01. Where the Hell I’ve Been for Two Years

Where the Hell I’ve Been for Two Years

Two years ago I basically disappeared from the internet.

No new podcast episodes.
No big content pushes.
No constant marketing.

And if you knew my business before that, you probably wondered what the hell happened.

In this first episode of the Boss Lady Social Podcast relaunch, I’m sharing the real story behind why I stepped away from the online business world, what changed when I became a mom, and why I’m coming back now with a completely different perspective on building a business.

Because here’s the truth most people don’t say out loud:

Growing followers and posting content does not automatically build a profitable business.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why I stepped away from the internet for two years
• Why social media is NOT the business
• What actually makes an online business profitable
• Why I’m bringing this podcast back

If you’re an ambitious woman or mom building an online business and you feel like you’re doing everything but your business still isn’t scaling, this podcast is for you.

This show is about building a business that gives you time freedom, money freedom, and control over your life, not one that burns you out.

Welcome back to Boss Lady Social.

Let’s get into it.

P.S. let's be friends on Instagram www.instagram.com/courtneydavini 

Transcript

Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the new era of the Boss Lady Social.

If you’re new here and don’t know who the heck I am, my name is now, because I got married, Courtney Davini.

I used to have over 50 episodes on this podcast, over 10,000 downloads, and then I had some crazy shit happen in my life, and I disappeared from this part of the internet.

Today, I’m not only back, but I’m going to be sharing where I’ve been and why I decided to bring the podcast back.

This year will be nine years full-time in business. Not a lot of people can say they quit their day job, well technically I was fired, but whatever, same thing, and then went full-time and never looked back.

It’s crazy to me that next year will be a decade. We’re going to have to do something really big because that’s a big deal.

My business has given me so many opportunities. I’ve traveled the world, I’ve been able to be home with my daughter, be home with my husband, and buy a freaking house.

I am literally sitting in the hallway right now because my husband is asleep and so is my child. I’m sitting on the ground in the hallway of the home that I purchased with my business, and that is crazy to me.

A lot of people start businesses and never get to be here, and here I am.

We’re about to have been in this house for five years, and I bought it because of my business.

I technically started in the online space 13 years ago, but I’ve been full-time for nine.

The very first thing I ever wanted to do was be a beauty YouTuber. You guys remember that era in like 2012, 2013? I wanted to do that. I’ve always been very girly, very bougie, very extra, and I love makeup.

So I sat down and recorded approximately one YouTube video and decided video editing was not for me.

I am good on camera, I’ve gone viral many times, but long-form video editing is just not my thing.

So I pivoted.

I became a personal chef. Food has always been a love language of mine. I love cooking for people I care about.

I started a blog called Food Court, and very quickly realized I had so much more to talk about than just food.

So I created another blog called The Fancy Sister.

I’m one of four girls, and I’ve always been the most extra. So I leaned into that and started creating content around lifestyle, hosting, DIY, and more.

When I bought my house, I renovated it almost completely myself. My dad was a contractor, so I grew up around it.

I renovated my kitchen, my bathroom, built-ins, and even worked on my daughter’s nursery while six months pregnant, literally cutting wood in the Lowe’s parking lot.

Then I started dabbling in influencing.

I remember my first brand deal. I didn’t even get paid, but I got free product worth hundreds of dollars, and something clicked.

I thought, “Wait… I can do this.”

At the time, I was working as a nanny. I was in a blogging Facebook group, and someone posted that they got 100 page views in their first month.

I called my husband and asked what that even meant.

He pulled up Google Analytics, got quiet, and then told me I had 14,000 page views in my first month.

That moment changed everything.

I realized something I was doing was working.

So I reverse engineered it.

That’s when I discovered hashtags and how powerful they were at the time.

And that’s how my business, The Hashtag Files, was born.

It became a membership. We built a team of 16 people. We created a library of high-performing hashtags.

We had over 10,000 customers and built a million-dollar business from a $35 product.

But then everything changed.

We invested $100,000 into building a custom web app… and the developer stole the code.

Overnight, my business was gone.

That season broke me.

We went into bankruptcy. We ended up on food stamps.

And the day after court… I found out I was pregnant with my daughter.

That contrast changed me forever.

Over the last year, I’ve taken time to heal, step away, and rebuild.

And what I’ve learned is this:

Social media is not the business.

Content alone does not build revenue.

Systems matter more than posting.

Focus beats chasing trends.

There are so many smart, capable women out there working their asses off… but not scaling.

And it’s not because they need more followers.

It’s because they need strategy.

So I’m back.

I’m taking my power back.

And this podcast is here to help you do the same.

If you’re working hard but not seeing results… if you feel stuck… if you know you’re capable of more…

This podcast is for you.