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If you've been avoiding your numbers, this episode is your wake-up call, and it's a kind one.

Trudy sits down with Tina Kirwan, chartered accountant and founder of Running the Numbers, to cut through the overwhelm, fear, and avoidance that keeps too many business owners in the dark about their own financial position. Tina is also a proud member of the FEMPIRE Collective.

Tina's path into accounting wasn't traditional, and that's exactly what makes her so good at the people side of the work. She understands that avoiding the numbers is rarely about capability. It's about confidence, clarity, and sometimes, genuine fear of what you might find.

In this conversation, Trudy and Tina cover:

• Why so many business owners avoid their numbers, and why the reality is almost always better than the dread
• The ATO fear factor, what's negotiable, and why avoidance costs you more than it protects you
• The most common and most preventable financial mistakes small business owners make
• Why you need a dedicated savings account for GST, tax, and PAYG from day one
• The 3 to 6 month buffer rule, and why the business owners who had it sailed through COVID
• The key numbers you actually need to understand: cash flow timing, breakeven, profitability, and upcoming tax liabilities
• Why cash coming in does not mean you're making a profit
• Underpricing, what it's really costing you, and how to calculate your true hourly rate
• First steps if your numbers are behind, including how the right software can take your bookkeeping from overwhelming to 10 minutes a day
• What separates business owners who build something lasting from those who stay stuck

This is not a numbers episode for accountants. It's a clarity episode for business owners who are ready to stop guessing and start leading their business with confidence.


00:00 Meet Tina Kirwan

00:40 Her Unconventional Path

03:30 Why We Avoid Numbers

08:00 Common Money Mistakes

13:00 Key Numbers To Track

16:49 Pricing And Profitability

19:54 First Steps To Clarity

22:51 Season Three Quickfire

24:54 Consistency And Adaptability

26:19 Taking The Leap

28:04 Optimism For Women

29:54 Final Takeaways


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Resources mentioned:
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In this episode of Fempire Rising, Trudy Heins sits down with Nicole Myler from Bridge Legal to unpack the critical importance of estate planning for business owners.

They break down common misconceptions, including the belief that having a will is enough, and explain why powers of attorney are just as essential when it comes to protecting both your personal and business interests.

Through real-life examples, this conversation highlights the serious consequences of inadequate planning and why having the right legal structures in place is non-negotiable if you want to protect your assets and ensure continuity in the event of incapacity or death.

This episode goes beyond legal documents and into the broader reality of running a business. Trudy and Nicole explore the importance of clarity in relationships, effective communication, and making proactive decisions as your business grows.

They also discuss the role of support networks, the mindset required to lead effectively, and the structural changes needed as you move from operator to business owner.

If you’re building a business and haven’t considered what happens if you’re no longer able to run it, this is a conversation you can’t afford to ignore.

If this episode has you thinking about the structure and protection of your business, it’s time to take action.

Start with a Fempire Masterclass, join the Academy for structured support, work with a Fempire Coach for tailored advice, or explore Become a Coach if you’re ready to build a business helping others do the same.

Click here to join the Academy and use the code RISING for 25% off!

Click here to register for our next FEMPIRE Masterclass for practical strategies to gain clarity and take focused action in your business 

00:00 The Importance of Business Structure

01:36 Understanding Estate Planning

04:15 Common Misconceptions About Estate Planning

07:59 Real Life Consequences of Poor Planning

12:01 The Role of Powers of Attorney

20:01 Key Estate Planning Documents for Business Owners

24:43 Establishing Clarity Early in Relationships

27:03 The Importance of Planning and Communication

30:10 Protecting Your Assets and Relationships

31:31 Finding Your Tribe: Support in Business

35:02 Mindset and Structure in Business Growth

37:28 Decisions That Shape Your Professional Journey

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Host Trudy Heins welcomes award-winning insurance specialist Trish Gregory of Hayes and Co Insurance Services to discuss why women often delay personal insurance and the risks of being underinsured, especially for business owners without sick pay, holiday pay, or work cover.

Trish shares how her partner’s military injury and income protection shaped her focus on insurance, and explains common misconceptions such as relying on a higher-earning partner or default cover through super.

Trudy and Trish outline a streamlined remote advice process, the importance of pre-assessment, and how exclusions and benefit periods (e.g., two-year income protection) can leave people exposed.

The episode distinguishes personal versus business insurance, including key person cover, business expenses insurance, and buy-sell agreements, and emphasises niching, support networks, and valuing women’s unpaid and paid contributions.


