💪Girl dad 🛋️Psychologist 🌅I pulled back from a prestigious (but overworked) clinical path to design a 6-figure career around my family 🤝🏾I help therapists build and make money from their online courses and podcasts

I didn’t come from a family of entrepreneurs or business owners.
I thought I’d spend my life doing therapy work.

But in 2015, a snowstorm changed everything.

The power went out. Roads froze over.
I had to cancel 21 therapy sessions in one week.

We were saving for our first home.
And just like that, my income was gone.

That week I asked myself:

👉 What kind of business really supports the life I want?

A few months later, I started the Selling the Couch podcast.
It didn’t blow up overnight. But step by step, it grew into:
	•	🎙 One of the top 0.5% podcasts in the world
	•	🌍 1.82M+ downloads in 100+ countries
	•	💛 A quiet community of thoughtful therapists and founders

Then life shifted again.
Our daughter was born 8 weeks early.
The sound of NICU machines is something I’ll never forget.

That season taught me this:
It’s not just what you build.
It’s how you build—and who you become while building.

⸻

Now I help others create businesses that fit their lives:

✅ 245+ therapists launched podcasts ($344,000+ in course sales)
✅ 50+ founders built courses inside my mastermind ($300,000+ earned)
✅ I’ve shaped my own business around hiking, deep work, church, golf, and unhurried time with loved ones.

Here’s the truth:
Good work doesn’t always speak for itself.
People need to see it.

But you don’t have to hustle or burn out to be seen.

If you’re a therapist, quiet founder, parent, or leader who wants to grow without losing yourself—I’d love to connect.

🟡 I share stories and lessons on slow growth each week
🟡 Follow for simple, calm business ideas
🟡 My DMs are open

And if you want to go deeper—

I write The Quiet Builder:
A paid newsletter for thoughtful builders.
$97/year. Two soulful issues a month.
It’s for people who want to grow slow—but strong—even in uncertain times.

👉 sellingthecouch.com/quietbuilder

Because that snowstorm taught me one thing:

A business worth building protects your life.
It doesn’t swallow it.

Melvin Varghese, PhD

🍁 𝗔𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲

Hi friends —
I’ll be stepping away from social for the rest of the week, but before I go, I wanted to say a quiet, heartfelt thank you.

If you’re here in the U.S., I hope this season brings you:
🌿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁
🥧 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱
🫶 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

And wherever you are in the world —
thank you for being part of this little corner of the internet for Quiet Builders...
where we value depth over noise and steady growth over spectacle.

⸻

🌱 𝗔 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 (𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼)

Over the past two years, I’ve started to move many of my online connections into real-life conversations.
📞 Phone calls
🤝 Sometimes longer collaborations.
💬 Sometimes simply human connection.

If we’ve had a call this year, thank you.
These moments matter more than metrics.

⸻

📣 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻… 𝗔 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀

We’re hosting a new, free workshop:

🧠 How to AI-Proof Your Online Course Idea
📅 Wednesday, December 10
🔗 https://lnkd.in/edPNSaqu

It’s for therapists who are:
→ Building their first course
→ Revisiting something they’ve already created
→ Or trying to future-proof their income stream without hustle

I’ll be sharing:
🧩 What I’ve learned from working with 50+ therapist course creators
🧠 How to think strategically about content and longevity
💡 What actually works in this shifting economy

⸻

🍂 𝗨𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻…

Wishing you a warm, grounded Thanksgiving.

Let’s keep building slow, meaningful things —
Together. Quietly. 🙂

Melvin Varghese PhD

💪 Girl dad + Psychologist + New Golfer ⛳ Helping therapists & quiet builders grow calm, strong businesses ✍🏽 Sharing slow growth lessons since 2015

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You don’t have to launch like that again.

Even if it worked.
Even if it made you money.
Even if people said it looked successful.

In our mastermind, one-course creator shared something raw:

“𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥... 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦.”

It’s easy to build strategies that check the boxes…

But miss your body’s wisdom.

Burnout isn’t always loud.
Sometimes it hides in polished slides and packed calendars.

Here’s your permission slip :

The next launch can feel aligned, calm, and gentle. You get to create it on your terms.

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹.
Not a newsletter.
Not a story.

Just a quiet announcement:

We’re opening enrollment for 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 in Dec, a new community for therapists shifting from clinical work to online income.

No funnel.
No urgency countdown.
Just a Notion page and a simple “Join the interest list if it speaks to you.”

