Helen Wallis' Journey: From Performer to Mentor, Building Confidence Beyond the Spotlight

Helen Wallis' Journey: From Performer to Mentor, Building Confidence Beyond the Spotlight

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2386041/fan_mail/new] From centre stage to creating stages for others, this episode of the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast welcomes Helen Wallis, performer, choreographer, business owner, coach and founder of TADAA, The Alternative Dramatic Arts Academy.  Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C Nicole Louise Geddes dives into Helen Wallis' journey from a captivated young girl in a village hall to international performer, choreographer, mother and entrepreneur.  Along the way, Helen shares candid reflections on risk-taking, motherhood, grief and career reinvention, revealing how each twist shaped her path.  Discover how performers possess more transferable skills than they realise, and how Helen found greater purpose in helping the next generation shine. Whether you're a creative considering your next pivot or simply need inspiration to reinvent yourself, this episode promises raw, powerful reminders that the end of one act is merely the beginning of another. Chapters 00:00 Helen on Creativity and Mentorship 05:52 Encouraging a career in performance 07:25 Encouraging adaptability and reinvention 09:43 Importance of transferable skills 13:15 The joy of teaching dance 18:22 Heart-led business leadership 22:26 Finding audition songs back then 24:08 Trusting Your Gut in Business 29:20 Feeling Stuck and Finding Answers 30:40 Taking chances and finding direction 33:16 Documenting memories before smartphones 37:04 Importance of Continued Education 📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur 📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Trusting Your Instincts: How Sammie Searle Built an Award-Winning Business

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2386041/fan_mail/new] Trusting Your Instincts: How Sammie Searle Built an Award-Winning Business. Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C Welcome to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast! In this special Spotlight series episode, Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Sammie Searle: performer, entrepreneur and the heart behind award-winning children's entertainment business Boogie Tots.  After building a successful career on stage and overseas, Sammie decided to create her own spotlight, founding a thriving business that helps performers craft flexible, fulfilling careers, especially around family life. Today, we dive into Sammie's journey from being labelled "bossy" as a child to embracing her natural leadership as a franchisor and CEO. We’ll talk self-doubt, setbacks, and the art of trusting your instincts, as well as the transferable skills every performer possesses, often without realising it.  If you’re a performer facing a pivotal moment, a parent balancing ambition and family, or simply dreaming of building something meaningful, this is the episode for you. Get ready for honest stories, practical advice, and inspiring proof that sometimes the greatest spotlight is the one you build for yourself. Chapters 00:00 Sammie's entrepreneurial journey 04:10 Reflecting on being a leader 08:39 Prioritising Happiness at Work 11:50 Transitioning skills from entertainment to business 13:43 Gaining confidence and public speaking 17:37 Winning Mompreneur of the Year 21:59 Perseverance in the performing arts 25:14 Joining business coaching programs 28:10 Understanding business layers and learning 29:32 Investing in a boot tops franchise 32:43 Benefits of becoming a franchisee 37:16 Wrapping Up the Episode 📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur 📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Choreographing Your Own Path Emma Bright on Inclusive Dance and PerformerPreneur Success

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2386041/fan_mail/new] Welcome to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast!  Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C In this special Spotlight series episode, Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Emma Bright, co-author of the PerformerPreneur collaboration book, founder of Embody Dance Studio, and creator of the nationally accredited Future Dance Teachers programme.  From following her childhood dreams against the odds to building an inclusive dance community and pioneering opportunities for aspiring teachers, Emma Bright shares how courage, creativity and relentless belief shaped her unique path.  Tune in for an honest, inspiring conversation about leadership, resilience and the real stories behind the sequins. Whether you're a performer, educator, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is a powerful reminder: there’s no single route to success, and the boldest journeys often start by choreographing your own path. Chapters 00:00 Emma's journey in dance entrepreneurship 04:55 Embracing the uniqueness of my dance school 09:26 Love for dance inspires teaching 13:09 Creating a Training Program 16:07 Navigating child work permits 19:28 Bridging passion and purpose 21:53 Balancing success and responsibility 25:51 Building the studio post-COVID 27:54 Realities of entrepreneurial success 32:33 Inspiring a friend to pursue therapy 34:03 Encouraging collaboration with Emma 📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur 📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Dragon's Den to 85 Razzamataz Schools: Denise Hutton-Gosney | Ep 89

