What if profit wasn’t about spreadsheets or sacrifice… but alignment? This week, I’m joined by Lucy Starbuck, Virtual CFO, profit coach, and Human Design guide. We talk about how to create sustainable financial success by understanding your energy first - not just your numbers. Lucy shares her journey from the corporate world to founding Designed for Profit, and how Human Design became the tool that helped her (and her clients) ditch burnout and build profitable, intuitive businesses. If you’ve ...
Jul 16, 2025•40 min
What if your symptoms weren’t something to suppress… but a sign that it’s time to heal? This week, I’m joined by Zoe Boyce, a holistic healing guide, who shares how her own journey with chronic illness became the catalyst for deep transformation - physically, emotionally, and energetically. We speak about how Zoe's background in naturopathy led her to discover the power of emotional clearing, nervous system regulation, and truly holistic wellness. From releasing stored trauma to rebuilding vital...
Jul 09, 2025•39 min
Do you feel your most radiant self? Because guess what? Working on radiance (from the inside out) can be felt by your audience. In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I speak with Cressida Pollack, the founder of SkinGlow Alchemy - a skincare brand born from personal healing and fuelled by purpose. We explore her journey from navigating an autoimmune diagnosis to discovering the power of self-healing through energetics, ritual, and nature. What began as a personal transformation evolved...
Jul 03, 2025•33 min
Got a business? Welcome - you are a founder! In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, we’re joined by Kirstin Hunter - the current CEO of Birchal and former Managing Director at Techstars NSW. From co-founding ethical investing platform Future Super to mentoring Australia’s most promising founders, Kirstin brings a unique lens to what it takes to lead and grow mission-driven businesses. We explore what makes a great founder, the mindset shifts needed to transition to startup life, and why...
Jun 24, 2025•43 min
We often think business growth comes from adding more - more content, more tools, more strategies. But what if the real shift comes from letting go? In this episode, I’m sharing why spaciousness isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s a core business strategy. I will share with you a key principle of lean management and we’ll explore the unseen clutter that drains your time, energy and creativity. If you’re drowning in digital files, stuck in inefficient processes, or simply overwhelmed by too many ide...
Jun 16, 2025•11 min
We often talk about AI in the context of speed, automation, and productivity. But what if AI could help make the world fairer? This week’s episode is a powerful conversation about using technology to bridge one of the biggest gaps in our systems: access to justice. If you’ve ever tried to navigate a legal dispute, you’ll know it can be overwhelming, expensive, and inaccessible. Especially if you don’t have legal training or support. That’s where AI can help. In this episode, we’re joined by foun...
Jun 10, 2025•48 min
If you’ve ever set a big, bold vision… but found it hard to stay the course, this episode is for you. I want to share with you what it means to actually commit to the things you say matter. Not just once a year, but week after week, quarter after quarter. To bring this to life, I have real stories of women who’ve used Quarterly Planning as a way to reconnect with their purpose, stay accountable to their dreams, and take tangible action. Because strategy isn’t just about structure. It’s a mirror,...
Jun 10, 2025•10 min
Whether you have a team or just contractors, you are creating a workplace culture. In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m joined by Miks and Cam, co-founders of Capyble - a Techstars-backed platform that helps businesses turn respect-at-work legislation into meaningful, measurable action. We dive deep into what it really takes to build safer, smarter workplaces - from listening to lived experience, to weaving cultural safety into operations, to using AI without losing humanity. This...
May 26, 2025•42 min
You can absolutely start a business on your own - but if you want to grow and sustain it, leadership becomes the key. In this episode, I share the leadership mindset shifts that helped me scale without burnout, build a deeply aligned team, and lead with clarity and boundaries. If you’re doing too much alone, this episode will help you shift how you lead, so you can grow your business village with purpose and trust. If you LOVE the episode, don’t forget to share it on your Instagram stories and t...
May 22, 2025•10 min
What if your next big breakthrough didn’t happen in a zoom meeting or a brainstorming session - but in the stillness of nature? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m joined by Stephanie, the visionary behind Fern Valley Retreat - a soulful, eco-glamping haven tucked in rural New Zealand. We talk about the intuitive nudge that changed her family’s entire life trajectory, what it really takes to build a retreat space from scratch, and why stepping away to rest is essential for women ...
May 12, 2025•28 min
What happens when a simple fruit analogy reaches millions and sparks a global conversation? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I reflect on the viral moment that unfolded after I shared a metaphor comparing neurodivergent minds to different fruits for my Understanding Zoe business. Inspired by Sandhya Menon’s words: “You would never say an orange has an apple disorder”, the post struck a deep chord with parents, educators, and professionals around the world. But what happens when ou...
May 06, 2025•13 min
What if the biggest thing holding you back in business… wasn’t strategy or skills, but the subconscious patterns running beneath the surface? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m joined by Sarah Berdugo, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Master Practitioner, and former start-up founder, to explore how hypnotherapy can help entrepreneurs overcome common blocks like imposter syndrome, anxiety, leadership challenges, and more. We dive into the real reasons why so many driven leaders hit i...
Apr 28, 2025•38 min
What if your next big business breakthrough wasn’t in your strategy… but in your nervous system? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m sharing the transformational power of psychodrama - the in-person, group-based modality that’s helped me access a deeper level of clarity, alignment, and leadership. As a founder, you already know how to build, plan, and execute. But if you’ve ever felt stuck - like something’s just off, even when everything “looks right” - this is the episode that ...
Apr 22, 2025•19 min
We all say we care about customer experience. But most businesses still treat CX like a buzzword…something that sits on a Miro board, disconnected from how the customer actually moves through your brand. In this episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Brittany Fox, Founder and CEO of Nevam, a platform transforming how teams visualise, prioritise and fix broken customer journeys. We dive into how CX often gets misunderstood, why most “customer journey” maps are missing huge blind spots, and what sol...
Apr 15, 2025•39 min
You can have the best brand photos, clever copy, a funnel that converts - but if your product or service doesn’t deliver real value, it won’t last. In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m exploring a truth that doesn’t get said enough: marketing is only as good as the offer behind it. And while many business coaches are really marketing coaches in disguise, I want to take you deeper. I want to show you how to create a product or service so good, it almost markets itself. We’re diving...
Apr 08, 2025•16 min
Did you know that approximately 20% of the population is neurodivergent? Yet, most businesses are still not designed to be neuro-inclusive. In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I dive into how businesses can embrace neurodiversity - not just in supporting subcontractors, employees and when hiring, but in communication, branding, and leadership. This conversation is packed with practical insights to help you foster an inclusive and innovative business. Whether you're an entrepreneur, l...
Mar 25, 2025•16 min
Neurodiversity isn’t just a buzzword - it’s a movement. And during Neurodiversity Celebration Week, the world is paying attention. But beyond awareness, what does true inclusion look like? How do we build a society where all minds can thrive? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, Podcaster (and Content Marketer at Essential Shift) Mariah MacInnes interviews Laetitia, the founder of Understanding Zoe, to explore what it really means to create a more inclusive world for neurodivergent in...
Mar 17, 2025•37 min
What does it really mean to be a neurodivergent entrepreneur? I want to share my personal journey of navigating the business world as a neurodivergent founder. From struggling with sensory overload in corporate spaces to creating Understanding Zoe. While some influencers online share their “superpower” I want to also give a different lens. Showing the challenges, breakthroughs, and strategies that have helped me (and can help you) build a business that truly works for your unique needs. Whether ...
Mar 10, 2025•17 min
How do we close the gender gap and support parents in managing the overwhelming mental load of family life? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I sit down with Claire Waring, former Executive Creative Director and award-winning leader in the advertising industry, who made the bold leap into entrepreneurship. After years of leading creative teams across Australia, Asia, and Europe, Claire founded Gether - a platform designed to help parents manage the endless notifications, schedules,...
Mar 03, 2025•34 min
Have you ever had a dream so big it excites you, but also terrifies you? You can see yourself stepping into your vision, but something keeps holding you back. Maybe it’s imposter syndrome, fear of failure, or waiting for the “perfect time.” But what if the real missing piece isn’t just strategy…it’s accountability? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m diving into why accountability is the game-changer for turning your dreams into reality. Whether you want to launch a retreat, buil...
Feb 24, 2025•15 min•Season 1Ep. 172
What happens when life forces you to pause and rethink everything? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m joined by Michael, an autistic entrepreneur and host of The Deep Dive Podcast . Michael shares his journey of navigating burnout, stepping away from corporate life, and embracing new opportunities through neurodivergent-friendly support systems. We dive into the challenges of workplace acceptance, the impact of stress on well-being, and the power of finding community. Michael’s ...
Feb 17, 2025•28 min
What happens when one platform you’ve built your business on suddenly disappears? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m sharing what I learned when my Instagram and Facebook accounts suddenly went dark - years of content, connections, and community conversations vanished in an instant. While I was able to get them back (so grateful to the person who helped me!) but two days later lost it all again, this unexpected pause is a wake-up call. As social media fell silent, something else...
Feb 10, 2025•19 min
What does it take to perform at your best as an entrepreneur? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, we hear from Jess Spendlove, a Performance Dietitian, Executive Health Coach, and sought-after speaker specialising in wellbeing and high performance. We dive deep into the key components of performance for entrepreneurs, drawing from Jess’ experience with elite athletes and translating those strategies into actionable steps for business owners. This hands-on episode is packed with pract...
Feb 04, 2025•49 min
I had the women in my Goddess Embodiment Sisterhood (my mastermind) ask me ‘what is happening in 2025 in business’. So I shared some trends that will help with future-proofing impact and building long-lasting businesses. Whether you’re just starting out or ready to scale, this episode will inspire you to embrace innovation, sustainability, and connection to build a resilient, thriving business. If you LOVE the episode, don’t forget to share it on your Instagram stories and tag me @essential.shif...
Jan 27, 2025•21 min
What does it take to turn personal health challenges into a thriving global business? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, we hear from Kiri Yanchenko, the inspiring founder and CEO of AMPERNA®, a groundbreaking skincare brand that champions prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic formulations. Kiri shares how her personal journey of overcoming severe health and skin challenges became the foundation for her purpose-driven business. We discuss the importance of trusting your intuition, bu...
Jan 20, 2025•43 min
What does it mean to simplify, align, and trust your intuition to create a life of expansion and purpose? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast , I’m reflecting on the 40 most powerful lessons I learned during my 40th year (in 2024). From embracing simplicity as my guiding theme for 2024 to celebrating transformative milestones like launching Understanding Zoe and stepping into Techstars, these lessons have profoundly shaped how I approach life, business, relationships, and rest. Whethe...
Jan 13, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Ever felt a little... Different? Sounds a bit interesting to say, but you aren’t alone with this. If you love listening to inspiring stories of entrepreneurship, get your headphones out because REWIND episode 164 of The Essential Shift Podcast is the one. You will hear from Kate Toon, her insights into digital marketing and how she navigates being a mum, a business owner and all the things that make her unique. This conversation will leave you feeling ready to leave your impact on the world. If ...
Jan 06, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 165
Have you been looking for a new way to “do” business? Do you dream of a business that is designed for you and not someone else? One that works with your own unique energy? Are you ready to be The Conscious Entrepreneur? Let me share with you how astrology can help you and your business. Let me show you a place where you have a unique blend of intuitive growth, grounded spiritual practices and cutting-edge business strategies that will propel you on a remarkable journey of self-discovery, both pe...
Dec 30, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 164
Have you ever seen a piece of content and thought “that is so well done, I wish I could think of those ideas”... You are about to get an insight behind these creative and fun marketing ideas! In this REWIND episode of The Essential Shift Podcast I am joined by Founder of Girls Get Off, Viv Conway. If you have ever wondered how to market without needing ads, or how to be innovative and fun with your organic marketing, this is the episode for all small business owners and entrepreneurs! If you LOV...
Dec 23, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 163
I have just wrapped up a 13 week incubator for Techstars and this is the question that comes to mind... What does it take to grow, lead, and adapt in the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship? In this episode of The Essential Shift Podcast, I’m doing a deep dive on the transformative 13-week experience in the Techstars Accelerator with Understanding Zoe (my new startup). From the challenges of pitching on day one to the triumph of Demo Day, each week brought powerful lessons that have forever sha...
Dec 16, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 162
