The Girls Mean Business™ Podcast

Send us Fan MailChloe's German A-level speaking exam is in a few weeks and she's scared. So instead of more revision, we booked five days in Düsseldorf. In this episode I'm talking about why we're going, what we've got planned, and the two lessons that come with this trip.One is for me - I've gone from a full week to two days to get everything done, which means getting very ruthless very quickly about what actually matters. And one is for you - because the fastest way to get better at something scary is to do the scary thing. Not read about it. Not wait until you feel ready. Just do it. Chloe doesn't need more revision notes. She needs to speak German to real Germans. And whatever your version of that is in your business - the same applies. We're off on Thursday. Wish us luck.

Send us Fan MailI went to see Rick Astley in Newcastle and came home buzzing. Sold-out crowd. Mostly people our age and older, all absolutely loving it. Gabrielle was on before him and was brilliant, and the whole night just had a really good feel to it. Anyway, it made me think of you because he and Gabrielle both did something that we should all do more, and it doesn't involve singing!

Send us Fan MailThere are things in your business right now that are costing you money. Not because they’re bad, or because they won’t work. Just because they’re not finished. In this episode, Claire talks about all the half-done things that sit on your to-do list for weeks, months, sometimes years. The newsletter you meant to send. The product you started but haven’t listed. The freebie you nearly finished. The page you never quite published. None of them are doing anything for you. Because they’re not out there. Claire shares why this happens (and yes, she does it too), and why waiting until something feels “ready” is what keeps it stuck. Inside this episode, you’ll see how to:  Stop leaving things unfinished  Let go of the idea that it needs to be perfect  Get your work out there, even if it’s not your best  Start turning what you’ve already created into actual results Because nobody sees the perfect version in your head. They only see what you put out into the world. And until you finish it, it can’t do anything for you.

Send us Fan Mail“I need you to do it cheap because I haven’t got much of a budget.” Claire overheard this in a coffee shop last week… and knew exactly how that story ends. In this episode, she talks about pricing, undercharging, and why lowering your prices to get work often brings the wrong kind of work. You’ll hear a very honest story about charging £100 a day, working through Christmas, and feeling like you’re paying people to hire you. And why that door you get through when you price low is rarely the one you actually want. Claire also shares simple, real-life examples that make pricing make sense. From £2,000 watches to £3,000 computers to £80 candles, and why the same person will happily spend money in one area but not another. Inside this episode, you’ll see how to:  Stop pricing based on fear of what people might say  Understand why cheap attracts the wrong clients  Realise that not everyone is your customer, and that’s a good thing  Start positioning yourself for people who are happy to pay for quality If you’ve been lowering your prices to get more work, or worrying that people will think you’re too expensive, this will give you a completely different way of looking at it. 

Send us Fan MailWhen did you last contact your existing customers? Not to answer a question or chase a payment. Actually contact them. Tell them something new. Remind them you exist. Let them know what else you do. Because if the answer is “not for ages”… there’s money sitting there that could already be yours. In this episode, Claire talks about why so many business owners focus on finding new customers, while completely overlooking the people who have already bought from them. You’ll hear a simple example of a skincare business with lots of happy customers… who never came back, not because they didn’t like the products, but because nobody gave them a reason to. Inside this episode, you’ll see how to:  Make more sales without finding new customers  Stay in your customers’ world without being annoying  Use simple emails to remind people what you do  Help your customers discover more of what you offer Because the easiest sale you will ever make is to someone who has already bought from you. Sometimes, you just need to get back in touch.

Send us Fan MailHave you ever looked at your website or social posts and thought, “This makes total sense”… but no one’s buying? It might not be your offer. It might not be your pricing. It might be how you’re explaining what you do. In this episode, Claire talks about the curse of knowledge. That point where you’ve been doing something for so long that you forget what it felt like to be new to it. You know your stuff. You’re good at what you do. But your marketing has slowly started sounding like you, not your customer. And that’s where things start to fall flat. Claire shares simple, real-life examples from everyday businesses like soap makers, photographers and therapists, and shows how using industry language can confuse the very people you’re trying to help. Inside this episode, you’ll see how to:  Spot where jargon is creeping into your marketing  Understand why people aren’t engaging, even when your work is brilliant  Explain what you do in a way that actually makes people care  Make small changes that lead to more “yes, that’s exactly what I need” moments If your marketing isn’t converting the way it should, this is well worth a listen.

Send us Fan MailA lot of women are brilliant at what they do… and absolutely terrible at telling people about it. In this episode, Claire talks about selling, and why so many good business owners freeze when it comes to promoting their work, putting a price on it, or asking someone to buy. If selling has ever felt pushy, awkward, or like you’re bothering people, this will change how you see it. Claire shares a simple shift that makes selling feel a lot easier. Not a script, not a trick, just a different way of thinking about it. You’ll hear a very real story about being completely exhausted, searching for help, and finding exactly the right person at exactly the right moment. No pressure, no pushiness, just someone clearly saying “this is for you” and meaning it. Inside this episode, you’ll see how to:  Stop holding back from talking about what you do  Understand the difference between helpful selling and pushy selling  Feel more comfortable making offers and sharing your prices  Make it easier for the right people to recognise that you can help them If you’ve been second-guessing yourself or staying quiet because you don’t want to sound salesy, this is well worth a listen.

Send us Fan MailMost people know they need to put their prices up. They've known for months. The problem isn't knowing - it's the fear of what happens when you actually do it. Claire shares what really happens when you send that email, and why it's almost never as bad as you think.

Send us Fan MailBeing the cheapest option feels like a safe strategy. Fewer objections, more bookings, right? Claire breaks down what you're actually trading when you price low - and why the real cost has very little to do with money.

Send us Fan MailIf it feels like you've been busy for weeks but nothing has actually moved, this episode is probably why. Claire talks about what happens when you've got too many things competing for your attention at once - and why the answer is almost never to add something else to the list.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I’m talking about pricing for small business owners and why something can feel expensive to one person and completely fine to another. Using simple real-life examples (including a £300 cycle helmet and buying flowers), I explain why value is relative, and why lowering your prices isn’t always the answer. If you’ve ever thought “maybe I’m too expensive”, this will help you understand what’s actually going on and what to focus on instead.

Send us Fan MailYou know when someone sees what you offer, thinks “that looks really good”… and then doesn’t buy? In this episode, I talk through exactly what’s going on there, using something that happened to me yesterday (and I catch myself doing it all the time). This will take the pressure off if you’ve been thinking your pricing, offer or marketing is the problem… because a lot of the time, it isn’t. It’s timing. Headspace. Real life. And once you see it, it changes how you show up,  and how you think about sales altogether.

Send us Fan MailNearly ten years ago, there was a little boutique in Darlington run by a woman called Mona. I only ever went in for one thing… …and somehow always came out with a full outfit. Shoes, necklace, sometimes a bag — every time. But I never felt sold to. I felt amazing. In this episode, I’m sharing what Mona did (without even knowing she was doing it) and why most business owners are leaving money on the table by stopping too early. We talk about:  why the first sale is often just the start  how to “finish the outfit” in your own business  simple ways to help your customers buy more (without being pushy)  and the easiest form of upselling that most people completely overlook If you’ve ever worried about being “too salesy”… this one will shift how you see it. Love, Claire xx

Send us Fan MailA little story about Meggie and her favourite spot in the office… and why she refuses to stay there when something better comes along. It got me thinking about how often we stick to the plan in our businesses, even when there’s something else right in front of us that’s working better. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing what you “should” be doing, but there might be an easier way… this one’s for you.

Send us Fan MailWhy does everyone else’s business look so much easier than yours? You know the feeling. You’re scrolling, and it looks like other people are constantly showing up, posting, selling… and it all just works. Meanwhile, your business can feel like hard work. In this episode, I’m talking about why that feeling shows up (even after years in business), what’s really going on behind the scenes, and why you’re not actually seeing the full picture. We also look at the reality of building a business alongside everything else life throws at you - and why “hard” doesn’t always mean something’s wrong. If your business feels heavier than it should right now, this will help you see it differently… and make it feel a lot more manageable.

Send us Fan MailYou know that thing you were really going to stick to this year? The emails. The posts. The showing up properly. And then one week didn’t happen… and somehow that turned into not doing it at all. In this episode, I’m talking about why that happens (and it’s not what you think), why January plans so often fall apart, and how to start again in a way that actually works in real life. No big reset. No waiting until Monday. No overthinking. Just a simple way to pick it back up today.

Send us Fan MailIt's late March and Claire was at the hairdresser this morning. Neither of them could work out where January and February had gone. This episode is that conversation - honest, no grand answers, just a reminder that you're not behind and the year isn't over yet.