Behind the Business: Molly Cahill on Authentic Marketing, Life & Growth ft. Lacey Sites [Episode 182]

Molly: Hi. Okay, this is a little bit of a different episode because I am being interviewed on my own podcast. I got this idea from my friend Kate Korzmayer. She did this on her podcast ages ago. And I asked my business coach and mentor, Lacey Sites, to actually come interview me on my own show. So she asks a lot of personal and business questions, and if you're like me, I just like really like getting to know people like on a deeper level.

And yeah, I didn't hold anything back. I think I answered every question. I don't know, it's like nothing like crazy juicy or anything. But anyway, I think there might be a couple things that really surprise you about me. So anyway, now we're all the way on episode 182 of the podcast. Uh, Lacey's interviewing me, and I hope that you enjoy it, and I'd love to hear your feedback

Hey, welcome to Holistic Marketing Simplified. This podcast boils down to the fact that we wholeheartedly believe that more humans need to know about holistic health solutions. And you didn't go to school to learn how to be a full-time content creator and show up on Instagram and do all of this marketing stuff all day, every day.

So let's come hang out while we chat all things easing your marketing. And my goal is that you shift your mindset around your marketing from a, quote, "should" to a, "I get to". More dream patients and clients? Yes, please.

Dr. McCullen: Hi, I'm Dr. MG McCullen, an acupuncturist and energy healer in South Carolina, and I listen to the Holistic Marketing Simplified podcast

Molly: Okay, so I'm just like literally starting this very casually because Lacey and I have already been chatting.

We were just chatting about our Lake pajamas. We're gonna influence you to go buy some Lake pajamas. They're very

Lacey: good. Mm-hmm.

Molly: They're so soft. Um, I just visited my best friend, I t- think I told you this, in New Jersey, who had a baby, and she's my bougie- Yeah ... she's my bougie friend. And so Matt was like, "How much money is this trip costing me?"

'Cause I was like, "I may or may not have just bought $400 worth of pajamas." And like I want her Boll & Branch sheets. Do you have, do you know those? Oh, I

Lacey: don't.

Molly: No. Oh my gosh, yes. The sh- she has Boll & Branch. I like... They're like so crispy and just like, they're on my... I should have gotten them for Labor Day. And then like her espresso maker, I was like, "Oh, I need that.

I haven't bought that yet either." But I'm like, "Oh." And he's like, "Oh, you can't visit her ever again."

Lacey: You're like, "This is exactly why I visit her. Thank

Molly: you." Mm-hmm. But listen, jammies had been on my list. You know what I mean? Like do you know, are you a Denise Duffield-Thomas fan?

Lacey: Um, I don't not like her. I just don't like follow her regularly.

Molly: Mm-hmm. So have you ever read Get Rich, Lucky Bitch?

Lacey: Yes, a long time ago.

Molly: Long, yeah. I kind of revisit it like I feel like once a year. I'll even like- Yeah ... not the whole book, but I have like audio, and her being Australian, like who doesn't wanna listen to that? And she always talks about upgrading your life.

I'm like, "I'm gonna upgrade my jams."

Lacey: Pajamas are a life upgrade. I fully agree with that. Mm-hmm.

Molly: Yeah. So here we go. Hashtag influenced. Buy you some Lake Some lake pajamas. Okay, so I asked Laycee to come on today. Laycee has been my business co-... He- it's been a year now.

Lacey: Yeah. Mm.

Molly: A little over a year. That's crazy.

I know that's such a cliché thing. People are like, "Oh, time is fl-," but, like, literally the name of your podcast.

Lacey: Literally. It's flying. Yes.

Molly: Um, God, it's gone by so fast. Yes, Laycee's been my business coach for a little over a year, and if you didn't check it out, I was on her podcast as her coachee. So, I don't know if you wanna tell them about your podcast, 'cause I just think it's so unique.

And how did you even think of that?

Lacey: Um, so on my podcast, I coach one person for six months. And the way I thought of it actually is years ago, I mean, we're on, we're recording our, uh, 14th season now, so it's been a long time. Years ago, my graphics designer kind of gave me the idea. She, like, I had thought about starting a podcast, but I was like, "Uh, it's just not really how I operate.

Like, I do much better in, like, a coaching dynamic." And she actually was like, "I've been thinking of how you should just record your coaching sessions." And I was like, "Yeah, but, you know, it's, like, so hard to capture one coaching session. Like, that doesn't really tell the full story." And she was like, "Well, I was thinking," 'cause she had a, a boyfriend at the time, and she was like, "I was thinking that I was gonna have, do a podcast with him and just, like, do the whole season about his, him trying to grow his business.

Why don't you just have a client on the whole time?" And I was like, "Oh my God, what?" Like, it never occurred to me, and I was like, "Oh, that's, like, a brilliant idea. I'm fully gonna do that." It is.

Molly: And then, like, going back and listening to previous seasons too, I was just like, "Oh my gosh, this is so genius," 'cause you really do get, like, the behind the scene.

And, like, I feel like, well, I guess the seasons I've listened to, like, nobody held back.

Lacey: Totally. Yeah. I think that there's something really special about, like, the, when someone commits to it, they tend to be very committed and be like, "No, I'm, like, giving this my all," which I think is really, really cool.

Molly: Mm-hmm. Okay, so the reason I wanted to have Laycee on today, my amazing business coach, and let me just say, like, take a minute to, like... Sorry, I'm love bom- gonna love bomb you and embarrass you, but- No, you've just been so different than any... I've, you know, I've had a lot of, like, good coaches. Um, but I just think with you, it's like, it's so funny because the thing is never the thing.

Lacey: Mm.

Molly: You know what I mean?

Lacey: Mm-hmm.

Molly: And it always ends up being something where I'm like, "Oh, I thought I was coming on here to talk about my sales page," when really it's like really we're just revisiting the pattern of me always making myself wrong. Or-

Lacey: Mm-hmm ...

Molly: you know, downplaying my success in my business and like, "Oh, I don't have a real business" And it's just so funny how, I don't know, it always comes back to that, and then it's like I always leave feeling like, oh, that's actually the coaching I really needed.

And you just have... I think it was funny on that post you wrote about how didn't we all come to you for time blocking?

Lacey: Yes. Yes. Or

Molly: all your coachees are like, all your clients are like, "Laycee, I just really need help with, you know, productivity and time blocking." And you're like, "Okay, so when you were seven, did you..."

No, I'm just kidding.

Lacey: No, but really. It's always so much deeper than we think it is, and I think that's why business is both, like, wonderful and hard because it's always so much deeper than we think it is.

Molly: Yeah. So I wanted Laycee to come on today because I'm actually approaching, in typical Molly fashion, it's like would this be my 200th episode or 175th episode?

Like, maybe, but that's just not how I'm gonna roll. Yeah. Yeah. I think this is episode, like, 182 or something. It, like, has no- Perfect. Mm-hmm ... yeah, like, no significance. But my friend Kate Kortsmeyer did this years ago. When she first started her podcast, she had somebody come on and interview her, and it was just like, I thought...

I just really loved the episode because even though I knew her personally, I felt like I got to know so many things about her that, like, I had never heard her talk about before. So I was like- Yeah ... "Okay, who would I want to come interview me on my own show?" And of course, I thought of you, so thank you so much for being here.

I'm

Lacey: so excited. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to do this.

Molly: I know. So I'm gonna, like, proverbial- Passing the mic ... proverbial mic pass here. Passing the mic. So now this is your show. You're the host. Welcome to my show. Y'all should see what I look like on here. It's crazy. Laycee, Laycee's all put together, and I'm, like,

Lacey: not.

I am ready to take the mic. You lean back, relax. We got this. Okay, so I feel like One of the things that I love about you so much that you were kind of alluding to, but it's just, like, how you are always who you are, and how nothing is ever, like, off the table for you. Not in, in the way that, like, you don't have your own boundaries, but just in the way that, like, you have nothing to hide, and you're, like, always so open to, like, share that with people.

So I feel like we'll, we'll get into some of that. I'm gonna ask you some, like, uh, deep dark questions- Ooh ... and then also light and fun questions. Yeah,

Molly: I'm excited.

Lacey: What was your first thought when you woke up today?

Molly: This is not exciting. So we're recording this the Tuesday after Labor Day, and my first thought was...

I mean, MJ is off school today too, but my thir- first thought was like, "Oh, I don't really wanna work today. I just wanna still pretend like it's vacation."

Lacey: Yes. Yes. You're like, "Today needs to be another repeat of the weekend we just had." Mm-hmm.

Molly: Yes. It's weird when it's, um... I don't know. Like, working from home and having the flexibility is great, but I feel like sometimes when you have those blurred days where it's like, is it a vacation day or is it not a vacation day?

Yeah. Like, my team's working. You know what I mean? It's like, it doesn't feel relaxing. I don't know, 'cause you're kind of in that in between.

Lacey: Well, I think it's, like, the decision fatigue of it all, right? Yeah. Like, it's... If you just knew you had to go to an office today or something, it's, like, a little... It would be different.

Like, you might wish that, but it would... Like, you wouldn't be fatigued by that choice, right?

Molly: Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And so, um, my daughter's very best friend is here today. She is, like, our second child. She's here all the time, and I love her dearly, and it happens to be her birthday. Her mom had to work. Her mom did have to go to an office today.

Lacey: Okay. Yep. Mm-hmm.

Molly: So, um, I'm also feeling a little, like, not pressure, 'cause she's, like, my sec- But I'm like, "Oh, I wanna make today special 'cause it's her day." But we are, after this recording, we're going to the pool, so it's good. Yeah. I'm gonna, like, try to turn off my Slack, turn off my brain. There's no such thing as a social media emergency.

Lacey: Amen. This is true. We are not creating oxygen here.

Molly: No.

Lacey: Okay. What is something that you are most afraid of?

Molly: Oh my God. Do you want the real answer?

Lacey: Yeah. Always. Mm-hmm.

Molly: Oh my God. My d- Having a child is, like, a lifelong worry sentence. Yeah. Mm-hmm. You just, like, look at 'em every day and you're like, "Please stay this little, precious, like, in this bubble," and I just...

Ugh, that is d- obviously, I feel like every parent's deepest fear. But, like, in, in a more, like, business level fear, I think I'm always afraid of, like, letting someone down. Mm-hmm.

Lacey: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Molly: So... Or, like, not being... You said something about, like, you're always who you are. Like, maybe somebody, like, "Oh, she's not worth the hype," or like, "Oh, it's not worth," like- Mm

I don't know. I think I get into this, like, over-delivery people pleaser. I remember seeing, like, a really successful, quote, unquote successful, I mean, who knows, online business coach being like, "You have to detach from your clients' or students' outcomes." Mm-hmm. And I remember thinking, like, "Pff."

Lacey: There's no way I can do that. Um- You're like, the brain does not allow that to happen.

Molly: Yes. What do you mean detach from their outcomes? I will drive to their house if I have to- ... and get them to do this. And so in some ways I feel like I've seen that pay off, which is maybe not, you know, that whole saying good thing, bad thing, who knows?

Lacey: Yep. Yep.

Molly: Well, like you talk about this all the time though. You're like, "Hey, I took my hypervigilant..." What do you say about yourself? You're hypervigilant, and what was the other thing? Question.

Lacey: Questions.

Molly: Um, asking

Lacey: too many questions. Yeah.

Molly: Yes. Yeah, and I turned it into a million dol- you know, multimillion dollar business, and so- Yeah

yeah, I mean, I don't think anybody can ever- We gotta work with it. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I don't think anybody can ever say I don't care, so. So

Lacey: true.

Molly: But that does turn into a fear.

Lacey: Okay. What is something you love about yourself?

Molly: I love my love for people.

Lacey: Mm-hmm. It's like the same thing, right? I think that's always what it is.

Like, it's like both and, right? Like-

Molly: Yeah ...

Lacey: much as that's your fear over here, it's like also what you love about yourself and what you, like, value. Mm-hmm.

Molly: My grandmother, very Southern, used to say, "You just love people, don't you?" I do. You really do. I mean, most people. Some people not so... As I get older, my tolerance, I feel like, gets lower for people- Mm

who drain my energy. Stuff I used to say yes to, I find now that I'm like, "Eh, I just don't really- Have a desire to, like, spend time around. I don't know. I feel like I can usually, like, strike up a conversation with anybody or make friends with anybody.

Lacey: Mm-hmm. Yeah. You totally can. That is such a superpower.

Okay. So what is something that is actually really difficult for you? So you can, you can do that very easily. What are the hard pieces?

Molly: Ugh. Okay, well you've witnessed this firsthand on coaching calls with me when I get frustrated.

Lacey: Mm-hmm.

Molly: Oh, frustration is my, like, nemesis. Lacey, do not give me... Like, if you were to be like, "Molly, what is hell?"

I'd be like, "Go to IKEA and put together all these pieces of furniture." Like- Never. I don't know what it is about, like, detailed instructions or like... It's the same thing even, like, like I said, from a business, like Facebook ads managers made me cry, like, on three separate- Yeah ... occasions. I don't know what it is.

I don't know what, like, the common line of those things are. Or like, you've seen me cry over data.

Lacey: Uh-huh.

Molly: I think I ha- And if we were to, like, get deep into it, I think I've kind of like, I have this identity of like, oh, like, you know, I was in, like, the gifted class. Like, I'm smart. Like, and when something I feel like challenges my intelligence, I just, like, shut down and get like- Mm.

Mm ... very frustrated. So. You know, I've even had, like some, and no, no offense to... There's a lot of great men out there. I'm married to one, but I've had some men, like, ask me certain questions that kinda make me feel like, I don't know, s- like data s- more data driven questions that make me feel like, oh, I must be just, like, this dumb business woman who, like, somehow managed to create this business out of sheer luck because I don't understand.

Like, even when my bookkeeper sends me stuff, sometimes she's like, "Well, your cash is this and your this is this and here's your accrual." I'm like, "What are you t-" One of the worst Like, what do I

Dr. McCullen: go for?

Molly: Yeah. So that's, I don't know if you have reflections on that, but you've se- you've witnessed it.

Lacey: I think what is so interesting about what you said is that, like, you know, like smart high achiever kind of thing, it's like it's so, it's like so helpful to us, and then also it can be so hard because when you find something that you don't feel that same way in, it can be really easy to like make that so much bigger than it is.

Like, I know we've talked about that with data, right? Where like y- you- you're sometimes like, "But I don't know." And like, but you're literally looking at the number, like you actually do know, but it's just this thing where you've like decided you're not as good at that, and so it becomes a, um, like a block, but I think we all have our versions of that.

Molly: I know. Yeah. So that's my, like I said, that's my what I'm not good at. What was the que- I don't even remember what the question was that I'm not good at.

Lacey: It was something difficult for you. Mm.

Molly: Yeah, difficult. Yeah. That's very difficult for me.

Lacey: Very difficult. Um, okay, can you tell us what would be like your most perfect day?

Molly: I cannot bel- I cannot believe we moved from the beach. No, I'm just kidding. I love, I do love where we live. We live, um, just north of Cincinnati, Ohio, and my husband's family is just a little bit south of here, and my husband's family is absolutely incredible, and he has a huge family, and I'm really happy here.

But I am just such a beach bum through and through. Like, sand bothers me 0%, like I can sugar cookie in the sand. I do not care. So like give me a really good book, like a good, you know, some san- a sandwich and some chips. Yeah. 75 degrees, beach, my family. You know, MJ's at the age now where you don't have to watch her like a hawk on the beach, and like, oh my gosh, like heaven.

Lacey: I love that.

Molly: Yes, some really good seafood later.

Lacey: So do you always want a beach vacation? Like, is that always- Always ... the thing? Yeah,

Molly: yeah. Yes. Yeah, so poor Matt, his birthday's next month, and I'm like, "You know what? You, you know what you want for your birthday. You wanna go to the beach." He's like, "Do I?" "Do I, though?"

Like, "You do. You do." And he's like, "Okay." Like, that's what we are. We're going to the beach for his birthday.

Dr. McCullen: Oh my God, so funny.

Molly: He's not mad about it. His brother and, um, his wife are coming too, so. So fun. Yeah, but it's just funny. He's like, "I love how much I wanted to go to the beach for my birthday."

Lacey: You're like, "It'll be great."

What he... Listen, what he gets for his birthday is a happy wife.

Molly: Yeah. Yeah.

Lacey: Okay?

Molly: Exactly.

Lacey: There's something to that.

Molly: Oh, it's just like, I don't know. It's just like everything becomes okay, and when, even when we lived there, you know how they always say like, "Oh, if you live there, like you won't go." Oh, untrue. We were there all the time.

But Ohio's great too.

Lacey: You're like, "And Ohio."

Molly: No, it really, truly, because I, I have a small family. I don't have any cousins. It's like a fun fact about me. No, and, and every time I say that people are like, "Well, no, like your aunts' and uncles' kids." I'm like, "I'm aware of what a cousin is."

Lacey: You know the definition.

Molly: You'd be sh- I'm not joking. Like, every time I'm like, "Oh, I don't have cousins," and people are like, "No, no, no, like your aunts' and uncles' kids." I'm like, "Yeah, bro, I know what a

Lacey: cousin is." That's so funny. But yeah,

Molly: I don't have any, and so I just have a small family, and like my brother and I, it was just, he's five years older than us, and I just like didn't grow.

So it's, it's been really cool to be like, "Oh, what are we doing this Sunday? We're gonna go watch our niece's soccer game, or we're gonna go like-" Oh. I don't know. It's been really fun. Or just like, "Hey, do y'all wanna come grill burgers tonight?" And like, "Yeah." And then like, you know, a couple people show up, so that's been really fun.

So it, it really has been worth the trade-off, but I do miss the beach a lot.

Lacey: You just need more beach vacations.

Molly: But that's why I have Lacey to help me, you know. I told Matt yesterday, I was like, 'cause we're doing all these like home... I'm like a big home decor person, and I told him yesterday, I was like, "I just think all of this is about to be a moot point of like what month we do stuff, because I just think I'm gonna start making like a fuckload of money."

Lacey: Absolutely. I think the exact same thing for you. I'm like totally, totally in agreement with that. Mm-hmm.

Molly: I mean, I already feel like I'm doing like well now, but it's like I feel like that next level is like, you know when you feel like you're like, "Oh, I'm right at the top of the mountain," and just like I just got a little bit further to just like push over this really heavy boulder?

Yeah. That's kinda where I feel like I'm at right now.

Lacey: Pushing it.

Pushing it. We got this. Yeah. Okay, so let's jump to business for a second then. I feel like this is such a, a, a relevant one. Well, let me ask you this one first. Yeah. What has been your favorite win in business? Hmm.

Molly: I go back and forth. No, okay, I have to go, I'm like literally like feeling into my body, because you know what's making me cry?

Hmm. I'm like crying. Two girls on my team, they've been with me for five and six years. Mm. And just like been through babies, and just like I was able to like have a little maternity leave for them. Like, just like, I don't know, every year when my bookkeeper pulls the amount of money I've paid to my all-woman team, I'm like- Yeah.

And she even got a swell on my bookkeeper. Like, she even started crying on the call. She's like, "You made that." Like, "You did that." Like, so I thought I was gonna go with client wins, but it's actually, it's actually the team. That's, I would say, my number one like- I'm like, man, that's the job I wish I would've had when I was

You know, on one hand I'm really grateful for my corporate career because it, like, set me up for- Yeah ... a lot of things. So I, it's not like I regret it, I just, man. And I'm not saying their job isn't stressful or perfect or anything like that, but sometimes I'm like, man, that was the job like I would've wanted at their age.

And so-

Lacey: Yes ...

Molly: yeah, that has felt like a really big win. And then, like I said, secondary is for me it's not just about, this is like so cheesy, but because I da- ... Well, you worked in addiction, so you saw it too. Like, I worked in pain and addiction clinics for six years, and so just to see how much people were f- just, like, truly suffering and, like, that's when you get a peek behind the curtain and you're like, "Oh, shit, our healthcare s- it's just, like, no one's coming to save you.

This is, like, terrible." And chiropractic had saved me, basically. Like, I was in so much pain. And you know I've done all the things. I do acupuncture, all ... Like, it's just ... And, and I'm not saying it's perfect, like, there's a lot of, you know, things to be said that could be better with that world too. But these things are just so un-mainstream, and it's like, it's kind of like my mission to make them more mainstream.

Lacey: Mm-hmm.

Molly: Any ti- like, I literally will have, like, random friends I haven't talked to in ages who have no- they're not even clients, right? Be like, "I just booked a chiropractor appointment c- 'cause of you," and I'm like, "Ah." Like, I feel like I get to be kind of part of, like, helping more people find solutions to their health problems that they're not getting from their, like, mainstream doctor.

Lacey: I love that.

Molly: Even though I'm not the one ... I'm like, I'm squeamish. I'm not going to school to do anything like this, right? Like, don't give me blood or needle. Like, blood doesn't really bother me, but, like, needles, like no, I'm not gonna do that. But, like, I can help you reach more people.

Lacey: Well, you're, like, taking your superpower of, like, peopling and loving people, and you're, like, leveraging it in that way.

Yeah.

Molly: Yeah, 'cause in, when you're in your own, like, industry, right, you can't see the label from inside the bottle. And it's like, I'm, I just really feel like I'm better at marketing their services because I'm outside, like, from the outside looking in.

Lacey: Yes, 100%.

Molly: Yeah. But, like, the inner workings of their clinics and all that, like, obviously that's their la- like, I don't know about any of that.

But when it comes to the actual marketing thing, like, how do you get more people under care, like, that's, that's my, that's my jam.

Lacey: So good. Okay. So that kind of brings me to my next question, which is what is, like, one rule or, like, law, if you could put into place that you think everyone on social media should have to follow?

Mm.

Molly: I think people have just gotta stop caring what other people think. Mm-hmm. Like, I know it's so much easier said than done, but, like, I did a crab walk across my back deck the other day with tongs and, like I-

Lacey: Just really live it out there in the open. Mm.

Molly: It literally came to me one night. I was like, "Mm, how am I gonna..."

I have this, like, B-roll freebie, right? And I'm like, "How am I gonna promote this new B-roll freebie?" I'm like, "Mm, I wanna talk about, like, visual hooks. Like visually interesting video." I'm like, "Ugh, I'm gonna crab walk with tongs." I'm like, "Molly, you can't do that. That's stupid." And I was like, "Yeah, I can. It's my business.

I don't care what anybody thinks." It's

Lacey: because-

Molly: I just feel like stuff has gotten so predictable and boring, and everybody looks the same and talks the same. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. I mean, myself included. It's not like I'm like immune to this. And there's something to be said for not reinventing the wheel. Like, you know, hey, we know this, like, specific hook formula al- Mm-hmm

like, great. Like, I'm not trying to pretend like we should all, like, be, you know, marketing. Right. Marketing is literally not about reinventing the wheel all the time. But on the same hand, that's my... I'm like, I think so many people are so worried what people are gonna think about them, and I'm like, I don't think you understand if you were just yourself how much that would actually, like, do for your business.

I met the most fabulous chiropractor at a conference two years ago. I was presenting, and he, he was so funny and, like, so charismatic. And he was like, "Yeah, but I don't know how to filter this." And he's, like, pointing to himself. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, "I don't know how to filter this onto Instagram." I'm like, "I...

What are you filtering? Like, I don't get it." But again, like, that's me. Like, to me, I don't have the capability of filtering.

Lacey: Yeah, yeah,

Molly: yeah, yeah. Like, it would be, like, physically painful for me. You're like,

Lacey: physically, how would you do that? Yeah,

Molly: I don't- Yeah, so I guess, I don't know. Have you seen that meme, "At least whatever's wrong with me made me funny"?

Dr. McCullen: Yes. Yeah.

Molly: That's me when I was like, "Just laugh through all my traumas. Just ha ha." I still have to read that, by the way.

Lacey: Okay. What do you think will be different in your business five years from now? I think what's interesting about social is, like, or when you're running a business based on social media, so much changes in your business so quickly.

Molly: Yeah.

Lacey: Days, right? Mm. And then also so much doesn't. It's just like- Mm ... yeah, it's funny how that is.

Molly: Yeah. I think I would kind of like to be out of the day-to-day more, because you and I have talked about this. Like, the reason I went into sales- When I first graduated college is 'cause I did internships, and I am just not a desk job person.

And as much as I love my business and my mission behind my business, I have quite literally created a desk job for myself.

Lacey: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Molly: And so, like, yesterday, like painting the... We painted our dining room yesterday and stuff. Like, I'm just, like, more of an active, like, I gotta be moving around type person.

Lacey: Yeah.

Molly: Mm-hmm. And so I would love to find some version where I still get to, like, do, like, more consulting, but, like, less time at a computer. Yeah. Whatever that looks like, and I don't know what that is, but that's would be, like, my goal.

Lacey: Do you... 'Cause you, like, love going into clinics and stuff too. Like, I

Molly: know that.

Yeah. Yeah, like, I would love... I mean, I would... And maybe this is a limiting belief. This, maybe this is what we can work on in my next coaching session. Sure. I, I mean, I just love helping local businesses, not just, like, the holistic businesses, but just local businesses in general. Like, every single business I go to, I'm like, "Hey, who does your social media?

Could I just give you, like, one little tip?" Mm-hmm. Like, just so, like, you know. And I just don't feel like I would be able to make the income that I make now because a lot of these local businesses don't have this budget to do, like- Yeah.

Lacey: Yeah, yeah ...

Molly: but I would love to just be like, "Hey, I'm gonna go work for the chamber of commerce here," and just, like, go help a lot of, like, go out and do these little, go throughout the town and help people- Yeah

market their bu- You know what I mean? And maybe I could. Maybe it... I don't know. Who knows?

Lacey: Okay. We'll talk about that. Mm-hmm.

Molly: Yeah.

Lacey: Can you, like, tell us if you're... Like, if you're thinking about your business, you're thinking about your ideal client, like, I know you were kind of just like, "I love helping small businesses," but, like, in terms of the clients you love helping the most, like, what are the top three qualities that they-

of that, like, really makes a difference for you?

Molly: So this is gonna m- this might make me sound like an asshole, but, like, on one hand I have empathy for these people, but on the other hand, I have a really hard time working with the people who every single idea, "Oh, that doesn't work for my business because of- Mm.

my special, unique set of circumstances that somehow is different from everybody." Or like, "Oh, I've tried that before and it didn't work." And it's like, well, you've tried it, like, one time. Which is so funny to me because if they had a patient tell them that, "Oh, I tried getting adjusted one time"- Right ... she'd be like, "What?"

I have a hard time with that even though, like- Yeah ... I, I also do have a lot of empathy for that too 'cause I have my own blocks, you know, around certain things.

Lacey: Totally. Mm-hmm.

Molly: Like, I tried tracking my money, Lacey, and it didn't like, I tried running ads and it did not work for me. Like, those are my blocks.

So I always try to, like, put myself in their shoes and be like- Yeah ... "Okay, where is this coming from?" But that, that's, like, tough for me. I love the people who are just like... I have some clients who I'll be like, "Hey, will you... Like, try sending this email," and then like two hours later they'll be like, "I sent it," or like, "I posted it."

You know what I mean? Yeah. I'm just like, I love people who just don't think too much and just, like, go for it and are willing to look at things as an experiment.

Lacey: Mm-hmm. I love that. Okay. That's one. What's two? Mm-hmm.

Molly: I love people who, again, like aren't afraid to be themselves. Mm. Yeah. Like, that definitely makes it a lot easier.

And don't get like too much in their head about what other people are gonna think. And then three, I love people who are willing to ask for help and delegate. Mm. Mm-hmm. Like, get n- like this is something that I'm always like preaching is you're not necessarily bad at time management. Like, you know, when you're seeing 200 patients a week and then you have a family and what- Mm.

Sure ... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Like, what do, like, what do you think you're gonna do? Like, poof. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Now I'm also posting five times a week, and I'm also now I've created an online course in addition to seeing 200 patients because somebody online said that I could get passive income. I don't know.

Like, I'm just like, "I think you've been lied to in a little bit of a way." Mm-hmm. That's a whole other pet peeve top- topic. But yeah, the people who kind of know, like... Like for example, I drive a 12-year-old car because I don't care about like, because I would much rather pay somebody to do my laundry. That's just my personality.

You know what I mean?

Lacey: Totally. And so like, I- It's like your trade-offs. It's what's worth it to you and what's not. Yeah.

Molly: So for me, I have a hard time comprehending people who don't delegate or ask for help because I'm like, "How do you ever think you're gonna like get out of this cycle?" I don't know.

Lacey: Mm.

Mm-hmm.

Molly: So that's, that's my three.

Lacey: Okay. What's your biggest pet peeve in the chiropractic world?

Molly: Ugh. Fear-based marketing.

Lacey: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Molly: M- makes me want to just- Strangle whoever wrote it. Like, especially in the pediatric space, there's a lot of like, "If your kid does this one thing, then they might have thi-" Like, it's just like, there is no parent who wants to hear...

Like, and, and yes, I al- I have to realize that I am an anxious parent. Like, everything- ... is gonna feel different for me, you know what I mean? Like, I'm just- Yeah ... but I just feel like this isn't just chiropractic, but, like, the holistic space in general, right? The whole ethos is supposed to be our bodies are strong, our bodies, like...

And yet, so much of the marketing is the antithesis of that. It's like- Mm ... "Oh, your, your body can't handle tap water, or it can't handle, you know, you... Here's 57 supplements to make sure that your bo-" It just, like, seems so counterintuitive to what they actually are supposed to be, like-

Dr. McCullen: Mm ...

Molly: representative of.

And I think that a lot of people have replaced, or I know, I don't say a lot of people, and maybe this is me projecting my own experience, but I know that my experience is not unique. I had to, like, very much exit, like, the crunchy mom community, all that- Mm-hmm ... because sh- you know, I replaced toxins of, you know, Tide with fear of everything, of the water and the air and the...

It's like, dude, like that's, the stressing about all of this is way more-

Lacey: Mm. Way worse for us, yeah,

Molly: yeah ... yeah, so fear-based marketing. Um, and even, like, my good friend Dr. Monique Andrews, who's, like, chiropractic neuroscien- she talks about how the brain works and how the brain... Like, fear doesn't actually lead to lasting change anyway.

So-

Lacey: So true ...

Molly: it's just the opposite of what we wanna be doing.

Lacey: And probably, like, the opposite of what they actually will enjoy having patients coming in for- Yes ... too, right? Yes. Yeah.

Molly: Yeah, and that doesn't mean you can't market to pain points, right? Like, there's a difference. But I just remember seeing a post once about, like, just one bad night of sleep can cause blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

I'm like, well, great, now I'm anxious about sleeping. Like-

Lacey: Yeah ...

Molly: you know? Like, I get that you need to educate on how important sleep is, but also now it's just made worse.

Lacey: Yeah. You know? Right now, I'm not gonna sleep tonight thinking about that.

Molly: Yeah. Now I'm not gonna sleep 'cause I'm worried about sleeping.

Lacey: Okay, what, this could be business or life, but I wanna know what's something you want to cultivate more of, and what's something you wanna let go of?

Molly: I feel like this is so not unique to me- But do you see this where you're like, "I'm just in a season. I'm in a season. This is my season of hustle. This is my season of, but once X is over, I'm going to have Y," repeat infinity until the rest of time.

It's like that hedonic treadmill set to, like, Olympic speed runner. You're like, "Oh, once I have this thing, then I'll be good," or, "Once I have this thing, then I'll be good." You know, my goal has been to only be at my computer for four hours a day- Mm-hmm ... and I'm like, honestly, I'd like it to even be less than that.

Just g- my body can't handle, like I hate being at my damn computer. So yeah, that's what I wanna cultivate more, is just like it's not gonna happen by accident, right? Like, I think I'm just gonna have to- Yeah ... like literally make sure I have these things built in, like hard guardrails for a while of like, "No, you are done working today."

Because sometimes I think about, like how nice would it be to, like go work at a grocery store, and like your shift is off, and you leave, and you're like, you're off work, right? Like, none of us have that.

Lacey: Mm-hmm.

Molly: I'm, I'm not unique. None of us do, right? Like- Yeah ... and so one day during the summer, Matt was like...

I was like, "Well, let me just fin- oh, I don't know if I'm gonna be done." He's like, "What do you mean done?" Like, he's like, "What does done look like to you?"

Lacey: Mm-hmm.

Molly: And I was like, "Oh, shit." He's like, "You're never gonna be done. There's always gonna be something on your to-do list. You're just gonna have to say, 'I'm done for today, and I'm calling it a day, and I'm gonna close my laptop.'"

And like s- yeah, the whole, like be where your feet are is very, very, very hard, not just for me, I know, but for a lot of people. And like I said, I think a lot of people delude themselves into thinking like, "Oh, I'm just in a season so that later on I can have freedom," and I'm like, "Honey- Yeah ... it's never gonna be later.

Like, you're never gonna have it, because you're just gonna keep going back in the same cycle."

Lacey: I remember this meme that was, like going around for a long time that was like, all of adulthood is bas- basically just saying things will slow down-

Molly: Yes ... just

Lacey: wait forever and ever until you die or something like that, right?

And it's like it's so easy to get caught in that. Mm-hmm.

Molly: Yeah, I mean, my literal homework from my therapist was to... I'd been wanting to do, like an adult hip hop class, and she's like, "By the time we meet next, like, it will be scheduled essentially." Yeah.

Lacey: And I

Molly: did. We did it.

Lacey: So good. It

Molly: was so fun. It was... I'm gonna record myself next time, 'cause it was so funny.

Like, imagine the funniest meme you can imagine, that was what we looked like. My friend went with us, and that's wh- that's what we looked like. It was... They don't teach you the routines. They just start. You told me

Lacey: that, yes. I- they're just like, "You'll catch on." I'm like, "

Molly: What?" Yeah, like and then you know you're wrong when everyone's facing you, and you're like, "Hello."

Dr. McCullen: "Just here cheering you on."

Lacey: What is something that you feel like you were doing that you actually realized you don't need to be doing? Again, could be life or business.

Molly: Hmm. I feel like so many things. Do you have one for me, Lacey? 'Cause I can't- No ... think of one off the top of my head. I mean, I'm sure I could,

Dr. McCullen: but I'm sure-

Molly: Yeah.

Lacey: Mm,

Molly: mm. Just a lot of the, like, day-to-day, like, minutia. Also, so- Yeah ... okay, I'm someone who likes to, wants to review... This is so funny. We were just talking about this in base camp. I always, I'm somebody who wants to review, like, every single email that goes out because r- like, my email list is sacred to me, right?

And, you know, I have a new, like, right-hand person, and we had, uh, an email go out, and I, like, panicked 'cause I was like, "Oh my God, I didn't review it." And then I looked at it, and it was great. I was like, "This is exactly what I would've written." Everything was, like, perfect, so I was like, okay, maybe there are some things that can, like, don't need my eyes and can go out without me.

Um, but also, I'll go back to the whole laundry situation because it has nothing to do... Well, I think it has everything to do with business, but-

Lacey: Mm-hmm ...

