Explore every episode of the podcast Friends with Business Benefits
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 119. Email Marketing Deep Dive | 08 Nov 2024 | 00:48:38 | |
This week, we’re chatting all things email marketing. To kick things off, Franky shares a personal dilemma about whether or not she should move her mailing list away from Mailchimp and/or start a Substack. As well as covering the pros and cons of various email marketing platforms, we also discuss strategy, consistency, outsourcing and AI, what we write about and how we come up with ideas. Links and Further Reading: What Makes a Good Email Lead Magnet? Are You Going to Start a Substack? How Are We Showing Up On Substack This Year Flodesk (affiliate link) Join the conversation on Substack where you can share your thoughts on this episode and tell us about your own email marketing in the comments. We’d love to hear from you! Connect With Us Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to Our Mailing Lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 118. The Cosy Episode | 23 Oct 2024 | 00:18:57 | |
As we head into the darker, colder months of the year, we’re how we embrace and survive the autumn/winter season. Whether you love this time of year or not, there’s something in this mini-episode for everyone. Charlie describes some of her favourite seasonal rituals and Franky raves about her beloved thermal leggings. From making our homes feel cosy to working from home when it’s cold, we share tips and advice to help you get the most out of this time of year. Links and Further Reading: The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater Wintering by Katherine May Join us on Substack where you can share any reflections on the episode in the comment section. Come and tell us your own intentions for Q4…we’d love to cheer you on! Connect With Us Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to Our Mailing Lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 117. Q3 Reflections, Q4 Intentions | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:27:35 | |
We’re back from our summer break and ready for a big catch up! In this episode, we’re reflecting on Quarter 3 and looking ahead to Quarter 4. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since we last spoke. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the final three months of 2024 and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of the year. Links and Further Reading Are You Going to Start a Substack? How Are We Showing Up On Substack This Year EFT/’Tapping’: Becoming a Channel for Creativity (Releasing Creative Blocks) Join us on Substack where you can share any reflections on the episode in the comment section. Come and tell us your own intentions for Q4…we’d love to cheer you on! Connect With Us Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to Our Mailing Lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 116. SUMMER SERIES - What to Do if Selling Gives You the Ick | 11 Sep 2024 | 00:27:22 | |
Welcome to the Summer Series! After 5 years and 100 episodes, we’re re-releasing some of our favourite conversations while we take some time off from recording. Perhaps you missed them the first time round, but even if you’ve heard them before, we think they’re worth another listen. Friends With Business Benefits will be back with fresh, new episodes in September. In the meantime, we hope you have a great summer. What to Do if Selling Gives You the Ick Originally published June 2022 Does promoting your products and services make you feel a bit… uncomfortable? Do you struggle to show up and sell your stuff? Well, you’re not alone. As well as experiencing this ourselves, it’s something we hear all the time from clients. In this episode, we’re chatting about why selling can be hard and sharing our advice to make the whole process easier. We cover a lot of ground, including what is and isn’t ‘hard selling’, the mindset shift you might need to make more sales and our new mantra - ‘you are allowed to sell your stuff and make money’. Links and Further Reading How to Create a Seamless, On-Brand Customer Experience Connect with Us Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to our mailing lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 115. SUMMER SERIES - Creating Everyday Rituals | 05 Sep 2024 | 00:22:21 | |
Welcome to the Summer Series! After 5 years and 100 episodes, we’re re-releasing some of our favourite conversations while we take some time off from recording. Perhaps you missed them the first time round, but even if you’ve heard them before, we think they’re worth another listen. Friends With Business Benefits will be back with fresh, new episodes in September. In the meantime, we hope you have a great summer. Creating Everyday Rituals Originally published June 2022 In this mini episode, we're chatting about rituals and sharing the ways in which we both bring a little ritual to our everyday. We talk about how rituals help cultivate moments of mindfulness, connection and calm and the benefit this can have for business owners. We also get a little deep when discussing how rituals foster a reverence for life and help us to feel gratitude for the little things. Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to our mailing lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 114. SUMMER SERIES - The Business Benefits of Hobbies and Interests | 29 Aug 2024 | 00:37:19 | |
Welcome to the Summer Series! After 5 years and 100 episodes, we’re re-releasing some of our favourite conversations while we take some time off from recording. Perhaps you missed them the first time round, but even if you’ve heard them before, we think they’re worth another listen. Friends With Business Benefits will be back with fresh, new episodes in September. In the meantime, we hope you have a great summer. The Business Benefits of Hobbies and Interests Originally published February 2022 This week, we’re chatting about Franky’s mission to find a new hobby and what she’s learned since she started pursuing a different kind of creativity. As well as describing the perils of monetising your passions and interests, we discuss nurturing your inner child, exploring curiosity peaks in adulthood, and what it feels like to be a beginner for the first time in years. We also cover how to find time for hobbies, the many benefits, and the big difference between creative work and creative play. Show Links Why I’m Picking Up a New Hobby This Winter Connect with us Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to our mailing lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 111. Introducing Our Summer Series | 31 Jul 2024 | 00:18:49 | |
In today’s episode, we’re introducing our summer series. For the very first time, we’ll be taking a proper planned break from recording and rereleasing some of our best episodes while we’re away. Before we switch off for the summer, we’re also chatting about how we’re going to approach the next six weeks in our businesses. We cover everything from travel plans and taking time off to juggling childcare and showing up online. We hope you enjoy listening to some of our back catalogue over the next few weeks. We’ll be in your ears again with a brand new episode in September! Connect with us Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to our mailing lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 110. Getting Back into Blogging | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:19:45 | |
This week, it’s Charlie’s turn to mine Franky for some expert advice! After neglecting her business blog for a VERY long time, she’s wondering how to get back into the habit of posting. More to the point, should she even bother trying? As well as explaining the benefits of blogging, Franky shares practical tips and lots of motivation to help you create more long-form content and bring new potential customers to your website. Connect with us Friends With Business Benefits on Substack Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to our mailing lists Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 109. Q2 Reflections, Q3 Intentions | 04 Jul 2024 | 00:32:00 | |
In this episode, we’re reflecting on Quarter 2 and looking ahead to Quarter 3. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since we last spoke. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the next three months of the year and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of the summer. Work With Us Find Us On Instagram Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 108. Our Thoughts on In-Person Networking | 20 Jun 2024 | 00:31:11 | |
This week, we’re chatting about in-person networking. Although it was something we both leaned on heavily in the early days of freelancing, the pandemic had a huge impact on its role in our businesses. As Franky recently attended her first in-person event in almost 5 years, it seems like a good time to explore this topic and discuss what networking looks and feels like in 2024.
As well as sharing tips to help you get the most out of in-person events, we cover different forms of networking and touch on the issue of accessibility and inclusivity. We also wonder out loud about hosting an in-person networking event of our own…
Links and Further Reading Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 107. Instagram Trends | 06 Jun 2024 | 00:54:10 | |
How do you feel about Instagram trends? New trends, old trends, emerging trends, micro trends - love them or hate them, the app is full of them!
In this episode, we’re discussing Instagram trends in-depth, examining their impact, weighing up the pros and cons, and exploring how you can figure the ones to avoid and the ones you should jump on. From trending audio to tiny mics, we cover a lot of ground! As well as venting about the trends we hate, we chat about the ones we love and share tips to help you make familiar trends your own.
Links and Further Reading Liz Mosley on Auditory Branding Work With Us
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 106. Is Everything Content? | 23 May 2024 | 00:27:12 | |
In today’s episode, we’re asking whether ‘everything is content’. This popular mantra is a phrase we’ve used and repeated ourselves, but is it true? How helpful is this approach and are there any pitfalls to avoid? Thinking critically and adding some much needed nuance, we explore content buckets, boundaries, protecting other people’s privacy and more.
Links and Further Reading Embracing and Creating Video Content Friends with Business Boundaries Work With Us Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 105. Making Time for Non-Business Activities During the Working Week | 09 May 2024 | 00:20:38 | |
In this mini episode, Charlie poses a question she originally asked on Instagram - do you make time for non-business activities during your working week? After discussing things that might fall under this banner including life admin, self-care and creative dates, we explore why it might be hard to dedicate time to these activities when you could be working. We also share tips and advice to help you overcome these barriers and be the best boss you’ve ever had!
Links and Further Reading How to Do Life and Run a Business Work With Us
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 104. Overcoming Creative Blocks on Instagram | 25 Apr 2024 | 00:31:50 | |
Are you feeling overwhelmed by Instagram? Are you overthinking your content and struggling to show up? Franky was. Having spent the last couple of years hiding on Instagram Stories and rarely posting to the grid, she finally realised something had to change. Luckily, her co-mentor happens to be an Insta-expert who gives excellent creative pep talks! Listen as we discuss how Franky’s been feeling about Instagram, why she wanted to change her relationship with the app in 2024, and the advice Charlie gave her to get unstuck and start showing up. We recorded this episode in early February and since then Franky’s stuck to her posting schedule and even had a reel go {a little bit} viral! If you’d like to move past the overwhelm, stop overthinking and start taking action, the tips in this episode can help.
Links and Further Reading Book an Instagram Audit with Charlie Overcoming Instagram Stumbling Blocks Embracing and Creating Video Content Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 103. Q1 Reflection, Q2 Intentions (2024) | 11 Apr 2024 | 00:35:25 | |
In this chatty episode, we’re looking back on the first three months of the year and ahead to Quarter 2. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We discuss how Franky has been showing up on Instagram and her brush with having a Reel go viral, and also talk through Charlie's relationship with consistency in content creation in this season. We also chat about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us so far, plus we dig into our plans for Q2 and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of June. Links and Further Reading: www.instagram.com/rachaelrenae Work With Us: Book an Instagram Audit with Charlie Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 102. How to Sneak More Creativity Into Your Daily Life | 21 Mar 2024 | 00:13:28 | |
In this mini episode, we’re sharing ideas and inspiration to help you sneak more creativity into your daily life, especially if you’re short on time and/or caring for small children.
From finding the magic in the mundane to portable crafts you can do in front of the TV, there’s a mix of practical advice and gentle encouragement, all based on personal experience and our belief that creativity can be a powerful form of self-care.
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 101. How We Are Showing Up on Substack This Year | 07 Mar 2024 | 00:29:00 | |
This week we're revisiting the topic of Substack. We disscuss whether or not the platform is a part of our content plans in this season, and what we're feeling called to consume and create there. Charlie shares how she is showing up on Substack this year and Franky touches on creating for the platform as a copywriter. We also breakdown the differnt ways you may engage with Substack content as a reader and talk about the various features and models the platform has to offer.
Charlie's Substack: 'Intentonal Creatives' Sparkle on Substack resources and membership Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 100. Our 100th Episode Content Q&A LIVE on Instagram | 22 Feb 2024 | 00:40:00 | |
We celebrated 100 episodes of Friends With Business Benefits and five whole years of podcasting by going live on Instagram to record this episode. Having hit such a big content creation milestone, we made that the focus, answering listener questions about creating and sharing content for your business. We cover podcasting, productivity, brainstorming ideas and more! Whether you’re an OG listener or a newbie, thanks for supporting our podcast!
Links and Further Reading Work With Us
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 99. 24 for 2024 | 08 Feb 2024 | 00:19:38 | |
Inspired by Gretchen Rubin, we’ve both adopted the habit of compiling a list of aims at the start of a new year. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, but for us it’s never a business-focussed list. Instead, we both include fun, playful things we want to prioritise. We’ve found it’s a great way to identify what we want the year to hold. In this episode, we’re sharing our ‘24 for 2024’ lists in the hope that it will make you want to compile your own.
Links and Further Reading
Gretchen Rubin’s 24 for 2024 Trifecta Work With Us
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 98. Our Planner Plans for 2024 | 25 Jan 2024 | 00:29:37 | |
It’s time for our annual ‘planner meeting’ where we review the previous year's planners and journals and discuss what we’ll be using for the year ahead. As well as sharing the notebooks and diaries we’ve invested in this year, we explain how we’ll be using them to stay organised at work and at home. It’s a must-listen for stationery fans and those who prefer pen and paper-based productivity tools!
Links and Further Reading
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 97. 2023 Reflections, 2024 Intentions | 11 Jan 2024 | 00:46:51 | |
We’re kicking off the new year with our annual cosy conversation about reflections and intentions. Find out what went well for us last year and what we learned from the things that didn’t. We also chat about our words of the year, share a few goals for 2024, and make some solid(ish) plans for Q1.
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 96. Our 2023 Favourites | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:46:58 | |
Join us as we run through some of our non-business related 2023 favs. We chat about our favourite films, TV shows, music and books, as well as discussing the purchases we've made, habits we've followed, experiences we've enjoyed and places we've been. An episode full of recommendations for you! Thank you for listening throughout 2023 and a very merry christmas from us both! Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 95. Things That Make Our Business Worlds Better | 14 Dec 2023 | 00:11:19 | |
In this mini episode we’re jumping on a TikTok trend and sharing a list of things that make our business worlds better. From daily habits and wellbeing rituals to clever software and our favourite tech, there’s plenty of inspiration for everyone.
Links and Further Reading: Franky's favs... 'What is Comentoring' podcast episode
Charlie's favs... Get 50% off Flodesk (aff link)
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 94. Putting Your Prices Up | 23 Nov 2023 | 00:37:24 | |
In this episode, we’re talking about putting your prices up. It’s a topic we originally planned to discuss this time last year, but when we came to record, neither of us felt up to discussing money on mic. Not only is it a tricky subject to broach - increasing your prices can be a tricky thing to act on in your business. 12 months later, we’re finally ready to explore this subject with you. Franky shares what she’s learned from increasing her prices at the start of the year and Charlie talks about her desire to focus on the money side of things more in 2024. As well as discussing where we are with our own pricing, we share tips and advice to help you with yours.
Work With Us Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 93. What Gives Us The Business Scaries? | 02 Nov 2023 | 00:36:16 | |
Inspired by Halloween earlier this week, we’re sharing things that give us the business scaries!
For Charlie, it’s overcommitting, public speaking and talking to camera, while Franky struggles to share her professional expertise on Instagram and record voiceovers for reels. As well as discussing where these fears come from, we explore ways in which we might be able to overcome them.
Work With Us Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 92. Overcoming Instagram Stumbling Blocks | 19 Oct 2023 | 00:51:59 | |
In this episode, we’re going over some Instagram basics and sharing tips to help you overcome common stumbling blocks and avoid overwhelm. As well as things like writing the perfect bio and using your pinned posts effectively, we cover stats and data, content ideas, trends and more. We also discuss mindset in relation to the app and run through a few ways to prevent it from sucking the joy out of running your business.
Links and Further Reading/Listening Embracing and Creating Video Content How We Use Instagram Stories for Business What Happened When Charlie Went Viral? How to Stop Hating on Instagram When and Why to Mute and Unfollow on Instagram
Work With Us *** Book an Instagram Audit with Charlie *** Find Us On Instagram Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 91. Q3 Reflections, Q4 Intentions | 05 Oct 2023 | 00:35:16 | |
91. Q3 Reflections, Q4 Intentions
In this episode, we’re reflecting on Quarter 3 and looking ahead to Quarter 4. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since we last spoke. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the final three months of the year and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of 2023.
