Shows / Starting the Conversation
Starting the Conversation
Tune in to hear from Alice Benham - strategist, speaker and best-selling author - as she debunks what it takes to grow, normalises the messy middle and documents her journey with transparency. Come for the actionable insights, stay for the reminder that you're not alone.
Episodes
- Starting the Conversation
099 | Moving forward when you're getting in your own way
https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/retreat For the final day of this mini series, it only felt right to bring on a guest who has made a huge difference within my…
- Starting the Conversation
098 | The best way to set yourself up for the week ahead
I'll be the first to admit I can end the week, knowing I've worked all the hours, but not really feeling like I've moved my business forward. The solution?…
- Starting the Conversation
097 | Why rhythm is the answer to work induced burnout
Welcome to a very special instalment in the 7 Days of Q&A mini series where I am sitting down to ask a question to my Dad! If you've been listening to this…
- Starting the Conversation
096 | Building your business relationship first - the how, what and why
We're at half way point of 7 Days of Q&A and I really hope you're enjoying it so far. Today's episode is with my most frequent guest and good friend, Fiona…
- Starting the Conversation
095 | What the behind the scenes of this podcast ACTUALLY looks like
Day 3 of 7 Days of Q&A - I'm so excited to share this one with you. After some months of trying, I have persuaded my team mate and podcast editor Emily to join…
- Starting the Conversation
094 | The reality of investing in your business
Welcome back to the second instalment of this mini series, 7 Days of Q&A. Today I am joined by photographer and friend Chloe Williams. My question to Chloe was…
- Starting the Conversation
093 | Knowing the right step to take when you have ALL the ideas
Welcome to the first instalment of 7 Days of Q&A! Everyday this week I will be sitting down with a different guest to ask them one big question. These are…
- Starting the Conversation
092 | My story so far - accidental entrepreneur at 17 to digital marketing coach at 21
I talk a lot about different elements of my story on this podcast but I realised that I've never actually shared the full story of how I took my business to…
- Starting the Conversation
091 | Is burnout a rite of passage? And does busy equal success?
This question has been raised before on the podcast but I'm interested to give a real chunk of time and space to the idea that being busy all the time, equals…
- Starting the Conversation
090 | Why winging it is a viable business plan
I have never *ever* scheduled a social media post. My posts and stories are mostly spontaneous, and for me that works. However, everything I put out is very…
- Starting the Conversation
089 | Why failure is never the end of the story
Failure is an inevitable part of life, but it can totally suck, right? When you're in midst of the struggle, everyone telling you it will get better just…
- Starting the Conversation
088 | Intentions - looking back at 2019's and setting them for 2020
Long time listeners will know my first episode of a new year is always focused on INTENTIONS. I'm a big believer in setting intentions for the year, breaking…
- Starting the Conversation
087 | How I review my year - a prompt to reflect on 2019
Finding it a bit tricky to carve out the space to reflect on the year to start looking at 2020? I feel you! I'm a huge believer in the power of reflection and…
- Starting the Conversation
086 | How boundaries interact with us as business owners
As business owners it's easy to feel that we should be on call 24/7 for our clients and exceed expectations every time. This can quickly become draining so…
- Starting the Conversation
085 | Women's only networking - part of the problem, or part of the solution
Female networking and women only groups have played a big role in my business. Through these communities I've made friends, built my business and found a…
- Starting the Conversation
084 | Behind the scenes of launching the six week thing
Last week was a big week for me, as you might have seen I launched my group coaching programme, The Six Week Thing. While I had intended to use this episode to…
- Starting the Conversation
083 | How to not let your competitors get in your head
Running your own business is a very personal thing, so it's pretty natural that from time to time we find ourselves looking left and right at what our…
- Starting the Conversation
082 | The power of self awareness // a LIVE session with my life coach
I'm mixing things up a bit this week & this episode is slightly different to our usual format! I sat down with life coach Helen Cottee to chat about the power…
- Starting the Conversation
081 | Why there's no right way to market your business
George Rawlings launched his dating app, HoneyPot, in some pretty memorable, yet unconventional ways and in this weeks' episode he shares his experience of…
- Starting the Conversation
080 | Fully booked with little promotion - how I market myself as a service based business
I don't heavily promote my coaching work. I'm also regularly booked out with dream clients. Now I don't say that to show off - I say it to show you what's…
- Starting the Conversation
079 | Why burnout isn't a measure of success // the glamorisation of working hard
After being pretty unwell last week I was forced to have a few days off, which provided good opportunity to step back and reflect on the way I work and why…
- Starting the Conversation
078 | What people don't tell you about success
Last week on Instagram I shared a quote that resonated with me... "It's windier at the top" and while this is a tricky, slightly uncomfortable topic to…
- Starting the Conversation
077 | Auditing your content to know what's working, what's not and what needs to change
It's been a little while since I sat down, just me and the microphone, to have a chat with you... As this podcast is all about starting conversations your…
- Starting the Conversation
076 | Straight out of school VS 17 years in corporate - the impact of age when starting a business
How does your age impact your experience of starting a business? Todays conversation explores just that as I sit down with someone who started a little…
- Starting the Conversation
075 | Making pals with fellow business owners - the highs, lows and awkward DM slides
This week I am joined by iconic duo Ellie & Rachel (from The Business Proposal podcast) to chat about our experience of making business pals. There's no…
- Starting the Conversation
074 | What nobody tells you about growing a team and becoming a manager
There's no denying that growing a team has been game changing for my business, so to explore the topic further I sat down with agency founder Aran to discuss…
- Starting the Conversation
073 | Stop using the algorithm as an excuse and start using Instagram strategically
So you're losing followers, your likes are down and you're not seeing our friends posts - blame the algorithms! The Instagram algorithm provides us a…
- Starting the Conversation
072 | Why having a personal brand is not the be-all & end-all
"Personal brands are the way to go" is a sentence we've all heard 1,000 times and it really doesn't surprise me. In a world where we value who we buy from as…
- Starting the Conversation
071 | Small Talk | Avoiding the trap of valuing popularity over profitability in your online presence
One of my biggest frustrations with digital marketing is how easily our focus is shifted onto what I call the 'vanity' metrics. Whether it's focusing on likes…
- Starting the Conversation
070 l Giving yourself permission to enjoy your business
After a restful week off it feels great to be back on schedule and chatting with Chloe Slade, one of my fav fellow business owners and my total inspiration…
- Starting the Conversation
BONUS EP | @hot4thespot - a viral account dedicated to THE Zara dress
If you've left the house in the last 3 months you're most likely aware of what I mean when I say THE Zara Dress, a dress so widely worn that it's got its own…
- Starting the Conversation
068 | Can you be your true self and still be successful?
I'm sure there are a lot of us that do not fit in with the preconceived idea of what a "successful business woman" should look or sound like, so can we still…
- Starting the Conversation
067 l Small Talk | 4 questions to ask yourself before starting a podcast
Right now it seems like everyone and their Mum is becoming a podcast host and it really doesn't surprise me. A podcast can be a really effective way to grow…
- Starting the Conversation
066 | My business is my everything, but is that OK?
Whether you're just starting out or have been running a business for a while, you might just be familiar with the notion that if you're not careful, your…
- Starting the Conversation
065 l Small Talk l Setting intentions for the rest of 2019
In the first of the all new Small Talk episodes (aka me sitting down with the mic for 20-30 minutes to talk about a certain digital marketing or business…
- Starting the Conversation
064 | Dealing with internal and external noise when starting something new
When your business is new, and you've not yet built up your evidence bank to face the comparison with other business', self doubt that is going against your…
- Starting the Conversation
063 | What nobody tells you about selling your expertise and being a coach
It's week 2 of the new format and I'm being joined by the brilliant Vix Meldrew to tackle a topic I've always wanted to discuss here on the podcast - what it…
- Starting the Conversation
062 | Running a business when your personal life goes to shit
In the FIRST episode of the new format, I'm sitting down with one of my fav work pals (and a past guest of this podcast), Fiona Grayson, to have a good old…
- Starting the Conversation
061 | Taking the leap from side-hustle to full time and the power of community w/Anna Dunleavy
Transitioning your side-hustle into a full time business is incredibly exciting, but there's no denying that it's a huge deal and comes along with a unique set…
- Starting the Conversation
060 | Managing mental health when you're running a business or growing a side-hustle w/Josephine Brookes
As it's Mental Health Awareness week, I've partnered with planning and productivity extraordinaire Josephine Brookes to discuss our experiences of mental…
- Starting the Conversation
059 | Visual storytelling, finding your style & viral content w/Linda Blacker
If you're not already familiar with Linda Blacker, I can't wait for you to listen to this episode and get to know the London based Creative Director…
- Starting the Conversation
058 | Friends with an entrepreneur – an honest conversation with my best friend about how my work impacts our relationship
Something I'm all about exploring here on the podcast is not only the impact running a business has on us as business owners, but also how it can affect those…
- Starting the Conversation
057 | Teenage business owners and what starting out young REALLY looked like
If you're familiar with my story, you'll know I begun my business at age 17 and over the years, have definitely noticed the impact that starting so young has…
- Starting the Conversation
056 | 5 of my biggest weaknesses as an entrepreneur | #Take5
As one girl bands, our businesses directly flow from who we are... so it makes sense that the more self aware we are about our strengths & weakness', the…
- Starting the Conversation
055 | 5 things to do if you have no clients | #Take5
Whilst it's a topic we rarely talk about, having no clients / struggling with cash flow / feeling a bit like we're failing is something so many of us can…
- Starting the Conversation
054 | 5 tips for attending events when you feel anxious / nervous / daunted | #Take5
As someone with anxiety, the prospect of attending 'business' events (cue big crowds, new people and foreign venues) has never been an easy thing for me. And…
- Starting the Conversation
053 | 5 tips for showing your face (and keeping it engaging) on insta stories | #Take5
Love insta stories but feel like a total fool when showing your face? Find other talking to camera stories a little dull and don't want to add to the pile? If…
- Starting the Conversation
052 | 5 apps which will streamline your business, up your efficiency and save you time | #Take5
If you're familiar with this podcast, you'll know I'm a little efficiency obsessed. Anything which promises to save me time, make me more productive and…
- Starting the Conversation
051 | An honest account of building a soulful business out of unexpected tragedy
When I first heard the story of todays guest, I knew it wouldn't be one I'd forget easily. Today's guest Syreeta runs lifestyle store and studio MOSS, a brand…
- Starting the Conversation
050 | 50th episode Q&A and 1 year of the podcast!
Welcome to the 50th episode of Starting The Conversation! Uploaded exactly a year to date since the podcast first launched! I've loved hosting this podcast…
- Starting the Conversation
049 | So you want to start a podcast? Let's talk all things podcasting...
This episode feels totally full circle for me. The Creative Leap podcast hosted by today's guest was actually the very first podcast I ever listened to and…
- Starting the Conversation
048 | Behind the scenes of a launch, from planning to promotion and everything in-between
If you've been connecting with me for a while, you'll know I recently had a very exciting launch within my business – Gather & Grow, a workshop style retreat…
- Starting the Conversation
047 | The challenge of building a sustainable business w/Cath Jones
Sustainability is a hot topic right now and for many of us, building this into our business is something we're all become more and more conscious of. From…
- Starting the Conversation
046 | Would your business survive without Instagram? 3 ways to diversify and secure your marketing…
Would your business survive without Instagram? Survive may seem like a bit of an extreme word, but in actual fact, so many business' solely rely on the app to…
- Starting the Conversation
044 | The aftermath of taking a break and facing your tax return w/Julia Day
Curious about how others are finding getting 'back to it' after taking a break from work? Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the looming tax return deadline? Well…
- Starting the Conversation
045 | Prioritising your mindset, transitioning back into work and productive goal setting w/Sophie French
The start of the year isn't always the easiest. You're transitioning back into work after taking time off, everyone seems to be adding to the noise of 'new…
- Starting the Conversation
043 | INTENTIONS... looking back at 2018 and setting (and sticking to) them for 2019
Whilst 'new year new me' isn't my thing, I'm all for using any opportunity to look ahead, set intentions and get my tiny brain in gear. So in the first episode…
- Starting the Conversation
042 | 5 truths my business taught me in 2018
It's safe to say that this has been a pretty full on year for my business… Through a whole host of highs, lows, challenges and achievements, the past 12 months…
- Starting the Conversation
BONUS #2 | Stepping back from your phone & creating boundaries with it
Confession. My phone usage often totals 7+ hours a day. Pretty awful right? Well, whilst I'm taking a much-needed break from work this Christmas, I'm committed…