The Classy Career Girl Podcast

You know what you need to do. So why is it so hard to find the time—and energy—to actually do it?

When I was building my business with a newborn, one simple question stopped me in my tracks: "What's your schedule?" My answer changed how I worked.

In this episode, I'm sharing that story, why I still face this challenge as a homeschooling mom of three, and seven practical ways to make room for your goals in the middle of real life.

You'll learn how to:
• Choose work hours that fit yo...

Do you keep planning your business but never quite start? This week I closed the doors on CLASS and sat on coaching call after coaching call with smart, capable women. On almost every call, I heard the same thing: big plans with no finish line.

In this episode, I share what those calls taught me:

What would change if you spent the next 90 days focused on the one goal that matters most?

In this episode, I'm sharing my Plan the Next 90 Days workshop. Grab a notebook and plan along with me. You'll look at what worked and what stalled, choose one focus, and turn it into three dated actions that fit your actual week. We'll also make a "not doing" list so you have room to follow through.

If you'd like me to help you create your plan and execute it over 90 days with support from a coach, join us...

A woman asked me a fair question: "Why would anyone pay a coach when ChatGPT is free?"

I use AI in my business every day. It helps me plan and get through work that used to take hours. But I've also learned what happens when I make a great plan and have no one to help me follow through.

In this episode, I share what a year of weekly coaching did for my business, why a conversation with an aspiring nutrition coach brought that lesson back to me, and what a human coach can offer...

How to Build a Business That Fits Your Life (Start With Your Life First)

What if you built your business around the life you actually want—instead of building your life around your business?

In this special training from inside my CLASS membership, I'm sharing why one of the most important things you can do when starting or growing a business is to start with your life first.

Before you decide what to sell, how much to charge, or which business model to follow, get clear on what you want your days, schedule, pr...

What if you could actually look forward to Monday?

If your career looks good on paper but doesn't feel like the right fit anymore, this episode is your mini career clarity class.

I'm walking you through 4 practical steps to get clear on what you want next — without quitting your job or having your entire future figured out.

In this episode, you'll learn:

If I could go back and talk to myself before becoming a working mom, there are a few things I would want her to know.

Have patience. Give yourself grace. Keep moving toward your vision. And know that working fewer hours doesn't mean you're less ambitious or productive.

In fact, one of the biggest lessons I've learned is that cutting my work hours actually made me more focused, efficient, and happier.

In this final episode of the Working Mom's Survival Guide series, I'm sharing what I wish I had known about balancing motherhood...

If you constantly feel like you're putting out fires at work and at home, you may not need to work harder — you may need better systems.

In Part 4 of the Working Mom's Survival Guide, I'm sharing one of the biggest changes I made after having my third daughter: creating simple systems and routines to eliminate as much last-minute stress as possible.

Instead of relying on myself to remember everything, scrambling to meet deadlines, or constantly answering questions from my team, I started asking:

How can I create a system so this is easier ne...

What if you didn't need eight uninterrupted hours to make meaningful progress?

In Part 3 of the Working Mom's Survival Guide, I'm sharing how to restructure your work around the life you actually want — instead of constantly trying to squeeze your life around your work.

Because 15 minutes really does add up.

In this episode, you'll learn how to:

→ Make progress even when you only have 15–30 minutes
→ Use timers and deadlines to get more done in less time
→ Create simple daily routines for recurring tasks
→ Identify your best times to work
→...

You can't do everything. You have to prioritize.

In Part 2 of the Working Mom's Survival Guide, I'm sharing how to get clear on what matters most, protect your time, and stop spending your days on things that aren't actually moving your life, career, or business forward.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned as a working mom is this:

If there isn't enough time, there isn't enough time. Something has to go — and it's not the kids.

In this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Identify your "big rocks" and top...

Do you ever feel like you're trying to be a great mom, build a meaningful career, grow a business, take care of your family—and somehow you're still falling behind?

You love your kids. You care about your work. But you're tired.