We’re taking 50 people max, including beta members.
As of this morning, 20 are already on the list.

Will all 20 join? Probably not.
But honestly, that wasn’t the most surprising part.

What surprised me was 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹.

Encouraged.
Not just by the numbers.
But by what those numbers confirmed.

⸻

When I started Selling the Couch 10 years ago, wise mentors told me:

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁.”

I didn’t get it then.
But I do now.

93% of everything I’ve ever sold has come from email.
Not social media.
Not a Reel.
Not a carousel.
Not even a post like this one.

Podcast → email → product.
That’s been the path all along.

And it’s led to two products each crossing $400,000 in lifetime revenue —
proof that quiet trust can still build big things.

⸻

And now that I see it... I want to protect it.
To tend to it.

But I’m still unsure what “growth” looks like.
Everyone talks about viral lead magnets.
And maybe I’ll try one someday.
But when I download them, I rarely read them.
And when I see creators push one every week, something in me trusts them less.
It’s like watching someone yell “value!” instead of simply offering it.

⸻

Launching something new — even with past success — is still scary.
But this week reminded me of something I’ve quietly believed all along:

𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴.
And slow can still scale — if it’s built on the right foundation.

Haven will grow slowly.
That’s by design.

Because I’m in a season of
→ Raising a daughter
→ Caring for aging parents
→ Practicing golf
→ Writing books
→ And building something that gives me space, too.

If that resonates, we’ll have more to share in the weeks ahead.

But for now, I just wanted to share that little Monday moment.

Sometimes the strongest signal isn’t a viral post.
It’s an email with no subject line gimmick.
And 20 people saying quietly:
“I’m interested.”

Every course starts with one small lesson.

It might not feel like much, but 1% progress beats 0% every time.

But there's something safe about staying in that 0%.

Each step you take gets you closer to your finished course.

Consistency compounds. Keep going—you’re building something valuable.

How are you moving 1% forward today?

Hi all. We’re opening up 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 for the Selling the Couch podcast. 🎙️

Several of our long-time partners have already renewed, so we’re down to our 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 TWO 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 for the year.

If you run a company that serves mental health therapists and want to:

✅ Reach a highly engaged, values-aligned audience
✅ Build long-term trust through story-driven content
✅ Partner with a show that therapists have trusted for over a decade

— I’d love to explore a fit.

⸻

The STC Podcast is now in its 𝟭𝟭𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿:
🎧 400+ episodes
🌎 2 million downloads
📈 Ranked in the 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟬.𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆

We’ve proudly partnered with companies like 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘄𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗮, 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹, and would love to add yours to that list. 🙂
⸻

📌 You’ll find a link to our 2026 sponsorship sheet at the top of my profile.
🎥 I’ve also included a short behind-the-scenes video to show how we produce and promote sponsor content.

With full in-house audio + video editing, your message reaches:
→ Podcast listeners
→ YouTube viewers
→ 𝟯,𝟰𝟬𝟬+ 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀

If you’re interested, please 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗗𝗠 with the subject line:
👉 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

Let’s create something meaningful together. <3

There’s a kind of exhaustion that has nothing to do with how full your calendar is.

I recently experienced this with our most recent mastermind launch. 

You can have every email scheduled.
Every launch piece in place.

And still feel like you’re moving through molasses.

It’s not the logistics.
It’s the emotional weight behind the scenes.

An argument at home.
A parenting moment that wrecked you.
A deep fatigue you can’t name.

These are the parts of business no one teaches us to plan for.

But they’re the very things that impact our capacity to show up.

Grace has to be part of the business model.

Especially when life is happening behind the content.

🔥 I’ve been thinking a lot about a phrase lately:
𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲.

It’s how I’d describe so many of us building things quietly —
Not for show.
Not for scale-at-all-costs.
But for meaning, health, and longevity.

Not the burn-it-down kind of fire.
The kiln kind.
Steady, intentional, high heat that reshapes things permanently.

⸻

This mindset has been quietly shaping everything I build.

🧱 Earlier this year, I launched the 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 — a $97/year letter for people building long-game, life-first businesses.

We’re now at 59 paying members with ~80% open rates per issue.
Not huge revenue.
But huge signal.

It tells me Quiet Builders are out there.
People who crave stillness, not spin.
Depth, not dopamine.

https://lnkd.in/ekm_yFtG
⸻

Next year, I’ll be rolling out something new:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵.

It’s a private, 1-day golf experience for high-performing people in high-pressure roles —
surgeons, investors, operators, pilots, founders —
who need their 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 when the stakes are real.

We use 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹,
𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺,
and 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 to create one of the most personalized executive coaching days available.

⸻

Quiet fire isn’t fast.
But it compounds.
And what it builds tends to last.

For years, I tried to squeeze more in.

More productivity.
More hours.
More blocks on the calendar.

Because that’s what we’re taught, right?

Maximize every minute.
Fill every open slot.
Push to the edge.

But somewhere along the way, I realized something I didn’t expect:

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲.
𝗜𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻.

The space between.

Today—after nearly a decade of trial and error—I work a rhythm that finally honors my brain and my body.

🕘 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Deep work
🥾 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. – Daily hike in the woods
😴 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Power nap + school pickup
🎨 3:30 to 5 p.m. – Creative time

I work Monday through Thursday.
And I build margin into every day.

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜’𝗺 𝗹𝗮𝘇𝘆.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲.

If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends—
consider this your permission to leave some space.

🟡 This week’s podcast unpacks this idea in more depth: https://lnkd.in/e-nM3qu3

Excited to announce a new partnership with the Kartra team! 🎉

Honestly, if you told me 9 years ago that I’d have opportunities like this, I wouldn’t have believed it.

Kartra has been the backbone of Selling The Couch, and I can’t imagine running STC without it.

Here’s what it powers for us:
📧 Our email list
🎓 Online courses
📊 Surveys
🎥 Video hosting
...and more things I’m probably forgetting!

The Kartra team has been incredible to work with, and they’ve hooked us up with a special deal for the STC community.

If you’re a therapist or business owner looking for an all-in-one platform, it’s worth checking out.

➡️ sellingthecouch.com/kartra

P.S. For full transparency, this is an affiliate link. I only recommend products I’ve personally used or whose teams I trust to stand behind STC’s mission and my name. 😊

I remember the first time I thought about starting a podcast.

Before I ever hit record, there was a deeper fear running the show:

“What if I share my voice... and people judge it?”

I didn’t have a "radio voice."
I stumbled over my words.
I worried I’d say something wrong—or worse, not say anything worth hearing.

But here’s what I learned:

Visibility feels scary because it 𝘪𝘴 vulnerable.

And if you’ve been trained to stay small or quiet, stepping up can feel unnatural.

But your lived experience has power.

And someone is waiting to hear your perspective in your voice—not a polished version.

If you’re a therapist thinking about podcasting but holding back because of fear, I created something that might help:

🎙️ From Therapist to Thought Leader: Why Podcasting Could Be Your Next Big Move

It’s a free workshop that covers how to start a podcast grounded in purpose—not performance. 🙂

You can find it at the top of my profile or at:
https://lnkd.in/eXCZAmhb

500+ clients getting found on Google | Founder of Clapping Dog Media → The Transparent SEO Agency

If you’re only focused on ranking on Google, you’re already behind.

AI search doesn’t care about your page titles—it cares about your authority, your expertise, and how the internet talks about you.

If you’re a successful business owner, this might sound familiar:

You’re great at what you do. Your clients love you.
You’ve built something solid through word of mouth and referrals.

But now… growth feels stuck.

You’re not reaching new people who need you — because they don’t even know you exist.

So you tried to fix it:
➡️ Running ads — expensive, inconsistent, and underwhelming.
➡️ Hiring for SEO — but you weren’t sure what they did, and didn’t see results.
➡️ Posting Reels, Shorts, or TikToks — but it felt forced and inauthentic.

Still, nothing’s moving the needle. And referrals? They’re slowing down.

The truth:
It’s not you.
You’re just invisible in the new search landscape.

Because today, it’s not just Google deciding who gets found.
It’s AI-powered search systems — tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Bing Copilot — that surface the most trusted sources.

👋 Hi, I’m Meg — Founder of Clapping Dog Media.

For over a decade, I’ve helped 500+ small and local businesses become discoverable online.
From Orthodontists and Therapists to Design and Build Firms and Landscapers — I help experts like you be found everywhere people search.

At Clapping Dog Media, we build AI + Google Visibility Systems that future-proof your reach.
Our approach is transparent, collaborative, and proven to get results like:

🔥 Ranking on Page 1 for Sarah Seven’s main keyword
🔥 40+ new patients a month for Manhattan Valley Pediatrics
🔥 37% increase in organic traffic in 2 months for BirthFit

When your business is recognized as the expert — by both people and AI — everything changes.
Leads flow in. Visibility compounds. Growth feels easy again.

