Advertise on podcast: Kindly Blunt by Helen Bullen

Helen shares how a simple "yes" became the HB Retreat—a week by the sea combining practical business support, mindset shifts and plenty of laughter. Meet the team and discover how time away helps business owners get things done, build confidence and connect. Next retreat: 26–30 April 2027, Ferring, West Sussex. Three spaces remained at the time of recording.     HBRetreat Link for 2027   https://helenbullen.kartra.com/page/HBRetreat27

Sometimes  it's good to hear something more than once, so have a listen to this episode from 2023.  We can often lose sight of why we started our business in the first place,  so  todays podcast is about remembering the joy and excitement we had at the very beginning. Enjoy listening.   https://helenbullen.kartra.com/page/Marketinghealthcheck

We all need a good moan sometimes but when does letting off steam turn into staying stuck? In this episode, Helen looks at the difference between acknowledging that something is difficult and repeatedly finding reasons why nothing can change. She explores why advice only helps if we are willing to listen, how negativity can keep us trapped in the problem, and why sometimes the best thing we can do is give ourselves five minutes to whinge,  then ask, "What can I do about this?" Helen also shares her own experience of keeping her business going through chemotherapy by asking for help, adapting how she worked and accepting support from others. The message is simple: acknowledge the problem, look for the smallest next step, and focus on finding a way forward. https://helenbullen.kartra.com/page/Marketinghealthcheck

This podcast is a repeat from 2021. Helen is going to revisit episodes occasionally if she thinks they may be relevant  Show notes We build and grow our business and love what we're doing and believe it is set in stone forever, but the truth is, everything changes, our lives, our dreams and yes our businesses and we need to move forward with it. Listen to  my Kindly Blunt Podcast and hear my views on change and how to embrace it.   Here is the link for the Marketing Health Check   https://helenbullen.kartra.com/page/Marketinghealthcheck

Helen shares what she learned from a virtual roundtable with small business owners. Despite running very different businesses, they faced remarkably similar challenges—from marketing knockbacks and too many ideas to loneliness and the pressure of doing everything themselves. This episode is a reassuring reminder that you're not alone and these challenges can be solved. CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

Feeling overwhelmed by the size of your business plans? In this episode, Helen shares how she rebuilt momentum after illness by focusing on small, manageable actions rather than trying to create one enormous plan. She explains why a stalled business is not a failed business, how ten-minute tasks can make progress feel possible again, and why consistent action is often more valuable than waiting for the perfect strategy. Pick one useful task, remove the distractions and take the next small step. Download Helen's free guide, Three Mistakes That Will Stop You Making Sales and How to Fix Them, using the link in the show notes.   CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

In this episode of Kindly Blunt, Helen explores how comparison can quietly damage your confidence in business. She shares a personal moment when seeing other speakers looking polished and stage-ready made her question her own ability. Helen reminds listeners that social media often shows only the finished, polished version of someone else's journey — not the work, doubt, time, or mess behind it. Instead of measuring yourself against someone else's highlight reel, she encourages you to look honestly at your own progress, notice any real gaps, and focus on your next useful action.     CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

When the usual route feels blocked, it is easy to become frustrated, lose confidence or decide that an opportunity simply is not meant for you. In this episode, Helen shares her own experience of trying to return to public speaking and the challenge of getting noticed when applications and enquiries seem to lead nowhere. Rather than waiting to be chosen, she has set herself a 100-day visibility challenge, showing up consistently and creating her own opportunities. Helen explores why business owners sometimes need to stop blaming the obstacle in front of them and start looking for a different route around it. A practical and encouraging reminder that when one door stays closed, giving up is not the only option. Sometimes you simply need to find another way   CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

'You were never meant to do this alone' In this episode, Helen talks about why running a business was never meant to be done alone. She reflects on the loneliness of her early business days, the pressure of having to make every decision herself, and the importance of finding people who truly understand what it feels like to be self-employed. Helen shares why business friends, mentors, cheerleaders, and practical support can make all the difference — helping you feel less isolated, get perspective, and free up time and energy for the work only you can do. Kindly Blunt Live Kindly Blunt Live takes place in Guildford, Surrey, on Thursday 4th June. Helen will be joined by Teresa Heath-Waring, Emma Donnelly and Sally Wilkinson for a day of honest advice, practical support, real business stories and useful action steps. No hype. No pressure. Just straight talking help for small business owners who want to build a business they love. Link Grab your Kindly Blunt Live ticket:  https://helenbullen.kartra.com/page/KINDLYBLUNTLIVE

In this episode, Helen shares the story behind Kindly Blunt Live, her in person business event for solo business owners who want straight talking, practical marketing advice without hype, shame, or pressure. Helen talks about her love of live events, how lockdown and her cancer diagnosis put her dream on hold, and the moment that made her realise exactly what kind of event she wanted to create, one where small business owners feel supported, respected, and ready to take action. Kindly Blunt Live Kindly Blunt Live takes place in Guildford, Surrey, on Thursday 4th June. Helen will be joined by Teresa Heath-Waring, Emma Donnelly and Sally Wilkinson for a day of honest advice, practical support, real business stories and useful action steps. No hype. No pressure. Just straight talking help for small business owners who want to build a business they love. Link Grab your Kindly Blunt Live ticket:  https://helenbullen.kartra.com/page/KINDLYBLUNTLIVE   CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

In this episode, Helen Bullen talks about why your past does not have to define your future, especially in business. If you have outgrown part of your work, want to change direction, or feel ready to do things differently, this is your reminder that you are allowed to evolve. Helen shares her own journey from osteopath to business mentor and explains why changing course is not failure, but often a smart and necessary step. She also encourages listeners to stop worrying about outside opinions, think practically about what they want, and take action towards building a business that suits their life now. CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

This episode is all about that voice in your head, the one that kicks off just as you're about to do something brave. Helen Bullen digs into the internal chatter that talks you out of posting, selling, emailing and taking action — and why letting it run wild is quietly killing your results.  Helen shares why that voice shows up, how it tries to keep you safe, and why too much back-and-forth in your head usually ends with you doing nothing at all. This is a straight-talking reminder that your business does not need more overthinking — it needs action.  Expect simple, honest encouragement to cut the chat, stop negotiating with yourself, and just do the next thing: send the message, post the content, make the offer. Because confidence comes from action, not from waiting until you feel ready.  CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

Do you ever feel frustrated that the people around you don't really understand what you do in your business? In this episode, Helen talks about a mindset shift that made a huge difference in her own journey. For years she waited for friends and family to understand and support her business, but eventually realised they didn't need to get it. Instead of looking for approval from people who weren't in the business world, she focused on backing herself and speaking directly to the people who mattered most — her customers. If you've ever felt misunderstood as a business owner, this episode will help you let go of that expectation and refocus your energy where it really counts.   CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

In this episode, Helen Bullen explores a question many business owners ask themselves: why do we think we should already know how to run a business? She talks about the pressure to "just know" marketing, sales, and systems — even though most people were never taught these skills. Helen shares why running a business is often much harder than it looks, and how self-doubt and comparison (especially on social media) can make it even tougher. She reminds listeners that learning as you go is completely normal. She also introduces her Set Up and Sell course, a 4-week programme designed to help business owners build strong foundations and feel more confident selling. Key message: You don't need to know everything — just focus on the next step. Set Up and Sell https://helenbullen.kartra.com/page/SETUPANDSELL

Episode 13 Failure is only Failure to Try Helen Bullen tackles one of the biggest blockers for solo business owners: the fear of failure. Helen reframes "failure" as feedback and learning, and argues the real failure is not taking action at all. If you've been delaying a launch, avoiding sales posts, or waiting to feel "ready," this one is a nudge to move—messily, imperfectly, but consistently.   Reframe failure as information. Results—good or bad—give you data you can tweak and improve. Action beats perfection. Perfectionism keeps you stuck; progress comes from doing, reviewing, and going again. Stop worrying about "Mary down the road." Fear of judgment (often from peers, not buyers) is a bigger blocker than skill or money. Confidence comes after you do the thing. Waiting to feel confident first is backwards, confidence is built through action.   CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD