Perls of Wisdom

Isobel Perl
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  • Entrepreneurship

Perls of Wisdom is a podcast about what it really takes to build a business when you are still in the messy middle. Hosted by founder and creator Isobel Perl, this podcast goes beyond polished success stories and speaks to founders who are still figuring it out. The ones navigating growth, pressure, uncertainty, and the reality behind building something from nothing. Each episode explores the honest side of entrepreneurship. The risks, the mistakes, the pivots, the moments where things nearly fell apart, and the lessons that came from pushing through anyway. Expect open conversations about: • Starting before you feel ready • Scaling without burning out • Building a personal brand alongside a business • The mindset shifts nobody prepares you for • What growth actually looks like behind the scenes If you are building a business, thinking about starting one, or trying to get through the stage where things feel hard but exciting at the same time, this podcast is for you. New episodes every week.

Episodes

  1. Jun 3

    She Has 700,000 Followers and Still Has No Idea What She's Doing

    What happens when the thing you're building starts growing faster than your confidence? In this episode of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Sophie, founder of Pretty Little Marketer, one of the most recognised marketing communities in the UK. I've known Sophie since 2020, right at the start of both of our business journeys, so this conversation felt like a full circle moment. From feeling completely underqualified and battling imposter syndrome, to building a thriving platform that supports marketers, creators and business owners, Sophie shares the reality behind growing a business when you're still figuring things out yourself. Because from the outside, it's easy to assume that successful founders have all the answers. The truth is often very different. We talk about the pressure that comes with visibility, the challenges of building a community, how confidence changes as your business grows, and why success doesn't magically make self-doubt disappear. Sophie also shares her unconventional path into marketing, what university taught her, the lessons she's learned from building Pretty Little Marketer, and the realities of running a business in an industry that never slows down. This is a conversation about growth, uncertainty, confidence, and learning to back yourself before you feel ready. If you've ever felt behind, unqualified, or like everyone else has things figured out except you, this episode is for you. Topics we cover: Building Pretty Little Marketer from the ground up Imposter syndrome as a founder Community building and audience growth Marketing careers and entrepreneurship Confidence versus competence The realities of running an online business Hiring, outsourcing and scaling Content creation and social media marketing Lessons learned from five years in business Advice for aspiring founders and marketersIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  2. May 27

    They Ran a £30K Scam on My Business. Here's What I Didn't See Coming.

    What happens when your business is falling apart at the same time your personal life is too? In this episode of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Ramona, founder of Rani & Co, for one of the most candid conversations we’ve had yet. From building a feminist slogan clothing brand to pivoting into jewellery, Ramona opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship that rarely make it onto Instagram. The messy decisions, the moments where the business feels like it’s crumbling, and the pressure of having to keep going when life doesn’t pause just because you’re a founder. We talk about navigating a fresh breakup in the middle of Black Friday, leaning on your team when things feel impossible, and the emotional weight that comes with building something people assume is “successful” from the outside. But this conversation goes far deeper than business. Ramona shares what it was really like going through one of the darkest periods of her life, rebuilding after major setbacks, managing intense anxiety, and dealing with family challenges while still showing up as a founder. This is the side of entrepreneurship people don’t talk about enough. The toll, the pressure, the identity tied up in your business and the uncomfortable truth that growth often looks nothing like the polished version we see online. If you’re in the thick of building something right now, feeling overwhelmed, questioning your next move, or just needing a reminder that you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go, this episode is for you. Topics we cover:  ✨ Building Ronnie & Co and the pivot from clothing to jewellery  ✨ Breakups and building a business at the same time  ✨ Founder anxiety, burnout, and mental health  ✨ Rebuilding after business setbacks  ✨ Team culture and leadership during hard seasons  ✨ The emotional reality of entrepreneurship  ✨ Why growth can feel scarier as your business gets bigger Perls of Wisdom is the podcast all about the messy middle of building a business, with honest conversations from founders who are still in it. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  3. May 20

    I Made 75% of My Revenue Going Live on TikTok. Here's What It Cost Me.

    What does it really take to grow a product-based business from scratch when you’re figuring it all out as you go? In this episode of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Zoe, founder of Into The Eve, to talk about the reality behind building a fast-growing beauty brand from her parents’ spare bedroom into a full warehouse operation with a team of five. Because from the outside, growth can look exciting. New products. Bigger spaces. More customers. Momentum. But behind that? Pressure, uncertainty, trade show chaos, personal sacrifices, mental health struggles, and the constant balancing act of trying to build something meaningful without losing yourself in the process. Zoe opens up candidly about how Into The Eve started, what inspired her to create gentle skincare products for sensitive skin, and how a business that began with handmade soap bars became something so much bigger. We talk about the less glamorous side of scaling, too, because growth is not always as polished as it looks online. In this episode, we get into: - Starting a business from your parents’ home - Building a beauty brand from handmade products - Growing from a solo founder to a team of five - The emotional toll of entrepreneurship - Sacrificing personal life whilst chasing the dream - Preparing for major growth moments like trade shows - Expanding from e-commerce towards retail - The reality of building whilst still figuring it out If you’re in the messy middle of building something yourself, this one will feel very familiar. Because success stories often skip the hard parts. This conversation doesn’t. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  4. May 13

    She Started at 18 With £400. Here's What Actually Happened

    Building a business online can look glamorous from the outside. Especially when millions of people are watching. But this episode tells a very different story. In episode five of Perls of Wisdom, I sit down with Amelia, founder of Bijoux De Mimi, the colourful jewellery brand that became a huge success across TikTok and social media. What started with just £400 from selling clothes on Depop turned into one of the most recognisable jewellery brands online. But behind the growth, the viral moments, and the packed pop-ups, Amelia opens up about the pressure that came with it all. From navigating people being “bitchy” about her success, to the emotional toll of building a business so young, this conversation goes far deeper than social media highlights. We talk about:  • Starting a business at 18 years old  • Growing a brand through TikTok before brands understood the platform  • Building a loyal community online  • Dealing with pressure, comparison, and criticism  • The reality of managing money while scaling a business  • Pop-ups, content creation, and influencer marketing  • The emotional side of entrepreneurship nobody talks about  • Relationships being affected by business stress  • Moments where Amelia genuinely felt like shutting it all down At one point, Amelia says:  “But I’ve had nightmares beyond nightmares… my relationship was on the rocks… like I could shut it down tomorrow.” And honestly, that line sums up so much of what this podcast is about. Because Perls of Wisdom is not about pretending business is perfect. It’s about the messy middle. The uncertainty, the chaos, the pressure, and everything founders go through behind the scenes while trying to build something meaningful. This episode is honest, emotional, funny in places, and incredibly relatable for anyone building a business, growing online, or trying to chase something bigger than themselves. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  5. May 6

    We Had 10,000 Users & the App Was Crashing Every Day

    This episode is a real look at what happens when growth comes before you’re ready for it. I sat down with Nicola to talk about what it actually felt like building her business while everything was moving fast on the outside… and breaking behind the scenes. Because from the outside, hitting milestones like 10,000 users looks like progress. But what people don’t see is what comes with that. The pressure. The expectation. The reality of trying to hold something together while it’s still being built. Nicola shares what it was like navigating a stage where the business was growing, but the systems weren’t keeping up. Where things were going wrong in real time, and there wasn’t a clear roadmap for how to fix it. We talk about the moments where quitting would have been easier. The decisions you have to make without having all the answers. And what it really takes to keep going when things aren’t working the way you expected. This conversation is not about the highlight reel. It’s about the part where things feel unstable, uncertain, and harder than you thought they would be. We get into:  What growth actually looks like behind the scenes  The pressure of scaling before everything is ready  Dealing with things breaking while still pushing forward  Why the hardest part is often after things start “working”  Choosing to continue when quitting feels easier If you’re building something right now and it feels like you’re constantly figuring it out as you go, this episode will hit. Because this is what it really looks like when things start to grow… and nothing feels fully in control. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  6. Apr 29

    I Was the Product. Then I Built Something That Wasn't Me.

    This episode feels like sitting down with someone who’s actually in the thick of it. I sat down with Lauren-Nicole, founder and creative director of LND Studio, to talk about what building a creative business really looks like when you’re in the middle of it, not at the finish line. From the outside, it’s easy to look at a beautiful studio, a strong personal brand, and a creative career and assume they all came together seamlessly. But this conversation tells a very different story. Lauren talks about starting young, navigating the transition from blogging into the creative industry, and figuring out her place in a space that constantly evolves. We get into what it really took to build LND Studio, the vision behind it, and the gap she saw in the market that pushed her to create something of her own. But more than that, we talk about the reality behind it all. The pressure. The uncertainty. The constant feeling of having to “figure it out” as you go. At one point, she says, “I feel like I’m constantly in a cycle of figure it out,” and honestly, that sums this episode up perfectly. Because this isn’t a conversation about having everything mapped out, it’s about building something in real time, making decisions without always knowing if they’re right, and continuing anyway. We also get into the emotional side of running a business. The parts that are hard to articulate. The moments where you question things. And the feeling that, sometimes, it shouldn’t be this hard… but it is. This episode is for anyone who is building something, juggling multiple paths, or trying to turn a vision into something tangible, while still figuring themselves out at the same time. It’s honest, it’s candid, and it’s exactly what the messy middle actually looks like. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  7. Apr 22

    I Woke Up & Made £40k in 3 Days

    This episode is one of those conversations that feels very real, very quickly. I sat down with Lucy, founder of Partner in Wine, and what stood out instantly was just how candid she was about everything that comes with building a business behind the scenes. Because from the outside, it can look like things are stable. But this conversation tells a very different story. We talk about what it feels like to lose multiple clients in a short space of time, and the pressure that comes with having to rebuild quickly when your business relies on other people’s decisions. The uncertainty, the constant adapting, and the moments where you are forced to figure things out without a clear plan. What makes this episode different is how openly Lucy shares it. There is no glossing over the difficult parts, no pretending it is all working perfectly. She speaks honestly about the instability, the reliance on social media, and what it really takes to keep going when things feel unpredictable. At the same time, we go deeper than just the practical side of business. We talk about the mindset behind navigating that uncertainty, and how growth is not always linear, even when it might look that way from the outside. There is a real honesty in this episode about resilience and the reality of building something while still figuring it out. One of the most relatable parts of this conversation is around consistency, not in results, but in showing up. Because what happens when things slow down, or fall apart slightly? Can you keep going anyway, even when it feels uncertain? This episode is a reminder that building a business is not just about getting to the next level. It is about learning how to handle the in between, the moments where nothing feels guaranteed, but you keep building regardless. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  8. Apr 15

    Dragons' Den Didn't Save Us. Here's What Actually Did.

    This episode is one of those conversations that stays with you. I sat down with Alex, the co-founder of Nini Organics, to talk about what it actually looks like to build a brand when you’re not backed by huge budgets, big teams, or an easy path. Because from the outside, it’s easy to look at a brand and assume it all just… worked. But this conversation tells a very different story. We talk about what it feels like to be building something meaningful while going up against companies with significantly more money, more resources, and more reach. The pressure that comes with that. The moments where it feels like you’re constantly fighting just to stay in the game. At the same time, we go deeper than just business. Alex opens up about his upbringing, the experiences that shaped him, and how those early chapters have influenced the way he builds today. There’s a real honesty in this episode about how your past doesn’t just stay in the past. It shows up in your decisions, your fears, and the way you handle growth. One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is around fear, not just fear of failure, but fear of things actually working. Because what happens when your dreams start to come true? Are you ready for it, and more importantly, can you handle it? This episode is a reminder that building a business isn’t just about strategy or marketing. It’s about navigating pressure, identity, and the reality of figuring things out as you go. If you’re in the messy middle right now, feeling like you’re pushing uphill or questioning whether it’s all worth it, this conversation will make you feel a lot less alone. And hopefully, remind you why you started in the first place. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  9. Apr 7

    From £1,000 to Seven Figures: The Messy Middle of Building My Brand

    Most business stories skip the part that actually matters. You hear about the exits, the millions, and the overnight success moments.  What you rarely hear about is everything in between. The mistakes, the setbacks and the moments where you question whether you can keep going. This is that part. In this solo episode, I share the real story behind building my skincare brand from £1,000 and an idea during lockdown to a seven-figure business. Not just the wins, but the messy middle that shaped everything. I talk about:  Losing my corporate job and starting from scratch  Building a brand from my parents’ kitchen  The mistakes I made early on (and what they taught me)  Legal challenges and lessons I learned the hard way  Pop-ups that did not go to plan  The rebrand that forced me to rethink everything  The unexpected opportunities that came from building a personal brand  Why resilience matters more than talent  The mindset that helped me keep going when things felt hard This episode is also the introduction to The Messy Middle season, where I will be speaking to founders who are in the thick of building their businesses. Not the ones who already made it, but the ones figuring it out in real time. Because that is where the real lessons live. If you are building something of your own, feeling behind, or wondering if you are doing it right, this episode is for you. Because the truth is: you are probably closer than you think. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow Perls of Wisdom, so you never miss a conversation about what it really takes to build a business. This podcast is all about the messy middle. The part nobody talks about. The lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs that happen while you are still figuring it out. If this episode helped you, I would love it if you could share it with a founder friend or tag me on social media so I can see you are listening. You can find me here:  Instagram: @itsisobelperl LinkedIn: Isobel Perl YouTube: Isobel Perl Website: perlsinbusiness.com If there is a founder you would love me to interview, or a topic you want covered, send me a message. I read more than you would think. And remember: You do not need to feel ready; you just need to decide to start. Love Isobel x

  • 9 Episodes

About

Perls of Wisdom is a podcast about what it really takes to build a business when you are still in the messy middle. Hosted by founder and creator Isobel Perl, this podcast goes beyond polished success stories and speaks to founders who are still figuring it out. The ones navigating growth, pressure, uncertainty, and the reality behind building something from nothing. Each episode explores the honest side of entrepreneurship. The risks, the mistakes, the pivots, the moments where things nearly fell apart, and the lessons that came from pushing through anyway. Expect open conversations about: • Starting before you feel ready • Scaling without burning out • Building a personal brand alongside a business • The mindset shifts nobody prepares you for • What growth actually looks like behind the scenes If you are building a business, thinking about starting one, or trying to get through the stage where things feel hard but exciting at the same time, this podcast is for you. New episodes every week.

Information

  • Creator
    Isobel Perl
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Perls of Wisdom
  • Show Website
    Perls of Wisdom