The Smart Twenties Podcast

As a perfectionist entrepreneur who wants to make a meaningful contribution to the world, the kindest thing you could possibly do for yourself is to honour your potential, rather than protect it. We perfectionists get in our own way because we’re scared to find out that our best isn’t ‘good enough’. We procrasti-work, overwhelm ourselves and burn ourselves out because we’re terrified that giving a full, balls-to-the-wall effort might come up short - and that we will end up finding out we’re unintelligent and unlovable. But when you’re planning properly as a perfectionist, you’ll naturally be using your calendar as a tool for kindness. Being kind to yourself as you plan is about doing the most important tasks in your business in a consistent, sustainable, productive and courageous way. Proper planning makes execution 10x easier and more effective - and dissolves resistance, overwhelm and procrastination. And if that isn’t a recipe for reaching your potential, I don’t know what is. In part four of my planning s

The only reason you’re not doing the things you know you need to do is because you haven’t been planning properly as a perfectionist. The resistance, the procrastination, the overwhelm, the burnout, the struggle to focus - 90% of that automatically dissolves when you’re planning in a way that gets your perfectionist mindset on your side. You don’t need more time for your business, you just need to learn how to plan properly as a perfectionist. And anyone can learn. In fact, learning Power Planning is just like learning to drive - it might be new at first but once you learn it, you put that skill on autopilot and get the benefits for a lifetime.  I walk you through the 3 steps of Power Planning - including why each step works for perfectionists - in the third part of my planning series. Listening in will help you follow through with your plans (even when navigating big life transitions), make execution 10x easier and more effective, and make you more productive without putting your personal life on hold. If yo

There’s so much more to productivity than being consistent. Consistency is just the beginning… There are 5 ways that your productivity will automatically skyrocket when you’re planning properly as a perfectionist… You’ll be doing the most important tasks AND you’ll be doing them in a consistent, sustainable, productive and courageous way. And you’ll be able to do that month after month after month - without burning out or having to sacrifice time with your friends and family. This is what happens naturally when you’re Power Planning. I share why - as well as how to become more productive without needing to be more disciplined, focused or motivated -  in the second part of my planning series. If you know your business would be more successful if you could just show up consistently and do the things you said you would do, this episode was made for you. Tune in today. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode360. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The real reason perfectionists str

My 5-part planning series will show you why your follow through problem is just a planning problem. And you’ll know how to plan properly as a perfectionist and get out of your own way. Soon you’ll be doing the most important tasks in your business in a consistent, sustainable, productive and courageous way. You’ll uncover why your business isn’t growing fast enough, and you’ll understand the 5 ways your productivity will soar when you plan properly. You’ll know the 3 steps to Power Planning and how to follow through without having to become more motivated or disciplined. You’ll discover how to use your calendar so you can get everything done without burning out. And you’ll learn how to identify your needle movers when everything feels important. Perfectionists get in their own way when we follow the same planning advice as everyone else. But it doesn’t have to be that way… It’s time to start planning properly as a perfectionist. And anyone can learn how. In this episode, I’ll help you see the real reason the

In this episode I’m talking to one of our PGSDers, Christy, about her journey to becoming a full-time entrepreneur with the help of PGSD. Christy Romano is a Certified Health Coach on a mission to help perfectionists nourish their bodies, break free from anxiety, and love the skin they’re in. Through her healing journey she learned effective strategies to rewire her anxious mind, overcome perfectionism and take care of her body holistically. She’s now guiding her clients as they build a healthy, balanced lifestyle to thrive inside and out. Christy joined PGSD in 2020 and went full-time with her business in 2021. I’m excited for you to hear the ups and downs of Christy’s business journey, especially if you’re also navigating the journey of going from full-time work to being full-time in your business. This important episode is going to normalise what often happens when you make this transition, including the decisions to be made, the questions to answer and the feelings that come up. This will show you how the

In this episode I’m talking to one of our PGSDers, Rachel, all about using Power Planning to get into creative flow. Rachel is an artist that enjoys capturing people and characters in her illustrations and loves to share her creative journey with others. She joined PGSD because she had spent years dreaming of pursuing art full time but was too afraid to put her work in front of potential customers and start selling. With the help of PGSD and Power Planning, Rachel finally opened her online art store and made her first sales - all while working fewer hours than she had before. I’m excited for you to hear how Rachel used Power Planning to grow her business and become the artist she wanted to be (without feeling stressed). Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode357. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How to never feel pressured or stressed when Power Planning Rachel’s honest experience when she first started Power Planning The practical things that Rachel does with her Power Plan

In this episode I’m sharing a behind the scenes look at the most recent PGSD launch. This is the second part in a two part series that will help normalise the ups and downs of launching (regardless of what kind of business you have). It will show you how you can get out of your own way when you’re selling - even when the unexpected comes up. Tune in to listen to a ‘real time’ update from the launch period and my honest evaluation afterwards. In these updates I talk through the numbers, mindset work, strategy and more! Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode356 In This Episode You’ll Learn: What my self-coaching looks like during launch week The mindset shifts that kept me committed to my goal The statistics we were tracking and why Why mindset is more important than strategy What our final numbers were (sign ups, revenue, podcast ep downloads etc) PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022: The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your busine

In this episode I’m sharing a behind the scenes look at the most recent PGSD launch. Though I’ve now launched multiple times, working on a launch while being pregnant with twins was a beautiful surprise! This is the first part in a two part series that will help normalise the ups and downs of launching (regardless of what kind of business you have). It will show you how you can get out of your own way when you’re selling - even when the unexpected comes up. Tune in to listen to an update that I recorded during the pre-launch period (right before the doors to PGSD opened). I talk through the launch plan and strategy, the mindset work I’m doing, and what I’m doing differently compared with our last launches. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode355. In This Episode You’ll Learn: What our goal is for the PGSD launch and why The mindset work I’m personally doing to stay committed to the goal What I’m doing differently compared with our last launches How I decided what our l

I’ve learned more lessons from Brené Brown about perfectionism than I can count. And I largely have Brené to thank for the progress I’ve made when it comes to the progress I’ve made with perfectionism. So I thought there would be no better time than now to share 5 life-changing lessons about perfectionism from Brené Brown. Tune in to hear about the huge breakthrough that Brené Brown helped me to achieve and learn why perfectionism actually hampers achievement, how perfectionism protects us from vulnerability, why perfectionism is not self-improvement, the connection between perfectionism and shame as well as why it’s so important to dare greatly. I hope you enjoy this episode full of life-changing lessons about perfectionism from Brené Brown.  Note: This episode originally aired in November 2019 as Episode 158. To view the show notes visit samlaurabrown.com/episode354. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The life-changing breakthrough that Brené Brown helped me to achieve How perfectionism differs to healthy striv

It’s tempting to look at others in our industry to see if we’re doing things the right way, especially when others are more successful than us. We might look at what others are doing to decide what we plan to do in our business. There are times when following others’ advice makes sense, yet there are also times when following our own intuition is better. In today’s episode, I want to talk to you about when to do things your own way, why it’s safe to do so and how to productively compare yourself to others in your industry. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why it’s safe to trust your business instincts, even if others are more successful than you When to follow others’ advice and teachings versus when to follow your intuition How to productively compare yourself to experts and others in your industry PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022: The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Don

As perfectionists, we want our marketing to be perfect before we release it into the world. But the truth is that our best marketing for our clients won’t feel perfect to us. In this episode I share with you why this is the case and how imperfect marketing has helped me grow my business. Tune in to learn why imperfect marketing works, and how your marketing can feel easy and intentional. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why your best marketing won’t feel perfect to you What your customers and clients are thinking about when deciding to buy How I’ve made over $1M over the lifetime of my business with imperfect marketing PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022: The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 26 October and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 1 November 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors

In this episode I’m interviewing Lou Niestadt on how to enjoy the journey to your goals. Lou is a writer, mama, entrepreneur and human design expert better known as Mrs. Universe. She loves to experiment with the Universal Laws and believes that if we make joy our job, everything we dream of in life will come to us naturally. I know you’re going to appreciate Lou’s expertise and wisdom as we talk about pursuing the goals you truly want to pursue, the lessons Lou has learned through manifestation, and how to be unattached from your goal while still pursuing it fully.  Everything we talk about will help you learn to enjoy the journey of building your business. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How to check whether your goals are ones you truly want to pursue The manifestation experiment Lou did and her biggest lessons from it Lou’s journaling practice that helps her enjoy the journey and connect with her feelings How to enjoy the journey of building your business How to be unattached from your goal whilst still pu

Perfectionists often struggle with life admin tasks. There always seems to be something to clean, fix or take care of in our day-to-day lives - tasks that won’t take too long to do individually, but seem never-ending. If you feel like your life admin tasks are never-ending loose ends, this episode is going to help! I share about my experiences around feeling behind on my life admin, discovering I was using my life admin loose ends against myself, and the specific changes I’m making to my Power Planning and clean rest to address it. In This Episode You’ll Learn: What to do if you always feel like you’re scrambling to get things done What hasn’t been working with my Power Planning and changes I’m making How to tell if you’re using your life admin loose ends against yourself How to get your life admin done without being dramatic about it Why it helped me to take two days off without any business or life admin PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022: The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your

In this episode I want to talk to you about why it’s ok to say no to a business opportunity (especially when you’ve already said yes). Saying no can feel awkward for perfectionist business owners - we often think we need to follow through with an opportunity that isn’t a good fit because we already said yes. But there are times when an opportunity isn’t right for you and your stage of business. When that happens, your growth will come from clearly saying no. And you can do it without being rude and without drama. Tune in to learn how to discern if a business opportunity is a good fit for you and practical advice on saying no without being rude. I also share helpful examples of times I’ve said no after saying yes in my business (and why I made that decision).  In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why it’s ok to say no to an opportunity or request after you’ve already said yes How to say no without being rude How to discern whether your growth is saying no or continuing to be a yes Times in my business where I’ve sai

