In this sixty-seventh episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Rebecca McCloskey, founder of Weave Interiors, a residential interior designer based in Tring whose story is a lovely reminder that the things we loved as children often hold the clues to what we're meant to do.

In this episode Alex and Rebecca explore:

• The childhood passions and creative traits that hinted at her future work
• Growing up around entrepreneurial grandparents and business-owning parents
• The transferable skills teaching gave her, from planning to client care
• How moving into her own home reignited her love of design
• The long fertility journey and how it shifted her focus and priorities
• Deciding to pursue interior design seriously and completing her course
• Navigating those first projects and imposter syndrome during COVID
• Her nature-led, biophilic approach and love of zoning open-plan spaces
• Creative, local marketing and the challenge of promoting yourself
• Landmark projects and the fulfilment of transforming clients' spaces
• Building support networks and the second business, White and Weave
• Prioritising family, slow growth and protecting her own wellbeing

Key Highlights

• Why the hobbies you loved as a child can quietly shape the work you're meant to do
• How teaching skills like planning, communication and empathy translate beautifully into running a business
• Why home should be a sanctuary, and creating it should feel just as joyful as living in it
• Why authentic client care matters far more than perfect content
• How repeat clients and referrals are a truer measure of success than any metric
• Why slow, considered growth can be the healthiest way to build a business around your life

Connect with Rebecca
Weave Interiors: www.weaveinteriors.co.uk / @weave.interiordesign / Weave Interiors on Facebook

White and Weave (rental property design, installation and home staging): www.whiteandweave.co.uk / @whiteandweave.homestaging

Connect with Alex
alexmccarthycoaching.com
instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching

My Business Story

In this sixty-sixth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex flips her usual format and turns the microphone on herself, sharing the story of the last eight years in business, the twists, the turns and everything she's learned along the way.

It's an honest, reflective one. Alex talks about growing from a quiet, imaginative child into a business owner, a mother and someone who cares deeply about personal growth. She opens up about the travel that changed how she saw the world, the accidental start of her first business, the leap into coaching, and how motherhood reshaped what she wanted her work and life to look like.

If you're building a business around your life rather than the other way around, this is the kind of episode you'll want in your ears.

In this episode Alex explores:

• Her childhood, early confidence and the curiosity that shaped her
• Why vulnerability matters in personal and professional growth
• How travelling and living abroad expanded her worldview and planted the seeds for her business
• The move from hospitality and export sales into running her own social media management business
• Building confidence online and getting over the fear of being on camera
• How becoming a mother changed her priorities and her whole approach to business
• Why patience and self compassion are underrated parts of success
• Where the business is heading next, including in-person events and new programmes

Key Highlights

• How solo travel built the courage that later powered her business
• The moment self-employment shifted into something aligned with who she is
• Why investing in coaching and starting therapy changed everything
• How motherhood became a reason to build differently, not to slow down
• Her honest advice for anyone stuck at the start: take one step today and trust the process

Timestamps:

00:01 - Flipping the rules to share my personal journey 01:29 - Childhood: confidence, imagination and early work 04:05 - Wanting to travel and work abroad 05:22 - How travel shaped my mindset and courage 06:23 - Meeting digital nomads and location-independent work 09:13 - From a PGCE to export sales and corporate life 11:29 - Overwork, boundaries and seeking new directions 13:43 - Long-term travel and life-changing experiences 17:52 - The fight for confidence and authenticity 19:00 - Moving to Australia and working in tech 20:48 - Back to the UK and setting up my first business 23:16 - Building and scaling my social media business 26:08 - Investing in coaching and facing self-doubt 27:37 - Aligning my business with personal development 28:48 - Starting therapy and shifting my mindset 30:23 - Pursuing NLP and coaching qualifications 31:48 - Navigating the pandemic and evolving my business 34:20 - Launching in-person networking and community 36:45 - Feeling aligned and embracing motherhood 38:18 - Travelling solo in Sri Lanka 40:00 - Meeting Dave and starting a new chapter 44:08 - Pregnancy, unexpected changes and big decisions 46:23 - Balancing family with business 50:23 - Staying purposeful through podcasting and minimal social 53:45 - Patience and trusting my timeline 56:51 - Future plans: scaling gently and in-person events 60:23 - Advice: start now, take one step and trust the process

Resources & Links: Book: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Connect with Alex: alexmccarthycoaching.com instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching

In this sixty-fifth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex McCarthy explores jealousy in a way that might completely change how you think about it. Rather than seeing jealousy as something to suppress or feel ashamed of, Alex reframes it as valuable information — a signal pointing you towards what you genuinely want in your business and life. If you've ever felt that uncomfortable pang when someone else shares a big win, this episode will help you understand what's really underneath it and how to use it to your advantage.

Main Topics Covered:

• Why jealousy is a normal human emotion, not a character flaw
• How shame often makes jealousy feel heavier than it needs to

• The difference between the feeling itself and the story we create around it
• Why comparison can distort reality and keep us feeling behind
• How jealousy can become one of the most powerful tools for self-awareness and business growth

In This Episode:

• Why jealousy isn't something to fear or suppress, but something to pay attention to
• How shame keeps us stuck, while curiosity helps us move forward
• The difference between experiencing jealousy and believing the stories it tells you
• Why comparing your behind-the-scenes to someone else's highlight reel is never a fair comparison

A simple five-step process for working with jealousy:

• Notice it without judgement
• Get specific about what you're actually jealous of
• Ask what that reveals about your own desires
• Turn the feeling into an open question instead of a conclusion
• Sense-check whether it's something you genuinely want or something you think you should want
• How jealousy can become valuable market research, revealing what kind of work, visibility, pricing, freedom or recognition you're really craving
• Why your feelings can become a roadmap for your next business decision instead of a reason to spiral

Timestamps:

00:00 — Welcome and why we're talking about jealousy

01:08 — Why jealousy is a normal human emotion

03:56 — The shame we attach to feeling jealous

07:42 — Comparison, highlight reels and the stories we tell ourselves

11:18 — Separating the feeling from the meaning you give it

15:10 — The five-step framework for handling jealousy differently

19:54 — Using jealousy as market research in your business

23:06 — Turning envy into clarity, curiosity and action

25:02 — Final thoughts and this week's takeaway

Resources and Links:

If you're looking for more clarity, confidence and direction in your business, I'd love to help.

Whether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed or ready for your next level of growth, there are several ways we can work together:

Website: www.alexmccarthycoaching.com

Book a Clarity Call: https://www.alexmccarthycoaching.com/clarity-call

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching/

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you subscribed to My Kind of Business and shared it with another business owner who might need to hear it. Remember, jealousy isn't proof you're failing—it's often pointing you towards what matters most. The more willing you are to get curious about it, the more clearly you'll see the path that's right for you.

In this sixty-fourth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Jennie Bayliss, founder of Letterbox Cocktails, a serial entrepreneur whose story is packed with resilience, resourcefulness and a healthy dose of fun.

Jennie's journey has been anything but predictable. As a child she dreamed of becoming a solicitor, and her early working life took her through accounts roles and part-time jobs before a pivotal chapter saw her studying for a business management degree while raising a young family. Balancing motherhood, work and study taught her lessons she still leans on today.

But it's her latest venture that really captures the imagination. Letterbox Cocktails began with a search for a deliberately boring business idea and a LinkedIn mastermind, and grew into a vibrant cocktail delivery brand. Jennie shares the reality of those scrappy early days, from licensing and regulation headaches to the chaos of rapid growth, through to winning the VIP Launch Pad competition and building a colourful, recognisable brand with big plans for TikTok, Amazon and retail.

In this episode Alex and Jennie explore:

• Jennie's early aspirations and the jobs that shaped her pathway
• Balancing motherhood, work and a business management degree
• Starting a virtual PA business during redundancy
• Building a flexible team of mums and overcoming the loneliness of working alone
• The chance call that led to a project management company and fibre infrastructure work
• How a hunt for a boring business idea became Letterbox Cocktails
• Navigating licensing, regulation and the chaos of early growth
• Winning the VIP Launch Pad competition and evolving the brand
• Growth plans across TikTok, Amazon, corporate sales and retail
• Why asking for help and taking imperfect action matter more than being ready

