Welcome to Female Owned, the podcast for small business without the hustle, without the hacks, without the overwhelm. My name is Astrid Bracke and I’m a small business mentor working with small business owners, freelancers and creatives just like you to create slower, gentler and more profitable businesses.

Today’s episode is a bonus episode in which I’m sharing the free office hours I recorded for the launch of my gentle marketing programme Grow. In these office hours, I answer a range of your marketing questions. The office hours are a key part of Grow — they happen once a month, they’re recorded, and they’re a lovely way for you to get my support, have my eyes on your business, and learn from each other.
Let’s dive in.

“I’ve been sending a monthly newsletter for years but have never sold anything — what’s the point of continuing?”
This is such a recognisable experience. Here are a few things to explore:
First, how closely is your newsletter tied to your business? Are you explicitly sharing what you do and what you offer? Sometimes newsletters stay vague and thematic, and readers don’t realise what you actually sell.
Second, are you giving your audience enough time to understand your offer? The first time you mention something, people often need a moment to take it in. It’s normal if sales don’t happen immediately — people need familiarity and repetition.
Third, are you attracting the right people to your newsletter? You may need to clarify its purpose, improve the sign-up process, or do some outreach to grow your audience.
And finally, does your newsletter have a clear role in your marketing ecosystem? When the function isn’t clear, it becomes much harder to use it confidently and consistently.
I hope this helps you rethink the place your newsletter has in your business.

“I’m a writer with very limited time and energy. What’s the best way to market my books?”
You’re already doing quite a lot — you mentioned a podcast, newsletter and Instagram. Let’s look at how to make things simpler.
First, plan dedicated marketing time. It won’t feel as fun as writing, but putting it on your calendar gives it structure and makes it sustainable.
Second, focus on channels that work best for you — the ones that feel natural and that align with your strengths. From there, see what you can cut. If a channel overwhelms you, it may not be needed in this season.
If writing is your core strength, lean into writing-based marketing: newsletters, blog posts, guest posts, SEO, lead magnets — and potentially Pinterest, which plays well with written content.
You don’t need to do everything. Let this be permission to do less, not more.

“How can I simplify onboarding, invoicing and payments — and would Paperbell work for me?”
This is something many small business owners eventually run into: too many tools, too much admin.
First, you don’t have to use a CRM, especially early on. I often tell the story of investing in a big platform before I had any clients — and paying for it for far too long.
Paperbell, which I use, works well for selling offers, handling bookings, instalments, surveys and automated emails. Their customer service has been good in my experience. It also integrates with Flowdesk if you want to add people to your list, though it’s not a newsletter platform itself.
Before switching tools, ask yourself:
What exactly do I want to do less of?
Where am I losing time?
Which steps can be simplified or automated?
Let those answers guide your decisions.

“Should I DIY Pinterest or work with an expert?”
Great question. There are a few paths:
If you want a deep dive, I recommend Amy LeBlanc’s course at Levee Road Studio. It’s thorough, regularly updated, and geared toward Pinterest professionals — meaning there are parts you may not need, but it’s incredibly comprehensive.
If you already know the basics of what a pin needs, DIY is absolutely fine. Start pinning consistently for a month or two, then get a Pinterest audit from an expert to help refine your strategy.
You don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t need to post daily. Pinterest works beautifully as an evergreen platform — some of my highest-performing pins are years old.

“I have chronic illness and very limited energy. How can I manage marketing at all?”
I’m so sorry you’re in this situation — it’s incredibly hard to feel stuck between your health and your business dreams.
A few things to consider:
If it’s possible, could you reduce your working hours slightly? Even a small amount of extra space can help, though of course this depends on your job and finances.
Let your platforms work together: newsletter → blog → Pinterest. This allows you to create once and repurpose gently.
Start small. Write shorter newsletters, or fewer. Reduce wherever you can.
If possible, outsource tiny pieces — uploading blog posts, creating pins, scheduling.
And finally, recognise the grief that comes with limited capacity. Marketing is a long game. Every small step counts, even if progress feels slower.

“How do you manage all the small business admin tasks without getting overwhelmed?”
These little tasks add up quickly. Here’s what helps:
Plan dedicated time for invoicing, accounts and admin. Put it in your calendar as a repeating appointment.
Leave space after calls for sending notes, links or follow-ups. I always schedule at least 15 minutes after each client call to send notes.
Do a weekly review of the week ahead — what’s coming up, what needs adjusting, what reminders need to be sent.
And protect your marketing time. If you don’t, everything else will take over.

“What would you do if the main platform for finding clients is one you’re unfamiliar with?”
First, ask yourself whether you have the capacity to add a new channel. If not, could you reduce or pause something else?
If you do want to explore it, start gently: how does the platform feel? Does it fit your values? Your energy?
Plan some time to learn the basics. It doesn’t have to be a lot — slow and steady is absolutely fine.
Also remember: most people are not only on one platform. If you don’t meet them on Platform X, you can still reach them elsewhere.
Your clients will find you if your marketing is thoughtful, gentle and consistent.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. If you’d like to dive deeper into marketing that feels sustainable and supportive, that’s exactly what we do inside Grow — my four-month hybrid group programme. You can read all the details on my website, and feel free to reach out with any questions.