Happy Holidays and welcome to my Limited Edition Summer Series! This summer, I’m bringing you this limited-edition mini-series designed to help you reconnect with you. These episodes are all about reflection, self-leadership and setting yourself up for a year that feels intentional, not accidental.

The third episode of the Summer Series brings together the themes of the series with a practical, honest conversation about starting something of your own. Particularly a business, side hustle, or new direction that’s been quietly sitting with you for a while.

I share my own journey from a successful corporate marketing career to entrepreneurship, coaching and speaking and what I’ve learned over the past six to seven years about building a sustainable business, without the hype, hustle culture, or “overnight success” myths.

This episode explores how to listen to your inner voice (your “whispers”), why jealousy can be a powerful clue to what you actually want, and the critical importance of solving problems that people are genuinely willing to pay for.

I talk about why getting messy in the problem matters more than rushing to a solution, how to articulate your idea clearly, and why you don’t need a website, business cards or perfection to begin, you just need to start.

It’s grounded, encouraging and full of lived experience, practical advice, and reassurance for anyone considering a new path in 2026.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

· Why your inner voice already knows what you want. You just need to hear it

· How jealousy can be a message from your future self

· The difference between a nice idea and a problem worth paying to solve

· Why clarity matters more than complexity when explaining your business

· The value of getting “messy” in the problem before locking in a solution

· What I learned by niching into working parents and corporate clients

· Why you don’t need a website, branding or business cards to begin

· How telling a clear personal story helps people understand your value

· Why consistency beats visibility and why social media likes don’t equal success

· The importance of accountability, community, and not doing it alone

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and

grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.

As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/