A podcast for dreamers, makers and creatives who want to grow their online business without having to sell their soul. In each episode, certified coach and UK Instagram Expert Sara Tasker and her guests share inspiring stories, practical strategies and social media insights to help you create the life, presence and business of your dreams. meandorla.substack.com
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Letters From A Hopeful Creative
This is a podcast for small business owners ready to feel encouraged, inspired, and less alone in your entrepreneurial journey
Letters From A Hopeful Creative is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Sara Tasker and Jen Carrington. In each episode they answer a letter from a hopeful creative who is looking for some guidance, support, and encouragement in their journey, and share some of the lessons they have learned along the way as creative coaches and online business owners. Each episode is like a mini coaching session and pep talk all rolled into one - tune in every other Monday morning for brand new episodes. ...
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The Lady’s Illness Library is a collection of stories about unconventional illness journeys. Here, you won’t find prescriptive health tips or quick fixes, but exploratory conversations that seek to understand these immense human experiences. Diseases that are multifaceted, sort-of-undiagnosed, and debilitating–think autoimmunity, long COVID, migraine–are more common than ever, affecting majority women. And yet, despite their growing ubiquity, they still live beneath the surface of our cultur ...
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Let’s talk about launching with intention & ease
32:35
32:35
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In today’s episode we’re switching things up a little and sharing a recap and debrief from Sara’s recent launch, the biggest lessons she learned, and our thoughts and experience on launching in our business and some encouragement for you if you have a launch you’re bringing to life soon too. Would you love some encouragement and support in your bus…
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Very ambitious and very ill with Emma Simpson of Lemon Soul
58:23
58:23
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Send a text about the show here. If you want a reply, add your email address. If you're sick of the one-size-fits-all approach to managing illness, Emma Simpson's story will resonate with you. This conversation encourages us to reject the pressure to adhere to conventional wellness practices and instead personalize our routines–a huge relief when t…
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This is a republished episode from LFAHC In today’s episode we dive into listener questions all about Instagram - from building engagement up, feeling hopeful and excited about the platform again, coming back after a long break, adapting to creating more video content, whether to use hashtags anymore and lots more. Join Sara for her Instagram Summe…
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In today’s episode we dive into listener questions all about Instagram - from building engagement up, feeling hopeful and excited about the platform again, coming back after a long break, adapting to creating more video content, whether to use hashtags anymore and lots more. Join Sara for her Instagram Summer School Would you love some encouragemen…
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Creating a Values-Based Business, with Sarah Rees
53:57
53:57
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I first met Sarah D Rees through my class, The Insta Retreat, quite a few years ago, and we’ve worked together ever since. Sarah is a mental health nurse and CBT therapist with over 10 years of experience in private practice. Through her mentoring and coaching services, she supports other therapists in setting up and growing their private practices…
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How can I create more space for my non-client work in my business?
40:27
40:27
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40:27
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: Lately, I've been inspired to grow my non-client work and my unpaid projects into a bigger part of my business. I have a published book, a podcast, and regular events - but they're not closely related to each other! This makes it really hard to grow any one of them, let alone all of them,…
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Sara Tasker on chronic fatigue and invisible disabilities
43:08
43:08
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Send a text about the show here. If you want a reply, add your email address. Ever feel like you're battling some kind of weird, unexplainable health issue that even doctors can't seem to get a grip on? Writer and influencer Sara Tasker gets refreshingly honest about her decades-long journey with chronic fatigue, narcolepsy, dysautonomia, and a who…
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How can I pick myself up and move past failure in my business?
37:32
37:32
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In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: Please can you talk more about the failure/success connection and how we can pick ourselves up and move past the failures when we’re struggling with our confidence and self belief? In today’s episode Sara and Jen dig into their relationship with failure in their business, why highs and lo…
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How can I build my audience in a gentle way?
33:01
33:01
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33:01
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: I am not great at the IG game, and I prefer to focus on sharing quality work versus creating reels that don't resonate with me and my style. Do you have any ideas on how to continue to build my audience without sacrificing my quieter style, "not in your face" approach, and build an email …
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Autoimmune dichotomy: holding grief and joy at the same time
55:46
55:46
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Send a text about the show here. If you want a reply, add your email address. In this heartfelt episode, Rachel sits down with Julia Edelman to discuss her ten-year journey with uveitis, an autoimmune disorder affecting the retina. They explore the roller coaster of emotions Julia has experienced through the medical challenges and numerous surgerie…
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In this episode we catch up for spring and dive into what’s been going well in our businesses, what we’ve been finding challenging in this season, and what we’re working towards in our businesses right now too. If you’d love to listen to a really honest chat between two business besties, we recorded this episode for you. Links mentioned: Sara has s…
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An office hour + free toolkit for you and your business
45:29
45:29
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Jen here with two supportive resources for you today ✍🏻 First up: I have made an awesome and free new toolkit called 100 Hell Yes People to support you to make a gentle, joyful, and sustainable plan for reaching 100 hell yes people at a time in your business. I have been fully booked and thriving in my business since 2015 all thanks to this approac…
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Living With Migraines: From Control To Creation
42:21
42:21
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42:21
Send a text about the show here. If you want a reply, add your email address. What does life look like when frequent migraines sap your energy? How do you find meaning in this context? Host Rachel Katz explores this question with Substack writer Amber Horrox, who shares her journey with chronic illness in her newsletter, Warrior Within. From grappl…
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Send a text about the show here. If you want a reply, add your email address. Ema Hegberg is the extraordinarily thoughtful writer behind Peace of the Whole. She has spent over a decade with varying symptoms, from upper GI issues (feeling like food was getting stuck when she swallowed) to chronic gut problems to Lyme disease and adverse reaction to…
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How do you handle the grief of limitations holding you back in your business?
40:55
40:55
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40:55
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: How do you handle navigating the grief of feeling like your chronic illness has held you back in so many ways - and yet know that there's nothing else you'd rather do? I have so many ideas, so many things I want to create, and yet with my health recently being so challenging at times, I'v…
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A Beginner's Mindset to Instagram, with Katie Pulsifer
52:18
52:18
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52:18
I first met deep-dive master coach Katie Pulsifer when she was my instructor for certification at The Life Coach School. I recall being pretty intimidated. I’ve never been sky-diving or tried a bungee jump, but I’m pretty sure the adrenaline rush is comparable to coaching in front of Katie for immediate feedback in front of a group. 🪂 Katie’s recen…
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How do my Substack and website intersect?
42:47
42:47
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42:47
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: Like a lot of people, I’ve moved my newsletter from a more traditional email software product over to Substack. As a writer, I also host a lot of my work on my website in a blog. The intention was always for the blog to host SEO friendly pillar content and for the newsletter to speak to m…
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Let’s talk about burnout, marketing, routines + more
58:06
58:06
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In today’s episode Jen dives into twelve questions covering topics such as buiding your business in a way that honours your energetic needs, prioritising your goals with intention, routines and habits to work less and still get your important work done, simplifying marketing, recovering from burnout and more. If you’d prefer to watch a video with t…
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To kickstart 2024 together we sat down for a business bestie chat where we asked each other: What are your goals and desires for your business and creative life this year? And where would you love to be five years from now and how do you want to work towards that vision in 2024? We talk about how it feels to be a decade into our business journey, t…
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In today’s episode, for our last episode of 2023, we’re diving into four listener questions covering stepping into a new arena in our work, feeling lonely in our business, structuring our days with intention, and the main challenges we’ve seen others and ourselves overcome in our business journey too. And today is the last day to join The Substack …
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Introducing: The Substack Soirée Podcast
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1:08:53
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I’m sharing something a little different today… the results of my ‘podcast affair’ with my Aussie bestie, the gorgeous Ms Keeley Rees . Bonded over our love of storytelling and creativity, Keeley and I and came together to create The Substack Soirée - a gathering of resources, classes and a shiny new podcast, in the hope of passing some of that pas…
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Staying true to your unique identity, with Katie Leamon
58:58
58:58
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This week I talk to Katie Leamon, who turned her love of paper and pattern into her eponymous family-run stationery studio. Her notebooks have been a daily companion to me for many years, so it was really fun to chat with her about her designs, her process and the realities behind running a product-lead business with the family on board! Things we …
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Ten gentle & joyful sales experiments to generate cashflow in your business
38:59
38:59
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38:59
Is selling something that you feel overwhelmed by and often shy away from in your business? If so this episode is for you. In today’s episode Jen is sharing with you a sneak peak of one of the coaching sessions inside her group program, Your Simple & Spacious Business on Gentle & Joyful Sales Experiments To Generate Cashflow In Your Business. I’ll …
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How can I make space for my needs in my business?
57:28
57:28
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57:28
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: Despite having a chronic illness, I show up fully to my clients - so how can I explain that I am 100% there for my clients at the times I make for them - but also be real about the reality of days where I can't even muster to have a shower? How can I share, in my communications - that I c…
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Join Jen for her behind the scenes launch diary…
32:59
32:59
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As I gear up for the next enrolment of my flagship group program, Your Simple & Spacious Business, I’m sharing a behind the scenes launch diary over on my solo podcast so that I can bring you along the journey with me and share all of the messy middle that comes with embarking on a launch in our business. I’m sharing the first episode of this launc…
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I’m running out of stamina in my business - what should I do?
53:26
53:26
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53:26
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: I am writing you from probably the lowest point I have encountered in my creative journey. This year has been hard for me. I feel a bit lost in my business and so so tired. I have been making pottery for over a decade, selling for about 6 years and working full time as an artist for 2. An…
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Is Substack right for me and my business?
50:09
50:09
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50:09
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: I am hanging on your every word about Substack. I just can't seem to shake this question: Is Substack really right for my business? And if so, am I doing it right? How should I think about it and prioritize it among the many other things I could be doing with my limited time and energy? B…
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How can I expand my income potential as a service based business?
56:53
56:53
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56:53
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: I'm an artist and graphic designer and I run a one-woman creative studio. Like Jen, I'm very intentional about not hiring staff. If/when I get to a certain stage I would like to hire a VA or studio manager, but for now it's just me. I've raised my rates over the last year, and I have a st…
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Downsizing, decluttering and still creating content with Hannah Bullivant
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54:17
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Find Hannah’s 4 Week Refresh Programme here Hannah’s Instagram: @hanbullivant Hannah’s website: hannahbullivant.com Sara's Instagram: Sara's Substack: Sara's classes and coaching: Sara's website: Get full access to Entre Nous at meandorla.substack.com/subscribeBy Sara Tasker - Me & Orla
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How could I grow and nurture my audience without using Instagram?
52:26
52:26
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52:26
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: Over the last year, I’ve found myself becoming less and less engaged and connected to Instagram as a form of marketing. I don’t enjoy creating videos. I don’t like being pressured into buying a blue tick just to stop my work being copied. But more importantly, it doesn’t align with my val…
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How can I build a welcoming and engaged community?
1:01:59
1:01:59
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In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: I'm building a supportive platform on Substack for therapists in private practice called 'Therapists Corner'. Therapists often work alone and I hope to create a space where they can find support, advice and guidance whenever they need to and have a genuine community. In part it will be ed…
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Let’s talk about outsourcing and building a team
51:50
51:50
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51:50
In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: Right now I’m taking a good hard look at what I can outsource in my business so that I can be free to do the stuff that I really love. Sara, you mentioned that you have an executive assistant, Jen do you ? If not, I’m really curious to know why not. I genuinely wonder whether it can poten…
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Where should I focus my energy if I have limited time for marketing?
1:14:09
1:14:09
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In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: I’m so happy you two are back! I listened to your podcast a few years ago when I was dreaming about creating a business, and now I’m actually starting one, so it’s perfect timing for me. I have a chronic illness that only allows me to work about 2 hours a day most days (although it fluctu…
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What do I do when it feels like my audience have lost interest?
1:01:04
1:01:04
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In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener: I am 6 years into running my business and I feel like I’m running out of steam. The beginning was hard, but then came the “Instagram high” with dozens of thousands of engaged followers. Everything felt so exciting and spacious, I felt like people wanted to see what I’m up to, follow my wo…
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We’re Back! Do You Have a Letter You’d Love Us to Dive Into?
44:13
44:13
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44:13
After a three year hiatus we are so excited to be coming back into your podcast feed today. In today’s episode we re-introduce this show after our 3 year break, share why we’re hosting this podcast on Substack this time around, share some updates from our own businesses since we last recorded, and invite you to submit a letter that you’d love us to…
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Being afraid of NOT doing it, with Lisa Francesca Nand
1:06:39
1:06:39
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Things we talked about: The way multi-faceted careers can feel piecemeal (especially if parenting is added into the mix), or “like I’m doing five different jobs at once” Factoring in time to play as well as work Exploring your home town like a holiday destination Taking things home from real holidays that you might not expect (like appreciating the…
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