Bump to Business Owner

The question I get asked the most by Virtual Assistants is: 'How do I find clients?' There is no secret recipe - it takes time, it takes work, and it takes trying things out. I'm sharing how I found my first client, where I've invested money and time to find them and the one thing that really sets me apart when it comes to sales. In December I'm hosting a panel for the Strategic PA Network: Client...

I came close to cancelling the podcast. In this episode I tell you why, and why I think it's healthy to reevaluate every so often as a business owner. But we're back! And with something slightly different. A miniseries for my Assistant community especially, but with a lot of value for anyone starting a business. This week I'm sharing my tips for Inbox Zero - why it's so important and how to get th...

Have you heard of operational overload? Maybe not, but chances are you know how it feels. This week my guests are Nonie White and Yvonne Biggins of Positive Entrepreneurship, authors of the The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship report.  The report makes for stark, but not surprising, reading - 83% of female founders are experiencing high stress, 66% experience extreme loneliness, we have 75% gr...

My guest on the podcast this week is Anna Bailey, founder of the Assistant community Pally Talk. She launched her business and 2 months later had her first baby, in her own words, the last year has been 'hardcore'. Anna has a lot of practical insight into navigating a business and new baby concurrently - this is your sign to start sliding into people's DMs on LinkedIn.  We spoke really honestly ab...

In 5 years I've gone from a one woman Virtual Assistant 'agency' to a team of 36. And I have learnt A Lot. Much of which I have learnt the hard way.  In today's episode, I'm sharing my 5 biggest learnings (there are so many still to talk about, I feel like I could do a whole season on it!) from the last 5 years. I've learnt from mistakes, I've learnt from the people around me, some of these lesson...

Be honest - how is your poo? My guest this week is Lisa Macfarlane, co-founder of The Gut Stuff, and she wants you to take better care of your gut. Lisa explains why gut health is so important, some easy wins to improve your own and why she went from Love Island DJ to gut evangelist. We also talk about the nuts and bolts of scaling a business - from building a brand and community as market researc...

The 5 stages of burnout are very familiar to me. I've been there, and even when I thought I had learnt my lessons, narrowly swerved burning out again. As a mum, especially a mum with a business, I'm sure at least a few of the stages are familiar to you too. My guest on this week's episode is Dr Claire Ashely, aka The Burnout Doctor. Claire was a highly successful doctor, used to pretty extreme lev...

Last year I decided to push myself and try something new for me and my business. As a founder and mum of 2, I don't have time to be out there relationship building rather than selling. So I tried cold sales - and it worked! Cold sales have, sometimes justifiably, a bad rap - I'm sharing my worst experiences from both sides of the sale. But it really worked for me. In this episode I share my conver...

This week on Bump to Business Owner, I'm joined by Danielle Lauren, creative powerhouse, former media exec, and founder of Way Too Honest, a business born from the depths of postpartum struggle and radical maternal honesty. From working at the top of global media giants like CNN and Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, to battling severe pre- and postnatal depression, Danielle opens up about her ex...

How do you stay motivated to keep going when times get tough in your business? Good question. And an increasingly important one as the economy continues to fluctuate with tariffs, UK legislation and uncertainty creep in. In January I was in a difficult situation with my business, but I got through it and learnt a lot. This week, I'm sharing my tips for keeping going when times are tough in your bu...

This week on Bump To Business Owner, I'm joined by Ning Cheah, founder of The Beauty Crop, mum of two, and former banker turned beauty entrepreneur. What started as a side hustle to solve her own skin struggles has grown into a multi-million dollar brand, stocked by the likes of Boots and ASOS. In this honest and wide-ranging chat, Ning shares how burnout led her to rethink everything, the fertili...

What is your story? What is your super power? What do you want to be known for? In today's episode of the podcast I'm giving away all my PR tips. In the last 5 years me and my business have been featured in Grazia The Guardian The Independent The Daily Mail Waitrose Magazine To name just a few. And all of that has been under my own steam, no PR experience, no connections.  If you're looking for so...

My guest this week is Lauren Currie OBE, mother of one, founder of 6 businesses and PTSD survivor. Lauren is a serial entrepreneur, who after being featured as the only woman on an event bill decided she needed to build something to challenge the lie of meritocracy. Her business, Upfront, was born. As a systems and organisational designer, Lauren is ideally placed to see where the holes are in our...

What happens when your co-founder (and sister!) steps away and you're managing a business solo, as well as being mum to 2 kids?  In this week's delicious episode I'm in conversation with Nicola Ward, founder of CakeDrop, who talks me through her experience of exactly that. Nicola has run her business incredibly intuitively and flexibly, focusing on building relationships and leaning into creativit...

When was the last time you reflected on how far you've come? In this special birthday episode, I'm reflecting on the last five years - Motherhood, trauma, recovery, business, COVID, and giving myself the advice I needed five years ago. My business and motherhood journey are intrinsically linked, and in this period of my life - out of the baby years and able to put more energy into business growth,...

What was the lightbulb moment for your business? Did you recognise it and mark it as the life-changing moment it was? Kat Wellum-Kent, founder of Fractional Finance and one of the top 50 women in accounting took a selfie that day, because she knew 'this was the thing'. From her 'dream job' at a Big Four accountancy firm, to starting her business, Kat has had some incredible support in her career j...

This week I am unpacking the sometimes controversial topic of multi-level marketing schemes. I have been targeted by representatives of various MLMs 3 times in my life; because I'm a  woman, with a performance background (aka poor!), and a mother. I was targeted within months of having my first child. I share: - The ways I've been targeted - How to recognise MLMs for what they are - How to avoid t...

How clear are you on your values? An arresting question! I'm asking because my guest on the pod this week is Dr Dupé Burgess, founder of Bloomful, medical doctor, speaker, content creator and mum of 3. At the heart of everything she does? Her values. That's why she's been able to build such a compelling personal brand on LinkedIn, and why she's such a compelling speaker and founder. Because missio...

In this episode I'm talking about something that I think is a constant, if not battle, then area for improvement: mindset. Mindset has been a hurdle that almost prevented me from achieving a business goal. But I was able to recognise it and work on it. So I'm talking about: - How I recognised my mindset was the problem - The goal it was hindering - The steps I took to change it - The support and r...

Do you have that 'on the cusp' feeling? I think it's something that unites founders. There's always something on the horizon that helps keep the faith in your business, even when on paper it's not always clear. My guest on the pod this week is Jen Fuller, founder of Etta Loves, science backed baby sensory products that are also absolutely beautiful. Jen is really open that it's the 'cusp' feeling...

This week's episode is about the thing that has made all the difference in my business and for my wellbeing: consistency.   Why it's so important Why it has been a game changer for me Where I have seen big results How I make sure I stay consistent (I'm talking processes and tools - you'll love this) Why it shouldn't be another thing to beat yourself up about This episode is sponsored by Ancient +...

If anyone is ever in doubt about mum's commitment to their careers post babies, please, use this conversation as proof that we are only ever more ambitious and focused. This week I'm talking to Jelena Skene, co-founder of 2 businesses raised alongside 2 small boys. It's been a busy few years for Jelena! My main takeaway from our conversation, and there are many, is: just start. You can't plan ever...

I have been judging myself recently for some of the decisions I've been making. For 2025 my goal is business growth, and that means I'm making decisions that prioritise my work and my wellbeing at the cost of family time. There are a lot of expectations on us as mums and female founders: some from ourselves, from the people around us, the patriarchy. I am unpacking my feelings of mum guilt, and wh...

In this inspiring episode, I'm joined by Lea Turner, LinkedIn expert, community builder, and founder of Holt, a thriving membership platform for small businesses. Content warning: there is a mention of suicidal ideation as Lea reflects on her teenage years and missed ADHD diagnosis. Lea's journey into entrepreneurship wasn't planned. Like so many of my guests on the pod, she didn't initially see h...

If January has been…Januarying, then you are not alone. I've found it difficult to come back to work this year, comparisonitis and anxiety have been getting the better of me. So in this week's episode I'm sharing: My biggest business learning from 2024 My focus for 2025 Who we've got coming up on the podcast for Season 5 (make sure you're subscribed!) The wellbeing tools I keep returning to This e...