In this episode, I’m joined by Sophie Bell, Managing Director at Toast, to talk about what authentic brand storytelling really looks like in practice. We explore why keeping your message simple matters, how to connect with your audience in a genuine way, and why trying to say too much often dilutes your impact.

Sophie shares her experience of working with brands across documentaries, advertising, and branded content, and explains the idea of story finding, identifying real voices and real stories that naturally align with your brand. We discuss how to avoid overwhelming your audience, the role of honesty and transparency in building trust, and why letting go of control can actually strengthen your message.

We also talk about the pressure to create constant content, particularly video, how to focus on quality without burning out, and how AI can support creativity for small businesses, not replace it.

If you want to strengthen your content, clarify your message, and approach authentic brand storytelling with more confidence, this episode will give you practical insight and reassurance.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and meet Sophie Bell

01:00 What story telling means for brands

02:20 How successful brands tell simple, effective stories

04:30 Choosing one clear message for your content

07:10 What authenticity really looks like in brand storytelling

09:20 Polished versus informal content and what works best

11:40 Creating quality content without burnout

14:40 Quality versus quantity in brand content

18:45 Why AI is not just for big companies

22:05 How AI can elevate creativity and storytelling

27:05 First steps for experimenting with AI

Find Sophie here:

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

LET’S CONNECT

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Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Support this podcast for the price of a coffee

if you loved this episode please consider sending me a one-off tip. It helps me to keep bringing this podcast to you, for free. If you'd like to support this podcast, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Getting Started on Amazon Checklist

If you’re planning to start selling on Amazon, this free checklist covers the key things you need in place before you list your products. It’s a simple way to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Download it here: https://mailchi.mp/72c24952cf50/amazon_checklist

Are you unsure whether to choose a free or professional Amazon selling plan?

This episode dives into the key differences between the two options to help you make an informed decision.

This episode aims to clarify which selling plan might be best suited for your needs, whether you're just starting out or ready to scale your business.

Mentioned in this episode:

The costs involved in selling on Amazon: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c29dd180-03c9-48b9-9e3c-c232514805ca/

LET’S CONNECT

Join my free Facebook group for product makers and creators

Follow me on YouTube

Find me on Instagram

Work with me

Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Getting Started on Amazon Checklist

If you’re planning to start selling on Amazon, this free checklist covers the key things you need in place before you list your products. It’s a simple way to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Download it here: https://mailchi.mp/72c24952cf50/amazon_checklist

Get your free Amazon set up checklist

Support this podcast for the price of a coffee

if you loved this episode please consider sending me a one-off tip. It helps me to keep bringing this podcast to you, for free. If you'd like to support this podcast, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

What does inventing a product really look like behind the scenes?

In this episode, I’m joined by Zoe Chapman, inventor of The Whizzer, the world’s first compact, unisex portable toilet. Zoe shares how a very real parenting problem turned into inventing a product that’s now used by families, campers, travellers and adults with medical needs.

We talk openly about the realities of building a product based business, from manufacturing and protecting your idea, to appearing on Dragon’s Den, selling on Amazon, and managing growth without big budgets or a team.

This is a friendly, honest conversation for anyone thinking about inventing a product, or already building one and wondering if what they’re experiencing is normal.

In this episode, we cover

1. How Zoe went from an idea on paper to inventing a product people genuinely need
2. Knowing when there’s enough demand to take a product to market
3. What manufacturing really involves when you don’t have funding
4. The reality of Dragon’s Den, before filming and after it airs
5. Selling on Amazon, visibility, margins and learning as you go
6. Burnout, resilience and why your why matters more than anything

If you’re building a product business and feeling overwhelmed, this episode will help you feel reassured, informed and far less alone.

Find Zoe here

www.whizzer.co.uk

Instagram handles @kiddiwhizz @whizzer_world

Facebook: Kiddiwhizz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-a-chapman

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and meeting Zoe

03:00 The problem that led to inventing a product

08:40 Validating the idea and understanding demand

13:00 Manufacturing, factories and protecting your product

20:10 Behind the scenes of Dragon’s Den

25:00 What happens after the show airs

35:00 Selling on Amazon and managing margins

50:00 Lessons learned, burnout and resilience

01:03:15 Final advice for product based founders

LET’S CONNECT

Follow me on YouTube

Find me on Instagram

Work with me

Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here:

In this episode, I’m joined by cognitive strategist Natalie Mackenzie to talk about something we often overlook in business: cognitive health and how your brain influences the way you work every single day.

Natalie explains what cognitive health actually means in simple, practical terms, and how things like memory, attention and focus affect your productivity, energy and decision making. We also talk about how modern life impacts your ability to concentrate, why some tasks feel harder than others, and how becoming more aware of your own thinking patterns can completely change the way you run your business.

If you have ever felt foggy, overwhelmed, distracted or mentally tired, this conversation will really help you understand what might be going on and how you can support your brain long term. Natalie also shares simple strategies to protect cognitive health for entrepreneurs so that you can work in a way that feels more sustainable and enjoyable.

• What cognitive health really means and why it matters

• How your brain function impacts your business

• Why focus and memory sometimes feel harder than they should

• Signs of overwhelm and decision fatigue

• Practical ways to support your brain while running a business

00:00 Welcome and introduction

03:30 What cognitive health means for entrepreneurs

09:20 Memory, attention and everyday brain function

16:45 Focus, habits and why strategies work differently for everyone

25:10 Leaning into strengths and outsourcing

36:40 Overwhelm and decision fatigue

47:30 Supporting long term brain and business health

Find Natalie Here:

Website: https://thecognitivestrategist.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecognitivestrategist/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-mackenzie-15a66235/

LET’S CONNECT

Follow me on YouTube

Find me on Instagram

Work with me

Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Getting Started on Amazon Checklist

If you’re planning to start selling on Amazon, this free checklist covers the key things you need in place before you list your products. It’s a simple way to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Download it here: https://mailchi.mp/72c24952cf50/amazon_checklist

Get your free Amazon set up checklist

Support this podcast for the price of a coffee

if you loved...

If you sell physical products and take your own photos (or know you probably should), this episode will really help.

Vicki is joined by Karen Moreland, who works with product sellers, Etsy shop owners and Amazon sellers who need good photos but don’t want to become photographers. This conversation is very practical and reassuring, especially if photography feels confusing, technical or just another thing on your never-ending to-do list.

You’ll hear:

1. Why you don’t need expensive equipment or a fancy camera to get decent product photos
2. The most common mistakes product sellers make with their photos – and how to fix them simply
3. How small changes to lighting and angles can make a big difference to how professional your products look
4. Why showing size, scale and how a product is used really matters for sales
5. How to stop aiming for “perfect” and actually get your photos done
6. Simple editing tweaks you can make on your phone without overthinking it

Karen explains everything in a very straightforward, no-jargon way and focuses on results rather than technical photography rules. If you’ve ever gone down a YouTube rabbit hole trying to “learn photography” and come away more confused than when you started, this episode will feel like a relief.

It’s a great listen if you want your product photos to look clearer, more professional and more trustworthy — without spending a fortune or learning a whole new skill.

USEFUL RESOURCES

Karen Moreland Website https://karenmoreland.com

Karen Moreland TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@karen_moreland

Karen Moreland Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@karenmorelandphotography

Karen Moreland https://www.pinterest.com/karenmorelandphoto

LET’S CONNECT

Join my free Facebook group for product makers and creators

Follow me on YouTube

Find me on Instagram

Work with me

Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Support this podcast for the price of a coffee

if you loved this episode please consider sending me a one-off tip. It helps me to keep bringing this podcast to you, for free. If you'd like to support this podcast, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Getting Started on Amazon Checklist

If you’re planning to start selling on Amazon, this free checklist covers the key things you need in place before you list your products. It’s a simple way to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Download it here: https://mailchi.mp/72c24952cf50/amazon_checklist

Get your free Amazon set up checklist

This week’s episode is a Q&A, covering the questions I hear time and time again from people selling or thinking about selling on Amazon.

I dive into topics like:

• the biggest mistakes new sellers make

• choosing between FBA and FBM

• how to improve visibility and reach page one

• knowing if your pricing is truly competitive

• whether Amazon is still worth it in 2026

Even if you’ve been selling for a while, these are still the questions that shape better decisions, stronger foundations and more confident growth.

If there’s something you’d like me to cover in a future Q&A, you can message me on LinkedIn or Instagram, or reply to one of my emails. And remember, there’s a whole back catalogue of episodes if you want to keep learning.

LET’S CONNECT

Join my free Facebook group for product makers and creators

Follow me on YouTube

Find me on Instagram

Work with me

Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Getting Started on Amazon Checklist

If you’re planning to start selling on Amazon, this free checklist covers the key things you need in place before you list your products. It’s a simple way to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Download it here: https://mailchi.mp/72c24952cf50/amazon_checklist

Get your free Amazon set up checklist

Support this podcast for the price of a coffee

if you loved this episode please consider sending me a one-off tip. It helps me to keep bringing this podcast to you, for free. If you'd like to support this podcast, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

If the word sales makes you cringe a little… this episode is for you.

In this conversation, Vicki is joined by Andee Hart, founder of Hart Design Co and host of the She Sells Differently podcast. Andee started out making candles in her kitchen during the pandemic – and went on to wholesale them into over 100 shops in a matter of months, all while still working a full-time corporate job.

But this isn’t just a story about candles. It’s a really honest, practical chat about selling products in a way that feels good, works long-term, and actually supports your life as a business owner.

If you sell physical products (or want to), this episode will help you:

1. Stop feeling awkward or “salesy” about selling
2. Understand what actually helps products sell in wholesale and retail
3. Feel more confident about pricing your products properly
4. Realise you don’t have to do everything (or sell to everyone) to succeed

Andee brings a refreshing, human approach to sales – one that’s rooted in integrity, consistency and common sense, rather than pressure tactics or gimmicks.

USEFUL RESOURCES

She Sells Differently Website https://andeehart.com/

Andee Hart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andeehart/

Andee Hart LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andeehart/

LET’S CONNECT

Join my free Facebook group for product makers and creators

Follow me on YouTube

Find me on Instagram

Work with me

Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Support this podcast for the price of a coffee

if you loved this episode please consider sending me a one-off tip. It helps me to keep bringing this podcast to you, for free. If you'd like to support this podcast, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Getting Started on Amazon Checklist

If you’re planning to start selling on Amazon, this free checklist covers the key things you need in place before you list your products. It’s a simple way to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Download it here: https://mailchi.mp/72c24952cf50/amazon_checklist

Get your free Amazon set up checklist

Ever wondered how Amazon decides which products show up first? In this episode, I break down what the Amazon algorithm is, how it works and what really influences your visibility.

We’ll cover the core factors, plus the common myths . I explain why sales velocity matters so much and why strong conversions matter.

You’ll leave with practical ways to align your listings with what Amazon wants, so you can improve rankings in a realistic and sustainable way.

LET’S CONNECT

Join my free Facebook group for product makers and creators

Follow me on YouTube

Find me on Instagram

Work with me

Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Support this podcast for the price of a coffee

if you loved this episode please consider sending me a one-off tip. It helps me to keep bringing this podcast to you, for free. If you'd like to support this podcast, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Getting Started on Amazon Checklist

If you’re planning to start selling on Amazon, this free checklist covers the key things you need in place before you list your products. It’s a simple way to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Download it here: https://mailchi.mp/72c24952cf50/amazon_checklist

Get your free Amazon set up checklist