Advertise on podcast: Women's Business

My guest this week is creative marketing strategist and launch expert Rachel Emma Waring. Rachel talks to me about her early beliefs about hard work and money, her freelance set design career in immersive theatre, and how she shifted into wedding styling, including producing over 100,000 hand-stamped wooden place cards before feeling boxed in by repetition. COVID accelerated her pivot into marketing, first through Pinterest strategy, then into launch and sales support, emphasising that selling is a creative act rooted in psychology, storytelling, and world-building. We discuss the “trust recession,” “launch ick,” and the “slug zone” mid-launch lull, stressing pre-launch hype, list/audience growth, listening to what audiences think they want, and continuing to sell through silence. Find Rachel online here Find Rachel on instagram here Join the conversation with me on Instagram here Rachel recommends Aiza at Studio Coya and Lois Mac ----------- This episode is supported by Merry People - THE best ankle welly boots around. Warm, comfortable, and stylish, I wear mine every day in Autumn and Winter and not just when it's raining! Merry People NEVER discount. Their boots are priced fairly and consistently so there’s no buyer’s remorse. Let this ringing endorsement from me be the sign you've waited for - these are boots to buy and wear forever! Grab yours here

Ooh is this a great episode for you with mythologist and author Jas Elmer. Jas discusses growing up in 1980s East End London with a hardworking single mother, unhelpful careers advice, and explains how studying ancient world studies led her into the classics We talk about the origins of mythology as oral storytelling used to make sense of inner and outer worlds, and that patriarchal interpretation shapes how women are portrayed in myths; she “dusts off” those readings in work like Goddess with a Thousand Faces and Slay, about erased female dragon slayers. She also shares using stories of descent to navigate a 2024 nervous breakdown. It's a fascinating deep dive into women in mythology - I loved it! Find Jas on Instagram here Jas shouted out menopause specialist Kate Codrington Don't forget to join the conversation with me here ---------- This episode is supported by Merry People - THE best ankle welly boots around. Warm, comfortable, and stylish, I wear mine every day in Autumn and Winter and not just when it's raining! Merry People NEVER discount. Their boots are priced fairly and consistently so there’s no buyer’s remorse. Let this ringing endorsement from me be the sign you've waited for - these are boots to buy and wear forever! Grab yours here

Remember Ruby and Millie? This is that Millie! AKA Millie Kendall OBE, beauty entrepreneur and founder of the British Beauty Council. In this episode Millie talks to me about growing up in her hairdresser father’s salon, her rebellious school years, and building a career by focusing on communications, marketing, formulation, and packaging after realising she couldn’t cut hair. She discusses launching Shu Uemura, Aveda and Tweezerman in the UK, co-creating Ruby & Millie with innovations like tool-attached products and a premium-to-mass distribution model that was pioneering in the industry. We also discuss Millie's desire to found the British Beauty Council, which she did in in 2018 - to give a £28bn sector a unified voice, improve its reputation, and drive transparency and sustainability through research and initiatives. Millie is a giant of her industry with loads of insight - enjoy! Find The British Beauty Council here Find Millie's website here Join me on Instagram here --------- This episode is supported by Merry People - THE best ankle welly boots around. Warm, comfortable, and stylish, I wear mine every day in Autumn and Winter and not just when it's raining! Merry People NEVER discount. Their boots are priced fairly and consistently so there’s no buyer’s remorse. Let this ringing endorsement from me be the sign you've waited for - these are boots to buy and wear forever! Grab yours here

This week I speak to clinical psychologist and illustrator Dr. Emma Hepburn - known best as The Psychology Mum online. Emma is a trusted mental health voice for many who uses her hand-drawn illustrations to simplify complex matters of the brain Emma shares early influences on work, her path from architecture to psychology, and describes when she started using simple drawings to communicate complex ideas, including how the “capacity cup” analogy emerged in a community brain injury group and later went viral online, leading to wider recognition and book deals. Emma discusses her own pandemic-era burnout, and talks us through the symptoms of clinical burnout, plus her strategies for recovering. Loads of tangible takeaways in this one. Find Emma's Instagram here The woman Emma shouted out was Dr Emma Svanberg AKA Mumologist Don't forget to join the conversation with me here -------- This episode is supported by Merry People - THE best ankle welly boots around. Warm, comfortable, and stylish, I wear mine every day in Autumn and Winter and not just when it's raining! Merry People NEVER discount. Their boots are priced fairly and consistently so there’s no buyer’s remorse. Let this ringing endorsement from me be the sign you've waited for - these are boots to buy and wear forever! Grab yours here

Join me and Leila Ainge as we delve into belonging confidence and imposter phenomenon https://www.leilaainge.co.uk/

My guest this week is Tish Carless, co-founder of Picoso, a spiced non-alcoholic drinks brand inspired by her years in Mexico City and Madrid and her decision to stop drinking at 26. Tish shares early work influences, and discusses the social dynamics of sobriety and how a lack of exciting alcohol-free options helped spark Picoso with co-founder Tom, a drinker. We discuss starting a drinks brand with no prior experience - from developing flavours to funding the first products, and their strategy to launch in hospitality before retail, securing listings including Selfridges and Whole Foods along the way. A really interesting and honest discussion with lots of insight for founders. Find Picoso online here Find them on Instagram here Tish shouted out Lucy Georgia, founder of Sonny Eyewear Join the conversation with me on Instagram here ------------- This episode is supported by Merry People - THE best ankle welly boots around. Warm, comfortable, and stylish, I wear mine every day in Autumn and Winter and not just when it's raining! Merry People NEVER discount. Their boots are priced fairly and consistently so there’s no buyer’s remorse. Let this ringing endorsement from me be the sign you've waited for - these are boots to buy and wear forever! Grab yours here

My guest today is Natalie McKenzie, brain specialist and founder of BIS Services where she supports people suffering from brain injuries. Natalie discusses her whole journey, from studying psychology, and entering brain injury rehab after landing a charity role, then later launching BIS overnight when the charity collapsed, ultimately growing the company to 82 employees across the UK. She explains how modern overstimulation, screens, notifications, task switching, and decision fatigue drain cognitive resources and contribute to burnout, which can impair executive function, memory, sleep, and long-term brain health. Natalie distinguishes brain “infrastructure” from mindset, outlines using cognitive assessments and her COGS method with entrepreneurs, and gets into some tips and strategies to support anyone who wants to optimise their brain and minimise the impact of constant information bombardment! Find Natalie on Instagram here Find Natalie's website here Natalie shouted out Dr Louise Newson Join the conversation with me on Instagram here ---------- This episode is supported by Merry People - THE best ankle welly boots around. Warm, comfortable, and stylish, I wear mine every day in Autumn and Winter and not just when it's raining! Merry People NEVER discount. Their boots are priced fairly and consistently so there’s no buyer’s remorse. Let this ringing endorsement from me be the sign you've waited for - these are boots to buy and wear forever! Grab yours here

We're baaaaack with a banger! And my guest this week is Alyssa Kyria, AKA The Funny Mummy on Instagram. We talk all about Alyssa's path, from her early aspirations to be an actress, to becoming a comedian and entrepreneur. We discuss growing up with hardworking parents, Alyssa's early determination to perform, and the harsh realities of acting auditions, including creative self-promotion and low-paid jobs. She shifted into comedy for more control, performing characters and paid cabaret. After becoming a mum, she co-founded Bring Your Own Baby Comedy to create daytime, baby-welcoming shows for parents, which grew organically to 27 venues and provided connection and relief for mothers. This is a great conversation about innovation, resilience, spotting a gap in the market, and laughing through it all - lessons for everyone! Find Alyssa on Instagram here Alyssa shouted out friend of the pod Alison Perrry Join me on Instagram here ------------- This episode is supported by Merry People - THE best ankle welly boots around. Warm, comfortable, and stylish, I wear mine every day in Autumn and Winter and not just when it's raining! Merry People NEVER discount. Their boots are priced fairly and consistently so there’s no buyer’s remorse. Let this ringing endorsement from me be the sign you've waited for - these are boots to buy and wear forever! Grab yours here

In this episodes we talk all things boundaries and my guest is Laura Styles who you can find here: https://mindful-generation.com/

I think this is my favourite episode yet?! Join me and the wondrous ⁠Emma While⁠ for a deep dive into embodied confidence. This conversation changed my brain chemistry.

In this episode I speak to makeup artist and comedian Genevieve Turley, who went from years of slow Instagram growth to gaining 90,000 followers in a week after a comedy reel went viral. Genevieve shares how she blended beauty with humour to help women feel seen and less intimidated by makeup, while showing up on camera as herself, without apology. She explains that virality doesn’t automatically bring brand deals, emphasises consistency, and discusses maintaining integrity when big brand deals are on the table. Find Genevieve on Instagram here Join the conversation with me on Instagram here Join The Wilder Collective and find tickets for Wilder:LIVE here

This is a different conversation but one I loved, with Eve Williams, general manager of eBay UK as discuss Eve's journey from a working-class upbringing in Warrington to senior leadership. Eve reflects on her mother’s community-focused teaching, unhelpful early careers advice, and creating her own opportunities, from driving a Luton van for campus promotions to becoming the “elf” on Tesco’s Christmas gift guide and rising to managing director at Cedar Content. She discusses positive role models, balancing leadership with collaboration, IVF, miscarriage, and motherhood in corporate life, and ASOS’s high-growth era of inclusive campaigns and social/mobile experimentation. At eBay, she frames the platform as an economic leveler centered on trust and recommerce, highlighting the Love Island partnership, seller support programs, fee changes and live commerce. There's loads to learn from Eve who is an inspiring woman in the c suite, leading from the front but crediting team collaboration as key to her success. Find eBay HERE Follow Eve on LinkedIn here The woman Eve shouted out was Sophie Pender Join the conversation with me on Instagram here] --------- This episode is sponsored by Ivy. Ivy makes organic cotton essentials - t-shirts, sweatshirts, Breton stripes and more - designed for women who are done compromising on quality. Founded by Sally, a former fashion buyer, Ivy exists because she couldn't find what she needed: sustainably made, great quality basics that actually fit real women living real lives. So she built them herself. Every piece is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, produced by a Portuguese factory running on solar power with zero waste to landfill. Good ethics and exceptional quality, in the same place. The fabric is soft, the fit is considered, and the pieces wash and wear beautifully. Which is why Ivy has one of the highest returning customer rates in its category. Use code TWC20 for 20% off your first order and shop Ivy here.

My guest this week is Jane Bertch - founder of La Cuisine Paris and in this conversation Jane discusses growing up in a modest Midwestern family where pride in work and having a “good job” were central, but career education felt limited, before talking about her early banking career and move to Paris which transformed her career and her life. She founded her business off the back of a conversation over dinner, without a culinary background or any formal experience in the space and built it modestly through location scouting, reinvestment, word of mouth, and relationship-driven French business culture. In this episode we talk about slow, steady growth, navigating cultural expectations , surviving a COVID closure, and writing her memoir. She now hosts women’s retreats and a podcast focused on midlife reinvention, confidence, and “good soil” for personal growth. Find Jane on Instagram here Find La Cusine Paris here Find Jane's website here Don't forget to join me on Instagram here ------------- This episode is sponsored by Ivy. Ivy makes organic cotton essentials - t-shirts, sweatshirts, Breton stripes and more - designed for women who are done compromising on quality. Founded by Sally, a former fashion buyer, Ivy exists because she couldn't find what she needed: sustainably made, great quality basics that actually fit real women living real lives. So she built them herself. Every piece is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, produced by a Portuguese factory running on solar power with zero waste to landfill. Good ethics and exceptional quality, in the same place. The fabric is soft, the fit is considered, and the pieces wash and wear beautifully. Which is why Ivy has one of the highest returning customer rates in its category. Use code TWC20 for 20% off your first order and shop Ivy here.

My guest this week is illustrator and artist Louise Lockhart, aka The Printed Peanut. Louise shares growing up with artist parents, studying illustration at Glasgow School of Art, and initially waitressing and travelling while building a portfolio. A pivotal year in Canada working in a stationery shop taught her practical retail and business basics and led her to start selling her screen-printed cards and wrap, and so The Printed Peanut was born. Back in the UK she gave herself a year to make it work, saying yes to everything, pitching with physical samples, and using early Instagram momentum. We discuss balancing commissions with personal work, resisting growth pressure, outsourcing fulfilment, revenue streams, and defining success as sustainability and creative integrity. Find Louise on Instagram here Find her website here The woman Louise shouted out was Donna Wilson Join the conversation with me on Instagram here -------- This episode is sponsored by Ivy. Ivy makes organic cotton essentials - t-shirts, sweatshirts, Breton stripes and more - designed for women who are done compromising on quality. Founded by Sally, a former fashion buyer, Ivy exists because she couldn't find what she needed: sustainably made, great quality basics that actually fit real women living real lives. So she built them herself. Every piece is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, produced by a Portuguese factory running on solar power with zero waste to landfill. Good ethics and exceptional quality, in the same place. The fabric is soft, the fit is considered, and the pieces wash and wear beautifully. Which is why Ivy has one of the highest returning customer rates in its category. Use code TWC20 for 20% off your first order and shop Ivy here.

This is a solo episode with my insight on visibility confidence and a practical challenge at the end. Enjoy!