Today we’re talking about the things we do and don’t miss about traditional employment. 

We share our workplace experiences before becoming self-employed, chatting about office politics, collaborating with a team and the obvious social aspect.

We also discuss elements we really miss like external validation and not having to wear ALL the hats. Finally, we talk about how to recreate all the best bits of a traditional workplace as a self-employed business owner.

Links and further reading:

The Co-Working Club

Follow us: @_charlieswift @loveaudrey83

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We’re back for our third season and kicking things off with a quick work/life update. As well as sharing what we got up to over the summer, we chat about how we’re easing ourselves into a new season. 

Charlie has some big news and Franky describes how she’s feeling ahead of juggling her business with a long stretch of solo parenting.

With this in mind, we touch on what it means to have a ‘lifestyle’ business that can adapt to whatever the universe might throw at you. Finally, we share some tips to help you approach the new season if you’re not yet raring to go.

Follow us: @_charlieswift @loveaudrey83

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In the final episode of Season 2, we look back on the last few months of podcasting and discuss how the year’s been shaping up for us so far. We also look ahead to September and share our excitement for that inevitable ‘back-to-school’ feeling.

We hope you have a wonderful summer filled with work, rest and play! If you’ve enjoyed this season, please leave us a review on iTunes or share with your community. See you in September!

This week, we’re chatting about what it’s like to be a perfectionist.

Franky describes how perfectionism showed up for her at an early age and shares the horror she felt when she realised she might be passing it on to her kids. 

We chat about the pros and cons of being a perfectionist in business and beyond. Plus, we discuss the role social media plays in shaping our idea of what perfection might look like.

Links and further reading:

Becoming by Michelle Obama

The Perils of Perfection

We’re tackling another hot topic today - purpose and values. 

We share our own business values and discuss whether they’re separate from our personal ones. We chat about the danger of overthinking these things and the pressure we can feel when we compare our values to other people’s. 

We also ask whether you need to have it all figured out. Has running a ‘values-led’ business become something of a trend? Finally, we talk about values in relation to marketing. 

Today, we’re diving into a huge topic - stress. 

We start by discussing how it shows up for us, touching on both physical and mental manifestations. Charlie chats about the ebbs and flows of each month and Franky describes how easily the delicate balance of her family’s lives can be thrown off by issues unrelated to work.

We talk about perspective and the danger of thinking we should be able to cope with whatever life throws at us. We also chat about stress in relation to the financial uncertainty that comes with being self-employed. 

Finally, we ask whether there’s currently too much emphasis on ‘self-care’. Could we reduce stress and overwhelm if our communities pitched in?

Follow us: @_charlieswift @loveaudrey83

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As Charlie launches something new and exciting for her clients, we’re talking about experimenting in your business and trying new things.

We chat about when to experiment and how it can benefit your business at different stages. At the same time, we discuss when NOT to try new things.

We also talk about devising a formula or process for your experiments and how embracing the spirit of experimentation can make trying new things less scary.

Links and further reading:

Join Charlie for her group mentoring session

We Are Stardust owner Agnes on her ‘secret sketchbook’

This week, we’re chatting about what happens when you face your fears and do scary things.

Franky reports back after her first public speaking gig. She shares what she’s learned from the experience and the advice that helped her through. Charlie describes being braver about showing up and marketing herself online.

We talk about building things up to be bigger and scarier than they really are and discuss how it feels to overcome self-imposed barriers that stem from fear.

The episode is packed full of tips and inspiration to help you deal with whatever fears you’re facing in your own business.

Links and further reading:

Charlie’s brother Joshua Coombes speaking about #dosomethingfornothing at The Do Lectures 2017

Follow us: @_charlieswift @loveaudrey83

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This week, we share why we think taking breaks is so important when you work for yourself.

Charlie talks about how she managed maternity leave and Franky explains why she’s made regular time off non-negotiable, describing her approach to scheduling work around the academic year, planning holiday childcare, and putting money aside to cover additional costs or any shortfall in her income.

We talk about systems and processes that allow you to step away, managing client expectations, and how taking breaks could become part of your business model.

We also chat about working with the seasonality of your industry and how to overcome the fear of missing out on opportunities that might land in your inbox while you’re away.

Links and further reading:

Follow us: @_charlieswift @loveaudrey83

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In this episode, we’re tackling a topic we’ve wanted to talk about for a while. Speaking candidly about our own experiences, we share what it’s like being freelance while also raising a family.

We chat about the highs and lows, the challenges we’ve faced, and what it feels like when you come up against ‘The Patriarchy’.

We describe different seasons of parenting, what it feels like being pulled in multiple directions, and the importance of setting boundaries.

We also talk about finding time to work, division of labour in the home, and dealing with feelings of guilt. Finally, we consider the need for more role models, sharing places you can find fellow freelance parents online.

Links and further reading:

Freelance Mum

Doing it for the Kids

Work like a Mother podcast

Make Motherhood Diverse