Today’s guest on the Not Just About Copy podcast is Kate Toon.

Kate is a down to earth human on a mission: to demystify the realities of running a successful online business. Her StayTooned group of companies include the Digital Masterchefs, The Clever Copywriting School, and The Recipe for SEO Success. Through these, Kate’s helped more than 10,000 other businesses demystify digital marketing, grapple the Google Beast, and grow their overall success.

Kate is a renowned speaker, podcaster and author, and was named Businesswoman of the Year and Training & Education Provider of the Year at the national My Business Awards. She also runs Australia’s only dedicated annual copywriting conference, CopyCon. And all this from the Toon Cave in her backyard, accompanied only by her very own CFO (Chief Furry OfficeDog) Pomplemousse and assisted remotely by a team of talented sub-contractors.

I’ve been a member of Kate’s communities over the years and she taught me most of what I know about SEO. It was great to sit down and hear about her evolution as a business owner, her reflections on the past 14 years and what lights her fire in 2022.

In this episode we talk about:

• Being a reformed completion junkie and why it’s time to redefine what success looks like
• The importance of forgiving ourselves for what we don’t do - or even want to do
• Why inspiration rarely works and what to use instead
• How iterative copywriting is like a millefeuille pastry
• Riding the wave of small business life - the highest highs and lowest lows
• Kate’s future dream of being a ‘proper writer’ and
• Why just because you could do something, doesn’t always mean you should.

This was a very honest conversation, where Kate spoke frankly about how and why she made some big changes in her business and life.

Here’s my chat with the inimitable Kate Toon…

How you can connect with Kate

• Website: katetoon.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/katetoon/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katetoon/

Solo episodes mentioned:

• Episode 6 Eeeek! Is that a typo? How to proofread your own work
• Episode 10 Writing about ourselves is hard. Here’s how to make it easier.

How you can connect with me:

• Website:emmamcmillancopy.com
• Instagram: @emmamcmillancopy & @notjustaboutcopy
• Facebook: facebook.com/emmamcmillancopywriter
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emma-mcmillan-copywriter

This podcast is produced by Emma McMillan & Sarah Harney.

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which I record this podcast, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nations and honour their deep language and storytelling traditions. I pay my respect to Elders past, present and emerging.