ourselves. But eventually, doing everything yourself becomes the thing holding your business back. We talk about the importance of delegating, learning how to let go of some control so you can focus on the parts of the business where you're actually needed, and making space for your creativity to have a say in where your journey takes you. Shelan's own work is rooted in creating connection and sharing the real experiences behind entrepreneurship, which made this conversation feel especially fitting for Voted Least Likely.  Connect with Shelan Markus: How She Made This: https://www.howshemadethis.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/howshemadethis City & She: https://www.cityandshe.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/cityandshe/ Level Justice: https://www.leveljustice.org/ Let’s Connect If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway. Send me a message or share this episode with someone who might need it. Subscribe & Review If you’re enjoying Voted Least Likely, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show 💗 Connect with the Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

We’re constantly told to build businesses that are scalable, efficient, and systemized. But what if some of the things that aren’t scalable are actually your biggest advantage? In this episode, I’m talking about a few things I’ve changed my mind about when it comes to growing a business. For a long time, I avoided doing things that felt too time-consuming or too dependent on me because I thought, Well, I can't do this forever. And that's true. I can't. But I've realized that just because something isn't scalable doesn't mean it isn't valuable. There are things you can do at one stage of your business that you simply won't be able to do later. One-on-one styling sessions. Writing a handwritten note in every order. Giving customers more of your time and attention. Creating experiences that rely on you. When you're small, those things aren't necessarily inefficiencies to eliminate. They can be your advantage. The trick is knowing which things are worth doing because you're small—and recognizing when it's time to let them go, systemize them, or hand them off. In this episode, I'm sharing the things I've changed my mind about, what I've learned about scalability, and why I'm no longer so quick to dismiss something just because I can't imagine doing it at a much larger scale. Because maybe the goal isn't to build a business that can do everything without you. Maybe the goal is to take advantage of the things only you can do while you can. Let’s Connect If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway. Send me a message or share this episode with someone who might need it. Subscribe & Review If you’re enjoying Voted Least Likely, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show 💗 Connect with the Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

I heard someone say on a panel recently, “You are building your character alongside your business.” And it has stayed with me for weeks. As entrepreneurs, we're constantly measuring things: revenue, sales, followers, growth, profit, goals reached. There are endless ways to track whether the business is moving forward. But some of the things that matter most aren't really trackable. The decision to do the right thing when nobody would know if you didn't. Choosing your reputation over a quick win. Being honest when honesty is inconvenient. How you treat people when you're stressed, disappointed, or have something to lose. The kind of person you become while you're building the thing you want so badly. Those choices don't show up in your monthly revenue report. There isn't a notification telling you that you made the right call. And sometimes doing the right thing doesn't even seem to benefit your business in the short term. But over time, those decisions become your reputation. They become how people experience you. And most importantly, they become who you are. In this episode, I’m thinking about what it means to build character alongside a business—and why I think we should pay more attention to the things we're building that can't be measured. Because success isn't only about what you build. It's also about who you become while you're building it. Let’s Connect If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway. Send me a message or share this episode with someone who might need it. Subscribe & Review If you’re enjoying Voted Least Likely, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show 💗 Connect with the Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard

This week's episode of the Voted Least Likely podcast is a personal one. It's not the original show I have planned on sharing, but this topic has been on my mind. At the beginning of every year, I complete a Life Vision Worksheet. This process helps me plan for the year, set big goals, and create trackable lists to keep me on pace. This year, when I look back at what I wrote down for 2026, I don't even recognize that life. Things have gone so differently than I had expected. There was a specific moment in April that I keep using as a reference point, because even though that was only 4 months ago, life has changed so much since then. I wanted to share today's episode because I know I'm not the only one here. I know I'm not the only one who has set a big goal, swung big, and missed. This week's episode is a life update, and a mid-year check in. It's time to set our sights on something new, recalibrate, and lock in. A lot can change in a few months. Let’s Connect If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway. Send me a message or share this episode with someone who might need it. Subscribe & Review If you’re enjoying Voted Least Likely, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show 💗 Connect with the Podcast: www.leahyard.com IG: @leahyard TikTok: @leahyard