Style and Substance

There is a big difference between a business intentionally making space for rest and restoration and one that ends up losing momentum and traction without realising it...and losing out as a result. If you tuned into our conversation on planning for a restorative summer, this is the essential counterpoint and the other half of the story. When the heat is literally on, how do we ensure we can mainta...

Last week Fiona and I talked about the need for space to feed creativity and joy in our work and we know that the pace of this year can get a little overwhelming at times...so we're here to offer a little antidote to the haste and the hustle. As Fiona is away on a photoshoot in Guernsey this week, instead of our usual format, I've recorded a guided practice for you. This is aimed at helping you cu...

Phew! this year is galloping away lovely listeners and in this episode, as we've passed the crest of midsummer, we're thinking ahead a few weeks to the summer break. Both Fi and I traditionally take around six weeks off over the summer and today we enjoy a wide ranging conversation about why we feel the need and how we plan for it. We explore the difference for us between rest and restoration, the...

We continue our Colour Psychology for Branding series with this episode as we dig into the hazy delights of summer. In this conversation, Fiona walks us through the nuances of the summer seasonal personality and how we translate it through to a beautiful, stylish and elegant brand identity. We'll explore the colours, shapes, textures, photography styles, typography and key considerations for any b...

Business is asking a lot of us at the moment and it's a whirlwind of creativity and genuine joy, but to ride those wild horses we are having to double down on looking after ourselves and keeping our vitality high. So this week, along with our regular catch up, Elizabeth is reading from the first chapter of her book the Empowered Entrepreneur, entitled 'Vitality - The Sustaining Force of your Busin...

What's in a name? When it comes to branding, a whole lot! Naming brands and products is one of our absolute favourite things to do and there's nothing quite like that feeling and the traction you get when you land on one that is just right for your business. In this episode we talk through some of the things we consider when it comes to naming, why we avoid AI and, amongst other things, some of th...

One of the great joys and benefits of entrepreneurship is we get to be nimble, we can flex and evolve as circumstances change the face of business rarely stays the same over time. Fiona and I have certainly enjoyed a varied 25 years or so in business and today we're sharing a little of that picture. Whilst we may have learnt how to adapt over the years, one thing sadly neither of us has ever been...

This week is mental health awareness week and so we're taking the opportunity to dig a little deeper into what tending to our mental health as entrepreneurs looks like for us. In this wide ranging conversation, we explore some of the unique conditions that leave entrepreneurs potentially vulnerable to mental health struggles and how we deal with those ourselves. We dig into vulnerability and how i...

Creativity, in our books is the not-so-secret sauce that makes doing business well taste more than just a little bit delicious. It's also what Fi in particular trades off and has built a thriving business around. In this episode we dig into what drives creativity for Fi. We explore some of the nuances that enable creativity to thrive and why AI may be the next best thing since sliced bread...but i...

Building a destination brand can make wonderful things happen for your business and your life. And, as Fiona is off enjoying those benefits in Rome on a photoshoot this week, we have a slightly different episode on the pod for you today. I'll be reading from her best selling book Brand Brilliance and sharing her thoughts on building a destination brand and the essential brand strategy questions th...

Writing great copy is not everyones favourite pastime but if you want to realise the potential of your brand, honing an authentic voice and nailing your copy is pretty essential. We use it pretty much everywhere, our website, social media, media kits, welcome guides, proposals...the list goes on. By now you probably know how we feel about resorting to AI for this kind of thing, so in this episode...

We know just how transformative the right photography can be for a brand and a business. Getting that photography is no mean feat, so today we are unpacking some of what it takes to plan and execute a knockout photoshoot. We explore locations, practicalities and how to get most bang for your buck if you're on a tight budget. The resources mentioned can be found on The Brand Stylist Academy here: A...

The Halo Effect is a powerful way to shape perception of your business and creates reputational momentum that can work wonders when its done well. Today we are digging deep into how we can use the Halo Effect to create excitement, remove friction and build loyalty for your brand and what to watch for that kills the effect dead if we're not careful. Enjoy this last episode of the season and we'll b...

Spring has sprung and it brings with it an abundance of inspiration and insight for branding. In this episode we look at the season of Spring through the lens of Colour Psychology and get granular about the strategic approach of Colour Psychology for Branding that Fiona has spent years developing and refining. Discover how the Spring Seasonal Personality can be translated into a brand; what colour...

We're not holding back in this episode - listen in to hear exactly what we think about the use of AI for brand messaging. What we see as the genuinely real risks but perhaps more importantly, what you might want to consider if you're going to take a more empowered approach to crafting messaging that really lands for your business. We do hope you enjoy the listen and if you're keen to find our more...

Flow state has the potential to supercharge productivity by 500%! But flow isn't just a nifty hustle hack, rooting your business in flow makes it more of a joy to run and infinitely more sustainable. In this episode we explore some of the hall markers of a business in flow and get granular about the specifics of how to reliably create the conditions for flow state. If it feels like you're pushing...

Poor old Fi is distinctly under the weather this week so we took the opportunity to have a relaxed conversation about building resilience and nervous system regulation when we're not feeling full beans. In this fairly personal chat we explore what it looks like for each of us when we find ourselves dis-regulated and struggling and what our go to practices are for support. We chat about what that l...

We are breaking with tradition for the last episode of the season and welcoming very special guest Zoe Vita James to the Podcast. Zoe is our resident Feng Shui and Ba Zi expert and in this conversation she will be bringing us her insights into how we as entrepreneurs can make the most of the Year of the Fire Horse in 2026. Learn how to make the most of the fire energy his year, how to use your spa...

As we've crossed the threshold of Imbolc and into Celtic Spring here in the UK we can feel a definite shift. Fi and I are already getting into step with the year of the horse and before it runs away with us, we want to be prepared in the best way possible. Hear us muse on what we are doing in our own businesses to maintain momentum for 2026 without things getting too out of control. From increasin...

There's an edge so many creatives miss that helps us create sustainable, enjoyable and profitable businesses. In this episode we explore the importance of finding and honing your unique creative edge and how it is the key to staying both authentic, relevant and recommendable in a fast changing market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winter is the perfect season to reflect and release and not just because it's timely or happens to be on trend, but because it's an essential strategic practice and making space enables so much for you and your work. In this episode we dig deep and get personal about the need for and the very real challenges of letting go. How to discern what to let go of for our brand and ourselves. And, in our v...

Welcome back and happy new year lovely listeners. We are making a gentle return to the podcast and welcoming 2026 in by sharing some of our hopes for you this year. We hope you find something in our conversation that brings a little warmth this mid winter and inspires you for what it to come this year. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year lovely listeners! Before we launch back in with season 19 next week we are so excited to bring you this bonus episode and share a very warm invitation to our first Style and Substance Retreat. Its taking place at Fi's beautiful home in the Surrey hills on Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd January and we would love you to join us. For all the information you need and to book your place,...

Our traditional review of the year is here., this episode Fi and I get personal about the challenges of 2025, the highs and the hopes for next year. Thank you for being part of this incredible community, we are so looking forward to 2026 and all that it will bring, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of how to get a brand that works and that lasts, we are digging deep into the steps of the process. Fi is sharing the fundamental principles, the key steps and the most important thing to be paying attention to when you're building a powerful brand. We hope this will be a really sharable episode so do pass this on with our love to anyone you know who is brilliant and deserves the very...