Style and Substance

As business owners we get to choose; what success looks like, when things happen, what pace we work at, how much space we take up and that are needs are worth meeting. But do we really believe that? And what makes it possible? And what happens when we do? This is the start of an ongoing conversation about what it really means to have full agency as women in business and we're excited to dig in.

Fi and I thought it might be time for a little pep talk and a reminder of how brilliant you are dear listener. Unfortunately I was little too enthusiastic at 5 rhythms this weekend and the result is I'm flat on my back unable to walk, so we've not been able to record this week. But have no fear, we've got your back, even if mine has given out, and have found just the thing from this time last year in the archives. Raising Expectations When We're Done SettlingThere’s a moment in every woman’s business journey when something shifts and she realises she’s been playing smaller than she meant to.Maybe it happens in midlife, maybe it happens when you finally admit what you really want, but either way, something clicks. You start to expect more.You stop wanting to prove yourself and start wanting to leave something that lasts.In this episode, we explore what it means to expect more, from your business, from your brand, and from yourself.Together, we’ll talk about why the world doesn’t always hold high expectations for women in business, and why that means we must hold them for ourselves. We’ll unpack how branding can carry the weight of your ambition, give you a presence you can be proud of, and help you claim your legacy with confidence.If you’ve felt that quiet nudge that says, “It’s time to raise the bar,” — this one’s for you.In this episode we talk about:Why women so often under-expect, and how to change thatHow branding can hold your high standards and reflect who you’re becomingThe midlife turning point: legacy, visibility, and the art of leaving your markIt’s a conversation about courage, refinement, and the power of showing up for yourself at a new level.We'll leave you with three powerful steps to take when you start expecting more.We hope you enjoy the listen and if you know someone who needs to hear this please do pass it on with our love.

Regular listeners will know we have thoughts on AI, but as this debate becomes more critical, particularly for creatives, we are coming firmly off the fence and sharing our stance on AI in the branding process. We share the stand we are taking as part of the Studio Theia collective but also our personal concerns and why we feel so passionately about this. We know it's a challenging conversation, we know our view may be provocative but we hope it's thought provoking, inspiring and galvanising.

September brings a new, and much loved by us both, season, so it's time to talk Colour Psychology and dig into the Seasonal Personality of Autumn. As the creator of Colour Psychology for Branding, Fi shares her abundant wisdom and helps us makes sense of how we translate the energy of this glorious season into the colours, fonts, shapes, textures, photography and illustrative styles for our brands. This is the third in this series and you can find Spring and Summer episodes here.We really hope you find it useful.

Fi and I are pretty driven in our work, but is it healthy drive? This is the question we are posing today as we dig deep and get personal about our motivations and sources of drive. Is Fi a workaholic? What drove me to put my life on the line as an environmental activist? How does being a woman in business change the nature of drive? How do we determine whether our drive is helpful or a fast road to burnout? All this and more as we lift the lid on what gets us out of bed in the morning and what we can be thinking about as women in business to create positive, sustainable and powerful drive. . We do get a little sweary in places...it's a passionate topic so we'll hope you'll forgive the odd F'bomb.

This week, Fiona is in the hot seat answering the most commonly asked questions posed to Google and AI about branding. There's a goldmine of wisdom which we really hope is useful and, you won't be surprised to hear, she's not holding back on her thoughts about consulting generative AI for this stuff.You'll also hear an unexpected high from my week, courtesy of @jaycopley at Run That (www.wearerunthat.com) do go check him out.Also the free 'Creating your Brand Where to Start' Course Fi mentions can be found here on The Brand Stylist Academy. Thanks as ever for listening.