Building a Marketing Business: The Reality of Freelancing, Clients & Strategy with Suz from Bird & Emmy

What It’s Really Like Leading a Sexual Abuse Support Charity | WRASAC CEO Interview

In this episode of The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series, we’re joined by Katie, CEO of WRASAC Dundee and Angus a charity supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse. This is a slightly different episode to our usual business-focused conversations, but an incredibly important one. Katie shares her journey into the third sector, what it really means to lead an organisation supporting survivors, and the emotional weight that comes with the role. We also talk about the realities behind the scenes — from funding challenges and team wellbeing, to the importance of raising awareness and changing societal perceptions. Since working with WRASAC as a client, I’ve seen first-hand the impact of shining a spotlight on their work — and why more people need to know these services exist. In this episode, we cover: *  What sexual violence support services actually do  *  Common misconceptions about getting support  *  The reality of working in the third sector  *  Leadership in emotionally demanding roles  *  Why awareness and education matter more than ever  Whether you’re interested in charity work, leadership, or simply want to better understand how to support others, this is a conversation everyone should hear. If you or someone you know may need support, WRASAC offers free, confidential services. Learn more about WRASAC: https://www.wrasac.org.uk/ Follow for awareness & updates:  Instagram - @wrasac  TikTok - @wrasacdundee  Donate to WRASAC - https://www.justgiving.com/charity/wrsac-dundee The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series is produced by Greene Creatives. Connect with us: www.greenecreatives.co.uk | Instagram: @greenecreatives

From Home Beauty Business to Salon Owner: Fern from Pallas Beauty

In this episode of The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series, I’m joined by someone very special my best friend, Fern, founder of Pallas Beauty. Fern opened Pallas Beauty in 2018, but her journey started long before that - doing treatments from home, building a loyal client base, and eventually taking the leap into her own salon on Dundee’s Perth Road. This episode is a full circle moment, because Pallas Beauty was actually the very first client of Greene Creatives, before Greene Creatives was even really a business. What started as helping Fern with price lists, a website and social media became the foundation of everything I’ve built since. We talk about: *  how Fern built Pallas Beauty from the ground up  *  the reality of opening and running a salon  *  juggling clients, stock, staff and admin behind the scenes  *  the pressure of self-employment in the beauty industry  *  what lockdown taught her about business  *  why resilience matters so much as a salon owner  If you run a service-based business, dream of opening your own salon, or want a real conversation about what it takes to grow something from scratch, this episode is for you. CONNECT WITH FERN Instagram - @pallas.beauty Website - https://pallasbeauty.com/ The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series is produced by Greene Creatives. Connect with us: www.greenecreatives.co.uk | Instagram: @greenecreatives

How Redundancy Led Me to Start My Own Business | Karyn from EverOrganised

In this episode of The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series, I’m joined by Karyn, founder of EverOrganised a professional organiser and admin specialist who helps busy business owners bring calm to chaos. Karyn’s journey into self-employment didn’t come from always knowing she wanted to run a business. After years working in retail, studying marketing and PR, and then spending 16 years in banking, she was made redundant, and decided to take the leap into building something of her own. We talk about: * being made redundant and using that moment to start a business * leaving the corporate world behind * building EverOrganised from one client and word of mouth * managing business and motherhood * the freedom and pressure that come with working for yourself * why being organised can completely change how you show up in your business If you’ve ever wondered whether redundancy, burnout or feeling stuck in the wrong job could actually be the push you need, this episode will really resonate. CONNECT WITH KARYN: Instagram @everorganised LinkTree - linktr.ee/everorganised The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series is produced by Greene Creatives. Connect with us: www.greenecreatives.co.uk | Instagram: @greenecreatives

Building a Marketing Business: The Reality of Freelancing, Clients & Strategy with Suz from Bird & Emmy

In this episode, I’m joined by Susie from Bird & Emmy, a marketing strategist originally from Cape Town who has spent over 20 years working in the industry across agencies, in-house roles and now running her own business. We talk about what it really looks like to build a marketing business from redundancy and taking the leap into freelancing, to managing clients, setting boundaries and navigating the ever-changing world of marketing. Susie shares insights from working across multiple industries (including oil & gas), how she built her business from scratch while raising her daughter, and the lessons she’s learned over a decade of running Bird & Emmy. If you work in marketing, run a business, or want to understand the strategy behind effective marketing, this episode is packed with honest insights and practical advice. In this episode we discuss: • Starting a marketing business after redundancy  • The reality of freelancing and finding your first clients  • Working across different industries as a marketer  • Why strategy matters more than just posting on social media  • Setting boundaries with clients  • Managing work, life and running your own business CONNECT WITH SUZ: Instagram - @suzabird Website - https://birdandemmy.co.uk/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suz-bird/ The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series is produced by Greene Creatives. Connect with us: www.greenecreatives.co.uk | Instagram: @greenecreatives

Building a Business With My Brain, Not Against It: ADHD, Autism & Identity in Entrepreneurship

This is one of the most personal episodes of The Creative Conversation so far. Today I’m joined by Kay, founder of Kay Meach Artistry, salon owner, makeup artist and someone I’ve worked alongside for nearly eight years. But this conversation isn’t just about beauty or business. At 35, Kay was diagnosed with combined type ADHD and suspected level 1 autism after years of burnout, overwhelm and questioning why things felt harder than they “should.” We talk about:  – Growing up feeling like you wouldn’t amount to much  – Masking, people-pleasing and perfectionism  – Burnout while still showing up for clients  – Late diagnosis in women  – Running a business with a neurodivergent brain  – Imposter syndrome, validation and identity shifts  – Building a life that supports you, not one you have to survive Kay shares what burnout really looked like behind the scenes, how diagnosis reframed her self-worth, and why understanding her brain has made her a stronger businesswoman not a weaker one. If you’re creative, self-employed, neurodivergent, or simply trying to build a life that works for you rather than against you — this episode will resonate deeply. This one is raw, and it matters. CONNECT WITH KAY: Instagram - @kaymeachartistry TikTok - @kaymeachartistry Website - https://www.kaymeachartistry.co.uk/ The Creative Conversation: The Start-Up Series is produced by Greene Creatives. Connect with us: www.greenecreatives.co.uk | Instagram: @greenecreatives