The Conscious Edge Podcast: Redefining Wealth as a Whole Human Experience

❓Have a question for Monthly Money Talks? Send your question to me in a DM on Instagram → @aleciastg.  Your question may be featured in an upcoming episode with Zen Jenn.

Get full show notes at www.consciousedge.com/ep093

If budgeting makes you tense, avoid your numbers, or feel boxed in, you’re not alone. In this Monthly Money Talk with Zen Jenn, I’m joined by financial strategist Jenn Baas to explore why budgeting often feels restrictive for business owners and how to approach it in a way that actually supports growth.

This conversation offers a grounded reframe of budgeting as a leadership tool, one that helps you make clearer decisions, reduce financial stress, and build a business that feels steady instead of reactive.

📝 Top 3 Takeaways from the Episode:

1️⃣Why Budgeting Triggers Resistance: Many entrepreneurs associate budgeting with loss of freedom or past financial pressure. Understanding this reaction is the first step to changing your relationship with money.

2️⃣Clarity Creates Calm Leadership: When you have a simple financial plan, you’re less likely to make emotional or rushed decisions. Budgeting can create relief, not rigidity.

3️⃣A Financial Plan Supports Capacity, Not Control: Approached intentionally, budgeting helps you decide what to focus on, what to release, and how to grow without overextending yourself.

🎧 Related Episodes You May Enjoy:

Ep 92: Why January Goal-Setting Doesn’t Work (and What to Do Instead)

Ep 89: Disordered Growth vs. Growing Pains (Monthly Money Talks)

Ep 83: Financial Capacity: The Wealth Shift From Proving to Purposeful Growth 

Connect with Jenn Baas:Jenn is an Outsourced CFO with over 15 years of experience helping small businesses bring ease, clarity, and strategic insight to their financial operations. She joins me each month for Monthly Money Talks with Zen Jenn and leads the Financial Leadership Labs inside The Exponential Entrepreneur.

To explore Jenn’s external CFO services, visit: peaktopeaksolutions.com

To work with Jenn inside The Exponential Entrepreneur, DM me on Instagram→ @aleciastg

Follow or subscribe wherever you’re listening so you never miss a Monthly Money Talk with Zen Jenn.

Learn more about The Exponential Entrepreneur: 

A year-long coaching experience for women entrepreneurs who want a business that feels meaningful and sustainable—one that supports fulfillment, presence, and the life they’re building. This work blends science-based coaching, soul-purpose alignment, and practical business strategy to support clear communication, guilt-free boundaries, and compassionate accountability.

The result is meaningful financial growth, steadier emotions, and protected energy. It also gives you more time for what matters most: your children and loved ones, travel and adventure, rest, and true personal restoration.

Connect with Us:To explore The Exponential Entrepreneur or learn more about working together, DM me on Instagram→ @aleciastg

Disclaimer: 

The Conscious Edge and all content published by Alecia St. Germain and Jonathan Dugger is for general information, education, and entertainment only. We are not liable or responsible for outcomes resulting from the use of information shared on this podcast or on our websites. This content is not personal, medical, or mental health advice. Please consult qualified medical and mental health professionals as needed. All investing and entrepreneurial endeavors involve risk, and use of this information is at the listener’s discretion.

Get full show notes at www.consciousedge.com/ep092

If January left you feeling tired, unmotivated, or quietly resistant to goal-setting, this episode offers a deeply relieving reframe. What if nothing is wrong with you and the issue is the calendar you’ve been trying to force yourself into?

This episode explores why the traditional January-based planning model often creates burnout, resistance, and misalignment and what to do instead.

Before we dive in, let me be clear.  The perspective I’m sharing challenges a widely accepted way of planning and leading. I’m not rejecting structure or ambition.  I’ve built my business inside that model. But I’ve come to believe it’s incomplete. So if you’re willing to hear me out, this conversation may put language to something you’ve already been feeling.

In this solo episode, I share a compassionate, grounded approach to leadership that honors natural energy cycles instead of hustle-culture timelines. I invite you to rethink the January-to-December model and explore Seasonal Capacity Planning as a more sustainable, human way to lead, plan, and grow.

This episode is especially for high-achieving, Type A leaders who feel deeply connected to nature but want structure, strategy, and logic. This isn’t about doing less or playing small. It’s about applying discipline and effort at the right time.

📝 Top 3 Takeaways from the Episode:

January Fatigue Isn’t a Personal Failure, It’s a Seasonal Mismatch: Winter is biologically designed for rest, integration, and vision, not aggressive execution. Forcing productivity during a low-energy season drains capacity instead of building it.

Seasonal Capacity Planning Creates Better Results, Not Less Ambition: By aligning planning, visibility, experimentation, and growth with the seasons, you increase creativity, focus, and sustainable output.

Compassionate Leadership Means Honoring Timing Without Avoiding Responsibility: This approach isn’t passive or indulgent. It’s intentional, strategic leadership that balances accountability with humanity, allowing you to grow without being violent toward yourself.

🎧 Podcast Episodes Related to This One That Might Interest You:

Ep 89: Disordered Growth vs. Growing Pains (Monthly Money Talk with Zen Jenn)

Ep 86: Relational Capacity – Boundaries That Build Trust & Compassionate Leadership

Ep 85: Time Capacity – Reclaim Your Time & Focus on What Truly Matters

Learn more about The Exponential Entrepreneur: 

A year-long coaching experience for women entrepreneurs who want a business that feels meaningful and sustainable—one that supports fulfillment, presence, and the life they’re building. This work blends science-based coaching, soul-purpose alignment, and practical business strategy to support clear communication, guilt-free boundaries, and compassionate accountability.

The result is meaningful financial growth, steadier emotions, and protected energy. It also gives you more time for what matters most: your children and loved ones, travel and adventure, rest, and true personal restoration.

Connect with Us:

To explore The Exponential Entrepreneur or learn more about working together, DM me on Instagram→ @aleciastg

Disclaimer: 

The Conscious Edge and all content published by Alecia St. Germain and Jonathan Dugger is for general information, education, and entertainment only. We are not liable or responsible for outcomes resulting from the use of information shared on this podcast or on our websites. This content is not personal, medical, or mental health advice. Please consult qualified medical and mental health professionals as needed. All investing and entrepreneurial endeavors involve risk, and use of this information is at the listener’s discretion.

Get full show notes at www.consciousedge.com/ep091

If you’ve ever known you’re good at what you do but felt a knot in your stomach when it came time to raise your prices or choose the right pricing model, this episode will bring clarity. Pricing challenges aren’t about math or market demand. They’re about how safe it feels to lead the pricing conversation.

In this conversation, I’m joined by pricing strategist Shannon Mattern to unpack why so many women underprice their work and what actually needs to shift for pricing to feel grounded. This conversation reflects the kind of inner and strategic work we do inside The Conscious Edge—where clarity, nervous system safety, and leadership identity come first so strategy actually sticks.

This episode is especially for service providers, consultants, and coaches who are tired of doing more to earn more and are ready to charge in a way that feels clean, calm, and sustainable.

📝 Top 3 Takeaways from the Episode:

1️⃣ Clear Options Remove the Pressure to Get Pricing “Right”

When you offer thoughtful pricing options, you stop trying to guess what a client values most. Clients can choose based on what matters to them, and you don’t have to over-explain or persuade. The pricing structure carries the weight, so decisions feel calmer and more grounded.

2️⃣ Clients Pay for Fewer Decisions, Not More Time

Your clients aren’t paying for hours or tasks. They’re paying for your ability to reduce uncertainty and guide good decisions. When pricing reflects your thinking and judgment, clients understand the value and move forward with more confidence.

3️⃣ Clear Agreements Reduce Follow-Ups and Renegotiation

When pricing and expectations are clear from the start, accountability becomes shared. You deliver what was agreed to, and clients are less likely to second-guess, renegotiate, or blur boundaries. Pricing becomes a stabilizing structure, not a source of tension.

🎧 Related Episodes You May Enjoy:

Ep 86: Relational Capacity - Boundaries That Build Trust & Compassionate Leadership

Connect with Shannon Mattern:

Shannon Mattern is a pricing strategist for service providers and freelance professionals who sell their expertise and implementation. With over a decade of experience, she’s helped women shift from selling tasks to confidently pricing their intellectual property, strategy, and leadership—especially when they know their pricing needs to change but feel frozen naming the number.

🌐 Website: www.shannonmattern.com/consciousedge 

Learn more about The Exponential Entrepreneur: 

A year-long coaching experience for women entrepreneurs who want a business that feels meaningful and sustainable—one that supports fulfillment, presence, and the life they’re building. This work blends science-based coaching, soul-purpose alignment, and practical business strategy to support clear communication, guilt-free boundaries, and compassionate accountability.

The result is meaningful financial growth, steadier emotions, and protected energy. It also gives you more time for what matters most: your children and loved ones, travel and adventure, rest, and true personal restoration.

Connect with Us:

To explore The Exponential Entrepreneur or learn more about working together, DM me on Instagram→ @aleciastg

Disclaimer: 

The Conscious Edge and all content published by Alecia St. Germain and Jonathan Dugger is for general information, education, and entertainment only. We are not liable or responsible for outcomes resulting from the use of information shared on this podcast or on our websites. This content is not personal, medical, or mental health advice. Please consult qualified medical and mental health professionals as needed. All investing and entrepreneurial endeavors involve risk, and use of this information is at the listener’s discretion.

Get full show notes at www.consciousedge.com/ep090

If you’ve ever said, “I can’t grow because I don’t have access to capital,” this conversation will gently but firmly challenge that belief. In this episode, we explore financial capacity through the lens of capital raising and leadership identity. I’m joined by capital-raising strategist Lauren Brychell, who breaks down why access to money is rarely the true constraint. Instead, it’s often confidence, clarity, and the courage to be seen.

Together, we unpack what actually holds entrepreneurs back from raising capital, how imposter syndrome quietly caps growth, and what it looks like to step into bigger opportunities without needing to have it all figured out first.

📝 Top 3 Takeaways from the Episode:

1️⃣Access to Capital Is Rarely the Real Constraint: 

Most entrepreneurs believe money is the barrier, but Lauren explains that capital tends to follow clarity, trust, and leadership. When you articulate a compelling vision and show up with integrity, funding becomes a byproduct, not the hurdle.

2️⃣Imposter Syndrome Is a Capacity Challenge, Not a Competency Issue: 

Feeling unqualified doesn’t mean you’re unprepared. We talk about how nearly everyone raises their first dollar before they feel ready, and why waiting for total confidence often keeps capable leaders stuck on the sidelines.

3️⃣You Don’t Need to Be the Expert, You Need to Be Trustworthy: 

Investors are drawn to authenticity and transparency more than perfection. Being honest about where you are, what you’re building, and why it matters builds far more trust than trying to project expertise you don’t yet feel.

🎧 Related Episodes You May Enjoy:

Ep 59: Letting go of Imposter Syndrome: What Comparison is Really Telling You

Ep 76: Imposter Syndrome in Business: From Feeling Like a Fraud to Leading with Abundance

Connect with Lauren Brychell:

Lauren Brychell is a proven leader in capital raising, with a track record of raising over $75 million for commercial real estate projects. She specializes in helping real estate syndicators streamline their marketing and capital-raising efforts so growth feels strategic, not overwhelming.

🌐 Website: www.equity-elevated.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/equity-elevated/

Learn more about The Exponential Entrepreneur: 

A year-long coaching experience for women entrepreneurs who want a business that feels meaningful and sustainable—one that supports fulfillment, presence, and the life they’re building. This work blends science-based coaching, soul-purpose alignment, and practical business strategy to support clear communication, guilt-free boundaries, and compassionate accountability.

The result is meaningful financial growth, steadier emotions, and protected energy. It also gives you more time for what matters most: your children and loved ones, travel and adventure, rest, and true personal restoration.

Connect with Us:

To explore The Exponential Entrepreneur or learn more about working together, DM me on Instagram→ @aleciastg

Disclaimer: 

The Conscious Edge and all content published by Alecia St. Germain and Jonathan Dugger is for general information, education, and entertainment only. We are not liable or responsible for outcomes resulting from the use of information shared on this podcast or on our websites. This content is not personal, medical, or mental health advice. Please consult qualified medical and mental health professionals as needed. All investing and entrepreneurial endeavors involve risk, and use of this information is at the listener’s discretion.

❓Have a question for Monthly Money Talks? Send your question to me in a DM on Instagram → @aleciastg.  Your question may be featured in an upcoming episode with Zen Jenn.

Get full show notes at www.consciousedge.com/ep089

If you’ve ever hit a point in your business where things feel hard and you’re not sure whether you should push forward or pull back, this conversation will bring clarity. In this episode, you’ll learn how to quickly diagnose whether your business challenges are growing pains that strengthen you or signs of disordered growth that weaken your foundation.

In our Monthly Money Talk, Zen Jenn and I break down one of the most overlooked reasons businesses plateau: confusing disordered growth with healthy, capacity-expanding growth.

📝 Top 3 Takeaways from the Episode:

1️⃣Not All Hard Things Are Red Flags, Some Are Capacity Expansions: We unpack the difference between discomfort that signals misalignment and discomfort that signals growth, helping you avoid pivoting too early or forcing unsustainable strategies.

2️⃣Intentionality Is the Marker of Healthy Growth: Healthy growth includes planning, forecasting, and measured decision-making. Disordered growth shows up as reactivity, panic problem-solving, or chasing quick wins.

3️⃣Pressure Isn’t Always a Strategy Problem; It’s Often a Capacity Clue: When growth feels heavy or urgent, it’s often pointing to a gap in time, financial, emotional, relational, or energetic capacity rather than a flawed business model.

🎧 Related Episodes You May Enjoy:

Ep 80: When Growth Stops Feeling Good (Monthly Money Talk with Zen Jenn)

Ep 83: Financial Capacity: The Wealth Shift From Proving to Purposeful Growth 

Ep 84: Why Your Business Feels Hard to Grow (Monthly Money Talk with Zen Jenn) 

Connect with Jenn Baas:Jenn is an Outsourced CFO with over 15 years of experience helping small businesses bring ease, clarity, and strategic insight to their financial operations. She joins me each month for Monthly Money Talks with Zen Jenn and leads the Financial Leadership Labs inside The Exponential Entrepreneur.

To explore Jenn’s external CFO services, visit: peaktopeaksolutions.com

To work with Jenn inside The Exponential Entrepreneur, DM me on Instagram→ @aleciastg

Follow or subscribe wherever you’re listening so you never miss a Monthly Money Talk with Zen Jenn.

Learn more about The Exponential Entrepreneur: 

A year-long coaching experience for women entrepreneurs who want a business that feels meaningful and sustainable—one that supports fulfillment, presence, and the life they’re building. This work blends science-based coaching, soul-purpose alignment, and practical business strategy to support clear communication, guilt-free boundaries, and compassionate accountability.

The result is meaningful financial growth, steadier emotions, and protected energy. It also gives you more time for what matters most: your children and loved ones, travel and adventure, rest, and true personal restoration.

Connect with Us:To explore The Exponential Entrepreneur or learn more about working together, DM me on Instagram→ @aleciastg

Disclaimer: 

The Conscious Edge and all content published by Alecia St. Germain and Jonathan Dugger is for general information, education, and entertainment only. We are not liable or responsible for outcomes resulting from the use of information shared on this podcast or on our websites. This content is not personal, medical, or mental health advice. Please consult qualified medical and mental health professionals as needed. All investing and entrepreneurial endeavors involve risk, and use of this information is at the listener’s discretion.