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  • Customer Experience Thinking: How Behavioural Science Builds Trust and Loyalty with Si Elliott

    Customer Experience Thinking: How Behavioural Science Builds Trust and Loyalty with Si Elliott
    2026/06/24

    In this sixty-first episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Si Elliott, a strategic marketing and customer experience leader who has spent over twenty years helping brands build deeper, more meaningful connections, and whose career began less with a master plan and more with a series of happy accidents.

    Si's journey started with a childhood entrepreneurial streak and a business degree he took without any real idea of where it would lead. It was almost by accident that he found his way into marketing and agency life, working up from student to managing director, and learning to lead long before he felt ready to call himself a leader.

    Today he co-owns creative agency Diversity and is the founder of customer experience consultancy Fabricx, where he combines behavioural science with practical strategy to design experiences that genuinely resonate. He is also an award-winning guest lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and the Communication University of China, and has just published his first book, Customer Experience Thinking.

    Through years of organic growth, honest self-doubt and a deep belief in putting people first, Si has built a way of working that proves business can be both successful and genuinely human.

    In this episode Alex and Si explore:

    • Si's childhood entrepreneurial spirit and his accidental route into marketing
    • Going from student to managing director, and growing into leadership
    • Navigating imposter syndrome and building confidence over time
    • Why environment, team culture and trusted relationships matter so much
    • Choosing organic growth over aggressive scaling
    • Founding Fabricx and bringing behavioural science into client work
    • How behavioural biases shape real marketing and customer decisions
    • Balancing multiple ventures and keeping variety in his work
    • The future of AI and automation, and why human connection still wins

    Key Highlights

    • How a non-linear, accident-driven career can still lead somewhere brilliant
    • Why self-belief and the right environment are the foundations of good leadership
    • What behavioural science reveals about trust, loyalty and decision making
    • How to grow a business organically without losing its human heart
    • Why, in a world obsessed with clicks and conversions, the human experience is what really counts

    Featured Resource

    🗓️ Join Alex for the Mid-Year Business Reset, a free, live workshop on Tuesday 30th June at 10am to help you take stock, get clear on your business and finish the year strong. 👉 Book your spot here: https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/themidyearbusinessreset

    Connect with Si

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/ www.sielliott.com https://www.instagram.com/si.elliott

    Customer Experience Thinking out now: https://mybook.to/CXThinkin

    Connect with Alex

    alexmccarthycoaching.com

    instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching
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    49 分
  • How to Build Unshakeable Confidence in Business with Sian Brennan-Todd

    How to Build Unshakeable Confidence in Business with Sian Brennan-Todd
    2026/06/16

    In this sixtieth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Sian Brennan-Todd, a former dancer turned entrepreneur, host and presenter who built a cheerleading empire spanning 250 schools before transitioning into the world of media and presenting.

    Sian's journey is deeply rooted in her childhood love of dance. From performing arts college in London at 18 to working abroad in cheerleading and choreography, she has spent her career turning passion into profession.

    After moving to Australia and building a global cheerleading business, Sian returned to the UK with a renewed focus on hosting, presenting and helping others build confidence through performance.

    Through years of discipline, resilience and self-belief, Sian has created a business built on fun, passion and adding real value to the people around her.

    In this episode Alex and Sian explore:

    • Childhood passions and how dance shaped her entrepreneurial mindset
    • The discipline and professional skills learned through performing arts
    • Building a cheerleading business from the ground up with 250 schools involved
    • Navigating lockdown and adapting to online sessions
    • The move to Australia and building a global enterprise
    • Transitioning into hosting and presenting
    • How confidence is built through consistency and practice
    • Balancing family life with entrepreneurship
    • Advice for entrepreneurs feeling stuck or lacking confidence

    Key Highlights

    • How the skills developed in dance and performing arts translate directly into business success
    • Why self-belief is the foundation of everything Sian has built
    • The power of adapting and pivoting when circumstances change
    • How to overcome fear and self-doubt and keep showing up anyway
    • What it really means to build a business around something you love

    Featured Resource

    🗓️ Join Alex for the Mid-Year Business Reset — a free, live workshop on Tuesday 30th June 6am to help you take stock, get clear on your business and finish the year strong.
    👉 Book your spot here:

    https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/themidyearbusinessreset

    Connect with Sian

    https://www.instagram.com/sianbrennantodd/
    sian@baysgymcheerdance.com
    www.sianbrennantodd.com

    Connect with Alex
    alexmccarthycoaching.com
    instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching
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    51 分
  • The Mid-Year Check-In: 4 Areas Every Small Business Owner Needs to Look At Right Now

    The Mid-Year Check-In: 4 Areas Every Small Business Owner Needs to Look At Right Now
    2026/06/10

    In this fifty-ninth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex McCarthy walks through a proper mid-year business review — not a vague "how's it going" but a structured, honest look at the four areas that matter most. Are you approaching the halfway point of 2026 and wondering where the year has actually gone? This episode gives you practical questions, real examples, and a framework you can use today.

    Main Topics Covered:

    • Why the mid-year point is the most important moment to stop and look at your business honestly
    • How to evaluate your offer, pricing, and structure for clarity and alignment
    • The difference between having a marketing strategy and actually executing it consistently
    • The operational systems and habits that are either supporting or quietly undermining your business
    • The mindset patterns — including fear, perfectionism, and self-doubt — that create action gaps even when you know what to do

    In This Episode:

    • Why most business problems aren't marketing problems — and what to look at first
    • How undercharging affects your energy, not just your income
    • The watering-a-plant analogy that explains why consistency beats cleverness in marketing
    • What "avoidance" in your marketing is actually telling you
    • The difference between being run by your business and running your business
    • Why the gap between where you are and where you want to be is almost always an action gap — and what's underneath it
    • A real client story about a programme that nearly never launched — and what changed when the real block was named

    Timestamps:

    00:00 — Why the mid-year moment matters and what most business owners miss 02:15 — Introducing the four-area framework: offer, marketing, operations, mindset 03:00 — Area 1: Offer — is it still right, priced right, and simple enough? 08:30 — Area 2: Marketing — the difference between strategy and consistent execution 14:00 — Area 3: Operations — is your business running you, or are you running your business? 18:30 — Area 4: Mindset — the action gap and what's really underneath it 23:30 — Close and details of the free Mid-Year Business Check-In workshop

    Resources and Links:

    • The Mid-Year Business Check-In Workshop — Free 45-minute workshop, Tuesday 30th June at 10am. Register here to secure your spot; https://alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/themidyearbusinessreset

    Connect with Alex McCarthy:

    • Instagram
    • Website

    Whether or not you make it to the workshop, this episode will leave you with honest questions and a clear framework to take into the second half of 2026 with more intention and clarity than you started it with.
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    25 分
  • Healing the Mother Wound: Generational Trauma and Postpartum Healing with Jade Evans

    Healing the Mother Wound: Generational Trauma and Postpartum Healing with Jade Evans
    2026/06/02

    In this fifty-eighth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Jade Evans from Shrewsbury, a healer and mentor specialising in mother wound healing, generational trauma and postpartum support, helping women reclaim their sovereignty, reconnect with themselves and build lives rooted in authentic freedom.

    Jade's journey is deeply personal. From a creative childhood as an only child to a career in photography, she found herself drawn into family psychology and healing work, eventually stepping into postpartum support and ancestral energy work.

    Through her own experiences of motherhood and transformation, she has built an online healing practice dedicated to helping women break cycles, heal core wounds and step into their power.

    In this episode Alex and Jade explore:

    • Childhood influences and how early experiences shape adult healing work
    • The mother wound and its impact on postpartum wellbeing
    • Generational healing and ancestral energy work
    • Reclaiming personal sovereignty and healing core wounds
    • Rites of passage in modern birth and motherhood
    • Nervous system regulation and cyclical awareness
    • Building an online community for postpartum women
    • Integrating cycle awareness into business
    • Advice for women growing a soulful, values-led business

    Key Highlights

    • Why the mother wound is at the root of so many postpartum struggles
    • The power of generational healing and breaking cycles for future generations
    • How reclaiming rites of passage can transform your experience of motherhood
    • Why nervous system regulation is foundational to both healing and business
    • Building a business as an authentic expression of who you are

    Connect with Jade https://www.instagram.com/the_nesting_space_community_/

    Connect with Alex alexmccarthycoaching.com instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching.com
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    48 分
  • Sharn Khaira on Seven Figure Success and the Asian Female Entrepreneur Collective

    Sharn Khaira on Seven Figure Success and the Asian Female Entrepreneur Collective
    2026/05/19

    In this fifty-seventh episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Sharn Khaira, founder of the Asian Female Entrepreneur Collective, a global community dedicated to empowering Asian women to smash through cultural barriers, build thriving businesses and live the lives they truly deserve.

    Sharn's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Raised in a strict Sikh family, she went from hiding in school toilets with no friends to becoming a seven figure subconscious and strategy business mentor.

    After escaping a toxic corporate role, she built Desi Bride Dreams into an award winning wedding planning business featured on BBC Breakfast, BBC Asian Network and the UK's biggest wedding publications, before founding the Asian Female Entrepreneur Collective in 2017.

    In this episode Alex and Sharn explore:

    • Growing up in a strict Sikh family and challenging cultural norms
    • The journey from isolation and self-doubt to unshakeable self-belief
    • Navigating workplace bullying, anxiety and knowing when to walk away
    • Leaving corporate in 2014 and launching Desi Bride Dreams against all odds
    • Transitioning from wedding planning into coaching and community building
    • Founding the Asian Female Entrepreneur Collective and its global mission
    • Subconscious reprogramming and the mindset practices that changed everything
    • Building a luxury personal brand that attracts high value clients
    • Charging premium prices with confidence and knowing your worth
    • Navigating grief, seasons in business and embracing change with resilience

    Timestamps

    [00:00] Introduction to Sharn's inspiring journey [01:23] Childhood aspirations and societal challenges [03:26] Travel at 18 and breaking free from cultural restrictions [09:01] Transformative experiences from travelling and university [12:29] Workplace bullying and mental health struggles [14:38] Quitting corporate to start a wedding blog [18:30] Launching her first business and overcoming skepticism [22:08] Growing her wedding business into a high value brand [26:52] Transitioning into coaching and mentoring [33:16] Building a luxury brand and charging premium prices [35:22] Gratitude, visualisations and energy management [36:37] Navigating grief, seasons and resilience [41:18] Relentless drive, holistic strategy and subconscious programming [42:43] My business is expansion

    Key Highlights

    • The power of knowing you hold the ability to change your own course
    • Building Desi Bride Dreams into a nationally recognised brand in under two years
    • Why subconscious reprogramming is the foundation of seven figure success
    • Staying in an elevated emotional state during life's hardest seasons
    • Building a luxury brand rooted in consistency, authenticity and confidence

    Connect with Sharn afecollective.com instagram.com/sharn.khaira.mentor

    Connect with Alex alexmccarthycoaching.com instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching
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    50 分
  • From Apprentice to Agency Owner: Building a Transparent Marketing Business With Carl Darnell

    From Apprentice to Agency Owner: Building a Transparent Marketing Business With Carl Darnell
    2026/05/12

    In this fifty-sixth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Carl Darnell, founder of crdone, a search marketing agency based in Bedford specialising in PPC, SEO and web design for small and medium sized businesses.

    He began his career as a marketing apprentice at a local college before working his way up through well known brands, managing campaigns, working with data and presenting marketing performance to stakeholders right up to board level.

    In this episode Alex and Carl explore the full journey from apprentice to agency owner, the mindset shifts required along the way and the practical foundations that have allowed crdone to grow sustainably.

    In this episode Alex and Carl explore:

    • Carl's early career as a marketing apprentice and the path that followed
    • The decision to travel and how freelancing abroad led to founding crdone
    • Transitioning from freelancer to agency owner and what that shift really involves
    • Growing and managing a remote team through COVID and beyond
    • Building SOPs and processes that allow a business to scale sustainably
    • Hiring for attitude and what Carl looks for in the people he brings into the team
    • Creating strong company culture without a shared physical space
    • The books and frameworks that have shaped how Carl runs the business
    • His mission to make digital marketing transparent and genuinely understood
    • Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and why starting with the end in mind matters

    Timestamps

    [00:00] Introduction to Carl Darnell's story

    [01:09] Childhood aspirations and family influences

    [02:59] Discovering marketing through an apprenticeship in 2009

    [05:08] Transition to Bourne Leisure and managing campaigns

    [08:33] Deciding to travel and take a sabbatical

    [11:02] Starting freelancing from abroad

    [14:54] Building a remote business and industry insights [17:20] Transition from freelancer to business owner

    [20:10] Growing the team from 1 to 7 members

    [22:46] Impact of COVID and recruitment strategies

    [25:43] Creating processes and SOPs for scalable growth [29:41] Building company culture remotely

    [32:07] Future vision, mission and growth strategies

    [38:07] The importance of mindset and attitude in recruitment[41:13] Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

    [43:06] My kind of business is, Carl's vision

    Key Highlights

    • Transparency and clarity as the foundation of great agency relationships
    • Building processes and SOPs before you think you need them
    • Why attitude matters more than experience when growing a team
    • The power of frameworks like EOS and Scaling Up for sustainable growth
    • Starting with the end in mind as the foundation for building a business with purpose

    Connect with Carl

    crdone.digital hello@crdone.digital linkedin.com/in/carl-darnell

    Connect with Alex

    alexmccarthycoaching.com linkedin.com/in/alexmccarthycoaching instagram.com/alexmccarthycoaching
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    43 分
  • Photography, Self-Acceptance and Building Body Confidence with Becky Webster

    Photography, Self-Acceptance and Building Body Confidence with Becky Webster
    2026/04/17
    In this fifty-second episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Rebecca Webster, the face behind Untamed Photography, for an honest and grounding conversation about building a business rooted in authenticity, creativity and real values. Becky’s journey into business did not begin with a clear plan or traditional strategy. From a young age, she was deeply aware of themes around fairness, self-perception and identity, which later shaped both her personal growth and the way she shows up in her work today. Like many, Becky experienced challenges with body image and societal expectations during her teenage years. These experiences became a significant part of her journey, eventually leading her towards a deeper sense of self-acceptance and a desire to create something meaningful for others. Photography began as a creative outlet, but over time it became something more. A space for expression, connection and empowerment. The moment Becky realised this could become a business was not about following a formula, but about trusting what felt right and taking action despite doubt. Rather than building her business around trends or expectations, Becky has created Untamed Photography as a space where people can show up as they are. Her work is centred around capturing the unfiltered, the natural and the real, helping people reconnect with themselves in a way that feels both empowering and freeing. In this episode, Alex and Becky explore what it really means to build a business that feels aligned. They talk about self-acceptance, creativity, nature and the importance of questioning societal norms, particularly around beauty, success and identity. Becky shares her experience of growing a business while navigating the realities of motherhood, managing time and balancing multiple roles. The conversation also touches on the emotional side of entrepreneurship, including self-doubt, comparison and the pressure to meet external expectations. This episode offers a refreshing perspective on building a business that is not driven by perfection or performance, but by honesty, values and a genuine desire to create something meaningful. If you are craving a more authentic way of doing business, or want to feel more connected to yourself and your work, this episode will resonate. In this episode, Alex and Becky explore: Becky’s early influences and how they shaped her perspective on fairness and identity Body image, societal expectations and the journey to self-acceptance How photography evolved from a creative outlet into a business Building Untamed Photography and creating a safe, empowering space for clients The role of nature and presence in Becky’s work Letting go of perfection and embracing authenticity in business Navigating self-doubt and emotional challenges as a business owner Balancing business, motherhood and personal life Redefining success beyond traditional expectations Building a business rooted in kindness, honesty and values Timestamps [00:00] Introduction and overview of Becky’s journey [00:26] Childhood influences and early curiosity [01:09] Themes of fairness and justice in early life [02:33] Teenage years and body image challenges [03:48] Beginning the journey towards self-acceptance [05:07] Motherhood and deeper personal growth [08:42] Considering photography as a business [09:07] Early creativity and passion for photography [11:13] Taking action despite doubt [12:17] The moment that sparked the business [13:04] Building a brand rooted in authenticity [16:58] Early business challenges and finding clients [18:02] Recognition and evolving identity [19:02] Expanding the brand and relatability [21:01] Memorable shoots and experiences [22:36] The impact of outdoor and nature-based work [23:41] Personal growth through photography [25:59] Redefining beauty and inner strength [27:26] Self-acceptance and body awareness [28:44] Societal expectations and authenticity [30:12] Letting go of societal masks [32:48] Mindfulness and connection to nature [35:14] Future plans and business expansion [36:46] Studio vision and community space [38:45] Admin challenges and time management [41:20] Balancing multiple roles [42:27] Advice to her younger self [44:24] Redefining success [45:16] Letting go of traditional success metrics [47:42] Business values and authenticity [51:01] The importance of building a values-led business [51:53] Closing reflections Key Highlights Building a business rooted in authenticity and self-expression The power of photography as a tool for confidence and connection Redefining beauty, success and identity on your own terms Creating a safe and empowering experience for clients Navigating self-doubt and emotional challenges in business Balancing creativity, motherhood and entrepreneurship Letting go of perfection and embracing a more aligned approach to business Connect with Becky https://www.instagram.com/untamedphotographyuk/ Connect with Alex https://www.alexmccarthycoaching.com/ Book ...
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    44 分
  • Holding Life’s Thresholds with Merryn Tenalach

    Holding Life’s Thresholds with Merryn Tenalach
    2026/01/27
    In this forty-second episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Merryn Tenalach – death doula, funeral celebrant, writer and space holder – for a grounding, honest and deeply human conversation about grief, intuition and building a business that honours life’s thresholds. Merryn’s work sits at the meeting point of grief, ritual, psychology and the living world. She is the guardian of Soulton Long Barrow, an ancient burial place in Shropshire, where she facilitates seasonal gatherings, art-led programmes and threshold ceremonies that invite people into deeper relationship with land, loss and meaning. With a background in psychology and ongoing studies towards a Clinical Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, Merryn weaves evidence-based understanding with intuitive, earth-connected practice. Her work supports individuals and communities to navigate life’s great thresholds, including death, birth, illness, identity change and spiritual reorientation. She is particularly interested in how we might reclaim ceremony as a living, relational act rather than a rigid tradition. In this episode, Merryn shares her journey from a nurturing childhood and an early fascination with psychology, to starting a business straight out of university and supporting children and families. She opens up about burnout, the moment she knew something had to change, and how that transition eventually led her to her work as a doula and death doula. This conversation explores authenticity, intuition and self-care, the quiet power of word of mouth, and what it really looks like to build a business rooted in compassion rather than hustle. Merryn also shares her vision for the future, including her doctoral studies, her writing and her ongoing exploration of ceremony as something deeply human, embodied and shared. This episode is a gentle reminder that success doesn’t have to be loud, fast or polished to be meaningful – and that allowing your work to change as you do can be one of the most powerful choices you make. In This Episode, Alex and Merryn Explore: Merryn’s nurturing childhood and early interest in psychology Starting a business straight out of university Supporting children and families and the path to burnout Recognising when something needs to change Transitioning into work as a doula and death doula Grief, ritual and reclaiming ceremony in modern life Balancing evidence-based psychology with intuition Building a business rooted in compassion, care and presence The role of word of mouth in sustainable business growth Studying towards a Clinical Doctorate and future visions Timestamps [00:00] Introduction and Merryn’s background [03:00] Early nurturing instincts and psychology [06:00] Starting a business and early career choices [09:00] Supporting children and families [12:00] Burnout and the moment of change [15:00] Becoming a doula and death doula [18:00] Word of mouth and organic growth [21:00] Ceremony, study and future work Key Highlights Burnout as an invitation to realign Why ceremony still matters in modern life Blending psychology with intuitive practice Redefining success beyond hustle culture Building meaningful work that evolves with you Connect with Merryn Merryn Tenalach is the founder of a Community Interest Company dedicated to compassionate presence, end-of-life care and education for those who hold space for others, including celebrants, therapists and volunteers. She also works one-to-one, offering accompaniment through grief, anticipatory loss and periods of profound transition. She is the author of Guided, a reflective and ritual-based book exploring how we might meet life’s thresholds with intention, tenderness and courage. Across her writing, teaching and spoken work, Merryn invites people to slow down, listen deeply and remember that transformation is rarely neat, but it can be meaningful, held and shared. Find Merryn’s work here: Guided (book): https://www.merryntenalach.com/product-page/guided Shropshire Grief Tending (CIC): https://www.shropshiregrieftending.com/ Independent work and current offering The Turning Year: https://www.merryntenalach.com/ Connect with Alex here: https://www.alexmccarthycoaching.com/ Book a business connection session here; https://www.alexmccarthycoaching.com/business-connection-sessions
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    44 分