Starting the Conversation

It's been a little while since I sat down, just me and the microphone, to have a chat with you... As this podcast is all about starting conversations your input is so valuable in making us all feel all little less isolated in our experience so thanks to everyone who shared their tips on making business pals and your experience of how your age has impacted your business.  In the bulk of this episod...

How does your age impact your experience of starting a business? Todays conversation explores just that as I sit down with someone who started a little differently to me... After working in the corporate world for over 17 years, Catherine founded her own consultancy with the responsibility of a family and the track record of a successful career. Whereas for me, I started out straight from school w...

This week I am joined by iconic duo Ellie & Rachel (from The Business Proposal podcast) to chat about our experience of making business pals.  There's no denying that working by yourself can get lonely and finding people who 'get it' makes a huge impact... but what does making business friends look like when you're not sat across a desk from someone? How do you strike up conversation? Who sends th...

There's no denying that growing a team has been game changing for my business, so to explore the topic further I sat down with agency founder Aran to discuss our experiences of doing just that. Aran is in a difference position to me with a team of 7 and a Co-Founder, so I was interested to hear his experience of on-boarding, finding the right people, becoming a manager and managing a relationship...

So you're losing followers, your likes are down and you're not seeing our friends posts - blame the algorithms!  The Instagram algorithm provides us a convenient explanation as to why things aren't going our way, but in this week's Small Talk episode I want to break down this 'excuse' and take a look at how you can still use the platform strategically. The rise of Instagram stories have changed th...

"Personal brands are the way to go" is a sentence we've all heard 1,000 times and it really doesn't surprise me. In a world where we value who we buy from as much as what we're buying, building a business with a personal brand can be a really effective way to approach your online presence. However, not every business owner wants to be or in fact should be the face of their brand.  Chatting with An...

One of my biggest frustrations with digital marketing is how easily our focus is shifted onto what I call the 'vanity' metrics. Whether it's focusing on likes, follows or subscribers, it's all too easy to fall into the trap of the valuing the popularity of what we create over the profitability (aka the effectiveness) of it. Now, way back in episode 6 of this podcast I covered a very similar subjec...

After a restful week off it feels great to be back on schedule and chatting with Chloe Slade, one of my fav fellow business owners and my total inspiration when it comes to living well and working with intention. Over the years Chloe has mastered the art of defining and pursuing the life she desires by making small shifts in her everyday - whether it's making time to journal or going on a number o...

If you've left the house in the last 3 months you're most likely aware of what I mean when I say THE Zara Dress, a dress so widely worn that it's got its own instagram account - hot4thespot . As soon as I saw the thousands of submissions, hilarious brand voice and rapidly growing followers I had an instant curiosity around who was behind the account and how it all began. Enter Faye - stylist, desi...

I'm sure there are a lot of us that do not fit in with the preconceived idea of what a "successful business woman" should look or sound like, so can we still be successful showing up as ourselves?  In this episode Elizabeth Stiles and I dispel the stereotypes that come with a job title and how tricky, but ultimately great it is to be successful in our work whilst being ourselves.   If you hold bac...

Right now it seems like everyone and their Mum is becoming a podcast host and it really doesn't surprise me. A podcast can be a really effective way to grow your business and starting this one is 100% one of the best decisions I've ever made. BUT with that being said, I'm a big believer that unless something is done with intention, it isn't worth doing. And a podcast is no different. There's so mu...

Whether you're just starting out or have been running a business for a while, you might just be familiar with the notion that if you're not careful, your business can become your everything. In this V chatty and funny (if I do say so myself!) episode, Sasha & I share our own experiences of embracing what we do as a part of who we are... we explore everything from the impact our work has on our rel...

In the first of the all new Small Talk episodes (aka me sitting down with the mic for 20-30 minutes to talk about a certain digital marketing or business topic) I'm talking all things intentions. It would be true to say I'm a little intention obsessed. The power of setting intentions is something I'm constantly seeing within my business and as a result, something I LOVE to share. Alongside chattin...

When your business is new, and you've not yet built up your evidence bank to face the comparison with other business', self doubt that is going against your intention or concerns from friends & family, who do you listen to & how do you keep pushing forward? In this weeks conversation, Josh and I (sat on my hotel room floor) unpack what that noise can be, where it comes from, and how to deal with i...

It's week 2 of the new format and I'm being joined by the brilliant Vix Meldrew to tackle a topic I've always wanted to discuss here on the podcast - what it really looks like to sell your expertise and run an education based business. Since transitioning into coaching / education, both Vix and I have experienced a whole host of highs, lows and unexpected challenges which come with the job title....

In the FIRST episode of the new format, I'm sitting down with one of my fav work pals (and a past guest of this podcast), Fiona Grayson, to have a good old chat about the reality of running a business when your personal life goes a little downhill. In the past 8 months both Fi and I have gone through breakups and it's safe to say there's a whole lot we didn't expect around how this would impact wh...

Transitioning your side-hustle into a full time business is incredibly exciting, but there's no denying that it's a huge deal and comes along with a unique set of challenges. Whilst it's not something I've experienced myself, I know how beneficial it is to hear the honest experiences of others who have done the same. Enter, Anna Dunleavy. If you're not familiar with Anna, she really does define th...

As it's Mental Health Awareness week, I've partnered with planning and productivity extraordinaire Josephine Brookes to discuss our experiences of mental health whilst building a business on both of our podcasts.   If you're not already familiar with Josephine, she's a planning and productivity mentor for side-hustlers and an all round lovely human. Her philosophy is all about doing less and focus...

If you're not already familiar with Linda Blacker, I can't wait for you to listen to this episode and get to know the London based Creative Director, Photographer and Set Designer. From 20 th Century Fox to Blogosphere Magazine and Stand Up To Cancer, Linda's distinctive style and diverse portfolio is incredibly impressive.  In this episode, I sat down with Linda to chat about all things creative,...

Something I'm all about exploring here on the podcast is not only the impact running a business has on us as business owners, but also how it can affect those closest to us. It's safe to say that the dynamics of my friendships have shifted since I started my business. Through experience, I've discovered that expecting friends to be followers/supporters of my work is an unhealthy line to draw, for...

If you're familiar with my story, you'll know I begun my business at age 17 and over the years, have definitely noticed the impact that starting so young has had on both me and my work. To explore this topic, I thought I'd sit down with a guest who shares a similar story... Polly Vadasz is the illustrator and shop owner behind Sighh Studio - a stationery & accessories brand selling beautifully and...

As one girl bands, our businesses directly flow from who we are... so it makes sense that the more self aware we are about our strengths & weakness', the better we can show up within and serve our business'. Becoming conscious of where I fall short and taking action to counteract that weakness is something I'm continuing to find value in as I level up my business. Whilst this episode feels a littl...

Whilst it's a topic we rarely talk about, having no clients / struggling with cash flow / feeling a bit like we're failing is something so many of us can relate to. When I experienced a 'season' (hate that word...) of this last year, I was so overcome with shame and guilt that I kept it to myself. Since things have shifted, it's been remarkable to share my story and see how many others are finding...

As someone with anxiety, the prospect of attending 'business' events (cue big crowds, new people and foreign venues) has never been an easy thing for me. And whilst 4 years ago I couldn't even get on a train without ending up in a total state, I now find myself turning up to events with a sense of confidence, despite that daunted feeling not going away. But don't be fooled, it's not been an overni...