You don’t need to be an influencer to have a personal brand 👀
This week on the Self Startup Podcast, Hafsa and Zaynab dive into what it really means to be visible — both online and offline — and how that visibility shapes your opportunities, confidence, and career growth.
🎙️ We get into:
* Why visibility is the foundation of your personal brand
* How to be intentional with what you share online
* The power of vulnerability and authenticity in building connections
* Creating opportunities through your presence and digital identity
You don’t need to be an influencer to have a personal brand 👀
This week on the *Self Startup Podcast, Hafsa and the Zaynab team dive into what it really means to be *visible — both online and offline — and how that visibility shapes your opportunities, confidence, and career growth.
🎙️ We get into:
* Why visibility is the foundation of your personal brand
* How to be intentional with what you share online
* The power of vulnerability and authenticity in building connections
* Creating opportunities through your presence and digital identity
✨ If you’ve ever felt unsure about putting yourself out there — this episode will remind you why your voice, story, and journey matter.
Is work your identity?
Have schools made us risk averse?
In this episode, we unpack the key differences between the employee mindset and the entrepreneur mindset.
Can the habits that make you thrive in a 9–5 could actually hold you back when building a business or side hustle…?
We also dive into:
- How the education system might be shaping us to avoid risk and follow rules
- Why your identity isn’t defined by your job title
- The myth of the “one right path” unconventional careers and defining success your way
- Why Y Combinator prefers new grads to start companies? We discuss if the employee mindset holding people back?
Tune in for an honest conversation about mindset, identity, and the courage to carve your own path.
Follow us: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
Share your dilemmas: https://tally.so/r/3yd0eX
Ever feel like you’ve planned your life to death… but haven’t actually done the thing? Same.
This one’s for anyone caught in the loop of overthinking, endless journaling, and “perfect plans” that never quite leave the page.
🎙️ We get into:
• Why planning feels productive (but isn’t).
• The sneaky way analysis paralysis kills progress.
• Journaling and finding balance between action + reflection.
• Letting go of self-doubt and just doing the thing.
• Why community + shared accountability beat solo overthinking every time.
✨ Plus: some raw stories of us crashing out of over-planning mode, and what actually worked to get moving again.
If you’ve been saying “I’ll start once I’ve planned it properly” … this one’s your sign to just start.
September is basically the real New Year, and TikTok’s Great Lock-In trend is proof 👀
This week, Hafsa & Zaynab dive into why the last four months of the year are the perfect time to reset, reflect, and get intentional .
🎙️ We get into:
✨ If you’re craving a reset or curious about joining the Great Lock-In…this one’s for you.
Resources:
Follow us: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
Share your dilemmas: https://tally.so/r/3yd0eX
We’ve all been there – stuck, overwhelmed, or pretending we’ve got it together when really… we don’t. 👀
This week, Hafsa & Zaynab are breaking down one of the most underrated startup + life skills: asking for help.
🎙️ We get into:
* Why asking for help is actually a strength, not a weakness
* The secret “board of advisors” most successful people have (and how to build yours)
* How to make requests that people want to say yes to
* The myth of the “self-made” founder (spoiler: they don’t exist)
* Stories from our own lives where help made all the difference
✨ If you’ve ever worried about being a burden, struggled with where to start, or want to get better at both asking and giving – this one’s for you.
💌 Send us your dilemmas: https://tally.so/r/3yd0eX
Follow us on our socials: click here
Feeling the grind of your side project AFTER your 9-to-5? You're not alone.
In this unfiltered episode, we get raw and real about the challenges not many highlight.
Hafsa shares a voice note from the Self Startup founder chat of her crash out, when she realises the road to success can be a long, uncertain one.
We deep dive into:
• The conflict between grind culture and slow living for 9-to-5 professionals.
• Why instant gratification makes delayed gratification so hard in business.
• The crucial realisation that something has to give if your goals and actions are misaligned.
💌 Share your own dilemma: https://tally.so/r/3yd0eX
Join our slack & follow us on Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
We’re back (again 😅) – and this time, we’ve got stories, reflections and real talk from our wildest months yet.
🎙️ In this one, we get into:
• The real tea from our first ever live event – how did we find it?
• Zaynab’s last-minute trip to Dubai – spontaneous founder dinners, business insights & why the UK might be lagging
• Are we using AI... or is it using us? From “AI besties” to influencer bots, we talk what’s exciting – and what’s straight up terrifying
• The myth of “no time” – how we’re rethinking our calendars and designing a life that actually works
✨ From spontaneous dinners in Dubai to why your brain might be suffering from “information obesity”… this one’s a full-circle reflection on building something real — in a world that’s becoming increasingly artificial.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by tech, disconnected from people, or like you’re running out of time – this one’s for you.
Resources:
The Social Dilemma: Documentary on Netflix about social media addiction.
💌 Share your own dilemma: https://tally.so/r/3yd0eX
Join our slack & follow us on Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
This one’s for anyone thinking about building with a friend, choosing a cofounder, or navigating the “wait… are we still friends?” stage of starting up.
🎙️ We get into:
* How we “stress-tested” our friendship before becoming cofounders.
