The Power of Saying No

In this episode, I chat with Morin Glimmer, a feminist brand strategist who works at the intersection of business, brand and body. Drawing on 15 years of shaping brands and 30 years of living with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), Morin shares her journey of building identity-led brand foundations and cycle-aware businesses. We dig into what working cyclically actually looks like in practice, why rest isn't a productivity hack, and how letting our physical realities inform our business strategy can lead to a far more sustainable, aligned way of working. Key Takeaways Your business strategy is missing a piece: your body. As solopreneurs especially, our physical capacity is our "capacity reservoir" — and ignoring it systematically is often at the root of burnout. Rest isn't something you earn. We need to unlearn the conditioning that ties our worth to productivity and instead rest simply because we're human beings, not because we've "earned" it. Map your phases to the seasons. Tracking how you feel over roughly three months reveals patterns you can map to the four seasons of nature, so you can lean into your strengths at each phase. Boundaries build trust — in yourself and with others. A simple move like a cycle-aware out-of-office message protects your energy and quietly gives others permission to rest too. Honouring your cycle can transform your health. Since fully integrating cycle awareness into her work, Morin says her PMDD symptoms have been virtually non-existent. Episode Highlights 01:00: Morin introduces herself as a feminist brand strategist building identity-led, cycle-aware businesses. 02:00: Her untraditional start in design — including designing backstage passes for a founding member of the Velvet Underground — and burning out within 10 months at a big branding agency. 07:00: The "penny drop" moment: realising the four phases of the menstrual cycle mirror the four seasons of nature. 09:00: Why rest shouldn't be treated as a productivity hack — we deserve it simply for being human. 15:00: The boundary that changed everything: Morin's cycle-aware out-of-office reply and blocking out "bleed" days in her calendar. 21:00: How honouring her cycle made Morin's PMDD symptoms virtually disappear, plus the "spoons" model for thinking about finite energy. 32:00: The story behind the name Rosie Futures, and how embodying her cyclical brand transformed her business. About the Guest Website: rosyfutures.com — sign up for her newsletter, Rosy Letters Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosy.futures/ Mentioned in the Episode Spoon theory – the concept Morin references for thinking about finite daily energy, popular within neurodivergent communities. Meg Lewis – a designer I've had on the podcast before, referenced in our chat about breaking industry "rules" around how designers are supposed to work and present themselves. Hannah and Lois – friends of the podcast, mentioned in relation to a past episode on redefining success and unpicking the fear of growth. I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

In today's solo episode, I'm reflecting on the role joy plays in building a business that actually feels sustainable. I share why it is so important to notice the work, marketing and opportunities that genuinely light you up, rather than forcing yourself into someone else's version of success. This is your reminder that you can build a business around your strengths, your energy and the things you truly enjoy. I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written, recorded and produced by me If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes including this one on YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review! Key Takeaways Joy is useful information The parts of your business that energise you can reveal where your strengths, interests and best opportunities lie. You do not have to market like everyone else Podcasting, video, writing, LinkedIn or something else entirely can be the right fit. Choose the channel that helps you show up with enthusiasm. Knowing yourself creates a more sustainable business The clearer you are on what you enjoy, what drains you and what matters to you, the easier it is to make decisions that feel aligned. Permission to do things differently is powerful There will always be opinions about the "right" way to run a business. You can take what helps and leave the rest. Alignment makes consistency easier Going all in on work you genuinely enjoy is more likely to feel sustainable than forcing yourself to follow strategies you resent. Episode Highlights 00:10 – Why joy has become an important lens for how I approach my business 02:20 – Recognising the difference between what you think you should do and what you genuinely enjoy 05:00 – Finding marketing methods that suit your personality and strengths 08:00 – Letting go of outside opinions and choosing what works for you 10:55 – Permission to pursue the parts of business that light you up 12:01 – Reflections on being a podcast guest and how conversation can bring clarity

Recorded Live at The St Bride Foundation in London, on today's special podcast episode I chat to Mr Bingo. Illustrator-turned-Artist and self-described "silly man" Mr Bingo and I talk about building a creative career on your own terms. We chat about the life-changing Kickstarter and his offensive postcards, opening a one-day-a-week shop in London. We chat about making work people genuinely connect with, marketing without the cringe, and why following your own curiosity can lead to the most unexpected opportunities. If you missed out on being in the room for this one I really hope you enjoy it and if you're interested in being there for the next live podcast recording sign up to the waitlist to be the first to hear all about it! The event was sponsored by Adobe Express. I've been working with Adobe for over 5 years now and I use their tools every single day. Adobe Express has become an integral tool that I use as a small business owner and as a branding designer it's brilliant for setting up the branding I create for my clients!

In this solo episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of my second live podcast recording event. I'm sharing what it was really like to sell tickets, coordinate all the moving parts, host two very different guests, and navigate the inevitable last-minute chaos. It was a brilliant night and I'm so proud of how it came together, but there were plenty of lessons along the way too. The event was sponsored by Adobe Express. I've been working with Adobe for over 5 years now and I use their tools every single day. Adobe Express has become an integral tool that I use as a small business owner and as a branding designer it's brilliant for setting up the branding I create for my clients! If you haven't tried it yet check out this link to give it a ago and I would love to hear how you get on! Key Takeaways You can feel nervous and still create something brilliant Selling tickets and putting your name to an event can feel deeply vulnerable, but nerves do not mean you have made the wrong choice. Atmosphere matters more than hitting a perfect number Around 85 people created a room that felt both lively and intimate, proving that the quality of connection matters more than a specific attendance target. Different perspectives can create a stronger conversation Although the guests had very different stories and experiences, their conversations revealed shared themes around creativity, self-doubt and moving through challenges. Good events are built through many small details From ticketing and tech to photography, goodie bags and audience questions, thoughtful planning helps create an experience people remember. Community turns a podcast into something bigger Bringing listeners together transformed what is usually a solitary experience into a warm, collective one—and the audience's encouragement shaped the whole evening. Reflection helps each event become better than the last Every event brings lessons, from allowing enough time for technical set-up and pack-down to choosing tools that make check-in smoother. Progress comes from noticing what worked and refining what did not. Episode Highlights 00:00 – Why I wanted to debrief my second live podcast event while it was still fresh 01:05 – Launching tickets, setting a goal and the emotional reality of selling seats 04:01 – Choosing the venue and inviting two very different guests 06:17 – How the conversations came together through shared human themes 08:35 – Behind the scenes: tech, photography, video, scheduling and logistics 11:37 – The final lead-up: client deadlines, a sick child and finding the energy to host 13:25 – What made the event meaningful: audience connection, goodie bags and lessons for next time I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written, recorded and produced by me If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes including this one on YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

Recorded Live at The St Bride Foundation in London, on today's special podcast episode I chat to Ola Pelovangu. Ola is a return guest and was first on the podcast all the way at the beginning for episode 7! She is a full time content creator and (soon to be) mum of 6 and wife. Ola has a background in brand partnerships and media; previously global brand partnerships manager at TikTok and prior to that Head of beauty, fashion and media brand partnerships at global media and entertainment. She has been a full time content creator along side her family aka The Pelo Fam for over 5 years now. This converstation is full of candid insight into what goes into being a full time content creator, facilitating home education for their children and how Ola and her husband Darcy manage their lives together. If you missed out on being in the room for this one I really hope you enjoy it and if you're interested in being there for the next live podcast recording sign up to the waitlist to be the first to hear all about it! The event was sponsored by Adobe Express. I've been working with Adobe for over 5 years now and I use their tools every single day. Adobe Express has become an integral tool that I use as a small business owner and as a branding designer it's brilliant for setting up the branding I create for my clients!