Two hundred episodes… WTF! I genuinely wasn’t sure when I hit record on episode one whether there would be a second. And here we are.

This isn’t a ‘best of’ clip show or a trip down memory lane for its own sake. I’m sharing the twenty things I know now that I wish I’d known at the beginning, about podcasting, about business, about showing up consistently when it feels pointless, and about what it actually takes to build something that lasts.

If you’re a podcaster, thinking about starting a podcast, or you’ve got one that’s been gathering dust because you lost momentum, this one’s for you.

Here’s a little tease of some of the lessons…

On keeping going when it feels pointless

There WILL be stretches, sometimes long ones, where you feel like you’re just talking into the void. Downloads are disappointing. Your inbox is silent. You hit publish and get nothing back. Keep going anyway. The people who need your show will find it, sometimes months or years after you recorded it, at exactly the moment they need it. The quiet periods aren’t a sign you’re failing. They’re part of the process.

On consistency as a competitive advantage

Podcasting is one of the few places where showing up, week after week, even imperfectly, is genuinely enough to stand out. MOST podcasters can’t do it. Your listeners make you part of their routine. When you disappear without warning, you break something. That trust is fragile and worth protecting.

On sound quality - the one non-negotiable

People will forgive you for fluffing your words. They will not forgive bad audio. This is not a soft suggestion. Poor sound quality creates physical resistance in your listener and they WILL click away - not because they’re not interested in what you have to say, but because they can’t stand listening to poor quality audio. Who can?! Invest in your sound. Everything else is optional. Your audio is not.

On finding your Linah

A proper shout-out to my podcast editor Linah Macharia, who has been with me since episode one. A great editor is a creative partner who holds the continuity of your show in a way you simply can’t when you’re too close to it. If you find someone who gets what you’re building and shows up for it consistently, treasure them.

On niche, evolution, and the show telling you what it wants to be

The other sixteen lessons cover everything from why your worst episodes teach you the most, to why silence in an interview is gold, to how your backstory is your greatest asset rather than something to hide. We talk about marketing without performance, building for permanence over trending, and what it means when your audience wants to know you, not just learn from you.

The One That Matters Most

Begin before you’re ready. And then keep beginning.

That’s it. That’s the whole thing.

A Note on This Show

This podcast started as a way to share what I know about building a business that actually fits the person running it. It has become something much bigger than that. A record of my own evolution, a community of women who are done performing their way through entrepreneurship, and proof that the quiet, consistent, relationships-first approach works.Thank you for being here. Whether you’ve been with me since episode one or this is the first episode you’ve ever heard, welcome. There’s plenty more to come.

Mentioned in This Episode

- Linah, podcast editor and legend - https://linahmacharia.com/

Work With Me

If this episode resonated and you’re ready to build a business that actually fits you, one rooted in authenticity, depth, and real relationships rather than algorithm-chasing, here’s how we can work together:

Legacy: High level 1:1 coaching. Bespoke, deep, and built around you.

Mastery: A DIY program for early-stage coaches ready to build the foundations properly from the start.

Start by applying for a FREE Best Next Move session with me: https://form.jotform.com/Moakes/best-next-move

CONNECT WITH ME…

- Substack: https://gillmoakes.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gillmoakes/

- Website: https://gillmoakes.com

*If this episode hit home, please share it with someone who needs to hear it - another podcaster who’s losing faith, a coach who keeps putting off hitting record, or anyone who needs a reminder that beginning imperfectly is still beginning.

Big news this week, the ReWild Your Business podcast has a new home. I've moved it over to Substack, and in this episode I'm sharing exactly why, what I've changed my mind about, and how I'm planning to use Substack as my central media hub going forward.

If you've been curious about Substack, whether it's worth exploring, whether the SEO issues are still a thing, whether it's actually just for writers, then this episode is for you. I'm coming at it as someone who dismissed it for years and has now done a complete 180.

Why I Changed My Mind About Substack

For a long time I was repeating other people's opinions about Substack as if they were my own - the closed shop problem, the SEO limitations, the "it's only useful if your clients are writers" narrative. I hadn't done my own due diligence, and I'm calling myself out on that. Because Substack has evolved enormously, and it's time to update the story.

The LinkedIn Thing

I'm not deleting my account, but I'm being honest: I'm over trying to crack the LinkedIn algorithm. Six and a half thousand followers and I still can't reliably reach the people I'm connected to on purpose. I don't create content to please algorithms, and Substack feels like a breath of fresh air by comparison.

What's Actually Changed on Substack

The SEO has improved significantly, it's no longer the closed shop it once was

You can use it as a full media hub - newsletter, podcast, video, live events, community

Notes gives you a social media-style space without being fully algorithm-dependent

You can go as simple or as complex as you like

How I'm Using It

The podcast now lives inside Substack (you can still listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, nothing changes for you there). I'm also experimenting with going live, including a four-part collaboration series with the brilliant Deb D. And I've opened a paid membership - the most accessible and simple way to work with me, with resources and monthly Zoom calls, without the over-engineered complexity that's put me off memberships in the past.

Why Substack Feels Right For Me Right Now

It's where I can show up as my whole self without performing for an algorithm or shrinking to fit a platform's rules. It's where the writers I most admire are doing their most generous, accessible work. I want to create that same sense of depth and connection for you.

And with my book in progress, Substack feels like the natural home for the writing side of everything I'm building.

Subscribe to ReWild Your Business on Substack: https://gillmoakes.substack.com/

Come and have a dig around, it's still a work in progress and I'd love your company as it evolves. Free subscribers get all the newsletters and the podcast. Paid members get a more personal layer of access, including 2 monthly Zoom calls.

https://gillmoakes.substack.com/

If anything on the Substack feels confusing or you think the navigation could be clearer, please do drop me a line: [email protected] - genuinely helpful feedback very welcome.

Substacks Mentioned in this episode:

Deb D - The Intuitive HERoine - For the women who dare to lead their lives from within. https://thebehercollective.substack.com/

Claire Venus - Sparkle on Substack - If you're thinking of starting or growing a Substack, she is the resource. Down to earth, practical, zero gatekeeping. Highly recommended. https://sparkleon.substack.com/

Beth Kempton - SoulStack - Beautiful, generous writing for anyone interested in developing their writing practice. https://bethkempton.substack.com/

Rebecca Campbell - For the spiritual among you, Rebecca is the real deal - I love her work. https://rebeccacampbell.substack.com/

In this raw and honest episode, I'm sharing why I've been quieter than usual lately and what's really been happening behind the scenes.

I've been going through a profound identity evolution over the past year - one that felt too big, too spiritual, too mystical to share while I was in the middle of it. If you've ever felt caught between who you're becoming and what you think you "should" be doing in your business, this episode is for you.

• Why I chose silence over diluting my experience during this profound transformation


• The internal battle between strategy and soul-led work (and why it felt like a wrestling match)


• How trying to diminish your truth creates friction that stops you from moving forward


• Why that friction isn't a problem to solve - it's information your system is giving you


• What happens when you choose to honor the evolution of who you're becoming


• The unexpected doors that open when you trust yourself more than you trust what others expect

Journaling Prompts:

Where in your life and business are you showing up as a diminished version of yourself?
Where are you diluting your truth?
What friction are you experiencing that might actually be information about what you've outgrown?

Work With Gill
Ready to explore what's next for you? Book a Next Best Move call to get clarity on what you need to be focusing on.
https://www.gillmoakes.com/next-best-move

Connect with Gill:

Instagram: @gillmoakes
Substack: It's A People Thing: https://gillmoakes.substack.com/
Website: https://www.gillmoakes.com/

About the Podcast:
ReWild Your Business is the podcast for women doing the work their soul intended. It's about cutting away what doesn't belong to allow what does to thrive, finding simplicity in your work, and bringing the whole of who you are to the table.

If you've ever felt like you're drowning in systems, strategies, and 47-step funnels while the actual work you love takes a backseat, this one's for you...

The online business world has sold us a version of entrepreneurship that's unnecessarily complicated. The complex funnels, intricate launch sequences, social media strategies that require a degree in digital marketing, business models you can't explain without a flow chart. None of this is an accident.

The complexity isn't a bug in the system. It's an entire business model. Someone sells you a complicated system, it doesn't work (or it kind of works but feels exhausting), so you think you're doing it wrong. You must need the advanced training, the next level, the missing piece. And they've got you for another course, another certification, another mastermind.

Building a coaching business comes down to one sentence: Be visible where your people are, talk about what you do in a way that makes sense, have conversations with potential clients, make offers, deliver excellent work, and ask for testimonials and referrals.
That's it. Everything else is optimization for a business that's already working.

The Essentials

• Clarity on who you serve and the transformation you create


• A simple way to reach those people (ideally your own platform)


• Consistent visibility and content that adds value


• Actual conversations with potential clients (we're in a trust desert thanks to AI)


• A clear offer that solves a real problem, priced appropriately for the value you create


• Brilliant delivery so you can ask for referrals and testimonials

Everything outside of these six things is optional.

This connects to identity work. Complexity sells because most people are operating from an identity that doesn't trust the simple path. If you fundamentally don't believe you're the kind of person who can build a successful business through straightforward means, through your actual talent, real relationships, and genuine value, then complexity feels necessary. It becomes armour, proof that you're a serious business person.

But the minute you step into the identity of someone who creates value, builds relationships, and makes offers from genuine authority, that complexity starts feeling like a chain around your neck.

Everyone who's built a successful coaching business did it through relationships first and systems later. Not the other way around.

Your Rewilding Move This Week:

Look at your business. All of it. The tools, systems, strategies, platforms, frameworks, social media channels. Ask yourself: what here is actually serving me versus what am I serving?
If you're spending more time managing your business infrastructure than actually building relationships, having conversations, making offers, and creating value, you've probably been sold complexity and now you're hiding behind it.

The antidote isn't another solution. It's subtraction.

Ready to Strip Back the Complexity?
If you're ready to build your business from a place of genuine authority and do the identity work around becoming the coach who trusts that it can be this simple, apply for a Next Best Move call with me. It's an hour of one-to-one time where we'll figure out what you actually need and what the simple version of your business could look like.
Apply Now: https://www.gillmoakes.com/next-best-move

There's panic in the coaching industry. Will AI replace us? Are we all about to become obsolete?

Here's the reframe: AI hasn't made coaching obsolete. It's made it absolutely essential.

The Truth About AI
AI is extraordinary. You can get a complete business strategy in 30 seconds, a marketing plan, step-by-step frameworks for anything. Information that used to take years to access is now free and infinite.
But people aren't flying... they're drowning in information, strategies, and plans they're not executing.

It's No Longer an Information Gap, It's a Transformation Gap
People don't hire coaches because they don't know what to do. They hire coaches because they're struggling to become the person who actually does it.

AI can give you the blueprint. But it cannot hold space for the messy stuff in the middle, that deeply human process of becoming someone different.

AI can't sit with you in discomfort, mirror back your stories, or call out your excuses with loving directness. It doesn't witness your transformation in the same way.

You Don't Change Because You Got Better Information
You change because another human believed in your potential before you did. Because someone created space where it was safe to let go of who you've been. Because someone asked that one question that cracked you open.

That's coaching. No algorithm will ever replicate the power of human witness and intuition.

AI Has Made Information Free - Transformation Is Everything
Mediocre coaching, repackaged information and generic cheerleading, is absolutely replaceable by AI.
Deep transformational coaching that sees the person behind the pattern? More valuable than ever.
The world doesn't need more information. We need brilliant coaches who can guide people through the transformation they need to use the information.

AI isn't coming for your coaching business. It's raising the bar for what coaching needs to be.

~~~

Apply for a FREE 60-minute strategic session with me where we'll cut through the noise and identify the single most important action for your coaching business right now. This isn't about more information - it's about the right action at the right time: https://www.gillmoakes.com/next-best-move

This week I'm calling out something I'm seeing everywhere right now in the online business world, and honestly, it's feeling like an epidemic. Coaches are hearing they should differentiate themselves by being vulnerable, so they're sharing their struggles, their breakdowns, their trauma in real time. And look, it works at first - engagement goes through the roof, people respond, you feel seen. But here's the problem: they end up building their entire brand around their worst moments.

Every post becomes a wound on display. And then they can't figure out why they're attracting clients who are drowning, not clients who are ready to actually do the work and move forward.

When your brand is built on unprocessed trauma, you're positioning yourself as a peer in struggle rather than a guide through it, and that fundamentally undermines your authority.
There's a massive difference between real vulnerability and performance vulnerability. Real vulnerability is when you're sharing something you've processed and metabolised. You're offering wisdom, not an open wound. It feels clean because you're not searching for validation, you're genuinely serving your audience's transformation.

Performance vulnerability? That's when you're sharing trauma because it gets clicks and comments, when you're still in it and you need people to tell you you're brave. It's extractive, not generous.

So here's my invitation: stop sharing trauma in real time, audit your content to see how much centres on pain rather than insight, and reposition your brand around transformation instead of empathy. The people who truly value you don't need you to perform your pain, they value your wisdom, your authority, your frameworks because you're on the other side and can show them the way.

Mentioned in this episode:

This is the LinkedIn post I mention about my late husband: 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gillmoakes_its-7-years-ago-today-that-my-husband-phill-activity-7143208724856270849-BFL-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAACuEtlUBCBw8uMiKIFcrgf3Kt-Gpw6nq80o

If you'd like to explore working together, book a call with me here: https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call

Your modesty isn't making you more likeable - it's making you invisible to the people who desperately need what you offer...

While you're busy staying humble and worrying about looking like a dick, someone out there who needs you, can't find you. Or they find you but don't believe you can help them because you're playing small.

What This Episode Covers
We're tackling imposter syndrome, the resistance to "bragging," tall poppy syndrome, and all the cultural conditioning that keeps you making yourself smaller.

The Big Ideas
Confidence vs Arrogance:
A. Owning your expertise: "I've spent 10 years learning how to solve this exact problem. I've worked with dozens of clients who've got results. I know what I'm doing and I can help you."
B. Being a dick: "I'm the only person that can solve your problem. Everyone else is s**t."

One invites people in. The other pushes them away.

Imposter Syndrome Reframed
Imposter syndrome is a refusal to integrate your experience into who you are. Your clients didn't pay you for luck - they paid you for your expertise. When you refuse to own that, you could say you're not being humble, you're being slightly dishonest.

What Your Future Clients Need
They're scared, uncertain, investing money that feels like a stretch. They need confidence in you. Your confidence gives them permission to trust you. Your belief that you can help them creates space for them to believe in their own transformation.

Four Ways to Own Your Expertise

1. Talk About Results - Show what happens because of what you do


2. Be Confident in Your Messaging - Stop using "I think" or "maybe" or "it's just my opinion"


3. Be Specific - Specific truths sound like expertise; vague claims sound like b******t


4. Own Your Perspective - Say "Here's what I've learned" not "I think this might work"

Key Takeaways

• Your modesty is not a virtue if it's keeping people from finding you


• Your imposter syndrome is a refusal to integrate your experience


• Your fear of being "too much" robs your future clients of the confidence they need


• The people who need you are looking for someone confident and certain

Ready to Do This Work?
If you're ready to do the identity work around becoming the woman who has the business you want, let's explore working together. I've been doing this for a long time. I'm good at it.
Book a call: https://go.oncehub.com/gillmoakeschat

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:37 This Week's Topic: Owning Your Expertise
04:39 Understanding Imposter Syndrome
08:41 Overcoming Tall Poppy Syndrome
10:47 Steps to Own Your Expertise
15:06 The Identity Shift: Becoming Your True Self
18:16 Conclusion and Call to Action

For most of my life, I genuinely believed I wasn't creative. Like, hand on heart, I would tell anyone willing to listen that I didn't have a creative bone in my body. And I really believed it.

Why? Because to me, creativity meant one thing: being able to draw or paint. And since I can't do that (trust me, this isn't false modesty – I literally cannot draw to save my life), I wrote myself off completely.
But here's what I've finally realised: I've been using the wrong definition of creativity my entire life. And in doing so, I've been denying a fundamental part of who I am.

So, here's what I'm sharing with you in this episode:

• The narrow definition of creativity I carried from childhood into my business


• How I finally recognised that the way I think, write, and solve problems IS creative


• Why this isn't just about creativity – it's about the identity stories we tell ourselves. The stories you might be telling yourself that are keeping you stuck ('I'm not strategic', 'I'm not good with money', 'I'm not a natural salesperson'...)


• How your business will only ever be as big as the identity you're willing to claim


• The loop that's running your life: identity determines actions, actions determine results, results reinforce identity

Here's the truth: Your business will never outperform who you are. If you're keeping yourself inside a restricted identity – some clinical, small version of you – your business will never outgrow that.

This week's journal prompt:
What story are you telling yourself about who you are or who you're not? And where did that story come from?

I bet it came from somewhere outside you. Someone else's definition. Someone else's standards. Something you decided once, years ago, based on limited information or one bad experience or comparison to someone who does it differently.

Pay attention to who you actually are when you're not trying to be who you think you should be.

Let's connect:
Drop me an email at [email protected] and let me know what came up for you when you listened to this episode. I absolutely love getting those messages – they honestly make my day!

And if you're enjoying the podcast, I'd be so grateful if you'd hop onto Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen) and leave a five-star rating and review. You wouldn't believe the difference it makes to the reach of the show.

Mentioned in this episode:

Unapologetic Retreats - we gift women the time and space to explore what’s possible for them, and be inspired to take action, unapologetically. (https://www.unapologeticretreats.com/)

Girls That Get S**t Done - a roaring, global network of seriously creative female bad asses that are shaping the world of design, marketing, business and brand.  (https://www.girlsthatgetshitdone.com/)

Listen now and subscribe on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your favourite podcast platform

00:00 Introduction and Happy New Year!
00:27 Embracing Creativity: My Personal Journey
02:17 Redefining Creativity and Identity
04:13 Challenging Limiting Beliefs
05:45 Recognising and Owning Your Creativity
09:25 The Power of Identity in Business
16:16 Breaking the Loop: Identity and Actions
17:08 Reflection and Journaling Prompts
19:01 Final Thoughts

In the first episode of 2026, I'm sharing five deliberate choices I refuse to apologise for in my business. These include not being present on all social media platforms, my pricing, saying no to unaligned opportunities, not always being relatable, and working long hours.

Yep an eclectic little bunch of insights this week - let's start this year as we mean to go on and get clear on what we're not going to apologise for!

Tell me what that means for you: [email protected]

Want to explore working with me this year? Schedule a call: https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call

00:00 Welcome to Rewild Your Business 2026!
01:09 Unapologetically Authentic: Embracing Your Business Choices
03:01 Social Media: Quality Over Quantity
05:08 Valuing Your Worth: No Apologies for Pricing
07:11 The Power of Saying No
10:11 Relatability vs. Transformation
14:28 Passion Over Balance: Embracing Long Hours
16:51 Final Thoughts and Reflection

As we close out 2025, this episode is about the three critical decisions that will position you to make next year truly extraordinary. Whether you're listening in those strange days between Christmas and New Year, or you're one of those brilliant people who switches off completely until January 5th, these decisions are for you to make...

If you have a vision for your life and business that's bigger than feels comfortable to admit out loud, this episode is going to challenge you in allllll the right ways.

The Three Decisions:

Decision 1: To Uplevel Your Identity
This isn't about affirmations or visualisation... it's about who you're actually being, not just what you're thinking. Your current business - everything it is and isn't - is an exact match for who you've been being up until now.

If you're not getting the clients you want, it's because the woman you've been being isn't the woman who works with those clients. If you're not charging what you're worth, it's because the woman you've been being doesn't believe she's worth it.

The uncomfortable truth? You can't grow your business beyond who you are being. So who do you need to become to hold the vision you have for 2026?

Decision 2: Say No to Misalignment
Every yes to something that doesn't align with your values or vision is a no to something that does. You can't make space for what's next if you're holding on to what no longer serves you.

This isn't about being ruthless, it's about being intentional. It's about honouring yourself enough to protect your energy, your time, and your focus for what actually matters. What are you tolerating that's keeping you small?

Decision 3: Invest in Yourself
Growth requires investment. You know the difference between genuinely not being able to invest responsibly and using money as a comfortable excuse to avoid growth.

What investment do you need to make in 2026? A mentor? A mastermind? Training that would give you the skills to deliver at the level you want? Someone to help you do the deep identity work?

Write down what you need. Then write down all your reasons for not doing it yet. Read them back and ask yourself: are these the thoughts of the woman I decided to become?

Your Action Steps:
For each decision, make one concrete move:

Identity: Write a detailed description of the woman you're becoming. Choose one action that woman would take that terrifies the woman you've been being. Then take it.

Saying No: Identify one thing you're currently doing that's misaligned and start thinking about your exit strategy.

Investment: Research the investment you know you need to make. Book the discovery call. Request the proposal. Look at your finances and figure out how you'll invest in yourself in 2026.

Don't wait for perfect clarity. Don't wait to feel ready. Just make the decision.

Want to Work With Me in 2026?
If you need someone to help you become the woman who can build the legacy business you're dreaming of, let's talk. Book a call here https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call or DM me on LinkedIn.

Thank you
Thank you for making this podcast part of your 2025. This is the end of the third year of ReWild Your Business, and recording these episodes is still such a pleasure. I feel really lucky to have this as my platform... well, it's not luck, it's bloody hard work, but I love it!

Have an amazing New Year, however you're celebrating, and I'll speak to you next time in 2026.

Connect with Gill:

Website: https://gillmoakes.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillmoakes/
BOOK A CALL NOW: https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call

00:00 Gratitude and Reflections on the Past Year
00:51 Making the Most of the Year-End
02:51 Understanding Ambition and Vision
06:48 Decision 1: Uplevel Your Identity
15:16 Decision 2: Say No to Misalignment
22:17 Decision 3: Invest in Yourself
29:54 Final Thoughts and Encouragement