Links and Further Reading
Work With Us Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 90. Trying New Things in Your Business | 07 Sep 2023 | 00:26:07 | |
The online world is fast paced. There’s always something new to discover. New software, new social media platforms, new types of content. When it comes to trying new things in your business, do you tend to feel overwhelmed or excited? Today’s episode was recorded back in July when we were both in the early stages of trying some new things. Charlie was experimenting with the recently launched social media platform, Threads, and Franky was posting to a brand new crafty account on Instagram. Our experiences inspired a broader conversation about trying new things in general. You’ll hear us discuss ‘shiny new thing syndrome’, the pros and cons of being an early adopter, and whether being ‘late to the party’ is actually a good thing. We also chat about the power of FOMO and how we figure out when to embrace new things, when to bide our time and when to sit things out completely. Links and Further Reading Episode Are You Going to Start a Substack? Franky’s crafty Instagram account Charlie on Threads Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 89. How We Use Instagram Stories for Business | 16 Aug 2023 | 00:32:19 | |
Inspired by a recent video from Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, today’s episode is dedicated to one of the app’s older features - Instagram Stories. It may not be as shiny and new as Reels or Threads, but it’s still a valuable marketing tool, not to mention Franky’s favourite place to hang out online! We chat about how we use Instagram Stories, the pros and cons of the platform, and the types of content we share. We also discuss the role of DMs and share some tips for showing up and telling stories of your own. Links and Further Reading
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 88. How we savour (and survive) the summer | 27 Jul 2023 | 00:38:02 | |
As we head into what should be the warmest, sunniest part of the year, we’re sharing how we embrace and survive the summer season. Whether you love this time of year or not, there’s something in this episode for everyone. As well as discussing how we’re planning to juggle work and childcare during the six-week summer break, we’re sharing some of our favourite seasonal rituals and lots of advice to help you get the most out of this time of year.
Links and Further Reading
Work With Us Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 87. Q2 Reflection, Q3 Intentions | 13 Jul 2023 | 00:36:58 | |
In this chatty episode, we’re reflecting on Quarter 2 and looking ahead to Quarter 3. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since we last spoke. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the next three months of the year and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of the summer.
Links and Further Reading Maddy Shine’s Visible Vibes Community
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 86. How to Set Deadlines and Stick to Them | 30 Jun 2023 | 00:18:56 | |
When you’re working towards a specific business goal or dream, how do you get on with self-imposed deadlines? Do you find them easy to stick to or do you avoid setting them in the first place? In this episode, we’re responding to a listener's question, digging into the subject of deadlines and sharing everything we know about getting things done. As well as discussing different types of deadlines and different strategies for meeting them, we touch on what it might mean if you keep dodging the deadlines you set.
Links and Further Reading
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 85. The Art of Requesting, Receiving and Giving Feedback | 15 Jun 2023 | 00:26:08 | |
In this episode, we’re approaching the topic of feedback from a few different angles. For Franky, asking clients for feedback is baked into her working process. As a copywriter, she produces drafts for clients to review. The quality of the feedback she receives can have a huge impact on the final product. Over the years, she’s worked hard to ensure this happens in a thorough and efficient way. She’s also learned a lot about moving through the discomfort that can come from inviting criticism. Although Franky’s examples are fairly specific to copywriting, there are useful takeaways for anyone considering outsourcing things in their business. Charlie offers her perspective too and considers whether she’s missing any opportunities for requesting feedback and improving her services.
Links and Further Reading The Power of Testimonials and Reviews Friends with Business Boundaries Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 84. What Happened When Charlie Went Viral? | 25 May 2023 | 00:21:55 | |
After a year of regularly creating and sharing reels on Instagram, Charlie recently had a video go viral. In this episode, we’re chatting about her experience and what it feels like to suddenly have so many eyes on your content. As well as digging into the reasons why this particular reel seems to have done so well, Charlie explains what she’s learned and how she’ll be approaching future content creation as a result. Links and Further Reading Embracing and Creating Video Content Work With Us Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 83. What Makes a Good Email Lead Magnet? | 12 May 2023 | 00:26:56 | |
In this episode, we're discussing what makes a good email lead magnet. We share our differing stances on having lead magnets in our businesses, chat through the pros and cons of differnt types of lead magnets and how to choose one that aligns with your strategy. We also share what to do once you have your lead magnet in place, how to buil an email nuture sequence and how to make the most of your content. Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 82. How to Name Products & Services | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:41:16 | |
This week, inspired by Charlie’s recent experience launching three new services, we’re talking about naming things within your business. We know this can be a huge obstacle when you’re creating new products and packages. After all, if you want to sell something, you’ve got to know what it’s called! Franky offers a copywriter’s perspective, sharing tips and advice to make the process a little easier. As well as describing different ways to approach naming things, she explains the importance of clarity and highlights a few things to avoid. Work With Us
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 81. Q1 Reflection, Q2 Intentions | 06 Apr 2023 | 00:29:23 | |
It’s that time again! We’re reflecting on Quarter 1 and sharing what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since our last check-in. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the next three months and discuss what we’re hoping to achieve before the end of Quarter 2.
Links and Further Reading The Best 90 Days Ever (affiliate link) Work With Us Find Us On Instagram Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 80. Our Current Working Routines | 23 Mar 2023 | 00:23:13 | |
This week we’re responding to a listener request and diving into the popular topic of routines. We’re sharing how we approach the working week and juggle running a business alongside other responsibilities like looking after our children and managing a chronic health condition. As well as describing our morning and evening routines, we’re chatting about what our working weeks look like, how our rhythms and routines have changed over the years and why we strive to keep things nice and flexible. We’re in very different seasons of life, so there should be something useful and/or inspiring for everyone in this episode! Work With Us Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 79. How to Cope with Stress and Overwhelm | 09 Mar 2023 | 00:22:05 | |
Seasons of stress and overwhelm are nothing new, especially if you run your own business, but has our ability to cope been impacted by the pandemic and other world events over the last few years? It certainly looks that way from where we’re standing. In this episode, we’re chatting about our current capacity for stress and how we think our resilience has been affected by everything we’ve lived through since March 2020. We’re also sharing our go-to methods for coping with overwhelm, including radical prioritisation, single tasking, self-compassion and simple practices to calm your nervous system.
Links and Further Reading Is Stress Inevitable When You’re Self-Employed? Some Thoughts on Dropping Balls Work With Us Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 77. Eating Well When You Work From Home | 02 Feb 2023 | 00:23:06 | |
Although working from home can provide the perfect opportunity to eat well, it’s easy to slip into bad habits. Eating at your desk, skipping lunch completely and surviving on caffeine and biscuits. Before we were business besties, we bonded over our love of food. In this episode, we’re talking about the things we cook and eat while working from home. As well as being a love letter to lunch breaks, it’s the encouragement you need to start building some nourishing habits into your work days.
Links and Further Reading
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 76. Techo Kagai - Our Planner Plans for 2023 | 19 Jan 2023 | 00:21:33 | |
Have you heard the Japanese phrase ‘techo kagai’? Roughly translated, it means ‘planner meeting’ - taking the time to review your previous year's planner and journals and decide what you’ll use for the year ahead. In this episode, we’re holding our own techo kagai and sharing our planner plans for 2023. From bullet journaling fails to the notebooks and diaries we’re investing in this year, it’s a must-listen for stationery fans and those who prefer pen and paper-based productivity tools. Links and Further Reading
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 75. 2022 Reflections, 2023 Intentions | 05 Jan 2023 | 00:48:13 | |
We’re kicking off the new year with our usual cosy conversation about reflections and intentions. Discover what went well for us last year and what we learned from the things that didn’t as we get a little honest and vunerable about finding 2022 a tough year. We also chat about our words of the year, share our goals for 2023, and make some solid(ish) plans for Q1.
Work With Us
Find Us On Instagram
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| 74. Our 2022 Favourites | 22 Dec 2022 | 00:38:16 | |
In this episode, we’re sharing a list of things we’ve loved this year. From books and films to our best business investment, small habit and more, you’ll find lots to inspire and excite you as 2022 draws to a close. Books... The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
TV Shows...
Movies... Everything Everywhere All At Once
Albums... Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Porridge Radio - Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
Shopping small...
Food accounts...
