Success Behind The Scenes

Zara-Dee
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Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. See what it’s really like to go your own way. Success Behind the Scenes gives a raw, honest look at self-employed life—the wins, struggles, and harsh realities of running your own business. Through personal stories and in-depth interviews, discover how the search for fulfilment and the drive for freedom is unique for everyone. Learn how staying true to yourself, despite the challenges, is the most rewarding journey of all.

  1. 05/12/2025

    S3, E8 – Anthony Croft | Sound Designer

    🎙 Guest: Anthony Croft – Sound Designer 📍Website 📸Instagram 🔗LinkedIn “You move to another country, and you’ve got nothing.” From starting his own DJ business at 13 to winning a SAFTA, Anthony has spent 20+ years using sound to tell stories that move people.  Originally from South Africa and well established in his industry, he moved to the UK and rebuilt everything from scratch. Ant shares what it really looks like to start again, back yourself, and keep learning, no matter how far into your career you are. Success is for you to shape! Anthony Croft is an award-winning Sound Designer and owner of Resonance – The Art of Sound, creating immersive audio for film, TV, and independent projects while working with global brands, streamers, and broadcasters. We cover: 🧠 Staying calm + solving problems fast 🌍 Rebuilding a career in a new country 🚀 Creating a presence from scratch 🔥 FEAR and doing it anyway 💬 Showing up online when you don’t want to 👶 Parenting while running a business ⚖️ The quest to find balance 💸 Why “free” rarely helps anyone ✨ Building something that’s yours 🔁 Make sure clients return again + again If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee | Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔗 ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

    1hr 3min

  2. 07/11/2025

    S3, E7 - Charlotte Ashley | Graphic Designer

    🎙  Guest: Charlotte Ashley - Graphic Designer 📸 Instagram 📍 Website 🔗 LinkedIn Picture this… you're chatting to a friend in a coffee shop about wanting a career in design and the person at the next table, being nosey, ends up becoming one of your first freelance clients! That’s exactly how Charlotte Ashley’s freelance journey began. Charlotte is a graphic designer specialising in creating standout print and digital documents for the education and corporate learning sectors. Originally studying fashion marketing, Charlotte went on to train at Shillington College, gaining hands-on design skills and launching her freelance design business, which she celebrated going limited in its seventh year.🥳 We cover:  💬 Landing clients by talking about your work 🎯 Niching to become the go-to designer 💸 Pricing with confidence 📑 Setting boundaries and contracts ⚡ Managing multiple projects without burnout 💰 Financial stability with retainers ✨ Investing in yourself and your business 🙌 Accountability and staying consistent online 🌟 Trusting instincts & growing your brand If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee | Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ 🔗 ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

    1hr 18min

  3. 15/10/2025

    S3, E6 - Naomi Bowden | Brand & Web Designer

    🎙  Guest: Naomi Bowden - Brand & Web Designer 📸 Instagram 📍 Website Meet Naomi, founder of Howdy Naomi, a bold branding and web design studio helping female founders build personality-packed brands and websites that are unapologetically them. It took Naomi eight years of part-time freelancing to build the confidence, skills, and savings to take the leap into full-time self-employment. In this episode, she shares her journey from traditional employment to running her own successful business, including doubling her old salary in her first full year of freelancing. We cover: 🙋‍♀️ Bringing more you into your brand to make freelancing easier 👯 Finding friends, building your tribe, and connecting with community ⏰ Balancing freedom vs structure and embracing the freelance lifestyle 💸 How to prepare for going fully self-employed 💰 Confidently pricing your services as a solo business owner If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee – Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ 🔗 ⁠⁠LinkedIn

    1hr 25min

  4. 30/09/2025

    S3, E5 - Angela Lyons | Graphic Designer

    🎙  Guest: Angela Lyons - Graphic Designer 📸 Instagram 🔗 LinkedIn 📍 Website 🎧 Podcast With over 20 years in design and 13 running her business, Lyons Creative, Angela Lyons has built a freelance career driven by kindness, community, and creativity. What looked like a dream job quickly turned into stress, illness, and burnout. Freelancing gave Angela freedom, joy, and time with her children and the chance to rebuild on her own terms. Her journey is one of resilience and growth: from envying freelancers to becoming one, from a decade without contracts to confidently running a business with systems, boundaries, and self-belief. This episode is for anyone doubting themselves or waiting for the “right time.” Angela proves that Success Behind the Scenes isn’t about just getting by; it’s about creating a business and life you feel truly blessed to live. We cover: 👥 Finding your freelance friends 🤝 Why not to burn bridges 💛 Giving back with kindness + pro bono 📈 From freelancer to business owner mindset 📣 Consistent marketing touchpoints 👂 Listening to your clients ⚡️ Doing for yourself what you do for clients 🎙  Starting a podcast 🌟 Using visibility to beat imposter syndrome 📰 Staying in the know as a freelancer If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee – Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 ⁠Website⁠ 📸 ⁠Instagram⁠ 🔗 ⁠LinkedIn

