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Flying Solo

Flying Solo

Written by: Flying Solo
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 The show for those starting or running a one person business, hosted by Cec Busby. With over 100,000 members and stacks of resources, Flying Solo keeps you on track.© Pinstripe Media Careers Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Success
Episodes
  • Summer Session 2025 Highlights: Essential resilience skills for solopreneurs

    Summer Session 2025 Highlights: Essential resilience skills for solopreneurs
    Jan 22 2026
    Looking for a great listen this summer? Check out our highlights from the past year and learn a new skill today! This week's episode of Flying Solo focuses on the often overlooked yet crucial aspect of being a solo entrepreneur—our personal wellbeing and resilience. Melli O'Brien, renowned coach, mindfulness educator, and author of Deep Resilience has aided over a million individuals worldwide in finding inner calm and clarity. She shares her personal journey from dealing with mental health crises to becoming a beacon of mindfulness and strength. In this conversation, Melli dives into the key skills necessary for cultivating resilience, breaking down her four-part method designed to empower you through life's adversities. Whether you're feeling burnt out, caught in overthinking traps, or simply eager to strengthen your mindset, this episode is filled with practical insights and strategies to help you reconnect with your inner strength and values. Key topics Melli O'Brien's Background and Journey Her experience with a difficult childhood leading to mental health challenges. Hitting a crisis point with mental health issues like an eating disorder, depression, and suicidal ideation. Discovering resilience and happiness as skills and seeking guidance. Development of Skills and Writing of "Deep Resilience" Book Encounter with teachings from Buddhism and psychology about resilience. Development of skills leading to significant personal transformation. Motivation to write her book based on patterns observed in others. Discussion on Resilience and Inner Strength Difference observed between those who struggle and those who thrive under adversity. Introduction to the "deep resilience method" and its foundational skills. The FEAR and RISE Models Explanation of the FEAR model, outlining elements leading to spirals of struggle. Introduction to the RISE model as a counteracting strategy to FEAR. Mindfulness and Its Misconceptions Addressing skepticism around mindfulness and its practical benefits. Explanation of how mindfulness helps manage thoughts and emotions effectively. Practical Application of Mindfulness and Managing Overthinking Real-life example from Melli's personal experience with her cat's health emergency. Implementing mindfulness techniques and regulating negative thoughts. Addressing Burnout and Maintaining Balance Understanding and recognising the signs of burnout. Importance of balancing life activities through an inventory of "drainers" and "sustainers." Timestamped overview 06:17 Deep Resilience and Personal Growth 10:05 Overcoming FEAR Pattern 11:52 Managing Emotions and Stress Wisely 15:52 Staying Connected to Your Values 18:53 Overcoming Anxious Thoughts 21:14 Mindfulness Simplifies Emotional Awareness 27:20 Resilience Framework: 3 C's for Wellbeing 28:49 Mastering Skills Through Practice 34:57 Mindfulness to Combat Burnout 38:47 Burnout Check-In: Drainers vs. Sustainers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • Summer Session 2025 Highlights: Transforming busy into productive

    Summer Session 2025 Highlights: Transforming busy into productive
    Jan 15 2026
    Today we are joined by Simi Rayat, a global productivity expert, business psychologist and founder of Wellbeing Face. In our conversation, we delve into productivity and emotional wellbeing. Simi shares her journey from a budding interest in psychology to becoming an advocate for enhancing productivity through a scientifically backed approach. Together, we explore key concepts from her latest book, "Productivity Joy," which offers strategies for boosting productivity and energy in just five minutes a day using the innovative 5Q formula. We also touch on the importance of gratitude, emotional awareness, and self-compassion in maintaining a balanced and fulfilling life. Join us as we uncover practical tips and mindset shifts that can transform your daily routines and enhance your personal and professional growth. Time-stamped overview 00:00 5-minute system boosts mood and productivity. 04:27 Science-backed process for enhancing mindset with questions. 07:38 Emotions dictate behavior; acknowledging them is crucial. 11:30 Focus on 3 high-impact tasks daily. 15:44 Mindset impacts productivity and collaboration significantly. 20:08 Revisit priorities midday; reflect briefly daily. 23:33 Take 5 minutes daily for mindset clarity. 26:10 Annual family goal-setting retreat with collaborative planning. 28:48 Identify inspiring qualities and boost self-worth and gratitude. Key Topics Recognising Qualities and Self-Reflection Admired Traits: Simi Raya emphasises that the qualities we admire in others often mirror traits that exist within us, enhancing our own self-awareness and identity. Self-Worth Connection: By recognising these qualities in ourselves, we can improve our self-worth and confidence. Identifying Influential People: Part of effective self-reflection is identifying and surrounding ourselves with individuals who inspire us to become better versions of ourselves, fostering personal growth. Value and Practice of Gratitude Human Need for Recognition: Gratitude satisfies a fundamental human desire to feel valued and impactful, fulfilling an essential emotional requirement for acknowledgment. Concerns About Gratitude: Raya expresses concern that some individuals struggle to recall the last time they received gratitude, highlighting a need for improved gratitude practices. Encouraging Expression: She advocates for a more frequent and conscious expression of gratitude to enhance overall well-being and fulfillment in our interactions. Distinction Between Busyness and Productivity Common Reflexive Responses: Many people default to saying they're "fine" or "busy" without truly assessing their emotional state or productivity level. Impact over Quantity: Simi Raya explains that being busy is often mistaken for being productive or important, yet it doesn't necessarily equate to impactful work. Focus on Meaningful Work: She suggests prioritizing high-impact and meaningful tasks over compiling lengthy to-do lists, which can lead to more significant outcomes and satisfaction. Simi Raya’s 5 Q's Formula Framework Introduction: Raya introduces a productivity framework adapted from Eisenhower’s matrix, designed to focus on prioritizing tasks by their urgency and importance. Three High-Impact Tasks: The approach emphasizes completing three high-impact tasks each day to maintain alignment with broader personal and professional goals. Brain's Preference for Threes: This method leverages the brain’s natural efficiency in processing information in sets of three, making it easier to manage and execute tasks. Daily Routine Integration: Simi suggests integrating the 5Q’s formula into existing morning routines, helping to enhance productivity and focus right from the start of the day.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • Summer Session 2025 Highlights: How to master your sales technique

    Summer Session 2025 Highlights: How to master your sales technique
    Jan 8 2026
    Looking for inspiration to kick-start the new year? Check out our summer session highlights for the best advice we've heard from experts this year... In this episode, we're joined by David Fastuca, co-author of the B2B Sales Playbook. David, who has successfully built a $150 million sales pipeline and scaled a SaaS business in a competitive market, shares his expertise on developing a simple, repeatable sales system that stands out from the pushy tactics many dread. We'll explore key aspects like the impact of AI on sales, the importance of having a structured sales operating system, and actionable insights for overcoming common sales challenges. Whether you're struggling to land deals or looking to refine your sales approach, this episode is a must-listen for actionable strategies and practical advice. Tune in and transform your sales game today! Key Topics David Fastuca's Sales Journey and B2B Sales Playbook: Transitioned from graphic design to sales out of necessity. Co-authored the B2B Sales Playbook with Luigi Preston. The book is designed to be highly actionable and helps founders and salespeople establish a structured sales process. Provides templates, scripts, and resources to resolve sales roadblocks and enhance sales efficiency. Sales Operating System (Sales OS) and Multichannel Outbound Approach: A structured system is crucial for habit-forming and consistent sales results. Employs multichannel outreach, including email, phone, social selling, and instant messaging. Increases response rates and nurtures leads by diversifying communication methods. Helps in building confidence and understanding real market feedback for growth and refinement. Timestamped overview 00:00 Intro to Dave 05:24 Embrace AI or Fall Behind 06:44 AI Enhances Customer Engagement Efficiency 10:22 Human Oversight Required for AI 14:26 "Belief, Market Need, Feedback Loop" 18:36 Turning Cold Calls Into Warm Leads 20:47 Strategic Prospect Engagement Steps 22:55 Continuous Customer Understanding Essential 29:00 Personalized Messaging Over Generic Outreach 32:25 AI Analysis for Sales Insights 33:25 "B2B Sales Playbook Preview" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    36 mins
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