Carter Business Coaching & Consulting

09/02/2026

I’ve had a few conversations recently with local storefront business owners that sparked an interesting discussion.

And I kept hearing the same thing:

They’re exhausted by social media.

Trying to constantly create content. Keep up with Instagram. Make Reels. Figure out what the algorithm wants. Post consistently. Get engagement.

All while actually trying to run a business.

And for some, there’s another challenge.

The excitement and momentum that came with opening a new business has started to slow down—and they’re wondering:

How do we spark it again? How do we get more people through the door?

My answer might be a little surprising:

You may not need to post more.

Instead, start looking at what’s already around you.

Your existing customers.
Your email list.
Other businesses in your community.
Businesses in nearby towns.
And your physical space itself.

That’s what inspired my latest article: 3 Ways Your Storefront Business Can Get More Customers.

I explore how referrals, partnerships, and creating experiences can help generate new traffic without making social media your entire marketing strategy.

Because your business probably doesn’t need to go viral.

You need the right people to have a reason to walk through the door, come back, and tell someone else.

🔗 3 Ways Your Storefront Business Can Get More Customers
https://cartercoaching.ca/blog/f/3-ways-your-storefront-business-can-get-more-customers

Storefront owners, I’m curious: Are you feeling social media fatigue too? And what are you doing right now to keep people coming through the door?

By Salli Carter, host of The Educator Experience Podcast

08/29/2026

Somehow I missed National Dog Day which I believe should be a mandatory day off to snuggle with your pups 💜

08/27/2026

There’s a big difference between having an executive sponsor and having an executive who is actually sponsoring the change.

It’s relatively easy to support change when the project is being approved and the strategy looks good on paper.

The real test comes later.

When priorities compete.
When resistance emerges.
When departments disagree.
When resources become tight.
When difficult decisions need to be made.

That’s when people are watching leadership most closely.

And it’s also where executive sponsorship and trust intersect.

Effective sponsors remain visible, communicate why the change matters, build alignment across leadership, remove barriers, make difficult decisions, and continue reinforcing the change as it unfolds.

Those same behaviours help build trust.

Because people aren’t only evaluating the change itself. They’re evaluating the people leading them through it.

I’ve written about these two sides of change leadership in two related articles:

🔗 Why Executive Sponsorship Matters in Change — what effective sponsorship actually looks like and how change practitioners can help sponsors lead change well.
https://cartercoaching.ca/f/why-executive-sponsorship-matters-in-change

🔗 Building Faculty Trust During Organizational Change: 5 Strategies — while written specifically about faculty and higher education, the broader premise applies across organizations: trust is built through how we lead change.
https://theeducatorexperience.ca/f/building-faculty-trust-during-organizational-change-5-strategies

Together, they explore something I think we sometimes underestimate in change management:

The way leaders show up during change is part of the change strategy itself.

By Salli Carter, host of The Educator Experience Podcast

08/13/2026

The simplest way to live the life you want?

Decide what that life looks like.

Then start saying no to the things that don’t align with it.

I see this all the time when I work with entrepreneurs and executives.

They know what they want to build.
They know what matters to them.
They know where they want to go.

But then they keep saying yes.

Yes to the client who isn’t a good fit.
Yes to the opportunity that pulls them away from their goals.
Yes to the meeting they don’t need to attend.
Yes to work they don’t actually want to be doing.
Yes because they could do it - not because they should.

And eventually, their calendar looks nothing like the life or business they said they wanted.

Every yes is a decision about where your time, energy, and attention go.

So before you say yes, ask yourself:

Does this move me toward the life and business I’m trying to create - or away from it?

Sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is say no.

Not because the opportunity is bad.

Because it isn’t yours.

08/13/2026

Sometimes the best business lessons come from the things you never expected to build.

Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to grow The Educator Experience Podcast into one of Canada's top education podcasts. 🎙️

And somewhere between preparing for interviews, talking with incredible people from around the world, trying to strategically position the dog bed in the background 🐶, and occasionally crying after particularly powerful conversations... I've learned a lot.

Not just about podcasting.

About building something you believe in.

About showing up consistently before you know whether anyone is paying attention.

About being genuinely curious about other people.

About letting go of perfection.

And about how powerful real human connection can be when you create space for it.

I recently shared the 5 biggest things I've learned from building the podcast, and so many of those lessons apply to entrepreneurship, leadership, and building a brand too.