Molly: um, for, I fought the whole, like, outsourcing my laundry for a while too, 'cause it's, there's just... I'm like, there's only three of us. It's not like I have a large family.

I work from home. There is no reason on this earth I shouldn't be able to just do laundry. It's not like, it's just not that hard, but I just don't like it. I love to clean. I am- Yeah ... actually somebody who enjoys cleaning. I love to organize, but for whatever reason, laundry was just, like, always my, like, sticking point.

And then Matt was even fighting me on it. He's like, "Ugh. Well, we can do our own laundry." And we're... And then when we finally outsourced our, he's like, "Oh, yeah, we're never going back

Lacey: Yeah Like,

Molly: yeah Like,

Lacey: I don't have to do this.

Molly: Yeah Yeah, it's just, like, one less thing to worry about. And whenever I go on trips, she'll, like, schedule to come, like, the day before, so, like, I...

all my laundry's clean when I pack, and yeah, it's worth every penny.

Lacey: Love that. Mm. Okay, I have two more for you. Are you ready?

Molly: Yeah.

Lacey: Name one thing that makes your cup feel full. Mm,

Molly: technology-free-

Lacey: Mm ...

Molly: time with my family. Yeah, we went to the state park on Sunday 'cause it was just a beautiful day, and like, we had no agenda.

We had packed, like, a picnic. We had never been to the state park, and we just, like, drove around and were like, "Oh, what's this?" And we would just pull off the side of the road and park somewhere and, like, walk around and just kind of having one of those, like, like I said, like, none of us had our phones.

Just kind of free, beautiful, chill day. That's definitely cup-filling for me.

Lacey: I love that. I think it's also really helpful to see, like, you know, y- both are true in your life. Like, you love social media, and you need time away from it, and I think you're really good about being someone- Mm-hmm ... who talks about that.

Mm-hmm.

Molly: Yeah, I'm not someone who you would find, like, on vacation with my phone all the time. Like, I'm not- Yeah ... like, I'll, I'll post stories about it, but it'll be like after the trip, like maybe I'll do like a photo dump of like all... But I'm not- Yeah ... like posting throughout the day. If like I was... If I'm on vacation, like, I am not...

Like, I think I have like two pictures from Sunday, just for like you know what I mean? Like, I'm just usually... I try to be... That's where I have to be present. Now I sometimes I'll steal Matt's phone and be like, "Take a picture of this," which he loves. But that, and I would say the other thing is my college girlfriends and I still make the, make the like m- intentional, like we're intentional about going on like our girls trip every year, and that's always just incredible.

And then another thing I've been doing is like, I've just been more of like a phone date person, just like calling- Mm ... friends. Like, you know, you just like, "No one died. I'm just calling you to actually like talk on the phone," you know? Just like in- Yeah ... the car, like on a walk. Just like no agenda, no setting a call time, just, just phone friends.

Lacey: Love. Mm-hmm.

Molly: Yeah. That fills my cup too.

Lacey: Okay. Last one. I feel like it's a very helpful one to land on or to end on. What are some of the most important values in your life and business?

Molly: Oh, I am, um, I'm like an injustice, like, I can't when I feel like someone's being mistre- I just like can't handle it, almost to a fault.

Like, you know- Mm-hmm ... our mutual friend, like Sarah is, you know, she, she- Yeah ... h- is able to handle it in a different way. Like, I kinda have to like really put up hard boundaries with myself to be like, "I can't," because I'll go in, I will tend to go into despair. Like, I will go like-

Dr. McCullen: Mm ...

Molly: and so I'm just like such a porous person that like- Yeah, I just have to be, like, so careful with absorbing others' emotions.

And so when it comes to values, I just, I don't know how, how I could translate that to a value, but it's just, like, I just, I really do think-

Lacey: Like, you care about justice. That's, like, a high value.

Molly: Yeah. Yeah. But you just

Lacey: gotta be careful about what that looks like, yeah. Yeah. And I don't

Molly: mean justice necessarily as, like, justice will be served, like you must.

But, like, I just... I think I'm really... I think, okay, here's how I would summarize it. I think I'm very, like, much a believer in, like, the ripple effect and how much impact one human can have. I'm gonna be nice to my cashier and I'm going to be ni- You know what I mean? Like, because that, you just never know what that could do for somebody.

And then from a way less surface level, from like in the business, one of our biggest values is, um, I literally just wrote it into, like, a playbook, is, like, we are not box checkers. Mm.

Dr. McCullen: Mm-hmm.

Molly: I'm like, I would rather our... Like, let's just say in our agency, like, I would rather the, our deliverables be a day late to a client- Yeah.

Mm-hmm ... and it be, or even two days late as long as we're communicating that to the client, and it be the quality that we want, versus being like, "Oh, we finished it on time."

Lacey: Yes.

Molly: Check the box. I am, cannot stand box checking, which I think is what has made scaling my agency feel so hard, is because I think a lot of times agencies when they get to a certain size, everything gets just, like, so efficiency, so box checking- Yeah

where it's like you've lost that essence. And so I don't think I have the answer to that yet, but trying to figure out that balance for sure.

Lacey: Yes. Yes. I love that. Okay. Amazing. Anything else you wanna, want us to know or want to leave us with about you?

Molly: I think that people would be really surprised- I saw this meme one time that was just like, "I'm just a happy personality with a sad soul."

Lacey: Yeah. Yeah.

Molly: And I think that would surprise people to know. Like when I've told people I've struggled with mental health my whole life- Mm ... and like, "You?" And I'm like, "Yeah."

Lacey: Yeah, totally.

Molly: Yeah, and it's so it's not a facade. It's not a put-on, what you see. It's just like I kind of feel like I always have this little bit of like a war of like...

And so we had a, um, this is a perfect we- I think I've told you this story. We had a medium, like a psychic medium reading in w- with M- uh, Matt's family. She did like a group reading and we've had her like three times, and every time it's been wild. We haven't really realized it till like after the fact sometimes, you know?

You're like, "Oh, whoa." And so she went around like to each person, like all his siblings and all their spouses and, you know, had something for each person. And then she got to me and she like literally started like short-circuiting. She was like, "Uh, uh." "Oh, God." She goes, "It's so loud in there." And I'm like- ... "Oh, my God."

And I've just never felt so seen in my life. Mm-hmm. Like, and I think I have really my whole life, talk about masking, like I have tried so hard to put on this persona of this person who's like really laid back and carefree and like happy-go-lucky.

Lacey: Mm. Mm-hmm.

Molly: And I am in a lot of ways, but also like I just got invited to potentially go to Australia and speak to like 600 chiropractors next year.

Yeah. And I was just like, "I can't do that. I can't do that." Like, you know, like that was my first like ... Just 'cause like I'm like, "Okay, I've been having like GI l- issues and my neck has been bothering me and my nervous s- like I can't fly to Australia." Like, and so, uh, anyway, I think that would surprise a lot of people 'cause they kind of look at me as this like, "Oh, you're not, you're just like- Yeah

this happy-go-lucky, carefree..." And I am carefree about a lot of things, but like I have a lot of internal chatter that- feels like a push and pull all the time.

Lacey: I think it's also so helpful to name that too, because it's like that's what makes it feel, like, less lonely, and also I think that's what helps other people kind of be like, "Oh, yeah, me too.

Like, I feel like that a lot too." Or like, even if they don't, it, like, helps them understand what other people might feel more. But I think that is true. Like, you really can have both of these things, and they can both feel true to you, and they can both live in the same body, and sometimes that's why it's hard.

Molly: Mm. Yeah, 'cause it, it does feel like such a push and pull, right? Mm-hmm. You're like, but wait. But I, I, I always joke, I was like, "I identify as a carefree person," but I don't know that I- Right ... I don't know that I, like, actually am. But one thing that's been helping me, I don't know if this helps anybody else listening, like, or two things I'll say to leave you with that really have been helping me.

One is I've just been, like, s- naming it to friends. I'll be like, "Hey, that actually makes me feel really anxious." Like, I'll try it. Or it d- it doesn't mean... Like, maybe I'll do it and maybe I won't, but, like, even just saying it.

Lacey: Yeah.

Molly: Like, for a perfect example, next weekend we're supposed to drive down to Lexington.

It's only like a couple-hour drive. Um, Alabama is actually playing, where I went to college- Oh ... is playing Kentucky, so Matt surprised me with tickets. And we invited our friends, and they have, like, a really nice car, and, like, they're like, "We can drive." And I'm like, "Okay." And then, like, internally I'm going, "I don't wanna be a passenger.

I get really carsick." Like, and it's been, like, shadowing this what's supposed to be a really fun experience- Yeah ... of this game. Mm-hmm. And so finally I was like, "Hey, I think I would feel more comfortable if either I drove or we drove separately because I'm getting really anxious about being carsick, and that kind of, like, ruins my..."

And she's like, "Oh yeah, I get carsick too. No problem." Like, and so then I was just, like, sitting here like, "No, no, no, you gotta be... You can be carefree. Who cares? Molly, just who cares? You can ride together." Yeah. "You can be it." Like-

Lacey: Mm ...

Molly: you know? When really it was just, like, swirling the whole time. Like, "Oh my God, I don't wanna do that.

I don't wanna be a passenger. I don't wanna be. I hate being a passenger. I hate being a passenger." Like, you know what I mean? Like-

Lacey: Yes. Like, it's like taking over. Yes,

Molly: yes.

Lacey: Right. Yes. Mm-hmm.

Molly: And so I don't know where the line is of, like, pushing your boundaries for resiliency's purpose to be like, "Okay, just suck it up and be a passenger and you'll be okay"- Mm-hmm

versus like, "I was really looking forward to this day, and I'd like to enjoy it." Like, I don't know what the answer is there, but that's one thing I've been, like I said, doing lately, is just, like, trying to say it out loud. I'm think my friends are gonna love me no matter what.

Lacey: Yes.

Molly: And then the other thing you know about this experiment that I've been doing, where I'm just like, "What if every decision I made was the right one?"

Yeah.

Lacey: So powerful. Mm-hmm.

Molly: Yeah. And I'm making the right decision for me. And I'm like, I think for some people that could be toxic in a different direction. Like, you know- Sure ... people of power and stuff. Yes. It's like, but for me, it's been very healing. There's no right or wrong. Yeah. For me, it's been very healing to be like, "Oh, no, what if, what if I always know what to do?

What if I always make the right decision?"

Lacey: Thank you for letting me do this. This was so fun.

Molly: Thank you for interviewing me.

Lacey: My pleasure. I w- I think this is so helpful, and I feel like, like obviously, like you communicate so many of these values and pieces of yourself, but I'm sure it's so helpful for people to hear it in a different way, so thank you.

Molly: Yeah, no, thank you for doing this. And yeah, y'all go check out, um, not Rob Lowe's literally, but-

Lacey: It was a real bummer.

Molly: Mm-hmm. I know when I, when I was on your show, I'd be like, "Hey, Siri, play the Literally podcast on Apple Podcast," and it would always pull up Rob Lowe.

Lacey: I will say I had mine first, but very unfortunate. Mm.

Molly: No, I believe. Well, hey, like you said, good thing, bad thing, who knows?

Lacey: Right. Totally.

Mm.

Molly: Thanks, Lace.

Lacey: Thank you.

Molly: Thank you for listening to Holistic Marketing Simplified. And hey, you know how every podcaster at the very end of their episode asks you to rate and review their podcast? Well, that's because it's super important. These podcasts take a lot of time and heart and effort to produce to bring you free information.

So in order for me to be able to continue doing that, we need more people to find out about the show. So if you could, please just take, like, two minutes out of your very busy day to leave me a rating and share this on your Instagram stories and tag @mollyakahill. That's C-A-H-I-L-L. I would greatly, greatly appreciate your support.

I know your time is valuable, and I can't wait to see you in the next episode.