Conversations in the Dark with Erica Vander Sande

Conversations in the Dark, Episode 6: The Season of Letting GoErica Vander Sande on pivoting with AI, handing worry over to God, and learning when to step in and when to stay stepped out.Episode SummaryErica opens this episode with a picture that has been on her heart: a giant, roaring river carving through the landscape, and everyone she knows being carried along by the rapids. Clients, team members, her kids, her husband, her friends. It feels like we are all being asked to let go of something at the same time.For Erica, a big part of that is AI. After seven and a half years of running The Mina Company, she is modernizing how her agency works almost daily, which means some services, processes, and even some revenue may need to go. She loves the challenge, but she is honest about the unsteadiness it brings, and about how not everyone on her team feels the same way.From there the episode gets personal and practical. Erica shares how she makes business decisions through daily meditation and conversations with God, including a very real debate over a spare office desk. She talks about letting go at home too, like the night her daughter came home with a disappointing history test grade and Erica chose not to spiral. She also walks through the energetic box and backpack visualization she uses to hand off anxiety, shame, and dread, and what stepping into a leadership season looks like when you are done doing everything yourself.What We CoverA world in the rapids. Erica explains why this season feels like everyone is being forced to pivot at once, and why letting go is a muscle that gets stronger with practice.AI and the shaking ground. How constant change in the digital world is pushing Erica to rethink services, processes, and revenue at The Mina Company, and why she is loving the challenge even when it is unsettling.Settling the ground for her team. Erica talks about her role as a leader in helping people who do not thrive on change feel steady while things are shifting.Business meetings with God. How Erica uses meditation and daily conversations with her higher power to make decisions, including whether to keep paying for an empty desk heading into Q4.Trusting intuition over AI. Why Erica relies on gut feelings and spiritual guidance for the big calls, like when to hire and when to slow down, even while using AI for so much else.Letting go at home. Erica shares the story of her fifth grade daughter's history test, and how choosing not to make it about herself turned a stressful moment into a simple plan.The energetic box and backpack. The visualization Erica uses to hand over anxiety, dread, and shame, and why she calls it one of the most freeing things she does.Letting your team lead. What it looks like to watch someone else own a task, make mistakes, and fix them, and how Erica decides when to step back in.Becoming the student again. Erica shares why she wants a peer group of women who are further along in business and AI, and why she is choosing to be a learner in this season instead of the guide.Honest friends are gold. A short story about a sales email she almost took seriously, and the friend who set her straight in one sentence.Is this a peace worthy mission? Erica leaves listeners with a simple filter for decisions: lead with peace, and go wrestle with whatever feels off.Connect with EricaBusiness inquiries: The Mina CompanyPersonal connection and coaching: Erica Vander SandeSubscribe and ReviewIf this episode helped you loosen your grip on something, leave a review or share it with a friend who is standing at the edge of the river right now. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark are on the way. Subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

Episode SummaryErica is a few weeks into the school year, navigating a new schedule with two kids in sports five days a week and not enough time to go home in between. In the middle of that chaos, her youngest daughter, seven years old and a spicy ADHDer, got moved up from the beginner jujitsu class to the 7 to 13 age group and completely fell apart in the car on the way to her first class.What started as a parenting story turns into one of the more useful reframes Erica has offered on the show. She walks through the heart to heart she had with her daughter in that car, about the gap between deciding to grow and actually feeling ready, and why that in between stage is supposed to feel awful. Erica connects it back to her own biggest leaps, a home birth, starting a business eight months pregnant, running that business through her mom's death, and makes the case that bravery was never about feeling confident. It was about doing the thing scared anyway.The episode closes with a funny, honest twist: the exact thing her daughter was most afraid of actually happened a few classes later, and what it looked like to get through it anyway.What We CoverA packed fall schedule. Erica talks about the reality of sports five days a week, long gaps between school and practice, and choosing to be the one who absorbs her kids' after school meltdowns instead of outsourcing that time.Why she still shows up for pickup. Erica explains why she built her business around being able to pick her kids up from school, and what she gets out of those raw first 20 minutes in the car.The jujitsu meltdown. A full breakdown of her daughter's spiral before her first class in the older kids group, and what was actually underneath the tears.The gap between deciding and doing. Erica names the specific, uncomfortable in between stage that comes after you commit to growth but before you feel any momentum, and why so many people quit right there.Bravery is not confidence. Erica revisits her own biggest leaps, a home birth, launching Mina eight months pregnant, and running her business through her mother's death, to make the point that she never felt ready for any of them.Do it scared. Why waiting to feel brave before taking action gets the order backward, and what it actually looks like to move forward without the crystal ball.When the worst case scenario shows up anyway. The moment her daughter's biggest fear about jujitsu came true in class, and what it taught both of them about resilience.Memorable MomentErica describes the exact image of growth: a tiny two or three inch window of time between deciding to do something hard and actually feeling momentum, where your inner voice is doing everything it can to talk you out of it.Connect with EricaBusiness inquiries: The Mina CompanyPersonal connection and coaching: Erica Vander SandeShow Notes KeywordsConversations in the Dark podcast, Erica Vander Sande, do it scared, parenting an ADHD child, kids and sports anxiety, growth mindset for moms, overcoming fear of failure, raising confident daughters, entrepreneur bravery, jujitsu for kidsSubscribe and ReviewIf this episode gave you the push you needed, leave a review or share it with someone standing in that scary in between space right now. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark are on the way. Subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

