The Small & Supercharged Podcast

What happens when a Stanford University project catches the eye of a venture capitalist? Well, in one world, you carry on as before. In another, and if you're Jenny Lefcourt, you explore the idea, raise $1 million and go on to co-found WeddingChannel.com! Today, that would be some feat, but Jenny and her cofounder did this when internet shopping wasn't really a thing- Amazon had only just started selling books! And yet, with grit, determination and a lot of work, WeddingChannel.com thrived and was eventually sold.  Now, Jenny is a General Partner at early stage venture capital firm, Freestyle, which invests in early stage tech companies. She's also co-founder of All Raise, a non-profit to support diversity in tech, and has angel invested in a range of businesses including Minted, Discord, and Main Street Hub. Jenny is an incredible lady with so much knowledge to share. She does this here, on this special episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast and, of course, in my latest book, You've Got This.

Ever think that the odds are stacked against you?  Jo Franco arrived in America with her mother when she was five, only able to speak Portuguese, the language of Rio de Janeiro, where she was born. She helped her mum clean at weekends to make ends meet, but also started to develop a passion that would shape her whole life, a love of languages. She learnt English to help her mum and other immigrants understand the language, to translate documents, and interpret everyday life. Although she couldn't physically travel, the idea of travel and language excited her, and so she expanded her world through learning French and Italian too. Jo's world expanded when she moved to Manhattan for university before studying abroad in Paris (when she started a YouTube channel) and then moving to Los Angeles before being offered a job in New York, which she didn't take despited the $65k of student debt. And then, one day in LA, Jo's life changed again when she was pitched to front her own travel show. From this point on, Jo's career has continued to skyrocket in many different ways, including a travel show on Netflix and the development of her own online communities and platforms that support journalling and languages. Prepare to be seriously inspired. And to find out more about Jo, read her story and advice in You've Got This, the book!

If you love Emma Bridgewater the brand, you're going to adore this latest episode of the podcast with founder and all round legend, THE Emma Bridgewater! Emma started her company when she couldn't find the perfect gift for her own mother. Through starting small, trying and testing, asking for help, developing and carefully growing, her eponymous business grew to the one we see today with a factory in her beloved Stoke-on-Trent (which produces around 1.9 million pieces of pottery a year!) as well as HQ in London. Emma was a complete delight to talk to. Her journey is inspiring, her manner so warm, and her advice so on the money. So pour yourself a cuppa- ideally in an Emma Bridgewater mug, and have a listen. 

Astrid & Miyu is an incredible jewellery brand that now has stores all over the world - it's come a long way since founder, Connie Nam, started the business in 2012, in her London flat. Connie created the brand after identifying a gap in the market for jewellery that sat in the 'affordable luxury' area, paired with the warm shopping experience she'd enjoyed when browsing boutiques in Seoul, Korea, where she was born. After spotting this gap, Connie got to work, building up the brand before she wanted to take the next step and get a physical store. For this, investment was needed, which was incredibly hard to come by, but she did and opened four stores pre-pandemic. Since, she has continued to open jewellery shops, piercing and tattoo studios all over the world. What started off as a career in investment banking following an MBA has now morphed into more than the founder of a global brand. Not only is Astrid & Miyu known for its jewellery, it's also known for its eco credentials, giving to charity, and supporting many other small business leaders too. To find out more about Connie and Astrid & Miyu, grab your copy of my new book, You've Got This!  

Kasia Bromley's career started at Alexander McQueen in haute couture after she came over from Poland to study fashion in Edinburgh. Soon after her graduation, she started designing clothing, but it wasn't until 2016 that the brand we know today as ACAI officially launched. Kasia and her husband, Joe, co-founded the brand when they were expecting their first child. Kasia had previously identified a gap in the market for outdoor clothes for women that allowed them to confidently explore the outdoors- something she'd really wanted as she always had an affinity with spending time in nature and knew of the positive impact this could have. Utilising her fashion background and her extensive knowledge of technical fabrics, ACAI was born, but it took a long time to build it to the brand that's so well known and loved today. At one point, financial issues led to the couple having to move out of the family home and live apart in different countries to make ends meet, but this only served as fuel for Kasia and ACAI. A change in strategy saw ACAI launch online in 2017 and the business has grown at an incredible rate since then. I was delighted to speak to Kasia for my latest book, You've Got This, and it's a joy to share this interview with you here today. Don't forget, you can grab your copy of You've Got This through Amazon, Bloomsbury direct and all good bookshops.

Laura Tenison is an incredible lady- who I was lucky enough to have as a panellist at my book launch event in January too! Laura always had a passion for business, starting in her teenage years, and this grew into a desire to create a clothing brand. Her initial idea didn't quite work out, and Laura had to take a detour via French property development to get the money she needed to start her fashion company. Then, a horrific car accident saw Laura hospitalised and sharing a room with a terminally ill mum who was buying clothes for her children, and the two batted ideas back and forward about clothing for children and babies that actually helped, didn't cost the earth but was still great quality. The seeds for JoJo Maman Bébé were well and truly sown. Laura developed her company alongside raising her own family, growing the business until ultimately selling it in 2022. Since this time, she's gone on to found an award winning holiday company called Wonderful Escapes in Wales that runs retreats, offers self catering holiday accommodation and so much more.   

Nicola Elliott's journey to NEOM Wellbeing began when she realised that her lifestyle (which included jetting around the world as a journalist working for some of the most popular glossies) was taking a toll on her health as she began to suffer from really bad anxiety. She needed to do something, and started to address areas in her life that were lacking- exercise and daylight being the first two- before developing a keen interest in nutrition and then the world of aromatherapy and essential oils. She trained as an aromatherapist and started making blends for her friends after she noticed the significant impact they were having on her life. This led Nicola to develop a blend called Real Luxury to help her feel calm and in control. This is now one of the company's best sellers. Using aromatherapy to support wellbeing in this way scaled to four products available to buy before growing 'brick by brick' into NEOM Wellbeing, a brand that has over 200 products and stores all over the world. Find out more about Nicola's journey, NEOM Wellbeing, some true golden nuggets and so much more in You've Got This- out now! 

Lisa's journey to become a driving force in the wellness industry started some 15 years ago when a trip to the doctors got her thinking about 'food as medicine'. This concept changed her life. Although Lisa is now known for the incredible brand, Kroma Wellness, she was also the founder of Beaming Wellness, a superfood cafe that developed a cult following. In 2021, Kroma Wellness was born, launching just as the global pandemic began. This caused many pivots but ultimately led to an incredible brand that has gained investment from 100 powerful women including celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Seinfeld, and being featured in some of the best publications in the world. Read all about Lisa, Kroma Wellness, and the journey she's taken in You've Got This- out now! 

Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know about Wild Cosmetics. The company that made deodorant... well... interesting! And more than that, made influencers start actively promoting it to their audience. Charlie Bowes-Lyon is the co-founder of Wild Cosmetics, a brand that, initially, couldn't get any investment in its idea for sustainable yet effective deodorant because the market was 'too small'. To get that initial support, the team needed to prove their business prowess with another product before achieving their ultimate goal which allowed them create the product we know as Wild deodorant today. But even then, it didn't come easy. It took over 20 iterations to get to a product the team were happy with... and then covid happened as the brand was launching! And yet, Wild thrived. This is a story of a Wildly successful brand, but also how 'failure' isn't final, why it's important to think around the issue, and how believing in your own vision is so important for success. You can find out all about Charlie, Wild Cosmetics, and lots more in my book, You've Got This, available now.

SPECIAL EPISODE- You've Got This, Tracey Cole! Change your thoughts, change your world? Abso-flipping-lutely! There's no doubt that the power of the mind is incredible. It can allow us to confront issues and face fear head on, or it can make us retreat and play small. When we understand this and work on our mindset, just like we would other aspects of our wellbeing and health, the results can be truly remarkable, as an individual and as a business owner. Enter Tracey Cole, an Accredited Master Trainer of NLP. I've been lucky enough to train with Tracey and was delighted when she agreed to share some of her words of wisdom for my book, You've Got This, and for this podcast too. We chat about limiting beliefs in all their guises, neuroplasticity, and how when we understand and start to challenge our values and thoughts, we can change our world and the opportunities available. You can find out all about Tracey, as well of her words of wisdom and tips for a better mindset, in my book, You've Got This, available now.

SPECIAL EPISODE- You've Got This, Jo Tutchener Sharp! Before Jo founded Scamp & Dude, she'd enjoyed a successful career in PR, running her own agency. After her children, she decided that the PR lifestyle wasn't compatible with two young children, so she decided to sell her agency and set up her own skincare brand with a friend. But then, a horrific headache landed her in hospital and, eventually, she faced brain surgery to remove a 'lump' on her brain. Unsure if she'd survive the operation, she started to go back over her life and was worried that she hadn't done enough to leave a legacy and help others. She vowed, should she wake up, she'd do something different. Needless to say, she did wake up, and with a new passion for life, launched Scamp & Dude. Originally, the brand was aimed at children with the Superhero Sleep Buddy and clothing range that launched in Liberty, but it quickly became apparent that the real market was women... and so started the route that led to the Scamp & Dude we see today. As Jo's business has continued to grow, so has her drive to help others- her Super Scarf campaign is testament to this, with over 60k scarves donated to women with cancer at this point. Jo's journey is inspiring, fascinating, and absolutely heart wrenching. You can find out all about it, as well of her words of wisdom and tips for success, in my book, You've Got This, available now.

Suzanne Mulholland aka The Batch Lady has become a household name thanks to her simple (and delicious) meals that can be made in advance to make sure there's always an answer to that question 'what's for dinner?'. But Suzanne didn't come to this through her love of cooking- quite the opposite. After working in the city as a time management guru for many years, Suzanne turned her organisational skills to family life when her own children came along. She decided that coming up with and cooking dinner from scratch every night wasn't for her, but she still wanted to provide delicious, healthy food for her family, so she started batching. The parents at school asked how Suzanne did it, she shared this through a charity batch cooking evening, and the response was such that Suzanne decided to share it more widely, and started The Batch Lady. But it wasn't all plain sailing. Many of her friends thought she was crazy to put herself out on social media, but she had big dreams and it was an essential step to help achieve them. Fast forward to now, and her fifth book has just hit the shelves (it's BRILLIANT), as well as her first TV series, Batch from Scratch, which she presents with Joe Swash. To find out more about Suzanne, see www.thebatchlady.com.  To grab your copy of You've Got This, head to Amazon or Bloomsbury

You might know Mark Blundell as a Formula 1 driver, or a TV personality, but he's also the founder of MBP, a sports talent agency that works across sponsorship, talent management, brands and events. Mark started his business alongside his career behind the wheel, but this wasn't that well known until he actively started to grow the business after his racing days. Despite having confidence and lots of form in his racing and presenting career, transferring these skills to a new setting with new hurdles to overcome was far from easy. However, not one to shy away from a challenge, Mark worked incredibly hard to hone his pitch, deliver results, and build relationships. This combination has proved hugely successful- not just for Mark and MBP, but the talent, brands and events that work with the team.  I first heard Mark speak at Theo Paphitis' SBS event and was taken with his story, honesty and openness. I reached out to see if he'd consider speaking to me for You've Got This, sure he'd say no... and damn me, he said yes! In fact, not only did he say yes, but he's been so supportive, as has Jo at MBP, of the book, the podcast, and more besides. I learnt a lot from Mark during his chat with Theo and also from my chat with him. His words really had an impact, but his attitude, his support, and his values, arguably, even more so. To find out more about MBP, see www.wearembp.com  To grab your copy of You've Got This, head to Amazon or Bloomsbury

SPECIAL EPISODE- You've Got This, Brie Reid Put your hand up if you've had that feeling of your tights making their way down your legs and just wanted to scream? Well, this happened to Brie Read, founder of Snag, to the point she had to remove said tights in public. Instead of screaming and accepting the situation, Brie started researching the issue and found that she wasn't alone. The more she digged, the more she realised that women seemed to accept ill fitting clothes as just part of life- and she was done with it, and so the journey of Snag started. Today, Brie and Snag are multi award winners, hugely successful, expanding into numerous different markets and have amplified the voices of and supported thousands and thousands of tight wearers all over the world. On this episode, Brie tells us more about her journey, the blocks, and how she overcame them...  Read all about Brie, Snag, and overcoming blocks in my new book, You've Got This - available from all good bookshops NOW!

Joanna Jensen isn't just a lovely lady and a brilliant businesswomen, she's a fierce supporter and investor of female founded businesses, who all benefit from her experience, knowledge and understanding of the business world. Joanna founded Childs Farm when her daughter struggled with eczema, and nothing that was on the market really cut the mustard. This led Joanna on a journey of learning, trying, testing- not only did the product have to work, but it needed to be fun and create joy in the children using it... fast forward and that was the foundation of Childs Farm. It wasn't easy (that's a HUGE understatement), but Joanna nurtured and grew this brand to become the leading personal care brand for children and babies, and eventually sold a significant percentage of the company in 2022. Since this time, Joanna has used her incredible knowledge to support amazing female founded brands and invested in a range of companies including Small & Supercharged Podcast friends Lemonade Dolls, The Clothes Doctor, Hunter & Gather, and many more. Joanna is incredible- a powerhouse and someone I'm so grateful to. Not only has she contributed to the book, but she was also on the amazing panel at Hatchards Book Event in January 2025. What a lady! To find out more about Joanna, see www.joannajensen.co.uk To grab your copy of You've Got This, head to Amazon or Bloomsbury

To kick off the special You've Got This podcast series, I'm sharing the story of (and the insights provided by) Simon Alexander Ong, author of Energize AND one of the terrific panellists coming to the book event at Hatchards, Piccadilly! Simon is an award winning life coach, keynote speaker and author of the best selling book Energize. But he didn't always want to be a coach, actually, he came across it during his time working in the financial sector. His interest deepened and he started to study alongside his full time job. Later, he started coaching and this grew to the point that he stopped working in financial services and dedicated all his working time to coaching and, latterly, speaking and writing too. It was such a joy to speak to Simon for You've Got This, and I'm delighted I can share our full chat with you here... enjoy! Got You've Got This? If not, grab it from Amazon or Bloomsbury here!

Well hello there- I wanted to restart with a podcast with a bang, and what bigger bang than the launch of You've Got This- a book I am SO proud of, it really is a bit of magic. And on today's episode, I talk all about it... Get ready to hear about why You've Got This is a must for your library, how it's going to help you get crystal clear on want you want, to set useful goals, and then overcome the common blocks that stop you from achieving them. You're not alone... because... YOU'VE GOT THIS! Grab yours from Amazon https://shorturl.at/W1umz ...Bloomsbury direct... https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/youve-got-this-9781399416764/ ...and any good book shop! Oh- and I also chat about the book launch event at Hatchards on the episode- here's the link to that too! Grab your tickets! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/youve-got-this-with-rhea-freeman-and-guests-at-hatchards-piccadilly-tickets-1111355457089

A very short and sweet one today... and the last new episode for this year. I know, I'm sad about it too, but let me explain... As you may know, I have a book coming out in January with Bloomsbury (it's called You've Got This, available in all good bookshops and Amazon), a lot of press to do around it, a book launch even in London to sort, an awards ceremony, my lovely clients, Mastermind Group, children, life... to be honest, it's a lot, and I want to dedicate as much time as I can to my book launch, so I've decided, as much as I don't want to, to just pause the podcast for December.  There have been some amazing guests this year, so there's plenty in the back catalogue, and come January, there's a LOT coming your way as I'm able to share some of the behind the scenes interviews I did as part of the book. They're SO good, and you're going to love them. So, Merry Christmas- I'll still be on social media and in all the places, so I'll see you soon! Have a good one.

Jo Deakin was an interior designer before finding her way to creating her own eponymous brand that doesn't just design beautiful, British, fine bone china- it also creates a moment to pause and reflect around an old fashioned British tradition. Jo started her journey when she identified a gap in the market for truly special cups and saucers that were a joy to use, told a story, and also encouraged people to take a moment out of the busy world - or slow down and sip - as her tag line says.  Her background in interior design and passion for colour and geometric lines played a huge part in the process, but so did her belief in British manufacture, and even today her whole range is made in Stoke. Of course, British made isn't the cheapest, and we discuss this in detail. How it can be easy to think the grass might be greener on the cheaper side, why it's so important to stay in your lane, and the opportunities that doing this has created for Jo, too.

What can you give? Often, when we approach things like collaborations and agreements, our first thought it about what we want and what we can take from a situation to help us achieve our goal... but can you imagine if we thought about what we could give instead? How would that change the game for you? This week, I've been working on some collaborative opportunities and I always look at the value I can give to the person or brand who's helping me to achieve my objective. Yes, I know what I want to achieve and what will help me do that, but I quickly look at ways to make every situation a win for everyone. Why? Because why the heck not! Relationships that are worth anything aren't built on one person taking and the other being exploited. That just leads to short lived connections, resentment, and outcomes that serve one party - perhaps- on a short term basis. And I for one am not interested in that. So, what would happen if you looked at what you could give rather than what you could take? Here are my thoughts on why it matters and how it can change a lot more than you might think.

Rachel Watkyn is an incredible lady. She discovered the need for The Tiny Box company when trying to start another business, ended up on Dragons' Den (and got investment!) by accident, supports women in business... and all this from less than ideal beginnings that included hospitalisation and being put into care at a very young age. Despite this, Rachel has not only created an incredible company that supports small businesses with their packaging, she also shares her knowledge through her own website, has plans for micro loans to Third World countries, and has an exciting business on the horizon. We discuss so much in this episode, from confidence to investing in women, drugs, software, being the change, going after what you really want, the life changing impact of Sierra Leone and so much more. It's a superb listen.   

Everyone does Black Friday, right? Well no, no they don't, and this podcast shares why you shouldn't if it doesn't work for you. Business is about profit, and whilst many businesses see orders increase when they slash their prices, if it isn't making profit, then why on earth are you doing it?! When Black Friday rolls around, a number of businesses, particularly smaller ones, feel that to be in with a chance of making sales, they need to slash prices. I'm here to say that that might not be the case at all. And whilst, when Black Friday first appeared in the UK, it felt crazy as a business not to get involved, now, more and more brands are pushing again it. On this episode, we chat about why you might want to push back, how to get that messaging across, how to know if it works, and when to get on board too.

Lucy Gray, aka Doodling Lucy, was told that you couldn't make a business from art. This was by a teacher... what a shortsighted statement that was.... Initially, she listened to this limiting and, quite frankly, inaccurate statement, taking action on it and taking a course in psychology at university. But, luckily, the opportunity presented itself for Lucy to embrace her talents again and create Doodling Lucy which is a brand that has become a real hit with so many people. Today, we chat all about the growth of the business, covid, Australia, finding a way to make it work, and so much more besides. I LOVED chatting to Lucy on this podcast. Her perspective on her business, being self employed, embracing adventure and serving her community was so interesting and I'm so grateful that she shared her thoughts on this episode.

One Minute Briefs isn't just a fun outlet that has created a community of well over 100k, but it's actually a brilliant way to think about so much, as Nick Entwistle, creator of One Minute Briefs, explains. I've followed Nick and One Minute Briefs for a long time and have been wowed by the creative concepts created by his community in just one minute. When nothing is a 'stupid idea', and speed means you can't procrastinate, over analyse or talk yourself out a something, what could happen? Great things... let me tell you! On today's podcast, Nick shares the story of One Minute Briefs and some awesome campaigns that have been created, but also the value of community, the responsibility of supporting such a big community, and what it's like managing such a high profile feed. 

Let me take you back to when you started this journey. You may have had a big goal and you then chipped away at it to get there. But what happened then? Did you continue to say 'yes' to things that got you to your goal, even if it meant you weren't really heading in the right direction for your next goal? Today, it's a deep one... Lately, I've been giving this subject a lot of thought. I've been thinking about 'the fear' that grabs you when you want to say no to an opportunity, but it's something you would have previously given a limb for. The worry of jinxing yourself by being 'picky'. The drag back to 'old you' when your new goals don't really align. Being brave. Trusting the process. And checking in with yourself to see if you're heading in the right direction, and course correcting if you aren't. As my next book is out soon, and lots of things have changed for me over the last year, it's something that I've been working on and untangling. Having the self awareness to realise you're not going in the right direction is a skill in itself, knowing what to do with this information is something else, and then acting on it- that's the scary bit. But if we don't, we risk feeling really unfulfilled. And with life being so flipping short, why would we risk that? Tune in... let me know what you think.  

A little while ago, I stumbled across Hunter & Gather, a brand that taps into ancestral knowledge of nutrition and health, combines this with a modern lifestyle, and then creates products that are unapologetically not the cheapest available... but the strong educational aspect of the brand explains why. I loved so much about the brand, so I reached out to co-founder Amy Moring to see if she'd come on the podcast and chat all things Hunter & Gather, and she said yes! We know that ultra processed foods aren't great for us, but Amy and her co-founder Jeff took that another step further to find out why... and what could be done to balance busy lifestyles with the need for quality foods. They set about educating themselves, then sharing this knowledge with others, and then started creating a brand around it. It wasn't an easy journey. They needed to change public opinion through education, and also needed to create understanding around quality and price. They're not the cheapest- and nor do they pretend to be, but why do businesses often opt to compete on this aspect, when there's a large number of people who will pay for quality if the understanding is there?  Hunter & Gather was build around a mission and a vision, to provide quality and convenience, but it's taken a long time, to build their tribe, to get onto supermarket shelves... and Amy explains the journey on this episodes. It's a brilliant one.

Tech can be overwhelming - but by burying your head in the sand, you're doing yourself, your business and your life a disservice. In fact, you're probably making all of the above a LOT harder. That's why you need to listen to this week's episode - it could change your world! Podcast guest, Beverly Clarke MBE, wasn't born into tech, quite the opposite, but has evolved and adapted over the years to become a trailblazer, educator, coach and consultant around all things technology. So passionate is she about the subject that she's also the founder of the charity 'Technology Books for Children', and is a trustee and ambassador for the Digital Poverty Alliance.  This year, Beverly's contribution to the world of tech was honoured with an MBE - which she talks about on this episode too.

Feeling a bit down or uninspired? I promise you, by the end of this podcast with Charlie Hindley, you won't! I met Charlie when he was wearing a cloak on a street in Edinburgh, ready to guide a group of people around a graveyard. Yes, it's the truth, but only part of it. Charlie (I spoke about Charlie a few episodes ago) guided the Potter Trail when I was on holiday in Edinburgh. Now, I love Harry Potter, but there was something about the 90mins spent in Charlie's presence that stuck with me. His passion. His zest for what he does. His kindness. It really was a kind of magic. On this episode, we talk about Charlie's journey from chorister to actor via a lot of amazing destinations. We talk about passion, purpose, bringing your all to every situation, and why it's so important to do what you love - for everyone's sake.

Lucy Hall is a complete powerhouse. Not only is she the lady behind Digital Women (and its goal of empowering 1 million women through digital skills and education), but she's also the founder of social media event Social Day, the Digital Women Awards, has run her own agency, and does a lot more too. Lucy's passion for digital started from a young age when her love of eBay and selling on there led her to coding, social media, and so much more. Now, Lucy trains and supports women through Digital Women in addition to her events. On this episode, we talk about growing a business, AI, the power of community, making skill sharing pay, her love of sales, obsession with spreadsheets, building a membership, running events - you name it, we cover it! 

Sophie Gregory, also known as @farmer_in_training, is a first generation farmer with a 400 strong organic dairy herd. What might comes as a surprise is that she actually started out as an accountant! Her husband's passion to have a dairy farm coupled with having her first child created a route into farming that she didn't expect. Learning from the calves upwards, Sophie threw herself into the farm and learnt all she could, and now she's taken it to another level. She sits on boards (including the NFU Dairy Board) to support the industry, is passionate about education at all levels with Discover Farming and is having her own classroom built on the farm, and invests time and energy in her own continuing professional development. She's also a Nuffield Scholar, an accolade she was awarded because of her passion, dedication, and the charity's belief in her. Sophie's passion for farming and business shines through, and it was a true joy to get under the skin of agriculture in this way. We also chatted about the part that social media plays in it all. You might be surprised! I found it fascinating- I really hope you do too!

'Nothing was ever accomplished in uncomfortable underwear' - a quote I, and many others, wholeheartedly agree with. And it comes from the founder of Stripe and Stare, a brand dedicated to righting this! Katie has grown this business from her kitchen table, sampling products and testing them at a small scale up to the multi million pound company it is today, that names Fearne Cotton and Oprah (yes, THE Oprah) amongst its fans. But it's been a rollercoaster. From serious debt to the highs of customers investing in the brand, growing the business and team... and as you'll hear, it's clear that Katie really is just getting started.

Inspiration and inspirational people are all around us... but we don't always see them, do we? Perhaps we are too bogged down in the day to day to notice? Or maybe some of us just can't see it when it's standing in front of us?  On a recent trip to Edinburgh, I met an amazing chap called Charlie. Dressed in a cloak, he gave a group tour with a Harry Potter theme, and I- as well as the rest of the crowd - were completely captivated by not just his delivery, but his passion, his knowledge, how genuinely excited he was about everything he had to share.  A lot of the time, we see people shouting about why they're brilliant, but I personally prefer to see people show their greatness through action, not their own 'reviews'! This got me thinking- inspired by Charlie - about what makes people inspirational? Exceptional? How we can spot, nurture and support them, and how we can examine our own behaviour and adjust to inspire others, just like Charlie- and many others- do for me.  

No, that wasn't a typo. Today we're talking about the ability to find a problem to every solution, how you can identify this unhelpful behaviour, and how it's limiting you and your own growth. A little while ago, I had a random chat with someone who had this way of operating. They explained their issues, I asked questions and they generated ideas that would have be helpful in overcoming the issues - and every time an excuse appeared as to why they wouldn't be able to do this. At the same time, they explained how the current situation was neither productive or sustainable. It puzzled me. From looking from the outside in, the solutions were obvious, easy and do-able, but to them, nothing was. They were in a problem focussed mindset, not a solution focused one.  We can all stray into this way of thinking from time to time, but when we identify it, we can take positive steps, have a quiet word with ourselves, and challenge a different way of thinking. Hopefully this podcast will help you if you identify yourself in any of the above!

Sarah Elebert is not new to the Small & Supercharged Podcast, but her latest venture, co-founded with best friend Nichola, is. The duo started their business, Envious Styling, to help provide women with stunning dresses to rent that made them feel a million dollars, but they did it differently. The dresses are selected to fit specific sizes and shapes, and Nichola provides styling advice (she's a certified Personal Stylist) so everything works how it should. And between them, they've also launched a product set to revolutionise wardrobes all over the world. On top of all of this, both ladies are mums with Sarah having two girls (in addition to two other businesses), and Nichola having four boys, and both manage the juggle admirably.  On this episode, Sarah talks about founding a brand with your best friend, company growth and development, how everything ties together, and how she manages it all.  

In the UK, we're now part way through the second week of the summer holidays, and I know how hard it can be. You have work, the heat, life, and now full time child activity provider/cook/cleaner/fixer/adjudicator of sibling squabbles to add to the list. It's a lot. As a mum of two lively boys, I wanted to share some tips that have helped me this summer holiday so far, just in case one helps you. I'm not perfect (at all), suffer from the mum guilt the same as everyone else I know, but I really do think that the tips and, I guess, insight gathered from managing twins alongside being self employed could help you if you're struggling. Listen, enjoy, get yourself a cup of tea, cut yourself some slack, and PLEASE share whatever hacks and tips are helping you this summer too! We're in this together!

What do cookies, creativity, Regé-Jean Page, Zoella AND Brazilian Bum Bum Cream have in common?! It's Baked By Steph, a brilliant, fun, hobby turned business that Steph Giordano started in 2019. Steph became obsessed with beautiful biscuits and the decoration of them as a hobby. As she perfected her fun designs, people started to notice, and this quickly turned into people asking to buy her creations and brand collabs. Now, through continually developing her range and tapping into what's happening in the world now, Steph and her team create gifts, treats and cookies that win favour and go viral because of all of this! It hasn't been plain sailing (or baking!) - when Steph's hobby started to attract attention online and orders started to come in, she had to scale and had a steep learning curve. She's also had a few viral moments that saw her account grow by thousands and thousands in a short space of time, and she still has that love/hate relationship with social media! Find out all about Steph, her business, her biscuits, and SO much more on today's episode. 

Fast fashion is a regular feature on many a newsfeed for all the wrong reasons. These cheap and often poor quality garments aren't designed to be with their purchaser for long, and are set to be worn a few times before finding their way to landfill. But there's another way. Enter Lulu O'Connor, founder of The Clothes Doctor. During her previous career in the City, Lulu began to notice her own buying habits. She had items she loved that she threw away because they'd lost their shape, colour or appearance, or maybe needed mending on an alteration, and resorted to those fast fashion pieces we all know so well. But it was when Lulu took a much loved coat to be mended (with little success) that the idea struck her, to turn back the clock on how we care for products that matter, and start a business that allowed people's beloved items to be altered and fixed well, to give them a much longer life.  When the pandemic struck and the successful business was unable to operate, Lulu started to develop another side of the business - products. The company had already been sending little 'thank yous' back when clothes came in for a make over, but now the focus turned to products that were sustainable, good for clothes, effective, and preserved the life of these special and often more expensive pieces. From sticking on labels in a small office to the operation she has now, Lulu takes us through her journey from idea to reality... 

Lemonade Dolls is one of the fastest growing lingerie brands in the UK. It started life - as a community initially - when its founder, Lemon Fuller, started an Instagram account in 2017. She had worked in the entertainment industry for a number of years and kept seeing her incredibly talented friends suffer with a chronic lack of self confidence. It annoyed her. So she created a community to support others who didn't see themselves as the stars they were, and this developed into Lemonade Dolls, an inclusive, colourful and convention defying lingerie brand which extends way beyond bras! On today's episode, we talk about growing a brand with purpose at its heart, why community is everything, feeling limitless, investment, and headline grabbing campaigns that saw a lot of bra-clad ladies in London on the run up to the General Election. Be prepared to be inspired, feel empowered, and maybe even considering your underwear choices!  

Urgh- if I had a penny for every time I see someone's work stolen online, I'd be a pretty rich woman. And think, if the people who had their work stolen earned money from it, they'd be a lot better off too! On today's episode, I'm talking about sharing v. stealing, copyright infringement, the importance of asking (and waiting for!) permission, big bills and why IT'S NOT OK TO STEAL. I've had a few 'chats' with people online on more than one occasion about this. About how they're stealing, why a 'credit' doesn't pay the bills, and plenty more besides. So please listen, learn, ponder, research how it all works, and do a better job of sharing content online! Obviously, this isn't legal advice, but copyright matters - as does defending it - and legal issues aside, it's a really rubbish thing to do! 

An open ended title, but a very apt one- on episode 300, I'm asking for your opinion on the kind of podcasts you love the most. I believe that anything we do should be under constant revision- we shouldn't just do one thing and stick with it forever because it 'works', we should always be striving to improve and iterate, and with over 300 episodes in the bag (more than 300 as the Podmases aren't numbered!), I've learnt a lot. I've been looking at the data and downloads, I know what I'm planning to do based on this, but I would LOVE your input too! Send me an email (rhea@rheafreemanpr.co.uk) or DM me on Instagram @rheafreemanpr and tell me what you think of solos v. interviews, and who you'd love to hear on the pod. I'm all ears!

The world of PR is constantly evolving. Not all that long ago, it was all about press releases and building relationships with traditional media, whereas now it's this alongside social media, influencers, events, content creation and a lot more. To survive, let alone thrive, agencies need to adapt, and Bloxham PR, lead by founder Kaylie Bloxham, is one that has pivoted, adapted and grown in a constantly evolving climate. On today's episode, Kaylie talks about the Bloxham journey, growing a team, highs and lows, juggling motherhood and business, events, long term relationships and also shares some brilliant tips for brands dipping their toes into the world of PR.

Ah- deep question, right? But it's more business related, why are you the one for your customers, rather than why are you the best of a bad bunch? The current political campaigns at play teach many things- why it's impolite to shout over each other, why fact checking matters, and why repeating why the other person is bad isn't a good marketing strategy. By pinning you conversion hopes on a client thinking you're not as bad as the other person, you're not giving yourself a chance to shine, and you're certainly not making them feel happy with their choice. You're saying 'these people are rubbish'- that's it, you're not saying 'we can help you solve your problem or pain point because'. See the difference? One makes you say 'tell me more- I can't wait for you to help me', the other makes you say 'well, I suppose you're the best of a bad bunch...'. Always strive to be option one.  ...and on today's episode, we're learning all about it...

Rebecca Honeywell-Ward started Honeywell Bakes as a way to help juggle the demands of children, stay creative, tap into a trend, and the need to earn money years ago. From the kitchen table, her business was born, and quickly scaled to premises when the house became filled with boxes for the company's delicious bakes.  But the journey hasn't been easy. From saying no to a huge company because of its terms to the changing landscape of social media, a global pandemic, massive price increases and so much more, the company has been met by many challenges... and has solved these along the way, without compromising the values at its core. On this episode, Rebecca shares everything Honeywell Bakes- very inspiring, very honest, and really interesting.

Don't worry, I won't be telling you how to vote and I won't be discussing policies here... but I was slightly surprised to see Rishi pop up amongst the hilarious dog and cake making videos that usually seem to invade my TikTok feed. He was talking about one of his policy announcements, dispelling myths... and doing it in a very clever way that was native to the platform, was designed in line with what works well for the platform, and yet didn't undermine professionalism. Of course, the Conservatives are not the only party you'll find over on the app best known for lip synching and trending dances, Labour also has an account- more posts, a lot more varied, and with a very different strategy but still designed with the platform in mind. You might think this is madness, but this is a brilliant example of why it's SO important to know the segments of your audience, know where they hang out, and then meet people where they are- an absolute fundamental part of any marketing campaign. So, what do you think? Is TikTok the place for politics? Have you seen either of the accounts I'm talking about? They're definitely worth a look- not necessarily what they're saying, but how they're saying it, why they're there, and how they're tailoring the content to fit the eyeballs it'll find. It's going to be very interesting to see how this evolves...

Marina Gibson has just released her first book- Cast Catch Release- but the journey to get to where she is now has been anything but smooth. The story begins when she was a child and her family spent a lot of time fishing. Although she wasn't all that interested at the time, over the years her interest grew and became a huge passion that helped her in her darkest times and has now become a career through the Northern Fishing School and many more enterprises too.  But to get here wasn't easy. Marina has overcome prejudice, preconceptions, painful personal circumstances, judgements and so much more to develop her businesses, welcome more people into the world of fishing, support those suffering with cancer, and share great work in salmon conservation. Marina is hugely inspiring- not just because of what she's done in the fishing world, but how her work has helped to make fishing more accessible to so many more people... she's a real trailblazer and I think you're going to love this episode.  

Ah- perfection. That unicorn that is always slightly out of reach and will more than likely hold you back from achieving anything good. Yes, aiming for perfect and holding yourself (or others) to impossible standards is unlikely to create the results you want- and on today's episode, we delve into why, and also some strategies to break out of the perfection cycle, to allow you to fulfil your potential. But, before you dive in, this is not (repeat, not!) an excuse for crappy and substandard work. This is to help you find a system that allows you to feel empowered, understand the value of putting out your best work, why you need to press 'go' on projects, and how a good review and reflection process can help elevate what you do, far more than perfection!

A picture says a thousand words, and for Hannah Wilson founder of Quoted Visually, it's attracted thousands and thousands of fans too! What began as a personal tool to help Hannah process information blossomed into an enviable Instagram following, the attention of icons like Steven Bartlett and Simon Alexander Ong (amongst others!), along with a community of over 118k enthusiasts. Not only has Hannah developed a name for herself providing illustrations for businesses and projects, she's also formed a community with other creatives and is empowering others with her expertise through a transformative course. Discover how harnessing the power of illustration can amplify your message and your business, hear Hannah's views on collaborating with competition, the downsides of working alone, and so much more.

If you're feeling a bit deflated about social media and your engagement, listen to this! On this episode, I talk about what engagement is, how it's worked out and why it matters... but also the invisible engagement that we can't see that often moves the needle and is really hard to quantify. I also dip into what 'good' looks like (based on industry average stats) and some tips to help boost valuable engagement, rather than just going after hollow numbers. It's short, sweet, but jam packed with useful information. I hope you find it useful and it stops you feeling deflated about you social media! 

S'more'a'licious was a kitchen table, pandemic project, started by Laura Vogan as she overcame postnatal depression following the birth of her daughter. It began with s'mores kits and has now developed to a full marshmallow business that makes its own delicious marshmallows, marshmallow fluff, and also continues to make s'more kits... but with her own marshmallows now! Laura talks about founding, scaling and growing the business, the highs (not just sugar ones!) on the journey, tricky times, feeling she couldn't carry on, working with influencers, going viral... and why she's quitting....  Before you panic (which was the reaction to Laura's post about this!), listen to the podcast. S'more'a'licious is very much here to stay, but the stress and worry connected to social media and the engagement posts receive (or don't!) has been put to one side, and Laura tells us why...

It can feel really strange telling the world about the product or service that you offer, can't it? But the harsh truth is that if you don't promote what you do or sell, then no one will know it exists. Even at the moment, when it's no secret that times are hard, it's STILL important to tell people what you do. Why? Because if you don't tell them, they won't know, and then when that person needs that thing, they won't even think of you. Business is tough right now, but without self promotion, you're in a downward spiral that doesn't lead anywhere good. In this episode, I share ways to make it feel less yucky and weird, how to reframe the situation, and why it really matters that you do this....

Ever heard of 'Stacey Solomon Day'? No, it's not an awareness day you've missed from your social media planner, it's a day- so called by Stamptastic- because it's the day that Stacey shared their product and everything changed, Stamptastic is a brilliant small business, designed to make anyone who has to label clothing's life a whole lot easier. But what you might not know is that Stacey Solomon blew up this brand a few years ago, and created something that is forever known by the Stamptastic team as 'Stacey Solomon Day'. In just 24 hours, Stamptastic made over £125k of sales from that one social share. Since this time, the brand has continued to develop. I'd heard about Stamptastic and Fran a while ago and followed the business, and then at this year's Small Business Sunday event, Fran spoke to Stacey (who was the fireside chat guest) and I was absolutely blown away. I knew I had to get her on the podcast... and luckily she accepted. It's a good one.