Looks Like Work

Today I'm chatting with Xanthe Appleyard, Social Media Strategist, Writer, Podcaster and Founder of Oh Sierra. Her focus is on supporting folks to run businesses that feel like places where they actually want to be, mostly through online leadership and marketing.
 
We chat about:
The idea of business as fun and pleasurable vs hard work
The duality of light and darkness, and how we sustain being an entrepreneur
Finding your own semantic compass
 
Follow Xanthe on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/xanthe.appleyard/
Visit her website here: https://ohsierra.ca/
And listen to her podcasts right here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Hm8vSAe86CcljB1snTdO4?si=748bc903879844d4 + https://open.spotify.com/show/21pDAUk7X0kIYBnNQPvmSr?si=b0eee7238e5543dd
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Get both your strategy and nervous system prepared for your next high-stakes meeting with a Meeting Prep Sesh
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Want to add another friend to this convo? Here's a link to Couples Therapy for You and Your Biz
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Hope you have a good beverage with you because today's chat is extra juicy. Genevieve "Jenny" Dreizen is the COO of Fresh Starts Registry and a human who's incredibly good at being a friend. | https://freshstartsregistry.com/
 
We discuss:
The trade-offs of being an entrepreneur: "if you don't enjoy the benefits, you're just giving up things"
It's ok to redefine your boundaries
Why the 8-hours workday is an invented construct
When you rest, you receive
Allow the business (and your dog) to be part of your lifestyle
 
Follow Jenny!
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genevievedreizen/
On Threads: https://www.threads.com/@genevievedreizen
On her website (make sure to check out their podcasts!): https://freshstartsregistry.com/
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Get both your strategy and nervous system prepared for your next high-stakes meeting with a Meeting Prep Sesh
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Today I'm chatting with Somatic Coach Mike Simon. Mike works with creative leaders who want to lead and build from the inside out.
 
We chat about:
 
The algorithmic commandments - and do we have to obey them?
Identifying what we're still carrying from our previous relationships (e.g., career, businesses) into our relationship with the current business
The money story - for founders selling intangible services and programs
Figuring things out through the experience rather than through conceptualization
Micro actions for the life you want
 
Follow Mike!
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikegsimon/ and Threads: https://www.threads.com/@themikegsimon
Join the Create From The Core waitlist: https://mikesimon.myflodesk.com/createfromthecore
Join Mike's newsletter: https://mikesimon.myflodesk.com/musingsfromhome
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Get both your strategy and nervous system prepared for your next high-stakes meeting with a Meeting Prep Sesh
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Want to add another friend to this convo? Here's a link to Couples Therapy for You and Your Biz
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Today I'm chatting with Eleanor (Ellie) Kime, a messaging specialist who helps small business owners put more of their personality into their business. Ellie is the rare type of person who will hype you online even if she doesn't know you (which I LOVE) and the rarer yet type of people who write sales emails that make you want to become their best friend.
 
We chat about:
The cobbler's kid thing... and how we deal with it as founders
Realizing the true worth of your work is sometimes well beyond the dry deliverable
How you are the only you, for better or worse
You are the only expert for you
Jealousy as an entrepreneur abnd what it has to do with Neil Diamond
 
Follow Ellie on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/eleanor_mollie
On Threads here: https://www.threads.com/@eleanor_mollie
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellie-kime
Visit her website here: https://www.eleanormollie.co.uk/
And listen to her podcast right here: http://eleanormollie.co.uk/jar
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Get both your strategy and nervous system prepared for your next high-stakes meeting with a Meeting Prep Sesh
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Today me and my nasally post-flu voice sat down with someone I ADORE working with, Kelsey McCormick of Coming Up Roses. Kels is the undeniable Launch Queen and someone whose work I admire (I'm a repeat client!).
 
We discuss:
Being a squiggly entrepreneur
What it takes to trust yourself, your gut, and your business - and to commit to one flagship offer
Mindset, limiting beliefs, and why they are not just for coaches
How to scratch the restless ADHD itch without reinventing the wheel
Finding your "sound"
 
Follow Kels!
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cominguproses.co/
On Threads: https://www.threads.com/@cominguproses.co
On her website: https://cominguproses.co/
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
 
Get both your strategy and nervous system prepared for your next high-stakes meeting with a Meeting Prep Sesh
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Today I'm chatting with Emilie Nutley, a money coach + consultant for online business owners, and in her words "if it touches money, I like to talk about it".
We chat about:
Why we keep investing in programs that teach stuff we ALREADY know
That secret unlock we're wishing for vs "what you know is enough, just keep doing the thing"
Why wanting stuff is ok
Ask yourself: Do you feel safe with what you have today?
Focus on the missing piece, not the immediate gratification
 
Follow Emilie!
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilienutley/
On Threads: https://www.threads.com/@emilienutley
Visit her website here: www.emilienutley.co.uk
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Get both your strategy and nervous system prepared for your next high-stakes meeting with a Meeting Prep Sesh (proven results, over 40 sessions conducted in the last year)
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Today I'm chatting with Lauren DeGolia, Success Coach & Chief Expansion Officer + the host of one of my favorite podcasts, Corporate F*ckery, which is in the top 10% of Careers podcasts.
 
We chat about:
Treating your business as a person - and why you totally should
Letting your future self take the wheel when it comes to decisions (that does not mean procrastinating! I see you)
And so much more
 
Follow Lauren on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lauren.degolia/
Visit her website here: www.laurendegolia.com
And listen to her podcast right here: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/corporate-fckery-lauren-degolia-l4LmxF9uckz/
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Meeting Prep Sesh - make sure your strategy and nervous system are both ready for your next high-stakes meeting or conversation
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Today I'm chatting with Michelle Ong, Founder / Social Media Content Strategist at Hello Lemon Media. I love Mishelle's approach to both social media and business, so it was a treat chatting with her!
This is another one I recorded while I had the flu (and still naively thought it was just a cold) so sorry for the nasally voice :)
 
We chat about:
 
Infusing personality into the way you market yourself on social media
Marketing with purpose, not pressure
Separating your sense of self-worth from your business
Boundaries, identity, and being a founder - and existing ALONGSIDE our business
Creativity that transcends our business
Blocking time on the calendar for rest and play
 
Follow Michelle!
On Instagram: www.instagram.com/byhellolemon
Visit her website here: www.hellolemonmedia.com
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Get into the lab for an accelerated coaching experience
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

“If your business dragged you to couples therapy, what would it say?”
Grab something to drink and take a seat — because you’re gonna want to sit down for this.
Your daily voice note from me and my favorite online founders, sharing what they’ve learned from being in the trenches with their biz.
A gentle reminder you’re not the only one navigating the ups and downs of life with your business.
 
If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders:
Get into the lab for an accelerated coaching experience
Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here
And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools
Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Guest Bio
Linda Du is the founder of Moola Money, a FinTech startup providing financial guidance for millennials. A British-Chinese first-generation immigrant with an engineering degree from Cambridge and MBA from Yale, Linda spent 4.5 years at McKinsey advising global banks before leaving to build her own ventures. Her international journey spans London, Dubai, Berlin, and Silicon Valley, bringing a unique global perspective to democratizing financial literacy. She also runs Okta Investment, applying over a decade of retail investing experience.
Episode Summary
Linda shares her journey from McKinsey consultant to FinTech founder, driven by an embrace of chaos and the "outsider advantage." We explore how being perpetually foreign shaped her ability to navigate uncertainty, why Germany's Industry 2.0 mindset struggles in today's volatile world, and how undiagnosed ADHD led to burnout but ultimately revealed her entrepreneurial superpowers. Linda reveals why even high-earning professionals struggle with personal finance and how transparency—not complexity—is the key to financial empowerment.
Key Takeaways
The Outsider Advantage: Being perpetually foreign gives you permission to shape your own identity and break cultural norms—a superpower for founders
Chaos Over Control: In a world of infinite unknowns, the ability to navigate chaos beats trying to control outcomes
De-risking vs Control: Instead of trying to control everything, focus on reducing risk while maintaining flexibility
Purpose + Lifestyle: Sustainable work comes from both caring about what you do AND designing a lifestyle that supports your neurodivergence
Financial Transparency: People's finances are often better than they imagine—they just need clarity, not more complexity
Memorable Quotes
"I embraced the fact that I would always be an outsider. And there's actually a lot of incredible power in that because people can't really expect you to fit into cultural norms."
"Risk equals reward, but it's about how do you be smart in taking that risk?"
"I see so much opportunity for international collaboration... but I feel like we're going in another direction where countries and states are starting to say, let's do things our way."
"If you didn't have to work for a living, what would you do with your time?"
Resources Mentioned
Pierre Bourdieu's forms of capital (economic, cultural, social)
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
China Plus One investment strategy
Stanford investor education program
Moola Money: [Website link]
Gravitas - 1:1 accelerator for biz owners stepping into their founder era
The Curiosity Lab - Strategy sessions for leaders by Chedva
You’re Gonna Want to Sit Down for This - bi-weekly email packed with lessons and free tools
Chedva's newsletter - Weekly musings and questions
Reflection Questions
How might being an "outsider" in your industry actually be your biggest advantage?
Where in your life are you trying to control outcomes instead of de-risking?
What would you do with your time if money wasn't a factor?