Episode Summary:
In this episode of The Solo Grind, I sit down with Emily Aborn—an incredible copywriter, speaker, and host of the podcast Content with Character. Emily and I share an up close and personal look at the unpredictable journey of entrepreneurship and explore what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan.
We share personal stories of pivoting, facing big decisions, and finding clarity in unexpected places. We also chat about the importance of knowing when to push forward and when to let go, how to evaluate if something aligns with your true self, and why sometimes a “no” opens doors to new possibilities. Emily brings insightful perspectives on resilience, authenticity, and the hidden power in re-evaluating our plans, so you really don't want to miss this episode.
This episode is for any entrepreneur who finds themselves questioning their path, feeling the pressure to “just keep going,” or looking for permission to pivot.
Key Highlights
Embracing the Pivot: Emily and I discuss the art of pivoting when things don’t go as expected, sharing insights on why sometimes it’s okay to step back or move in a new direction.
The Power of a Well-Timed “No”: We highlight how saying no to one opportunity can create space for something better aligned with your goals and energy.
Prioritizing Personal and Professional Alignment: Emily shares her approach to making decisions based on how aligned she feels in each role and project, a strategy she calls her “life audit.”
Redefining ROI Beyond the Numbers: We talk about how Return on Investment (ROI) isn’t just about financial metrics, but also mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Navigating Obligations and Letting Go: Both of us share stories of when we held onto obligations that no longer served us, and how letting go can lead to personal and professional growth.
Learning from Failures: Emily shares her approach of “failing forward”—viewing each setback as a lesson and opportunity to fine-tune and grow.
Staying Authentic: The conversation touches on how to show up as your true self in all areas of life and business, letting go of “role selves” and embracing authenticity.
Links to connect with me...
Book a Consult HERE! (https://caffeinecreative.io/consult/)
Email me HERE! theperfectblendcaffeinecreative.io
Find me on Substack!
More about Emily
Emily Aborn is a Copywriter who specializes in working with interior designers and home trade professionals as well as coaches and consultants. She helps relationship-based, small businesses refine their message and grow their impact. Emily takes the mission, vision, and ideas in your head and weaves them into a creative, compelling, copy that connects to your ideal clients and reflects YOU.
She’s also the host of the Content with Character podcast and speaks on marketing-related topics for organizations and groups.
She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Jason, and their dog, Clyde. She enjoys hiking, reading, all the word and nerdy brain games, and even in her free time… you guessed it, writing.
Links to Contact/Connect
Website: emilyaborn.com
Email: emily@emilyaborn.com
Instagram: instagram.com/emilyaborn
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emilyaborn
Substack: substack.com/@emilyaborn
Resources Mentioned:
- Content With Character Podcast
- "Failing Forward" by John C. Maxwell – A book on transforming failures into stepping stones for success.
Detailed Show Notes
(automatically transcribed using AI Technology)
Welcome to The Solo Grind!
Hello, and welcome back! For those of you just joining in for the first time, I’m Teresa Schlup, founder and owner of Caffeine Creative. I’ve been helping confident, service-based entrepreneurs build standout brands since 2011, and I love what I do. But more than that, I love helping others find the courage to take the next step on their entrepreneurial journey.
And today, I am super excited to welcome my second-ever guest on the podcast: Emily Aborn! Emily is a copywriter, speaker, and podcast host. She lives in Temple, New Hampshire, with her husband, Jason, and their snuggle-loving dog, Clyde. She enjoys hiking, reading, being a Jeopardy contestant from her couch— which I want to hear more about—and, of course, listening to podcasts like this one. Emily, welcome, and thank you so much for joining us!
Emily
Thanks for having me, Teresa. I am beyond excited to be here!
Teresa
I’m so happy to have you here. Honestly, today's topic is perfect, and I’m super excited to dive into it. “Not According to Plan” is basically how our story intertwined briefly. I think you’re the perfect guest for this because, as entrepreneurs, things often don’t go according to plan. We’re constantly faced with choices: do we push through? Do we pivot, change directions, or step back? And how do we do that with grace and ease?
Our story actually started like this—I’ll let you share more in a moment—but just a few months ago, we began on a path, and things didn’t go as we’d expected.
Emily
Right! And ironically, the name of what we were planning to collaborate on was something about “The Best Laid Plans.” So, there we go.
So, Teresa and I collaborate often. I’m a copywriter, she’s a website designer—we’re kind of like the peanut butter and jelly of business, so it just made sense! I knew that I love working with you, Teresa, because you’re just… infectious. You’re the kind of person I want to do business with, be around, and create things with. Almost no matter what we come up with together, I know it’s going to be fantastic.
Teresa
Absolutely.
Emily
Exactly, and that’s the problem! (laughs) So, keep that in mind. Around the same time this idea came about, I was winding down my former podcast, She Built This. I had two podcasts going at once, which was pretty intense—one was interview-style, and then I also had a solo show called Content with Character. I was starting to feel the strain and knew something had to give. But I love podcasting, and I love working with you. So, maybe we do a podcast together? I thought, “That’s the thing!”
Teresa
(laughs) Yes!
Emily
Right? So, I presented the idea, and you, of course, had this dream of doing a podcast as well. It felt like a perfect fit—your dream, my dream, coming together. But after sitting with it, I realized I had to reign things in and look at everything on my plate. It’s important to do those “life audits,” as I call them. So I had to come to you and say, “After thinking it over, I don’t think now is the right time for me.”
Thank goodness you were so gracious about it! Hearing your voice was helpful because I didn’t feel good about having to back out of something with someone I care about and admire.
Teresa
Yes, and I sent you that voice memo because I wanted you to hear that it was okay. It’s so easy to just type out, “No worries,” but I wanted you to feel it was really, truly okay. If it didn’t feel right to you, pushing through would have meant it wasn’t going to be as good as it could be. Like you said, every time we get together to collaborate, it’s fantastic, and I didn’t want anything less than fantastic.
Emily
So, at the same time all of this was happening, I was stepping away from my previous podcast, She Built This. That one was mainly interview-based, and I’d tried to do a few solo episodes, but it never quite flowed the way I wanted. I also had my solo show, Content with Character. So, letting go of She Built This was a big shift for me because I love podcasting, and I love collaborating with people like you. But I thought, “Hey, maybe doing a podcast together is exactly what I need!”
So, I came to you with this idea. It was a mix of my dream and your dream, combined. But after a while, I realized I needed to take a step back and reevaluate. I started doing what I like to call “life audits,” where I check in with everything I have going on and ask myself, “Can I really take on more?” And, as anyone who has started a podcast knows, it’s not just a quick sit-down-and-record kind of project. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes that requires time and energy.
So, I had to come back to you, after already saying yes, and let you know it wasn’t the right time for me. It didn’t feel great to back out, especially since I was excited to work together. But I knew I had to be honest with myself and with you.
Teresa
And I appreciated that so much. When you sent that email, I wanted to respond in a way that would reassure you that it was completely okay. That’s why I sent a voice memo—I wanted you to hear it in my voice. It’s one thing to read, “No worries,” but I wanted you to really feel that it was no problem at all. If it didn’t feel right to you, I didn’t want you to push through for my sake. Every time we collaborate, it’s fantastic, and I wouldn’t want anything less.
Emily
That was the best response I could have hoped for. It really made me feel at ease about the decision.
Teresa
And honestly, it was a catalyst for me, too. I’ve been dreaming of having my own podcast for about six years, but every time I did one of those life audits, I’d realize I didn’t have the capacity to do it well. But this time, I already had the time set aside, and I had these ideas we’d brainstormed together. So, I thought, “Why not start my own solo podcast and see where it goes?” It worked out, even though it wasn’t according to the original plan.
Emily
Exactly! Sometimes, things just unfold differently. It reminds me of a local event I was planning with someone. She seemed hesitant to move forward, even though I’d already started planning and writing everything up. So, I asked if we could meet and discuss it, and she ended up telling me she was feeling overwhelmed and needed to postpone. I was relieved, honestly, because I didn’t want her to push through if it didn’t feel right.
Teresa
Yes, that’s such a good point. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is pivot. Whether it’s in business or in life, we often have to adjust when things don’t go as planned. And as entrepreneurs, we need to be okay with that. I think it’s important to give ourselves permission to change direction when necessary and avoid feeling trapped by obligations.
Teresa
In a previous episode with Crystal, we talked about how sometimes, our next best step isn’t always the one we originally planned for. As entrepreneurs, it’s essential to give ourselves permission to go in a new direction when necessary. Sometimes that means pushing through, but other times, it means taking a step back or pivoting. Emily, I know you’ve been through situations where you felt obligated to keep going. Can you share some examples of how that has kept you feeling stuck?
Emily
Oh, absolutely. I was telling you earlier that when I was younger, I had a much easier time leaving things—relationships, jobs, you name it. I’d just say, “Goodbye!” without a second thought. But over time, I started feeling like that didn’t align with who I wanted to be. I wanted to be dependable, loyal, someone people could trust. So, I swung to the other extreme and became someone who would hang onto things, even if they weren’t working out, almost to my detriment.
One major example is a community for women entrepreneurs that I created. From the outside, it looked fantastic—well-loved, active, and thriving. But internally, it was taking a toll on my mental health and my time. I wasn’t living my life; I was working nonstop. Letting go of that project was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made because it felt like I was letting so many people down. But ultimately, I knew it wasn’t sustainable.
And here’s something I’ve learned: ROI doesn’t always mean numbers on a page. Sometimes, the real return is your emotional, mental, and physical health. I recently heard a question about friendships that really resonated with me, but I think it applies to everything: “Do I like who I am when I’m involved in this?” It’s a powerful question that can help us realize when it’s time to pivot.
Teresa
That’s such a good point. We often judge our success based on numbers—bank balances, statistics, and metrics. But the truth is, none of that matters if we’re sacrificing our quality of life. For me, the biggest return on investment is living the life I want. I also resonate with that idea of asking, “Who am I in this moment?” I used to work until I was exhausted and then push myself to give even more. It felt like I was constantly wearing different hats for different situations, and it became overwhelming.
At one point, I remember thinking, “I just want to wear one hat.” I wanted to be myself, no matter where I was or who I was with. Now, I’m finally at a place where I can say I’m 100% myself—whether I’m at a networking event, in the grocery store, or with family. It took time, but it’s worth it.
Emily
Absolutely. I think one of the ways to get there is by clearing out the clutter in our lives—the things that don’t truly serve us. That takes some serious life auditing, soul-searching, and self-reflection.
Teresa
It really does. And that brings us back to today’s topic: when things don’t go according to plan, how do you respond? I think there are different approaches. You can get angry, point fingers, or push through. Or, you can pivot and find a new path. I’m curious, Emily, how do you approach it when things don’t work out as expected?
Emily
I think resilience has always been one of my strengths. I’ve always been able to bounce back and figure things out, but my most recent pivot taught me something new. Instead of just pushing through, I took a more introspective approach. I treated it almost like a grieving process, allowing myself to acknowledge everything I was grateful for in that project, as well as the challenges.
I wrote down all the things I loved about it, almost like a eulogy. I also allowed myself to feel the disappointment and frustration. And finally, I consciously let it go. I reminded myself that every book has an ending, and every chapter leads to a new one. After that, I took the next step forward, whatever that looked like. It could be something small, like improving a skill or reaching out to someone new. But taking that step made all the difference.
Teresa
That’s such a great approach. Sometimes that next step feels like a big risk, and we wonder, “What if I fail?” For me, I’ve learned to view failure as just another step in the journey. I remember reading something years ago about taking a step, doing the best you can, and then pausing to reflect. After every big move, I take a moment to acknowledge what went well and what I can learn from it. I’ve even redefined “failure” in my mind because I don’t see it as a negative anymore.
Emily
I completely agree. In high school, I read a book called Failing Forward, and while I didn’t realize it at the time, it’s one of the most impactful concepts I’ve carried with me. Every failure is a springboard, a learning opportunity. Sometimes, it helps to have someone else give you that perspective—a friend, a mentor, a coach. Those are the people who will support you through transitions and help you see the next steps.
Teresa
Yes, absolutely! This has been such a great conversation, Emily. Do you have any final thoughts or advice?
Emily
I’d say you never know when a “no” or “not right now” will lead to something even better. Like this podcast—you started it because I had to say no, and I ended up working with a client on his podcast instead. So, we both made space for something new, something we might not have done otherwise.
Teresa
It is pretty amazing. So before we wrap up for the day, Emily, tell us a bit more about Content with Character, your podcast, or anything else you’d like to share—I’d really love for my audience to get to know you even better.
Emily
Thank you! You’re so kind for the opportunity. So, as Teresa mentioned, I have a podcast called Content with Character, and if you’re enjoying The Solo Grind, I can almost guarantee you’ll love mine too! Teresa and I work closely together; she’s an incredible website designer, and I’m the copywriter. So if you’re in need of a new website, we’d both love to help you out! And if you need proof, my website is emilyaborn.com.
Teresa
We’ll include it in the show notes here so people can easily find you as well. And now, like I said, let’s end with a fun question! Since you’ve had so many interesting jobs, what’s the weirdest or funniest one you’ve ever had?
Emily
Oh, good question! I counted again this morning, and I think I’ve had 41 jobs—though I feel like there’s one missing, so maybe 42! I even asked my husband Jason about the weirdest one, and he thought it might be the Pizza Barn. So, when I was 15, I couldn’t wait to get a job, and they paid me five bucks an hour under the table. But here’s the thing—I’m kind of a health freak, and I was making pizzas! What ultimately made me quit was this customer who wanted extra, extra, extra mayonnaise. I gave him the sandwich, it was oozing with mayo, and he still wanted more. I just thought, “I can’t do this!” That was when I decided to look for something else.
Teresa
Not the job for you! Oh, that’s hilarious. I don’t think I could have handled it either.
Emily
Yeah, it was a lot of mayonnaise. I mean, I like mayo, don’t get me wrong, but that was just too much.
Teresa
Totally agree! I’m not sure if I’ve had a truly weird job, but my most interesting one was as a lineman for F-18 fighter jets. I’d be the person on the ground helping pilots with the wands, getting engines started, watching for fire—all that stuff. Once, the auxiliary power unit started blasting flames that were wrapping up to the tail fins, so I was signaling the pilot for fire, but he didn’t get it. Just as I started to grab the extinguisher, he figured it out and shut off the plane.
Emily
Oh my gosh, that sounds kind of terrifying.
Teresa
Yeah, it was a little intense! He didn’t understand the fire signal, which actually got him grounded as a training pilot.
Emily
Probably for the best!
Teresa
Definitely. It was a really fun job, though. I knew at the time it would probably be one of the most interesting jobs I’d ever have. But chasing fires and managing aircraft was definitely not something I wanted to do forever.
Emily
I get that. And also for your long-term health—it’s good to keep future you in mind!
Teresa
Right! Just thinking of all the things I was breathing in back then… probably best to leave that one in the past.
Teresa
Thanks so much, Emily! And thank you all for listening. If you want to learn more about Emily, definitely check out her website and her podcast. Be sure to tune in next week, where I’ll be sharing a personal story about overcoming excuses and taking charge of your success. Have an amazing week, and I can’t wait to connect with you again!
