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 20th 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, covering topics like where her inspiration comes from to how she’s developed her own distinctive styl...
Apr 18, 2019•50 min•Season 2Ep. 59
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 both them and me. It can be all too easy to begin associating how a friend feels about you to how in...
Apr 04, 2019•53 min
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 intentionally designed desk pads, greetings cards, keyring and a whole lot more. Starting out a...
Mar 12, 2019•47 min•Season 2Ep. 57
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 little vulnerable (even for me), I know that by letting you in on what my weakness' are and sharing b...
Mar 07, 2019•34 min•Season 2Ep. 56
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 comfort and encouragement in knowing they're not the only one. So, as the name of the podcast sugge...
Mar 07, 2019•27 min•Season 2Ep. 55
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 overnight thing. In this episode I share 5 encouragements / tips for anyone who also feels a little nervou...
Feb 28, 2019•19 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Love insta stories but feel like a total fool when showing your face? Find other talking to camera stories a little dull and don't want to add to the pile? If so, this episode is for you! As someone who feels a little too comfortable talking into a phone, I'm sharing tips for gaining confidence, showing your face and most importantly, keeping it engaging for your followers. _____ Find the show notes and get connected to everything mentioned in the episode HERE. Enjoyed the episode? I’d love to h...
Feb 26, 2019•22 min•Season 2Ep. 53
If you’re familiar with this podcast, you’ll know I’m a little efficiency obsessed. Anything which promises to save me time, make me more productive and ultimately give me more freedom to work ON my business is a total winner for me. In the first of this weeks’ #Take5 episodes, I’m sharing 5 apps which have helped to streamline my business. Ready to let technology work in your favour and up your efficiency? Tune in… _____ Find the show notes and get connected to everything mentioned in the episo...
Feb 25, 2019•18 min•Season 2Ep. 52
When I first heard the story of todays guest, I knew it wouldn't be one I'd forget easily. Today’s guest Syreeta runs lifestyle store and studio MOSS, a brand which was born from a desire to create light out of darkness after her partner Rob suffered a brain haemorrhage and stroke in 2014 and their lives suddenly changed forever. I found myself in complete awe of her courage, kindness and ability to make something beautiful out of a very tragic situation. Having Syreeta on the podcast really is ...
Feb 18, 2019•44 min•Season 2Ep. 51
Welcome to the 50th episode of Starting The Conversation! Uploaded exactly a year to date since the podcast first launched! I’ve loved hosting this podcast over the last twelve months and sharing the real-life narrative of running a business with you and I’m so happy you’re tuning in to listen. To celebrate this milestone, I wanted to bring something a little different to this podcast episode and so I asked for your questions over on Instagram… That’s right, it’s my first Q&A on Starting The...
Feb 09, 2019•36 min•Season 2Ep. 50
This episode feels totally full circle for me. The Creative Leap podcast hosted by today’s guest was actually the very first podcast I ever listened to and something that sparked me to start my own podcast journey a year ago. I reached out to Cat for some advice back then and she also happened to be my first ever guest on here too. It only felt right to mark a year of Starting The Conversation with Cat, if you’re not familiar with this lady already, let me introduce you… Cat Byrne is a creative ...
Feb 04, 2019•45 min•Season 2Ep. 49
If you’ve been connecting with me for a while, you’ll know I recently had a very exciting launch within my business – Gather & Grow, a workshop style retreat for female entrepreneurs. In my usual style, I jumped head first into the launch, ready to figure out the details as I went along and trusting that things would all come together eventually – because things always work out in the end don’t they? The truth is, launches always look shiny and exciting from the outside, but, in reality, whi...
Jan 29, 2019•49 min•Season 2Ep. 48
Sustainability is a hot topic right now and for many of us, building this into our business is something we’re all become more and more conscious of. From reaching a manageable workload to lowering the impact you have on the environment, today’s guest is certainly doing her part. After falling in love with Cath’s stationery designs last year and using her desk pad every single day, I knew I needed her as a podcast guest. So let me introduce you to the lady behind luxury stationery company Sadler...
