Claim OwnershipThe Small & Supercharged Podcast
Subscribed: 97Played: 3,545
Subscribe
Description
You're a small business founder or solopreneur, right? You're building something amazing, but let's be honest, the journey can feel like a rollercoaster – exhilarating highs mixed with moments of "how am I going to make this work?".
Imagine hitting play and instantly feeling like you've found your tribe, guided by someone who's not just talking the talk, but has walked the walk – and helped countless others do the same. That someone is Rhea Freeman.
Rhea isn't just another voice in the business world; she's a seasoned expert with years of hands-on experience specifically working with small businesses and solopreneurs like you. She understands the unique pressures and opportunities you face because she's lived it and breathed it.
With a background deeply rooted in marketing, PR, and social media, Rhea has a knack for cutting through the noise and delivering practical, no-nonsense advice that actually gets results. She's not about fleeting trends or complicated theories; she focuses on building sustainable strategies that fit the real-world constraints of running a small enterprise.
Think of Rhea as your experienced mentor in your ear, sharing the insights she's gained from helping hundreds of businesses amplify their message, connect with their ideal customers, and ultimately, thrive. Her expertise lies in simplifying complex marketing concepts, showing you how to leverage your unique strengths, and building a brand that truly resonates.
This isn't some advice that only works in theory or with huge teams; it's a raw, honest conversation with fellow founders who get it, facilitated by Rhea's insightful guidance. We're talking about the real stuff: the late nights, the unexpected pivots, the thrill of things going well, and the constant hustle to keep it all moving forward – all filtered through Rhea's expert lens.
Forget the generic business jargon. This is where you'll hear practical tips, actionable strategies, and the kind of "I've been there" stories that make you feel less alone and more inspired to tackle whatever comes next, all curated and contextualised by Rhea's deep understanding of the small business landscape.
If you're ready to connect with a community that understands the unique challenges and triumphs of building something from the ground up, guided by a true expert who's passionate about empowering small businesses, then tune in. Let's navigate this incredible journey together with Rhea Freeman leading the way.
Imagine hitting play and instantly feeling like you've found your tribe, guided by someone who's not just talking the talk, but has walked the walk – and helped countless others do the same. That someone is Rhea Freeman.
Rhea isn't just another voice in the business world; she's a seasoned expert with years of hands-on experience specifically working with small businesses and solopreneurs like you. She understands the unique pressures and opportunities you face because she's lived it and breathed it.
With a background deeply rooted in marketing, PR, and social media, Rhea has a knack for cutting through the noise and delivering practical, no-nonsense advice that actually gets results. She's not about fleeting trends or complicated theories; she focuses on building sustainable strategies that fit the real-world constraints of running a small enterprise.
Think of Rhea as your experienced mentor in your ear, sharing the insights she's gained from helping hundreds of businesses amplify their message, connect with their ideal customers, and ultimately, thrive. Her expertise lies in simplifying complex marketing concepts, showing you how to leverage your unique strengths, and building a brand that truly resonates.
This isn't some advice that only works in theory or with huge teams; it's a raw, honest conversation with fellow founders who get it, facilitated by Rhea's insightful guidance. We're talking about the real stuff: the late nights, the unexpected pivots, the thrill of things going well, and the constant hustle to keep it all moving forward – all filtered through Rhea's expert lens.
Forget the generic business jargon. This is where you'll hear practical tips, actionable strategies, and the kind of "I've been there" stories that make you feel less alone and more inspired to tackle whatever comes next, all curated and contextualised by Rhea's deep understanding of the small business landscape.
If you're ready to connect with a community that understands the unique challenges and triumphs of building something from the ground up, guided by a true expert who's passionate about empowering small businesses, then tune in. Let's navigate this incredible journey together with Rhea Freeman leading the way.
399 Episodes
Reverse
What do cellars and 'that space under the stairs' have in common? Both are places that Alice Rivers-Cripps developed her incredible brand, Posh Totty Designs, before the company found its home in Brighton! Alice's journey into the world of jewellery started in Mexico, when she found a passion, and developed further when she started stamping silver in a way that hadn't been seen before. Although traditional silversmiths thought she was crazy using stamps on precious metals, not only did people 'get' it, they loved it to the point that the business has been able to scale and now employs around 50 members of staff - how incredible is that! Alice is a huge inspiration- passionate, talented, and adoring of her customers, her creations, and her team. On this episode, she also shares where she got the brand's name from, an incredible collaboration, and so much more.
Over the last few weeks, I've received some lovely emails saying that I've been nominated for awards. Brilliant, you might think- and you're right- but two of them had a sting in the tail. If I filled in the entry form and pressed 'submit', I HAD to agree that if I made it to shortlist phase, I would definitely pay to attend the awards. And some awards have very long shortlists. The tickets plus transport and hotel ran to hundreds of pounds, and I'd have to go back on projects committed to in order to enter. Which didn't seem right to me. Don't get my wrong, I know it costs money to run awards. And I know that award dinners cost money, but this pay to play concept feels odd to me. Especially when it's a sneaky pay to play. And that's what I talk about in today's podcast. I love being able to say I'm multi award winning, and there are some incredible awards out there (huge shout out to Digital Women and Enterprise Nation!), but some have hidden costs that run into many hundreds. And then you have to ask yourself... is it worth it? Is the potential accolade worth the cost in time and money? I'd love your thoughts... here are mine on paying to enter awards, and hidden costs too...
It feels like forever since we chatted, but this week, after the AMAZING interviews I've shared as part of the You've Got This book launch, I'm back- just me! To ease me back into 'normal' podcasts again, I took the suggestion of a fab follower (thank you Ceandice aka Main Tax Co!) and threw open the question box on Instagram. And now, I'm answering your burning questions. How did I get the publishing deal? What's next? How did I get into this line of work? Where did it start? Did I go to university?! I answer all the questions - there's no gatekeeping. If you've listened for a while, you'll know there never is! Anyway- I hope you enjoy it- it feels weird to be chatting to everyone again like the pre book times, doesn't it?! I hope you love it. It's great to be back!
Siobhan Miller, founder of The Positive Birth Company, found herself supporting women all over the world after her own traumatic birth experience led her to hypnobirthing, and changed her professional direction too! Siobhan worked in marketing before her second child came along. She'd already decided she wanted to change career and had gone back to university to study for a Masters in Psychology. But it was the birth experience with her first child, and the desire to have a completely different experience second time around, that caused her to find hypnobirthing and everything that followed. So profound was its impact that she became a hypnobirthing teacher, supporting parents to be around London. She saw the impact and wanted to help more people beyond London, and so the online side of the business and The Positive Birth Company was, well, born! This is the last special episode of the podcast, sharing the stories of the fabulous founders who let me interview them for my latest book, You've Got This. I hope you really enjoy this...
When you have three small children and no entrepreneurial background, what do you do? Well, if you're Janine Allis, you found Boost Juice and become one of Australia's most respected businesswomen. And I still can't believe Janine agreed to let me interview her for my book, You've Got This! Janine left school at 16, worked in advertising, went travelling, sold timeshares in Spain and Portugal, and worked on a yacht in the South of France hanging out with rockstars and royalty! Then, at 27, she found herself back in Australia with a two year old child. When she started working again, she met her now husband, Jeff, and it was after the birth of her third child that her entrepreneurial side came out! Now, Janine has over 800 Boost Juice Bars all over the world, is an author, founder of The Business Academy, was one of Lord Sugar's advisers on The Celebrity Apprentice Australia, was a business mentor on Australian Shark Tank, and SO much more too! Listen to find out more about Janine, her journey, and the incredible lessons she's learnt along the way. This one is jam packed with brilliant advice. I think you'll love it.
What happens when a Stanford University project catches the eye of a venture capitalist? Well, in one world, you carry on as before. In another, and if you're Jenny Lefcourt, you explore the idea, raise $1 million and go on to co-found WeddingChannel.com! Today, that would be some feat, but Jenny and her cofounder did this when internet shopping wasn't really a thing- Amazon had only just started selling books! And yet, with grit, determination and a lot of work, WeddingChannel.com thrived and was eventually sold. Now, Jenny is a General Partner at early stage venture capital firm, Freestyle, which invests in early stage tech companies. She's also co-founder of All Raise, a non-profit to support diversity in tech, and has angel invested in a range of businesses including Minted, Discord, and Main Street Hub. Jenny is an incredible lady with so much knowledge to share. She does this here, on this special episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast and, of course, in my latest book, You've Got This.
Ever think that the odds are stacked against you? Jo Franco arrived in America with her mother when she was five, only able to speak Portuguese, the language of Rio de Janeiro, where she was born. She helped her mum clean at weekends to make ends meet, but also started to develop a passion that would shape her whole life, a love of languages. She learnt English to help her mum and other immigrants understand the language, to translate documents, and interpret everyday life. Although she couldn't physically travel, the idea of travel and language excited her, and so she expanded her world through learning French and Italian too. Jo's world expanded when she moved to Manhattan for university before studying abroad in Paris (when she started a YouTube channel) and then moving to Los Angeles before being offered a job in New York, which she didn't take despited the $65k of student debt. And then, one day in LA, Jo's life changed again when she was pitched to front her own travel show. From this point on, Jo's career has continued to skyrocket in many different ways, including a travel show on Netflix and the development of her own online communities and platforms that support journalling and languages. Prepare to be seriously inspired. And to find out more about Jo, read her story and advice in You've Got This, the book!
If you love Emma Bridgewater the brand, you're going to adore this latest episode of the podcast with founder and all round legend, THE Emma Bridgewater! Emma started her company when she couldn't find the perfect gift for her own mother. Through starting small, trying and testing, asking for help, developing and carefully growing, her eponymous business grew to the one we see today with a factory in her beloved Stoke-on-Trent (which produces around 1.9 million pieces of pottery a year!) as well as HQ in London. Emma was a complete delight to talk to. Her journey is inspiring, her manner so warm, and her advice so on the money. So pour yourself a cuppa- ideally in an Emma Bridgewater mug, and have a listen.
Astrid & Miyu is an incredible jewellery brand that now has stores all over the world - it's come a long way since founder, Connie Nam, started the business in 2012, in her London flat. Connie created the brand after identifying a gap in the market for jewellery that sat in the 'affordable luxury' area, paired with the warm shopping experience she'd enjoyed when browsing boutiques in Seoul, Korea, where she was born. After spotting this gap, Connie got to work, building up the brand before she wanted to take the next step and get a physical store. For this, investment was needed, which was incredibly hard to come by, but she did and opened four stores pre-pandemic. Since, she has continued to open jewellery shops, piercing and tattoo studios all over the world. What started off as a career in investment banking following an MBA has now morphed into more than the founder of a global brand. Not only is Astrid & Miyu known for its jewellery, it's also known for its eco credentials, giving to charity, and supporting many other small business leaders too. To find out more about Connie and Astrid & Miyu, grab your copy of my new book, You've Got This!
Kasia Bromley's career started at Alexander McQueen in haute couture after she came over from Poland to study fashion in Edinburgh. Soon after her graduation, she started designing clothing, but it wasn't until 2016 that the brand we know today as ACAI officially launched. Kasia and her husband, Joe, co-founded the brand when they were expecting their first child. Kasia had previously identified a gap in the market for outdoor clothes for women that allowed them to confidently explore the outdoors- something she'd really wanted as she always had an affinity with spending time in nature and knew of the positive impact this could have. Utilising her fashion background and her extensive knowledge of technical fabrics, ACAI was born, but it took a long time to build it to the brand that's so well known and loved today. At one point, financial issues led to the couple having to move out of the family home and live apart in different countries to make ends meet, but this only served as fuel for Kasia and ACAI. A change in strategy saw ACAI launch online in 2017 and the business has grown at an incredible rate since then. I was delighted to speak to Kasia for my latest book, You've Got This, and it's a joy to share this interview with you here today. Don't forget, you can grab your copy of You've Got This through Amazon, Bloomsbury direct and all good bookshops.
Laura Tenison is an incredible lady- who I was lucky enough to have as a panellist at my book launch event in January too! Laura always had a passion for business, starting in her teenage years, and this grew into a desire to create a clothing brand. Her initial idea didn't quite work out, and Laura had to take a detour via French property development to get the money she needed to start her fashion company. Then, a horrific car accident saw Laura hospitalised and sharing a room with a terminally ill mum who was buying clothes for her children, and the two batted ideas back and forward about clothing for children and babies that actually helped, didn't cost the earth but was still great quality. The seeds for JoJo Maman Bébé were well and truly sown. Laura developed her company alongside raising her own family, growing the business until ultimately selling it in 2022. Since this time, she's gone on to found an award winning holiday company called Wonderful Escapes in Wales that runs retreats, offers self catering holiday accommodation and so much more.
Nicola Elliott's journey to NEOM Wellbeing began when she realised that her lifestyle (which included jetting around the world as a journalist working for some of the most popular glossies) was taking a toll on her health as she began to suffer from really bad anxiety. She needed to do something, and started to address areas in her life that were lacking- exercise and daylight being the first two- before developing a keen interest in nutrition and then the world of aromatherapy and essential oils. She trained as an aromatherapist and started making blends for her friends after she noticed the significant impact they were having on her life. This led Nicola to develop a blend called Real Luxury to help her feel calm and in control. This is now one of the company's best sellers. Using aromatherapy to support wellbeing in this way scaled to four products available to buy before growing 'brick by brick' into NEOM Wellbeing, a brand that has over 200 products and stores all over the world. Find out more about Nicola's journey, NEOM Wellbeing, some true golden nuggets and so much more in You've Got This- out now!
Lisa's journey to become a driving force in the wellness industry started some 15 years ago when a trip to the doctors got her thinking about 'food as medicine'. This concept changed her life. Although Lisa is now known for the incredible brand, Kroma Wellness, she was also the founder of Beaming Wellness, a superfood cafe that developed a cult following. In 2021, Kroma Wellness was born, launching just as the global pandemic began. This caused many pivots but ultimately led to an incredible brand that has gained investment from 100 powerful women including celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Seinfeld, and being featured in some of the best publications in the world. Read all about Lisa, Kroma Wellness, and the journey she's taken in You've Got This- out now!
Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know about Wild Cosmetics. The company that made deodorant... well... interesting! And more than that, made influencers start actively promoting it to their audience. Charlie Bowes-Lyon is the co-founder of Wild Cosmetics, a brand that, initially, couldn't get any investment in its idea for sustainable yet effective deodorant because the market was 'too small'. To get that initial support, the team needed to prove their business prowess with another product before achieving their ultimate goal which allowed them create the product we know as Wild deodorant today. But even then, it didn't come easy. It took over 20 iterations to get to a product the team were happy with... and then covid happened as the brand was launching! And yet, Wild thrived. This is a story of a Wildly successful brand, but also how 'failure' isn't final, why it's important to think around the issue, and how believing in your own vision is so important for success. You can find out all about Charlie, Wild Cosmetics, and lots more in my book, You've Got This, available now.
SPECIAL EPISODE- You've Got This, Tracey Cole! Change your thoughts, change your world? Abso-flipping-lutely! There's no doubt that the power of the mind is incredible. It can allow us to confront issues and face fear head on, or it can make us retreat and play small. When we understand this and work on our mindset, just like we would other aspects of our wellbeing and health, the results can be truly remarkable, as an individual and as a business owner. Enter Tracey Cole, an Accredited Master Trainer of NLP. I've been lucky enough to train with Tracey and was delighted when she agreed to share some of her words of wisdom for my book, You've Got This, and for this podcast too. We chat about limiting beliefs in all their guises, neuroplasticity, and how when we understand and start to challenge our values and thoughts, we can change our world and the opportunities available. You can find out all about Tracey, as well of her words of wisdom and tips for a better mindset, in my book, You've Got This, available now.
SPECIAL EPISODE- You've Got This, Jo Tutchener Sharp! Before Jo founded Scamp & Dude, she'd enjoyed a successful career in PR, running her own agency. After her children, she decided that the PR lifestyle wasn't compatible with two young children, so she decided to sell her agency and set up her own skincare brand with a friend. But then, a horrific headache landed her in hospital and, eventually, she faced brain surgery to remove a 'lump' on her brain. Unsure if she'd survive the operation, she started to go back over her life and was worried that she hadn't done enough to leave a legacy and help others. She vowed, should she wake up, she'd do something different. Needless to say, she did wake up, and with a new passion for life, launched Scamp & Dude. Originally, the brand was aimed at children with the Superhero Sleep Buddy and clothing range that launched in Liberty, but it quickly became apparent that the real market was women... and so started the route that led to the Scamp & Dude we see today. As Jo's business has continued to grow, so has her drive to help others- her Super Scarf campaign is testament to this, with over 60k scarves donated to women with cancer at this point. Jo's journey is inspiring, fascinating, and absolutely heart wrenching. You can find out all about it, as well of her words of wisdom and tips for success, in my book, You've Got This, available now.
Suzanne Mulholland aka The Batch Lady has become a household name thanks to her simple (and delicious) meals that can be made in advance to make sure there's always an answer to that question 'what's for dinner?'. But Suzanne didn't come to this through her love of cooking- quite the opposite. After working in the city as a time management guru for many years, Suzanne turned her organisational skills to family life when her own children came along. She decided that coming up with and cooking dinner from scratch every night wasn't for her, but she still wanted to provide delicious, healthy food for her family, so she started batching. The parents at school asked how Suzanne did it, she shared this through a charity batch cooking evening, and the response was such that Suzanne decided to share it more widely, and started The Batch Lady. But it wasn't all plain sailing. Many of her friends thought she was crazy to put herself out on social media, but she had big dreams and it was an essential step to help achieve them. Fast forward to now, and her fifth book has just hit the shelves (it's BRILLIANT), as well as her first TV series, Batch from Scratch, which she presents with Joe Swash. To find out more about Suzanne, see www.thebatchlady.com. To grab your copy of You've Got This, head to Amazon or Bloomsbury
You might know Mark Blundell as a Formula 1 driver, or a TV personality, but he's also the founder of MBP, a sports talent agency that works across sponsorship, talent management, brands and events. Mark started his business alongside his career behind the wheel, but this wasn't that well known until he actively started to grow the business after his racing days. Despite having confidence and lots of form in his racing and presenting career, transferring these skills to a new setting with new hurdles to overcome was far from easy. However, not one to shy away from a challenge, Mark worked incredibly hard to hone his pitch, deliver results, and build relationships. This combination has proved hugely successful- not just for Mark and MBP, but the talent, brands and events that work with the team. I first heard Mark speak at Theo Paphitis' SBS event and was taken with his story, honesty and openness. I reached out to see if he'd consider speaking to me for You've Got This, sure he'd say no... and damn me, he said yes! In fact, not only did he say yes, but he's been so supportive, as has Jo at MBP, of the book, the podcast, and more besides. I learnt a lot from Mark during his chat with Theo and also from my chat with him. His words really had an impact, but his attitude, his support, and his values, arguably, even more so. To find out more about MBP, see www.wearembp.com To grab your copy of You've Got This, head to Amazon or Bloomsbury
SPECIAL EPISODE- You've Got This, Brie Read Put your hand up if you've had that feeling of your tights making their way down your legs and just wanted to scream? Well, this happened to Brie Read, founder of Snag, to the point she had to remove said tights in public. Instead of screaming and accepting the situation, Brie started researching the issue and found that she wasn't alone. The more she digged, the more she realised that women seemed to accept ill fitting clothes as just part of life- and she was done with it, and so the journey of Snag started. Today, Brie and Snag are multi award winners, hugely successful, expanding into numerous different markets and have amplified the voices of and supported thousands and thousands of tight wearers all over the world. On this episode, Brie tells us more about her journey, the blocks, and how she overcame them... Read all about Brie, Snag, and overcoming blocks in my new book, You've Got This - available from all good bookshops NOW!
Joanna Jensen isn't just a lovely lady and a brilliant businesswomen, she's a fierce supporter and investor of female founded businesses, who all benefit from her experience, knowledge and understanding of the business world. Joanna founded Childs Farm when her daughter struggled with eczema, and nothing that was on the market really cut the mustard. This led Joanna on a journey of learning, trying, testing- not only did the product have to work, but it needed to be fun and create joy in the children using it... fast forward and that was the foundation of Childs Farm. It wasn't easy (that's a HUGE understatement), but Joanna nurtured and grew this brand to become the leading personal care brand for children and babies, and eventually sold a significant percentage of the company in 2022. Since this time, Joanna has used her incredible knowledge to support amazing female founded brands and invested in a range of companies including Small & Supercharged Podcast friends Lemonade Dolls, The Clothes Doctor, Hunter & Gather, and many more. Joanna is incredible- a powerhouse and someone I'm so grateful to. Not only has she contributed to the book, but she was also on the amazing panel at Hatchards Book Event in January 2025. What a lady! To find out more about Joanna, see www.joannajensen.co.uk To grab your copy of You've Got This, head to Amazon or Bloomsbury
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States