Style and Substance

Having a brand that works and that lasts really is something every brilliant business owner has the right to claim, but what does it take to get one? In this first of a two part series, we are digging in to what it really means to get a brand that will give you the credibility, momentum and ease in your business that you deserve. Fi shares her inimitable passion for branding and her 25 years of ha...

In this episode, airing just before Thanksgiving in the US, we explore gratitude. More than a list of nice things or another self help task 'to-do, we see it as a powerful, science backed practice that reshapes the brain, strengthens resilience and reconnects us to the joy in our work. We touch on how gratitude widens perspective, helps us find meaning in the messy middle and becomes a quiet fuel...

In this episode, we crack open the existential crisis so many creatives are quietly drowning in: when your hard-won brilliance suddenly feels… irrelevant. The rules of business have shapeshifted, the loudest are winning, and AI is nipping at everyone’s heels. Fi and I get brutally honest about what it means to stay true to your craft when the world keeps shouting “pivot!” and you’d rather set your...

This week, we dive into the subtle and not-so-subtle ways, we hold ourselves back in business and life. From shrinking our brilliance without even realising it, to clinging to what’s “kind of working” instead of what’s calling us next, this episode is our usual fairly frank exploration of fear, growth and self-belief. Expect a few gentle rants and the reminder that your brand and your life can onl...

Welcome back lovely listeners to a new season. As we hurtle towards the end of 2025, we’re kicking things off with a relaxed catch-up and your questions answered. Honest reflections, practical insights, and a few laughs, just how we like it. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions and we're always open to more so please do drop us a line. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...

Have you ever swallowed what you really want to say because you didn’t want to come across as that person? You know that feeling when perhaps you’ve been short changed and, at some level you know you deserve more, but this tiny voice in your head says ‘ugh, I just don’t want to be that person…’ ?” We’ve all felt it but when that emotion overrides everything, it can cost us more than just a little...

Raising Expectations When We're Done Settling There’s a moment in every woman’s business journey when something shifts and she realises she’s been playing smaller than she meant to. Maybe it happens in midlife, maybe it happens when you finally admit what you really want, but either way, something clicks. You start to expect more. You stop wanting to prove yourself and start wanting to leave somet...

The Secrets to Feeling More Capable and Clear When There’s Just Not Enough Time How is it October already?! Time feels slippery right now, and both of us are wrestling with how to make the most of it before the half-term break. If you’ve ever found yourself drowning in too much to do—or wondering where all those “free hours” mysteriously disappeared—this episode is for you. In this conversation we...

Who does not love that feeling of looking at your website and going "oh yes! this is working for me and this is the nuts!" It's what we all want right? So today I am picking Fi's fabulous brains and our subject is "glowing up your website - practical strategies to create more impact, especially if you're not rebranding." In this punchy, insight filled episode, Fi is giving us a very simple, highly...

With four months left of 2025 are you prepped to make the most of it? We are, and in this episode we are sharing our priorities, our goals and our experiences of setting boundaries to safeguard what's most important. We share our strategies for maintaining the focus we need to really capitalise on the energy of this season and what we have decided is most important for us right now. We hope you fi...

Connecting with your ideal client to build a sustainable business. We're opening the new season with a listener favourite from the archives and our very first episode on the Magic of Muses. Building a sustainable business relies on both identifying and attracting your ideal client, in this episode we explore all the magic our key Muses can offer us, how to usefully profile your ideal client and wh...

our last episode of the season before the summer break and today Fi and I are talking about how set up for the summer. What this season is about for us, how we are making the most of it and how we structure our businesses to enable us to take the break we need. If you're looking to create an intentional summer full of good things, business and otherwise, this one is for you. Enjoy lovely listeners...

Welcome to Episode 100, wow can't quite believe we are here. In this milestone episode, Fiona and I are pulling back the curtain on our collective 50 odd years in business and sharing some of what we've learned in that time. We cover everything from managing our energy and navigating major life shifts, including loosing it all and starting again, to structuring business with inspiration (not just...

In this episode, we dive deep into the power of alignment—not as a buzzword, but as a vital force for building an inspired, creative, and authentic business. Fiona brings her branding lens, while I explore the entrepreneurial and inner landscape, and together we unpack why true alignment—both within ourselves and in how we express our business to the world—is the foundation for more ease, flow, an...

This week we're unpacking the invisible load—those subtle, internal tensions that so many of us carry as women in business. From the emotional labour we absorb without realising, to the time drain of constantly reconciling competing priorities, we reflect on how these unseen dynamics can quietly erode our energy, clarity and capacity to thrive. Its a fairly reflective, contemplative, episode (with...

How do you know if your brand is pitching you at the right level? How can you be sure not to miss the opportunities inherent in a branding process done well? Why does going deep matter? We cover all this and more in this short but takeaway-packed episode where Fi shares her unique perspective on what's required to make sure your brand pitches you at the right level. If you want to give yourself th...

It's time we tackled the question on the lips of so many creatives in our field. Should we be using AI and what is it costing us if we do? In this juicy episode we dig deep and range far and wide as Fi and I grapple with the big question and the implications for us all. We explore why we feel so strongly about AI when it comes to Brand Strategy, whether AI can be empowering and what it might be mi...

Ever found yourself paralysed by the big decisions? Whether it's business or life in general, when big changes are afoot it can be a tricky time. Join us as we kick off the new season with an exploration of how to find the courage to make those big decisions and live into the version of yourself and your life you really want. We would also love for you to come to our fabulous Summer Soiree, detail...

When you have an exciting vision or dreams for your business it can be incredibly exciting..but when seeing that vision through needs a marathon not a sprint, how do you keep it alive, maintain your focus and handle the set backs with so many competing priorities? In this conversation we're walking through the steps that inspired, yet busy entrepreneurs can take to hold the vision and and keep the...

We are in a celebratory mood as this week marks the ten year anniversary of Fi's bestselling book How to Style Your Brand and in this conversation we explore what's possible when you listen to the muse. Fi talks about the importance of pursuing your passion against the odds, having the right people around you and a healthy dose of stubbornness along the way. We hope you find it inspiring and thank...

We are excited to bring you this one, uncharacteristically Elizabeth is in the hot seat as Fi invites her to dig deep about her experiences with her latest creative breakthrough which will mean BIG CHANGE for her and her business. In this conversation we explore the attitudes, principles and strategies behind taking a Flow not Force approach to your business and the underlying beliefs that help ma...

We are passionate about entrepreneurs and brands achieving their potential. There are so many factors that come into it, from from our attitudes and beliefs, how we show up to the way we implement design. In this wide ranging conversation we dig deep into what it takes for brands to avoid playing small (deliberately or otherwise) and realise their full potential. We explore the personal and practi...

How to keep moving forwards when the world is going mad. There's no escaping the world is bonkers right now and that's putting it a little mildly, you don't have to go very far to be confronted with immense challenge and suffering and it is likely affecting us all to varying degrees. It can be hugely challenging to maintain hope, and resilience never mind momentum in such challenging times so toda...

Part two of getting what you want with integrity. Emotions and frustrations run high as we dig into a recent scenario that highlight beautifully what gets in the way of acting with integrity and what trips us up when we're trying to get a good outcome. In this conversation we walk through some of the signposts that tell us we or others might be acting out of integrity. We explore how we manage mai...

Getting what we want in business isn't always easy and dealing with unreasonable demands isn't a walk in the park either. In this two part mini series we tackle all of that and more as we explore in depth and build aa model of how to get what we want with integrity. Let's get stuck in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.