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2386041/fan_mail/new] From a first dance class at 11 to a Dragon's Den deal and 85 theatre schools, Denise Hutton-Gosney is living proof there's no single path to success. Grab Spotlight on Success on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spotlight-Success-Passion-Meets-Purpose/dp/B0FFH88B1C In this Spotlight Series episode, host Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Denise Hutton-Gosney, founder of Razzamataz Theatre Schools and the person who wrote the foreword for Spotlight on Success.  Denise shares the full arc: growing up in Renfrew with money tight, catching the dance bug late, performing as a trapeze artist at the Millennium Dome and the London Palladium, and then building one of the UK's biggest performing arts franchises after her time in the spotlight came to an end. It's an honest, warm conversation about the "spotlight shift" every performer eventually feels, and why the end of one act is only the beginning of another. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN * Why there's no one path to success, and how a late start can still lead to an empire * How to spot the "spotlight shift" and plan your second act before you're forced to * Using franchising to scale a passion into 85 UK schools plus international territories * What Dragon's Den was really like, and the seven-year partnership with Duncan Bannatyne * Why performing arts training builds confidence that transfers to any career * How to beat imposter syndrome by staying curious and finding the right mentors ABOUT DENISE Denise Hutton-Gosney is the founder of Razzamataz Theatre Schools, now with 85 schools across the UK plus master franchises in the UAE (Dubai) and the Republic of Ireland. A former dancer and trapeze artist, she took the business onto Dragon's Den, secured investment from Duncan Bannatyne and later bought her shares back, and went on to win a ten-year contract with TUI. She wrote the foreword for Spotlight on Success. ABOUT THE SERIES The Spotlight Series features the co-authors and creatives behind Spotlight on Success, the PerformerPreneur book redefining what success looks like both in and out of the showbiz spotlight. LINKS * Denise's Dragon's Den episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00b3kkm * Razzmatazz Theatre Schools: https://www.razzamataz.co.uk/ Found this inspiring? Hit like, follow or subscribe, and tag @performapreneur across socials. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and introducing Denise Hutton-Gosney 01:02 The Spotlight Series and hello from Denise 02:05 From Renfrew to the Millennium Dome 05:22 The spotlight shift 06:23 Why the theatre school was born 07:47 Juggling classes across the North 09:57 Scaling Razzamataz through franchising 11:05 How big Razzamataz is today 11:40 Imposter syndrome and staying curious 13:43 The Dragon's Den story 15:29 Does performing arts build confidence 17:53 Crossing paths and why the book matters 20:33 How the Razzamataz franchise works 22:52 Passion, purpose and legacy 24:10 You can have it all 26:54 Closing thoughts and outro #ShowbizSideHustle #SpotlightOnSuccess #Performapreneur #DragonsDen #PerformerToEntrepreneur #TheatreSchool #SecondAct #WomenInBusiness 📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

The Publishing Journey of Spotlight on Success 2nd Ed. with Jo Wildsmith - Ep. 88

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2386041/fan_mail/new] Most people think getting published means uploading to Amazon and hoping for the best. Jo Wildsmith does it properly. In this episode of the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast, host Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with her publishing partner, Jo Wildsmith, the woman behind the publishing of the second edition of Spotlight on Success.  They go behind the scenes of what it really takes to publish a book: building a proper publishing entity, getting listed in Waterstones and libraries, and why selling beyond Amazon matters far more than most authors realise.  Nicole also shares the foreword coup that landed a Dragon's Den success story at the front of the book. This is the final episode before the big launch. The second edition of Spotlight on Success goes live on 30th June 2026, with 18 inspiring performers sharing how they pivoted their careers beyond the stage and built something of their own. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome and one week to launch 00:30 Meet Jo Wildsmith, the publishing partner 02:31 Why Spotlight on Success became a second edition 06:29 The new co-authors and their stories 08:04 The foreword: a Dragon's Den coup 11:59 Building Jo Wildsmith Publishing 14:12 The Matinee Mixer and live events 17:59 Inside publishing a second edition 21:39 Why authors should look beyond Amazon 22:36 Where to find Jo and grab the book #PerformerPreneur #ShowbizSideHustle #SpotlightOnSuccess #SelfPublishing #BookPublishing #PublishingABook #PerformersWhoPivot #SideHustle #AuthorJourney #IndieAuthor #FromStageToBusiness #portfoliocareer  📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ 🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur 📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss Connect with Nicole: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/ #ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur