Episode 337: Why Slowing Down Is the Strategy Right Now — with Kami Guildner

Why So Many Women Entrepreneurs Are Choosing to Pause Right Now

If your business has felt louder and more uncertain lately, you’re not imagining it. Between economic anxiety, a saturated market, and a constant stream of information competing for your attention, it’s harder than ever to hear your own thinking — let alone trust it.

My guest this week, Kami Guildner, is a business coach for high-vibe women entrepreneurs who works with women stepping into their next level of visibility, influence, and revenue. In this conversation, we talk about why pausing isn’t a luxury right now — it might be the strategy.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What Kami learned after spending a year having real conversations with hundreds of women business owners
• What separated the businesses that grew in a strange year from the ones that struggled
• How to find your “one message for the world” — the thought-leadership message that gets people to stop, think, and act differently
• Why speaking to your client’s potential works better than the old “find the pain point” approach to marketing
• How AI has changed the noise level for entrepreneurs, and what it means for standing out

Listen to the full episode

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The Listening Campaign That Changed What Kami Thought She Knew

Last year, Kami set out to have conversations with hundreds of women entrepreneurs — not to sell anything, just to understand what was actually going on for them. What came back, again and again, was the same theme: women were pausing. Slowing down. Making decisions from a place of inner wisdom instead of pressure.

What surprised Kami most wasn’t just that women wanted to slow down — it was what happened to their businesses when they did. A lot of women described 2025 as a strange year. Some businesses grew, while others, especially those tied to shifting funding and policy, had to pivot in real time. But the businesses that kept growing had something in common: the women running them were pausing, listening, and making shifts based on what they were hearing — both from their clients and from themselves.

Why “Find the Pain Point” Marketing Is Getting Old

For years, the standard marketing playbook told entrepreneurs to find their ideal client’s biggest pain point and press on it. After a year spent in conversation with real women business owners, Kami’s take is simple: that approach is tired, and it’s not where the opportunity is anymore.

“Conversations create … the more we can have conversations with our ideal clients, the more we can really find a way to get into what’s happening with them right now.” — Kami Guildner

That kind of conversation opens the door to something deeper than a pain point. Instead of rubbing salt in a wound, Kami’s approach is to ask clients what they’re really desiring and to help them think into a bigger version of what’s possible — beyond what they can currently see for themselves. That shift, from pain point to potential, is what she means by speaking your client’s love language.

Finding Your “One Message for the World”

One of the most practical ideas in this episode is what Kami calls your “one message for the world” — a short, memorable, repeatable statement that captures the core idea you want to be known for. It’s not a generic mission statement. It’s specific enough to make people stop and think differently.

Kami’s own version of this is the line that’s anchored her work for years:

“I believe that women’s wisdom is the medicine our earth needs.” — Kami Guildner

That line consistently gets people to ask more questions. And that’s the test for your own “one message,” too — the sentence that, when you say it out loud, makes someone lean in and say “tell me more.”

Why Visibility Feels Different Right Now

With more people starting side businesses and more content flooding every platform, getting heard has gotten harder — and AI has only added to that noise. Kami doesn’t see AI as the enemy here; she uses it herself. But she’s clear:

“The answer to a louder, more saturated market isn’t more content. It’s a clearer voice.” — Kami Guildner

That’s really the thread running through this whole episode. In a market where everyone’s competing for the same attention, the women who stand out aren’t the ones producing the most. They’re the ones who’ve gotten clear enough on their own message — and their own pace — to lead from it.

About Guest Kami Guildner

Kami Guildner believes women’s voices matter. She’s a connector, a storyteller, and a business coach for high-vibe women entrepreneurs, helping them raise up their voice, vision, and visibility for impact and business growth.

Kami works with movement-maker women entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses and are scaling to multi-six-figures and beyond, now stepping into their next level of visibility, influence, and revenue. Through her Soul+Strategy™ approach, she weaves soulful inspiration into mindful business strategy, helping women elevate their message, strengthen their presence, and create a rhythm of visibility that attracts aligned clients and opportunities.

She’s the founder of the Extraordinary Women Ignite Conference and host of the award-winning Extraordinary Women Radio™. Kami is also the best-selling author of Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose, and was named to the 2020 Twenty-Five Most Powerful Women in Business List by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

Connect with Kami Guildner

• Website: kamiguildner.com
• Instagram: @kamiguildner
• LinkedIn: Kami Guildner
• Facebook Group
• Extraordinary Women Radio Podcast
• YouTube

Kami’s Free Gift for Game On Girlfriend® Listeners

Kami offers free monthly online training, alternating between live roundtables with guest speakers and deeper solo training. To get access, head to her homepage and select “Get Updates” in the top right corner. Get updates here.

Related Episodes You’ll Love

Episode 274: Power of Pause: Why Your Brain Cannot Solve the Problem — with Wendy Paige Sterling — If Kami’s idea of pausing as a source of clarity resonated, this episode goes even deeper into it. Wendy Paige Sterling breaks down why pausing isn’t laziness — it’s where intuition gets the chance to speak louder than fear. If you’ve been moving fast and missing your own signals, this one’s a natural next listen. Listen here.

Episode 300: 300 Episodes and Counting: Why Your Dreams in Progress Matter More Than Perfect Timing — A look back at what it took to keep going for 300 episodes — including the moment I learned that giving yourself permission to pause is part of the work, not a departure from it. If you’re sitting on an idea you haven’t shared yet, this one’s for you. Listen here.

Episode 333: Soul Debt: What Overgiving in Business Is Costing You — and What Comes Next — The episode that marked a new era for this podcast. I talk about what it actually looks like to stop gripping everything so tightly and start receiving instead — and what changed in my life and business when I did. Listen here.

My Free Gift to You — Let’s Talk About Your Business

If this conversation had you thinking about your own message, your own pace, or where your business is headed next, let’s talk about it. As my free gift to Girlfriends, I offer a 30-minute discovery call. We’ll talk about where you are right now and what might be getting in the way.

Connect with Sarah

• Instagram: @thesarahwalton
• LinkedIn: Sarah Walton
• Free resources for you
• Join the Game On Girlfriend® community — subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

Love This Episode?

If you know a woman who’s been pushing too hard and needs permission to pause, send this episode her way. Sometimes the most useful thing to hear is that slowing down isn’t falling behind.

About Sarah Walton

Sarah Walton is a wealth consciousness coach, strategic advisor, and the host of the Game On Girlfriend® podcast. Her mission is simple: to put more money in the hands of more women. She helps women entrepreneurs build profitable, sustainable businesses without burnout — working through both the mindset and the strategy sides of growth. Because when women have more financial power, they don’t just keep it — they use it to take care of their families, support their communities, and build something bigger than themselves. Through her programs — including the Abundance Academy and The Art of Receiving — along with her online courses and one-on-one coaching, Sarah works with women who are ready to build profitable businesses and use that financial power to make a real difference in the world around them.