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Click here to register for our next FEMPIRE Masterclass for practical strategies to gain clarity and take focused action in your business


00:00 Women’s Hidden Value

00:46 Podcast Season Intro

01:34 Meet Trish Gregory

03:35 Why Insurance Matters

05:09 Niching Into Insurance

07:55 Why Women Delay Cover

10:08 Making Insurance Simple

14:24 Insurance for Business Owners

16:49 Key Person and Buy Sell

18:45 Super vs Business Cover

21:20 When It All Goes Wrong

22:16 When Benefits Run Out

23:12 Two Year Cover Trap

24:45 Where to Start Today

27:27 Why Specialist Advice Matters

28:58 Exclusions and How to Remove Them

30:00 Building Sustainable Businesses

31:50 Common Owner Mistakes

34:03 Niching for Impact

35:08 Optimism for Women Ahead

37:55 Final Push to Get Insured

38:57 Closing and Call to Action


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In this episode on the Fempire Rising, Her Future Her Voice Podcast, Trudy speaks with Sandy Loudon, founder of Loud and Clear Digital, about treating a website as a strategic business asset rather than a “pretty brochure.”

Sandy shares her path from corporate roles and running Baker’s Delight franchises and a cafe to creating and selling handbags online, which led her into website design and becoming a strategic digital partner for businesses.

They discuss common website mistakes, including leaving the website idea until last, lacking strategy, overwhelming menus and too many pages, unclear messaging, outdated content, poor mobile responsiveness, and misused stock imagery.

Sandy explains the difference between a site that looks good and one that converts, emphasising clarity in the first three seconds, strong calls to action above the fold, simple navigation, updated SEO-focused copy, and purposeful images, videos, and testimonials to build trust.

If you have a website that needs some TLC, or want to create a converting website from the get go, this episode will give you applicable tips that will get you thinking about how important a website is for your business in contemporary times.

Click here to join the Academy and use the code RISING for 25% off!

Click here to register for our next FEMPIRE Masterclass for practical strategies to gain clarity and take focused action in your business


00:29 Sandy Intro

01:27 Sandy’s Career Journey

02:46 From Franchises To Family Business

04:53 Handbags To First Website

07:25 Websites Need Strategy

09:17 Looks Good Versus Works

12:28 Common Website Mistakes

14:24 Quick Website Fix Checklist

15:34 Sponsor Break

16:18 Simplify Pages And Update SEO

17:08 SEO Explained 

18:31 Mobile Ready Websites

19:03 Simplify Your Homepage

19:30 Above The Fold CTAs

21:13 Trust Builders And Proof

23:04 Images Video And SEO

25:03 Clarity And Consistency

27:05 Websites As Business Assets

27:49 Innovation And Asking Help

30:38 From Pretty To Strategic

32:08 Optimism For Women

34:36 Final Takeaways And Wrap Up


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In this Fempire Rising Season 3 episode, Trudy Heins interviews Susana Hands, a Certified Fempire Coach becoming known as “the franchise lady”, bestselling author of The Optimal Franchise System, about what it really takes to franchise successfully.

Susana shares her 15-year journey from franchisee to franchisor, including early mistakes like focusing only on legal documents and manuals without building the infrastructure, systems, team, and step-by-step SOPs needed to support franchisees, culminating in being sued by a franchisee.

Trudy and Susana discuss common misconceptions, especially underestimating complexity, regulation, and franchisor responsibilities, and key readiness tests like whether the business can run profitably without the owner.

Susana outlines essential foundations (team, POS/CRM, scalable website, modeling fees/royalties and ROI), risks of overreliance on specialized talent, and realistic costs of roughly $50k–$100k plus expert support.

If you’re  thinking of moving into franchising or wondering what goes on behind the scenes to start franchising a business. Susana pulls the curtain back on what the real deals are when franchising and doing it the right way in order to protect yourself and your business.

Click here to join the Academy and use the code RISING for 25% off!

Click here to register for our next FEMPIRE Masterclass for practical strategies to gain clarity and take focused action in your business


02:09 Meet Susana Hands

03:40 Franchising Lessons Learned

06:04 Franchisor as Coach

07:47 Personal Brand Sells

08:45 Franchising Misconceptions

11:45 Foundations Before Scaling

13:18 Model the Franchise Numbers

15:00 Avoid Overqualified Hiring

16:30 Rogue Franchisee Reality

17:10 Remote Island Readiness

19:02 Service Licensing Workaround

19:34 Franchise Duplication Systems

19:52 Academy Program Pitch

20:36 Expansion Mistakes Costs

21:30 Franchise Setup Budgeting

23:48 Build Your Expert Team

24:51 CRM Automation Essentials

25:30 Growth Planning Market Tests

27:22 Second Location Proofing

28:18 Rapid Fire Core Questions

31:19 Pricing Knowledge Confidence

32:06 Support Networks Intuition


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In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Jodie Muller, founder of Better Finance Solutions, to unpack how women in business should be thinking about lending and using finance as a strategic growth tool.

With over 20 years in banking, Jodie shares her transition into broking and what she now sees firsthand. Women don’t lack capability when it comes to finance. They often seek more clarity, ask better questions, and prioritise long-term stability. The gap isn’t ability. It’s access to the right information and support early enough.

This conversation breaks down the real barriers. Feeling overwhelmed, not knowing where to start, and assuming you need years of financials before you can even have a conversation. Trudy and Jodie challenge that thinking and highlight where flexibility actually exists in the lending space, including lenders who will consider shorter ABN histories.

They also get practical. What lenders are actually looking for. How tax returns, profit and loss, business structures, add-backs, and account conduct all come into play. And most importantly, how to position your business properly when you are seeking funding.

Jodie outlines the different funding options available depending on your stage of business. From startup and business acquisition lending through to overdrafts, lines of credit, credit cards, and asset finance.

This is not about taking on debt blindly. It is about understanding how to use finance as a tool. With the right structure, the right advice, and a clear plan, funding can support growth rather than create pressure.

If you have ever thought “I’m not ready yet” when it comes to finance, this episode will challenge that. The earlier you understand your options, the better positioned you are to make smart, strategic decisions as your business grows.

 

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02:07 Meet Jodie Muller

02:52 From Banking to Broking

05:22 How Women Approach Lending

08:22 Self Employed Borrowing

10:43 Startup Funding Options

13:22 Buying a Business Basics

14:24 Cashflow Lending Tools

16:42 Prepare for Finance

18:54 Business Plans and Forecasts

21:01 Check Rates and Loyalty Tax

21:24 Quick Fire Lessons

22:49 Common Lending Mistakes

25:11 Mindset and Support

28:37 Optimism for Women

29:54 Wrap Up and Next Steps


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In Season 3, Episode 2, Trudy Heins welcomes Shawna Caderette Fempire’s new US mentor coach, to support women in the US time zone stepping into coaching.

Shawna shares her 25-year background in disaster restoration and construction, rising from receptionist to chief administrative officer as the company expanded to multiple offices and 200+ employees, and explains leaving the role due to misalignment and a desire to mentor women.

Trudy and Shawna discuss the high demand for coaching in the US alongside market confusion from under-experienced coaches, and highlight that a real coaching business requires clarity of niche and offer, confidence, systems and processes, mentorship, accountability, resilience, and openness to change (including AI).

Shawna highlights redefining success beyond titles and paychecks and encourages women to take a chance on themselves after due diligence.

If you’re not in the US, this episode will still be a great listen to apply some of the practical and motivating examples and tips as women in business.
 

Click here to join the Academy and use the code RISING for 25% off!


01:17 Meet Shauna

02:40 Career Background

04:27 Leaving Corporate

05:52 Finding Fempire

07:10 Coaching Boom

09:05 Real Coaching Business

10:45 Mentorship Matters

13:07 US Mentor Role

15:23 Fempire Academy Offer

16:43 Systems First

18:47 Common Mistakes

20:35 Resilience And Change

24:12 Biggest Shift

26:17 Future Of Success

28:03 Advice to Take The Leap



Website: https://fempire.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/

Connect with Shawna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnacaderette/

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Host Trudy Heins in season three of Fempire Rising, focused on the women behind business infrastructure, and interviews Michelle O’Hara, founder of Connection Central.

Michelle shares her journey from early event management losses in Darwin to a successful underwear business, discovering social media’s impact, building O Marketing for 11 years, selling it, and launching Connection Central.

They discuss how AI-driven skepticism is increasing demand for real connection, clarity, and collaboration, and how marketing must be strategy-led with clear goals, targeting, consistent messaging, and strong online credibility.

Michelle highlights specific examples in the power of intentional networking, meeting people where they are, avoiding silver-bullet tactics and the “rollercoaster” of stopping marketing, and remembering it can take 5–35 touch points before buying.

Key sustainability lessons include outsourcing, investing early, and building processes and systems for efficiency and margins.


Click here to join the Academy and use the code RISING for 25% off!


00:00 Touchpoints Before Buying

00:35 Podcast Season Intro

01:49 Meet Michelle O'Hara

02:51 From Events to Social Proof

05:19 Launching Connection Central

06:27 Trust Over AI Polish

09:07 Visibility Fears for Women

11:52 Visibility vs Real Marketing

12:57 Goals Boundaries and Investment

17:48 Intentional Networking That Works

18:54 Meeting People Where They Are

21:02 Values Trust and Fast Wins

22:12 Trust Based Recommendations

23:01 Marketing Without Strategy

24:11 Online Presence And Alignment

25:58 Clarity In Your Message

27:09 Traction Focus This Week

28:44 Funnels Touchpoints Database

30:24 Brand Beyond Your Face

31:58 Outsource And Invest Early

33:30 Avoid The Marketing Rollercoaster

35:33 Systems For Sustainable Scale

37:23 COVID Pivot And Resilience

39:08 Future Of Women Collaborating

40:52 Closing Thanks And Next Steps


Website: https://fempire.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/

Connect with Michelle O'Hara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleohara/

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In this episode of Fempire Rising, Trudy Heins speaks with GP and lifestyle medicine advocate Dr. Avi Charlton about perimenopause and menopause and their impact on women in business, including energy, focus, sleep, confidence, decision-making, and identity. 

They discuss common and overlooked symptoms such as brain fog, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, hot flushes, night sweats, and irregular periods, and clarify the real definitions  of menopause and perimenopause that can confuse women, and knowing where one can sit in the scope of it. 

Dr. Charlton explains diagnosis is not what we might think. Being more clinical rather than via hormone test. She explains ruling out other causes of fatigue, as well as notes gaps in medical education over the last 20 years after earlier HRT fears, contrasts older hormone therapies with newer body-identical options in contemporary times.

Practical strategies include prioritising sleep, stress management, exercise, protein and healthy fats, reducing sugar/processed foods, moderating alcohol, and using symptom score charts to advocate for care, including telehealth.   

If you’ve been silently wondering about peri-menopause or menopause, you’re in for a treat this episode, as we lift the lid even more on the topic of menopause and normalising this chapter of a woman's life to not only educate but empower, while running a successful business. 

00:00 Mood Shifts Warning Signs

00:46 Podcast Intro And Mission

03:52 Why Lifestyle Medicine Matters

06:14 Early Perimenopause Clues

08:19 Unexpected Symptoms List

10:08 Perimenopause Vs Menopause

12:44 HRT Myths And Modern Options

15:27 How Long It Can Last

16:55 Brain Fog And Decision Fatigue

19:35 Food Fixes For Focus

22:46 Alcohol and Menopause

24:59 Leadership Mood Shifts

26:33 Advocating at the GP

28:28 Telehealth Menopause Support

Website - https://fempire.com.au/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/

Dr. Avi Charlton contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avi-charlton/

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In this episode of Fempire Rising, host Trudy Heins, talks with Shiv Martin, founder of Shiv Martin Consulting, about the challenges of handling conflict in the workplace.

Trudy and Shiv discuss the importance of self-awareness, the role of values in conflict escalation, and provide actionable strategies for managing conflict effectively.

Shiv shares her career journey from lawyer to mediator and highlights the essential skills for conflict resolution, including breaking down the CURE framework that can be applied today.

They also touch upon the pressures women face in balancing professional and personal identities and the significance of setting boundaries. This episode offers practical advice for women looking to lead confidently and manage conflict with composure.

01:20 Meet Shiv Martin: Conflict Resolution Expert

03:36 Shiv's Career Journey

07:50 The Importance of Self-Awareness in Conflict

11:06 Understanding Workplace Conflict

15:00 The Role of Mediation

18:36 Challenges in Mediation

26:22 Early Signs of Values Misalignment

30:05 Navigating Workplace Conflicts

30:39 The Importance of Early Conflict Resolution

32:33 Setting Boundaries Effectively

34:06 Introducing the CURE Framework

36:56 Balancing Professional and Personal Life

39:43 Advice for Women in Leadership

54:39 Practical Tips for Handling Conflict

56:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts


Website - https://fempire.com.au/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/

Shiv contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivmartin/ 

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