Awesomely Off-Topic: Books, Brands, Business and Everything Else We’re Not Supposed to Say Out Loud

We walk into the studio doing what we do best: trying something new with zero guarantees it will go smoothly. Two dogs under the desk, a new bit of kit rolling, and a very real reminder that life rarely waits for a perfect plan. From there, we get honest about why “winging it” has become a put-down, and why we think it should be a badge of competence rather than a confession of failure.

We pull apart the myth that professionalism equals scripting everything. Whether you’re speaking on stage, running a workshop, pitching a client, or building a business, you can’t control the third-party variables. What you can control is your message, your expertise, and your ability to respond. We talk about how over-rehearsed talks can feel soulless, why the best speakers keep their key points but never repeat a story the same way twice, and how authenticity often lives in the unscripted moments.

Then we take it into the practical stuff: planning versus plans, and why rigid structure can be actively counterproductive, especially with ADHD and the need for autonomy. We share how we plan together in a responsive way, what we do with our overflowing notebooks of ideas, and how to avoid the “great ideas graveyard”. We also go on a small social media rant: scheduling can help, but broadcasting the same post everywhere kills trust and connection. Finally, we tackle comparison spirals and the simplest energy-protection move you can make: temporarily unfollow the accounts that drain you.

If you’re ready to stop waiting for perfect conditions, hit play, then subscribe, share it with a fellow overthinker, and leave us a review so more people find Awesomely Off Topic.

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

Tilly was with us for 14 years and eight months, woven into our home, our working days, and the quiet background of so many calls. When she died, we had no interest in pretending everything was “fine” just because we run businesses. Grief doesn’t care about your calendar, and being self-employed doesn’t magically create extra emotional capacity. So we talk honestly about what it feels like to keep moving when your heart has taken a hit, and why it matters to build work that can bend without breaking.

We share the practical side too: how we asked clients to shuffle things, why having a client-free week matters, and how planning ahead plus support from a VA can keep the basics running when life throws a curveball. We unpack the hidden mental load of caring for an ageing dependent, the slow creep of poor sleep and constant checking, and the way it can quietly shrink your energy for networking, exercise, and all the “boring” admin that still needs doing.

Underneath it all is a bigger point about personal brand and client relationships. When you let people see your real values, you tend to attract clients who understand that life happens. That kind of community becomes part of your resilience. We also leave you with the simplest reminder Tilly kept giving us: take the break, look up, breathe, and remember your business exists to serve your life, not consume it.

If this resonates, follow and subscribe, share it with a fellow business owner, and leave us a review so more people can find the podcast. What is one change you could make this month to add real flexibility to your work?

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

We went to the London Podcast Show expecting to feel like the newbies who’d been getting it all wrong, and we came home with the opposite feeling: we’ve already built a lot of the foundations, and now we know exactly which levers to pull next. If you’re building a podcast, a personal brand, or a content engine for your business, this chat is our honest download of what actually stuck from the biggest podcasting event in the UK and how we’re applying it to Awesomely Off Topic.

One idea flips our old journalism instincts on their head: start with the thumbnail. Not the story first, not the edit first, but the scroll-stopping image and the promise. From there we get into headlines and hooks, including a surprisingly helpful method of drafting the biggest, brashest claim you’d never publish, then dialling it down until it lands in your integrity. It’s a fast way to generate stronger titles, sharper social media copy, and clearer episode angles without drifting into clickbait.

We also unpack the trust piece: the EAT framework (expertise, authenticity, trust) and our own REAL version (relatability, expertise, authenticity, loyalty). That leads into a big question for podcasters: do you really need guests to grow, or can “pure podcasting” build a stronger host identity and community? We talk formats that are working right now, why consistency matters more than most people admit, and the stats that prove word of mouth and social media are still doing the heavy lifting for podcast discovery.

If you enjoy this one, subscribe so you don’t miss what we’re testing next, share it with a podcaster friend, and leave us a quick review so more people can find the show.

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

Some stories sound dramatic until you have lived them. We’re talking about the moments that almost broke us as a couple and the very real ways stress can turn love into a battleground: paranoia, spiralling thoughts, silence that feels safer than honesty, and the gut-wrenching fear that the person you trust most might leave. We share a turning point on a trip to Vancouver, how suspicion escalated into searching for “evidence”, and why one badly handled truth can echo for years even when nothing happened. 

We also go behind the scenes of building a business together, watching it fly, and then feeling it crack under burnout, overwhelm, perimenopause, and ADHD realisations. We explain what it looks like when one partner can no longer keep up, how over-helping can accidentally disable someone, and why we made the terrifying decision to sack our biggest paying clients to protect health and keep the business alive. Along the way we touch on MS relapse, grief, pet loss, intimacy drying up under pressure, and the financial shock that can follow when you are simply trying to survive. 

This is a conversation about trust, long-term relationships, mental health, and the unromantic mechanics of staying together: counselling, evidence-checking, brutal honesty, and choosing to talk when you’d rather bolt. If you’re navigating jealousy, menopause changes, neurodiversity, business partnership strain, or the feeling that the hard times are starting to outweigh the good, we hope you leave with steadier ground under your feet. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave us a review if this helped.

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

WARNING: Episode contains mentions of suicidal ideation and emotional trauma. 

We’re going to take you back to a time before dating apps, before video calls, and before “out” felt like something you could say without scanning the room. Our love story starts with a UK lesbian magazine, a Dial-a-Diva message line, and a meeting plan so romantic we both ended up at the wrong service station.

But the real point of what we’re sharing is bigger than how we met. We talk about hiding and masking as a survival skill: performing a version of yourself that keeps you safe while costing you energy, joy and honesty. We connect the dots between closeting and the daily micro-decisions people rarely see, like fudging weekend stories, calling your partner a “friend”, or still wondering in 2026 whether it’s safe to hold hands. We also name the wider UK context, including Section 28 and the uncomfortable truth that progress can slide backwards when politics turns cruel.

We get personal about what it did to us, including anxiety, depression, and the way ADHD masking and hyperfocus can intensify crushes, friendships, and heartbreak when you cannot name what you feel. We share stories of being harassed, of losing people we loved, and of the relief of small, ordinary freedom when it finally arrives. Underneath the laughs, our takeaway is simple: be kinder than you think you need to be, because you never know what someone is carrying in silence.

If this resonates, subscribe so you don’t miss what comes next, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

Rest can feel like cheating, even when you’re running on empty, and that uncomfortable truth says a lot about how we’ve been trained to measure worth. We’re coming off a bank holiday weekend and we thought a couple of nights away near Sherwood Forest would mean proper downtime. Instead, we caught ourselves doing what so many self-employed people do: packing the laptop “just in case”, checking scheduled posts, grabbing b-roll, and turning a break into a softer version of work.

We share what finally helped us drop into something more restorative, what we call Star Child energy: wandering the woods, using the Merlin app to notice bird song, watching tiny wildlife in the undergrowth, and letting ourselves feel wonder again. We also talk about that modern habit of seeing everything through a phone lens, and why being present is sometimes the most rebellious productivity choice you can make.

Then real life lands. A call about mum going into hospital snaps the nervous system straight back into alert mode, and it raises a bigger business question: does your business have your back when emergencies happen? We dig into rest guilt, ADHD brains, hustle and grind conditioning, and why “stopping” is often harder than starting. We also explore practical ways to ring-fence empty days, build genuine recovery time, and even create outdoor workshops that get people out of the office and back into creativity.

If this hits home, subscribe, share it with a fellow business owner, and leave a review. What would you change this week to protect real rest?

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

Some beliefs don’t just sit in your head, they invoice you every day. We’re talking about the “truths” we inherited from family, school, workplaces, and culture, then carried for years without checking the evidence. The big one? That low, sticky story of “I’m not good enough”, how it shows up as rejecting compliments, feeling like the odd one out, and slipping into self-criticism when we’re overtired or burnt out.

We zoom out into money mindset and business growth, because scarcity thinking doesn’t stop at your bank balance, it shapes what you think you’re allowed to earn. We dig into classic money myths, the guilt around freedom when you’re self-employed, and the employee mindset that keeps entrepreneurs stuck in timekeeping shame, admin avoidance, and undercharging. We also talk about status symbols and visibility, including how looking “too successful” can trigger judgement, and why chasing the optics can quietly wreck cashflow.

Then we get honest about bias and belonging: accents, class stories, inverted snobbery, and the way exposure to new rooms can force real unlearning. We unpack the fear around VAT registration in the UK, why “earning more will kill your business” is a myth, and what actually matters: systems, preparation, and not treating the extra 20% as yours. We finish with a line we want you to steal: you don’t have to keep lying in the bed you made. If it no longer serves you, burn it and build something better. 

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave us a review. 

Which belief are you ready to unlearn next?

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

Some people are brilliant at what they do - yet still get overlooked, underpaid, underbooked or stuck wondering why things are not moving.

In this week’s episode, Taz and Asha unpack the uncomfortable truth that talent alone is rarely the full answer. Being good matters, of course, but visibility, relationships, consistency, confidence, timing, courage and how you show up in the world all play a part too.

Expect honest chat, practical truths, a few laughs, some gloriously off-topic detours involving recycling and apple turnovers, and plenty to think about if you know you have more to give but are not seeing the results yet.

If you have ever thought, “But I’m really good at what I do… so why is this so hard?” - this one is for you.

Follow Awesomely Off-Topic so you never miss an episode, and come say hello on socials.

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

🎙️ Episode 4: Myth-Busting Visibility - What Nobody Tells You

Everyone bangs on about visibility like it’s the golden ticket.

Show up. Go viral. Get a TEDx talk. Land some PR. Build a following.

Job done… right?

Not quite.

In this episode, we’re getting honest about the side of visibility that doesn’t make the highlight reel. The stuff people don’t warn you about. The expectations that don’t match reality. And the bits that can feel brilliant one minute and deeply uncomfortable the next.

We talk about:

•  Why “just showing up” isn’t a strategy 
•  The truth about TEDx talks, PR, and going viral 
•  What visibility actually looks like behind the scenes 
•  Being recognised in real life (and why it can feel a bit weird) 
•  Trolls, backlash, and having your values out in the open 
•  Why one big moment won’t build your business 
•  The quieter, more sustainable way to grow your visibility 

There’s also a story in here about a client who found Taz through a random lockdown interview with Heather Peace - which pretty much sums up the real message of this episode: visibility doesn’t always work the way you think it will.

It’s not about one big break. It’s about consistency, connection, and actually giving a shit about the people you’re here to serve.

Quick note: this episode was recorded on 10th April, so when we mention Taz’s birthday being “tomorrow”, that was true at the time… just not when you’re listening!

If visibility has ever felt confusing, frustrating, or a bit like smoke and mirrors, this one’s for you.

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater

BOOKABLE OR BROKE? What most speaker training misses

Speaker training is everywhere right now - and so are the promises.

Big stages. Big fees. Fully booked calendars.

But what happens when you’ve paid thousands… and still aren’t getting booked?

In this episode, we’re getting properly honest about what’s actually going on behind the scenes of the speaker training industry. Because having a great story and a polished talk is only part of the picture - and for a lot of people, it’s not the part that’s missing.

We talk about:

•  why powerful talks still don’t get bought 
•  what most speaker training completely overlooks 
•  the difference between a “good speaker” and a bookable one 
•  why relying on speaker agencies alone won’t cut it 
•  how to shape your talk so people actually want to pay for it 
•  the red flags to watch out for before you invest 

We also share practical tips on stagecraft, storytelling, getting your first gigs, and building a speaking profile that lasts - not just one that looks good on paper.

If you’ve ever wondered why some speakers get paid and others don’t, this one matters.

Follow the podcast so you don’t miss what’s next - and if this hits home, come and tell us what had the biggest impact for you.

Something you’d love us to know? Send us a message - we’d love to hear from you.

Support the show

✨ Unfiltered. Unedited. Awesomely Off-Topic. New episodes every Tuesday.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more rants, rambles and random brilliance: 👋  @AwesomelyOffTopic, plus our co-hosts @thetazthornton + @ashaclearwater