Web of Connection: Introducing Some Close Biz Friends of Mine

You might find the coach, therapist, web designer, copywriter, astrologist, attorney, healer, business consultant, or even stylist you’ve been looking for in this web of exceptional small business owners.

For the past couple of years I’ve been part of a group called The Interweb, created by the amazing Amelia Hruby for people who want to run their businesses without relying on social media. The Interweb has helped me in so many ways, so when Amelia announced Close Biz Friends, a smaller offshoot program for members interested in cross-promotion, I joined immediately.

Through that program, I met some amazing people doing some really needed work. And because people are often asking me for recommendations—even beyond animal-related work—I’m sharing them with you here.

This is beyond my usual animal-related content, but it’s essentially a digital rolodex of exceptional small business owners, everyone from creative coaches to therapists, web designers to astrologers, and even an attorney for artists. In the spirit of radical generosity, most of them have developed free or low-cost offerings for you to try.

Although the people on this list contain multitudes and are, in many ways, uncategorizable, I ended up dividing them into three broad categories to help guide you to what you might need:

• Business support, from design to legal and beyond

• Coaching for creatives, authors, and more

• Therapy, healing, and personal guidance

You can go to the category that interests you or just browse the list and see what stands out. Happy perusing! I hope you find something—or someone—you’ve been looking for.

Business support, from design to legal and beyond

Alex McGinness, a brand and web designer, is offering a Brand Energy Audit workshop, where she helps you understand which design elements are working—and which aren’t—for your brand.

Ana Luisa is also a brand and web designer, and if you join her email list, you’ll have the chance to win a free website review (she chooses one winner each month).

Andie Whittaker, a therapist who offers support services for other therapists and healers, has created a helpful toolkit: 10 Ways to Market Your Healing Business When Money & Time Are Scarce.

Arianna Smith is an intuitive copywriter, email marketer, and licensed therapist obsessed with the psychology of words, human connection, and healing. Get her newsletter here.

Heather Bax, a small-business guide and problem-solver, has done the research on business tech tools for you and put it all in her Simple Tech Stacks Field Guide.

Julia Kyambi is a medical doctor turned intuitive guide who is offering her Soulpreneur Corner to support you in the inner work of running a business.

Katherine de Vos Devine is an IP attorney, art historian, and founder of Implement Legal — a boutique firm serving creative businesses in unusual niches. Her Protect Your Magic Substack offers a feminist deconstruction of intellectual property, women's history, and cultural economics.

Podge Thomas, is a queer, POC, neurodivergent, multiracial, multicultural creative entrepreneur passionate about decolonizing our systems, lives, and brains. An example: Her free mini-course on how to create a DIY YouTube video library in Notion so you can enjoy your videos without dealing with algorithmic distractions.

Rae Serafina Barker, an artist and archetypal astrologer, is offering her Astrology for Creativity & Business Toolkit to help you bring your ideas to life by tapping into your astrology.

Rachel Thompson, a systems and strategy pro, is sharing her journey of reimagining and rebuilding her work at Daring Studios on her Substack.

Ruthie Farfel, a consultant helping small businesses tell meaningful stories, has launched a blog full of gems for entrepreneurs.

Coaching for creatives, authors, and more

Catherine LaSota, a creative coach, advisor, and inspirer, has launched the Creative Containers video series, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at how artists bring their big creative projects to life.

Dalene Higgins, a financial coach for empowered women, is offering a 7-day email challenge that gives you simple, actionable steps to build a consistent savings system.

Giada Centofanti, an impact coach for creatives, has made an audio series called “You Don't Need More Advice” to help you connect with your inner compass when you feel stuck or overwhelmed.

Karly Borden is the founder of The Public Run Club, a coaching space for women with complicated relationships with exercise and food. She has created a trauma-informed, gentle audio guide for anyone who wants to reconnect with running called First Run.

Kevin Chung, who helps authors organize ideas and get things done so they can focus on writing, is sharing his process of writing a memoir about reinventing himself and moving to Costa Rica on his Substack.‍ ‍

Leah Kern, an intuitive eating dietitian and body image coach, is offering the Intuitive Eating Starter Kit to anyone interested in divesting from diet culture and finding peace with food.

Maz George, a zine-maker, Astrology lover, and certified coach, has made a beautiful zine about how you can reinvigorate your creativity using astrology called “Your Creative Big 3.”

Meg Kissack, a feminist life, creativity, and business coach, is inviting you to take the Rebel Archetype Assessment: a fun quiz that’ll help you understand how you’re wired so you can work with instead of against yourself.

Sarah Arantza Amador is a writer and the tarot reader and creativity coach behind Hawthorn Mountain Tarot, where she works with artists, tender-hearted weirdos, and dreamers navigating transitions and creative crossroads. Get on her coaching waitlist here.

Therapy, healing, and personal guidance

Adrienne Sloan, an artist-researcher and Internal Family Systems therapist, has come out with a good ol’ fashioned dial-in phone line called We Are a Murmuration that offers a monthly listening practice.

Cassandra McCall, a queer, trauma-informed, certified somatic practitioner and facilitator specializing in integrative nervous system support for big-hearted humans, is offering a 5-Day Nervous System Reset.

Cassie Connor, a trauma therapist weaving together psychotherapy and yoga therapy, has put together the How to Heal from Burnout & Trauma Guide to help you begin your healing journey.

DeYandré Thaxton Reniguntala is a fashion stylist and tarot reader who can help you explore your personal style through her Closet Magic program.

Kaeri Schaefer, a holistic MD integrating functional medicine, bodywork, and somatic practices, is offering a helpful resource for anyone who has to deal with doctors or the medical system called You Are the Expert on Your Body: A Support Kit to Help You Retain Agency in Medical Settings.

Kristi Amdahl, a wayfinder master coach and circle facilitator, has developed an action-based resource that is very needed in these times: A Toolkit for Navigating Capitalism & Other Fuckery.

Lynn Quinn, a cognitive architect who helps people discover their unique voices and build deep, impactful relationships with themselves and others, is coming out with a book called Home With Humans: Adventures in Reflection Writing. Learn more and join the waitlist for it here.

Sara El-Sayeh, a single mother, writer, and facilitator in the Work that Reconnects, has created a guidebook called “The Thawing” to help you detox from capitalism and imagine a more generative way forward.