I first experimented with clean rest in the summer of 2014 (even though I didn’t have a name for it at the time). I returned to clean rest in 2018 because I knew things had to change. I was tired of burning out every time I had a major promotion or launch going on. Now, clean rest is the backbone of my business and its success. Clean rest is what grounds me AND gives me the courage to put myself - and my ideas - out into the world (even when they’re not perfect). And it’s the reason I haven’t burned out in more than 3 years (even though I’m now making more money than I ever have). So far, this series has shared what clean rest is and why it’s essential for perfectionists, why working from a to-do list means you get less clean rest, practical advice to help you plan out and honour your clean rest, and what counts (and doesn’t count) as clean rest. In the final episode, I talk about how my journey with clean rest has evolved and what I personally like to get up to in my time off. In This Episode You’ll Learn:

There’s something that every perfectionist needs to know about clean rest: Clean rest that doesn’t feel restorative is STILL clean rest. Sometimes clean rest will have you feeling energised, recharged, peaceful, present and inspired.  Other times you’ll feel bored and restless. And that’s ok because feeling ‘good’ isn’t what defines time off your business as clean rest. And because you’re a human being (we’re not designed to feel happy 24/7). Learning to have your own back, regardless of whether you feel good or not, will always be an important part of your clean rest practice. This is why it’s so important to let yourself rest regardless of how you feel AND to not make it mean anything if it doesn’t always feel perfect to you. I go into more detail as to why this is the case, as well as what counts as clean rest versus what doesn’t, as I coach PGSDer Jenna in this episode. In This Episode You’ll Learn: A deeper understanding of what it really means to get clean rest What counts as clean rest versus what doe

In the previous episode of my clean rest series, I talked about how working from a to-do list makes it hard to get clean rest. So what should you do instead? Where does clean rest go in your calendar and how much of it do you need? And how do you rest when you’ve planned, so you honour your rest? I answer these questions and give you practical advice in today’s episode. If you’re wondering how to plan out your clean rest properly each week, listen in. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How to plan out your clean rest properly each week Where clean rest is scheduled in your calendar How much clean rest you need How to honour your clean rest PGSD is opening to new students on 27 July 2022: The PGSD Process will have you planning properly as a perfectionist and getting out of your own way in your business. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 27 July and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 2 August 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know whe

We perfectionists LOVE a good to-do list… But working from a to-do list makes it really challenging to get enough clean rest - even if you’re making a real effort to have more work-life balance. And I share the five reasons why - and helpful examples for each reason - in this second episode of my clean rest series. If you only get a break from your business when you’re busy recovering from burnout, this clean rest series - and today’s episode in particular - is going to be insanely helpful. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why there’s never any time for rest when you work from a to-do list Why you get less done with a to-do list versus when you plan properly Why you feel behind when you work from a to-do list How working from a to-do list makes it hard to trust yourself to be consistent PGSD is opening to new students on 27 July 2022: The PGSD Process will have you planning properly as a perfectionist and getting out of your own way in your business. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be openin

If you’re sick of being behind in your business (even though you’re doing ALL the things), this episode is for you. I explain what clean rest is (i.e. resting without guilt) and why it’s essential for perfectionists.  It may not feel like it, but clean rest will help you work better and build a better business (with less overwhelm, less procrastination and less burnout). You’ll have plenty of clean rest scheduled in your calendar when you’re planning properly as a perfectionist. All that clean rest won’t be scary because you’ll be so clear on what’s important vs what isn’t, when you work best and how to keep your plans workable so you never fall behind. You’ll be able to ENJOY your time off. It’s time to start planning properly as a perfectionist - and that includes getting the clean rest you need. And anyone can learn how… In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why you’ve always struggled to rest without feeling guilty How clean rest helps you to get MORE done in your business Why it’s safe to rest, even if you feel

In today’s episode, I share a chatty Growth Goal update for Quarter 2 of 2022. In quarter 2 we made about half of what we made in quarter 1 and had a “failed” launch BUT this was by far my favourite quarter. Tune in to learn exactly why plus why I felt resistant to recording this episode, my biggest lessons from the quarter, what didn’t work and how much money the business made. In This Episode You’ll Learn: What my goal is for 2022 and how I’ve broken my quarterly milestones down Why I felt resistant to doing my quarterly review and recording this episode The important lessons I learned about content creation (including instagram reels) Where I put self-coaching in my Power Planning My biggest lessons and ‘fails’ from the quarter PGSD is opening to new students on 27 July 2022: The PGSD Process will have you planning properly as a perfectionist and getting out of your own way in your business. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 27 July and closing at 11:59