Ep 21: Grateful, Not Needy: The Secret to Healthy Collaboration
Release Date: 01/30/2026
Ep 30. Ginger Bitters & Big Feelings: Long-Term Clients Without the Codependency Spiral
The Coaching Mixer
A listener asked: How do you support clients long-term without accidentally becoming their emotional support human, their outsourced decision-making brain, or their personal “always be closing” sales funnel? Erin and Elana get into the uncomfortable truth, that “dependency” is not a villain. It is a spectrum. But coaching that ends up training people to distrust themselves is problematic. And yes, they also talk about the marketing version of coaching that’s basically: “Your life is terrible, I’m the cure, please renew for six more months.” Huge ick. The spicy bits: ...
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Ep 29. Spicy Cherry Plot Twist: How to Create Without Suffering for It
The Coaching Mixer
If you’ve been telling yourself that your creative work “doesn’t count” unless it’s hard, dramatic, or all-consuming, this episode is a gentle (and very real) reset. In this Coaching Mixer conversation, Erin and Elana talk about what it actually looks like to create when you have clients, responsibilities, and a life. They unpack why “going all-in” is often a pressure story (and sometimes a privilege story), and how tiny, consistent steps can build serious creative momentum over time. You will walk away with a calmer, clearer way to create work you care about,...
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Ep 28: Letting Go of “Doing It Right” over Whiskey
The Coaching Mixer
If you’ve been trying to “do creativity right” and it’s making you avoid the work, this episode is for you. Erin and Elana talk about how to stop forcing someone else’s process, choose a next step you can actually do today, and create from real life instead of performance. They get into: Why your best content often comes from what you’re currently struggling with. The myth that you can’t coach or teach something until you’ve fully solved it. What your audience actually needs from you: probably not perfect lighting, a power suit, and a scripted TED Talk. More likely it's...
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Ep 27: Sips and Shifts—Why Every Client Needs a Different Medicine (pt. 2)
The Coaching Mixer
In part two of our episode we talk about why warmth is not the opposite of serious coaching but a pathway to lasting changes for clients. Sometimes warmth is the most serious thing you can offer a client who sees themselves in harsh light. We talk about what actually helps clients who find the “tough love” storyline tempting, and swap notes on the kinds of tools that feel like medicine instead of a cookie-cutter script. A few things we get into: Deep curiosity as a genuinely healing force (yes, even in business coaching) Creating low-stakes “rehearsal” space, where imagining...
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Ep. 26 Sips and Shifts: Why Every Client Needs a Different Medicine
The Coaching Mixer
In this episode of The Coaching Mixer, hosts Erin Aquin and Elana Mckernan talk about “different kinds of medicine” in coaching. Not every moment calls for a mindset reframe. Sometimes it calls for a pause, a practice, or plain old validation. Also, beverages matter: Erin is drinking a carrot–apple–ginger–celery–lime–beet juice (vampire lips included). Elana has an apple cider seltzer with berries (with the berries plopped in, of course). In this conversation, you’ll hear: Why a “reset” can be less about deprivation and more about changing patterns with care. How coaches...
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Ep 25: Coaching Without Preaching
The Coaching Mixer
Sometimes your client says something that isn't socially or personally acceptable to you. Suddenly might find yourself feeling distracted by their comment and unable to stay in your lane as a Coach. These are the moments when curiosity matters and where real change can happen. In this week’s Coaching Mixer, Erin and Elana talk about what to do when a client’s worldview is wildly different from yours, how to stay human without preaching, and when it might be wise, to end a coaching relationship or session. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why screaming your position online is...
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Ep 24: The "Hell No" Filter: Boundaries, Beliefs, and Business Coaching
The Coaching Mixer
Grab a blanket and a mug: we’re answering listener questions while getting a little buzzed on cozy winter spirits. Things get deep, a little spicy, and surprisingly "medicinal" as we dive into what happens when a coaching session hits close to home. How do you handle a client whose worldview makes you cringe? Can you coach someone you fundamentally disagree with? We explore the boundary between professional curiosity and personal "hell no’s." What’s in the Mug? Elana: Spiked Hot Cocoa. Heavy on the Bailey’s, sweet, creamy, and definitely not for kids (despite the "Best Dad Ever"...
