In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I'm sitting down with Colleen Nichols (@noshamessalesgame) to talk about the messy, beautiful reality of building a business when life forces your hand. We're diving into what it really takes to grow on Instagram without ads, how to trust your gut when everyone's telling you to charge more, and why showing up authentically (cursing and all) might be your biggest competitive advantage. If you've ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs actually got started—or if you're drowning in advice from too many gurus—this conversation is for you.

Check out the full show notes for this episode HERE.

Things I cover inside this episode:

• How desperation became our greatest motivator—and why we didn't have the luxury to choose our discomfort when building our businesses
• The real reason people struggle to trust themselves (hint: you're consuming way too much conflicting advice from too many voices)
• Why showing up authentically—messy hair, car selfies, and all—performs better than perfectly curated content in 2025
• The comparison trap that even successful entrepreneurs can't escape—and how it kills your energy and performance
• The truth about Instagram engagement right now—and why starting a new account might not be as crazy as it sounds

Resources & Links mentioned in the episode:

• Follow Colleen Nichols on Instagram: @noshamessalesgame
• Colleen's book: Don't Make It Weird: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Being Human on the Internet (Amazon #1 bestseller)
• Engagement rate calculator tool mentioned in the episode

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