Inspired by Gretchen Rubin, we’ve both adopted the habit of compiling a list of aims at the start of a new year. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, but for us it’s never a business-focussed list. Instead, we both include fun, playful things we want to prioritise. We’ve found it’s a great way to identify what we want the year to hold. In this episode, we’re sharing our ‘24 for 2024’ lists in the hope that it will make you want to compile your own. Links and Further Reading Gretchen Rubin’s 2...
Feb 08, 2024•20 min
It’s time for our annual ‘planner meeting’ where we review the previous year's planners and journals and discuss what we’ll be using for the year ahead. As well as sharing the notebooks and diaries we’ve invested in this year, we explain how we’ll be using them to stay organised at work and at home. It’s a must-listen for stationery fans and those who prefer pen and paper-based productivity tools! Links and Further Reading Lunar Moon Diary The 6-Minute Success Journal LSW Morning Notes Habit Dai...
Jan 25, 2024•30 min
We’re kicking off the new year with our annual cosy conversation about reflections and intentions. Find out what went well for us last year and what we learned from the things that didn’t. We also chat about our words of the year, share a few goals for 2024, and make some solid(ish) plans for Q1. Work With Us charlieswift.com love-audrey.com Find Us On Instagram @loveaudrey83 @_charlieswift Franky’s Mailing List Charlie’s Mailing List Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendsw...
Jan 11, 2024•47 min
Join us as we run through some of our non-business related 2023 favs. We chat about our favourite films, TV shows, music and books, as well as discussing the purchases we've made, habits we've followed, experiences we've enjoyed and places we've been. An episode full of recommendations for you! Thank you for listening throughout 2023 and a very merry christmas from us both! Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe...
Dec 21, 2023•47 min
In this mini episode we’re jumping on a TikTok trend and sharing a list of things that make our business worlds better. From daily habits and wellbeing rituals to clever software and our favourite tech, there’s plenty of inspiration for everyone. Links and Further Reading: Franky's favs... ' What is Comentoring ' podcast episode Boatman VA services Circle planner Charlie's favs... Trello 101 Get 50% off Flodesk (aff link) Lunar diary by Nikki Strange Get full access to Friends with Business Bene...
Dec 14, 2023•11 min
In this episode, we’re talking about putting your prices up. It’s a topic we originally planned to discuss this time last year, but when we came to record, neither of us felt up to discussing money on mic. Not only is it a tricky subject to broach - increasing your prices can be a tricky thing to act on in your business. 12 months later, we’re finally ready to explore this subject with you. Franky shares what she’s learned from increasing her prices at the start of the year and Charlie talks abo...
Nov 23, 2023•37 min
Inspired by Halloween earlier this week, we’re sharing things that give us the business scaries! For Charlie, it’s overcommitting, public speaking and talking to camera, while Franky struggles to share her professional expertise on Instagram and record voiceovers for reels. As well as discussing where these fears come from, we explore ways in which we might be able to overcome them. Work With Us charlieswift.com love-audrey.com Find Us On Instagram @loveaudrey83 @_charlieswift Get full access to...
Nov 02, 2023•36 min
In this episode, we’re going over some Instagram basics and sharing tips to help you overcome common stumbling blocks and avoid overwhelm. As well as things like writing the perfect bio and using your pinned posts effectively, we cover stats and data, content ideas, trends and more. We also discuss mindset in relation to the app and run through a few ways to prevent it from sucking the joy out of running your business. Links and Further Reading/Listening Embracing and Creating Video Content How ...
Oct 19, 2023•52 min
91. Q3 Reflections, Q4 Intentions In this episode, we’re reflecting on Quarter 3 and looking ahead to Quarter 4. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since we last spoke. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the final three months of the year and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of 2023. Links and Further Rea...
Oct 05, 2023•35 min
The online world is fast paced. There’s always something new to discover. New software, new social media platforms, new types of content. When it comes to trying new things in your business, do you tend to feel overwhelmed or excited? Today’s episode was recorded back in July when we were both in the early stages of trying some new things. Charlie was experimenting with the recently launched social media platform, Threads, and Franky was posting to a brand new crafty account on Instagram. Our ex...
