Flying Solo

When you run a business that depends on you, it’s easy to let it consume every aspect of your life.   In this conversation with psychologist Faye Evans, we explore the pitfalls of entrepreneurial life and how to maintain a sense of self amid the chaos. "We fuse with a business and we become it," Faye explains, highlighting the dangers of tying our self-worth to our business successes or failures. This realisation led her to write her book, Soulful Simplicity, which offers strategies for maintaining personal identity in the face of overwhelming responsibilities. "Life is about refinement... Life is about making choices Key topics The line between personal identity and business ownership How entrepreneurs fuse with their businesses The impact of chronic stress on decision-making and creativity Practices for creating mental space and mindfulness Reframing burnout as profound exhaustion The importance of clarifying personal and business values Strategies for simplifying life and business The role of self-compassion and permission in recovery Time-stamped overview 00:00 Introduction to the challenges of solo entrepreneurship 02:16 COVID-19's impact and the identity crisis for entrepreneurs 04:09 The awakening: recognising profound exhaustion 05:04 The cultural glorification of busyness and exhaustion 06:00 The importance of self-awareness and boundary setting 06:48 Personality traits that may increase susceptibility to burnout 08:09 The importance of space and silence for mental clarity 09:38 Challenging the badge of honor around being busy 12:03 Life as a process of refinement and intentional living 12:39 The normalization of chronic stress and adaptation 13:34 Deciding to turn the focus inward and change 16:28 The impact of chronic stress on brain function and decision-making 18:05 Practical practices for creating mental space 22:34 Overcoming discomfort with doing nothing 26:45 Simplifying life and business to regain control 30:17 The importance of self-compassion and updating internal patterns 34:01 The danger of the competence trap in business 36:46 Clarifying purpose and values to prevent burnout 37:55 Living intentionally and making conscious choices 39:00 Final thoughts: reclaiming your life and business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being good at what you do doesn’t help much if nobody knows you exist. In this episode of Flying Solo, Cec Busby speaks with visibility mentor, author and communications specialist Bec Sands about putting your work in front of the world without becoming someone you’re not. Bec Sands explains why capable people wait for permission to feel ready, how to work through judgment and rejection, and why visibility is less about chasing attention than building trust. She shares the practical system that helped her overcome a three-year resistance to live video, including scheduling visibility work, showing up consistently and choosing platforms where your ideal clients already spend time The conversation also covers healthy personal branding, sharing “from the scar, not the wound,” using AI without losing your personality, and what to do when your first attempts meet nothing but crickets . Bec reflects on building a business through illness, caregiving, IVF and uncertainty, and why there’s no such thing as leaving it too late. Key topics 1. Moving beyond “not ready” Bec Sands says many people wait for a “permission slip” before sharing their work, even after gaining the necessary knowledge and experience 01:57. “I’m not ready” can become a visibility block, especially when client work feels more urgent than building a personal brand 03:41. Visibility can trigger fears of judgment, rejection, failure, and getting things wrong 04:29. Confidence doesn’t need to come first. Bec Sands recommends building evidence that you can handle difficult things by taking practical action 05:45. 2. Making visibility consistent and manageable Bec Sands resisted live video for three years, then improved by going live on Instagram every Friday 07:01. The most practical starting point is scheduling visibility work in the calendar, because it’s important but rarely urgent 10:28. Consistency builds trust. A weekly post, monthly article, or regular podcast appearance is more useful than showing up intensely for one week and disappearing 11:28. Batch content where possible, and focus on the activities most likely to move the business forward instead of trying to use every platform 12:41. 3. Building trust without oversharing Trust comes from doing what you say you’ll do, following up, delivering quality work, and communicating your values through your ideas 16:56. Bec Sands advises sharing “from the scar, not the wound.” Personal experiences should be processed first and shared because they offer value, not simply validation 14:20. Healthy visibility includes personality and uniqueness, but it doesn’t require sharing your deepest personal details 14:20. Cec Busby and Bec Sands discuss how genuine personality helps cut through generic AI-generated content 25:03. 