The Leading Story

This week I'm chatting with Laura Ryan - marketing expert and founder & global chair of Meat Business Women, a professional group for women in the meat industry.

Straight from university Laura, a self-confessed 'townie', found herself in the male-dominated meat industry. Fast forward 20 years and her consulting business, Lavenpark, provides strategic marketing, planning and insight for governments, levy boards and commercial organisations

Five years ago, Laura noticed she was often the only female in the room at senior level meetings. This inspired her to set up her passion project, Meat Business Women to help showcase the industry as a destination for female talent.

Today Meat Business Women is THE global networking group for women working in the meat industry and is recognised by the United Nations. It has more than 5,000 community members across Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and USA.

Laura is clearly a role model for women in the meat industry and beyond. I loved our conversation and I hope you will too. You'll hear us chat about:

• How COVID has fast-tracked the way we work and communicate - opening opportunities for consultants now we don't have to be physically in the room
• How following your passion can deliver remarkable results, even without a clear long-term strategy
• How to build confidence and variety and manage risk, through a portfolio approach to consulting
• Why it's vital to the health of your business to build and nurture your network

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Connect with Laura on LinkedIn
• Follow Laura on Twitter
• Meat Business Women website
• Find out about Meat Business Women membership

Book: How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith

Want to start creating your own compelling brand story?

Join my FREE 7-day email mini course and start building your story in just five to 10 minutes a day.

As an independent consultant deciding how much of your backstory to share can be tricky.

You want to be memorable and be seen as an expert but you don't want to bore your clients with a long life story. How do you know what's relevant and what should you leave out?

It's actually simpler than you think - it's about sharing the right information and the right level of detail of both your personal and professional life, in the right way for your ideal client.

If you're wondering about how much of your backstory to share or how to make your story relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic, this episode is for you.

I share the example of my own story and some simple strategies on how to figure out what the best story is for you: one that makes you stand out, and one your dream clients will remember.

In this episode you'll learn:

• The difference between your backstory and your overall brand story
• How much of your backstory to share
• What to do if you feel your story is boring
• How to make your story relevant during the pandemic
• What makes you memorable

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Want to start creating your own compelling brand story? Join my FREE 7-day email mini course.

This week I'm chatting with social media expert, Caroline Drake, from Blossom Social Media. One of the things I love about Caroline's business is how she brings her passion for sport together with her work - managing social media and Facebook advertising for organisations that help people become active.

We talk about finding your ideal consulting clients, having more than client type within a niche and how this portfolio has benefitted Caroline's business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We cover many topics in this conversation, including:

• How Caroline found her first client
• How a clear niche can help your business be memorable
• The benefits of niching for Caroline and her clients
• The importance of values and integrity
• Ignoring the 'gurus' and following your gut

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Find out more about Caroline's business Blossom Social Media

Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Want to start creating your own compelling brand story?

Join my FREE 7-day email mini course and start building your story in just five to 10 minutes a day.

As an independent consultant, you spend hours each week running your consulting business. You probably spend more time with your clients than you do with your family and friends. So it's important to find people you really love working with.

Getting hired by your dream clients is such a hot topic. You want to get known as an expert. You know you need to pick a niche or a specialism but you're worried about turning people away or missing out on opportunities. I totally get it - I've been there!

Getting hired by your ideal client is actually much simpler than you think - but first you need to know who they are! This isn't just about creating your ideal customer avatar or persona. It's about getting strategic, thinking creatively and making it as real as possible

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to decide on your dream client
• How to think beyond traditional marketing approaches to find your perfect fit
• How to figure out who your dream client is, even if you're just starting out
• How the pandemic is opening up new opportunities
• Why you need to be more focused than ever

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Want to start creating your own compelling brand story? Join my FREE 7-day email mini course.

This week I'm chatting with leadership, team and career coach Moyra Mackie. I'm constantly inspired by Moyra's energy and passion - she's the perfect person to talk to about working with meaning.

We cover so many topics in this conversation, including:

• Finding the right time to start a business
• Starting and growing a consulting business in a recession
• How Moyra found her first client
• Why coaches shouldn't be experts in their client's field
• Why we're all leaders even in a one-person business
• Resilience and what's been different in Moyra's business during the pandemic
• How she accidentally wrote a book in lockdown!

I took so much inspiration from my conversation with Moyra and I hope you do too.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Find out more about Moyra at moyramackie.com or connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Sign up for Moyra's free journal safari taster exercise.

Want to start creating your own compelling brand story? Join my FREE 7-day email mini course

Who are you more likely to remember:

Someone who looks and sounds like everyone else in your industry?

Or someone who dares to be truly different?

It's perhaps no surprise that there's something irresistible about someone who clearly loves what they do!

Passionate and purposeful people are the ones we want to work with. They make our jobs, our businesses, and our lives fun and exciting.

Yet, when we're caught up in demands of day-to-day business, we often forget to be ourselves even though we're doing great work. We lose track of why we're in business who, we're in business for. We forget what makes us excited to be doing what we do and why we chose to do it in the first place!

In this episode I share with you my best tips for standing out in your industry and reconnecting with your purpose and passion.

Chances are, you started your own consulting business because you love what you do - it's why I created mine. There are other benefits, too, which I also share with you in today's episode: you'll hear why I'm so passionate about helping others with their brand story.

Listen for inspiration and thought-provoking questions to help you reconnect with your passion and purpose, so you can stand out in your industry.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Questions to remind you why you do what you do • Why you have a unique story to share about your business • How to reconnect with your passion and purpose to stand out in your industry

Resources mentioned in this episode: Want to start creating your own compelling brand story? Join my FREE 7-day email mini course at

http://www.buildyourbrandstory.com/7days

How do you get hired by your dream consulting client? Have you ever thought how your brand story can help? Or how much of your backstory to share?

In this brand new podcast, I'm excited to share with you fresh and inspiring ideas to help you build your own compelling story.

In this episode I share my own story and what you can expect to hear over the next 10 weeks.

This podcast has been in my head for years! Now it's time to share my experiences and insights, along with my inspiring conversations with a hand-picked group of guests. All with the aim helping you to build your own brand and consulting business.

You'll hear why I'm so passionate about helping others with their brand story, how I got into podcasts and why I wanted to create this podcast series for you.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why your brand story is not just your backstory
• What happened when I set up my own independent consulting business
• Why I wanted to find an alternative to living the corporate life
• Lessons from my own story and experiences over the last 10 years
• What to expect from this podcast over the next 10 weeks

Resources mentioned in this episode:

www.buildyourbrandstory.com

https://twitter.com/LucyEckley

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