Welcome to Part 1 of The Working Mom's Survival Guide, a special series I'm bringing to the Classy Career Girl Podcast.

I originally created this training four years ago for our Corporate Rescue Plan members, but the lessons feel even more important to me today.

And we're starting with one of...

Think you're too busy to become a career coach or start a coaching business?

Meet Melanie Smith.

Melanie is a mom, finishing her undergraduate degree, running a recruiting and staffing agency AND building a coaching and consulting business.

In this episode, Melanie shares how she stopped feeling scattered, got clear on how her recruiting and coaching businesses could work together, and learned how to turn her years of experience into meaningful, purpose-driven work.

We talk about:

What does it really take to build a successful career coaching business—and stand out in a growing industry?

In this special replay episode, I'm switching seats! One of our Corporate Rescue Plan members interviews me about my journey becoming a career coach, what I've learned from more than a decade in the industry, and where I believe career coaching is headed next.

We talk about:

Trying to grow a side hustle while working a full-time job—but wondering how you're supposed to find the time to do it all?

In this replay of one of our most popular Classy Career Girl episodes, I'm sharing the time-management strategies I used while building my business alongside my day job—before eventually turning that side hustle into my full-time career.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Ready to move beyond 1-on-1 coaching and start scaling your coaching business?

In this replay episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, I'm breaking down how to transition from individual coaching into a group coaching model—without overcomplicating your offer or trying to scale before you're ready.

In today's episode, I cover:

The best business model to start with when you first become a coach

How to know when you're ready to transition from 1-on-1 to group coaching

The first steps to plan and launch your group coaching program

What if I lost everything I've built with Classy Career Girl and had to start again from zero?

No email list. No programs. No website. No audience. No podcast downloads.

After more than a decade of entrepreneurship, I know one thing for sure: I would build my business very differently today.

And the biggest change?

I wouldn't build a coaching business. I'd build a business around coaching.

In this episode of Behind the Business, I'm sharing the exact business model I'd build if I were starting over today—and ho...

Have you ever wondered if you could become a career coach?

I didn't start Classy Career Girl knowing that career coaching would become my career. I was actually trying to figure out my own career when I discovered how much I loved helping other women find work they loved.

In this Behind the Business episode, I'm sharing the story of how I became a career coach, how Classy Career Girl grew from my own career journey, and why I believe career coaching is one of the best businesses for women who want meaningful, flexible work.<...

Do you really need a team, a virtual assistant, a housekeeper, expensive software, and a complicated funnel to build a successful business?

I used to think so.

In this episode of Behind the Business, I'm sharing why I followed the traditional advice to outsource and delegate everything—and why I eventually realized I was building a version of success I didn't actually want.

We're talking about how to build a lean, profitable business that fits your life, especially if you're a mom building in the margins of a 9–5, homeschooling, raising kids, or simply want...

What would it actually take for your business to replace your paycheck—or reach your first $5K or $10K month?

In this episode of Behind the Business, I'm sharing the simple revenue planning method I use to stop guessing and start mapping out exactly where my monthly income will come from.

We'll talk about:

Behind the Business #9: How I Actually Get Work Done With Three Kids at Home

Hook: How I stay consistent in my business—even when motivation is gone.

Welcome back to Behind the Business, where I'm taking you behind the scenes of how I actually run Classy Career Girl.

Last week, I took you behind the scenes of my life—motherhood, homeschooling, travel, routines, and the choices we've made as a family.

This week, we're going behind the business.

Yesterday, I shared the one-page business plan I actually use.

But here...

What if you could plan your entire business on one page instead of 50?

In this episode of Behind the Business, I'm taking you inside the simple one-page business plan I've used for over a decade to grow Classy Career Girl.

Last week, we went behind the scenes of my personal life—motherhood, homeschooling, traveling, and building a life around what matters most. This week, we're going inside the business and looking at the actual strategies, systems, and plans I use to run it.

I'll walk you through the five sections of my one-page bu...

Motherhood changed my definition of success.

