Explore every episode of the podcast Bump to Business Owner
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| S5 E23: Operational overload, purpose and performance with Nonie White and Yvonne Biggins of Positive Entrepreneurship | 10 Jul 2025 | 00:48:57 | |
Have you heard of operational overload? Maybe not, but chances are you know how it feels. This week my guests are Nonie White and Yvonne Biggins of Positive Entrepreneurship, authors of the The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship report. The report makes for stark, but not surprising, reading - 83% of female founders are experiencing high stress, 66% experience extreme loneliness, we have 75% greater responsibility for the household, but 97% of us enjoy the journey. We know the system is not built for us, we know the challenges we face as female founders. Nonie and Yvonne are here to tell us we are not alone, and the practical steps we can take to protect our wellbeing and ultimately improve our performance as entrepreneurs. Takeaways:
Chapters: 02:29 The Journey of Collaboration Resources: Download the The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship report: https://positiveentrepreneurship.co/report/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Nonie White and Yvonne Biggins Nonie White is a positive psychology practitioner, researcher and founder coach. Yvonne Biggins is a serial entrepreneur, founder, coach and positive psychology expert. Together they are the authors of one of the most insightful research studies on female entrepreneurship to date and they are on a mission to change the entrepreneurial ecosystem to work from a place of wellbeing, particularly for female founders. Nonie and Yvonne’s Links: Positive Entrepreneurship Website:https://positiveentrepreneurship.co/ Yvonne Website: https://www.yvonnebiggins.com/ Nonie Website: https://noniewhite.com/ Positive Entrepreneurship LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/positive-entrepreneurship/ Yvonne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonnebiggins/ Nonie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nonie-m-c-white/
Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ | |||
| S5 E22: New borns and new businesses with Anna Bailey founder of Pally Talk | 03 Jul 2025 | 00:45:32 | |
My guest on the podcast this week is Anna Bailey, founder of the Assistant community Pally Talk. She launched her business and 2 months later had her first baby, in her own words, the last year has been ‘hardcore’. Anna has a lot of practical insight into navigating a business and new baby concurrently - this is your sign to start sliding into people’s DMs on LinkedIn. We spoke really honestly about social media v reality, not only of motherhood, but the assistant world and when, for Anna, revenue finally started coming in from the business. For me, there’s a theme - you will get through it. Whether that’s the newborn stage, the not making any money stage or being too busy for friendships stage, you’ll come through and it will get better. Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:30 Introduction to Pally Talk and Anna Bailey 04:53 Anna's Journey from Assistant to Entrepreneur 09:33 Navigating Motherhood and Business Launch 14:12 Building a Community for Assistants 18:44 Challenges of Balancing Work and Family Life 23:19 The Future of Pally Talk and Business Growth 23:37 Building a Virtual Assistant Business 27:04 Navigating Personal Loss and Support 32:50 Finding Joy in Motherhood 36:26 Challenges of the Newborn Stage 40:33 Future Plans for Pally Talk Resources: Amanda Johnson VA Training Academy: https://vatrainingacademy.co.uk/ Baby Loss Club: https://www.instagram.com/baby.loss.club/ LinkedIn Sales Navigator: https://business.linkedin.com/en-gb/sales-solutions/cx/23/08/linkedin-sales-navigator Dripify: https://dripify.io/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Anna Bailey Anna Bailey is the founder of Pally Talk, a platform designed to empower female assistants through community, flexible job opportunities and a fresh modern approach to networking. Launched in March, 2024, just weeks before giving birth to her son, Pally Talk reflects Anna's deep belief that mothers returning to work deserve flexibility, empowerment and support. What started as a place to help moms explore freelance assistant roles has rapidly evolved into a vibrant community of hybrid, remote and part-time professionals sharing resources, job leads and real life advice. Anna Bailey’s Links: Website: https://pallytalk.com/ Instagram: (Pally Talk): https://www.instagram.com/pallytalk/ Instagram: (Anna Bailey): https://www.instagram.com/annabelpbailey/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pallytalk/
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| S5 E13: Radical acts, building confidence and navigating PTSD with Lauren Currie founder of Upfront | 01 May 2025 | 00:54:31 | |
My guest this week is Lauren Currie OBE, mother of one, founder of 6 businesses and PTSD survivor. Lauren is a serial entrepreneur, who after being featured as the only woman on an event bill decided she needed to build something to challenge the lie of meritocracy. Her business, Upfront, was born. As a systems and organisational designer, Lauren is ideally placed to see where the holes are in our society and where we need to work on them, together. The game is rigged, it might just be that our privilege means that motherhood is the first time we really see it. Building a business whilst raising a family is a radical act. Women even working is so new for us as a society, let alone being business leaders. It’s hard, but it’s worth it and it will get easier. Takeaways:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com About Lauren Currie Lauren is the founder of Upfront, an organization on a mission to change confidence, visibility and power for 10 million women. Thousands of women from over 50 countries have now graduated from Upfront's flagship program, The Bond. It's become the go-to to for women and organisations who want to grow confidence from the inside out. Their clients include global names like Nike, Just Eat Takeaway, the Ministry of Defence, the British Red Cross and PLEO, a true sign of the movement Lauren has built. Lauren is a sought after keynote speaker. Her goal is to help everyone in the room turn their own lights on. And she's not afraid to use her voice where it matters most. She was chair of the brilliant campaign group Pregnant Than Screwed for seven years, championing women against maternity discrimination. Her work has been recognised globally from being awarded an OBE for services to design and diversity, to being named one of Elle's Women Changing the World and one of Management Today's top businesswomen under 35. Originally from Scotland, Lauren now lives in Uppsala in Sweden with her partner and their seven-year-old son, juggling motherhood, business and a mission that only gets louder. Lauren Currie’s Links: Website: https://www.weareupfront.com/
Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ | |||
| S5 E12: Why you don’t need more strategy with Nicola Ward, founder of CakeDrop | 03 Apr 2025 | 00:38:33 | |
What happens when your co-founder (and sister!) steps away and you’re managing a business solo, as well as being mum to 2 kids? In this week’s delicious episode I’m in conversation with Nicola Ward, founder of CakeDrop, who talks me through her experience of exactly that. Nicola has run her business incredibly intuitively and flexibly, focusing on building relationships and leaning into creativity when Covid meant a pivot. She has some incredible advice to other founders thinking about motherhood and the trade offs we as working mums make. My main takeaway? You don’t need more strategy, you just need to take action. Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:30 Introduction to CakeDrop and Nicola's Journey Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Nicola Ward Nicola Ward is the founder of CakeDrop, the award-winning solution bringing sweet treats to some of the UK's most exciting places, including Meta, Ladbible, Beauty Pie, and Netflix. Cake Drop specialises in branded treat experiences and automated gifting for employee birthdays and work anniversaries, making workplace celebrations seamless and delicious. Nicola's journey into entrepreneurship began alongside her sister Anna, inspired by their own experiences working in the city, where they noticed the challenges of organizing office celebrations. This insight led to the creation of CakeDrop, aiming to make office celebrations effortless and enjoyable. Nicola has faced many highs and lows on her journey, from the shift to becoming a solo founder to navigating major business challenges, including the pandemic and operational hurdles. Nicola Ward’s Links: Website: https://cakedrop.london/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-ward-30404427/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cakedropldn
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| S5 E11: Birthday reflection: celebrate how far you’ve come - Solo episode with Caroline | 27 Mar 2025 | 00:23:08 | |
When was the last time you reflected on how far you’ve come? In this special birthday episode, I’m reflecting on the last five years - Motherhood, trauma, recovery, business, COVID, and giving myself the advice I needed five years ago. My business and motherhood journey are intrinsically linked, and in this period of my life - out of the baby years and able to put more energy into business growth, it’s been emotional to see how much I’ve achieved. Take a moment to look back on what you’ve achieved, everything you’ve experienced, good and bad, and celebrate yourself. Resources Snoop Dogg: https://youtu.be/NfF3bThOW0Q?si=I-ASqOrYhQMzIK4- Takeaways
Chapters 01:00 Celebrating Growth and Reflection Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com
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| S5 E10: Lightbulb moments and Wellbeing Practices with Kat Wellum-Kent, founder of Fractional Finance | 20 Mar 2025 | 00:46:15 | |
What was the lightbulb moment for your business? Did you recognise it and mark it as the life-changing moment it was? Kat Wellum-Kent, founder of Fractional Finance and one of the top 50 women in accounting took a selfie that day, because she knew ‘this was the thing’. From her ‘dream job’ at a Big Four accountancy firm, to starting her business, Kat has had some incredible support in her career journey: not only a fantastic mentor, but a strong spiritual practice. She’s also navigating a husband in the army who was often away for 6 months at a time, and a youngest who has recently been diagnosed with autism. Takeaways:
Chapters: 01:09 Career Path and Transition to Entrepreneurship Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com
About Kat Wellum-Kent Kat Wellam-Kent is founder of Fractional Finance and one of the top 50 women in accounting. Kat's accounting career started in the Big Four, but after becoming a mother, she found the demands of corporate finance incompatible with family life. She transitioned to a smaller practice where she worked closely with small and early stage businesses. There she saw a critical gap; businesses were missing out on the financial strategy they needed to grow successfully. This inspired her to launch Fractional Finance in January 2023 an outsourced finance director service that provides startups and scaling businesses with expert financial guidance without the cost of a full-time hire. Kat and her team help business owners understand their numbers, make informed decisions and drive sustainable growth. All of course, while navigating motherhood. Kat started her business while raising two children and managing life as the wife of a military husband who spends long periods of time away. Beyond finance, Kat also has a belief in manifesting, wellness and even crystals. Kat Wellum-Kent’s Links: Website: https://fractionalfinance.co.uk/
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| S5 E9: Why I was targeted by a multi-level marketing scheme - Solo episode with Caroline | 13 Mar 2025 | 00:16:02 | |
This week I am unpacking the sometimes controversial topic of multi-level marketing schemes. I have been targeted by representatives of various MLMs 3 times in my life; because I’m a woman, with a performance background (aka poor!), and a mother. I was targeted within months of having my first child. I share: - The ways I've been targeted - How to recognise MLMs for what they are - How to avoid them The first rule of MLMs? Deny it’s an MLM.
