Snippets of Genius with Caroline Kay: Recent Episodes

Snippets of Genius with Caroline Kay

Snippets of Genius is a lighthearted business Podcast with some brilliant insights into what winning at the start-up game really means.

In each episode guests from the worlds of business development, marketing, design and wellness, share their ballsy, daring moves to build a thriving business they love.

Join Caroline Kay for a good old chit chat on how to start, stand out, scale up and make an impact.

Have your note pad and pen at the ready for my handpicked snippets to help you become the person you most want to be and build better.

How to build better entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinking

William Arruda – Own and live your strengths and standout

Liana Fricker – Know that the only thing stopping you, is you

Amanda Baker – Conscious Hustle Versus The Burnout Hustle

How to build better teams aligned and performing at their best

Ian Truscott – Harness Passion and Emotion

Lucy Woolfenden – Build trust

Alex Hirst – Cultivate Reciprocity

Lizzie Penny – Focus on transferable skills, passion and circumstance

How to build better cultures

Sally Page – Get everyone else as excited as you are about the vision for the business

Natalie Pearce – Purpose is for everyone. How to understand yours and find your reason for being

William Arruda – Stop fixing weaknesses and focus on what you do better than everyone else so you can operate at a much higher level

How to build better personal brands

Ian Truscott – Cut through the noise with old school brand building

Lucy Woolfenden – Focus on the Jobs to be done, no one wants to be friend with a brand

Natalie Pearce – So many people care – build your connections outside the business

Sally Page – Do what your built for and connect with others to build

William Arruda- Connect, Listen, Reflect – Pay attention and own your adjectives

Amanda Baker – Overshare your story with confidence, your people will like what you say

Lucy Woolfenden – Take people on the ride and build your relationship with your audience

William Arruda – Deliver value consistently, use your gift to help others be successful

GENIUS guest’s tops tips to build better

Liana Fricker – See further than what I see today

Sally Page – take a look back, reflect and recalibrate

Lucy Woolfenden – test, learn, listen, find the opportunities

Ian Truscott – It starts with your people

Amanda Baker – Connect with you story

William Arruda – You’ll know when it feels right

“We get by in the world by ourselves we excel in the world with others”William Arruda, #1 Brand Guru. Before you go, I would love to hear from you. What’s your biggest insight, aha, or takeaway from this episode? What resonated with you most? And finally, What would you like to learn in the next series of Snippets of Genius? Share you ideas, challenges or key points of interest and I will design it around you. Email me at hello@carolinekay.co Until next time, thanks for listening to Snippets of Genius. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever feel disappointed or disillusioned with work? You’re ambitious and have the energy and aptitude to make anything happen. But, sometimes you still question.. Am I in the right place to do it? You want to make a positive difference to the world and do work that you actually care about! That’s why I’m beyond excited to introduce you to today’s guest, Natalie Pearce. Natalie is a GENIUS at designing and creating kinder, fairer, better designed employee experiences for every stage of company growth so that you can finally feel you’re in the right place. Building better teams and a culture that supports making your dreams happen. Natalie spent her career putting people first, from developing end-to-end employee experiences to crafting growth-proof team cultures. She’s led projects for Insights, Amnesty International, BP, MasterCard, DVSA, Fidelity, HSBC, ITV and Pizza Hut. In today’s Snippets of Genius, we go deep on:

How to get your team’s spark back for the company you’re building

Why rituals design are critical to effective communication

What even are cultural norms?

How to get intentional so that you live and breathe your values and purpose

Why Patagonia are pioneering when it comes to unlocking the power of values

How to articulate your best company story

What gets in the way of living your best culture and how to solve it

You’ll also hear how Natalie got alignment with her co-founder, plus an encounter with burnout that helped her stop hustling and start doing less but better. If you want to be part of a thriving culture, have a fulfilling business or career - and make a positive difference to the world - watch this episode on YouTube or listen now. Thanks for making the time to discover what you stand for and how you can build better. DIVE DEEPER BOOKS TO HELP YOUR CULTURE THRIVE The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown Connect with Natalie: Find her on LinkedIn, Instagram, Medium and Twitter, where she talks about well-being, culture, leadership, the future of work and entrepreneurship. Loved this episode? You should check this one out too: Not to put too fine a point on it - WorkTripp with Sally Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s face it. The idea of a company offsite often fills us all with dread. Now we work remotely, or hybrid or flexi - we socialise less and less with our colleagues. The idea of having to spend concentrated time with office folk, and the boss, has not climbed any higher in our wish list. But before you panic about your next business trip, offsite or team get together, Sally Page Founder of WorkTripp has an important thought experiment to share with you. What if - on your next company get together - you could have the best time ever and become even become better at your job? A high impact offsite that sees you coming up with your best ideas, solving real problems, building trust, respect and getting the support you’ve been craving. What if - you could come back from your next company get together feeling energised, aligned and with total clarity on how to make everyday satisfying? In today’s Snippets of Genius, Sally Page shares her strategies to do just that. You’ll learn:

How to create a high impact offsite - your team will thank you for

Why any intensive learning session over 90 mins is a waste of time

What a high-performing offsite looks like and what it is definitely not

How to set your goals, why High Efficiency is never the goal and what is!

Why your team’s productivity is flat-lining and how to counteract this

The 3 magic ingredients and ultimate combination for a powerful WorkTripp.

If you’re searching for ways to have a high impact offsite that builds a high performing team and deep levels of fulfillment in yourself and everyone in the business - this episode is for you. DIVE DEEPER: Get Sally’s go to resources to expand your reach and potential BOOKS FOR HIGH IMPACT Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syde Oversubscribed by Daniel Priestly PODCASTS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE How To Own The Room - Viv Groskop How To Fail Elizabeth Day TED TALKS FOR INSPIRATION Dame Stephanie, Shirley, Why do Ambitious Women Have Flat Heads? https://www.ted.com/talks/dame_stephanie_shirley_why_do_ambitious_women_have_flat_heads Loved this episode? Then you'll most likely like this one too: Create Something Magical with Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst #S6 EP2

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you could become the next Founder of a Unicorn Start Up – just by doing one little change? The truth is that when you get your core strategy right, know your audience and understand the jobs to be done – you can make the critical tweak in your marketing that can unlock more customers and big profits. My GENIUS guest is Lucy Woolfenden, Founder of The Scale Up Collective, with 20 years’ launching brands, growing their audiences and making them profitable. Lucy’s portfolio of tech start-ups includes launching Skype for Mobile, Starling Bank, and Yolt and her expertise and team can do the same for you, because…. When you master marketing you will:

Eliminate decision fatigue

Gain instant trust with your communication

Have throngs of investors in bidding wars to work with you

Standout in even the most saturated market place

Finally get the attention and profits you deserve

Tune in now and learn:

The groundwork you need to do to scale fast

Why marketing is not something you can bolt on

What great marketing is

How great brands are really built

Why nobody wants to be friends with a brand and the single thing to focus on instead

Ready to supercharge your marketing and take your brand and business in to the stratosphere? What are you waiting for? Listen now.

Resources from this show

The must have tech to scale fast: Slack www.slack.com LinkedIn www.linkedin.com Notion: https://www.notion.so Superhuman : https://superhuman.com

The books that you must read next: Never Split The Difference, Chris Voss The Direct to Consumer Playbook: The Stories and Strategies of the Brands that Wrote the DTC Rules – Mike Stevens The Personal Board Of You Inc -Emma Maslen

DIVE DEEPER: Sign up for the Start Up Collectives awesome newsletter here > Check out my feature on “how to build high performing teams” here>

Listen to Music that will lift you up The XX Angels

Connect with Lucy https://thescaleupcollective.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucywoolfe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This series is all about building better. To build better we need to make mistakes, so forgive me for the poor set up of my microphone in this episode, and just as I did, focus on the GENIUS of my fabulous guest!

In this show you will learn the step by step guide to tell powerful stories and become a super connector with your audience.

Buckle in and learn these 5 powerful steps explained via Amanda's own raw and relatable personal story of Entrepreneurship. Plus get the inside scoop on how she crafted her epic Ted Talk! Even with the technical glitches, this content was too valuable not to share with you.

Tune in and learn how you too can become the person you must want to be!

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0UOevLrIwAM

Enjoy the show.

Resources: Connect with Amanda here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandatells5stories/

https://www.5stories.com/

Watch her Ted Talk Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iSx7YpwzNg

View and listen to other episodes from the Building Better Series on Snippets of Genius here: www.carolinekay.co/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered what it really takes to rise up through the ranks and master your craft? To realise your full potential and lead others to do the same? Ian Truscott, popularly known as the RockstarCMO, is on Snippets of Genius today to share the people strategies that’ll will enable you to achieve your career aspirations! Ian had his career wake-up call while listening to a colleague talk with such swagger, passion and confidence; it inspired him to figure out how to become the very best marketeer. From that day, Ian knew what he needed to do, “to be a constant learner and get on top of everything” He had to find a way to master his craft. And he did. More importantly, YOU can too. Ian used what he learned about marketing and invested wisely in the people around him. His personalised approach to team development has effectively led global teams to overachieve against all KPIs and double metrics year-on-year. Three years later, he is the CMO of Spotler Group, a trusted advisor for two growing marketing technology companies and the founder of a strategic market advisory that creates ART (Awareness, Revenue and Trust). Today he’s sharing his secrets with you. In this episode, you’ll learn:

What you need to explore and have and know the answers to, to master your craft

The tech and process for managing remote teams (and making other big life goals happen).

Why you must have trust AND empathy with your team to grow at pace.

The “one size fits all” trap that’ll crush your teams’ potential, if you let it.

How to stay one step ahead of Chat GTP with category defining marketing best practice.

The books everyone must read to build the habits and strategies that will change your life.

Why ‘the work’ is not the main thing and where you need ‘to focus’ when running your own business.

Watch now and let the RockstarCMO drown out your excuses and show you exactly how to set yourself up — for life — no matter what you’re ambition. Now it’s your turn. All the people strategies in the world are useless until YOU put them to use! So get this career insight into action ASAP. And have fun with it! Because as Ian reminds us: “Our relationship with work is becoming increasingly personal, you need to engage with your employeesbecauseone size doesn’t fit all”

Resources from this show MUSIC to lift you up

Bodak Yellow, Cardi B

KOJATO – Good Morning Africa

Groove Armada – Superstylin’ (Official Music Video)

BOOKS to stretch your thinking:

Atomic Habits – James Clear

Work Smarter Live Better – Cyril Peupion

Miracle Morning - Hal Elrod

The best episodes of RockstarCMO: (In my humble opinion)

156 – Positive Intelligence – Understanding And Facing Your Saboteurs

45 Lessons And Tools To Build A Thriving Business

20- Pitfalls every marketeer needs to avoid

Connect with Ian Links: https://iantruscott.me https://rockstarcmo.com https://spotler.com Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iantruscott/ https://twitter.com/IanTruscott Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Personal Branding Masterclass: How To Shine Online If any part of you wants to show up in a magnetising and mesmerising way online then this is a must listen! It’s a treasure map to unleash your strongest, most brilliant, most self aware YOU! And our guide is non other than William Arruda, the man who has been named a Global Guru and the World's #1 Branding Expert in 2022 and 2023. He’s a bestselling author of Digital YOU, Career Distinction, and Ditch. Dare. Do! William has turned the concept of personal branding into a global industry and now he’s here to share his biggest lessons and tips with you. Here’s just a sampling of the gems you’re about to discover:

The 2 most important steps to successful personal branding

How you can make your brand shine online

The 1 thing you need to pay attention to when you build your personal brand

What personal branding is not and why 'how' someone introduces you is key!

Plus, how to know whether or not you’re building the personal brand you want right now

If you have ever had the pleasure of seeing William speak or read one of his Forbes Articles (17 million views and counting) pay extra attention around the 17-minute mark. Because, William was generous enough to give the 2 very key pieces of advice that will quite literally change the game on how you show up and stand out online. As William says “We get by in the world on our own while we excel in the world with others” We’re all capable of achieving much higher things. We all have incredible strengths to share. My hope is that today’s show fuels you to take (or continue on) your journey to becoming all you can be. Now, William and I would love to hear from you. What’s the single biggest insight you’re taking away from this rich conversation, and why? Yes, more than one insight is allowed – but I’m truly curious as to what hit home for you the most. Email me at hello@carolinekay.co or come on over to the community on LinkedIn to inspire other listeners and share your insights. What you have to say may just be what someone else needs to have a major breakthrough. Thank you so very much for listening, commenting and sharing.

P.S. If you found this valuable, inspiring and worthy of your time, please share it. I can’t think of any better conversation for current and future leaders around the world to listen to. Huge thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s face it. The new normal is here and it still sucks. Life is still revolving around meetings, most of us feel tied to our desks and to top it off slaves to our machines. The old ways of doing don’t cut it and the new ways need a shift change if we want to put a halt on the quiet quitting. It’s time to revolutionise work. Imagine. What if – we could switch things up? What if – we could move in a new direction? What if we had complete TRUST from our employers? And vice versa? So that, you had the complete freedom to choose where and when you work – always. Hard to imagine? In today’s premier episode, the first time ever with 3 people on the Snippets of Genius podcast, you will hear how co- authors of Workstyle, Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst don’t just talk about what-if’s, they prove the future is here. It’s already a reality. It’s bright with true freedom, prosperity. The best part happy people and thriving business results await all of us when we have our own Workstyle. Listen in to Lizzie and Alex as they share their proven strategies, lessons, and tips. You’ll learn:

How to get a competitive advantage for your business

What you need to do to have consistent green quarters

Why embracing autonomy and individual Workstyles will boost wellbeing and results

Their 2 big lessons in building a business

Why wordmoji’s are the next thing we can all geek out on.

The environment needed to get people to deliver their best work.

What it means to lead from the centre.

Finding your Workstyle and how to join the revolution!

Make sure you stay tuned to the end for the Green Morphsuit story! If you enjoyed this conversation, you’ll adore Lizzie and Alex’s book, WORKSTYLE: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity and Society BUY IT HERE! It’s an absolute game changer in order to improve wellbeing, step change productivity and redefine inclusion through a fundamental redefining of work. Before you go, Lizzie, Alex and I would love to hear from you. What’s your biggest insight, aha, or takeaway from this episode? What resonated with you most? And finally, you can find out more about Alex and Lizzie’s speaking and campaigning work at WorkstyleRevolution.com Go to WorkstyleRevoultion.com/Community and click the ‘Join Us’ button to join our Slack community of brilliant people working together to change the world Follow them on Instagram at @lizzietheworkstyler and @alextheworkstyler Follow them on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/lizziepenny and linkedin.com/in/alexhirst/ Photo of Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst living their best lives at work – working from Westonbirt Arboretum! Loved this episode? Then you’ll probably like this one too: Future of Work with Chris Cummings, CEO of Sonas Group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If I told you there was one thing you could do that would skyrocket the purpose and profits of your business…. Would you do it? David Allison – Human Values Expert, Global Researcher, and Founder of the Valuegraphics Project – is here to show us what that is. The rest is up to you. Listen to our conversation to learn:

How to sell with more effectiveness in any market

Where you can find the common ground that will motivate, your customers, team and stakeholders

Why our values drive us subconsciously to make choices

Why frustrations and failures are the breeding ground for your next GENIUS ideas

When demographics matter and when they don’t

How to create a great workplace culture

What not to do when defining your company values.

The secret to attract and keep great talent -HINT: it is not pay them more!

How to overcome the slog and motivate your team to perform at their best.

In today’s Snippet of Genius David reminds us that nothing good comes from reinforcing our differences. If we want to move forward and get better we need to find the common ground. He confesses that normally he gets paid the big bucks by doing big research projects for big companies. Luckily for us, in his newest book: The Death of Demographics, David’s leveling the playing field. He’s giving you access to his tools that will allow you to connect with people, deep inside their hearts like a trusted friend, and create value driven solutions that will resonate deeply. Stay tuned to the end to learn how and in the comments below, let us know: What insights from the conversation meant the most to you and why?

Thanks for tuning in and if you have a friend, client or colleague who could use this knowledge right now, please share this episode. Remember as David would say “You’re capable of doing great things, continue to believe in yourself relentlessly, and you can get there”.

Resources from this show: Get your copy of David’s first book ‘We Are All The Same Age Now’: Join the wait list for David’s second book ’The Death of Demographics’ Recommended reading: The creative process Watch the YouTube Trailer for this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The confusion and misunderstanding of the Menopause creates a huge negative impact and it cannot go on. Over half the population suffer from this. 1 in 4 have a challenging time. 2 in 4 have symptoms of varying degrees. 1 in 4 are the sailors and are absolutely fine. That being said, internally hearts, bones, minds... everything is effected. There is no extensive training for Doctors. It’s misdiagnosed and it can lead to some very negative experiences from leaving great jobs to suicidal thoughts. That’s why I am so thrilled to bring on the premier episode of series 5 my genius guest, Jo McEwan from Positive Pause, to talk about the positive effects of Menopause and bust some myths along the way. Headphones are recommended if you have little-ones close by, as nothing is off the table in this show. Prepare to hear us talking about experiences in Richmond Theatre to Arsenal Football Club. Live recordings on masturbation, rampant sex drives, self care routines and well-being at work! Tune in and learn:

What are the positive effects of menopause.

What to expect in yourself, your partner, or loved ones when Menopause arrives and when it can happen.

3 of the most interesting positive effects of Menopause and why it's really not all doom and gloom.

One of the best places to invest in your marketing to bring in inbound inquiries

How a personal revelation can turn into a trending business.

The high and low’s are all covered in Jo’s amazing journey to become the co-founder of Positive Pause with her partner Ann Stephens. Fast forward to today, 1 in 10 companies are now focusing on creating the right tools and knowledge to create real change in the work place. Jo and Ann are curating the menu of options to help women of all levels in the workplace continue to be successful at work. For a serious dose of inspiration, on what it takes to turn small acorns in a great business, this is not one to miss. Finally, my ask to you. As menopause will happen to every woman in your life, please share this episode. It's so important to let the women in your life of any age know that it's not all doom and gloom and that there is support when they need it. Menopause resources and links from the show. Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause The British Menopause Society Women's Health Concern The North American Menopause Society Positive Pause Menopause Movement

Want to stay updated on what's next on the show? Follow Snippets of Genius on LinkedIn or sign up for THE BURST newsletter, to be the first to hear how you can cultivate the opportunities you never thought you could have! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are going to talk about the anatomy of ACTION

The reason I do a podcast is I get to dig into the things that matter to my clients. So naturally, the topic of taking ACTION is something I knew I would get into eventually.

One of my favourite parts of my job is helping my clients to stay motivated, focused and to get our of their own way.

The truth is most people give up being an entrepreneur. It can be hard and frustrating not having a rule book, a framework, or (for those without a coach) a guide.

That’s why creating positive habits is key to set yourself up for success. Join me as I unpack the 4 DRIVERS that will help you stay on track when building a business and life you desire.

Have your pen and paper ready as inside this episode I share the tools and exercises to help you figure out what brings you to life. You'll hear the techniques that reveal where to focus your efforts to deliver real results, build momentum and grow.

Tune in and learn

The 4 DRIVERS behind taking action
Why getting honest with yourself will reveal the secrets to your future success
How to figure out where to focus your energy
3 things to avoid that will destroy your confidence
How to get some wins and start building momentum

What's more, my wonderful guests from this series (and a special cameo from Chloe Markham) all share a snippet that drives each point home. If you like their style and energy be sure to listen to their amazing stories in their show. You'll hear the pitfalls, lessons, and revelations, to help you build a business you love.

If you have any questions about today's show or would like some help with any of the tools and techniques I share, please get in touch at hello@carolinekay.co. I'd be happy to have a chat and share more great resources to support you on your journey.

To your success!

Caroline

Ever thought you’re not “techie” enough to start a SaaS start up? Think again. Creative marketeer, Ben Collins goes to show that when you pick the blindingly obvious and lean into your strengths you can build anything you put your mind to.

You’ll have no doubt heard it said that entrepreneurship isn’t easy but the reality of what you will inevitably encounter seems to be a well kept secret.

Well friends, this week you’re going to get the real deal. The real, raw and the blindingly obvious.

In this week’s episode, Ben Collins returns. (See Episode 1 Series 1 for Ben’s debut on the show where he shares the big moves he made to start his first company Devilishly Handsome Productions). Now 3 years on he’s back to share his experience co-founding and building his tech startup 'Thingdom' during the pandemic.

We cover

Realising the opportunity and later securing big client’s like Dreamwork’s
Developing the MVP and building a success story and relevant results
Gaining a government grant (and becoming their golden child)
The challenges of servicing while building, like sleepless nights and the wake up calls you don’t expect
Pivoting the tech from service focused to a SaaS Product
Getting future ready – building for the Metaverse and beyond.

I had the pleasure of being in the back seat for his incredible journey during the pandemic. While many of us reeled in shock to the changing world around us, Ben saw opportunities, and in true Ben fashion he ‘went for it!!’ That’s why I’m thrilled to share his genius to help you create any business, anytime, anywhere.

Listen to this episode and you’ll learn:

That you have everything you need to start when you apply your strengths
Why the blindingly obvious opportunity is your next business idea and how you can set up for success
The one thing you need to get started on the funding trail: beyond a good idea
Why getting it wrong will help you get it right when building any business
Want a dream client? Why learning on the job and sharing your vision, will bring you opportunities (most of us only dream about).

Stay tuned to the end for Ben’s top tips to maintain a long and healthy client list from his 15 years in business.

Ben’s journey goes to show that you can change your approach and even your offer, but never the goal; this is the secret to do great things and deliver great work.

Ben’s Top Resources

Daily inspiration and knowledge to level up in a blink
The book that turbocharged Ben’s productivity recommended by yours truly.
The productivity tool Ben can’t be without.
Get Ben’s latest Headphones (They are fancy!)
The music track for the more mature entrepreneurs to get you in flow
The best track to feed your soul and set you up for the day.

To connect with Ben and ask questions, come and join him and all my genius guests from this series over in our Snippets of Genius LinkedIn Community.

Meanwhile, learn more about Ben's fast growing business Thingdom:

A metaverse for product activations, press launches & unique brand experiences: https://www.truegroup.agency/thingdom

Got an idea? I’d love to hear it. Why not drop me a line to see how you can build a business you love at pace.

hello@carolinekay.co

www.carolinekay.co

Many things need to go right for your business to succeed, that’s why even when your start- up fails, that doesn’t mean you do.

We’ve all read the horrific stats that 90% of start-ups fail, but what happens to those people who risked it all to become the CEO and Co-founder?

This week’s Genius Guest has over a decade of Finance expertise and openly shares his own start-up experience, from launch to close.

This is the entrepreneurial journey of Andres Korin, now Co-founder & CFO at Debite, previously CEO and Co-founder of StorkCard and Start Up Consultant to Founders in tech.

After the first couple of years building the idea and concept and finding the 'Tech' to match his 'Fin', he had the tough call to leave his comfortable job and go all in. We dive into the hard decisions like this, that he wrestled with and learned from. Right up to the fateful day, one year later, when he made the announcement that the team and he had decided to close down the business.

We unpack the watch outs, the opportunities, and the enablers to carve out a strong future no matter what life throws at you, plus how to navigate

Finding co-founders
Securing funding and getting to the Final interview stages of Y-Combinator and Techstars.
Making the decision to close your startup in the right way.

Join us as Andres relives the pivotal moments that allowed him to learn and grow and use his expertise to create a positive impact in the world.

Tune in and learn:

How to have a conversation with the future you and get comfortable with risk
The reasons you need to forgive yourself – when you get it wrong
Why your applications and interviews for funding will help you in more ways than you think
What to expect if your going to a Y-Combinator interview and how Tech Stars differs
The most important things to focus on when winding down your start up to investors.
How to channel your energy in the most productive way to be a success
What you need to focus on when gearing up for Series – what you need to know (and importantly what you don’t)

You can do more than what your current job description defines, you have the opportunity to bring all your brilliance to the table and show up everyday in a big way. This is living. This is is how you become the person you were born to be.

Follow these simple practical steps to think bigger, act bigger and start living your way.

Need an extra boost of motivation? Ponders these words:

You tend to regret the things you don’t do, rather than the things you do”

What are you waiting for? Let’s go!

Resources

Need some music to get you out of a funk? Why not check out Andres favourite tune to get him in the zone!

Want to learn more about Start up life , check out Andres’ favourite Start-Up Podcast by Gimlet media

Do you want to be the catalyst behind massive change?

Are you ready to push boundaries and challenge the status quo?

Are you looking for a powerful partner who will open doors, expand your reach and add value to your idea?

Then this episode is for you.

This week my GENIUS guest is Derren Powell, Vice President, Business Development - Fintech UK&I at Mastercard. Join us to discover the big lessons and surprises he’s experienced working in and around Partnerships (and Mastercard) for the last 25 years.

Tune in and you’ll learn:

Why your next conversation could be the door opener you need to scale
The 6 key questions to ask and answer so you can set the rules of engagement
Why the winning ideas disrupt, dislodge, or make waves within an ecosystem.
What you need to consider when approaching a partnership to make it relevant and land
The 3 attributes you need to be the perfect partner
Why, when you empower a community you gain the power to create long lasting positive change.

Once you’ve listened, Derren and I would love to hear from you. Share your thinking around these questions in the comments below:

Which technology, community or idea piqued your curiosity and why?
What’s ONE action you can take today to increase momentum behind your idea?

Please leave as much detail as you can in the comments below or over in the Snippets of Genius LinkedIn Community. Your thoughts and ideas can inspire other change-makers too.

Now is the time to start developing your own rules and become the greatest champion of the problems you solve with your brilliance.

The world needs YOU!

Resources:

Connect with Derren on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrenpowell/

Learn from Derren’s go to for inspiration: The Harvard Business Review

Checkout Ep4 of this series with one of Mastercard's brilliantly successful partners, Monese, who are now in 34 countries, at series level D funding, and continuing to scale!

Meet Franka Grubisic, who has one hell of a catalyst story, that brought out the entrepreneur within her.

In this extended episode we go back to the start of the global pandemic in March 2020. Where an Earthquake that magnified to 5.5. on the Richter scale, hit Zagreb in Croatia where Franka lives.

Like many of us during the pandemic, Franka found comfort by exploring her creative side. You will hear how she started to follow her deepest desires and curiosity to reveal a great opportunity to her hidden entrepreneur. Learn how she made the switch from being a management consultant to become an entrepreneur leading other female creatives.

In this episode, we discover more about her brilliant public funded new business concept Oaza. (Pronounced Oasis in English). A Croatian entrepreneurship incubator designed to rise up female creatives. Plus we unpack the catalysts and strategies to find the energy, team, and funds to build Franka’s idea into a business; in less than 3 days.

Tune in and learn

Why when you lean into your strengths, you can make anything happen fast.
How there are clues in everything you’ve done and do to help you discover your purpose
When you break down false beliefs and find your own truths, you can ignite the fire inside you
Why you’re more at risk of burnout in your own company and how to prevent this.
The truth about finding your success formula
2 hard truths about becoming a founder in the early days

Stay tuned to the end for Franka’s productivity hacks for all of you who have suspicions you may have a touch or even a full blown case of ADHD; prepare to refill your rocket-ships!

Resources

Follow / Connect with Franka

Website: frankagrubisic.com

Instagram: instagram.com/creatively.franka

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankagrubisic/

Twitter: twitter.com/franka_grubisic

Podcast: anchor.fm/unsetting-expectations/

Join / Follow Oaza

Website: oaza.com.hr

Instagram: instagram.com/oazakreativnosti/

And not forgetting; Make sure you remember to visit Franka’s Etsy Shop so you can see her fabulous illustrations.

Franka’s go to podcast

The music tune that keeps Franka energised

Connect with me and all the guest from this series over in the Snippets of Genius Podcast Community in LinkedIn.

Ever heard the analogy ‘A drop of water can break a stone'?

The meaning behind this is to keep going no matter what… and I get it, heck I even champion it, but surely there is a smarter way? After all were are not going to live a million years. We want to make an impact in our lifetime.

That’s why I am delighted to bring you a CEO and founder of one of the fastest growing Fintech in the start up world today. Introducing Monese. The mobile money app which is for the rapidly scaling untraditional workforce.

With Norris at the wheel he’s found the smart ways to grow. Monese has raised around $90m in its latest funding push, taking its total raised to $162m in 8 short years.

In this episode we unpack the 3 things that have helped him scale: People, Perseverance and Prudence.

Tune in and discover how Norris started, kept going and how he is planning to push down the accelerator in 2022:

What to look for to identify your A players who will 10X your business
How you can start from scratch and build up your network from one contact
Why as you grow, it will take longer for you to get a yes or no from investors
The moment you will question your own sanity and how to keep going
Why Hiring, Clarity and Communication are top of the agenda in 2022

Liked this episode and want to hear more from Norris? Subscribe to the CK insider newsletter this April and you’ll receive a bonus episode, which reveals what no one ever tells you about becoming a CEO.

Resources

Monese: https://monese.com/gb/en

Norris Koppel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norriskoppel/

Snippets of Genius LinkedIn Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9151038/

Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/carolinekaysuccess

Ever felt like you aren’t doing enough and that you want to have a greater impact on your community and on the world?

Or maybe that you’ve peaked in your role and you’re ready for the next challenge?

On today’s show my guest Melissa Cash had exactly those feelings and transitioned from working in a demanding role and juggling a side hustle with friends, to going all in.

In this episode, we get to go on the journey that deliver Melissa’s moments of clarity to help her understand what to do next and how to play to her strengths. We cover it all, serendipitous moments, career highs and lows. Each and every one has helped her to understand when the biggest opportunity of her life was starting her in the face, to become a Co-founder and CEO of Pok Pok.

In this episode we will show you how to clear the confusion and find your new direction.

Join us and learn how to:

Build a business that inspires you and uses your strengths
Take risks to give you more energy and move yourself ahead
Spot the signs you could secure crazy big funds for your start up

We dive deep into:

What you need to know to push through the fear of starting
Why gaining customer feedback is the single best thing you can do
How your network will be your best resource and how to use it to keep going
Why being oversubscribed in your first round is a bad thing and what to do about it
How to spot when your timing and opportunity line up perfectly and go big
The simple productivity hack for Melissa and her team that you can action today

Stay with us to the end to hear what Melissa believes is the key to success to skyrocket building the business and life you love.

We'd love to to hear your biggest aha moment on this show and we'd love to see you take action too. Come and join us on the Snippets of Genius LinkedIn Community and connect with more SaaS founders who are making it big.

Resources

Pok Pok: a children’s ed-tech company on a mission to helping raise the next generation of creative thinkers through play

Connect with Melissa Cash @melissacash_ on Twitter

The good go-to tools that inspire Melissa:

Listen to: How I Built This by Guy Raz

Read: The book that flipped a switch on life for Melissa - Know your value by Mika Brzezinski

Turn it on and up real loud: :This is me by Keala Settle featured on the greatest showman

Know Your Value: Women, Money, and Getting What You're Worth (Revised Edition)

Ever had a product idea and thought, why hasn’t anyone made that?

You could be sitting on the next big thing!

No joke.

I hear you now, saying yeah right… where do I even begin?

Today on Snippets of Genius Dom Ivision shares that the people, agencies, investors and clients who will take your idea into orbit are closer than you think.

Dom has spent the last four years building his tech start-up from the seed of an idea to million pound accounts with This That; the World’s first fun survey.

Today, Dom shares his founder secrets, we cover:

The investment journey - Getting seed capital with side hustles, savings, accelerators and angels.
Your first step to getting an investor
The best way to spend your first funds
Where smart money can be found and what it is
Overcoming the knowledge gap when going into entrepreneurship
The magic ingredients to persuade people to follow you anywhere -

- plus the best hiring story I have heard!

Starting out, winning a £300 project and scaling to multi-million pound deals.

When it comes to taking the leap and navigating the start-up world, taking people on the journey with you is critical, it means a huge dollop of self-belief, taking risks and persuading others to bet on you too.

Tune in now and learn

What the single most effective thing you can do is to get the ball rolling
What will take the biggest part of your budget when you’re starting a tech firm
How to respond when you’re asked to do a case study for free by big brands
What to look for in your co-founder - the perfect mix
How you can address diversity in the workplace and the benefits it brings
What to do when you lose because of the negative way a team member comes across

If you’ve been curious what it takes to bring a new fun idea to life and gain million pound client accounts, this conversation is a must listen.

Connect with Dom:

Dom’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-ivison/

Learn more about his start-up This That

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thisthatapp
Website: https://www.thisthatapp.com

Resources from this show:

VC APX : https://apx.vc
Campaign: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/
The Drum https://www.thedrum.com/
Talking influence https://talkinginfluence.com/
Ad week https://www.adweek.com

Dom’s music track to lift your mood: : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDe1DqxwJoc

My guest Zitah McMillan CEO and Co Founder of Predictive Black, shares her experience navigating the start up landscape to build a complex SaaS business in the world of FinTech.

A staggering, 83% of all FinTech executives are male, so unsurprisingly this has left Zitah sometimes questioning if she is in the right place.

Join us to learn how Zitah has built up her own resilience, connected with like-minded people, developed frameworks to operate within and constantly stayed curious to maintain a growth mindset.

We unpack the steps to take your products to market. You’ll get a sneak peak at the conversations had inside the pitch rooms and the inside scoop on holding your nerve, making your case and the non-stop iterations you will face to make your value proposition land.

Tune in and learn:

How to understand feedback and the steps to move forward quickly
Where the value is within negative feedback
How to navigate the difficult questions
When to bite and when not to
How to assess the right investor for your business
When you will need a strategic investor versus dumb money
What to do when you’re triggered to make a wrong move and how to recover.

Zitah’s work in progress attitude takes us on a journey to accept that you might not end up where you first thought and that you don’t necessarily want a faster horse in these interesting times we now live in, and that’s ok.

We’d love to know your biggest takeaway from this episode and which tips help you the most to re calibrate your approach to funding or simply avoid the early day pitfalls. Come over to the Snippets of Genius Community, on LinkedIn and share your thoughts with us!

Links / Resources

Connect with Zitah McMillan, CEO and Co-Founder of Predictive Black
Learn more about her scaling FinTech: Predictive Black and the Women in Fintech Group
Join the Snippets of Genius Community, meet my guest and gain more valuable resources.
Connect with me at www.carolinekay.co

Did you know 30% of start ups fail due to the emotional state of a founders wellbeing?

Taking steps to support both your physical and mental health, put simply, makes good business sense. However, asking for help takes strength and sharing your feelings and emotions takes courage.

It is my hope that sharing my personal story will be a small contribution to normalise the conversation around mental health and help you take action too.

Fear, anger, disbelief, denial, sadness all hit me hard after a traumatic holiday experience that left me reeling.

Listen out for the prompts that made me check-in, dig deeper, and speak more openly…

Tune in and learn:

The simple methods to combat denial and release fear and anger
Why seeking support in many forms helps to recover faster
How to be kind to yourself and deal with your emotions

Your ability to control, manage and support your emotional state is critical to your success.

Stay tuned to the end where I reveal the best support I received and now champion.

Resources

https://carolinekay.co/2021/11/11/emotional-impact/

How do you combat stress and take charge of your well-being?

What do you do when you are overwhelmed?

How do you react?

Would you like a proven method to take control so you can achieve your big goals and daring ambitions with more ease and joy?

In this weeks episode of the Snippets of Genius Podcast we are going to talk about stress and how you can begin to remove the barriers it creates and get yourself to exactly where you want to be.

We all suffer from stress and it’s a fact that when emotionally or physically challenged, each of us will react differently.

My genius guest, Pamela Stathoulopoulou, has made understanding the truth behind people’s stress her life’s work and she is the creator of The Integrative Approach; a holistic way to self-care. We dive into the power of your mindset, your breath, and how you can take charge of your well-being starting now.

Tune in and learn:

How to begin to combat stress from the moment you wake up, before you even get out of bed
The real meaning behind breaking the habits that don’t serve you.
What to do when you can’t find enough time in the day

Ready to take the first step to break free from a life of worry, overthinking, feeling anxious and step into a calmer, lighter happier you? It all starts with your decision to take control.

Need some extra support?

Connect with Pamela

https://www.theintegrativeapproach.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-stathoulopoulou-96412814/

https://www.instagram.com/theintegrativeapproach/

Resources:

A mindset book that will confirm you are on the right track- How emotions are made.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Emotions-Are-Made-Secret-ebook/dp/B00QPHURT6

Feeling you need to get your head back in the game? - Listen to this kick ass tune to get you feeling all the feels.

Parov Stellar All night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvl0P8jfqqs

Have questions on the points discussed this week? Join in the conversation on Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/snippetsofgenius

Connect with me

www.carolinekay.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinekaysuccess

https://www.instagram.com/carolinekaysuccess

How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain

Do you love learning but can easily recall some fairly crap experiences?

Have you been on a company training program that did nothing for you?

Did a dreaded role play and experienced no lasting benefits?

Does all this leave you wondering how you can train your staff and build your company to be more connected, compassionate, and creative?

Then you’re in the right place.

In this episode we unpack how you and your team can get on the fast track to growth and building a better business by Unlearning.

This week’s Genius guest is Jennifer Tarjanyi, who had a profound personal journey in the form of a pilgrimage to the end of the world, that inspired her coaching consultancy; Fisterra.

Jennifer revelations, off the back of a 15 year career in learning and development, meant the time had come for the rest of the world to catch up.

So, if you are longing for things to be different, it’s time to put an end to the weird corporate world we’re all in and build one you love.

Tune in and learn:

What it means to deprogram yourself
The antidote to the avocado affect in corporate decision making
How to become present aware, and deliberate to smash through barriers and excel in your role
Why the up and to the right mentality is not the be all and end all when it comes to transformational coaching. Introducing Thick data and Thin data

I hope you enjoy this episode, but most of all I hope you take action from it. Start by asking yourself some hard questions and be honest with yourself:

Do you thrive or despair in a culture where you have to win at any costs?
Do you feel comfortable or uncomfortable with polite dishonesty
Does office gossip make you smile or cringe?

Being true to yourself is the fastest track to happiness…and building a culture where your people will thrive. Let us know what resonated most with you in this episode or share your next step to change the status quo and build more value led, human business.

Connect with Jennifer

https://fisterra.co/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifertarjanyi/

https://www.fisterra.co/

Checkout Jennifers top resources here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner/

And if you’d be so kind as to let us know the answer to the artists of her favourite soundtrack -that would be fab too!

Come on over and join the conversation in the Facebook Snippets of Genius Group. www.facebook.com/groups/snippetsofgenius

Victoria Sardain is a corporate wellness consultant and self mastery life coach. In this episode she takes us behind the scenes of her entrepreneurial journey. We learn how she unlocked opportunities straight off the bat through the power of self belief and self confidence. Securing corporate clients to starting her 1:1 and now 1:many private practice as a life coach.

Tune in and learn:

The power of mindset and inner confidence: How Victoria Inspired a CEO to secure her first Wellness corporate client.
Why the power of passion and belief is the secret to start before you're ready
How doing what you love pays off - 6 years creating, sharing and building content allowed Victoria to inspire a future customer she didn't yet know.
Actionable strategies to unlock answers and achieve anything you want.

Prepare to start building your own self mastery muscle. Jump in and learn how to see opportunities and challenges in a whole new way, it all starts with curiosity.

Connect with Victoria

https://www.victoriasardain.com/

**Resources discussed in this show:

To boost your productivity**

The Get Things Done Method:

https://gettingthingsdone.com/

To build habits:

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/

Podcasts to check out:

https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/podcast/

https://brendon.com/podcast/

Join us in the Snippets of Genius Facebook Group

www.facebook.com/groups/snippetsofgenius

Connect with me:

www.carolinekay.co

www.instagram.com/carolinekaysuccess

Do you dream of a life less ordinary, one where you can create standout memories and achieve freedom in your life?

Tune in for today’s special guest, Mills Gray, as she reveals the secrets to staying the course. The opportunities, the defining moments that have kept her the hell away from a corporate setting and supercharged 13 happy years doing what she loves.

Naturally there are highs and lows inside any entrepreneurial journey but Mills’ brings the weird and wonderful to the table; from a Granny’s living room to the MGM Arena in Vegas, no less!

If you’ve ever felt out of step or out of place with those around you, you’re not alone. Mills shares the challenges she felt being in any kind of institution, and the freedom she had found through her entrepreneurial endeavors.

This episode is the perfect companion for when you hear the inner critic…telling you, “you’re not clever enough to do this” or worse planting the seed of doubt with questions like “but what will people think?” Get ready to silence those voices and bust those false beliefs wide open.

Tune in and learn

How to not give a f**k what other people think with practical steps to achieve anything you want to do.
Why Investing in yourself is and forever will be the best money you ever spend.
Why it’s important to get help quickly and what to focus on
The special ingredients to boost your business
How to free yourself from the feeling of not doing enough by working with your energy

I hope you enjoy today’s episode and that you will take inspired action to find your way to build a business and life you love.

Need a quick motivational boost to get you going? Why not press play on Mills' favourite belter from The Greatest Showman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj4Yu9Utdw0

Connect with Mills:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mills-gray-leadership-coach-57b8a636/

Covid has been hard on teams and leaders. There is no escaping it.

In this episode Kate shares how her leadership has been tested; her saviours, motivators and strategies to combat the Covid Hangover.

We jump back in to our conversation, where Kate has asked the women VC’s who approached her, to prove they are the right fit for her and her company.

Tune in and you will learn:

Who you don’t want in your company at any cost What to do when you find yourself caught in a lie. The strategies to start early to enable your business to thrive 3 motivators that support Kate to keep going *Where to find inspiration every single day

Hang on to end for my key takeaways, which include: what you can consider and action now to help your business connect, inspire and grow.

Join the conversation over in the Snippets of Genius Facebook Group or drop me a DM with your biggest takeaway and your next step.

Listen to the full mini-series here: www.carolinekay.co/podcast

Welcome back for the second installment in this mini series of Kate Bradley Chernis’ entrepreneurial journey. In this episode we peak behind the veneer of a business on the up, winning portfolio work, and entering into spaces most tech start ups only dream of, to discover the harsh reality of playing the venture game.

We start with the unusual thinking Kate delivered for the American retail giant, Walmart. How her genius sparked the imagination of, her now co-founder, Steve and catapulted her into the ring with all manner of investors.

From the moment she stepped in to the pitch contests Kate openly shares her struggles and the pitfalls you need to watch out for.

We dive into:

How a 98% sales Conversion and 240% Growth in a global pandemic can equate to no money in the bank.
How Kate’s tenacity has secured her place working with the biggest names in the industry, including Jason Calacanis, legendary Silicon Valley angel investor’s accelerator and the world leading marketing expert Gary V, but her company still had no money.

All this plus the juicy insider knowledge you need to know if you want to survive…anything the world throws at you.

Tune in and learn

The signs that you’re not being taking seriously by investors
Kate’s definition of the golden ticket.
How Kate’s team response to Covid
Why Kate thinks women VC’s are worse than men and why.
The stages of raising and the jargon you’ll need to learn:
- Product market fit
- Go to market fit
- Growth in moat – crossing the chasm
- Term sheets
- The money dance

We are back next week with the final part of Kate’s roller coaster ride to learn her biggest challenges to date plus how the story ends with the women investors.

Missed last week's episode, skip back to it here.

How much do you think you’ll change over the next 10 years? How much to think you have changed in the last decade? What do you predict will happen? Can you imagine?

Imagining your own is hard, Kate’s is unbelievable! This could be an epic movie, a binge worthy TV series.. Kate even jokes the book will be good.

Introducing the first of three roller-coaster snippets, here's a glimpse of what’s in this episode:

Truly unfair life events have taken their toll to the point she couldn't see her way out. The lawless world of Radio; what seemed a glamorous career on the surface and the dark reality underneath. The moment Kate lost the ability to use her hands and any keyboard ever again and what she did next. An unusual job requires usual talents and family support that helped pave the way for her first agency and now business Lately.ai.

Kate shares the secrets to her success and the catalysts that changed her world and created her future self that we know today.

Tune in and learn:

Why you need to be open to the change and the catalysts to watch out for Why having a glass half empty can be useful for CEO The power of your gut and why you must listen Why you must doll your asks out carefully as a leader How you can turn around your life and the lives of those closest to you with small changes The negative talk that's keeping you stuck *The secret to earning the salary you always wanted

Tune in for the second part of Kate's entrepreneurial journey next week where the roller-coaster takes a turn and goes up…followed very fast by another pull back down.

In the meantime, come over to the Snippets of Genius Facebook Group to ask questions, get training and feedback on all the hot topics covered in these episodes. www.facebook.com/groups/snippetsofgenius

Connect with Kate:

https://www.lately.ai/

https://www.instagram.com/katebradleychernis/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katebradley/

https://twitter.com/LatelyAIKately

Book references:

The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything Hardcover –

by Guy Kawasaki

Kitchen Confidential Updated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

by Anthony Bourdain

The Secret Hardcover

by Rhonda Byrne

To kick us off this series, I have the amazing May King Tsang, who is known for her ability to create FOMO.

May King has built her reputation and her authority in the world of making tea and making mistakes; as all us humans do. In this episode she shares with us her energy, optimism and bravery to find her path to success.

The contents is revealing!

The time honored strategy to help, share, and collaborate to achieve momentum and make the journey that much more fun has allowed May King’s to raise her, and her clients profiles.

One stunt, attracted new business in under 20mins from activation. Join us to learn her industry secrets and dive deep into the challenges of crippling self doubt, and the inevitable rise of the negative Nellie!

May King is now a top 50 recommended speaker in the world of tea. A legend in the twitter sphere for creating FOMO. And a multi-passionate entrepreneur bursting with creative ideas.

Tune in and you’ll learn:

Why we all need to stop being so British if we want to stand out online.
How to lean into your gifts and get clients seeking you out
What Muhammad Ali said the helped May King get out of her own way.
How to move the needle on your creative ideas by building up your self belief, confidence and prioritising self care
The deadly trap of comparisonitus and the simple truth to remember to overcome it
Why a Jim Carrey’s 90s movie can tell you everything you need to know about creating FOMO; and how you too can do it well.

This show is a laugh a minute with raw honesty, vulnerability and a good dose of the life and business lessons. The secret ingredients to rise to the top, create FOMO and stay a good human.

If you want to see more of May King, (a lot more!), be sure to check out her Proudest Moment: Victorian Teapot -Time Lapse of Fine Art Body Painting

Join the Snippets of Genius Facebook Community: www.facebook.com/groups/snippetsofgenius

Collaborate with May King:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Twitter

May King Mistakes blog

Learn more about May King

Additional links from this show:

Book Recommendations:

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

More Episodes of Snippets of Genius available here

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Have you let waiting become a habit? Are you waiting for the right time, better circumstances or maybe waiting until you’ve made more money? I’m sorry to be the one that breaks it to you, but life waits for no one. You’ve got to grab life by the balls and I recommend growing a pair of your own. I know you have big ambitions and you’re not here to play it small. So break the habit and don’t let your seemingly never ending to do list keep you waiting for success to come your way. Before I was an entrepreneur, I was working in agency land, which for those in the know, you'll be well aware this is not a 9-5. This is late night pitches, early starts, late finishes; whatever it takes to get the job done. I’m not afraid of hard work, I actually quite enjoy getting stuck in but it was sucking the life out of me. Which, I know, makes me sound dramatic, but here is what I mean... You know, when your heart and soul is telling you to be brave and to do something that would radically change your circumstances? And yet you ignore it? Or you just keep pushing it to one side because you're busy? This IS your waiting habit. You become so busy doing the ‘have tos you have no time to do the want tos’. And, when you get really good at it, that little voice inside you, which is telling you to do all the things you want to do, gets lost. Then, you blink and it’s 3 years later and everything is the same. You’re once again finishing work exhausted. Flopping down on the sofa. Turning on Netflix. Pouring that large G&T, beer, wine… whatever your go to is. Another day done. Then you feel so deflated because another 3 years have passed and you still haven’t done those things you really want to do. Like go live abroad, find that dream partner, start that dream business or build your business on your terms in a way that sets your heart on fire. You haven’t found that courage. You’ve somehow forgotten how awesome you are. You wish you had done more and I know this because I’ve been there and I’ve let waiting become a habit. Setting goals is the first step to break the habit. So, today I urge you to take the time to remember all the interesting things that you love, that light you up, that give you the renewed energy to take on that next big challenge. Because when you set goals the right way. Big things happen, life changing things that create a ripple effect and before you know it you are smashing goals left right and centre. I can honestly tell you this, as I’m now recording this episode from my brand new home in Italy, it’s everything I ever dreamed of and I feel very grateful that I have arrived here. In today’s show I’m going to share with you what I fundamentally believe was instrumental to make this happen. Tune in and you’ll learn: * The strategies and real life examples to hit your BHAGS

How to set goals the right way
2 tools that helped me smash my big 12 month goal for 2021 in under 6 months.
Example situations that hold you back from achieving your goals, without you realising
1 critical thing you need to do to smash a goals in 2021
The scorecard method to clarify the needle moving goals in your life and business
Simple steps to up level every area of your life

I hope that after listening, you’re feeling revved up to take on the second half of this year. You can do anything you set your mind to, give yourself the permission to dream then start taking the right actions. You’ve got this! I love to hear success stories so let me know what you took away from today’s show and most importantly how you’re going to take action and break the waiting habit. Make your dream life and business happen today, I’m cheering you on. Ciao for now! Caroline

Links from this episode:EP 9 Series 1: Caroline Kay: Ready to power up your business?EP 1 Series 2 : Part One: Terry Tyrrell’s Lucky Breaks, BHAGs and Risk Taking.

BDIETxJ3qe1Objc77LOZ

Are you enjoying being an entrepreneur?

Or do you feel tired of wearing all the hat’s, spinning a million plates and are you starting to feel like you are working way too much with too little reward? Then you are potentially missing the golden opportunities to make the entrepreneurial ride a whole lot easier and whole lot more fun!

Lauren Armes is back to share how you can keep yourself on the right track, position for success, and get that winning feeling back every week.

Building a business should be the best decision you ever made.

In Lauren's own words:

“I would never want to lull anybody into a false sense of security that entrepreneurship is going to be easy, but I approach each challenge with a sense of how can I make this easier?”

In this episode, Lauren unpacks exactly how she made it easier for herself and how you can too.

Tune in and learn:

What is stopping you from achieving the success you know are capable of Why personal development is critical to achieve the next level of success The critical investments to build your belief system How to recognise when you’re keeping yourself small Why each failure will give you the greatest gift and what this is How you can adopt a mindset of ease to each challenge

Stay tuned to the end, where Lauren provides her top resources including The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

Plus, her biggest inspiration and the best advice she ever received on her entrepreneurial journey.

Missed Part One? Take a listen here.

I’d love to know what your biggest takeaway was from the episode, and more importantly what are you going to put into action? Drop me a line in the comments or send me an email at hello@carolinekay.co

The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level

In this episode, I welcome to the show Lauren Armes, an inspiring lady who wears many hats. Lauren shares her journey from a career in business development to starting her business empire and the critical steps to uncover your big idea.

In only 8 years, Lauren has built Welltodo from a small wordpress blog into a global firm. On top of this, she shares the launch of her 2 new companies, which have experienced explosive growth during the pandemic - there is much to be learnt from this powerhouse!

It's a delight to have Lauren share with you, the critical elements to help you on your entrepreneurial journey from solopreneur to CEO. This includes, Lauren's biggest lessons, inspiration and the people who steered her through those early days.

Tune in and you’ll learn:

The most important element to decide first in order to build the right business The game changer moment in any solopreneur’s journey How to approach your entrepreneurial journey with ease Signs you are in sabotaging your success and what to do about it The best tools and resources to start 5 things your team will expect of you as you become a leader

Stay with us to the end to hear the biggest lesson she learnt during her transition from Solopreneur to CEO and make sure you tune in next week for part two, where we dig in to Lauren's 3 critical mindset shifts to succeed.

Want more in the meantime? Check out Lauren’s very own podcasts The Business of Wellness and EXPERTS.

I'd love to hear what you think of this episode, share with me your favourite snippet in the comments or send me an email at hello@carolinekay.co

Have you heard the saying “Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down”? Would you rather make it less of a leap and more of an easy, natural next step?

Then tune in to part two of Charlotte Diaz's snippets of genius, where she shares the pivotal moments she’s had growing her wings and how you can avoid the 5 pitfalls most business owners make!

Charlotte shares the golden advice for every entrepreneur needs to develop and engage their people, plus her founding principles to build your value -led business the right way.

Tune in and learn:

What you need to do to get your team more engaged
The core components of all great value led business
How you can easily end up in a world of pain in business and how to prevent it
The single step that is critical to avoid disaster
How to get out of your own way - Charlotte’s ‘start method’ that will get you in a positive & productive mode every time.

Make sure you stay to the end to hear the amazing list of women leaders who inspire her; all un-apologetically female and forging ahead just as she is.

In Charlotte’s own words:

“Get it right, for your people they'll get it right for your customers, and if you people are getting things right for your customers then ultimately everybody benefits”.

Charlotte's Top Resources:

Daniel Pink - Drive (on motivation):

Daniel Pink - When - (the best time is now)

Jen Sincero - You are badass at making money

Need some help with the people element of your business? Find and contact Charlotte on LinkedIn

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Ready to scale your business? Would you like to avoid the simple and costly mistakes founders make with their people? Tune in to today's episode and learn the simple mistake you can avoid and best of all the invaluable fix from the one and only Charlotte Diaz.

Charlotte came from a world where excellence came as standard within Betty’s and Taylors Group; one of the most prestigious brands in the north of England. Charlotte served here as their Group HR Director for 21 happy years. Charlotte's abilities contributed to the creation of a very healthy business with a turnover of £125M and 1400 employees.

I’m delighted to share with you Charlotte's passion for value led businesses her insights and big lessons as she leaped from the career to becoming a business owner.

Charlotte's business, Cirrus HR, help's purpose driven entrepreneurs connect their people with their purpose. To add to this, Charlotte recently became a certified B-Corp leader. Today's show unpacks what this means and the opportunities for businesses everywhere, including yours, to make the world that much more wonderful.

Tune in and learn:

How you can put your money where your mouth is and do business for good What the sixth sense is in business The steps you need to take to bring your team into alignment. How you can save time on recruitment and actually get people to select themselves out of the process The secrets to inspire and nurture your team The simplest thing you can do right now to build the right team *Why and what might be causing problems in your business and the simple fix

Charlotte and I worked together last year, (read more here) and I’m deeply grateful to have been on Charlotte’s journey. Charlotte has designed her business to attract the clients she wants to serve and build the business on her terms so that she can live her best and most beautiful life.

Join us again next week for part 2, where Charlotte shares the 5 pitfalls business owners make and how to avoid them. Plus her top resources, biggest inspirations and more!

It’s here! Part 2 of my interview with Jo Youle, Creative audio specialist, hostess of the Reset Rebel and all round rockstar. Get ready to breakthrough barriers and approach the next stage of your business in a whole new way.

We dive into what the future holds for Jo and how she will continue to carve her path using the best tips, advice and resources to guide her and you along the way.

Tune in and you’ll learn

The most powerful thing you can do right now
What will take you longer than you think in business
The 1 critical factor to achieve the next level of success
Jo’s biggest heroes and best resources and why they inspire her to aim even higher
Inspiration for a newsletter that will get readership everyday

Missed Episode 1? Find it here.

Got the podcasting creator bug? Check out Jo’s go to resource: podnews.net

Join me for this very special guest, creative audio specialist, journalist and my very own podcast mentor, Jo Youle. Jo takes us on a whistle-stop tour of her business journey from London's music scene to setting herself up in the wellness corner of the white isle and taking Ibiza by storm.

In part 1 of this 2 part show, Jo reveals the twists and turns and defining moments that she experienced to gain clarity, grow a big pair of balls and make the decision to go all in and then continue to pivot.

Tune in and you’ll learn:

What the hardest part of business is and why it’s also the most magical Why you need to stop doing 'your other job' if you want to make it big. The questions you need to ask yourself to stay on the right track as you grow. What it takes to achieve the life you want and have a business that supports the lifestyle you crave.

Whether you are just starting out or well into your business journey, I guarantee you will walk away with valuable insights that will help you reflect and stay on track to build a thriving business you love.

Like this episode? make sure you subscribe and tune back in next week for part 2!

Do you have an ambition to be seen as an organisation that is changing things?

Do you have a brand and business playbook and a set of tools to help your business scale at an unprecedented level?

Have you got an ambition to work with businesses at the C-suit level?

Or are you simply feeling at your wits end? Worried that your business is getting left behind.

In part 2 of this EPIC Episode, Terry shares everything from building the playbook to finding the shoulders to lean on, his heroes that inspired him to stay doing what he loves and his secrets to keep the success alive.

Tune in and learn:

The two ingredients you need to secure work with global organisations. * Acquiring businesses? The secret to bring the people into your company culture on a global scale. The attributes you will always need as an entrepreneur - no matter what stage you're at. How brand helps to build a thriving business How you can differentiate yourself Why your way is THE way from more reasons than you think. How structure done right creates the backbone of your brand The 2 critical things you need to do to remain relevant in your business world Terry’s greatest Hero, David Hockney, what he’s learned from the anti-establishment master, to enable him to keep changing it up and keep going.

As Terry Says:

“Don't allow yourself to be governed by the status quo. Always challenge convention always say there is a better way of doing what we did last week. And then the next week you can say there's a better way of doing things that we did the week before. Always rethink what you do and how you do things, in that way you will be stimulated, your people will be stimulated, and you will be up there seen as business that is changing things”.

Tune in now.

Series 2, Episode 1 of Snippets of Genius has arrived and it's a belter with industry legend Terry Tyrrell. We are taken on a whistle stop tour of his risk taking, BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) and his lucky breaks, we cram 40 years of pivotal moments into 40 minutes! Get ready for the first 20 minutes to set you up for huge growth.

To this day, Tyrrell's three values are: gutsy, grounded, and curious. Prepare your notepads, as Tyrrell recounts all his tried and tested secrets using these values as his guide to navigate the lucky breaks, and his actionable strategies to start, scale and build a global business.

We go on a journey from the back room of an Ad agency office in Old Burlington Street, Mayfair to 23 offices around the world. This episode is jam packed with insights into achieving BHAGs.

Tune in and you’ll learn:

How Terry Tyrrell and Sam Sampson went from design graduates to scaling to 23 offices around the world
Why these three values: gutsy, grounded, curious. were the building blocks to it all
What you must consider when opportunity comes a knocking!
The genius moves to keep building a brand and a business they loved
What made the big boys, including Sir Martin Sorrell himself, sit up and take notice.
Expert advice on when to take the big risks on your startup (and when to think twice)
What to watch out for when you decide to go all in!
Why you will need to pay your team more than you pay yourself!
What you need to know to keep fame growing over an extended period of time
The 2 critical ingredients you need to build a thriving culture and your critical starting point.
Who you need on your team to scale and the attributes they must have
The must read book for all CEO’s ...and more!

Listen Now!

And, after you’ve heard his amazing story, be sure to get in touch and tell me what you think were the critical factors behind Terry and Sam’s runaway success?

Are you clear on your values and how to navigate the toughest decisions you are bound to face?

If it's a 'hell yes'! Then please share with me how you will put his words of wisdom into action by your own rules.

Need some help with defining your values and growth strategy? Sign up for my next FREE Masterclass and let me show you how.

Last. but my no means least, make sure you get this book on your reading list today.

Built to Last - Jim Collins Jerry Porris:Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

Built To Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

This week’s episode provides insight on how to move the needle on your business goals, ditch the distractions and create the life and business you truly desire. Join me today for my first solo show, where I wrap up the great lessons from my fantastic guests in series one. This episode is packed with insight to help you show up and do the work that will help you grow with ease and confidence. Plus you’ll gain my favourite productivity hack to clear the clutter and focus your efforts to start winning the work you want and make every day count. Tune in and you'll learn: * Why you are getting in your own way and what you need to do next. * The power of visualisation to move you through your blocks * Your secret weapon to win the work you want * Why you’re not the beginner, even if you’re doing something you’ve never done before. * How to re-focus gain momentum and move the needle on your business.

Tell me, what are you going to commit to, to make today a great day? Let me know what you found most useful about today’s show and most importantly what you are going to action. You can connect with me here: hello@carolinekay.co www.carolinekay.co

First you might want to ask yourself, if you are on or off the cheeseboard?

Find out what this means and more in this week’s episode with the wonderful Charlie Allen, Founder of Roadhouse; a commercial esports business that consults globally with major rights holders, brands, game publishers, media owners & investors.

Charlie shares his epic entrepreneurial journey as a single dad of three, pandemic homeschooling duties and a global business to build in yep, only 2 weeks.

Tune in and you'll learn:

The nuggets of wisdom to look out for in the early days
The tough questions you will need to ask yourself
The biggest challenge to start and how to push past it
Why mindset is everything when it comes to getting it done
What you really need to succeed and "get the monkey off your back"
What you need to hit the ground running

You can find out more about Road House here: www.roadhouse.gg

Or connect with me here: www.carolinekay.co

Today’s guest wants you to thrive, but what does that mean? Nat Lipecka, Life and Performance Coach at Everwell, takes us on her own journey from a successful career that nearly broke her spirit to gaining the clarity she needed to break free, reinvent herself, and expand her potential. Today she is thriving and helping other high performing professionals to do it too. The right process, strategy and support is CRITICAL to achieve everything you want in life and more. Get these right and the rewards of living your life, your way, is limitless. In today’s episode Nat shares the moments that make the journey worth it, the signs you need to look for, and the moments to treasure. Tune in and you will learn: * The start-up philosophy you need to embrace to really move the needle in your business now. * When building the business over the weekend isn’t right and you need to take the leap * How you can show-up and do the work - even when you’re in lockdown. * Why finding the energy is not the hard part when starting a business * How to figure out your business idea fast * The key points you need to consider before taking your first client * Why your rational brain is keeping you stuck * The attributes to look for in your first clients * The 3 questions you need to ask yourself to know if you’re on your best path to success

Make sure you listen to the end for Nat’s advice. It’s the snippet of genius she gives to her clients to speed up progress and achieve your very own version of success and thrive in work and life. Although, there is no straight line to success, the most important thing is you make that choice. Decide now to start living without compromise, start living authentically and be the very best you can be. As Nat says: “sometimes you just gotta do what will sustain you for now, but the key is you just gotta keep looking out for it”. Wherever you are on your journey, I hope you enjoy this episode and most importantly take action from it. Let me know your biggest A-ha! moments, or share with me your questions. Chat soon Caroline

Have you spent your life in one place? One city? One job? Coasting along, happy enough but never really feeling the urge to disrupt your life, until now? If you’re dreaming of changing it up, making a contribution, and no longer settling with how things are.....today’s guest will inspire. Chris Cummings, CEO of Sonas Group shares his personal story that gave him the wake-up punch he needed to step out of his portfolio career and build a business that would dial up conversations in corporate wellness, shift people’s thinking and create global change. Chris is on a mission to create workplaces where employees thrive everywhere. In this episode he shares how he built a global community and scaled his teams across Australia, North America and the UK with passion, authenticity and a clear purpose. If you’ve ever longed for a thriving business with purpose, you’ll love this episode! Tune in and you’ll learn: * Why we all need much more than simply a job that pays the rent * The 2 questions you must ask yourself to find your purpose * How to make even the most difficult conversations a positive one * The importance of visualising your success * Why real leaders are the ones who are brave enough to share their story * How to attract industry heavy-weights to be part of your start-up * The challenges of breaking into new markets and how to speed it up * How you can find the energy to overcome any challenge

Chris’ talk will inspire you to make the difference you were born to make. Let this be the year that you take a stand for something that you know our world needs. If you are thinking it and feeling it, 9 times out of 10 there will be someone out there in the world feeling exactly the way you do too and ready to help you!. Stop letting life pass you by, get in the driving seat and rev those engines and you’ll see a crowd ready to follow you anywhere. Hit play now and find your path of impact.

Whatever life throws at us, this always brings up new customer needs or simply creates a bigger need. In today’s show we talk about starting not one but two businesses, which both solve a real customer pain - mental, physical, emotional and everything in between. My guest is Lucy Nelson, Director & CEO of 2XN, A healthcare marketing and business development agency and Co-founder of The Life Plan; a bespoke online fitness, nutrition and wellness platform - launched in mid-2020. Lucy is a born risk taker, who by her own admission can’t sit still for long. After the pandemic rolled in and her first business had her full team put on furlough, she dove deep into her passion for sports and started her life-long-dream of a business with her bestie. Whether or not you're struggling to decide on your next move or next business idea, this episode is guaranteed to inspire! Lucy will give you some of the answers you’ve been hunting for, from the how to the what, when and why and how she put it all into action full throttle. Buckle up for her fast paced start-up journey. Tune in and learn * How to take your experience and amplify it to create a business fast * Why when you’re willing to dive deep everything you need to start is at your fingertips * When you might think you’ve failed but in fact, you’re doing better than you think * What personality traits to look for in your co-founder * The critical steps to creating your minimal viable product (MVP) * Why scaling back can be the best thing for your business - and sanity! * How when you get it right, you can go from dreaming about going live to bringing in your first customer in under 2 hours. * The best way to develop your proposition and launch with impact * The trials and tribulations of name development and how you will know it’s the right one

There is never a perfect time to start a business, you need to go for it. Believe in yourself and that everything you've done up to now has led you to this point in your life. As Lucy says: ‘Don’t be scared of change. Just because you have a plan, and you have it in your head that something needs to be done a certain way. It doesn’t matter that it changes. Change is good, at the time you might feel like you failed, but you haven’t, it’s going to help everything in the long run”. The truth is: You’ve got to adapt. Your dream business is out there waiting for you to take action. Make it happen!

Learn more about Lucy here: https://yourlifeplan.co.uk

Connect with me here: https://carolinekay.co

Are you working long hours? Do you have little time for friends and family? Are you too tired in your free time to really make the most of it? If you're struggling to listen to your heart and start your business, today’s episode will help. This week's guest was struggling with the exact same issues for 5 long years. Even after an eye opening experience in Australia, giving up the successful career and finding clarity took guts, self belief, self discipline and a plan of attack. Fast forward from that moment and 15 months later Tony O’Sullivan is enjoying real work life balance as London’s Mobile Pet Vet; for pet enthusiasts across all walks of life, even A-list celebrities. How did he know, (how do any of us know) it's the right time to start? By choosing to explore an idea and giving it the chance to grow. Tony takes us on his journey from the glow of an idea to a full on blaze. Join our conversation and learn: * How to recognise when it’s time to take the plunge * Why you mustn’t fool yourself at the start and what to expect in the beginning * How much time you really need to launch any business on your own * Why you must avoid the misguided advice from friends in the early days * The 4 things to consider when starting out * Why you're staying where you are longer than you should * Your best tools to stay the course and what it really means when people say it’s tough at the start * Why being an entrepreneur can bring you more happiness. Fact. * The success you can achieve very quickly if you stick to your plan!

Now, I’d love to hear from you. Did this episode give you the courage and confidence to take the leap? Remind you of an idea you’ve been sitting on for a while now? Get in touch and let me know! https://www.carolinekay.co/

You can find out more about Tony here: https://tonythevet.com/

Feeling undervalued or frustrated at work? If that’s you, today’s guest will not only inspire you to seize an opportunity but also recognise that you have got what it takes to be a success on your terms. James Starkey is a Digital Marketing Strategist, who was tired of agency-life and wanted to take a different approach. Now James has nearly 4 years as a creative entrepreneur under his belt and many more in his future. His secret? Instead of building another marketing agency, he looked outside his industry for inspiration to change the model and create his very own laboratory for ideas. If you want to create a business that thrives on your terms, listen to my interview with James Starkey, Founder of Black Lab Digital. Join our conversation and learn: * How to recognise the kick-start opportunity and when it’s staring you in the face * What to avoid in order to jump start * How to pick yourself-up after a co-founder break-up * Money principles every entrepreneur needs to follow in the first year * The Killer Attack Submarine theory * What’s needed to allow you to focus on the business * The best way to move through the fear and scale * The real measure of success at any stage of business

This short episode is packed full of insights. Once you’ve listened to it, I’d love to hear which insight meant the most to you and why?

If you could go back in time and tell your younger self the words to live by what would you say? Studio principle and all round yoga-rockstar of The Yoga Revolution, Chloe Markham is on a mission to bring joy into everybody’s lives and enable people to feel better everyday. For the past 4 years, Chloe and her main-man (and co-founder) Darren Anderson have worked towards that vision. Leading the revolution with a radically different approach to Yoga, which has now achieved global reach and climbing numbers since the pandemic started. Chloe’s on the Snippets of Genius podcast today to share her entrepreneurial journey including all the mistakes, wrong-turns, nightmare bosses, redundancies and lock-down’s that helped get her to where she is now. If you know you're meant to make a difference but aren’t sure how, this conversation is a must-listen! You’ll learn: * How to recognise when you’re in the wrong career * Why the fat paycheck will never make you happy * How to recognise a business that’s the wrong fit for you and when to make the change * How to start and stand out, even in a saturated market * Why everything in your journey has happened for a reason * Why a rapid response is the only response to a crisis - even the pandemic. * Why good intentions aren’t enough and you need to commit, commit, commit! * Why following your heart and living by your values are your true guideposts to success

Chloe walks her talk and will inspire you to make the difference you were born to make! As Chloe says “If you know or even think it’s the right decision, throw yourself into it fully, it’s like a rollercoaster, you just hold on bloody tight, close your eyes and then brace for impact”. Make sure you listen to the end to hear the advice that Chloe lives by and has been one of the key ingredients to her success - they are the words I think every man, woman and budding entrepreneur needs. Hit play to listen to the Snippets of Genius Podcast.

My premier episode is a beauty, with the devilishly handsome film director and serial entrepreneur Ben Collins. Over 13 years in business, Ben reflects on the moment he took the step off the proverbial career ladder and started his own thing, which meant he left the well paid job only to be paid nothing. Most people’s biggest fear, however Ben is proof this can be the best thing that can ever happen to you. If you’re looking for a bite size dose of inspiration and a couple of laughs along the way, this episode will deliver. Ben’s incredible journey of passion, out-right ballsiness, and the biggest dose of self-belief I’ve ever heard, needs to be on your playlist now! The highlights: * Ben’s journey from wanting to be creative to wanting to build businesses. * The brutal reality of the London Film Scene, when you’re not known within this tight knit community and how he moved forward. * The impromptu requests from Sky TV, that had him moving heaven and earth to win a contract, in a way you could never imagine. * Landing a really big client, MTV no less, only to be well and truly shafted by the intermediary...what happened next still shocks Ben himself to this day. * The big idea that withstood the knock backs and saved his first lucky buyer over half a million pounds!

Tune in and you’ll learn: * What you need to start - (hint: it’s not what you think). * How to find the energy and the time to build a business when working a full-time job. * How to find the right people to support you and what to look for. * The most important things to consider when starting. * Why you’re never too young to start * How you can always figure it out when you have to! * How a failure can actually be a good thing

Caroline Kay, Business & Success Coach, hosts the Snippets of Genius podcast, a lighthearted business podcast that reveals what winning at the start up game really means. In each episode guests from the worlds of business development, marketing, design and entertainment, share their ballsy, daring moves to build a thriving business they love.

Every episode explores an inspirational journey of success and gives you the insights into what you need to build a business that stands out, scales up and makes a difference.

www.carolinekay.co