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PODCAST

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda

Katie Elzer-Peters and Amanda Thomsen

Finally, a show that encourages you to be YOU while going about your business! Two friends in the green industry (Digital marketing agency owner Katie Elzer-Peters and retail shop owner Amanda Thomsen) discuss life as middle-aged women entrepreneurs in the mid 2020s. Expect a hefty dose of retail operations real-talk, small business marketing and tech tips, appearances from Amanda"s shop ghost and plenty of nonsense. The show notes are epic.

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

00:01:39

Open & Awkward - Thanks for the Memories

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/10/28

It's a new season so Katie and Amanda are ending the podcast for the time being. Thanks for listening and stay open and awkward!To See What We're Up To:Amanda’s Kiss My Aster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kissmyaster/Katie’s Work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegardenofwordsagencyKatie’s Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katie_gardenofwordsAmanda’s Website: https://kissmyaster.com/Katie’s Website: https://thegardenofwords.com/

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00:40:47

Open & Awkward: CANDLE PICKLE

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/10/21

Subtitle: A Question of CommunitySummary:Amanda finds herself in a candle pickle. Her vendor has suddenly raised their order minimum without warning, leaving her unable to restock. Should she start making her own candles instead? Katie sheds light on possible causes behind the change, from the end of de minimis exemptions to tariffs and rising costs. The conversation then turns to community. Why it’s so essential, how some people create it OR actively avoid it! WHY? Finally, they tackle Amanda’s

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00:51:08

Open & Awkward: BAG OF IDEAS

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/10/14

Subtitle: Apocalypse SkillsSummary: Amanda kicks things off with stories from the local Keepataw Parade and how the event impacts her business. Both Katie and Amanda share their plans for fall yard work (think mountains of bulbs) and exciting garden goals. Katie’s gearing up for a busy season of teaching art classes and couldn’t be more excited. The two discuss holiday customer gifts, is it a good idea? Amanda’s on the fence, but Katie has plenty of creative ideas. They also talk about how

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00:32:03

Open & Awkward: BEYOND THE COUCH

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/10/07

Subtitle: The Evolving WhySummary:Katie and Amanda go deep: on business, purpose, and the little things that make a big impact. Amanda’s so excited that shop sales are up and shares her $2-a-day Instagram ad experiment (spoiler: it’s working!). They discuss how promoting your business has shifted over the last 100 years, and how it’s STILL changing. They also talk about evolving goals, hiring for the future, and why letting go of something (like a farmers market) doesn’t mean it’s a

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00:35:02

Open & Awkward: CHARCOAL MARSHMALLOWS

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/09/30

Subtitle: The Art of CommunitySummary:The two-week podcast break is over, and Katie and Amanda are back! Amanda admits she spends a lot of time picking up plants for jobs, (maybe not the most efficient use of her time), but she loves the drive and gives a big shout-out to Midwest Groundcovers for making it such a pleasure to do business with them. That sparks a chat about how they’ve both been spending their energy: Katie’s done the email marketing webinar thing, but her heart is really in teaching

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00:01:07

Taking a Break

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/09/16

We are taking a two week break. See you back in mid-September!

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00:29:45

Open & Awkward: BONE APPÉTIT

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/09/09

Subtitle: Feeling it in Your BodySummary: Amanda sold another one of Katie’s paintings! But before you ask, no, she’s not taking consignment. Amanda also talks about teaching a recent vinaigrette-making class and pitches the idea of a mending class (how cool would that be?). Amanda brings up her money stress after her debit card was stolen THREE times in one month, losing her outdoor lot, and business decisions she's being pushed to make. On the brighter side, her latest art drop (featuring

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00:34:16

Open & Awkward: LETTING GO

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/09/02

Subtitle: Overcoming OverfunctioningSummary: Katie and Amanda dive into significant business changes they've recently made that brought clarity and relief. Amanda shares the story of losing her courtyard due to her landlord's construction plans and the lessons she learned from the experience. They also touch on the importance of understanding one's value and avoiding over-functioning in both business and personal life. Katie discusses an ongoing struggle with managing work boundaries

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00:41:26

Open & Awkward: KISSING FROGS

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/08/26

Subtitle: Mulch, Mayhem, and Mod PodgeSummary:In this lively episode, Katie and Amanda discuss their recent creative ventures and some challenging client interactions. Katie is prepping for a collage and watercolor class in Michigan, while Amanda grapples with a landscaping client who struggles to pinpoint her desires. The conversation touches on the complexities of managing client expectations and the importance of mutual enthusiasm in creative collaborations. They also share insights on

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00:34:48

Open & Awkward: HIRE THE EXPERT

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/08/19

Subtitle: People Buy What They UnderstandSummary:Katie shares her upcoming plans for a Chicago trip to visit clients. She and Amanda brainstorm about art classes they could co-host at Amanda’s shop. Amanda recounts a whirlwind week of events: hosting teenagers from the School of the Blind for a hands-on project, a bridal shower that didn’t quite go as expected, and then welcoming 20 Master Gardeners the very next morning for a talk! They also catch up on Amanda’s HR friend, who’s launching a

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00:34:17

Open & Awkward: SLUG PARTY

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/08/12

Subtitle: Grouch on the CouchSummary:This week, Katie and Amanda discuss their love of the Marco Polo app and scheming ways businesses could use it too. Katie’s hand-painted cards just landed in Amanda’s shop on a “MADE” table sprinkled with moss and glitter magic, and guess what… one sold on the very first day! They spill a little tea on the joy (and the “oh boy” moments) of working with certain team members. Finally, they chat about the world of collecting. Is it fun or does chasing the rarest

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00:29:43

Open & Awkward: FINAL ANSWER

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/08/05

Subtitle: Go AwaySummary:Katie is considering a simple but symbolic change: swapping her Facebook cover photo from a picture of her family to one of her art supplies. Amanda reflects on her own process of “refocusing the lens,” both personally and professionally.Katie talks about her father’s recent funeral, contrasting the compassionate customer service from the funeral home with the cemetery staff that completely ignored their requests. Amanda discusses a challenging garden consultation where she

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00:33:14

Open & Awkward: SOFT LIFE

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/07/29

Subtitle: So many other things just listen to itSummary:Katie shares her experience at a local "pick and paint" event at a cut flower farm, where customers picked their blooms and she painted them on the spot. She also talks about what it’s like to scale up her artwork (literally) and the life lessons art has taught her, like the value of restraint and leaving room for white space. Amanda did a massive two-day solo plant installation that required a return visit but that’s OK because

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00:25:38

ONE WOMAN COLLECTIVE

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/07/22

Subtitle: Stop, Collaborate and ListenSummary:Amanda is excited to get some help from an acquaintance starting an HR/operations consulting business. It’s coming at the perfect time! Amanda shares a story about her ideal client and how she prefers collaborative relationships. Katie suggests structuring services with clear tiers: Option A or Option B, to make boundaries and value more obvious. Amanda also shares a recent success: she offered an unsolicited quote on a landscaping project, and it

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00:26:32

Open & Awkward: NEVER AGAIN

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/07/15

Subtitle: Every Kind of TiredSummary:Katie shares the emotional weight of the past year and the recent loss of her father. A comforting message from Ben, “you don’t ever have to deal with that again,” gave her an unexpected sense of peace. Amanda opens up about wanting to attend the funeral but getting derailed by a major miscommunication with a client that had real financial consequences, saying, “it would have been funny if it wasn’t so important to her.” They also discuss Greg

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00:47:40

Open & Awkward: BRING THE GONG

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/07/08

Subtitle: Eventually We Get to the PointSummary:Amanda is making dunce caps for Cultivate to stop people from calling their businesses small. The second gong has also arrived. The two discuss their love for roadside attractions and then eventually get to the point. Or, at least, a point. A big part of today’s convo revolves around minimum orders and what local and independent businesses can do, and what producers are going to NEED to do in order to serve them. Shortly before the end Amanda drops a

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00:32:00

Open & Awkward: BELL OF SHAME

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/07/01

Subtitle: Setting ExpectationsSummary:In this episode, Katie and Amanda DIG into (see what we did there) what they really want for their business and what they’re ready to let go of. They discuss growth goals and have a few clarity moments. Also, Katie finally declares victory over the poison ivy in her yard, thanks to one of Amanda’s Actually Useful Tips™. Amanda shares an awkward Mother’s Day moment involving customer weirdness, and the Bell of Shame makes its mysterious debut. Want to know what

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00:26:12

Open & Awkward: CAMANDA IN CHIEF

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/06/24

Subtitle: Have it Your WaySummary:Amanda’s Zoom name is now “Camanda in Chief,” (HILARIOUS!). In this episode, Amanda and Katie talk newsletters, self-worth, and showing up as your authentic self in business. Katie’s latest newsletter inspired Amanda to write hers, and they discuss how their emails aren’t just for marketing. They’re personal, real, and full of places for people to hang on and connect. Amanda dives into why she’s been undervaluing her time (and what she's finally realized about it),

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00:45:32

Open & Awkward: MAKING SPACE

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/06/17

Subtitle: The Cost of Doing BusinessSummary:Behind every small business is a human doing their best to hold it all together. Amanda and Katie talk about what it’s like to run a business while feeling completely overwhelmed. Katie shares how she's navigating work as her dad enters hospice care, while Amanda talks about anxiety and the financial gamble of pouring everything into your business and hoping it pays off. They discuss the stress of undercharging and how hard it is to price your labor

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00:28:04

Open & Awkward: Best of Season 1 - What Entertained...

Open & Awkward: Shop Talk with Katie and Amanda ·

2025/06/10

Subtitle: Books, Signs and a Great DocumentaryIn this "Best Of" episode, Katie praises the book: The Tree Collectors written and illustrated by Amy Stewart. She also reads part of Amanda's Green Profit article on the power of signage and it's a HOOT! They also discuss funny reels, a Harry Styles sighting at the farmers market, and Amanda's shop ghost. Finally, they unpack the Martha Stewart documentary, and how it changed their perspective on the queen of home and garden.

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