What does it really take to build a small business, especially when your brain doesn’t fit the traditional mold?

In this episode of Voted Least Likely, I am sitting down with entrepreneur, marketer, and podcast host, Lauren Tilden for an honest conversation about the behind-the-scenes challenges of running a business, navigating late ADHD diagnosis, and learning how to work with your brain instead of against it.

Lauren shares her journey of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, how it reshaped the way she approaches her work, and the systems she’s put in place to support herself as a business owner.

Together,  we dive into why clarity-- around the life you want and the business you’re building-- is one of the most important (and often overlooked) foundations of long-term success.

This episode is a reminder that there’s no one “right” way to build a business—and that success looks different when you define it on your own terms.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

-The realities and growing pains of building a small business

-Lauren’s ADHD diagnosis and how it changed her relationship with work

-Why clarity around your desired lifestyle matters just as much as revenue goals

-Designing a business that supports your energy, values, and season of life

-Letting go of expectations and building sustainably

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by entrepreneurship or wondered why traditional productivity advice doesn't seem to work, this episode is for you.

What if the parts of your story that feel out of place are actually the reason you’re meant to do the work you’re doing?

In this episode of Voted Least Likely, I share the parts of my life that don’t match the assumptions people make about me as a jewellery designer — and how learning to stop hiding them changed everything.

For years, I believed I had to smooth out my story to be taken seriously. I felt embarrassed about my background, my lack of formal education, my mental health struggles, and the ways I didn’t “fit” the image of my industry. I thought these things disqualified me.

They didn’t. They shaped me.

This episode is an honest walk through the truths I used to keep quiet — and why embracing them has helped me build a brand, a community, and a life that actually feels like mine.

Why you don’t need to fit into your industry to succeed

Being an extreme introvert in a very public-facing business

How protecting your energy isn’t selfish — it’s necessary

Dropping out of junior high and building a career without formal education

Letting go of shame around “unglamorous” career paths

How years of entry-level jobs became one of my greatest educations

What it’s like to build a brand without family support

Choosing your life, even when others don’t understand it

How community can grow out of loneliness

Growing up on a lighthouse island — and how it shaped my creativity

Feeling behind socially, emotionally, and professionally

Mental health struggles at a young age and learning their impact later in life

Why versatility, function, and intuition drive my design process

Not traveling, making sacrifices, and trusting long-term timing

Letting go of the need to fit in — and choosing to grow instead

You don’t need a polished or traditional story to be worthy of success

Your differences are not liabilities — they’re connection points

Confidence comes from acceptance, not approval

It’s okay if your version of success doesn’t look like anyone else’s

You’re allowed to build a life that makes sense to you

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt out of place, behind, unqualified, or “too different” to belong — and wondered if that meant they were doing something wrong.

You’re not.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stop trying to fit in, and start becoming more yourself.

One more episode about 2025 and then I'll move on...

In this episode, I’m doing an honest reflection on my failures from 2025. The missed goals. The wrong decisions. The moments that felt heavy, heartbreaking, and disappointing.

This isn’t a highlight reel or a “failure turned success” story. It’s a real conversation about what happens when things don’t go according to plan. — and why those moments often shape us more than the wins ever could.

I share what failed and what those experiences taught me about boundaries, expectations, resilience, and trusting myself. Some lessons were obvious in hindsight. Others took months to land.

If you’ve had a year that didn’t unfold the way you hoped, this episode is for you.

Failure doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means you're brave enough to try.

The start of a new year can feel full of pressure — new goals, new habits, new versions of ourselves we’re supposed to magically become overnight.

In this episode, I’m inviting you behind the scenes of my annual planning session — not the polished version, but the honest one.

I walk through the goals I set last year, what actually worked, what didn’t, and the expectations I had to let go of along the way. Some things surprised me. Some things stung. And some things only made sense once I slowed down enough to really look at them.

This episode isn’t about hustle or rigid goal-setting. It’s about reflection, recalibration, and choosing a direction that actually feels aligned with the life you’re living — not the one you think you should be living.

I also guide you step-by-step through a simple planning process you can do alongside me — whether you’re mapping out a business, a creative practice, or just trying to move into the new year with a bit more clarity and intention.

If you’ve ever felt behind, unsure, or quietly disappointed with how a year unfolded — this conversation is for you.

Reviewing last year’s goals with honesty (not shame)

What I achieved — and what I didn’t

Why some goals quietly stop fitting

Separating meaningful progress from performative productivity 

Letting go of goals that no longer serve you

How I approach planning in a way that feels sustainable

A gentle framework you can use to plan your year

Setting intentions that leave room for real life

This episode is your permission slip to plan slowly, thoughtfully, and on your own terms.

Take what resonates. Leave the rest. And remember — you’re allowed to evolve.

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Happy Holidays!

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“There are real costs to not being yourself.”

In this solo episode of Voted Least Likely, I’m talking about the quiet ways we learn to water ourselves down to fit in, and what starts to shift when we finally decide to stop. As I’ve moved into my late 30s, I’ve felt a deeper pull toward authenticity-- not the polished kind, but the messy, honest, uncomfortable kind that actually feels like freedom.

I reflect on how much energy it takes to constantly edit who you are for the comfort of others.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt like they’ve been performing a version of their life instead of living it. If you’ve been feeling the nudge to take up more space, speak more truthfully, or finally choose yourself, this one’s for you.

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In this episode, I'm sitting down with Jenna Herbut — founder of the Make It Show, author of Make It Happen, and creator of The Conscious Lab. Jenna has spent years supporting makers and creative entrepreneurs, and her work has inspired thousands of people to pursue their ideas with courage, curiosity, and heart.

This conversation goes far beyond business. Jenna opens up about why entrepreneurship is one of the most spiritual journeys you can choose, and how she’s learned to navigate uncertainty by leaning into her intuition.

We explore:

How Jenna uses intuitive nudges to guide her decisions

Why building a business will shine a light on every part of yourself, the empowered parts and the messy middle

Why slowing down, listening inward, and staying honest with yourself might be the real competitive advantage

This is an honest, grounding conversation about the human side of entrepreneurship, the doubts, the revelations, and the moments of magic that appear when you trust yourself enough to keep going.

Whether you’re a creative, a founder, or someone dreaming of starting something but unsure where to begin, Jenna’s wisdom will meet you exactly where you are.

A huge thank-you to Jenna for hosting us at Conscious Lab for this in-person episode.

In this episode of Voted Least Likely, we dive into a question that has kept me up at night: Do you need to be an optimist to succeed in business?

This topic was sparked by a moment at a recent entrepreneur event — everyone in the room seemed effortlessly confident, “delusionally” optimistic, and absolutely certain their success was inevitable. Meanwhile, I was quietly wondering why I felt so out of place… until it hit me:

I’m a pessimist.

In this episode, I unpack what it's like to build a business when your default setting is assuming the worst. I talk about:

Why optimism is so heavily associated with entrepreneurship

The unseen advantages of being a pessimist (yes, there are some!)

How pessimism can sabotage your next steps — and how to work around it

The myth that you need unwavering confidence to succeed

My own early days building Leah Yard Designs, and why I genuinely thought I’d fail (but kept going anyways)

Why not fitting the stereotype doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong

If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one who doubts yourself, prepares for the worst, or secretly thinks everyone else must know something you don’t, this episode is for you.

We explore whether success actually requires optimism, or if there’s room in entrepreneurship for the rest of us: the over-thinkers, the realists, the cautious dreamers, and the “hope for the best, prepare for the absolute worst” types.

Listen in to hear why your mindset — optimistic or pessimistic — might be exactly what your business needs.

In this special episode, I'm sitting down with Iyeba Maclayton, the recipient of the 2025 Inspiration Award from Dress for Success Vancouver. Iyeba’s story is one of courage, transformation, and a deep belief in what is possible when you refuse to give up.

She shares her journey from Nigeria to Canada and the challenges she faced while learning a new work culture and rebuilding her confidence. Iyeba speaks openly about the highs and lows of starting over, and how her faith grounded her through moments of uncertainty and fear. Her determination to grow, adapt, and honour her own potential is at the heart of this conversation.

This episode also highlights the meaningful work of Dress for Success Vancouver. Their support played a key role in Iyeba’s transition, offering community, resources, and the encouragement she needed to move toward a new professional chapter.

If you need a reminder of the power of resilience, belief in yourself, and support, this episode will stay with you long after it ends.

Sometimes life forces you to slow down—whether you planned to or not. In this episode, I'm sharing what’s been happening behind the scenes: my partner Kyle’s surgery, the unexpected challenges that came with it, and what it really looks like to take a forced step away from work and surrender to life’s timing.

This is a candid chat about letting go of control, accepting help, and the clarity that comes with a health scare.

If this episode resonates with you, let's connect🫶 DM me on Instagram [@leahyard]. 

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