『Flying Solo』のカバーアート

Flying Solo

Flying Solo

著者： Flying Solo
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The show for those starting or running a one person business, hosted by Cec Busby. With over 100,000 members and stacks of resources, Flying Solo keeps you on track.© 2026 Private Media. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, or use of this podcast, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. マネジメント・リーダーシップ リーダーシップ 出世 就職活動 経済学
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  • Why checking in shouldn't wait for R U OK Day

    Why checking in shouldn't wait for R U OK Day
    2026/09/03
    Julie-Anne Rickford, is the Workplace Program Manager at R U OK? She sits down for a chat about building genuine wellbeing and connection into small businesses all year round, not just on R U OK? Day. Julie-Anne explains why supportive workplace cultures matter, especially when business owners are carrying financial pressure, isolation, and responsibility for everyone else. We cover the four-step ALEC framework, recognising early signs of burnout, checking in through texts or phone calls, and supporting someone without trying to fix them. Julie-Anne also shares practical ways for sole traders to create connection. Her central message is simple: “If you’re thinking it, ask it.” Timestamped overview 00:00 Discussing mental health for business owners 04:30 Supporting Chefs with R U OK? 08:19 Addressing workplace mental health challenges 10:49 Discussing "Are You Okay?" question 13:13 Creating a supportive work environment 19:19 Encouraging workplace mental health check-ins 21:09 Small business support and connections 24:42 Recognising signs of burnout 28:16 Creating a supportive workplace culture 31:15 Creating supportive workplace environments 36:13 Sharing resources and episode wrap-up Key Topics Wellbeing Beyond One Day - Julie-Anne Rickford says R U OK? Day should be a springboard for conversations and action throughout the year, not a once-a-year event at - Small businesses face particular pressure from limited time, financial stress, and the absence of formal support structures . - Meaningful wellbeing means creating workplaces where people aren’t left alone with difficult challenges . - Regular check-ins can be as simple as adding “are you okay?” to a weekly meeting agenda or inviting someone for a walk and coffee. How to Ask and Listen - If your gut tells you someone is struggling, ask. Nine out of ten people who are asked “are you okay?” feel a sense of support, even if they aren’t ready to share everything - The ALEC framework means ask, listen, encourage action, and check back in . - The person asking isn’t there to fix someone. The goal is to support them with their next step. - Listening requires resisting fix-it mode and allowing the other person to talk without making the conversation about you . Supporting Solopreneurs - One in two Australians report feeling lonely, with one in six experiencing loneliness severely enough to affect daily life. - Julie-Anne Rickford encourages sole traders to join networks, associations, coworking spaces, and other small-business communities - Connection often needs to be planned, whether that means working from a café, joining a class, or regularly visiting the same local coffee shop - Beyond Blue’s small-business resources can help owners create more structure and connection in their working lives. Recognising Burnout and Building Culture - Pulling away from activities that bring joy, such as exercise, walks, or social outings, can signal that something is wrong. - Julie-Anne Rickford recommends putting restorative activities in the calendar and treating them as priorities, not selfish extras, - Cupcakes and yellow decorations may start a conversation, but support has to continue beyond the event to avoid performative wellbeing - A supportive culture depends on practical, visible, consistent action, not good intentions alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 分
  • Reinventing Success: Lisa Messenger on Collective Hub, AI, and Balancing Motherhood

