Not every season of business needs a coach—and some “must-hire” advice is straight-up nonsense. In this fiery, funny, double-blunt chat, Leonie and Tam unpack when coaching is actually worth it, the red flags to avoid, and smarter (often cheaper) alternatives that get real results—especially for neurodivergent, values-driven women running online businesses.
Who it’s for: Online business women who want strategic growth without guru-worship, bro marketing, or 70-hour weeks.
Top Takeaways
“Should I hire a coach?” isn’t the first question. Start with: What problem am I solving right now? Accountability? Systems? Marketing? ADHD-friendly productivity?
Pick by fit, not hype. Know your learning style (step-by-step system vs. options menu; strategy vs. energetics—or a blend).
Cost ≠ ROI. A $50k package when you’re under $100k revenue is rarely wise. Do the math, not the mantra.
Don’t stack mentors you can’t implement. Learning ≠ doing. Implementation wins.
Vet for longevity, ethics, and lifestyle match. Can you (and do you want to) run your business the way they run theirs?
Be a powerful mentee. Keep sovereignty. You own decisions, actions, and results.
Red Flags (Buyer Beware)
Meteoric “8-figure in 2 years” with zero long-term track record.
Follower spikes that smell like bots.
Income claims without ad spend transparency.
One-true-way formulas that punish deviation.
Values misalignment (politics/ethics you can’t stomach).
Hustle-glorification incompatible with your life, health, or spoons.
Smart Alternatives to Long Coaching Containers
Body doubling/accountability rooms for execution.
VIP Day / “Done in a Day” for systems or a 6-month plan.
Low-stakes test drive: a book, short course, or workshop before going deep.
Timestamped Guide
00:00 — Welcome back! Why this episode might surprise you.
01:12 — The real first question: do you need a coach—or something else?
03:05 — Picking style: accountability buddy, productivity, ADHD, intuitive + strategy, or “menu of options.”
06:18 — Tam’s calendar kryptonite: when “just go do it” isn’t helpful (and what to ask for instead).
09:40 — Body doubling > procrastination: simple ways to get sh*t done.
11:02 — Spectrum check: manifest girlies ↔ pure strategy (and how to choose).
14:30 — VIP Days & Website-In-A-Day: fast, focused outcomes without a 6-month saga.
16:15 — Time cost reality: hours to watch, think, and implement—do you have them?
18:04 — Money talk: when big-ticket coaching is a bad investment.
20:32 — The “3 masterminds at once” myth—and why implementation capacity is the limiter.
23:10 — Sunk-cost honesty: permission to stop when the fit is wrong (and forgive yourself).
25:26 — Due diligence: longevity, follower audits, income claims, and ad spend.
28:05 — Vibe & values: try a low-cost offer first; check ethics before you commit.
30:48 — Lifestyle fit matters: rejecting 5:30am–10pm hustle culture (spoons, parenting, health).
33:12 — How to be a powerful mentee: sovereignty, responsibility, and doing the work.
35:20 — Don’t pedestal your coach: keep what works, discard the rest.
37:45 — The sales-page mistake: why a “video + buy button” flopped (missing funnel context).
40:11 — Balance inner vs outer work: keep learning to ~10–20% of your week.
42:05 — Right relationship as a coach: no gurus, no dependence—just partnership.
44:00 — Wrap + how to share your “good mentee” growth edges.
If this helped, rate 5★ and send it to a business bestie who’s coach-curious but hype-hunted. Got topic requests? Email support@leoniedawson.com.
#WomenInBusiness #OnlineBusiness #BusinessCoach #Mastermind #ADHDBusiness #NeurodivergentEntrepreneurs #Productivity #BodyDoubling #EthicalMarketing #FeministBusiness #ValuesBasedBusiness #SpoonieBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #AustralianBusiness #ImplementationOverInspiration
Join us as we unpack Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)—how it shows up in friendships, family, and work; why bright, empathetic, often neurodivergent women are prime targets; and what to do to protect your mental, emotional, and energetic safety. We demystify tactics like love bombing, intermittent reinforcement, and image management, and share practical next steps: clear boundaries, low/no contact, therapy, education, and safety-first planning. If you’re a woman i navigating confusing, drama-heavy dynamics, this episode is for you.
Timestamps
00:01 – Why this episode: How hearing others’ stories helped Leonie name narcissistic abuse.
02:00 – Leonie’s wake-up moment: “Google ‘selfish asshole’” → NPD checklist; instant clarity and exit.
04:30 – Patterns you might miss: Charisma, “spiritual genius,” pedestal dynamics, your confidence collapsing.
06:30 – Tam’s experience: High baseline stress, isolation, autoimmune flare, and “everyone else thinks they’re wonderful.”
09:40 – Classic tactics: Love bombing, attention withdrawal, intermittent rewards (why it’s addictive).
11:45 – The cyclone effect: Drama, serving their needs, why you start believing you’re the problem.
13:30 – Public angel, private harm: The benevolent narcissist and image management.