If you’re ready to be found everywhere people search —
let’s map out your AI + Google Visibility Plan today.

Meg Clarke

My business is changing… and this time, it’s not just me changing it.

Sometimes we evolve because we want to.
Other times the industry forces our hand.
Right now, it’s both.
And instead of downplaying it (because yes, I get self-conscious about “always changing”) — I’m leaning all the way in.

Here’s the pattern I’m seeing with my business and my clients:
📌 We want more visibility
 📌 We want more of the right clients
 📌 We want “growth” (money? clients? team? time back? all of the above?)

But at the same time… we’re exhausted.

The world is bananas.
Marketing is in constant flux — what used to work doesn’t.
Systems are duct-taped together.
We’re doing all of the things, but none of it particularly well.

It becomes quiet self-sabotage.

This was real for me ⬇️
 “I want new clients… but I don’t actually have the bandwidth for more.”
 “I want to grow… but everything feels too hard and I don’t want to hire.”

That gap — the desire for growth and the heaviness underneath —
 is what pushed me to rethink ...everything.

And that led me somewhere completely new:
I’m no longer just doing SEO.
I’m no longer just doing AI visibility.
I’m no longer just building systems.
I’m merging all three — because that’s what actually works.

This convergence has allowed me to get more clients,
charge more money,
and (the kicker)… have more time.

➡️ SEO helps Google understand who you are.
➡️ AI SEO helps ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity understand who you are.
➡️ AI systems help your business deliver at the level your clients expect — while giving you your time back.

Plus… building AI into your business systems is really fun.

This is how you attract more of the right clients —
and support them without burning out.

My business isn’t just changing.
It’s upleveling.

I Help Local Businesses Get Found on Google + AI | Founder, Clapping Dog Media | Trusted by 500+ Local Businesses

AI can feel overwhelming—until you try this.

Every evening, I take the dogs for a long walk, pop in my earbuds, and talk to Sofie (my AI assistant).

Using voice mode in ChatGPT, I just… talk.

Yesterday we mapped out a new offer. Over the weekend? We identified gaps in my boundaries and processes.

The more I use it, the more useful it becomes—especially as an oral processor.
If AI has felt too technical or impersonal for you… try walking and talking. It’s shockingly good.

What’s one surprisingly human way you’re using AI?


----------
👏🏼 Hi. I am Meg. For the last zillion years I have helped clients grow their organic traffic. Now, I am helping clients get recommended by AI and using AI to make their marketing fun and delightful.

AI helps people trust you.
Google helps people find you.
The future of SEO isn’t about rankings —
it’s about being recommended.
Here’s how “AI Visibility” flips the playbook 👇

Two business owners start exploring AI.

One experiments fearlessly — trying tools, learning fast, making messy progress.

The other waits until it’s “safe,” “proven,” or “perfect.”

A year later, guess which one’s ahead?

Recent studies show that women are 25% less likely to adopt AI tools than men.
Not because we can’t. Not because we don’t understand it.

But because we’ve been taught to be cautious — to wait until it’s ready.

⏰ AI isn’t waiting.

It’s already reshaping how businesses operate, how teams are managed, and how leaders make decisions.

And if we sit on the sidelines, we miss the chance to shape it our way.

We have an opportunity — not just to use AI, but to lead with it:
 • Streamline the parts of work that slow us down
 • Empower our teams with smarter tools and sharper insights
 • Create products and services that serve our customers more deeply and efficiently

AI doesn’t replace your creativity, empathy, or vision.
It amplifies them — if you let it.

So my message to every woman running a business:
Don’t shy away from AI.
Own it. Learn it. Shape it.

Use it not just to improve your workflow, but to lift your people, sharpen your strategy, and strengthen your impact.

Because when women lead with AI — we make technology more human.

📌  this is the conversation every woman-led business should be having.

Want to show up when people ask ChatGPT who’s best near me? — Start here.

Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are quietly becoming the new local recommendation engines.

They read your website, your reviews, and your reputation — and decide who to recommend.

Here are 10 quick, no-code ways to help them pick you 👇

1️⃣ Update your Google Business Profile
Make sure your name, address, hours, and reviews are accurate. AI tools pull this data first.
2️⃣ Add a FAQ section to your website
Answer 5–7 questions your customers actually ask (AI loves Q&A formats).
3️⃣ Use plain language on your site
Say “We’re a family dentist in Denver” instead of “We provide comprehensive oral health solutions.”
4️⃣ Add ‘LocalBusiness’ schema
If you’re on WordPress, use Yoast or RankMath to add this — it helps AI confirm your location and services.
5️⃣ Mention your city and service area naturally
In your homepage copy, footer, and blog posts — e.g. “Serving families in Leesburg and Loudoun County.”
6️⃣ Get a few new Google reviews this month
Bonus points if reviewers mention your service and city by name (“Best yoga studio in Reston!”).
7️⃣ Add an “About Our Team” page
Include real names, credentials, and photos — AI uses this to verify expertise.
8️⃣ Write one blog post that answers a real buyer question
Example: “What should I look for in a pediatric dentist?” or “How much does lawn care cost in Northern Virginia?”
9️⃣ Link out to credible sources
Google — and AI — see you as more trustworthy when you cite other reputable sites.
🔟 List your business on 2–3 local directories
Think Yelp, Nextdoor, local Chamber pages. AI models check those listings for validation.

You don’t need to “chase” AI — just make it easier for it to trust and understand you.

💾 Save this post as your “AI Visibility Checklist”
🔁 Share it with a local business owner who needs to see this


---------
Hi. I am Meg. If you are worried that you are going to get lost in AI Visibility, follow along. I will help you be found.

In a year, you won’t ask “How do I get my business to rank on Google?”
You’ll ask your AI assistant to do it for you.


A few weeks ago, I sat in an AI marketing conference — and my brain exploded. 

I’ve been in SEO for more than a decade, helping dentists, therapists, and clinics get found online.

And for the first time, I realized:

AI isn’t just changing how we do SEO — it’s changing who does it.

Soon, every business will have its own personal AI assistant trained on its website, brand voice, and client base.

At the conference, I watched someone build one live.

They uploaded their content, tone guide, and service list.

Within minutes, the assistant could:
✅ Write a blog that sounded exactly like them
✅ Generate Google Business Profile updates
✅ Respond to FAQs with perfect accuracy
✅ Suggest local keywords patients actually search

And just like that — the “SEO to-do list” became a conversation with your own AI.

Here’s what this means for local businesses:
1️⃣ You’ll spend less time guessing what to post — your assistant will tell you.
2️⃣ You’ll finally sound consistent across your website, blog, and Google listing.
3️⃣ You’ll show up more often — because AI will optimize every word for visibility.

For agencies like mine, this means shifting from “doing SEO for you” → to “building tools that think like you.”

We’ll teach your AI assistant how to represent your practice online — your tone, your services, your values.

The question isn’t if you’ll use AI to grow your local visibility.
It’s how personally trained your AI assistant will be.

AI isn’t just changing search — it’s changing how people find local businesses.
When someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini:

“Who’s the best yoga studio near me?”
“Top dentists in Leesburg?”

AI doesn’t guess.

It pulls from Google Business Profiles — the same listings you may have set up years ago (and haven’t touched since 😬).

If it’s complete, current, and consistent, AI tools can confidently recommend you.

Update Google Business Profile

6 Pain Points Local Businesses Have with AI Search (and How to Fix Them)

Here are the 6 biggest challenges:

1️⃣ “We used to show up on Google — now traffic is down.”
AI assistants answer questions without clicks.
Even if you rank #1, fewer people visit your site.
💡 Fix: Optimize for mentions, not just rankings.
Add clear “who/what/where” statements so AI can quote or recommend you.

2️⃣ “ChatGPT doesn’t even know we exist.”
AI relies on structured, trusted data — like Google Business Profiles, schema, and reviews.
💡 Fix: Make sure your profile is fully filled out and add LocalBusiness schema so AI can “read” your info.

3️⃣ “We can’t track AI traffic.”
There’s no “ChatGPT Analytics” (yet).
💡 Fix: Watch proxy metrics —
Conversational queries in GSC
Branded search growth
“Direct” traffic increases
Screenshots of AI mentions

4️⃣ “Our competitors keep getting mentioned.”
AI favors trusted, well-cited businesses.
💡 Fix: Build digital trust: earn reviews, local press, citations, and links from credible sites (e.g., Chamber of Commerce, community blogs).

5️⃣ “We don’t know what content works for AI.”
AI tools pull from helpful, conversational content — not fluff.
💡 Fix: Create content that answers real questions:
“What should I look for in a family dentist?”
“How much does lawn care cost in Leesburg?”

6️⃣ “It’s one more thing to manage.”
You’re already keeping up with Google, reviews, and social — now AI feels like another algorithm.
💡 Fix: Don’t reinvent the wheel.
Just make your existing SEO work AI-friendly: clearer copy, FAQs, consistent data, updated profiles.

💬 The bottom line:
AI search isn’t replacing Google —
it’s layering on top of it.
If Google helps people find you,
AI helps them choose you.

💾 Save this post to share with your clients. Click the bell so you don't miss a tip.

It was such a fun conversation with Kari Lotzien. Grateful for the chance to break down what’s actually working for small business visibility right now—especially with AI changing the landscape so quickly. Thanks again for having me!

Business & Leadership Coach, Podcast Host, Occupational Therapist. I help small business owners build and scale without getting up at 5am or constantly multitasking. Private executive coaching and leadership training.

It’s here! New episode now LIVE! 🎙️
I sat down with SEO and AI visibility expert Meg Clarke of Clapping Dog Media to unpack what’s actually working in online visibility right now and how AI is changing the game for small businesses.

In this episode:
→ Why AI rewards clarity & consistency
→ How to get your business recommended by tools like ChatGPT
→ Why your personal Instagram might be confusing your brand
→ The SEO strategies that matter in 2025 (and what to ditch)
→ How to use custom GPTs to get your time back

If you’re tired of chasing algorithms and want a visibility strategy that feels human, this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now: https://tr.ee/TZuYlFSNe_

#BeTheAnchor #SmallBusinessMarketing #AIandSEO #DigitalVisibility #WomenInBusiness #BusinessMindset #ThoughtLeadership #EntrepreneurLife #LeadershipPodcast #AI

For 10+ years, Google was the star of the show.

That has totally changed:
➡️ AI Overviews are replacing Google results
➡️ ChatGPT + Gemini are recommending businesses
➡️ The buyer journey is now happening in the dark funnel

So in 2026, I’m launching something new:

A fully integrated SEO → AI Search → AI Ecosystem service.

Think:
 Getting recommended by AI
 Solid SEO foundations
 Custom GPTs + automations to support your business growth
 A marketing system that supports you 24/7

It’s empowering, fun, and leveled up — without being out of reach.

But I don't know what to call this service.  
I need help. 
Visibility is a weird word. Isn't it? Or no?
I don't like all of the acronyms (AEO, AISEO...) 

Share your favorite or add another idea in the comments.

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

Raise your hand if your whole life is also managed in Asana? 🙋🏼‍♀️

Asana just announced Asana for ChatGPT, a new integration that lets you plan tasks, manage projects, and check on work status directly inside ChatGPT.

Starting December 15, users can authenticate their Asana account and stay fully in the flow—no tab switching, no friction. 🙌

For admins, this is an optional app integration (not part of Asana AI), and you can manage org-wide access in your Admin Console or opt out if needed.

Want the full details? 

Check out Asana’s Help Center for the breakdown.
Loving how tools like Asana continue to build bridges between productivity and AI.

I used AI way more than I expected over Thanksgiving…
including to save my bread!

On Thanksgiving, I was baking two loaves of sour dough(ish) bread before heading to my sister Molly’s house for dinner, and halfway through I realized I had completely forgotten to fold the dough.

If you bake bread, you know this is… not great.
(Folding = airy, structured, delicious.
 Not folding = a mystery loaf.)

So I asked ChatGPT:

“What happens if I forget to fold the dough in Ken Forkish’s Saturday White Bread recipe?”

And it gave me an actual, sensible, cross-referenced answer.

The result?

Warm, golden, perfectly delicious bread that made me look like I had my life together.

(Read: I did not.)

AI isn’t just for “work.”
It’s a really useful, practical tool for everyday life AND business growth.

So this week, I launched something new:
📣 My weekly newsletter: Found by AI
Every Sunday, I share one simple, non-technical AI tip to help you:
Get found by ChatGPT + Google’s AI Overviews
Improve your visibility
And use AI in ways that actually make life easier

If you’re curious how AI can actually make your work and life smoother—not more complicated—you can subscribe here:

Open article: Sign up and get a custom website review by clappingdogmedia.com

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