Inspiring Women in Business Ruth Gilbey

There are so many messages out there about pushing through your comfort zone you can end up thinking if it doesn’t hurt I must be doing it wrong.  But what if you need your business to be comfortable and safe because you’re already dealing with life stuff? For example looking after elderly parents, being a career, or dealing with a chronic illness? 
In this interview, Laura shares how she’s adapted her own business to suit her, her goals, and her family. And how she’s expanding her comfort zone rather than pushing through it. Laura shares valuable lessons she learned that changed and simplified the way she runs her business.
 
Key takeaways from this episode
Voxer works like leaving a voicemail message on Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger, but there isn’t a time limit to how long the message can be.
The person can listen in real-time while you’re leaving a message in Voxer.
We need someone accountable to keep our work on track and motivated.
We can learn how to have a successful business without burning ourselves out.
Working on something without burning out is a choice you have to own.
Choosing not to burn yourself out gives you space to be more creative and earn more.
It’s better to expand your comfort zone than go out of it.
Your business will have its hard parts, but you don’t have to make it harder for yourself.
Always ask yourself how you can make things easier and simpler.
Dig deep and figure out what is making things hard to be able to work on it more effectively.
There are many ways to do things; You can always pick the strategy that will work for you.  
Episode Timeline:
00:04 Intro
01:08 Episode Intro
02:18 How Laura Robinson changed the way she does her business
03:41 How Voxer works
06:59 Who Laura is and what her business looks like now
08:14 How Laura progressed into mentoring
09:49 The benefits of having someone to keep your business on track
11:31 Laura’s thoughts on having comfy businesses
13:53 Laura’s advice on creating a successful business without burning out
18:48 Laura’s focus this year
20:29 Laura’s comfy business newsletter
24:29 Expanding our comfort zones
27:09 Finding ways to make hard things simpler
29:25 Laura’s advice on making hard things more comfortable
31:39 Picking the right strategy that works for you
33:40 How to connect with Laura
34:39 Outro
 
How to connect with Laura Robinson:
Website: worditude.co.uk/newsletter
 
Connect and know more about Ruth Gilbey here:
Coaching: https://www.ruthgilbey.com/coaching
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthgilbeymarketingandcoaching/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruth_gilbey/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthgilbey/
 

During Covid, Amy Jones had a moment where she thought it was game over for her in-person yoga business. Still, after a conversation with her Mum, who offered her money to get her through the next 6 months, Amy decided no Covid wasn’t going to take away her business.
She then learned everything she could about taking her business online, and that’s how our paths crossed in 2021 during a live round of my free Business Breakthrough Training. We’ve been working together inside my business coaching membership online business collective for over a year and nearly as long working 1-2-1 together.
Amy now mentors other yoga teachers on how to have profitable yoga businesses they’re proud of and has a successful online yoga business and an enviable easy way of doing her marketing and making sales. 
She’s a true inspiration, have a listen. 



Key takeaways from this episode
Take advantage of the many things you can access and learn through the different online platforms.
There should always be a fair value exchange for what you’re doing. 
Lead the way in asking the right price and refrain from copying others’ service rates.
If you’re not charging enough, you’re also not insuring commitment.
Learn the seasonal rhythm of your business and plan for it well.
Turn the spotlight away from you and turn it to the people who seek your service.
We often beat ourselves up for being human but remember we’re doing our best to help and serve. Investing in yourself changes your attitude; It makes you feel more accountable.
Aside from the support you are getting from your family, get yourself in a community of people who do the same business and experts in your field too.
You are the one who makes the rules in your business.
There are a lot of tactics to sell, and you have to be human behind these tactics.
Make offers, make money. Always make an offer after telling people how you can help them.
 
Episode Timeline:
00:04 Intro
01:05 Episode Guest: Amy Jones
02:03 How Amy ended up with her business
03:23 How Amy’s business is operating today
05:03 How she overcomes her tech fears
06:38 On being a generator and taking actions
09:34 Why Amy is passionate about teaching yoga teachers
12:29 The challenging part of the business and the right mindset to overcome it
17:08 Asking the right price to keep the business going
20:00 Amy’s best bit of advice on money mindset
24:57 Joining the Business Collective and the importance of getting into a community of people in the same business
35:51 The right thinking around launching and using online platforms for the launch
38:32 Making the Rules in your business
40:50 How to be human behind the selling tactics you do
42:33 How to connect with Amy
43:58 Amy’s advice on selling more and making time for revenue-generating activities
46:32 Outro



How to connect with Amy Jones:
Website: www.amy-yoga.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyyoga.teacher.trainer/
 
Podcast: Prosperous Yogini
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/prosperous-yogini/id1627989066
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/244DbI7trXPlLePjJDBMoI 
 
Connect with Nina Gordon: https://ninajgordon.com/
 
More about Ruth:
Hi, I’m Ruth, a business coach specializing in helping freelancers and business owners adjust their mindset and their marketing so they can get fully booked with clients they LOVE to work with. I’ve helped hundreds of self-employed women achieve the time and money freedom they craved.
I’ve started this podcast because when I first went all in and left the corporate world to be a freelancer, I was grateful for any work that came my way. After over 20 years of freelancing and working for other people, I started to realize I’d created a glass ceiling for myself.
In 2017, I finally started listening to that voice that had been telling me for a long time that I wasn’t doing what I loved and fulfilling my true potential.  I

Unclear boundaries attract the wrong clients. When you start to work better around your value, your ideal clients will be ready to work with you. This will save a lot of your time and resources in the long run.
In this episode, Ruth talks about how much you should give away for free and how you should decide on what is worth it. She shares her experience with setting up clear boundaries and finding the right clients for her business. 
Listen and Enjoy!
 
Key takeaways from this episode
Work around your value, have clear boundaries, and be open to updating and revising them as your business evolves. Networking and talking to people give insights into who your ideal clients are, what they need, and what they are looking for. You have to try and experience things for yourself to decide what is right for you. Sometimes saying no means you set boundaries so people know they can't pick your brain for free, waste your time, and have lots of coffee chats with you. Saying yes to doing something for free can also get you in front of someone else’s audience. Many people find giving things for free rewarding.   No one strategy works for everyone. It is up to you to decide if something is worth it.  To best decide on which strategy will work for you, you have to look at what stage you are in your business and what you’re trying to achieve.  
 
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Intro
00:17 Podcast Intro
01:20 Today’s Episode
02:26 How Ruth started setting boundaries in her business
04:56 Finding the right people to work with
06:28 Getting insights and research for valuable content while talking to people
08:36 Should you do paid webinars and challenges to launch your next course?
10:20 When does doing things for free work?
11:31 Ruth’s audiences’ thoughts on working for free
13:28 Deciding on a fair value exchange
14:28 Never undercharge again
15:12 Outro
 
 
 
More about Ruth:
Hi, I’m Ruth, a business coach specializing in helping freelancers and business owners adjust their mindset and their marketing so they can get fully booked with clients they LOVE to work with. I’ve helped hundreds of self-employed women achieve the time and money freedom they craved.
I’ve started this podcast because when I first went all in and left the corporate world to be a freelancer, I was grateful for any work that came my way. After over 20 years of freelancing and working for other people, I started to realize I’d created a glass ceiling for myself.
In 2017, I finally started listening to that voice that had been telling me for a long time that I wasn’t doing what I loved and fulfilling my true potential.  It took a critical illness to give me that wake-up call.  I don’t want the same to happen to you.
You can expect practical advice, inspiring stories, and a lot of aha moments as we uncover and kick to the curb all the obstacles you have been putting in your way.
I’m on a mission to inspire women to start and play bigger in business.
 
Connect and know more about Ruth Gilbey here:
Coaching: https://www.ruthgilbey.com/coaching
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthgilbeymarketingandcoaching/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruth_gilbey/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthgilbey/

Two reasons you should set up your business in maintenance mode: The fact that life throws unexpected things, and the need for creativity and freedom to do other things to scale your business.
In this episode, Ruth Gilbey talks about running your business in maintenance mode. She shares a useful guide on how to set up your business and some of the useful tools you need for it. 
Listen and Enjoy!
 
Key takeaways from this episode:
It’s important as business owners to have white space in your calendar for creativity and a business that doesn’t rely on you so you can have the freedom to do other things  A lot happens to us and we have to keep showing up in our business even when we don't feel like it. So having this robust kind of infrastructure in your business gives you some peace of mind. Don’t make any drastic decisions and remember that most emotions are temporary.
 
Some Automation Tools You Need for Your Business:
Social Media Scheduling Tool - allows one to plan, manage, and recycle content. It’s somewhere to also store all your content and can be easily used in a team for collaboration. (e.g. MeetEdgar, Buffer, HootSuite, Planoly, Social Bee, ContentCal, and Metrical) 
E-mail Marketing Tool - sends a regular e-mail newsletter and podcast updates. This can also set up automation for new subscribers, sales funnels, new customers or clients, cancellations, follow-ups, and more. (e.g. MailChimp, Active Campaign, and Kajabi)
Google Doc of templates that are used if you need a personal touch on your e-mails.
Click Up and Slack - used for collaborating with team members.
Zapier - helps different tools talk to each other.
Payment Plan Subscriptions - used to set up payments so you’re not chasing up payments. (e.g. PayPal, Stripe, and Kajabi Checkout.)
Brand Guidelines and Assets Documents
CRM for Managing Clients
Tools for Personal Stuff
E-mail Organisation Automation - helps organise the e-mails that come to your inbox into different folders.
 
Guidelines on Running Your Business in Maintenance Mode:
Make a priority list of what you need to do and be brutal if you’ve got a short amount of time.
Communicate. Notify contractors and clients if things are changing.
Recycle your marketing content and do not just create more and more.
Look at automation and scheduling tools.
Look at your expenses and financial commitments.
Give yourself what you need.
Batch things such as recording podcasts, writing e-mails, and creating content.
Set boundaries.
 
Episode Timeline:
00:04 Podcast Intro
01:08 Episode Intro
01:30 How automation and systems transform businesses
04:35 Some tools you can use for setting up your business in maintenance mode
11:45 Having some peace of mind in your business when a lot of unexpected things happen
12:42 What made Ruth change the way she runs her business
13:24 The processes that Ruth went through
14:00 Having an extended period of time before making a big decision
15:52 What you need to do to run your business in maintenance mode.
20:52 Recap
21:39 Ruth’s advice to you
22:19 Outro




More about Ruth:
Hi, I’m Ruth, a business coach specializing in helping freelancers and business owners adjust their mindset and their marketing so they can get fully booked with clients they LOVE to work with. I’ve helped hundreds of self-employed women achieve the time and money freedom they craved.
I’ve started this podcast because when I first went all in and left the corporate world to be a freelancer, I was grateful for any work that came my way. After over 20 years of freelancing and working for other people, I started to realize I’d created a glass ceiling for myself.
In 2017, I finally started listening to that voice that had been telling me for a long time that I wasn’t doing what I loved and fulfilling my true potential.  It took a critical illness to give me that wake-up call.  I don’t want th

Signing up for and contributing to a business bundle can be an amazing opportunity to try something new, learn from other people, and even make money. If done right, it’s overall a rewarding experience.
In this episode, Ruth Gilbey reviews and reflects on the 5 things that she learned from contributing to Elizabeth Goddard’s Christmas Party Goodie Bag Bundle. She also shares 3 things to remember when signing up for these business bundles.
Listen and Enjoy!

 
Key takeaways from this episode:
A business course bundle is a collection of digital products from different contributors. You either sign up for free for a bundle of things in exchange for your email address or you could pay a low-cost paid option for one.
 
5 Things I Learned from Contributing to Elizabeth Goddard’s Christmas Party Goodie Bundle: 
It is a great way of building your list without using ads.
You can make money from contributing something even though you’re giving away something free. 
You get an amazing behind-the-scenes experience.
It’s good to try things out and experiment. It’s an interesting and rewarding experience.
It’s an incredible opportunity to learn how other people do things and to get inspiration from them.
 
Some Things to Remember When Signing Up for Business Bundles:
Be open to different ways of growing your list.
Avoid sign-up overwhelm.
Remember there’s a value exchange when you get something for free.



Episode Timeline:
00:04 Podcast Intro
01:08 Episode Intro
01:58 What a business course bundle is
03:27 What Ruth contributed to the collection
04:06 A great way of building a list without using ads
04:41 Earning while contributing something for free
05:47 An amazing behind-the-scene experience
06:43 Trying things out and experimenting
07:26 Getting inspiration from other people
08:00 Ruth’s advice
10:35 Outro
 
To learn about being a Bundle Contributor or hosting your business bundle, look at Lizzy’s Summits and Bundles Success course.




More about Ruth:
Hi, I’m Ruth, a business coach specializing in helping freelancers and business owners adjust their mindset and their marketing so they can get fully booked with clients they LOVE to work with. I’ve helped hundreds of self-employed women achieve the time and money freedom they craved.
I’ve started this podcast because when I first went all in and left the corporate world to be a freelancer, I was grateful for any work that came my way. After over 20 years of freelancing and working for other people, I started to realize I’d created a glass ceiling for myself.
In 2017, I finally started listening to that voice that had been telling me for a long time that I wasn’t doing what I loved and fulfilling my true potential.  It took a critical illness to give me that wake-up call.  I don’t want the same to happen to you.
You can expect practical advice, inspiring stories, and a lot of aha moments as we uncover and kick to the curb all the obstacles you have been putting in your way.
I’m on a mission to inspire women to start and play bigger in business.
 
Connect and know more about Ruth Gilbey here:
Coaching: https://www.ruthgilbey.com/coaching
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthgilbeymarketingandcoaching/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruth_gilbey/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthgilbey/
 

Feeling sad and unmotivated about your business is a real thing. The many toxic positivities out there do not help business owners normalise the ups and downs of having a business. What we need to do is to accept these feelings, face them, and plan our next step.
In this episode, Ruth Gilbey shares 5 practical steps to help you reflect and get your motivation back if you’ve fallen out of love with your business.
Listen and Enjoy!
 
Key takeaways from this episode:
5 Practical Steps to Do if You’re Feeling Unmotivated:
Don’t make rash decisions based on temporary emotions but equally, don’t stay stuck. Make sure there's nothing else going on, like literally being tired!  Overwhelming and burnout is s the real thing.   Take a break or get a change of scenery and have a good night’s sleep. Take some time out and revisit the problem. This works for all issues, not just falling out of love with your business! Get curious. Dig deeper into why you might have fallen out of love with what you’re doing. Give yourself permission to change your mind or evolve your business. Know that it's ok to change what you're doing but do it on your terms and your time frame. Find the right person to talk things through. This isn't always a family member but someone who will understand you and what you’re doing.  
 
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Podcast Intro
01:08 Episode Intro
01:50 Toxic positivity in the world of business
02:17 Not loving every single thing about your business
03:36 Temporary emotions
04:57 Flexing your time to make it work for you and your energy
04:57 Taking a break
05:35 Getting curious
06:06 Giving yourself permission to change your mind
06:53 Finding the right person to talk to
08:22 Episode recap
09:50 Outro
 
More about Ruth:
Hi, I’m Ruth, a business coach specializing in helping freelancers and business owners adjust their mindset and their marketing so they can get fully booked with clients they LOVE to work with. I’ve helped hundreds of self-employed women achieve the time and money freedom they craved.
I’ve started this podcast because when I first went all in and left the corporate world to be a freelancer, I was grateful for any work that came my way. After over 20 years of freelancing and working for other people, I started to realize I’d created a glass ceiling for myself.
In 2017, I finally started listening to that voice that had been telling me for a long time that I wasn’t doing what I loved and fulfilling my true potential.  It took a critical illness to give me that wake-up call.  I don’t want the same to happen to you.
You can expect practical advice, inspiring stories, and a lot of aha moments as we uncover and kick to the curb all the obstacles you have been putting in your way.
I’m on a mission to inspire women to start and play bigger in business.
 
Connect and know more about Ruth Gilbey here:
Coaching: https://www.ruthgilbey.com/coaching
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthgilbeymarketingandcoaching/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruth_gilbey/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthgilbey/