Good Ideas + Bad Decisions

Kat Oldershaw and Ellen Hockley

Welcome to Good Ideas + Bad Decisions! Let’s be real - it’s the perfect name for a show hosted by two business owners who have absolutely made both. Between us, we’ve started businesses, burned out, bounced back, and helped other entrepreneurs do the same. We’re here to talk about the messy middle of running a business - entrepreneurship, mental health, and the chaos that comes with making your own path. Join your hosts Ellen and Kat as we candidly share our experiences, answer your burning business questions, and welcome other owners into our emotional support business club.

  1. 4d ago

    Coffee Chats with Ellen + Kat: Episode 024

    In this mini-episode of ‘Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,’ Kat and Ellen discuss how small-town dynamics can intensify business relationships and conflicts. Ellen shares a conflict in her business community and she and Kat conclude that Ellen should focus on showing up authentically rather than dwelling on the conflict. Kat also talks about launching her fabrication company Benchwork with two former coworkers and anticipating a difficult reaction from their previous boss, while the episode briefly touches on automation services and Ellen's email and domain forwarding issues.  Don't forget to⁠ submit your business questions⁠ for future episodes!  Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠.

    19 min

  2. Jun 19

    S2E6: Using Human Design to Run a Business That Fits with Emily Bissen of Blue Heron Business Partners

    In this episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' hosts Kat and Ellen talk to Emily Bissen, founder of Blue Heron Business Partners, whose work sits at the intersection of business opportunity strategy and human design. Emily, a self-described 4/1 manifesting generator, explains how discovering her own human design gave language to skills she'd always had: reading people, spotting opportunities, and making the right connections at the right time. The conversation gets into the tension between prescribed entrepreneurial playbooks and trusting a more personalized approach, including the permission it takes to set boundaries, walk away from misaligned work, and build a business around what actually matters. Emily Bissen is a Business Opportunity Strategist and Super Connector who helps talented, driven business owners stop spinning their wheels and start moving. Using each client's unique Human Design, she creates strategies built for how they're wired rather than forcing someone else's playbook. Find Emily on LinkedIn or visit her at blueheronbusinesspartners.com. Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠. 00:00 Podcast Welcome01:22 Meet Emily Beeson02:00 Human Design Basics04:25 Retreat Spark Story05:39 Using Design With Clients08:37 Starting Her Business11:05 Ditching Others Playbooks14:25 Offers And Containers18:04 Time Freedom With Kids20:28 Teachers To Entrepreneurs22:53 Ditching the Playbook23:48 Permission to Choose26:20 Boundaries and Availability28:28 Permission to Quit29:01 Human Design Deep Dive30:29 Energy and Grounding34:50 Decision Making Styles40:35 Oldest Daughter Patterns42:56 Building a Support Village44:25 Get Curious Closing46:00 Where to Find Emily46:45 Podcast Sign Off

    47 min

  3. Jun 12 ·  Bonus

    Coffee Chats with Ellen + Kat: Episode 024

    In this mini-episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' Kat and Ellen discuss a book, "This Story Might Save Your Life," that mirrors their own podcast experience, then debate whether audiobooks count as reading (spoiler: Kat and Ellen agree that they do). They also explore how to make networking feel less awkward through clear purpose, low barriers, casual formats, and community containers where members can genuinely support one another. Don't forget to⁠⁠ submit your business questions⁠⁠ for future episodes!  Kat is the Founder of ⁠kat&co⁠, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at ⁠Benchwork Fabrication⁠. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, ⁠The kat&co Download⁠. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of ⁠Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠ and ⁠SAGE Women⁠. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter,⁠ ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠⁠.

    25 min

  4. Jun 5

    S2 E6: Embracing Change, Marketing Operations, and Building Remote Connections with Emily Oberman

    In this episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' hosts Kat and Ellen sit down with Emily Oberman, founder of The Content Atelier, a copywriter and content strategist who built a boutique agency around long-form content, newsletters (including Substack), and podcast support after recognizing a gap in the market for writers who actually understand the nuance of founder-led storytelling. The conversation spans remote work, packaging services as a generalist, navigating AI, a tough 2025 economy, and her advice to founders. Emily Oberman is a copywriter, content strategist, and founder of The Content Atelier, a boutique content marketing agency that focuses on long-form content. She has over 10 years of experience in content and systems strategy and has ghostwritten for over 150 individuals and brands. Her clients consider her their digital Mary Poppins. Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:47 Chaotic Catch Up 01:27 Meet Emily Oberman 03:11 Long Form Content Focus 04:24 Substack Versus Blogs 07:06 Podcast Strategy Work 07:42 From Corporate To Remote 08:27 Commuting And Childcare 11:02 Remote Agency To Solo 11:55 Imaginary Friends Origin 13:35 Digital Mary Poppins Brand 16:46 AI And Marketing Ops 19:40 Clients Using AI Drafts 22:27 Why And Who First 24:48 Values Driven Services 25:43 Pricing For Small Business 27:00 Choosing Tools By Values 28:59 Claude Versus ChatGPT 30:18 Generalist Boundaries 31:53 Intuition And Human Design 33:41 Remote Work Setup 37:19 Contractors And Volatility 41:34 Female Founder Stigma 43:50 Advice And Wrap Up

    47 min

  5. May 29 ·  Bonus

    Coffee Chats with Ellen + Kat: Episode 023

    In this mini-episode of ‘Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,’ Kat and Ellen discuss Kat’s first hypnosis session with Kelly Chessen of Hope Rd. Hypnosis that focused on her relationship with money. Kat describes a guided visualization exercise involving inviting past influences on money to a mental table, confronting negative associations, inner-child emotions, and asking money what it needs. Kat feels empowered by her takeaway about using money for creativity, joy, and connection and notes new opportunities arising. They close by discussing how to talk with clients about money, pricing, and boundaries. Don't forget to⁠ submit your business questions⁠ for future episodes!  Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠.

    20 min

  6. May 22

    S2 E5: Finding Your Creative Flow with Wildly Creative Wellness Founder Vicky Winkler

    In this episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' hosts Kat and Ellen welcome Vicky Winkler, founder of Wildly Creative Wellness, an art journaling and creative wellness community. Vicky shares how art journaling helped her move from feeling "only okay" to finding real purpose and fulfillment. She describes art journaling as focused on process over outcome with no perfectionism required, and explains how that mindset can build confidence to experiment in other areas of life too. She outlines her Wildly Creative’s monthly themes, weekly prompts, live creation calls, and co-working sessions, and the group discusses why rigid routines like The Artist's Way can fall short and how to start simply instead. Vicky Winkler is the founder of Wildly Creative Wellness, a space where everyday people discover that creativity has always lived inside them. Through art journaling workshops, online retreats, and one on one support, she helps people slow down, reconnect with themselves, and find fulfillment through self-expression. Her work is rooted in the belief that making art isn’t just for “artists.” It’s for anyone who wants to feel more alive. Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 01:09 Meet Vicky Winkler 02:34 Why Art Journaling 04:59 Perfectionism Blocks 06:26 Journal Not Canvas 08:00 Creative Without Selling 10:36 Membership Breakdown 14:07 Calls And Sanctuary 15:20 Artists Way Debate 20:06 Five Minute Practice 21:17 Tools For Regulation 23:51 No Rules Mindset 25:30 Leap of Faith Art 25:49 Cortisol and Creativity 26:42 Blank Page Tricks 27:27 Five Minute Time Paradox 28:45 Timers Flow and Breaks 32:03 Finding Art Journaling 35:01 Creative Identity Blocks 36:35 Easy Supplies to Start 38:56 Healing Through Drawing 42:18 Try It and Connect 43:38 Episode Wrap Up

    45 min

  7. May 15 ·  Bonus

    Coffee Chats with Ellen + Kat: Episode 022

    In this mini-episode of “Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,” Kat and Ellen dive into the topic of discovery calls and networking. Kat walks through her approach of offering a single free 30-minute call for prospective clients, collaborators, and general connections alike. Kat and Ellen address client fit, barters and trades, and keeping up a connection. The episode also explores the value of maintaining boundaries, being intentional about how time is given, and keeping follow-up communication clear and straightforward. Don't forget to⁠ submit your business questions⁠ for future episodes!  Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠.

    18 min

  8. May 8

    S2 E4: Building an Agency, Battling Cancer, and Becoming a Trauma-Informed Leader with Natasha Golinsky

    In this episode of ‘Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,’ Kat and Ellen talk with Natasha Golinsky, who built a web development agency by hiring a developer despite having no web experience herself. After a stage two breast cancer diagnosis in 2024, she onboarded a trusted former client as project manager, freeing her to focus on business development. Natasha now pursues thought leadership around trauma-informed leadership for female founders, using nervous-system work to overcome personal blocks. She offers her wisdom on entrepreneurship and healing as well as specific advice on how and why to delegate.  Natasha Golinsky has spent over a decade as CEO of On Purpose Projects, a full-stack web development agency. When she returned after chemo, her team was thriving without her, and she finally stepped into what she'd been doing behind the scenes for years. Natasha spent years learning somatic healing and nervous system regulation, tools she'd shared with peers for years before cancer gave her the space to do it professionally. Through her company Never Launch on a Friday, she works with female agency owners and service-based founders on the inner work that strategy alone can't fix. She used to support the web project. Now she supports the woman behind the business. Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download. Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 01:15 Meet The Guest 01:56 Coffee And Anxiety 02:40 First Espresso Story 04:52 Agency Origin Story 06:51 Cancer Diagnosis Shock 07:58 Emergency Team Handoff 09:56 Returning To Work 11:18 New Path After Ops 13:47 Trauma Informed Leadership 15:44 Content Creation Breakthrough 20:51 Human Design And Community 24:18 Human Design Validation 24:34 Weekly Structure Planning 25:51 Hunter vs Farmer Marketing 28:18 Delegation and Team Fit 31:16 Simple Systems That Stick 34:23 Vision Board and Next Moves 37:03 Selling the Agency Soon 39:00 Planning in Uncertain Times 42:58 Final Wisdom on Healing

    46 min
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About

Welcome to Good Ideas + Bad Decisions! Let’s be real - it’s the perfect name for a show hosted by two business owners who have absolutely made both. Between us, we’ve started businesses, burned out, bounced back, and helped other entrepreneurs do the same. We’re here to talk about the messy middle of running a business - entrepreneurship, mental health, and the chaos that comes with making your own path. Join your hosts Ellen and Kat as we candidly share our experiences, answer your burning business questions, and welcome other owners into our emotional support business club.

Information

  • Creator
    Kat Oldershaw and Ellen Hockley
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kat Oldershaw and Ellen Hockley
  • Show Website
    Good Ideas + Bad Decisions