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Ep 23: Values-Driven Entrepreneurship: Finding Your Voice in Turbulent Times
The Coaching Mixer
In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most challenging aspects of running a business right now—how to show up authentically when the world feels heavy, complicated, and politically charged. We explore what it means to be human in your business, how to protect your energy while staying engaged, and why your wellness as a business owner matters just as much as the service you provide. Drinks of the Episode: We're keeping it cozy with warm beverages. What We Talk About The messy reality of showing up online: When do you post about current events? When do you stay quiet? How do you...
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Ep 22. Coaching Through the Storm: Navigating Business and Politics When the World Feels Heavy
The Coaching Mixer
Picture this: Erin's in near-Toronto dealing with minus-30°C weather, Elena's buried in New Jersey snow, and we're both pretending we're somewhere tropical by mixing up vacation drinks. Elana's got a tangerine whiskey sour with egg whites (made in a mason jar, because sometimes you just have to work with what you've got), and Erin's sipping a margarita—no salt, because when the tequila's good enough, you don't need it. We're recording from our respective winter fortresses, and honestly? The polar vortex called for this kind of creative escape. Sometimes you need to pretend you're somewhere...
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Ep 21: Grateful, Not Needy: The Secret to Healthy Collaboration
The Coaching Mixer
Ever wonder what it's like to build a business with your spouse? In this episode, we dive deep into the messy, magical world of collaboration—from working with family to choosing the right creative partners. Erin gets refreshingly honest about the challenges of running Superabound with Steve, including the time she realized she was more interested in the business than their romantic life (yikes!). Key Topics: Working with Family: The good, the bad, and the "are we talking as business partners or life partners right now?" Erin shares how she and Steve navigate the tricky waters of being both...
info_outlineEver wonder what it's like to build a business with your spouse? In this episode, we dive deep into the messy, magical world of collaboration—from working with family to choosing the right creative partners. Erin gets refreshingly honest about the challenges of running Superabound with Steve, including the time she realized she was more interested in the business than their romantic life (yikes!).
Key Topics:
- Working with Family: The good, the bad, and the "are we talking as business partners or life partners right now?" Erin shares how she and Steve navigate the tricky waters of being both married and business cofounders.
- Setting Boundaries: Learn about Erin's game-changing rule: no work talk after 9 PM, and everything business goes in Slack (not shouted across the house). Plus, the genius move of paying her kids $2 every time they caught her working outside work hours.
- The Collaboration Litmus Test: Before saying yes to any collaboration, ask yourself: "If I had to do 100% of the work, would I still be excited about this?" It's a brain gymnastics question that will save you from energy-draining partnerships.
- What Makes a Good Collaborator: First question: Is this a good person I actually want to spend time with? Because when things get hard (and they will), you need to like the person you're problem-solving with.
- The Parenting Parallel: Erin draws a beautiful connection between co-parenting and business collaboration—it's about being grateful your partner is there, not just needing them to lighten your load.
Memorable Quotes:
"I hired little narcs to keep me accountable. They're so good at that job."
"If I'm only interested in something if the other person does X, Y, and Z, it's probably not actually vision aligned."
Action Items for You:
- Audit your current collaborations: Are you approaching them from a place of "I don't want to do all the work" or "I genuinely want to build something with this specific person"?
- If you work with family or a partner, establish clear communication protocols. What's your version of "business stuff stays in Slack"?
- Before your next collaboration opportunity, ask: Would I still do this if I had to carry the full load? If not, it might not be aligned with your Vision.
Next Episode: Stay tuned for more conversations about building a business and life you actually love—without the burnout.
For full show notes and to connect with us, visit https://besuperabound.com/coachingmixer/ep-21-grateful-not-needy-the-secret-to-healthy-collaboration
Thanks for mixing it up with us! 🍹