    Reinventing Success: Lisa Messenger on Collective Hub, AI, and Balancing Motherhood
    2026/08/27
    On this episode of Flying Solo, Cec Busby sits down with trailblazing entrepreneur Lisa Messenger, founder of The Collective Hub. Known for her fearless approach to reinvention and disrupting the status quo, Lisa Messenger has built an extraordinary career, from launching a globally celebrated print magazine at the height of “print is dead,” to growing her business from three staff to 36, traversing the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and making a purposeful pivot to a lean, AI-powered education and community platform for founders. Lisa reflects on business failures, the courage to start and close ventures, lessons learned from scaling too quickly, the power of knowing your purpose, and the importance of adaptability in a rapidly changing world. She shares insights into teaching herself AI, creating digital communities, the joy and challenge of motherhood after a long IVF journey, and her new adventure as a fiction writer. Listeners will get the inside story of how Collective Hub is relaunching for the digital age and practical tips for solopreneurs looking to thrive with fewer resources and greater impact. Key topics 1. Reinvention and Business Evolution Lisa Messenger discussed shifting from running a large team (36 staff, hundreds of freelancers) to now having zero staff, emphasizing that "bigger isn't necessarily better" 02:26. She explored how staying attached to her purpose of "igniting human potential" allowed her to change delivery mechanisms—from print magazine to digital products and an AI-powered platform 05:10. Reinvention involved learning new skills such as AI and collaborating with past team members to relaunch the Collective Hub community and membership 13:10. 2. Lessons from Success and Business Failure Lisa Messenger highlighted the courage it took not only to launch the print magazine but also to close it down publicly, stressing the importance of not letting ego or identity keep you stuck in a failing business 07:06. The rapid growth led to challenges she was unprepared for, like managing 17 different revenue streams and teams in 37 countries, which ultimately was unsustainable 08:20. She emphasised the need for business acumen and possibly bringing in the right COO or 2IC earlier to balance visionary leadership with operational competency 09:09. 3. Embracing and Teaching AI for Solopreneurs Lisa Messenger became a certified prompt engineer and now uses over 50 AI tools, with ChatGPT as her central “motherboard” for orchestrating tasks and business automation 16:02. She runs AI retreats, guiding participants from various backgrounds (including corporate heads) through practical applications, showing skeptics how AI can streamline and empower their businesses 18:17. Practical takeaway: she encourages solopreneurs to simply start with ChatGPT, building familiarity through step-by-step personal “training” of the AI to work as their digital twin and assistant 22:17. 4. Personal Growth, Motherhood, and Work-Life Balance Lisa Messenger reflected on how becoming a mother, after a long IVF journey and surrogacy, fundamentally shifted her priorities and business direction 28:47. She described consciously downsizing her business model for more freedom, focusing on purpose and high-impact tasks rather than scale and staff 26:17. Motherhood changed her outlook: she now blocks out specific time for projects, controls her schedule, and puts family at the forefront, contrasting her earlier years of relentless work 27:49. Time-stamped overview 00:00 Starting a magazine despite skeptics 06:50 Starting and shutting a print magazine 10:22 Building Opportunities and Relaunching with Jade 11:41 Attempting new print format 14:38 Adapting to New Business Challenges 19:52 Building your virtual team 22:17 Getting started with ChatGPT 27:16 Balancing writing projects and freedom 30:32 Balancing career and IVF journey 33:08 Transitioning to traditional publishing 36:01 Finding inspiration from Save the Cat 39:53 Creating digestible content for entrepreneurs 42:04 Creating a community leaderboard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 分
  • How to use storytelling as a business advantage: Lessons from Four Pillars Gin

    How to use storytelling as a business advantage: Lessons from Four Pillars Gin
    2026/08/21
    Matt Jones is co-founder of Four Pillars Gin—the brand that launched from a $30K crowdfunding campaign and rose to become Australia’s most awarded craft gin before being sold in 2023. Since then, Matt has authored a bestselling book, advised business leaders, and created the new podcast “Storywork,” which explores howa compelling story is a business’s greatest competitive advantage—especially in the age of AI-generated content. Cec and Matt unpack the essential ingredients of building a brand that stands out, the role of authentic storytelling in business success, and how founders can harness the power of their story to connect with customers, staff, and investors. Tune in for actionable insights and inspiring stories from one of Australia’s leading voices in branding and storytelling. Key topics 1. The Power of Storytelling in Business Matt Jones emphasizes that genuine storytelling is a major competitive advantage, especially in an AI-driven world where generic content is easy to produce. Distinguishes between product quality and the storytelling needed for others to recognize and value that quality 02:56. Businesses should focus on both excelling at what they do and communicating those differences effectively to inspire others to spread the story 03:11. 2. Building a Brand: The Four Pillars Gin Experience Matt Jones and his co-founders recognized the tension between product excellence and narrative, utilizing both to grow Four Pillars 02:56. Emphasizes inspiring others to tell your story as a crucial growth lever, especially when budgets are tight 04:06. Launched Four Pillars through a presales crowdfunding campaign, validating that people were buying into their story and ambition early on 10:09. 3. The Role of Founders and Leaders in Storytelling Matt Jones argues that business leaders must become their company’s "storytellers-in-chief" to build trust and credibility 24:21. Founder visibility is important both for proactive brand building and for crisis communication 22:20, 23:27 Customers look for genuine human presence—having founders visible creates authenticity and makes the business more believable 22:18. Practical Advice on Crafting and Sharing the Right Story Begin by clarifying your business strategy and understanding what sets you apart before developing external narratives 13:25. Use a "butterfly" Venn diagram model: identify what the world needs and what is special about you, and tell your story at the intersection 17:29. Don’t outsource your authentic voice to AI—use technology to amplify your real advantages, not to generate bland, generic content 25:16. Matt Jones encourages business owners to stay curious, consume resources about brand storytelling, and write down insights to clarify and improve their own story 35:56. Time-stamped overview 00:00 Building Four Pillars Gin 04:06 Difference between earned and paid media 06:57 Choosing Leaders and Brands with Purpose 11:03 Importance of Visual Storytelling 15:33 Defining the business narrative 17:29 Finding your unique value proposition 19:56 Importance of introspection and feedback 26:02 Valuing storytelling and AI potential 30:11 Highlighting Australian Success Stories 33:21 Facing Facebook News Threat 36:48 Matt's new podcast Storywork Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 分
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