Sez Gower is an Australian web designer dedicated to creating environmentally friendly and inclusive websites. And she is one of the most talented and kind humans that I know. I suspect it's because of her time spent with whales and also because she's just the best. 

Discover how sustainability and a love for whales inspire her work and business philosophy.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Sez’s journey from childhood passions in dinosaurs and dancing to her career in web design
• The importance of sustainability in digital spaces and how websites impact the environment
• Practical steps to assess and improve your website’s carbon footprint
• Key accessibility and inclusivity considerations for websites
• Sez’s story of how whales became a core part of her personal and professional identity
• How to start small with sustainable website practices to make a difference
• The significance of unique whale tails as a business branding analogy
• Why treating your website as a vital business tool is crucial for growth and efficiency
• Sez’s insights on raising awareness about digital sustainability and empowering women in tech

Key links:

Carbon footprint calculators

• websitecarbon.com
• ecograder.com
• digitalbeacon.co

Accessibility checker

• webaim.org (WAVE tool)

Site speed checkers

• gtmetrix.com
• Google PageSpeed Insights

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About Sez: 

Sez Gower is a web designer and founder of Whale Tail Digital, a sustainable web design studio based in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. She's on a mission to prove that doing good online doesn't have to cost the earth - building low-carbon, accessible websites for values-led businesses and organisations worldwide.

Find her at https://whaletaildigital.com.au

Unlock the secret to making your business run smoother, simpler, and with far less stress. In this episode, Michelle sits down with Stephani Halderman, founder of Simple Growth Co, to talk about how thoughtful systems, automation, and a clear backend can completely change the way a business feels day to day.

Stephani shares how her love of tech started early, from programming on an old computer to building her own shopping cart for an online soap business, and how that path eventually led her to help other entrepreneurs streamline their operations. We talk about why so many business owners get stuck doing things manually, how to spot the tasks that are quietly draining your time, and why the best place to start is often with stuff you hate.

She also explains how she approaches backend systems, client experience, onboarding, contracts, invoicing, and follow-ups so business owners can spend more time doing the work they actually enjoy. Along the way, Stephani shares her perspective on wellness, entrepreneurship, and why it’s so important to step back and look at your business with fresh eyes before the chaos grows.

If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or service provider who wants to save time, reduce friction, and build a business that feels more manageable, this conversation is packed with practical advice and mindset shifts you can put to work right away.

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About Stephani

Stephani Halderman is a website designer and systems strategist for health and wellness professionals and the founder of The Simple Growth Co.

With over 25 years in web and tech and a background as a certified Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Stephani brings something most designers don't: she actually knows what it's like to run a wellness business from the inside. 

She helps wellness solopreneurs build websites and backend systems that do more than look good. She creates clear client journeys, connected tech, and a business that keeps running in the background, so they can focus on the work they actually love.

When she's not deep in a website build or mapping out a client's backend systems, you'll find her tending her (very organized, Notion database-tracked) houseplant collection, knitting something, spending time with her family & friends, or out on a hike in the woods. 

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Mark Ormiston, a seasoned business owner with decades of experience building, evolving, and reinventing companies through every kind of market shift. Mark shares how he went from early computer studies and call center technology to running multiple businesses, and why staying agile has been the key to long-term growth.

We talk about his approach to all of his businesses: listening closely to customers, tracking the numbers, and knowing when it’s time to pivot before the market forces your hand. Mark also explains why he believes businesses should focus on selling the future rather than just the features, and how that mindset can transform the way you market, sell, and grow.

If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or freelancer trying to stay ahead of change, this conversation is packed with practical advice on adapting, marketing smarter, and building a business that works for you—not the other way around.

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About Mark: Four decades. One thousand businesses worked with. One relentless focus on growth. I'm a digital marketing strategist and entrepreneur operating through Moxie — delivering clear, professional engagements across Financial Services, FMCG, Beauty, and beyond.

See more about Mark on his website: https://www.markormiston.co.uk 

This episode has it all -  better systems, smarter workflows, and the truth about having a favorite pet (we all have one). Karalee shares why so many founders stay stuck with too many tools and not the right processes. And she doesn't leave us stuck there, but talks about creating real capacity and not overwhelm.

At The Productivity Impact, Karalee doesn't just give advice on a great system. She lives it. In this episode, she shares how to spot signs your business systems are breaking down, and why mapping your client journey before choosing software will save you time, money, and stress. 

Whether you’re a freelancer, solopreneur, or growing team, this conversation is a reminder that it’s never too early — or too late — to create a stronger operational foundation.

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About Karalee:
Some people see messy businesses and run. Not Karalee. She sees messy businesses and immediately starts mentally rebuilding the operations. Known for her blunt honesty with compassion and ADHD-fueled pattern recognition, she helps overwhelmed CEOs untangle chaos, fix bottlenecks, and stop running their businesses entirely from memory, sticky notes, and panic.

Karalee is the founder of The Productivity Impact, a Certified DOO, and the kind of operator who can hear “everything feels chaotic” and somehow translate it into systems, structure, and an actual plan that works for your brain. Her approach blends strategy, operations, and real-talk leadership that makes people feel both called out and deeply supported at the same time. She’s deeply committed to helping service providers stop operating in constant survival mode and build businesses that don’t depend on their exhaustion to function.

Around here, systems conversations often include cat stories (she has 13), strong opinions about inefficient workflows, and at least one moment where entrepreneurs realize the problem was never actually project management etc. Karalee has a talent for spotting the thing everyone else is politely ignoring: the bottleneck, the avoidance pattern, the “system” living entirely inside the CEO’s head, and helping service providers fix it without shame, fluff, or forcing them into someone else’s version of productivity that was never built for how their brain actually works.

When she’s not rebuilding businesses from the inside out, she’s probably creating systems for fun, being emotionally manipulated by one of her teenagers, or telling overwhelmed CEOs the thing nobody else will say out loud.

Karalee's Impact Hub membership launches July 1. Join before July 13 to receive founding membership perks. Find it here: https://theproductivityimpact.com/impact-hub

Listening is an under-rated skill. It takes a willingness to close your own mouth and put aside your own thoughts in honor of someone else. Scarlett Riu, the new CEO of Moxie, is listening. Her own thoughts and ideas aside while she listens to the Moxie community and what they need from Moxie. 

In this episode, Scarlett shares her approach to leadership, starting with empathy, curiosity, and a community-first mindset. She’s planning to listen deeply to the Moxie community, identify real pain points, and build solutions that genuinely serve freelancers and solopreneurs.

Hear about Scarlett's reveals her 30-year journey through tech - from QA to leadership - and also her favorite coffee.

We talk about:

• The underrated value of QA in the tech industry and why it’s a crucial skill for every developer. 
• How Scarlett’s diverse background, from blood banking systems to RV life, shapes her innovative leadership style. 
• Her plans for building a product that reduces admin complexity, so freelancers can focus on what they love. 
• Her strategy of conducting a "listening tour" to truly understand community needs before implementing change. 
• Why a community-centered approach creates opportunities for independence, growth, and empowerment in freelancing.

Why does this matter? Because the next phase of Moxie’s growth depends on authentic connection and understanding user pain—and Scarlett’s approach could reshape how tech companies serve their communities.

Perfect for entrepreneurs, community builders, and future-focused tech leaders, this conversation will leave you inspired by the power of following your intuition while staying tuned into the voices of those you serve. 

We’re wrapping another rocking season of The Hectic Podcast! Join Darryl, Michelle, and me (Emily) as we discuss this season, our favorite guests, annnddd pretty much anything else that comes to mind. 

We might make the podcast for our listeners, but we all learn from each guest and enjoy every episode we create. In the season wrap, you can experience the love and excitement we have for these weekly conversations. We’re so thrilled to be part of this podcast—we hope that you have as much fun with it as we do!

As we wrap season four, we want to give a huge thank you to every listener and guest. You guys are the reason we’re here and we’re so grateful for you! If you want to send comments, feedback, or suggestions for next season, drop a note to [email protected]. 

See you next season!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How the episode with Marley Parker (my favorite this season!) is helping me pursue my dream job.
2. That connections are the foundation of a thriving freelancer/entrepreneur community, plus how you can be a part of this ecosystem.
3. What Michelle has learned through booking the podcast’s guests through the seasons.
4. Whose episodes Michelle and Darryl enjoyed the most and why.
5. About the way a guest challenged us this season and how it reinforced our approach.
6. Why curiosity was the common theme I saw throughout the season.
7. That doing the work to learn from your experiences and develop a good relationship with yourself produces the theme Darryl loved the most this season.
8. To just faff and take breaks for rest’s sake, which is what Michelle heard consistently this season.
9. How our guests’ willingness to share so much of themselves allows us and our listeners to learn so much from them.
10. Why we all need trusting relationships with people who tell us we’re wrong.

This week, we’re so excited to bring you the most important episode of the podcast so far. We’re thrilled to introduce you to Olivia, Darryl’s daughter and the Hectic Podcast’s biggest fan! 

Though Olivia is just 11 years old, she has so much wisdom to share. We talked about her love for the podcast, her favorite guest so far, and what she has learned from it. Olivia showed us how her creativity and ADHD superpower work together, plus why she loves having ADHD. You’ll also get a chance to hear Olivia, Darryl, and Michelle answer everyone’s favorite question on the Hectic Podcast.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. What Olivia loves about listening to the podcast.
2. Why Lindsey Jo Scott is the guest she related to the most and why that matters.
3. The ways her ADHD helps her hyperfocus on the things she wants to do, such as organizing her closet, bathroom, and room.
4. About Olivia’s doodles and how they help her learn.
5. How she nurtures her creativity today and hopes to continue doing so throughout her life.
6. Why she wants the adults of the world to always take time for themselves.
7. That Michelle is a superfan in every area of life and is eager to learn and celebrate everyone’s passions.
8. How Darryl’s desire to give all of himself to everyone and be the most curious person in the room defines him.
9. That Olivia is silly, loves to organize, and is absolutely obsessed with dogs.
10. Why seeing her ADHD differently is what she is most proud of.

