The Lazy CEO Podcast with Jane Lu

This week’s extended Help My Small Business episode is packed with real talk and practical advice for product-based founders. Jane is joined by interior designer and business mentor Emma Blomfield to review Bek’s business, Luckies - the knickers that ditch the shame around discharge.   Together, they unpack some of the most common (and costly) mistakes early-stage brands make - from building a website that doesn’t convert to relying on a product range that’s too niche to grow. Emma and Jane get honest about what makes a business actually investable, sharing tips on how to pitch for funding, what investors want to see, and why investing in your own business can sometimes be a smarter move than giving away equity too early.   They also reflect on their own experiences starting out, including the tough lessons, mindset shifts, and business pivots that made the biggest difference. If you're a founder who’s hit a plateau, this episode will give you the insight (and reality check) you didn’t know you needed.   Want your business featured on the pod? Send us a 30 to 90 second video telling us about your brand and how we can help. You might just be our next spotlight. Email your video to hello@thelazyceo.com.   Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Follow Emma Blomfield: @emmablomfieldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Help My Small Business episode, Jane is joined by Tori Clapham and Chris Hole - founders of Peaches Pilates - to help out Nikolina, the founder of I See by Nikolina, an Australian-made fashion brand that blends style with spiritual connection.   The big question on Nikolina’s mind? When is the right time to start running ads and investing in SEO?   Tori and Chris break down how to know if your brand is ready to scale with paid ads, and what groundwork needs to be done first - think product, website, and conversion rates. From understanding your margins to refining your brand experience, this is a must-listen for anyone itching to hit "launch" on their digital marketing.   Want your business featured on the pod? Send us a 30 to 90 second video telling us about your brand and how we can help. You might just be our next spotlight. Email your video to hello@thelazyceo.com.   Connect with us:  Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast  Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo  Follow Tori on Instagram: @toriclapham  Follow Chris on Instagram: @chrishole  Follow Peaches Pilates: @peachespilatesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by Tori Clapham and Chris Hole, the husband-and-wife team behind Peaches Pilates, the mat-based Pilates brand shaking up the fitness world.   In this episode, Tori and Chris dive deep into how building from their client community helps create loyal staff and reduce turnover. Tori opens up about the mindset shift she experienced as a mentor, learning to accept that staff will eventually outgrow the business, and why that’s a sign of good leadership. She also shares how becoming a mother shifted her priorities, giving her new perspective and setting clearer boundaries between herself and the business. As owners and franchisors, they talk honestly about being involved in everything and the challenge of learning to delegate more effectively. Together, they discuss the challenges and rewards of scaling a business as a married couple with two young kids, offering leadership lessons for thriving through fast growth rather than just surviving it.   Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Follow Tori on Instagram: @toriclapham Follow Chris on Instagram: @chrishole Follow Peaches Pilates on Instagram: @peachespilatesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeling like you're doing everything and still getting nowhere? In this solo episode of The Lazy CEO, Jane shares 9 time-saving habits that actually help when you're overworked, overwhelmed, and barely keeping up. These habits are all about working smarter, not harder - because no one has time for burnout.   Jane breaks down how she structures her day to avoid falling into reactive mode, the mindset shift that helped her stop glorifying being busy, and how she approaches her to-do list to get real results without the fluff. You'll hear how multitasking might be killing your focus and what to do instead, and the underrated trick that helps protect your time when everything feels urgent.   Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever feel like your product is great, but no one’s seeing it? You’re not alone.   In this Help My Small Business episode, Jane is joined by James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, to help Tormina - founder of Lucie & Co, a sustainable pet accessories brand - figure out how to actually stand out online.   From learning how to make Meta ads work without blowing your budget, to understanding how to increase your profit margin so you can afford to reinvest in growth, this episode is packed with real advice for small businesses trying to break through the noise.   If you’d love your business featured on the podcast, send in a 30 to 90 second video telling us about your brand and how we can help. You might just be our next spotlight. Send your video to hello@thelazyceo.com.   Connect with us:  Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast  Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo  Follow James on LinkedIn: James Thornton  Follow Intrepid Travel on Instagram: @intrepidtravelSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people think being CEO means having all the answers. James Thornton would say it means knowing when to shut up and listen.   James is the CEO of Intrepid Travel – the world’s largest adventure travel company and a certified B Corp that’s been walking the talk for decades – but he didn’t start at the top. Nearly 20 years ago, he applied for a job at Intrepid, got rejected, and eventually got his foot in the door as a sales rep. Since then, he’s worked his way up to the CEO role, crediting his rise to listening, learning, and communicating even when it’s uncomfortable. Now, under his leadership, Intrepid is on track to hit $800 million in revenue, but James believes the real key to leading a business across seven continents isn’t just strategy – it’s communication.   In this episode, we dive into what it’s like leading a company you didn’t found, why purpose and profit aren’t mutually exclusive, and the leadership style James calls “casual intensity.”   Connect with us:  Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast  Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo  Follow James on LinkedIn: James Thornton  Follow Intrepid Travel on Instagram: @intrepidtravelSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Help My Small Business, Jane is joined by Sophie Hood, founder of Seoul Tonic, to review Glydelle—an anti-chafing brand created by Kristy.   Right now, Kristy's content is resonating more with other small business owners than with the customers she's actually trying to reach. Jane and Sophie dive into how she can shift gears and build a community that buys, not just supports.   They unpack the importance of brand equity—and how it starts with packaging that makes people feel something. From there, it’s all about getting the product into people’s hands—using strategies like mass gifting, user-generated content, and real, organic reviews to build buzz. Sophie and Jane also talk about the importance of making your content work hard—leaning into humour, strong visual hooks, and relatable use-cases to stop the scroll and actually drive action.   They explore why having a clear expansion roadmap is crucial, even in the early stages—and how to learn from what your competitors are doing right (and wrong). Because it’s not just about the next product, it’s about building a brand that can grow with purpose.   If you’ve got a good product but it’s not gaining traction yet, this episode is packed with practical, founder-tested strategies to try today.   Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Follow Sophie Hood: @sophiehood1 Follow Seoul Tonic: @seoul.tonicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes being naive is the superpower. Just ask Sophie Hood.   This week on The Lazy CEO, Sophie—founder of Seoul Tonic—shares how she turned a side hustle into one of Australia’s most innovative beverage brands, now stocked in Woolies, BWS, Dan Murphy’s, and over 2,000 independents—all without a single full-time employee.   With a background in finance and strategy at EY, LVMH, and Red Bull, Sophie had the big-brand experience—but it was her gut instinct, bold thinking, and scrappy execution that set Seoul Tonic apart. She and Jane talk about trusting your gut, getting to market quickly, and why waiting for perfection is often just fear in disguise.   Sophie and Jane also dive into the advantages of launching in Australia—why it's a slower, more forgiving market that gives founders the space to test, learn, and pivot on the go. Sophie shares how working full-time allowed her to reinvest every dollar back into the business, how she took calls from the Red Bull office to build credibility, and why prime checkout placement can be more valuable than shelf space.   From bootstrapping to winning Food Stars with Gordon Ramsay and Janine Allis, to expanding, this is a crash course in starting scrappy and scaling smart.   Note: This episode was recorded at the start of April. Any discussion around tariffs is now outdated and should not be taken as current or applicable business advice.   Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Follow Sophie Hood: @sophiehood1 Follow Seoul Tonic: @seoul.tonicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder how to build a strong, engaged community—without showing your face or having a big following? You’re not alone.   In this Help My Small Business episode, Jane is joined by Chebbo, founder of Chebbo’s Burgers, to offer advice to Bec, the founder of The Food Design Studio, a creative studio that helps food brands stand out.   Bec’s challenge? She wants to grow her audience and build a genuine community, but she’s not comfortable being the face of her brand. Jane and Chebbo talk through the reality of going faceless—why it’s possible, but why it also means you have to try 10x harder to stand out. They share tips on how to use voiceovers, storytelling, and tone of voice as powerful tools to create connection without being on camera.   If you’d love your business featured on the podcast, send in a 30 to 90 second video telling us about your brand and how we can help. You might just be our next spotlight. Send your video to hello@thelazyceo.com.   Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Chebbo: @itschebbo Check out Chebbo’s Burgers Follow Bec’s work: @fooddesignstudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Chebbo, the founder of Chebbo’s Burgers, shares how a viral TikTok series took him from a backyard BBQ setup to a booming burger business with a cult following.   Chebbo dives into the power of content—how being consistent, building a community, and leaning into storytelling helped him create a brand that people don’t just love, but line up for. He opens up about his early missteps, including an underestimation of his own popularity that led to a chaotic (but unforgettable) first food truck pop-up.   From those lessons came key insights on what really matters when growing a service-based business—like personally knowing your customer and creating an experience that keeps them coming back.   This episode is packed with real talk, behind-the-scenes moments, and practical takeaways for anyone wanting to turn their content into a community and their side hustle into a full-blown business.   Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Chebbo: @itschebbo Follow Chebbo’s Burgers: @chebbosburgersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.