In this episode, Kate and Sam welcome special guest Joanne Ross Wells, founder of JRW Bridal, an established custom couture bridal brand in Perth, WA. Joanne shares her journey as a global citizen from growing up in Rhodesia, spending time in London and the USA, being born in New Zealand and immigrating to Australia eight years ago. Jo then built her successful business from the ground up.

Joanne opens up about the significant curveballs life has thrown her way in recent years, including major health setbacks and family challenges. She reveals the crucial business shifts she was forced to make, like outsourcing production and learning to delegate, which ultimately led to unexpected freedom and growth.

This conversation is a must-listen for any entrepreneur struggling with work-life balance, the fear of outsourcing, or tying their personal identity too closely to their business success. Joanne offers powerful lessons on shifting your mindset from "sales" to "service," embracing continuous learning (especially in social media and AI), and the importance of finding your purpose beyond the bottom line.

Episode Highlights:

• The Global Citizen Entrepreneur: Joanne's fascinating heritage (Scottish, South African, born in NZ) and how it influences the global flavour in her design collections.
• From Lingerie to Couture: The evolution of Joanne’s creative journey, from making lingerie as a farmer's wife in Zimbabwe to studying fashion design at age 40.
• Learning to Dance in the Rain: How Joanne navigated multiple major life challenges (health, family struggles) and structured her business to prioritise relationships over work, thanks to being her own boss.
• The Freedom of Letting Go: The pivotal moment when Joanne realised that outsourcing production was the necessary path to gaining empty space for creative ideas and avoiding burnout.
• Identity Crisis in Business: Why entrepreneurs, especially women and personal brands, often struggle with wrapping their self-worth around their business success (and Sam and Kate share their own identity shifts).
• The Power of Purpose: Joanne's discovery that reading reviews and focusing on the positive impact she has on her brides' wedding days is enough to drive her, shifting focus from ego to service.
• The Key Mindset Shift: How Joanne overcame being a "shocking salesperson" by changing her focus from "sales" to "service", always seeking to be of service to the bride.
• Navigating AI & Innovation: How designers are embracing new tools like 3D body scans and virtual try-ons, and why expertise and wisdom remain crucial even with advancements in AI.
• Niche Networking: Joanne's advice on shifting from broad networking to focused, niche relationship-building with targeted referral partners (like photographers and venues).
• The 10,000-Hour Rule: Why founders must develop core skills (like pattern making or production) before outsourcing to maintain quality control and avoid getting burned.

Are you ready to stop wearing all the hats in your business?

Joanne’s journey proves that delegation is the key to scaling and surviving challenges. If you're ready to outsource and streamline your systems, connect with our co-host Sam!

Connect with Your Hosts:

Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: kate@katedejong.com

Sam Morris | Digital Systers 🌐 Website: https://www.digitalsysters.com/ 📱 Instagram: @sammorris.businesscoach

In this episode, Sam and Kate Morris dive deep into the fast-evolving world of AI agents, intelligent digital assistants that don’t just generate ideas, but take action on your behalf.

From their earliest experiences experimenting with ChatGPT and Claude.ai to their recent exploration of agentic platforms like Sintra AI, Kate and Sam unpack how you can integrate AI into day-to-day business operations. They discuss the hype, the practical challenges, and the genuine benefits for entrepreneurs who want to scale in an efficient and effective way. Their early trials provide some interesting insights for small business owners.

Highlights:

• From generative to agentic: Kate and Sam trace how the conversation around AI has shifted from simple copywriting tools to intelligent agents that manage workflows, marketing, and even strategic planning.
• DIY learning with AI: Sam explains her clever method for “training” GPTs using YouTube transcripts from experts , turning free online content into custom virtual mentors.
• Behind the hype of Sintra AI: Kate reviews her hands-on experience with Sintra’s virtual “AI employees”, from the business coach Buddy to the copywriter Pen, and how she’s using them to systemise her business and increase her revenue.
• Data, integrations & next steps: The duo break down what’s real, what’s still in beta, and how far these tools can (and can’t) go in automating small business success.
• Human authenticity in an AI world: They close with reflections on why personal stories, voice, and connection still matter more than ever, even as AI gets smarter.

Key Takeaway:
AI isn’t here to replace your creativity or intuition, it’s here to amplify it. With the right systems and a curious mindset, tools like Sintra, Claude, and ChatGPT can become not just assistants, but collaborators in building a truly thriving business. Tune in now!

Connect with Your Hosts:

Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: kate@katedejong.com

Sam Morris | Digital Systers 🌐 Website: https://www.digitalsysters.com/ 📱 Instagram: @sammorris.businesscoach

In this episode, Sam and Kate explore the five different types of small businesses—a framework Kate has been developing after nearly a decade of personal experience with different types of business owners. If you've ever felt like traditional business advice doesn't quite fit what you're building… you're not alone.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why traditional business models (like those from The E-Myth by Michael Gerber) don’t work for everyone.
• The five types of small businesses—and why knowing which one you’re building changes everything.
• The danger of following blanket advice that doesn’t align with your business type.
• Why you don’t have to scale, hire a team, or build a sellable company to be successful.
• How thought leaders, consultants, and solo entrepreneurs are playing a different game altogether.

Kate shares her "aha" moment after attending a seminar steeped in Gerber-style advice—and the honest conversation she had with a fellow high-performing consultant who felt completely alienated by it also. Together, Kate and Sam unpack the assumptions behind mainstream business support and why they don't always reflect the modern business landscape.

If you don’t know what kind of business you’re running, you don’t know which game you’re playing—and every type has different rules.

Which of the five business types are you building?
➡️ Tune in now to discover the model that fits your vision—and stop trying to squeeze into a framework that doesn’t work for you.

📩 Got thoughts or questions about today’s episode?
DM us on or email us. We’d love to hear where you see yourself in this model—and how it’s helped (or hindered) your growth.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows.
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review if this episode resonated with you.

Connect with Your Hosts:

Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: kate@katedejong.com

Sam Morris | Digital Systers 🌐 Website: https://www.digitalsysters.com/ 📱 Instagram: @sammorris.businesscoach