This week my guest is creative business mentor and fellow podcaster, Charlie Swift. Back in 2016 Charlie was working in social media marketing when she was made redundant for the second time. Realising that employment did not equal job security, Charlie decided to try self-employment and see where it would take her. With no formal plans in place, it took a year of "muddling through" until she found her path. She discovered the sort of clients she wanted to help, then it was just a matter of how. Two years and a baby later, she has pivoted away from social media marketing into mentoring small business owners. By following her curiosity and allowing herself room to evolve, she is now finding fulfilment by helping her clients to figure out their goals and push their businesses forward.

What We Talked About

• Blogging as a creative outlet
• Not having a niche - "Your niche has to be you"
• Whether career fulfilment matters and recognising not only it's importance, but it as a privilege
• Changing your idea of success depending on your season in life
• How the perceived leap into self-employment can sometimes be a push, but how to make that work anyway
• Trying to grow a business whilst also growing a baby
• Understanding what you enjoy and what works for your family
• The benefits she has felt from co-mentoring: what is co-mentoring and how does it differ from from coaching/mentoring
• How to find a co-mentor
• Finding ways to include creativity throughout the day

Links from the Episode

• Charlie's Instagram – @_charlieswift
• Creative business mentoring - www.charlieswift.com/creativebusinessmentoring
• Her newsletter - intentionaliTea
• Charlie and Franky's podcast - Friends with Business Benefits
• My Instagram – @thehappysideof40
• My website – www.thehappysideof40.com
• Friends with Business Benefits Episode 16 - How do I find my own co-mentor?
• Sign up to my monthly letter, sharing details of my research into finding a fulfilling career and career change for women – www.thehappysideof40.com/newsletter/