Unemployed & Afraid

What if the riskiest move isn’t going all in, but walking away when something no longer fits? 

This is a very special episode I’m sharing with you today, it’s a conversation I recorded with the wonderful Andrea Marquez from the This Is Small Business Podcast

I didn’t originally leave my media career with a clear plan. I left because I knew something wasn’t right at the time. What followed was a search for a business idea that took me through yoga, ceramics, and creative experiments in remote Tasmania, all of which eventually led to my podcast and business, Unemployed and Afraid. 

Host Andrea Marquez unpacks how I redefined risk not as betting it all on one big idea, but as giving myself permission to experiment, try, pivot and start again. You’ll hear how I used creative detours to find clarity, why walking away can be the smartest move and how I turned vulnerability into my growth strategy. If you’re stuck waiting for the perfect idea, this episode will show you how experimentation can be a powerful and intentional part of building something meaningful.

The This Is Small Business podcast, where this episode is originally from, is doing wonderful things for small business builders all over the world - consider this a hard recommendation to, when you’ve finished listening to it, follow This Is Small Business wherever you’re listening via this link below. 

Is this the right thing for me? Is it time to push, or let go? Is it time for yet another pivot? 

What happens if I just keep going? 

There’s a stack of confessions in this episode that will touch the hearts and minds of anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit - the fear of what others think, the reality of what they think (awkward), and everything it takes to grow your business and the business of you. 

It’s also a timely update on the future of the Unemployed & Afraid podcast and what it really means to follow your self-belief and find yourself through the work you do as an Entrepreneur, an Employee or any other professional label. 

If you’re into experimentation in business, backing yourself, and being a proper tall poppy no matter how awful it feels trying - then there’s something in here for you. 

Stump & Co is a very successful candle business, so why is its owner Tegan closing it down? Spoiler alert: it’s not because of finances.

Business is exciting – the brand building, the launch, the growth – and it’s also challenging. Through it, we rarely consider what walking away from it might feel like.

In this episode Tegan Brennan, Founder of Stump & Co, shares her story of building a successful candle business, fulfilling her wildest dreams, and what happened next.

You’ll hear about:

• Grappling with growth options
• How to know when to stop
• Going viral for the wrong reasons
• ADHD and Dyslexia in business
• And personal growth in every step of your business

If you’re thinking about making a change to your business and feeling stuck about it, please stop torturing yourself. You can move / shift / pivot / change anything you want to - no matter where you’re at or how awks it might feel - and what anyone else thinks about it doesn’t matter.

This episode talks about the experience of considering a change and doubting th moves, all the things that get in our way and why we should give ourselves permission to just do the thing and see how it goes. 

This podcast shows up to help you build your own business by bringing you the stories, insights and learnings of those of us in the thick of it and highlighting that crazy old intersection of entrepreneurship and personal growth - what we do is hard and we’re better and stronger together. 

Ever hear business advice that just feels a little out of touch? This is not one of those shows. If you’re in the heavy building phase of your business and want to feel truly seen and supported to grow, you’re gonna love what this episode packs in for you.

Kim James is the Founder of both Tangerine Tango and The Career Girl Diaries, and through the sharing of her own business building story you’ll hear about:

• Letting redundancy push you before you’re ready
• Evolving your business structure as you go
• What blowing up on the socials actually looks like
• Some banging content advice               
• The process of getting to clarity
• Mastering the art of multiple businesses
•  And why getting real about money is very, very sexy