Welcome back to a special summer series of mini solo episodes. Today I'm diving into my experience growing my email list from 250 to over 5,000 subscribers over the past few years. I talk about the evolution of my email marketing strategy, including my switch from MailChimp to Flodesk, the importance of taking part in summits and bundles, and how hosting free workshops and creating engaging lead magnets helped boost my list. I also emphasize the significance of owning and backing up your email list, and how a strong mailing list can generate revenue through affiliate marketing and product prom ..read more

Today on the podcast, I'm chatting with Ange Lyons, a brand and marketing graphic designer with 12 years of freelancing experience. I've follow Ange for years and recently met her at a networking event so I knew it was the perfect topic to talk to her about.  Ange is known for her excellent networking skills and community involvement and in this episode, she shares really insightful tips on authentic networking, the benefits of being part of communities, and advice on overcoming the common dread associated with networking.  We discuss in-person versus online networking, budgeting for ..read more

Have you ever wondered who does the design work for the fictional worlds that we see in films or TV programs? You know, the old fashioned letters, or a historical telegram, or maybe a brand for a business, or packaging for products. Today on the podcast it is such a treat for me to chat to Annie Atkins. Annie is a designer and prop maker for film and television, and she is particularly known for her work on various Wes Anderson films, including the Grand Budapest Hotel. We chat about how Annie struggled creating brands when she worked for an advertising agency, but how she got good at it when ..read more

I've talked before about creativity and the importance of experimenting in your business, and it's something I've prioritised in my own work. So today's episode with illustrator and creative explorer Ben Tallon is a real treat as we dive into the multifaceted nature of creativity. We explore how creativity isn't limited to traditional artistic endeavors and Ben shares his journey of 16 years as a freelance illustrator and his passion for creativity in various forms, from setting up music companies to podcasting. We also talked about the importance of creativity in daily activities, how adversi ..read more

I've talked before about creativity and the importance of experimenting in your business, and it's something I've prioritised in my own work. So today's episode with illustrator and creative explorer Ben Tallon is a real treat as we dive into the multifaceted nature of creativity. We explore how creativity isn't limited to traditional artistic endeavors and Ben shares his journey of 16 years as a freelance illustrator and his passion for creativity in various forms, from setting up music companies to podcasting. We also talked about the importance of creativity in daily activities, how adversi ..read more

Okay, I haven't talked about it for a while so you might've forgotten (!) but remember that time I went viral on TikTok? Well since then I've been woefully absent on the app so I thought it was finally time to focus on it and there's no better way to do that than dedicating an episode of Building Your Brand to it!  So in today's episode I chat with personal branding and Boudoir photographer & TikToker Tigz Rice who grew her following to 100k in less than a year! We discuss their experiences going viral and some of the challenges maintaining a presence on the platform.  Along the ..read more

I don't even need to ask if you've ever felt overwhelmed in your busiuness because I am 99% sure we ALL have. You might even be feeling, like me, a little bit overwhelmed right now. If so, today's guest Louise Miller, a Productivity Mentor and the host of The Unfrazzled Podcast, is here to soothe your worries and empower you to feel less frazzled.  I loved hearing Louise's practical takes on dealing with tasks, setting clear goals and creating space for rest and mental space to foster creativity. We also talked about how to say 'no' which is something we all need to do more! Mentioned in ..read more

I had a bit of a lightbulb moment the other day when I realised that I've never dedicated zand podcast episode to packaging design, despite the fact it's SUCH a big part of branding design.  That's why I spoke to today's guest, packaging designer Beatrice Menis. Beatrice's enthusiasm for packaging design oozes out of her and you can just tell that she absolutely loves it. Today's chat was so great, and her tips are so applicable to service based businesses too. I loved chatting to Beatrice and I really hope you enjoy the episode as well. Referenced in the episode:  Reddit thread abo ..read more

We are often told that scaling our business is a goal we should all aspire to. But growing a large team, or an agency isn't the only way to achieve your goals as freelance content and SEO strategist Beth Gladstone explains in our chat.  We chatted about Beth's journey of accepting the freelancer identity amidst societal pressures to scale up and the realisation that success can be achieved while actively scaling down. Beth shares her insights from her marketing career, discussing the transition from being wary of the 'freelancer' label to embracing it as a source of pride and success and ..read more

Despite visual branding being my bread and butter, I've rarely talked about it onb the podcast. So I've rectified that with this juicy chat with designer and educator  Hannah Bacon. We dive deep into the definition of branding: Hannah shares her unique perspective on branding as a business's 'clothes' and the significance of consistency in visual elements to avoid customer confusion and strengthen brand recognition. As ever, I manage to stumble upon another juicy challenge (!) so grab a coffee and jump into our chat. Episode highlights:  03:35 The Importance of Branding for Small Bus ..read more