Meaningful Work, Remarkable Life

The last quarter of the calendar year is the biggest for many professional services businesses. A good final quarter pulls the business into the next year. So how do we map our final push for the year with launches? Launching makes possible what one-to-one selling doesn't by reaching strangers, selling through your content, creating urgency and making offers without relying on one-to-one sales calls. Launching isn't just for people with group programs, masterminds, or big leveraged offers. It can be used to sell almost anything, including one-to-one done-for-you services. The end-of-year frenzy is coming. Black Friday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, holidays so how could you use the final quarter to create your biggest revenue quarter yet? If you're keen on a big final push for the year, this episode is for you. You'll learn: Why most business owners have been creating new offerings upside down and back to front. Brook's litany of spectacular flop launches, including the one launch she ghosted in favour of a worthy fascinating side quest involving a spreadsheet, a very full car, and an absolutely enormous amount of furniture. That horrible, barren wasteland in the middle of a launch when nobody seems to be buying? It might feel like failure. But what if it isn't? There's one thing you need to believe before you launch because secretly expecting your launch to fail is a bit like driving with the handbrake on. The uncomfortable lesson about success that capitalism and patriarchy has taught us that is massively hindering our launches - and what to do instead What it actually means to reach through screens to pluck the heartstrings of strangers, selling directly through your content How to make your offer relevant to what's happening *right now* and the question Brook always asks about her ideal clients when creating launch marketing The difference between an audience and a community - and why it matters Why your launch strategy isn't a content calendar. Want to turn your launch into a genuine strategy rather than just a vibe and good intentions? This episode is invaluable. Join Brook on September 24 for her free workshop, The Final Push: Map your Launch. We're getting stuck in together, to get all the important pieces down on paper, including your timelines, financial goals, audience-building, live experiments and everything that needs to happen before launch day. Nab your spot now: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/launch-season/

'Love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life' the saying goes. Sounds good, yes? But for far too many small business owners, investing time, effort, energy and money into building your business often tips into workaholism. You're telling yourself that these hours are well invested, as you're building your own asset. Until it tips into routinely working weekends, ruining family holidays, hiding from friends and family when you should be out there, socialising, and living, breathing and sleeping work. In this episode, I get brutally honest about the holidays I've ruined through my work. This episode is a confession, a diagnosis, and an intervention all at once, unpacking the addiction hiding inside "hard work" and "passion" that so many self-employed people will never admit to out loud. You'll learn: Why the holiday that "should have been spectacular" still gives me a tinge of sadness — and what I'd do differently if I had my time over The paradox of the profit and loss statement: why working flat out often means your business goes nowhere at all A specific cognitive performance statistic that explains why you can't think your way out of burnout using the same brain that got you there Six warning signs about your productivity — including one about sitcoms which might hit uncomfortably close to home Why "rest as a reward" is one of the most damaging beliefs a business owner can carry, and what to replace it with instead. If you suspect you might have a problem working too hard, this episode is the key to unlock less stress, more focus, and far more fun.

With 20/20 hindsight, perhaps we might all act differently? What would you say to your younger self if you could? In this reflective episode, I write a letter to my younger self: the ballsy, overthinking, self-conscious, occasionally reckless young woman who survived an ordeal in Sri Lanka at 21, was in Vietnam lead tours just one year later, and later navigated two babies under two while building a business in nap times, daycare, grit and pigheadedness. You'll hear: Why regretting what you didn't do is far more costly than regretting what you did. Why the poverty mentality so many of us carry is a psychological hurdle, rarely a financial reality. The biggest thing I would tell my younger self to take far more seriously (hint: it's not marketing). A simple thing on my desk that feeds my self-compassion so I can take bigger risks, with bigger payoffs, in business. This episode is for anyone who's feeling like a failure, like a fool, like the boat has sailed, and they're too late. We can always have a re-do.

If business feels especially hard for you right now, it's time to turn this attitude upside down and inside out.In this episode, I draw on Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way , as well as 18 years in self-employment, with a hefty dose of unhinged dose of perimenopause-fuelled candour, to offer you something far better than toxic positivity: hard fun. You'll hear: How to turn "it'll get easier" into what's actually true A gloriously honest list of what is genuinely hard about self-employment, from having your prices negotiated by strangers, to being shut out of rooms where decisions are being made, to psyching yourself up every single morning to believe this whole thing is a great idea The compounding long-term payoffs of staying in business that nobody talks about Forget consistency, instead we examine why agility of mind is the key thing that keeps you in thriving, profitable business for years to come. If business feels hard right now, this episode reframes what that actually means. Your deposit hasn't yet reached maturity, that's all. Keep going.

Australians suffer from two different, but related phenomena: tall poppy syndrome and underdog worship. These are especially harmful for business owners' growth and happiness. This episode pulls apart what happens when Australia's egalitarian instincts curdle into a culture that punishes ambition, using Pauline Hanson's "cattle class" jet stunt as the case study in performative humility. We explore why moaners aren't underdogs, how jealousy is actually useful data, and has joy is the antidote. You'll learn: Why tall poppy syndrome isn't just a vibe – it's something 1 in 3 Australian workers can name happening to them Why nearly 70% of ambitious Australians won't say the word "ambition" out loud – and the one-word swap that I use that gets around this The Pauline Hanson jet story, broken down flight by flight — and why "I flew cattle class" might be the most calculated line in Australian politics this year What happens when you combine tall poppy syndrome with underdog worship (hint: it's a marketing weapon, and you've definitely fallen for it) Why jealousy isn't a character flaw – and the one question that turns it into your most useful business intel The line between sharing a genuine low and performing victimhood for reach — and why most "vulnerable" content on your feed often fails that test Our most popular Momentum Mastermind channel – and why it's full of dogs If you've ever wanted to celebrate a massive milestone in your business before realising that you've got nowhere to do so - this one's for you.

What if more revenue, more clients, more team, more growth are actually making your business worse? In this episode, I discuss something I see constantly but rarely hear discussed in public: business owners who've hit impressive milestones but somehow have less money in their pockets and less joy in their days. You'll hear: Why profit is a more honest metric than revenue, and how you can have a million-dollar turnover and still not be able to pay yourself properly The three types of profit margin and which one actually matters Why cost-plus pricing almost always leaves money on the table (and the $4,000 five-minute favour that proves it) Eight questions to ask yourself when your business has become too heavy, too complex, and too far from what you actually want If you've ever looked at your growing business and felt a creeping sense of dread instead of pride, this one's for you. Outgrown your marketing message? My Ignite Visibility Accelerator is where you learn to be seen, be heard, and get paid: https://hustleandheart.com.au/ignite

What if the thing you're most tempted to hide is actually the reason people choose to work with you? If you're suffering from imposter syndrome, need more business confidence in your personal branding, and sometimes feel like you have something to prove, then this is the episode for you. Small business owners, soloists, freelancers and entrepreneurs are often confusing their weaknesses with what could be their biggest branding advantage. Your credibility and authority isn't determined by your credentials; it's about something way more nuanced. In this episode, we explore why self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and business insecurities aren't necessarily problems to overcome. Sometimes they're the very things that make your work more human, more memorable, and more valuable. We unpack why trying to look professional can quietly become a form of self-censorship, why some business owners stay stuck despite having all the right qualifications, and how changing your environment can completely change the way you see yourself. You'll learn: How to turn your insecurities into a genuine competitive advantage. Why imposter syndrome may not be the problem you think it is. How changing your environment can instantly change your confidence. Why business owners often stay stuck by comparing themselves to people in the wrong arena. Why I no longer worry about not having formal marketing qualifications. What I mean when I say "business is a verb." How trying to sound professional can weaken your marketing. Why authenticity creates stronger marketing than perfection. The hidden power of vulnerability in sales, marketing, and leadership. What the Strengths Paradox is—and how your greatest strengths can become your biggest blind spots. Why people connect more deeply with humanity than polished perfection. One simple challenge that will change how you think about your own insecurities. We talk about marketing without using marketing jargon, the Strengths Paradox, authenticity in business, vulnerability and trust, real confidence versus performance, personal branding and business mindset. If this conversation sparked something for you, I'd be so grateful if you left a quick review. Reviews help more values-based business owners discover the podcast, and they're one of the best ways to support the show. Outgrown your marketing message? My Ignite Visibility Accelerator is where you learn to be seen, be heard, and get paid: https://hustleandheart.com.au/ignite

