In today's episode, we explore the unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs of two inspiring women entrepreneurs, Chelsea and Marianne.Chelsea is the owner of Ms. Jay's, a trendy hair salon that's been making waves in the industry. She is a driven businesswoman and a loving mother to her son, Phoenix. She shares her insights on the salon business and how she managed the transition into motherhood.Marianne is the co-founder of Legalite, a legal services company known for its innovation and forward-thinking approach. She is a powerhouse in the business world and a mother who has successfully juggled entrepreneurship and parenthood. She offers her perspective on being a parent and a business owner.Chelsea and Marianne kick off the episode by candidly discussing the challenges they faced during the first three months of motherhood. They highlight the emotional rollercoaster, sleepless nights, and the unexpected struggles they encountered while trying to meet their babies' needs. Chelsea shares her experience of returning to work and the importance of having space during those tough early days.They also provide vivid accounts of their birthing experiences, highlighting the unexpected challenges they encountered. They discuss their recoveries and the importance of support during this period.Both entrepreneurs delve into how they've balanced their roles as parents and business owners. They talk about the impact of the pandemic on their businesses and the strategies they've employed to find equilibrium.Chelsea and Marianne reveal their approaches to childcare. They discuss when and how they made these decisions, highlighting the importance of flexibility and support from family and caregivers.This episode provides an intimate look into the lives of two remarkable women who have mastered the art of balancing parenthood and business ownership. Chelsea and Marianne's stories are a testament to the resilience, determination, and adaptability required to thrive in both worlds. They remind us that while challenges may arise, they are merely seasons, and with the right mindset, we can navigate them successfully.LINKS:My businesses:Good Axe  /  Ruby Assembly  /  mode.lawMy book:100 Days of BraveConnect with Chelsea JohnsonMiss jays Nails and Beauty - http://www.missjaysnailsandbeauty.com/Connect with Marianne MarchesiLegalite: https://legalite.com.auConnect with me:Instagram:@rubyassemblyWebsite:https://rubyassembly.com.au/https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:Ruby Assembly

On today’s episode I’m joined by Jenny Stilwell, author of The 7 Percent Club. This book deciphers the reasons many businesses struggle to surpass the 2 million threshold, and that’s what we’re going to discuss today! Jenny’s background is as diverse as it is fascinating. From her initial role in sales and marketing, she carved out a niche in the corporate world, later embarking on an entrepreneurial journey. She shares her experiences from running a marketing consultancy during a recession to stepping up as the CEO of a publicly listed company during the dot-com boom.She noticed that while there are plenty of resources that help businesses achieve 7 figures, there were very few to help them grow beyond that point. Seven figures is an incredible achievement but it then takes a whole new strategy, and different resources and skillsets, to grow to $2M and beyond. In fact, only 7% of Australian businesses reach this benchmark.So why exactly do businesses find it so hard to join the 7 percent club? Well, Jenny explains that while reaching a million might be achieved on a shoestring budget, scaling beyond that requires a different mindset. The inherent complexity that comes with growth necessitates a change in business operations, a point many entrepreneurs miss.Jenny also makes it clear that relentless growth isn't always desirable. She emphasises the significance of business serving as an enabler for a better life, rather than becoming a draining obsession. We discuss the importance of nurturing client relationships. It’s essential to be able to understand clients' challenges and offer solutions that aren't strictly tied to current products or services.This episode is perfect for businesses aiming to reach the elusive 2 million mark and beyond. Jenny shares so much wisdom and will leave you with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of business scaling. LINKS:My businesses:Good Axe  /  Ruby Assembly  /  mode.lawMy book:100 Days of BraveConnect with Jenny StilwellWebsite: jennystilwell.com.auBook: https://jennystilwell.com.au/the-7-percent-club/Connect with me:Instagram:@rubyassemblyWebsite:https://rubyassembly.com.au/https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:Ruby Assembly

In today's episode, we delve into the dynamic world of business coaching with the vibrant and insightful Suz Chadwick. A seasoned coach, mentor, and branding expert, Suz brings a wealth of experience to the table, sharing her valuable insights on improving businesses, enhancing branding, and differentiating oneself in the coaching landscape.Suz takes us through her journey, starting with her background in corporate sales and branding, which led her to establish her own business in 2015. She elaborates on the pivotal moments that drove her to evolve from a business and brand strategist to a certified life and mindset coach. She emphasises the interplay between strategy and mindset, highlighting that while having effective tactics is essential, a strong belief in one's capabilities is equally crucial.Suz underscores the importance of clear messaging and branding to attract the right clients and shares her journey of refinement, aligning her visual brand with her desired brand position. Suz's goal of "building courageously bold brands for women who want to get out of their own way," resonates with clients seeking to overcome self-doubt and build impactful businesses.We also discuss her multi-pronged approach to launching and selling. She recommends a balanced mix of live launches, evergreen strategies, and monthly energised marketing offers. This approach ensures consistent revenue and reduces reliance on a single income stream.Suz provides valuable advice for individuals seeking coaching services. She emphasises the significance of aligning with a coach whose methods and expertise match your desired outcomes. Thorough research, assessing client testimonials, and seeking referrals from past clients will help you make an informed decision about which coach is the best fit for youSuz shares so much great advice in this episode and I know you’ll find heaps to take away from it. Enjoy! LINKS:Connect with Suz ChadwickWebsite:         https://suzchadwick.com/Instagram: @suzchadwickMy businesses:Good Axe  /  Ruby Assembly  /  mode.lawMy book:100 Days of BraveConnect with me:Instagram:@rubyassemblyWebsite:https://rubyassembly.com.au/https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:Ruby Assembly

In this episode I talk with the incredible Emma Edwards of The Broke Generation, a platform focused on financial well-being and improving our relationship with money.  Emma has successfully curated a brand that not only supports her but also resonates with her audience. She believes it is important to go into business with clear and intentional goals to guide you. In this episode we discuss the importance of building a personal brand and the reality of monetizing it. She emphasises the need to be seen and create content consistently to attract opportunities. Emma shares how intentionality in monetizing her platform from the beginning alienated some people who believed that all content should be free. However, she recognized the value of her platform and the opportunities it could bring, and she was determined to make it commercially viable.She also provides insights into her monthly income activities and the systems and processes she uses to keep her business running smoothly.As the digital business landscape continues to evolve, entrepreneurs must remain adaptable and open to new opportunities. This episode will share how, by embracing intentionality, diversifying income streams, and implementing effective systems and processes, entrepreneurs can build successful and sustainable brands. Key Takeaways:Building a personal brand requires being seen and creating content consistently.Having multiple income streams is important for financial stability in a personal brand business.Success in building a brand takes time and requires intentionality.Systems and processes should be tailored to individual needs and preferences.Visibility and consistency are key to attracting opportunities and building a successful brand.LINKS:My businesses:Good Axe  /  Ruby Assembly  /  mode.lawMy book:100 Days of BraveConnect with Emma & The Broke GenerationWebsite:          thebrokegeneration.comInstagram:@the.brokegenerationPodcast:         The Broke GenerationConnect with me:Instagram:@rubyassemblyWebsite:https://rubyassembly.com.au/https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:Ruby Assembly

Today’s conversation is all about unleashing your creative genius and making bank while you're at it. Our special guest is spilling the beans on how to crack the code of developing a pricing strategy and transforming your career from undercharging to unstoppable success.We’re thrilled to bring you Jasmine Designs, also known as Your Pricing Queen. Jasmine has been in the creative design business for 15 years and has seen both sides of the industry - running her own business and working as an employee. She brings a unique perspective to the table, fuelled by her ADHD brain, which gives her the amazing ability to see creative opportunities as solutions to problems.Jasmine's motivation stems from her desire to leave a lasting legacy in the creative industry. She wants to provide a space for creatives, freelancers, and designers that she wished she had when she first started her career. Her goal is to help others transition from a mindset of undercharging to one of sustainable success. Jasmine firmly believes that creativity is all about crafting something that didn't exist yesterday - something that can genuinely make someone's life easier, better, faster, or smarter.We take a dive into pricing strategy, an absolutely critical element for any business’ success or failure. Jasmine breaks it down for us into three key elements: structure, strategy, and solution. She unpacks these components for us and shares practical tips on how to approach them and why it matters so much to reach your goals. It’s absolutely crucial to remember that your clients aren’t just buying you as a person – they’re buying all of your experience, creativity, ideas and skills. You have so much value so don’t undersell yourself and your services! Jasmine helps us explore our own value and shows us how to confidently set our prices and communicate them effectively with clients. Now, every client is unique and may need a different approach. Jasmine highlights the importance of developing different identities in different spaces. She wears both hats - a pricing queen and a designer - and intentionally keeps these identities separates to create a specialised experience for each client. By doing so, she can serve different needs and establish herself as an expert in both areas.Believe me, you’ll love this conversation. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how to attract clients that truly value your expertise and gain confidence to set prices that align with your incredible skills. Key Takeaways:Pricing should be seen as a tool, not the end goal. It's about understanding the value you bring and the outcomes you can deliver.Embrace the mindset that you can always make more money. Your mindset determines your ability to generate wealth.Niching is powerful and allows you to establish yourself as a leader in a specific market. It doesn't mean excluding others; it means specializing in a particular area.Communicate your pricing confidently and be prepared to negotiate. Understand the reasons behind your rates and be able to explain them to clients.LINKS:My businesses:Good Axe  /  Ruby Assembly  /  mode.lawMy book:100 Days of BraveConnect with Jasmine, Your Pricing Queen:Website: https://jasminedesigns.com.au/learn/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourpricingqueen/Masterclass:  https://jasminedesigns.com.au/product/nua-mc/Raise your Rates Challenge: 

This is our final episode for the year! I think it’s appropriate after such a strange and momentous year that we reflect on the challenges, the amazing bits and the wins.In this episode, I share what each of my businesses and my personal life looked like and the learnings I’m taking away from what has been a really big year!There have been many highs - I had a book published, signed onto a lease for our new business Good Axe and enjoyed family holidays and cosplay! But it’s also been hard - there has been illness (a lot of illness!), stress and being knocked back time and time again.I share my year in some detail in this episode because I think there’s value in that. I hope that your year has been full of as much useful truth as you can manage and I’m really glad for all my listeners, (including in Europe!). I wish you a wonderful 2023 and some deep nourishing rest over the holiday period. I hope you’re able to keep living life on your own terms and negotiating your way forward bravely.LINKS: My businesses:Good Axe  /  Ruby Assembly  /  mode.law My book:100 Days of BraveBusinesses mentioned that I love:23W  /  Nudo Weddings  /  Purpose Productions  /  Hatch Labs  /  Cargo Crew  /  Kenny Lover Ice Cream & Hot Chips  /  Confetti Rebels  /  Play Nook  /  Porridge Comms Events mentioned:Geelong Small Business Festival  /  @iamellesteele @ TEDx Cecil Street  /  Pax Articles/resources:Frankie Magazine Strictly Business article!100 Days of Brave Advent Calendar Previous episode mentioned:Ep 15 - How We Built a Coworking SpaceConnect with me:Instagram:@rubyassemblyWebsite:https://rubyassembly.com.au/https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:Ruby Assembly

I have a brand new business which is a project I’ve been working on with my husband and business partner, Yule Guttenbeil, for the entire year. Today I share a conversation with Yule about Good Axe, our new co-working and professional workspace brand, which we are incredibly excited about. We take a deep dive into the process of opening a new business that has more overheads than any previous business that I've run before.We share why we decided to open a co-working space and the opportunities and risks involved in this venture. There were certain assumptions we made that served us, and others that didn’t. We talk about what these looked like, particularly how we navigated financial uncertainty, difficulty finding investors and the challenges of finding the right site. Good Axe was born out of our own need for a high end workspace close to home. And, being community minded people, it was really important for our business to benefit our local community. We talk about the values that underpin Good Axe, why they are paramount to us and the future iterations of the business we envision down the track. I hope you enjoy this episode as we share the journey of building a baby business from scratch, from ideation, through all the challenges and assumptions to the doors officially opening. LINKS: goodaxe.com.au Sheree McIntyre CoWorking Counsel https://coworkingcounsel.com.au/ Simon D'Arcy Cucumber Offices https://www.cucumber.work/ Connect with Yule Guttenbeil: Website:https://mode.law/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p/CkxDEpmyYnY/Connect with me:Instagram:@rubyassemblyWebsite:https://rubyassembly.com.au/https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:Ruby Assembly

Today we’re in conversation with Yule Guttenbeil from mode.law (with a word to the wise, Yule is actually my husband and business partner). Over the last two years mode.law has been through a seismic change and has now relaunched under a new corporate structure. This is, truly, a phoenix story.As many of you will know, when you consult with trusted advisors, they ask you to reflect on an exit plan for your business. But it’s rare to hear a real story of what a business breakdown and resurrection looks like. Yule reflects on the fact that it often isn’t planned for well enough or understood.A business breakdown can be traumatic. Yule’s advice is to seek out trusted advisors. Your accountant, lawyer and your mental health professional are all essential. As Yule explains, It’s often really hard to see the writing on the wall, so they’ll help you understand where you are at, and what to do about it.Now that Yule is out the other side of it, mode.law is better for all of it and his positive experience of relaunching a business provides some really interesting learnings. Yule shares that getting experts in the field of insolvency is particularly helpful, as well as having watertight contracts. Not only do these ease any difficulties that may be associated with the changeover of the asset but they provide a framework for dispute resolution.Finally, Yule steps us through how mode.law, an online platform to help businesses do their own legal work, can help businesses. mode.law offers granular and detailed templates for legal documents, as well as the opportunity to book in with a lawyer to discuss legal matters. Yule also shares a free offer that’s available to Sell Less.Mean More listeners!Dive in for a detailed breakdown of what it looks like to resurrect a business - there is so much to learn.LINKS: Listening to: Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford  /  50 Things that Shaped the Modern EconomyWatching: Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of CuriositiesPlaying: Zelda Breath of the Wild  /  The Witcher 3  /  God of War Eat: Blue Stone American BBQArtist: @questlove Connect with Yule Guttenbeil:Website:    https://mode.law/Instagram:    https://www.instagram.com/p/CkxDEpmyYnY/Connect with me:Instagram:    @rubyassemblyWebsite:    https://rubyassembly.com.au/        https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:    Ruby Assembly

My guest today is Vix Maxwell, known to many as New Age Hipster. Vix is an author of spiritual books and young adult fiction, a tarot reader, spiritual development teacher and she joins me to talk all about intuition in business. I connected with Vix a few years back on Instagram and it’s been amazing to witness her business journey. As a business owner, creative and intuitive, Vix has so much wisdom to share about the creative development process, and in this episode, we explore the intuitive tools she uses in her life and business and together we deconstruct some of the negative connotations attached to tools such tarot and spiritual readings. We talk about how Vix got started in business, beginning with a desire to blog about her spiritual journey and offering tarot readings on Etsy. Knowing nothing about business, Vix learned everything on the go and we talk a little about what that process looks like for a lot of business owners. Whether you come from a hard business background, you consider yourself a spiritual seeker or you’re somewhere in between, it’s my hope that this episode shines a light on the benefits of tuning in with your inner voice, and the intuitive tools that are available to help you in business. LINKS:Connect with Vix Maxwell:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/newagehipster333/Website:https://www.newagehipster.co/Connect with me:Instagram:@rubyassemblyWebsite:https://rubyassembly.com.au/https://little-mirrors.com/YouTube:Ruby Assembly

Today I’m speaking with Elle Steele - a champion Paralympian, intuitive healer and corporate consultant. That’s a pretty diverse pool of expertise but let me tell - Elle is all of that and more.This episode focuses on Trimester 1 of 100 Days of Brave, focused on ideation and intuition, and Elle is just the right guest to talk to about this!Elle explains how she incorporates the use of intuition in her life and how tapping into her inner knowledge across her 12 years in business has allowed her to refine her offering. We discuss that determining your offering, developing your brand and launching products are not things we do once but need to do regularly over the lifetime of our businesses.Intuition is often tied to all things woo woo but we discuss how it can be thought of as resulting from all the knowledge we gather from our life. The tools of divination are merely ear horns to yourself. Elle shares with us the four kinds of intuition, and how you can test your intuition for veracity.We also discuss how starting a business involves a shift in identity and the importance of safe and collaborative spaces to test your intuition and offerings.Elle’s work is all about empowering, emboldening and supporting women in business, and this conversation does exactly that! Jump in to soak up her incredible energy and wisdom as we explore ideation and intuition in business.LINKS:Rich Witch Connect with Elle Steele: Website:    https://www.iamellesteele.com/Instagram:    https://www.instagram.com/iamellesteele/Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/iamellesteeleaustraliaPodcast:    https://www.iamellesteele.com/the-psychic-lounge-podcastConnect with me:Instagram:    @rubyassemblyWebsite:    https://rubyassembly.com.au/   /   https://little-mirrors.com/