Some Big Personal News

envelope swooshes into your letterbox

Jan 02, 2024

I sent this out to my pre-Substack newsletter fam minutes before midnight Jan 1st to signal the proper shift of homes to here. Thoughts of keeping it private ran rampant in my self conscious head till I thought, “Fuck it” and “Get over yourself”.

Which is how you’re reading this.

It’s the top lines of the back story. It’s more about podcast stuff than me. Which makes me giggle because I’ve been nudged to add more of the me-stuff in - big thanks for loving me so much

Hype Yourself

you’d text to gently tell me off for not popping all links about myself in. That’s what real friends are about, right?! Will try to do better as I get cosied in here.

With this explainer out the way, here we are!

Running Into A New Year

I am running into a new year
and the old years blow back
like a wind
that I catch in my hair
like strong fingers like
all my old promises and
it will be hard to let go
of what I said to myself
about myself
when I was sixteen and
twenty-six and thirty-six
even thirty-six but
I am running into a new year
and I beg what I love and
I leave to forgive me
— Lucille Clifton (1936-2010)

THE SMALL NEWS - not the big stuff

A quickie share to let you know I’ve migrated my newsletter to Substack. Joining this brilliant creative space is for a host of reasons - most of all it suits the-writer-in-me who yearns to be in the company of others crafting substantial messages with purpose. I’ll be getting back into a more regular pattern of sharing useful resources, news and bonus content in a more magazine style community. I’d love you to continue to be part of this and dearly hope you’ll stay. This shift is seamless for you as a cherished reader. But now…

THE REAL BIG NEWS

5 years ago I launched the School for Mothers Podcast as an experimental side project.

The goal? Disrupt the idea that once we’re a mother, life is done.

The core question? “How can I be a Mother and Still be Me?”

Little did I know this sincere (but naive and zero resourced) idea would grow into a healthy platform, impacting hundreds of thousands of people around the world in 97+ countries.

Since October of 2018, SFM has catapulted big dollops of inspiration and tangible support into the world, interviewed over 250+ epic women - 99.3% of them mothers, knocked Tim Ferris, Gary Vaynerchuk and Guy Raz down the top Apple spots six months after launch

employed over 25+ fine humans, moved studio three times, contributed to UK Parliament measures by invitation, collaborated with brands such as Channel 4, The Week, Mullenlowe Global and Slim Wine, appeared on national radio, got featured in countless press including the Telegraph, Observer, Sunday Times, Irish Examiner, Psychologies, Herald Scotland, Metro, Medium and more, ran events, guest book promotions and injected badassery across podcasts.

It’s been an eventful ride for a night job. My day job keeps me busier than a squirrel in a nut factory.

This podcast taught me about the world of independent audio, what it takes to master intimate interviews, and how to source then attract ‘big’ names… but most of all: School for Mothers taught me that it can be advantageous to fall into an industry you know nothing about. I showed up with zero limiting beliefs, just a whole lot of enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

I admit it’s been a lot.

People kept telling me I’d bitten off more than I could chew. My answer: tell me something I don’t know!

Which is why I’m grateful to the people who consistently reminded me of what this mighty little brand has been bringing to the world: We celebrate and support mothers, spread hope and chutzpah, champion inclusivity and allow the world to hear that women who are mothers are also human beings. Being human is fun. And boy, do mothers need more fun.

Over the past year, I gained clarity: I must continue growing as a podcaster, support more people doing THE hardest job (parenthood), and bring thought leadership on this to more corners of the world.

Today I am proud to announce that School for Mothers is becoming Parents Who Think and is entering its next, expansive brand chapter.

Parents Who Think is the only debate show in the podcast family lifestyle genre. There’s good reason for this.

Meaningful safe debate is missing across public forums. More on that another time.

My vision is to bring thoughtful, respectful and intelligent conversation to the lives of parents who truly think about the future, the best ways to raise their children, and how to do right by themselves as well as for their families.

As a host I’m moving from interviewing to debate done different. Not nasty adversarial arguments (that’s a commitment from me), PWT is about airing diverse opinions on important parenting topics most of us are already grappling with, or will need to consider in the future.

We start out early next month with a meaty debate, “Is Having a Favourite Child Okay?”. Then there’s debates like:

🧶 Are we creating mollycoddled kids? 🧶 Can you love your step children like your own kids? 🧶 Is it ever okay to smack? 🧶 Should schools teach about gender identity & sexual orientation? 🧶 Are sleepovers too dangerous to allow? and SO MANY more… You’ll hear predictable, progressive and polarising opinions on these and many more debates to come.

Am I nervous about this move from a safe successful pod-spot to a daring edgy one? Yes! Of course!

Am I ‘anxcited’ about the months ahead? Yes, of course!

Am I thrilled to build out the mission and scale of Parents Who Think? Absolutely!

There is so much possibility ahead!

And, a lot will stay the same:

Podcasting is a true labour of love to me, bootstrapped, and infused with a tremendous amount of care and enthusiasm by myself and a small but mightily talented team, whether as host or producer. My team are based across the world from Rome to New York to Paris to Taunton. It’s important to not pose as a phoney solo Superwoman as much as not pretending to be a corporate ‘machine’. These faux success narratives harm women business owners (especially).

Housekeeping moment:-

If you’re already subscribed to School for Mothers you don’t need to do a thing. The new Parents Who Think podcast will land in whichever platform you listen to podcasts on (Apple, Spotify etc) and you’ll get episodes. If you’re not already a subscriber and you’d like to check PWT out, follow School for Mothers to have the first episode get to you. I’m about to switch pod art and name but right now it’s still SFM. When it changes here’s what it will look like:

I’d be incredibly happy if you’d join me on this next wild experiment - I can’t wait to see what the Parents Who Think podcast journey will grow into.

I hope you’ll also stay on this Substack adventure as the PWT podcast lands, as I build community here, and {fingers crossed} as we grow together. Any questions or thoughts, click reply and send them my way!

Much love,

LOOK

📍 I’m channeling snow (can’t help myself) by imagining doing this. But could I? And given the chance, would I? Truth is, all I land on is: why ever haven’t I done it already?

I’ve watched it over and over. At first I didn’t notice the tootsies at the end. Once I saw them my assumptions about her glee surged by bajillion percent. At least, I “think” it’s glee…

📍 This. Just. Blew. My. Mind: Simon Beck and his shoes.

This newsletter is verrrry slowly easing into the New Year.

--—> Forward it to your friends who are already there <——-