Be more inconvenient Hi there Reader, You may have seen Hannah Spencer, a newly-appointed MP, delivering her first speech to the Houses of Parliament here in the UK. It was an honest, authentic and impressive debut. Her hands were shaking because being in that room clearly meant a lot to her. There was no political point-scoring in her words, no 'contrary for the sake of contrary'. It was refreshing in many ways: The British media decided it was newsworthy Except they chose to ignore Hannah's...
19 days ago • 1 min read
Do you care too much? I do like it when people agree with me, Reader, ;-) When I talk about how I help creative professionals "improve the emotional relationship they have with their work (as they have a habit of getting in their own way)", there is always a furious nodding of heads (yay!) When you're passionately connected to what you do, there can be a wonderful zen – an energy flow where ideas and inspiration tumble out of you like rainbow drops from a fairytale waterfall* You're at one...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Do nice folk finish last? What are your thoughts Reader? I've always had a problem with that saying. 'Nice' is such a wishy-washy word and no one wants to be thought of as 'wishy-washy'. I get that. Also, we want to protect our boundaries: our time and our energy. So, we draw certain lines: "You can't just pick my brains" "I don't do coffee & catch-ups (without charging)" "Let's not do a clarity call... you either need my help, or you don't" Harsh (maybe). It's not about the podium position...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
How's your energy this week? How will you 'show up' Reader? "Your vibe attracts your tribe" – that's one I heard last week "Your emotions are contagious: make yours worth catching" – that's a popular one Dr Andy Cope (from the Art of Brilliance) used to tell a great story about a former colleague who "could light up a room... by leaving it". Ouch! I'm sure you already know that how you show up affects how you are remembered. Your personal brand is what people say about you behind your back....
2 months ago • 2 min read
Permission granted... ... but not by me Reader, You don't need my permission (who on earth would I think I am to say otherwise?). You also don't need anyone else's permission... Permission to do what? Ah, now there's a question. How about permission to be selfish? For most of us, the word selfish sits rather uncomfortably. Our news feeds are full of international selfishness right now and that's not a label we want to co-opt for ourselves. But there is another kind of selfish to consider. The...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Affirmations... discuss Here's an interesting one for you Reader, We're in that January hinterland between Quitters Day and Blue Monday* where our New Year energy is at its most vulnerable. Also, there are Easter Eggs in the supermarkets. Marketers love to tell us what to do and how to feel (spoiler alert – I am about to do the same) What we're told, we believe. What we believe, we become (I've said that before haven't I?). If the world around us is telling us it's all doom and gloom (so best...
3 months ago • 2 min read
... bananas optional Happy New Year Reader, I hope that your Christmas break was a well-balanced mix of relaxation, laughter and perhaps a few too many sausage rolls (the vegan ones from Greggs are pretty darn good). First day back and all that... Unless you are caught up with inset days for the kids, chances are that today is your first 'proper' day back (although maybe you were heavily tinkering over the holidays... not just me then, eh? ;-) Perhaps you have that 'New Year, new me'* vibe...
3 months ago • 2 min read
12 gentle ways to end the year It's almost time to close the laptop Reader, This is the last email I'll send you this side of Christmas as, no doubt, you've got a lot going on... As we reach the end of the year, you might be noticing a familiar mix of feelings. A bit of tiredness. A bit of reflection. A bit of that quiet pressure to make sense of the last twelve months while still keeping everything moving. If you run your own business, this time of year can feel especially heavy. We pick up...
4 months ago • 1 min read
The results are in Happy December Reader, The 2025 Brave & Brilliant Business Owner survey closed on Friday, and I'm delighted to be able to share the results with you this morning: Download your copy of the full report What's new? What has changed? I share the Brave & Brilliant Business Owner Survey every November, expanding mindset musings that include: What are your biggest mindset challenges in terms of growing your business? What particular hesitations or beliefs (if any) have got in...
4 months ago • 2 min read