Speak Your Own Business

This episode marks World Suicide Prevention Day, observed every year on 10 September. This year's theme is Changing the Narrative on Suicide, with the slogan Start the Conversation, something we at Plenty of Stuff Studio have been trying to do since we launched in 2024.

We are bringing back a conversation from our Movember campaign last year, an interview with Dom, an area lead from Andy's Man Club, an organisation doing incredible work supporting men's mental health through peer to peer talking groups. It was on YouTube as a visual episode, and given the message never stops being relevant, we wanted it here too, on audio, for World Suicide Prevention Month.

Suicide remains a major public health issue, with more than 720,000 lives lost each year worldwide (International Association for Suicide Prevention), and each one leaves a ripple effect across families, friends, and communities. We are a marketing agency made up of people, and people need support, so this conversation matters to us, even outside of our usual work.

Expect the same relatable, honest, and human tone you get from every episode of Speak Your Own Business. This one just carries a bit more weight.

If you, or someone you know, needs support, Samaritans are free to call anytime on 116 123, or you can visit samaritans.org.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general knowledge and should not be taken as medical advice. We are not mental health professionals. Please consult a healthcare provider for any health related concerns.

In this episode of Speak Your Own Business, host Kiana Douglin, director and co-founder of Plenty of Stuff Studio, a digital marketing agency based in Bordon, Hampshire, sits down with entrepreneur Jemiah Douglin, who has spent 10+ years building things, just him, no huge team, no big budget, no safety net. He has worked with big brands off the back of that, and he is proof that you do not wait for perfect circumstances. You create them.

Inside this conversation:

• What to actually do when things are not going to plan but you still have to keep moving.
• Whether entrepreneurs are born with certain characteristics, or whether anyone can develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
• What entrepreneurs often overthink, and what they do not take seriously enough.
• Practical, unfiltered advice for anyone starting, running, or currently struggling with a business.

Whether you are building a business from your kitchen table in Farnham, scaling something bigger in Guildford, Reading, Basingstoke or London, or you are somewhere in that difficult middle stage where nothing feels like it is going to plan, this one is for you.

Because if you are building something, you are an entrepreneur. And that deserves celebrating, today and every day.

To every single one of you out there doing this, we see you. We believe in you. Keep doing your thing. You are closer to success than you might think.

Listen, subscribe, and share this with an entrepreneur who needs to hear it today.

Most business owners work harder, sell more, and still wonder where the profit went. In this episode of Speak Your Own Business, Kiana Douglin speaks with Steve Jones, author of Turning on Your P.R.O.F.I.T.S. Tap and founder of Skills for Business Training, about why chasing more sales without the right systems is one of the most common and costly mistakes in business today.

Steve draws on decades of real-world experience, including scaling Fitness First from a small South Coast operation to the largest health club chain in the world in just seven years. Now he works with hundreds of businesses helping them build the systems that actually turn growth into sustainable profit.

In this episode:

• Why profit is a system, not an outcome
• The clarity and alignment gaps quietly costing your business money
• What "leaking profit" looks like, and the warning signs to watch for
• The P.R.O.F.I.T.S. framework: strategy, leadership, and financial performance connected
• How to move from reactive firefighting to proactive profit planning
• What a deliberate, repeatable profit process actually looks like

If your revenue is growing but the numbers don't reflect your effort, this episode is for you.

Turning on Your P.R.O.F.I.T.S. Tap by Steve Jones is available now.

Speak Your Own Business is brought to you by Plenty of Stuff Studio, a Hampshire digital marketing agency helping businesses find their voice and grow with purpose. New episodes every month.

Originally recorded and published in 2025 as part of our Mental Health Awareness Month campaign, this conversation between Louisa "Wizzi" Magnussen, Founder of Minds Anonymous, and Kiana Douglin, Director of Plenty of Stuff Studio, is as vital today as the day it was recorded. More so, perhaps.

What does it mean to carry the weight of an invisible illness to work with you every day?

How do you create psychological safety as a leader?

And what happens when two business owners stop performing fine and get honest about their own mental health, their own experiences, their own struggles?

That is exactly what happens here.

Because the conversations that do not happen enough deserve to be heard more than once.

Listen, share and take action 🫶

For the full video interview, please click here.

In this episode, Kiana, Director at Plenty of Stuff Studio, sits down with Rob Fryer, owner of Brand Storm in Bordon, for a real, honest conversation about branding and why so many businesses still get it wrong.

We hear it all the time… branding = logo, colours, fonts. But in reality, branding goes so much deeper than visuals. It’s how people perceive your business, how memorable you are in a crowded market, and how effectively your marketing actually performs.

Kiana and Rob break this down in a simple, practical way, exploring what branding really means in today’s business world, where so many companies are trying to stand out online.

They also dig into the common mistakes businesses make, why clarity and positioning are often overlooked, and how small shifts in your brand can have a big impact on your growth.

This episode covers:

• Why branding is way more than just a logo
• The biggest branding misconceptions still floating around
• How strong branding directly impacts marketing performance and growth
• Personal branding vs business branding (and why both matter)
• Common mistakes businesses make when building their brand
• Simple, practical ways to start improving your brand today

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or marketer trying to stand out in a competitive market, this episode will give you real clarity on how branding actually works (without the BS).

Listen now and get stuck into a proper conversation about branding, marketing, and business growth.

🎙 Guest: Rob Fryer – Brand Storm🎙 Host: Kiana Douglin – Plenty of Stuff Studio (Speak Your Own Business)

In this powerful episode of Speak Your Own Business, Kiana Douglin, Director at Plenty of Stuff Studio, sits down with stress and energy specialist Damon Bowen-Ashwin, founder of Adapt+Flow, to explore the reality many high performers avoid: the true cost of chronic stress.

Created in support of Stress Awareness Month 2026 (theme: Be the Change), this conversation goes far beyond surface-level wellbeing advice.

After years in high-pressure environments, Damon experienced a life-altering wake-up call; a brain tumour that forced him to completely re-evaluate how he was living and working.

Together, we unpack:

• The difference between acute and chronic stress — and why low-level stress is often more dangerous
• How stress silently impacts your body, decision-making, and leadership
• Why so many ambitious professionals live in survival mode without realising
• The truth about burnout culture and “hustle” thinking
• Why managing your energy — not just your time — is key to sustainable performance

Damon also shares practical, science-backed tools to build resilience, including breath work techniques, subconscious reprogramming, and simple ways to reset when overwhelm hits.

But perhaps most importantly…

This episode challenges the identity many of us have built around coping, pushing through, and wearing stress as a badge of honour.

Because real success is not about enduring pressure, it is about building the awareness and resilience to succeed without sacrificing your health.

Listen to discover:

• How to recognise early signs of chronic stress
• How high performers use stress as a tool instead of being controlled by it
• One small habit you can implement this week to boost your energy
• The mindset shift that moves you from survival mode to sustainable success

This is not just a conversation about stress.
It is a conversation about identity, perspective, and what it truly means to do well.

If this resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Because sometimes, the strongest thing you can do… is stop.