This week I talk to Venice-based food writer and blogger Skye McAlpine. Skye's first cookbook,  'A Table In Venice' came out last month, and represents years of work developing her skills as a cook, writer and photographer through her blog and Instagram account. We unpack the process of writing a book, teaching yourself photography and creating the perfect Sunday lunch.

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My guest this week is Carolyn Stritch, aka The Slow Traveler. She’s a freelance photographer based in the North of England, although her account often depicts dreamy locations from idyllic destinations around the world. She might seem to be living the Instagram dream life, an impression she’s aware of, and wanted to question a little in a recent 'self sabotage' project she staged on her 200k+  Instagram account. I called her up to try and understand more about her motivations, what she learned from it and more about her photography work away from the 'gram.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com

Kate Swoboda, aka Kate Courageous, started out as a life coach but found herself consumed by the question of courage. Kate's work and our conversation in this episode looks at courage as it relates to personal development, releasing overwhelm, business and marketing, money mindset, wellness, increasing emotional resilience, and healthy goal-setting using habit-formation techniques.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com

Do you ever feel like you've missed the boat on Instagram? 21-year-old Bronte Huskinson has grown her account from 0 to over 30k since early 2017, leading to a book photography business, influencer work, a blog and a strategically planned future writing career.  We first met when she took my Instagram course in late 2016, and so I called her up to talk about how it's never too late and why there's everything still to play for on a platform like Insta. Special shoutout to my budgie Jack who chatters noisily in the background of this episode!  Come and chat with me and Bronte to tell us what you think!

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My guest’s voice might be familiar to some of you. Andrew Johnson has built an empire of apps, combining his background as a clinical hypnotherapist with his love of tech and self proclaimed “Apple fanboy” interests. His soft Scottish accent has been a staple on my iPhone for a number of years now, guiding me through meditations on topics such as anxiety, relaxation, sleep problems and negative thinking. He’s an expert both in his work of meditation and in building an online business, and I was really interested to find out how these two seemingly opposite things might intersect for him. I called him up to talk both about the fascinating model of an app-based business, and about how meditation and mindfulness can help us all be more productive and creative in our own work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com

"You can't underestimate the power of human connection and how you make people feel." Samantha Kelly is an Irish entrepreneur, TED X speaker and Twitter expert. Her first business was creating a pack for girls beginning their period - a brave step in Ireland, where conservative religious values around women's sexual health often still prevail. From there she went on to craft an expertise in social media, and build a network for other women working for themselves looking for support, advice and resources that traditional networking events failed to provide. She shares her wisdom, her outlook and her tips for success in this joyful and candid conversation.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com

Charlotte Jacklin took the decision in 2017 to take Betty Magazine from a print publication to an online brand. We talk about jumping before being pushed, being totally unglam on Instagram Stories and the surprising pleasure of Facebook groups.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com

If you've ever spent any time on Pinterest, Instagram or reading recipe blogs, you're probably familiar with Beth Kirby's work. What you might not realise is that she built her incredible, unstoppable, heartbreakingly aspirational brand off the back of a diagnosis of Bipolar disorder and a failed marriage with zero photography experience - and she's more than happy to tell you about it! Beth's work has inspired me for a long time, so it was a lot of fun to finally get to chat with her 1 on 1, and share our passion for the world of online community building for anyone who feels like they don't fit in with the norm.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com

My guest this week is author and broadcaster Emma Gannon, who has used the internet as a springboard to multi-hyphenated success. Emma’s written for every major publication going. Her first book, Ctrl Alt Delete came out in 2016 to much critical acclaim, and her podcast of the same name has taken the charts by storm ever since. Now finishing work on her second book, we talk today about success, money, multi-hyphenated careers and our shared experiences and observations of carving one out.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com

This week I chat with metalsmith and fellow digital marketing nerd Megan Auman. Pinterest is far and away the number one traffic referrer for Megan's jewellery business - so much so that she's gone on to teach classes in her strategies. We talk about all our favourite platforms, the differences between them, and the rare and magical marketing strategies out there that can also be tools for self love.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meandorla.substack.com