Resources Doing it For the Kids: https://www.doingitforthekids.net/ Secrets of the Multi Level Millionaire: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p076n2hg On Becoming a God in Central Florida: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/on-becoming-a-god-in-central-florida/umc.cmc.67y9928dso088or48kueobu81 Not mentioned on the pod, but also worth a listen! The Dream: https://open.spotify.com/show/69SbOSdWtOYpJArpX6KczL?si=f5eaa0c57b9443ff
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Unexpected Solo Episode
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
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| S5 E8: Fundraising, health tech and personal branding with Dr Dupé Burgess, founder of Bloomful | 06 Mar 2025 | 00:48:49 | |
How clear are you on your values? An arresting question! I’m asking because my guest on the pod this week is Dr Dupé Burgess, founder of Bloomful, medical doctor, speaker, content creator and mum of 3. At the heart of everything she does? Her values. That’s why she’s been able to build such a compelling personal brand on LinkedIn, and why she’s such a compelling speaker and founder. Because mission drives it all. If you’re building a personal brand, fundraising or building a founder network from scratch, this episode is for you. Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Dupé Burgess
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com
About Dupé Burgess Dupé is a medical doctor, keynote speaker, health tech founder, content creator, online writer and mum to three young kids. She spent eight years working as a medical doctor before transitioning into strategy consulting at BCG. Dupé founded Bloomful in 2021, a health tech business on a mission to close the gender health gap and improve access to gynae care for women globally. It provides digital support for women dealing with common gynae health issues and has won multiple awards and grants over the past few years. As a leader, Dupé's biggest realisation has been that attention is the new currency and her role is to drive brand awareness. Over the past three years, she's built her career by openly sharing the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, offering candid insights into what it really takes to start and grow a business. Dupé has two key missions, transforming women's health through Bloomful and leveraging her personal brand to not only amplify her impact, but also help other entrepreneurs to do the same.
Dupé Burgess Links: Website: https://www.bloomful.io/
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| S5 E7: How and why I changed my business mindset - Solo episode with Caroline | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:17:15 | |
In this episode I’m talking about something that I think is a constant, if not battle, then area for improvement: mindset. Mindset has been a hurdle that almost prevented me from achieving a business goal. But I was able to recognise it and work on it. So I’m talking about: - How I recognised my mindset was the problem - The goal it was hindering - The steps I took to change it - The support and resources I turned to (a surprise to me too!) This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave (www.ancientandbrave.earth/). If you’d like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order.
Resources Goldman Sachs 10000 Small Businesses programme: https://www.goldmansachs.com/community-impact/10000-small-businesses/ Glennon Doyle, Untamed: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52129515-untamed
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Goldman Sachs Growth Programme
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
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| S5 E6: USPs, survival mode and growth with Jen Fuller founder of Etta Loves | 20 Feb 2025 | 00:50:04 | |
Do you have that ‘on the cusp’ feeling? I think it’s something that unites founders. There’s always something on the horizon that helps keep the faith in your business, even when on paper it’s not always clear. My guest on the pod this week is Jen Fuller, founder of Etta Loves, science backed baby sensory products that are also absolutely beautiful. Jen is really open that it’s the ‘cusp’ feeling that keeps her going rather than revenue or income goals. I loved this conversation, as a service business owner, it’s always fascinating to hear from product founders. Jen shares so much empathy, inspiration and nuts and bolts practical advice. How to deal with copycat businesses, direct sales v working with retailers, opening in new territories, celebrity endorsements and what she gained from a business growth programme, Jen gives her perspective on it all.
This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave (www.ancientandbrave.earth/). If you’d like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order.
Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 The Birth of Etta Loves
Resources: Goldman Sachs 10000 Small Businesses: https://www.goldmansachs.com/community-impact/10000-small-businesses/us UK Export Academy: https://www.great.gov.uk/export-academy/ Lauren Jumps: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenJumps
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Jen Fuller Jen Fuller is the founder of Etta Loves, and mum to two little girls. Etta Loves was born from Jen's passion for providing babies with the best possible visual experiences to support their development while making everyday moments easier for parents and carers. With a strong commitment to excellence, she collaborates with leading experts in infant vision and her dedicated team to create the most optimised sensory essentials in the world, designed with both science and sustainability in mind. The idea for Etta Loves came to Jen when her first daughter Etta was just six weeks old. She noticed Etta staring intently at the black and white pattern jumper she was wearing while feeding, completely ignoring the plain muslin on her shoulder. To Jen's surprise, Etta fed for longer and the usual overwhelm of feeding seemed to lift. The light bulb moment sparked her fascination with infant vision and inspired her to harness the science behind what babies can see. Driven by this newfound passion, Jen set out to transform everyday baby essentials, starting with muslins, and expanding into powerful sensory tools that captivate tiny eyes and bring calm to daily routines. Today, Etta Loves offers beautifully designed, science-led products that provide babies with the wonder and focus they need while offering parents and carers moments of calm throughout their day.
Jen Fuller Links: Website: https://www.ettaloves.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-fuller-ettaloves/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ettaloves
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| S5 E5: The game-changer for my business and wellbeing - Solo episode with Caroline | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:14:32 | |
This week’s episode is about the thing that has made all the difference in my business and for my wellbeing: consistency.
Why it's so important Why it has been a game changer for me Where I have seen big results How I make sure I stay consistent (I'm talking processes and tools - you'll love this) Why it shouldn't be another thing to beat yourself up about This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave (www.ancientandbrave.earth/). If you'd like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of the True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order
Resources ClickUp: https://clickup.com/
Takeaways
Chapters 01:00 Embracing Solo Podcasting 02:24 The Importance of Consistency 04:12 Managing Expectations and Productivity 08:09 Creating Effective Processes 11:13 Flexibility and Self-Compassion in Consistency 12:05 Finding Balance in Business and Wellbeing
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
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| S5 E4: Equality and ambition for mums with Jelena Skene co-founder of Press Flow | 06 Feb 2025 | 00:49:28 | |
If anyone is ever in doubt about mum’s commitment to their careers post babies, please, use this conversation as proof that we are only ever more ambitious and focused. This week I’m talking to Jelena Skene, co-founder of 2 businesses raised alongside 2 small boys. It’s been a busy few years for Jelena! My main takeaway from our conversation, and there are many, is: just start. You can’t plan everything around having a family, if you have a business idea, just try it. I also loved her thoughts on what makes a good business idea, and what you actually need to create a successful business. If you’re looking for advice on how to effectively PR pitch your business, listen to the end, Jelena has some incredible practical tips.
This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave (www.ancientandbrave.earth/). If you’d like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order.
Takeaways:
Chapters: Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Jelena Skene Agency-turned tech founder of Press Flow and mother of two, Jelena has a background in digital marketing for major fashion and lifestyle brands. In March, 2024, Jelena co-founded Press Flow Limited with her husband, a free PR platform that connects experts, PR professionals, and journalists. Press Flow provides unlimited free pitching, making it an accessible tool for small businesses, personal brands, PR professionals, and experts seeking media exposure. Not their first business, prior to Press Flow, Jelena and her husband ran an agency and together through COVID juggled the demands of new parenthood and founder life for the first time. Jelena Skene Links: Website: https://www.pressflow.io/ LinkedIn (Jelena): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelena-skene-2a3a9b60/ LinkedIn (Press Flow): https://www.linkedin.com/company/pressflow/
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| S5 E21: 5 learnings from 5 years in business - Solo episode with Caroline | 26 Jun 2025 | 00:17:57 | |
In 5 years I’ve gone from a one woman Virtual Assistant ‘agency’ to a team of 36. And I have learnt A Lot. Much of which I have learnt the hard way. In today’s episode, I’m sharing my 5 biggest learnings (there are so many still to talk about, I feel like I could do a whole season on it!) from the last 5 years. I’ve learnt from mistakes, I’ve learnt from the people around me, some of these lessons I am still learning, and might be a lifelong process.
Resources: Nick Elston: https://nickelston.com/ Anna Marthur episode: https://bumptobusinessowner.com/s3-episode-2-it-was-a-step-up
Takeaways
Chapters 00:30 Introduction and Reflections on Five Years in Business 05:52 Investing in Personal Growth 11:31 Evolving Worries in Business 17:11 Conclusion and Call to Action
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
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| S5 E3: Business growth and mum guilt - Solo episode with Caroline | 30 Jan 2025 | 00:10:28 | |
I have been judging myself recently for some of the decisions I’ve been making. For 2025 my goal is business growth, and that means I’m making decisions that prioritise my work and my wellbeing at the cost of family time. There are a lot of expectations on us as mums and female founders: some from ourselves, from the people around us, the patriarchy. I am unpacking my feelings of mum guilt, and why I refuse to feel it anymore.
This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave (www.ancientandbrave.earth/). If you'd like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of the True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Balancing Business Growth and Motherhood
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
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| S5 E2: Exploring authenticity, business growth and resilience with Lea Turner founder of The Holt | 23 Jan 2025 | 00:52:07 | |
In this inspiring episode, I’m joined by Lea Turner, LinkedIn expert, community builder, and founder of Holt, a thriving membership platform for small businesses. Content warning: there is a mention of suicidal ideation as Lea reflects on her teenage years and missed ADHD diagnosis. Lea’s journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t planned. Like so many of my guests on the pod, she didn’t initially see herself as a business owner. Her entrepreneurial path began with a transcription side hustle, which played to her strengths and funded her travels. As her income grew to match her day job, she took the leap into full-time self-employment. We discuss how Lea managed her business while preparing for maternity leave, how her son has influenced her career decisions, and her remarkable pivot during the Covid-19 pandemic when her income streams dried up overnight. I think we can all relate to Lea’s struggles with showing up authentically on social media, but she has really nailed it. By embracing her uniqueness, she transformed her LinkedIn presence, skyrocketing her followers and opening the door to incredible new opportunities. We explore the positives and negatives of social media: It wasn’t easy for Lea to own her expertise, it took other industry leaders deferring to her as an expert in social media discussions before she could see herself in that light. She shares her experiences dealing with online trolls and how she’s developed a positive, resilient mindset in response to negativity. This episode is packed with insights about business growth, balance, authenticity, and resilience. I hope you’re as inspired by the conversation as I was! This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave. If you’d like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order.
Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Lea Turner's Journey
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Lea Turner Lea Turner is an entrepreneur who transformed her life as a single mum through becoming a successful business owner. In 2019, she was working long hours typing medical reports while caring for her young son, barely making ends meet. Seeking a change, she began posting on LinkedIn, leveraging her humour and authenticity to connect with others. This approach quickly gained traction, leading to a substantial following, which currently stands at almost 200,000 followers and a fast growth LinkedIn training business. Over five years, Lea has built a six-figure income through her LinkedIn training, digital courses, and in-person workshops. In December 2024, she decided to close the doors on her LinkedIn training services to focus on new ventures. Lea is now running The Holt, an online membership community launched in June 2022. The Holt offers expert masterclasses in community and networking for solopreneurs, freelancers and small business owners, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
Lea Turner’s Links: Website: https://www.leaturner.co.uk/ Website: https://www.the-holt.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leaturnerholt/
Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ | |||
| S5 E1: January vibes, my learning from 2024 and focus for 2025 - Solo episode with Caroline | 16 Jan 2025 | 00:12:56 | |
If January has been…Januarying, then you are not alone. I’ve found it difficult to come back to work this year, comparisonitis and anxiety have been getting the better of me. So in this week’s episode I’m sharing:
This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave (https://ancientandbrave.earth). If you'd like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of the True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order
Resources
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Embracing January Vibes 03:06 Navigating Work-Life Balance 06:10 Self-Care and Mental Health 08:57 Looking Ahead: Business Growth and Community Building Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
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| Christmas Gift: Calming meditation with Jo Woodhurst, Head of Nutrition at Ancient+Brave | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:10:54 | |
For our season finale I am joined by the wonderful Jo Woodhurst, Head of Nutrition at Ancient + Brave. And as a special gift to our listeners, Jo has kindly recorded a 10 minute to help us reconnect and recharge during the busiest and most festive time of year. We all need it! This bonus podcast episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave. If you’d like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Jo Woodhurst Jo is a BANT registered nutritionist following a career pivot after teaching. She takes a holistic approach to wellness, giving people the tools to better control their health instead of restrictive diet programs. Her practice is about balance, long lasting changes and realistic lifestyle choices. Jo's work with Ancient and Brave includes advising on future formulations and writing health articles, as well as taking on the role of educating their audience in holistic wellbeing, interviewing health experts and writing copy for magazines and press articles. Ancient + Brave is a mission-driven wellness brand with an award-winning range of collagen, MCT oil and nootropic blends. They are a community-built brand and from day one, they have embraced innovation and sustainability. Social environmental responsibility is at the heart of everything Ancient + Brave does. They are B Corp certified, donate to 1 % for the planet, certified carbon neutral and a founding member of the ESG Mark. Jo Woodhurst’s Links: Website (Ancient + Brave): https://ancientandbrave.earth/ Website (Jo): https://www.jowoodhurst.com/ LinkedIn (Ancient + Brave): https://www.linkedin.com/company/ancientandbrave/ LinkedIn (Jo): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-woodhurst-nutrition/ Instagram (Ancient + Brave): https://www.instagram.com/ancientandbrave/ Instagram (Jo): https://www.instagram.com/jo_woodhurst_nutrition/ | |||
| S4 E13: Creating a sustainable wellbeing practice with Jo Woodhurst, Head of Nutrition at Ancient+Brave | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:44:43 | |
For our season finale I am joined by the wonderful Jo Woodhurst, Head of Nutrition at Ancient + Brave. And as a special gift to our listeners, Jo has kindly recorded a 10 minute meditation which is available as a separate bonus episode, out now. We all need it! Jo has been on her own journey in her approach to wellbeing. From burning the candle at both ends as a teacher, she moved into nutrition not only to reset how she nourished herself, but also inspired by her mum’s long illness and her approach to wellbeing. Now as a mum, business owner and Head of Nutrition at Ancient + Brave, Jo knows that it’s when we are busy that creating space for our own wellbeing slips. Jo shares her own wellness pillars, and why we need to approach them with flexibility and compassion. This podcast episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave. If you’d like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order. Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Holistic Wellness Resources: B Corps https://bcorporation.uk/ ESG Mark https://www.esgmark.co.uk/ Love Mercy https://www.lovemercyfoundation.org/ More info on the Mother archetype: https://ancientandbrave.earth/blogs/news/embracing-the-cycles-of-life-honouring-every-season-of-womanhood Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Jo Woodhurst Jo is a BANT registered nutritionist following a career pivot after teaching. She takes a holistic approach to wellness, giving people the tools to better control their health instead of restrictive diet programs. Her practice is about balance, long lasting changes and realistic lifestyle choices. Jo's work with Ancient and Brave includes advising on future formulations and writing health articles, as well as taking on the role of educating their audience in holistic wellbeing, interviewing health experts and writing copy for magazines and press articles. Ancient + Brave is a mission-driven wellness brand with an award-winning range of collagen, MCT oil and nootropic blends. They are a community-built brand and from day one, they have embraced innovation and sustainability. Social environmental responsibility is at the heart of everything Ancient + Brave does. They are B Corp certified, donate to 1 % for the planet, certified carbon neutral and a founding member of the ESG Mark. Jo Woodhurst’s Links: Website (Ancient + Brave): https://ancientandbrave.earth/ Website (Jo): https://www.jowoodhurst.com/ LinkedIn (Ancient + Brave): https://www.linkedin.com/company/ancientandbrave/ LinkedIn (Jo): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-woodhurst-nutrition/ Instagram (Ancient + Brave): https://www.instagram.com/ancientandbrave/ Instagram (Jo): https://www.instagram.com/jo_woodhurst_nutrition/
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| S4 E12: Changing fitness culture and balancing motherhood with Pip Black, founder of Frame | 12 Dec 2024 | 01:04:26 | |
Pip Black started her business, Frame at 24. She and her co-founder Joan, have navigated huge changes across the fitness industry over the last 15 years. They launched in recession, tag teamed maternity leaves over 4 kids, raised funds, bought back their company and adapted almost overnight to Covid. But through it all, they have lived the brand, its values, and created a business which puts customer experience at its core - the key to their success. Coming back to exercise has been a huge source of joy for me this year, and Pip is clear: doing what you love, rather than pushing yourself as hard as possible, is what builds a healthy body.
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 The Evolution of Fitness Culture Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Pip Black Pip Black is CEO and co-founder of Frame, a London-based fitness brand which pioneered the boutique pay-as-you-go studio movement in 2009. The pair raised £6m in PE investment in 2019, but since Covid have bought the business back and navigated their way out of these very difficult times. The brand now includes 5 locations across the city alongside a fast-growing Online offering. Pip studied Business at the University of Bath, including a year at the Australian Institute of Sport, before starting a career in Advertising before meeting business partner Joan Murphy in 2007. Together with Joan Murphy the two set out to build a brand which would encourage fit, healthy living through high energy and fun-filled classes. Frame has been operating for almost 16 years and proven that the pay-as-you-go fitness model is both profitable and can diversify into many areas including apparel, equipment and education. Pip and Joan launched Mumhood, their pre and post-natal sub-brand in 2016 and are hugely passionate about educating and motivating women to stay active throughout this stage of their lives for both their physical health and mental sanity! Pip Black’s Links: Website: https://moveyourframe.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pip-black-82652940/ Instagram (Pip): https://www.instagram.com/pipingablack/ Instagram (Frame): https://www.instagram.com/moveyourframe/
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| S4 E11: Why am I obsessed with joy? - Solo episode with Caroline | 05 Dec 2024 | 00:12:52 | |
What do you think is behind the global falling birthrate? Because social media thinks it’s mums’ fault (of course). We’re not sharing enough about how joyful motherhood is. Of course this is rubbish. But I do think it’s so important for mums to connect with their own sense of joy, outside of motherhood, outside of work, just for themselves. Reconnecting with my personal sense of joy has been…a journey. It honestly feels like this year is the first since I became a mum that I have truly connected with the things that spark it in me. This week’s episode is me unpacking why it’s so important for us mums to find sources of personal joy. And why the internet is wrong to blame us for the falling birthrate.
Resources
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Joy in Motherhood
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ | |||
| S4 E10: The career setbacks that led to success & campaigning for mums with Grace Carter of Business & Babies | 28 Nov 2024 | 00:48:49 | |
TRIGGER WARNING: Baby loss, depression and suicidal ideation Grace Carter didn’t tell any of her clients when she had her first baby, a year into her business. And no wonder. Working in a male dominated industry, when Grace announced her second pregnancy, she lost £15k in recurring monthly revenue almost overnight. Motherhood and running a business took their toll on Grace’s mental health. But instead of becoming smaller in her struggles, Grace took up space. She started talking about her experiences on LinkedIn - not the usual place for personal, mental health sharing. Grace saw how little support there is for women and mothers who are business owners - the law is set to protect male entrepreneurs, go figure. So she set up Business & Babies, who are campaigning for structural change to protect our interests and businesses. I’m an ambassador for B&B because I love what they are doing. We need more Grace’s in this world and on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned Hyer Culture100 Award: https://www.hyer.co/feature-c100-awards Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Grace Carter and Her Ventures Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com About Grace Carter Grace Carter is the visionary founder and managing director of The Metamorphose Group, a business collective that embodies Grace’s dedication to creativity, craftsmanship, and empowering women. After owning her skills as a journalist, Grace founded Aphra in 2017, a brand and campaign agency named after Aphra Benn, the first British female playwright to make a living by her pen. With a dedicated team of talented professionals, Aphra has flourished under Grace's leadership, forging impactful partnerships with leading organisations. Grace's entrepreneurial drive extends far beyond Aphra. She established The Metamorphose Group to serve as the umbrella for multiple entrepreneurial brands that resonate with her core values of mental health, social equity, and entrepreneurship. These include ventures such as Consistently AI and AI-driven software solutions, and Business and Babies, which supports entrepreneurial mothers and the female body, advocating for women's health and wellness. Grace is also the founder of the Fast Female Fund dedicated to accelerating female motorsport through funding and mentorship. To highlight Business and Babies, which is how I first came across Grace and I'm proud to be an ambassador for, Grace wants to change the law. After discovering herself at the very start of her mothering journey and receiving four key business emails that needed her attention during her C-section, Grace wants to change the law, which has been written for male entrepreneurs. And while all the large corporations, banks and governments are talking about the need to create investment pots for women to create better gender equity and entrepreneurship. No one is talking about the infrastructure also needed for these women to thrive. Business and Babies held their first summit on 21st November 2024. And Grace is a mother to two little girls. Grace Carter’s Links: Website(The Metamorphose Group): https://metamorphosegroup.co.uk/ | |||
| S4 E9: Decacorns, The Refund Years and representation with Erika Brodnok | 21 Nov 2024 | 00:40:22 | |
Erika Brodnik is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, angel investor, author and mum of five. I loved how broad ranging our conversation was, from The Refund Years™, to representation and diversity, parenting hacks to decacorns. But Erika also shared a lot of nuance which is often missing in our soundbite focused world. We talked a lot about what is keeping women, and minority groups, from becoming entrepreneurs: is it childcare, structural difficulties, the risk factor? We agreed that we’ve made a lot of progress, but still could only think of one British female unicorn (Erika is gunning for decacorn - I had never heard of it either, new ambition unlocked!) We have a choice about how we go about our business, and the impact we’re making for those coming up behind us on the journey. Listen to the conversation, Erika is such a role model for founders. This is one of my favourite conversations so far. Resources mentioned HeartMath Breathing: https://www.heartmath.org/articles-of-the-heart/the-math-of-heartmath/heart-focused-breathing/
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Erica Brodnock Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Erika Brodnok Erica Brodnock, MBE is a serial founder and mother of five children. Erika has experienced firsthand the struggles of balancing her career with motherhood. Factor racism, sexism and maternity discrimination into the mix and Erica knows sometimes it can feel impossible. As a co-founder and CEO of KinHub, a people performance platform that upskills employees on subjects such as mental health, neurodiversity and the menopause to increase awareness and team cohesion, Erica believes in creating a fairer workplace for everyone: People who create technology are creating the future. But right now that is leaving people who look like her out of the equation. By improving and supporting diversity in the workplace, we can change how this looks and create a more inclusive and equitable future. KineHub and its founders have been recognised across the media, including Sifted, Forbes and TechCrunch. Erika Brodnok’s Links: Website: https://www.kinhub.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikabrodnock/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/er11bee/ | |||
| S4 E8: Toxic hustle culture and working mums - Solo episode with Caroline | 14 Nov 2024 | 00:18:35 | |
I’ve been spending too much time on Threads. Over there, I’m seeing more and more the narrative that mums can work from home full time AND be full time carers for their kids. And I just don’t think it can work. I’m sharing exactly what childcare and support I had while setting up and running my business, because I don’t want anyone to think that I was ‘doing it all’. I very much wasn’t. I can totally see why this narrative is so tempting: childcare is laughably, tragically, expensive in the UK. That’s why I think it's so important that we're all honest about exactly what help we're getting (and how we’re financing it) so we're not perpetuating unhealthy, idealistic narratives that aren't helping anyone. And definitely aren’t aimed at dads. Funny that.
Takeaways
Resources David Lloyd Gyms: https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/ Bubble App: https://joinbubble.com/
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ | |||
| S5 E20: Poop, pre-seed and policies with Lisa Macfarlane, co-founder of The Gut Stuff | 19 Jun 2025 | 00:50:21 | |
Be honest - how is your poo? My guest this week is Lisa Macfarlane, co-founder of The Gut Stuff, and she wants you to take better care of your gut. Lisa explains why gut health is so important, some easy wins to improve your own and why she went from Love Island DJ to gut evangelist. We also talk about the nuts and bolts of scaling a business - from building a brand and community as market research for the business, to pre-seed and VC funding, and creating an ecosystem with 3 different business arms. Lisa is passionate about the policies we as business owners need to create to support women and their families, it’s so inspiring to hear. And, of course, we talk about joy - Friday martinis and dips anyone? Takeaways:
Chapters: 01:00 Introduction to Gut Health and Personal Journeys Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com About Lisa Macfarlane Lisa MacFarlane is co-founder of The Gut Stuff, Mum, bestselling author, Virgin Radio host, and yes, former Love Island: Aftersun DJ. Alongside her identical twin sister, Alana, Lisa made her name, DJing at major events from the Olympics to Simon Cowell's ball before landing a TV role that made them household names. But it was a chance decision to volunteer in gut health research at King College London that changed everything. Despite sharing 100 % of their DNA, Lisa and Alana discovered their gut microbiomes were only 30 to 40 % similar, a finding that blew their minds and kicked off what's now become a nationwide movement. Their mission is to make gut health accessible, affordable, and most importantly, relatable. With a refreshingly no-nonsense approach, the Gut Stuff has become a trusted brand across books, workplace wellbeing, pop-ups, and the hit podcast Chatting Shit. Not only that, Lisa is a mum of one and pregnant with her second child. Lisa Macfarlane’s Links: Website: https://thegutstuff.com/ Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ | |||
| S4 E7: Changing the narrative around maternity pay with Nugget Savings | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:49:15 | |
Where were Nugget Savings when I was preparing for mat leave?! After launching a year ago, Nugget Savings has become a vital resource for would-be parents as they save and prepare for leave. If that’s you, or someone you know, listen in and share! Stay til the end to hear Harriet and Katie’s top 3 tips for self-employed maternity leave. This was a really wide ranging conversation, from how Katie and Harriet have created such growth on their social platforms (100k on both IG and TikTok within a year!) to how they handle online trolling and misogyny. From Katie’s NICU experience and her changing identity as she became a mother to more wider changes attitudes of and towards women and mums. Katie and Harriet offered their advice on how to negotiate your mat (or paternity) leave deal - I wish I had done this when I was employed, but honestly it never even crossed my mind! Perhaps most importantly, they shared their thoughts on how we can support each other more, as mums and not mums. And of course, we ended with what brings them each joy (and the correct response to a compliment).
Resources mentioned bCreator Awards: https://www.bcreator.co.uk/ Turn 2 Us benefits calculator: https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/ Nugget Savings, NugBase: https://www.nuggetsavings.com/submityourpolicy
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Nugget Savings and Founders' Mission
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Nugget Savings Harriet Morton Liddle and Kate Guild are the founders of Nugget Savings. They are two incredible founders on a mission to completely shake up rental leave pay. Katie, having just navigated maternity leave as a self-employed mum, which as many of you know, comes with its own set of challenges, is now in the thick of it of toddler life with her NICU baby. Harriet, currently single and child free, hopes to start a family someday, but is deeply passionate about this cause. Together they're working to revolutionise maternity and paternity pay, not just in the UK, but globally, ensuring families are educated, financially prepared, and excited for the arrival of their little ones.
Nugget Savings’ Links: Website: https://www.nuggetsavings.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nugget-savings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuggetsavings/ | |||
| S4 E6: Do you take the sales call? You’ve got your kids - Solo episode with Caroline | 31 Oct 2024 | 00:17:55 | |
A solo episode this week talking about a question I think all service (and probably product?!) business owners can relate to: Do You Take The Sales Call When You Have Your Kids? Obviously we all hope to have rock solid boundaries. But let’s face it, there is always a bit of pressure, whether that’s internal or external, that this could be our ‘only chance’ to make the sale. Listen to the episode for my take on this, and what I now see as a client red flag. There are so many factors at play with these decisions:
I've taken a few different approaches to this over the years, with varying degrees of success. And varying definitions of success.
Takeaways
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ | |||
| S4 E5: Creating joy and purpose after cancer with personal brand strategist, Petra Gatto | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:42:39 | |
This week’s conversation is with the wonderful Petra Gatto, personal brand strategist, photographer and cancer survivor. If you know someone going through cancer treatment or in recovery, there’s some really helpful advice and insights on how we can better support them. Or if you’re in the cancer trenches, Petra has some wisdom on taking up space and communicating your needs. From marketeer, to international wedding planner, to personal brand strategist and photographer; Petra pivoted her career post-cancer as she connected to her teenage passion for photography and her purpose - empowering women and business owners. And of course, we spoke about Petra’s experience of cancer, from diagnosis, to treatment, to the expectation that everything ‘would go back to normal’ when she was cancer free. How we can support loved ones through their cancer journey, and how to communicate your needs if you’re going through it yourself. My main takeaway? Getting back to yourself post-trauma, takes time. Petra shares her new definition of self care, how she makes time for it, and of course, what brings her joy.
Cancer support mentioned Supporting the Supporters https://supportingthesupporters.org/ Against Breast Cancer https://www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk/
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Petra Gatto's Journey 05:14 From Wedding Planner to Brand Strategist 07:09 Facing Cancer: A Life-Changing Diagnosis 09:13 The Role of Personal Branding 11:55 Building Confidence in Women Entrepreneurs 19:38 Navigating the Cancer Journey 23:29 The Importance of Support Networks 30:26 Communicating Needs During Recovery 35:51 Supporting the Supporters: An Event for Caregivers 38:19 The Impact of Cancer on Life and Career 41:36 Finding Joy and Purpose After Trauma 46:15 Conclusion and Resources for Support
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Petra Gatto Petra Gatto is a brand strategist, photographer and personal brand expert. As a photographer, Petra would see clients afraid to use their beautiful photos because they didn't know what to do with them. So thanks to her decades of experience as an entrepreneur and marketer, previously owning a global wedding agency for over 15 years. She knew why and worked with women to build their brand foundation, as well as gain clarity and confidence to be more visible, share their message and create more impact. We are releasing this podcast in Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Petra is generously sharing her story and experiences as well as highlighting how we can support those in their journey so we can be better colleagues, employers, friends or family members to them.
Petra Gatto’s Links: Website: https://petragatto.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-gatto/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra_gatto/ | |||
| S4 E4: Dealing with imposter syndrome - Solo episode with Caroline | 17 Oct 2024 | 00:17:09 | |
A solo episode from me today, talking about something I think (know?!) that we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives: imposter syndrome. Does it exist? How to recognise it How to manage it My personal experience of it, and how I distinguish imposter syndrome from other feelings of doubt or nerves. I am a firm believer in owning our successes as a way to bolster against imposter syndrome, but it’s not foolproof. We’ve human, we’re women, we’re mums; imposter syndrome is almost a rite of passage. It’s how we deal with it that counts.
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Understanding Imposter Syndrome 03:02 Personal Reflections on Imposter Syndrome 06:09 Identifying Symptoms and Overcoming Challenges 09:01 The Role of Community and Support 11:49 Strategies for Managing Imposter Syndrome 14:48 Embracing Your Journey and Seeking Help
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com | |||
| S4 E3: Neurodiversity, trauma and being a ‘boy mum’ with clinical psychologist, Dr Jo Carlile | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:58:20 | |
It’s World Mental Health Day, and so I’m honoured to be talking with the wonderful Dr. Jo Carlile, a clinical psychologist and trauma specialist. Jo shares her experience of neurodivergency, being a new mum in Covid and her transition from a 15 year NHS career to private practice. As well as letting us in on her new role as Tech Founder with her upcoming mental health support platform, The Norm. Of course, mental health and trauma particularly in relation to motherhood was a huge topic of conversation, and it was great to hear Jo’s perspective on the ‘well/not well’ false dichotomy that so often seems to be the attitude to mental health. As well as how she has ‘designed a life that suits the way she’s wired’. Which sounds like an absolute luxury, but is also sort of the point of being a business owner, right? We also bonded over being ‘Boy Mums’, if that’s you, listen in for some sympathy, commiseration and tips. It’s been a real revelation to me dealing with all the masculine energy in our house, truck fatigue is a real thing. Very comforting to hear I’m not alone and some advice on how Jo manages it herself. Right at the end of the conversation, Jo said the phrase ‘it’s self FULL not selfish’ which I think should be the mantra of all mums/women/everyone everywhere.
Takeaways
Resources Noise cancelling earbuds: https://www.loopearplugs.com/
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Jo Carlisle
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Dr Jo Carlile Dr. Jo Carlile, BPS Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Trauma and Neurodiversity Specialist and Mother of Two. Jo is the woman behind the scenes disrupting the culture of mental health. Previously an NHS Senior Clinical Consultant Specialist in Neurodiversity, Jo was supporting children, families and adults presenting with a variety of issues, or needing to support to improve their mental wellbeing.
Dr Jo Carlile’s Links: Website: https://www.carlilepsychology.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjocarlile/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlilepsychology/ Instagram (The Norm): https://www.instagram.com/welcome_to_the_norm/
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| S4 E2: Success, passive income and mum guilt with Vix Meldrew | 03 Oct 2024 | 00:48:16 | |
Vix Meldrew went from overworked and stressed out teacher to content creator, releasing an online membership and courses before that was even a thing. As a big believer in business mirroring life, Vix took her business next level, while also undergoing IVF. We talk about her experience of IVF, how she planned her business to work around it, and her business planning and content scheduling for maternity leave (Vix gives lots of detail on this, so if this is you, definitely be prepared to make some notes!) We talked about Mum Guilt, the judgement we can feel from the mum community and whether ‘work at home’ as a full time mum is ever a workable solution; the positives and negatives of the online service world, what makes someone a successful business owner, and whether passive income can ever really be ‘a thing’. Listen in for:
Resources Human Design: https://www.myhumandesign.com/
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Vix Meldrew and Her Journey 03:08 Transitioning from Teaching to Online Business 06:01 The Evolution of Vix's Business Model 08:57 Navigating Motherhood and Business Ownership 12:02 The Impact of IVF on Business and Life 14:57 Planning for Maternity Leave 17:56 Finding Joy in Small Moments 20:56 The Reality of Balancing Work and Parenting 23:59 The Challenges of Online Business 26:56 The Importance of Community and Support 30:00 The Myth of Passive Income 32:59 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Vix
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Vix Meldrew Vix Meldrew is an online educator, coach, and founder of a thriving membership community with a background in influencer marketing and over eight years of teaching experience. Vix Meldrew’s Links: Website: https://vixmeldrew.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vix-meldrew-59b341123/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vixmeldrew/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@vixmeldrew
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| S4 E1: My toxic trait and why we burnout - Solo episode with Caroline | 26 Sep 2024 | 00:15:43 | |
Bump to Business Owner is BACK! Caroline opens Season 4 with a solo episode talking about burnout. We all experience it, especially as business owners and mums, and here Caroline unpacks her previous run in with extreme burnout, and how she was able to step back from the brink after a total stranger flagged that she might be in danger of burning out again. Caroline reflects on the signs of burnout she recognised in herself and her team, the importance of taking breaks, and the need to prioritise joy in life to prevent burnout. A theme for this season is joy. Finding our own joy as mums can sometimes be a challenge, we focus so much on our kids and the people around us, so Caroline will be asking guests every week to share their sources of joy. Your homework for this week/season is to explore what brings you joy as a means of self-care and balance.
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Understanding Burnout: Caroline’s Journey 08:39 Recognising the Signs of Burnout 12:41 The Importance of Joy in Preventing Burnout
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com | |||
| Season 4 Trailer | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:01:01 | |
Bump to Business Owner is the go-to podcast for mums who don’t want to compromise on their careers but know that traditional full time employment just isn’t compatible with family life. It’s a space for female entrepreneurs and future founders creating autonomy and a deeper sense of purpose for themselves, their business and their children. Join your host, Caroline Marshall, founder of award winning Virtual Assistant agency Upsource and mum of two boys, in conversation with real women: mothers and entrepreneurs juggling the challenges of growing a successful business whilst raising a family. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com | |||
| S3 E24: “We’re all experiencing the same things” with Mikaela Jones, founder of Pleasure Gap | 25 Jul 2024 | 00:56:00 | |
"If I can buy lawn mowers and hedge trimmers, why can't I buy vibrators" Season 3 is going out with a bang! Mikaela Jones went from buyer at Homebase to launching her own sexual wellness brand, Pleasure Gap. Knowing that she wanted to start her own business, Mikaela did an inventory of what she was passionate about, and sexual wellness for women came out on top (pun intended). For Mikaela, her business was a way of finding her way back to herself post kids, not only in terms of career, but as a woman. We’re under a lot of pressure and expectation at the best of times as women and mums, but when it comes to sex, it can be a lot. Mikaela is such a joy to speak to; open, positive and realistic. Her message for me is, ‘we’re all experiencing the same things’ so let’s talk about them, with our partners, friends, health visitors, doctors, whoever we need to. The way to move through any shame we might have about our sex lives is to share it. But, as she discusses, it’s not easy. Marketing, especially on social media is hard when you’re talking about sex and especially female pleasure. Even getting a business bank account was difficult, because of the industry Mikaela is in. The whole conversation is really eye opening, I hope you enjoy it! Mikaela has also kindly shared with us a 15% discount code for Pleasure Gap HQ. Just use code bump15 at checkout, enjoy! Listen in for:
Resources: Dr Karen Gurney: https://www.instagram.com/thesexdoctor/ Sex with Emily: https://sexwithemily.com/ Gottman Institute: https://www.gottman.com/
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Mikaela Jones Mikaela Jones, mother and Founder of Pleasure Gap Pleasure Gap’s goal is to bring a crew of passionate experts, from sexologists to psychologists to bring you all the need to know info - you're in super safe hands. And if this doesn’t draw you in all ready - Mikaela talks about the gap. We've had the career gap, finance/pension gap, health gap and today I am sure we will talk about the O gap. 95% of heterosexual men reported usually or always orgasming when sexually intimate. while 86% of lesbian women and only 65% of heterosexual women said the same. I for one am fascinated by Mikaela’s career path from Homebase to sexual wellness.
Mikaela Jones’s Links: Website: https://pleasuregap.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pleasuregap_hq/ LinkedIn (Mikaela): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikaelajones/ LinkedIn (Pleasure Gap): https://www.linkedin.com/company/pleasuregap/
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| S3 E23: “You're either doing it or you’re not” with Gemma Bray, The Organised Mum | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:43:49 | |
Gemma Bray started cleaning obsessively as a way to manage her anxiety after the birth of her first child. Some years later, when Gemma was a stay at home mum, he dared her to take her cleaning onto Instagram and The Organised Mum was born! I can really relate to Gemma’s need to control something in the early days of motherhood. For me, it was my red lipstick and my business, for her, it was her home. I think we’re all victims of the rose tinted spectacles that are applied to pregnancy and motherhood by social media and society, and the reality can be very anxiety-inducing when there’s so much change and, let’s face it, babies are chaos. Gemma is very self-depreciating; she calls herself ‘a bad business person’ because she hasn’t got a strong strategy, but she bases her decisions and launches on intuition, which shouldn’t be underestimated! She’s also really honest - building her community took a lot of time, being online can be tough, a 20 second TiKTok can take 2 hours to create, and launching her app was ‘a nightmare’ but as Gemma says, ‘you’re either doing it, or you're not’. There’s some great, practical advice in this conversation, and a real insight into an independent values led business. We finished on how to create and maintain a cleaning habit, you know I love to talk habits, and Gemma has some amazing insight on this! Listen in for:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Gemma Bray Gemma Bray is a Sunday Times Best Selling author, creator of The Organised Mum Method and, of course, a mother.As an overwhelmed new mum, Gemma found her anxiety manifesting in hours of cleaning each day. This constant battle for control amidst the chaos of family life, led to a breakthrough moment: things just couldn’t go on in this way. Sitting at the kitchen table she’d already cleaned twice that morning, Gemma mapped out each and every household task, and devised a plan that would keep her home organised in just thirty minutes each day. No more never-ending to-do lists. No more panic at the sound of an unexpected doorbell. And no more weekend cleaning whatsoever. The Organised Mum Method is beautifully simple. With a best-selling app, and best-selling books, to her name, Gemma, also known as The Organised Mum, is making a real difference to the lives of parents around the world. Freeing you from the overwhelm, one load of washing and sticky placemat at a time.