    1hr 5min

  5. 15/09/2025

    S3, E4 - Rachel Shenton | Video Editor

    🎙  Guest: Rachel Shenton - Video Editor 📸 Instagram 📍 Website From getting by on working tax credits to buying her house and becoming financially independent through her editing business. Rachel’s journey has had huge highs and very low lows, and in 2020, she genuinely thought it was all over. But instead of disappearing, she fought the urge to hide, stayed visible, learned how to market her business, and built a supportive community around her. Rachel’s story is one of resilience, from hitting rock bottom to turning it around, seeing her business skyrocket, and navigating the challenges of fast growth. This episode is for anyone riding the freelance rollercoaster, proof that with hard work, determination, and belief, you can make it work. We cover: ♀️ Succeeding in a male-led industry 🚀 Turning a hobby into a career 💡 Building confidence & independence ⚡️ Managing fast growth 📱 Marketing without following trends 👥 Creating a bespoke service 🌱 Growing a personal brand 👊 Overcoming self-doubt 🤝 Building a team & outsourcing If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee – Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 Website 📸 Instagram 🔗 LinkedIn

    1hr 21min

  6. 01/09/2025

    S3, E3 - Nic Shephard | Personal Trainer

    🎙  Guest: Nic Shephard - Personal Trainer  📸 Instagram After 13 years in the corporate world, Nic knew it wasn’t the life he wanted. So he swapped banking for balance, helping people find both mental and physical well-being through fitness. At 33, he moved back in with his parents, rebuilt from the ground up, and created a new path as a personal trainer.  Now with 7+ years in the industry, Nic opens up about the realities of rebuilding, the pressures of self-employment, and why providing genuine value is the best way to win work.  We cover:  🧠 Stress, mental health & balance when your work is full on  💡 How to find exercise you enjoy (so it actually sticks) ⚡️ Pressure vs drive in self-employment 📱 Using social media to win work 👥 Knowing your ideal client inside out 🌱 Building a relatable, visible personal brand 👊 Dealing with comparison & imposter syndrome ⏸ Why switching off is the hardest part  If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee – Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 Website⁠ ⁠📸 Instagram⁠ ⁠🔗 LinkedIn

    1hr 9min

  7. 18/08/2025

    S3, E2 - Ed Lister | Award-Winning Lighting Camera Operator

    🎙  Guest: Ed Lister - Award-Winning Lighting Camera Operator  📸 Instagram 🔗 LinkedIn 📍 Website With 15+ years of freelance experience, Ed talks about moving to Dubai, starting again from scratch, and adapting to new ways of working.  From filming in 55-degree desert heat to staying in demand in the industry, this episode covers the risks and rewards of freelancing. We cover:  🌍 Relocating your business overseas 🔗 Tips for building a relevant network 🧠 Mindset: trusting the work will come 📸 Bread & butter jobs that keep you ticking over ✨ Being dependable & human in business 🚫 Ghosting, pencils & not lowering your rates 🤖 Using AI for productivity & organisation 📖 Bonkers freelance stories along the way If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee – Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 Website 📸 Instagram 🔗 LinkedIn

    1hr 4min

  8. 01/08/2025

    S3, E1 - Robert Lee | Digital Marketer | Slingshot Digital Founder

    🎙  Guest: Robert Lee - Digital Marketer & Founder of Slingshot Digital 📸 Instagram: @slingshot.digital 🔵 Facebook: slingshotdigitaluk 🔗 LinkedIn 📍 Website: slingshotdigital.co.uk With over a decade of digital marketing experience, supporting the BBC, NHS, ITV and more, Rob shares an honest take on starting and growing your own business. We talk about the reality of being your own boss, how lonely it can sometimes feel, and why your past experience is more powerful than you think. It’s a conversation about business, balance, being a first-time self-employed dad, and why running a marathon feels exactly like building a business. We cover:  🔍 Niching around what you love 📣 Blending word of mouth with social media 🧠 Mindset shifts for success ✨ Building a brand with personality 📱 Showing up online (without the overwhelm) ✅ Productivity tips that work 🤝 Communication, community & collaboration If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Hit follow to stay updated 📤 Share it with someone who needs to hear it  ⭐️ Leave a quick rating or review, it really helps! Host: Zara-Dee – Brand Visibility Mentor 📍 Website: zaradeecoach.com 📸 Instagram: @zaradeecoach 🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/zaradeecoach

    1hr 19min
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Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. See what it’s really like to go your own way. Success Behind the Scenes gives a raw, honest look at self-employed life—the wins, struggles, and harsh realities of running your own business. Through personal stories and in-depth interviews, discover how the search for fulfilment and the drive for freedom is unique for everyone. Learn how staying true to yourself, despite the challenges, is the most rewarding journey of all.

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