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| 73. Mini Episode - For the Love of Lists! | 08 Dec 2022 | 00:20:47 | |
We LOVE a list, so why not dedicate a whole episode to the simple, yet powerful practice of list writing? In this chatty episode, we explain why we find lists so helpful and how we use them, covering those we rely on for work and the ones we use more generally in our personal lives. As well as obvious things like monthly/weekly/daily to-do lists and meal plans, we share some creative ideas like Franky’s ‘greatest hits’ list and the simple, seasonal bucket lists Charlie shares on Instagram each month. We close with some top tips to help you get the most out of your lists and make sure they’re more than just words on a page. Links and Further Reading
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| 72. Are You Going to Start a Substack? | 24 Nov 2022 | 00:36:32 | |
If you want to create and share long-from content, Substack seems like the place to be right now. Is it just ‘shiny new thing syndrome’ or should we all be jumping on board? In this episode, we’re discussing the newsletter platform in detail, explaining how it works and sharing whether we think it has a role to play in our marketing efforts. We dig into the pros and cons, chat about paid content and subscription models and share whether we see ourselves using Substack in the future. Charlie’s pretty keen, Franky has some reservations, but never say never! Work With Us
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| 71. Mini Episode - The Cosy Episode | 10 Nov 2022 | 00:18:57 | |
As we head into the darker, colder months of the year, we’re sharing how we embrace and survive the autumn/winter season. Whether you love this time of year or not, there’s something in this mini-episode for everyone.
Charlie describes some of her favourite seasonal rituals and Franky raves about her beloved thermal leggings. From making our homes feel cosy to working from home when it’s cold, we share tips and advice to help you get the most out of this time of year.
Links and Further Reading The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater Wintering by Katherine May Work With Us
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| 70. To Niche or Not to Niche? | 27 Oct 2022 | 00:29:52 | |
Does your business have a niche? If not, should it? And how do you figure out what it is if so? These are the big questions we’re addressing in this week’s episode. As well as explaining what a niche is and why defining yours could benefit your business, we discuss our own experiences of niching, and in Franky’s case, letting that niche evolve into something new. We also chat about the different types of niches and share some simple tips to help you identify your own.
Links and Further Reading: Listen to our interview on The Building Your Brand Podcast Work With Us Find Us On Instagram Subscribe to Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 69. Mini Episode - What to do when you feel like quitting | 13 Oct 2022 | 00:13:48 | |
Given the cost of living crisis, perhaps many of us have been thinking about how sustainable it is to run a creative business. In this mini episode, we’re going through some things to consider in those moments you feel like jacking it all in. We chat about the importance of checking in with yourself and getting clear on what stumbling blocks you are facing and figuring out if issues are related to life or business (or both). We discuss pivoting your business to adapt, adopting a hybrid business model and some things to think through if returning to traditional employment is feeling appealing.
Links and Further Reading... When your successful business isn't what you want, Hashtag Authentic podcast with Jane Lindsey. Work With Us
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| 68. Q2 + Q3 Reflection, Q4 Intentions | 29 Sep 2022 | 00:47:25 | |
We’re back from our summer break! In this chatty episode, we’re reflecting on Quarters 2 and 3 and looking ahead to Quarter 4. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process. We also talk about our words of the year and how they’ve been showing up for us since we last spoke. As well as sharing a few sources of creative inspiration, we dig into our plans for the final three months of the year and discuss what we’re both hoping to achieve before the end of 2022. Links and Further Reading Work With Us Find Us On Instagram Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| 67. Embracing and creating video content | 14 Jul 2022 | 00:40:33 | |
As we’ve touched on previously, there’s a lot of negativity out there about video right now, specifically in relation to Instagram and TikTok. But however we might personally feel about the rise of video content, there's no denying it’s become an integral part of the consumer journey. In this episode we're exploring how we might shift our mindsets a little and see video as an opportunity for creative play. We chat about what we enjoy about creating video and share lots of practical tips for filming your own content and discuss the time and investment involved. Links and further reading...
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