Style and Substance

This is a hot topic for so many entrepreneurs. When we get into conflict, or emotional situations arise in our business and our instinctive tendency is to fight, flight or fawn there is another way. In this episode we talk around the importance of establishing and holding boundaries for ourselves in our business. We touch on why it is so hard, particularly for women to hold a boundary and some of the underlying principles that facilitate our ability to hold clear and firm boundaries for the benefit of all concerned. There's a few live scenarios in here that you might be able to relate to and in future episodes we'll no doubt get into the nuts and bolts of where we need to consistently set and hold boundaries to make business sustainable, commercially viable and preserve our sanity and how to do that with grace.As ever we'd love to know what resonates for you and if you love it please do review and share away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So often, particularly with a well established business, we can get into a mode where things feel like they are a little out of control. Whether that's around feeling constantly overwhelmed, not being sure of where the next piece of work is coming from, getting stuck in a cycle of feast or famine, not feeling like we have a handle on how we are being perceived or perhaps where business is headed. In this short but sweet episode we are exploring 5 simple steps you can take to start to regain more of a sense of agency and autonomy in your business, what to focus on to take back the reigns and how to approach things with a more strategic mindset.We hope it's useful and. as ever, if you like what you hear please take a moment to drop us a review, we so appreciate it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am excited to be sharing this week's conversation in which Fi and I walk through Fiona's Show-stopping Brand Roadmap. It's a really clear, strategic guide to the entire branding journey and one I know will add huge value. Perfect for any entrepreneur beginning the branding journey, rebranding or wanting to know how to make the most of the commercial potential within their brand. Fi takes us through the 8 steps in the process which is a consolidation of years of work and her experience of working with thousands of entrepreneurs. The roadmap itself is available as a free download from https://www.thebrand-stylist.com/ so do hop on over and grab your copy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello lovely listeners, as we move into spring it feels like the perfect timing for a conversation about flow. Why, along with vitality, adopting the flow principle of The Empowered Entrepreneur is absolutely essential to ride us through tough times and create more ease (and profitability) in our businesses.In this wide ranging conversation we talk about the key differences between a forceful and flowing approach to business and how to spot the red flags of when you're putting in more effort than you need. We talk about the benefits to flow in work (not leaving out the all important commercials) and wrap up with a couple of quick and easy ways for find more flow right now. So if you feel business is a bit sticky and you'd like more joy, inspiration and a lot less hard work for your buck, then listen in.We really hope you enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore the vital connection between design and brand identity. Learn how powerful design fundamentals can enhance your credibility and open new opportunities. The discussion emphasizes consistent branding and effective communication while balancing creativity. Practical tips for creating effective templates using alignment and typography are shared. The importance of applying design sensibility and drawing inspiration from everyday life is highlighted. Plus, insights into educational programs that boost brand credibility make for an engaging listen.

Welcome back lovely listeners. In this second episode of our self publishing series (more to come next season) we take a gallop through varying aspects of the process of publishing a beautiful book for business. We explore how to tell if it's the right time to write a book and what, in our experience, is needed to pull you through such an epic project. We talk about the motivation required and how that shifts through different stages of the writing process and the importance of knowing exactly what it is you are trying to achieve to support that motivation. We walk through the basic steps of pulling a well designed business book together and where book design fits into the writing process.We explore how we know whether we have something worth saying that will add value and the potentially tricky decisions about what to hold back when it comes to sharing your beloved IP. We touch briefly on the the merits or not of writing and publishing a book over different mediums when you've got something of value to say.We focus on the importance of knowing exactly what it is you are trying to achieve with your writing and how that affects everything from your motivation, your edit, your ability to discern if you're adding value and when you know the book is done. We've roamed far and wide in this episode but there's so much more to say so we look forward to getting even more granular next season when we'll explore styling and book design, working with your dream team, a little more on the editing process and more besides.As ever we really hope you find the episode useful and if you do, please do like, review and spread the word. Thanks so much and we'll be back the other side of the half term break with a conversation about the value of Design fundamental for entrepreneurs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow authors and publishers amongst you will know a book project is not for the feint hearted and producing a beautiful book for business is a labour of love that we are both hugely passionate about. With three best sellers on branding and business between us, we've got a fair bit to say. In this conversation, the first of a few in this series, we are really excited to lift the lid on our own experiences of writing and self publishing. We really hope you enjoy as we share our respective stories of the inspiration behind and the journey of writing 'How to Style your Brand', 'Brand Brilliance' and 'The Empowered Entrepreneur'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back lovely listenersOn what is reputedly the most depressing day of the year we wanted to bring a little light, a juxtaposition to the gloom and pop in with a short and hopefully sweet conversation about finding inspiration in these darker months. We share our personal thoughts on how we embrace the delights this season and some of the habits that keep us going until the shoots of spring emerge. From the beauty of a frost-laden morning walk to the comforting ritual of sipping a hot mulled drink after a cold run, we discuss how to appreciate and find joy in the often-overlooked moments of winter. We talk about hygge, the Danish concept of cozy contentment, and how creating a warm, inviting atmosphere can make the short days and long nights not only bearable but rich and fulfilling.Our conversation also turns to the spiritual uplift that can come from the resilience of nature and the transformative power of certain frequencies in music, like the divine moments experienced during live performances or the pure sounds of a child's voice. We consider how January, rather than being a month of limitations, can be a time for positive transformation.We'd love to hear how you make the most of winter so do drop by on instagram or drop us a line at https://www.elizabethcairns.com/style-substance-podcast or https://www.thebrand-stylist.com/style-and-substance-podcast.Thanks for listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever felt like a fraud in your own business, waiting for the other shoe to drop and for everyone to realise you're not as capable as they think? That gnawing fear isn't unique to you; it's a widespread experience known as Impostor Syndrome, and it's the topic of today’s discussion. Welcome back lovely listeners as we dig into season 7, today we are peeling back the layers of this psychological phenomenon, examining why even the most accomplished of us battle a persistent disbelief in our own success. We share our own experiences of Imposter Syndrome and where we see it showing up in our respective industries. This episode is a journey through the highs and lows of entrepreneurial life, where confidence often tussles with the silent anxiety of being 'found out.' We touch on the immense energy it takes to maintain a façade and the emotional toll it exacts behind closed doors. We explore not only how to recognise Imposter Syndrome, but also the effect on our energy, confidence, and overall mental well-being. We also, perhaps controversially, discuss the value of Imposter Syndrome in business and share some thoughts on how to explore it effectively so that it can act as a helpful guide rather than a debilitating force. For anyone who has ever questioned whether they quite measure up, this is for you. Lovely folks we've had some technical issues with the sound in this episode so apologies if it's not up to usual scratch, we've done our best and subsequently changed the whole studio set up so hoping it's now resolved for future recordings. Thanks for bearing with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back lovely listeners and Happy New Year.We're kicking of a New Year and. New Season with our thoughts on the vibe of this year, what we're committing to and sharing a few thoughts on how to create some energy and momentum to pull you through. It's hopefully a lively, uplifting and positive episode, perfect if you need a little boost to get your mojo going as you get back to business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.