Style and Substance

Happy New Year lovely listeners! Before we launch back in with season 19 next week we are so excited to bring you this bonus episode and share a very warm invitation to our first Style and Substance Retreat. Its taking place at Fi's beautiful home in the Surrey hills on Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd January and we would love you to join us. For all the information you need and to book your place, you can find the details at https://www.thebrand-stylist.com/the-winter-retreat. Do come, we'd love to welcome you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our traditional review of the year is here., this episode Fi and I get personal about the challenges of 2025, the highs and the hopes for next year. Thank you for being part of this incredible community, we are so looking forward to 2026 and all that it will bring, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They dig into the step-by-step process for building a brand that endures. Topics include core branding principles, why strategy must come before visuals, and how to clarify your market space and audience. They explain the role of mood boards, cohesive color and type choices, and why human-led strategy beats questionnaires and AI. Practical production decisions for everyday touchpoints are also covered.

A deep dive into what makes a brand credible, lasting and commercially powerful. They explore how clarity uncovers your unique offering and turns your business into a destination. Conversations cover how focused branding improves creative work, builds confidence, reduces imposter feelings and stops costly rebrands. Practical signs of a failing brand and how branding shapes client experience are also highlighted.

In this episode, airing just before Thanksgiving in the US, we explore gratitude. More than a list of nice things or another self help task 'to-do, we see it as a powerful, science backed practice that reshapes the brain, strengthens resilience and reconnects us to the joy in our work. We touch on how gratitude widens perspective, helps us find meaning in the messy middle and becomes a quiet fuel for purpose led business. We close with the unexpected things we've both been grateful this year. We hope you find it useful and, as ever, thank you for listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we crack open the existential crisis so many creatives are quietly drowning in: when your hard-won brilliance suddenly feels… irrelevant. The rules of business have shapeshifted, the loudest are winning, and AI is nipping at everyone’s heels. Fi and I get brutally honest about what it means to stay true to your craft when the world keeps shouting “pivot!” and you’d rather set your laptop on fire.What do you do when your expertise took 10 years to build… but someone with a ring light and a knack for marketing is now the “industry leader”? Join us as we unpack the creative identity crisis of our era, the rise of AI, and the pressure to monetise your soul via prompts, courses, and whatever the algorithm wants this week.We are really digging in this week and hope you enjoy coming along with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This conversation explores the subtle ways we limit ourselves in life and business. Hosts tackle the challenge of letting go of what's only 'kind of working' to embrace true potential. They share insights on how beliefs can stifle growth and the importance of niching down. Personal stories illustrate the fear of taking up space and worrying about others’ opinions. The discussion emphasizes the energy cost of holding onto limitations and offers strategies for envisioning and protecting new possibilities.

The hosts kick off a new season with reflections on full moon energy and personal updates. They share insights on why strategic planning is crucial for impactful brand storytelling. Listeners hear about elevating expectations through client diligence and the balance of personal life in high-end branding. Favorite hype songs set an energetic tone, while past risky decisions reveal the path to purpose. Exciting plans for 2026 feature retreats and a new framework, emphasizing the importance of strategy in brand investments.

Have you ever swallowed what you really want to say because you didn’t want to come across as that person? You know that feeling when perhaps you’ve been short changed and, at some level you know you deserve more, but this tiny voice in your head says ‘ugh, I just don’t want to be that person…’?” We’ve all felt it but when that emotion overrides everything, it can cost us more than just a little embarrassment.In this episode, we unpack the quiet tension so many women in business live with: wanting to honour our instincts and trust our boundaries, but fearing we’ll be misread or misunderstood or even not liked. We’ll explore why this conditioning runs so deep, how it erodes self-trust, and what it takes to reclaim your inner authority, without hardening or over apologising.We're posing the question; "How much of our energy goes into curating how we are perceived, rather than inhabiting who we actually are and getting what we really deserve?" and what is that actually costing us?Expect gentle truth-telling, a few nervous system insights, and some deeply practical ways to start trusting your “no,” and your instincts again.Because maybe being that person, the clear, kind, self-respecting one, is exactly who you came here to be.This is the last of this season before we head into half term and if you want something to look forward to you can book your place on our Style and Substance Christmas Lunch on 27th November, at the fabulous Jamie O's in London. Just head over to http://www.thebrand-stylist.com/events to book your place. We'd love to see you there! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the pivotal moment when women realize they can demand more from their careers and brands. Unpack the reasons behind under-expectation and how to shift that mindset. Explore how life transitions impact ambition and the importance of authenticity in pursuing success. Learn how effective branding can elevate presence and credibility. Get practical steps to raise your expectations and surround yourself with a supportive community. This conversation will inspire you to leave your mark and embrace your true potential!