Liv and Martha get real about what’s actually underneath those “burn it all down” moments in business.

We unpack what happens when you're running on nervous system fumes, how to tell when you’re making decisions from a dysregulated place, and what to try before you set your business on fire (hint: it might involve snacks, naps, or aggressively unsubscribing from half the internet).

Here's what went down:

• How to recognise the signs that you’re making decisions from a dysregulated state

• Why panic can feel like clarity and how to tell when it’s not

• What nervous system regulation actually involves (spoiler: it’s more than deep breaths and lavender oil)

• The $200 seatbelt story and other meltdown-mode decisions

• The small recalibrations that help when a full rebrand isn’t the answer

• What to try before you bin your business (snacks, naps, and nervous system support)

• Why The Branding Psychologist is dead and how this new chapter might shift things for you too

We also mentioned these people/things:

Liv’s behind-the-scenes rebrand updates (sign up for raw, unfiltered chaos and clarity)

Liv’s website

Liv’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s Substack: Neurodivergent Feminist

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Verity Byth

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Get in touch by email—[email protected]

Liv and Martha unpack the ways traditional productivity hacks often backfire for neurodivergent brains. We talk body doubling, strategic spite (yes, really), and what it actually means to build trust in your own rhythm.

This is part ADHD deep-dive, part gentle rebellion—and all about creating businesses and lives that work with your brain, not against it.

Here's what went down:

• Why productivity isn’t linear (and never has been)

• How executive dysfunction gets in the way and why it’s not your fault.

• Strategic spite(™) as a surprisingly effective motivational tool

• What body doubling really gives us (spoiler: it’s not just accountability)

• Why habit stacking and time blocking often don’t work for neurodivergent folks

• What trusting your brain looks like and how to build that trust over time

• Redefining consistency, motivation, and success on your own terms

• Why your brain and body are not separate and why that matters for getting stuff done

We also mentioned these people/things:

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s Substack: Neurodivergent Feminist

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website 

Liv’s LinkedIn and Instagram

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Want to advertise on our show? Get in touch by email—[email protected]

Learn how to navigate the emotional weight of change, why tethering matters (especially when everything feels like a shit show), and how to start preparing leaders to navigate failure with awareness and intention.

Amber Anthony is a behaviour specialist, neuro-inclusion consultant, and founder of the Neurospicy Collective. She brings a systems lens to human experience, helping organisations and individuals navigate change in a way that’s actually supportive, not performative.

We talk about the messy middle: emotional regulation during destabilising times, the cost of continuous change, and what it means to build your own sense of tethering when external anchors fall away.

If you’ve been feeling like you’re rebuilding midair or trying to lead through uncertainty, this one’s worth a listen.

Here’s what went down:

• Why small, ongoing changes hit harder than one big disruption

• What “tethering” really means and how to build it for yourself

• How to hold emotional space for the in-between moments of change

• Why do we need to stop pretending leaders won’t fail and teach them how to navigate failure with awareness and intention

• The cost of mental load in organisations and how to design with capacity in mind

• Why resilience is less about being tough, and more about coming back

• A different way to frame the emotional impact of systems change

We also mentioned these people/things:

**We had tech difficulties but the rest of this episode was too good not to share. Find the rest of the conversation here—it was too good not to share.

Neurospicy Collective

Amber Anthony’s Instagram

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s Substack: Neurodivergent Feminist

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website 

Liv’s LinkedIn and Instagram

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Want to advertise on our show? 

Get in touch by email—[email protected]

Kirsten shares how she went from broadcast journalist to podcasting business owner, building a business that lets her prioritise family time while still helping others share their stories.

With Rural Podcasting Co., Kirsten now guides others in sharing their own stories through personalised coaching programs. Whether it’s helping clients launch their first podcast or refining an existing one, Kirsten’s focus is on empowering her clients to confidently step into the role of podcast hosts and share their message with impact.

Here’s what went down:

• How Kirsten transitioned from journalism to podcasting and what sparked the change.

• The biggest mindset shift from employee to business owner and why it matters.

• How Ducks on the Pond became the foundation for Rural Podcasting Co.

• The systems and tools Kirsten uses to balance family life and business demands.

• How Kirsten plans her week using colour-coded calendars, themed days, and systems to stay on top of business and family priorities.

• Why flexibility matters to Kirsten as a mother and business owner.

• How Kirsten uses deadlines as a tool to stay focused and productive without letting them create unnecessary pressure.

• The challenges and excitement of scaling a service-based business.

• The importance of trusting yourself when building a new business.

Plus, Kirsten shares an exclusive offer for listeners interested in sponsoring Ducks on the Pond. Mention this episode to receive 20% off sponsorship packages.
We also mentioned these people/things:

Ducks on the Pond

Ducks on the Pond Instagram

Rural Podcasting Co

Rural Podcasting Co Instagram

Town Criers Podcast

Town Criers Podcast Instagram

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website 

Liv’s LinkedIn and Instagram

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Want to advertise on our show? Get in touch by email—[email protected]

Being yourself in business isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a survival strategy. If you’ve ever felt like you have to tone yourself down, sound more professional, or fit into a box that wasn’t made for you, this episode will change the way you think about branding, business, and showing up as your full self.

Shan Fitzgerald is a copywriter, brand personality strategist, and autism advocate who believes in building brands that feel human, bold, and unapologetically real. In this episode, she shares her journey of running Wild Spark for the past eight years, navigating business as an autistic and ADHD entrepreneur, and why she built a business where she never has to mask.

If you’ve ever struggled with finding your brand voice, running a business that fits your brain, or setting boundaries that protect your energy, this episode is for you.

• How Shan’s late autism & ADHD diagnosis reshaped her identity, work, and daily life

• Why she built Wild Spark as a business where she never had to mask

• How autistic and ADHD brains are wired for brand voice mastery

• Why most brand voice guides are completely useless (and what actually makes one work)

• How neurodivergence is a superpower for brand strategy and communication

• Why masking in your business leads to burnout

• Why stepping into your brand voice is a game-changer for confidence and growth

• The power of pattern recognition and deep empathy in writing copy that resonates

• Shan’s best advice for neurodivergent entrepreneurs building businesses on their own terms

We also mentioned these people/things:

Wild Spark

 Awkward AF Email Template

Shan Fitzgerald’s Instagram

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website 

Liv’s LinkedIn and Instagram

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Want to advertise on our show? Get in touch by email—[email protected]

Topaz returns to share even more insights about building a life and business on your own terms. From navigating Google as a content strategist to embracing her "soft girl era," Topaz reveals how strategic decisions—like saying "no"—can lead to thriving professionally and personally.

Topaz is a copywriter for clean beauty, sustainable fashion, and plant-based products, dedicated to helping cruelty-free brands stand out. In this episode, she continues to inspire with practical advice for balancing work, passion, and life.

The Cruelty Free Copywriter website

How to work less by Rich Webster (affiliate link)

Verity Byth

Topaz’s Instagram

Topaz’s travel and writing website

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website 

Liv’s LinkedIn

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Get in touch by email—[email protected]

Topaz squirrelled away tons of knowledge (and dollars) from her time as a Google Content Strategist. Now she’s crafted a business that aligns with her heart’s truest values. Find out how she did it—and how she’s let go of society’s expectations for her to trust herself instead.

Topaz offers copywriting services for clean beauty, sustainable fashion, and plant-based products. She’s on a mission to help cruelty-free brands stand out, turn heads, and change the world

The Cruelty Free Copywriter website

Topaz’s Instagram

Topaz’s travel and writing website

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website 

Liv’s LinkedIn

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

It’s not easy. It’s gonna take ages. But learning to regulate your nervous system is the most powerful thing you can do to recover from burnout. Learn how to build gentleness into your life and your business—so you can live with more self-compassion. 

Lisa Hicks is an ADHD and Autism coach and a content creator. She’s here to help you learn to support yourself and thrive as a business owner. 

Lisa’s website

Creating Capacity-Based Routines Workbook + use code WORKSFORYOU50

Lisa’s TikTok and Instagram

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website 

Liv’s LinkedIn

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

When Liz took out SECOND PLACE on TV’s Survivor, she felt robbed. And her dysregulation caused her to set some arbitrary business goals that actually made her feel terrible. Find out how Liz came back from this—and how it helped her keep her business as simple as humanly possible.

The Fresh Princess of Email Marketing, Liz Wilcox is an Email Strategist and Keynote Speaker, and the Fresh Princess of Email Marketing.

Here's what went down:

Liz’s website

Liz’s Instagram

Email Marketing FB group

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website

Liv’s LinkedIn

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Aimee shares stories of times she’s failed upwards, and how it has helped her find the work that lights her up. Learn how outsourcing helps her run several businesses in two countries. And how she turns her business stressors into lessons. 

Aimee Rachel runs Studio 5A, a Melbourne photography and branding studio.

Aimee’s website

Aimee’s Instagram

Martha’s website

Martha’s HyperFocus Week services

Martha’s LinkedIn and Instagram

Liv’s website (feat. Aimee’s photos!)

Liv’s LinkedIn

If you liked the podcast, please drop us a rating and send it to your friends. If you didn’t, it might be time to take a good, long look at yourself.

Want to advertise on our show?

Get in touch by email—[email protected]