I had grand plans for episode 300 that didn't eventuate because I couldn't decide what I wanted to do and that's okay.

I might buy myself a massage and a glass of champagne and cheers myself.

So today I thought I'd reflect on 6 years of the podcast, 300 episodes and a reflection on 8 years in business.

When I started the podcast I didn't announce it, I didn't launch it, I just decided to give it a try and see how it felt and how it went.

I feel like that's how I've done most things in my business. Test, try, see, then decide if I'm all in.

I've never felt like an expert, I've just felt like I have something to say and a way of thinking that could help other women in business. When I speak to clients about imposter syndrome or comparison I think comparison has come up more often than imposter syndrome. I've never expected myself to know everything, I just figured I'm always learning, always growing, always exploring and that's always been enough for me.

Comparison comes up when I'm not focusing on the work.

When I'm not focused on my clients and I'm in my own head. So I know that that's the cure for it.

I think about how I can focus on my clients and what new projects or work I can dive into.

Creating always helps me refocus and recenter which is what the podcast has been. When you think about doing something every single week for 6 years, it forces you to create, to think differently to dig deeper. Even with this episode, I was sitting here the day it was supposed to go my VA and all I could think was – I have no idea what to talk about.

Why? Because I was thinking about myself and not about you. So once I decide to think about what I want to share with you, what reflection I have, and what lessons I've learned, then it all starts to come out.

So lesson 1 is – Know what fuels your creativity and flow.

Know who fuels it, know when it's fueled, and what you can do to activate it.

If you can call on your creativity and give it a home, a stage, something that tells it, it's time to show and do your thing then it can make business so much easier.

Even saying that makes me think back to my creative bible – Big Magic. I think that there is a magic in getting to 300 episodes and not even blinking. I have no idea where the last 6 years have gone which is crazy.

Lesson 2 – Connect with people who inspire you

There have been people who have inspired me over the years. Friends and guests, mentors and authors. Making important friends has been a big part of the last few years. Jessica Roberts and Marion Piper who both started as clients have become important friends as well as Kate McKibbin who I had on the podcast last week.

Having creative conversations, being able to be really honest about the ups and downs of business, and supporting one another have been a huge help. I can tell you now that if I didn't have those honest business outlets I think business would be a really lonely and a bit of a sad place.

Guests that really stand out for me are:

Troy Mckinna – he wrong Brand Hustle which I loved and was a really random guest. I saw his book in the airport bookstore, read it, loved it and emailed him to come onto the podcast. I think that is actually one of the best episodes personally.

It's episode 81 – how to Accelerate Your brand growth

https://suzchadwick.com/podcast/eps-81-how-to-accelerate-your-brand-growth/

Maddy Avery from Birdcage marketing was another great one. I found her on TikTok and loved what she talked about and hit her up in the DM's to do the first fireside chat all about marketing, manifestation & mindset. https://suzchadwick.com/podcast/eps-282-mindset-manifestation-marketing-with-maddy-avery-of-birdcage-marketing/

Speaking of Mindset – having Dr Joan Rosenberg – episode 146 was amazing I met her on Clubhouse but I had actually watched her Ted talk before that which has over 2.2 million views. I couldn't believe I was in this small room with her talking about confidence. https://suzchadwick.com/podcast/building-confidence-through-discomfort/

Really personal episodes include Episode 12 with my life coach & physiotherapist Georgie Cooke where I shared some of my struggles and how she's supported me. (link)

And then my money story was also a super personal one episode 120 – mindset, money stories and the fat banker. (link)

Lesson 3: It's the failures that teach us the most.

One thing that I always knew I'd do with the podcast is be honest and open with you. I've talked about how I've failed, I've talked about successes, I've shared what's worked and what hasn't and I can tell you now, I've had 6 figure months and I've had 4 figure months. There have been month where I didn't make any profit and times where I made poor business decisions.

I don't think anything of it. It's hard when that happens, but I've learned that you'll have success and you'll have failures and if you expect anything different then you're not being realistic. I was sharing with one of my clients that I was in a mastermind a few years ago and there was one particular conversation with a group of amazing and high-profile women in business. They were in the multi-million dollar club and they were struggling.

It was like the golden handcuffs that we talk about in the corporate world. You build and build and build and you reach your big goals, but depending on how you built it, you now have to keep it going to pay your staff and keep the business running to the same level.

So the lesson I've learned from that is be careful what you wish for. Build in a sustainable and flexible way where you can scale up and down as needed. And also don't think that success has to look a certain way. Janine Stanton and I had that great conversation in episode 298.

Justin Welsh is a LinkedIn guy that I've mentioned before and I love that he talks about building a 5 million dollar business as a solo operator which I think is extraordinary. So you can do it. There are so many different ways your business can look – so that's why getting creative and seeing what you want to create and playing with how it looks is one of the best things you can do.

And when you compare yourself to others (another lesson I've learned) is that you don't know what goes on behind closed doors, you don't know if it's as shiny on the inside as it is on the outside and if it is, then amazing for them, but nothing is ever perfect.

Lesson 4 – What it looks like now is not what it will look like then

Letting go is a big lesson. Letting go of how you think it should look. Letting go of how it should be. I think ego plays a huge part in what we think our business should be doing for us.

Our business will do what we decide to commit to.

That's the bottom line.

If I want more sales, I have to invest in selling.

If I want better client experiences, then I need to plan that out and make it happen.

Nothing happens to us in our business 9 times out 10 – it's our actions, beliefs, and mindset that determine our success.

I think about that all the time. When things are going the way I want, what haven't I don't. What have I been thinking? What excuses am I making?

When it comes to money why do I believe what I believe about what I charge? What is the value tied to? How am I growing my capacity to hold more money, more clients, and more space for me and them to grow?

Because what it looks like now is not what it'll look like then. Even starting Bold Vibes Consulting (BVC) I know will change things for me. I don't know how it'll look or what we'll do but I know I want to get out of the house more, I want to have more fun, I want to run workshops, retreats, and events. It's really hard because I always say – no that's the last one I'm going to do but I know that it's such a huge part of me and the spaces and places I want to be part of, that it's hard to let it go, but it's also not the most profitable thing you can do and it's hard.

Lesson 5 – We can do hard things.

I'm going to end on this because I think it's a great follow on from lesson 4.

Even when it's hard we still do it.

Why?

Because I think when you decide to be a business owner there is something in us that says, I don't want to take the easy road. I want something different for myself. I know it's going to be hard, I know it's going to be challenging – but I was made for more. I'm here to carve my path. I'm here to share my story and whether I fail or succeed I'm going to do this.

It's the journey of laughing, crying, screaming, frustration, crazy highs and epic lows and we keep going – because we can do hard things.

I had a coaching call with a client this week and she shared that self-doubt constantly creeps in and makes her think that she can't achieve what she wants. We talked about all the hard things she's done. The new things she's done. The things she's figured out and made work and the fact that she hasn't always had the answer and it hasn't been easy.

So I'm going to say this to you.

You can do hard things, you amazing, incredible, powerful, resilient queen!

You have built something that is yours.

You've put yourself out that and you've created.

You've created out of thin air.

You've sold, you've delivered, you've failed, you've succeeded and you're still here.

I wholeheartedly believe in you and what you're capable of.

I started this podcast to inspire, encourage and teach you how to become a bold and powerful voice and claim your space with confidence.

Wear the “we can do hard things” badge with pride because it's made from tenacity, grit, determination and big visions, and I don't know about you – but that's what I'm here for.

I'm here for big laughs, bold moves and baller friendships as I build my business.

So thanks.

Thanks for sharing in 300 episodes and 6 years.

Thanks for hanging out and keeping me company and if I can ask one thing, I'd ask that if you have gotten value out of this podcast, that you share it.

That's all.

And I'll see you for the next 300! So much love xx Suz