Hello and welcome to the Messy Mompreneur podcast! I’m so happy to have you here!
My name is Alysha Sanford and I’m your show host!
I’m a newer, first-time, work-at-home-mama navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Running a business, working full time, or chasing career dreams in general while also raising littles and maintaining the home can be so challenging. Especially if you don’t have a strong, local support system or aren’t great about asking for help. I personally struggle with that last one.
On this podcast, I plan to touch on all aspects of mompreneur life, including productivity, time management, tips and hacks, self-care, marketing, home-making and parenting in general.
I want to give a voice to others who might be struggling and, as an introvert, I want to get more comfortable with my own voice. This will likely be an audio only show because I know that most of you are likely multitasking while listening. I also want to be able to accommodate any guests on the show who’d prefer to stay somewhat private.
You’ll hear from fellow mompreneurs, other inspiring guests and eventually I hope to chat with some industry experts as well. We’ll be having conversations about the messy, the tough and the beautiful. I want you to listen, feel seen and finish each episode feeling a sense of encouragement and community.
If you haven’t already, I’d be so grateful if you’d take a minute to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review. If you’d share this podcast with other’s that may find it helpful, that would also be incredibly appreciated. I’d really love to connect with you on social media! Shoot me a DM with any specific topics you want to hear more about or questions that you’d like me to ask fellow mompreneurs during guest interviews. You can find me on most platforms with the handle @messymompreneur. I’ll share my contact info in the show notes as well.
7 Ways to Reduce the Mental Load as a Parent Entrepreneur
Hello and welcome to the Messy Mompreneur Podcast, where we cover all things community, parent entrepreneurship, and building life-first marketing efforts for your small business! I’m your host, Alysha Sanford. I’m a mostly-work-from-home mom with a background in brand photography and a passion for sustainable marketing strategies. You’re probably listening because you, too, wear all of the hats, and I’m so happy to have you here!
If you hit play on this episode, I’m going to guess that you might be feeling overwhelmed managing all of the things. And if you’re listening to this in real time as this episode is published, I’m also guessing that the holiday to-dos aren’t helping. Today I want to address the thing that we call mental load, how it affects parent entrepreneurs, but more specifically how it affects mom entrepreneurs. I want to share 7 ways to reduce that mental load and overall stress, and all can make a difference through the year if you put them into practice. This wasn’t an episode I’d originally planned to drop at this time, but I’m feeling the importance of sharing it now and I really hope that it feels like a big hug.
Main topics included in this episode:
A definition of "mental load"
Relatable examples of how it affects me as a busy toddler mom and small business owner, and how it likely affects you as well
7 ways to reduce that mental load and overall stress
Resources Mentioned:
Capture the Chaos Planner (https://capturethechaos.com/collections/paper-planners) (Use code ALYSHA15 at checkout for 15% off)
Episode 24 - Real Talk - Pivoting Your Business After a Hard Life Season (https://www.messymompreneur.com/podcast/episode/2025/10/27/Real-Talk-Pivoting-Your-Business-After-a-Hard-Life-Season.html)
Episode 2 - Eight Ways to Find Time for Self Care as a Busy Mom (https://www.messymompreneur.com/podcast/episode/2023/05/08/Self-Care.html)
Metricool scheduler (https://i.mtr.cool/VWNJIQ)
“The Friday Mix" sign up (https://alyshasanfordphoto.com/small-business-email-list-sign-up)
Connect with Alysha:
Photo & Marketing Website (https://www.alyshasanfordphoto.com)
Website (https://www.messymompreneur.com)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/heyalyshasanford)
hello@alyshasanfordphoto.com
messymompreneur@gmail.com
Music licensing information:
Eli Lev - Dancin' on the Lawn (https://thmatc.co/?l=032B32EA)
For full show notes, please visit the website (https://www.messymompreneur.com/).
8 Dec 2025
What to Do If Your Business, Bookings or Sales Feel Slow
Hello and welcome to the Messy Mompreneur Podcast, where we cover all things community, parent entrepreneurship, and building life-first marketing efforts for your small business! I’m your host, Alysha Sanford. I’m a mostly-work-from-home mom with a background in brand photography and a passion for sustainable marketing strategies. You’re probably listening because you, too, wear all of the hats, and I’m so happy to have you here!
If you’ve been feeling like your sales, bookings or business in general has slowed down, the calendar is emptier than you expected, or you’re wondering “am I doing something wrong?”… this episode is for you. I’ll walk you through why slow seasons happen, how to shift your perspective, and the practical steps that you can take right now so that you can either turn it around, or prepare before your usual slow season hits.
Main topics included in this episode:
An important mindset shift regarding slow seasons
How to acknowledge and diagnose the reason for the slow season
8 areas of focus that can all improve bookings and sales
The unexpected benefits of a slow season
Resources Mentioned:
Free in-depth checklist (https://alyshasanfordphoto.com/freebie-20-ways-to-boost-bookings-in-a-slow-season-checklist) of 20+ ways to boost booking during a slow season.
Metricool scheduler (https://i.mtr.cool/VWNJIQ)
“The Friday Mix" sign up (https://alyshasanfordphoto.com/small-business-email-list-sign-up)
Fall website refresh episode (https://www.messymompreneur.com/podcast/episode/2025/11/10/Website-Resfresh-What-to-Audit-Before-the-Holiday-Rush.html)
Connect with Alysha:
Photo & Marketing Website (https://www.alyshasanfordphoto.com)
Website (https://www.messymompreneur.com)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/heyalyshasanford)
hello@alyshasanfordphoto.com
messymompreneur@gmail.com
Music licensing information:
Eli Lev - Dancin' on the Lawn (https://thmatc.co/?l=032B32EA)
For full show notes, please visit the website (https://www.messymompreneur.com/).
1 Dec 2025
Why Shopping Small Matters More Than Ever This Holiday Season
Hello and welcome to the Messy Mompreneur Podcast, where we cover all things community, parent entrepreneurship, and building life-first marketing efforts for your small business! I’m your host, Alysha Sanford. I’m a mostly-work-from-home toddler mom with a background in brand photography and a passion for sustainable marketing strategies. You’re probably listening because you, too, wear all of the hats, and I’m so happy to have you here!
You’ve already heard how collaboration and partnerships can lift your business during last week’s episode… if not, please go back and give it a listen.
And today, we’re taking that one step further — exploring why shopping small and supporting fellow small businesses matters more now than ever. Whether you’re running a service-based business or a creative brand, the ripple effects of your holiday spending and support are far-reaching. By the end of this episode, you’ll have both the mindset and the tactics to show up intentionally this season — not just as a seller, but as a community builder.
Main topics included in this episode:
3 reasons why shopping small makes a big difference
Some gift ideas that mean the most
Where to shop small this season
My challenge for you this week
Resources Mentioned:
“The Friday Mix" sign up (https://alyshasanfordphoto.com/small-business-email-list-sign-up)
Gift Guide blog post (https://alyshasanfordphoto.com/blog-1/2025/9/29/a-gift-guide-for-the-busy-small-business-owner-what-to-gift-yourself-this-year-in-life-amp-business) for small business owners.
Connect with Alysha:
Photo & Marketing Website (https://www.alyshasanfordphoto.com)
Website (https://www.messymompreneur.com)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/heyalyshasanford)
hello@alyshasanfordphoto.com
messymompreneur@gmail.com
Music licensing information:
Eli Lev - Dancin' on the Lawn (https://thmatc.co/?l=032B32EA)
For full show notes, please visit the website (https://www.messymompreneur.com/).
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