I'm incredibly proud of what this little idea has become - and even more excited about where it's going next. 💜

Here's to building the things you can't stop thinking about.

Spotify: https://zurl.co/LstRR
Apple Podcast: https://zurl.co/sYk3e
YouTube: https://zurl.co/fqeH6

https://www.millionpodcasts.com/teacher-podcasts-canada/
https://www.millionpodcasts.com/college-professors-podcasts/

08/11/2026

I originally wrote this article with large, complex organizations in mind - but the more I looked at the five strategies, the more I realized how relevant they are for entrepreneurs and small business owners leading change, too.

Change might look different in a small business.

You may be implementing a new CRM.
Introducing AI into your workflows.
Changing a long-standing process.
Restructuring roles as you grow.
Bringing in new technology.
Or asking a small team to work differently.

But the human side of change is still there.

A few of the biggest takeaways for small business owners:

• Explain the why before the what. Don’t assume your team understands why the change is necessary just because it makes sense to you.

• Listen before you build. The people doing the work often see barriers, risks, and opportunities you don’t.

• Don’t automatically label questions as resistance. Instead of asking, “How do I get them on board?” ask, “What is this resistance telling me?”

• Show people how their input influenced the decision. Asking for feedback builds very little trust if nothing appears to happen with it.

• Communicate throughout the change. One announcement isn’t a change strategy. Keep people informed about what’s happening, what has changed, and what comes next.

Small businesses may have fewer layers, fewer committees, and fewer people involved in a change - but that doesn’t make the people side of change any less important.

In fact, when your team is small, how you lead change can be felt very quickly.

I wrote Building Faculty Trust During Organizational Change: 5 Strategies for the higher education sector, but the principles of trust, awareness, communication, and listening translate far beyond it.

If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, I’d be interested to hear: what change are you currently trying to lead in your business?

What if building trust during change isn’t about getting everyone to agree?

Faculty can question the direction.
Challenge decisions.
Raise concerns.
And still trust the people leading the change.

In fact, those questions can make the change stronger.

When we’re leading major change in higher education, the goal shouldn’t be universal agreement. It should be creating enough trust for people to engage honestly in the process.

That means listening.
Being transparent.
Following through.
Making space for disagreement.
And showing people how their voices are shaping the change.

AI may be the disruption we’re navigating right now, but this applies to any major faculty-wide initiative.

I explore 5 ways to build faculty trust during organizational change in my latest article.

🔗 Read the full article at The Educator Experience https://theeducatorexperience.ca/blog/f/building-faculty-trust-during-organizational-change-5-strategies

What builds trust during change for you?

08/07/2026

One of the biggest mistakes leaders make during change?

Assuming everyone understands why it's happening.

Whether you're implementing AI, introducing a new CRM, restructuring a team, or shifting your business strategy, it's easy to jump straight to the solution:

"We're doing this."

"Here's the new process."

"Training starts next week."

But there's an important step that often gets skipped:

Awareness.

As leaders, we may have spent weeks or months thinking about a change before introducing it to our teams. We've discussed the problem, weighed the options, and understood why something needs to change.

Our employees haven't had that same journey.

So when people ask questions, hesitate, or seem skeptical, it isn't necessarily resistance.

They may simply need to understand:

• Why are we changing?
• Why now?
• What problem are we solving?
• How will this affect me?

This is especially important in entrepreneurship, where things move quickly and priorities can change just as fast.

Before asking people to embrace the what, make sure you've communicated the why.

The best leaders don't just announce change. They bring people along with it.

07/11/2026

AI isn't the biggest challenge facing organizations.

Helping people successfully navigate AI is.

That realization has completely reshaped how I think about AI adoption, leadership, and organizational change.

🎓 I recently completed my Prosci Change Management Certification, and it fundamentally shifted how I think about implementing AI in organizations.

As an entrepreneur, AI has transformed the way I do business. It has changed how I create content, solve problems, streamline workflows, and serve clients.

But that raises a much bigger question.

How do we thoughtfully integrate AI into our organizations?

How do we equip our employees not only to use AI, but to use it confidently, responsibly, ethically, and in ways that create real value?

The technology itself isn't the hard part.

The people side of change is.

We can invest in AI tools, implement new systems, and provide endless training opportunities. But if we don't intentionally support the people experiencing the change, adoption - and ultimately results - will always fall short.

Whether I'm working with organizations, entrepreneurs, educational institutions, or leadership teams, I've seen the same pattern emerge.

Successful AI adoption isn't about the technology.

It's about helping people develop the awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement needed to embrace change with confidence.

That's why I'm excited to add the Prosci methodology to my toolkit as I continue helping organizations and leaders navigate AI-enabled transformation.

Because the future of AI won't be defined by the technology itself.

It will be defined by how well we help people navigate change.

07/09/2026

If there's one thing I've learned from working with entrepreneurs, it's this: none of us are meant to build our businesses alone.

That's one of the many reasons I'm so grateful to Thewebc for the opportunity to serve as a volunteer Peer Mentor - and for the beautiful flowers that arrived this week. 💐

Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of supporting across British Columbia as they launch businesses, navigate challenges, celebrate milestones, and grow as leaders. Every reminds me that while entrepreneurship can feel isolating, having someone in your corner can make all the difference.

What I love most about the WeBC is that it's built on exactly that: .

I'm especially excited for what's ahead as WeBC launches its Mentoring Growth Program and expands Peer Mentor Groups into communities across British Columbia, creating even more opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and support one another.
https://hellodarwin.com/business-aid/programs/webc-business-mentoring-and-peer-groups

If you're a woman-identifying entrepreneur looking for a community that genuinely wants to see you succeed, I invite you to explore the Pollinator Program. With quarterly meetups, monthly learning sessions, exclusive perks, a vibrant online community, and over 300 members (with another intake coming this summer!), it's an incredible network of women committed to lifting one another up.

A heartfelt thank you to WeBC for your kindness, your trust, and the meaningful work you do to empower entrepreneurs across our province. I'm grateful to be part of this amazing community. 💜

(Do I normally keep my flowers on my couch? Nope. Do I always try to have one of my pups in any pic possible - even if it means putting flowers on my couch temporarily? Heck ya.)

07/06/2026

🏆 I'm honoured to share that The Educator Experience Podcast has been recognized as one of Canada's Top Education Podcasts.

Receiving this recognition from Million Podcasts as we celebrate our first anniversary makes this milestone even more meaningful. Thank you for this incredible honour.

One year ago, I launched the podcast with a simple goal: to create a space where educators could share their stories, learn from one another, and remind each other that we don't have to navigate higher education alone.

Over the past year, I've had the privilege of speaking with incredible educators, leaders, researchers, authors, and innovators from across Canada, the U.S., and around the world. Every conversation has reinforced something I believe deeply:

Education is stronger when we learn from each other.

Thank you to every guest who generously shared your experiences, insights, and expertise. Thank you to every listener who has tuned in, shared an episode with a colleague, left a review, or simply been part of this growing community. You are the reason this podcast has become so much more than I ever imagined.

While we're taking a well-deserved break from releasing new episodes over the summer, we're busy behind the scenes recording new conversations for the fall, and building resources to continue supporting educators.

Here's a glimpse of what's coming in the next few weeks:

🤖 Fundamentals of AI – the first course in our AI for Educators Certificate Series. A truly foundational course for post-secondary educators who want to build the AI literacy needed to confidently navigate the future of teaching. Learn how AI works, explore its impact on higher education, and connect with a community of educators learning alongside you.

📖 The Educator Reflection Course – designed for educators who want to take their teaching to the next level. Through guided, semester-long reflection, you'll deepen your practice, gain meaningful insights, and intentionally grow as an educator. Also available as a downloadable reflection journal.

🎭 Presence, Play & Failure – join professional hashtag Chase Jeffels for a unique learning experience exploring how play, presence, and productive failure can transform your teaching and help you build confidence, connection, and adaptability in the classroom.
https://theeducatorexperience.learnworlds.com/course/presence-play-and-failure

👕 And yes... the hilarious teacher merch is coming too. Because sometimes the only way to survive grading season is to laugh together.

This first year has been about creating conversations. The next year is about building an even stronger community through meaningful dialogue, practical professional learning, and resources that help educators thrive.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I can't wait to share what's next.

Here's to Year Two. ❤️

The Educator Experience

https://www.millionpodcasts.com/college-professors-podcasts/
https://www.millionpodcasts.com/teacher-podcasts-canada/