Sep 07, 2023•26 min
Inspired by a recent video from Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, today’s episode is dedicated to one of the app’s older features - Instagram Stories. It may not be as shiny and new as Reels or Threads, but it’s still a valuable marketing tool, not to mention Franky’s favourite place to hang out online! We chat about how we use Instagram Stories, the pros and cons of the platform, and the types of content we share. We also discuss the role of DMs and share some tips for showing up and telling sto...
Aug 16, 2023•32 min
As we head into what should be the warmest, sunniest part of the year, we’re sharing how we embrace and survive the summer season. Whether you love this time of year or not, there’s something in this episode for everyone. As well as discussing how we’re planning to juggle work and childcare during the six-week summer break, we’re sharing some of our favourite seasonal rituals and lots of advice to help you get the most out of this time of year. Links and Further Reading The Cosy Episode Work Wit...
Jul 27, 2023•38 min
In this chatty episode, we’re reflecting on Quarter 2 and looking ahead to Quarter 3. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since we last spoke. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the next three months of the year and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of the summer. Links and Further Reading Maddy Shine’s Vis...
Jul 13, 2023•37 min
When you’re working towards a specific business goal or dream, how do you get on with self-imposed deadlines? Do you find them easy to stick to or do you avoid setting them in the first place? In this episode, we’re responding to a listener's question, digging into the subject of deadlines and sharing everything we know about getting things done. As well as discussing different types of deadlines and different strategies for meeting them, we touch on what it might mean if you keep dodging the de...
Jun 30, 2023•19 min
In this episode, we’re approaching the topic of feedback from a few different angles. For Franky, asking clients for feedback is baked into her working process. As a copywriter, she produces drafts for clients to review. The quality of the feedback she receives can have a huge impact on the final product. Over the years, she’s worked hard to ensure this happens in a thorough and efficient way. She’s also learned a lot about moving through the discomfort that can come from inviting criticism. Alt...
Jun 15, 2023•26 min
After a year of regularly creating and sharing reels on Instagram, Charlie recently had a video go viral. In this episode, we’re chatting about her experience and what it feels like to suddenly have so many eyes on your content. As well as digging into the reasons why this particular reel seems to have done so well, Charlie explains what she’s learned and how she’ll be approaching future content creation as a result. Links and Further Reading Embracing and Creating Video Content Franky’s Mailing...
May 25, 2023•22 min
In this episode, we're discussing what makes a good email lead magnet. We share our differing stances on having lead magnets in our businesses, chat through the pros and cons of differnt types of lead magnets and how to choose one that aligns with your strategy. We also share what to do once you have your lead magnet in place, how to buil an email nuture sequence and how to make the most of your content. Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.co...
May 12, 2023•27 min
This week, inspired by Charlie’s recent experience launching three new services, we’re talking about naming things within your business. We know this can be a huge obstacle when you’re creating new products and packages. After all, if you want to sell something, you’ve got to know what it’s called! Franky offers a copywriter’s perspective, sharing tips and advice to make the process a little easier. As well as describing different ways to approach naming things, she explains the importance of cl...
Apr 27, 2023•41 min
It’s that time again! We’re reflecting on Quarter 1 and sharing what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since our last check-in. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the next three months and discuss what we’re hoping to achieve before the end of Quarter 2. Links and Further Reading The Best 90 Days Ever (affiliate link) Franky’s Mailing List C...
Apr 06, 2023•29 min
This week we’re responding to a listener request and diving into the popular topic of routines. We’re sharing how we approach the working week and juggle running a business alongside other responsibilities like looking after our children and managing a chronic health condition. As well as describing our morning and evening routines, we’re chatting about what our working weeks look like, how our rhythms and routines have changed over the years and why we strive to keep things nice and flexible. W...
Mar 23, 2023•23 min
Seasons of stress and overwhelm are nothing new, especially if you run your own business, but has our ability to cope been impacted by the pandemic and other world events over the last few years? It certainly looks that way from where we’re standing. In this episode, we’re chatting about our current capacity for stress and how we think our resilience has been affected by everything we’ve lived through since March 2020. We’re also sharing our go-to methods for coping with overwhelm, including rad...
Mar 09, 2023•22 min
Does promoting your products and services make you feel a bit… uncomfortable? Do you struggle to show up and sell your stuff? Well, you’re not alone. As well as experiencing this ourselves, it’s something we hear all the time from clients. In this episode, we’re chatting about why selling can be hard and sharing our advice to make the whole process easier. We cover a lot of ground, including what is and isn’t ‘hard selling’, the mindset shift you might need to make more sales and our new mantra ...
Feb 23, 2023•27 min
Although working from home can provide the perfect opportunity to eat well, it’s easy to slip into bad habits. Eating at your desk, skipping lunch completely and surviving on caffeine and biscuits. Before we were business besties, we bonded over our love of food. In this episode, we’re talking about the things we cook and eat while working from home. As well as being a love letter to lunch breaks, it’s the encouragement you need to start building some nourishing habits into your work days. Links...
Feb 02, 2023•23 min
Have you heard the Japanese phrase ‘techo kagai’? Roughly translated, it means ‘planner meeting’ - taking the time to review your previous year's planner and journals and decide what you’ll use for the year ahead. In this episode, we’re holding our own techo kagai and sharing our planner plans for 2023. From bullet journaling fails to the notebooks and diaries we’re investing in this year, it’s a must-listen for stationery fans and those who prefer pen and paper-based productivity tools. Links a...
Jan 19, 2023•22 min
We’re kicking off the new year with our usual cosy conversation about reflections and intentions. Discover what went well for us last year and what we learned from the things that didn’t as we get a little honest and vunerable about finding 2022 a tough year. We also chat about our words of the year, share our goals for 2023, and make some solid(ish) plans for Q1. Work With Us charlieswift.com love-audrey.com Find Us On Instagram @loveaudrey83 @_charlieswift Franky’s Mailing List Charlie’s Maili...
Jan 05, 2023•48 min
In this episode, we’re sharing a list of things we’ve loved this year. From books and films to our best business investment, small habit and more, you’ll find lots to inspire and excite you as 2022 draws to a close. Books... Sorrow & Bliss The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois Outlawed TV Shows... Dopesick The Dropout The Bear The Sandman Movies... Everything Everywhere All At Once Westside Story The Father Albums... First Aid Kit - Palomino Wet Leg - Wet Leg Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be In...
Dec 22, 2022•38 min
We LOVE a list, so why not dedicate a whole episode to the simple, yet powerful practice of list writing? In this chatty episode, we explain why we find lists so helpful and how we use them, covering those we rely on for work and the ones we use more generally in our personal lives. As well as obvious things like monthly/weekly/daily to-do lists and meal plans, we share some creative ideas like Franky’s ‘greatest hits’ list and the simple, seasonal bucket lists Charlie shares on Instagram each m...
Dec 08, 2022•21 min
If you want to create and share long-from content, Substack seems like the place to be right now. Is it just ‘shiny new thing syndrome’ or should we all be jumping on board? In this episode, we’re discussing the newsletter platform in detail, explaining how it works and sharing whether we think it has a role to play in our marketing efforts. We dig into the pros and cons, chat about paid content and subscription models and share whether we see ourselves using Substack in the future. Charlie’s pr...
Nov 24, 2022•37 min
As we head into the darker, colder months of the year, we’re sharing how we embrace and survive the autumn/winter season. Whether you love this time of year or not, there’s something in this mini-episode for everyone. Charlie describes some of her favourite seasonal rituals and Franky raves about her beloved thermal leggings. From making our homes feel cosy to working from home when it’s cold, we share tips and advice to help you get the most out of this time of year. Links and Further Reading T...
Nov 10, 2022•19 min
Does your business have a niche? If not, should it? And how do you figure out what it is if so? These are the big questions we’re addressing in this week’s episode. As well as explaining what a niche is and why defining yours could benefit your business, we discuss our own experiences of niching, and in Franky’s case, letting that niche evolve into something new. We also chat about the different types of niches and share some simple tips to help you identify your own. Links and Further Reading: ...
Oct 27, 2022•30 min
