The Life-Friendly Business Podcast
By Erin Thomas Wong, The Life-Friendly Business Mentor
The Life-Friendly Business Mentor, Erin Thomas Wong, will be digging in to the topics that matter to YOU and sharing the stories of women striving to build life-friendly businesses on their own terms.
If you want to grow and scale a business that works in harmony with your family and your life, this podcast is for you!
The Life-Friendly Business PodcastJan 25, 2023
Ep 62 - It's Never Too Late
And we are back for Season 5! In this episode, I discuss the challenges women face in balancing work and personal life within their businesses, often leading to feelings of overwhelm and burnout. I stress the importance of introspection and carving out "CEO time" to assess how their businesses truly benefit them. We talk about the 7 core principles of a life-friendly business, highlighting flexibility, inspiration, income support, and self-compassion as crucial elements for well-being. I encourage you to redefine success and take decisive action to create businesses aligned with your desired lifestyle, and emphasize the power individuals have in reshaping their professional paths for joy, fulfilment, and sustainability.
Chapters
0:00 Evaluating Your Business and Life Alignment
1:44 Recognizing Signs of Business Burnout
3:16 Taking Control and Making Positive Changes
5:13 Principles of a Life-Friendly Business
8:21 Finding Clarity and Seeking Support
Find your focus with my FREE Clarity Workbook - download here
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you atĀ ā ā www.lifefriendlybusiness.comā ā
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode. Please do leave a review! š
Ep 61 - Get Yourself Seen
In this final episode for our Visibility Series I emphasize the importance of visibility for a successful business. I discuss different ways to increase visibility and the mindset challenges that may arise. I also talk about streamlining tasks to create more time for focusing on the bigger picture.
Do reach out and let me know what you've enjoyed during this special Visibility Series! Find me on social @lifefriendlybiz or visit the website at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/podcasts/life-friendly-business-podcast
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you atĀ ā ā www.lifefriendlybusiness.comā ā
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode. Please do leave a review! š
Ep 60 - Visibility Through Books
In this episode, we explore the world of self-publishing and its benefits for businesses and brands. We're joined by Linda Liebrand, a Book Marketing Specialist, who provides insights on why self-publishing is a great idea and shares tips for designing a compelling book cover. Linda also walks us through the process of self-publishing using Amazon KDP. Whether you're a business owner, existing or aspiring author, this interview is packed with informative and inspiring advice for your self-publishing journey.
Connect with Linda at www.lindaliebrand.com
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2AedĀ
šļø Subscribe on your favouriteĀ player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 59 - Visibility Through PR
Today I'm speaking to Jo Swann of Chocolate PR who helps mission led entrepreneurs to get their message heard via the power of the press. We discuss the benefits of PR, why you need to story tell rather than sell and how to overcome imposter syndrome. Jo also outlines two approaches: responding to media inquiries and taking stories directly to journalists, and what you need to have in place to get started.
Connect with Jo at www.chocolatepr.co.uk or check out her podcast PR Powerhouse.
Chapters
0:00:00 Setting up the business and helping people
0:03:23 Empowering entrepreneurs through the power of the press
0:08:55 Creating a Persona for Effective PR Visibility
0:10:35 Foundational Work before Approaching Journalists
0:11:46 Proactive PR Approach and Engaging with Journalists
0:14:23 Benefits of PR: Building Confidence and Opening Doors
0:18:10 The Long Game of PR and Building Expertise
0:26:26 The Importance of Consistency and Persistence in Marketing
0:28:07 The Need for an Ongoing Funnel and Consistent Marketing Efforts
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you atĀ ā ā www.lifefriendlybusiness.comā ā
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode. Please do leave a review! š
Ep 58 - Visibility Through Branding
A brand is not about a logo, a brand is all about the relationship and the connections you make with people. Today Jill Pryor, Brand & Graphic Designer, shares her tips for using visual design to draw your ideal customers closer, how to create a consistent look and feel across your platforms and why your brand visuals and words are like a marriage.
Jill also shares her personal journey of running her business whilst dealing with the loss of a parent, the menopause and her daughter's mental health battle.
Download Jill's free gift of a Mini Brand Roots Workbook at https://jillpryordesign.co.uk/lifefriendlybusiness/Ā
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2AedĀ
šļø Subscribe on your favouriteĀ player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 57 - Visibility Through YouTube
Using YouTube is a powerful way to build credibility and reach new audiences and to see this in action I've invited Louise Brogan, international speaker, writer, host of the LinkedIn with Louise Podcast and YouTube channel, back on to the podcast to share her experience of building her channel to over 6,500 subscribers, and where this fits in her business model.
We discuss building authority, a fear of success, whether you should give your best content away for free, and how to avoid the top mistakes that people make with YouTube.
You can connect with Louise at www.louisebrogan.com or hear more of her personal story in Episode 8 - Nailing The Work Life Balance.
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2AedĀ
šļø Subscribe on your favouriteĀ player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 56 - Visibility Through Events
Running an event is an amazing way to get yourself and your business in front of new audiences. Today I'm speaking to Natalie Pithers, Founder of the Curious Descendants Club and Genealogy Stories, about the inspiring event she created about The History of Ukraine, which not only raised Ā£56k for charity, but also led to her dream job. We also discuss the challenges of running a business as a single mother of 3, avoiding burnout and utilizing FOMO!
Connect with Natalie at https://genealogystories.co.uk/
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2AedĀ
šļø Subscribe on your favouriteĀ player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 55 - Visibility Through TikTok
Are you discounting TikTok because you don't think it's the right demographic for you or your audience? Think again. Today I'm speaking to Michelle Haslam, TikTokPreneur, who shares her story of growing her account to over 77k followers and how she has made money through utilising the platform. Michelle offers some surprising insights on how best to grow your following and how to avoid the most common mistakes people make.
Connect with Michelle at bit.ly/BizTok
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2AedĀ
šļø Subscribe on your favouriteĀ player to get notified of the next Podcast episode & please leave a review š
Ep 54 - Visibility Through Networking
Does the idea of a networking event fill you with dread? Or maybe you feel like it never yields the results it should? We all know that getting ourselves out there in person is a great way to tell more people what we do, but are we approaching it with the right mindset?
Today, as part of The Visibility Series, I'm speaking to Joanne Dewberry - Networking Ninja, Sage Business Expert & Multi-Award Winning Blogger.
Joanne shares her tips for successful networking and how to avoid the top 3 mistakes people make.
You can connect with Joanne at https://joannedewberry.co.uk/
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2AedĀ
šļø Subscribe on your favouriteĀ player to get notified of the next Podcast episode & please leave a review š
Ep 53 - Visibility On Your Own Terms
How do you get visible when you really don't feel like doing it? If you're feeling massive resistance to putting yourself out there, it could be that you need to find your own way of doing it, and that's exactly what Laura Robinson has managed to do.
Listen for the top 3 mistakes people make when trying to get visible, and how to avoid them.
Laura is a marketing mentor for people who sell their expertise online as 1-1 services, courses, memberships and group programs, helping them get comfortable with creating, selling, and marketing their offers, so they can enjoy a comfortable income. Connect with her at https://worditude.co.uk
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š„ I help women adopt a life-friendly approach to growing their business through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2AedĀ
šļø Subscribe on your favouriteĀ player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/podcasts/life-friendly-business-podcast
Ep 52 - The 3 Keys To Sustainable Visibility
When I speak to my clients about putting themselves out there and getting visible, there is a huge gap between what they KNOW they could be doing, and what they actually DO. Today I share the 3 keys to getting visible in a consistent and sustainable way.
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you atĀ ā ā www.lifefriendlybusiness.comā ā
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode. Please do leave a review! š
Ep 51 - An update on Simplify
I'm back for Season 4! Before we dive in to our special Visibility Series for this season, I wanted to give a little update on my quest to simplify my business that I touched on in Episode 50, and I had lots of people reach out to say the topic really resonated with them. So this is what's happened in the last 4 months...
š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you atĀ www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode. Please do leave a review! š
Ep 50 - Simplify
Simplify, simplify, simplify. If you're feeling overwhelmed, overstretched and pulled in different directions, it could be that you're simply trying to do too many things. And when our focus is split, we're not able to give our full attention to the things that matter.
'Simplify' is going to be my word for this year and so in this final episode of Season 3 I share behind the scenes of my business and the realisations I have had.
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 49 - Community and connection
I discuss why Community and Connection are the two things that drive my business and how that creates a ripple effect for the women I work with.
Are you creating community around your brand? Listen now for why you should.
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 48 - Delegate To Grow
I'm speaking with Darya Simanovich, CEO & Founder of Chelsea Creperie, Chelsea Swim Spa, and the social enterprise Buy One Give One. After arriving in the UK with Ā£200 in her pocket, no English and no connections, she has grown an impressive portfolio of businesses.Ā
We discuss the importance of building a team of people around you, how she has funded her businesses and why she recommends lean startups.
Connect with Darya on Instagram @daryasimanovich
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 47 - Reignite Your Biz Mojo
If you're feeling a bit flat, a bit 'meh' and a bit uninspired right now, this episode is for you. I share 5 questions to help you reignite your business mojo and get you back on track!
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you here
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 46 - Part time hours but full time pay
We are busting a myth today. The myth that if you work part time, it means half the pay. I'm speaking with Ali Geake, Donor Communications Consultant, who shares her journey of building her business around her life-friendly boundaries, and how she has tripled her income on part time hours.
Connect with Ali at www.aligeake.com
www.linkedin.com/in/aligeake
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/podcasts/life-friendly-business-podcast
Ep 45 - What Will You Say No To?
If you want a life-friendly business this year you need to be super intentional with your time and energy. Do you need to learn how to say no to things which are pulling you away from what really matters? Let's discuss!
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/podcasts/life-friendly-business-podcast
Ep 44 - The Hard Truth About Running A Business
After 14 years in business I share the 5 hard truths I wish someone had told me when I started. Listen now for my insights!
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 43 - Leading The Way In Surveying
In this interview with Marion Ellis from Love Surveying we discuss how she navigated change and now helps others do the same.
We talk about being a woman in a male dominated industry, going through the menopause and juggling business and family.
At Love Surveying Marion provides the support, coaching, and networking surveyors and property professionals need to confidently handle career challenges and navigate the business journey thatās right for them.
Founder of The Surveyor Hub podcast and community Marion also supports surveyors in business through her coaching and mentoring programmes.
Connect with her at www.lovesurveying.com
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/podcasts/life-friendly-business-podcast
Ep 42 - Taking A Fear Inventory
Are you making judgements and decisions in your business from a place of fear? If you do, you're really not alone. Today we're discussing how this fear could be holding you back, and I share an old fear inventory from the past which stopped me in my tracks.
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š„ I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
ā Find out more about how I can help you at https://buff.ly/3gx2Aed
šļø Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/podcasts/life-friendly-business-podcast
Ep 41 - 34 Days Away From My Business
Welcome back for Season 3 of The Life-Friendly Business Podcast! Today I'm sharing how I was able to take 34 days away from my business - what I put in place to make that possible, and the unexpected lesson I learned from it.
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I help women build life-friendly businesses on their own terms through my membership, mastermind and podcast.
-> Find out more about how I can help you at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
-> Subscribe on your favourite player to get notified of the next Podcast episode
Ep 40 - When You Feel Like Giving Up...
In the last episode of Season 2 we discuss something which maybe isn't talked about enough.... feeling like you want to give up and close your business. This is something so many of us go through and it's important to be honest with how you're feeling and get support.
Season 3 will return in a few months time so in the meantime do keep in touch with me via my email list.Ā
Sign up and receive your free 7 Steps To A More Life-Friendly Business Checklist at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/7-steps
Ep 39 - The Power of Masterminding
This week we're discussing the power of the hive mind, and the surprising benefits of immersing yourself in a mastermind.Ā
The term 'Mastermind' was coined by Napoleon Hill in his book 'Think and Grow Rich". The mastermind concept allows you to leverage the different skills and talents of two or more people to produce a better result. In fact, many businesses, small and large, have thrived by being part of one.Ā
In today's episode I share my opinion on why masterminding is invaluable for a small business owner.
Want to try masterminding for yourself? Check out our IMPACT online workshops and our 12 week Evolve Mastermind program right here.
Ep 38 - The Secret To Progress
Are you frustrated with slow growth in your business? Do you feel like you are missing crucial pieces of the puzzle? Are you investing in one course after another looking for the answer?
This episode is for you. Here's maybe why you haven't made the progress you're looking for.
Download your FREE Life-Friendly Business Checklist at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/7-steps
Ep 37 - It's Time To Speak Up
Have you found yourself desperate to put your hand up in a busy room to share your opinion or expertise, but you just can't bring yourself to? Have you had 1:1 conversations with people talking about their challenges, and you KNOW you could help them, but you hold back from saying anything because your inner critic is going wild? This episode is for you.
Listen now for tips on how to put those mindset gremlins to rest and get out there to share your message with the world.
Download your FREE Life-Friendly Business Checklist at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/7-steps
Ep 36 - Charging As A Heart-Led Business
Today we're talking with Animal Communicator & Healer, Susannah Rafelle of Self Selection For Animals. Susannah has been able to talk to animals all her life and she uses this gift to help people to have happier and healthier animals and a peaceful family life. She has built her business around her gift, and we discuss the challenges of charging what you're worth, and learning to be business savvy.
Connect with Susannah at https://www.selfselectionforanimals.co.uk/
Find out how I can help you to build a life-friendly business too at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/cocoon
Ep 35 - When The Kids Are At Home
Whether you have the kids at home for school holidays, or they are unexpectedly off sick, the dynamic of your working day will change.
I share my 3 top tips for balancing business and kids during these times.
- Manage expectations - this is a 3 pronged approach so listen for more
- Focus on your 5% activities - I explain what these are
- Take the pressure off - what this means
Listen now and implement these strategies when you find yourself overwhelmed with trying to do everything.
For more tips and support visit www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
Ep 34 - Building A Business On Amazon
6 years ago Gina Smith gave up a career teaching to pursue a business making visual communication resources to help young children plus those with autism, speech and language difficulties and other types of neurodiversity, to communicate. Since then she has grown a successful business selling on Amazon and through her own website Create Visual Aids.
Gina shares why she's passionate about the need for visual symbols for all children, and how's she's learned to bring on support in order to scale and still keep her business life-friendly.
Connect with Gina at www.createvisualaids.com
Want to make your own business more life-friendly? Check out the support available to you in The Cocoon www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/cocoon
Ep 33 - When To Invest
Should you spend money on business support if you're not even making enough money to pay yourself? How can you justify paying out for something if there's not a tangible financial return?
Erin shares her own experience of investing over the last 13 years, explains the difference between a mentor, coach & consultant and offers you these questions to consider every time you think about investing:
- Will this give me the confidence to market myself more easily, and therefore make more sales?
- Will this teach me valuable skills to grow my business, which would take me years to learn on my own?
- Will having this support make running my own business more enjoyable and less stressful?
- Will doing this reduce my self doubt, overwhelm and procrastination?
- Have I been meaning to make a change or develop something for aaaaaages and itās just not happening when I try to do it alone?
- Will I be able to recoup the money Iām investing with the sales I make as a result? (for example, within the next year?)
Want to chat about support for your business? Drop Erin an email at erin@lifefriendlybusiness.com for a free call.
Ep 32 - The Power of Pinterest
Faye Strange helps brands achieve more quality traffic, sign-ups and sales by having an organic presence on Pinterest. Pinterest isn't just another social media platform, itās a powerful visual search engine and more and more people are turning to it as a positive online space that inspires them.
In this episode Faye shares her top tips for using Pinterest as a small business, busts some myths and also shares her own journey of navigating the world of self-employment and motherhood.
Connect with Faye on Instagram @strange_social / strangesocial.com
Find out more about Life-Friendly Business at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
Ep 31 - The Importance Of Being Heard
Do you have someone you can confide in without being judged?
Today I'm speaking with Sarah Hickling, a Career Coach helping organisations get the best performance from their workforce, as well as helping individuals take steps to be in the career they want. She does this by providing a safe space for them to speak openly and be heard.
Sarah from Your Time Coaching shares her own journey from retail to small business owner plus we discuss how to keep your work/life in balance.
Connect with Sarah via her website.
Need support with your business? The Cocoon is the go-to resource for women building businesses on their own terms. Check it out here.
Ep 30 - Think Like A Business Owner
Are you fed up of people treating your business like a hobby? Or do you struggle to see yourself as a 'business owner' and cringe every time you have to introduce yourself?
If you're feeling self doubt or low confidence about your business, you will undoubtedly be projecting this to the outside world. It's time to make a change and show up as the business owner you want to be.
Get the support you need to build your confidence as a business owner in The Cocoon VIP Membership. Take a look at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/cocoon
Ep 29 - The Evolving Journey
Today I'm speaking to Margaret Shenken, a Litigator turned Fitness Franchise owner turned Habit and Mindset Coach.
This conversation is one about finding your passion, evolving your business and not being afraid to niche down.
We also talk about our changing identities as mothers and business owners, how she measures her success and how she's adapting to her kids leaving the nest.
Listen now and feel inspired to keep evolving!
Connect with Margaret on Instagram
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āØ Have you written your prescription for a life-friendly business yet?
The Life-Friendly Business Podcast is all about carving your own path, and doing it at your own pace.
But I know thatās not easy to do.
You get busy and squeeze in extra working hours.
You flex the hours youāre available to be accommodating.
You take on work youād rather not because you feel like you need the money.
Iāve made all these mistakes and so have my podcast guests.
To help you decide what a Life-Friendly Business looks like for you AND stick to the boundaries and commitments needed to create that, Iāve created the Life-Friendly Business Prescription.
Get your copy now: https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/prescription
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Ep 28 - Creating A Well-oiled Machine
Hannah Martin is the Founder of Talented Ladies Club, an online magazine and training academy that unlocks the potential of women. Hannah is also an award-winning copywriter with over 23 yearsā experience working for the worldās top advertising agencies and brands, and a qualified psychotherapist, hypnotherapist and NLP Practitioner. She is also a member of two All Parliamentary Groups in the House of Commons, and participates in a coaching and mentoring advisory group.
In this interview Hannah shares her journey over the last 9 years of building TLC from the ground up, and we chat about how she keeps her work life-friendly, and about why she made a stand against MLM's (Multi Level Marketing companies).
Listen now
Ep 27 - Dealing With Rejection
You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when someone says no to you? and you were sure they were going to say yes? or perhaps you felt soooo awkward already that you kind of expected a no, but to hear it still felt just as bad?!
As small business owners we will all face some kind of rejection on a regular basis because not everyone is going to buy from us. But even though we know this logically, it can be a hard pill to swallow.
Hear my tips on how to turn negative feedback in to positive action in this episode.
For more support visit www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
Ep 26 - What Do You REALLY Want?
Welcome to Season 2 of The Life-Friendly Business! Today we're talking about setting our intentions for the year ahead and reflecting on how things have been so far. How do you want to feel this year? How do you want things to look for your life and business?
We discuss the questions you need to ask yourself and how to set realistic intentions for your business. It's all about keeping it life-friendly!
Find out more about how I can support you in your business at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
Ep 25 - Time To Reflect
As the first season of this podcast draws to a close with this final episode, I wanted to talk to you about the importance of taking time to reflect.
It's so easy to overlook this when we are busy with our heads down in the day-to-day, but it's crucial to review how things have been going in to order to make positive change going forward.
In this episode I talk through the 5 questions you can ask yourself to start this process:
- How has your business grown in the last year?
- What hasn't worked so well?
- What would you like to do more of?
- What would you like to do less of?
- What are you most proud of?
I have loved creating these episodes for you and look forward to returning in the New Year, but I would also LOVE your feedback on what you'd like more of in the next season. Please reach out to me at erin@lifefriendlysbusiness.com
Want to find out more about working with me? Visit the website and drop me a message! www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
Ep 24 - Making Sales Less Icky
Do you find selling what you do THE most challenging part of running your own business? You're not alone. A lack of confidence, knowledge and experience in this area can make it feel incredibly daunting.
I've never had any formal sales training, so like many of you, it's been baptism by fire and I've had to make mistakes and learn on the job.
But often it's not just about lacking strategy or skill, it's about how we FEEL about ourselves or our product or service that stops us from being able to sell effectively.
In this episode I share my own journey of becoming more comfortable with selling and the mindset shifts that have helped me to get there, so hopefully they can help you too!
Evolve to the next stage in your business, income and life and unlock that sense of fulfillment and success you yearn for. Ā Next round of our Group Mastermind starts January 2022, get in now before the price rise.
Find out more and apply now here.
Ep 23 - How To Make An Impact
To have an 'impact' is to have 'a marked effect or influence' on something, and I'm betting this is something we all want, whether it's on our businesses, our bottom line, our lives or even on the world!
I honestly believe that in order to do this, we must start from within, but there are also some fundamental steps you need to take to make sure that you are being as effective as possible in what you do.
It all starts with creating time to reassess, reflect and plan, and giving yourself CEO time to work on the bigger picture. This is exactly what we do in the IMPACT online workshops that I host 3 times a year, coming together in a Zoom room with other awesome women in business creating life-friendly businesses just like you.
There are many ways that you can make an impact, and in this episode I guide you through 3 steps you can take in order to make the impact you desire.
LIMITED TIME OFFER - You can buy an IMPACT Annual Pass to attend all 3 events in 2022 for just Ā£145 - that's a 50% saving on the full ticket price. This offer ends midnight Thursday 11 November so grab yours now at https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/impact-annual-pass
Ep 22 - Building A Product Based Business
In this episode I speak to Keri Squibb, Founder of The Dog and I and The Soap Coach. A previous Police Constable, Keri started her first business at 44 in her search to follow her passion and create a more flexible lifestyle.
The Dog and I are plant based, luxury dog grooming and skincare products with the emphasis particularly on soap for dogs. As interest in her soap grew she started a second business, The Soap Coach, teaching all things soap making for dogs and humans alike. Teaching pushed her outside of her comfort zone at first, but two years on and the business is thriving, despite nearly folding during the Pandemic.
I particularly love Keri's long term business planning, which is something we as small business owners can often overlook at we rush to get started.
Keri shares her journey of building a product based business and tells us about her mission of taking soap making to a whole new level - so watch this space!
Connect with Keri via her website here or on social @thedog_i or @thesoapcoach
Find out more about how The Cocoon could help you to grow your business at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/cocoon
Ep 21 - Signs You Need A Brain Break
Are you pushing yourself to keep going, even when you feel exhausted, unwell and mentally overwhelmed? Why do we do this? Are we worried about looking weak? incapable? unhinged? We must stop doing this to ourselves.
It's time to put your mental health first. It's time to prioritise your own needs, so that you can be even more resilient and productive in your life and business.
I share my journey of how taking solo business retreats has transformed my year, and the signs you need to look out for to know when you need to be taking time to pause and rest.
If you're stuck in the cycle of being endlessly busy, and running around like a headless chicken, you need to listen to this.
Create your own Life-Friendly Business Prescription with our free workbook here.
Find out more about Life-Friendly Business and how I can help you to build a business you love around family life here.
Ep 20 - Recovering From Relationship Breakdown with Viv Allen
Today I'm speaking to Viv Allen, Counsellor, Success & Business Performance Coach and Charity founder, about how going through a divorce was the catalyst for retraining and learning to work in her zone of genius.
Viv works with entrepreneurs and business owners to balance their passions and profits to avoid burnout and breakdown. She uses her True Growth Framework and 121 coaching program to help business owners get laser focused on the mindset, strategy and action they need to build a business that supports them and the lifestyle they love.
Viv shares how she went from being a Director of a multi-million pound business to being completely floored and deskilled when she became a single parent and needed to work around her two girls. It took her years to recover from her divorce and find her own path, and now she has made it her mission to help other people recover faster.
Listen now and grab your free Foundations For Self Care ebook using code COCOON here.
Connect with Viv here or on social @vivallencoaching
Ep 19 - Thinking Big with Rebecca Newenham
After a corporate career in buying for retail giants Superdrug and Sainsburys, Rebecca was looking for a flexible work solution that could fit around her lifestyle and three daughters. Having grown up with a successfully self-employed mother, Rebecca knew it was possible to work as well as be there for school drop off and pick-ups. Her mum was a real inspiration and Rebecca grew up knowing that she wanted one day to run her own business just like her mum did.
Rebecca is now the Founder of Get Ahead - Your Virtual Agency and with a team of 50 virtual specialists and 10 franchisees under her belt, and is growing a global agency.
In this interview Rebecca shares her tips for thinking big, getting the right support, securing more ideal clients and making sure your diary stays manageable.
Enjoy!
Connect with Rebecca on social @GetAheadVA
CREATE YOUR OWN LIFE-FRIENDLY BUSINESS PRESCRIPTION WITH THIS FREE WORKBOOK
To help you decide what a Life-Friendly Business looks like for you AND stick to the boundaries and commitments needed to create that, Iāve created the Life-Friendly Business Prescription.
Download this free workbook and spend 20ish minutes reflecting on what āLife-Friendlyā means to you, and the changes you may need to make to achieve the work/life balance you desire.
Once you have made these decisions, you can add them to your own printable āLife-Friendly Business Prescriptionā that you can put on your wall to remind yourself that YOU have the power to design your very own Life-Friendly Business! https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/prescription
Ep 18 - Scaling My Business During The Pandemic
During the last financial year I have increased my turnover by 31%, which on its own is pretty awesome, but the real milestone has been exceeding my previous full time TV salary on just 25 hours a week (in fact whilst the kids were being home-schooled, my focussed working hours went down to about 10 hours a week)
So how did I achieve this growth during the pandemic on limited work time and when the world was in a state of flux?
In this episode I give you a peek behind the scenes of my business, the strategy behind the growth, and the mindset challenges I overcame which helped me to thrive during this unprecedented time.
Listen now.
Want some help growing and scaling your business?Ā
Check out The Cocoon VIP Membership here now. We have everything you need to build a business you love around your family life.
Ep 17 - Overcoming Adversity with Maddy Alexander
In this episode I speak to Maddy Alexander, the CEO of multi award winning money saving app My VIP Rewards, about her journey of scaling her business despite facing multiple challenges, which include recovering from post partum psychosis and being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Not only that, but being faced with a Pandemic, Maddy undertook an epic battle to save her business.
My VIP Rewards are both a B2C and B2B organisation covering the whole of the UK , specialising in providing benefits to corporate and SME businesses to help them with their corporate social responsibility and people retention.
You'll hear how Maddy's businesses have been inspired by her own experiences of becoming a mother and how she has surged forward with grit and determination to bring them to reality.
Connect with Maddy at myviprewards.co.uk
CREATE YOUR OWN LIFE-FRIENDLY BUSINESS PRESCRIPTION WITH THIS FREE WORKBOOK
To help you decide what a Life-Friendly Business looks like for you AND stick to the boundaries and commitments needed to create that, Iāve created the Life-Friendly Business Prescription.
Download this free workbook and spend 30ish minutes reflecting on what āLife-Friendlyā means to you, and the changes you may need to make to achieve the work/life balance you desire.
Once you have made these decisions, you can add them to your own printable āLife-Friendly Business Prescriptionā that you can put on your wall to remind yourself that YOU have the power to design your very own Life-Friendly Business! https://www.lifefriendlybusiness.com/prescription
Ep 16 - When People See Your Business As A Hobby
Do you get frustrated when your nearest and dearest treat your business like a hobby? When they assume you can stop what you're doing at the drop of a hat, because you work at home, and what you're doing can't be that important, right?!
What can be especially hard is when you allow what you think other people are thinking about you, to actually effect how you see yourself.
We discuss how you can protect yourself from other people's misguided perceptions of your business, plus how to project the image of yourself that you want them to see.
Listen now and let me know on social what resonated with you @lifefriendlybiz
Further Support
Join me for our next IMPACT event, our quarterly interactive online workshop to help you make time to reflect, reassess and plan your next steps in business. Ā Grab your ticket here.
Ep 15 - Ready To Step Up? Don't Do This
Have you ever had one of those moments when it feels like now is the time to step up? That everything feels aligned and that you whole heartedly believe that you can make this work? Maybe that moment is now, or maybe you'll have that moment after listening to this episode!
It's a hugely exciting place to be, but sometimes the smallest things can knock us off track and make us question whether 'stepping up' is for us.Ā
In this episode I share my own journey of stepping up and taking my business to the next level. I explain the decisions I made and what almost stopped me in my tracks.Ā
Listen now and let me know on social @lifefriendlybiz if you're ready to step up this month!Ā
Further Support
Join me for our next IMPACT event, our quarterly interactive online workshop to help you make time to reflect, reassess and plan your next steps in business. Grab your ticket here.
Resources Mentioned
Ep 14 - Beating The Isolation Of Solo Working
When I chat to women about their experiences of running a small business, often as a solopreneur, one of the common challenges they face is how incredibly lonely it can be. Especially if they've come from a corporate background where they worked in a team of people.
This is why it is SO important to find your tribe, and to connect with like-minded women who understand the trials and tribulations of running a business (and juggling a family), but who are also just as driven and motivated as you are.
It's a huge transition to go from working in an office to working at home alone, but there are simple things you can do to beat the feeling of isolation and in the short episode I share 3 to get you started. Listen now.
Everything I do is about creating community and connection, so if you'd like to surround yourself with the right kind of people to support you in making your business a success, join us in The Cocoon or the Evolve Mastermind now!
Find out more at www.lifefriendlybusiness.com
Ep 13 - You CAN Control This
When life throws a curveball at you, how do you react? In this episode we talk about taking back the power when everything feels out of your control.
I share this golden nugget of inspiration I learned at the Tony Robbins Unleash The Power Within 4 day immersive coaching event.
Knowing this one thing, will change your life.
Listen now to this bite-sized episode.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE LIFE-FRIENDLY BUSINESS PRESCRIPTION HERE.