How to be Shit at Business Podcast

I make hundreds of decisions a day. We all do.What clothes to wear, what to eat for breakfast, what time to leave the house, what to have for lunch, whether or not to have a cup of tea, whether to attend to that email or do what you had planned.Decisions are a core part of our existence, and as entrepreneurs or managers, they are just part of the equation – we often help others make decisions too.How to be S**t at Business and Live to Tell the Tale is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the twenty-fourth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

The return of The Night Manager is being heavily trailed in the run up to Christmas here in the UK. It’s causing me nightmares.The first series was excellent. But Tom Hiddleston’s bottom was the catalyst for a fairly major series of HR issues in my business and, frankly, I’m hoping that in this series, he keeps his keks on so I can have an easier life.How to be S**t at Business and Live to Tell the Tale is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the twenty-third article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

It’s that time of year. Brace yourself for an onslaught of articles with 2026 predictions, new ways to set goals so you can actually achieve them this time, planning ideas (I admit, I’m a sucker for stationery to undertake this activity which I inevitably don’t use because it involves writing with a pen), and hot new takes on how you can make millions.How to be S**t at Business and Live to Tell the Tale is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the twenty-second article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

I was obsessed with Orphan Annie when I was about 6 years old. I watched it over and over and over again on my grandparent’s Betamax video player (remember Betamax? Nope, you’re right, VHS won that branding fight). I could sing all the songs and recite the film word for word. I still can. Ask my husband.How to be S**t at Business and Live to Tell the Tale is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the twenty-first article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

It was 1996. I was in third year of university and living in a tenement flat in Aberdeen. I had glandular fever and was tucked up nicely in bed, shivering with fever, when I started to notice something strange.What I discovered was shocking to my 20 year old self. Years later, I realised I’d witnessed one of the most optimised small-business operations I’ve ever seen.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the twentieth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

For any founder, deciding to liquidate is the ultimate admission of failure. Being forced to liquidate, even worse.There are millions of articles and blogs out there about starting businesses but very few about the end. Spectacular, sensational newsworthy failures, yes, but the process of company death? No. It’s taboo.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the nineteenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

It’s the easy subscription option to choose, isn’t it?Convince me your effort is worthwhile before I give you any money.It’s the unpaid summer internship to get the chance to learn.It’s the unpaid trial shift you do just to prove you can.It’s the speaking or photography gig you do for exposure.It’s all design work you do as part of the pitch.It’s the extra mile you deliver on a fixed fee project that make it less than profitable.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the eighteenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

It’s time to fess up.First of all, I’ll skip over the bit where I dribbled strawberry jam down my nice clean jumper while writing this article. Lesson learned: wear a bib.I’m going to share my guilty little pleasure with you.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the seventeenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

This may be the crux of my many problems. I started my business without a plan.Not a f*****g clue what was trying to achieve beyond “being able to invoice someone legally”.This is not a joke.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the sixteenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

One of the advantages of having been around the block a few times is that you usually experience things before they become popular and mainstream.My personal credit crunch happened about 12 months before the global credit crunch, thanks to the sociopathic angel investor I wrote about in Let’s Start with the Sociopath.It’s probably no surprise to you, then, that I got cancelled on the internet long before people realised that a digital pile on was an accessible weapon of mass destruction.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the fifteenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

We’ve all been there. A heavy cold, a particularly hacking cough, and before you know it your voice has retreated into a husk, and it’s barely a whisper.Losing your voice can be frustrating. But we mostly know it’s just temporary. A few hot lemon and honey drinks and we’ll soon be back to our normal vocal abilities.What happens, however, when you lose your voice to emotions?How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the fourteenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

Last week I wrote about making mistakes and how admitting to them seemed to be a fate worse than death. But why is that? And is there a different way to think about it?How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the thirteenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s former First Minister, has released her biography and, as I write, this is all over the news. I appreciate that by the time you read this article, some of these books will have made their way into charity shop shelves, ready to be picked up at a bargain price.Without having to read it, I’ve so far learned she’s ambivalent about her sexuality, she cried when Alex Salmond died, she likes London, and that being arrested is horrific. Oh, and that she considers that she made mistakes during her time as a leader.Heaven forfend!How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the twelfth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

We’re just over ten articles in to this crazy journey around my entrepreneurial brain and it’s probably occurring to you that I might need professional therapy.There is a lot of s**t to process if you run a business. Like, seriously. And I’ve got more than two decades worth of mental baggage to unpack. Give me time.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the eleventh article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

By modern standards, I’ve begun to believe I’m a terrible leader. Honestly, one of the actual worst. I’m wondering if this might be the basis for all my failures?Of course, I’m basing this assessment of my performance almost entirely on the pervasive narrative of what makes a great leader on social media channels and not much else.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the tenth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

Before we get into this, I am putting it on the record: I’ve never actually been to a fortune teller.This mistake is technically not my mistake, but I was involved in a way and, because of that, I’m going to share it with you. It might be useful, it is kind of funny and, let’s face it, business can be tough and we all deserve a chuckle now and then.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the ninth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

This month the challenges have kept on coming.Sick dog. Dead dog. Massive project behind. Massive project delivered on time. Team member’s kids sick. Twice. Team member’s kids well. Yay. Team member’s kids sick. Again. Need to sell car. Need to buy new car. Not necessarily in that order. Team member’s husband in hospital. Team member’s husband home, but incapacitated. Team member’s husband now walking. Simple medical procedure planned. Simple medical procedure not so simple. Recovery time needed from not so simple medical procedure unplanned. Deadlines colliding. Work piling in. Wheels have come off.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the podcast of the eighth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

There’s one day of the month where I feel truly sick to my stomach, and it’s not because I’m a woman. This kind of monthly affliction affects blokes too.This feeling of utter dread happens every month, without fail, the day before pay day.Listen to the podcast of the seventh article in the series: How to be S**t at Business.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

Everyone likes to think they are in control. Awake at the wheel. Captaining the boat.We set ourselves goals and objectives. We plan how we’re going to achieve them. We brief the team. Then we set off on the journey, all gung-ho that our route map is invincible.Listen to the podcast of the sixth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

The thing about driving in life’s fast lane is that you are inevitably going to lose control. You know that feeling when you’ve misjudged the corner, and taken it too fast, and you’re just on the edge of crashing? That’s what running a business can be like from time to time.Listen to the podcast of the fifth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business.How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve got to tell you; they walk among us. A long, long time ago, when I was just a little bit too naive for my own good, I had the misfortune of aligning myself with a very, very good one. Listen to the podcast of the fourth article in the series: How to be S**t at Business. Thanks for reading How to be S**t at Business! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

My grandfather had a saying that the older you get, the less you know. I’m coming up for 50 next year and it’s really beginning to dawn on me how little I know about everything. Listen to the podcast of the third article in the series: How to be S**t at Business. How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

Now that I’ve declared myself the anti-Christ of modern business positivism (yes, I just made that up, but it sounds about right, don’t you agree?), the big challenge I have now is which of my spectacular f*ck ups to start with.Listen to the podcast of the second article in my series: How to be S**t at Business. How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe

One for those subscribers who’ve joined more recently, or for those who’ve been reading all along and would like to hear my words in my actual voice (no AI here!). This was my very first article, so you know why this Substack started and what I share with my subscribers.Please forgive my audio editing techniques - this was a first attempt and I’m fairly proud of myself - I know it’s not perfect! But sometimes good enough is good enough!!How to be S**t at Business is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to How to Survive in Business at howtosurviveinbusiness.substack.com/subscribe