Life at this stage? It’s a paradox.

It’s brilliant and brutal. It’s laughter that makes your eyes leak and pressure that makes your chest tight. It’s rich tea biscuits when you really want a caramel hobnob.

It’s dropping kids at uni, holding parents through illness, running businesses, leading businesses, keeping homes together and still showing up with grit, humour and a grin that hides the whisper of “what the actual fck” under your breath.

Today's episode is how I'm feeling; it's raw and real. It's unfiltered because that what I promised this podcast would be.

I’m talking about the relentless load we carry - the caregiving, the never-ending shoulds, the hormonal rollercoaster, the separation anxiety of even the blinking dog, the anticipation of the grief that I know is coming and the pure, heart-bursting joy that still breaks through.

Because all the things can be true at the same time.

It’s unrelenting. And still… we crack the on.

✨ In this episode, I share:

• The invisible emotional weight women carry and why it’s so often unseen.
• The duality of life right now: joy and ache, ease and unease, noise and solitude.
• Why women 40+ need scaffolding, not platitudes, if we’re going to thrive (not just survive).
• How adulting is less about “nailing it” and more about rewriting the bloody manual.

This one is for every woman holding the sky up while craving five quiet minutes with a brew. You are unstoppable, unbreakable, unrelenting. I see you, my friend - and we ride together.

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy

From NHS burnout to llamas in bow ties… Celia Gaze’s story is one hell of a plot twist.

Celia didn’t set out to be a founder. She set out to survive stress. But what started as a piece of coursework about wellbeing turned into The Wellbeing Farm – a wedding and events venue in Bolton where the llamas wear bow ties (yes, really) and joy is stitched into the brand.

In this conversation we get into:

• How burnout sneaks up on us and why we need to notice the “small creaks” before the big crash.
• Why proving yourself is a never-ending treadmill and owning your worth is the real liberation.
• The power of tiny, quirky decisions (like bow ties on llamas) to transform a business.
• Celia’s “Book of Joy” – a running list of the little and big things that make her feel alive and why every woman needs one.
• Declaring your boundaries out loud – to yourself as much as anyone else – and the permission it creates.
• Why space, solitude, and saying no are not indulgences but essential checks and balances if you want to crack on without burning out.

Celia’s six-word memoir? “Burnout, bow ties on llamas, chose conscious.”
And that sums it up perfectly.

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. Burnout isn’t a badge of honour. Stress creeps in through the little things until suddenly you’re gripping the steering wheel wondering if it’s a heart attack. Catch it early.
2. Declare it. Boundaries only stick when you declare them – to your team, your family, but most importantly, to yourself.
3. Joy needs scheduling. Whether it’s buying flowers, walking in nature, or sitting with a brew – joy doesn’t just happen. Make it intentional.
4. The quirks are the differentiators. A bow tie on a llama turned The Wellbeing Farm from “just another venue” into something unforgettable. Your small, authentic quirks are your brand edge.
5. Legacy > busyness. Building the business is only half the story. What you’re remembered for goes beyond the spreadsheets.

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy

Hello, hello you bloody lovely humans. Today I’m dismantling my long-term love affair with self-deprecation - the jokes I used to make so nobody else could beat me to it and I’m showing you how I swapped being the punchline for backing my bloody brilliance.

Why this matters (the science bit):

• Self-deprecation ≠ strategy: It can boost likeability but tanks perceived competence (the old competence–likeability bind).
• Self-perception theory: We believe what we hear ourselves say. Keep saying “I’m just winging it,” and guess what sticks.
• Neuroplasticity: Confidence is a trainable skill; every time you back yourself out loud, you wire that pathway in.
• Persistence effect: Speak up, hold the floor, try again — credibility rises with visible persistence.

What’s inside:

• The Millie Tant nickname and why I laughed instead of led.
• The night I told an L&D CEO I was the “queen of bullsh*t”… and what changed after my stomach fell through the floor.
• How I re-wrote my inner code so my outside world caught up.
• Five practical ways to back yourself today (no vision boards required).

Five practical plays to try this week:

1. Swap your opener. Retire the “just…” and the joke. Write a grown-up intro you can actually say out loud.
2. Evidence folder. Screenshots, testimonials, wins. Title it ALLOW and read it when you wobble.
3. Thought flip. When “Who do you think you are?” pops up, answer: “Someone who’s bloody earned this.” Add three receipts.
4. Best-mate test. If you wouldn’t let anyone speak to your best mate like that, you’re not allowed to speak to you like that.
5. Borrow belief. Until your brain catches up, stand under someone else’s scaffolding (coach, mate, Collective).

Sticky soundbites:

• Brilliance doesn’t need a punchline. It needs backing.
• Likeable is lovely. Credible pays the bills.
• Confidence requires evidence — start saving yours.
• Stop auditioning for rooms that were never built for you.

