64: Burnout, Babies & Building a Business: a Journey to Intentional Entrepreneurship
How do you go from denied time off to running your dream business from Germany?
In this deeply personal and actionable episode of The Accidental CEO Podcast, host Nata Salvatori sits down with Makenna Luban, an email copywriter and the founder of To Live With Intent, to explore her winding path into entrepreneurship—from burnout and frustration to alignment and purpose.
From Utah to Germany (with a baby and a big decision)
Makenna’s journey starts with a string of corporate disappointments: a call center job that promised flexibility but delivered rigid rules, and a tax firm that wouldn’t even give her a real honeymoon. But when pregnancy, health insurance challenges, and a move overseas collided, Makenna knew something had to change.
Spoiler: It did. Big time.
Building a Business Without a Writing Background
What makes Makenna’s story so relatable is how unqualified she felt when starting. She never loved writing in school—but as she dove deeper into marketing, she discovered that effective email copy wasn’t about perfect grammar. It was about storytelling—something she was already doing instinctively.
3 Email Story Types That Convert Like Crazy
Makenna breaks down:
- Brand Stories – What makes you unique and relatable to your dream clients
- Sales Stories – Moments from your life or client experiences that speak directly to buyer objections
- Micro Stories – Small day-to-day moments that build trust and deliver memorable lessons
These strategies not only help her clients convert more—they’ve made her inbox the most valuable part of her business.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to grow an email list intentionally (hint: freebies need to match your offer)
- Why so many email strategies fall flat—and how to fix yours with better storytelling
- Her favorite Facebook groups for sharing lead magnets
- The 80/20 rule for sales vs. nurture emails (and how to do both without burning out)
- Tips on email consistency, automation, and finding the right platform (she recommends ConvertKit or Flodesk!)
Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or a seasoned creative looking to get off the content hamster wheel, this conversation is packed with wisdom, encouragement, and tactical takeaways.
🎁 Bonus: Makenna’s free guide, The Strategy Behind an Effective Weekly Email, gives you everything you need to start writing emails that feel personal—and sell with ease.
Follow Makenna on Instagram: @tolivewithintentions
Grab the Free Email Strategy Guide
Grab Nata’s Buyer’s Journey Email Poll template – Stop guessing, start segmenting.
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