Advertise on podcast: Focus on the Fun Stuff

Send us Fan Mail Morgan Ratcliffe and his brother Niall started their B2B marketing agency, Noticed, with £18. In their first month, they signed £10,000 of work. Four years later, they have a 22-person team in Manchester and still post on LinkedIn every day. In this episode, Morgan shares how they did it without a big marketing budget. He covers telling the story rather than selling, giving away useful free resources, and testing everything without getting emotionally attached. We also get into Ironmans, a 24-hour backyard ultra, and why doing hard things on purpose makes business stress feel a lot smaller. In this episode: Starting a business with just £18How LinkedIn launched Noticed, and £10K in the first monthCreating content without a big audienceUsing free resources and scorecards to get leadsWhy you should sell the outcome, not the serviceTesting and improving your marketing without the emotionWhy "I don't have time" is usually a choiceBuilding a personal brand beyond LinkedInUsing intent signals to find people ready to buyMorgan's approach to business, fitness and personal growth Find Morgan and Niall at Noticed: https://www.noticed.co/ 📬 Get the Win the Week newsletter: https://www.emmamills.co.uk/wintheweek Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What if AI could give you back 10 hours every single week? In this episode of Focus on the Fun Stuff, Emma Mills shares exactly how she's using Claude to save around 10 hours a week in her business without handing her thinking over to AI or letting it take over her voice. She walks through 6 practical ways she uses Claude: finding open loops in her inbox, turning sales calls into content ideas, building team training, sharpening her writing, pulling together reports, and building a bank of stories for future content. Her approach — do the thinking herself, then use Claude to make the output sharper and faster, not to create it from scratch. 🎧 Hit play to hear the 6 ways Emma is using Claude to save time, work smarter, and get back to focusing on the fun stuff. What you'll take away: How to use Claude to find unanswered emails and open loops How to turn sales calls into content ideas How Claude can create training frameworks and presentations How to sharpen your writing without losing your voice How to create reports, charts and visual business data How to build a content bank from your own experience and ideas Why what you put into AI determines what you get out Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you stop working in your business and start working on it? In this episode of Focus on the Fun Stuff, Emma Mills sits down with Julian Stafford, entrepreneur, sales expert and former owner of Midshire Business Systems, an SME he grew to £35 million in turnover before exiting after 21 years. Julian shares how he built a business that felt like a hobby to him, why stepping away from the day-to-day sales became a turning point in its growth, and how surrounding himself with people who were better than him helped take the business to the next level. They talk about sales training, marketing, leadership, decision-making, building a sales team, owner dependency and what actually makes a business attractive to a buyer when it comes to a business exit strategy. Julian also shares the story of his eventual exit, including the moment he walked out of a negotiation at the Belfry when the buyer's figure wasn't quite what he expected, and how he now works as a business exit coach helping other owners get ready to sell a business of their own. 🎧 Hit play to hear how to build a business that can grow without you, make better decisions faster, and become genuinely ready for an exit. What you'll take away: Why stepping out of sales helped Midshire's growth accelerateHow to stop being the bottleneck in your businessWhy you need people around you who are better than youJulian's approach to making decisions quicklyHow to market a "boring" product by selling the outcomeWhy testimonials became the backbone of Midshire's marketingHow to build and manage a sales team from scratchWhat makes a business genuinely attractive to buyersHow Julian approached the three-year exit negotiation processWhy you should build a business you actually enjoy running Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What if being busy is actually keeping your business stuck? In this solo episode, Emma Mills tackles one of the biggest traps business owners fall into: confusing being busy with being productive. Emma explains why constantly sitting in your inbox, chasing invoices, scheduling posts and dealing with admin can feel productive, but can actually stop you from focusing on the things that generate revenue, create opportunities and move your business forwards. She shares how she structures her own week to protect three full days for the work that only she can do and why creating space in your calendar is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner. 🎧 Hit play to hear why being busy could be costing you growth, how to get out of the weeds, and how to start protecting your time for the work that really matters. What you'll take away: • Why being busy and being productive aren't the same thing • How busywork can quietly limit your business growth • How to identify the things only you should be doing • Why successful business owners protect their time • How Emma structures her week around high-value work • How to create more time for revenue, opportunities and growth • Why every hour you spend has a consequence Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What if your content could generate leads and sales instead of just likes and views? In this episode, Emma Mills sits down with Martin Huntbach, co founder of Jammy Digital and Vidonary, to unpack the content strategy behind taking Daniel Priestley’s content from hundreds of views to millions. Martin shares how they built a predictable content system using the 3 Rs: reps, rhythm and repetition, why views aren't the most important metric, and how business owners can create content that actually drives leads and sales. They also talk about the expert trap, repurposing content, long form video, and the story behind Vidonary. Hit play to hear how to create content that builds trust, generates leads and grows your business without overcomplicating your content strategy. What you'll take away: • Why consistency beats perfection • The 3 Rs behind predictable content growth • How to turn content into leads and sales • Why long form content builds trust • How to escape the expert trap • The story behind Vidonary and its 4,500 person waitlist You can connect with Martin here: Connect with Martin Huntbach: Website:  https://get.vidonary.com/u93g6s297jg6  LinkedIn: Martin Huntbach Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail Most business owners hire in the wrong order. The instinct is to hire more people to sell, market, or deliver your service. But what if that's actually slowing your business down? In this solo episode, Emma explains why the smartest first hire isn't someone who generates revenue directly, it's the person who removes you as the bottleneck. She shares the three questions every business owner should ask before making their next hire, how to calculate the true value of your time, and why buying back your time creates more growth than simply adding more people. If you're feeling busy but your business still relies on you for everything, this episode will help you rethink your next hire and start building a business that can truly scale. 📥 Get the Free Productivity Planner: https://mi-pa.co.uk/planner/ 🔑 Topics covered: Why most business owners hire in the wrong orderHow to calculate your true hourly valueThe hidden cost of doing your own adminWhy you're losing opportunities without realising itThe three-step framework for deciding who to hire firstHow to stop being the bottleneck in your business 🎧 Hit play to discover why your next hire shouldn't just grow your team, it should buy back your time, remove you as the bottleneck, and give you the freedom to focus on the work that actually grows your business. Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What if the next breakthrough in your business isn't another customer… but better financial leadership? In this episode, I sit down with Matthew Mills, former professional footballer and Chief Revenue Officer at The CFO Centre. Like many business owners, I didn't think I needed a CFO. But after working with one myself, I realised how much clarity, confidence and profitability I was missing. We talk about Matthew's journey from professional football into business, what a fractional CFO actually does, why so many business owners wait too long to get financial support, and how understanding your numbers can completely change the way you run your business. In this episode: Why most business owners think they don't need a CFO The biggest financial mistakes growing businesses make How better financial reporting leads to better decisions The surprising similarities between elite sport and business Why profitability matters more than revenue When it's the right time to bring in a CFO 🎧 Hit play to discover why understanding your numbers could be the biggest competitive advantage your business is missing. Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail The hard conversations you keep avoiding are costing you more than money. In this solo episode of Focus on the Fun Stuff, I unpack why business owners avoid difficult conversations - with team members, clients, and ourselves - and the four-step approach I now use to have them quickly. Inspired by Patrick Lencioni's The Motive, I talk through the shift from "reward-centred" to "responsibility-based" leadership, why most avoidance is a motivation problem rather than a skill problem, and the simple two-step test that tells you whether you're genuinely waiting for the right moment or just dodging the discomfort. ⏱️ In this episode: – Why the conversations you're not having drain your energy, focus and money – The Motive by Patrick Lencioni, and the one line that stopped me in my tracks – The two-step test: are you waiting, or avoiding? – My four steps for having the hard conversation — fast 🎙️ For more on building a business you actually enjoy running, join the Win the Week newsletter - straight to your inbox every Tuesday. Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail Sacha Lord is the founder of Parklife Festival and The Warehouse Project — two of the UK's most successful live event brands, built over 30 years from a market stall in Liverpool. He served as Greater Manchester's Night-Time Economy Adviser, became a Sunday Times bestselling author, and helped shape Manchester's cultural landscape into what it is today. He is one of the most influential figures in UK hospitality and events. And it all started with selling leather jackets. In this episode, Sacha sits down with Emma to talk about what really happens when you stop listening to everyone telling you to play it safe. He opens up about anxiety, self-belief, and the mindset behind building iconic brands — as well as the mistakes, the leadership lessons, and the moment he knew it was time to let go. This is one of the most honest conversations Emma has had on the podcast. If you've ever doubted yourself, felt stuck, or wondered whether now is the right time to start something new this one's for you. Emma and Sacha cover: How he went from market trader to building world-renowned eventsWhy most people give up too early — and how to push throughHow to build teams you can genuinely trustThe leadership lessons behind scaling large organisationsHow to know when it's time to exit a businessWhy passion still matters, even at the top"If you've got a passion for something, don't listen to anybody. Just do it." Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail Feeling like your weeks are slipping by without real progress?   That’s where I was for 10 years. Another Friday, another week of fighting fires at MiPA, no closer to my big picture goals, no longer enjoying the business I was running.   Then four years ago, I found a way to change all that.   In the latest episode of MiTV, I share that “Win the Week” philosophy that’s seen me completely revolutionise my life as a small business owner, grow my business, and enjoy my life a hell of a lot more.   Give it a watch, and if you need support to create more time in your calendar and get progress happening faster, comment below and let’s have a chat.  Em x  P.S. You’ll get more crucial insights for small business owners like this in my Sunday night newsletter, Win the Week (sign up here: https://emmas-newsletter-adef7a.beehiiv.com/subscribe), and over on my Instagram @emmamipa (give me a follow!) Please visit my website to get more information: https://www.mi-pa.co.uk/  Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail Neil Walton is the founder and Managing Director behind The HMO Guys, Manchester's fastest-growing independent co-living specialist. From a back bedroom to a Salford HQ employing nine people, Neil has built a team that now manages around 850 rooms across 150 properties throughout Greater Manchester and Cheshire. His approach is refreshingly simple: property management should be straightforward, responsive, and genuinely useful. Landlords and tenants both seem to agree. In this episode, Neil sits down with Emma to unpack the journey — and it wasn't a straight line. He got sacked from his first three jobs in a single year. He walked away from a 15-year recruitment career with zero property experience. And seven years later, he deliberately left his business for seven weeks — not for a holiday, but to find out where the gaps really were. Emma and Neil explore the hiring philosophy behind an 850-unit portfolio run by just nine people, why Neil believes training and mistakes cost about the same, what stepping back reveals about your leadership, and the counterintuitive link between payment terms and customer respect. Outside of work you'll find Neil planning his next trip somewhere sunnier than Salford and backing his team to keep raising the bar. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with founders and business owners who've built something that supports their life — not consumes it. 🌐 Work with Mi-PA: https://mi-pa.co.uk  📲 Follow Emma on Instagram: https://instagram.com/emmamills_ 🎧 Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail Most business owners know they need help. But the real challenge isn’t finding a virtual assistant it’s learning how to let go. In this episode, Emma Mills explores why delegation feels so uncomfortable, the psychological reasons we hold onto tasks for too long, and the first things you should actually hand over if you want more time, focus, and freedom. From inbox overwhelm to the “delegation dip”, this is a practical and honest conversation about building a business that doesn’t rely on you for everything. Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to walk away from a six-figure salary, sell your house, and buy a one-way ticket to Dubai? For Freddie Pullen, the answer was a head-on car crash. On May 12, 2022, Freddie and his wife Antonia flipped their car and landed upside down in a ditch. They walked away physically intact but everything else shifted. Within two months, both had quit their corporate jobs. Within weeks, they were on a plane. Within six months, Freddie had launched The Healthy Entrepreneur podcast from a Dubai apartment with a £30 lapel mic and it hit number one in nine countries on its first day. In this episode, Emma sits down with Freddie to unpack what it actually looks and feels like to rebuild from zero and the surprisingly practical strategies behind his rapid rise. From LinkedIn to podcast guesting, newsletters to authentic content, Freddie breaks down exactly how he's built a business that funds the life he wants to live, not the other way around. What you'll take away: Why being a podcast guest before launching your own show is the smarter, faster growth moveThe "Bistro Table" concept and how to build genuine digital connection without oversharingHow Freddie grows his newsletter by 500+ organic subscribers every single monthThe LinkedIn strategy that cuts through AI-generated noise with pure authenticityWhy AI might be one of the biggest distractions facing business owners right now — and what to focus on insteadThe mindset shift that turns near-tragedy into the most powerful entrepreneurial fuel there isThis one hits differently. Give it a listen. Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What would it mean to protect your mornings completely? In this episode, Emma Mills shares the real story of a business owner who was checking his emails at 10pm every night. His doctor had told him to stop. And yet he couldn't  because he genuinely believed there was no one else who could do it. Emma unpacks the myth that doing everything yourself is quicker, faster, or better and why believing it is costing business owners far more than lost productivity. It's costing their sleep, their health, and their ability to show up at their best during the hours that matter most. What you'll take away: Why the "I'll just do it myself" mindset is holding your business backHow to recognise the real cost of staying in your own inboxThe 80% mindset shift that makes delegation feel safePermission to protect your morning as your most valuable business assetIf you've ever caught yourself working late just to keep up — this one's for you. Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Send us Fan Mail What would you do if you found out you were £24,000 in debt — and on track to spend the next 7 years digging yourself out? That's the reality Sammy Elard King faced at 25, sitting on a beach in Vietnam. One conversation with a friend forced him to do the maths and the numbers were devastating. He had minus £24,000 to his name and no real plan to change it. 18 months later, the debt was gone. In this episode of Focus on Fun Stuff, Emma Mills sits down with Sammy founder of Up the Gains and the Gains FinTech app to unpack exactly how he did it, why the financial education system has failed most of us, and what you can do right now to start rewriting your financial story. What you'll take away: Why your spending habits might be working against you without you realisingThe side hustle approach that clears debt faster than your salary ever willHow to invest simply without becoming obsessed with trading chartsThe mindset shift that turns financial overwhelm into a clear, actionable planWhy building a true community (not just followers) is your biggest business assetHow Sammy raised £285,000 and put 15,000 people on a waitlist before his app even launchedThis is the financial education your school never gave you honest, practical, and completely jargon-free. If you've ever felt like money is a system you weren't taught to play this one's for you. Support the show Support The Show -- Ready to reclaim your time? Grab our free guide and start delegating all of the things a business owner shouldn't be doing: 👉 The 106 Tasks You Must Delegate -- Connect with Emma! Get my personal weekly newsletter here - if you want to Win the Week, every week. World Class Virtual PA support here: Mi-PA.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram Connect with Emma on Linkedin Watch the Episodes on Youtube EmmaMills.co.uk Reviews and Feedback: Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us! Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