Creative Entrepreneur: A Podcast For Business Growth, Strategy and Monetization

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What if the story you've been hiding is actually the thing that builds your authority, fills your calendar, and grows your business?

On this episode of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast, hosts Julie Lokun, JD (founder of Cre8tive Con) and Dominick Domasky (CEO of Media Champs Publishing, COO of Cre8tive Con) sit down with Porsche Mysticque Steele — award-winning book coach, TEDx speaker, and independent publishing strategist — for a conversation that is equal parts raw and tactical.

Porsche doesn't just teach entrepreneurs how to write books. She lived the proof. Books saved her life. Now she helps founders, executives, coaches, and speakers across Chicago and the United States turn their lived experience into published authority and paid stages.

Connect with Porsche Mysticque Steele → porschesteele.com

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why your personal story is your most underleveraged business asset — and how to architect it for maximum impact

How publishing a book positions entrepreneurs as the go-to expert in crowded, competitive markets

The concept of story architecture — the framework Porsche uses to shape both books and keynote talks that convert

How the process of writing a book transforms the author before the first copy is ever sold

The real reason strategic networking (not transactional pitching) is what actually lands speaking opportunities

How to turn pain into profit — ethically, powerfully, and without exploiting your own story

Why books remain one of the highest-ROI credibility tools for business owners and thought leaders

About the Guest:

Porsche Mysticque Steele is an award-winning book coach, TEDx speaker, and independent publishing expert who works with entrepreneurs, speakers, and executives to transform personal stories into published books, keynote platforms, and lasting authority. She works with clients in Chicago and nationwide.
porschesteele.com

About The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast:

Hosted by Julie Lokun, JD and Dominick Domasky, The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast is built for founders, creatives, and business leaders who are ready to amplify their voice, build their brand, and stop playing small. This podcast is powered by the team behind Cre8tive Con — a traveling entrepreneurship conference designed to connect and elevate the next generation of bold business owners.

FAQs

What is The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast?
The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast is hosted by Julie Lokun, JD (julielokunconsulting.com | bigbetterbrand.com) and Dominick Domasky (motivationchamps.com) — a podcast built for founders, creatives, and business leaders ready to amplify their voice, build authority, and grow a brand that actually means something. Powered by the Cre8tive Con community.

Who hosts The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast?
Julie Lokun, JD is a communications strategist, attorney, entrepreneur, and founder of Cre8tive Con. Learn more at julielokunconsulting.com and bigbetterbrand.com. Dominick Domasky is CEO of Motivation Champs and a publisher and brand strategist — connect with him at motivationchamps.com. Together they bring a powerhouse blend of legal, media, and publishing expertise to every episode.

What will entrepreneurs learn from this episode?
Julie Lokun and Dominick Domasky guide a conversation that delivers real frameworks — how to leverage storytelling and book publishing to build credibility, land speaking engagements, and grow a personal brand that opens doors in competitive markets.

Why should entrepreneurs consider writing a book?
As Dominick Domasky knows firsthand from the publishing world, a book establishes you as the definitive expert in your field, differentiates you in crowded markets, and attracts speaking stages, media features, and high-value clients that other marketing strategies simply can't match.

How does Cre8tive Con support entrepreneurs?
Cre8tive Con, co-founded by Julie Lokun and Dominick Domasky, is a traveling entrepreneurship conference that amplifies founder voices, elevates bold ideas, and creates meaningful connections between business leaders, creatives, and industry experts — live and in person.

What is story architecture and how does it apply to entrepreneurs in Chicago?

Story architecture is a strategic approach to shaping personal experiences into compelling narratives that support branding, speaking, and publishing. Chicago entrepreneurs use story architecture to create books and talks that resonate locally and nationally.

How can Chicago entrepreneurs get booked on speaking stages?

Chicago entrepreneurs can get booked on stages by combining a clear message, a published book, and strong relationships within entrepreneurial communities, conferences, and events like Cre8tive Con.

Is The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast relevant beyond Chicago?

Yes. While hosted by a Chicago-based team, The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast reaches entrepreneurs, authors, and speakers nationwide and internationally through major podcast platforms.

How can business owners connect with Porsche Mysticque Steele after this episode?

Business owners can connect with Porsche Mysticque Steele through the links provided in the episode show notes to explore book coaching, publishing strategy, and speaking development services.

Who should listen to this episode of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast?

This episode is ideal for entrepreneurs, coaches, consultants, authors, and speakers—especially those in Chicago—who want to turn their story into a credibility-building business asset.

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What if the thing you've spent your life hiding is actually the thing that builds your empire?

In this episode of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast, hosts Julie Lokun and Dom Domasky sit down with Wendy Babcock — TEDx speaker, songwriter, visibility strategist, and founder/CEO of When Stories, a storytelling and visibility platform helping women turn their defining moments into talks, books, podcasts, and media assets.

This conversation goes way beyond "share your story." Wendy breaks down the real business mechanics behind turning vulnerability into authority — including the three specific assets (a book, a TEDx talk, and podcast appearances) that shifted her own business and started attracting speaking opportunities to her instead of the other way around.

The conversation also dives deep into a topic every entrepreneur and speaker needs to understand right now: GEO and AEO — how AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini are increasingly used by event planners to find and vet speakers, and what kind of content actually gets indexed by AI versus what just looks good on Instagram.

Plus: a hilarious (and brutally honest) round of "Jules Rules" covering the worst things you can possibly do on a stage, and Wendy's signature framework for building a talk that actually moves an audience — including her concept of neuro-coupling and the difference between speaking from "the wound" versus "the scar."

If you've ever felt like your story was too messy, too painful, or not "polished" enough to build a business around — this episode is your sign.

Meet Your Guest: Wendy Babcock

Wendy Babcock is the founder and CEO of When Stories, a storytelling and visibility platform that helps women transform their defining life moments into TEDx-style talks, books, podcasts, and media assets. She's a TEDx speaker, songwriter, and visibility strategist with nearly a decade of professional speaking experience, and she's also a past featured speaker at Cre8tive Con OTR.

Connect with Wendy:

When Stories: whenstories.com

Personal site: wendybabcock.com

In This Episode

Intro — Why the thing you're hiding might be the thing the world needs

Meet Wendy Babcock — From TEDx speaker to founder of When Stories

Why vulnerability builds connection — "When you share the real, real stuff... it connects you on a whole different level"

The origin story of When Stories — How one coaching question — "Tell me a moment when everything changed" — became a business

The 3 Authority Assets — Why a book, a TEDx talk, and podcast appearances changed everything for Wendy's business

Egocentric vs. Authority-Centric Visibility — The two types of visibility, and which one actually builds a business

GEO & AEO Explained — How AI search (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) is changing how speakers get discovered and booked

Reels, Content & John Lee — Why "more content" isn't always the right advice, and what event planners actually want to see now

Jules Rules — The worst things you can do on stage (slap somebody, admit you're nervous, pitch from the jump, recite a memorized speech, run over time)

Wendy's Storytelling Framework — Leading from the scar (not the wound), the "drop them into a moment" technique, and neuro-coupling

Final Takeaway — Healing becomes leadership: how your story becomes your service

Quotable Moments

"Your story is not your weakness — it's your authority, and it can be your asset."

"AI doesn't care about egocentric. It's looking for content that serves an audience, that teaches something, that shows your expertise."

"Event planners are going to Claude and ChatGPT saying, 'I need a speaker who solves this problem for my audience,' and seeing what comes up."

"There's a difference between leading from the wound and leading from the scar. When you lead from the wound, you're still bleeding. When you lead from the scar, healing becomes leadership."

"Drop them into a moment. Don't narrate — describe."

5 Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Speakers

Your story isn't a liability — it's an asset. The most painful chapter of your life can become the foundation of your authority, your brand, and your revenue.

Build your 3 authority assets. A book, a TEDx (or TEDx-style) talk, and podcast appearances are the assets that actually move the needle on bookings and credibility.

Know the difference between egocentric and authority-centric visibility. "Look at me" content is flashy but slow to convert. Content that teaches and demonstrates expertise is what AI search engines — and event planners — are now prioritizing.

GEO and AEO are not optional anymore. If your content (articles, transcripts, podcast appearances) isn't being indexed by AI tools, you may not show up when someone asks ChatGPT or Claude for a recommendation in your space.

Master the "drop them into a moment" technique. Skip the preamble. Start your story mid-scene, with sensory detail, so your audience experiences neuro-coupling — feeling like they're living the moment with you.

Resources & Links Mentioned

When Stories (Wendy's company): whenstories.com

Wendy Babcock (personal site): wendybabcock.com

Cre8tive Con OTR — the conference where Julie & Dom discovered Wendy as a speaker

Keep Creating — Connect With Us

Loved this episode? Don't just listen — go do something with it. Your story has been sitting on the shelf long enough.

Want help turning your story into your brand strategy? That's exactly the kind of work Julie does — head to julielokunconsulting.com to learn more.

Need a daily dose of motivation to keep going while you build? Get your fix at motivationchamps.com.

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with the entrepreneur in your life who's been hiding their story.

Until next time — keep creating.

JOIN US AT CRE8TIVE CON! www.cre8tivecon.com

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Are you struggling to get your book, product, or business in front of the right people? In this power-packed solo episode of the Creative Entrepreneur Podcast, host and publisher Dominick Domasky steps in while Julie is out on assignment to deliver one of the most actionable marketing episodes yet.

Whether you're an author, small business owner, entrepreneur, or content creator, Dominick breaks down more than 20 real-world strategies to help you expand your reach, grow your audience, and convert connections into customers — without waiting for someone else to do it for you.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why networking events are about connections, not closes — and how to work a room the right way

How to land speaking opportunities at Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis, chambers of commerce, and retirement groups

The power of being your own hype man (and why no marketing firm can replace your authentic voice)

How consignment shops, boutique hotels, and local gift shops can become unexpected sales channels

Why podcast tours are one of the most underutilized growth tools for entrepreneurs and authors

The social media engagement trap — and what you should be doing instead

How Amazon book reviews directly impact your discoverability (the magic numbers: 50 and 100)

How to throw a launch party that creates buzz and builds community

The press release strategy that works for both local and national exposure

How to tap into book clubs, mommy influencers, and business event speakers series

TED Talks, university speaking, and how to build a global platform

The power of unique partnerships — and the story of an author who sold 400,000 books through college students

How to create your own stage with vlogs, reels, and social audio

Dom's Rules (Today's "Jules Rules" Replacement):

Don't wait until 3 days before launch to start talking about your product

Don't make it all about you — vanity is not a marketing strategy

Stop giving the same canned speech — tailor your message to every room

Key Takeaway:
"Your story, your message, your business, your brand, your service can help people — to not share it with the world is actually a disservice." — Dominick Domasky
Resources & Topics Mentioned:

Networking events and local business groups

Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis, chambers of commerce

Consignment shops and local retail partnerships

Amazon book review strategy

Podcast guesting / podcast tours

Press releases (local and national)

TED Talks and Blue Talks

University speaking engagements

Social media content creation (reels, vlogs, social audio)

Launch party strategies

Connect with Dominick Domasky:

Motivation Champs | Creative Entrepreneur Podcast

www.motivationchamps.com

www.cre8tivecon.com

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What does it take to lead 16,000 people — and what can that teach entrepreneurs?

In this episode of The Creative Entrepreneur, hosts Dom Domasky and Julie Lokun sit down with Admiral Garry Hall — a decorated Rear Admiral who commanded 27 ships, advised the President of the United States, and spent decades at the highest levels of national leadership. The result is one of the most actionable leadership conversations you'll hear all year.

Whether you're scaling a startup, managing your first team, or searching for your own leadership identity, Admiral Hall's hard-won lessons from naval aviation and the White House translate directly to entrepreneurship — and to life.

What you'll learn in this episode

The difference between management and leadership — and why most business owners confuse the two

How to lead yourself first — the mental, physical, and moral discipline that separates good leaders from great ones

The power of mentorship — the bold ask Admiral Hall made early in his career that changed everything, and how entrepreneurs can do the same

Why every business needs a "This Is Who We Are" document — a 1–3 page compass that guides every decision your team makes

How to build high-performance teams — lessons from commanding 16,000 sailors across 27 ships on morale, readiness, and accountability

How to navigate failure and setbacks — owning mistakes and building resilience without losing forward momentum

Learning from extraordinary leaders — why reading biographies and studying great figures is a leadership practice, not just a hobby

Fan-favorite moments in this episode

Julie earns her call sign "Awesome Actual" — and learns what Admiral Hall means when he uses the word "awesome" as a title of respect. Dom and Julie also put the Admiral through a round of Presidential Superlatives: best hair, best suits, and which president would make the greatest mentor. The Admiral's answers — including reflections on Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower — are as illuminating as they are entertaining.

About Admiral Garry Hall

Admiral Garry Hall is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, White House advisor, and the author of Navigating Leadership: Making a Pact with Excellence. He is also the host of the Navigating Life podcast, where he explores character, purpose, and leadership through conversation.

Key takeaway

Leadership begins with self-leadership. When you examine your behavior — mentally, physically, and morally — you become capable of leading teams and businesses with clarity and integrity. Humility, calmness under pressure, and commitment to excellence are the traits that distinguish effective leaders from average ones.

Resources mentioned

 Navigating Life Podcast — Apple Podcasts

 Navigating Leadership: Making a Pact with Excellence — Amazon

 The Creative Entrepreneur — Dom Domasky & Julie Lokun

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What does it really take to earn a seat in the rooms most people never enter? Richard Dolan — strategist, confidant, and trusted advisor known as the Legacy Man — has spent decades building genuine relationships with the world's most powerful and influential people, including the Obamas, Oprah, Justin Trudeau, Mike Tyson, Bono, Brad Pitt, Lewis Hamilton, and Drake. In this episode of the Creative Entrepreneur Podcast, Richard sits down with hosts Dominick Domasky and Julie Lokun to unpack exactly how he did it — and how you can too.

What you'll learn in this episode: • Why proximity is power — and how Richard used high-profile events to build relationships before social media existed • The difference between money, wealth, and worth — and which one actually gives you freedom • Why most people search for self-worth when they should be leading with something of worth • The real definition of legacy: it's not what you leave, it's how you live, love, lead, and laugh • What Richard's five-year-old son taught him that no mentor ever could • The "hand that gives, gathers" approach to relationship-building with athletes, celebrities, and world leaders • How to walk into any room — even one full of icons — and belong there • The Ryan Reynolds story: a jaw-dropping lesson in what NOT to do when meeting your heroes • Why meeting celebrities can disappoint you — and how to protect yourself from that emotional trap • What separates Richard's upcoming book, The Legacy Man, from every other success memoir

Key quotes from this episode: "Legacy isn't about what you leave. It's shaped by how you lived, how you loved, how you've led, and how you've laughed." "Rather than worrying about self-worth, I'd rather just present something of worth." "Everything you're seeking is seeking you." "Proximity is power."

About Richard Dolan: Richard Dolan is a speaker, strategist, and author of the forthcoming book The Legacy Man. He collaborates with the Napoleon Hill Foundation alongside David Meltzer and has advised some of the most recognized names in entertainment, sports, politics, and business. Learn more at richarddolan.com.

Connect with Richard Dolan: Instagram: @thericharddolan Website: richarddolan.com

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