More than 10,000 downloads later, it seems she was right.
Story Slurp is all about amplifying the voices of real people in business and showing you how you can share your story authentically and confidently as a business leader or founder.
Listen to real life experiences from business leaders and founders and find out how to elevate your brand, communication and storytelling skills so you can attract your dream opportunities and feel more ease.
Jun 17, 2025
Meet Alex Merry - the public speaking expert and former TedX organiser that actually hates public speaking himself! In this episode Alex gives us loads of practical tips on how to be a better speaker, why he thinks most of us put too much pressure on ourselves and why the Ted events we see on our screens are never the same as what actually happens in real life. If you’ve ever wanted to get better at speaking or peep behind the scenes of what it takes to do a Ted talk, this episode is for you.
Jun 10, 2025
Ever been part of a meeting that just seemed like a huge waste of time? Have you ever considered using visuals as a tool to create better conversations, make better decisions and help everyone to feel involved? Meet Ellie Chapman, the Creative Director of Lim - a Graphic facilitation agency - which brings events and meetings to life, so that participants can understand the meeting on a deeper level, and get more impactful results. So many of us learn visually, so working with a graphic facilitator can really help bring a different dimension to conversations, and help make them more inclusive. In this episode, Ellie talks about how she started her business, why visual storytelling is essential for effective communication and how facilitation runs in the family as well as oodles of tips on how to bring your own meetings to life visually. Enjoy!
Jun 03, 2025
You've worked countless hours. Your team's exhausted. You’ve put so much effort and time into creating this new website, which you're so excited about because it's gonna change everything in your business. And it looks amazing. You press go on the website and nothing. You fast forward a few weeks, even months. And still nothing happens because you have not done the foundational work you need to do before you created your website. We've all been there and felt that pain. If you don't do the foundational work you need to do before you create that website, your website is not going to be effective. You’ve missed an opportunity to create a website that brings you sales, and wasted a shedload of money and time in the process. I want to save you that pain. So in this episode of Story Slurp Podcast, I’ve come up the three things that you need to do before you hire that website developer to make sure your website delivers. Grab a notebook and pen, you’re going to want to take notes for this one!
May 27, 2025
Meet Gus Bhandal. Gus is a brilliant Linked In Trainer - in fact his mum says he’s the best one in the country. The secret to his success? He’s absolutely nailed how to create personality led content on social media in a way that’s funny, relatable and spot on to his audience, and repels anyone that wouldn’t ‘get’ him. Gus spills the tea (not the coffee) on some brilliant tips to create great personality content for social media, and reminds us that we should stay in our own lane and not care about anyone else. We talked about personality vs personal content, why we should lean into ourselves more and why you should think carefully about becoming a pub landlord. There was also a fair mention of chocolate oranges. Enjoy!
May 21, 2025
“How can I be more vulnerable and still stay professional?” That’s one of the most common things I’m asked as a Story Coach and it’s a tricky balance. I think jewellery consultant Jessica Steele gets it bang on in terms of being open and honest, but not oversharing. Jessica has overcome some huge challenges in her business and has always been transparent about them, and I’m in awe of her storytelling ability. In this episode we talk about Jessica’s approach to sharing her stories and how her business and brand has evolved.
May 13, 2025
Personal Branding. Heard the buzz, but not sure if it's for you? Spoiler alert, it is. Whether you're an ambitious professional or business leader working inside an organisation or a founder building your own business, building your own personal brand is essential and will open up all kinds of opportunities for you. If you don't put yourself forward and make yourself visible, how will people give you opportunities? And who's going to do it if you don't? In this episode we chat about how personal brand isn't just for extroverts, how you can get started on your personal brand and why you're missing out if you don't. Takeaways from this episode: Personal branding is essential for everyone, not just business owners. Understanding your personal brand can open up new opportunities. It's not about being loud; it's about being strategic. Building a personal brand helps you stand out in competitive markets. People connect with people, not just brands. Future-proofing your career requires a strong personal brand. Self-awareness is key to effective personal branding. Visibility is crucial for attracting opportunities. You have control over your personal brand story. Embrace discomfort as part of the growth process.
May 06, 2025
Meet Laura Tye - a former soloist with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Laura was with the prestigious ballet company for 20 years, leaving and returning twice to have children, something virtually unheard of in that industry. Laura describes what it’s really like to be a ballerina at the top of your game, and how it feels to build a new business around your children. We talk overcoming failure, the gruelling and perfectionistic world of ballet, having to prove yourself a second time around and building a new future on your terms. As a little girl that dreamed of a dance career myself, I loved this sneak behind the scenes. Enjoy.
Nov 19, 2024
Meet Katey Martin - a hostage and terrorism negotiator for the Met police. Katey has done it all, from being one of the only women in the riot police and negotiating with terrorists to being a bobby on the beat, but she says he biggest challenge has been dealing with mum guilt. She talks about the importance of using storytelling in teaching and communicating, why we should all know our own values and actively listen more and why these vital life skills should be taught in schools. I loved chatting with Katey, herself a master storyteller, and hearing her crazy stories about her 30 year career in the force. To me, it really shows the power of storytelling and how it can bring us together. Enjoy!
Nov 05, 2024
Meet Angela Lyons, the graphic designer behind Lyons Creative, and a wonderfully kind human being. In our chat Angela talked about her journey to overcome her fear of public speaking, the importance of community and kindness, and what it was like growing up as a black, female creative, with so few role models out there to look up to.
Oct 22, 2024
There's huge power in sharing your Origin Story, but so many businesses don't use them to their full potential. In this episode of Story Slurp podcast, you'll find out why you're missing out if you're not sharing your Origin Story, why it can feel so hard and how to find and share yours.
Oct 15, 2024
After getting so much out of mentoring herself, Chelsey Baker is now on a mission to show the world the power of mentoring - so much so that she created National Mentoring Day. Mentoring is something I discovered when I trained as a coach, and can be so transformative for leaders as a mentor or mentee - hearing the stories of others who’ve been there before can make sure a difference. On this episode you’ll find out more about the benefits of mentorship and Chelsey’s experience in the communications industry. Consider this your own mini mentoring session. Enjoy!
Oct 08, 2024
Are you sharing your authentic story? The story that's written on your heart? Or are you getting caught in the 'should's' of someone else's story? Mark Shayler is a sustainability expert - but he’s so much more than that. A brilliant speaker, it’s his purpose to give people and the planet a voice to be heard. Mark’s someone whose sheer authenticity draws you in, and you can’t help but be inspired by him. I first came across him when he started free Qigong sessions online and I loved his honesty. On this episode of Story Slurp podcast we talked about his own journey, how he came to be good at storytelling, and how you can do the same…
Sep 19, 2024
Not many people can say they've accidentally started a successful stationery business, especially one that started in calendars for downstairs loos -but this was the reality for Michele Ferron - the Founder of Good Tuesday (formerly Once Upon a Tuesday). Her brand started in lockdown and is now going from strength to strength a few years later - with a whole team behind it and even an endorsement from Hollywood star, Drew Barrymore! Find out about the journey she's been on, and what she attributes to her success.
Sep 10, 2024
After 63 successful episodes of Creative Slurp, it was time for a change. In this first episode of the new series of Story Slurp, find out why I decided to change the focus and learn how to find your own Brand Story thread...
Aug 09, 2023
In the social media 'time suck zone'? News flash: You DON'T have to be on social media for your business. In this episode find out how to know if you should quit social media for your business - and what you could do instead.
Jul 26, 2023
Meet Sue Pryke - an award-winning ceramicist at the top of her game, with more than 20 years of ceramics design under her belt. Sue still has so much passion and excitement about her craft and business - which is a joy and an inspiration to see. in this episode we talked about Sue’s story, the importance of teaching creativity to kids, collaborating with chefs, what it’s like to see your face in Ikea, and the power of the Great British Pottery throwdown (on which Sue was actually a judge). Enjoy!
Jul 12, 2023
Meet Roșie Greener, the founder of Good Daze jewellery - an independent brand that celebrates love, humour and positivity. Rosie started her jewellery brand several years ago after becoming disillusioned with her job designing for a corporate company. She’s now living the dream and running her brand full-time. in this episode of Creative Slurp podcast she talks about her journey, the importance of market research, feeling like an imposter in business and how she made her dream collaborations happen. Rosie’s mantra is not to take things personally in business, and I think that’s brilliant advice. I really loved her honest and practical advice around building your business, and I think it's great reassurance that there is no shortcut to success in business, you just have to keep going, and good things will follow. I hope this episode inspires you as much as it did me, enjoy 🙂
Jul 05, 2023
Want to transform and improve your life, your business and EVERYTHING? Then self-awareness is a game changer. Since I started to learn more about myself, I found I was better equipped to create a life that I love, a life that was truly aligned with me. If you don’t truly know yourself, how can you hope to create a life and business that’s fulfilling and suited to you? So, in this episode, I take you through three amazing tools that can help you find out more about yourself, the way you view the world, your values, your beliefs and preferences. They are: Personality profiling tools/self-awareness tools Journalling - especially free writing Coaching From my experience, I’ve found that these tools are mind-glowingly effective at really helping you to know yourself better and see past the blind spots that we all have. Find more information about these tools and how they can help you in the episode.
Jun 28, 2023
Introducing Luke Tonge - graphic designer and co-founder of Birmingham Design. Luke’s a self-confessed introvert, yet he’s managed to co-create a festival that’s helping to change the perception of a city - which is no mean feat. In this episode we chat about the importance of community, defining yourself and how to be braver in your business. Enjoy!
Jun 21, 2023
Meet Catherine Erdly. She's a retail expert, with years of experience working with big brands and working out the secret to make them more profitable. Now, Catherine works with small businesses to share what she's learned through her Resilient Retail Club and her book, "Tame your Tiger'. In today’s episode, we talk about the practical things you can do to improve the profitability of your business, when you should (and shouldn’t) offer discounts and so much more. If you have a small product business, you NEED to listen to this episode.
Mar 10, 2023
Ever wondered what it takes to make your dream creative business your full-time gig? Illustrator, Liz Harry has done it. In her own words, she carved a career out for herself, doing the things she loves - creating products she designs herself, making fun props and taking part in some dream collaborations with iconic brands. If you’ve seen Liz’s work, you’ll know she’s passionate about mental health - a theme that runs throughout her brilliant work. In this episode of Creative Slurp she talks about her creative journey, her obsession with creating and how she uses creativity as a tool to help with her mental health, following burnout. I loved chatting with Liz, who was so generous with her stories and advice, and I hope her story inspires you as much as it did me. Enjoy.
Feb 22, 2023
Feeling stuck? If you keep getting the same results in your business or life and are sick of it, it can be hard to know how to shake things up and feel like you're heading in a positive direction again. I've been there too! Here are three tools/easy ways of climbing out of that annoying rut and help to feel some momentum again - without feeling overwhelmed.
Feb 15, 2023
When the going gets tough do you a) Curl up in a ball under the duvet or b) Put yourself out there even more? In this episode of Creative Slurp Podcast meet Rosie Davies-Smith - founder of PR Dispatch - she believes that to survive a recession we should all be making our businesses even more visible, using the power of PR. Find out about Rosie’s business journey from budding textile designer to PR guru and how she overcame problems with postnatal insomnia. Plus fill your glasses with some juicy PR tips you can use in your business. Enjoy!
Feb 08, 2023
Ever felt your product photos might be holding you back? Upping the quality of your product photos can be a game changer. In this episode of Creative Slurp Podcast, top product photographer, Holly Booth gives oodles of top practical tips on how to create great product shots. She also tells us the story of her business - find out how listening to customers, being part of communities and not being afraid to innovate has helped her succeed in business. Enjoy!
Feb 01, 2023
Have you ever felt you’re going around in circles, and not learning from your mistakes? Do you feel stuck, and you know you’re not getting anywhere? Reflective learning could be the answer - a proven way to dig deep, to learn in a deeper way and find solutions to your trickiest problems. Find out how in this week's episode of Creative Slurp Podcast.
Jan 25, 2023
Have you ever wondered how to make your business stand out from the crowd, but still do what you love? You’ll love this episode’s guest. Lucie Sheridan created her business, Rubbish portraits because she wanted to create some consistent income from being an artist. So she created a ‘portrait booth’, from where she draws guests in just three minutes at events. As well as giving people a fun and easy way to pay for her artwork, it's also has worked as a brilliant marketing tool - creating a memorable brand around her. In this episode, find out Lucie’s top tips for making it as an artist, and why she’d never give up her mundane admin job! Enjoy 🙂
Jan 18, 2023
Can a pen and a scrap of paper change your life? Alison Jones thinks so. Over 30 years in the publishing industry she’s helped hundreds of authors to publish their books and knows a bit about getting your story down on paper. And she’s also just published her own book - which shows you how to use the power of writing to help you solve problems and transform your life. She believes exploratory writing is a simple but much-overlooked tool that could get you extraordinary results in the areas of self-mastery, creativity, focus, solution finding and collaboration.
Nov 30, 2022
If you're serious about making 2023 your best year ever, you need to get savvy and find a way of becoming as productive as you can. Learning some great productivity techniques (as well as about yourself) will help you achieve more and stress less in the coming year. In this episode, I take you through 12 proven productivity techniques that will spur you into action and have helped me achieve so much over the last few years. This isn't about being perfect, it's about being a bit better and using the tools in a way that fits you. I hope you find one or two useful tools that you can use to help move the needle in your business.
Nov 22, 2022
Poppy Treffry is an award-winning Cornish textile designer that started her business in an attic with a 1930’s sewing machine and car boot sale fabric in 2003 and now has a well-established business employing an army of sewers across rural cornwall. I really enjoyed our chat and Poppy’s obvious passion, not just for craft, but also business. I can’t wait to share her story with you, as well as tell you how her customers came to the rescue during the pandemic. This is a lesson in following your gut and going for it - enjoy! You can find out more about Poppy here: https://poppytreffry.co.uk/
Nov 15, 2022
Social media can be so overwhelming when you start a business - which channels to use? What to post? How to actually get results? Should you use paid ads? And what's actually the blinkin' point anyway? So, in this podcast I've put together my top 7 golden rules of social media, to make sure you get the benefits of socials, without it sucking the life out of you. I've also created a handy-andy FREE downloadable checklist and guide, to make it super easy to implement these golden rules - just go along to thevictoriabrown.com/social to grab your copy.
