Episode 1: What’s Your ‘Mise en Plan’?
Show Notes:
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the marketing as an entrepreneur—posting, emailing, tweaking your website—but nothing seems to stick, you’re not alone.
In this episode of The Table, I’m sharing why that overwhelm happens (no, it’s not because you’re bad at marketing) and how you can start laying the groundwork for clarity and momentum.
I’ll walk you through the idea of your mise en plan—the essential pieces you need to lay out before you jump into tactics—and the four core ingredients that every effective marketing strategy needs.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why even experienced founders (and billion-dollar brands) get stuck in the swirl
What your “marketing mise en plan” actually is—and why it matters
The four foundational ingredients that make marketing feel simpler and more aligned
How you can get started on assessing your own mise en plan
If you’re tired of feeling scattered and ready to build a marketing approach that actually feels like yours, this episode is your starting point.
Links & Resources:
✨ Book a strategy session
✨ Learn more about Mise en Plan
✨ Connect on Instagram
Subscribe to The Table so you never miss an episode. And if you enjoyed this conversation, I’d love for you to leave a review, it helps even more founders find clarity without the hustle.
Thanks for pulling up a chair with me today. See you next time—I’ll make sure to save you a seat.
Transcript:
Have you ever felt like you're doing all the marketing—posting, emailing, tweaking your website—but it still feels like nothing's actually working? In this episode, I want to talk about why it feels that way and how to start laying the foundation so your marketing finally feels clear, aligned, and effective.
Hi, and welcome to The Table. I'm Dani Henneberger, founder of Mise en Plan and a strategic marketing advisor to founders who are ready to grow their businesses in a way that actually feels like theirs.
Over the past decade, I've worked with everyone from creative solopreneurs to some of the biggest brands in the world, and no matter the size of the business, I've seen the same problem over and over again: we all get so close to our own ideas and marketing, so pressured to just do something, that we forget to step back and lay out the real ingredients that make strategy work.
This podcast is here to help you do exactly that. Here, we're not chasing hustle hacks or jumping on every new tactic. Instead, we’re going to slow down, get clear, and look honestly at what actually moves your business forward.
Today, I'll share more about my story, why I believe clarity is the foundation of any marketing, and what I call your Mise en Plan.
The Essentials: Mise en Plan
The essential pieces you need to set out before you ever pick up the knife or turn on the stove. So let's get into it.
In a past life, I advised some of the biggest brands in the world—household names. You're probably looking at something right now made by a brand I worked with directly. These teams had top talent and all the resources, but they were under massive pressure to keep putting out content, hoping for the best, without really having the time to pause and ask why.
Despite their massive budgets, results weren’t always there.
At the other end, I’ve worked with thousands of small businesses and creative entrepreneurs—doing everything, wearing all the hats, pumping out Instagram posts, blogs, partnerships, emails, freebies, launches, podcasts, you name it. They felt like they had to do it all because that’s what the “bizfluencers” said was the path to success. Of course, it’s exhausting. Nothing really sticks, because nobody pauses to step back and wonder if what they’re doing is actually right for them.
If that sounds like you, know you’re not alone. I’m a marketer and I feel the pressure too. But I’m also a business owner, just like you, and there isn’t time or energy for endless marketing.
So here’s the truth: It doesn’t matter if you’re a solopreneur or a billion-dollar brand. When you’re too close to your own business, it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. The result: over-complication, under-delivery.
The Solution? Your Mise en Plan
What’s the answer? It’s your Mise en Plan.
“Mise en Plan” comes from “mise en place,” a culinary term meaning “everything in its place.” In the kitchen, chefs prep every ingredient ahead of time so cooking is smooth, seamless, and waste-free. Businesses should do the same: lay out your ingredients before you start posting, launching, or creating content.
Most entrepreneurs miss this step and wind up “throwing spaghetti at the wall.”
Your Mise en Plan is your marketing foundation. It’s what you need in place before you start doing.
Every business, big or small, has four core ingredients that make up your Mise en Plan:
Customers:
Who are you serving? What do they truly care about? Beyond demographics—what is their emotional reality? What are their goals and pain points? If you’re unclear on this, your message will always be generic or miss the mark.Offers:
What exactly are you selling, and why does it matter? Your offer must be clear to you, so it’s clear to your customer. What is the clear transformation you provide?Message:
How do you talk about what you do? Are you clear, specific, and consistent? Does your voice feel like you? If your messaging is muddy and doesn’t speak directly to your customers or reflect your offers, connection won’t happen.Channels:
Where are you showing up? Are you everywhere—or strategically where your customers actually are? If you try to chase every channel, you’ll burn out. Even big brands need to be selective and intentional.
When these four pieces are clear, marketing feels much simpler. You know what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, for whom, and how you’ll connect.
Putting It Into Practice
So, if you’re ever feeling lost about your offer, unsure who your clients are, or unclear about your message, these are your ingredients to focus on.
Ask yourself:
Who is my ideal customer, and what’s most important to them?
What am I offering them, and what transformation am I delivering?
What’s the message I’ll use to communicate that?
What channels are best for reaching my audience efficiently and meaningfully?
If you’re pouring endless energy into the wrong channel, it just leads to burnout—not results.
If your marketing feels like a pile of half-finished ideas or you’re “throwing spaghetti at the wall,” you’re in the right place.
Identify which ingredient is murkiest for you right now—and, if you want help clarifying your Mise en Plan, check the show notes for a link to book a strategy call with me. I’d love to help you get clear and find actionable ideas to move forward.
Of course, hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode. I’m excited to talk more about understanding your customers next time.
Thanks for pulling up a chair with me at The Table—I’ll save you a seat for the next round.
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