Small business is so personal, such an expression of you, even if you didn’t intend to design it that way. I believe that comes about when you truly lose yourself to the undoing and learning process that is being in business for yourself, just like today’s wonderful guest, Eugenie Hows, who is the Owner of Plant Vibes Café and Co-Owner of KYN Official vegan handbags. In the sharing of her story, you’ll hear us chat about: When intuition kicks in and changes your professional course completely Ex...
Aug 20, 2023•50 min
When I learnt about today’s guests, the mother and daughter duo behind Bixby & Co, it came with a little story - see Annie, the daughter in the duo, had been listening to this very podcast while considering her next step. She was listening to the stories of business builders and simply thought “why aren’t I doing that?” And now here we are, hearing about her incredible business. Which has achieved so much in such a short time just by getting started. So if you have a desire to start your own...
Aug 16, 2023•42 min
How do you know when a business idea is worth pursuing? Sometimes just choosing one and going for it, for as long as it feels right, comes with months (or years!) of turning it over again and again in your head – then again, sometimes we just go for it and figure the rest out later. Our guest today is the fabulous Rachel Gerds, who together with her partner dove two feet in to an incredible new business and lifestyle, and in the sharing of her business story we chat about: Basing your business i...
Aug 13, 2023•39 min
Money. And more specifically, cashflow. It’s a hugely important topic in the context of building a business but one that so many of us can fall intro traps over – because perhaps there’s some basics we were never taught, or we’re not sure what questions to ask, or maybe we’re just a little embarrassed by the topic. Our guest in this episode is here to share her own money journey and give a little inspo on what she’s learnt in the building of her businesses (yep, plural). Amy Bett is Founder of L...
Aug 09, 2023•40 min
The thing about creating and running a business that just gets me in the gut every time is how damn personal the whole experience is – I mean personal in the sense that you’re not just creating work and sharing products or ideas, you’re creating a whole new version of yourself along the way. After recording this chat I’m about to share with you I had so many personal and professional light bulbs go off that have been invaluable - my guest is Reioni Douglas, Upholsterer and creator of Culture Cus...
Aug 06, 2023•40 min
Hands up if you KNOW you should just start where you are in business, but still want everything to be perfect at every step? (My hand is up). In this episode of Unemployed & Afraid we get to hear from Bec Connolly, Founder of Botanicals by Luxe, about how she embraced getting started as simply as possible to go on and build an incredibly successful skincare brand. You’ll hear about: - Being drawn into business through a desire to marry a passion with a structure that allows for more family t...
Aug 02, 2023•38 min
What do you do when you’re stuck in your business – stuck in the chaos of getting it all done and not seemingly getting anywhere close to the lifestyle you dreamed of? My guest today packs a lot in, and I don’t just mean with her ability to manage all the things at once with a growing family, I mean also that she shares so many powerful insights in this chat. Emily Bedford, owner of residential and commercial cleaning service Hazelclean, is incredibly generous and open with her experience of bui...
Jul 23, 2023•43 min
Today’s guest is an entrepreneur through and through, looking to solve problems that matter to her, and amplify that solution to the communities she builds. In this episode Jen Clark, CEO of Hosting With Heart and Heartful and I really get into the “journey” of it all, how you start one thing and it leads to another, which you would have never imagined before you got started. We talk about the value in creating the kinds of conversations YOU want to have if it’s something that you can’t find els...
Jul 19, 2023•48 min
There’s something to be said for setting the bar just that little bit higher than what you’re comfortable with when building your business - the message you send yourself could be exactly what you need when times get challenging. Tommy Murphy, Founder of A1 Connect, shares how and why he did it, and so much more. In this episode we chat about: Taking lessons from your youth into creating a business you’re proud of The obligations we as business owners have to pay it forward wherever we can Putti...
Jul 16, 2023•49 min
How do you know when it’s time to let go of your business? Starting again and creating a completely new business is a huge decision, one our generous guest Jacqui Toumbas, Founder of Food and Hospitality Consultancy - JT Consultancy, shares in this episode. She has so much amazing energy and incredible insights to share with you, you’ll hear about: Recognising when you’ve stopped learning and need to move on from a business you’ve loved Redefining your definition of success Learning to believe i...
Jul 12, 2023•46 min
Embarking on a path so different to the one you planned for yourself is bound to be scary, but when life pushes you there, you just have to strap in and ride out the journey. Sofia Tsamassiros is Owner of Eudaimonia Tasmanian Cycling Tours, and in this episode she shares with us: Her experience in stepping away from an intense path of study without a plan Navigating the challenge of starting a business that’s not embedded in academics, when your path and personal plan had always included academi...
Jul 09, 2023•28 min
The incredible sisters behind Read & Hall, My Sister & The Sea and Love & Mutiny are here to give you their inspiring business building stories and learnings, with a big side of fun – because Emma Read & Sarah Hall really are just so. much. fun. We cover so many real and relatable small-business feels in this episode, but to summarise some of what you can expect… We talk about having an established career already, but realising there’s a ceiling to how much you can really love it...
Jul 05, 2023•43 min
Welcome small-business builder, or perhaps you’re an aspiring small-business builder in which instance, welcome, and wow I’m so excited for you to take this journey! I’m not going to sugar-coat it – it’s a pretty wild one. We exist to create a sense of community for each of us on this challenging, exhilarating, sometimes isolating small-business path, and community is such a big aspect of the life and business of today’s guest, the lovely Nicole Viney, an incredible jewellery maker out of Tasman...
Jul 02, 2023•36 min
What happens when the business you love so much has to transition into a new space to survive, and that new space is one you don’t know how to navigate yet? This episode is about building a small business that really embraces the #pivot we love so much, so if you’re in or facing a change this chat will be just what you need. The wonderful Yoko Inoue, Owner of wellbeing emporium Shoku Iku talks about: Managing the shift from in-person business to online Exploring her creativity across two differe...
Jun 25, 2023•35 min
The guest in this episode is 100% here for the real feels on small-business and shares so generously I can hardly believe we’re lucky enough to hear from her. Naomi Sherman is carving out an empire in the food creative space, and in today’s chat we talk about: - how you really can stumble upon a business by simply following something that makes you happy - the very real challenges of figuring out how to price yourself in an industry that doesn’t have any clear-cut guidelines (or sharing) - what ...
Jun 18, 2023•47 min
We often hear stories of someone going out on their own after a major event – something that leads a person to leave a stable corporate career to create something of their own – then there’s the other stories. The stories of realising that you’re just done with whatever you’re in. In this episode, the endlessly articulate Ben Willis, Lawyer, Founder and Managing Director of Willis Commercial will share with you his moment of being done - and what happened next. We talk about: What it means to ha...
May 28, 2023•49 min
There are many sliding door moments that may have meant your business-building never happened – our guest today shares her own and so much more. In this episode Kylie Wallace is CEO (and Chief Gardener) of Seedling Giving shares: What creates an engaging brand experience. How starting with a wide audience and offering can show you where to focus. The headspace you can create when you get pre-scheduling. Why you should always start where you are. And the importance of giving. Seedling Giving is a...
May 21, 2023•41 min
Do you find it hard to explain your business in 25 words or less? Or feel like you’re constantly bumping up against an old guard in your industry who just aren't quite ready to recognise that the world’s changed? Welcome business-builder, to another story of creating a business you love and all the crazy sh*t that happens when you do. In the sharing of his business-building story Tom Maynard, Co-Founder of Amplify and I chat about: Understanding the power of audience and influence, and trusting ...
May 14, 2023•39 min
This is the story of Ami and Sian, co-founders of Pleasant State, who if you haven’t heard of yet you definitely should get to know. This episode feels like a masterclass in vision, purpose, grit and excellent brand marketing – all the things needed for a thriving business. We talk about: Being a bootstrapped and crowd-funded business - getting real about how the financing works and why tight cashflow management is pivotal The value of the right business partners and how to find them The importa...
May 07, 2023•48 min
Ever had the feeling that you were meant to be doing something else, like you had more to offer, but just didn’t know what? Our guest in today’s episode, Amber Hunter – Founder of copywriting studio Hunter and I - dives into so many topics that are always poignant in the business-building process, from the early day thoughts that you’re just meant to do and create something for yourself, to the very important topic of living how you need to in order to get there (read: frugally). We talk about: ...
Apr 30, 2023•46 min
Chris and Carlan Pickings, founders of PPHH Store, have built a business that supersedes selling fashion. They’ve created a destination shopping experience built around a culture of quality self-expression and connection – a business that reflects who they are and the lives they want to lead – not just what they know, and they’ve done it without backgrounds in fashion. In this episode we talk about: The value of building and tapping into your community when you want to create something. The real...
Apr 23, 2023•1 hr 8 min
If you’re a business-builder in the start-up to scale-up phase, and want to ensure your business is sustainable for the planet, this episode is for you. My guest Nelly, founder of Wet Dog & Co (who create eco-conscious matching gear for wet-dogs and people) has an incredible energy, and a unique ability to hold a big vision while not missing the joy in the start-up slow build phase. She reminds us that taking small steps is sometimes exactly what you need. We get real about starting a produc...
Apr 16, 2023•40 min
There are plenty ways you can find yourself in the midst of chaos that is building your own brand and business. Our guest today found his way there after spending over 2 decades in an industry - working for others at the one company – until the role he had there disappeared. That’s an intense place to find yourself. Mike Fitzpatrick, Director of Mediafitz, will share with you exactly what happened next. We talk about: - How job-hunting can be the very thing that pushes you towards your own busin...
Apr 09, 2023•43 min
So glad you’re here business-builder because we have another inspiring story of growing, trialing, and error-ing on the journey of working for yourself. And let me just say that if you’re feeling a little tired, run-down, flat, all the things – I feel you. We’re pushing hard in this self-employed business-building gig, which is why it’s extra sweet that our storyteller today is a breath of fresh air. We talk about how you never have to stay tied to who you were, the ongoing, evolving battle with...
Apr 07, 2023•39 min
Meet Marissa Mills, a woman on the cusp of launching her brand-new business Joyrolla, and she’s sharing all of the exhilarating and terrifying feels of going for it. You’re going to hear about how sometimes realising your why, the thing you didn’t realise was driving you, happens well after you’ve started the journey. About the manufacturing process of creating a physical product that, until now, is just a figment of your imagination. The benefits of slowing down the creation process when starti...
Apr 02, 2023•33 min
Sometimes circumstance pushes you into business for yourself - and you realise it’s where you were always meant to be. That was the case for our guest in this episode, Tara Hurster, Founder of the TARA Clinic, where TARA stands for “Therapeutic Addiction Recovery Assistance.” We talk about: The creation of her business and its pivot away from service-based to online Why investing in yourself through coaching and self-development is always worth it And how taking the time to understand your purpo...
Mar 26, 2023•54 min
In this episode you’ll hear from the incredible Briony Kennedy, Founder and CEO of Adorn Cosmetics and be. Health, who has built a beauty empire. We talk about: The importance of reframing why you sell something to a consumer so you can get out of your own way and get it done Why you should fight the feeling that you have to already be a serious and well-known expert in something in order to create a business around it The battle with self-doubt we have when starting something new – and how easy...
Mar 19, 2023•57 min
Small business is big business, no matter which way you look at it. This episode with Narelle Wilson, founder of Volta Consulting, is all about giving you the real, relatable, vulnerable experience of making small to medium businesses you love, so that you’re hyped to keep smashing it. We talk about: The realities of stepping away from a long held corporate career, in particular within male dominated environments, and the sneaky glory of a slow goodbye when doing so Studying for the sheer passio...
Mar 12, 2023•37 min
The magic of these personal stories of business-building is that you sometimes hear things that just properly land for you, on a deeply personal level. At the very least you hear something that feels similar to the experience you’ve had, or are having, that gives you a little piece of yourself back - and enough courage to keep going. If you’re building a business, it’s highly likely you’ll have that experience listening to this chat, because these wonderful humans share so much valuable insight....
Mar 05, 2023•47 min
Laura McConnell Conti is co-founder of #GoKindly, a high-quality bedding basics brand, BCorp, and social Enterprise making the world kinder by donating 50% of profits to women in need. In this episode Laura shares why she built her business without knowing what product or brand would be the vessel, instead focusing on the operating model first… You see, she knew what type of business she wanted to be, one with positive social and environmental impact at the core – and knew the product would reve...
Feb 26, 2023•42 min
