Unemployed & Afraid

My podcast Unemployed & Afraid turned 3 and I missed it. Its birthday was two weeks ago 🫠 Over 196 episodes I've explored the intersection of entrepreneurship and personal growth. I've highlighted business stories that extend well beyond traditionally successful business owners talking to other traditionally successful business owners about their success. I've done my very best to avoid income flexing stories that lack context and realism. I've made sure never to imply that business development, making change and starting over should look one way and one way only. I haven't tagged anyone I've interviewed in this post because I cannot and will not choose a favourite - every one of those many minutes of interviewing has made me better in so many ways. I introduced solo episodes which changed my perspective on who I am and all I can do (for the better). I am nowhere near the goals I have for the show - from an audience, content or commercial perspective - but I'm closer than I was three years ago. This is a body of work that I could have given up on so many times, one that's pushed me into some very dark places of self-doubt and challenge. It's been my testing ground for so many theories I have about podcasts themselves (and yet I still don't do so many of the things I need to and that I tell others to do - classic). It reignited my passion for media, no small feat after 13-odd years. Whatever happens with this show, my next show/s, or my podcast media career as an industry professional off-mic (that I hope will reach new and significant heights next year) I will never regret getting started as a creator. Although I wouldn't mind those endless hours of editing back. HB U&A, thanks for existing.

Naivety is a business builders greatest asset. Without it, you might never follow the spark of an idea into reality and in the case of Andrew Mennie that would have been a crying shame. Mennie Brand are the coolest art inspired socks you could imagine. Real art dyed onto socks - sounds easy right? Very wrong. Andrew went through so many no's and failures before making them a reality and his story is one true to so many entrepreneurs - that sometimes you are the only one who can make your dreams real, provided you're willing to get your hands dirty. You'll hear me say this in the episode - but Andrew's brand feel different. It's a rare brand with a deep sense of authenticity that cannot be manufactured. He's building great things, contributing to community and is a great reminder to go after your dreams. Hear his full story on Unemployed & Afraid wherever you get your podcasts (of course I've put the links in the comments - would be terrible to make you go chasing).

The best feedback we've ever received. "Patron saint of the unemployed" has a certain ring to it 😍

🤷🏻♀️ How did you get into sales? Started a business, followed your passion, wanted freedom… You’re in sales now! 😂 Happy Friday! If you’ve accidentally fallen into HR for your business, we can help you! We’re keeping it real and empowering business owners get back to what they do best! Raven HR #HR #IR #Consulting #Outsourcing

Thing no one says about creating a business #4868643: A digital business can get really lonely. If that happens, there’s no harm in making the changes that bring you more joy. Doesn’t mean it’s not filled with “what if’s” and there’s for sure plenty of experts and guidance that will tell you one way is the only way. But the best thing about creating your own thing, at any scale, is that you can do what works for you. Hear the full conversation on Unemployed & Afraid

This is too important to ignore. And it’s an issue that we can’t stay silent on anymore. A disturbing insight was revealed in a Startup Snapshot survey earlier this year: “𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀.” Yet, a US study found that “75 percent of business owners are concerned about their mental health, and 56 percent have actually been diagnosed with anxiety, depression or stress-related problems by a doctor or mental health professional.” Clearly there’s a big disconnect here. Many founders are experiencing serious mental health issues; however they feel uncomfortable discussing their challenges – least of all with their investors. As a co-founder of a business that lasted for almost two decades, I’ve seen first-hand the toll of starting and growing a business can have on mental health (both for myself and my co-founder). And I’ve witnessed similar impacts with my fellow entrepreneurs. The “fake it till you make it” and “crushing it” narratives are hiding a rising tide of deteriorating mental and physical health amongst founders. It’s time to open up dialogue, encourage honest conversations, and create practical and effective solutions. We need to hear from founders and investors about what’s really going on behind the scenes, and how we can bridge the gap to improve founder mental health within the entrepreneur and investor communities. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿, 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 (𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁), 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆: https://lnkd.in/d2qp2krR . And please share with other founders in your network. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼𝗼. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆: https://lnkd.in/dA3fjsUS. And, yes, please share the link with other investors. Thank you for your time and input. Very much appreciated. PS – The survey is completely anonymous. We’ll share the insights as soon as we have meaningful sample sizes from both groups. #mentalhealth #startups #entrepreneurship #founders #venturecapital #privateequity

"Building a business" looks different for everyone and it's not just the binary version celebrated (you know that vision you picture as soon as someone says "entrepreneur" - yeah that aint all there is). When you have a desire to create something that's built from you and by you there's a lot of pressure to make it your whole world and suffer through it. People say: Go all in! Take the leap! Have no plan-b! But what's missed in that is the mental, emotional and financial impact of thinking that's the only way. Whether you build full time, part time or micro time in the cracks of your weeks - you're building your business. And if you've gone all in and think you might need to take the financial pressure off a smidge, this grab from Unemployed & Afraid is for you. Breanna May left full-time teaching after years of wanting to increase her impact and built her business The MindSchool. It looks wildly different today than when she got started (as virtually all businesses do) and this advice she gives below is something I wish was way more celebrated in the business community. This episode is full of supportive storytelling about embracing the performer within, learning to choose your hard, trusting yourself to learn what you need to and so much more. Search for Unemployed & Afraid wherever you listen to your podcasts or queue it up from the links in the comments.

THIS is exactly how a business focused podcast should feel. Like you're seen, heard, valued and entirely normal in your experience. No matter the scale or industry your business falls into we all share one very real thing - that entrepreneurship is 50% personal growth and just continually showing up for ourselves. The big household names of business success - they matter - but they don't deserve all the airtime. We have to see scale and different business profiles (and experiences) to understand the scope and potential of what we're building. And we have to find hope in the smallest of moments that what we're building matters - this happens by keeping it very, very real. This is what the Unemployed & Afraid podcast (and now, Substack!) exists for. To keep you in business or working towards it, no matter what it looks like for you.

It might be subtle or gut wrenchingly explicit - but someone will tell you your business idea or career pivot might not work. I've been told that my show won't work in a million tiny ways: - There's too many interview pods in the business category - You don't have a built in audience on socials so how will you grow - The title feels too negative - You're not with a network so we can't sponsor you And don't get me started on all the feedback I receive on building a career centred around brand-led podcasting: - Independent media is the only way, people don't trust content made by brands - Focusing on strategy development and medium education won't deliver, you have to produce and edit them too, one-stop-shop! If I listened to all that - where would I be? Probably building something inauthentic or building nothing at all. Jamie Kritharas knows what it means to have an idea and go all in regardless of what the initial sacrifces and uncomfortable moments meant for him. And after six years of evolving, learning and #pivoting the results from building Defiant Digital are speaking for themselves. In the sharing of his business building story you’ll hear about: ·        Leveraging the skills you learn from one industry into a new business ·        Making it impossible for yourself not to achieve ·        Prioritising learning over profitability when getting started ·        The identity challenge when you go from one thing to another ·        Staying positive when you’re starting all over again ·        Shifting from building to leading ·        And the need to really dig in when you’re building a business Jamie surprised and inspired me in a number of ways through this chat, that's the magic of hearing diverse stories of brave business and brand builders at all different levels. Search for "Unemployed & Afraid" where you podcast to hear the full and deeply motivating story (should be easy to remember what to search for as that "negative" title seems quite sticky....)

As I told Kim Kerton, I’ve had many key moments in my business. - That first time I said “I work for myself” -That first time I was up on a big and shiny Tedx stage - That first high profile client Right up there with that list, is - That time I second guessed myself - The time I put in to fight limiting beliefs - That time after my everything shower, when I was so close to quitting The thing with being a solo business owner is, you’re spinning a lot of wheels And the results are not always immediately obvious or quantifiable You’re sitting with yourself a lot – your own boss, your own employee Wrangling yourself – sometimes in tracksuit bottoms and sometimes in a full suit getting your business off the ground, mentally and physically spent Unemployed & Afraid has been a sounding board and a friend along the way But that day in my towel (I talk about this in the episode), I may have listened to the most important episode to me  - "Don't Quit Before The Magic Happens” I dried myself, took the night off, and came back the next day, sleeves rolled up, goal in sight Full circle moment for me – it’s been an absolute pleasure being on the podcast, Kim My Unemployed & Afraid episode is now live – Link in comments