My Kind of Business

In this solo episode, I’m doing something a little different. Instead of talking you through strategy, I’m taking you on a guided future self visualisation, made for small business owners, freelancers and solopreneurs who are tired of running on autopilot.

Running a business can feel lonely and heavy. There are money worries, there’s the comparison trap, and there’s that nagging feeling you should be further on by now. So many of us spend the year reacting rather than choosing. This meditation gives you space to put all of that down for a while, meet the version of you who is twelve months further along, and hear what they want you to know. You’ll come out of it calmer, clearer and with one honest first step for 2027.

If you’ve been wondering whether this is really the business you want, or you’re ready to plan next year in a way that fits around your life rather than swallowing it, I’d love you to give yourself these fifteen minutes. Find somewhere comfortable and press play when you can close your eyes.

In this episode:
- Why a future self visualisation is such a powerful mindset tool for goal setting and business planning
- Letting go of the guilt, comparison and not-enoughness so many business owners carry
- Stepping into a day twelve months from now, with work that lights you up, clients who value you and money that finally feels steady
- A heartfelt conversation with your future self about what to let go of and what to do first
- Why you haven’t been failing, you’ve been learning

After you listen, write down the first step your future self gave you and keep it somewhere you’ll see it every day. If something big came up, spend ten minutes journalling about it. Those feelings are worth listening to.

BOOK YOUR 2027 BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOP

If this episode stirred something, my annual business planning workshop is where we turn that feeling into a real plan. It’s a relaxed, practical morning to look back on 2026 and plan your next 12 months with clarity, without the hustle. All stages welcome. Every ticket includes:
- A pre-workshop mini audit
- My simple goal-setting and planning framework
- Guided visualisation
- A panel of three business owners sharing their planning habits
- A bonus online accountability session in mid-January

Choose your date:
Shrewsbury: Tue 24 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Lion & Pheasant Hotel
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningshrewsbury
Woburn Sands: Fri 27 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Frosts
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningwoburn
Online: Wed 2 Dec, 10am to 12pm
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningonline

- In-person guests also get a printed workbook, pen, surprise goodies, pastries and refreshments.
- Tickets: £48 in person, £38 online, or add £100 to go VIP and get a 60-minute 1:1 with me.
- Spaces are limited, so book your place soon.
- Business training can often be tax deductible, so check with your accountant.

In this solo episode, Alex explores how being "too nice" can quietly cost your business time, money and capacity. From underpricing and discounting to over-delivering and blurry boundaries, she shares how to protect your profit without losing the kindness and care that make your business yours.

If you're working hard but your bank balance doesn't reflect it, this one is for you.

In this episode:

• How being "too nice" shows up as underpricing, discounting, over-delivering and saying yes when you mean no
• Pricing on value and what your business needs, not just time
• What to say when someone tells you "that's a bit pricey"
• The hidden work that turns a profitable package into an underpaid one
• Why low average sale values create a capacity problem
• Why you and your future self are stakeholders in your business too
• The "nice tax audit" to find where your time and profit are leaking

Try the nice tax audit:
Look at your last five clients. Compare what you invoiced with everything you actually delivered, including calls, messages, revisions and extras. Work out your real hourly rate and ask yourself, would I knowingly agree to this price again?

BOOK YOUR 2027 BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOP
A relaxed, practical morning to look back on 2026 and plan your next 12 months with clarity, including your pricing and numbers. All stages welcome.

Every ticket includes:

• A pre-workshop mini audit
• Alex's simple goal-setting and planning framework
• Guided visualisation
• A panel of three business owners sharing their planning habits
• A bonus online accountability session in mid-January

Choose your date:
Shrewsbury: Tue 24 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Lion & Pheasant Hotel
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningshrewsbury
Woburn Sands: Fri 27 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Frosts
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningwoburn
Online: Wed 2 Dec, 10am to 12pm
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningonline

In-person guests also get a printed workbook, pen, surprise goodies, pastries and refreshments.

Tickets: £48 in person, £38 online, or add £100 to go VIP and get a 60-minute 1:1 with Alex.

Spaces are limited, so book your place soon.
Business training can often be tax deductible, so check with your accountant.

Timestamps
00:10 The price of being too nice in business
03:02 Why hardworking business owners still struggle financially
04:57 Where "too nice" gets expensive: pricing
08:24 Why pricing by time undervalues your expertise
12:14 Discounting and "that's a bit pricey"
15:04 The hidden work eating your profit
17:27 When "easy to work with" means no boundaries
20:09 Average sale value and capacity
22:57 Using your numbers to make pricing decisions
26:06 The nice tax audit
28:19 Why boundaries are part of your pricing
31:20 Three actions to take after listening
33:00 The 2027 Business Planning Workshops

Quotes
"You can be kind and profitable."
"Your boundaries are part of your pricing."
"The answer, rather than being less kind, is to become more aware."

Connect with Alex
Website: alexmccarthycoaching.com
Instagram: @alexmccarthycoaching

In this solo episode, Alex reframes Q4 as a bridge into 2027, not a time to coast, panic or write the year off. With around twelve weeks left, she shares a calm, practical approach to finishing the year with clarity, cash flow and momentum, without running yourself into the ground.

If you're feeling behind, flat or tempted to "start properly in January", this one is for you.

In this episode:

• Why "coasting mode" feels safe but often leads to a stressful January
• Five reflection questions to audit your year using real data, not just feelings
• Redefining growth beyond "more": fewer hours, higher prices, better clients, stronger systems
• Choosing one priority per month and one action per week
• Six Q4 growth opportunities: past clients, pre-selling January, raising prices, the festive season, tidying your finances and one simple offer
• Visibility, testimonials and aligned collaboration
• Clearing open loops, simplifying systems and setting Christmas boundaries early
• Why the best January starts with planning in November

BOOK YOUR 2027 BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOP
A relaxed, practical morning to look back on 2026 and plan your next 12 months with clarity. All stages welcome.

Every ticket includes:

• A pre-workshop mini audit
• Alex's simple goal-setting and planning framework
• Guided visualisation
• A panel of three business owners sharing their planning habits
• A bonus online accountability session in mid-January

Choose your date:
Shrewsbury: Tue 24 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Lion & Pheasant Hotel
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningshrewsbury
Woburn Sands: Fri 27 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Frosts
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningwoburn
Online: Wed 2 Dec, 10am to 12pm
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningonline

In-person guests also get a printed workbook, pen, surprise goodies, pastries and refreshments.

Tickets: £48 in person, £38 online, or add £100 to go VIP and get a 60-minute 1:1 with Alex.

Spaces are limited, so book your place soon.
Business training can often be tax deductible, so check with your accountant.

Timestamps
00:00 Why this episode was recorded twice
02:45 Why Q4 shapes this year and next
04:03 What coasting mode looks like
09:31 Five questions to audit your year
15:00 Redefining growth beyond "more"
18:28 Defining a high finish
19:34 One priority per month, one action per week
22:02 Six Q4 growth opportunities
27:21 Visibility and relationships
29:00 Why collaboration speeds up growth
29:38 Clearing open loops
33:10 Christmas boundaries and front-loading Q4
34:25 Why the best January starts before January
35:25 Inside the 2027 planning workshops
37:24 Dates, locations and pricing
39:46 Don't write off the rest of the year

Quotes
"Q4 is not the end of the year. It is a bridge."
"Focus trumps effort every single time."
"You are not behind. You are exactly where you need to be to start."

Connect with Alex
Website: alexmccarthycoaching.com
Instagram: @alexmccarthycoaching
Share your "I'll know I've finished 2026 on a high if..." sentence with Alex on Instagram.

In this sixty-eighth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Chardét Ryel, a behaviour change specialist, serial entrepreneur and Forbes-featured Top 200 podcaster who helps female founders use their voice to build authority and trust without relying on algorithms or constantly proving themselves online.

Chardét's story is a winding one, from childhood performance instincts and dreams of diplomacy, through building and losing a wellness business, to finding a new direction in business and podcasting. It's an honest conversation about how failure, fear of visibility and big life disruptions can reveal what you actually want, and what shifted when she stopped forcing a fixed identity and let her business evolve with her.

If you've ever felt like you should have it all figured out by now, this is one to sit with.

In this episode Alex and Chardét explore:

• The childhood creativity and performance instincts that hinted at her future
• Failing the Foreign Service exam and what it set in motion
• The messy, non-linear route into entrepreneurship, and why feeling "not ready" doesn't mean you can't begin
• Leaving a toxic workplace and learning to trust her intuition
• Starting her first wellness business, and facing imposter syndrome and a fear of being visible
• Moving from New York to London and rebuilding her business model
• Losing her in-person business when COVID hit, and rebuilding online
• Starting a podcast, and realising a successful business can still feel misaligned
• Losing her voice just before a launch, and the link between stress and physical symptoms
• Pivoting into visibility, and why a business doesn't have to stay fixed forever

Key Highlights

• Why failure can create permission to change direction, rather than proof you've gone wrong
• That feeling "not ready" isn't a reason to wait
• How visibility is a skill you grow into, not something you're born comfortable with
• Why a business that looks successful can still feel misaligned, and that feeling is worth listening to
• Why you don't have to build alone, because no one is truly self-made

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome and introducing Chardét's story
02:56 - Studying politics, languages, and failing the Foreign Service exam
03:44 - How failure created permission to change direction
09:16 - Why entrepreneurship began to feel possible
13:35 - Leaving a toxic workplace
16:32 - Starting a wellness brand after job rejection
17:33 - Early imposter syndrome and feeling too old at 27
18:44 - Avoiding visibility and staying off camera
22:14 - Opening day in London with no attendees
25:25 - Losing the business when COVID hit
27:15 - Starting a podcast and reconnecting with her voice
33:25 - Turning the podcast into the business itself
34:49 - Losing her voice just before launch
40:02 - Choosing visibility as a new business focus
45:03 - Chardét's advice: don't do it alone
46:27 - My kind of business is open ended

Connect with Chardét
https://chardetryel.com/
instagram.com/chardetryel

Connect with Alex
alexmccarthycoaching.com
instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching

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.