Celebrating the Messy, Joyful, and Real Side of Business
Welcome, beautiful entrepreneur! I honestly can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is episode 500 of the Heart-Centred Business Podcast. Today’s a bit different. I’ve spent the last few weeks collecting your questions for a mega Q&A session. We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s jump right in!
I’ll be mentioning past podcast episodes and sharing free resources as we go, so if something sparks your interest, you can find all of those juicy links below.
Let’s dive in!
Here for the links referenced in the show notes?
EPISODE 500: Listen using the player below, or click the links to your fave platform to subscribe and listen over there:
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So, first up—a little honesty. When I posted about approaching 500 episodes and asked for your questions, I didn’t exactly get an avalanche in my inbox. And guess what? That’s totally okay. I share this because I think there are two big lessons here.
First: people find it hard to ask questions when you’re vague. I literally said, “Hey, it’s episode 500, ask me anything!” But if you’ve ever been put on the spot, you know: the broader the ask, the harder it is to come up with something specific.
Compare that to when I asked for questions about planning and productivity—I got tons more, simply because I gave some context. So, takeaway one: generic questions are tough for people to ask.
Second: don’t fall into the trap of making up stories about a slow response. I could have spun it that nobody wanted to hear from me anymore, or that I’d already answered every possible question. But I know people will listen, enjoy, and maybe hear something fresh, even if it’s a question I’ve covered before.
Bottom line: don’t make crickets on social media mean more than they do. Even if you see someone with a big audience getting little engagement, it doesn’t mean “nobody cares.” Don’t let that get you down!
How Long Has the Podcast Been Running?
Let’s start with a couple of easy questions. Claire Tate asked me how long ago I started the podcast. I may have said ten years somewhere, but it’s actually nine and a half! The first episode launched on 7th May 2016, so the ten-year mark will be May 2026.
And here’s something I want to share, because it comes up a lot: when I started my podcast in 2016, I thought I was “too late”—that the podcast boat had sailed and there was no point to me starting one then. Wild, right? But it absolutely wasn’t too late. So if you ever think it’s too late for you to start something—whether it’s a podcast, online business, blog, YouTube channel—please know it’s never too late! If I thought it was saturated in 2016 and was totally wrong, you’re definitely not too late now to start whatever lights you up.
Even with books, people sometimes worry no one reads anymore. Well, I do! I buy physical books, sometimes after listening to an audiobook, just because I want to dive deeper, make notes, mark pages. Honestly, it’s never too late to create content.
How Am I Celebrating 500 Episodes?
Dr. Hayley Quinn asked how I’ll be celebrating this milestone. And truthfully, this episode is my celebration. Over the years, I’ve become less about external milestones and more about finding joy in the journey, in my day-to-day gratitude, and the freedom and purpose my business gives me.
Davey (my partner) and I will still sometimes do a special dinner or night at home, but nowadays, living a joyful, purposeful life feels like celebration enough. I’m less fussed about “rewarding myself” or marking things with a big event.
It reminds me a lot of our wedding story—Davey and I got engaged ages ago, but life and the pandemic kept postponing it. Now, the only reason I want to get married is to throw a massive party for all our favourite people! In my business world, I get to do that every year at the Heart-Centred Business Conference, and with my family and friends, I simply focus on spending quality time together.
So, celebration for me these days means being present with the people I care about and being intentional. There might be a time when I want a big public celebration, but right now, deep conversations and sharing via this podcast truly light me up.
Lead Generation and List Growth: What’s The Difference?
Jenny McFadden asked for insights about lead generation and list growth. I love this question. Here’s the deal: in my business, those are two very different things.
List growth is all about expanding your audience—getting more people on your mailing list. Leads, however, are those who have self-identified that they’re interested in paying you for something. Just because someone downloads your “quarterly plan on a page” template doesn’t mean they’re ready to invest in working with you.
So I keep those two things really separate in my business. Lead generation is about finding the people who want to take that next step. And my top advice for lead generation? Learn to connect and qualify leads one-on-one. Start individual conversations, and ask those really good qualifying questions.
If you find you don’t have anyone to invite or connect with, the answer is usually in the step before—in nurture. Nail your nurture stage, and you’ll have more opportunities for invitations and conversion.
For list growth, I’ve always found high-connection strategies work best, even to this day. Running helpful webinars is my absolute favourite. When I started, my first webinar had 13 people register and only one showed up live. Second time around, 28 registrations, eight live. Third time, 35-40 registrations with half showing up. Each time, I got better at knowing exactly what my audience wanted, thanks to all those earlier one-on-one conversations.
So, if you want to grow your list, run webinars people actually want to attend. And when it comes to lead generation: start with high-touch, one-on-one nurture and invitation.
Crafting High-Ticket Offers & Messaging
Agnes Udoh asked about crafting high-ticket offers and messaging for your specific niche. I love this topic. My number one tip: just create something and get out there and validate it, one-on-one.
Don’t just guess what people want in a high-ticket offer—ask, invite, and pitch to qualified leads personally. Then gather insights from where people get excited or hesitate, and use that to refine both your offer and your messaging.
Great messaging feels specific and intimate, like you’ve looked into someone’s life. In my Take Off program, we chat about creating messaging that elicits, “OMG, are you peeking in my windows?”—not in a creepy way, but in a “that’s exactly what I said to my best friend yesterday!” kind of way.
To create powerful, specific messaging, you need to deeply understand your niche. Make observations, offer insights gently, and build trust as you go—almost as if you’re talking to your best friend. Confidence in your ability to help, and practice through one-on-one conversations with ideal clients, is key.
If you’d like more support with your messaging, niche and offers, check out my Take Off program: tashcorbin.com/takeoff
Or if you’d like to dive deeper into creating resonant messaging, check out my free training at: tashcorbin.com/resonate
Implementing Mentor Advice & Self-Sabotage
Shannon Ichikawa asked: how do I actually implement what good mentors tell me, and stay on track?
Honestly, you’re not alone. Most business owners struggle with this. If you ever find yourself ignoring great advice you know would help, recognise that your resistance comes from a valid feeling—fear, worry or some underlying need.
Instead of shutting down or berating yourself, get curious. Ask: What was I afraid of? What am I avoiding? What would need to be different for me to follow through? Sometimes self-sabotage comes from wanting safety, permission to step back, or avoiding visibility.
I’ve had struggles with visibility too. When my income hit $500k and I was asked to speak at a big conference, I panicked about my appearance—especially my teeth (“I don’t look like a $500k/year business owner!”). I even Googled professional teeth whitening!
Why? It stemmed partly from being in a mastermind with “successful” folks who later revealed loads of misleading stories about their “success.” I didn’t feel fancy or shiny enough. Eventually, I started seeking out business role models who looked more like me—people who didn’t fit the perfect mold, who were doing amazing things regardless.
For me, breaking through resistance means embracing my whole self, showing up as I am, and focusing on honesty and connection, not perfection.
If you struggle to follow through, remember: get curious about the resistance instead of shaming yourself. What’s it protecting you from, and is it serving you long-term?
Planning, Productivity & The Pleasure-First Approach
Dr. Denise Furness asked about prioritising ideas—she loves dreaming up new things, but getting the mundane done isn’t as much fun. How do you focus, prioritise, and finish projects?
Whenever I get a shiny new idea, I check if I’m willing to do the validation and mundane groundwork. If not, it’s probably just a distraction.
Knowing yourself is key. What used to work for me in corporate doesn’t cut it now—I need to be much more aware and proactive as my own boss.
These days, I need a pleasure-first approach to productivity. Instead of only rewarding myself after the fact, I start my day with something pleasurable—whether it’s a walk, meditation, or creative play. (I shared more about this in episode 492 of the podcast: tashcorbin.com/492).
I was worried I’d just veg out forever, but I found that after a bit of decompression, I’m actually highly motivated.
If you’re in the same boat, try experimenting. Set up your environment for pleasure at the start of your work, not just as a reward at the end.
And don’t shame yourself for your unique ways of working—my million-dollar business secret is actually coloured Post-it notes (which I talk more about in episode 434 of the podcast: tashcorbin.com/434). I used to feel silly about it until I realised how much it helps. We often limit ourselves based on someone else’s judgment from the past—a teacher criticising my colourful diary still stuck with me for years! Let go of external shame and set up your workspace and systems in ways that help you succeed.
Motivation: Carrot and Stick
Claire Kerslake asked about motivation—from carrot and stick, or dopamine reward—and the concern about just doing fun things and never coming back to productive action. My response is, give yourself a real chance without judgment, shame, or perfectionism. If you’ve deprived yourself of pleasure for years, you might binge on rest and fun at first, but eventually boredom kicks in and intrinsic motivation returns. Measure productivity based on results, not output.
Fifty rushed podcasts might not do what five well-considered episodes can. For me, productivity means my podcast contributes to my business results, not just the number of episodes I release.
Claire also asked how I come up with my list of fun things to do first—instead of just the serious business tasks. It’s experimentation and playing without being brilliant or finishing things. As a child, I wanted to try many hobbies but was taught if I started something, I had to see it through. Lack of resources was the reason for my parents, but I carried that rule into adulthood long after it was necessary. Giving myself permission to try, without expectation to finish or be good at it immediately, helped me tune into what I enjoy.
80:20 Rule in Planning and Doing
Emma Johnson mentioned the 80:20 rule prevalent in construction of preparation vs action, and asked about ratios for business planning and doing.
