Mind Your Business With Sara & Helen

With the holiday season in full swing, expect emails by the pool, conference calls on the beach and crisis management over long, lazy lunches. Some people find it hard to switch off from work, others simply don't - or don't want to! However you navigate a well-earned break, Sara and Helen share advice on making the experience as enjoyable stress-free as possible - which in turn could have lasting benefits for you and your business. We also launch our new feature, Over A Brew, in partnership with Not On The High Street, in which founders share their words of wisdom. First up, Stephen & Katie from BrickByBrick23.

Ian wants advice on how to hire when you can't compete with the big hitters on wages, Caroline is wondering whether to invest in physical premises for her online business, and Heather is worried about President Trump's tariffs. As ever, Sara and Helen have loads of practical advice. Email your questions to hello@mybpod.com, or get in touch via the channels below

In a very candid tete-a-tete, Sara and Helen explore what the goals for your business should be, how you decide upon them, and what impact they have on your life beyond work. As is evident from the discussion - which is as personal as ever - your business and your life are inextricably linked, which means breaking your back to grow isn't necessarily the right course of action. Meanwhile, Helen reveals how she's lost a member of staff as a result of the podcast, and Sara makes a clarion call to our new Prime Minister on behalf of small businesses. We also have our final instalment of Let's Be Frank, for exciting reasons which will become clear ...

Michelle has a seasonal business and needs help getting through the winter, Belle is wondering how to negotiate the minefield that is paid advertising, and Emma has the opportunity to get permanent premises for her floristry business. As ever, our entrepreneurial agony aunts Sara and Helen have plenty of useful thoughts! Email your small business dilemmas to hello@mybpod.com

It's intimidating, as a small business owner, battling sprawling, multinational corporations. But don't forget why people want to bring their custom to you, and the competitive advantage that gives you over the so-called big hitters. That's the 'Special Sauce', as Helen describes it. Celebrity service, attention to detail, trust, that personal touch - all very achievable goals, especially given the (relatively cheap) technology at hand. Here, Sara and Helen share ways in which you can make your little company appear huge - ramping up profits without sacrificing your core values. We also have a welcome return from their dad, Frank, in our regular feature ... Let's Be Frank!

Lovely questions from Karen, Tom and a mystery guest this week, as our entrepreneurial agony aunts assist with the best strategy when it comes to pricing deliveries, dealing with a sudden, unexpected decline in sales and the fear of entering into the world social media. Email info@mypod.com with your queries, or via the channels below.

BHAGs (that's Big Hairy Audacious Goals), work-life balance and staff knocking off early to watch the footy are the amuses bouches for our big chat about why developing your own skills our business is fundamental to its growth. Sara has a great analogy to reinforce this thesis - as the girls discuss self-confidence, developing a positive mindset and how to identify areas of weakness you might need to focus on improving. Sara's Simon, meanwhile, provides our weekly words of wisdom - but will they be numbers related, we wonder?

Helen is worried about spamming her customers, Jeff is nervous about diversifying his cricket business, and we have an anonymous mum who wants to start her own business but is fearful of taking the plunge. As every, Sara & Helen are here to help. Email your questions to hello@mybpod.com.

Both Sara and Helen are experts in creating a brand using the various tools at their disposal, and fully appreciate the value (considered) self-promotion can add to the growth of your business. Here, they share tips, unfortunate mistakes and hard-fought wins so that you can build a profile that'll punch hard with your customers. in keeping with the honesty the podcast is known for, Helen is currently experiencing a crisis of confidence in this department - it's hard putting yourself out there all the time - so Sara provides reassurance that it's worthwhile persevering. Not least because Helen might very well be the trailblazer when it comes to creating a brand! We also have a newsflash: Sara has been diagnosed with ADHD, and shares her thoughts on how it's affected and defined her life as an entrepreneur.