Description: In corporate America, they called Stephanie "pushy nice"—and at first, she wasn’t sure how to take it. How can you be pushy AND nice? But she's learned that this contradiction is exactly what makes entrepreneurs successful. We have to be confident yet humble, persistent yet flexible, generous yet profitable.

In this episode, discover how to stop fighting your contradictions and start using them as your secret weapon. Learn the art of being "both/and" instead of "either/or" and get practical strategies for knowing when to lean into different sides of your personality based on what the situation requires.

Key Takeaway:

“I want you to understand that being a person who maybe doesn't fit so neatly into a simple category is a potential superpower. So, look for your dance. Look for your way to navigate these contradictions and embrace the paradox. Use the tension. Stop apologizing for being wonderfully complicated.”

— Stephanie Redcross West

Show notes:

💪[2:10] Seeing contradictions as strengths instead of weaknesses.

🔗[4:42] The magic happens when you can be two things at the same time.

🏋 [8:01] Giving yourself the ability to practice.

📝 [13:57] Contradiction #1: Pushy but Nice.

🧑‍🏫 [14:14] Contradiction #2: Confident but Learning.

🎢 [16:21] Contradiction #3: Flexible but Focused.

🐢 [22:33] Contradiction #4: Patient but Urgent.

💖 [24:21] Contradiction #5: Generous but Profitable.

🛠️ [28:47] Using contradictions for decision-making in your business.

⚙️ [30:06] When to lean more heavily into one side of a contradiction.

🤔 [34:01] Reflect on a recent conflict to use both sides of a contradiction.

☯ [36:57] Embrace the paradox, use the tension, and stop apologizing for being wonderfully complicated.

Ready to Take Action?

Free Resources: Find the complete "Contradiction Management Toolkit" at https://skills.veganmainstream.com/c/learn-get-inspired/ - including pushy nice communication scripts, boundary-setting templates, and contradiction assessment tools.

Take It Deeper: If mindset challenges and self-doubt are creating internal conflicts in your business approach, check out our "Healing Burnout" course for strategies to build confidence and manage perfectionism. https://veganmainstream.com/courses/healing-burnout/

New to SKILLS? Join our community for free at https://veganmainstream.com/support/vegan-business-community/ and access hundreds of resources for vegan entrepreneurs, or upgrade to premium for complete course access and live coaching sessions. https://veganmainstream.com/vegan-online-training-community/

Description: Everyone sounds polished now—perfect copy, flawless videos, expert-level everything. But your audience is craving something real. In this episode of the SKILLS Podcast, Stephanie reveals why your imperfections are actually your competitive advantage and how authentic communication cuts through all the polished noise.

Discover why being "perfectly imperfect" builds more trust than any polished content strategy, and learn practical ways to share your learning moments, honest struggles, and work-in-progress without feeling like an imposter.

If you've been waiting until you feel "ready" or "expert enough" to share your message, this episode will give you permission to show up as you are.

Key Takeaway

“Your people are out there right now. They're struggling right now, today. They were struggling last week. They might have been struggling last month. And the exact problem that you're facing right now, they might be facing too. And they need your perspective. They need your solutions. They need your humanity. So I need you to be brave. I need you to be real. And I want you to stop trying to be perfect and instead get out there and help people. Do the work that you want it to do. Drive the change that you want to drive.”

— Stephanie Redcross West

Show notes:

💯 [2:57] What it means to be authentic.

🙋🏻‍♂️ [5:45] Your audience is often looking for someone like them.

👌 [8:55] If you only do perfect content, you attract people who want to see perfect content.

🔄 [12:35] Your unique perspective is what makes you stand out in the crowd.

📌 [16:53] How do you let people know where you are now?

😣 [18:37] The real struggles: sharing something that you were challenged with.

🚧 [21:02] Work in progress: sharing things while you're still testing it.

😌 [22:57] Honest opinion: something different than popular advice.

🎬 [25:09] Behind the scenes reality.

▶️ [27:12] Test things out by posting a video.

🤝 [29:15] Vega Mainstream Village: a free side of our community.

Ready to Take Action?

Free Resources: Find the complete "Authentic Authority Content System" toolkit at https://skills.veganmainstream.com/c/learn-get-inspired/ - including vulnerable content templates, behind-the-scenes prompts, and authentic voice audit worksheets.
(Note: You’ll need a free SKILLS account to access these resources. Sign up takes less than a minute, see link below)

Take It Deeper: If you want to build a complete, authentic social media strategy that attracts your ideal audience, check out our "Social Media From Scratch" course for comprehensive guidance on creating content that converts. https://veganmainstream.com/courses/social-media-from-scratch/

New to SKILLS? Join our community for free at https://veganmainstream.com/support/vegan-business-community/ and access hundreds of resources for vegan entrepreneurs, or upgrade to premium for complete course access and live coaching sessions. https://veganmainstream.com/vegan-online-training-community/

About SKILLS in Action Podcast

SKILLS in Action Podcast is your resource for building a vegan business that's profitable, sustainable, and aligned with your values. Hosted by Stephanie Redcross West, founder of Vegan Mainstream, each episode delivers practical strategies you can implement right away.

You started your vegan business to make a difference, but passion alone isn't enough to keep you going. In this episode of the SKILLS Podcast, Stephanie gets real about what it takes to build a mission-driven business that sustains you financially, emotionally, and energetically for the long haul.

Discover why your love for animals and the planet needs to be paired with boundaries, profitable pricing, and sustainable systems. Stephanie shares the mindset shifts that transformed her approach to vegan entrepreneurship, including how to charge appropriately without betraying your values and why taking care of yourself IS part of taking care of your mission.

Whether you're just starting your vegan venture or feeling burned out from trying to save the world single-handedly, this episode will help you build something that creates lasting change without sacrificing your wellbeing.

Key Takeaway:

“Your passion is your starting point. It's not your business plan. Your persistence matters, but you need to be strategic about your persistence, and you need some systems behind you to make it work. Your profit isn't separate from your purpose. It is what enables your purpose to grow and thrive. So don't fall into the trap of thinking that you have to struggle. It's got to be hard. It's a noble thing. If you're trying to drive change, everyone deserves everything you're doing. And, you know, we have to give it all. The idea is that we need you. We need you here. We need you for the long haul. So make some of these changes.”

— Stephanie Redcross West

Show Notes:

🌱 [1:48] What it takes to really build a sustainable business.

👻 [5:42] It's possible to build a business that feeds your soul and your bank account.

🔋 [9:19] Strategies that you're putting in place should protect your energy.

⚠️ [13:28] Boundaries are there to help you avoid the danger zones.

⛔ [15:11] Boundaries can be set by publishing your working hours.

⚙️ [20:05] Having a system that you can automate in your business.

✨ [22:25] Aligning your profit with your purpose.

💪🏼 [26:15] Having resilience: putting processes in place so you can get up more easily.

🎲 [29:07] Board games and a feeling of accomplishment.

👥 [34:05] For more training and ideas, get a lesson in our online community “Skills”.

🔥 [35:36] Your passion is your starting point, it's not your business plan.

Ready to Take Action?

Free Resources: Find the complete "Mission-Driven Business Foundation" toolkit at https://skills.veganmainstream.com/c/learn-get-inspired/ - including pricing calculators, burnout prevention checklists, and energy management templates.
(Note: You’ll need a free SKILLS account to access these resources. Sign up takes less than a minute, see link below.)

Take It Deeper: If burnout is already affecting your business, check out our "Healing Burnout" course for comprehensive recovery strategies. https://veganmainstream.com/courses/healing-burnout/

New to SKILLS? Join our community for free at https://veganmainstream.com/support/vegan-business-community/ and access hundreds of resources for vegan entrepreneurs, or upgrade to premium for complete course access and live coaching sessions. https://veganmainstream.com/vegan-online-training-community/

About SKILLS in Action Podcast

SKILLS in Action Podcast is your resource for building a vegan business that's profitable, sustainable, and aligned with your values. Hosted by Stephanie Redcross West, founder of Vegan Mainstream, each episode delivers practical strategies you can implement right away.