Personally, the most memorable business lessons I’ve learned have come from women who have been open about the messy parts of their business. Failed launches, cash flow issues, investments that didn’t pay off, rejections from publishers.
This week I launched The Mess Behind the Success podcast. A place where therapists come together to normalise failure and to remove the shame that lands in our bodies when we feel we aren’t enough.
Consider this the antidote to the polished version of business and entrepreneurship that we often see online. It’s a place for vulnerable and messy conversations that go beyond the surface. Honest conversations about failure, courses, launches and ideas that didn’t work. Imposter and visibility fears and how we move through those blocks in a way that feels aligned for your nervous system.
I created this podcast for you. The Therapist who dreams of bigger impact but who gets stuck in self-doubt. Old patterns and beliefs – that you’re not good enough, that you don’t know enough, that you’re not ready, that it’s ‘bad’ to fail and even that it’s not ‘safe’ to show any sort of personality, quirks or spirituality in your work.
Business success is not just about setting up goals to achieve. Sure, tell me about your 6 figure launch and I might feel inspired, but tell me about your failures and stuck beliefs you’ve had to work on? That’s more powerful. Through these stories, we actually feel something and we learn.
In coaching women for 10 years now, this is what I know from behind the scenes. On a good day, we aim to see another woman’s success as ‘driftwood’ – a sign from the universe that this success is also for you. Except that so often what comes up is jealousy, comparing, and feelings of not being enough. Reminders that we’re human, we have ego, and that we’ve still got healing to do.
So this podcast is a space for you to share really warm, juicy and confessional chats about business as a therapist. This is a space for vulnerability and connection. If you are a bit of a sticky beak then you’re going to love it! I’m coming from a place of compassion for a part of myself who has ever thought “what am I doing wrong?”, and “everyone else seems to have this worked out” and even “am I good enough to do this work? Maybe I’ll have to go back to a full time job”.
Life is too short for small talk! I’m going to be asking the tough questions – of myself and of my guests, which in turn is going to help to highlight any gaps, challenges or blind spots you maybe haven’t fully been aware of yet. We’re going to talk about failure, and make our way through the big list of schemas. I’m looking to create more of that “oh thank god, that’s reassuring!” feeling that I know I’ve had when I’ve heard successful women speak about the struggles they’ve had in business.
In the first episode, I chat about some of my experiences with failure. Like how I didn’t even apply for masters because I was sure I wouldn’t get in. The universe course corrected me by giving me the prospect of teaching PE in one of Hobart’s roughest schools for 6 weeks. Or how my first online course made one sale and I couldn’t pay the platform fees. You’ll find out which book of mine made precisely $0 last quarter and which online course I created that had so much hype, and yet again zero sales.
Business is actually a great place for healing. If you want to level up and grow then you are placing yourself in a constant state of looking at what you haven’t yet healed.
Here’s how you can help!
Give the first episode a listen on Spotify or Apple
Leave a review
If you find it inspiring, it lifts you up, entertains you or helps you feel less alone then could you please take 60 seconds to leave a quick review? Reviews are how more women find the podcast, which allows me to grow the numbers and make more impact. I’m unlikely to monetise this podcast, so reviews also help me to keep reminding myself why I show up week after week to do this work!
It’s really easy. Just scroll down in your podcast app (you need to be on your phone), tap ‘write a review and leave a sentence or just tap some stars. On Spotify it;s just a star rating system. If you’re feeling extra generous you can share this episode with a therapist friend or colleague.
Guest suggestions and submissions
If you have topics you want me to cover, or suggestions for guests then hit reply. I’m looking for therapists who are open and willing to be vulnerable about the messy parts of business – it might be external failures or stuck negative beliefs you’ve had to work on. You will of course, get to share your offerings, but we don’t just want the gloss!
Time to work on your own blocks? Book a free coaching call with me here.