If you're feeling stuck, fed up, or perhaps even ready to throw it all in, this episode is for you. I'm pulling back the curtain on my eight most recent sales, where each client came from, how long they'd been in my world, and what actually moved them to buy. You'll hear: What my results say about where you should be focusing your marketing and sales, to sell more, more often How the offerings ecosystem model works, and why the old-school ascension ladder is broken The magical effect of compounding efforts in our marketing and why bright, shiny distraction is costing you more than you think Why consistency is overrated and how to get obsessed once again, when you've lost that loving feeling in your business. This one is the counter-narrative for every business owner who's feeling frustrated, stuck, or convinced that everyone else has a secret golden lead source they're not telling you about. They don't. And this episode proves it. More info and to register for Bingers to Buyers, my online session on June 24: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/bingers-buyers/

What if everything you're waiting for, everything you're wanting, every dream that feels audacious to even entertain, is within your reach — if only you had the audacity to ask? Because telepathy is not a reliable marketing strategy and manifesting is not a sales strategy. One short, sharp email in 2020 inspired one of my most popular programs – my free Life's a Pitch!® party. Are you overcomplicating your business development? Because one-to-one pitching is the fastest, simplest, most human way to grow your business, with or without a marketing strategy, a website, or even a business name. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the spammy, automated pitchers clogging your inbox every morning are actually very good news for you The counterintuitive reason why saying something people expect to hear means they won't hear it at all — and what to do instead The one mental shift that makes walking into a room full of strangers feel completely different The thoroughly modern strategy to get your time back by stopping procrati-research, so you can pitch far more people The sneaky way most people sabotage their pitches before they've written a single word What the big online gurus conveniently left out of their courses about building powerful professional relationships Resources mentioned: Life's a Pitch!® Party — RSVP at https://hustleandheart.com.au/pitch

Brook McCarthy sits down with her client Shaye Thayer — consulting CFO, chartered accountant, and fellow financial feminist — for a conversation that is unapologetic truth-telling about the systemic barriers women face in business. This conversation is a call to arms for women in business to pay themselves more, and will challenge the way you think about pricing, capacity, profit, and what your business could actually be worth one day. You'll learn: Why the most experienced women in the room are often the most surprised by what running their own business actually feels like — and what's really going on beneath the surface The invisible ceiling that almost every service-based business owner has built into their model without realising it What most men already know about their businesses that most women have never even considered The specific financial habit that separates business owners who always feel cash-strapped from those who don't — and it has nothing to do with earning more What Shaye got spectacularly wrong in her first years of business — despite having spent years helping other people get it right The surprising thing that is considered an asset in your business that you're probably giving away for free right now About Shaye Thyer Shaye Thyer is a consulting CFO for women-led businesses and a chartered accountant with two decades of experience. She works specifically with founders to build profitable, sustainable businesses that deliver real financial independence. You can find her on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @shayethyer.finance. Her next round of the Scale Lab kicks off on the 29th of April. Connect with Shaye: https://www.wearepallas.io/

What if the thing standing between you and a full client roster isn't your offer, your price, or your website but simply your willingness to sell. In this episode, I'm joined by the brilliant Kate Cowley, accountability coach, personal trainer, and founder of a brand new gym in Sydney's Northern Beaches that went from zero to 245 members through a sheer volume of phone calls. Kate is one of the most driven, warm, and genuinely skilled people I know, and this conversation is packed with practical gold. We get into the real reasons good people don't do the things they say they will — and it's not laziness. We talk cold calls, objections, vibe, and the surprisingly deep connection between squatting heavy and resilience in business. You'll hear: The 70/30 rule of sales conversations: why the person who talks less almost always wins How Kate enrolled 245 gym members by doing the one thing most business owners avoid What to do when a prospect has every objection under the sun, and how to uncover the real one How structure, routine, and compartmentalisation make the hard stuff feel less hard If you've ever talked yourself out of a follow-up email, dreaded making contact with a warm lead, or wondered how some people just seem to do the thing — this episode is for you.

What if the future of business wasn't bigger and faster, but cleaner, greener, fairer, and kinder? In this episode, I sit down with the legendary Kylie Flamant, CEO of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA), to talk about social enterprise, our relationship with money, and what it means to build a body of work that actually makes the world better. Kylie brings rare clarity to some of the biggest questions facing values-driven business owners: how to sell something you believe in (even when you hate selling), how to price your work without guilt, and why the most radical thing you can do right now might be going hyper-local. You'll hear: Why 'social enterprise' may be the business model of the future and what that means for your business Why the NSW Government is now actively buying from social enterprises, and why this matters even if you're a one-person operation Why so many good humans find themselves struggling with marketing and sales in business – and what to do about it The money conversation we're not having: why women receive completely different financial socialisation, and what to do about it Kylie's honest take on collapse, grief, and why there is hope (but it starts in your street, not on your screen) This episode is for every business owner who was ever told that they're "unrealistic", "too idealistic", or couldn't be successful in business while being true to their values. For owners who are building something that outlasts them. Put down your money baggage and develop your new bulletproof money attitude at Good Money March, my free live audio program: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/good-money-march/ Resources mentioned in the episode: Books Taboo — Hannah Ferguson Hoodie Economics — Manning Bancroft Donut Economics — Kate Raworth How to Do Nothing — Jenny Odell (author not named in episode) The Barefoot Investor — Scott Pape (not named directly, referred to as "the best book on money ever" / "think before invested" — likely this one based on context) Papers & Academic Work Deep Adaptation — paper by Jem Bendell Organisations & Platforms SECNA — Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT: secna.org.au Buy NSW — buy.nsw.gov.au (NSW Government procurement database) Social Enterprise Finance Australia (SEFA) — social enterprise verification People and Planet First — global social enterprise verification standard Brand Kind — freelancer collective for branding and marketing

Most all people suffer from unconscious self-sabotage. If you ever find yourself arguing against the very thing you say you want, then please know, you're not alone. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain this very common (and frustrating) patterns that I see in business coaching. Self-sabotage can show up in surprising ways and it's costing you more than you think. If you know that you're hugely talented but can't seem to move forward, or if you're a coach who struggles with clients who say they want one thing, and then do the opposite, then this one's for you. We explore our invisible barriers, the role of our identity, and the exhausting energy cost of constantly fighting against our best interests. You'll learn: Why the most successful people still wrestle with this pattern (and what they do differently) The surprising connection between perfectionism and self-violence that nobody talks about What negative automatic thoughts are really protecting you from Why your "I am not the kind of person who..." statements give you a massive clue The counterintuitive relationship between doing, being, and having that changes everything How cynicism is actually grief in disguise (and what you're really mourning) The one coaching question that cuts through overthinking and gets you moving again. If you've ever felt stuck, caught yourself overthinking, or wondered why you keep getting in your own way despite knowing better, this episode is for you.

When I was 18, I accidentally joined a cult. This left me with one indelible lesson that has shaped my entire career as a business coach: people are astonishingly quick to give away their power. In this episode, I unpack what that early experience taught me about authority, hierarchy, and how easily we project extraordinary qualities onto other people, especially in the coaching and online business world. We’re talking about pedestal-building, guru culture, quantum leaps, collapsed timelines, and why this dynamic is dangerous for clients as well as for coaches. Because when someone puts you on a pedestal, they’re not just flattering you. They’re relinquishing responsibility. And the fall, when it comes, can be brutal. If you’re a coach, consultant, leader, or ambitious woman building something meaningful, this important conversation will have you rethinking your views on power, impact, influence and psychology. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why my experience teaching meditation at 18 revealed a hidden dynamic about authority that most business owners never question The subtle but dangerous difference between respecting expertise and projecting magical thinking onto someone How pedestal-building actually gives you a “get out of jail free” card (and why that’s more costly than you think) The early warning signs you’re dealing with a guru, not a leader The small boundary violations that often precede the biggest coaching horror stories Why “just copy my blueprint” ignores systemic privilege, context, and lived reality The mature relationship to power that most values-based business owners were never taught A simple but powerful question to ask when a client puts you on a pedestal — and how it changes the dynamic instantly This episode is for you if you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “She’s just different. I could never do that.” It's especially for you if you’ve experienced an energy vampire client, struggled with boundaries, or want to lead without becoming authoritarian. Many thoughtful, intelligent women in business have a complicated relationship with power. We’ve seen it abused. We may have experienced manipulation from others multiple times. We’ve been undermined. It's time for a new vision of power.

What happens when everything you've done successfully for years stops working? When your flagship program bombs after a decade of success, when wait lists go cold, and when sales calls become an exercise in ghosting? This isn't your typical "crushing it" business recap. In this behind-the-scenes episode, I share what it really looks like when the market shifts beneath your feet—and what you do when the old playbook no longer works. You'll discover: Why the first quarter of 2025 felt like tap dancing in quicksand (and the exact date when everything changed) The strategy that I use to launch and sell my new Momentum Mastermind The marketing hierarchy that's working now—and why your email list alone isn't enough anymore Why someone paid $5,500 out of nowhere while my carefully nurtured wait list sat idle for 10 years The uncomfortable question a creative writing teacher asked that's making me rethink everything about how I work with clients The trust recession phenomenon and why it cut my sales calls nearly in half Which "sure thing" bombed spectacularly (packed room in November, crickets in February) Why I'm questioning whether taking people's money when they won't do the work is empowering or enabling My Sri Lanka story — and how not giving myself space almost derailed everything This episode gets pretty granular, personal, and occasionally uncomfortable. But if you're tired of highlight reels and want the real story, this one's for you.

What if nothing you do in your business is wasted? Because all of your efforts are compounding, even if your results appear lacklustre? In this episode, I reflect on 2025, the year that demanded relentlessness — not hype, not hustle-for-show, but quiet, stubborn commitment when clients weren't buying and things aren't turning out the way you hoped. I share the behind-the-scenes story of launching Momentum Mastermind… and why it only worked on the third attempt . This episode about momentum that’s built, not manufactured. About effort that compounds long before results show up. And about why belief — not format, not funnels, not perfection — is often the missing ingredient. If you’ve ever wondered whether your work is leading anywhere… this conversation might land exactly where you need it. Why no effort is ever truly wasted — even when it feels like it went nowhere The real reason my first two versions of Momentum didn’t work (and what changed the third time) The question that quietly determines whether a group program thrives or fizzles Why commitment beats motivation — every time The one thing I do before designing any group program — and why skipping it keeps people stuck The manifesto principle that got me out of two years of “coulda, woulda, shoulda” The uncomfortable truth about why people don’t commit (and why it matters more than strategy) How to tell whether you’re over-engineering… or avoiding the real work Why business often only makes sense in hindsight If your success were inevitable and it was only a matter of 'when', would this stop overthinking? What effort would you keep making, even without proof? Join me on Feb 11, 2026 for our hands-on, practical workshop, Design your $400K Offerings Ecosystem for 2026 .

Forget funnels; think ecosystems instead. In this episode, we explore a radical shift in how people find information, seek answers, and making buying decisions. From linear to circular, this episode explores practical ways to approach your marketing, sales, and business growth in 2026, that responds to how humans actually buy. You’ll learn: What an offering ecosystem is, how it differs from a typical offer “suite”, and why it matters The single most important approach to take to creating bingeable marketing content How to turn bingers to buyers The marketing channel you're neglecting and why it can't be an afterthought if you want people to buy straight from your content Join me on Feb 11, 2026 for our hands-on, practical workshop, Design your $400K Offerings Ecosystem for 2026. Register now: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/redirect-offerings-ecosystem/

2025 marked my 17th year into business and 13 years in business coaching, and one thing was unmistakably clear: the people who are thriving aren’t the cleverest, the most polished, or the most strategic on paper. They’re the most committed. In this episode, I share the ten biggest lessons I’ve learned from my own business this year, alongside what I’ve witnessed across dozens of my client's businesses navigating uncertainty, changing buyer behaviour, and what many are calling a trust recession. We talk about ego and embarrassment, identity and conditioning, adaptability, collaboration, and why clarity consistently outperforms cleverness. We explore why some business owners are accelerating while others feel stuck, exhausted, or quietly disengaged, plus, what actually makes the difference. Why “cringe” (ego and embarrassment) is one of the biggest things holding business owners back—and how to stop letting it run your decisions The difference between unwavering commitment and conditional effort, and why it’s such a powerful separator How emotional regulation and social conditioning quietly shape your business results Why adaptability mattered more than ever in 2025 – and what it really looks like in practice How to think about your offerings as an ecosystem, not a collection of disconnected services Why asking directly for what you want is a business skill (and how many of us were conditioned not to) Why clarity consistently beats cleverness, especially for highly experienced experts How collaboration became a growth strategy in a trust-starved market The role identity plays in either accelerating or sabotaging your business growth Why relationships, community, and genuine connection are becoming the real competitive advantage If you’re building a values-led business, feeling the shift in how people buy, or questioning what actually matters now, then this episode will help you recalibrate and move forward with more confidence and conviction. Ready to design your 2026 Offerings Ecosystem? Join me on February 11 . You’ll walk away with:

What if coaching wasn’t just a business model but a radical act of equity, care, and future-making? In this episode I sit down with Trudi Lebrón - author of The Anti-Racist Business Book , executive coach, DEI strategist, and thought leader reshaping the future of coaching. We explore what happens when coaching moves beyond sales tactics and into systems change, supporting not just individual transformation, but collective liberation. You’ll hear: How Trudi’s early work in theatre, youth development, and social psychology shaped her radically human approach to coaching The surprising overlap between DEI work and coaching, and why both are essential in navigating this moment of cultural tension and change The critical difference between building a business and building a body of work , and how to know when it’s time for more meaning How we can (and must) decentralise the coaching industry and equip everyone in human-facing roles with these essential skills This episode is a call to every coach, facilitator, and values-based business owner who wants to go deeper, lead better, and create a legacy that lasts.

What if your online content could close sales for you without a single sales call, pitch, or email funnel? Sounds good, yes? But here’s the thing – most small business owners are creating content that educates, entertains, and engages … but never actually sells. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on how to turn your marketing into a money-making machine. You’ll learn: The subtle yet powerful difference between content that builds authority and content that drives sales Why so many skilled service providers are invisible to their dream clients (and how to fix this – fast) The future-proof platforms you should be focusing on and what you can ditch How to warm people up enmass without them ever having to have sales conversations My Ignite Visibility Accelerator kicks off on Oct 27 for owners who want to sell direct from their content, while building their professional reputation: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/ignite/ Grab your free copy of the Content Rebels Guide to GEO Success: https://contentrebels.com.au/shop/your-guide-to-geo-success/ Watch the recording to my Becoming Unforgettable masterclass: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/becoming-unforgettable/