Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Spotlight series. In this episode, Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Hannah Hannon: former performer, business owner and founder of HVA an award winning business support company for the entertainment and creative industries.

Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C

After years spent trying to fit into the glamorous, spontaneous world of performing, Hannah discovered her real superpower was the organisation and problem-solving she brought behind the scenes, skills that became the bedrock of her entrepreneurial journey.

Together, they discuss Hannah’s chapter, The Business of Show Business, and delve into the highs and lows of her performing life, the lessons learned through motherhood and personal loss, and that pivotal moment when she realised that true success means embracing exactly who you are.

This honest, heartfelt conversation explores the resilience it takes to step away from the traditional path, the overlooked business skills performers have at their fingertips, and the realities of running a business in the creative industries.

Whether you’re a creative dreaming of a side-hustle, considering new directions, or simply curious about what happens when passion meets purpose, this episode is packed with inspiration, practical insight and a powerful reminder: your real strength might just be the thing you once saw as ‘boring’.

Chapters

00:00 Spotlight with Hannah Hannon

05:55 Transitioning to dance college

07:12 Feeling Out of Place in Industry

13:33 Feeling the end-of-contract anxiety

17:44 Business mindset and contract diligence

20:17 Turning a side hustle into a business

23:07 Coping with pregnancy loss

27:36 Pregnancy and family challenges

30:15 Deciding to go all in

33:14 Missing the dance industry

37:44 Appreciating and Valuing Contributions

39:38 Learning Hannah's Personal Journey

42:56 Realising a career misfit


📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Send us Fan Mail

From centre stage to creating stages for others, this episode of the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast welcomes Helen Wallis, performer, choreographer, business owner, coach and founder of TADAA, The Alternative Dramatic Arts Academy.

Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C


Nicole Louise Geddes dives into Helen Wallis' journey from a captivated young girl in a village hall to international performer, choreographer, mother and entrepreneur.

Along the way, Helen shares candid reflections on risk-taking, motherhood, grief and career reinvention, revealing how each twist shaped her path.

Discover how performers possess more transferable skills than they realise, and how Helen found greater purpose in helping the next generation shine. Whether you're a creative considering your next pivot or simply need inspiration to reinvent yourself, this episode promises raw, powerful reminders that the end of one act is merely the beginning of another.

Chapters
00:00 Helen on Creativity and Mentorship

05:52 Encouraging a career in performance

07:25 Encouraging adaptability and reinvention

09:43 Importance of transferable skills

13:15 The joy of teaching dance

18:22 Heart-led business leadership

22:26 Finding audition songs back then

24:08 Trusting Your Gut in Business

29:20 Feeling Stuck and Finding Answers

30:40 Taking chances and finding direction

33:16 Documenting memories before smartphones

37:04 Importance of Continued Education

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Send us Fan Mail

Trusting Your Instincts: How Sammie Searle Built an Award-Winning Business.

Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C


Welcome to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast! In this special Spotlight series episode, Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Sammie Searle: performer, entrepreneur and the heart behind award-winning children's entertainment business Boogie Tots.

After building a successful career on stage and overseas, Sammie decided to create her own spotlight, founding a thriving business that helps performers craft flexible, fulfilling careers, especially around family life.

Today, we dive into Sammie's journey from being labelled "bossy" as a child to embracing her natural leadership as a franchisor and CEO. We’ll talk self-doubt, setbacks, and the art of trusting your instincts, as well as the transferable skills every performer possesses, often without realising it.

If you’re a performer facing a pivotal moment, a parent balancing ambition and family, or simply dreaming of building something meaningful, this is the episode for you. Get ready for honest stories, practical advice, and inspiring proof that sometimes the greatest spotlight is the one you build for yourself.

Chapters
00:00 Sammie's entrepreneurial journey

04:10 Reflecting on being a leader

08:39 Prioritising Happiness at Work

11:50 Transitioning skills from entertainment to business

13:43 Gaining confidence and public speaking

17:37 Winning Mompreneur of the Year

21:59 Perseverance in the performing arts

25:14 Joining business coaching programs

28:10 Understanding business layers and learning

29:32 Investing in a boot tops franchise

32:43 Benefits of becoming a franchisee

37:16 Wrapping Up the Episode

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast!

Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C


In this special Spotlight series episode, Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Emma Bright, co-author of the PerformerPreneur collaboration book, founder of Embody Dance Studio, and creator of the nationally accredited Future Dance Teachers programme.

From following her childhood dreams against the odds to building an inclusive dance community and pioneering opportunities for aspiring teachers, Emma Bright shares how courage, creativity and relentless belief shaped her unique path.

Tune in for an honest, inspiring conversation about leadership, resilience and the real stories behind the sequins. Whether you're a performer, educator, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is a powerful reminder: there’s no single route to success, and the boldest journeys often start by choreographing your own path.

Chapters
00:00 Emma's journey in dance entrepreneurship

04:55 Embracing the uniqueness of my dance school

09:26 Love for dance inspires teaching

13:09 Creating a Training Program

16:07 Navigating child work permits

19:28 Bridging passion and purpose

21:53 Balancing success and responsibility

25:51 Building the studio post-COVID

27:54 Realities of entrepreneurial success

32:33 Inspiring a friend to pursue therapy

34:03 Encouraging collaboration with Emma

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Send us Fan Mail

From a first dance class at 11 to a Dragon's Den deal and 85 theatre schools, Denise Hutton-Gosney is living proof there's no single path to success.

Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C

In this Spotlight Series episode, host Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Denise Hutton-Gosney, founder of Razzamataz Theatre Schools and the person who wrote the foreword for Spotlight on Success.

Denise shares the full arc: growing up in Renfrew with money tight, catching the dance bug late, performing as a trapeze artist at the Millennium Dome and the London Palladium, and then building one of the UK's biggest performing arts franchises after her time in the spotlight came to an end.

It's an honest, warm conversation about the "spotlight shift" every performer eventually feels, and why the end of one act is only the beginning of another.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why there's no one path to success, and how a late start can still lead to an empire
• How to spot the "spotlight shift" and plan your second act before you're forced to
• Using franchising to scale a passion into 85 UK schools plus international territories
• What Dragon's Den was really like, and the seven-year partnership with Duncan Bannatyne
• Why performing arts training builds confidence that transfers to any career
• How to beat imposter syndrome by staying curious and finding the right mentors

ABOUT DENISE Denise Hutton-Gosney is the founder of Razzamataz Theatre Schools, now with 85 schools across the UK plus master franchises in the UAE (Dubai) and the Republic of Ireland. A former dancer and trapeze artist, she took the business onto Dragon's Den, secured investment from Duncan Bannatyne and later bought her shares back, and went on to win a ten-year contract with TUI. She wrote the foreword for Spotlight on Success.

ABOUT THE SERIES The Spotlight Series features the co-authors and creatives behind Spotlight on Success, the PerformerPreneur book redefining what success looks like both in and out of the showbiz spotlight.

LINKS

• Denise's Dragon's Den episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00b3kkm
• Razzmatazz Theatre Schools: https://www.razzamataz.co.uk/

Found this inspiring? Hit like, follow or subscribe, and tag @performapreneur across socials.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and introducing Denise Hutton-Gosney
01:02 The Spotlight Series and hello from Denise
02:05 From Renfrew to the Millennium Dome
05:22 The spotlight shift
06:23 Why the theatre school was born
07:47 Juggling classes across the North
09:57 Scaling Razzamataz through franchising
11:05 How big Razzamataz is today
11:40 Imposter syndrome and staying curious
13:43 The Dragon's Den story
15:29 Does performing arts build confidence
17:53 Crossing paths and why the book matters
20:33 How the Razzamataz franchise works
22:52 Passion, purpose and legacy
24:10 You can have it all
26:54 Closing thoughts and outro

#ShowbizSideHustle #SpotlightOnSuccess #Performapreneur #DragonsDen #PerformerToEntrepreneur #TheatreSchool #SecondAct #WomenInBusiness

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Send us Fan Mail

Most people think getting published means uploading to Amazon and hoping for the best. Jo Wildsmith does it properly.

In this episode of the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast, host Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with her publishing partner, Jo Wildsmith, the woman behind the publishing of the second edition of Spotlight on Success.

They go behind the scenes of what it really takes to publish a book: building a proper publishing entity, getting listed in Waterstones and libraries, and why selling beyond Amazon matters far more than most authors realise.

Nicole also shares the foreword coup that landed a Dragon's Den success story at the front of the book.

This is the final episode before the big launch. The second edition of Spotlight on Success goes live on 30th June 2026, with 18 inspiring performers sharing how they pivoted their careers beyond the stage and built something of their own.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome and one week to launch
00:30 Meet Jo Wildsmith, the publishing partner
02:31 Why Spotlight on Success became a second edition
06:29 The new co-authors and their stories
08:04 The foreword: a Dragon's Den coup
11:59 Building Jo Wildsmith Publishing
14:12 The Matinee Mixer and live events
17:59 Inside publishing a second edition
21:39 Why authors should look beyond Amazon
22:36 Where to find Jo and grab the book


#PerformerPreneur #ShowbizSideHustle #SpotlightOnSuccess #SelfPublishing #BookPublishing #PublishingABook #PerformersWhoPivot #SideHustle #AuthorJourney #IndieAuthor #FromStageToBusiness #portfoliocareer

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Send us Fan Mail

Franchising, Outreach Anxiety & Social Scheduling Tools.

GET THE BOOK HERE: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Three listener questions, three PerformerPreneur associates, three completely different angles on building a business beyond performing.

In this Q&A episode of the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast, host Nicole Louise Geddes takes your questions to the associate team.

Jess unpacks the real difference between licensing and franchising, and what happens to a dance school licensee when a franchise opens in their area.

Buckso helps circus performer Amy push past the anxiety of following up with cold leads, with a practical take on mindset, EFT tapping and incentivising the clients you actually want.

Ellie and Michael share the scheduling tools they rely on to stay consistent across every platform.

This is the final associate episode of the season.

Next up: the second edition of the bestselling Spotlight on Success book, launching 30 June with 18 inspiring performer stories.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome back to the Q&A

01:19 Book news: Spotlight on Success, second edition

02:34 Q1: Licensing vs franchising, with Jess

05:11 Q2: Pushing past outreach anxiety, with Buckso

12:53 Q3: Social media scheduling tools, with Ellie and Michael

15:37 Got a question? Submit it for a future episode

16:19 Season wrap and what's coming next

Useful Links:

https://theaida.ai/ai-social-content

https://jessicawesson.co.uk/franchise-in-three

https://metricool.com/

#PerformerPreneur #ShowbizSideHustle #SideHustle #PerformingArts #CreativeEntrepreneur #Franchising #Licensing #BusinessMindset #EFT #ColdOutreach #SocialMediaScheduling #Metricool #PerformerToBusiness #CareerPivot #BusinessForCreatives

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome back to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast, powered by PerformerPreneur. In this episode, Nicole dives deep into the art of strategy and direction for your business and personal growth.

Download the Dream Big Workbook: https://nicolelouisegeddes.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1168031

Moving beyond vision boards and values, she guides you through the essential steps to get you from where you are now to where you want to be. It's not just about dreaming big, it's about reviewing, reflecting and implementing practical strategies that turn dreams into reality.

Whether you’re aiming to lead your business with confidence, make more money or simply stop winging it, Nicole offers tips, tools and real-world advice to help you evolve into the leader you were meant to be.

Get ready to embrace change, celebrate your wins and learn how to take clear, actionable steps, no matter how small, towards the life and business of your dreams.

Chapters

00:00 Business leadership strategies

03:44 Planning and strategizing steps

07:31 Reviewing Business and Lifestyle Habits

11:38 Balancing work and personal life

13:34 Understanding your business finances

18:01 Celebrating small victories

20:21 Realigning personal brand goals

23:31 Building a support network

📕 Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕 Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur