The MindStyling Podcast

In this Top Tips episode, Amy and Becky reflect on Janine Matho's top tip to entrepreneurs, to stay human as you grow, and share your human stories. We talk about: Crafting your identity and narrative as a founder of a new business The shift from the identity a corporate title bestows on you, to being an entrepreneur free to define your own identity; The art of painting a compelling picture of something that doesn't exist yet; Practising and getting comfortable with sharing our authentic stories; Listening to as well as telling stories in order to grow. About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindstylingpodcast/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About Janine Matho and ExponentialChangemakers LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jmmatho LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/exponentialchangemakers/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exponentialchangemakers/ Website: https://exponentialchangemakers.com/

McKinsey's Women in the Workforce 2022 report confirms that the "broken rung" of the career ladder for women remains at the first step up to manager.  For every 100 men promoted to their first manager role, only 87 women are promoted, and only 82 women of colour are promoted. In this episode, Dr Becky Sage and Amy Armstrong hear from Janine Matho, about how she is leading ExponentialChangemakers to address this critical gender gap.  It is a special episode for us, not only because this is an issue close to our hearts, but also because Becky is one of Janine's co-founders. ExponentialChangemakers is the only global private membership network focused on connecting and supporting women in the first 10 years of their careers. We discuss: The scale and impact of the career dropoff for so many women; Why this may be happening and how it can be addressed; How important it is to make your strengths visible to both yourself and your employers; The power of intent for both career design and life design. Reflecting on Janine's transition from high-flying corporate leader to early-stage founder, we note: The difference between intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship;  How to survive corporate burnout; and The necessity of transitioning to new ways of working in order to drive business growth from a pre-seed pilot to seed capital and beyond. Are you an entrepreneur who started their career in the corporate sector?  Have you experienced burnout?  Or perhaps you struggle to identify and communicate your strengths, or are a woman early in your career rethinking your career ambitions.  We would love to hear from you.  Please connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter using the links below and subscribe to The MindStyling podcast. About Exponential Changemakers Website: https://exponentialchangemakers.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/exponentialchangemakers/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exponentialchangemakers/ About Janine Matho: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jmmatho About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindstylingpodcast/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com Supporting resources: 'Women in the Workplace 2022' report by McKinsey & Company 'Visible Strengths' by Mary Mosope Adeyemi

On this Top Tip, Amy and Becky reflect on Vic Forrest's powerful top tip to take a break and be kind to ourselves.  We reconnect and remind ourselves of: The importance of making space for ourselves, in order to help ourselves to keep going, to boost productivity, insight and capacity for wisdom. To remember it is the responsibility of a leader to role model this positive behaviour for the sake of our team and our business. How taking regular rest breaks is an often forgotten but critical factor of success. We ask ourselves and listeners what is one small thing I can do to create space for myself today? About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindstylingpodcast/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About Victoria Forrest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriaforrest VIKA Books Website: https://vikabooks.com VIKA Books Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vika.books Twitter: https://twitter.com/vikabooks We would like to apologise for the variable quality of sound in this episode.

Self-described dyslexic bibliophile, design geek, entrepreneur, and mother, Victoria Forrest is an award-winning graphic designer specialising in book, brand and XR design for The Arts. As founder of VIKA Books, Victoria works at the cutting edge of book design.  In 2022, Victoria won InnovateUK’s Women in Innovation Award as well as D&AD Future Impact. She’s also Great British Entrepreneur of the Year for Creative Industries and one of the UK’s TechWomen100. We discuss:  •The contradictions and tensions in being a creative entrepreneur •The importance of taking time away to gain perspective •An overlooked language: British Sign Language and the beauty of learning it •Tips for slowing down and the power of breath About Victoria Forrest: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriaforrest VIKA Books Website: https://vikabooks.com VIKA Books Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vika.books Twitter: https://twitter.com/vikabooks About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com

In this week's Top Tip episode, Becky and Amy reflect on Nithya Prabu's recommendation for entrepreneurs and leaders to:  Be really clear of your values, purpose and goals; Make sure your goals track directly back to your purpose and values; and highlights that,  "If your goals are important enough on a spiritual level, the rest are just details." We discuss: How goals should reflect purpose, and purpose be driven by values; and how all too often espoused values aren't reflected in an entrepreneur's or company's behaviours and actions. The importance of thinking through practically how your values play out in your business. How scaling a business can sometimes result in a mismatch between a founder's values and their team's interpretation of these. The power of reflective writing and how it can help you shift your perspective and thinking to build your self-esteem, resilience, and ultimately your wealth. How much fun goals are! Nithya has published a range of books, including motivational poems. From her 2017 collection 'Lionness on Fire', Amy reads the opening to, 'The Universe and You' You are not inferior.  You're not negligible. You are not an excuse.   You are exclusive.  You are significant to this world.  You are an answer to the prayers  of this universe, for a purpose which you and you alone  can accomplish. The universe wants you, desires you, demands you to be here. That, my love, is the reason why you are here in the first place. Forget what others have  to say about you. Fall in love with you, submit yourself to the universe as it tries to work its way through you. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we have.  We would love to hear your experiences with values, purpose, goals, reflective writing and any other distinctions you have taken from this podcast. Please connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter using the links below; and subscribe to The MindStyling podcast and newsletter. About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindstylingpodcast/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About Nithya Prabu and Lurnable Ltd. http://nithyaprabu.com/ - discover more of Nithya's poetry and insights https://www.lurnable.com/ - on a mission to enable international students to make the right educational decisions Supporting resources: In this episode Amy references 'Essentialism: the disciplined pursuit of less' by Greg McKEown. (2014, Virgin Books). 

Nithya Prabu is the founder and Managing Director of Lurnable, a data-driven education technology company focused on delivering bespoke international student services. Nithya describes herself as a misfit and a rebel, who has always been an entrepreneur.  At the same time she is a published poet who has written over 1,200 motivational poems.   In this warm and wide-ranging conversation, Amy Armstrong and Nithya explore: What it means to be an entrepreneur. Authentic leadership - you do not have to be cutthroat to be a leader, you can be emotionally connected and vulnerable and be successful. Productivity, flexible working, and learning from generation z employees. Nithya's deliberate choice to rise above challenges which scare her. How Nithya has learnt everything she knows about life and running a business from sport. The power of writing to make sense of ourselves and the world. About Lurnable http://nithyaprabu.com/ - discover more of Nithya's poetry and insights https://www.lurnable.com/ - on a mission to enable international students to make the right educational decisions About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindstylingpodcast/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com

In part two of our MindStyling End of Year Special, Amy chats with Becky about her decision to leave Interactive Scientific in 2019.  We reflect on: The gifts and challenges of being a start-up CEO The unsustainable frenzy of a constant sprint Saying no to bad behaviour and toxic relationships How do you know when it's time to walk away?  Is a graceful landing possible? For Becky, a trusted mentor, supportive Chair, and compelling Vision Board played important roles in helping her to bring to a close her time at Interactive Scientific, and open the door to a raft of new opportunities.  Which of these are playing a positive role in your life at present?  How have endings brought you gifts over the past year? About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/mindstylingpodcast Host: Amy Armstrong Website: www.amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com

As 2021 draws to a close, MindStyling enjoys two end-of-year special podcasts, reflecting on the gifts in endings. In part one, Amy Armstrong and Dr Becky Sage catch up with Nathalie Alpi to reflect on the acquisition of Cookies HQ.  We discuss: Pivoting and purpose When pressure is unsustainable and change is necessary The value of sleep! Creating space for opportunity Navigating an exit with values intact The challenge of redundancies Reconnecting to joy and purpose at work each day We ask, how can you create hope for yourself in 2022? If you would like to hear more about Nathalie's experiences, enjoy our first interview with her published on 31 August 2020: 'Nathalie Alpi: Relationships are at the core of everything we do' https://themindstylingpodcast.buzzsprout.com/1032514/5174497 About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com Guest: Nathalie Alpi Twitter: https://twitter.com/natalpi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nat_alpi/

In today's Top Tips episode, Amy and Becky reflect on Kerstyn and Suzi's warning: "Don't kitchen-sink it: keep it simple. It's all about the problem." We muse how easy it is as entrepreneurs and instinctive innovators, to try to do everything, and be everything, to everybody.  Instead we think about: How to say no, and prioritise effectively. Finding the sweet spot where the needs of your customers, the needs of your audience, and your own needs overlap. The power of mastery and getting really good at one key area of focus Amy asks, when you say yes to one idea, what are you saying no to?  The 3 P’s can help you refine your focus and clarity on how to organise your resources: Projects: What projects do you need to abandon or postpone? What meetings will you no longer attend? What resources do you need to divert to the yes?  People: What expectations do you need to manage? What relationships will be affected?  Patterns: What habits do you need to break? What old stories or dated ambitions you need to update? What beliefs about yourself do you need to let go of? Finally, Becky flags the importance of taking others with you, and nurturing relationships when you implement change. Do you share our tendency to 'kitchen-sink' it?  How do you get clear on what to say yes to, and therefore say no to, too?  We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.  Please rate, review, and subscribe to The MindStyling podcast and newsletter. About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About MeeToo, founded by Kerstyn Comley PhD and Suzi Godson Website: https://www.meetoo.help/how-meetoo-works

Kerstyn Comley PhD and Suzi Godson, soon to be PhD are co-founders of MeeToo, an app that allows people to talk anonymously about difficult things with other people of a similar age or experience. The MeeToo mission is to provide mental help to everyone, everywhere by delivering pre-moderated, anonymous digital peer support which is effective, accessible, cheap, safe and scalable.  Co-CEO Suzi Godson has been The Times sex and relationships columnist for 16 years and her books have been translated into fifteen languages. Co-CEO Kerstyn Comley  has twenty years experience in development, product and business management. Before starting MeeToo she founded a successful IT consultancy and co-led a project to open a new Free School. We discussed: Lean methodology and misconceptions around what an MVP is The value of going slow whilst you still can Getting impact investment How writing a book helped their business Mental ill health and the impact of COVID on their business About MeeToo: Website: https://www.meetoo.help/how-meetoo-works About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com

Kerstyn Comley PhD and Suzi Godson, soon to be PhD are co-founders of MeeToo, an app that allows people to talk anonymously about difficult things with other people of a similar age or experience. The MeeToo mission is to provide mental help to everyone, everywhere by delivering pre-moderated, anonymous digital peer support which is effective, accessible, cheap, safe and scalable.  Co-CEO Suzi Godson has been The Times sex and relationships columnist for 16 years and her books have been translated into fifteen languages. Co-CEO Kerstyn Comley  has twenty years experience in development, product and business management. Before starting MeeToo she founded a successful IT consultancy and co-led a project to open a new Free School. We discussed: Lean methodology and misconceptions around what an MVP is The value of going slow whilst you still can Getting impact investment How writing a book helped their business Mental ill health and the impact of COVID on their business About MeeToo: Website: https://www.meetoo.help/how-meetoo-works About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com

Kerstyn Comley PhD and Suzi Godson, soon to be PhD are co-founders of MeeToo, an app that allows people to talk anonymously about difficult things with other people of a similar age or experience. The MeeToo mission is to provide mental help to everyone, everywhere by delivering pre-moderated, anonymous digital peer support which is effective, accessible, cheap, safe and scalable.  Co-CEO Suzi Godson has been The Times sex and relationships columnist for 16 years and her books have been translated into fifteen languages. Co-CEO Kerstyn Comley  has twenty years experience in development, product and business management. Before starting MeeToo she founded a successful IT consultancy and co-led a project to open a new Free School. We discussed: Lean methodology and misconceptions around what an MVP is The value of going slow whilst you still can Getting impact investment How writing a book helped their business Mental ill health and the impact of COVID on their business About MeeToo: Website: https://www.meetoo.help/how-meetoo-works About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com

In this episode Becky and Amy reflect on the criticality of Heather Lyons' Top Tip: "Hire really good people." No business leader would dispute the value of this; for founders, great hires are particularly important.  We muse on the common pitfalls around hiring for start ups. We emphasise the value of hire slow and fire fast: The wrong people can be extremely distructive, especially for small teams. Don't be scared to ask too much: get clear of what you are looking for. Don't assume others won't be as excited and motivated by the business' mission as much as you are. Get training and support in how to hire and how to manage well. Factor in time to build strong team foundations and nurture team growth. Take care not to feel obliged to give early supporters a share of the business or take a salaried role. Get creative with short contracts initially focused on discrete packages of work with clear KPIs. Importantly, take the long term view and work back from your vision for the business: design an organisation that allows you to be in your zone of genius! We would love to hear about your experiences with hiring. Please connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter using the links below; and subscribe to The MindStyling podcast and newsletter. About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About Heather Lyons and Blue Shift Coding Website: https://blueshiftcoding.com

Heather Lyons is the co-founder of Blue Shift Coding, a company on a mission to empower young people to be more than tech consumers, to be digital creators! Heather originally trained as an architect, but had always worked in technology as a user experience (UX) designer.  In 2013, Heather was approached by some mums who were keen for their children to learn to code. Heather had been teaching computer-based design at university level in London and had children of my own. She was also passionate about empowering children to create with code as opposed to simply consuming technology through yet another device. With this in mind, she set about teaching code. Their first term started with eight children in her garden! Those eight children all re-enrolled and they soon started running after-school clubs at a nearby girls’ school. Now Blue-Shift offers online classes, after school clubs, holiday camps and private tuition to lots of young people who are getting excited about being tech creators How important it is to gather evidence for your product Opportunities to design better education How she helps her team avoid burnout Building the right team and the value of a company scorecard For more information on the Women in Innovation award: https://info.ktn-uk.org/p/2VFU-7DT/women-in-innovation-newsletter-sign-up About Blue Shift Coding Website: https://blueshiftcoding.com About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com

In this week's Top Tips episode, Becky and Amy celebrate Kate Dimbleby's Top Tip: "Ask yourself questions.  Keep talking to yourself because you'll find some really interesting answers.  Ask is that true?" As business leaders, an ability to step back and understand the context within which we are making decisions is invaluable for our personal and business' growth. Reflective Practice gives us the tools to gain perspective.  We ponder how to reflect  effectively: Where you are on the blame continuum? Are you assigning all fault to yourself for things which have gone wrong , or are you blaming everyone but you?! In a lean culture, learning is a metric for success: move away from blame towards lessons learnt. Move from being reflective to reflexive - take into account possible unconscious biases, and underlying assumptions. Consciously create a positive environment which supports good quality thinking. Check in with yourself: ask if your negative thoughts about yourself are really true? Take care to focus on what's working well. We discuss Rolfe's simple three step model to support reflection which moves you forward.  Ask: 1.  What?  What was I trying to achieve?  What happened?  What were the consequences?  What patterns, habits, strengths, weaknesses have I demonstrated? 2. So What?  What does this teach me?  What does this imply?  What other knowledge could I have brought to this situation?  What resources could I have used?  What could I have done differently? 3. Now What?  What do I need to do to improve things?  What broader issues need to be considered?  What do I need to work on and learn about?  What shall I do differently going forwards? Move from big picture reflections, to the critical next step.  Keep asking those questions, positively and pragmatically! We would love to hear about your reflective practices and how you enable yourself to keep moving forwards. Please connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter using the links below; and subscribe to The MindStyling podcast and newsletter. About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About Stornaway.io and Kate Dimbleby Sign up: https://www.stornaway.io Twitter: https://twitter.com/stornaway_io Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/51624573/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stornaway.io/

Kate Dimbleby, co-founder of Stornaway.io has been working for 25 years as a producer, performer, singer, songwriter, teacher and facilitator. She has recorded 6 albums and has toured the world with theatrical music shows, working with world-class musicians, writers and other artists to tell stories about women's voices.   Kate has developed a structure for writing and developing her ideas to allow for maximum creative freedom and flexibility particularly live on stage. This has informed the creation of the story map and writing tools for Stornaway.io - a ground-breaking interactive filmmaking platform that she launched in May 2020 with her husband filmmaker and technologist Ru Howe.   Stornaway.io's drag and drop authoring tools enable creators in Entertainment, Business, Learning and Agencies to easily craft and pre-vis compelling interactive video stories for delivery to websites, social media, VOD platforms and YouTube! We discussed: Moving from the music industry to a tech startup  Getting out of the building Reaching out to people we know Shifting cultures as you shift to different markets Waiting for the right time to target you market About Stornaway.io and Kate Dimbleby Sign up: https://www.stornaway.io Twitter: https://twitter.com/stornaway_io Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/51624573/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stornaway.io/

In this week's Top Tip episode, Becky and Amy reflect on Alison Wood's Top Tip to add "in your opinion" to any advice you are given.  She urges us to remember opinions are not facts.  You get to collate opinions and decide what to do with them.   Becky and Amy reflect on: The importance of getting clear about your core purpose, big vision, and the steps on the journey.   The value of strategic objectives, and your thematic goal - i.e. your number one priority right now*. The courage required to say yes to your core purpose and no to everything else. The power of trusted advisors, and how to build that trust between you.   The risk of overwhelm when well-meaning experts are bombarding you with diverse and contradictory advice. Learning as a critical metric of success throughout the business lifecycle. We enjoy the idea of experimenting with the house-rule of 'one in, one out,' to help remind us to be mindful of which advice we take on and allow to influence the direction of our business. What's your approach to protecting yourself from the key ideas others want to introduce to your space?  How do you decide which to say "yes" to, and "no" to everything else?  We would love to hear your experiences and insights.  Please connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter using the links below; and subscribe to The MindStyling podcast and newsletter. About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About Alison Wood and Lilypads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilypads.uk/?hl=en Other links: https://www.lilypads.org.uk/links/

In today's episode, Amy and Becky reflect on Sam Woodham's top tip, to never underestimate your unique perspective.  "If you're lucky enough to have an idea, don't let it go. Give it a go." We discuss the challenges of how to stick with an idea, and persist against the odds as you transform it from just a niggle in your head into a service or product that people love and want to buy. As an entrepreneur doing something not done before, in a way not done before, validation is unlikely to come easily. We ask how to:  Make peace with feeling uncomfortable when self-doubt is rampant. Make decisions based on objective information not just personal interpretation. Operate from the positive, intellectual part of the brain where you can make sophisticated decisions, rather than your limbic system designed to protect you from pain at all costs. We reflect on: The Five Why method of root cause analysis: ask "why?" five times, to drill down to the core issues behind any set-backs or challenges.  The importance of building self-awareness so that you can identify when you are being triggered negatively. The five BASIC social needs of humans: Belonging (B), Autonomy (A), Status (S), Integrity (I) and Certainty (C). Not to quit on a bad day: wait until you've had a really great day, and make the decision then. Schedule time to reflect on any persistent concerns, and consciously create an environment that will support you to do your best thinking.  We would love to hear your experiences of persevering through challenges to make your ideas a reality.  What has worked for you?  What have been your hardest battles?  How do you make the peace and space to listen and act on your ideas?  Please connect  with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter using the links below; and do subscribe to The MindStyling podcast and newsletter. About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About The Divorce Surgery and Sam Woodham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedivorcesurgery/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DivorceSurgery LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-divorce-surgery-b946a3164/ Website: https://www.thedivorcesurgery.co.uk/

Alison Wood is the founder of Lilypads, a social venture which aims to ensure menstruation is not a barrier to education through the sale of affordable reusable sanitary pads and provision of menstrual health education.  She created Lilypads after learning that schoolgirls in Kenya were exchanging sex for sanitary pads, to remain in education. Through an innovative business model Lilypads subsidises their work internationally through the sale of a pad in the UK, this enables them to support girls most in need.  We discussed: Why investment isn’t always the best route How to take advice mindfully Taking risks in order to build a purpose led business How to block out the noise The value of having a vision you can believe in

Samantha Woodham is an award winning family law barrister. With Harry Gates she co-founded The Divorce Surgery, which turns the traditional model of bitter adversarial legal proceedings on its head. Their unique model offers one lawyer for one couple, at a fixed fee many, many times lower than the average cost of legal proceedings.   The Divorce Surgery has won a raft of awards as a result including Winner of the Financial Times Intelligent Business award, The Lawyer Awards for Best client service innovation, Lexis Nexis Legal Awards, and Legal Innovation Awards.  This year, Citywealth has made Samantha their Powerwomen Champion of the Year Gold 2021, and most recently she has won a Women in Innovation award as an entrepreneur tackling society's challenges. We discuss: Transforming traditional narratives to remove the stigma of divorce and re-frame it in a positive light; High stress moments of speaking in court vs. live on BBC News and how to manage fear of public speaking; Maintaining your mental health in an intense, emotionally driven work environment where conflict is rife;  The value of compartmentalization and balance for good mental health; The power of purpose and how it's those things which make you smile and want to get up in the morning which are what job satisfaction is all about.  About MindStyling Sign up for the MindStyling Newsletter: https://mindstyling.group/sign-up/ Instagram:  www.instagram.com/mindstylingpodcast Twitter:  www.twitter.com/mindstylingpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindstylingpodcast Website: mindstyling.group Host: Amy Armstrong Website: https://amyarmstrongcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyarmstrongcoach/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/amyarmstrongcoaching Host: Dr Becky Sage Instagram: www.instagram.com/drbeckysage Twitter: www.twitter.com/becky_sage Website: www.beckysage.com About The Divorce Surgery Website: https://www.thedivorcesurgery.co.uk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DivorceSurgery LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-divorce-surgery-b946a3164/