My Business Story

In this sixty-sixth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex flips her usual format and turns the microphone on herself, sharing the story of the last eight years in business, the twists, the turns and everything she's learned along the way.

It's an honest, reflective one. Alex talks about growing from a quiet, imaginative child into a business owner, a mother and someone who cares deeply about personal growth. She opens up about the travel that changed how she saw the world, the accidental start of her first business, the leap into coaching, and how motherhood reshaped what she wanted her work and life to look like.

If you're building a business around your life rather than the other way around, this is the kind of episode you'll want in your ears.

In this episode Alex explores:

• Her childhood, early confidence and the curiosity that shaped her
• Why vulnerability matters in personal and professional growth
• How travelling and living abroad expanded her worldview and planted the seeds for her business
• The move from hospitality and export sales into running her own social media management business
• Building confidence online and getting over the fear of being on camera
• How becoming a mother changed her priorities and her whole approach to business
• Why patience and self compassion are underrated parts of success
• Where the business is heading next, including in-person events and new programmes

Key Highlights

• How solo travel built the courage that later powered her business
• The moment self-employment shifted into something aligned with who she is
• Why investing in coaching and starting therapy changed everything
• How motherhood became a reason to build differently, not to slow down
• Her honest advice for anyone stuck at the start: take one step today and trust the process

Timestamps:

00:01 - Flipping the rules to share my personal journey 01:29 - Childhood: confidence, imagination and early work 04:05 - Wanting to travel and work abroad 05:22 - How travel shaped my mindset and courage 06:23 - Meeting digital nomads and location-independent work 09:13 - From a PGCE to export sales and corporate life 11:29 - Overwork, boundaries and seeking new directions 13:43 - Long-term travel and life-changing experiences 17:52 - The fight for confidence and authenticity 19:00 - Moving to Australia and working in tech 20:48 - Back to the UK and setting up my first business 23:16 - Building and scaling my social media business 26:08 - Investing in coaching and facing self-doubt 27:37 - Aligning my business with personal development 28:48 - Starting therapy and shifting my mindset 30:23 - Pursuing NLP and coaching qualifications 31:48 - Navigating the pandemic and evolving my business 34:20 - Launching in-person networking and community 36:45 - Feeling aligned and embracing motherhood 38:18 - Travelling solo in Sri Lanka 40:00 - Meeting Dave and starting a new chapter 44:08 - Pregnancy, unexpected changes and big decisions 46:23 - Balancing family with business 50:23 - Staying purposeful through podcasting and minimal social 53:45 - Patience and trusting my timeline 56:51 - Future plans: scaling gently and in-person events 60:23 - Advice: start now, take one step and trust the process

Resources & Links: Book: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Connect with Alex: alexmccarthycoaching.com instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching