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PODCAST

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast

Heather Townsend

Running a small business can feel overwhelming - too much to do, not enough time, and growth that never quite takes off. This podcast is for small business owners who want to scale their business but feel stuck. No fluff, no vague advice - just clear, short, practical insights to help you build a business that works. Whether you’re struggling with sales, marketing, pricing, or just managing the daily chaos, you’ll get straight-talking strategies to move forward. If you’re tired of spinning your

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

12:17

Feeling like you are falling behind on AI adoption?...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/04/26

Are you watching everyone on LinkedIn and Substack talk about AI and wondering if you're already falling behind? Have you already bought a tool subscription or two, only to find it hasn't really changed how your firm operates? If the noise around AI is making you feel anxious rather than excited, this episode is for you.I share the advice I gave to several of my clients this week, all of them professional services firm owners who came to me worried they were missing the boat on AI. In this episode,

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7:46

The day I found out that my team were b*tching about...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/04/19

Do you cringe inside when someone calls you "the boss"? Have you been running your team more like a group of mates on a shared project than a group of people who need structure and leadership from you? And do you quietly wonder how many of your people problems are actually your problems to own?I share what I've learned that being a good technician is not the same as being a good boss, and that my resistance to stepping into that role was costing me dearly; in staff retention, in performance, and in

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14:02

You're showing up. So why aren't the leads coming?

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/04/12

Does it ever feel like you're shouting into the void? You're putting content out, you're showing up, and yet the reputation and the recognition just aren't coming. And if you dare look at social media, there always seems to be someone crushing it with their content.So what are they doing that you're not?I share what I've learned from working with firm owners who have transformed their marketing results, and from the frustration of watching social media fill up with AI-generated slop that sounds like

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8:21

How to finally have the conversation you've been too...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/04/05

Is there a conversation sitting on your to-do list that's been there for weeks? Do you keep telling yourself it's not the right moment, hoping the problem will somehow resolve itself? If avoiding a difficult conversation is costing you time, team morale and headspace, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned about approaching the conversations you've been putting off - with staff, clients, and suppliers - and finally getting the outcome you need. In this episode, I talk about why we avoid

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10:11

The estate agent who won my business didn't do...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/03/29

Have you ever wondered what your firm actually feels like to a potential client reaching out for the first time? Do you assume your enquiry process is working smoothly, when in reality you might be losing people before you've ever had the chance to speak to them? If you've never tested your own sales funnel end to end, from the first Google search to the follow-up email, this episode is for you.I share what I learned when I recently became the client, going through the process of choosing an estate

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7:56

These 4 beliefs that made you and your firm...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/03/22

Are you still showing up to work every day as the technical expert, even though you now have a team depending on you? Do you find yourself redoing your team's work, holding onto every client relationship, and wondering why the people problems never seem to go away? If you feel like you're failing at the "people bit" of running a growing firm, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned from running a workshop with twelve small accounting firm owners - every single one of them had a people

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10:39

Why your ideal clients have already shortlisted...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/03/15

Are you working hard on follow-up but still losing work you thought you were close to winning? Do you sometimes wonder if the real decision was made before you ever got on a call? If your firm is invisible during the months when potential clients are quietly deciding who to shortlist, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned from losing a £50,000 to £100,000 contract that I genuinely thought we were in the running for, and what the research tells us about why it was probably already lost

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9:02

Why your best referral sources aren't sending you...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/03/08

Are you putting in the networking hours but the referrals just aren't coming? Do you have introducers who seem keen to help but somehow never actually send you work? If you're doing everything right and still waiting for referrals that never materialise, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned about why referral relationships so often fail to deliver, and why it's rarely about whether people like you or rate your work. In this episode, I talk about the five specific types of friction that

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11:40

The clients you can't let go of are the ones holding...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/03/01

Are you still the person every client comes to, even though you know it's holding your firm back? Do you find yourself saying you'll delegate more, but somehow you're still reviewing every piece of work and answering every client question? If the thought of handing over your longest-standing clients feels genuinely terrifying, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned about finally letting go of client work. In this episode, I talk about why holding on too tightly is the single biggest thing

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19:58

The lead generator sitting in plain sight (that most...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/02/22

Is your website quietly losing you clients every single week? Do you know you need to do something about your firm's digital presence but can never quite find the time to prioritise it? If you're not sure whether your website is actually working hard for your business or just taking up space on the internet, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned from digging into the real data behind professional services websites, and some of it genuinely shocked me. In this episode, I talk about the

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14:10

How to turn meetings with existing clients into...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/02/15

Are you leaving tens of thousands of pounds on the table with your existing clients? Do you find yourself exhausted from chasing new business whilst opportunities with current clients slip through your fingers? Are you so busy firefighting that you miss the buying signals right in front of you?I share what I've learned about turning routine client meetings into profitable new work without adding more to your already overwhelming plate. In this episode, I talk about why most firm owners are so

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19:00

Most business owners quit their podcast after episode...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/02/08

Do you keep starting projects that fizzle out after a few weeks? Have you thought about launching a podcast but worry you won't keep it going? Are you one of those business owners who's brilliant at starting things but struggles with the follow-through?I share what I've learned from publishing 53 consecutive weekly podcast episodes in my first year. In this episode, I talk about why 90% of podcasts don't make it past episode 3, and what separates the 1% who actually succeed. You'll hear the truth

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11:43

Where did the week go? (And why it keeps happening)

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/02/01

Do you start Monday with a clear plan only to reach Friday wondering where the week went? Are you constantly firefighting instead of moving your business forward? Do you know exactly what you should be doing to grow, but somehow those tasks never seem to happen?I share what I've learned about why our weeks disappear into client work and admin, and what actually works to break the cycle. In this episode, I talk about the truth that your brain is actively working against you, and why willpower alone

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11:15

New year, same problems? Here's why nothing changed

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/01/25

Are you sitting there at the end of January wondering where the month went and why nothing's actually changed? Did those optimistic plans to finally delegate more, work fewer hours, and get out of the weeds disappear faster than your New Year's resolutions? If you're back to being the busiest person in your firm, firefighting the same problems you promised yourself would be different in 2026, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned about why our best intentions fail and what's actually

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10:43

How to get clients to say yes (without chasing or...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/01/18

Do you send proposals that never get a response? Have you had clients go silent after saying "looks good, we'll get back to you"? Are you losing work to competitors even though you know you're technically better?I share the six evidence-based principles that consistently get clients to say yes faster. In this episode, I talk about why most professional services firms lose pitches or new business not because their offering isn't good enough, but because they haven't thought about how to influence the

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10:10

The pitch slap and other ways to lose friends on...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/01/11

Are you wondering why LinkedIn isn't bringing you the clients you need? Do you invest time networking on the platform but feel like you're doing something wrong when the work doesn't materialise? Are you confused about what's changed with LinkedIn and why the tactics and content that used to work aren't delivering results anymore?I share what I've learned about LinkedIn prospecting after being pitch slapped and watching the platform fundamentally change how it works. In this episode, I talk about

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10:16

Working harder won't get you there (here's what will...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2026/01/04

Are you setting goals to do more in 2026, even though working harder hasn't got you where you want to be? Do you find yourself stuck at the same revenue level despite putting in long hours? If you're still the most chargeable person in your business, cherry-picking the work you love, and feeling like everything runs through you, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned about the counterintuitive truth of scaling: the exact behaviours that got you to £100k or £250k are now the ceiling

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14:37

Everyone talks about scaling up. Nobody talks about...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2025/12/28

Are you pushing through exhaustion while telling yourself you just need to try harder? Do you feel guilty for not being able to work at the pace you used to? Are you afraid that slowing down means giving up on your business ambitions?I share my most personal story yet about being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in July 2025 and completely redesigning my business around chronic fatigue. In this episode, I talk about how this year of debilitating fatigue and therapy became my most profitable year ever

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9:58

The tough love I keep giving clients (because it works)

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2025/12/21

Are you pushing through exhaustion and telling yourself you'll rest after this busy period? Do you find yourself being the bottleneck in your own business, with every decision landing back on your desk? If you're wearing busy as a badge of honour whilst secretly knowing your business can't run without you for more than a week, this episode is for you.I share twelve hard-won lessons I find myself repeating to clients and, if I'm honest, to myself. These aren't theoretical business principles but the

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8:22

Why I can't stop doing the one thing that's limiting...

The Start Up To Grown Up Podcast ·

2025/12/14

Are you the highest biller in your firm? Do you get a rush from personally closing deals and winning clients, even though you know you should be delegating? Have you built a business that's stuck at £250-300k because you can't stop being the star player?I share something uncomfortable in this episode: my own addiction to winning clients. That dopamine hit when they say yes, when I personally find and sign up the large client, nothing quite matches it. But while I'm chasing that next high and being

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