The Lesson I Didn’t Expect at the Dog Park

Jo Rawald • March 14, 2025
Have you ever had that gut feeling that something was off - like you just knew something wasn’t right? You pull up somewhere familiar - somewhere you go all the time - and yet, something feels… off. Your gut tightens. Your instincts go on high alert. You don’t have proof that anything’s wrong, but you sure as hell aren’t about to ignore that feeling.

That was me the other morning at the dog park. And let me tell you - my instincts? Dead on.
The Routine That Got Disrupted

Adelaide and I have our morning routine down to a science. Dog park, 6:45 AM, five days a week. She’d love to go every day, but, you know, I got work commitments.

But ever since the clocks jumped forward an hour (thanks, Daylight Savings Time), it’s been pitch black at that time. And while I love a quiet morning, I also like not walking blindly into a dark, empty park like some horror movie cliché. So, we’ve been waiting until just after 7 AM, when the sun starts creeping up and I can at least see who or what is around.


A couple of mornings ago, we pulled into the parking lot like usual—and immediately, I felt it.
Something was off.


There was a car sitting in the lot. Engine running. Tinted windows. A little rough around the edges. No movement inside.

Now, I don’t scare easily—especially not with Adelaide by my side. She’s a 110-pound Doberman-Rottweiler mix who could make a grown man reconsider every life decision he’s ever made. But something about this car? Gave me pause.


So, I did what any woman with street smarts would do. I kept driving. Took the long way around, killed some time, came back.


The car was still there.


Michelle & The Backup Crew

This time, my friend Michelle was parked in the lot too - engine running, not budging.


But when she saw me pull in for the second time, she finally shut off her car and started unloading her two massive dogs.


Now, let me tell you about Michelle for a second. This woman is not an easy target. She’s got Ranger, her no-nonsense German Shepherd, and Scout, her high-energy golden retriever. And let me tell you—Ranger would absolutely rip someone apart if they so much as breathed the wrong way in Michelle’s direction.

And yet?


Even Michelle wasn’t getting out of the car until backup arrived.


That’s when I knew my instincts were dead on.


The Mystery Man

Minutes later, the mystery man emerged.


Young guy, black t-shirt, jeans. He got out of the passenger side, stretched, then circled around and slid into the driver’s seat before taking off.


Weird. But okay.


Then, the next morning?


Same car. Same guy. Same routine.


Except this time, we saw him get out holding an empty water bottle. He walked straight into the park bathroom, then came back out a few minutes later with the bottle - now full.


Michelle and I exchanged a look.


"He’s living in his car," she said.


I nodded. Seemed like the only logical conclusion.


And then I noticed something that stopped me in my tracks - he had a cell phone.


The Business Lesson You Didn’t See Coming

Let me say that again.


A man who is likely homeless, sleeping in his car, and refilling a water bottle from a public bathroom… still had a cell phone.


Why?


Because a phone isn’t a luxury anymore. It’s a necessity.


It’s connection. It’s survival. Even the homeless prioritize it.


And that got me thinking—how many times have I heard a business owner say:
❌ “People can’t afford my services.”
❌ “Maybe I should lower my prices.”


Stop. Right now.


People will find the money for what they believe they need.


They will move mountains for the things they truly value. They’ll cut back on groceries, pick up extra work, or make sacrifices to get what matters to them.


And if they aren’t buying from you, it’s not because they can’t afford it.


It’s because they don’t see it as essential.


And that? That’s on you to fix.


Are you positioning your offer like a must-have, or does it feel like a nice-to-have?


Before You Start Second-Guessing Your Prices…


Before you start wondering if you’re charging too much, or worrying about whether people will pay - let’s fix that.


📌 Download my Pricing Confidence Worksheet and get clear on exactly how to price your services with confidence - no more guessing, no more undercharging, no more fear.

🔗 https://www.jorawald.com/the-pricing-Confidence-worksheet


And if you’re struggling to sell, let’s get real - the issue isn’t your price. It’s your messaging.


If you want to learn how to make your business the thing people prioritize, let’s chat. I’ll help you position your offer so your ideal clients don’t just want to buy from you - they need to.


🔗 Book a free 20-minute strategy call and let’s make sure you’re selling like the must-have you are.
https://calendly.com/jorawald/free-20-minute-growth-discovery-call

Shiny Object Syndrome • The Silent Killer of Your Business Growth

By Jo Rawald • June 3, 2025
You ever walk into Costco for one thing, and leave wondering what the heck just happened to your life? That was me last night. All I needed was paper towels. Just one 12-pack brick of industrial absorbency, thank you very much. But the moment I stepped through those magical warehouse doors, it all unraveled. First, I saw a velvet chaise lounge I definitely don’t need. Then - it was a six-tier spice rack. A kayak. A weighted blanket. A 5-lb tub of Gummy Bears I haven’t stopped thinking about. By the time I made it to checkout, I was $312 deep in, “Maybe I’ll use this someday ” purchases. And that’s when it hit me. This is exactly what shiny object syndrome looks like. Not just in Costco. In business. You start with a clear goal - launch a course, a new service or a new product, finish your website, close three new clients. But somewhere along the way, you get distracted by someone else’s launch, a new app, a Canva template you’ll definitely use one day. You buy a course. Download a funnel template. Rebrand your business at midnight. Before you know it, you’re carting around half-baked ideas and unopened tools you never actually needed, and your real revenue-generating work is buried under distractions. It’s a costly habit. Not just in money but, in time, clarity, confidence, and momentum. Here’s your wake-up call => If it doesn’t drive sales, systems, or sanity - put it back on the shelf. You don’t need more stuff. You need a strategy that works. One that moves your business forward with intention and impact. So if you’re tired of carting around the chaos, and ready to focus on what actually gets results - I got you. Check out the free resources on my site or book a quick call. No pressure. Just clarity, next steps, and a bold plan that keeps your eyes on the prize. Download your free Focus to Profit Blueprint so, the next time distraction shows up dressed as a business breakthrough, you’ll know the difference. With Grace & Grit, Jo Jo Rawald Growth Architect for Women Entrepreneurs | Lean Six Sigma Black Belt 📞 (305) 934-0006 | ✉️ jo@jorawald.com www.JoRawald.com | @xojorawald www.QueenKongBiz.com | @queenkongbiz

The Story I Probably Shouldn’t Have Told On Stage

By Jo Rawald • May 20, 2025
Have you ever had one of your childhood memories come crashing back at ya with full volume and suddenly you're 14 again... but this time, with 40 more years of hindsight and a whole lot more humility? Yeah. That happened to me last weekend.I had the honor of being a keynote speaker at one of the best women’s business events I’ve ever attended - the WFS Female Founders Forum 2025 , hosted by the phenomenal nonprofit Women for Success . The room was filled with powerful, purpose-driven women who weren’t there to play small. They came to scale, get certified, and secure the kind of legacy their Moms would brag about at church.

The Hot Dog Method • How a Cheap Snack Built an Empire

By Jo Rawald • May 6, 2025
Imagine losing money every time you make a sale… and choosing to do it anyway. That’s exactly what Costco has done - for 40 years straight - with their $1.50 hot dog + soda combo. Yep. One dollar. Fifty cents. No inflation. No markup. No apology. And when someone on the leadership team had the nerve to suggest raising the price? Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal flat-out said, "If you raise the price of the hot dog, I will kill you." Savage? Maybe. Strategic? 1000%. Because he got something most business owners miss entirely… => Not everything you sell is about profit. Some things are about perception. That hot dog isn’t just a cheap meal. It’s a statement: “We’re not here to nickel-and-dime you. We’re here to treat you right.” And guess what? That tiny loss leader earns them billions in customer loyalty, trust, and recurring revenue. I call this the Hot Dog Method: 🌭 Sacrifice something small. 🌭 Earn something massive. 🌭 Make it memorable. Every business can have a $1.50 hot dog moment: 🌭 A bonus your clients didn’t see coming 🌭 A “damn, no one else does that” type of policy 🌭 A ridiculously over-delivered offer that makes them tell 3 friends The key? Don’t hide it. Flaunt it. Repeat it. Build a reputation around it. Make it so obvious your clients can point and say, “That’s why I work with her. No one else shows up like that.” So here’s your million-dollar reflection: What’s YOUR $1.50 hot dog? Find it. Double down on it. Then sit back and watch your referrals multiply like Costco memberships in January.

Wanna see your dog (or cat) as a human? This Ai trick is wild.

By Jo Rawald • April 16, 2025
I went to a networking event yesterday at Rosie’s Bar & Grill in Wilton Manors. Tropical-chic to the max. You know the kind of place - upscale casual, strong cocktails, mandatory valet. Now usually, I’m all about valet. But not yesterday. I wasn’t there to sip martinis or hang around all night. I could only stay for 20-minutes. That means - I was on a serious 20-minute mission: say hi, shake hands, peace out. Then, get back in my car to jump on a Zoom meeting! I certainly wasn’t about to drop $20 just to park my car for 20 minutes. No way! I pulled into the valet area, looked the guy dead in the eye, and said, “I’ll be in and out faster than your last relationship. Can I just park it right here?” And bless his heart - he said yes. Honestly, that should’ve been my win for the night. But then I met Sean Gac-Guerrier. Sean’s the Marketing Director at Excel Title, Inc. We started talking about dogs - and **cue the angels singing. We clicked instantly. Not two strangers meeting, more like two childhood friends who hadn’t seen each other in a decade! Sean showed me a photo of his dog, Dottie. I pulled out pics of my girl, Adelaide. Then he pulled out a photo of Dottie that stopped me in my tracks. Sean had a photo of what Dottie would look like as a human. Not a cartoon. Not a filter. I’m talking AI-generated, fully humanized, real-world, cardigan-wearing, intelligent-and-intimidating Dottie. I was mesmerized! It was as if Pixar and the FBI teamed up to design her. I looked at Adelaide’s pic… then looked back at Sean… and blurted out, “I need to humanize my dog!!” And I did. I went home, found the exact AI prompt, uploaded Adelaide’s photo, answered a few fun questions about her personality, and style - then… BOOM. Human Adelaide was born. Tall, lean, cozy-chic, with that unmistakable “don’t-mess-with-me-but-I’ll-still-hug-you” vibe. She looked like she ran Homeland Security and still had time for tacos and espresso martinis on a rooftop. Honestly? I stared at the image for like five minutes. Because it wasn’t just about making something cute. It was about seeing something familiar - something you know - come to life in a new way. Here’s the AI Prompt if you want to try it yourself:
Leftover rice and a single grape on a lunch tray with the caption

