Tea with the Queen

When I was 18 years old, I found myself living with my sister and her brand-new husband—not awkward at all, right? Up until that point, my living situation was a patchwork of arrangements. From couch-surfing with friends to renting short-term with my mum, stability seemed pretty elusive. So, when my sister graciously opened her doors, I moved in—a decision driven partly by need and partly by the h...

A lot of people tell me I’m optimistic - and I genuinely am! But not because I’ve had a charmed life. My glass half full perspective was formed out of necessity because as a child, I had no other choice but to just survive. When you hear this story, you might wonder why I’m optimistic at all! At 14 years old, my life changed dramatically. My parents divorced and a few years later, they both got re...

We've all experienced the live launch rollercoaster – where carefully planned schedules dissolve into late-night strategy sessions and compulsive stat-checking. For many entrepreneurs, this intense cycle of stress and exhaustion isn't sustainable. Enter Kate McKibbin, founder of Hello Funnels and host of the "Doing It Online" podcast. Starting as a fashion blogger in 2007, Kate has evolved into a...

There was a time in my life when I thought riding a motorbike would be a really great idea. You could call it an early midlife crisis. I had visions of myself as this leather-clad, high-heeled wonder woman, cruising through the city with perfectly windswept hair. I’d have a whole new biker wardrobe - It was going to be amazing. After spending a small fortune on the bike, the leather pants (I loved...

I was 30 and didn't have a husband. For someone who spent her teenage years dreaming about wedding dresses (the pink poofy ones were my favourite) and flipping through bridal magazines, this wasn't exactly part of the plan.  My plan was to get married, have a big wedding with all the pink frills, buy a house and have heaps of kids and dogs. So you can imagine my great disappointment when I wo...

In today's episode, we're getting real about something that’s very close to my heart - that moment when running your business starts feeling less like an adventure and more like a never-ending to-do list of doom. Sound familiar? Running a business should feel exhilarating (and it can!). But somewhere along the way, we bought into this crazy idea that success means hustling 24/7, surviving on coffe...

Money talk: it triggers people and stirs up conversations. That’s because it really is important—it offers choices and freedom, letting us create lives and businesses that align with our individual paths. However, have you noticed the often toxic rhetoric around it, especially from some so-called gurus claiming that if you’re not a millionaire, you’re not working hard enough? Or if you just do thi...

Are you setting yourself up for retirement?  Do you even want to retire?  In just two years, I'll be 50, the age I always imagined I'd retire. Eight years ago, when I started my business, my goal was to pay off the mortgage and retire. When I first mentioned my retirement plans to my husband, he chuckled and said, "I cannot imagine you not working."  And honestly, I couldn't either!...

As we juggle businesses, family, and the relentless demands of everyday life, it's extraordinarily easy to overlook our well-being. This is why I was thrilled to sit down with Susan Hunter, who has helped me completely overhaul my health over the last couple of years.  Susan is an expert naturopath with a wealth of knowledge on health optimisation and longevity. I initally came to her a bit o...

Running a business, managing life, and keeping all those balls in the air—let's be honest, it can be incredibly demanding. There are days when I feel like a circus juggler, desperately trying to keep everything from crashing down. Sometimes, the only thing standing between me and utter burnout is indulging in a few guilty pleasures. In this episode, I'm letting you in on the little indulgences tha...

Ever stared at your screen, heart sinking, because your latest social media post flopped? Or maybe business has been slow, and that little voice inside is starting to whisper,  'You're just not cut out for this.'   I’ve been there many times as an entrepreneur and I’ve learned how to bring myself, and my clients out of these negative thought loops.  As entrepreneurs, we pour ou...

Working from home—it’s the dream, isn’t it? Until you catch yourself in a staring contest with the laundry pile, justifying “folding clothes” as a break, and suddenly, two hours have vanished.  If the struggle to remain motivated and productive outside the office has been your battle, you’re definitely not alone. Just know that there are ways that truly make working from home work in your fav...

Can I be real with you about International Women's Day? While it's beautiful to celebrate women's achievements and impact, one day of recognition with a few hashtags and corporate breakfasts, in my opinion, isn’t quite enough.  Today, I want to shine a light on what really helps move the needle for women  in business, leadership and life - not just today, but  every single day of the year. I’...

Running a successful business isn't just about dreaming big or making bold moves. It's about nailing the non-negotiables—the habits, boundaries, and principles that keep you focused, profitable, and thriving.  Without these foundational anchors, it's way too easy to get lost in the chaos of business and lose sight of what really matters.  Let me ask you this: What are the non-negotiables...

 If you had a big idea for a business but zero money,  how would you start it? What kind of business could you create with little to no funds, and what free tools could actually help you grow?  Like so many people who have the idea to start a business, you might be thinking you need to wait until you have the finances to execute your idea. But I’m here to tell you: starting a business with no...

We all find ourselves procrastinating at some point, don't we? It's like there's this invisible force holding us back from tackling those tasks we know we should be doing. But have you ever paused to ask yourself why?  I’ll let you in on a little secret: I procrastinate quite a bit. I know many of you might be surprised by that, but I too suffer from analysis paralysis at times. Especially if...

Books have an incredible way of shaping the way we think, act  and grow in business. Some books spark new ideas and  others challenge our thinking. And there are those special few that truly transform the way we operate.  Fiction, business, self-development - there have been some incredible books that have been hugely influential in my life and business, and I want to share them with you. These sp...

Are you wondering how to do business development on LinkedIn? I know so many people out there are keen to use LinkedIn to help their business grow, but are at a loss as to where to start.  When I started my LinkedIn growth journey several years ago, I had roughly 200 connections. Fast forward seven years, and I've grown that to nearly 16,000. It means that the content I now put out reaches a...

Over 2024 I received a lot of comments and questions about the fitness journey I was undertaking. Having fallen sick the year prior, I was committed to regaining my health and energy, and while I’m not 100% where I want to be, the improvement over these twelve months has been bigger than I could have hoped. Which is why I want to share my journey with you today! My First Steps: My journey began wi...

Post-holiday blues are a thing. At this time of year, many business owners dream of closing up shop, quitting their business and moving on to something else. If you've found yourself on job boards or LinkedIn, searching for an easier path, you're not alone. Business is tough, it can be relentless, and sometimes it feels like we're just not cut out for it. But before you throw in the towel, there a...

We’re not having enough joy in life or business. Let's be honest: running a business can feel heavy. Between juggling family, aging parents and business, it's easy to lose sight of joy.  But despite this, I come bearing good news: business actually can be joyful. I know what you might be wondering what joy has to do with business success. Well, everything, actually. How you show up is how you...

Many of us start feeling the pressure of wrapping up the year with a bang. But what if instead of grinding through the final stretch, we opted to glide with ease and joy?  My dear friend and coaching client, Tracey Mylecharane, comes from a corporate background like I do – and we know all too well about the end-of-year grind. Last year, we were determined to throw the hustle mindset away - an...

Have you ever felt like you're trying to juggle too many balls at once, both in your business and at home? I have been there, and done that a million times over. The key is to work smarter, not harder which I’m sure you’ve heard every business coach say so many times that you’re sick to death of hearing it.  But it is true. I’ve found the key to working smarter is outsourcing. It's about figu...

What is my planning process for a new year? It’s a question I get asked so often in the weeks leading up to New Years, and today I want to share my personal method with you.  The first step is to dive deep into the data and then ask myself: has this service or offering given me joy, or has it stolen my joy?  Any service that robs me of joy is is one I should probably get rid of. After al...

School holidays are the bane of a business owner’s existence. It took me a number of years to find a rhythm that works for me so if you’re in the early years of running your business, you’re probably wondering how on earth this all works! How do you run a business while the kids are at home bouncing off the walls and manage it all without going crazy? Like I said, it took me a few years to find th...