Key Highlights

• How saying yes to unexpected opportunities can completely change the direction of your business
• The power of building a business around your life, not the other way round
• Why community, masterminds and networking can be the difference between an idea and a thriving business
• How scrappy beginnings can evolve into a brand you're truly proud of
• Why you'll never feel fully ready, and why you should start anyway

Connect with Jennie https://www.letterbox-cocktails.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniebayliss1/ https://www.instagram.com/letterbox__cocktails/ https://www.facebook.com/letterboxcocktails1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/letterbox-cocktails/ https://www.tiktok.com/@letterbox_cocktails https://www.youtube.com/@LetterboxCocktails

Connect with Alex alexmccarthycoaching.com instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching

In this sixty-third episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Jo Taylor, founder of Mulberry Wellness, a holistic health business built around retreats, movement and mindfulness, and a woman whose warmth and energy are infectious from the very first minute.

Jo's journey has been anything but a straight line. From a childhood shaped by travel and a love of movement, she went on to work as cabin crew, seeing the world and learning lessons about service, responsibility and what genuine contentment really looks like, before finding her way into fitness instruction and discovering the thrill of standing in front of a room and helping people feel better in themselves.

Over the years she expanded from aerobics into water-based fitness, Pilates and yoga, developing specialist programmes for people with different health conditions and building a loyal community along the way. Then came a cancer diagnosis that changed everything, personally and professionally. Rather than stepping back, Jo found her work became a source of healing, taking her classes online during lockdown and eventually launching Mulberry Wellness, home to retreats, online classes and corporate wellness work rooted in connection and joy.

Through it all, Jo has stayed true to her values, trusted her intuition and never lost sight of life's simple pleasures. Her story is a powerful reminder that business can be built around what genuinely matters to you.

In this episode Alex and Jo explore:

• Jo's diverse early career, from travel and cabin crew to fitness instruction
• The lessons travel taught her about contentment and life's simple joys
• Building confidence by standing in front of a room and facilitating change
• Expanding into Pilates, yoga and specialist programmes for different health conditions
• The impact of her cancer diagnosis on her life and her business
• Moving online during lockdown and building community through her classes
• Launching Mulberry Wellness and hosting retreats for connection and growth
• Balancing business growth with personal values and healthy boundaries
• Why trusting your intuition is her biggest piece of advice for fellow business owners

Key Highlights

• How a varied, non-linear career gave Jo the skills and self-belief to build her own business
• The therapeutic power of doing work you love, even through the hardest chapters
• Why boundaries and values matter more than chasing growth for its own sake
• How adversity can become the catalyst for building something truly meaningful
• Why seeking joy, in business and in life, is always worth it

Featured Resource

☀️ Doors are open for Summer Business School, Alex's six-session live programme, covering everything from vision and values to visibility, sales, mindset and planning your best Q4. Email [email protected] to sign up.

Connect with Jo
https://www.mulberrywellness.co.uk
https://linkedin.com/in/jotaylor
https://instagram.com/mulberrywellness

Connect with Alex
alexmccarthycoaching.com
instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching

In this sixty-second episode of My Kind of Business, Alex McCarthy tackles the trap so many small business owners fall into — doing more and more, being busier than ever, and yet somehow not seeing the growth to match. If you're posting everywhere, tweaking everything and still wondering why the clients aren't landing, this episode strips it all back to the three things that actually move the needle.

Main Topics Covered:

• Why "more is better" is a myth — and the real pattern behind business stagnation
• How to craft one clear, simple offer that people instantly understand and can refer
• Why one visibility channel done consistently beats being everywhere half-heartedly
• How to ask for the sale without feeling pushy or slimy
• The quiet power of the follow-up message in turning interest into paying clients
• Why support and structure are what turn knowing into doing

In This Episode:

• The difference between focus and effort — and why doing less can genuinely do more
• How to test whether your offer is actually clear (and what a confusing offer is costing you)
• Why clarity on what you sell builds pricing confidence
• How your last five clients tell you exactly where your marketing energy should go
• Why offline networking might be working harder for you than any online platform
• The problem with vanity metrics — and what to measure instead
• A simple piece of homework you can do today: reconnect with everyone who's shown interest recently and hasn't yet said yes

Timestamps:

00:00 — Welcome and what this episode covers 00:37 — The problem with doing too much in your business 01:12 — The myth of "more is better" and why busy doesn't equal profitable 04:27 — Focus vs effort: why doing less can do more 06:37 — Focus 1: One clear offer — how to test it, price it, and sell it with confidence 11:17 — Focus 2: One visibility channel done consistently — and how to work out which one 15:45 — Focus 3: Confidently asking for the sale and the power of genuine follow-up 19:49 — Ditching vanity metrics and focusing on real conversions 20:25 — The three strategies pulled together 21:25 — Why knowing isn't enough — support, structure, and doing the work 23:20 — Summer Business School and your homework for today

Resources and Links:

• Summer Business School — Alex's six-session live programme running on Tuesdays from 14th July, covering vision and values, your offer and ideal client, visibility, sales, mindset and Q4 planning. Available in Standard and VIP tiers. Grab your spot by emailing Alex on [email protected]

Connect with Alex McCarthy:

• https://www.instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching/
• www.alexmccarthycoaching.com

Whether you join Summer Business School or not, this episode will leave you with three clear places to put your energy — and one piece of homework that could land you your next client this week.

In this sixty-first episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Si Elliott, a strategic marketing and customer experience leader who has spent over twenty years helping brands build deeper, more meaningful connections, and whose career began less with a master plan and more with a series of happy accidents.

Si's journey started with a childhood entrepreneurial streak and a business degree he took without any real idea of where it would lead. It was almost by accident that he found his way into marketing and agency life, working up from student to managing director, and learning to lead long before he felt ready to call himself a leader.

Today he co-owns creative agency Diversity and is the founder of customer experience consultancy Fabricx, where he combines behavioural science with practical strategy to design experiences that genuinely resonate. He is also an award-winning guest lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and the Communication University of China, and has just published his first book, Customer Experience Thinking.

Through years of organic growth, honest self-doubt and a deep belief in putting people first, Si has built a way of working that proves business can be both successful and genuinely human.

In this episode Alex and Si explore:

• Si's childhood entrepreneurial spirit and his accidental route into marketing
• Going from student to managing director, and growing into leadership
• Navigating imposter syndrome and building confidence over time
• Why environment, team culture and trusted relationships matter so much
• Choosing organic growth over aggressive scaling
• Founding Fabricx and bringing behavioural science into client work
• How behavioural biases shape real marketing and customer decisions
• Balancing multiple ventures and keeping variety in his work
• The future of AI and automation, and why human connection still wins

Key Highlights

• How a non-linear, accident-driven career can still lead somewhere brilliant
• Why self-belief and the right environment are the foundations of good leadership
• What behavioural science reveals about trust, loyalty and decision making
• How to grow a business organically without losing its human heart
• Why, in a world obsessed with clicks and conversions, the human experience is what really counts

Featured Resource

🗓️ Join Alex for the Mid-Year Business Reset, a free, live workshop on Tuesday 30th June at 10am to help you take stock, get clear on your business and finish the year strong. 👉 Book your spot here: https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/themidyearbusinessreset

Connect with Si

https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/ www.sielliott.com https://www.instagram.com/si.elliott

Customer Experience Thinking out now: https://mybook.to/CXThinkin

Connect with Alex

alexmccarthycoaching.com

instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching

In this sixtieth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Sian Brennan-Todd, a former dancer turned entrepreneur, host and presenter who built a cheerleading empire spanning 250 schools before transitioning into the world of media and presenting.

Sian's journey is deeply rooted in her childhood love of dance. From performing arts college in London at 18 to working abroad in cheerleading and choreography, she has spent her career turning passion into profession.

After moving to Australia and building a global cheerleading business, Sian returned to the UK with a renewed focus on hosting, presenting and helping others build confidence through performance.

Through years of discipline, resilience and self-belief, Sian has created a business built on fun, passion and adding real value to the people around her.

In this episode Alex and Sian explore:

• Childhood passions and how dance shaped her entrepreneurial mindset
• The discipline and professional skills learned through performing arts
• Building a cheerleading business from the ground up with 250 schools involved
• Navigating lockdown and adapting to online sessions
• The move to Australia and building a global enterprise
• Transitioning into hosting and presenting
• How confidence is built through consistency and practice
• Balancing family life with entrepreneurship
• Advice for entrepreneurs feeling stuck or lacking confidence

Key Highlights

• How the skills developed in dance and performing arts translate directly into business success
• Why self-belief is the foundation of everything Sian has built
• The power of adapting and pivoting when circumstances change
• How to overcome fear and self-doubt and keep showing up anyway
• What it really means to build a business around something you love

Featured Resource

🗓️ Join Alex for the Mid-Year Business Reset — a free, live workshop on Tuesday 30th June 6am to help you take stock, get clear on your business and finish the year strong.
👉 Book your spot here:

https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/themidyearbusinessreset

Connect with Sian

https://www.instagram.com/sianbrennantodd/
[email protected]
www.sianbrennantodd.com

Connect with Alex
alexmccarthycoaching.com
instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching

In this fifty-ninth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex McCarthy walks through a proper mid-year business review — not a vague "how's it going" but a structured, honest look at the four areas that matter most. Are you approaching the halfway point of 2026 and wondering where the year has actually gone? This episode gives you practical questions, real examples, and a framework you can use today.

Main Topics Covered:

• Why the mid-year point is the most important moment to stop and look at your business honestly
• How to evaluate your offer, pricing, and structure for clarity and alignment
• The difference between having a marketing strategy and actually executing it consistently
• The operational systems and habits that are either supporting or quietly undermining your business
• The mindset patterns — including fear, perfectionism, and self-doubt — that create action gaps even when you know what to do

In This Episode:

• Why most business problems aren't marketing problems — and what to look at first
• How undercharging affects your energy, not just your income
• The watering-a-plant analogy that explains why consistency beats cleverness in marketing
• What "avoidance" in your marketing is actually telling you
• The difference between being run by your business and running your business
• Why the gap between where you are and where you want to be is almost always an action gap — and what's underneath it
• A real client story about a programme that nearly never launched — and what changed when the real block was named

Timestamps:

00:00 — Why the mid-year moment matters and what most business owners miss 02:15 — Introducing the four-area framework: offer, marketing, operations, mindset 03:00 — Area 1: Offer — is it still right, priced right, and simple enough? 08:30 — Area 2: Marketing — the difference between strategy and consistent execution 14:00 — Area 3: Operations — is your business running you, or are you running your business? 18:30 — Area 4: Mindset — the action gap and what's really underneath it 23:30 — Close and details of the free Mid-Year Business Check-In workshop

Resources and Links:

• The Mid-Year Business Check-In Workshop — Free 45-minute workshop, Tuesday 30th June at 10am. Register here to secure your spot; https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/themidyearbusinessreset

Connect with Alex McCarthy:

• Instagram
• Website

Whether or not you make it to the workshop, this episode will leave you with honest questions and a clear framework to take into the second half of 2026 with more intention and clarity than you started it with.

In this fifty-eighth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Jade Evans from Shrewsbury, a healer and mentor specialising in mother wound healing, generational trauma and postpartum support, helping women reclaim their sovereignty, reconnect with themselves and build lives rooted in authentic freedom.

Jade's journey is deeply personal. From a creative childhood as an only child to a career in photography, she found herself drawn into family psychology and healing work, eventually stepping into postpartum support and ancestral energy work.

Through her own experiences of motherhood and transformation, she has built an online healing practice dedicated to helping women break cycles, heal core wounds and step into their power.

In this episode Alex and Jade explore:

• Childhood influences and how early experiences shape adult healing work
• The mother wound and its impact on postpartum wellbeing
• Generational healing and ancestral energy work
• Reclaiming personal sovereignty and healing core wounds
• Rites of passage in modern birth and motherhood
• Nervous system regulation and cyclical awareness
• Building an online community for postpartum women
• Integrating cycle awareness into business
• Advice for women growing a soulful, values-led business

Key Highlights

• Why the mother wound is at the root of so many postpartum struggles
• The power of generational healing and breaking cycles for future generations
• How reclaiming rites of passage can transform your experience of motherhood
• Why nervous system regulation is foundational to both healing and business
• Building a business as an authentic expression of who you are

Connect with Jade https://www.instagram.com/the_nesting_space_community_/

Connect with Alex alexmccarthycoaching.com instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching.com