Friends with Business Benefits

Charlie Swift•friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com

Friends with Business Benefits hosted by Charlie Swift and Franky Shanahan is a podcast for creatives who crave connection, understanding and support. Hello, we are Charlie and Franky, two self-employed business owners living in Bristol in the southwest of England. Franky runs a copywriting business called Love Audrey, helping brands and creative businesses find their voice and tell their story online. As a business mentor to creative mamas, Charlie supports women to build their businesses alongside raising a family. For the last 5 years, we’ve been meeting for regular co-mentoring sessions. Working for yourself can be lonely at times, but through our monthly meet-ups, we’ve found the support and accountability we were craving in our working lives. Through our podcast, we hope to continue these conversations, share what we’re learning and also learn from you, our listeners. Business Mentoring for Creative Mamas: https://charlieswift.com Copywriting for Creatives: https://www.love-audrey.com

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Episodes

9. How we got started as creative business owners

Curious about how we got started as creative business owners? Wondering what we did before we went freelance? In this episode, we interview each other, sharing details of our careers so far to give future conversations a little more context. Franky details her journey from high school dropout to freelance writer via a brief career in retail and a return to education with kids in tow. She also describes the serious illness she experienced in 2016 and the impact of her subsequent Chronic Fatigue d...

Jan 16, 2019•48 min

8. 2018 Reflections, 2019 Intentions

In this episode, we’re talking you through the simple planning process we use to start a brand new year in our creative businesses. Charlie explains why she’s raring to go while Franky describes her slow start to 2019. As well as sharing the questions we ask ourselves to reflect on the previous year, we discuss different types of goals - from big picture business bucket lists and scary financial targets to softer intentions and guiding words designed to carry us through each season. Finally, we ...

Jan 09, 2019•40 min

7. Our highlights of 2018 (Mini)

In this mini-episode, we’re sharing our businesses and personal highlights of 2018. We discuss how making time for creativity has been important to Charlie in her first full year of motherhood and Franky tells us how much she enjoyed running The Wedding Session workshops during 2018. Both of our personal highlights involve family travels. Charlie reminisces about taking her baby to his first music festival and Franky shares about her family’s very special summer holiday to Thailand. Happy new ye...

Jan 01, 2019•11 min

5. Are you 'team analogue' or 'team digital'?

Is the pen mightier than the keyboard?! In this episode, we have a friendly debate about the merits of analogue vs digital when it comes to systems and processes. As we discuss the day-to-day running of our respective businesses, Franky declares her love for paper and real ink while Charlie sings the praises of shared calendars and Trello boards. We’d love to hear your opinion on the matter… Links and further reading: How to Trello Franky’s favourite fountain pen Follow us: @_charlieswift @lovea...

Dec 09, 2018•14 min

4. How do you use Instagram for business?

In this episode, we chat about everyone’s favourite social media platform - Instagram! We discuss how we got started on the app, how we use it now, and where it sits within our businesses. Charlie shares how she uses Instagram as a creative outlet, how the platform was the catalyst for becoming self-employed, and how talking to camera stresses her out. On the other hand, Franky explains why she’s wholeheartedly embraced Instagram Stories and shares some excellent advice about using it to connect...

Dec 07, 2018•27 min

3. Morning Routines. How do you start your day?

In this episode, we share our morning routines. Despite our very different family situations, we have a lot in common when it comes to how we like to start our days. We discuss how and why we try to make time for things like journaling, reading and meditation, as well as delving into the benefits of a screen-free bedroom and how scrolling social media affects us in the mornings. How do you start your day? Let us know… Links and further reading: Destination Simple by Brooke Macalary Franky’s belo...

Dec 05, 2018•20 min

2. What if my dream clients can’t afford me?

Money. It’s a topic that comes up over and over again in our co-mentoring meetups. There’s much to discuss around pricing, money mindset, and charging your worth, but in this episode we get specific about our attitudes towards the affordability of our services. Charlie shares how she’s learning not to make assumptions about what her clients can and cannot afford, and Franky reveals a great strategy for handling that awkward situation when a potential client asks you to lower your price. Follow u...

Dec 03, 2018•15 min

1. What is co-mentoring? (And why you need a co-mentor in your life!)

Our first episode is all about co-mentoring - what it is, how it works, and why finding a co-mentor might be the best business decision you’ll ever make! We share how we came to co-mentor each other and why our monthly meetups have provided the support and accountability we were craving in our working lives. You’ll also hear our tips and advice to help you go about finding your own co-mentor. Links and further reading: Franky’s post on five things she’s gained from co-mentoring Kristabel Plummer...

Dec 01, 2018•31 min

Friends with Business Benefits Trailer

Hello, we are Charlie and Franky, two self-employed business owners living in Bristol in the south-west of England. Friends With Business Benefits is a podcast for creatives who crave connection, understanding and support. Franky runs a copywriting business called Love Audrey, helping brands and creative businesses find their voice and tell their story online. As a business mentor, Charlie helps clients find clarity and confidence in their creative work. We are friends with benefits…business ben...

Nov 24, 2018•1 min

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