In this episode of Rooted & Relentless, Steph kicks off the Stakeholder Experience Series by breaking down why your clients are more than just the people currently paying you and why past clients and even your clients’ clients are part of your business ecosystem too.

This conversation reframes client experience as a leadership responsibility, not a customer service task.

Because when you truly lead your client relationships, the ripple effect shows up everywhere: retention, referrals, reputation, revenue — and the kind of impact your business has beyond you.

In this episode, Steph covers:

1. Why client experience is a strategic ripple effect, not a “nice to have”
2. How dazzling your clients fuels retention, referrals, and easier marketing
3. The real difference between managing clients and leading the relationship
4. Four practical ways to elevate your client experience without overgiving:
5. Clear communication & expectation setting
6. Proactive leadership (anticipating needs, not waiting for direction)
7. Being EXTRA on purpose (without burning out)
8. Evolving alongside your clients as they grow
9. Why silence creates stories — and how unspoken expectations quietly erode trust
10. How to normalize feedback early and often (and turn it into better offers)
11. The overlooked power of re-engaging past clients
12. Why your work enables your clients’ impact — and how that responsibility compounds

This episode is about more than client satisfaction.

It’s about building a reputation that carries you into rooms you’re not in.

Because when people feel held, guided, and genuinely cared for — they stay, they buy again, and they tell everyone.

🔗 Want to step deeper into my world?

If this episode had you nodding along, you’ll love these next steps:

Join the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind Waitlist. High-touch coaching for service-based business owners ready to stabilize, scale, and lead with clarity
https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist

Book a Decision Intensive to Nail Your Client Experience Strategy. A 90-minute intensive to make Client Experience a priority, design your path to doing so, walk away with a clear, actionable plan to make it happen
https://www.stephrubio.com/small-business-consulting

Connect with me on Instagram → @virtually_stephrubio: https://www.instagram.com/virtually_stephrubio
Come tell me how you’re being EXTRA for your clients.

What if the fastest way to grow your business wasn’t more content, better hooks, or another launch strategy?

What if it was your reputation?

In this episode of Rooted & Relentless, I’m officially introducing a concept that’s been quietly shaping my work for years—and I’m finally naming it out loud: The Stakeholder Experience.

Most conversations in online business stop at client experience. And yes—client experience matters. It’s non-negotiable.

But it’s also too narrow.

Because in business, your reputation isn’t just carried by your clients. It’s carried by everyone who has a stake in your business—and whether you’re managing that intentionally or not, it’s already working for (or against) you.

In this episode, I'm giving you a sneak peek on the concept of Stakeholder Experience, including:

1. Why your reputation is your revenue
2. The difference between client experience and stakeholder experience
3. The four stakeholder groups that quietly shape your growth, referrals, retention, and opportunities
4. How this managing every relationships moves you from hustling for dollars to building a reputation that compounds

This episode also marks the beginning of the Stakeholder Experience Masterclass Series, where over the next several weeks I’ll break down each stakeholder group—why they matter and how they affect your business.

And because I don’t just teach theory—I show receipts—I’m kicking off this series by spotlighting The Clarity Coven, the founding members of the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind.

This is stakeholder experience in action.

If you’re done chasing visibility and ready to build something that lasts—

If you want your name being said in rooms you’re not even in—and said well—

If you’re ready to lead your business like the ecosystem it actually is—

Welcome to Steph Rubio land. Pull up a seat and stay awhile.

And consider joining us in the mastermind, doors reopen for the first time on Feb 2nd: https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist

This Series Is For You If:

1. You’re a service-based business owner or founder
2. You care deeply about how you do business—not just how fast you grow
3. You’re tired of chasing attention and ready to build authority
4. You believe relationships are strategy (because they are)

What’s Coming Next:

Each week in this series, we’ll zoom in on one stakeholder group and break down:

1. Why managing this relationship matters
2. How it impacts every other part of your business
3. Actions and systems that elevate the experience

Get Steph's Shenanigans straight to your inbox twice a month. Aside from this podcast, it's the most valuable free advice you can get on the internet: https://stephrubio.myflodesk.com/letsconnect

In this episode, Steph delves into the complexities of hiring offshore support for online businesses. She explores the ethical considerations, potential benefits, and challenges of outsourcing, emphasizing the importance of aligning business practices with personal values and community impact. The big zinger? There is no cut and dry right or wrong answer. This episode explores critical thinking at it's core, truly discovering your values and aligning with those.

For me straight up shenanigans from Steph:

Follow along on IG: https://www.instagram.com/virtually_stephrubio

Get the deets straight to your inbox - what Steph's currently loving, learning, loathing along with a CEO edit to sharpen your strategy & bite-sized business tips that keep you scaling without selling your soul: https://stephrubio.myflodesk.com/letsconnect

Takeaways

1. Hiring offshore can be cost-effective but raises ethical questions.
2. Aligning business practices with personal values is crucial.
3. Globalization impacts local and international communities differently.
4. Outsourcing can offer significant scaling potential for businesses.
5. Ethical considerations include fair wages and community support.
6. Steph emphasizes the importance of women's empowerment globally.
7. There's no one-size-fits-all answer to offshore hiring.
8. Understanding cultural differences is key in global business.
9. Steph advocates for supporting local communities through business.
10. The conversation on globalization is nuanced and ongoing.

Summary:

In this episode, Steph Rubio weaves together tales of a sparkly H&M jacket, a local window tinting business, and the unsung heroes in scrubs to make it clear just how crucial your client's experience is. Discover how these seemingly unrelated stories prove that client experience can be the difference between repeat business and a total flop—without you ever knowing why. Buckle up, because we're diving into the art of being "extra" with a dash of snark and a whole lot of heart.

Takeaways:

1. Being "extra" will set you apart and make you memorable.
2. Thoughtful actions will lead to client retention and referrals which is free marketing
3. Anticipating client needs enhances user experience.
4. Small gestures can lead to brand loyalty & brand recognition. People will start to remember you for being THAT girl.
5. Effective communication is key in service industries.
6. Building relationships through kindness can have lasting effects.
7. Sharing personal stories can inspire others to be "extra."

Chapters:

1. 00:00 - Introduction: The Power of Being Extra
2. 03:15 - Story of the Jacket: Sustainability and Impact
3. 06:30 - The Window Tinting Experience: Communication Matters
4. 10:45 - Healthcare Heroes: Compassion in Action
5. 14:00 - Conclusion: How to Be Extra in Your Life

Connect with Steph: Follow Steph on Instagram @virtually_stephrubio and share your favorite snacks or stories of being "extra." Perks if it's healthy, but let's be real, all snacks are welcome!

https://www.instagram.com/virtually_stephrubio/

In this episode of Rooted & Relentless, Steph sits down with Rachael Perry, founder of Chateau Marigold and one of the founding members of the Clarity Coven inside the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind.

What starts as a conversation about content creation quickly turns into something much deeper: grief as a catalyst, motherhood as a driver, boundaries as a business skill, and why relationships—not hacks—are the real growth strategy.

Rachael shares how losing her father sparked her passion for documentation and storytelling, eventually leading her to build a business that helps founders create content that feels good and performs—while saving clients an average of 60 hours a month. (Yes, sixty. Go ahead and mentally spend that time however you want. Reading fantasy novels is encouraged.)

Together, Steph and Rachael unpack:

1. Why most people struggle with content (and it’s not because they’re “bad at it”)
2. The mindset shift that instantly quiets comparison and imposter syndrome
3. Why connection > conversion in today’s marketing landscape
4. How interest-based media is changing the way we build audiences
5. What it actually looks like to edit your business when growth starts to feel heavy
6. The rarely-talked-about loneliness of entrepreneurship—and why safe rooms matter
7. How Rachel made hard decisions, cut misaligned clients, and landed more aligned ones
8. Why relationships will take your business farther than any funnel, giveaway, or gimmick

Connect with Rachael

Follow Rachael and keep up with her brilliance on Instagram

👉 @chateaumarigold

Hang with Steph

Want the same kind of clarity, confidence, and grounded decision-making you heard in this episode? Join me and Rachael inside of the Rooted & Relentless mastermind. Where breakthroughs happen on any given Tuesday: https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist

Get the deets straight to your inbox for what Steph's currently loving, learning, loathing along with a COO edit to sharpen your strategy & bite-sized business tips that keep you scaling without selling your soul: https://stephrubio.myflodesk.com/letsconnect

Your support helps this community grow—and keeps these conversations happening.

In this Clarity Coven feature, Steph sits down with Alissa Bellantoni — The Golden OBM. Alissa is an Online Business Manager, an Online Business Mentor, and the woman business owners call when the backend is on fire and burnout is knocking at the door.

Alissa is one of the founding members of the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind, and in this conversation, we dig into what it actually looks like to build a sustainable virtual support business — both as an OBM serving established clients and as a mentor helping women step into the their own virtual support business with confidence.

This episode is a candid, practical conversation about operations, hiring, boundaries, authenticity, and avoiding the comparison spiral that derails so many capable entrepreneurs.

What We Cover in This Episode

1. What an Online Business Manager really does (and doesn’t do)
2. The biggest misconception about OBMs and virtual support roles
3. Why hiring “one person to do everything” isn't the move
4. Why being honest about budget and expectations matters
5. Alissa’s biggest recent shift: stepping into authentic, unfiltered messaging
6. How comparison quietly stalls progress in service-based businesses
7. Curating your social media feed to support your growth, not sabotage it

Key Takeaways

1. Clarity in hiring starts with clarity in roles. Know what you’re hiring for before you post the job.
2. OBMs are ops specialists, not marketing unicorns. Different roles exist for a reason.
3. Burnout is often a systems problem, not a motivation problem.
4. Authenticity converts better than perfectly polished content.
5. Following competitors too closely fuels self-doubt & setbacks, not confidence.
6. You don’t need to manage everyone — you need the right leadership structure.

Connect with Alissa

Want backend brilliance and top-tier OBM wisdom? Or thinking of starting your own Virtual Support Business?

1. Instagram: @thegoldenobm
2. Newsletter: https://thegoldenobm.myflodesk.com/newsletter

This episode is part of the Clarity Coven series — spotlighting the founding members of the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind and what stakeholder experience looks like when done right.

Want the same kind of clarity, confidence, and grounded decision-making you heard in this episode? Join me and Alissa inside of the Rooted & Relentless mastermind. Where breakthroughs happen on any given Tuesday: https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist

In this special Clarity Coven feature episode of Rooted & Relentless, Steph sits down with Kara Williams, founder of Help Me Kara and a founding member of the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind.

This conversation is a masterclass in simplification, execution, and impact — especially for business owners who know they have something powerful to teach but feel stuck at the idea stage.

Kara shares her journey from years of doing tech behind the scenes to becoming the go-to for helping entrepreneurs launch courses that actually get finished — and talked about — not forgotten.

Together, Steph and Kara unpack what really matters when building and marketing digital offers, why perfection is slowing people down, and how clarity is created through action, not overthinking.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. Why most people overbuild courses — and how that hurts results
2. The real goal of a course (hint: it’s not proving how much you know)
3. How faster transformations lead to stronger referrals and reputation
4. Why marketing has to start before your offer is live — and continue after
5. The biggest misconceptions about tech, production quality, and “doing it right”
6. How iteration beats perfection every time
7. What it looks like to run your business like a business — even with limited hours
8. Why data beats disappointment when things don’t land the first time
9. Kara’s best advice for service-based business owners stuck waiting for clarity

This episode is a reminder that:

You don’t need more content.

You need cleaner execution, clearer transformation, and the courage to move.

Because results change lives — and finished work builds reputation.

🔗 Connect with Kara

If you’re thinking about launching a course, digital product, or offer — or you’re stuck in tech paralysis — Kara is someone you want in your corner.

1. Instagram: @helpmekara - https://www.instagram.com/helpmekara/
2. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kara-williams-04b94ba

🔗 Want to go deeper into this work?

This Clarity Coven feature is one example of how stakeholder experience comes to life inside the Rooted & Relentless Mastermind.

1. Join the Mastermind Waitlist
2. High-touch coaching for service-based business owners ready to stabilize, scale, and lead with clarity
3. https://www.stephrubio.com/groupcoachingwaitlist
4. Get the deets straight to your inbox for what Steph's currently loving, learning, loathing along with a CEO edit to sharpen your strategy & bite-sized business tips that keep you scaling without selling your soul: https://stephrubio.myflodesk.com/letsconnect

Reflection Prompt:

Where are you waiting to feel “ready” — when action would give you the clarity you’re looking for?

Summary

In this inaugural episode of 'Rooted and Relentless', Steph Rubio shares how Rooted & Relentless was born, a peek behind the curtain of her journey of becoming a business strategist, starting with a history of her entering the workforce at the ripe old age of 16, emphasizing the importance of mindset, personal growth, and the relentless pursuit of your dream life - because you only get one. She discusses her experiences in sales and operations, the significance of understanding business strategy, and how personal identity plays a crucial role in success as an entrepreneur. The episode invites listeners to embrace their unique paths while remaining true to themselves.

Takeaways

• Real change happens when you bet on yourself.
• You're building a life, not just a business.
• Growth is possible on your own terms.
• I've been working since I was 16 & found my love of operations over many years in the workforce.
• Strategy is the why and the what.
• Mindset is a necessary component for many years to come.
• Being rooted means staying true to who you are.
• Your roots can be moved, they can change with you.
• You have a front row seat to my journey.