Before becoming a mom, I thought success meant working harder, accomplishing more, saying yes to opportunities, and continuing to climb.

Then my first daughter was born—and suddenly, time felt different.

In this episode, I'm taking you back to something I originally wrote when she had just turned one and sharing the lessons that first year of motherhood taught me about success, work, fear, flexibility, and building a life on your own terms.

We'll talk about:

How do you keep a busy family organized when you're juggling work, kids, homeschooling, appointments, activities, meals, and everything else that comes with everyday life?

In Behind the Business #6, I'm taking you behind the scenes of the simple planning systems we use in our family every single week.

These aren't complicated productivity systems or rigid schedules. They're practical tools that help us communicate better, build routines, share responsibilities, and keep everything from living inside my head.

In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 tools I use to plan our weeks:

What do you do when you make a beautiful plan for the week…and by Tuesday, everything has changed?

Kids get sick. Appointments move. Work takes longer than expected. Your energy changes. And suddenly, the schedule you carefully created no longer works.

In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, I'm sharing the simple weekly planning rhythm I use to stay focused without creating a rigid schedule that falls apart the moment real life happens.

You'll learn my 4-part gentle weekly planning system:

My Daily Anchors: A Morning Routine for Peace in Busy Seasons

What keeps you grounded when every day looks different?

As a mom, entrepreneur, and homeschooler, I've learned that I don't need a perfectly structured morning routine—I need a few simple anchors I can return to when life gets busy.

In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, I'm sharing the daily practices that help me stay rooted in my faith, focused on my priorities, and present with my family.

I'm taking you behind the scenes of my real mo...

One of the biggest reasons I became an entrepreneur was freedom—but not just the freedom to work from anywhere or set my own schedule.

I wanted to build my business around my family instead of fitting my family around my business.

In this Behind the Business episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, I'm taking you behind the scenes of why our family chose homeschooling, what our homeschool days actually look like, and how I balance homeschooling three kids with running a business.

I'm sharing our Charlotte Mason approach, why we only ho...

What does it actually take to run a business while traveling Europe for a year with three kids?

In Part 2 of my Behind the Business series, I'm sharing what life really looked like behind the beautiful photos—from homeschooling in tiny apartments and carrying groceries through London to missed flights, unexpected hospital visits, and some of our favorite adventures across Europe.

But I'm also answering one of the biggest questions I get:

What happened to the business while we were gone?

Surprisingly, it became one of our best years in business.

What if the doors that keep closing aren't setbacks, but direction?

A few years ago, our family was living in a two-bedroom apartment in Wisconsin with three young girls. Our business was growing, life looked successful from the outside and yet something didn't feel right.

We thought the next step was obvious: buy a house and settle down.

So we tried.

And tried.

After nearly 30 offers on homes, nothing was working out.

Eventually, we started asking a different question: What if we're not supposed to stay here?<...

What does it take to leave a successful corporate career and build a business that gives you more freedom?

In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan sits down with entrepreneur, brand strategist, and podcast host Francheska Stone to talk about her journey from litigation paralegal to business owner. After experiencing burnout, Francheska made the leap into entrepreneurship, built a personal brand, and launched a podcast that's helping working moms create more flexibility and autonomy in their careers.

Together, they discuss how to discover your unique voice, build an authentic personal brand...

Can reading the right books change your career or business?

In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan sits down with Jen Kornoely, founder of the She Reads, She Leads Book Club, to discuss why business, finance, and mindset books are some of the best investments you can make in yourself.

After leaving her corporate career to build a successful real estate photography business, Jen discovered that the knowledge and confidence she gained through reading helped her grow faster than she ever imagined. Today, she's helping other women do the same through...

Did you start your business for more freedom... only to find yourself working more than ever?

In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna Runyan is joined by attorney, founder strategist, and Play Big Faster Podcast host Scherrie L. Prince to talk about how to build a business that supports your life instead of becoming another full-time job.

Scherrie shares the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make in their early years, why the decisions you make today impact your options years from now, and how to create a business with the legal and strategic foundation...

If you're trying to build a business while juggling motherhood, work, and everything else on your plate, this episode will give you permission to stop doing it the hard way.

This week, Anna sits down with business strategist and mom of three Renae Fieck to discuss why so many women are burned out trying to follow productivity systems that were never designed for the female body.

After navigating one of the most challenging seasons of her life—including her husband's brain tumor diagnosis, seizures, and raising three young children—Renae rebuilt her business around her ener...

🎓 Congratulations! You made it to the final day of Summer Business School.

Over the past 31 days, you've learned how to build a business from the ground up—from finding your idea and creating your offer to attracting clients, building multiple income streams, planning like a CEO, and creating a business that supports the life you want.

But today isn't really graduation.

It's your first day as CEO.

In this final episode, Anna reflects on everything you've accomplished together, shares the five CEO principles to remember as you grow your business, and walks...

What if the goal was never just to build three income streams?

In Day 30 of Summer Business School, we're bringing together everything you've learned throughout the series to show you how the Three Magic Income Streams Framework™ creates something even more valuable than income—it creates options.

When your business includes Quick Cash, Scalable Income, and Leverage Income, you're no longer relying on one client, one launch, or one paycheck. Instead, you begin building a business that is more stable, more flexible, and designed to support the life you want to live.

In this...

How To Plan to Build Your Business in 90 Days | Day 29 Summer Business School

What if you stopped trying to plan your entire year—and instead focused on the next 90 days?

In today's Summer Business School class, you'll learn why 90-day planning is one of the most powerful tools for building a successful business. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by endless to-do lists and big annual goals, you'll create a simple plan that helps you stay focused, take consistent action, and make meaningful progress.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why 90-day goals are more effe...

The Numbers Every Business Owner Should Track: Day 28 Summer Business School

Are you measuring the right things in your business?

One of the biggest differences between struggling entrepreneurs and successful CEOs is that CEOs know their numbers. They don't rely on feelings or hope—they use data to make confident decisions.

In Day 28 of Summer Business School, you'll learn how to create your own CEO Dashboard™ so you can stop guessing and start leading your business with clarity.

In this episode, you'll discover:

The five numbers every business owner shou...

Most entrepreneurs spend their days reacting—checking email, answering messages, scrolling social media, and tackling whatever feels most urgent. But successful CEOs don't build their businesses that way.

In Day 27 of Summer Business School, you'll learn how to shift from thinking like an employee to leading like a CEO. Anna shares the CEO Weekly Rhythm, a simple framework for organizing your week around the activities that actually grow your business instead of keeping you busy.

You'll discover why revenue-producing activities should always be your top priority, how to stop reacting to every notification, and the we...

Are your offers starting to feel disconnected?

Maybe you have a course, a coaching program, a membership, or digital products—but you're not sure how they all fit together.

In today's episode of Summer Business School, you'll learn how to build a Business Ecosystem™ where every offer has a purpose and every step naturally leads your customers to the next. Instead of creating random products, you'll design a clear customer journey that builds trust, creates consistent sales, and helps your business grow sustainably.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Feeling like you're constantly chasing your next Instagram post, Reel, email, or podcast episode?

The secret isn't creating more content—it's learning how to teach one idea in multiple ways.

In today's Summer Business School class, you'll discover The Content Multiplication Method™, my simple system for turning one great idea into weeks of valuable content across every platform. Instead of starting from scratch every day, you'll learn how to create once and repurpose strategically so you can stay visible, save time, and grow your business without burning out.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What if Instagram disappeared tomorrow?

Would you still have a way to reach your audience?

In today's episode of Summer Business School, you'll discover why an email list is one of the most valuable assets you can build—and how to create a lead magnet that turns followers into subscribers and subscribers into future customers.

Anna introduces The Lead Magnet Ladder™, a simple framework for creating free resources that do more than collect email addresses. Instead of offering random freebies, you'll learn how to design a lead magnet that solves one small problem, intr...