Be honest, do you really show up as the real you to work?

Truly, unconditionally you?

If there is even the tiniest niggle of doubt that you are, you need Michelle Hartley in your life.

She took her beige corporate life and binned it, then stepped into the full kaleidoscopic, colourful brilliance of who she really is. In this episode I talk to Michelle about her transformative journey from a conventional corporate HR role to a vibrant, authentic HR coach.

She shares the joy authenticity in business brings and how she overcame imposter syndrome. She also gives incredible tips to anyone using LinkedIn to find their ideal clients and how to create fun, memorable and engaging content.

Michelle is a beacon of rainbow coloured light in a land of business beige, listen to find out how you can work and live as who you truly are.

And love yourself for it!

“Whatever brings me joy is what I do”– Michelle

You’ll hear about:

00:00 – Being yourself is the biggest win

00:48 - An introduction into Michelle

03:33 - How Michelle went from beige to brilliant

05:09 - Quitting corporate into nothing

09:08 - How Michelle got her first clients

11:59 - How to navigate rejection from clients

16:20 - How Michelle passes on confidence to others

21:03 - Choosing business ideas that are right for you

28:53 - Michelle's advice to use LinkedIn better

33:12 - Create content to become a lighthouse

37:03 - How Michelle got brave on video

41:06 – Michelle’s transformative business advice

Connect with Michelle:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellehartleyfinderofawesome/

People Sorted - https://peoplesorted.co.uk/

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

Entrepreneurship will be emotional. Fact.

From doubting yourself, getting rejected, to feeling exposed because you’re having to put yourself out there for the sake of your business, you’ll feel it all.

My guest in this episode, Kate Hughes, experienced the lot. Her entrepreneurial journey brought up hard stuff from her childhood, but instead of letting this stop her she did what she advises all business owners to do….

Lean into it and work through it.

Kate is a leadership coach, and founder of Your Step Coach. After the gut punch of being made redundant 3 times, Kate took her career into her own hands. She shares the challenges of transitioning to self-employment, and the importance of therapy and self-coaching to be able to lean into the hard stuff and build confidence.

You need self-compassion as an entrepreneur, Kate’s story shows it it’s not just possible but essential for you to thrive.

“The biggest emotional journey has been battling shit from my childhood”– Kate

You’ll hear about:

00:00 - Confronting Childhood Challenges

01:59 - Kate's life before leaping into self employment

05:25 - The scariness of starting to market yourself

09:00 - Kate's biggest emotional journey in business

12:56 - How has running a business impacted family life?

17:56 - The changes in how Kate runs her business now

23:59 - Where Kate's confidence comes from

27:21 - The positive & negative impacts of people around you

32:59 - The people for the seasons of your life

39:16 - Embracing network rather than competition

40:45 - Kate's advice for new business owners

Connect with Kate:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelouisehughes/

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

Your Step Coach - https://www.yourstepcoach.com/work-with-me

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

Business is not all about money.

Shock! Horror!!

It can be created for the purpose of serving others, and when it is incredible things happen.

My guest in this episode Luke Beckley not only has an innate drive to serve others through his work, but he also builds businesses whilst working in a full-time career.

Luke is a generous soul who works with me at Hope4, a charity providing emergency aid to desperate families in Moldova. His specialism is data, through which he supports businesses large and small to ensure they have proper data handling practices.

He shares invaluable insights into the common mistakes small businesses make with data, and the serious impacts it can have if handled improperly.

We also re-live our eventful trip to Kilimanjaro that triggered a wave of support across LinkedIn and shows the true spirit of entrepreneurs in times of difficulty.

“The real passion is helping small businesses and charities”– Luke

You’ll hear about:

00:00 - Luke Beckley: data protection superhero                                                        

00:56 - An introduction to Luke Beckley                                                             

03:51 - Why Luke stuck to a side hustle

07:08 - Being comfortable building a business slowly

10:11 - How to balance multiple work projects

12:30 - The Kilimanjaro story

20:07 - Luke and Lea on fundraising for Hope4

23:28 - Luke's purpose in data protection

25:58 - Common small business data mistakes

30:25 - The power of terms and conditions

Connect with Luke:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-beckley/

Correlia - https://www.correla.com/

Hope4 - https://hope4.org/

Uncharted Summits - https://www.unchartedsummits.world/

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

You will not know everything when you start your business.

Accounting, marketing, offer structures, pricing…… the list goes on

But that should never stop you.

The belief you have in yourself, your skills, your experience is what you need to get started. That is exactly what my wonderful guest in this episode, Jesminara Rahman, had when she took the leap.

Transitioning from a secure job at HMRC she jumped ship to join the side of small businesses, fighting in their corner in tax disputes with HMRC.

Jesminara shares the essential skills she needed to develop fast at the start of her journey that created business growth. She gives incredible insights into how she built a flexible team empowered by choice, something so many businesses could learn from.

Jesminara is forging the way for balance in business, listen up to find out how you can too.

“I knew because of my expertise that I could do it”– Jesmin

You’ll hear about:

00:00 - Flexible Work Culture and Employee Empowerment

01:12 - Jesmin's Journey to Starting a Small Business

03:11 - Overcoming Fear: The Leap into Entrepreneurship

05:53 - The Emotional Toll of Tax Investigations

10:00 - Balancing Family and Business Responsibilities

12:52 - Building Resilience Through Adversity

15:47 - Essential Skills for Business Growth

20:00 - The Importance of a Good Accountant

24:04 – Jesmin’s advice for Small Business Owners

28:12 - Creating a Supportive Work Environment

31:54 - Navigating the Challenges of Business Ownership

36:05 - The Power of Collaboration Over Competition

Connect with Jesmin:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesminararahman-taxinvestigationexpert/?originalSubdomain=uk

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

Are you a risk taker?

There is no greater risk than to go out on your own to start a business, but the rewards are huge. And when you find that passion nothing will stop you.

For my guest in this episode, Steve Ware, risk taking was never easy. Coming from a risk averse family his mindset was one of corporate safety. Then a long career at IBM was ended by burnout and the Covid pandemic.

Discovering the power of mindfulness ignited something in Steve. He transformed himself by regaining control over his mental health, which led to training others in the practice with rave reviews.

It wasn’t until he risked everything by investing all his earnings back into his business that things really took off.

Get ready to find out the impact mindfulness can have on your life, and the challenges and rewards of transitioning into entrepreneurship.

“It feels like I'm swimming with the tide now”– Steve

You’ll hear about:

00:00 – Steve on finding his passion

00:35 - An introduction to Steve Ware

03:29 - Steve's experience with burnout

07:09 - Going from burnout to mindfulness

11:26 - The benefits of a quiet mind

13:06 - Steve's path to training mindfulness

18:08 - Is Steve more of a risk taker now?

23:54 - The turning point in Steve's business

28:04 - How Steve's life has changed working for himself

32:02 - Keeping the passion and business growing

37:43 - The importance of word-of-mouth referrals

Connect with Steve:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-ware-mindfulness/

Website - https://www.stevewaremindfulness.com/

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

20% of businesses fail in their first year!

How do you avoid being one of them?

On this episode I am joined by the most zen business owner I know, Mia Denos.

With 20 years’ experience running her own businesses there is no-one better to advise small business owners on what it takes to succeed. Put simply having a pipeline of work will save a business.

You need to know where the money is coming from months in advance to avoid disappointment.

Mia also emphasises the importance of having a financial reserve and understanding the difference between working in a business and running a business.

Your skills alone are not enough to make a business thrive.

Get ready to get business zen with Mia!

“If you’re not worried about how to pay your rent or feed yourself, you’ll be able to think more rationally”– Mia

You’ll hear about:

00:00 – Always have a pipeline of work

01:01 - An introduction to Mia Denos

03:12 - Things small businesses should be doing

05:31 - The importance of a pipeline of work

07:57 - Mia's advice to ensure a pipeline of customers

13:28 - How many customers should you have?

17:58 - How to nurture client relationships

22:08 - How to get amazing testimonials

27:56 - Why is Mia so Zen with her business?

30:52 - Has not having employees been less stressful?

35:48 - The expectations of success on social media

37:12 - Advice to those about to go all in on their side hustle

Connect with Mia:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/miadenos/

Lucror Financial Services - https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucror-financial-services/

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

It’s time for a reality check.

Running a business is not like the social media highlight reels people would have you believe.

Spending your days dipping in your ice bath, a session with your personal trainer and therapist before you sit down to make 10K in 10 minutes. Rubbish.

I am joined by Eddie Whittingham, someone who has done it all. From police officer to starting a business in cyber security, which he sold for multiple-millions, and now running a lifestyle business as a co-working space owner.

Eddie tells it like it is, no holds barred.

He talks about the sacrifices to his mental health he had to make to get to where he is now.  As well as the need for curiosity and continuous learning for anyone to be a successful entrepreneur. He calls out the sham business coaches infesting our social feeds and the fact that luck also plays a role in anyone’s success.

Want to know what building a business is really like? Listen to Eddie.

“Building a business requires sacrifice.”– Eddie

You’ll hear about:

00:00 - Building a business requires sacrifice

00:39 - Eddie's eclectic work background

02:28 - Choosing a modern lifestyle business

04:59 - The loneliness of running a business

06:38 - The truth about growing a startup

11:13 - Would I do things differently?

14:46 - Common mistakes in the first years of business

18:59 - Go for the big goal first

25:34 - The thrill is in the learning

28:27 - Having knowledge before outsourcing

31:43 - Advice on mentors or coaches

35:40 - Being saved by strong contracts

38:05 - Finding the right business coach

39:58 - Eddie's advice to small business owners

Connect with Eddie:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiewhittingham/

GoFounder - https://gofounder.com/

The Ministry of Work - https://ministryofwork.co.uk/

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

Does your work make you feel alive or are you deep in the doldrums?

Nothing can beat the feeling of doing something that energises you, that you know is exactly what you are meant to be doing.

And you know what?

Your age when you make the change means absolutely nothing.

In this episode I am joined by the fabulous Katie Flamman, who decided to end a successful career in the news to take on her next big challenge in life, becoming a full-time mum. 10 years later she was ready to find out what would be next for her work life.

She found a love and talent for voice acting. Now a multi-award winning, expert in her field she is here to share her story. The challenges she faced balancing motherhood with her career aspirations. As well as the resourcefulness required to start her voiceover business.

There is so much to learn here from Katie about what your business has the potential to become from humble beginnings.

“It was the most alive and energised I think I'd ever felt.”– Katie

You’ll hear about:

00:00 – Going to L.A. for an award vs the PTA bonfire

00:52 - What led Katie to where she is now?

03:30 - How Katie got into voiceover work

05:27 - Choosing motherhood over careers

09:23 - Finding something just for herself

13:40 - Katie's self-doubt in business at 40

17:32 - The more resourceful you are the better

26:02 - How has success impacted Katie's life?

32:11 - The joy of finding the passion in what you do

Connect with Katie:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-flamman/

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

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8AO9P-FVaJcqsNn01xzKdw

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/katieflammanvoiceover/

X - https://twitter.com/KatieFlamman

See Katie’s work on Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/katieflamman

Katie’s website - https://katieflamman.co.uk/

Listen to Katie’s podcast Storytelling for Business - https://katieflamman.co.uk/the-storytelling-for-business-podcast/

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

“You need more sales”

Do you always hear that ringing in your head as a business owner?

My guest in this episode, the brilliant Alex Thompson, went through exactly the same thing building his email marketing business.

Alex found that making 2 massive shifts helped him to scale like never before. Outsourcing and saying no to work that didn’t fit with what he wanted. He shares what finally made him shift from doing it all himself. That meant no more work at 4am on the weekend or missing picking his kids up from school.

He also delves into the challenges he has had in finding the right people for his team. Which now includes six writers, and he has doubled his client base by focusing on his strengths.

So, listen up because this is advice that works!

“Saying no has improved my sales goals.” – Alex

You’ll hear about:

00:00 - The Journey to Outsourcing and Saying No

00:44 - An introduction to Alex

02:37 - Why Alex didn't see a future in teaching

06:06 - Alex on selling himself as a copywriter

09:27 - Alex's business crisis

13:17 - Learning how to scale quicker

15:21 - The struggle to let go of your business baby

17:59 - Getting to the point of being able to say no to work

24:31 - Freeing yourself up to strategise with clients

30:46 - Carve out time to work on the business

34:26 - Alex's advice for hiring freelancers

40:58 - Alex's advice to himself when he first started in business

Connect with Alex:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-thompson-copywriter/

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

ACT Email Marketing - https://www.actcopywriting.co.uk/

Listen to Alex’s podcast Copy Craic - https://shorturl.at/eoW8m

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored bySafe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn 

Changing your life is never easy.

To be able to take control of your future and make a success of it by starting your own business is not something everyone succeeds at.

That’s why I wanted to talk to the amazing Danielle Carrigan, who left teaching to start working as a VA. Within the first year she has built a team of 11 associates and is now starting a second business as well.

But it wasn’t easy in any way. Danielle struggled with her mental health as a teacher, which inspired the drive to want to change her life. She talks openly about her experiences from the balancing act of side hustling to the setbacks she has overcome to get to this point.

Resilience and finding the right support have been crucial for her along the way, whether in person or through communities like The HoLT.

No matter if you are in the thick of your side hustle or an established business owner there’s a lot to learn from the incredible Danielle.

“I woke up in the middle of the night and I thought I was having a heart attack.” – Danielle

You’ll hear about:

00:00 – Danielle hits rock bottom

00:32 - An introduction to Danielle and Bronson

01:52 - Danielle's life as a teacher

05:39 - Juggling the side hustle and teaching

08:04 - What told Danielle it was time to leave teaching?                 

11:07 - The reaction of those around her

16:16 - Danielle's red flags on sales calls

20:03 - How have Danielle's boundaries with clients improved?

25:16 - Why Danielle has associates rather than employees

30:08 - How has life changed for Danielle?                 

33:57 - Learning from the crap experiences

39:44 - The most valuable lessons from business owners

47:21 - Does Danielle still feel imposter syndrome?

54:23 - Focusing on what's important

56:01 - Danielle's advice to side hustlers

Connect with Danielle:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-carrigan/

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

The Duke Academy - https://shorturl.at/IgPgS

Connect with me:

The HoLT - https://www.the-holt.com/

My website - https://leaturner.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

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

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeaDoesLinkedIn/

Join The Holt waiting list - https://www.the-holt.com/waitlist

My resources:

Check out my course Making LinkedIn Simple - https://leaturner.co.uk/pages/making-linkedin-simple-2023

Take my LinkedIn profile quiz - https://leadoeslinkedin.scoreapp.com/

This podcast is sponsored by Safe Space From The Workplace. You can check out their podcast here - https://shorturl.at/IASSn