* The group chat system that saved our relationship 😂
* Conflict hacks, red flags, and when to walk away
* Reddit drama (one cofounder tried to cash out on round 1 🫠)
* 65% of startups fail due to cofounder drama - we unpack why
✨ Plus: lessons from our own working relationship. What works, what’s still weird, and how we make space for both friendship and business.
If you're thinking of saying “Will you be my cofounder?” to someone- listen to this first.
References:
💌 Share your own dilemma: https://tally.so/r/3yd0eX
Join our slack & follow us on Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
We’re peeling back the layers on a conversation that everyone in the creator/business world needs to have:
Do you really need to build a startup—or is a small business more your vibe?
And what if success isn’t about scaling fast... but about building a life you actually enjoy?
🎙️ In this episode, we get into:
- Startups vs. small biz: the real differences in mindset, money & lifestyle
- Why the “Company of One” model might be the freedom you're craving
- The hidden costs of hustle culture no one talks about
- A juicy listener dilemma: Should I post my side hustle on LinkedIn? 👀
Whether you're dreaming of building the next unicorn 🦄 or just want a solid side hustle that funds your freedom, this one’s for you.
References:
Work-life Graph - https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/p/Cx-y1cNL8_H/?img_index=8
Book - Company of One by Paul Jarvis
💌 Share your own dilemma: https://tally.so/r/3yd0eX
Join our slack & follow us on Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
Uncomfortable? Good. You’re Growing.
We’re BACK after a looong break (life was life-ing, the sun came out, and we needed it🤣).
This time, we’re switching it up – recording on video for the first time ever!
🎙️ We talk about:
- Why comfort feels good – but can secretly hold you back
- Balancing rest vs. growth (and when each is actually productive)
- The myth of the “fearless” entrepreneur – and why everyone feels cringe
- Building willpower like a muscle (shoutout to the anterior mid-cingulate cortex iykyk😝)
- Dilemma Time: How do you pick a niche without boxing yourself in?
This one’s for anyone chasing growth but unsure if the discomfort is worth it. (It is.)
✉️Submit your dilemma: https://lnkd.in/eYdyHsmP
Join out Slack Community: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
🖇️ References:
How to Make $10k/Month as a Writer - Nicolas Cole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB8Rw147Xwg&ab_channel=DeepDivewithAliAbdaal
The Dip by Deya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7blrkYeNo4&t=26s&ab_channel=Deya
Andrew Huberman on Willpower and the brain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwakOgHIT0E&ab_channel=AndrewHuberman
📚 Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
📚 The One Thing by Gary W. Keller, Jay Papasan
We are back with a slightly longer episode!
Join us as we unpack the real consequences of being a self-starter. When “locking in” turns into burnout, how strict calendars kill spontaneity, and why balance is key to long-term success.
🎙️ Tune in for a deep dive into:
- Does the UK weather really mess with our mood and productivity? Is moving out actually worth it?
- The pressure to always be in grind mode and how it affects relationships
- Ramadan and why we’re stepping back in March to prioritise it
- Dilemma Discussion: What to do when you feel stuck at work, lose consistency, and struggle to find direction
Join the community and submit dilemmas through here: https://linktr.ee/selfstartup
We are taking a short break and will be back with more episodes after Ramadan!
In this episode, Hafsa and Zaynab reflect on their spontaneous trip to San Francisco for the Muslim Tech Fest back and the differences between the UK and US startup mindsets.
Tune in for a deep dive into:
- Risk-taking and stepping into new environments
- The UK’s experience-first mindset vs. San Francisco’s “just start” approach
- the benefits of narrowing down your target audience
- The power of marketing, data, and storytelling in startup growth
The trip reshaped their thinking on startups, risk, and ambition—including a spontaneous visit to Y Combinator.
See you in two weeks for our next episode!!🪁
Ever feel stuck in a routine or wonder, "What am I even passionate about?" This episode is for YOU!
Join Hafsa and Zaynab as they debunk the myth that you don’t have passions and share why exploring your interests (no matter how small) can transform your life.
Discover:
✨ How to uncover what truly lights you up
✨ The cost of saying no to yourself
✨ Why passions are more than just hobbies
🔗 Join the Self Startup community and find your accountability crew.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Dr Gabor Maté podcast episode.
Ali Abdaal, video on design your dream life.
See you in two weeks for our next episode!!🪁
WELCOME!
We started this podcast because there’s a conversation we ALL need to have more often: how to regain control of your future, embrace entrepreneurship, and make your passion projects a reality.
Too often, the idea of taking the leap and starting something of your own feels like an afterthought—but not anymore.
🎙️ In our pilot episode, we’re bringing this conversation front and center, diving into:
💭 Why failure is the foundation of success
💭 The mindset shifts needed to own your journey
💭 How to stop waiting and finally START doing
And always remember - “The master has failed more times than the beginner has ever tried.”
Follow Self Startup on all our platforms (we're most active on LinkedIn at the moment)
Too often, the discussion about taking the leap and starting something of your own feels like an afterthought—but not anymore ‼️
🎙️ We’re bringing it front and center, starting with our pilot episode! 👀
Sneak Peek: “The master has failed more times than the beginner has ever tried.”
This episode will dive into:
💭 Why failure is the foundation of success
💭 The mindset shifts needed to own your journey
💭 How to finally stop waiting and START doing
⏰ Stay tuned—we launch on Wednesday 15th January 2025 at 18:00 GMT!
