The Smart Twenties Podcast

I hadn’t thought to do an episode on how I built my podcast until my friend Alexander James (who I interviewed in Episode 340) started asking for the details. So I thought that I’d record an episode on how I built my podcast to 2 million downloads without following industry best practices. This episode is about podcasting AND it’s about how you can be successful even when you’re not doing things the same way as everyone else in your industry - no matter what you’re working on. If you feel called to do things your way, this one’s for you. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode498. What To Do Next Join the waitlist: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power Instagram: @perfectionismproject If you’re ready to get out of your own way in your business, you want to join my program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done. Click here to find out more about the program and join t

Today I’m sharing a message that I recorded from the heart. It’s all about what it looks like to create the willingness to go all-in on your business, even if it’s scary. It’s a chatty episode filled with personal stories, a loving kick in the pants and an invitation to step into who you know you’re here to be. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode497. Doors closing soon for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) PGSD is a productivity program for early-stage entrepreneurs who are ready to overcome perfectionism and create momentum in their business in six weeks working just 4 hours per week on their business.  If you are struggling to build your business due to procrastination, fear of failure or imposter syndrome, we’ve got you. PGSD is a lifetime access program that teaches you our simple productivity process for perfectionist entrepreneurs and supports you with group coaching, private coaching, personal feedback, accountability and like-minded community.  The do

In today’s episode, I interview PGSDer Jenn Baswick all about how overcoming perfectionism allowed her to double her revenue without burning out. Our most successful PGSDers are business owners who LOVE being productive and yet find themselves struggling to show up fully for their business due to perfectionism. And this was definitely the case for Jenn. Jenn is a registered dietitian and before she signed up for PGSD, she’d tried everything she could to build her business. She invested in business programs to help her setup her business correctly and market it the right way plus she tried every productivity tool from to-do lists to time blocking to Asana to Notion. And yet her business still wasn’t growing in the way she knew it could… Even though Jenn ‘knew’ what she needed to do, she wasn’t able to turn her knowledge into business growth - even though she was always busy working. In today’s episode of The Perfectionism Project, you’ll hear from Jenn and I discuss:   ✔ The hidden reason why to-do lists, time

In this episode I’m interviewing my client Arielle DeHaw on overcoming perfectionism and committing to go all in in your business. Arielle coaches gifted coaches and service providers on how to get out of their own way, overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome, and reach their potential. Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) helped her overcome perfectionism and learn how to get shit done, and once she had that, everything came together. We talk about what her journey looked like with getting out of her own way in her business, how Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) has helped her with that, and specific things she’s learned in the program. We also discuss one of Arielle’s biggest hesitations when she signed up for PGSD: What if I don’t actually do this and don’t make the most of PGSD? Because she had times before where she felt really hopeful about something she was going to invest in and then she didn’t follow through because of perfectionism. And we talk about how she’s been able to follow

Welcome to Part 5 of my 5-part Momentum Series. In this series I’m going to teach you how to create momentum in your business in just six weeks without burning out. Creating sustainable momentum on your own hasn’t worked. Thanks to perfectionism you’ve been getting in your own way, and your business and sanity has been paying the price. It’s not because you’re not smart enough to have a successful business (you are). And it’s not because you’re not capable of being a successful entrepreneur (you are).  It’s simply because you’ve been trying to be perfect instead of simply overcoming perfectionism. I have something to help… Today I’m sharing how to create sustainable momentum in just six weeks inside Perfectionists Getting Shit Done. When you have our simple productivity process for early-stage entrepreneurs that is specifically designed to help you overcome perfectionism and get shit done without burning out… And you have unlimited personal support, a like-minded community and lifetime access to the program s

Welcome to Part 4 of my 5-part Momentum Series. In this series I’m going to teach you how to create momentum in your business in just six weeks without burning out. The cause of burnout isn’t long work hours, poor work-life balance, demanding clients or rushing to meet a deadline. Being all-in on your business isn’t what causes burn out either. You can have momentum in your business without burning out even if you’re balancing your business with a full-time job, caring for little ones, a health condition or all of the above. That’s why today’s episode is all about the hidden cause of burnout. When you know how burnout actually works, you won’t be scared to create momentum in your business. Even if you’ve got a busy life to keep up with outside of your business. I haven’t burned out in six years, even though burnout used to be the bane of my existence. And even though I have a successful business and have three little ones to take care of when I’m not working. I’m going to teach you my secret to never burning

Welcome to Part 3 of my 5-part Momentum Series. In this series I’m going to teach you how to create momentum in your business in just six weeks without burning out. And in today’s episode, I’m going to cover the three strategies for creating momentum in your business. I’ll share why these strategies work for perfectionist entrepreneurs, and how they will help you build the momentum you are wanting in your business. Taking this approach will get you unstuck so you can move your business forward. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to take a screenshot and tag me on instagram @perfectionismproject. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode492. Work With Me: Enrollment for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done begins on Friday, 18 October and closes on Friday, 25 October at 11:59pm New York Time. If you're ready to do the things you know you need to do and get your business off the ground, mark your calendar and get ready to sign up. Sign up in the first 48 hours of enrollment

Welcome to Part 2 of my 5-part Momentum Series. In this series I’m going to teach you how to create momentum in your business in just six weeks without burning out. And in today’s episode, we are going to be talking about how to stop treating your business like a hobby. I’m going to help you identify if this is you, and this is without any shame or judgement. And I’m speaking from experience when I share this. I used to treat my business like a hobby and that's all it ever was until I changed my mindset around it. So I really want to help you understand the importance of treating your business like a real business, including how that looks like and what to do so that you can start taking that approach. Because if you are taking a hobby approach to your business, then you won't actually be able to create the full time business that you want to. It really is such an important mindset shift. If that sounds like you, this episode is going to be so helpful. All you need to do is hit play. If you enjoyed this episo

Welcome to Part 1 of my 5-part Momentum Series. In this series I’m going to teach you how to create momentum in your business in just six weeks without burning out. If you’re feeling behind in your business or like all of the hard work you’ve been putting in is getting you nowhere, creating momentum is the cure. When you have momentum you will find it so easy to stay motivated. You will have tangible evidence that you’re on the right track, your efforts are paying off and that you can one day have a business that supports you full-time. And you won’t have to work as hard because momentum will be able to carry your business forward when you aren’t able to be there.  Having momentum is the secret to: being able to navigate hard times in your personal life without your business suffering taking laptop-free vacations without having to compromise on your financial goals feeling successful in your business, even when you aren’t full-time in it just yet. Tune into today’s episode to learn all about the 5 common mi

Perfectionists often struggle with taking action consistently and that has serious consequences in business. Consistent action is a critical part of any business’s success and the cost of not doing that matters. This is such an important topic to understand, which is why I’m sharing about it in today’s episode. I want to make sure that if this is a problem for you, that you become aware of it and how it’s affecting you and your business so you can do something about it.  I also want you to feel encouraged and supported as you listen in. This isn’t about feeling ashamed or beating yourself up because you have this problem. Instead, this is about understanding the true cost of inaction and finding a solution that works for you in a way that is sustainable and empowering. You can become someone who is productive, who does what is needed, and who is confident about putting yourself out there. I talk in detail about what this looks like, how to tell if this is going on for you, and what the solution is. Find the f

Ever since I started my blog in August 2013, building a six figure business has been a dream of mine. When my business crossed the six figure mark, I thought it would be the perfect time to chat through what it feels like to finally be here.  Like most people, I believed that having a six figure business would mean more happiness, more time and feeling more organised - but this hasn’t quite been the case! I’m so grateful for where I am but also wanted to share what can happen mentally when we achieve our big goals. If you’re on your way to building a six-figure business, this episode is for you. I hope listening inspires you to continue goal-setting and reminds you that there’s no need to rush because you’ll always be on the journey. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode488. What To Do Next: Join the waitlist: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Follow me on instagram for more perfectionism advice: @perfectionismproject If you’re re

Our perfectionist all-or-nothing mindset is what makes us rebel from our calendars. That is, unless you’re planning properly as a perfectionist. I used to be the person who couldn’t follow through with my calendar for more than a couple of days. Yet no matter how much time I spent planning everything out, I kept rebelling. It wasn’t because I didn’t have what it takes to be my own boss. It was simply because I was unknowingly making some pretty big planning mistakes that were making my perfectionist mindset working against me. In this episode I’m sharing 8 calendaring mistakes that are unknowingly causing you to rebel against your calendar. And I walk you through how Power Planning solves for each of them in the easiest and most practical way. If you want to be able to rely on yourself to follow through with your plans whilst having lots of flexibility and freedom in your week, this episode is for you. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode487. Mentioned In The Episode:

If you want to stop constantly questioning yourself - today’s podcast episode is for you. I’m sharing advanced work you can do when it comes to self-doubt.  Tune in to learn how to mine your self-doubt for wisdom and how this is different to believing your self-doubt, dismissing it or ignoring it altogether. If you feel like you have been ignoring your inner voice and are ready to work with your self-doubt to build self-trust, tune in today. In this episode I’m also sharing a special announcement about The Power Planning Course that so many people have been waiting for. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode486. Other ways I can help you: Find out more about The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning Join the waitlist: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Follow me on instagram for more perfectionism advice: @perfectionismproject If you’re ready to say goodbye to overwhelm, I invite you to sign up for The Power Plan

If you’ve been avoiding taking action towards your business goals, it might be because there’s an unspoken goal that you need to acknowledge. This is simple yet powerful work that will have you feel more aligned with your goals than ever before. Plus it will give you permission to work on the essential things that you’ve been feeling bad about working on. Tune in to learn how to tell when you have an unspoken goal, examples of how this shows up in business and what to do about it. You’ll also learn how to be ok with leaving some goals for the future so you can calmly focus on what matters right now. If you are struggling to get behind your goals emotionally, it’s likely this is work you need to do. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode485. Other ways I can help you: Join the waitlist: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Watch the free training: How To Plan Properly As A Perfectionist with Power Planning Follow me on instagram for mo

For most perfectionists, it feels reckless or even harmful to publish ‘imperfect’ work unless a last minute deadline forces our hand. Whether it’s a piece of content, a client deliverable, a sales page, a piece of art or just about anything else. We don’t want to let go of it until it feels ready. And by ready, we mean perfect.  But this comes at a great cost to our business and to ourselves. We’re exhausted, we’re dependent on external deadlines and pressure to keep us motivated and we don’t get enough practice to become insanely good at what we do. We don’t make sales, we don’t help people and we don’t get to show ourselves what we’re capable of. All because the emotional piece is missing. I have built a successful business because I have created the emotional capacity to publish ‘imperfect’ work. I let my ideas meet reality before they feel perfect to my perfectionist brain. And I emotionally allow myself to have imperfect work out in the world. I wouldn’t be at almost 500 episodes and 3 million downloads

If you’ve been feeling frozen or you're scared of making mistakes, failing again, doing yourself wrong or setting yourself back - today’s episode is for you.  Today I’m helping you explore the areas in your business where you feel like you have your hands tied behind your back.  These are the areas in your business where you have a deep desire to take action but aren’t letting yourself - either because of a past decision you made, a rule you unconsciously adopted or an expectation you’re placing on yourself.  Then I’m walking you through how to untie your hands from behind your back, update your decisions and let yourself freely create.  It’s an important lesson for all entrepreneurs, especially those who have been getting in their own way. Tune in today. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode483. What To Do Next: Join the waitlist: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Watch the free training: How To Plan Properly As A Perfectionist wit

Perfectionism is stopping your business from growing but it’s not ‘toxic’ and I don’t recommend trying to ‘stop being a perfectionist’. Nor do I recommend writing ‘done is better than perfect on a post-it note or telling yourself ‘I am good enough’.  Tune in to learn what perfectionism actually is, the common misconceptions about perfectionism, the 5 surprising signs of perfectionism, how perfectionism is impacting your business and the 3 practical tools that will allow you to release your perfectionism handbrake.  I also share my own story with overcoming perfectionism to build a successful business and why you can do it too - even if you’ve been getting in your own way for years. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/482. What To Do Next: Watch the free training: How To Plan Properly As A Perfectionist with Power Planning Join the waitlist: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Follow me on instagram for more perfectionism advice: @perfecti

Successful entrepreneurs rarely overthink. So in today’s episode of The Perfectionism Project, I’m sharing why perfectionists overthink, the hidden costs that overthinking is having on your business and the proven path to stopping overthinking.  Overthinking isn’t just frustrating - it’s stopping your business from growing. But that doesn’t mean you need to beat yourself up for overthinking. Instead all you need to do is understand why it makes sense for your perfectionist brain to overthink things like social media content, your niche and your email newsletter. And then to start using the practical tools that will actually help you overthink far less. And that’s what I’m sharing in today’s episode. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/481.   Other Things To Help You Free training: How To Plan Properly As A Perfectionist with Power Planning Program: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Instagram: @perfectionismproject If you’re ready to g

If you have been stuck at the same level of revenue for a while now, this episode is for you. I’m sharing my simple 5-step process to graduate from your current level of revenue and achieve your next financial goal. This is a process that’s been proven to work time and time again both for me and for my clients inside Perfectionists Getting Shit Done. And today I’m sharing it with you. In this episode you’ll learn where perfectionists get stuck with achieving financial goals and why. I’m also sharing why I don’t recommend focusing on having a better marketing strategy, getting more leads, refining your offer or becoming better at what you do. Tune in to learn what to focus on instead so that you can achieve your goal with ease and confidently figure out all of the practical, strategic and marketing details along the way.  Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/480. Mentioned In The Episode: Ep 478: Perfectionist Entitlement + What To Do When Business Is Frustrating Stacey Boeh

One of my favourite feelings is finishing my work day at the exact minute I planned, with everything essential complete. And this episode is a masterclass on how you can do it too.  Tune in to learn why finishing on time is a skill worth developing, the self-image you need to develop to make it possible and the tools that make it easy. You’ll hear the practical steps to follow, what it looks like in practice and how to avoid the common mistakes and misconceptions that will stop you from finishing on time. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode479.   Other Things To Help You Free training: How To Plan Properly As A Perfectionist with Power Planning Program: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Instagram: @perfectionismproject If you’re ready to get out of your own way in your business, you want to join my program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done. Click here to sign up today: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.