Gen X Women in Business

Episode 12: From Choir Camp to Business Strategy: Not the Tale You Expected

What does choir camp have to do with business strategy? More than you'd think. In this episode, Bel shares what happened when she stepped well outside her comfort zone and joined Soul Song Choirs earlier this year. As a self-described non-singer who didn't even make it through high school musical auditions, spending a weekend at choir camp was, by her own admission, an experience times ten. But somewhere between the harmonies and the clapping at the wrong moment, two business insights landed hard. The first is about age. One of the things that struck Bel most at camp was how impossible it was to guess anyone's age. In a room full of women spanning 40 to 70, nobody was sitting on the sidelines waiting for permission. And if you've ever caught yourself thinking "why would I start that now?" or "isn't it a bit late for me to be doing this?" - this one's for you. The second is about doing the thing that scares you. Whether it's showing up on social media, launching a podcast, pivoting your business, or creating a new program - most of us know the fear. We also know we've survived harder things. Bel talks about why Gen X women in particular have more proof of their adaptability than they give themselves credit for, and how that matters more than most of us realise. This episode is also an honest reflection on what it feels like to be in a business that no longer fits. If you've built something that made sense for your 30-year-old self but feels misaligned now, you're not alone, and you're not stuck. In this episode: * Why Bel joined a community choir (and what that has to do with you) * The age thing - why it's a mindset issue, not a timing issue * Doing scary things: social media, podcasting, pivoting, and starting fresh * The question Bel asks herself instead of "what if it doesn't work?" * Why Gen X women have more proof of their resilience than they realise The question worth sitting with this week: What would it feel like to be in a business that is actually aligned with who you are right now? Where to find Belinda: Website: www.belindabayliss.co Instagram: @belindabayliss.co Facebook: Belinda Bayliss Co This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional psychological advice. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please reach out to a qualified health professional.

Episode 11: Lessons from Losing My Voice: Gratitude and Growth

I'm a chatterbox. Always have been. So when I lost my voice for almost two weeks, it threw my whole world (and business) into a bit of chaos. In this episode I'm sharing the five things this experience taught me, told countdown-style. In this episode: * Why being quiet is harder than it sounds when your voice is your main business tool * The podcast banking lesson I should have learnt the first time (and didn't) * The "awkward middle child" problem of small business owners: not great at being sick, hate letting people down, and find it hard to ask for help * What happens when two people in one house lose their voices at the same time (washing pile included) * The biggest lesson of all: gratitude for health, for feedback, and for the work I get to do If you've ever pushed through when your body was telling you to stop, or struggled to ask for help when you needed it, this one's for you. Enjoyed this episode? If something resonated, forward this episode to a friend who might need to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you're feeling generous, a five-star rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts goes a long way. Where to find Belinda: Belinda Bayliss Co www.belindabayliss.co BelindaBayliss.co (Insta) and Belinda Bayliss Co (Facey_ Want more chat straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter here [https://belindabayliss.co/]  The Gen X Women in Business Podcast is produced for general educational and informational purposes only. Nothing shared here constitutes professional psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should not be treated as such. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek support from a qualified professional. Where guests appear on this podcast, their opinions and views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Belinda Bayliss Co or the Gen X Women in Business Podcast. Always seek the advice of a qualified professional with any questions you may have.

Episode 10 - Finding Your Tribe — Community, Connection and Belonging in Midlife and Business

Community. Tribe. Circle. Whatever you call it, belonging matters. And in midlife, especially as a female founder, it hits differently. In this episode, Bel unpacks why connection shifts so significantly across our lives. From school friendships and the great post-education scatter, to the sideline communities of parenting years, to the particular kind of loneliness that can creep in when you're running a business and navigating the hormonal rollercoaster of perimenopause and beyond. She shares stories from her own journey. The Southbank Sirens, back-of-the-pack triathlon life, business besties who travel from all corners of Australia just to be in the same room. And she makes the case that community isn't a nice-to-have. It's a business strategy. It's a nervous system strategy. It's a staying-in-the-game strategy. In this episode, Bel covers: * Why friendship and connection naturally fragment across our 20s, 30s and 40s, and what that leaves behind * The specific isolation that comes with being a female founder. No colleagues, no water cooler, often working from home * The sandwich generation, menopause, and why so many women start to quietly retreat just when connection matters most * Six reasons community is genuinely essential in midlife. Decision-making, nervous system co-regulation, permission by proximity and more * Why seeing real women doing real bold things is more powerful than any Instagram reel promising 10k days * Bel's own experience of medical menopause at 26, finding her people, and why she's now an associate member of the Australian Menopause Society A gentle nudge: If this one resonated, I would love it if you could send it to your business bestie. Or the woman you think needs a reminder that she's not alone. Hit subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Every interaction helps more women in business find this podcast. Which is kind of the whole point. Gen X Women in Business is hosted by Belinda Bayliss. Business mindset coach, online educator and the Gen X friend with a psychology degree you didn't know you needed. Want to know more about Belinda and what she offers  - check her out at... Website: www.belindabayliss.co Insta - belindabayliss.co Facebook: Belinda Bayliss Co    Sonnet 4.6 Low 

Episode 9: Doing Business on Your Own Terms: A Conversation with Dr. Hayley D. Quinn

We talk a lot about self-compassion like it's a nice idea -- something to aspire to on a good day. This conversation with Dr. Hayley D. Quinn goes a lot deeper than that. Hayley is a mindset and wellbeing coach, speaker, author, and former clinical psychologist with nearly two decades of clinical experience. She's also a late-diagnosed autistic woman with ADHD who's spent years figuring out what it actually means to work in a way that honours who you are -- and she brings all of that to this conversation. We cover a lot of ground, including why self-compassion is so often misread as softness (it isn't -- courage and wisdom are at the heart of it), the three flows of compassion and why receiving it tends to be the one most high-achieving women struggle with most, and what happens in midlife when the identity you've built around caring for others starts to shift. Hayley also talks about her book From Self-Neglect to Self-Compassion -- how it came to be, what it's really asking of readers, and why she included guided meditations you can record in your own voice. Plus -- practical stuff. How Hayley structures her work week, why white space in your diary isn't a luxury, body doubling as a real productivity tool, and why she's doing pottery on purpose even when it's imperfect. There's a lot in this one. Take what's useful and leave the rest -- as Hayley would say. In this episode we talk about: * Why compassion is built on courage, not kindness alone * The three flows of compassion -- and why receiving help is often the hardest * Midlife identity shifts as an opening, not just a loss * How Hayley structures her work as a neurodivergent business owner * The case for white space, rest, and the occasional nap (nappetizer, anyone?) * From Self-Neglect to Self-Compassion -- what Hayley hopes readers take away * Finding joy outside of work, even when work is something you love Connect with Dr. Hayley D. Quinn: Website https://drhayleydquinn.com [https://drhayleydquinn.com/] From Self-Neglect to Self-Compassion Book https://drhayleydquinn.com/product/book/ [https://drhayleydquinn.com/product/book/] Podcast https://drhayleydquinn.com/podcast/ [https://drhayleydquinn.com/podcast/] Free Resource  https://drhayleydquinn.com/resources/ [https://drhayleydquinn.com/resources/] Instagram https://instagram.com/drhayleydquinn/ [https://instagram.com/drhayleydquinn/] LinkedIn Linkedin.com/in/dr-hayley-d-quinn-43386533 [http://linkedin.com/in/dr-hayley-d-quinn-43386533] Facebook https://facebook.com/drhayleydquinnbrisbane [https://facebook.com/drhayleydquinnbrisbane] You can connect with Belinda: Insta: @belindabayliss.co Website: www.belindabayliss.co Facebook: Belinda Bayliss co

Episode 8 - The Gratitude Habit - Why Noticing Changes Everything

Gratitude shows up everywhere online - but is it actually doing anything for you, or is it just a nice idea you scroll past? In this episode, Bel gets into what makes gratitude genuinely useful - and it has everything to do with how you train your brain to notice things. (There's a story about a sports car in traffic that explains it better than any neuroscience lecture.) She also unpacks what gratitude has to do with midlife specifically - the freedom, the fewer cares given, and the quiet shift in what actually matters - and how leaning into it on the hard business days can genuinely change your perspective without tipping into toxic positivity. Plus, six practical ways to weave gratitude into your day - none of which take more than a minute. In this episode: * Why gratitude works better as a practice than a one-off moment * The "new car" effect and what it tells us about how our brains are wired * What Bel is genuinely grateful for in midlife - and why caring less about strangers' opinions is a gift * The freedom that comes with being your own boss in this season of life * How to reframe the small catastrophes of a hard business day * Six simple ways to build a gratitude practice that actually sticks Connect with Bel: Instagram: @belindabayliss.co Website: belindabayliss.co Newsletter: The Midweek Pause If this episode landed for you, share it with someone who could use a 10-minute reset. A rating or review also helps more women find the show.