Really Good Conversations

Join Amy as she chats with Sarah Ward, CEO of the Giftware Association and a powerhouse in the gift and home industry.

Sarah shares her inspiring journey, from her early retail roles as a schoolgirl to leading the UK's largest trade body.

Together, they delve into the vital role of the Giftware Association in supporting businesses, the often-underrated skills gained in retail, and how small businesses can prepare for international trade with confidence.

Sarah also reveals why empowering women in business has become important for her and shares invaluable advice for small businesses, highlighting the magic of collaboration and her enduring passion for people and products.

Whether you're in business, have a product, or are simply curious about the world of trade, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

Key topics of discussed:

• Sarah's personal journey in retail and leadership

• The role of the Giftware Association

• Valuing retail and industry skills: building successful careers and businesses

• Preparing for International Trade

• Empowering women in business

• The magics of collaboration and building strong business relationships

Giftware Association - www.giftwareassociation.org

Sarah Ward LinkedIn

When Covid-19 hit, the hospitality industry had to pivot, with many adopting at-home dining options.

Award-winning Norwich restaurant Farmyard took on this challenge, determined to ensure their dishes tasted as good at home as in their Michelin-listed restaurant. They transformed their best offerings into high-quality frozen meals for home enjoyment.

Fast forward to 2024: Husband and wife duo Hannah and Andrew made the tough decision to close their restaurant of 7 years fully and focus on Farmyard Frozen.

In this episode of Really Good Conversations, Hannah shares their journey of redefining frozen food with restaurant-quality meals, navigating challenges, the creative dynamics of working with her husband, and Farmyard's exciting future plans.

• Pivoting in a Pandemic: How Farmyard shifted from fine dining to frozen meals.
• Quality Standards: The challenges of ensuring restaurant-quality food at home.
• Creative Dynamics: Insights into running a business as a husband-wife team.
• Lessons Learned: Overcoming misconceptions about frozen food.
• Future Plans: Farmyard's vision to make fine dining frozen a household name.

Tune in for an inspiring journey of food innovation and making tough decisions in business.

Check out Farmyard Frozen at:

https://farmyardfrozen.com/

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

In this episode of Really Good Conversations, Amy chats with parenting expert and author Sue Atkins on navigating modern parenting challenges in a tech-filled world.

Hear Sue's journey from 18 years of teaching to becoming a leading voice in parenting, offering practical advice for parents.

Sue shares insights on building children's confidence, setting boundaries around digital devices, and fostering real-life connections in a digital age.

They discuss the importance of delayed screen access for younger children and practical strategies for managing social media with teens.

Tune in for valuable advice on creating tech-free spaces at home, helping children develop resilience, and using Sue's "digital jungle" tips for healthy, balanced tech use.

They discuss:

• Balancing Tech & Real life
• Strategies for delaying smartphone access
• Tips on device-free times
• Parents setting a positive example
• Engaging kids in conversations about digital safety

Whether you're a parent or just curious about the impact of digital devices on children, this episode is packed with insights and tips for everyone.

Sue has a huge amount of resources available for parents:

Sue Atkins Website: https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/

Navigating the digital jungle: https://navigatingthedigitaljungle.com/

• Tips & Scripts for parents: Building confidence in saying 'no' to smartphones until aged 14:

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Smartphones-downloadable.pdf

• Language matters: Why 'Safety Settings' Speak Louder Than 'Parental Controls. Navigating the Digital Jungle: Tips and SCRIPTS To Start Important Conversations.

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/2024/08/language-matters-why-safety-settings-speak-louder-than-parental-controls-scripts-to-start-important-conversations/

• Anti-Dopamine Parenting! Breaking the Cycle: A New Approach to Parenting in a Digital Age

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/2024/07/anti-dopamine-parenting-breaking-the-dopamine-cycle-a-new-approach-to-parenting-in-a-digital-age/

• Sweets and Screens: The Dopamine Battle for Your Kids' Attention

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/2024/07/what-exactly-is-a-dopamine-crash-here-are-ways-to-handling-it-more-positively-at-different-ages/#

• SCRIPTS for Setting Social Media Boundaries with Kids.

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/2024/09/scripts-for-setting-social-media-boundaries-with-kids/

• Digital Jungle SCRIPTS: Navigating the Algorithm Generation: A Guide for Parents

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/2024/08/digital-jungle-scripts-navigating-the-algorithm-generation-a-guide-for-parents/

In this episode, Amy chats with Georgie Davies, founder of Yogipod, a yoga and lifestyle brand that helps people find calm through handmade, sustainable products.

Georgie shares her journey from the fast-paced world of fashion and burnout to discovering the benefits of yoga, which led her to start her own business.

Learn about the art of block printing, how she juggles yoga teaching, product creation, and the challenges of running a small business, all whilst trying to find balance in life.

We discuss:

• Transitioning from burnout
• Finding inspiration overseas
• Stepping away to step forward
• The art of block printing
• Building a yoga lifestyle brand - with handmade products and teaching
• Balancing business and teaching
• Challenges and highlights
• Community and collaboration

Whether you're a yoga enthusiast or a budding entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration.

Yogipod website: https://yogipod.co.uk/

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

In this episode of Really Good Conversations, Amy chats with Michelle Ferron, founder of Good Tuesday, a sustainably conscious stationery brand for those who want to organise their lives with style.

Michelle shares her inspiring journey from launching the business on Etsy during the 2020 pandemic to scaling it into a million-pound company.

They dive into the challenges of growing a small business, including navigating Brexit, Royal Mail strikes, and a hacking incident. Michelle also reflects on key milestones, such as the rebrand and achieving B Corp certification.

Michelle also offers advice on overcoming adversity and maintaining ethical business practices.

They discuss:

• What prompted Michele to start the business in lockdown

• Challenges they have faced and how they've overcome them

• Key milestones and achievements

• Rebranding from Once Upon a Tuesday to Good Tuesday

• Balancing profit and ethical practices

• Value business advice

• Growing a business and a family

Tune in to hear her valuable insights into business growth, resilience and profit.

Find out more about Good Tuesday at www.goodtuesday.com

"Finding beautiful ways to say the things that matter."

In this episode of Really Good Conversations, Amy speaks with Stacey McNeil, the creator of card and gift brand Fox Under the Moon.

What started as a pandemic hobby has grown into a thriving brand, capturing hearts with its heartfelt artwork and inspiring messages.

Stacey shares her journey from the stresses of primary school teaching to entrepreneurship. The challenges she has faced, how she used social media to build a loyal following with over 250,000 followers, the secrets behind her consistent branding, and how she turned her passion into a successful business.

They discuss:

• Stacey's personal journey with mental health, leaving her career and pressing the reset button
• How a pandemic hobby turned into the Fox Under the Moon brand
• The organic growth of the brand through social media
• The challanges faced along the way
• Working with her husband Jamie and how they stay sane

Tune in to learn how Fox Under the Moon became an award-winning brand and discover Stacey's tips for fostering community and creativity online.

Fox Under The Moon - www.foxunderthemoonart.com

"The only thing certain in life is death, taxes, and uncertainty."

In this episode of the Really Good Conversations podcast, host Amy chats to Melissa Browne, a financial expert, author, and speaker dedicated to enhancing financial literacy, particularly among women.

Mel shares her fascinating journey from an aspiring lawyer to accountant to financial educator, discussing the pivotal moments and challenges that shaped her career.

They discuss:

• The time she gave all of her divorce proceeds to charity
• The taboo of talking about money
• The importance of financial education
• Understanding your money story
• Practical tips for managing money in relationships
• The future of money in a digital world

Listen in for an engaging conversation filled with valuable insights and personal anecdotes that highlight the importance of financial independence and literacy.

You can find out more about Mel, her financial courses at https://www.melissabrowne.com.au/

For FREE resources and downloads: https://www.melissabrowne.com.au/freebies

Follow her on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/melbrowne.money/

There is a magic in collaborating with people in conversation, when you both achieve more than you could alone.

In this episode of the Really Good Conversations podcast Amy sits down with Peter Anthony, an expert in professional communication who helps individuals and corporations achieve better outcomes through the power of effective collaboration.

They uncover the magic of collaborative conversations, discussing Peter's journey from traditional sales to a more effective, collaborative approach.

Peter outlines the six moments that matter in any conversation and explore the importance of setting goals, building rapport, and understanding decision-making processes.

Whether you're looking to improve your personal or professional relationships, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice.

Find out more about Peter Anthony at https://peteranthonyconsulting.com/

The Book: Collabradabra (Link)

Running a business as a solo entrepreneur can be lonely. How ​do ​you ​even make ​friends ​when ​you're ​running ​businesses?

In this episode of the Really Good Conversations Podcast Amy chats to Rebecca Saunders, the founder of The Champagne Lounge — a membership community connecting businesswomen across regional Australia.

Rebecca shares her inspiring journey from the UK to Australia, where she built a successful video production company before creating The Champagne Lounge to connect and empower women.

Amy and Rebecca discuss the importance of community connections, personal branding, and the role of confidence in business.

Rebecca shares some practical advice for building networks and maintaining quality conversations in a digital world.

Key highlights:

• Rebecca's Inspiring Journey from the UK to Australia
• Starting a Video Production Company
• The creation of The Champagne Lounge
• Building Networks and Making Friends in Adult life & business
• The Role of Confidence in Business
• Celebrating Milestones with Champagne
• Maintaining Quality Conversations in a Digital World

Tune in for insights on navigating entrepreneurship, building networks, and embracing personal confidence.

Discover the transformative power of life planning, the importance of self-discovery, and how to cultivate a meaningful relationship with yourself.

In this inspiring episode of Really Good Conversations Amy chats to Shannah Kennedy, a master life strategist, coach, bestselling author of 'The Life Plan' and co-author of her latest book 'Elevate'.

With over 20 years of experience, Shannah shares her journey from corporate burnout, insights on effective coaching, and the significance of breathing and pacing our fast-paced lives.

We discuss:

• Shannah's journey to becoming a life coach

• The most important relationship is with yourself

• Essential communication skills for effective coaching

• Techniques for deep listening and creating a safe space

• The benefits of having conversations with yourself

• Power of journaling and vision boarding

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable tips.

Learn the art of having meaningful conversations with yourself and elevate your life.

Find free resources, books and more information from Shannah at:

Website: https://shannahkennedy.com/

Human Elevation: https://www.humanelevation.com.au/