16:30 – The gaslight scripts: “You’re the only one I have issues with.” “You’ve always been troubled.”
18:30 – Sanity checks: Getting clinically assessed (twice!); how real friends/healthy bonds feel.
20:15 – ND women are targets: ASD/ADHD overlap vs NPD; the crucial difference is internal experience and harm.
24:30 – What NPD is (clinical frame): Grandiosity + low empathy; managed vs unmanaged behavior under stress.
26:50 – Your priority: You can’t fix them. Protect yourself; consider low/no contact; get support.
31:20 – Boundaries in practice: Conditional low contact; being the adult; conserving energy.
34:40 – “Selfish” smear: Why choosing yourself feels wrong—and why it’s necessary and not narcissistic.
39:10 – Resources that help: Education, therapy, crisis support; “Will I Ever Be Good Enough?” (Karyl McBride); Ask Izzy (AU); Lifeline.
41:45 – Closing: Awareness ≠ doom—awareness = immunity and choice.
Join global best-selling author Leonie Dawson and creativity coach Tamara Protassow as they share practical, compassionate strategies to grow your business during an economic downturn. You’ll learn how to replace “coasting” with real marketing, rebuild profit margins, set healthy prices, regulate your nervous system to make better decisions, and protect future you with retirement contributions. Perfect for women entrepreneurs who want resilient, values-aligned growth—without burnout.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why this matters now: Selling feels harder; downturns are normal in business cycles.
02:30 – Seasons analogy: Harvest vs. fallow; post-COVID cash surge and the inevitable reset.
05:00 – Coasting vs. marketing: When foot traffic dries up, you need a list, newsletters, and consistent outreach.
07:30 – Skill stacking: Double down on marketing + copywriting (“Adweek Copywriting Handbook” shout-out); use Leonie’s Sales Star and Big Money, Big Impact.
11:00 – Competitor advantage: Many will pause or exit—your consistent skills + nurture engine become your edge.
13:00 – Shame + survival brain: Money threat triggers dysregulation; use breathwork, nature, therapy, screen-free time to think clearly.
17:30 – Boundaries with media/doomscrolling: Reclaim attention; act where you have control.
20:00 – “New normal” myth: Revenue isn’t a straight line—expect bursts and plateaus; design for resilience, not ego.
24:00 – Profit first: Audit expenses, simplify ops, cut low-margin offers, raise prices when capacity or costs demand it.
28:00 – Cash runway: In upturns, build savings for payroll, tax, and ops; keep marketing while the sun shines.
31:00 – Retirement (superannuation): Even as a sole trader, contribute regularly; small amounts compound over time.
35:00 – Closing: We’re built for this—skill up, regulate, and take the next right action.
If this helped, follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review—it helps this work reach more creative women who refuse to be average.Ready to get practical? Do one thing today:
Want more step-by-steps? Explore Sales Star and Big Money, Big Impact inside the Academy at leoniedawson.com/academy—then tell me what you actioned this week.
In this candid and sticky episode, award-winning Australian entrepreneur Leonie Dawson and her longtime friend and co-worker Tamara Protassow dive into the messy, magical, and sometimes disastrous topic of hiring friends or family in your business.
With warmth, wit, and brutal honesty, they unpack personal stories, hard-earned lessons, and emotional truths about power dynamics, communication breakdowns, and the rare circumstances where it can actually work.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction: Leonie sets the scene and introduces the question that divides entrepreneurs: should you ever hire your friends or family?
01:00 – Meet Tam: Tam shares her journey as a creativity coach and long-time collaborator in Leonie’s world.
03:00 – How Leonie & Tam met: The fateful tea meetup that led to years of collaboration (and some chaotic planner adventures).
07:00 – The Big Question: “Should you hire friends or family?” Leonie’s immediate and emphatic answer: “Absolutely not.”
09:00 – When it all goes wrong: Leonie shares stories of heartbreak, lost friendships, and the painful lessons that followed.
10:30 – Why it fails: The duo explores misaligned expectations, power dynamics, blurred boundaries, and emotional baggage.
17:00 – Tam’s insider view: How Tam separates roles, keeps boundaries clean, and treats employment as a privilege rather than a power play.
22:00 – How Leonie makes it work now: Clear communication, explicit agreements, and exit plans keep friendships intact.
26:00 – The emotional cost: Why mixing love, money, and work can trigger every wound you’ve ever had.
30:00 – The rare exceptions: Brene Brown and Denise Duffield-Thomas—proof it can work, but only with deep self-awareness and constant effort.
34:00 – Closing reflections: Leonie’s gratitude for the lessons learned and the friendships that survived the fire.
Loved this episode?
If you’re a creative woman building a business that feels good — and want more real, no-BS conversations about boundaries, leadership, and soulful success — make sure you hit follow/subscribe wherever you listen.
Share this episode with a biz friend who’s considering hiring her bestie (save her the heartbreak!), and leave us a 5-star review — it helps us reach more wild-hearted entrepreneurs just like you.
For more behind-the-scenes and business wisdom, visit www.leoniedawson.com 💖
Join me & Daire Paddy as we deep dive into what we've read and watched, loved and tolerated over the last month! SUCH FUN! It's like Booktok... but Book...pod?
Go stalk Daire over at:
Meet my brilliant and magical friend Katie Chappell.
She's an illustrator who has created a 7 figure creative business... completely obliterating the Starving Artist Myth.
Learn how she got started and kept going and growing.
You'll also discover:
You can find Katie's cool shiz here:
https://www.instagram.com/katiedraws
Meet my brilliant and magical friend Katie Chappell.
She's an illustrator who has created a 7 figure creative business... completely obliterating the Starving Artist Myth.
Learn how she got started and kept going and growing.
You'll also discover:
You can find Katie's cool shiz here:
https://www.instagram.com/katiedraws
A profound meditation I taught clients to help them connect with the spirit of their business & find out what their next right steps are...
Palms and back sweaty, I offer you one of my most vulnerable shares yet. My keynote speech at the 2025 Ausmumpreneur National Conference.
What if your business isn’t just a hustle… but the greatest spiritual quest of your life? 🌈✨
This talk is my heart cracked wide open — the mistakes, the miracles, the burnout + the re-enchantment.
👉 Come watch. The best is yet to come.
My journey speaking at Ausmumpreneur National Conference... and all the tears shed along the way.
Let's do an intensive deep dive into my June launch month... exactly what I did, offered, how much I earned & what I learned along the way!
Get all the ep details:
https://www.leoniedawson.com/211ep
I've been on a deep healing journey... here's all the juicy goss how.
All the details and gossip from the peer mastermind retreat I just went to on the Gold Coast with 11 of my biz besties!
To check out the photos and grab the free DIY Retreat workbook, head to www.leoniedawson.com/209
Find out more about my upcoming Momentum Mastermind at www.leoniedawson.com/momentum
My treasures,
Do I have a juicy, magic-filled episode for you today! Recently, I ran a free hour-long masterclass called Creative Magic—and as part of it, I guided gorgeous souls through a 15-minute meditation to connect with their creative spirit. And let me tell you… it was potent.
So potent, in fact, that I just had to share it with you here on the poddy! Yayyyyy!
May it be of HUGE service to you and your creative journey. Plus, I’ve been in a total creation frenzy lately, making ALL THE THINGS, and I can’t wait to tell you more. But first, let’s dive in!
https://leoniedawson.com/creative-magic-meditation
My brilliant dreamers,
I have something extra potent for you today! Back in January, I ran a free 3-day masterclass called 2025 Dream Quest—and let me tell you, it was an absolute powerhouse of clarity, intention, and creative fire 🔥.
If you’re ready to make the rest of 2025 your most aligned, soul-nourishing, and abundant year yet, this episode is for YOU!
In 2025 Dream Quest, we dove deep into:
✨ Clarifying Your Dreams & Goals – Because you can’t create magic if you don’t know what you want! We got crystal clear on what our hearts truly desire for 2025.
✨ Releasing Blocks & Old Energy – We cleared out the gunk, the doubts, and the stuckness that holds us back so we can move forward with power and ease.
✨ Vision Mapping for the Year Ahead – We brought those dreams into reality with a roadmap designed for joy, success, and alignment.
The full masterclass is now exclusively inside the Academy, BUT I had to share one of the most potent parts with you: the Dream Quest Meditation. It was so powerful, so deeply moving, that I couldn’t keep it all to myself.
So today, I’m gifting it to you!
I don't want you to miss anymore juicy free masterclasses, behind-the-scenes magic, and all the goodness I shower upon my peeps! Hop on my mailing list at leoniedawson.com for more freebies, sweary updates, and more galore!
Enjoyyyyyyyy!!!
Join Leonie as she takes you on the journey of 1600km across Australia to move her family back to Canberra.
Find all the photos at:
www.leoniedawson.com/roadtrip25
Free workshop from award-winning entrepreneur, Leonie Dawson!
Imposter Syndrome and Systemic Oppression
"Mediocre White Man Mentality"
Selling with integrity and heart
Building Relationships and Collaborations
Selling from the Heart and the Brown Paper Envelope Analogy
Importance of Copywriting in Marketing
Benefits of Brilliant Biz and Life Academy
Having a Global Audience and Implementing Learning
Free workshop from award-winning entrepreneur, Leonie Dawson!
Imposter Syndrome and Systemic Oppression
"Mediocre White Man Mentality"
Selling with integrity and heart
Building Relationships and Collaborations
Selling from the Heart and the Brown Paper Envelope Analogy
Importance of Copywriting in Marketing
Benefits of Brilliant Biz and Life Academy
Having a Global Audience and Implementing Learning
Join me as I recap my deeply transformative experience at the Heart Centred Business Conference.
My loves,
Today, I want to share with you a message from the angels, as I hear them. Take a deep breath and enjoy.