In this beautifully revealing, intimate conversation, Carrie Green opens up about the darkest period of her business journey. In this episode Carrie shares with us the most generous and honest reflection on entrepreneurial burnout that I've ever heard.

Having founded the Female Entrepreneur Association (FEA) in 2011 (which she grew into 7-figure business with a network of almost 1 million women) Carrie is an international bestselling author (She Means Business, Hay House) and an online business trailblazer. But today we're stepping back from the shiny stuff in her list of incredible achievements to talk burnout, motherhood, and the darker sides of business success.

"I'd be getting home from work every night saying to my husband, I don't think I can do this anymore," she reveals. "I felt so trapped by it all."

While Carrie's body was screaming at her to slow down... she pushed on through... until she physically, mentally and emotionally could not go on. But that's not the end of our story: we discover that Carrie's just closed out her best launch of all time, after slowly having found her way back to her health, wellbeing and magic.

In this episode we explore the complex reality of managing a team for a multi-million pound online business, the weight of avoiding difficult conversations, and how hiring full-time "experts" to solve your problems can backfire spectacularly. Carrie's brutal honesty about the real challenges she's faced as a leader and the emotional toll of getting some of it wrong, is so wildly refreshing.

If you've ever felt trapped by your success, questioned whether you're cut out for leadership, or wondered how to rebuild when everything feels broken, this conversation is for you!

• The physical warning signs Carrie ignored before her body forced her to pay attention
• Why hiring "experts" to solve your problems often creates more chaos than clarity
• How avoiding difficult conversations with team members nearly destroyed her business
• The specific work and practices that helped her rebuild
• How energy and frequency directly impact business results
• Why Carrie believes success should equal joy and what happens when it doesn't

• Carrie's Instagram: @IAmCarrieGreen
• Female Entrepreneur Association
• Patrick Lencioni's leadership books (especially "The Motive")
• Her podcast (recently hit #59 in Apple's business charts!)

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Today I'm sitting down with Ruth, the brilliantly creative mind who, when asked what her current job title is, replies with a laugh, "Today we're going with digital product strategist."

This sense of fun sets the tone for our entire conversation about what happens when you follow joy instead of rigid business rules.

Ruth's journey from corporate banking job to creative entrepreneur wasn't planned, it unfolded naturally as she simply shared what she loved making. Whether it was photographs, websites, online courses, or physical products like t-shirts and journals, Ruth's magnetic energy comes from a place most business coaches never talk about: genuine excitement.

"I'm not purposefully sharing to get a client," she reveals. "It's just this homepage has brought me joy. I can't keep it in. So I'm just going to share it." This approach has led to clients consistently finding her rather than the other way around something many of us dream about but struggle to achieve.

We also dive into the fascinating parallel between building a business and Ruth's two-year journey to achieving a challenging physical goal, where we learn about her philosophy on persistence. When most people try something once and declare "it doesn't work," where as Ruth has shown up Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for years.

I love Ruth's comfort in her own lane whether in business or at the gym. While many of us are constantly looking sideways, she's focused firmly on her own path, completely unbothered by how fast or slow others might be progressing.

This conversation isn't just about business or strategy, it's about finding joy in the process, sharing from a place of genuine excitement, and showing up consistently without comparing your journey to others.

If you've been feeling the pressure to niche down or follow conventional business wisdom, but something about it doesn't feel right, this episode might just give you the permission you've been waiting for.

• Why Ruth gets clients without actively seeking them and the mindset that makes this possible
• The truth about passion projects and why they don't always need to make money
• Ruth's approach to personal goals that mirror how she runs her business
• Why Ruth writes all her content herself (without ai)
• How she balances "joy projects" and "income projects" to keep her joy and business sustainable

• Ruth's website: RuthXO.com
• Liz Gilbert's book "Big Magic"
• Our Joy First Founders Circle community
• The Colour Joy

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Today I'm sharing what might be the most important conversation of this entire Joy First season. I had the incredible honor of sitting down with Rha Goddess – organizational soul coach, author, and one of the wisest voices I've encountered on the subject of intentional, purpose-driven work.

This conversation couldn't be more timely. As we navigate economic uncertainty, political chaos, and the ongoing aftermath of a pandemic that changed everything about how we view work, Rha's insights offer both a challenge and a permission slip.

The Great Resignation

What happens when 50 million people quit their jobs, and then another 50 million the following year? What are we all sensing and seeking in this massive reshuffling of priorities? And most importantly – how do we move forward when we know we're not going back?

Rha's new book "Intentional Ambition" explores exactly this territory, diving deep into what it means to renegotiate our relationship with work after the Great Resignation. But this isn't just about finding better work-life balance – it's about a fundamental shift in how we define success, ambition, and the role work plays in our lives.

One of my favorite quotes from Rha in this episode responded with: "If it ain't joyful, I ain't doing it." This speaks to my soulllll. Not just a cute boundary – this statement is a radical act of resistance in a world that has conditioned us to de-prioritize our joy and happiness.

We explore the fierce nature of love (which is not what you might think), why comfort and joy are not synonymous, and how to distinguish between what she calls "wounded ambition" versus "true ambition."

Whether you're considering a career pivot, feeling burned out in your current role, or simply questioning the traditional definitions of success that never quite fit, this conversation offers both profound wisdom and practical guidance for creating a new relationship with work... a relationship where joy leads.

• The three stages we go through when redefining our relationship with work
• Why choosing joy is both a form of resistance and surrender
• How to use your energy (not just your time) as your compass for decision-making
• A simple daily practice to identify what's draining you vs. what's energizing you
• The difference between "wounded ambition" and "true ambition"
• Which discomfort might actually be growth in disguise

• Rha Goddess's new book: "Intentional Ambition"
• Move The Crowd website
• Rha Goddess website
• @RhaGoddess on all platforms: LinkedIn Instagram

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