Listen to Lindsey Jo Scott's episode and find her amazing work online.

If you’re willing to try something new and listen to the wisdom others offer, you can do anything. Yann Ilunga, our guest this week, has used this philosophy to do incredible things, particularly in the podcasting space. He’s interviewed renowned guests, organized global conferences, and seen extraordinary success - all while enjoying the freedom and flexibility that comes with running his own business.

Yann took us through his freelance journey, sharing how he found his strengths and the steps he took to keep growing and learning. Fresh from his first work-free vacation, he gave us some great tips for making sure you can unplug and refresh on your breaks. Having conversations with people is the best way to learn, so we’re excited to have had this opportunity to hear everything Yann has to share!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Why vacationing is often so hard for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
2. The important lessons Yann learned before, during, and after his time away.
3. His journey from working as a journalist to making a name for himself in podcasting and lead generation.
4. That freedom isn’t sipping cocktails on the beach but following a schedule that produces his best work.
5. About the three Ts and how to use them to find your strengths.
6. To listen to and be curious about people, using their insights and connections to succeed in your pursuits.
7. How Yann’s podcasts started as a way to build connections and grew into the work he does today.
8. That differences in age and experience won’t matter if you see those you’re curious about as just people.
9. To look at unpopular or emerging spaces as opportunities to experiment and establish yourself in them before anyone else.
10. How you can take elements from one space and use them to pioneer a new market in another.

Find Yann through LinkedIn to grow your professional network as you learn more from him. Just be sure to mention that you heard him on the Hectic Podcast when you reach out!

Dee Dee Bridgewater is the jazz artist that Yann mentions in the episode.

Katherine Barner, our guest this week, is committed to helping others live the lives they desire and deserve. Though she loves her work as a trauma and grief counselor, she is so much more than this role. During our conversation, Katherine helps us understand how to separate your calling from who you are in the specific season you’re in.

Recognizing and claiming the life you desire and deserve is often seen as a negative, but it shouldn’t be. In this episode, we explore the ways self care can help you do and be your best in every part of life. Katherine also shows us how grace and space work hand-in-hand to reveal and nurture our fullest selves.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Why motorcycles (but not mopeds), talking to fish, and numerous daily FaceTime sessions with her granddaughter are essential to who Katherine is.
2. The many reasons she loves her work and feels called to it.
3. That self care is a bit selfish and that’s okay, plus how it helps you show up better for everyone and everything in your life.
4. How your triumphs over the other hard things in life will help you get through the scary discomfort of self work.
5. To appreciate the ways your childhood coping skills helped you get to this point and how to develop more positive options.
6. Why giving yourself grace and giving yourself space have to work together.
7. That turning off your cell phone is the first step to understanding what you want and need.
8. Practical ways to take care of yourself without feeling guilty about getting the renewal you need.
9. How to love your work and calling without making it your identity.
10. To understand that different seasons in life have their own needs, but you can still carve out the space required to find joy and margin.

Find Katherine on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Are you dissatisfied with your life or the season you’re in? Do you wish you could just pinpoint the reason you’re stuck so you can change it? If so, this is the episode for you. 

This week, we were joined by Madeleine Dore, the author of one of our favorite books, “I Didn’t Do the Thing Today.” During our conversation, we explored the ways routines can take over our lives and how ruts can show us what we need to change. Madeleine shared how curiosity can be our greatest weapon. We also got a great reminder that resting for rest’s sake is just as important as the things we do.

This conversation was filled with warmth and laughter from the moment we met. Madeleine has so much to share from what she’s learned and how she’s living it out. After listening, don’t forget to check out the link to the book below so you can keep finding your own way of being in the world!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. About our weekly ruts and routines and what we’re learning from them.
2. How to get curious about your ruts and routines so you can see the value in both.
3. Why routines often lead to feelings of failure rather than the control they’re supposed to create.
4. How to find your own way of being when it’s not supported by the world around you.
5. Plus, how trying to be the person you want to be can become its own illusion of perfection.
6. The importance of being a sponge and embracing the sweetness of doing nothing.
7. Why we need these periods of absorption to have seasons of squeeze.
8. Tips for letting go of the guilt that comes with rest and appreciating downtime as an opportunity to absorb.
9. That comparison can be the flipside to curiosity, using what you learn from others to deplete you rather than feed you.
10. Why Madeleine wants to inspire people to be more curious about each other, ourselves, and our stories.

Find Madeleine on Instagram and on her website, where you’ll also find her book, “I Didn’t Do the Thing Today.”

The "Flexible checkbox" approach of Austin Kleon can be found here.
You can find “Master Your Emotions” here.