4. Finding your voice and starting before certainty Start where ideal clients already spend time, then choose a format that feels slightly uncomfortable but still achievable, such as audio before video 18:26. Bec Sands says authority develops through action, testing, iteration, and noticing what resonates with both the audience and the business owner 19:27. A quiet response doesn’t necessarily mean the work has failed. Bec Sands recommends reviewing engagement, refining the message, and continuing without taking it personally 21:32. The immediate next step is to schedule recurring time for the idea you’ve been postponing and prioritise the work you “came here to create” 38:29. Time-stanped overview 00:00 Waiting for Permission to Start 04:29 Fears and facing judgment 08:07 Building confidence for visibility 10:28 Prioritizing and scheduling personal brand tasks 15:21 Sharing personal challenges in business 20:21 Finding your passion and starting point 23:26 Engaging with social media posts 25:37 Using AI as a tool 28:44 Sharing positive content online 32:34 Prioritising personal well-being 34:55 Finding joy in business tasks 38:29 Prioritising your creative goals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How easy are you to fool? Andy Nunn, an Australian mentalist and TEDx speaker, has spent more than 25 years studying attention, persuasion, and human behaviour. In this episode, Andy explains why intelligence doesn’t always protect us from bad decisions, how confirmation bias helps us defend our assumptions, and why a nine-year-old can sometimes see through a trick more clearly than an engineer Andy Nunn shares his Catch, Challenge, Change framework for solo business owners, reflects on the emotional pressure of working alone, and explores how AI, deepfakes, scams, and “ultra-processed information” are making discernment more important than ever He also offers a clear warning for anyone using AI in their business: let it help spark ideas, but don’t hand over your creativity. Key points 1. Why intelligence doesn’t protect against manipulation Andy Nunn argues that everyone is influenceable, including people who believe they’re highly sceptical, because algorithms can trigger emotions and shape purchasing decisions 06:04. Intelligent people can build sophisticated explanations for why their beliefs are correct, making it harder to change their minds 11:00. Adults often stop investigating once they’ve found a plausible explanation, while children keep asking, “why?” and consider more possibilities 09:47. Discernment depends on staying open to being wrong, not simply on processing information quickly 10:16. 2. A practical method for challenging business assumptions Andy Nunn uses the “Catch, Challenge, Change” framework to examine decisions and reduce bias 13:38. Catch the story you’re telling yourself and identify the assumptions behind it, such as believing a quiet sales period means your website is failing 14:49. Challenge the assumption by asking what else could be true, including changes in the market or wider economic conditions 15:10. Change the level of certainty rather than forcing yourself to reverse your opinion completely. Andy Nunn describes moving from 99% certainty to 70% 15:38. 3. The emotional reality of working alone Leaving employment in 2019 meant Andy Nunn became responsible for every part of the business, with emotional regulation proving especially difficult 12:02. Quiet periods triggered repeated changes to his website, sales copy, emails and advertising, even when the real cause might simply have been a temporary market slowdown 12:59. Therapy became a major support, with Andy Nunn working with a psychologist for nearly two years while building the business 23:40. Reaching out to other performers helped him build a network and realise he didn’t have to do everything alone 24:20. 4. AI, scams and the need for deliberate discernment Andy Nunn says scams are becoming more convincing, including potential voice or video calls that imitate someone you trust 35:38. He recommends verification systems such as a private code word for confirming that a caller is genuine 36:26. AI-generated reports can contain convincing hallucinations and fabricated sources, while people may accept them because of “automation bias” 42:24. AI can support ideas and administration, but Andy Nunn warns against outsourcing creativity and personal communication, especially early client emails 45:23. Time-stamped overview 00:00 Understanding Decision Making Mistakes 04:44 Creating a magic trick method 08:15 Understanding hypnosis and NLP basics 12:02 Challenges of Entrepreneurship 15:38 Adopting flexible cognitive humility 18:32 Struggles of turning art into business 20:07 Early challenges and determination 25:14 Choosing corporate over private events 27:48 Building a Speaking Career 30:51 Using magic in keynote speeches 35:38 Discussing AI and scam risks 38:32 Managing Information Consumption 42:24 AI errors in government reports 46:00 Balancing creativity with AI tools 46:49 Wrapping up and listener requests Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie-Anne Whitfield is the Workplace Program Manager at R U OK? She sits down for a chat about building genuine wellbeing and connection into small businesses all year round, not just on R U OK? Day. Julie-Anne explains why supportive workplace cultures matter, especially when business owners are carrying financial pressure, isolation, and responsibility for everyone else. We cover the four-step ALEC framework, recognising early signs of burnout, checking in through texts or phone calls, and supporting someone without trying to fix them. Julie-Anne also shares practical ways for sole traders to create connection. Her central message is simple: “If you’re thinking it, ask it.” Timestamped overview 00:00 Discussing mental health for business owners 04:30 Supporting Chefs with R U OK? 08:19 Addressing workplace mental health challenges 10:49 Discussing "Are You Okay?" question 13:13 Creating a supportive work environment 19:19 Encouraging workplace mental health check-ins 21:09 Small business support and connections 24:42 Recognising signs of burnout 28:16 Creating a supportive workplace culture 31:15 Creating supportive workplace environments 36:13 Sharing resources and episode wrap-up Key Topics Wellbeing Beyond One Day - Julie-Anne Rickford says R U OK? Day should be a springboard for conversations and action throughout the year, not a once-a-year event at - Small businesses face particular pressure from limited time, financial stress, and the absence of formal support structures . - Meaningful wellbeing means creating workplaces where people aren’t left alone with difficult challenges . - Regular check-ins can be as simple as adding “are you okay?” to a weekly meeting agenda or inviting someone for a walk and coffee. How to Ask and Listen - If your gut tells you someone is struggling, ask. Nine out of ten people who are asked “are you okay?” feel a sense of support, even if they aren’t ready to share everything - The ALEC framework means ask, listen, encourage action, and check back in . - The person asking isn’t there to fix someone. The goal is to support them with their next step. - Listening requires resisting fix-it mode and allowing the other person to talk without making the conversation about you . Supporting Solopreneurs - One in two Australians report feeling lonely, with one in six experiencing loneliness severely enough to affect daily life. - Julie-Anne Rickford encourages sole traders to join networks, associations, coworking spaces, and other small-business communities - Connection often needs to be planned, whether that means working from a café, joining a class, or regularly visiting the same local coffee shop - Beyond Blue’s small-business resources can help owners create more structure and connection in their working lives. Recognising Burnout and Building Culture - Pulling away from activities that bring joy, such as exercise, walks, or social outings, can signal that something is wrong. - Julie-Anne Rickford recommends putting restorative activities in the calendar and treating them as priorities, not selfish extras, - Cupcakes and yellow decorations may start a conversation, but support has to continue beyond the event to avoid performative wellbeing - A supportive culture depends on practical, visible, consistent action, not good intentions alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Flying Solo, Cec Busby sits down with trailblazing entrepreneur Lisa Messenger, founder of The Collective Hub. Known for her fearless approach to reinvention and disrupting the status quo, Lisa Messenger has built an extraordinary career, from launching a globally celebrated print magazine at the height of “print is dead,” to growing her business from three staff to 36, traversing the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and making a purposeful pivot to a lean, AI-powered education and community platform for founders. Lisa reflects on business failures, the courage to start and close ventures, lessons learned from scaling too quickly, the power of knowing your purpose, and the importance of adaptability in a rapidly changing world. She shares insights into teaching herself AI, creating digital communities, the joy and challenge of motherhood after a long IVF journey, and her new adventure as a fiction writer. Listeners will get the inside story of how Collective Hub is relaunching for the digital age and practical tips for solopreneurs looking to thrive with fewer resources and greater impact. Key topics 1. Reinvention and Business Evolution Lisa Messenger discussed shifting from running a large team (36 staff, hundreds of freelancers) to now having zero staff, emphasizing that "bigger isn't necessarily better" 02:26. She explored how staying attached to her purpose of "igniting human potential" allowed her to change delivery mechanisms—from print magazine to digital products and an AI-powered platform 05:10. Reinvention involved learning new skills such as AI and collaborating with past team members to relaunch the Collective Hub community and membership 13:10. 2. Lessons from Success and Business Failure Lisa Messenger highlighted the courage it took not only to launch the print magazine but also to close it down publicly, stressing the importance of not letting ego or identity keep you stuck in a failing business 07:06. The rapid growth led to challenges she was unprepared for, like managing 17 different revenue streams and teams in 37 countries, which ultimately was unsustainable 08:20. She emphasised the need for business acumen and possibly bringing in the right COO or 2IC earlier to balance visionary leadership with operational competency 09:09. 3. Embracing and Teaching AI for Solopreneurs Lisa Messenger became a certified prompt engineer and now uses over 50 AI tools, with ChatGPT as her central “motherboard” for orchestrating tasks and business automation 16:02. She runs AI retreats, guiding participants from various backgrounds (including corporate heads) through practical applications, showing skeptics how AI can streamline and empower their businesses 18:17. Practical takeaway: she encourages solopreneurs to simply start with ChatGPT, building familiarity through step-by-step personal “training” of the AI to work as their digital twin and assistant 22:17. 4. Personal Growth, Motherhood, and Work-Life Balance Lisa Messenger reflected on how becoming a mother, after a long IVF journey and surrogacy, fundamentally shifted her priorities and business direction 28:47. She described consciously downsizing her business model for more freedom, focusing on purpose and high-impact tasks rather than scale and staff 26:17. Motherhood changed her outlook: she now blocks out specific time for projects, controls her schedule, and puts family at the forefront, contrasting her earlier years of relentless work 27:49. Time-stamped overview 00:00 Starting a magazine despite skeptics 06:50 Starting and shutting a print magazine 10:22 Building Opportunities and Relaunching with Jade 11:41 Attempting new print format 14:38 Adapting to New Business Challenges 19:52 Building your virtual team 22:17 Getting started with ChatGPT 27:16 Balancing writing projects and freedom 30:32 Balancing career and IVF journey 33:08 Transitioning to traditional publishing 36:01 Finding inspiration from Save the Cat 39:53 Creating digestible content for entrepreneurs 42:04 Creating a community leaderboard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices