Latest Podcast Episodes

Catch up on our most recent conversations and dive into fresh ideas, expert insights, and inspiring stories from our latest podcast episodes.

• Ep 1 – Self Employed - The Forgotten Community
  Duration: 22:18
  We explore the hidden pressures of running a business, the isolation many business owners experience, and why so many feel they have to carry everything on their own.
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• Ep 2 – Chaos to Clarity
  Duration: 22:16
  we explore why so many business owners fall into the trap of trying to be everything to everyone. Sharing lessons learned from over 40 years of self-employment, we discuss how moving from a "scatter-gun" approach to finding your lane can transform your business, your decision-making and your quality of life.
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• Ep 3 – Isolation and Building Relationships
  Duration: 23:49
  Self-employment can be one of the most rewarding journeys you'll ever take, but it can also be one of the loneliest. In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we explore the hidden impact of isolation on business owners and why building meaningful relationships is essential for both personal wellbeing and business success. Discover why networking is about more than attending events, how trusted relationships lead to better opportunities, and why no business owner should feel they have to do it all alone. Because the strongest businesses are built on strong relationships, not just hard work.
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• Ep 4 – The Hidden Leakages Costing Your Business Thousands
  Duration: 26:22
  

  Where is your business quietly losing time, money and opportunities? In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we explore the hidden leakages that can impact your bottom line, from wasted time and inefficient systems to poor enquiry handling and missed customer opportunities.Sometimes business growth isn't about finding more customers. It's about identifying and fixing the leaks in the business you already have.Watch now and ask yourself: Where is my business leaking revenue?.

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• Ep 5 – Cashflow is the lifeblood of every business.
  Duration: 21:01
  

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we explore why profitable businesses can still struggle if cashflow isn't managed effectively. We discuss practical ways to improve cashflow, avoid common mistakes and build stronger financial habits that give business owners greater confidence and control.

  Whether you're just starting out or running an established business, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you strengthen one of the most important areas of your business.

  Listen now and take control of your cashflow before it takes control of your business.

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• Ep 6 – Networking isn't about collecting business cards. It's about building genuine relationships.
  Duration: 22:00
  

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we explore why so many self-employed people experience isolation and how meaningful networking can provide the support, knowledge and opportunities needed to grow both personally and professionally.

  Discover why networking done properly is about trust, collaboration and long-term relationships, not selling. If you've ever felt like you're building your business alone, this episode will remind you that the right network can make all the difference.

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• Ep 7 – Why Business Skills are critical for the self employed.
• Duration: 24:05

• Being great at what you do doesn't automatically mean you know how to run a successful business.

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we explore why developing strong business skills is essential for long-term success. From cashflow and sales to communication, systems, leadership and planning, we discuss the skills that help you move from simply doing the work to actually building a business.

  You may be an expert at your trade or profession, but learning how to run the business can change everything.

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• Ep 8 – Grow Online with Clarity – with Louise McDonnell

• Duration: 24:19

• How do you grow your business online without becoming overwhelmed by social media?

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by award-winning social media strategist Louise McDonnell to discuss what really works online.

  Louise shares practical insights on creating the right message, producing content that connects with your audience, building simple systems and using social media strategically to grow your business.

  Watch now and discover how to make social media work for your business. 

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• Ep 9 – Stop Saying Yes to Everything: Setting Boundaries as a Business Owner

• Duration: 24:17

• Stop Saying Yes to Everything

• When you're self-employed, saying yes can feel like part of the job. Yes to every customer, every opportunity, every request and every problem. But what is all that saying yes actually costing you?

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we explore the importance of setting boundaries, protecting your time and energy, and learning that saying no can sometimes be one of the best decisions you make for yourself and your business.

• Watch now and discover how to make social media work for your business.

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• Ep 9 – Health & Wellbeing When You're Self-Employed | Dr Fiona Barry

• Duration: 24:17

• When you're self-employed, looking after the business can easily come before looking after yourself. In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Dr Fiona Barry to discuss the importance of health and wellbeing for business owners. We explore the pressures of self-employment, managing stress, recognising when you're doing too much, creating healthier routines and understanding why your own wellbeing needs to be treated as a business priority. Because when you're the person your business depends on, looking after yourself isn't a luxury. It's essential. If you're constantly busy, struggling to switch off or putting yourself at the bottom of the priority list, this conversation is for you. A 2 Dans Production in association with BridgeLink. #SelfEmployed #HealthAndWellbeing #BusinessOwner #WorkLifeBalance #SmallBusiness #BusinessWellbeing #Entrepreneurship #BridgeLink

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• Ep 10 – What happens to your business when you're ready to step away?

• Duration: 24:15

• Succession planning is something many business owners know they need to think about, but often keep putting off.

  In our latest episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Mairead Hennessy to discuss why succession planning needs to start long before you're ready to exit.We talk about preparing the business, protecting its value, planning for the future and one of the biggest questions every business owner eventually needs to answer:

  What happens to the business without me?

  Watch this short clip and catch the full conversation on YouTube or Spotify.#SelfEmployed #SuccessionPlanning #BusinessOwner #ExitPlanning #BusinessStrategy #SmallBusiness #BridgeLink

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• Ep 11 – Work Smarter, Not Harder: Making Technology Work for Your Business

• Duration: 24:50

• Are you using technology to make your business easier to run, or is it creating even more work?

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Eithne Dolan to explore how Microsoft 365 and better digital systems can help self-employed people and small business owners save time, improve organisation and work more efficiently.

  The message is simple: you don't need to know everything about technology. You just need the right systems to help you work smarter.

  Watch the full conversation and discover how better systems can give you back one of your most valuable resources: time..We discuss practical ways to simplify everyday tasks, improve communication and collaboration, organise your business information and get more from the technology you may already be paying for.

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• Ep 12 – You Can't Build It Alone: Growing from Self-Employed to Business Owner | Eric Howey

• Duration: 26:42

• When you're self-employed, it's very easy to believe you have to do everything yourself.But there comes a point when growing the business means learning to let go, trust others and build the right team around you.In our latest episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Eric Howey of EMH Technical Services.

  Eric shares his experience of the last seven years in business, from the early days of self-employment to employing his first people and building a team around him.We talk about the challenges of delegation, trust, leadership and making the transition from doing everything yourself to actually leading a business.If you're self-employed and wondering how you can possibly keep doing everything, this conversation is for you.

  Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify.

  You can start a business on your own. But you don't have to build it alone.

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• Ep 13 – Who Protects you when you are self-emplyed? | Eugene Ryan

• Duration: 26:42

• If you couldn't work tomorrow, what would happen to your income, your business and your family?

  Who looks after you?

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Eugene Ryan of Safeguard Financial Services to discuss the importance of financial protection for self-employed people and business owners.

  We explore what can happen when illness, injury or unexpected circumstances prevent you from working, why it's important to understand the financial risks you face, and the steps business owners should consider when putting their own safety net in place.

  This isn't about expecting the worst. It's about being prepared and protecting what you've worked so hard to build.

  If your business depends on you, this is a conversation worth hearing.

• When you're self-employed, you're often the person everyone else depends on. You look after the customers, the staff, the bills and the business. But one important question is often overlooked:

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• Ep 14 – From Chaos to Clarity: How to Build a Business That Works for You | Andrew Walker

• Duration: 27:26

• Are you running your business, or is your business running you?

• When you're self-employed, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day pressures of running a business, constantly busy but not always moving in the right direction.In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Andrew Walker of BBCS to discuss the importance of clarity, business planning and having a structured approach to sustainable business growth.

• We explore why business owners often lose sight of their original goals, the importance of understanding where you want your business to go, and how the right strategy, support and direction can help you regain control.

• Being busy doesn't necessarily mean you're making progress. Sometimes the biggest step forward is getting clear about where you're going.

• Whether you're starting out or have been self-employed for years, this conversation will encourage you to look at your business differently.

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• Ep 15 – Your People Are Your Biggest Asset|Damian McCarthy

• Duration: 24:39

• Being a great business owner doesn't automatically make you a great employer.

• When you're self-employed, taking on staff is a major milestone. But with that comes a whole new set of responsibilities, challenges and decisions that many business owners are simply not prepared for.

• In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Damian McCarthy of HR Buddy to discuss the importance of effective HR management for small businesses.We explore the common mistakes employers make, the importance of clear communication, managing employee expectations, building a positive workplace culture and dealing with difficult conversations before they become bigger problems.

• Damian shares practical insights into how good HR practices can help business owners protect their businesses, retain good people and create workplaces where employees feel valued and supported.

• You might have started your business on your own, but building a successful team requires a different set of skills.

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• Ep 16 – Finding Your Voice: Building Confidence in Workplace Communication | Brigid Farrell

• Duration: 25:25

• Do you ever hold back from speaking up because you're worried about saying the wrong thing?

  Whether it's speaking in meetings, dealing with customers, networking or giving a presentation, confidence in communication can make a real difference to your working life.

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Brigid Farrell of All Talk Training to explore how building confidence in using language in work-related situations can open doors to new opportunities.

  We discuss the barriers people face when communicating, particularly when English isn't their first language, and how developing confidence, improving communication skills and overcoming the fear of making mistakes can make a real difference.

  Brigid shares practical insights into communicating more effectively, building stronger relationships and finding the confidence to express yourself in professional situations.

  Good communication isn't about using perfect words. It's about having the confidence to connect with people.

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• Ep 17 - Leadership Clarity: Is Your Team Really on the Same Page? | Denis Lordan

• Duration: 28:36

• You can have great people, a great strategy and ambitious plans. But what happens when everyone is pulling in different directions?

  In this episode of Self-Employed: The Forgotten Community, we're joined by Denis Lordan of Fusion Performance to explore the importance of leadership clarity, alignment and effective communication in business.

  We discuss the challenges business owners face as their teams grow, why what seems perfectly clear to the leader isn't always understood by everyone else, and how a lack of alignment can affect performance, accountability and business growth.

  Denis shares valuable insights into leadership behaviours, communication, decision-making and the importance of creating a shared understanding of where the business is going and how everyone contributes to its success.

  Good leadership isn't simply about telling people where you're going. It's about making sure they understand the journey and their role in getting there.using perfect words. It's about having the confidence to connect with people.

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