Hey Reader,

If you got a weird or partial email from me recently… my bad. I’ve been switching email platforms, and while I’d love to say it was smooth and seamless, the truth is even pros screw it up sometimes. Thanks for hanging in there.

Now that we’re on steadier ground, I wanted to take a sec to reintroduce myself and share what you can expect going forward.

So let’s start fresh.

Hi, I'm Dusti.

I work with service-based small business owners to help them build Referral Worthy businesses - the kind that run on relationships, not algorithms. That means clarity in your positioning, a client experience that gets people talking, and simple, sustainable marketing systems that grow your reputation with intention.

If you’re here, it probably means you’ve already decided that you care more about trust than trends. Same.

And that's why this newsletter now has a name: Trust Signals.

If you’ve been around for a while, that probably feels like a natural evolution. That’s because it is.

Here’s what you’ll find inside Trust Signals:

• Referral Worthy business design. The kind that runs on integrity, delivers a standout client experience every time, and makes it easy for people to send more of the right folks your way. It’s about building at the speed of trust, not the pace of a panic attack.
• People-first strategy. I work with small business owners because this work is still people to people - and it should be. No matter how much tech we use, the human element isn’t optional. It’s the point.
• A full, integrated life. From time to time, you’ll hear about the other things I’m building - like Hearth & Hollow, a hyperlocal project getting edible plant starts into more hands and helping my community grow its own resilience. I’ll also share what I’m part of - from The Failure Ball, where I serve on the board raising money for mental health support, to The Common Wealth Collective, where we’re rethinking business, leadership and what it really means to belong.

Why the Platform Change?

Put simply: the old platform (ActiveCampaign) raised prices, tanked customer support, and started prioritizing half-baked AI features nobody asked for over basics that actually work.

That’s the opposite of Referral Worthy, and I’m not in the business of promoting tools that treat small businesses like an afterthought.

This is a values-based business. Always has been.

And if you’re still reading, I want you to know this: everything I write here is in service to your clarity, your momentum, and your capacity to stay rooted in a business that’s truly yours.

Because we don’t need more noise. We need deeper trust. And the confidence to do things our own way.

Thanks for being here.