I Was the Product. Then I Built Something That Wasn't Me.

She Has 700,000 Followers and Still Has No Idea What She's Doing

What happens when the thing you're building starts growing faster than your confidence? In this episode of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Sophie, founder of Pretty Little Marketer, one of the most recognised marketing communities in the UK. I've known Sophie since 2020, right at the start of both of our business journeys, so this conversation felt like a full circle moment. From feeling completely underqualified and battling imposter syndrome, to building a thriving platform that supports marketers, creators and business owners, Sophie shares the reality behind growing a business when you're still figuring things out yourself. Because from the outside, it's easy to assume that successful founders have all the answers. The truth is often very different. We talk about the pressure that comes with visibility, the challenges of building a community, how confidence changes as your business grows, and why success doesn't magically make self-doubt disappear. Sophie also shares her unconventional path into marketing, what university taught her, the lessons she's learned from building Pretty Little Marketer, and the realities of running a business in an industry that never slows down. This is a conversation about growth, uncertainty, confidence, and learning to back yourself before you feel ready. If you've ever felt behind, unqualified, or like everyone else has things figured out except you, this episode is for you. Topics we cover: * Building Pretty Little Marketer from the ground up *  Imposter syndrome as a founder *  Community building and audience growth *  Marketing careers and entrepreneurship *  Confidence versus competence *  The realities of running an online business *  Hiring, outsourcing and scaling *  Content creation and social media marketing *  Lessons learned from five years in business *  Advice for aspiring founders and marketers If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl [https://www.instagram.com/itsisobelperl] LinkedIn: Isobel Perl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isobelperl/] YouTube: Isobel Perl [https://www.youtube.com/@perlsinbusiness] Website: perlsinbusiness.com [https://perlsinbusiness.com/] If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

They Ran a £30K Scam on My Business. Here's What I Didn't See Coming.

What happens when your business is falling apart at the same time your personal life is too? In this episode of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Ramona, founder of Rani & Co, for one of the most candid conversations we’ve had yet. From building a feminist slogan clothing brand to pivoting into jewellery, Ramona opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship that rarely make it onto Instagram. The messy decisions, the moments where the business feels like it’s crumbling, and the pressure of having to keep going when life doesn’t pause just because you’re a founder. We talk about navigating a fresh breakup in the middle of Black Friday, leaning on your team when things feel impossible, and the emotional weight that comes with building something people assume is “successful” from the outside. But this conversation goes far deeper than business. Ramona shares what it was really like going through one of the darkest periods of her life, rebuilding after major setbacks, managing intense anxiety, and dealing with family challenges while still showing up as a founder. This is the side of entrepreneurship people don’t talk about enough. The toll, the pressure, the identity tied up in your business and the uncomfortable truth that growth often looks nothing like the polished version we see online. If you’re in the thick of building something right now, feeling overwhelmed, questioning your next move, or just needing a reminder that you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go, this episode is for you. Topics we cover:  ✨ Building Ronnie & Co and the pivot from clothing to jewellery  ✨ Breakups and building a business at the same time  ✨ Founder anxiety, burnout, and mental health  ✨ Rebuilding after business setbacks  ✨ Team culture and leadership during hard seasons  ✨ The emotional reality of entrepreneurship  ✨ Why growth can feel scarier as your business gets bigger Perls of Wisdom is the podcast all about the messy middle of building a business, with honest conversations from founders who are still in it. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl [https://www.instagram.com/itsisobelperl] LinkedIn: Isobel Perl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isobelperl/] YouTube: Isobel Perl [https://www.youtube.com/@perlsinbusiness] Website: perlsinbusiness.com [https://perlsinbusiness.com/] If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

I Made 75% of My Revenue Going Live on TikTok. Here's What It Cost Me.

What does it really take to grow a product-based business from scratch when you’re figuring it all out as you go? In this episode of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Zoe, founder of Into The Eve, to talk about the reality behind building a fast-growing beauty brand from her parents’ spare bedroom into a full warehouse operation with a team of five. Because from the outside, growth can look exciting. New products. Bigger spaces. More customers. Momentum. But behind that? Pressure, uncertainty, trade show chaos, personal sacrifices, mental health struggles, and the constant balancing act of trying to build something meaningful without losing yourself in the process. Zoe opens up candidly about how Into The Eve started, what inspired her to create gentle skincare products for sensitive skin, and how a business that began with handmade soap bars became something so much bigger. We talk about the less glamorous side of scaling, too, because growth is not always as polished as it looks online. In this episode, we get into: - Starting a business from your parents’ home - Building a beauty brand from handmade products - Growing from a solo founder to a team of five - The emotional toll of entrepreneurship - Sacrificing personal life whilst chasing the dream - Preparing for major growth moments like trade shows - Expanding from e-commerce towards retail - The reality of building whilst still figuring it out If you’re in the messy middle of building something yourself, this one will feel very familiar. Because success stories often skip the hard parts. This conversation doesn’t. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl [https://www.instagram.com/itsisobelperl] LinkedIn: Isobel Perl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isobelperl/] YouTube: Isobel Perl [https://www.youtube.com/@perlsinbusiness] Website: perlsinbusiness.com [https://perlsinbusiness.com/] If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

She Started at 18 With £400. Here's What Actually Happened

Building a business online can look glamorous from the outside. Especially when millions of people are watching. But this episode tells a very different story. In episode five of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Amelia, founder of Bijoux De Mimi, the colourful jewellery brand that became a huge success across TikTok and social media. What started with just £400 from selling clothes on Depop turned into one of the most recognisable jewellery brands online. But behind the growth, the viral moments, and the packed pop-ups, Amelia opens up about the pressure that came with it all. From navigating people being “bitchy” about her success, to the emotional toll of building a business so young, this conversation goes far deeper than social media highlights. We talk about:  • Starting a business at 18 years old  • Growing a brand through TikTok before brands understood the platform  • Building a loyal community online  • Dealing with pressure, comparison, and criticism  • The reality of managing money while scaling a business  • Pop-ups, content creation, and influencer marketing  • The emotional side of entrepreneurship nobody talks about  • Relationships being affected by business stress  • Moments where Amelia genuinely felt like shutting it all down At one point, Amelia says:  “But I’ve had nightmares beyond nightmares… my relationship was on the rocks… like I could shut it down tomorrow.” And honestly, that line sums up so much of what this podcast is about. Because Perls of Wisdom is not about pretending business is perfect. It’s about the messy middle. The uncertainty, the chaos, the pressure, and everything founders go through behind the scenes while trying to build something meaningful. This episode is honest, emotional, funny in places, and incredibly relatable for anyone building a business, growing online, or trying to chase something bigger than themselves. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl [https://www.instagram.com/itsisobelperl] LinkedIn: Isobel Perl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isobelperl/] YouTube: Isobel Perl [https://www.youtube.com/@perlsinbusiness] Website: perlsinbusiness.com [https://perlsinbusiness.com/] If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

We Had 10,000 Users & the App Was Crashing Every Day

This episode is a real look at what happens when growth comes before you’re ready for it. I sat down with Nicola to talk about what it actually felt like building her business while everything was moving fast on the outside… and breaking behind the scenes. Because from the outside, hitting milestones like 10,000 users looks like progress. But what people don’t see is what comes with that. The pressure. The expectation. The reality of trying to hold something together while it’s still being built. Nicola shares what it was like navigating a stage where the business was growing, but the systems weren’t keeping up. Where things were going wrong in real time, and there wasn’t a clear roadmap for how to fix it. We talk about the moments where quitting would have been easier. The decisions you have to make without having all the answers. And what it really takes to keep going when things aren’t working the way you expected. This conversation is not about the highlight reel. It’s about the part where things feel unstable, uncertain, and harder than you thought they would be. We get into: *  What growth actually looks like behind the scenes  *  The pressure of scaling before everything is ready  *  Dealing with things breaking while still pushing forward  *  Why the hardest part is often after things start “working”  *  Choosing to continue when quitting feels easier  If you’re building something right now and it feels like you’re constantly figuring it out as you go, this episode will hit. Because this is what it really looks like when things start to grow… and nothing feels fully in control. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl [https://www.instagram.com/itsisobelperl] LinkedIn: Isobel Perl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isobelperl/] YouTube: Isobel Perl [https://www.youtube.com/@perlsinbusiness] Website: perlsinbusiness.com [https://perlsinbusiness.com/] If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x