Being Heard

NOTE: These are strange times in which we find ourselves and I'm conscious that with so much going on "normal" life feels like a distant memory. This episode was recorded before the full impact of Covid-19 was clear so it isn't mentioned during our conversation. I know that, for me at least, listening to podcasts on normal life is a welcome respite from the rolling news conference we are currently living through. Hence why I am publishing this episode now, I hope it may help others to have a temporary escape at least. ----------------------- In this week's episode I'm delighted to chatting to Katie Robbins from KT Robbins Ceramics. Katie started out as a marketeer, working in a corporate role in PR, before taking a break to be at home with her kids. In search of a creative outlet she tried out a variety of classes before discovering a joy in pottery, specifically porcelain pottery. Now she fills her days doing something she loves - making beautiful vases, mugs and candle-holders from her home studio. "It's like it's where I always should have been, but I never knew it." What we talked about: The chance discovery of a teacher who inspired her love of porcelain Identifying the parts of her old career that she loved, even if she didn't want to return to that job The challenge of being brave enough to walk away from a job that you're not happy in Having confidence in yourself when you put products out there The importance of marketing yourself and what you do As much as you love your kids, it's ok to say you need something for yourself as well Telling your story on Instagram and supporting others as well Links Mentioned In This Episode Katie on Instagram – @ceramicmagpie www.ktrobbins.com Nurture & Thrive community with Josephine Brooks Playing Big by Tara Mohr This is Marketing by Seth Godin Being Heard Episode 10 with Becky Avery  My Instagram – @thehappysideof40 My website – www.thehappysideof40.com

After a slightly longer than planned hiatus, Being Heard is back! And I'm thrilled to be talking to Jo Hooper from @madandsadclub. Following recovery from her own mental health breakdowns back in 2018, Jo describes her 'year of breakdowns' as a trigger which planted the seed to change her working life and do something differently. She left her corporate job and has subsequently used her own experiences to carve out a new role. Working with companies to support their mental health practices and with individuals to help them figure out a way to work that allows them to manage their mental health and to stay healthy. We don't have to give up on wanting to feel successful just because we have, or are, struggling with our mental health. What we talked about Having healthy boundaries Becoming over-efficient and over-focused as a coping mechanism Symptoms of an unhealthy relationship with work Thriving and not just surviving The importance of training managers to support their teams regarding mental health What to do if you're struggling with your mental health but aren't sure what to do next Mental health action plans Figuring out a way to work that allows you to manage your mental health and stay healthy Links mentioned in this episode Jo's instagram - @madandsadclub www.madandsadclub.co.uk 4 Weeks of Space course  My Instagram – @thehappysideof40 My website – www.thehappysideof40.com

Popping up in her trademark bright yellow coat this week is my guest Helen Wills. Formerly an Operations Director in the leisure industry, Helen left the corporate world to concentrate on creating her family. While at home with her first child she simultaneously discovered the world of blogging and a joy in writing that she never knew she had. Putting the two together she created Actually Mummy. A mummy blog with a twist that has evolved over the years into a place for conversations around issues for women over 50 and about parenting teens. With her bold colours on Instagram and her honest opinions,  Helen is an advocate for every woman over 50 who still feels she has so much more left to give. This is a woman who is definitely #50NotOut. "Yes my joints ache, my capacity for work after drinking alcohol has diminished and I'm damned if I can find a heel that will let me run around London as comfortably as I once did. But it's nothing that flat heels, Becks Blue and ibuprofen gel can't solve, and there is nothing about my age that limits my tenacity, my project management skills or my energy for a job worth doing." What We Talked About: Invisibility that happens as a woman over 50 Effect on health and well-being of being a job where you feel you're stagnating Using it as a catalyst to go and do something different Finding a joy in writing that she didn't know she had Starting a blog to engage with others and as an outlet for writing Find what you love, start and then figure out how to monetise it Not following trends Coming to terms with her daughter's diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes and the process of grief for the child whose life has changed overnight Taking a step back, returning to a different landscape and feeling like you have to start again Lack of advice for women over 50 returning to the workplace Feeling like you have so much left more to give in your career Links From the Episode: Helen's blog - www.actuallymummy.co.uk Ageism is the new sexism post - #50NotOut: Changing the Goalposts for Older Women Actually Mummy on Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/actuallymummy/ Helen's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/  Find Helen on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ActuallyMummy My Instagram – @thehappysideof40 My website – www.thehappysideof40.com Sign up to my monthly letter, sharing details of my research into finding a fulfilling career and career change for women – www.thehappysideof40.com/newsletter/

This week my guest is creative business mentor and fellow podcaster, Charlie Swift. Back in 2016 Charlie was working in social media marketing when she was made redundant for the second time. Realising that employment did not equal job security, Charlie decided to try self-employment and see where it would take her. With no formal plans in place, it took a year of "muddling through" until she found her path. She discovered the sort of clients she wanted to help, then it was just a matter of how. Two years and a baby later, she has pivoted away from social media marketing into mentoring small business owners. By following her curiosity and allowing herself room to evolve, she is now finding fulfilment by helping her clients to figure out their goals and push their businesses forward. What We Talked About Blogging as a creative outlet Not having a niche - "Your niche has to be you" Whether career fulfilment matters and recognising not only it's importance, but it as a privilege Changing your idea of success depending on your season in life How the perceived leap into self-employment can sometimes be a push, but how to make that work anyway Trying to grow a business whilst also growing a baby Understanding what you enjoy and what works for your family The benefits she has felt from co-mentoring: what is co-mentoring and how does it differ from from coaching/mentoring How to find a co-mentor Finding ways to include creativity throughout the day Links from the Episode Charlie's Instagram – @_charlieswift Creative business mentoring - www.charlieswift.com/creativebusinessmentoring Her newsletter - intentionaliTea Charlie and Franky's podcast - Friends with Business Benefits My Instagram – @thehappysideof40 My website – www.thehappysideof40.com Friends with Business Benefits Episode 16 - How do I find my own co-mentor? Sign up to my monthly letter, sharing details of my research into finding a fulfilling career and career change for women – www.thehappysideof40.com/newsletter/

For the last two years Helen Perry has steadily created her own colourful corner of the internet. Previously a BBC journalist, she started her instagram account (@notaboutthekids) to help transition from the role of full-time mum back into work after a break of eight years. This space began. as the name suggests, with a conscious decision that it would not be about her role as a mother. Instead she wanted to explore her love of photography and chatting to other like-minded women; all of which has enabled her to build an incredible community around her account. Now Helen teaches others about social media, works with small businesses, writes and organises social marketing events.  What we talked about: Lack of enough voices out there of women in the 40+ age bracket - "There seems to be this vanishing point that happens after you have kids." Still being ambitious in your 40s and having things you'd like to achieve The impact of time out of the workforce on your sense of self-worth Stepping away from things that were keeping her busy, but weren't satisfying her ambitions or creative drive How career coaching helped her unpick what she really wanted to pursue and recognise the skills that she has Why she feels the most importance step is to just start doing something; because until you do you won't get any closer to where you want to be The benefits of investing in yourself and going to in-person workshops as a way of meeting like-minded people and creating a network Embracing the mistakes and learning from them. Links from the episode: Helen's Instagram – @notaboutthekids Not About the Kids website and blog - www.notabout-thekids.com Workshops - www.elevatecreative.co.uk My Instagram – @thehappysideof40 My website – www.thehappysideof40.com Sas Petherick - @saspetherick Being Heard Episode 9: Sas Petherick - The danger of vulnerability as currency Sign up to my monthly letter, sharing details of my research into finding a fulfilling career and career change for women – www.thehappysideof40.com/newsletter/

My guest this week on the podcast is the wonderful Becky Avery, owner of Hazel & Blue - a Wiltshire based company making soy based candles and candle making kits that smell absolutely divine. Becky is someone who has always dreamed of having her own business. Before Hazel & Blue there were several other ideas but none that made it to fruition. But a perfect storm of falling in love with the candle-making process, hitting a milestone birthday and having time off for a major operation all combined to give her the push to launch her business and she hasn’t looked back since. What we talked about: How she always dreamed of running a business Hitting a milestone birthday and realising she didn't want to reach retirement age and never haven't tried to start a business Despite enjoying her job in healthcare, there was something about following through with a business that she had built herself and which she was proud of Gaining confidence in speaking when you know your business inside-out Being thorough rather than a perfectionist Having her business as side-hustle gave her the opportunity to grow and develop without the financial pressure of needing significant sales The importance of having time to lay down the solid foundations of your brand, your why and your ethos In nursing the patient is at the very core of what you do and they lead the care you provide; Becky has turned this core belief round to placing her customer at the heart of what she does How her project management skills transferred from her nursing management role into seeing the bigger picture Links from the episode: Becky's Instagram - @hazel_andblue Hazel & Blue website - www.hazelandbluecandles.co.uk Becky's Facebook page - www.facebook.com/HazelandBlueCandles My Instagram - @thehappysideof40 My website - www.thehappysideof40.com Sign up to my monthly letter, sharing details of my research into finding a fulfilling career and career change for women - www.thehappysideof40.com/newsletter/ Kayte Ferris at Simple & Season - www.simpleandseason.com

Welcome back to Season 2 of Being Heard! This is a very quick solo episode from me to explain why I’m switching up the format a little.   This season I'll be interviewing creative women who have left behind their previous careers to navigate a more creative, fulfilling path. Each week a new guest explores their personal stepping stones to a fulfilling career and what career change has taught them about themselves.  I do hope you enjoy this season. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject, you can find me over on instagram @thehappysideof40 and if you’re interesting in finding out more about my research, you can sign up for a monthly letter from me over on my website at www.thehappysideof40.com/newsletter/.

"I always say to clients, don't share anything publicly that you haven't already processed yourself. And you'll know that you've processed it because you will be unattached to how it's received by people. Whatever anyone says won't really bother you, or whoever reads it won't bother you -- then that's a good sign that it's safe for you to share it." This week is the last episode of Season 1 and my guest is a researcher, coach and podcaster who helps humans transcend self-doubt. Sas Petherick has a degree in Educational Psychology, is qualified with the Coaches Training Institute and has a Masters in Coaching & Mentoring alongside a multitude of other academic qualifications. Sas developed an interest in researching self-doubt and now through her work, she helps women like you and me understand how to stop our self-doubt holding us back and instead cultivate self-belief, self-acceptance, self-trust and self-worth. For links and resources, including Sas' podcast recommendations, see the full show notes. You can find myself or Sas on Instagram @thehappysideof40 and @saspetherick.

"We often look for permission outside of ourselves. If I say to my friend 'I'm so tired' and I'm hoping she'll say 'well you don't have to come to the party, it's alright'. But that's not her job. It's not her responsibility to give me permission to take care of myself. It's my responsibility." My guest this week describes herself as an Overthinkers' coach, helping others through her writing, teaching and podcasting to "spend less time overthinking and more time enjoying your life". Gabrielle Treanor understands what it means to be an Overthinker. Several years ago she recognised the need to quieten her own mind and free herself from the weight of constant worrying. Her curiosity on how to do this took her along a path into researching positive psychology, mindfulness and brain science. Gabrielle's podcast, Pressing Pause, is like a weekly ten minutes of mindfulness that we could all do with in our lives. She offers techniques, strategies and reflection points for Overthinkers like me to deal with fear, develop resilience and calm our minds. For links and resources, including Gabrielle's podcast recommendations, see the full show notes. You can find myself or Gabrielle on Instagram @thehappysideof40 and @gabrielletreanor.

"Failure isn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. But it is inevitable, you're going to fail. You're going to mess up. You're going to upset people. Not everyone is going to agree with you. You're going to have feel like you're in a bit of a spotlight, which is incredibly uncomfortable for an introvert. But do you know what? It passes. That feeling of discomfort passes. And from that I actually feel like a stronger, more confident person." This week on Being Heard, I'm joined by Jessica Rose Williams. Jessica is a talented writer, photographer and podcaster. After years of feeling deeply unfulfilled in job at the NHS, she took the monumental decision to simplify her life. Decluttering her wardrobe was just the beginning. Jessica now lives a more intentional life in the countryside, saying no to the things that don't add value and as she says on her blog -- "It changed everything for the better, and I wouldn't go back". Jessica has written for 91 magazine, Project Calm and Cosmopolitan as well as her own regular blog about living with less, capsule wardrobes and the lessons she's learned along the way to discovering her creativity. One of Jessica's latest projects is The Little Chapters, a podcast she started with her friend Kayte Ferris where we can listen in to their open conversations on topics ranging from Self-employment to 'Woo'. For links and resources, including Jessica's podcast recommendations, see the full show notes. You can find myself or Jessica on Instagram @thehappysideof40 and @jessicarosewilliams.

"When I first had the idea [to create a podcast], I saw it as an idea that I had that I would never, ever do. So the fact that I've done it, and am doing it, it's shown me that I can be scared and still do it anyway." My guest this week is a woman who, like me, describes herself as "one of the quiet ones". She is a freelance writer, online business owner, creative business mentor and host of the Creatively Human podcast. Ruth Poundwhite started her business after leaving university but, as an introvert, she consciously avoided sharing anything of herself with that community. Fast forward ten years and in 2018 she felt "an itch to do something more of myself, my face and my voice." And I for one, am so glad that she did. Listening to Ruth's podcast conversations with other creatives and the deeper side of business, along with her solo episodes, has opened my eyes to the reality that sharing more of ourselves doesn't make us weak. Just because it's scary doesn't mean we should hide away and be afraid for anyone to hear our real voice. As Ruth said in a recent interview, "Showing up as we fundamentally are, and telling the truth of the experiences that we do choose to share, is what connects us as humans." For links and resources, including Ruth's podcast recommendations, see the full show notes. You can join myself and Ruth on Instagram @thehappysideof40 and @ruthpoundwhite.

"It's important for me to have more inclusion, more diversity [on my podcast] because my listeners - they are being influenced by the people that I interview and I don't want to reflect a world that doesn't include them." My guest this week on Being Heard is a writer, blogger, podcaster and advocate for low impact lifestyle choices such as veganism and low waste. Lucy Lucraft is a woman unafraid to take on an activist role for what she believes in but does so in a judgement-free way, recognising that we are all doing "the best we can with what we have and what we know". Lucy joined me for a chat about the magical feeling of earning her first byline, the challenges of a patriarchal work structure for working women and why it's important to question privilege, no matter how uncomfortable it may make us feel. I really enjoyed our conversation and I hope you do too. For links and resources, including Lucy's podcast recommendations, see the full show notes. You can join myself and Lucy on Instagram @thehappysideof40 and @lucylucraft.

"When it comes to PR-ing ourselves [women] seem to lack confidence in talking about our businesses, talking about money and really giving ourselves the space to say 'yeah, we're really bloody good at what we do'". On this week's episode I chat to Sam Burgess, the brains and owner behind Small & Mighty Co, previously known as Social Mouth. Sam is a marketing mentor and consultant working with small product-based businesses to give them the tools they need to succeed. She started her podcast, Small and Mighty Conversations, way back in 2017. Initially it began as a means of shining a light on other small businesses doing amazing things and whose journeys she felt should be heard by more people. We talked about how a childhood passion for radio was reignited as a result of life-changing events, the importance of women having the confidence to promote themselves, and above all the value of women being each other's PR spokesperson. In this episode we talk about: Teaching rather than doing Needing to understand the 'why' Why she started her podcast in 2017 Getting rid of imposter syndrome Taking a break between seasons Advertising on podcasts and deciding whether to have a sponsor Using a podcast to market your business and yourself Why she doesn't believe that podcasting is the right medium for everyone Why it's important for women to learn to PR ourselves Equally having friends who can be your PR spokesperson Full show notes including all links and Sam's podcast recommendations can be found at www.thehappysideof40.com/podcast/sam-burgess/ Join us on Instagram at: Sam - @samburgessuk Karen - @thehappysideof40.com  

“Something magical happens when we come together and talk about what is relevant to us.” This week I’m chatting to Anna Dunleavy, the host of the podcast Fearless Hustle Collective. Working as a wedding photographer in Nottingham in 2018, she found herself searching for support locally from other women working in the creative industry. When she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she set up a group herself! From these early local meet-ups evolved an online membership group, a Facebook group and then a podcast, all aimed at providing a supportive community for creative female entrepreneurs. In This Episode We Talk About: Feeling alone when running a business Looking for business besties Creating a community Multi-hyphen careers Fulfilling your career passions Importance of finding people to support you Stepping through self-doubt What ‘hustle’ means to her Overcoming nerves and doing it anyway Process she follows to record a podcast Links Mentioned: The Elephant and The Flea by Charles Handy Jenna Kutcher Soundcloud Libsyn Anna’s Podcast Recommendations The Little Chapters Friends with Business Benefits On The Make Anna’s podcast – Fearless Hustle Collective www.annadunleavy.com For links and details on what we discuss in the show, see the full show notes. For any questions or to chat about what we talk discuss on the show, find us on Instagram @anna_dunleavy and @thehappysideof40.

“Living that life that we’re told to live is totally right for some people, maybe most people, but it’s not right for everyone.” In this episode of Being Heard I chat to Fiona Barrows, the host of the There Are Other Ways podcast. Until recently Fiona has been a website copywriter and content creator for small businesses and is now undergoing a transition to offer creative business mentoring as well. Her podcast started from a desire for conversations with other like-minded souls who don’t subscribe to the view that there is only one path in life. Through these conversations she wanted to not only reassure herself, but also others, that it’s ok to want to do things a little differently. In This Episode We Talk About: The mindset difference between freelancing and running a business Building a business that works with your mental health rather than against it The importance of taking action and trying other things to help understand what you actually want Changing attitudes towards university education and its’ value Being multi-passionate How podcasting has given her the opportunity to talk to the people whose books she has read and blogs that she follows The value of hearing different experiences and perspectives in regard to mental health and how it increases the chances that people will find the voices they need to hear Automated advertising in podcasting and monetisation Links Mentioned: Season 2 Episode 4 of There Are Other Ways with Vanessa Dennett The Year of Less by Cait Flanders  A Slow Adventure with Maddy Lawson Episode 26 of On The Make – Josephine Brooks’ podcast Listen to Episode 1 of Being Heard with Josephine Brooks Hashtag Authentic Letters from a Hopeful Creative Serial Fiona’s Favourite Podcasts: The High Low with Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes My Dad Wrote A Porno  Table Manners with Jessie Ware Love Stories with Dolly Alderton Strangers The Allusionist Sentimental Garbage You’re Wrong About The Dropout Slow Burn The Rewatchables (the episodes hosted by women!) There Are Other Ways podcast www.fionabarrows.com Letters & Notes – Fiona’s newsletter Find us on Instagram @fbarrows | @thehappysideof40

"We all struggle with the same stuff and if we can share those stories a bit more, we can make it easier for everyone." In the first episode of this new Being Heard podcast, I chat to Josephine Brooks -- a planning and productivity mentor for side-hustlers. Josephine helps people who are creating a business on the side of other commitments to build the creative business they dream of. She also hosts On The Make, a podcast where she shares her planning and productivity knowledge alongside guests who share their own experience of growing a side-hustle. In this episode we talk about: Being more efficient when you only have small windows of time in which to build your business Josephine's philosophy around doing less and focusing on the stuff that really matters Pivoting your business when you realise it's not what you truly love How we sometimes fail to recognise our own strengths because they come easily to us Why she adopts a practical, solutions-based approach to her podcast content Why she chose podcasting as a way to share content with her audience The role of On The Make as a marketing content stream for her business Creating a regular routine to produce a weekly show Working through the first awkward few episodes How she uses each episode to support side-hustlers with the challenges they face when trying to build a business and to help them feel less alone. Links mentioned: Josephine's online course - Make a Plan, Make It Happen 1:1 Mentoring Time Is Precious, Do What You Love Letters From A Hopeful Creative  The Little Chapters Courage & Spice The Chimp Paradox You're a Badass at Making Money The Emma Guns Show - Jen Sincero episode Overcast app - iOS only I'm afraid The Best Podcasts for Side-Hustlers Josephine's Favourite Podcasts The Power Hour with Adrienne Herbert There Are Other Ways with Fiona Barrows In Good Company with Otegha Uwagba On The Make podcast www.josephinebrooks.co.uk Find us on Instagram @josephinepbrooks | @thehappysideof40