Conversations in the Dark, Episode 4: Stop Avoiding the Hard StuffErica Vander Sande on her 14th anniversary, the anxiety of good seasons, grief that shows up sideways, and learning to talk yourself off the ledge.Episode SummaryErica is coming off a great weekend. She and her husband just celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary, and their anniversary dinner turned into a walk down memory lane through every season of their marriage. Somewhere in that conversation, Erica caught herself saying something she didn't expect: she wanted to avoid any more hard seasons.That comment sat with her for two days, and this episode is her working through it out loud. She talks about why we instinctively try to dodge hard things, why that instinct is actually a waste of energy, and what it looks like to prepare for hard seasons without living in fear of them.From there, the conversation goes deep into anxiety that shows up even when life is going well, grief that resurfaces in unexpected moments, and a practice Erica uses to talk herself through spirals: picturing every past version of herself sitting around a conference table, reminding her what she has already survived.What We CoverA 14th anniversary and an honest slip. Erica shares what came up during her anniversary dinner and why she caught herself trying to avoid future hardship.Why avoiding hard things doesn't work. Erica explains the difference between planning for hard seasons and trying to skip them altogether, and why most of the best things in her life came out of the hardest ones.Anxiety that shows up when things are good. Erica opens up about the clenched fist feeling that creeps in even during genuinely good seasons, and why she can't always turn it off.The conference table exercise. A real look at how Erica talks to past versions of herself, at 20, 26, 30, and 32 years old, to remind her present self what she is actually capable of handling.Grief that shows up sideways. Erica connects her frustration with after school carpool chaos to a deeper grief over losing her mom, and how anger is often standing in for a different feeling entirely.The mama bear mentality. Why showing up for yourself first, the way you would for your own kids, changes how you handle stress, anger, and anxiety.When to outsource instead of white knuckle it. Erica talks about calling a friend, a family member, or a therapist when you can't think your way out of something on your own.Memorable MomentErica compares holding onto anxiety during good seasons to her daughter learning to swim, gripping the side of the pool out of habit even though she already knows how to let go and swim on her own.Connect with EricaBusiness inquiries: The Mina CompanyPersonal connection and coaching: Erica Vander SandeShow Notes KeywordsConversations in the Dark podcast, Erica Vander Sande, anxiety and grief podcast, avoiding hard conversations, marriage and business owners, motherhood and anxiety, grief after losing a parent, entrepreneur mental health, mama bear mentality, meditation and mindset podcastSubscribe and ReviewIf this episode hit home, leave a review or share it with someone who needs a reminder that they have already survived their hardest days. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark are on the way. Subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

Conversations in the Dark, Episode 3: I Don't Want A Business That Needs MeErica Vander Sande on starting Mina eight months pregnant, stepping away during burnout, and why the goal was never to be irreplaceable.Episode SummaryErica opens this episode with a belief she has held since day one of owning a business: she wants to build something that does not need her. Not a side hustle that depends on her showing up every day, but a company that can run and grow even when she steps back.She walks through how The Mina Company actually started, freelancing while eight months pregnant, dealing with a complicated pregnancy, and caring for her mom through stage four cancer, all while her husband encouraged her to try working for herself. From there she traces the business through her mom's death, a period of deep burnout in 2022, and the decision to step away and take a full time role with a client rather than shut the business down.Erica gets honest about the shame she felt at the time for stepping back, why that decision was actually the right one, and how she eventually returned to lead Mina into its current growth phase, now in the top 4 percent of women owned businesses by revenue. The episode closes with a practical challenge: stop treating your business like a child that needs you every day, and start using AI as a real operations partner to figure out how to need yourself less.What We CoverHow Mina actually started. Erica shares the real story behind founding her marketing agency while eight months pregnant, recovering from job loss, and caring for her mom through cancer treatment.Replacing an income, then some. How her first clients found her, why they were all moms, and how quickly she replaced her previous salary.Losing her mom while running a business. Erica talks honestly about grieving while still needing to show up for clients, and why she never told people what was actually going on.Burnout in 2022. What it looked like when Erica hit a wall, considered selling or dissolving the business, and chose a third option instead.Stepping back without stepping out. Why Erica took a full time job with a client rather than walking away from Mina entirely, and how she kept the business running from a distance.The shame of doing it differently. Erica reflects on why stepping back from your own business still feels taboo, and why she has always been willing to break the mold anyway.Coming back to Mina. What it looks like 18 months later, now that the business has grown into the top 4 percent of women owned businesses by annual revenue.A business is not a child. Erica's case for why founders, especially women, need to stop treating their businesses like something that requires them forever.Using AI as an operations manager. A practical prompt Erica recommends for figuring out what your business actually needs from you, and what it does not.Try This PromptErica shares the exact type of prompt she recommends running through Claude to start building a business that needs you less:"If you were an operations manager for my business, what areas do you see that I need growth in, in order to be as needed as little as possible? What would I need to do to get there, and how much annual revenue would I need to build to make that happen?"Connect with EricaBusiness inquiries: The Mina CompanyPersonal connection and coaching: Erica Vander SandeShow Notes KeywordsConversations in the Dark podcast, Erica Vander Sande, building a business that runs without you, entrepreneur burnout, women in business, The Mina Company, business owner grief, using AI in business, small business growth, stepping back as a founderSubscribe and ReviewIf this episode resonated with you, leave a review or share it with a fellow business owner who needs permission to build something that does not depend on them. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark are on the way. Subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

Conversations in the Dark, Episode 4: Why Women Are Sleeping On AIErica Vander Sande on the top 4 percent email that made her furious, why she doesn't take business advice from men, and how to use Claude as your business's best friend.Episode SummaryErica is back from a chaotic summer, kids just started school, and she is diving straight into something that has been sitting with her. She got a marketing email telling her that The Mina Company puts her in the top 4 percent of women in business by annual revenue. Instead of feeling proud, her first reaction was anger.This episode is Erica unpacking that reaction. She talks about why business advice built around 60 hour work weeks and zero boundaries has never applied to her life as a mom who is also the housekeeper, the chauffeur, and the emotional thermostat for her whole family. She explains why the wage gap between men and women in business is not about ambition or ability, it is about how differently AI is being used on each side of that gap.The back half of the episode is a genuinely practical breakdown of how Erica uses Claude day to day, from automating client intake with Zapier to getting a weekly team agenda delivered straight to Slack, and why she thinks a Claude subscription should be the last thing a broke entrepreneur cuts, not the first.What We CoverThe email that set her off. Erica breaks down the "top 4 percent" email that was meant to be celebratory and why it instead triggered a wave of frustration and self doubt.Seven years of low months and high months. A candid look at what it actually took to build Mina from a laptop and a newborn to a business with real profitability.Why she doesn't take advice from men in her industry. Erica explains the difference between founders who have a partner managing the household behind the scenes and founders who are doing both jobs at once.The thermometer, the chauffeur, the party planner. A real accounting of the invisible roles Erica carries on top of running a company, and why she doesn't outsource most of them.Why women's businesses stay small. Erica connects the high number of women owned businesses to the low average revenue those businesses generate, and lays out her theory on why.What her mom's side hustles taught her. A story about growing up watching her mom sell Mary Kay to cover gaps in the family budget, and why that pattern still shows up in how women build businesses today.Using AI like an expert, not a search bar. Erica explains the difference between asking AI to plan a birthday party and asking it to build you a business plan, a pricing model, or a public speaking career.Real automations she uses in her business. From a Zapier and Claude integration that handles client intake to a weekly Slack message that hands her team's agenda, Erica shares what her actual AI setup looks like.Claude versus ChatGPT. Why Erica uses both, but leans on Claude specifically for business decisions because it pushes back instead of just cheerleading.The real advice. If you can only afford one subscription right now, Erica says it should be Claude, before a coach, before a course, before anything else.Connect with EricaBusiness inquiries: The Mina CompanyPersonal connection and coaching: Erica Vander SandeShow Notes KeywordsConversations in the Dark podcast, Erica Vander Sande, women in business and AI, using Claude for business, top 4 percent women in business, gender gap in entrepreneurship, mompreneur burnout, AI for small business owners, The Mina Company, automating a small businessSubscribe and ReviewIf this episode challenged how you think about AI and your business, leave a review or send it to a woman in your life who is still doing everything the hard way. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark are on the way. Subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

Conversations in the Dark, Episode 1: Welcome to the FireA new podcast from Erica Vander Sande on grief, motherhood, business, and the conversations we usually only have in the dark.Episode SummaryIn this first episode of Conversations in the Dark, host Erica Vander Sande opens the mic on her brand-new show, the "grown-up" evolution of her former podcast, Breaking Through. Erica explains why she rebranded, what listeners can expect, and why she believes the most honest conversations happen when we're not looking each other in the eye.Erica shares a bit about her life: she's a mom of two girls (ages 7 and 10), a wife, and a business owner who together with her husband, owns or co-owns nine businesses. She also runs The Mina Company, a full-service online marketing agency serving small and medium-sized businesses. Along the way, she talks candidly about ADHD, parenting, grief, faith, energy work, and the highs and lows of building a business.This episode is less about answers and more about an invitation: to sit by the fire, skip the eye contact, and get honest about the stuff that's still hard.What We CoverWhy "Conversations in the Dark"? Erica explains the shift from Breaking Through to this new show, and why darkness literal and metaphorical, invites more vulnerability, honesty, and raw emotion than we usually allow ourselves.What to expect going forward. Grief, motherhood, ADHD family life, marriage, entrepreneurship, and spirituality are all on the table often all tangled together, the way real life actually works.Life as a mom of two. Erica reflects on parenting girls ages 7 and 10, moving out of the "little baby phase," and offers an encouraging word to parents still in the thick of early childhood.Marriage and a nine-business household. A candid look at what it's like to run a busy, sometimes chaotic family life while co-owning multiple businesses with her husband.Building The Mina Company. Erica talks about founding her marketing agency, the swings between rapid growth and painful setbacks, and where the business stands today with a team of seven.Faith, doubt, and energy work. Erica opens up about going to church weekly, questioning God, meditating, and practicing energy work, all while staying unapologetically, imperfectly human.An invitation, not a lecture. Erica shares why this podcast isn't built around a content calendar or audience research, it's built around showing up honestly and trusting the conversation to find the people who need it.Memorable MomentErica describes the show's namesake image: sitting by a fire in the dark, looking at the flames instead of each other, because that's when people feel safe enough to be honest, to cry, to rage, and to say the hard things out loud.Connect with EricaBusiness inquiries: The Mina CompanyPersonal connection & coaching: Erica Vander SandeShow Notes KeywordsConversations in the Dark podcast, Erica Vander Sande, Breaking Through podcast, grief and motherhood podcast, ADHD parenting, small business marketing agency, The Mina Company, faith and entrepreneurship, women in business podcast, vulnerability and honesty podcastSubscribe & ReviewIf this episode resonated with you, leave a review or share it with someone who needs to hear it tonight. New episodes of Conversations in the Dark drop soon subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

We’re talking about what it really looks like to face the things you’ve been avoiding—personally, professionally, emotionally. In this episode, I share a raw and real story of finally booking a long-overdue doctor’s appointment, the emotional weight behind it, and why I’m done doing the hard things in the dark.We unpack:The powerful shift from avoidance to action (even when it's scary)Why it’s okay to do things with shaking hands and a pounding heartThe power of community and accountability when you're navigating hard thingsHow personal growth and business evolution go hand-in-handThe permission to rest and the push to pursue what feels hard but trueWhether you're in a season of change, confronting old fears, or just feeling like everything’s a little tender—this one is for you.💡 Key Takeaways:You don’t have to feel brave to take the next step—just take it.Retreating to process is okay, but isolation can stall your growth.The most meaningful growth often begins in discomfort.A “phone-a-friend” rule might just be the accountability shift you need.Your people want to show up for you—let them.❤️ Mentioned In This Episode:Shoutout to Becca from [Motherhood Mentor] for the “24-hour rule” wisdomHow community (like my Mastermind group) makes the scary things feel possible🚀 Ready to Level Up?If this episode hit home, send it to a friend who needs a little courage today—and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss the good stuff.

Let’s be real: your content isn’t converting, your creative energy is flatlining, and you’re wondering if you’re just screaming into the void. Sound familiar?In this deeply grounding episode, we’re diving into the real reason your marketing might not be working—and it’s not your strategy. It’s your nervous system.We talk about:Why creative burnout happens (and how to know if it’s happening to you)The sneaky impact of daily overstimulation on your marketing energyHow your nervous system is your business’s nervous system (yes, really)Why “half-assing” some things is a strategic power moveCreating magnetism by doing what lights you up (not drains you)Why AI can be your easy-button, not your enemyReal examples of clients hitting burnout and how we helped them shiftFrom marketing overwhelm to parenting chaos to reclaiming presence in everyday life, this episode is a permission slip to slow down, regulate, and reimagine how you show up.💡 Key Takeaways:If it feels heavy, it probably is. Lighten your load before you burn out.You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be where your energy flows best.A dysregulated business owner = a dysregulated business.Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is half-ass what doesn’t matter.You can protect your peace and still show up powerfully in business.✨ Ready to Build a Business That Feels Better?Whether you’re a solopreneur drowning in to-do lists or a growing team feeling the tension, we help you align your marketing strategy with your nervous system. Let’s make space for the work that lights you up.