What Costa Rica reminded me about Instagram strategy

When this newsletter lands in your inbox, I’ll be two days into a week-long trip to Costa Rica.

For many of you, you know this was home for me for nearly a decade. This time, I’ve flown down as a guest facilitator for a women’s real estate retreat; speaking on nourishment, intuitive eating, breathwork, and what it actually means to care for the woman who leads.

Because these women are leading empires in their own right.

I came down a couple days early to soak up the sun and sand, to reconnect with a few old friends, and to let my nervous system remember a place that once held so much of my life.

I’m in a very different season now. Living in Canada again. Raising young kids. Building a business in a new direction. And I’ve had to grieve what that shift has meant.

Not just logistically, but socially.

Moving back to Canada meant accepting that I would become out of sight, out of mind for some people I once saw every week. That certain friendships would naturally evolve… or dissolve. And that even though I’m hopeful about building community here, making deep friendships as an adult (especially as a Gen X mom with little kids) is no joke.

And all of this mirrors business more than we admit.

As I’ve moved into digital marketing work, my social media following and newsletter list have shifted too. Some people who resonated with my old work no longer do. They unfollow. New people arrive; slowly, intentionally - who are here for this chapter.

I’m not upset that my follower count isn’t skyrocketing.

Because what I’m seeing instead is alignment.

Roughly the same number of people leave as arrive. And the people who stay or come in; are actually here to learn from me. To work with me. To have conversations that make sense for where I am now.

This is something we don’t talk about enough.

When you make a values-driven change; in life or in business — there is always fallout. Social circles shift. Audiences recalibrate.

And if you’re paying attention, that “plateau” you’re afraid of?It’s often just your ecosystem reorganizing.

Which brings me to Instagram.

So many entrepreneurs panic when numbers don’t climb fast enough. They chase tactics. Hacks. Trends. Without first asking: Who am I actually here for now?

(read on)

🎙️ New Podcast Episode: Instagram Best Practices for Entrepreneurs Who Are Marketing on Instagram

 

This week’s episode is for anyone who’s using Instagram for business; but knows, deep down, that they’re not actually being strategic.

Not because you’re lazy.Not because you’re “bad at marketing.”But because no one ever really taught you the basics.

In this episode of Analog Girls, Digital World, I’m breaking down Instagram best practices for entrepreneurs who are marketing on Instagram - and I want to be very clear about what this is and what it isn’t.

This is not an episode about hacking the algorithm.It’s not about posting every day. 

And it’s definitely not about chasing trends that disappear in two weeks.

It is an Instagram 101 conversation; the foundational stuff most business owners skip, even though it directly affects whether Instagram actually works for them.

We cover things like:

• Whether Instagram is even the right platform for your audience

• The different content formats and what each one is actually for

• Basic sizing, specs, and technical details that quietly affect trust

• How to write captions that sound human; even if you use AI

• How often to post without burning yourself out

• And the three pinned post strategy almost no one uses properly

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “doing Instagram” but not really getting anywhere - this episode will help you clean things up, simplify your approach, and start using the platform with intention instead of guesswork.

You can listen to the episode below, or read the full blog version if that’s more your speed.

And if nothing else, let this be your permission slip to stop trying to do everything; and start doing the right things, consistently.

🎧 You can listen to the episode here. 📖 Or read the blog version 

With love and strategy,