Gemma Bray’s Links: Website: https://theorganisedmum.com/ App: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/the-organised-mum/id1427750529 Instagram (TOM): https://www.instagram.com/the_organised_mum/ Instagram (Gemma): https://www.instagram.com/gemma__bray/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theorganisedmum
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| S5 E19: Burnout, neurodiversity and rediscovering yourself with Dr Claire Ashley, The Burnout Doctor | 12 Jun 2025 | 01:06:21 | |
The 5 stages of burnout are very familiar to me. I’ve been there, and even when I thought I had learnt my lessons, narrowly swerved burning out again. As a mum, especially a mum with a business, I’m sure at least a few of the stages are familiar to you too. My guest on this week’s episode is Dr Claire Ashely, aka The Burnout Doctor. Claire was a highly successful doctor, used to pretty extreme levels of stress. And then with 2 small kids, a house renovation and a difficult work environment, she burnt out. Claire is now fully recovered and shares the signs, symptoms and means to recovery to help us intervene and swerve burnout before it’s too late. Most of all - you will get through it. Takeaways:
Resources: The Burnout Doctor BOOK: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-burnout-doctor-a-practical-guide-to-understanding-your-symptoms-and-recovery-dr-claire-ashley/7680922?ean=9781399412803 Chapters: 01:00 Introduction to Burnout and Personal Journeys Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com About Dr. Claire Ashley Dr. Claire Ashley is a GP, NHS Clinical Entrepreneur, content creator, author of The Burnout Doctor, and mum of two. Claire's work is shaping how we think about burnout, especially for those of us balancing motherhood, business, and burnout recovery. With over 20 years of clinical experience and a powerful personal journey through anxiety and burnout, she now dedicates her career to helping others understand, prevent and recover from burnout. Dr. Claire Ashley’s Links: Website: https://www.drclaireashley.com/
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| S3 E22: “I felt like I’d been sold a lie” with Claire Gleave, founder of Natal Active | 11 Jul 2024 | 00:54:51 | |
For Claire Gleave, running was a way of getting some headspace, away from being a full time mum. It also gave her a business idea: activewear for pregnancy and beyond. Having taken voluntary redundancy after her second mat leave, Claire was focused on her family. I think we can all relate to her feeling of ‘being sold a lie’ when it comes to working and raising a family and ‘having it all’. But when her second was preparing to start school, Claire decided it was the right time to work on her business, Natal Active. We spoke about some great and practical details of launching a business: how Claire financed hers without investment rounds; how a partnership with a household name isn’t necessarily a great model for an independent business, PR and celebrity endorsements and charity partnerships. But we also spoke about the more emotional side of business, the pressure we can feel as founders to be a huge success, even when that’s not necessarily the right thing for us and our families, and how Claire has created a business that suits her and what she wants from her lifestyle. We finish with 3 tips for starting a clothing brand, so if that’s you right now, make sure you stay to the end. Listen in for:
Resources Dept of International Trade: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-trade Shopify Capital: https://www.shopify.com/lending/capital Kickscount: www.kickscount.org.uk CoppaFeel!: https://coppafeel.org/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Claire Gleave Claire Gleave, Founder of Natal Active and boy mum of three! After three pregnancies wearing her husband's t-shirts on runs, and then breastfeeding three babies while trying to wrestle her boobs out of uncomfortable sports bras, Claire had had enough. She was sick of looking a mess and being uncomfortable, and on realising she couldn’t be the only mum out there feeling the same, the Natal Active range became baby number 4… Launching an activewear brand for pre and postnatal mums in the middle of the pandemic, while home-schooling her three boys, was not part of the business plan Claire had embarked on when she realised her dreams in 2020. From winning awards, being stocked in some major retailers like John Lewis, to being the celebrity (and even royal!) mum's workout gear of choice and achieving the huge milestone of 25000 sales earlier this year
Claire Gleave’s Links: Website: https://www.natalactive.com/ Instagram (Natal Active): https://www.instagram.com/natalactive/ Instagram (Claire): https://www.instagram.com/claire_natalactive/ LinkedIn (Natal Active): https://www.linkedin.com/company/natal-active/ LinkedIn (Claire): https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairesymonds/
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| S3 E21: “For a long time, I fought it” with Kate Kurdziej founder of Olivier Consultancy | 04 Jul 2024 | 01:01:44 | |
How will I feel about this situation in 5 years time? I love this question from Kate Kurdziej, founder of Olivier Consultancy. Whether it was deciding to leave a toxic job in the early days of pregnancy, or leaving behind the lifelong dream of moving to France, it guided her to where she is now. Kate had a difficult birth, and found the transition to motherhood uncomfortable, for a long time, she fought the change in her identity. After some time, and some counselling, Kate was able to reframe her change in priorities but her business was an important part of her ‘self’. And as she and the business have grown, she’s worked out what is right for her, and put in firm foundations to create a working week that suits her family and her priorities. If you’re thinking about moving abroad, Kate has some great tips for you as someone who has moved country twice. Listen in for:
Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Kate Kurdziej Kate Kurdziej, mum of one and founder of Olivier Consultancy. One for our service based business owners today! Kate is a seasoned business consultant, on a mission to help service providers to build a freedom-fuelled business that truly gives a work-life balance. Built on her belief businesses should be simple and lean, where you can make the most money and take more time off- life is for living after all. In 2020, at the height of lockdown and with a newborn baby on her hip, Kate took the plunge and founded her own venture, driven by a vision of spending as much time with her family but still earning great money. She succeeded and in 2021, her journey led her to her lifelong dream of moving across the Channel to the picturesque landscapes of south-west France with her family. Continuing to build a fantastic business (of course no business is without its challenges and hers was mixed with learnings of tricky clients, money worries and being the sole income earner for the family!) After 30 years of dreaming of moving to France, Kate realised it wasn’t for her and so changed everything again and discovered their new home in Spain. Kate's journey from the corridors of corporate power to the frontiers of entrepreneurship will inspire many on this podcast. Kate Kurdziej’s Links: Website: https://olivier-consultancy.co.uk/ | |||
| S3 E20: "Hope is 100% the thing that got me through it" with Martha Keith, founder of Martha Brook | 27 Jun 2024 | 00:58:29 | |
Trigger warning: this episode discusses endometriosis, fertility, IVF, miscarriage, birth trauma and PTSD, so if it’s not the right time for you, please listen to an episode from the archive. Martha Keith founded Martha Brook two years into her fertility journey, having decided a stressful unfulfilling corporate career was perhaps not conducive to starting a family. Her award winning stationery business has gone from strength to strength, but Martha’s journey to 2 daughters has been difficult and long. Endometriosis, IVF, a traumatic birth and PTSD all feature, but ultimately, Martha’s story is a hopeful one. If she can come through all of this with a sense of humour, a beautiful family and a successful business, we can too. Yesterday was PTSD Awareness Day; 30,000 women a year experience trauma after birth, and yet Martha and I both felt ‘silly’ for our diagnosis. We didn’t think it happened to mums, only to war veterans. Conversations like this one are important, so more mums know that they are not alone in what they are going through and that they can come out the other side. Another thing that Martha and I have in common is how positive an influence we found our businesses. When everything else was a bit of a mess, it was soothing and hopeful to be able to channel our energy into something productive and positive, dare I say, controllable. I think this is true of every mum/business owner; it’s important to have something outside family life that connects you with that other side of yourself. Listen in for:
Resources Martha mentioned: Pandas Foundation: https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/ EMDR Therapy: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22641-emdr-therapy Human Givens Therapy: https://www.humangivens.com/ Fertility Show: https://www.fertilityshow.co.uk/
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Martha Keith Martha Keith is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer and business mentor who was awarded Great Britain’s Consumer Goods Businesswoman of the Year 2023. In 2013 Martha quit her senior role in healthcare to found the award-winning personalised stationery company Martha Brook. As CEO, She has led the growth of the business into the feel-good global brand it is today, turning over more than £1m ARR. Martha is also a passionate Small business mentor and speaker - alongside her achievements she is also on the Advisory Council for the British Library, inputting into the work they do helping businesses innovate and grow, as well as their custodianship, research, culture and learning programmes. Martha also now helps and advise other businesses at different stages of their own growth journeys. Not only all of her incredible (and I mean incredible - who does not love Martha Brook stationary?! - especially my VA colleagues) career achievements Martha is also a mummy of two. Martha’s story to motherhood includes endometriosis diagnosis, IVF and PTSD from birth trauma.
Martha Keith’s Links: Website: https://www.marthabrook.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marthabrookldn/ https://www.instagram.com/martha_keith/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-keith/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marthabrookldn/
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| S3 E19: "I don’t know a mum who isn’t busy" with Catherine Ann Reid, founder of Doqit | 20 Jun 2024 | 00:52:03 | |
Catherine Ann Reid founded her business, Doqit, because she found herself with a problem, and she wasn’t the only one. But it took Covid for Doqit to become a viable business and a full time job. As a single mum, Catherine Ann has an amazing approach to work and fitting it around parenthood: quality over quantity. Balls were dropped, but tomorrow is always a new day. Catherine Ann’s daughter has a very rare genetic condition, and her split from her partner when her daughter was 18 months meant that Catherine Ann was navigating complex health needs along with a lengthy divorce. She has some real wisdom and reassurance if you’re navigating something similar. We also spoke to the way others perceive our situations, through their own lens rather than as a reflection of our reality; the undue responsibility apportioned to mums when things don’t go ‘to plan’ and my least favourite phrase ‘at least’. Catherine Ann shares her biggest business ‘failures’, her 3 tips for people looking to build a tech business and the importance of timing for founders. Listen in for:
Resources Catherine Ann mentioned: Emily Perl Kingsley, ‘Welcome to Holland’: https://www.emilyperlkingsley.com/welcome-to-holland Canva:https://www.canva.com/
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
Catherine Ann Reid’s Links: Website: https://www.doqit.io/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doqithq/ LinkedIn (Catherine Ann): https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineannreid/ LinkedIn (Doqit): https://www.linkedin.com/company/doqit/
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| S3 E18: "Parenting is a tough gig" with Charlie Rosier, founder of Babbu | 13 Jun 2024 | 00:50:13 | |
Like me, and a lot of mums I know, Charlie’s transition from ‘ambitious career woman’ to ‘mum’ wasn’t easy. And for both of us, maybe you too, it meant that we didn’t enjoy those early mum days as much as we could have. We were too worried about other people’s perceptions about our commitment and drive. Now, Charlie has really leant into motherhood - she says that it was ‘owning’ motherhood, investing in her relationships (everyone needs a sleepover club!) that made the difference. Charlie has achieved some amazing things, but is really honest about the journey. Partnerships with household names don’t happen overnight! But, another mum with a mission, Babbu’s purpose is their guiding light. If you’re struggling with mum guilt, feeling judged for your parenting decisions, or you’re starting a tech business with no tech experience, Charlie has some wisdom that you’ll want to hear. Listen in for:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Charlie Rosier: Charlie Rosier is passionate about advocating for children’s mental health, family well-being, early years' education and gender equality. As the founder of Babbu, she is committed to delivering their mission - to connect the world’s parents and give them the tools, resources and expertise to thrive. At time of recording this episode the Babbu app has been launched in partnership with Children in need during Mental Health awareness week. With the Babbu app they have unpacked decades of science and their own experiences as early years’ teachers, to provide parents and caregivers with weekly personalised content, non-judgmental support and daily play ideas. Making parenting easier and more enjoyable. Prior to this Charlie Founded and led Cuckooz Nest, where she spearheaded innovation in childcare, creating a flexible, affordable alternative for working parents. All of this alongside mumhood. Charlie Rosier’s Links: Website: https://babbu.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babbu_hq/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-rosier/ | |||
| S3 E17: "I just had a f*cking baby and I’m here" with Rachel Carrell, founder of Koru Kids | 06 Jun 2024 | 00:54:41 | |
Rachel Carrell is an impressive woman: 3 kids, raised £14 million in funding rounds, and on a world changing mission to change the face of childcare. Something that Rachel has found, which I’ve heard a lot on the podcast, is the advantage of being a ‘newbie’ in an industry. I think we can often dismiss ideas because we don’t have enough experience in the field, but that could be our strength. Rachel was also kind enough to share her ‘ups and downs’ in her career, from her time at McKinsey to starting Koru ‘in the wrong place’ and her subsequent ‘embarrassment’ at pivoting. If you’re going into fundraising rounds, Rachel has some excellent mindset tips which could be invaluable. As well as proof of concept - how much we need good and flexible childcare! Taking your baby (and partner!) to fundraising meetings isn’t for everyone, but that was her reality at the time. And now, in a post Covid WFH world, Rachel is no longer willing to make compromises on her family time. Listen in for Rachel’s tips on how she manages a demanding business with 3 kids, and some really refreshing pictures of personal and business success. Rachel shares:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Rachel Carrell: Rachel Carrell is the Founder and CEO of KoruKids, building the world's best childcare service. She has been named 'Best Business Woman in Technology' at the 2017 Best Business Women awards, and also won the 'Inspirational Mother' award at the 2017 Inspiration awards. Previously the CEO of DrThom, a healthcare company which she grew to 1.3 million paying users in 3 countries. But like MANY of us who I am sure listening today who had a similar experience, it was only when Rachel had a baby – and her friends had babies – that she realised how difficult child care was. She also saw lots of female friends unable to go back to work, or making career choices they didn’t really want to make, just because they couldn’t find the right childcare. Rachel felt deeply that this was unfair, and bad for society - so Rachel made the change happen Quitting her job to found a business to help families find the right childcare so they can flourish. Childcare that creates awesome mini-humans, puts emotional wellbeing first, that’s easy to arrange and doesn’t cost the earth. Koru kids has raised an incredible £14.1 million and stands at a team of 60 people. Rachel Carrell’s Links: Website: https://www.korukids.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellokorukids/ | |||
| S3 E16: "Take a daily step" with Louise Webster, founder of Beyond the School Run | 30 May 2024 | 00:40:54 | |
Becoming a mother is the ultimate creative act, and yet, when we become mothers our identities as creators, as individuals is often lost. Louise Webster is on a mission to connect mums, not only to themselves, but to the community and inspiration to drive us. For Louise, parenthood has not just been about raising kids, but about raising herself; uncovering new things and unlocking parts of herself that had been lost. Growth is a part of who we are, becoming a parent doesn’t change that, if anything, it’s an accelerator. If you’re feeling a little lost, like you haven’t found your mum or business tribe, like you’re not sure what your next move should be, this episode is for you. Louise shares her experiences of navigating the changing demands of motherhood, timing for her business and how it related to her family, accessing her flow and finding her community and inspiration. Listen to the end for Louise’s advice on how to find your purpose: take a daily step Listen in for:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Louise Webster: Louise Webster, mum of two, author of ‘A new way for mothers’ and Founder of Beyond the school run. Louise launched Beyond The School Run in March 2012 as a place to help parents utilise their skills & talents in the hours available to them and for businesses to connect with this pool of talent. The journey has taken Louise to Downing Street & The Cabinet Office and she is passionate about the positive impact supporting parents beyond the school run will have on families, society & the economy. In 2023, Louise’s journey launched Beyond Global, which incorporates beyond the school run work as well as a Communications consultancy specialising in working with female founders.
Louise Webster’s Links: Website: https://www.beyondtheschoolrun.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheschoolrun/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louwebster/ | |||
| S3 E15: "I get to be both" with Lauren Armes, founder of WellToDo and coach | 23 May 2024 | 00:46:55 | |
Lauren Armes’ plan was never to build a wildly successful business and then exit. But motherhood (and Covid!) was a catalyst for change. Not only did Lauren’s definition of success change, but how she wanted to build her life did too. So Lauren sold WellToDo to focus on motherhood, yes, but also on building her purpose-led coaching business around her family. A night and day difference between her current and previous businesses. I think for me, the stand out point from our conversation is the ‘I get to be both’ point, we can be great mums and great business owners at the same time. We just need the right support. I’ve had so many conversations with mums disappointed in themselves because their business isn’t where they want it to be, but they are also main carer for their kids, taking care of ageing parents, looking after a household… the list goes on. Lauren is really clear on where she wants to invest her time as a business owner and as a mum, and is transparent about where she outsources and gets help so she can find fulfilment as both. She doesn’t do it all: Lauren is not a domestic goddess, she is an outsourcing queen. As you can imagine, this is music to my ears. Listen in for:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Lauren Armes: Lauren Armes is the leading business coach for wellness experts (with ACTUAL real-world CEO experience). In 2014 Lauren founded the global wellness industry media company, Welltodo – which was acquired by Fitt Insider in 2022. Building and scaling a business in the wellness industry, and then exiting, provides her with real-world, in-the-trenches insight that gets results for her clients. She now coaches experts in wellness to create 6 & 7 figure online businesses so they can transform lives (without sacrificing their own) Lauren’s clients include some names many of us in the mum community might know including Adrienne Herbert, Zoe Blaskey and our very own former podcast guest Hollie Grant. - just to name a few! Not only this, but Lauren is also a mummy and spent the past few years navigating this new role to her world. If you are in the wellness industry THIS is the podcast for you, Lauren has been featured as an industry authority on the BBC series The Apprentice, as well as by Forbes, The Times, BBC, Evening Standard, Glamour, Grazia, Cosmopolitan and many more. She also hosts EXPERTS, a podcast about building and scaling a successful expert business in the wellness industry and as well as her brand Beyond Seven – THE home for business resources, courses and high-level coaching for health and wellness practitioners, coaches and experts, to create greater impact, money and freedom.
