The Last Rung

The Last Rung, is back, with a new name! Here's whats new and improved.

My guest in this episode is Claire Williams. Claire fell into a career in financial services but knew that she wanted more from life than completing dull and repetitive tasks and counting down the days until the weekend. She retrained as a copywriter and started doing freelance copywriting alongside her day job. At the start of January 2022, she entered the world of full-time freelancing. Claire helps her clients connect with their target audience by crafting words that make them excited to take the desired next step. She loves being a full-time copywriter and has found a career she is truly passionate about. Today we’re talking about how to prepare for making the leap, ridiculous perceptions of the freelance industry and taking charge of your own career and business. ...... Claire’s recommendations: Female Copywriter’s Alliance (FCA) Survival Skills for Freelancers by Sarah Townsend Everything is Figureoutable: How One Simple Belief Can Help Us Overcome Any Obstacle and Create Unstoppable Success by Marie Forleo Connect with Claire at: Website Instagram LinkedIn Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Louise Harman. Louise is an Intuitive Coach, guiding women on their spiritual journeys to reconnect with and reclaim who they truly are. She offers coaching packages and runs a Coven for Magickal women in business. Lou works with women to create more freedom and abundance in their lives by stepping into their authentic selves, unapologetically. Lou is currently based in Kent, UK and lives with her 2 black cats although she plans on moving to beautiful Barbados in the future. Whereas previously we have done a live together in Louise’s community which we lovingly called “Why are we so shit at looking after ourselves?’ this one shall be known as “Why do we never bloody believe in ourselves?’ Today we’re talking about self-belief, backing yourself fully, a bit of woowoo and beating overwhelm. ... Louise’s recommendations: Raakhee - @easypeasygreeny Just F*cking Do It: Stop Playing Small. Transform Your Life by Noor Hibbert ... Connect with Louise at: Website Instagram FB Group - Magick & Momentum - soul-led spiritual support | Facebook ... Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

Erin is a book consultant and editor who has worked for traditional trade publishers for nearly 20 years. Bad books hurt her soul. (I’ll take that as a compliment as she worked with me on Falling Off The Ladder) Erin started out selling books in a bookshop and has worked across most areas of publishing including editorial, commissioning, production and sales. She is passionate about bringing ideas into the world and supporting authors to create books that will have an impact and change lives. She is the founder of the Write Now Experiment - writing accountability spaces where she writes with you and is on hand to answer your writing and publishing questions, which also happens to be the space in which I wrote most of Falling Off The Ladder. I also went on to hire Erin as my mentor through the writing process and as my editor. Born in Sydney, Australia, now in London, she’s a mum to three, and loves to lift heavy weights and hates to run. Today we’re talking about going from hiring freelancers to being one, toxic workplaces, the power of writing a book for your business, and the mindset you need to write the book within you. Erin’s recommendations: Lisa Barry Helen Pritchard Isabelle Knight Katie Sadler …. Connect with Erin at: Website Facebook LinkedIn Instagram ... Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Katie Skelton, a Business Visibility Mentor and the founder of Little Green Duck. She helps business owners who care about more than just profit to be seen, attract opportunities and make an impact, without feeling overwhelmed or doing anything that doesn't feel right for your business or for you as a human being. Katie's mission is to make a positive impact, and help as many other businesses as possible to do the same. Her business nemesis is the word "should". Katie lives in the New Forest with her husband and two children. She loves the sea and salt & vinegar crisps. You know she really likes you if she actually shares her sharing bag with you. Today we’re talking about the power of having a business with purpose, establishing a friendly brand face, attracting opportunities, finding support in your business, and the ups and downs of social media. ... Katie’s recommendations: Alexis Bushnell - Instagram and Social media for humans Book: Do Open by David Hieatt Connect with Katie at: The Little Green Duck website LinkedIn Instagram Join the FREE networking events ... Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Giles Metcalfe. Giles is an Ethical Freelance Digital Marketing specialist who puts the person before the sale. He’s active in many freelance communities including Freelance Heroes, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Good Business Charter (GBC) & The Ethical Move. A Freelance Digital Marketing Specialist for over 7 years, he enables you to sell products & services to people via various digital marketing channels and delivers increased website traffic via Pay Per Click (PPC), social media engagement, ROI (return on investment) and ROAS (return on ad spend). He’s an Aspie Male and generously contributed his story to my book, Falling Off The Ladder. We're chatting about neurodiversity, reasonable adjustments, and getting the most out of your work life as a freelancer with Aspergers. ...... Giles’s recommendations: Emma Cownley Louise Harman Sam Agnew ☀️ and Good Business Charter The Ethical Move Carbon Trap Org Sonia Rosenblatt Danny Matthews Alison Phillips and BEAM Natural Bodycare ...... Connect with Giles at: LinkedIn Giles Metcalfe Digital ... Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Claire Stephenson, owner of The Write Type. Claire is an accredited public relations professional and media strategist, specialising in creative communications and solid strategies for the public and third sectors. She has written professionally for over 20 years and is a member of the National Union of Journalists. Prior to Brexit, Claire spent time working within European Parliament for the European Greens as Press & Broadcast Media Lead for the North West, focussing on renewable energy and sustainability campaigns. Claire creates communications and stakeholder engagement campaigns for organisations, including for Vivienne Westwood and her son, Joe Corré’s Talk Fracking national campaign. Today we’re talking about fighting for causes you care about, burnout, and embracing slow living and the self-employed lifestyle. ...... Claire’s recommendations: Freelancer Magazine Untamed by Glennon Doyle Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert Connect with Claire at: The Write Type website LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Sally Fox. Sally is a freelance copywriter specialising in brand voice strategy, copy and content for ethical and sustainable businesses. She’s written for a circular system furniture designer, a zero waste deodorant brand and several women’s social enterprises. Sally not only writes for sustainable businesses, she’s spent the last four years building one. Learning as she goes along, she channels ideas and inspiration into her monthly newsletter, The Right Place. Sally lives in between Spain and the UK. She spends her time cooking, reading and walking Dolly the dog. Her guilty pleasure is waving at the end of Zoom calls. Were chatting about creating a sustainable small business, how you can reduce the environmental impact of your business, increase the social impact of your business and ways to look after ourselves better. ...... Sally’s recommendations: Sian Conway - #Ethical Hour The Green FIx - newsletter and Twitter Good on You Below Radar - Dave Smyth Amy Nolan - VA Ink Sophie Cross Megan Rose Douglas Dan Nelkin - Self-help guide for copywriters Kaye Jones - Herstorian Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Graeme Piper, owner of Drop Cap Copy. He’s a freelance copywriter from South Devon, creating effective B2B and B2C copywriting that’s written for people, not personas. Graeme keeps his business purposely small and works alongside a bunch of super-talented creative agencies and lots of amazing SMEs to write copy that engages, informs, and (often) entertains for websites, blogs, brochures, and general offline and online marketing. His aim is to keep the copy simple, conversational, and natural. So simplifying the complex, kicking out the jargon, and making it easy to read. We're chatting about getting started as a freelancer, not freaking out with the rollercoaster of self-employment (due to too much or too little work), staying a company of one and celebrating the wins (however big or small). ...... Graeme’s recommendations: Gareth Hancock - That. Content. Shed. Being Freelance community & Steve Folland Connect with Graeme at: Drop Cap Copy Website LinkedIn Twitter Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Dr Lizzy Bernthal - a resilience specialist, confidence and leadership coach, cultural change expert, and international speaker and author. She designs and delivers masterclasses, workshops, and transformational 121 and group coaching programmes - all on a global scale. After 25 years in the Army as a health professional and senior officer, and with a PhD in psychological wellbeing, Dr Lizzy is on a mission to remove toxicity in the workplace. This is through supporting female authentic leaders to find the confidence, resilience and awesomeness already within them so that they find their voice in the boardroom as they move from powerful to empowered. We’re talking about toxicity in the workplace, resilience, creating a legacy, and developing resilience and confidence. .......... Lizzy’s recommendations: For: Identifying vision and purpose - Simon Sinek Courage and leadership - Brené Brown Female entrepreneurship - Carrie Green Money Mindset - Catherine Morgan Guidance on running a business - Tony Robbins Resources: The Power of Why - Simon Sinek Who Not How - Dan Sullivan Sign up for All Together Different - the event at which Dr Lizzy is speaking on 24th June. (You can sign up to virtual or in-person tickets). You can also hear both of us speak at the FREE event Confidence Leads to Success: Empowering Women One Story At A Time Connect with Lizzy at: Release Your Potential website LinkedIn Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

My guest in this episode is Louise Tanner-Stokes. Louise is a registered Dietitian but prefers to call herself a Food Relationship Coach, because she is on a mission to help mums ditch dieting forever. Louise is passionate about food, especially cake and chocolate. She loves a good cuppa and hates the dieting industry with all their weird rules, BS pills and potions! She’s on a mission to helps mums know that dieting makes it worse; you CAN eat normally again, lose weight AND still enjoy the cake. We're talking about balancing a business, health and mum-life, the importance of wellness for freelancers, and how you can find a balance and still enjoy yourself.  ...... Louise's recommendations:  Leonie's Goal Getter books (affiliate link)  Violet Fenn's website (the last book I finished reading)  Resources mentioned in this episode: Louise's FREE Anti-dieting Meal Planner  'No More Diets' course The Working Lunch newsletter by Susanne Wakefield, Write Cloud  Connect with Louise at:  Society of Self-esteem blog  Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

On this episode is Lizzy Dening - an award-winning freelance journalist for titles including Marie Claire, Grazia and Fabulous, and creator of Survivor Stories, a project interviewing survivors of sexual violence. She is also the author of Out Of Office, a free Substack newsletter aimed at self-employed women. We talk about career porn, why some companies only deserve half of your arse, and finding a balance between unpaid passion work and the paid bread and butter work. ...... Lizzy's recommendations: Sally Fox (Sally will be appearing on TLR later in the series too so keep your ears tuned) Freelancer Magazine Connect with Lizzy at: Out of Office newsletter on Substack Twitter Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

In today’s episode, we have an absolute superstar of the freelance world - Dee Primett of Wicked Creative. She is a specialist B2C & B2B copywriter for clients across the health and medical industries. I had to have Dee on series 2 on The Last Rung, as although we have never met, and never even spoken until last week, she has been a rock in more ways than she knows to me over the last 2 years during difficult personal circumstances. And it’s not just me, she has provided an unconditional amount of support, advice and friendship to other freelancers, from seasoned freelance pros to newbies and people she’s never even met before. So it is only right that we start series 2 by talking to her about her freelance life, building freelance friendships, establishing a community and being a beacon of the freelance world. ...... Dee’s recommendations: Catherine Jones Mel Barfield Copywriters Unite by Vikki Ross Doing It For The Kids (DIFTK) podcast and community Dee’s network the Female Copywriters Alliance (FCA) ...... Connect with Dee at: Wicked Creative LinkedIn Twitter Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

The guest this week is Kirsty Waite, a Business Coach for ambitious service-based business owners and freelancers. She helps overwhelmed business owners create alignment, fulfilment, profit and freedom in their business. Taking you from being the messy start-up to the established business owner. She helps you get clarity on your goals and take decisive action to move your business forward and is already my favourite geordie powerhouse, after having worked with her for only a few weeks so far. In this episode, we talk about supporting others to achieve their dreams, being authentic, finding your zone of genius, having a business mindset and establishing your values. ...... Kirsty’s recommendations: Sophie Cross - LinkedIn and Freelancer Magazine Louise Shanahan - LinkedIn and 15 Minute Freelancer podcast Carrie Green - The Female Entrepreneur Association Lisa Johnson - Business Strategist for passive income Other mentions in the podcast are: 'Greenlights' by Matthew McConaughey (audio book is a must, but the print copy is epic too) Connect with Kirsty at: Kirsty Waite Business Coaching  LinkedIn Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

This is a special episode on a hot topic in the freelance communities, and one that is so important for us to be aware of, manage and watch for warning signs…and that is burnout. My guest today is Helen Hamston, founder of Mummy’s Gin Fund, who has gone from burnout, breakdown and being suicidal to rising from the ashes. We talk about how to spot those early warning signs, the full-body feelings, numbing the pain, the drive to keep going despite the warning signs, and the eventual halt when the body and brain stage an intervention. ...... Helen’s recommendations: Burnout: Solve Your Stress Cycle - Emily & Amelia Nagoski Lost Connections by Yohann Hari Clare Flaxen - Mindset expert Connect with Helen at: Linktree Mummy's Gin Fund on Facebook Instagram Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

In this episode, we have freelance writer, editor and all-around marvellous fellow, Ed Callow. He writes creative copy and content for SMEs and start-ups working in arts & design, tech, and green, social, and mental health initiatives. Ed also runs #Write52 - a challenge in which you ‘Write a piece of personal, original content. Share it online. Repeat. Every week. For a year..’ (We’ll get onto more about that in a moment). We chat about Ed’s journey into freelancing, accountability, creating a writerly community, building confidence in your writing, friendly freelancers and getting in your own way. This episode is chock full of recommendations for people to follow and connect with. ...... Ed’s recommendations: Ellen Boyle’s newsletter Conversations By The Sea Andrew Boulton - LinkedIn and Twitter Diane Wiredu’s webinar for The Marketing MeetUp on How to find the right marketing messaging Other mentions in the podcast are: Gareth Hancock, That. Content. Shed. Alice Hollis, More Than Words Emma Cownley, Jot Jot Bom Sarah Townsend, Sarah Townsend Editorial and Survival Skills for Freelancers Connect with Ed at:  edcallow.com (normal service will resume soon) Twitter  LinkedIn Write52 - website or Twitter Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

In this episode, we have Fi Shailes who works at a B2B creative agency as a social strategist, and freelances on a part-time basis; writing content for the likes of Working In Content, GatherContent, and Better Marketing. She has also managed the Digital Drum Blog for over six years, and recently launched her newsletter, Content Therapy, on LinkedIn. We talk about the changes in the freelance communities over recent years, using social media to support you,  joining the conversation, niching versus being an ideas magpie, being open with clients, and how to best manage freelancing on the side of a full-time role. ...... Fi’s recommendations: #ContentClubUK Medium Connect with Fi at: digital-drum.com Twitter LinkedIn Her Content Therapy newsletter Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

In this episode, we have Jenny Stallard, writer, coach and founder of the Freelance Feels community. She also works with freelancers, the self-employed and small business owners and runs workshops, group coaching and hosts a podcast. We talk about the January feels - including the motivations, the blues, the panic, the meh, new starts, starts that haven’t changed, and our thoughts on the endless conversation around goals, intentions, and resolutions. We’re going with the flow. Jenny’s recommendations: Shona Chambers Ed Goodman’s One Last Thought podcast Doing It For The Kids - freelance community and podcast Kat Boogard Connect with Jenny at: Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

Anna Short is a strategic marketer and owner of Boo! Marketing. Boo! was set up by Anna Short after 23 years of working as a full mix marketing manager in start-ups, corporate, local government and charities. Named after Anna’s daughter Lilly-Boo, her dog Bengy-Boo and the fact that clients always get more than what they need – they’re full of little surprises. They’re a no-nonsense company that provides straight-talking, simple strategies. In this episode, we talk about the impact of going through seven redundancies, and dealing with grief whilst running a business - especially the importance of laughter and finding joy in these tough times. We also manage to cover our woes with maths and talking to your customers at their level. ...... Anna’s recommendations: Freelance Heroes - community, podcast, member portal and much more Small Business Saturday - newsletters Connect with Anna here: Instagram Twitter (check out the handle - love it!) Website Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

In today’s episode, we have the multi-talented Eleanor Tweddell - a coach, mentor and consultant (plus a writer, podcaster and entrepreneur) who specialises in helping people to start something new and to create space to pursue the things they really want to do. After 23 years of corporate life, she was made redundant herself and set up her company Another Door, where she supports individuals and businesses dealing with redundancy. From her experiences, she has also written the marvellous (and longest titled book I’ve ever read) ‘Why Losing Your Job Could Be the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You’. In this episode we talk about why we prefer a 7 day to a 4 day work week (bear with us - there's logic), finding out what works for you before you launch into work, seeing events through another lens and how to thrive after redundancy.  ..... Eleanor's recommendations are:  Jenny Stallard of Freelance Feels  Purpose: Find Your Truth and Embrace Your Calling by Jessica Huie You can connect with Eleanor at:  Another Door LinkedIn Twitter Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

Fiona Thomas is an author, podcaster and freelance writer with work published in iPaper, Grazia, Happiful Magazine and Huffington Post. Her most recent book Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss has been featured in Stylist, Forbes, Daily Mail and was shortlisted for Business Book Award. She worked in various management roles after graduating from university until she had a mental breakdown in her mid-twenties, when she knew something had to change. She learned how to spot her triggers, many of which were work-related, and decided to create a new life as a freelance writer. Since then, she's led by example on social media platforms, sharing the mental health dips along the way and teaching other freelancers how to flourish at work. I feel I have a lot in common with Fiona even though we’ve never actually spoken before so I was very excited to talk to her, and it didn’t disappoint. There is so much crossover in terms of our stories, our approach to life and work and our views on various topics. And then there are our shared experiences - from hiding in the toilets when you just cant handle work to finding your people online. In this episode, we talk about the impact of the workplace on mental health, mental breakdowns, when mental health is treated as a tick box exercise, how freelancing can help you get your balance back, finding your own flow, and how to be the boss that you always wanted. ...... Fiona’s recommendations: Follow and connect to Jo Hooper of the Mad and Sad Club Books: Multi-Hyphen Method by Emma Gannon Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert ...... Connect with Fiona here: Instagram Twitter Website Link to buy the book Out of Office Out of Office podcast Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

Penny Brazier aka The Mighty Pen is a copywriter and comms consultant who helps businesses tell compelling stories about the great work they do. When not word-wrangling, she's normally making loud guitar noises and being shouted at by her children to turn it down. In this episode we talk about the power of authenticity, storytelling, imposter syndrome, embracing failures, the freelance community, bathing in your expertise, and… why Penny identifies as a stapler. This episode is jam-packed with wisdom and inspiration that I think we can all relate to. ...... Penny’s recommendations: Dee Primett of Wicked Creative The Female Copywriter’s Alliance (you may need to contact Dee directly to join if this doesn’t work) DIFTK (Doing It For The Kids) podcast and community Freelancer Magazine Connect with Penny on: Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Website Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

Today we have travel addict, freelance coach and psychologist Nic Doherty. She escaped the nine to five 15 years ago to create a business she can run from anywhere in the world (having clocked up 66 countries already!) Now she’s helping others to do the same and create a life on their own terms. I’m really excited to talk to Nic as we connected on Instagram a few months back and I’ve loved following her adventures, the development of her business, her BEAUTIFUL new branding and our random messages. Though we’ve never even spoken until today, she’s just one of those people I feel something click with. We talk about making a VERY unplanned leap, dealing with fears and your preconceptions about how family will react, the value of having values, and breaking the societal norms.  And always up for a tangent, it’s a must-listen if you also want to know about why we’re timesharing an elephant and why we should NEVER get a train together. ...... Nic’s recommendations: The Squiggly Career by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis Rachel Meltzer - https://www.meltzerseltzer.com You can connect with Nic on: Instagram Website Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

In episode one we had Tom Garfield – a relative newbie to freelance life, but today we’re going to the other end of the scale - to graphic designer at B81 designs, Bhavini Lakhani, who has just celebrated 10 years in her freelance business. Amazing stuff! Bhavini is a real pillar of the freelance community – always cheering others on, helping, giving support for the highs and lows, and getting involved. So now it’s time to celebrate the lady herself. In this episode, we chat about Bhavini’s accidental leap into freelancing, having choice and flexibility, creating her book as a memento of 10 years in business, the joy of freelance communities, the power of honesty and how things have changed over a decade. So much can be learnt from Bhavini - it's well worth a listen, and then connect via the links below. ...... Bhavini’s recommendations: Sophie Cross on LinkedIn Freelancer Magazine You can connect with Bhavini on: Website Twitter LinkedIn Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

This first episode is with Tom Garfield - a marketing consultant specialising in the healthcare industry. As Managing Director of Tom Garfield Marketing, he works alongside a small, hand-picked team to help doctors, therapists, clinics and hospitals generate more enquiries and appointments through their digital marketing efforts. He’s worked with over 200 healthcare providers during his 12 years in marketing, and he’s passionate about making the online experience of finding and choosing health services better for patients. Tom’s also a huge advocate of freelance communities. Being part of supportive, caring groups of people going through the same things is invaluable as a freelancer for mental and emotional health, as well as practical support and networking opportunities. In his “life, life” he tries to practice “anti-digital therapy” by being in nature as often as possible, spending time away from screens with his wife, young daughter and (recent addition) puppy, Bertie. We talk inspirations, the power of communities, starting a business in a pandemic and working with his lovely wife. ........ Tom’s recommendations: Connect with Ellie Garfield on LinkedIn Read Win Without Pitching by Blair Enns ........ You can connect with Tom on: Website Twitter LinkedIn Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.

In this trailer, I introduce myself and what you can expect when you join us. Make sure you subscribe to find out when the episodes are released, starting on 7th January 2022. Each episode will follow weekly on a Friday for the duration of the series.  My guests are my self-employed colleagues from those who have recently made the leap to those who have been solo for decades... and hopefully some who are dabbling with the idea. There may even be a few solo episodes from me talking about some of the hot topics and frequently asked questions in the freelance world.  Don't forget to sign up to the Last Rung newsletter for more fortnightly tips, inspiration and chats with those who have been there and tested the waters for you.