We started a business, send help!

This week we’re joined by the formidable Emma Fishlock, the no-BS, messy founder behind Real World Consultancy. Emma has helped over 1,000 founders and businesses grow, scale, and succeed, and she’s a passionate champion of female founders through her Strategic Circle community.Emma is the opposite of a gatekeeper. She openly shares the strategies, lessons, and frameworks that have helped so many businesses succeed, including insights from her Ambitious Growth Model book. And fair warning: she talks almost as fast as her strategic brain works.In this episode, we dive into:Why niching too early can actually hold your business backHow to find your zone of genius (and why it matters more than you think)The difference between being a great freelancer vs building a real businessWhy you can’t be both in the business and on the business foreverHow weak business foundations can end up costing you serious money laterIf you're building a business, thinking about scaling, or wondering whether you're actually running a business or just freelancing harder, this episode is packed with honest, practical advice.

It’s just us this week! We’re chatting about what we’ve been up to lately and the steps we’re taking to keep moving things forward. We also dive into the idea of “owning it” — a mindset we much prefer to the overused and often negative term “imposter syndrome.” Plus, we share a bit about our recent photoshoot with the amazing Heather Seed and how a little inspiration from America’s Next Top Model helped us stay focused and keep our best smize on!

This week we’re joined by Laura Davis from The Two Lauras, the only membership dedicated to social media freelancers, and she is dropping serious value.We’re talking:
Why niching down is the fastest way to attract your dream clients (hint: it’s not “everyone”)The power of the right CTA on social, and what most people get wrongWhen (and how) to outsource without blowing your budgetWhy the “viral algorithm” is basically a myth
Red flags to look out for when hiring ad account managersIf you’re building a business and want smarter, not louder, marketing, this one’s for you.

A short catch-up from us this week after the half-term juggle. We’re sharing what’s been going on behind the scenes, navigating the messy middle of business, realising that getting the gig is only the beginning, feeling completely paralysed by decisions, and the practical (and slightly overwhelming) process of consolidating our websites. We also chat about rediscovering Pinterest and why it’s quietly becoming a useful tool for us again.No big breakthroughs. No shiny “we’ve cracked it” moments. Just where we’re actually at.Thanks for being here with us. Keep your questions and feedback coming.And remember… “it’s in the post.”Nic + George x

What does it take to turn a Southern US comfort food into a breakout UK brand?In this episode, we sit down with Jane, co-founder of Homewrecker Cheese, to unpack the wild journey of building a startup from scratch and bringing a bold taste of the American South to British shelves.Jane shares the realities of launching a food brand, navigating culture gaps, hustling for retail wins, and what it really takes to land major stockists like Ocado and Selfridges. It’s a story of grit, flavour, and founder resilience, packed with lessons for anyone dreaming of turning a kitchen idea into a national product.If you love startup stories, food entrepreneurship, or behind-the-scenes retail journeys, this one’s for you.Huge shout-out to the Leamington Spa community for supporting "Jallen" on their journey so far, including the Fox and Vivian, Aubrey Allen and Farmers Fayre. You are the best!

This week, it’s just us catching up, getting honest, and sitting right in the messy middle of building our businesses. We share what’s been going on behind the scenes, the latest updates, and what’s currently stretching us (in all the ways).We also chat about the Creative Futures programme, one to have on your radar if you’re a startup or growing business in the creative industries in and around Warwickshire. Plus a detour into Exploding Kittens, the world’s biggest crowdfunded game, nearly a decade on.But more than anything, we want to hear from you. How are you doing? How are you navigating your own messy middle right now? So, let us know what’s really going on.Nic + George x

This week on We Started a Business, Send Help, we’re joined by graphic design expert Joanne Higgs (Jo Higgs Creative) to share practical branding tips for small businesses — plus the biggest design mistakes and icks she sees all the time 👀We chat logos, Canva overwhelm, DIY branding, and how to make your business look professional without the stress.🎧 A must-listen for small business owners, startups, and creatives.

This week, we’re doing what we do best: a honest recap.What we said we’d do.What we actually did.What’s still sitting on the to-do list staring at us 👀And sharing the biggest learnings from our recent trip to Birmingham for the 51% Club Strategy Reset Day.We dive into:Strategy (without the corporate fluff) with Emma Fishlock, Real World ConsultancyHow we should be using AI in our businesses with Michelle Johnson from Ideal Intelligence, including the genuinely game-changing AI prompts we learned (and are already using)It’s real, it’s a bit messy, and it’s hopefully helpful — especially if you’re building a business while juggling a million other things and wondering if you’re the only one who hasn’t figured it all out yet. Spoiler: you’re not.

Ever catch yourself thinking, “I’ll rest later,” “I’ll deal with that after this deadline,” or “This is fine” (when it’s very much not)?Yep, that’s self-abandonment, and it shows up a lot when you’re building a business.On this episode of We Started a Business, Send Help!, we’re joined by the brilliant Jennie from Work, Life Health to unpack how self-abandonment sneaks into our work, why it matters, and how to stop ghosting yourself in the name of productivity.We talk about:What self-abandonment actually looks likeThe sneaky autopilot habits keeping us stuckWhy big life overhauls don’t workThe power of small, boring, wildly effective micro-changesIf you remember one thing, make it this question:“What would she/he do?”Your future self — the one with boundaries who doesn’t disappear when things get busy — is a great accountability partner.If you’re building a business and want to recognise yourself along the way, this one’s for you.Press play. Send help. Let’s go.

We know we said our first episode would be next week, but then we remembered why we started this pod in the first place. It was to keep us accountable and showing up. So, that is exactly what we're doing!This is a quick chat, just us. Chewing the fat over what we've got going on, what we will be focusing this pod on as we hurtle headlong into 2026 and some random memes and references along the way.Next Monday we will drop our next episode featuring a guest expert who is all about fuelling us and our businesses in the best way possible. So, see you next week!

Welcome back to We Started a Business, Send Help! This is episode 22, and before we properly log off for Christmas, we’re jumping in with a quick catch-up. We’re sharing what’s been going on behind the scenes, a few lessons from the last couple of months, and a massive thank you to everyone who’s listened, sent feedback, and to all the brilliant guest experts we’ve had on the show. We’re taking a short break, but we’ll be back with our first episode of 2026 on 12 January, with more honest chats, real business moments, and plenty more learning as we go.Nic + George x

This week, we’re joined by the incredible Meeta Darji, an award-winning speaker and mindset expert specialising in mental resilience, public speaking with confidence and money mindset. After surviving a horrific car accident in the U.S., Meeta discovered the power of Emotional Freedom Tapping (EFT), a powerful technique that helps reprogramme the mind and release deep emotional and energetic blocks.As small business owners, we all know that uneasy feeling when more money seems to be going out than coming in. Fear, scarcity, and stress can creep in fast, but Meeta is here to show us another way.Now, fair warning ...whenever we record an episode that leans a little on the woo woo side, the technical gods seem to test us. Beth Taylor our friend and psychic guide once watched our entire Instagram account vanish post going live, and this time the microphones and Riverside app decided not to cooperate. Thankfully, George had a backup running on her phone so the sound and video quality aren’t quite up to our usual standard, but the wisdom in this episode more than makes up for it.In this conversation, we explore how to shift from fear to financial flow, how tapping can help you retrain your mindset for abundance, and why changing your emotional energy around money can change everything.✨ Stick around until the end, Meeta guides us through a live tapping session to help clear your money blocks, just in time to welcome a prosperous new year!Nic + George x

It’s episode 20 and Christmas is nearly here! This week, we’re keeping it real with a quick catch-up and a big dose of honesty. Full disclosure: we scrapped the original episode because… well, it just didn’t feel right. So we hit reset, stripped it back, and decided to give you the unfiltered update on where we’re really at with our businesses right now.Thanks for riding with us through every twist, turn, and meltdown. Keep those DMs, topic ideas, and guest suggestions coming, this pod is as much yours as it is ours. Nic + George x

This week on We Started a Business, Send Help, we’re talking to Louie Tew, co-founder of TH&TH, the bridal brand born out of one wedding, a shoestring budget, and a wild twist of fate.After years in fashion and branding, Louie and her friends designed the bridesmaid dresses she couldn’t find anywhere — elegant, couture-style, but affordable. When the wedding photos hit Twitter (we mean, X!), a top magazine editor spotted them and demanded to know: “Who made those dresses?”That single moment lit the fuse for TH&TH. Today, the brand dresses bridal parties across the world.Louie opens up about what it really takes to build a business from scratch, delusion, creative risk, smart branding, and scaling without losing your soul.If you’ve ever built something from nothing (or are just trying to survive your latest pivot), this episode’s a must-listen.🎙️ We Started a Business, Send Help: honest founder stories, no filters, no fluff. Just the messy bits and belly laughs along the way!We are your co-hosts: Nic: Stylist and Founder of Wear the StarsGeorge: Luxury Brand Copywriter and founder of The Manifesto Studio wordy art prints

Black Friday and the festive season’s creeping in and small business owners everywhere are feeling the pressure. In this episode, we chat about getting ready for Christmas and tackling Black Friday without resorting to discounts. We share down-to-earth ways to stand out, stay visible, and keep sales steady through the busiest time of year.If you run a small product or service business, this one’s for you with honest conversation, practical ideas, and a sprinkle of festive chaos.

If you’ve been hearing that tools like Google’s AI updates, ChatGPT, and language-model search are changing the way customers find you online… you’re absolutely right. And today, we’re breaking down exactly how. We’ve brought in two of the best people to help us make sense of it: Jess and Kelly from Accentuate SEO, specialists in AI-driven search strategies and real-world optimisation for small businesses.We’re talking about what’s actually worth your time, what to stop stressing about, and the practical steps you can take to keep your website visible, even as search changes faster than ever.So if you want to stay ahead of the curve without needing a massive budget or a full tech team… this one’s for you.Btw, we always mess up something. This week's treat is saying episode 16 when it's actually episode 17?!!!As promised in the episode, here's the amazing AI SEO course Jess and Kelly have set up with small biz owners in mind.

Deborah’s story isn’t your average career pivot. After breast cancer treatment put life and work on pause, she didn’t just “go back”, she rebuilt. Add in a marriage breakup, relocating to another country across the other side of the world, and starting a business with her now-husband… let’s just say she’s navigated more than a few plot twists.We get into:Reclaiming who you are when life flips the scriptBuilding a business with your partner (and actually thriving)Creating work that supports your wellbeing, not drains itWhy “balance” isn’t soft. It’s strategy.This one’s for anyone who’s had to start over, rethink everything, or rewrite their story entirely.Guest:Deborah Tabbron, Co-Founder of Akela Abbott Ltd., helping people, leaders, and organisations grow with clarity, confidence, and purpose.Shout-outs this episode go to:Myintent.orgCoppaFeelWorking With CancerBreast Cancer AwarenessMacMillan Cancer SupportFemale Founders LeamingtonLizzie Hazel, Stratford-Upon-Avon Business Community1 Mill Street

Money — we all think about it, but no one really talks about it. In this episode of We Started a Business, Send Help!, we sit down with Rachel Kerr, a financial planner and founder of ⁠Albert and Mae Wealth Management ⁠on a mission to break the money taboo.We dive into:💔 How to handle money through divorce📉 What the UK Budget could mean for you💰 Building your emergency fund (and why it’s non-negotiable)📈 How to start investing confidently🔥 The power of the FU fund, and why everyone needs oneIf you’re figuring out finances, building a business, or just trying to get your money mindset in check, this one’s for you.Disclaimer:This content is for financial education purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. Always do your research, consider your specific goals and or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any major financial decisions. Past performance is not an indicator of future returns. Your investments can go up as well as down.👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more unfiltered chats about business, life, and the messy bits in between!

Money — we all think about it, but no one really talks about it. In this episode of We Started a Business, Send Help!, we sit down with Rachel Kerr, a financial planner and founder of Albert and Mae Wealth Management on a mission to break the money taboo.We dive into:💔 How to handle money through divorce📉 What the UK Budget could mean for you💰 Building your emergency fund (and why it’s non-negotiable)📈 How to start investing confidently🔥 The power of the FU fund, and why everyone needs oneIf you’re figuring out finances, building a business, or just trying to get your money mindset in check, this one’s for you.Disclaimer:This content is for financial education purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. Always do your research, consider your specific goals and or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any major financial decisions. Past performance is not an indicator of future returns. Your investments can go up as well as down.👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more unfiltered chats about business, life, and the messy bits in between!

We thought it's about time we answer some of the listener questions we've received, including how we got our first customers for our product and service businesses, biggest f*ck up at work and how to say no without p*ssing off your clients and customers. Yes, even the pushy ones!The questions we couldn't answers, we've lined up the right guest experts to come on and answer them properly for you.Keep the questions and the feedback coming.Shout-outs this episode go to:1 Mill Street co-working space and community51 Percent Club free female founder communityFemale Founders Community, run by Vicki Forty 4 coworking, Leamington SpaThe Fold coworking Leamington SpaLeamington Spa tennis and squash clubNic + George x