Lauren Armes’ Links: Website: https://www.laurenarmes.co/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/laurenarmes/ LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/laurenarmes/ | |||
| S3 E14: "We can make it work, we just need to make it work" with Lauralee Whyte, founder of Spectrum Speakers | 16 May 2024 | 00:52:35 | |
TRIGGER WARNING: Discussion of miscarriage Lauralee Whyte had no ambitions to be a business owner; she started her business because once she’d seen the problem, she couldn’t unsee it. Spectrum speakers is a business with clear vision and values, launched after Lauralee asked herself, ‘am I contributing or am I being complicit’. Having worked in the events industry for many years, Lauralee had felt the side-eye that comes from leaving work on time to make school pick up (by the skin of your teeth). Now she has built her business around her daughter. We can make it work, we just need to make it work. Lauralee is incredibly honest in our conversation about her situation, her decision making process and some big questions that we as business owners, humans and mums have to keep asking. Listen in for:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
Lauralee Whyte's Links: Website: https://spectrumspeakers.co.uk/ | |||
| S3 E13: "I haven’t got the answer yet" with Siobhan Miller, founder of the Positive Birth Company | 09 May 2024 | 01:12:38 | |
This conversation. Just WOW. Siobhan has been so gracious in sharing what can only be described as one hell of a ride with her business. After a lot of careful business planning, bringing in a senior leadership team of 4, Siobhan went on her first ever maternity leave with her fourth and final child. The best laid plans often go awry, and how. Not only was Siobhan in a vulnerable position, coming back from mat leave and being ‘out’ of the business for a while, but then she found out her business was in trouble, it needed a restructure, and the team member she was putting all her trust in was not what she seemed. Put it this way - if you’re into true crime you are going to love this conversation. Siobhan’s mat leave rollercoaster is on the extreme end of things, but we also discuss a really important point. What happens where you’re a startup founder with a mission-led business that relies on your drive, and you want to step back? How can you make sure the business keeps its momentum? We also raise an interesting question: when your mission led business has to a certain extent, fulfilled its mission, what do you do then? Siobhan herself doesn’t have the answers to these questions yet. And she has been on one hell of a journey trying to find them, but this is such an inspiring conversation. What Siobhan has gone through, what she’s achieved and still being committed to her mission is truly, truly admirable. Resources: Body Happy Kids: https://www.bodyhappyorg.com/ The Tinder Swindler: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81254340
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About the Positive Birth Company: Siobhan Millar is the founder and CEO of The Positive Birth Company and bestselling author. Her book, Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better has been translated into five languages and has sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide. Siobhan is the creator behind The Hypnobirthing Pack, the original and award-winning online hypnobirthing course, the Freya app and The Postpartum Pack.She has featured on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den and been named as one of Management Today’s 35 Women Under 35. She also holds the Guinness World Record for most viewers on a hypnobirthing live stream. PBC’s mission and reason for being: to make antenatal education and support more accessible for everyone. Siobhan started her business with a newborn, a 1 year old and a 9 year old. She now juggles running The Positive Birth Company alongside being a mum of four, devoting her life to helping empower and support people in their journey to parenthood.
The Positive Birth Company Links: Website: https://thepositivebirthcompany.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepositivebirthcompany/ https://www.instagram.com/shivy_miller/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-positive-birth-company/ | |||
| S5 E18: Reframing cold sales and my worst experiences - Solo episode with Caroline | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:13:51 | |
Last year I decided to push myself and try something new for me and my business. As a founder and mum of 2, I don't have time to be out there relationship building rather than selling. So I tried cold sales - and it worked! Cold sales have, sometimes justifiably, a bad rap - I’m sharing my worst experiences from both sides of the sale. But it really worked for me. In this episode I share my conversion rates, my ‘how to’ and the mindset tips that helped me succeed. Resources: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/
Takeaways
Chapters 01:00 Introduction to Podcasting Challenges
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com
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| S3 E12: "Rapidly scaling a business is rapidly scaling yourself" with Rachel Harris, Accountant She | 02 May 2024 | 00:46:17 | |
Rachel Harris aka Accountant She is an impressive woman and business owner. She’s taken her company from the dining table to £1.5million turnover in 4 years. And as Rachel says, ‘rapidly scaling a business is rapidly scaling yourself’. Which sounds to me a lot like motherhood. Not only does Rachel and her business offer a best in class consultancy service for parental planning, but since going self employed at 26, a family has been in her business plan. AND she has some incredible advice for business owners who want to improve their services and scale their business. While, of course, potentially raising a family. Finances can be scary, and women often have a lot of imposter syndrome around them. But financial wellbeing is a muscle, we just need to build it into our routine to make it strong. Rachel is full of insight about building a wildly successful business, creating a culture that is accessible and inclusive for clients and her team alike and having those difficult conversations about parenthood that move the collective conversation forward. If you're scaling a business, planning parental leave, dealing with a disability, building motherhood into your business plan, or want to know more about your mat leave options, Rachel has some excellent advice for you. This episode is sponsored by Accountant She. Rachel and the team at StriveX are there to support you going from Bump to Business Owner and beyond. Not only do they offer a huge range of business and personal support, but Rachel offers a HUGE amount of valuable and completely FREE financial education via her IG account.
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Rachel Harris and Accountant She: Rachel Harris, Accountant She is an award winning content creator, author, a speaker, a business owner of Strive X and most importantly, an accountant! She was named as one to watch on the 35 under 35 list, she recently won the First Intuition Apprenticeship mentor of the year award for 2023 and won breakout star of the year by Accounting Excellence and accounting personality of the year 2023 by PQ Magazine. In addition to the above, She is the director of striveX, which she runs with her husband James which is a much broader, paperless accountancy and tax advisory firm that uses cloud software to provide a digital solution for your everyday accounting. Rachel was awarded with the Apprenticeship Mentor of the Year award in 2023 for her close work with her team to strive towards their professional qualifications. Rachel has also grown her accountant_she community to over 90,000 people which is a portfolio of social media platforms where she creates long and short form content for accountants in training, qualified accountants and small business owners who want to learn more about finance. She wanted to build the community that she didn't have when she decided to become an accountant and become the role model she wished she’d had. She is a role model to aspiring accountants and in 2022 she became the youngest ever director and trustee of AAT. In January of 2023 she launched the first ever corporate bursary scheme which is fully funding a person in financial hardship through AAT level 2, 3 and 4 supported by 1:1 mentoring, study support and full tuition covered.
Accountant She Links: Websites: Instagram: LinkedIn:
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| S3 Bonus Episode: “Are you ready for babies?” | 01 May 2024 | 00:14:07 | |
As someone who had the ‘flagship’ pregnancy in her last employment role, I wouldn’t recommend it. My company at the time had no maternity policy, I was their ‘test case’: cue a lot of pressure and a lot of mistakes on both sides. To be expected in the startup arena where 80% of founders are men. When you’re not a mum, it’s just not something that you think about. Unless you are Rachel Harris aka Accountant She, and founder of accountancy firm Strive X. Rachel is in the planning pre-pregnancy phase, and is going above and beyond as a business owner to make her company maternity and motherhood friendly. To protect and promote her future career and her staff’s. This minisode is me reflecting on my conversation with Rachel, asking some important questions of us as business owners, and as would-be mums on how we can work together to prepare for motherhood from both sides of the coin. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ | |||
| S3 E11: "Cut the crap: it’s as simple as you make it" with Laura & Gemma, co-founders of Tired Mums Coffee | 25 Apr 2024 | 01:01:11 | |
I think it’s easy from the outside to look at two women building a brand on top of growing families (Laura is on mat leave as we speak!) and working full time for the NHS to think ‘Oh wow, these women are unstoppable powerhouses’, but I loved Gemma and Laura’s honesty. The way they work isn’t for everyone; it’s full on. It’s evenings, weekends, balls are being dropped. A conversation over bad coffee at soft play became a business, simple. But it hasn’t been easy for Tired Mums Coffee, they are building a business in a male dominated space that isn’t always so welcoming. As a purpose-led business with an outsider lens, there’s a lot of soul searching, and as mums with full time jobs, things don’t move as quickly as Laura & Gemma might hope. But as they say, they wouldn’t have it any other way. Such a beautiful conversation where the mum juggle is 100% real. Listen in for:
Resources: Business Wales: https://businesswales.gov.wales/starting-up/ Small Business Sunday: https://www.theopaphitissbs.com/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Tired Mums Coffee: Gemma and Laura Peill are two tired Mums on a mission to boost the motherhood experience through creating an inclusive community for all. They are an absolute inspiration for all of us, they are driven to make a change and start a business around full time jobs and the five children they have between them. Gemma and Laura’s paths first crossed during their NHS careers and one day, over a conversation in a soft play centre with coffees in hand, the concept of Tired Mums Coffee was born! Both on their second maternity leave at the time and noticing a lack of peer support for Mums. They had also recently learned of a tragic suicide of a mother and decided that they wanted to make things better. Developing a deep love of coffee, especially since becoming increasingly sleep deprived in those years, led them to explore how coffee could be used to make positive change.
Tired Mums Coffee Links: Website: https://tiredmumscoffee.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiredmumscoffee/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tired-mums-coffee-limited/ | |||
| S3 E10: "Where are the women in this space?" with Lauren Ingram, Founder of Women of Web3 | 18 Apr 2024 | 00:50:26 | |
When her contract with Meta ended, Lauren Ingram was too scared to tell anyone she was pregnant in case it jeopardised her job prospects. 106 unsuccessful applications later, Lauren decided to take the leap and turn her interest in Web3 into a business. I think the theme that threads through our conversation is women belonging and taking up space - in tech leadership roles, as consumers, in asking for payment for speaker opportunities, as business owners. And Lauren also shares some advice on how to get to grips with AI, Web3, Blockchain (what they all actually are!) and why it’s important for us as women and mums to be part of these conversations. Listen in for:
Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Lauren Ingram: When Lauren found she was newly unemployed from her role in tech and on maternity leave, she needed a new plan. She decided to upskill by learning about all things Web3, blockchain and the metaverse - and while she discovered a burgeoning area of emerging tech, she was shocked by the lack of women in it. Since launching Women of Web3 in 2022, they have grown into a global community of over 20k women and curious minds to learn about emerging tech together. Women of Web3 have partnered with the biggest names in tech, consulting, luxury and more including Google, Amazon, Cartier, Charlotte Tilbury, and Shiseido in order to educate, and bring equity and accessibility. I encourage you to learn more about her and head over to youtube (once you are done with this episode of course!) to hear Lauren’s TEDx talk on ‘How to build a better internet’. (Oh and the one only Steven Bartlett counts himself as one of the many fans of what ‘Women of Web3’ are doing) If there is any podcast you listen to - please make it this one where Lauren will be talking about why we need to be aware of the lack of women in the tech space.
Lauren Ingram’s Links: Website: https://www.womenofweb3.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenofweb3co LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womenofweb3co/ | |||