In this solo episode, I’m doing something a little different. Instead of talking you through strategy, I’m taking you on a guided future self visualisation, made for small business owners, freelancers and solopreneurs who are tired of running on autopilot.

Running a business can feel lonely and heavy. There are money worries, there’s the comparison trap, and there’s that nagging feeling you should be further on by now. So many of us spend the year reacting rather than choosing. This meditation gives you space to put all of that down for a while, meet the version of you who is twelve months further along, and hear what they want you to know. You’ll come out of it calmer, clearer and with one honest first step for 2027.

If you’ve been wondering whether this is really the business you want, or you’re ready to plan next year in a way that fits around your life rather than swallowing it, I’d love you to give yourself these fifteen minutes. Find somewhere comfortable and press play when you can close your eyes.

In this episode:
- Why a future self visualisation is such a powerful mindset tool for goal setting and business planning
- Letting go of the guilt, comparison and not-enoughness so many business owners carry
- Stepping into a day twelve months from now, with work that lights you up, clients who value you and money that finally feels steady
- A heartfelt conversation with your future self about what to let go of and what to do first
- Why you haven’t been failing, you’ve been learning

After you listen, write down the first step your future self gave you and keep it somewhere you’ll see it every day. If something big came up, spend ten minutes journalling about it. Those feelings are worth listening to.

BOOK YOUR 2027 BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOP

If this episode stirred something, my annual business planning workshop is where we turn that feeling into a real plan. It’s a relaxed, practical morning to look back on 2026 and plan your next 12 months with clarity, without the hustle. All stages welcome. Every ticket includes:
- A pre-workshop mini audit
- My simple goal-setting and planning framework
- Guided visualisation
- A panel of three business owners sharing their planning habits
- A bonus online accountability session in mid-January

Choose your date:
Shrewsbury: Tue 24 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Lion & Pheasant Hotel
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningshrewsbury
Woburn Sands: Fri 27 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Frosts
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningwoburn
Online: Wed 2 Dec, 10am to 12pm
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningonline

- In-person guests also get a printed workbook, pen, surprise goodies, pastries and refreshments.
- Tickets: £48 in person, £38 online, or add £100 to go VIP and get a 60-minute 1:1 with me.
- Spaces are limited, so book your place soon.
- Business training can often be tax deductible, so check with your accountant.

In this solo episode, Alex explores how being "too nice" can quietly cost your business time, money and capacity. From underpricing and discounting to over-delivering and blurry boundaries, she shares how to protect your profit without losing the kindness and care that make your business yours.

If you're working hard but your bank balance doesn't reflect it, this one is for you.

In this episode:

• How being "too nice" shows up as underpricing, discounting, over-delivering and saying yes when you mean no
• Pricing on value and what your business needs, not just time
• What to say when someone tells you "that's a bit pricey"
• The hidden work that turns a profitable package into an underpaid one
• Why low average sale values create a capacity problem
• Why you and your future self are stakeholders in your business too
• The "nice tax audit" to find where your time and profit are leaking

Try the nice tax audit:
Look at your last five clients. Compare what you invoiced with everything you actually delivered, including calls, messages, revisions and extras. Work out your real hourly rate and ask yourself, would I knowingly agree to this price again?

BOOK YOUR 2027 BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOP
A relaxed, practical morning to look back on 2026 and plan your next 12 months with clarity, including your pricing and numbers. All stages welcome.

Every ticket includes:

• A pre-workshop mini audit
• Alex's simple goal-setting and planning framework
• Guided visualisation
• A panel of three business owners sharing their planning habits
• A bonus online accountability session in mid-January

Choose your date:
Shrewsbury: Tue 24 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Lion & Pheasant Hotel
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningshrewsbury
Woburn Sands: Fri 27 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Frosts
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningwoburn
Online: Wed 2 Dec, 10am to 12pm
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningonline

In-person guests also get a printed workbook, pen, surprise goodies, pastries and refreshments.

Tickets: £48 in person, £38 online, or add £100 to go VIP and get a 60-minute 1:1 with Alex.

Spaces are limited, so book your place soon.
Business training can often be tax deductible, so check with your accountant.

Timestamps
00:10 The price of being too nice in business
03:02 Why hardworking business owners still struggle financially
04:57 Where "too nice" gets expensive: pricing
08:24 Why pricing by time undervalues your expertise
12:14 Discounting and "that's a bit pricey"
15:04 The hidden work eating your profit
17:27 When "easy to work with" means no boundaries
20:09 Average sale value and capacity
22:57 Using your numbers to make pricing decisions
26:06 The nice tax audit
28:19 Why boundaries are part of your pricing
31:20 Three actions to take after listening
33:00 The 2027 Business Planning Workshops

Quotes
"You can be kind and profitable."
"Your boundaries are part of your pricing."
"The answer, rather than being less kind, is to become more aware."

Connect with Alex
Website: alexmccarthycoaching.com
Instagram: @alexmccarthycoaching

In this solo episode, Alex reframes Q4 as a bridge into 2027, not a time to coast, panic or write the year off. With around twelve weeks left, she shares a calm, practical approach to finishing the year with clarity, cash flow and momentum, without running yourself into the ground.

If you're feeling behind, flat or tempted to "start properly in January", this one is for you.

In this episode:

• Why "coasting mode" feels safe but often leads to a stressful January
• Five reflection questions to audit your year using real data, not just feelings
• Redefining growth beyond "more": fewer hours, higher prices, better clients, stronger systems
• Choosing one priority per month and one action per week
• Six Q4 growth opportunities: past clients, pre-selling January, raising prices, the festive season, tidying your finances and one simple offer
• Visibility, testimonials and aligned collaboration
• Clearing open loops, simplifying systems and setting Christmas boundaries early
• Why the best January starts with planning in November

BOOK YOUR 2027 BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOP
A relaxed, practical morning to look back on 2026 and plan your next 12 months with clarity. All stages welcome.

Every ticket includes:

• A pre-workshop mini audit
• Alex's simple goal-setting and planning framework
• Guided visualisation
• A panel of three business owners sharing their planning habits
• A bonus online accountability session in mid-January

Choose your date:
Shrewsbury: Tue 24 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Lion & Pheasant Hotel
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningshrewsbury
Woburn Sands: Fri 27 Nov, 10am to 12.30pm, Frosts
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningwoburn
Online: Wed 2 Dec, 10am to 12pm
https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/2027businessplanningonline

In-person guests also get a printed workbook, pen, surprise goodies, pastries and refreshments.

Tickets: £48 in person, £38 online, or add £100 to go VIP and get a 60-minute 1:1 with Alex.

Spaces are limited, so book your place soon.
Business training can often be tax deductible, so check with your accountant.

Timestamps
00:00 Why this episode was recorded twice
02:45 Why Q4 shapes this year and next
04:03 What coasting mode looks like
09:31 Five questions to audit your year
15:00 Redefining growth beyond "more"
18:28 Defining a high finish
19:34 One priority per month, one action per week
22:02 Six Q4 growth opportunities
27:21 Visibility and relationships
29:00 Why collaboration speeds up growth
29:38 Clearing open loops
33:10 Christmas boundaries and front-loading Q4
34:25 Why the best January starts before January
35:25 Inside the 2027 planning workshops
37:24 Dates, locations and pricing
39:46 Don't write off the rest of the year

Quotes
"Q4 is not the end of the year. It is a bridge."
"Focus trumps effort every single time."
"You are not behind. You are exactly where you need to be to start."

Connect with Alex
Website: alexmccarthycoaching.com
Instagram: @alexmccarthycoaching
Share your "I'll know I've finished 2026 on a high if..." sentence with Alex on Instagram.