Starting the Conversation

Welcome to the 50 th episode of Starting The Conversation! Uploaded exactly a year to date since the podcast first launched! I've loved hosting this podcast over the last twelve months and sharing the real-life narrative of running a business with you and I'm so happy you're tuning in to listen.   To celebrate this milestone, I wanted to bring something a little different to this podcast episode a...

This episode feels totally full circle for me. The Creative Leap podcast hosted by today's guest was actually the very first podcast I ever listened to and something that sparked me to start my own podcast journey a year ago. I reached out to Cat for some advice back then and she also happened to be my first ever guest on here too. It only felt right to mark a year of Starting The Conversation wit...

If you've been connecting with me for a while, you'll know I recently had a very exciting launch within my business – Gather & Grow, a workshop style retreat for female entrepreneurs. In my usual style, I jumped head first into the launch, ready to figure out the details as I went along and trusting that things would all come together eventually – because things always work out in the end don't th...

Sustainability is a hot topic right now and for many of us, building this into our business is something we're all become more and more conscious of. From reaching a manageable workload to lowering the impact you have on the environment, today's guest is certainly doing her part. After falling in love with Cath's stationery designs last year and using her desk pad every single day, I knew I needed...

Would your business survive without Instagram? Survive may seem like a bit of an extreme word, but in actual fact, so many business' solely rely on the app to market their goods or services.   It's understandable. Instagram is 'the place to be' for many of us; it feels fun, relevant, and natural, so why work harder to develop other platforms if Insta is already working for you? Sound about right?...

The start of the year isn't always the easiest. You're transitioning back into work after taking time off, everyone seems to be adding to the noise of 'new year new me' and you're sat questioning if you're capable of reaching the goals you're setting… This episode is a total must listen if you're resonating with any of the above. I sat down with Sophie French (mindset message coach and total babe)...

Curious about how others are finding getting 'back to it' after taking a break from work? Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the looming tax return deadline? Well this episode is most certainly for you. I sat down with Julia Day (financial coach and overall lovely person) to chat about our experience of easing back into work after the Christmas break and how we're utilising the 'new year new me' spirit...

Whilst 'new year new me' isn't my thing, I'm all for using any opportunity to look ahead, set intentions and get my tiny brain in gear. So in the first episode of 2019, I'm talking all things INTENTIONS. Tune in to discover just how I did at achieving my 2018 intentions, find out the personal and business intentions I've set for 2019, get some tips for sustainable goal setting and learn about how...

It's safe to say that this has been a pretty full on year for my business… Through a whole host of highs, lows, challenges and achievements, the past 12 months have been rich in lessons. If you fancy gaining an insight into my business this year, tune into this episode to discover 5 truths my business has taught me (and is continuing to remind me of) within 2018. PS - this is the FINAL episode of...

Confession. My phone usage often totals 7+ hours a day. Pretty awful right? Well, whilst I'm taking a much-needed break from work this Christmas, I'm committed to stepping back from and breaking up with my phone. We can shut our laptops, clear our calendars and put our out of office on, however our phones make it very easy to slip back into work mode which is why in this episode I'm sharing the ac...

In the first of two bonus episodes released today, I'm sharing what it's taken for me to plan my first proper Christmas break and exactly how I've made it happen. I rarely take real time away from my business, however right now, 2 whole weeks of no work at all feels very needed. I couldn't find much out there to help me make it happen hence these two bonus episodes. It's no secret that resting awa...

Now that the year is coming to a close and 2019 feels scarily close, I've been reflecting on how my business has developed over the last twelve months. Investing in my business (with both time and money) has created significant growth this year and I've seen a direct link between intentionally putting time and money into my business and seeing the benefits because of this. In my latest episode, I'...

It wasn't until I hosted the Insta Story Thing (my own Instagram challenge focused on creating better stories) that I actually considered what how they work for my business. Fast forward to now and I'm a huge advocate for using them to grow, serve and connect with your audience online. In this week's episode, I share the ins and outs of leading an Instagram challenge, commenting on my own experien...

I've always been in total awe of mothers. The closest I come to having a baby is caring for my dog and running my business, a world away from being responsible for breathing tiny humans. When considering who to explore this topic with, I knew that Megan, as a mother of two young boys and the creative behind Blossom & Crumb, would have so much to share / bring. Megan has run Blossom & Crumb, a wedd...

When we love our business, it's only natural to attach A LOT of emotion to our social platforms and this has positives and negatives. In this episode, I'll be serving you with a dose of encouragement rather than something to do / work / action. On one hand, more emotion can make us care more, however on the flip side it can make us care too much and stand in the way of what our real focus should b...

One of my favourite things about what I do is the people I get to work with. I value people who can be honest and are willing to show the behind the scenes of what they do because that's such an important part of running a business – the actual day to day. Enter Will. We met whilst working on a studio shoot and I've finally roped him into joining me on the podcast for this episode.   Will a highly...

This episode is an incredibly personal one for me. You may already know I run a business, but what you might not know is I do this alongside suffering with depression and everyday I'm presented with two options; to lean in, or to opt out. In this episode, I discuss my own experiences with depression, how it interacts with my work and how I've established a schedule that respects my mental health....

What first comes to mind when I say 'self-care?' A bubble bath? Relaxing on an exotic beach with a book? Yoga? Since I made the conscious decision for this podcast to cover the unspoken topics of running your own business, I knew right away that I needed to speak about self-care. When I met Amy (on Instagram of course) I knew instantly she was a perfect match for this episode. As s a self-care men...

Twelve months ago, I believed the myth that a six-figure launch was as easy as some Facebook adverts, a lead magnet and a sales funnel. Oh how I was wrong. I also made the assumption that because this business model worked for others, it would work for me too and I would experience the same levels of 'success' and fulfillment. Wrong again. In this episode, I share my experience of failing to launc...

We all know that running a business can be incredibly challenging for us as entrepreneurs, but I think we often disregard the (sometimes negative) impact what we do can have on those around us. So much of what I've achieved wouldn't have happened without the support of those around me, but dealing with someone who has an unconventional relationship with their work definitely isn't always easy for...

Ever have those days where you get to 6pm and it feels like you've achieved nothing but scroll through Instagram and open the fridge about 4 times an hour *hoping* there's something appealing in there? I'm so with you. As one girl bands, our time is precious and this episode is here to ensure you're making the most of the time you do have.  Over the past 3 years I've learnt a fair bit about what i...

Let's talk money. In business, it's often a taboo subject, but it really shouldn't be which is why for todays podcast episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Julia Day, the savvy financial coach behind Easy As Vat. This lovely lady is on a mission to make managing money easy for creative female entrepreneurs and I couldn't wait to chat to her about all things numbers and business (amongst oth...

Let's be real, navigating money in a business can be and has been for me, incredibly complex. From paying tax and making investments to dealing with the fluctuating income and separating business from personal, there's a whole lot to figure out and understand. When I first started my business (tbt to 18 year old me in 2016) I spent a good 18 months being fully unaware of the financial stuff. In th...

2 months ago I was without clients, watching my bank balance decline and questioning (pretty much every day) if my business was ever going to feel 'successful' again. Fast forward to now and I'm booked out (!), planning exciting projects and feeling like I'm exactly where I want to be. No, this episode isn't about the 'secret' which got me here, but an honest look into my experience of it all. I w...

As a graphic designer and published illustrator, Sarah has learnt a whole lot about what it looks like to run a successful and fulfilling business. In this episode she shared her experience of starting out, what she practically did to gain new clients, the process she went through of pivoting her services, how we as business owners can approach our own branding and even the back story of Comic San...