Preparation is more than planning—it’s scheduling and getting everything lined up. In business, I break it into 20% planning and decision-making, 80% doing. For a mature business, I allocate time evenly across five steps: reach, nurture, invite, convert, deliver. In the startup phase, you’ll spend more time on different steps, and inside my Take Off program, we teach tracking and proportioning your time as your business develops.
Grab my free Productivity Bundle at: tashcorbin.com/ppp
KPIs, Metrics & Evaluating New Strategies
Kerryn Simmons asked about setting success parameters or KPIs. Yes, I love using metrics to inform decisions—it keeps me grounded. But I’m careful not to become obsessed with microdata to the point of endless analysis.
Christine Collins wanted to know: how do you know if a new experiment is a winner or a dud? My rule: don’t assess mid-rollout, only after completions and giving it a real chance. Focus on making things work, refine, and iterate. Give your ideas space and proper launches. Don’t decide a webinar’s a failure after a handful of posts and low signups. Let it live, review, improve, promote again, and THEN assess.
Overwhelm, Decision Fatigue & Getting Started
Colette Dalton asked: how do you initiate tasks in task paralysis or decision overwhelm? My first move is usually to talk it out with someone—a mentor, a team member, Davey, whoever. Sometimes, pulling an oracle or tarot card and journaling fuels clarity.
Finding easy or fun entry points is vital—forget the “eat the frog” method if that doesn’t suit you. Doing something small and enjoyable first often kicks my momentum into gear. I’ll also, when needed, give myself permission to take the morning off guilt-free. Doing something else for a few hours often reorders the “filing cabinet” in my brain, and I end up itching to get back to work.
Reducing decision fatigue is crucial. I outsource meal-planning with a meal box service. I wear the same leggings every day. My team know what decisions are theirs. The less time spent on little daily decisions, the more headspace I keep for business.
Writing Emails Faster & Letting Go of Overwhelm
Suzanne Faison asked if it’s possible to send written communication faster. Yes—and it comes down to mindful practice, not just repetition. Look for where you’re overthinking, and implement structure. For example, my newsletter formula is love note, feature content, offer. Time yourself. Set goals. Let go of perfection.
On the shiny “five-hour workweek” myth—it’s easy to get discouraged if you see others doing less. But often, their journey looked different early on. And more importantly, you’re an adult—you get to choose your pace and your focus. Find joy and time purpose outside of business to help you focus inside business. Don’t let anyone else’s stories about hours or effort make you feel “wrong” for your journey.
Structure, Shiny Objects & Business Cases
Valeska Waldron wanted to know how to balance structure and flexibility for shiny new things, especially with limited work hours. My advice: build a business case for structure that excites you. Stick to that critical 20% that gets 80% of the results (hello, Pareto Principle!). Keep a “toy box” for new ideas—a place to park them until you’ve got time and focus.
And within structured time? Find ways to add fun and novelty—use tarot cards, colourful pens, or little work “games” to keep things exciting.
Weekly Tasks vs “Meaty” Projects
Suzanne Burke asked: Why do I keep filling my days with weekly tasks instead of the meaty stuff?
Lean into this! Weekly tasks might feel safer for a reason—are you avoiding rejection, taking risks, or changing something big? Pay attention to what “meaty” tasks bring up for you, and see what’s underneath the avoidance.
Affordable, High-Return Marketing
Kalen Williamson’s question: How do you create an affordable, high-return marketing plan that isn’t overwhelming?
Keep it straightforward. Put your client attraction process into reach, nurture, invite, convert, deliver—then choose just a couple of action steps per phase, ideally one-on-one connection to keep it free and highly effective.
If you need help with your client attraction process, check out episode 386 of the podcast for a self-assessment: tashcorbin.com/386
How Do You Choose 3-4 Priorities When EVERYTHING Feels Important?
Kristie Mackenzie asked my secret for picking just 3-4 things to do each day.
Honestly, it comes down to forcing yourself to choose. If you keep telling yourself everything matters equally, you’ll stay busy forever and reinforce that story. But when you pick the three things most likely to create momentum, and prove to yourself that’s enough, you start collecting evidence that a streamlined approach is powerful—and more sustainable.
Wrapping Up: My Big Takeaways
If you take anything from this episode, let it be that business is about experimenting, curiosity, and finding what works for you. Don’t let anyone else’s rules, shame, or perfectionism hold you back. Lean into resistance, get curious, and treat yourself—and your business—with love.
Thank you SO much for celebrating 500 episodes with me, for sending in your questions, and for sticking with this magical, messy, wonderful journey.
Here’s to the next 500 episodes—and to the courage to do business your way!
Until next time, I cannot WAIT to see you SHINE.
