Women Inspired Networking Conversations

Martina Darling
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship

Welcome to Women Inspired Networking Conversations - the podcast for female entrepreneurs and women in business who want real conversations, genuine connection and the inspiration to keep going. Hosted by Martina, founder of Women Inspired Network (WIN), this podcast doesn't hold back on what it really takes to build a business, show up intentionally and authentically and find your people along the way. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, you'll find something to help you here. Each episode brings you one of four things - an honest, unfiltered conversation with inspiring female entrepreneurs, practical networking tips you can actually use, a behind-the-scenes look on how WIN has grown into one of East Anglia's most loved women's business communities and practical mindset and business tips to help move your business forwards. No pressure. No pretending. Just real women, real stories and real business. This is networking - but not how you know it. If you've ever walked into a room full of strangers and wanted to turn straight back around or wondered whether networking is actually worth your time - this podcast is for you. New episodes drop weekly so subscribe to keep up to date. Come and join the conversation. Find us: www.womeninspirednetwork.com Follow on Instagram: @women_inspired_network Find our Facebook Community: Search Women Inspired Network

  1. 21 hr ago

    Is Network Marketing a Scam? Busting the Biggest Myths – with Lisa Prescott

    Can I tell you something that might surprise you? Women Inspired Network only exists because of a network marketing business. Yes, that network marketing. The one everyone says is a scam. This week I sit down with Lisa Prescott, a Forever Living business owner and the woman who popped up on my social media six years ago when I was sat with a five-month-old baby, Googling how I could stay at home and still earn money. Lisa was a police detective when a friend messaged her to come round with £200 and start a business. She was sure she'd be terrible at it. Thirteen years and four children later, she never even went back to clear out her locker. We talk about the difference between a pyramid scheme and network marketing, why so many people quit in the first two months, and why "I haven't got time" and "I can't afford it" might be the stories keeping you stuck, in any business, not just this one. This one is for every woman who has ever let someone else's opinion stop her from starting something. Spoiler: the people judging you don't pay your bills. In this episode we cover: ✨ The real difference between an illegal pyramid scheme and network marketing ✨ Why a low-cost start so often leads to low commitment, and how to treat your business like a business ✨ How to build something in three 20-minute windows a day ✨ Why "pick your hard" changed everything for me ✨ Showing people the Ford, not just the Ferrari, on social media ✨ Why trying to be everyone's cup of tea is holding you back Find Lisa: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_lisaprescott/ 👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lis.Prescott Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/womeninspirednetworkgroup 💬 Join our WhatsApp community 👉 https://chat.whatsapp.com/BD4gVzQF8qGDR0LiNftSvE 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=3cec6810f1c84ccc 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=koWBnwsqqRlLFa1o Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

  2. 6 days ago

    It's Okay to Pause — Why Stepping Back From Your Business Doesn't Make You a Failure, with Sarah Dew

    Can I say something that might feel a bit taboo? Sometimes the most productive thing you can do in your business is... stop. Not forever. Just for now. This week I sit down with Sarah Dew, The Unapologetic Mompreneur and a business alignment and momentum coach — someone who's been coming to WIN since before it even existed, and who I owe quite a lot to myself. Sarah's had an enormous year. Ten years since her breast cancer diagnosis. Caring for ageing, poorly parents two hours away. Supporting her husband through redundancy and into his own business. Watching her teenage son train for the RAF. And on top of all of that, her own health struggles have forced her to pause her own podcast after 140 episodes. We talk about how she decided what had to pause and what could stay, why stepping back isn't the same as giving up, and the one shift that's completely changed how she runs her business: repurposing the ten years of content she already has instead of constantly creating something new. This one is for anyone who has ever felt like a failure for needing to slow down. Spoiler: it doesn't make you one. In this episode we cover: ✨ How to decide what to pause when life gets overwhelming ✨ Why stepping back isn't the same as giving up ✨ The repurposing shift that's saving Sarah hours every week ✨ Why "progress is progress," even on the smallest weeks ✨ What networking is really like as an introvert with social anxiety ✨ Why WIN's relaxed, no-pitch style works (and why Sarah drives two and a half hours round trip for it) Find Sarah: 🌐 https://theunapologeticmompreneur.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunapologeticmompreneur/?hl=en 👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladysarahdew 🎙️ Her podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6CJHN43mRqEB2g7UGIUUvX?si=cb9c9a1450f141d3 Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 Women Inspired Network: Networking For Women In Business 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=83acff1303aa4471 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=kfsbmnaQYm0lelUk Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode — and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

  3. 11 Oct

    Dreaming Big When You're Scared to Scale — with Jade from Toddle About Suffolk

    When was the last time you let yourself dream really big about your business, without immediately talking yourself out of it? Because I think most of us are quietly holding ourselves back. This week I sit down with Jade from Toddle About Suffolk, someone who went from reading the magazine as a new mum to owning it in a matter of weeks. She had no background in publishing or sales, and put her first issue to print in four weeks flat while still working her notice. A year on, she's more than doubled her advertisers and has her sights set on the whole of East Anglia. We talk about why selling your own way beats any script, why fear of failure stops so many of us dreaming big, and why having someone in your corner can be the difference between staying stuck and taking the next step. It's a real, open chat between two women who are both a little bit addicted to growing things. Plus, there may have been a loaf of bread in the oven the entire time. 🍞 This one is for every woman in business who has a big dream tucked away and a little voice saying "surely not." Spoiler: it can be you. In this episode we cover: ✨ How Jade went from Toddle About reader to owner, with zero publishing experience ✨ Why the sales playbook didn't work for her, and what did ✨ Growing from 22 to 55 advertisers and 36 to 52 pages in one year ✨ Her dream of taking Toddle About across East Anglia ✨ Building genuinely flexible work for parents ✨ Why fear of failure stops us dreaming big ✨ Jade's advice for scaling when you're scared ✨ Why showing up and networking still wins ✨ Imposter syndrome, mum guilt, and why we'd still choose this Find Jade at Toddle About Suffolk: 🌐 https://www.toddleabout.co.uk/magazine/suffolk 📸 https://www.instagram.com/suffolktoddleabout/ 👤 https://www.facebook.com/toddleaboutsuffolk Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 Women Inspired Network: Networking For Women In Business 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=3cec6810f1c84ccc 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=koWBnwsqqRlLFa1o Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode — and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

  4. 3 Oct

    The Boring Bits That Protect Your Business — with Gemma Gooch

    Did you know you might be breaking the law just by having a mailing list? I didn't. Not a clue. This week I sit down with Gemma Gooch, VA and leader of our WIN Woodbridge and Felixstowe events. She's the person I go to whenever I'm not compliant with something and have no idea. (Which happens more often than I'd like to admit!) We talk about why nearly every business needs to register with the ICO, why paying the fee is only half the job, and why a smaller email list beats a big one every time. It's a practical, no-jargon chat that turns the scary admin into a simple to-do list. Plus, the insurance broker who lowered Gemma's premium 🙌 This one is for every woman in business who has ever buried her head in the sand about the "boring bits". Spoiler: they're cheaper and easier than you think. In this episode we cover: ✨ What the ICO is and why most businesses need to register (it's about £52 a year!) ✨ How to handle client data safely, and when to shred and delete ✨ Why the ICO's free training could make you stand out ✨ Email marketing consent: opt-ins, tick boxes and the mistake of moving contacts between businesses ✨ Why a smaller, engaged email list beats a big one ✨ Professional indemnity vs public liability insurance, and why a local broker is worth it ✨ Contracts: free templates to start with, and when to call a solicitor Our go-to insurance broker, Amanda Cornwell at Foxhall Risk Management: 🌐 www.foxhallriskmanagement.co.uk ✉️ amanda@foxhallrm.co.uk Find Gemma: 🌐 https://www.gemmagooch.co.uk/ 📸 https://www.instagram.com/gemassist.va/ 👤 https://www.facebook.com/Gemassist.va Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/womeninspirednetworkgroup 💬 Join our WhatsApp community 👉 https://chat.whatsapp.com/BD4gVzQF8qGDR0LiNftSvE 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=83acff1303aa4471 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=kfsbmnaQYm0lelUk Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode — and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

  5. 27 Sept

    Shifting Gears — How Essential Oils Can Help You Move From Mum to Business Mode with Paige Taylor

    How many different hats have you worn today before 10am? School run. Inbox. Client call. School run again. This week I sit down with Paige from Millmead Business, a business coach and huge advocate for self-employed women, who looks after the whole person, not just the business plan. Alongside her coaching, Paige uses essential oils as a simple sensory tool to help her shift between all the roles a busy day throws at her. We talk about why asking for support is a strength and not a weakness, why you can think of scent as "shifting gear in your mind", and why using the same aroma at the same point in your day can turn it into your own personal cue for work mode. It's a practical, sensory, slightly different episode for the podcast, and I loved it. We also crowned peppermint "the palate cleanser for the mind." 🍋 This one is for every woman in business who has ever sat down at her desk after the school run and struggled to switch into work mode. Spoiler: it might take less than five seconds. In this episode we cover: ✨ Why Paige coaches the whole person, not just the business ✨ Why asking for help makes you stronger ✨ How scent anchoring works and why routine matters ✨ Paige's "business woman's toolkit": focus, energy, reset and unwind ✨ The doTERRA oils she reaches for at each point in her day ✨ How to use oils aromatically, plus key safety tips ✨ Paige's new Breakthrough Session coaching process Find Paige at Millmead Business: 🌐 https://millmeadbusiness.co.uk/ 📸 https://www.instagram.com/millmead.business/ 👤 https://www.facebook.com/millmead.business Paige is an independent doTERRA Wellness Advocate. This episode shares personal experience and is not medical advice. Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 Women Inspired Network: Networking For Women In Business 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=83acff1303aa4471 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=kfsbmnaQYm0lelUk Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode — and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

  6. 20 Sept

    Small, Simple Habits Every Business Owner Can Start to Look After Themselves with Rebecca Wiggans

    Be honest: where do you sit on your own to-do list? Somewhere below the business, the family, the kids and the dog. Right? This week I sat down with Rebecca Wiggans, a health coach who helps busy people prioritise themselves when they're so busy prioritising everything else. As business owners we pour everything into our businesses, but if we're running on empty, we can't thrive in them. We talk about why tiny baby steps beat a massive life overhaul. Why water is more powerful than you think. Why the front of a food packet can't be trusted. Why sleep is hugely underrated. And why connection, yes, networking, is actually good for your health. I also confess to running on two hours' sleep and no caffeinated coffee. Rebecca was very proud. ☕ This one is for every woman in business who knows she should look after herself but has no idea where to start. Spoiler: it's much smaller than you think. In this episode we cover: ✨ Why looking after yourself is the foundation of a thriving business ✨ How to turn "I know I should" into a habit that actually fits your life ✨ Why you might be tired (or hungry) when you're really just thirsty ✨ How to read a food label properly, and the granola story you won't forget ✨ Why sleep gets treated like a badge of honour, and why it shouldn't ✨ Easy movement and 10-minute relaxation ideas that don't need a gym ✨ How to describe what you do in one or two lines when someone asks ✨ Why social connection is good for your business and your health Find Rebecca Wiggans: 🌐 https://www.rebeccaholistichealthcoach.com/ 📸 https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaholistichealthcoach/ 👤 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567178302975 📞 Book her complimentary 40 minute health coaching call: https://calendly.com/hello-rebeccaholistichealthcoach/complimentary40min?month=2026-09 Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 Women Inspired Network: Networking For Women In Business 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=83acff1303aa4471 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=kfsbmnaQYm0lelUk Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode — and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

  7. 12 Sept

    Why Hypnotherapy Isn't What You Think It Is - with Emma Norris

    Can I tell you what I picture when I think about hypnotherapy? Someone falling asleep on a stage, clucking like a chicken every time someone says a keyword. Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong. This week I sit down with Emma Norris from Coaching with Emma — a holistic mindset coach and hypnotherapist who had a stroke just before her fifth birthday, grew up feeling different, and turned that experience into the reason she now helps other women stop believing the stories they tell themselves. We talk about why hypnotherapy has nothing to do with losing control, why you don't need to be "gullible" for it to work, why every light has a shadow (and every shadow has a light), and why networking as an introvert sometimes means hiding in the toilet for five minutes to calm yourself down. This one is for every woman in business who has ever felt like she's not enough, who's scared to try something new, or who's convinced she needs to have it all figured out before she starts. Spoiler: you don't. In this episode we cover: ✨ What holistic mindset coaching actually means ✨ How a childhood stroke shaped Emma's whole approach to mindset work ✨ The biggest myths about hypnotherapy — and what a session is really like ✨ Why you don't need to be "suggestible" for hypnosis to work ✨ How hypnotherapy can support confidence, sleep, and breaking unhelpful patterns ✨ Why every shadow has a light — and every light has a shadow ✨ Practical advice for introverts who dread networking events Find Emma at Coaching with Emma: 🌐 https://coachingwithemma.co.uk/ 📸 https://www.instagram.com/coachingwithemmauk/ 👤 https://www.facebook.com/coachingwithemmauk Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 Women Inspired Network: Networking For Women In Business 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=83acff1303aa4471 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=kfsbmnaQYm0lelUk Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode — and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

  8. 6 Sept

    Why Finding Your Real Audience Changes Everything, with Cherry Hills

    Can I ask you something? How many times have you measured your business's worth by whether your friends and family bought from you? This week I sit down with Cherry Hills, founder of The Alchemist's Forge — someone who's been part of the Women Inspired Network family since before it even had a name. What started as anxiety worksheets Cherry hand-drew for her own daughter has grown into a whole world of downloadable children's mental health resources, in-person parent groups, and — as of this year — her very first children's book. We get into the real stuff: why the people closest to you are almost never your customers (and why that's not a reflection of your worth), why children don't come with a manual, and how one small decision — to write a story about seven goblins who each represent a different big feeling — turned into a book that's now opening doors to schools, wellness centres, and connections neither of us could have predicted. We also talk about networking the way it should feel: not pitchy, not clinical, just genuine. Cherry's been coming to WIN since day one, and this episode is a proper love letter to what happens when you keep showing up. 💛 This one is for every business owner who's ever felt like their work isn't landing because the people around them aren't buying. Spoiler: you probably just haven't found your people yet. In this episode we cover: ✨ Why your friends and family are (almost) never your customers ✨ How Cherry turned hand-drawn worksheets into a full business ✨ The story behind The Forge of Feelings and its seven goblins ✨ Why children don't come with a manual — and how to help them tell you what they need ✨ The unexpected doors that open when you show up to the same room, consistently ✨ Why genuine networking beats pitchy networking every time Find Cherry: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.alchemists.forge 👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003475841481 📖 Buy the book: https://the-alchemists-forge.sumupstore.com Find out more about Women Inspired Network events 👉 www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events Follow us on Instagram 👉 @women_inspired_network Join our Facebook community 👉 Women Inspired Network: Networking For Women In Business 📖 Read the full blog: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo?si=83acff1303aa4471 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn&si=kfsbmnaQYm0lelUk Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode — and if this one resonated with you, a review or a share means the absolute world to me. 💛

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About

Welcome to Women Inspired Networking Conversations - the podcast for female entrepreneurs and women in business who want real conversations, genuine connection and the inspiration to keep going. Hosted by Martina, founder of Women Inspired Network (WIN), this podcast doesn't hold back on what it really takes to build a business, show up intentionally and authentically and find your people along the way. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, you'll find something to help you here. Each episode brings you one of four things - an honest, unfiltered conversation with inspiring female entrepreneurs, practical networking tips you can actually use, a behind-the-scenes look on how WIN has grown into one of East Anglia's most loved women's business communities and practical mindset and business tips to help move your business forwards. No pressure. No pretending. Just real women, real stories and real business. This is networking - but not how you know it. If you've ever walked into a room full of strangers and wanted to turn straight back around or wondered whether networking is actually worth your time - this podcast is for you. New episodes drop weekly so subscribe to keep up to date. Come and join the conversation. Find us: www.womeninspirednetwork.com Follow on Instagram: @women_inspired_network Find our Facebook Community: Search Women Inspired Network

Information

  • Creator
    Martina Darling
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Martina Darling