Listener challenge:
What’s one phrase you’re retiring this week and one bold sentence you’re using instead? Tell me on LinkedIn or Insta so we can cheer you on (and keep you honest).

Six-word memoir for this episode:
No more shrinking. Back Your Brilliance.

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy

This chat is sweary, funny and very, very human. You’ll feel seen.

We get into:

• Who’s on your bus (and who’s getting kicked off at the next stop). Cat-bumhole faces, your time is up.
• Midlife & hormones - the rage, the fog, the 17 minutes of joy (thank you, Victoria Wood) and what actually helps.
• High-functioning anxiety - why external gold stars never fill the gap, and how to back yourself anyway.
• Authenticity (but useful) - flexing your style without selling your soul. Read the room, keep your edge.
• Iolism - talking to yourself in the third person so you stop being a cow to… yourself.
• Gut over faff - if there’s any doubt, there’s no doubt. Move.

Your little takeaways to crack on:

• Not everyone gets a permanent seat. Edit your bus without sending a memo.
• Anger can be data. Channel it, don’t marinate in it.
• Bin the “shoulds.” Find your spinach (the stuff that powers you up) and do more of it.
• You can’t control the game, but you can choose how you play.
• Back yourself out loud - the plan can be “take the next right and see.”

Penny’s six-word memoir: "Trusts gut. Speaks boldly. Sparks change."
And yes, I bloody love her - everyone needs a Penny in Your Pocket.

Listen if…

You’re done shrinking to fit, your tolerance for bullshit is at an all-time low, and you’re ready to back yourself - with humour, grit and zero apology.

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy

Well, hello you bloody brilliant lot - welcome back to It’s Got Pockets, the podcast for women who are done shrinking to fit and rewriting the rules one plot twist (and one swear word) at a time.

This week, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my Olympic-level procrastination skills.

Picture this: I had a game-changing proposal to write - the kind of thing that could shore up my business for years.

And instead of cracking on? I made granola from scratch, cleaned out my husband’s sh*t drawer (COVID masks and rogue belt ends included), sharpened all my pencils, walked the dog the scenic route and even pegged out washing with matching pegs like I was auditioning for a Daz advert.

Why do we do this? Because procrastination isn’t about laziness - it’s about protection. When the stakes are high, our brains would rather do a hundred little dopamine-hit tasks than risk f*cking up the big thing that matters.

In this episode, I dig into:

• The neuroscience behind procrastination (dopamine, mood repair, and that Zeigarnik “unfinished business” effect).
• Why your faffing might actually be your brain’s way of gearing up for peak performance.
• My “Procrastination Power Hour” trick that lets me sharpen pencils guilt-free AND still get the bloody work done.
• How to shift from perfection paralysis to identity power: showing up as the kind of woman who gets it done.

So, if you’ve ever found yourself deep-cleaning the fridge instead of writing the proposal, this one’s for you. Procrastination isn’t your enemy - it’s the pre-party. But at some point, you’ve got to step onto the dance floor.

🔗 And if you fancy a little extra firepower, come and join me inside FoundHer Fire. Because honestly, the real magic happens when you’ve got the right women around you cheering you on to crack the f*ck on.

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy

Well hello, my brilliant bunch - this one is a must-listen. Especially if you’ve ever muttered, “I really should get my financial shit sorted” and then promptly buried your head in a planner and poured a wine.

In this episode of It’s Got Pockets, I’m joined by the absolute powerhouse that is Katy Eatenton - mortgage adviser, insurance strategist, financial educator and straight-talking queen of ‘let’s-have-the-hard-conversations-before-it’s-too-late.’

We’re diving headfirst into the stuff we wish someone had told us at 25, are now scrambling to learn at 45, 55 and beyond and still don’t talk about anywhere near enough - money, protection, inheritance, insurance, divorce, new partners, messy plot twists, dodgy exes and what to do right now to safeguard your future.

No shame. No jargon. Just solid, relatable advice for women who are leading businesses, raising kids, navigating blended families, or waking up to the fact that ‘financial planning’ isn’t just for city boys with briefcases.

In this fiercely honest and empowering conversation, we cover:

💸 Why protecting yourself isn’t paranoid, it’s powerful
🏠 Tenants in common, wills, and what happens when the kids from your first marriage meet the mortgage from your third
📉 How your business can pay for your insurance (and why you absolutely should)
👀 The danger of avoiding ‘awkward’ money convos until it’s too bloody late
💥 The financial red flags we need to stop ignoring in relationships (DBS check, anyone?!)
📈 What to do now, even if you feel behind, overwhelmed or under-informed

And yes - I overshare a bit (lot) (there may be a kidnapping dating story) but that’s the point. Because if we don’t talk about it, we don’t do anything about it.

✨ Whether you're single, in a relationship, remarried, running a business, running a household, or just bloody running on empty - this episode will give you the clarity and kick up the arse you didn’t know you needed.

🔗 I’ve popped all Katy’s details in the show notes - go follow her, message her and for the love of financial peace of mind, get your bloody will sorted.

Because you don’t need to be rich to protect what matters. But you do need to start.

And as Katy says: Beg for forgiveness, not for permission. Amen to that.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Follow Katy on Instagram: Katy Eatenton Finance Strategy
• Book: Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach
• Get a budget planner. Do a credit check. Have the bloody conversation.

🎧 Listen now if you're ready to:
✔️ Own your worth
✔️ Protect your future
✔️ Stop waiting for someone else to sort it for you

And remember: it’s not too late - it’s just time.

Let’s crack on.🔥

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy

Well hello, you bloody brilliant humans. This one’s for every woman still holding the sky up while her soul’s quietly sobbing for a break.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing the truth behind the smiling, functioning, got-it-together mask we wear - even when we're running on empty and calling it leadership, strength, or “just cracking on.”

Spoiler alert: it’s not strength, it’s survival. And it’s not sustainable.

This is the episode I nearly didn’t record because I was knackered, hormonal and trying to push through (again). It took a message from my producer and proper woman-in-your-corner energy for me to stop.

And that moment reminded me of exactly why I built FoundHer Fire in the first place.

So this is your intercept.

Your permission slip.

Your loving, swearing, Northern truth-telling nudge to stop performing energy you don’t have and start reclaiming the rest you’ve already earned 300 gazillion times over.

We’re talking:

• The toxic loop of over-functioning, people-pleasing and pretending you’re fine
• Active rest, laundry wins and saying no (even to "sexy" motorbike rides in 70 billion degrees)
• Why the right people will step in when you stop
• The real reason stopping is your leadership superpower
• And the downloadable permission slip you didn’t know you needed

🔥 Plus, I’ve created a Stop Before You Burn Out worksheet to help you press pause before your nervous system forces it. Drop me a message and I’ll send it over.

Because the truth is this:

• Success that feels good starts with rest.
• You can’t lead yourself or anyone else if you’re limping.

And you, my friend, are not here to survive - you're here to thrive, to crack on with joy, fun, passion and purpose.

So if you need someone to be your Kath this week… I’ll be your Kath.

Big love, always.

P.S. Now go on, put the kettle on and sit the fck down, Doris. Just for ten minutes - that break will enable you to move forward, at your pace, your level, on your terms.

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy

In this unforgettable episode, I'm joined by the gloriously funny, deeply wise and utterly disarming Alison Larkin - bestselling author, actress, award-winning audiobook narrator and creator of Grief, A Comedy.

What begins as a conversation about grief quickly unfolds into a masterclass in living, loving late, choosing joy, and rewriting the rules - whether that's of gender in literature or of what comes after heartbreak.

With her trademark humour and a heart that’s clearly lived a thousand lives, Alison takes us through:

• How her friendship with Archbishop Desmond Tutu changed her life (and her writing)
• Why she reimagined Great Expectations with a female Pip and a sapphic twist
• The devastatingly beautiful love story that began in her 50s… and the grief that followed
• The unexpected joy that arrived after loss
• The lessons her late partner, Bhima, continued to teach her from beyond
• Online dating disasters (including a man with actual scrambled egg in his beard 🥴)
• Her “closet” audiobook empire and why she revoices the classics for women today

Oh - and there’s also a beautiful live performance of her original song at the end. Tissue warning. Snot bubbles may occur.

Her Six Word Memoir:
Choose love and laughter after loss.

This one’s not really about death.
It’s about finally letting yourself live — with peace, with permission, and with a whole lot of laughter.

Why You Should Listen:
If you’ve ever lost someone.
If you’ve ever loved late or feared it was too late.
If you’ve ever wondered how you could possibly keep going —
This conversation is your reminder:
You can. And joy might just be waiting for you on the other side.

Buy the Book: Grief, A Comedy by Alison Larkin – available now in print and audiobook.

Connect with Alison: https://alisonlarkinpresents.com/

If you loved this episode, share it with someone who needs to be reminded: it’s never too late for love, reinvention, or a bloody good laugh.

🎧 Subscribe. Review. Crack on.
Because as Alison says - Don’t settle. It’s your life. It could be gone tomorrow.

Sarah is the founder of FoundHer Fire—a membership space for experienced women in business who know real success isn’t just about strategy, it’s about self; a place, a space, a community where women find their fire, for women who aren't done yet and who are ready to write their own rules of success. Sarah also co-founded The Plot Twist (un)Awards, celebrating female founders and women smashing through glass ceilings with purpose, passion and joy.

Find out more about me and how I can work with you:

• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• On the Web
• Or drop me an email sarah@mindthegap.academy