Authenticity in business storytelling and navigating ethical challenges take centre stage in this thought-provoking conversation with a group of inspiring female entrepreneurs.

One guest shares how revealing personal stories in her book helped raise awareness about toxic relationships and inspired meaningful change. Another recounts the shocking experience of a competitor cloning her LinkedIn profile, only to highlight that true success can’t be imitated. The value of trademarks and the frustration of seeing creative ideas copied are also explored, with practical advice on protecting your work.

The discussion dives into the ethical dilemmas of dealing with hostile competitors and public bullying, emphasising the importance of honesty, compassion, and resolving conflicts privately.

Tune in for a refreshing and honest dialogue about resilience, integrity, and protecting your business in today’s competitive landscape.

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.

In this fascinating episode, I sit down with Tom Stanhope, a video content producer with over two decades of experience. Since 2001, Tom has seen it all, but lately, his focus has shifted toward the world of podcasting, long-form storytelling, and the transformative role of AI in content creation. We dive deep into how these changes are reshaping the landscape of sales, marketing, and media.

Tom highlights the importance of storytelling even when using AI-driven content. He shares how tools like ChatGPT are revolutionising the way businesses approach sales calls and content creation. Whether it's summarising a long sales call into key actionable insights or automating social media posts, AI is proving to be a game changer in saving time and improving responsiveness. Tom gives practical, real-world examples of how he's leveraging these tools to make his work more efficient without losing the human touch.

However, we also address the risks that come with this new frontier. Tom shares his concerns about deep fakes and the growing need for maintaining authenticity in an increasingly AI-driven world. Together, we talk about how AI should augment, not replace, human capabilities, and how staying genuine in your communication is more important now than ever.

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.

In this episode, I tackle the issue that holds so many of us back in business – waffling. You know what I mean, the endless over-explaining, overthinking, and complicating things that don’t really need to be complicated. When we waffle, we lose our audience and waste time. The episode focuses on stripping all of that away and getting to the heart of what truly matters in business: simplicity, authenticity, and action.

I talk about how selling isn’t about fancy jargon or trying to impress. It’s about genuine storytelling that resonates with your audience, connecting with them on a real level. When you frame selling as storytelling, it shifts from being a hard pitch to something much more personal and impactful. It’s about giving value and making a sale that feels balanced and rewarding for both sides.

I hope to make you feel empowered to let go of the unnecessary fluff, step into authenticity, and start selling with confidence.

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.

In this episode I dive into what might just be the most crucial part of your marketing and sales strategy—the call to action, or CTA. It’s one thing to capture someone’s attention with your message, but without a clear and compelling CTA, you might be leaving potential sales on the table.

I explore the art of crafting CTAs that are concise, simple, and most importantly, urgent. One of the biggest mistakes I see entrepreneurs make is overwhelming their audience with too many options. In this episode, I explain why it’s essential to streamline your CTAs, making them as straightforward and direct as possible. When you keep it simple, you eliminate confusion and make it easy for your audience to take the next step.

But it’s not just about being clear—it’s about being compelling. Your CTA should speak to the emotions of your audience, highlighting the immediate benefits they’ll gain by taking action now.

Authenticity and availability are also key factors I discuss. Your audience needs to trust that what you’re offering is real and that you’re genuinely there to help them. An effective CTA isn’t just about pushing for a sale; it’s about building a relationship, one where your audience feels valued and understood.

Whether you’re looking to refine your existing CTAs or craft new ones from scratch, this episode is packed with tips to help you create CTAs that truly resonate and convert.

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.

In this episode, I delve into the often-overlooked power of visuals on sales pages and how they can dramatically enhance engagement, trust, and perceived value. As we know, a picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to sales, it’s worth even more. High-quality images and graphics don’t just make your page look pretty – they play a critical role in speaking to your audience on a deeper level.

I discuss how visuals need to be thoughtfully aligned with your target market. For example, if you’re selling children's products, bright colours and playful, cartoonish images create the right mood and attraction. On the other hand, if you’re marketing to a professional audience, sleek and sophisticated visuals are essential for building trust and conveying value.

Visuals aren’t just decorative. They serve a real purpose – illustrating the benefits of your product, breaking up text-heavy sections, and explaining complex ideas through infographics or step-by-step imagery. When used effectively, they make your sales page not only more engaging but also more memorable, which is key to turning that interest into a purchase.

If you’ve ever wondered why your sales page isn’t converting as well as you’d like, this episode is a must-listen. You might just need to take another look at what your visuals are saying – or not saying – about your product!

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Kate S Lindup, Elite energy master and spiritual advisor, who opens up about her incredible journey from personal hardship to spiritual empowerment. Kate shares how she transformed her life after leaving an abusive marriage and coping with the profound loss of close family members, which ultimately led her to connect deeply with spirit.

Together, we explore how Kate’s unique combination of spiritual guidance and practical, actionable advice is helping business owners break free from the one-size-fits-all coaching models. Instead, she provides tailored insights that align with each person's energy and circumstances, encouraging heart-set and soul-aligned decisions.

Kate explains why truly successful and fulfilling business growth comes from embracing your own path, rather than following generic strategies. Her refreshing approach offers both comfort and clarity, helping entrepreneurs stay grounded while achieving their dreams. Tune in for a conversation filled with wisdom, strength, and the empowering role of spirituality in business success!

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.

In this episode I tackle one of the most crucial, yet often nerve-wracking, aspects of running a business—actually asking for the sale. It’s something that many entrepreneurs shy away from, but it’s absolutely essential if you want to see your business thrive.

I explore why being upfront and transparent about pricing is not just good practice, but a necessity. When your clients are left guessing or feeling confused about what they’ll actually need to invest, it creates frustration and can ultimately drive them away. Instead, I advocate for clear, concise sales messaging that leaves no room for ambiguity. Your potential clients should know exactly what they’re getting and how it will solve their problem—and why it’s worth taking immediate action.

I also delve into my approach to helping clients improve their sales pages. I believe that a sales page should be tailored to speak directly to your audience, keeping the message simple, effective, and laser-focused on the problem at hand. The aim is to create a connection with your audience that feels organic and genuine, built on respect and understanding, rather than pressure or manipulation.

I share strategies for crafting a concise and impactful sales strategy that doesn’t just drive sales, but builds long-term relationships with your audience. The goal is to ensure that every piece of your sales messaging resonates deeply, making it easier and more natural to ask for the sale when the time is right.

So, whether you’re new to sales or looking to refine your approach, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you confidently ask for the sale and see real results in your business.

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.

I dive into one of the most overlooked yet crucial aspects of crafting effective sales copy: understanding and communicating the benefits behind the benefits. As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get caught up in the fine details of our products or services—what they do, how they work, the features we’re so proud of—but often, we miss the mark by not addressing the real question our clients are asking: How will this improve my life?

In this episode, I share my insights on why it’s not enough to simply highlight what you’re offering. Instead, you need to paint a vivid picture of the positive outcomes your clients will experience by choosing your product or service. Think beyond the immediate benefits and consider the ripple effect—how will it give your clients more time to spend with their families? Will it boost their energy, allowing them to tackle their day with more enthusiasm? These are the benefits behind the benefits, the ones that truly resonate with people on a deeper level.

I also discuss the pitfalls of fear-based marketing, which can often backfire or leave potential clients feeling manipulated. Instead, I encourage a shift in focus to the positive changes your offering can bring about in their lives. When you connect with your clients’ imagination, showing them a brighter, more fulfilling future with your product or service, you’re not just selling—you’re inspiring.

So, in this episode, I’ll guide you through how to craft sales copy that speaks directly to the heart of your clients’ needs and desires, ensuring that your message not only captures their attention but also compels them to take action. This is the most important ingredient in sales, and I’m excited to share it with you.

About Sandra:

Sandra ten Hoope is a Sales & Story Strategist and corporate attorney. Drawing from her own experiences with three challenging relationships, she empowers professional women to rewrite their personal narratives. In her 2020 book, Do Not Try HIM at Home, Sandra reveals the duality of her life—successfully closing multi-million-pound deals while living in fear at home. The book struck a chord with countless women who saw their own struggles reflected in her story, offering them comfort and a sense of community.

Many entrepreneurs among her readers reached out, eager to understand how their personal stories could enhance their business growth. Sandra's answer was clear: personal experiences, no matter how difficult, are invaluable assets. As a Certified Business Strategist and Master Persuader, she created the Stop Waffling, Start Selling podcast, helping business owners harness the power of their unique stories. This storytelling approach personalizes brands and draws in clients, with Sandra advocating for strategic sharing, even in small doses, to make a powerful impact.