Next Level You

This week, I’m joined by motherhood photographer Amanda Miller (Amanda Noel Photography), an ex-primary school teacher turned creative who now crafts soulful, unposed family stories from her studio in Darlington, North East England (and across the UK).

We talk about why real, imperfect moments beat forced poses, the magic of printing your photos and how shooting film vs. digital can change the way we see and feel our memories.

We also get honest about the business side of photography, from juggling young kids to dropping the “winging it” approach. Amanda shares how community, a mastermind, money mindset, and monthly reflection & accountability helped her take control of pricing, cash flow, and strategy.

Highlights you’ll love:

• Motherhood & family photography that captures real connection

• Why printed images become timeless heirlooms (and how to make it easy)

• Presence over “record everything” culture - enjoy the moment you’re in

• Practical mindset shifts for creatives: clarity, consistency, and action

• Behind the scenes of building a sustainable photography business

More about Amanda:

Amanda is a motherhood photographer, capturing soulful stories of the memories your heart wants to hold on to. She is based in her cosy studio in Darlington, but travels nationally for her work.

Connect with Amanda:

Instagram: @amandanoelphotography

Website: www.amandanoelphotography.com

Download Amanda's Free Guide: 5 Ways to Take Better Family Photos: https://amandanoelphotography.myflodesk.com/tk778g62e0

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall:

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

Life coach and author Helen Calvert (aka The No Bullshit Coach) joins me to talk neurodivergent-friendly productivity, procrastination, and what real self-care looks like when you’re juggling life and business. We unpack the difference between coaching vs mentoring, how to set boundaries without shame, why meeting your needs first boosts focus and consistency, and simple nervous system resets you can actually use.

Highlights:

• Neurodivergence, ADHD/autism & why “typical” productivity hacks miss the mark

• Helen’s “Breathe, Bathroom, Beverage” mantra to break overwhelm

• How beliefs become stories and how to rewrite them with compassion

• Coaching, therapy & trauma-informed support: knowing what you need (and when)

• Modelling needs for our kids, avoiding burnout, and building sustainable momentum

More about Helen:

Helen Calvert is a certified life coach who specialises in working with neurodivergent business owners. Autistic herself, as the No Bullsh*t Coach it is her mission to spread more happiness into the world of the self employed by helping them live by their own rules and not others. Faced with a myriad of life challenges from overcoming trauma, anxiety and parenting a sick child, Helen understands life’s challenges intimately - but now refuses to be dictated to by them after 20 years of living by other people’s rules. In The Happier Life Hub she has packaged up her knowledge and resources to make it quick and easy to access advice, guidance and support when overwhelm hits or procrastination calls, and the stories we tell ourselves are getting the better of us

Connect with Helen:

Website https://happier-life.co.uk/

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

Book half-price with all proceeds going to Trafford Domestic Abuse Services (ends 11 October) https://happier-life.co.uk/product/the-no-bullsht-guide-to-a-happier-life

Happier Life Hub membership £1 for the first month (ends 31 October) - https://happier-life.co.uk/hub 

Connect with your host Toni Addinall

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

In this episode of Next Level You, I sit down with business coach and strategist Claire Bartlett to talk about how to simplify your business so you can move from overwhelm to aligned systems.

We talk about building a clear vision, adopting a CEO mindset, and using practical tools like the £1/£10/£100 task method to focus on what truly makes a difference.

Claire shares how she transformed a successful but exhausting business by streamlining processes, systems, and strategy and how you can avoid the Sunday-night dread with small, sustainable steps. We also chat about choosing collaboration over competition, curating your feed for positive energy, and the power of masterminds and mentoring when you “don’t know what you don’t know.”

More about Claire:

Claire Bartlett is a Coach, Mentor & Host of the Simplified CEO. She helps entrepreneurs simplify their business to create spacious success and avoid the overwhelm by using her unique R.E.S.E.T framework. After scaling her first business to 6 figures working just 20 hours a week she now helps others create intentional integration within their lives and achieve the business and life they desire.

Download Claire's Sunday Scaries here: https://www.claire-bartlett.co.uk/sundayscaries-757342

Connect with Claire: https://www.instagram.com/theclairebartlett/

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok

In this episode of Next Level You, I sit down with Career Alchemist Baiba Wisse to explore how somatic movement - Qigong and Tai Chi - can help us reduce stress, ease anxiety, and create a more aligned career.

Baiba shares her journey from 15 years in corporate talent acquisition to launching the Career in Technicolor podcast, and how “moving mindfulness” became the energy management tool that changed everything.

We dive into: practical “movement snacks” you can do during Zoom calls or between meetings, why sitting all day drains your body and focus, and how tuning into your body helps you tell the difference between normal discomfort and a true misalignment.

We also talk about beta-testing your next step (instead of waiting for the perfect plan), bust a few introvert myths, and reframe productivity through nervous-system care.

If you’re a business owner or professional who feels stuck, stressed, or stuck-in-your-head, this conversation will help you reconnect with your body, build sustainable energy, and take aligned action.

More about Baiba:

Baiba Wisse is on a quest to design her own dream job and call you up to join! She is a Tai Chi Qigong Coach and Career In Technicolor Podcast Host

After 15 years in corporate recruitment her love for interviewing people led her to starting a podcast and sharing stories + tools of designing work that is energizing and fulfilling so you can fall in love with Mondays!

How does Qigong fit into the puzzle? Well after years of sitting behind a computer, Baiba started having unexplained aches, pains, and anxiety issues. She  was feeling fatigued much of the time and often didn’t have enough energy to play with her son, meet up with friends or go out in the evenings or weekends.

She’s always been a seeker, obsessed with learning and trying new things that could give her more energy and on that journey she came across Tai Chi and QiGong.

These gentle energy balancing movements helped her bring in more lightness, ease and joy into her day to day and now she wants to share them with you !

Connect with her on IG: www.instagram.com/reigniteyourvitality

Get the FREE 5 day stress release movement mini series:  https://stressless.reigniteyourvitality.com/ 

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok

In todays episode, I am joined by Natalie Mackenzie, The Cognitive Strategist, for a fascinating and practical conversation about brain health, cognition, and performance for founders and leaders.

We explore how neuroplasticity underpins both brain injury rehabilitation and everyday business growth, and why repetition + consistency change outcomes. We also discuss the very real impact of AI on our brains, the productivity boost and the risk of cognitive “laziness”, plus how to use AI well by keeping your critical thinking switched on.

Natalie shares powerful stories from 20 years in brain injury rehab, showing how personality, grit, and the right support shape recovery. We get into decision fatigue (and how to limit big decisions to protect your prefrontal cortex), the link between sleep quality and cognition, working with your chronotype and 90-minute circadian ultradian rhythms, and why social connection + daily learning are non-negotiables for long-term brain health.

If you’re an entrepreneur or leader who wants better focus, smarter decisions, more energy, and sustainable performance, this episode will help you understand your cognitive profile and build a brain-friendly strategy for work and life.

What we cover:

• What cognition actually covers and why it matters in business

• Neuroplasticity: how repetition rewires results

• AI & brain health: productivity without losing your edge

• Decision fatigue: simple rules to protect your best thinking

• Sleep, chronotypes, and planning hard vs. creative tasks

• Socialisation and daily learning as brain-health foundations

  
  

More about Natalie:

Natalie Mackenzie is a cognitive health expert for business owners, with a background in Psychology, Neuropsychology and business strategy. She works with founders, leaders and entrepreneurs to optimise their cognitive performance, overcome decision fatigue and avoid burnout-through blending cognitive science and practical business frameworks. Natalie is sought after media expert, regularly sharing her expertise on cognition in publications such as The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Independent.

Connect with Natalie:

Www.thecognitivestrategist.com

Sign up to receive a daily brain boost to your inbox:

shop.thecognitivestrategist.com/widget/form/QGz8mxL0mBz4k4w3lxHJ

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok

This episode contains discussion of burnout, grief, and traumatic events.

In this episode of Next Level You, I sit down with Angela Hodgson, founder of Ignite Improvement, to explore how to build a brilliant business without burnout. Angela shares her journey from early entrepreneurship to nine years at Bentley Motors, through a breakdown and reset during COVID, and back to leading change for scaling UK SMEs.

We dig into why teams stall: misaligned leadership, weak communication, and resistance to change and how to shift from assumption-led to aligned leadership.

Angela introduces POWER (Purpose, Organization, Work Habits, Engagement, Results); the practical framework behind her Build Brilliant Businesses programme. We also talk about using AI safely with clear policies.

You’ll hear how Angela's university collaborations (Salford, Leeds Business School, Manchester Metropolitan University) and the government’s Help to Grow programme shape her approach, why simplicity scales, and the early signs your business or team is heading toward burnout, plus actionable steps to reignite momentum.

More about Angela:

I am the founder of Ignite Improvement Ltd, where I help busy SME leaders build brilliant, people-first businesses without burning out. After senior roles at Bentley Motors and a personal crash into burnout, I left corporate life to support my two neurodiverse sons and create a business that fits my life - not the other way around. With over 20 years’ experience in consultancy and coaching, I combine practical tools, honest advice and hard-won lessons to support leaders through the messy middle of business and leadership.

Connect with Angela:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahodgson/

⁠https://www.facebook.com/

https://www.instagram.com/angela_hodgson_official/

Take The Quiz here:

You’ve got good people and a growing business. But you’re stuck between strategy and firefighting. This quick quiz helps you spot the gaps - and what to streamline, simplify or shift to get your time back.

https://igniteimprovement.co.uk/quiz

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok

In this episode of Next Level You, I’m joined by Business Strategist and Mentor, Emma Hine, for an inspiring conversation about what it really means to build a business you love.

Emma shares her journey from running a 7-figure business that looked successful on the outside but left her feeling unfulfilled, to creating a business and life fully aligned with her values and happiness.

We talk about:

• Why so many entrepreneurs lose sight of their true vision

• The difference between evolving your business and constantly pivoting

• How to find the right communities and mentors

• The importance of values, accountability, and consistent action

• Emma’s DREAM Framework (Dream, Reality, Exact Steps, Action & Accountability, Measure) for creating a business that works for you

  
  

If you’re ready to stop chasing “shoulds” and start building a business that feels right for you, this conversation will give you clarity, inspiration, and practical steps to move forward and build your dream business.

Download Emma's Clarity Before Strategy, free journal prompts here:

https://membership.emmahine.co.uk/cbs

More about Emma:

Emma Hine is a certified business strategist & mentor who supports ambitious, values-driven business owners to align their strategy, offers, and systems so their business feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. She believes real success starts with a clear vision of the life you want to live and a business designed to support it, not take it over.

After building a million-pound e-commerce business that once consumed her world, Emma now helps others grow in a way that feels purposeful, sustainable, and truly aligned. As an Amazon bestselling author of The Calibrated Life and host of the Dream Business, Dream Life podcast, Emma inspires others to build with passion, lead with integrity, and stop sacrificing themselves for strategies that simply don’t fit.

When she’s not supporting her clients or sharing her message, you’ll find Emma being wife, mum to three and nanny to three more, at her happiest when she’s surrounded by loved ones, sunshine, and a glass of wine in hand.

Connect with Emma:

https://www.emmahine.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/iamemmahine

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-hine

https://dreambusinessdreamlife.buzzsprout.com

https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaHineStrategy

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok

In this episode of Next Level You, I sit down with business mentor, leadership strategist, and subconscious reprogrammer, Antoinette Coffey for a powerful conversation about breaking free from the beliefs and patterns that hold us back.

We dive into how your subconscious mind drives 95% of your thoughts, actions, and decisions and how those deep-rooted patterns, often formed in childhood, can silently shape your business results. Antoinette explains why you can have the best strategy, a magnetic offer, and a strong work ethic… but if it’s built on a foundation of self-doubt, scarcity, or unworthiness, it will never feel aligned or sustainable.

We explore:

• What subconscious programming is and why it’s the hidden reason behind procrastination, overthinking, and self-sabotage

• How to identify and interrupt the patterns keeping you stuck

• The link between emotional intelligence, leadership, and business success

• Why busy hustle culture fuels burnout and how to choose ease without losing momentum

• Antoinette’s personal journey from corporate burnout to building a business in alignment with her values

  
  

  
  

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “all the right things” in your business but not seeing the results you want, this episode will help you see where internal work meets external strategy. Antoinette shares practical insights you can apply immediately to reprogram your mind, step into your vision, and lead yourself, and your business, to the next level.

Listen now to learn how to shift from operating from your past to taking action from your vision.

More about Antoinette, in her own words:

"I build women who lead legacies. I work with high-performing, soul-led entrepreneurs who are done with playing small, tired of strategy loops, and ready to lead their next-level life and business. I see what others miss, the blind spots, the subconscious sabotage, the identity misalignment keeping you circling. I don’t do surface We dismantle subconscious beliefs, rewire your mind, regulate your energy, recalibrate your leadership and align your business to match."

Connect with Antoinette and find details on her 1:1 coaching and mastermind group coaching:

Website: www.antoinettecoffeycoaching.com

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

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok

In this episode of Next Level You, I sit down with Paul Culshaw, Certified Business Strategist and AI Innovator, to explore how service-based entrepreneurs can start, grow, and optimise an online business in today’s fast-changing digital landscape.

Paul shares his Growth Optimizer System, a practical framework built on four pillars: Foundation, Framework, Fellowship, and Finesse. From clarifying your messaging and creating a content strategy, to building visibility and turning engagement into loyal clients, Paul explains the habits, systems, and mindset shifts that can drive sustainable growth.

We also dive into the evolving role of AI in business; how to use it to create authentic content, analyse data, and prepare your business to be cited in AI-generated search results as technology advances.

Paul offers straightforward tips for keyword research, time-blocking for social media, and staying intentional online without falling into endless scrolling, plus insights on adapting to Google’s AI-driven search changes.

If you’re an early-stage coach, consultant, or service-based entrepreneur who wants to:

• Build a consistent online presence that attracts your ideal clients

• Use AI strategically while keeping your unique brand voice

• Focus on the daily actions that move your business forward
  …this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can use right away.

  
  

  
  

Listen now to discover how to combine strategy, systems, and AI innovation to take your business to the next level.

More about Paul:

Paul Culshaw is a Certified AI Innovator and Business Strategist with over 25 years’ experience in marketing, specialising in SEO, AI integration, content and visibility. Paul supports early-stage and established businesses through online courses, group programmes, and his Success Academy membership. He also hosts the Fuzzled: Confusion to Clarity podcast, where he shares easy-to-follow strategies to help business owners feel more focused and less overwhelmed. Paul is known for making strategy feel simple, doable, and genuinely supportive, bringing patience, structure, and clarity to every step of your business growth

Connect with Paul:

Website: https://www.paulculshaw.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pculshaw1/

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

Paul's Membership:

"The Success Academy membership provides a step-by-step marketing training library and hand-on-help from me inside a supportive Facebook group": https://www.paulculshaw.com/marketing-coaching/digital-marketing-success-academy/

Connect with your host, Toni Addinall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok

In this episode of Next Level You, I am joined by the incomparable Lindsay McGlone: Instagram expert, activist, producer, and all around incredible human!

We spoke about a lot! Here's a taster:

• How Lindsay went from being bullied at school to building a 10k+ community on Instagram

• Her transition from care work to full-time entrepreneur

• How she built a values-driven sales method that actually feels good

• The difference between growing an audience and building a community

• The power of showing up as your full-self in business (even when the world tells you not to)

• How burlesque changed her life and why she’s investing £10,000 back into the community that gave her so much

• What it really takes to create unforgettable 'fuck off moments' in your business and brand

• And why success has nothing to do with how you look and everything to do with how you feel

  
  

This is more than a conversation about social media growth. It’s about taking up space, reclaiming your story, and remembering who the f*ck you are!

More about Lindsay:

Lindsay McGlone is an Instagram strategist who helps business owners, solopreneurs and self-employed people get better reach, engagement and make more sales through Instagram. Lindsay boldly states that no one teaches Instagram like they do, adding perspective as an influencer/content creator and creative. She teaches new and innovative ways to use the platform that makes you stand out in the crowd, that go beyond vanity metrics. Making sure that Instagram is the place that you create sexy leads, convert and sell time and time again.

Follow Lindsay on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rollinwithlindsay_

And if you want Lindsay's eyes on your Instagram, she has a great offer, so go connect now!

Follow your host, Toni Addinall:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall

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

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall

Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok