Light On Your Feet: Staying Agile in Business with Jess Hodge

The Great Communicator: Confidence and Speaking Skills for Everyday Business with Aliénor Hunter

Delivering a big presentation is one thing, but speaking confidently in everyday business situations is what really builds trust and rapport... but it may not come naturally. Strong communication is a skill like any other, as you'll hear from today's guest, Aliénor Hunter. As an everyday speaking coach, Aliénor is dedicated to helping others develop their confidence when it comes to speaking - from huge boardroom meetings to smaller, equally important interactions. Formerly very shy herself, listen for the strategies, habits and grounding techniques which Aliénor uses with her own clients, and which helped her go from quiet worker to professional speaking coach. Key Moments: * The Simple Trick for Stopping a Runaway Conversation (2:52) * Why Small Talk Doesn't Have to Feel Fake (5:23) * The Secret to Building Genuine Rapport With Anyone (6:50) * Why People Remember Feelings, Not Facts (9:23) * The Right Way to Help a Nervous Colleague (12:16) * How to Rescue Yourself When Panic Hits Mid-Meeting ( 14:00) * Why Body Language Tips Are a Waste of Your Time (18:33) * The One Speaking Moment You're Avoiding (And Shouldn't Be) (3:19) * Why Waiting Until You Feel Ready Is a Trap(25:14 * Confidence Beats Content Every Time (27:33) * Summary of Key Advice (31:11) * Aliénor's Kitchen Bench Moment (32:22) About Aliénor: After beginning her career as a shy data analyst, a transformative public speaking course showed Aliénor that she wasn't destined to be a poor communicator forever. Now a full-time business coach, owner of her own speaking company Voxii, she designs workshops for the world’s best at companies like Google and Meta. Her specialty is in helping quiet technical people thrive at work, but is proud to help those from all kinds of backgrounds, from CEOs to content creators. Connect with Aliénor on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ali%C3%A9nor-hunter Not sure what's holding you back...? Every entrepreneur faces invisible blockers. Discover which one is at play for you so you can move forward with confidence. Take the free Homegrown CEO Blocker Quiz now. It’s quick, free, and gives you instant clarity on where to focus next. Follow this link to get started [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com]: https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com] Join our community! Become a member of our online community and get exclusive bonus episodes, access to new episodes before general release, and premium PDFs of every episode’s key takeaways. You'll also receive practical tools and resources to fuel your professional journey, including guided challenges, forums and live sessions. Most importantly, you'll be part of a supportive network of entrepreneurs, leaders and professionals, brought together by a mutual desire to learn from and support one another. Join now using the promo code PODCAST for 50% off your first two months! Click the link to register: https://homegrown-ceo.mn.co/landing/ Got a lesson to share? We are always happy to hear from inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders! If your journey could pass on some pearls of wisdom, please do get in touch about joining us as a guest: liv@homegrown.ceo

Connect The Dots: The Human Skills AI Will Never Replace

In this slightly different episode, producer Liv Cowle steps in front of the microphone to connect the dots on a few recent conversations... Across our vast range of topics and expert guests, the theme of human connection, behaviour and skillsets kept appearing, particularly with regards to technology and AI. But what does that tell us, exactly? With excerpts from our conversations with Tahnee Perry, Faris Aranki and Alessandra di Lorenzo, Liv explores the reason why human skills still win in an increasingly digital workplace. Key Moments: * A 5-year-old asks Google to dinner (3:14) * The danger of voice searches (4:21) * "Driver vs. Passenger" framework for using AI intentionally (5:53) * "Don't outsource your thinking to an AI that doesn't know you" (6:31) * Why specialists are so sought after despite AI (7:42) * How performance increased through peer connections (11:33) * Bypass the AI gatekeeper — go back to the real world (15:58) * Discovery & conversion collapsing inside platforms — websites must evolve (16:40) * Closing thoughts (18:53) Episodes Referenced: * Good Content Is Not Enough: What Actually Gets Your Business Seen Online with Alessandra di Lorenzo [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-content-is-not-enough-what-actually-gets-your/id1883010901?i=1000769398603] * Be the Driver: How to Stand Out in the AI Revolution with Tahnee Perry [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-the-driver-how-to-stand-out-in-the-ai/id1883010901?i=1000760994610] * Read the Room: Emotional Intelligence Strategies for Business Leaders with Faris Aranki [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/read-the-room-emotional-intelligence-strategies-for/id1883010901?i=1000755518216] Not sure what's holding you back...? Every entrepreneur faces invisible blockers. Discover which one is at play for you so you can move forward with confidence. Take the free Homegrown CEO Blocker Quiz now. It’s quick, free, and gives you instant clarity on where to focus next. Follow this link to get started [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com]: https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com] Join our community! Become a member of our online community and get exclusive bonus episodes, access to new episodes before general release, and premium PDFs of every episode’s key takeaways. You'll also receive practical tools and resources to fuel your professional journey, including guided challenges, forums and live sessions. Most importantly, you'll be part of a supportive network of entrepreneurs, leaders and professionals, brought together by a mutual desire to learn from and support one another. Join now using the promo code PODCAST for 50% off your first two months! Click the link to register: https://homegrown-ceo.mn.co/landing/ Got a lesson to share? We are always happy to hear from inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders! If your journey could pass on some pearls of wisdom, please do get in touch about joining us as a guest: liv@homegrown.ceo Mentioned in this episode: Bonus Content For access to this episode's bonus content, including more of our conversation and a downloadable PDF of the key takeaways, join our thriving online community. Make new connections, build lasting habits, and become part of an exciting new network. Start your 7 day free trial now, and use the promo code PODCAST at the checkout for 50% off your first two months. Join the Community [https://homegrown-ceo.captivate.fm/community]

Charge What You're Worth: What Happens When You Start Pricing With Confidence with Robin Waite

You probably know you're undercharging... So how do you get past the discomfort of raising prices? Joined by Robin Waite, a business coach, author and founder of Fearless Business [https://www.fearless.biz/], you'll hear about the exact mindset practices and business frameworks successfully used by his own clients, as well as the psychology behind pricing and Robin's own personal experience of running a financially sustainable business. From establishing a fair price to communicating with clients, this episode is dedicated to giving you the confidence, rationale and strategy to comfortably charge what you're worth. Key Moments: * Why Hourly Rates Are Fundamentally Flawed (1:43) * The Three Web Designers Framework (2:08) * Pricing for Profit, Not Volume (5:12) * The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything (7:08) * The Psychology Behind Undercharging (9:31) * Proposals Are a Polite No (12:51) * How to Coach the Client on Budget (15:54) * The One-Day Branding Workshop Breakthrough (17:44) * Communicating Price Rises to Existing Clients (22:06) * The 5× Pricing Experiment (24:03) * The Head vs. Heart Pricing Auction (25:16) * Three Takeaways for Leaders (29:14) * Robin's Kitchen Bench Moment (31:39) About Robin: Over the last 20 years, Robin has supported thousands of entrepreneurs to create more time, more revenue, and more freedom by challenging conventional thinking around pricing, mindset, and marketing. He is the founder of Fearless Business, a business coach, bestselling author, and speaker who helps coaches, consultants, and freelancers confidently charge more and build profitable, productised service businesses. Since founding Fearless Business in 2017, Robin has gone on to speak alongside leading voices like Ali Abdaal, Chris Do, Simon Squibb, Nischa, and Daniel Priestley. He’s the author of several bestselling books, including Take Your Shot, Online Business Startup, and the upcoming release of Fearless Pricing. Resources Mentioned: * Fearless Business (Robin's coaching practice) - https://www.fearless.biz/ * Fearless Pricing, Robin Waite (available 2nd June 2026) - https://amzn.eu/d/00uojiYc * Built to Sell, John Warrillow (2013) - https://amzn.eu/d/0dHOc0ja * Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss (2017) - https://amzn.eu/d/04t7JCil Not sure what's holding you back...? Every entrepreneur faces invisible blockers. Discover which one is at play for you so you can move forward with confidence. Take the free Homegrown CEO Blocker Quiz now. It’s quick, free, and gives you instant clarity on where to focus next. Follow this link to get started [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com]: https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com] Join our community! Become a member of our online community and get exclusive bonus episodes, access to new episodes before general release, and premium PDFs of every episode’s key takeaways. You'll also receive practical tools and resources to fuel your professional journey, including guided challenges, forums and live sessions. Most importantly, you'll be part of a supportive network of entrepreneurs, leaders and professionals, brought together by a mutual desire to learn from and support one another. Join now using the promo code PODCAST for 50% off your first two months! Click the link to register: https://homegrown-ceo.mn.co/landing/ Got a lesson to share? We are always happy to hear from inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders! If your journey could pass on some pearls of wisdom, please do get in touch about joining us as a guest: liv@homegrown.ceo Mentioned in this episode: Bonus Content For access to this episode's bonus content, including more of our conversation and a downloadable PDF of the key takeaways, join our thriving online community. Make new connections, build lasting habits, and become part of an exciting new network. Start your 7 day free trial now, and use the promo code PODCAST at the checkout for 50% off your first two months. Join the Community [https://homegrown-ceo.captivate.fm/community]

Good Content Is Not Enough: What Actually Gets Your Business Seen Online with Alessandra di Lorenzo

No one really knows how the internet works… or do they? As a business owner, understanding the basics of how it actually operates today will give you a massive advantage. Alessandra di Lorenzo spent over two decades building the predictive systems that now shape everything we see online. In this conversation, she lifts the curtain on how it works, what’s coming next, and what to do about it as a business owner. From updating your website to future trends in digital marketing, this conversation will give you the exact steps to take to get your business seen online. KEY MOMENTS: * The Internet Is One Big Persuasive System (1:36) * The Four As Powering Every Screen (6:53) * Why Your Great Content Isn’t Performing (9:14) * Bypass the Gatekeeper — Go Back to Basics (10:01) * The Case for Brand Building Over Performance Marketing (10:49) * What Still Works: SEO Hasn't Gone Away (15:34) * The WhatsApp Group Trick for Early Engagement (17:30) * Why Comments Beat Likes Every Time (18:49) * Direct Traffic Is Your Most Valuable Asset (21:07) * Why Your Website Is No Longer a Sales Channel (22:01) * Stop Overspending on Your Website (25:17) * Quality Is the Only Winning Strategy Left (26:24) * Get Offline: Why Old-school Tactics Still Work (27:51) * Three Takeaways for Leaders (30:56) * Alessandra's Kitchen Bench Moment (32:29) About Alessandra: Alessandra di Lorenzo is an author, speaker and adviser with over twenty years’ experience in digital media, advertising, technology and platform businesses. She has held senior leadership roles at companies including lastminute.com, eBay, Vodafone, Nokia, Yahoo and Monks, working across marketing, commercial strategy, digital transformation and media monetisation. As CEO of lastminute.com Media, I led a high-growth media business at the intersection of travel, advertising and technology. Her work now focuses on helping people and organisations understand how the internet really works today — from algorithms and advertising systems to AI, data and digital influence. RESOURCES MENTIONED: * Alessandra’s Website [https://alessandradilorenzo.com/] * ADJUST: How Ads Shape What We Think and Do [https://www.amazon.co.uk/ADJUST-HOW-SHAPE-WHAT-THINK/dp/B0F2774FSR/], Alessandra di Lorenzo * Recommended Resources for Parents [https://alessandradilorenzo.com/for-parents] https://alessandradilorenzo.com/for-parents Not sure what's holding you back...? Every entrepreneur faces invisible blockers. Discover which one is at play for you so you can move forward with confidence. Take the free Homegrown CEO Blocker Quiz now. It’s quick, free, and gives you instant clarity on where to focus next. Follow this link to get started [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com]: https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com] Join our community! Become a member of our online community and get exclusive bonus episodes, access to new episodes before general release, and premium PDFs of every episode’s key takeaways. You'll also receive practical tools and resources to fuel your professional journey, including guided challenges, forums and live sessions. Most importantly, you'll be part of a supportive network of entrepreneurs, leaders and professionals, brought together by a mutual desire to learn from and support one another. Join now using the promo code PODCAST for 50% off your first two months! Click the link to register: https://homegrown-ceo.mn.co/landing/ Got a lesson to share? We are always happy to hear from inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders! If your journey could pass on some pearls of wisdom, please do get in touch about joining us as a guest: liv@homegrown.ceo Mentioned in this episode: Bonus Content For access to this episode's bonus content, including more of our conversation and a downloadable PDF of the key takeaways, join our thriving online community. Make new connections, build lasting habits, and become part of an exciting new network. Start your 7 day free trial now, and use the promo code PODCAST at the checkout for 50% off your first two months. Join the Community [https://homegrown-ceo.captivate.fm/community]

Write the Book: How to Turn Your Expertise into the Next Big Opportunity with Gillian Whitney

As a business owner, you already have a book inside you — you just haven't organised it yet. In a world dominated by social media, short-form content and highlight reels, do business books still matter? The short answer: absolutely. Books can open doors that no amount of video content or social media ever will, as emphasised by our guest, Gillian Whitney. As a six-time author and professional book coach, Gillian will unveil why a book holds the key to new opportunities, how to overcome the mental block, and what to do first. Writer or not, you'll leave this episode ready to lay down that first chapter. Key Moments: * Why Books Still Matter in a World of Social Media (1:27) * Publishing Opens Doors Immediately (3:55) * Gillian's 21-Year-Long Writer's Bock (5:01) * How to Choose Which Book to Write (8:46) * Start With a Lead Magnet, Expand Into a Book (10:01) * Why You Don't Have to Write to Be an Author (11:37) * The Reason You're Likely Two-Thirds Done Already (12:13) * AI's Place in Writing a Book (12:40) * AI Is Your Admin Assistant, Not Your Ghostwriter (14:12) * Alternative ways to Author a Book (15:33) * How to Find What's Holding You Back (6:46) * Identifying Your Ideal Reader (24:37) * Three Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting (26:07) * Gillian's Kitchen Bench Moment (30:01) About Gillian: Gillian Whitney is a Business Book Coach and Author Visibility Strategist who helps experts and consultants turn their knowledge into published books that build authority and attract clients. A six-time author and podcast host, she developed her Easy Peasy system after spending 21 years navigating the publishing journey herself. Having coached hundreds of professionals through writing, self-publishing, and LinkedIn visibility strategy, Gillian's mission is simple: help business professionals become the obvious expert in their market — one book at a time. Resources Mentioned: * What Book Should I Write? [https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Book-Should-Write-Overthinking/dp/B0GQZ67Q9S?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE], Gillian Whitney * Gillian's Website [https://gillianwhitney.com/] * How to Feel More Comfortable on Camera [https://gillianwhitney.com/book-how-to-feel/], Gillian Whitney * Easy Peasy Books [https://easypeasybooks.com/] (Gillian's book coach service) Gillian's Favourite Reads: * Big Magic [https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/big-magic-book-elizabeth-gilbert-9781408866733?sku=GOR007340357&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19554086773&gbraid=0AAAAADZzAIDLsk_OhGtGA08widHQ1vwS_&gclid=CjwKCAjwwpDQBhAuEiwAa-4Wo2JOi9I8Z3n_Ei_TRWEuDBFHA4q17K8tNDA67AVNS6_JTLZz6oH66hoCGc0QAvD_BwE] — Elizabeth Gilbert * The Alchemist [https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/alchemist-book-paulo-coelho-9780722532935#9783673028881] — Paulo Coelho Not sure what's holding you back...? Every entrepreneur faces invisible blockers. Discover which one is at play for you so you can move forward with confidence. Take the free Homegrown CEO Blocker Quiz now. It’s quick, free, and gives you instant clarity on where to focus next. Follow this link to get started [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com]: https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com [https://liv-5cmyfuaf.scoreapp.com] Join our community! Become a member of our online community and get exclusive bonus episodes, access to new episodes before general release, and premium PDFs of every episode’s key takeaways. You'll also receive practical tools and resources to fuel your professional journey, including guided challenges, forums and live sessions. Most importantly, you'll be part of a supportive network of entrepreneurs, leaders and professionals, brought together by a mutual desire to learn from and support one another. Join now using the promo code PODCAST for 50% off your first two months! Click the link to register: https://homegrown-ceo.mn.co/landing/ Got a lesson to share? We are always happy to hear from inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders! If your journey could pass on some pearls of wisdom, please do get in touch about joining us as a guest: liv@homegrown.ceo Mentioned in this episode: Bonus Content For access to this episode's bonus content, including more of our conversation and a downloadable PDF of the key takeaways, join our thriving online community. Make new connections, build lasting habits, and become part of an exciting new network. Start your 7 day free trial now, and use the promo code PODCAST at the checkout for 50% off your first two months. Join the Community [https://homegrown-ceo.captivate.fm/community]