Jan 21, 2019•52 min•Season 2Ep. 47
Would your business survive without Instagram? Survive may seem like a bit of an extreme word, but in actual fact, so many business’ solely rely on the app to market their goods or services. It’s understandable. Instagram is ‘the place to be’ for many of us; it feels fun, relevant, and natural, so why work harder to develop other platforms if Insta is already working for you? Sound about right? Well ask yourself this - if the app were suddenly no more, would you still have an audience to talk to...
Jan 14, 2019•28 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Curious about how others are finding getting ‘back to it’ after taking a break from work? Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the looming tax return deadline? Well this episode is most certainly for you. I sat down with Julia Day (financial coach and overall lovely person) to chat about our experience of easing back into work after the Christmas break and how we’re utilising the ‘new year new me’ spirit for good. Julia also shared some much needed insight and encouragement for those tackling their tax ...
Jan 07, 2019•41 min•Season 2Ep. 44
The start of the year isn’t always the easiest. You’re transitioning back into work after taking time off, everyone seems to be adding to the noise of ‘new year new me’ and you’re sat questioning if you’re capable of reaching the goals you’re setting… This episode is a total must listen if you’re resonating with any of the above. I sat down with Sophie French (mindset message coach and total babe) to talk all things tackling your mindset, transitioning back into work after a break, setting goals...
Jan 07, 2019•38 min•Season 2Ep. 45
Whilst ‘new year new me’ isn’t my thing, I’m all for using any opportunity to look ahead, set intentions and get my tiny brain in gear. So in the first episode of 2019, I’m talking all things INTENTIONS. Tune in to discover just how I did at achieving my 2018 intentions, find out the personal and business intentions I’ve set for 2019, get some tips for sustainable goal setting and learn about how I ensure my intentions are (somewhat) kept to throughout the year… _____ Find the show notes and get...
Jan 03, 2019•42 min•Season 2Ep. 43
It’s safe to say that this has been a pretty full on year for my business… Through a whole host of highs, lows, challenges and achievements, the past 12 months have been rich in lessons. If you fancy gaining an insight into my business this year, tune into this episode to discover 5 truths my business has taught me (and is continuing to remind me of) within 2018. PS - this is the FINAL episode of 2018... can you believe it?! I must say a huge thank you to you for supporting the podcast this year...
Dec 20, 2018•41 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Confession. My phone usage often totals 7+ hours a day. Pretty awful right? Well, whilst I'm taking a much-needed break from work this Christmas, I'm committed to stepping back from and breaking up with my phone. We can shut our laptops, clear our calendars and put our out of office on, however our phones make it very easy to slip back into work mode which is why in this episode I’m sharing the actionable ways you can break up with your phone over Christmas. I recorded this alongside one other b...
Dec 17, 2018•13 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In the first of two bonus episodes released today, I’m sharing what it’s taken for me to plan my first proper Christmas break and exactly how I’ve made it happen. I rarely take real time away from my business, however right now, 2 whole weeks of no work at all feels very needed. I couldn’t find much out there to help me make it happen hence these two bonus episodes. It’s no secret that resting away from work is so important; not only to take care of ourselves as business owners, but also to ensu...
Dec 17, 2018•19 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Now that the year is coming to a close and 2019 feels scarily close, I’ve been reflecting on how my business has developed over the last twelve months. Investing in my business (with both time and money) has created significant growth this year and I’ve seen a direct link between intentionally putting time and money into my business and seeing the benefits because of this. In my latest episode, I’m sharing the 5 best investments I’ve made. From outsourcing and community to upgrading my client ex...
Dec 12, 2018•39 min•Season 1Ep. 39
It wasn’t until I hosted the Insta Story Thing (my own Instagram challenge focused on creating better stories) that I actually considered what how they work for my business. Fast forward to now and I’m a huge advocate for using them to grow, serve and connect with your audience online. In this week’s episode, I share the ins and outs of leading an Instagram challenge, commenting on my own experience, the benefits of hosting your own and what I I’d do differently next time. _____ Find the show no...
Dec 03, 2018•34 min•Season 1Ep. 28
I’ve always been in total awe of mothers. The closest I come to having a baby is caring for my dog and running my business, a world away from being responsible for breathing tiny humans. When considering who to explore this topic with, I knew that Megan, as a mother of two young boys and the creative behind Blossom & Crumb, would have so much to share / bring. Megan has run Blossom & Crumb, a wedding and special occasion cake company, from her home in London since 2015. She specialises i...
Nov 27, 2018•59 min•Season 1Ep. 37
When we love our business, it’s only natural to attach A LOT of emotion to our social platforms and this has positives and negatives. In this episode, I’ll be serving you with a dose of encouragement rather than something to do / work / action. On one hand, more emotion can make us care more, however on the flip side it can make us care too much and stand in the way of what our real focus should be. With this in mind, tune in to receive 5 encouragements for the way you show up online, share your...
Nov 23, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 36
One of my favourite things about what I do is the people I get to work with. I value people who can be honest and are willing to show the behind the scenes of what they do because that’s such an important part of running a business – the actual day to day. Enter Will. We met whilst working on a studio shoot and I’ve finally roped him into joining me on the podcast for this episode. Will a highly skilled commercial Sony Pro Photographer and works as a Creative Director, leading all creative proje...
Nov 12, 2018•50 min•Season 1Ep. 35
This episode is an incredibly personal one for me. You may already know I run a business, but what you might not know is I do this alongside suffering with depression and everyday I’m presented with two options; to lean in, or to opt out. In this episode, I discuss my own experiences with depression, how it interacts with my work and how I’ve established a schedule that respects my mental health. *Depression affects everyone differently and so I fully acknowledge the ways I deal with it may not ...
Nov 08, 2018•25 min•Season 1Ep. 34
What first comes to mind when I say ‘self-care?’ A bubble bath? Relaxing on an exotic beach with a book? Yoga? Since I made the conscious decision for this podcast to cover the unspoken topics of running your own business, I knew right away that I needed to speak about self-care. When I met Amy (on Instagram of course) I knew instantly she was a perfect match for this episode. As s a self-care mentor and the one girl band behind Let’s Get Back To You, Amy's work is focused on empowering people t...
Oct 31, 2018•53 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Twelve months ago, I believed the myth that a six-figure launch was as easy as some Facebook adverts, a lead magnet and a sales funnel. Oh how I was wrong. I also made the assumption that because this business model worked for others, it would work for me too and I would experience the same levels of 'success' and fulfillment. Wrong again. In this episode, I share my experience of failing to launch an online course, getting honest about why it really wasn’t the right fit for my business and all ...
Oct 24, 2018•25 min•Season 1Ep. 32
We all know that running a business can be incredibly challenging for us as entrepreneurs, but I think we often disregard the (sometimes negative) impact what we do can have on those around us. So much of what I’ve achieved wouldn’t have happened without the support of those around me, but dealing with someone who has an unconventional relationship with their work definitely isn’t always easy for them. The lines are blurred between my work and personal time, I struggle to properly switch off, my...
Oct 17, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Ever have those days where you get to 6pm and it feels like you've achieved nothing but scroll through Instagram and open the fridge about 4 times an hour *hoping* there's something appealing in there?I'm so with you. As one girl bands, our time is precious and this episode is here to ensure you're making the most of the time you do have. Over the past 3 years I've learnt a fair bit about what it looks like to ensure that an unproductive Monday doesn't turn into a full week of it, so if you're r...
Oct 10, 2018•30 min•Season 1Ep. 30
