In this episode, we hear from Hamish Mackay-Lewis, founder of a leadership coaching company. Through his work, Hamish supports individuals to step into leadership roles as well as working with teams to support their growth.

Hamish shares his advice on how to understand your imposter syndrome, explains why it is actually an experience rather than a syndrome and some simple things you as a founder can do to manage those sometimes sabotaging thoughts that can come into your head when going out on your own. 

Hamish’s advice: 

• Impostor experience is very common: feelings of inadequacy which can come and go
• One advantage of these feelings is that you will prepare thoroughly and be highly motivated
• The disadvantage however can be feeling constantly anxious, doubting yourself
• It’s important to celebrate yourself, not to constantly compare yourself with others
• Don’t set yourself unreasonable goals
• Observe your thoughts; if you are noticing self-doubt, check in with others to get an  objective opinion about your achievements - and trust their opinions
• Recognise where this self-doubt stems from (often from childhood) and come to terms with this
• Don’t bury the sadness / frustration / nerves; learn to accept and understand these uncomfortable feelings.  Face up to what is causing them
• Consciously choose your response to life; practise daily to be in the moment
• Understand what is important about your business, its bigger purpose, quite apart from any financial rewards
• Keep a diary to record your satisfactions and frustrations and be attentive to what gives you energy and joy
• Be kind to yourself; remembering you are not alone with these feelings can give you resilience
• Accept that you will always have nagging doubts and may never feel good enough; and at the same time recognise that you are, of course, perfectly good enough!

If you'd like to contact Hamish you can reach him via [email protected]

Fallow, Field & Mason enables you to own your PR in-house for the long term. This saves you money on monthly PR agency retainer fees and allows you to build your own press network. 

FF&M also offers an end-to-end podcast production service for businesses, brands and individuals to reach and connect with new audiences while further raising their profiles.  

Email us at [email protected] or DM us on Instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your startup journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

Recorded, edited & published in 2023 by Juliet Fallowfield founder of PR & podcast production consultancy Fallow, Field & Mason.  MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode, we hear from Le’Nise Brothers, a leading nutritionist and yoga teacher specialising in women’s health, hormones and the menstrual cycle. Le’Nise develops nutritional programmes through her Eat Love Move consultancy to empower and educate women to understand their bodies and advocate for better healthcare. 

Le’Nise’s first book, You Can Have A Better Period, was released in March 2022 and she also hosts the Period Story podcast, breaking taboos around menstrual health, hormones, perimenopause, menopause and beyond. 

In today’s episode, Le’Nise shares her advice on working to the rhythms of your body and harnessing the power of the four stages of the menstrual cycle to benefit you both professionally and personally.

Le’Nise’s Advice: 

• Recognise your tiredness when you are using sugar and caffeine throughout the day as a prop, and when you no longer feel excited about what you do
• Respect your body and its energy levels; don’t feel guilty about taking breaks (these can be productive in terms of ideas)
• Be aware of your menstrual cycle and plan your diary accordingly; when you have your period this is a time for slowing down a little, being more analytical and insightful
• When you are ovulating, you will be more energetic/confident/sociable; this is a time for negotiating and dealing with people
• Be disciplined about good sleep habits; your body needs to anticipate sleep and wind down for it.  You may need a little more when having your period
• Pay attention to your diet.  During a period you will need more iron which is a great source of energy so eat red meat if you can, and boost your Vitamin C intake.  To counteract stress you need magnesium (in for example dark chocolate) sodium (in salt) and potassium (in bananas, coconut water)
• Monitor your menstrual cycle and note if it is being affected by external stresses; understanding this can help you guard against too much stress
• Understanding your cycle gives you power!

If you’d like to contact Le'Nise, you can reach her at [email protected] 

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.  Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode, we hear from Nina Nesdoly, founder of Workplace Clarity.  As a workplace stress and burnout prevention consultant, Nina draws on her management and neuroscience background to deliver workshops and training courses to help her clients overcome workplace stress, prevent burnout and improve their workplace performance. 

Nina shares her advice on maintaining a work/life balance, identifying stress triggers and techniques for relieving stress. 

Nina's advice: 

• Burnout happens when demands exceed resources; build your own resources by outsourcing the things you’re less good at to experts, thus reducing the demands on yourself
• Set realistic expectations and don’t set goals for yourself that depend on you being superhuman or neglecting rest
• Schedule in buffer time (to give yourself a break if you are unwell) and have an emergency budget (to give yourself a break if there’s a crisis)
• Three stress triggers are:
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Dealing with unpredictable/unfamiliar situations 
  • Social evaluative threats
• Look for the positives: turn threats into something you can be excited about, and move away from the negative thoughts to focus consciously on what makes you happy
• When establishing work-life balance, set boundaries between the two. Try blocking notifications when not working
• When seeking to de-stress, remember social connections and community can be supportive; ‘social buffering’ is when oxytocin (produced by social interaction) helps fight stress
• As a sole founder you have no-one to moderate you, so check in on yourself.
• Remember your own brain is your harshest critic.
• To summarise, the six causes of burnout are: 
  • workload
  • lack of community
  • lack of control
  • mismatch of values (if you are working for a company whose ideals you don’t share)
  • a sense of unfairness in the processes operating around you
  • absence of reward

If you’d like to contact Nina, you can reach her at [email protected]

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for our future guests.
Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.

Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode, we hear from physio and PT, Tim Blakey, creator of PRIME BODY, the affordable personal fitness training app that helps you progress and learn as you go.  Born from his own health and fitness challenges and overcoming training injuries, Tim combines corrective work with strength training to optimise body composition and combat body betrayal. 

Tim shares his perspective on why founder mobility is so important to incorporate from the beginning, why to prioritise resistance training over cardio and why it can actually be a great investment in your overall business to look after your mobility.

Tim’s advice: 

• Physical health helps not only mental health, but  business health too - if you are well you will be more productive
• Posture is important, affects how you look, feel and can prevent injury; but more important than posture is movement
• If you are deskbound, make sure you build movement in all through the day
• A meeting between two people can take place on a walk
• Movement can produce ideas
• Even five minutes’ movement is better than none
• Mobilisation before a walk or a run will help
• Fitness is not vanity - it is good for stress management
• Even if your day is unstructured, find time for exercise - it doesn’t really matter when
• Put strength before cardio: muscular-skeletal strength is the most important thing
• Sleep is important, and caffeine will affect the quality of that sleep
• When travelling, don’t make it an excuse not to exercise; therabands can be helpful
• Encourage your team to use a gym/order nutritious takeaway meals/try cold water daily dips
• Exercising can be a good way of networking with different groups of people
• Celebrate the small wins when exercising
• Take an interest in your own body!  Learn about it, examine the mind/muscle connection

Follow this link for a video on tips and tricks.  If you’d like to contact Tim, you can reach him at [email protected]

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for our future guests.
Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.

Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

Today we hear from Jenna Hope, registered nutritionist and founder of Jenna Hope Nutrition. Working with businesses and individuals, Jenna helps implement beneficial nutrition strategies, through a combination of talks, presentations and workshops, to improve people’s well being, productivity, sleep, stress management and mental health. 

Today, Jenna shares her advice on the most common nutritional issues that founders can face and how to incorporate healthy eating routines into your working day.  

Jenna Hope’s Advice:

• Eat mindfully.  Pay attention to eating your food which will help it to be digested properly, allow nutrients to be fully absorbed into the body and make you feel more satisfied
• Reduce your reliance on caffeine, which can make you feel more stressed, affect your sleep and seduce you into consuming more sugar
• Diet / exercise / sleep: these are all important and interrelated
• Try to make three better dietary choices each day!
• Eat more probiotics (yoghurt, kefir etc.) and prebiotics (onions, leeks, bananas, chickpeas etc.)
• Hydration: make sure you keep up with water, using an app if necessary to remind you.  It can often be the cause of you feeling hungry
• Try to have 70g of protein per day (important for skin/hair/brain/hormone production) and try to make sure that 50% of what is on your plate is veg or fruit
• If you’re snacking, make sure it’s protein or fibre - this makes you feel fuller (try oatcakes + cream cheese/nuts/hummus/yoghurt/roasted chickpeas/a boiled egg)
• Research quick meals in your local supermarket so that when you’re in a hurry you know exactly where to go and make the right choice.  Also batch cook when you have the time
• Spices and herbs are not just good for you, they make food more exciting; it’s important to enjoy your food
• If you eat breakfast make sure it’s healthy - what you have is as important as whether you have it
• It’s a good idea to have your evening meal fairly early because sleep is more difficult if you are digesting; if you have to eat late, make it a light meal
• ‘The Optimum Nutrition Bible’ by Patrick Holford is a classic on the subject

If you’d like to contact Jenna, you can reach her at [email protected]

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.

Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode, we hear from Jamie Clements, founder of The Breath Space. By using breathing techniques to overcome anxiety and panic attacks, Jamie discovered the extensive benefits of breathwork for improving physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Having trained in many modalities of breathing, Jamie now shares his techniques to help others accelerate their healing and personal growth as part of his business. 

Today Jamie introduces us to the many benefits of breathwork and shares his advice on why founders and business owners should be encouraged to build a strong wellness routine around a busy schedule.  

Jamie's advice:

• Particularly for a founder, but for employees too, physical/mental/emotional health is essential
• Breathing can be a window onto your mental state; check in with it during the day to assess how you are.  Schedule moments e.g. between meetings, in a taxi - for yourself, breathing breaks when you can check how you’re doing
• It’s possible to shift your mental and emotional state by using simple breathing exercises; conscious breath control can quickly and effectively regulate your nervous system
• By being aware of how you are breathing, you can avoid dysfunctional breathing patterns e.g. allowing quick and shallow breathing, which triggers stress, to become habitual
• If you are a busy high-achiever, it’s important to avoid burnout; take short breaks to breathe consciously (always a longer exhale than inhale) and you will optimise your performance and increase stamina

If you’d like to contact Jamie, you can reach him at [email protected]

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.

Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode we hear from Matt Johnson, TV presenter and Founder of The Checkin, an online space to connect people to mental health specialists as well as the mindfulness book, The Checkin Journal.

Given today is blue Monday we thought it particularly important to kick off our new season with a focus on mental health. Matt shares his personal advice on how founders can manage theirs as well as why it is so important to be aware of it too.

Matt Johnson's advice:

• Make boundaries to reserve time for yourself, especially if you work alone.  Time for mindfulness/breathing exercises/journal-writing/peace
• When establishing boundaries, assess your needs and wants; put yourself first for a change
• In order to work as well as you can, you must look after your health; always take mental health very seriously
• Prevention of mental ill-health is better than cure
• Check in with how you feel and work out why
• Value your time: to be alone, to be with other people and to be in nature 
• Accept that there will always be peaks and troughs
• Let go of expectations and be curious about what will happen next

If you’d like to contact Matt you can reach him via The Checkin @thecheckin.co on Instagram 

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.

Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode hear from Akash and Nikita Mehta, siblings and Co-Founders of renowned Ayurvedic haircare brand Fable & Mane. Inspired by their grandparents and the rich history of Indian beauty practices, they set out just over two years ago to share the rituals their family grew up with.

In this episode, Akash and Nikita share their advice why they wanted to incorporate charity as a key pillar of a business model from the get go, how they define and manage success and why purpose is paramount when starting a business.

Akash and Nikita's advice: 

• Branding/creating a name/building a concept all takes time - don’t rush this stage
• Make every product as perfect as possible before launching it
• Don’t be afraid of failure; learn from it
• Spend time on yourself; start with taking care of your health in whatever way is best for you
• Try to have a purpose for your business apart from making money; this benefits both your customers and your team
• Experiment with social media
• Don’t be afraid; problems can always be surmounted

If you’d like to contact Akash or Nikita, you can reach them at 

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.

Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2022 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode we hear from Inge Theron, founder and creative director of FACEGYM: the wellness brand pioneering the non-invasive facial workout.  After 11 years as the Financial Times’ Wellbeing, Beauty & Spa writer, Inge became aware of the increasingly invasive nature of cosmetic procedures. Following extensive research, Inge founded FACEGYM to help people age confidently.  

Having provided over 200,000 workouts at 11 global studios, Inge shares her advice on how to build a brand at pace, what she would go back and do again when it comes to process and structure and why people and trust are everything when starting a business. 

Inga's advice:

• Before you plunge in, be clear about the culture of your business, set your mission statements
• You are nothing without a good team around you
• You need good execution as well as a good idea
• Take professional advice on your branding
• Trust others and listen to experienced experts
• Focus on your intention and don’t give up - persevere
• Accept that the early excitement will fade and you just have to keep going
• If you transition from service to product, be careful; customers know you for one thing
• Remain authentic
• Take your customers with you by including them in focus groups etc.

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.

Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2022 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show

In this episode, we hear from Louise Olsen & Stephen Ormandy, co-founders and creative directors of Dinosaur Designs, the Australian luxury homeware and jewellery studio. Founding their business in 1985, Louise and Stephen began by selling their creations at Sydney’s markets where they both attended art school. Since then, Dinosaur Designs has grown to become one of Australia’s most renowned design studios and expanded internationally. 

Louise and Stephen share with us their advice on how they have built an internationally recognisable brand, why growing slowly is important for company culture and why looking after your team first is the No. 1 priority when running a successful business.

Louise and Stephen's advice: 

• When forming a partnership, bear in mind the stresses that building a business can bring
• Use lawyers and accountants to set up a firm basis
• Listen to those experienced in your area
• Keep within your capacity and grow slowly
• Look after your staff; remember it’s a collaboration
• Manage stress in whatever way suits you best
• Retain a student mentality and keep learning
• Success will give you the courage to take risks; creation leads to creation
• Don’t rush decisions; allow them to percolate
• Learn from your failures
• Be determined and take the plunge

If you’d like to contact Stephen or Louise you can reach them on via this link

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.
Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2022 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the show