The Kate Toon Podcast

I was in the car listening to podcasts. (It's what I like to do.) And on my favourite show Reply All, P.J. and Alex were talking about COVID-19 (episode 159) and interviewing people from around the world. And it struck me. Why don't I do a show like that? I launched the first season of The Kate Toon Podcast when I was publishing my first business book, Confessions of a Misfit Entrepreneur: How to Succeed in Business Despite Yourself. I'd been planning a second series for my new book. But life got in the way, and it never happened. So that day in the car I decided to go for it – a daily podcast where I'd talk to friends and business owners about how they were handling COVID-19 and how it was affecting their businesses. Easy right? Well, no. It was a totally dumb idea. (And also a totally brilliant one.) In this podcast, I'm going to explain how I did it, the challenges I faced, and how it rocked me to my core and ultimately led me to make some seriously tough business decisions. Let's get started.

So for my final proper episode of the podcast, I wanted to choose a really special guest.Someone who I look up to, admire, someone who has guided me through this strange world.My confidant and best friend.MY MUM! My Dad was on the first series of the Kate Toon podcast, and it's one of the most popular episodes so now we'll talk to my mum. I'm nervous, I'm sure she'll say something that will embarrass me but hey, who cares.We'll be chatting about motherhood, parental guilt, family ties and also if she ever wishes I had a real job!This is a super personal episode that I'm a tad nervous to share, but here goes nothing!

Today's episode of TOON IN DAILY is now live!   TID29: Why we can't all be entrepreneurs  (Guest Sharon Chisholm) I see it every day online.  The entrepreneur dream being packaged, preened and pedalled for the paltry price of a $27 bundle.You too can be a 7 figure business owner. You too can work from home in your pants.You too can have the course, the book, the podcast, the membership.It's easy.But it's not.  Not for most of us. And if we don't enjoy the struggle, if we don't have the motivation and the mindset to see it through, trying to have an online business can be soul-destroying and exhausting.Today I'm talking with Sharon Chisholm about her business journey and about how both of us are getting ever closer to understanding the true “why” behind our business goals.

Okay I'll be honest. Even though I've been doing this “running a business” thing for a while.Even though I make a sufficiently impressive lump of cash. Even though I've done all the things.I still don't feel like a real business human. I'm still playing.Because I don't have a giant team, an open-plan office, a ping pong table and a company culture document. All the things that make me feel like a real boss.But I know someone who does. Marieke Van De Rakt is CEO of Yoast - the super famous WordPress SEO plugin. In today's episode, we're going to talk about what it's like to be guiding a company through stormy times. And if being a boss is really all it's cracked up to be.

I'm so old I remember when email came into being. At my first job we used to pass memos around in an envelope and sign our name on it when we'd read them.Then came email - and one of the first ones I sent was to my boss, by accident, calling him a fat little shit. Fun times. But email was so new I was able to pretend it was an IT error and got away with it. Sorry Andrew.Since then I've been an EDM Producer O2, worked on countless email campaigns for big brands and developed my own email list.I've used a fair few platforms, set up automations, sales funnels, campaigns and killer conversion emails.And today I'm going to share a few tips, along with my guest EDM specialist Jennifer Gale, and ecommerce store-owner Celeste Robertson.

TID26: Are Facebook Groups good for business? (Guest Kara Lambert) I run four different public Facebook groups.Two free.Two as part of my paid membership. And over the years I've learned a thing or two about making them work for me. But it hasn't been easy. And pretty much every week I toy with trashing all my groups (especially the free ones) because they can be such a headache. But I don't, cos they work! Today I'm going to be giving my tips on how to run great Facebook groups: how to create them, get engagement and keep them enjoyable, profitable and manageable.I'll also be talking to my special Guest Kara Lambert, who's an expert in the psychology behind using social media for engagement and biz success ( why it drives so many of us round the twist.)

In the last few days, I've been meandering around the web and I've been overwhelmed by the amount of free content out there.It's enough to make you wonder why anyone pays for anything.Free content in the form of podcasts, blogs and articles.Free checklists, courses and ebooks.And now during Corona - the big brands are giving away their big stuff for free, which makes it super hard for the littler business humans.So what are the pros and the cons of free?How can you make free work for your business?I'll be chatting all this and more on today's podcast with Louisa Dahl.

So this week I did an evening podcast, because my guest Steve was (and still is) in the UK. We didn't have a theme, no lofty business lesson, it's really just a chat between two business buddies about how things are going during the crisis.Steve is a freelancer with a small team - same as me.He's a parent - samesies.He's incredibly funny - blush, me too!And just an interesting and cool dude. So enjoy listening to us talking about banana bread, bird song and all things British.(I even howl at one point.)

We're talking relationships on the podcast today. Bit of a change of tack, because frankly, I'm bored stupid of talking about businessy stuff. Are you struggling to live harmoniously with your partner? Are you separated from your partner due to Covid19? Has your dating life gone on hold since the pandemic started? And has the being together sparked some steamy loving or storming rows? In this episode, we'll be talking to relationship expert Isiah McKimmie about relationships, love and sex and how it's all changed since the big C19 has arrived.

I've created a fair few communities in my time. Starting way back in 2011 when I set up a small group on Google Plus for Copywriters. That grew into the Clever Copywriting community - a paid group And my support group for the 10 Day SEO challenge, which is now a nearly 10k-strong free group. I've learned a thing or two over the years about keeping online communities engaged and making them profitable. But also the value of those communities when things get tough. Today I'm going to share some of my tips on how to run a successful membership or community and I'll be chatting with Tracy Harris from Mums with Hustle to nab her tips too.

Staying healthy when the world is falling apart around you can be difficult. Getting your yoga kit out, or making a green smoothie feels like the least of your priorities when you're struggling to home school, save money and make sense of this crazy world we are living in.So in this episode, I want to share some of the ways I've been trying to stay healthy, laughable though they are, and talk to two of the healthiest, merriest people I know, and get their tips on staying healthy when everything is a little bit crazy.

These days if we're not being told to pivot, we're being told to scale.A thousand brush script font memes bleat at us that bigger is better, dream big, don't think small.But what's wrong with small?Is the disease of more really just creating an ‘all stick no carrot' approach to business?GIving us summit after summit to reach. And a mountain of achievements that we'll never ever scale.In this episode I'm talking about how I've scaled my business without really scaling it at all, and talking to my special guest entrepreneur Tina Tower, about her approach to scaling.0

I try to be a positive person. But it doesn't come naturally to me.Firstly I'm British and we tend to have a dark sense of humour.I was raised on a diet of The Smiths,  bleak winters, and sarcasm. Snide is my natural state, and I've spent a lot of this crisis period expressing myself in the form of snarky memes. But today I feel an overwhelming blurt of positivity. Of seeing the good in all this badness. And I wanted to share that with you today dear listeners.

I'll be honest, I've never been particularly good at self-care.I'm a burned chop kind of person - even though I'm a veggo. Everyone else comes first. Many a well-intentioned plan to head to the pool has been hindered by a sad-eyed dog wanting a walk.That meditation time is often swapped to help one of my Facebook group members.And my green smoothie is brown and full of caffeine.And now it's even worse. The few self-care options I loved, pool, massage, cinema, have all gone out the window, so today we're chatting about how to look after yourself in a crisis.

My episodes so far have mostly been about businesses.But the truth is many of us are now juggling business with a whole lot more parenting than we're used to.   With school shut, we have to not only plan our busy day but plan stuff for the kid or kids too. And it's hard.Managing your emotions, dealing with their disappointments, finding endless activities, grappling Google Classroom, possible partner pissedoffidness and just generally trying to stay positive when you feel like sticking your head in a bucket of wine. Today I'll be sharing some of my experiences and the ways I'm coping, and talking to my expert Jodie Thornton to get her expert tips on parenting during tough times.

I still consider myself a freelancer. But maybe I'm not.I looked it up. First definition: a person who works freelance. Essentially, a freelance job is one where a person works for themselves, rather than for a company.  So even though I have a company, I'm the only employee, and I'm therefore self-employed?Confused? Yep me too. But I identify as a freelancer.I spent the hard years working to promote my business and getting tumbleweeds. Riding the rollercoaster of feast and famine.The sheer joy of winning the job, the sheer horror of having to do it. The PITA clients, the late payers, the panic at tax time. The loneliness, the comparison, the endless need to motivate yourself. Add all that to Covid19 and well it must be a bit shit.So today we're talking about overcoming freelancer fears. And I have a special Guest Bek Lambert, the founder of the Freelance Jungle to help us find our mojo and maintain a vaguely positive mindset.

Some of us have a little extra time on our hands right now. (In truth, some of us have eff all time but let's not focus on that.) While you're waiting for the world to reboot, perhaps you could spend some time focusing on your biggest business asset: Your website. I've reviewed nearly a thousand websites in my time as a digital producer, copywriter and now as head Google Licker at The Recipe for SEO Success. And I see the same issues coming up again and again. In this episode, with special guest Australia's favourite WordPress Developer (Tony Cosentino), I'll share my top tips.

Whether times are good or bad, there's one thing that always comes first in business.Your customers. And the ones that matter most are the loyal ones.When times get tough it's more likely that the long term customers will stick with you, the ones you've nurtured and built a relationship with.In this tricky time, winning new customers isn't going to be easy (although of course it is possible).So our attention should focus on our existing customers.In this episode I'm going to ask, how can we give back to our customers, support them, reward them and encourage them to stick with us.And how can we do this without bankrupting ourselves, or burning out. I'll be talking to my business hero Rand Fishkin in the USA to find out how he's coping with the crisis and get his thoughts on great customer love.

We've all seen the meme, you don't need to be super productive during a pandemic. But the truth is, we kind of do. My working time has been cut down by half, if not more. But now more than ever I need to hit my financial goals and keep my business ticking. In today's episode, I'm going to share my productivity methods - they're not hacks, cos hacks kind of implies something a bit dodgy these days. They're tried and tested ways I've managed to squeeze all the juice out of the day. And I have a special guest Faye Hollands from Busy Business Women who is going to be sharing her tips too.        

DO ONE THING WELL? ERM, NOPE. ​For so long, we've been sold the mantra of doing one thing well. We need to specialise. To niche. To stay in our lane. And avoid Shiny Object Syndrome at all costs. But what if there was a different way? I've spent the last few years diversifying my income, and actively following Shiny objects. But I'm judicious, there is method to my madness. In this episode I'll tell you how I choose them, and when I lose them. My special guest is the fabulous Robert Gerrish of Flying Solo fame. His voice is like butter melting on wholewheat toast. Love his work.

When we talk about branding big what does it mean?Is it about loud colours, gorgeous internet shoots, and overly animated Facebook live videos?Or is it about embracing who you are, what you stand for and turning up consistently for your audience? Today on the podcast I'm chatting branding, and how to show up in times of trouble. How to be your ‘authentic' self (vomit) and whether perhaps you're overthinking your brand. The pod includes fabulous chat with Branding Superstar Suzanne Chadwick - and her top tips for building a brand and finding your own voice.

What does success mean to you? Is it hitting a financial goal? Achieving an achievement, feeling the love of your customers or something more profound? And is it ever possible to feel successful? I discuss my version of success with Stevie Dillon from Steve Says Social.

Let's talk about money, honey. It's one of those things that makes some us feel itchy and nervous.Lots of us don't like thinking about how much revenue we're making (or not making). But it's absolutely the most important part of running a successful business.You can have all the customer love and good vibes in the world.But make no mistake if you don't have money in your bank account, then your business is a hobby and not a business.So today I'll be sharing my journey from huge debt to relative financial comfort and I'll be talking to Clare Wood, a money and marketing mentor, to get her advice and tips.

I've launched a lot. Courses, membership, conferences.  And I a process slicker than an otters bottom. I don't get stress, I don't even move an eyebrow or a bum cheek. I just launch and let the conversion chips fall as they may. On this pod I talk through my live launch, I share my tips and I chat to launch pros Leanne Woff and Nat Stewart from Business Jump..

Today I'm talking about being popular, which may seem a little trivial in this time of crisis.But it's been playing on my mind since I started the podcast. So I thought I'd dig into it today.Do you need to be popular to have a successful business? Do you need to be likeable? How important is being popular to you? In life, in business? Most of us will say 'oh no, I don't care' but I'm not sure that's 100% honest. We all want to be liked. It's hard for most of us - unless we are abject sociopaths - when people dislike us. ANd does it help if you're a teeny bit vanilla so you can appeal to everyone? If it does, I'm stuffed, I've never been one of the popular kids!

Several folk have asked how I'm keeping going during this time. Like you, I'm struggling but I do have certain advantages. I'm talking about them on the podcast today. I was set up for relative success before this began. And I've got a list of 13 or so tips on how to stay calm and in control.  

Do you have a team? I've never been much of a team player, I tried employing someone but I'm just THE WORST BOSS. In this episode, I share my experience of hiring and firing, and ask: How do you manage a team in this crisis? I also talk to the lovely Cherie Clonan, from Digital Picnic, about how she's managing her team and the tough decisions she is having to make.

Are you shopping more or less? It's a crazy time for most of us. We're told to go to the shops once a week max, but then there's nothing there.We want to support local businesses but also don't have money coming in.And if you run a store how are coping? Should you be discounting? Should you be sharing Covid 19 news? How do you stop the panic and not abandon your brand values and how do you build connection and community with your audience.We'll cover all this and more today and I chat with Belinda Austin from 6ft6 wines - who gives her very smart perspective.

Today I get my ranty pants on about the whole pivot thing, who has the energy!? Can't we chill for a bit? Also is pivoting the answer or should we be making tiny tweaks? I also phone a friend - Rosie Shilo from Virtually Yours and find out how she's coping and why she's guilt-free about doing naff all.

Today I'm talking about my new normal. And why it's not really that new, and pretty much normal. And yet feels like a parallel universe. I also phone a friend - Shannon Morrison from Might Social Word and we natter about how we're coping with our new reality.

Daily nuggets of pod joy delivered to your ear holes, well, daily. The goal is to share my journey through this testing time.   But not just my story, I'm going to be calling my business buddies too, to check on how they are going. And I'm going to be asking you to get involved too- if you fancy it? Why am I starting this show?   I want to force myself, and hopefully you, out of the negative spiral. The constant checking and rechecking of social media stories. The navel-gazing, the worrying and the fear. I want to remind me, and hopefully you, that you're not alone.   I'll be sharing my highs and woes. Some business stuff and real-life stuff. Highlights and poolights of what it's like to run a business when your brain has turned to soup and you've run out of loo roll.   And I hope it will be inspiring, uplifting, occasionally intelligent, but mostly fun. Some episodes might not be appropriate for small humans – but I'll warn you if that's the case.   I hope to stick to my daily schedule, but if I don't, don't give me judgy eyes, or ears. There won't be show notes, or bios, or useful links There will be laughs, and useful advice, and maybe the odd sniffle.

I was never a child prodigy. I didn't grow up being excellent at gymnastics. (You should see me trying to do a forward roll.) I can't really play any instruments, except the recorder with my nose. And while I can say, “I love you because you're a tall and handsome man” in Cantonese, my language skills are a bit rubbish. I've never been really good at anything. Just okayish at a lot of things. If I were a superhero I'd have an ‘M' on my cape for Mediocre Woman! (And no, I'm not being self-deprecating here. I love me. But I also know my strengths and weaknesses.) But looking at some entrepreneurs out there in social media land, you'd think you need a superpower to succeed, whether it's inventing your own brand of yoghurt when you were eight or having a chain of poodle massage shops by age 22. We've been sold the idea that to be a success you need to be horrendously attractive, a chino-wearing supernerd or someone with a beard. (I'm 99% convinced Branson would be nothing if he was cleanly shaven.) Oh, and it also helps if you're bald. I'm none of these things. But I quickly realised it was important to appreciate my superpowers, however boring and pathetic they seemed. (Yes, I know ‘appreciating my superpowers' might sound a bit ‘woo woo,' but bear with me.) We all have superpowers. And if we can identify them, they can really help make our business a success. Tune in to learn: In this episode we cover: What are superpowers? Why are they important? How do you find out what your superpowers are? Who would play Kate and Melanie in a movie? What are Kate's superpowers? What are Melanie's superpowers? Are superpowers part of our nature or does it come down to nurture? What to do if your superpowers are bad things?

We have to face the facts. Not all new businesses work out. I could read you a lot of scary stats right now, but suffice to say this entrepreneur business is hard. That's literally what being an entrepreneur is all about: taking risks and failing. Failing and getting up and doing it again. Failing forward. But how do you know when it's time to give up? To give up on your entire business or a particular project. And how do you give up without feeling bad about your decision? In this episode, I'm going to dig deep into my failures, and how I knew giving up was the right move. Tune in to learn: In this episode we cover: How to let go of something you've invested time and money in Knowing the warning signs Techniques to test whether giving up is the right move How reliable is your gut? What is the Point of No Return? What are the positives of giving up? Thanks for your contributions, Anuradha Sawhney and Louisa Tew. https://www.katetoon.com/e9-giving-nick-bolton/

Let's be honest, to run your own business it helps if you can laugh at yourself (and others). But is having a sense of humour an important attribute for entrepreneurs and business owners? Do you use humour in your marketing? Does your sense of humour get you through the dark days? Has your sense of humour gotten you into trouble? Do you fear that you DON'T have a sense of humour and want tips on how to grow one? In this episode, I'll be digging deep into the funny side of the business and how to make it work for you. Tune in to learn: What humour actually means How to deal with the offended folk Poe's Law and how to prove you're being funny How to find the funny in failure Is it better to be lighthearted than funny? Is there a time when it's not a good idea to be funny? With contributions from Jennifer Long, Sharon Tregoning, Maria Doyle, Dom Kimber and Sandra Dee.   https://www.katetoon.com/humour-uldouz-van-eenoo/

If I've learned one thing as a Misfit Entrepreneur it's that experience is everything. When I started out I had no clue what I was doing, I blundered around making mistakes and learning from them. Now - nearly 10 years later, I don't have many new problems to deal with. Experience has left me better able to deal with most issues and I know that I'm a far better business person than I was a few years ago. So imagine having 40+ years of experience. What kind of wise old goat genius must you be? That's why today I'm talking to Derek Toon, yes another Toon. The truth is, he's my Dad! I'm lucky enough to have a Dad who'is interested in what I do and willing to pass on sage advice when I need it most. He's helped me enormously with my business and I think he'll help you guys too. Tune in to learn: What lessons can entrepreneurs learn from big businesses When you ran your own business, was there anything you regret wasting money, time or energy on? What Dad found was the most transferable skill in his career How do you think business has changed in the last 40 years? What's the best piece of advice my Dad ever gave me What Dad would tell the young Derek Toon What Dad has learned from me about business What  Dad would do differently if he had the chase to raise me again If there's anything you regret not doing, a chance not taken in business or life? With contributions from Daryl Ansell, Carly Hopgood, Taryn Musgrave, Jenny De Lacy, Rebecca Carroll Bell, Maria Doyle and Jennifer Crawford. https://www.katetoon.com/e7-experience-derek-toon/

Staying healthy as an entrepreneur is a big challenge. Well for most people. As I mention in the book, I'm not the sort of person who gets up at 4am does my yoga and has a green smoothy. Health has never been a priority for me - well until now. This episode is very timely for me, I've spent the last 4 months trying to turn around my health with some interesting results! I fell that with stresses and strains that running your own business puts on you, it's vital that you bac yourself. That you make time to be healthy, eat well, sleep well and reduce stress wherever possible. As my mum would say - if you don't make time to be healthy you'll have to make time to be sick. In this episode we're going to dig deep into the challenges of being a healthy misfit entrepreneur - and provide some tips and tricks to help you incorporate more wellness into your life and business. So if you're feeling like a burned out frazzle - this is the episode for you. Tune in to learn: Why Kelly thinks many entrepreneurs struggle to stay health How the stories we tell ourselves are key to our success Does social media give us permission to drink more Kate's personal health story and tips Kelly's personal health story and tips Answers to questions from the Misfit Group With contributions from Belinda Irvine, Maria Doyle, Anastasia Cockbain https://www.katetoon.com/e6-health-with-kelly-exeter/ ‎

oint ventures: a phrase that goes with Entrepreneurialism like jam with a scone. Partnering up with someone can be a great thing. You get to access their network, and you can share the costs. Obviously you have more capacity for work and gain an extra brain to help you come up with all those innovative ideas. Possibly the biggest benefit is that you have someone to share the risks with; someone to gossip and whinge with. But are there downsides to partnering with another person? And how can you be sure that the great relationship you started with stays great. In this episode of the podcast, I talk to my long-term business buddy and Hot Copy Podcast partner, Belinda Weaver. We share the highs and lows of our business relationship and give you some tips on how to improve yours  

The truth is that when you're running a business – or being a Misfit Entrepreneur – it can be a lonely game. Sure, there are Facebook groups to chat in and network events to attend, but the day-to-day of running your own business is generally mostly you, your laptop and your busy brain doing overtime.   One thing that can help mitigate these lonesome feelings is a supportive partner – a shoulder to cry on, an ear to fill with questions and a long warm hug at the end of a terrible day. But not all partners are supportive of our entrepreneur dreams, and even if they are, it can still be a struggle to juggle family commitments and life with your business needs.   In this week's episode of the Confessions of a Misfit Entrepreneur podcast I have a very special guest: my husband Hichem Moussa. We're going to be chatting about how we work together, support each other and sometimes drive each other crazy. Tune in to learn How Kate started as an entrepreneur The truth about that tough first year The struggles of having two entrepreneurs in one family The solutions Kate and Hichem found for successfully working with each other How to deal with an unsupportive partner How Kate and Hichem handle their finances and their childcare arrangements Whether Hichem is ever allowed in the Toon cave How to stay happy in sickness and in health All about Hichem's appearance in The Bill   With contributions from Sharon Chisholm, Emily Rhodes, Lutfiye Tahseen and Brook Crawford.

Today we're tackling what I think is a really important attribute of being an entrepreneur, misfit or otherwise, and that is persistence. What does it mean to keep on keeping on in the face of adversity? How do you motivate yourself to keep on going when all around you is falling to pieces, and when do you decide that enough is enough? So, if you're struggling to find the mojo to keep your misfit entrepreneur business going, this is the episode for you.   Tune in to learn: The definition of persistence What persistence means to Kate and Amanda The benefits of persistence The dark side of persistence Why defining success is so important How to deal with that annoying voice in your head Why showing up is the key Do you have bouncebackability With contributions from Nikki Weelan, Anne Alison, Charlotte Calder, Kylie Singh and Litsa Barberoglou.  https://www.katetoon.com/e3-persistence-amanda-van-elderen/

Over the years I've been copycatted more times than I care to remember. So in this episode with Maria Doyle we chat about how to deal with Copycats without loosing your mind.   Tune in to learn: How to spot trends When and when not to confront your copycat Whether public shaming is a good idea How to stop looking When to take legal action How to learn acceptance The name of Maria's crazy attention seeking rooster https://www.katetoon.com/e2-copycats-maria-doyle

I stray from my beaten path of cute headshot pictures and friend posts, into seeing what other people in my industry are doing. The brain whispers begin, "They're doing more than you." "They're so much more respected than you." "They were featured here and there and you weren't." And pretty soon that turns into, "You're failing. No one thinks you're any good." "You aren't any good at what you do, and it's only a fluke that it's worked so far." "You will ultimately fail." Imposter Syndrome is a tough one to overcome. In this episode I'll be chatting with Sharon Chisholm about our experiences, about our coping mechanisms.   Tune in to learn: When Sharon and Kate are hit with imposter sydnrome Their coping strategies Thoughts from fellow misfitsIan Skellhorn, Sonia Cuff, Amy Clarke and Jenny De lacy https://www.katetoon.com/e1-imposter-syndrome-with-sharon-chisholm

Entrepreneurs are the rock stars of our time. Wherever you look, you see them splashing about in all their entrepreneurial glory. They take every opportunity to tell us: How they started with nothing and built an empire How they're living the four-hour working week dream How they succeeded in business by taking risks, dreaming big and reaching high And it's all so confusing. Because as I read these articles, dressed in my PJs and dropping biscuit crumbs onto my keyboard, I feel a twinge of envy. But I also feel a quiver of revulsion. Because I should want all of that, right? But what if you don't? In each podcast I'll take one of the traits ascribed to entrepreneurs, the ‘requirements', and then poke it and pull it apart to see how relevant or necessary it really is. We'll tackle the challenges some entrepreneurs face too. You won't find any get-rich-quick schemes in this pod. I won't be selling you some impossible dream of working ten minutes a day from a hammock either. And if you're looking for a serious, hard-hitting business tome or philosophical deep-dive you should head back to iTunes This book is business light – and proud to be.

A quick Mic test with Maria Doyle, chatting about the new podcast - Confessions of a Misfit Entrepreneur | How to succeed in business despite yourself. Find out more at www.katetoon.com