Your Business is Not a Leftover. Stop Treating it Like One.

By Jo Rawald • April 11, 2025
Your business is not a side dish. It’s the main course—and it deserves to be treated like one. In this no-BS blog, I’m calling out “leftover” business strategies that leave women entrepreneurs stuck, stressed, and scaling in all the wrong ways. Discover how to build a business that’s bold, sustainable, and built to outlast trends using my BAMBOO Framework.
How to optimize your business for profit using systems, strategy, and the BAMBOO framework.

Your Business Should Be a Profit Machine. Not a Stress Factory

By BSDB7200 • April 9, 2025
Too many women are stuck in the hustle—working nonstop, solving the same problems, and barely seeing the return. You didn’t start your business to burn out. You started it to break free. If you’re ready to ditch the stress and build a business that actually pays you back, this is your moment. Join me LIVE in South Florida at Brains, Brilliance & Bold Moves—where I’ll show you how to scale smart, simplify your systems, and make way more money doing less. 🍷 Dinner, wine, and your profit breakthrough: www.jorawald.com/Brains-Brilliance-and-Bold-Moves
Stop running a chaotic business. Learn how to simplify systems and increase profit with strategy.

If Your Business Feels Like a Hot Mess, It’s Costing You Money

By Jo Rawald • April 4, 2025
If your business feels like a tornado of to-do lists, dropped balls, and duct-taped systems… it’s not just exhausting—it’s expensive. Chaos costs you time, clarity, and cold hard cash. This blog is your wake-up call: 🛠️ Simplify your operations 💸 Stop bleeding profit 📈 Build a business that works for you Read it. Apply it. Start making smart money moves → 👉 https://siteeditor.thryv.com/home/site/c8e9f361/blog/if-your-business-feels-like-a-hot-mess-its-costing-you-money#preview
Learn why most businesses lose revenue and how to fix it with smart, profit-focused strategies.

You’re leaving money on the table. Let’s fix that.

By Jo Rawald • April 2, 2025
You’re not charging too much. You’re not “bad at sales.” You’re just leaving money on the table—and this blog breaks down exactly how to stop. If you’re underpricing, over-delivering, or relying on guesswork to grow… you’re leaking profit. Let’s fix that. I’m giving you the tools to: 💰 Price like a pro 📊 Package for profit 🎯 Sell with strategy Read it, bookmark it, share it with your business BFFs → 👉 www.jorawald.com/youre-leaving-money-on-the-table-lets-fix-that
Attract right-fit clients by clarifying your message and showing up with authority and intention.

The Right Clients Should Be Coming to YOU | They’re Watching… but Do They Know What You Do?

By Jo Rawald • March 31, 2025
The right clients are watching—but do they actually know what you do? If your messaging is vague, cute, or confusing, you’re basically invisible. This blog is your wake-up call to get crystal clear, magnetic, and straight-up undeniable. You’ll learn how to: 🧲 Attract the right people (without chasing) 📢 Clarify your offer 👑 Show up as the go-to expert in your space Because your next client isn’t on the fence—they’re just unsure if you are the answer. Fix that here → 👉 www.jorawald.com/the-right-clients-should-be-coming-to-you-theyre-watching-but-do-they-know-what-you-do
How one Zoom call transformed my coaching strategy and simplified how I get clients results.

This One Zoom Call Changed How I Coached Forever

By Jo Rawald • March 28, 2025
One Zoom call. That’s all it took to blow up how I coach—and rebuild it into something way more powerful. If you’re overcomplicating your client process, trying to “do it all,” or feel like coaching is starting to drain you… this blog is your game-changer. Inside, I break down: 🔥 The shift that simplified everything 🎯 How I get faster results (without burning out) 💡 What most coaches get totally wrong If you’re a coach or service provider who’s doing the most and getting the least—read this NOW. 👉 www.jorawald.com/this-one-zoom-call-changed-how-i-coached-forever
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