I asked a room full of 45 business owners, freelancers, and digital nomads if they had a healthy work-life balance - and not one of them raised their hand.

That moment really stuck with me. It reminded me just how easy it is to fall into the hustle culture trap, even when we’ve built businesses designed to give us more freedom.

In this episode, I share my personal story of burnout - four times over - and the mindset shifts I had to make to truly understand what balance means. Spoiler: It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing things differently.

I’ll walk you through how I moved from living in constant hustle (even while living in Bali!) to creating a more sustainable, freedom-focused business.

Here’s what I cover:

• Why your to-do list will never be finished - and why that’s okay
• How hustle culture leads to burnout and what “balance” actually looks like
• Understanding yin and yang energy and how to apply it to your day-to-day
• The truth about building yourself another job vs building a business
• My top practical tips to create more space in your day without losing momentum
• How to tune into your body when it’s telling you it’s time to slow down
• Why setting boundaries, working smarter, and listening to yourself is non-negotiable

If you’ve ever felt like your version of success was costing you your sanity or health, this episode is for you. I’m breaking down what work-life balance really looks like for entrepreneurs - and how you can start building it today. Whether you’re in a 9-5 or already running your own business, these mindset shifts can help you step into the life you actually want.

✨Want help figuring out what kind of online business could give you more freedom and balance? Take my quiz here:

✨Or if you’re ready to start building a life and business that truly supports you, watch my free masterclass:

#worklifebalance #stress #burnout #stressManagement #wellnessTips #hustleCulture

Support the show

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

Struggling with procrastination or always feeling behind in your business? This episode of The Remote CEO Life Podcast is your go-to guide for productivity, time management, and organization - designed specifically for the overwhelmed business owner.

Sophie chats with productivity coach Kristen Edwards about how to stop procrastinating, get organized, and finally build a time management system that actually sticks. Whether you’re juggling work, family, or just trying to stay consistent, this episode will show you how to take back control of your time and energy.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why clarity and focus are essential for real productivity
• The 4-step framework to stop procrastination in its tracks
• Easy-to-implement time management and scheduling strategies
• How to build a system that works for you as a busy business owner
• What real-life organization looks like (hint: it’s not about being perfect)

If you're ready to stop wasting time and start creating real momentum in your business, hit play now.

Don’t forget to like and subscribe if you loved this episode!

Connect with Kristen:

• Instagram: @kris10edwards_
• Website: amplifyambition.com
• Podcast: Amplify Ambition

#productivity #timemanagement #procrastination #organization #businessowner

Support the show

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

What if your bucket list could guide your entire career - and help you build the work-life balance you've always wanted?

In this episode of The Remote CEO Life, I chat with Dina Ramadhan, a digital nomad coach who's been helping people design location-independent careers for over a decade. Dina shares how she turned her personal bucket list into a roadmap for building a freedom-based business, and how you can do the same.

We dive into how she helps people transition out of the 9 to 5, the truth about what it really takes to be a digital nomad, and how to create true work-life balance without burning out. If you're dreaming of working remotely and living life on your terms, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode, we talk about (digital nomad, work-life balance, bucket list):

- Leaving the corporate world to become a digital nomad
- How creating a values-aligned bucket list changed her life
- The realities (and myths) of the digital nomad lifestyle
- What you actually need to leave your 9 to 5 and go remote
- The mindset shifts required to build work-life balance as an entrepreneur
- Practical advice for building a business that aligns with your goals

If you're ready to stop putting your dreams on hold and start living your bucket list, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to take the first step.

Connect with Dina Ramadhan:

🌐 Website

📸 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

#digitalnomad #bucketlistlife #worklifebalance #locationindependent #careerchange #remoteworklife #freedomlifestyle #digitalnomadcoach

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

Ever felt like the black sheep of your family or community? Wondered what life would look like if you stopped following the rules and started following your truth instead?

In this episode, I sit down with life and mindset coach Dalia Kemble, who helps women turn their black sheep energy into something powerful - what she calls becoming a pink sheep. We talk all things freedom, mindset, authenticity, and what it really means to live a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.

• Why being the black sheep doesn’t make you rebellious - it makes you real
• How solo travel helped both of us transform our confidence and self-expression
• The truth about breaking societal norms and what it takes to live a life on your own terms
• The mental health side of personal growth and identity shifts
• Why you don’t need to hit rock bottom to start your transformation

If you’re craving freedom, navigating an identity shift, or just tired of doing what you “should” do, this episode will leave you feeling seen, understood, and inspired to step into the most powerful version of yourself to create your dream life.

Ready to step outside of societal norms, keeping you stuck? Listen now to start rewriting your own social path.

👉Connect with Dalia here

📩 Download Dalia’s free resource here

#blacksheep #authenticity #mindsetcoach #freedomlifestyle #personaldevelopment #unconventionalliving #digitalnomadlife #breakingnorms

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

Feeling fatigued, brain-fogged, or stuck by chronic histamine intolerance or burnout? Yep, me too!

Here’s what happens when you combine a strict diet for histamine intolerance with a 4-day silent meditation retreat in Thailand?

In this solo episode of The Remote CEO Life podcast, I share my personal journey through an intense meditation retreat, a gut-focused detox, and how both radically shifted my mindset, energy, and business.

I share my story about living with histamine intolerance, why I needed a total gut reset, and what I learned about myself - and business - by walking in silence for four hours a day whilst cutting out sugar, gluten, dairy, and processed foods.

Here’s what I unpack in this episode:

• How chronic stress and cortisol levels affected my health and work
• Why I chose a silent meditation retreat in Thailand and gut reset detox as part of my healing
• What walking in silence for four hours a day taught me about control, focus, and surrender
• Why taking space is essential for mental clarity, leadership, and sustainable productivity

If you’ve ever struggled with burnout, dietary restrictions, or felt misaligned in your business - this one will resonate. It’s about healing, reflection, and letting go of pressure so you can show up from a place of wholeness.

DM me on Instagram @itssophiebiggerstaff if you’ve got any questions about the retreat, histamine intolerance, or want to hear more about how I’ve embedded these lessons into my Freedom Model Method.

#mindfulness #entrepreneurship #productivity #healthandwellness #Thailand #personaldevelopment #meditationbenefits #holistichealth #selfimprovement #histamineintolerance #wellnessretreat #healthtips #businesslessons #travelexperiences #dietaryrestrictions #meditationretreat #mentalclarity #strictdiet #spiritualgrowth #lifestylechanges

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

What are the best marketing strategies for small businesses that actually work?

In this episode of The Remote CEO Life, I sit down with marketing expert Nicole Bernard, whose journey from running an organic farm and microbrewery to becoming a top-rated contributor for Entrepreneur Magazine has given her rare insight into what it really takes to build a marketing strategy that works - without the overwhelm.

We explore simple, freedom-driven approaches to marketing, why PR and SEO still matter, and how to maintain visibility even when you hate social media.

Here’s what marketing strategies for small businesses we discuss in this episode:

• How to decide what channels work best for your business
• SEO, PR, email, and long-form content explained
• Why your content pillars and buyer persona are key
• Alternatives to social media for lead generation
• Creating an effective weekly marketing rhythm
• How to grow your email list without social media
• How to beat content fatigue

If you want a marketing strategy that actually works for your small business without burning you out, this episode is a must-listen.

Connect with Nicole Bernard:

🌐 Website: https://nb.marketing

📥 Download her free marketing & PR workbooks: https://nb.marketing/hello

🎧 Listen to her podcast: https://nb.marketing/podcast

#marketingstrategies #smallbusinessmarketing #digitalmarketingtips #contentcreationstrategy #entrepreneurshipjourney #freedomlifestyle #onlinebusinessgrowth #marketingwithoutoverwhelm

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

Can being neurodivergent actually help you succeed in entrepreneurship?

In this episode of The Remote CEO Life Podcast, I’m joined by Hannah Whitfield - a creative activist, performer, and host of the No Longer Legally Detained podcast - to talk about what success really means when you’re neurodivergent and building a business.

Hannah shares how her ADHD and autism diagnoses have shaped her journey, how medication and creativity supported her healing, and why self-awareness has been the biggest key to both personal and entrepreneurial growth.

We talk about:

• What it’s really like to run a business while being neurodivergent
• Using self-awareness and structure to support mental health
• Redefining success and purpose through lived experience
• Peer support, boundaries and embracing your unique brain

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit the traditional model of success, this episode will show you how neurodivergence can actually be your superpower in business.

Connect with Hannah Whitfield:

📱Instagram & TikTok: @legallydetained

🔗 LinkedIn: Hannah Whitfield

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

Are you dreaming of becoming a digital nomad, building location independence, or even achieving financial freedom - without sacrificing stability?

This episode of The Remote CEO Life Podcast reveals how Ryan Mellon, a digital nomad coach and serial entrepreneur, did exactly that.

Ryan shares his journey from working two demanding full-time jobs and flipping real estate, to building a thriving rental business and living a location-independent lifestyle - part-time on his sailboat and part-time in Bali, a true digital nomad hotspot. Learn how he transitioned into coaching, built remote income streams, and created systems that support travel without sacrificing stability.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

- How to transition from the 9–5 grind to a life of freedom with remote work.
- How to structure a location-based business (like property) to support the digital nomad lifestyle
- Mindset and strategies for building a purpose-driven digital business from scratch
- Practical steps to overcome fear and start building your remote work income streams

If you’ve ever wondered how to make the leap into digital nomad life - what it really looks like to quit your job, work remotely, and live life on your terms - this episode is your roadmap.

Tune in to discover how to shift your mindset, create systems, and build a fully mobile lifestyle that gives you the freedom you’re craving.

Connect with Ryan Mellon:

📸Follow Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheDigitalNomadCoach

💻Website: https://www.thedigitalnomadcoach.com/freeguide1

🎙️Listen to Digital Nomad Nation Podcast: https://www.digitalnomadnation.com/blog/ep26

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

Can podcasting actually grow your business?

In this episode, I’m diving into the power of podcast guesting as a tool for business growth and real, authentic marketing strategies - with the amazing Candace Dudley.

Candace is a former teacher turned podcast guesting strategist and the host of Better Brave podcast, where she’s published over 175 episodes.

We talk about how podcasting helped her build a business that gives her freedom, and how guesting on other people’s podcasts is one of the most underrated ways to get visible, build trust, and attract dream clients.

Here’s what we talk about:

• Candace’s pivot from teaching to podcasting and entrepreneurship
• Why podcast guesting works better than most marketing strategies
• Her exact system for finding aligned shows and pitching with confidence
• How to turn guest spots into long-term business growth
• What makes a great pitch - and what makes one get deleted
• The kind of freedom podcasting has given her (and how it can for you too)

If you’ve been wondering whether podcasting is worth it - especially if you don’t want to start your own show—this episode will shift your mindset and give you a strategy to take action.

Connect with Candace:

Website

Podcast: Better Brave (on all major platforms)

Instagram

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...

Overwhelmed with where to start when building your online business? This episode is for you.

I’m doing something a little different today - I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work with me through my Freedom Model Method and 1:1 mentoring.

In this episode, I’m joined by one of my clients, Giulia, a holistic health expert and yoga instructor who has been running in-person services but wants to bring her business fully online. We walk through her challenges around defining her niche, structuring her offers, and how to design a business that actually supports the nomadic lifestyle she wants.

This is exactly the kind of support you get when you work with me - and it starts with my free Freedom Mapping Call.

Here’s what we covered in the session:

- How to niche down when you’re multi-skilled and multi-passionate
- Creating a business model that works around your lifestyle
- The importance of mapping your customer journey
- Choosing the right format for your offer (course, membership, 1:1)
- Why solving one clear problem is the key to early traction

This is a must-listen if you’re just getting started and want to create a business that actually gives you more freedom - not less.

Ready to start your own online business journey?

🎯 Watch my FREE masterclass and get the link to book your personal 1:1 Freedom Mapping Call:

About The Remote CEO Podcast:

This podcast is for freedom-seeking online entrepreneurs, offering practical, actionable advice to help you step up into your new role as CEO by building an online business that works for you - not one you work for.

Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, an online business mentor, e-commerce founder, mental health advocate, and full-time digital nomad. 🙋‍♀️

👆Want to start an online business? Take my quiz to help you get started

👆 Want to achieve more freedom in your life? Find out how you can make it happen in my free masterclass.

👆Need online business advice? Get my best business tips directly in your inbox by signing up to my newsletter

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to hear more conversations about starting and growing an online business.

🔗 Stay Connected:

📸 Follow me on Instagram

🎥 Follow me on TikTok

🗣️ Connect on LinkedIn

...