The Simple, Transformative Tool You Already Have

A tool so powerful it will feel like magic

Do you want to know the most effective tool I use to help clients grow?

It's not some elaborate strategy—it's surprisingly simple.

It's permission.

Permission to:

• Abandon ideal client avatars.

• Forgo defining their niche before they begin.

• Bring together all of the messy bits of themselves into their offer.

• Lead their hearts, not just their brains.

• Embrace the magic of being human.

You might say, “That’s all well and good for your clients who are charismatic and already famous, but it won’t work for me.”

Not true. I’ve worked with clients of all shapes and sizes, across every kind of business—from HVAC specialists to somatic coaches to New York Times bestselling authors.

Yes, each of them came with unique challenges. But in the end, what they all needed was permission—permission to detour from traditional marketing and business rules. And a little guidance to see what that could look like for them.

Let me be clear: I don’t mean any of them knocked on my door saying, “I need permission, Carmen, will you grant it?” That only happens in fairy tales.

Instead, they came looking like this:

• “I’m stuck. I can’t gain any traction.”

• “I hate marketing. Why do I have to do this? It feels icky.”

• “I create a course, and then I never launch it. What’s wrong with me?!”

• “Help, please. I know I can help people, and I don’t want to go back to a J.O.B. I want this business to succeed.”

Too often, we don't even realize we're waiting for permission—permission to trust the quiet voice of intuition, to leap, to change, to show up as our raw, unfiltered, beautiful selves.

Here's the truth: When we bring our whole selves to our business, our audience resonates with our integrity—our unique oneness—and we become magnetic.

It can feel like magic ✨ And it can also be terrifying. I won’t lie.

Fear loves to stand in the way of giving ourselves permission. It whispers: “What will people think? What if I fail? What if I'm straying too far from what’s 'right'? What if . . . ?”

But what if you invited wonder into those spaces instead of letting worry run the show?

Permission opens the door, and wonder steps through.

Wonder doesn’t need guarantees or neatly laid out plans. Wonder takes the permission we’ve given ourselves and turns it into action—an exploration of the unknown.

Wonder simply asks: What might happen if I allowed myself to explore?

Permission, paired with wonder, is where possibility blossoms.

It’s where your unique way of moving through the world meets what someone else has been searching for—where doubt shifts into curiosity, where constraint unfolds into expansion.

Now, let me add something important here: Some "rules" of business are worth following—clear messaging, serving first and asking for a purchase second, being generous while holding boundaries, and remembering your audience wants—no, needs—to hear your unique perspective.

I get it, it can be scary to throw the rule book out the window. Not every rule can be abandoned. That's why my clients enjoy working together—together, we sift through the "shoulds," the "have tos," and the "I don't wannas" to find their pathway to wholeness and integrity.

Marisa’s Story: Permission in Action

I would like you to meet one of my clients— Marisa Goudy. She is a talented writing coach and storyteller who came to me feeling deeply stuck and discouraged. For years, she’d been told to keep her love of myth separate from her work as a writing coach: separate websites, separate offers, separate voices. It was well-intentioned advice aimed at clarity and focus, but instead of bringing success, it left Marisa feeling fractured and exhausted. She could no longer express the magic that made her unique.

But then, Marisa made a simple yet profound choice: to integrate all parts of herself—myth maker, story healer, and writing coach—into one cohesive whole. She chose to trust that her love of myth, her gifts as a storyteller, and her expertise as a coach could coexist. And not just coexist—they could thrive together, feeding into one another to create something extraordinary.

The transformation that followed was undeniable. Marisa’s work became joyful, authentic, and impactful. Her business blossomed. Her unique voice—full of myth and magic—finally had the space to be fully heard, and the people she most wanted to reach were drawn to her with a new energy. The change was not about learning new skills or adding layers of complexity; it was about allowing herself to be whole and trusting the strength in that wholeness.

Her latest offering, Writer at the Crossroads, is a testament to this transformation. It weaves myth and coaching into something powerful and alive—and her audience can feel the difference. (It isn’t too late to join her for some winter writing magic!)

And the magic of Marisa’s work? It’s shining through everything she creates. Her community can feel the difference—and they are responding with enthusiasm.

What shifted was not Marisa’s ability or knowledge, but her courage to offer herself permission—permission to be seen fully, to bring every facet of her gifts into her work. She explored what it meant to let her passions coexist, and in doing so, she found a sense of completeness that radiates through her business and personal life.

Marisa’s journey is a reminder to all of us: when we bring our whole selves to the table, the results are nothing short of magic.