Celebrating 400: Behind the scenes chat, sharing my lessons wins and challenges

Your Dream Business

For the 400th episode of the Your Dream Business Podcast, we did something a bit different—my good friend Biz Paul flipped the script and interviewed me! We talked all about what it’s really been like to keep this podcast going for 400 episodes, the ups and downs of running a business, and how getting sober has completely changed both my personal and professional life. It was an open and honest chat where I shared how my business has evolved, why showing up consistently matters, and how I’ve found happiness in unexpected places—like gardening! This episode gives you a real behind-the-scenes look at my journey and celebrates how far things have come.

KEY TAKEAWAYS COVERED IN THE PODCAST

• Consistency is Key - Showing up regularly—whether it’s through podcasting, business, or personal growth—can lead to powerful, long-term impact. It’s not about perfection; it’s about persistence.

• Personal Growth Fuels Business Growth - Getting sober brought clarity, focus, and balance, which directly influenced how you show up as a business owner and a leader.

• Embracing Change Opens New Doors - Whether it's evolving your business or discovering joy in something new like gardening, being open to change can bring unexpected fulfillment and fresh energy.

If you enjoyed this episode then please feel free to go and share it on your social media or head over to Apple podcasts or Spotify and give me a review, I would be so very grateful.

LINKS TO RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Connect with Biz Paul on LinkedIn, YouTube Connect with Teresa on Website, (Grow, Launch, Sell), Sign up to Teresa's email list, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook Teresa: Today we have a special episode because we are 400 episodes old. So I've invited my very special friend, Biz Paul to come and interview me and talk about what it's like to have a podcast that's 400 episodes to be running a business, and how getting sober has impacted me and my business. So today is a bit of behind the curtains, a bit of a. Behind the scenes look about me and my business. I hope you enjoy. Welcome to the Your Dream Business podcast. I'm your host Teresa Heath Wareing an international bestselling author, award-winning speaker, TEDx speaker, certified coach, and the host of this number one ranked podcast. I am so excited to guide you on the journey of creating a business and life that you not only love, but one that perfectly aligns with you and the season of life that. In each episode, I'll share with you easy, [00:01:00] actionable, and insightful strategies to grow your online business. Plus we'll be diving into some mindset, tools and strategies that keep you focused, motivated, and are going to stop you from getting in your own way. So if you're a course creator, membership owner, or coach, you are in the right place. Let's get started. Hello and welcome to episode four hundred of the Your Dream Business podcast. I actually can't believe that I have hit 400 episodes. That is a lot episodes so to celebrate I wanted to do something a little bit different. And when I have a kind of milestone like this, I think it's nice to sometimes turn the tables. And I have invited my very good friend Biz Paul, onto the podcast to interview me. Now, one of the good things and bad things about having one of your good friends come on and interview you, [00:02:00] is that. A, sometimes I forget I'm being interviewed 'cause I'm just having conversation with him and also he knows a lot about me. So it's a very honest and vulnerable conversation. We talk about the podcast, how I've stayed consistent, what it's like to do 400 episodes. What, why did I start? Why do I still do it? What does it just do for my business? We talk about how my business has changed in the almost 11 years of being in business. We talk about how I've changed, we talk about how getting sober has impacted me and my business and the changes that I have bought in because of it. And hopefully you're gonna really enjoy this episode and enjoy this conversation and just give you a little bit of an insight to what it's like to create a business. And a podcast that is 400 episodes long. So anyway, I am gonna hand it straight over to my very dear friend Biz [00:03:00] Paul. And if you love this episode, I would love it if you would tag us in. And obviously if you wanna give us a review, I'd really love that too. Okay, here's the lovely Biz Paul Biz: Hi Teresa Teresa: hi Biz Paul Biz: it's lovely to have you on your own podcast. Teresa: Thank you for having me. Biz: You're very welcome. Uh, I, I'm really privileged to have this conversation with you. We've known each other for a long time now, actually. Mm-hmm. And we're really good friends, in my opinion. Yeah. You know, I hope you feel the same, and I'm gonna represent your audience today because the thing that I've noticed about your podcast is you often represent the audience when you're talking to your guests. And I think people would like to know a little bit more about you. And so I'm gonna represent your audience today and we are going to interrogate collectively about you and all sorts of things. Is that all right? Teresa: That is absolutely fine. And I, [00:04:00] I really appreciate you saying that I represent the audience. 'cause that's my, I try and do that. Like I try and think when I interview someone, what would they be thinking or what would they want to ask? So I appreciate you saying that. Thanks. Biz: Well, that's just what I've picked up. So this could be, well, it could be organized, it could be fairly wild as well. Audiences are fickle and things just pop into audience's heads and things will pop into my head. So who knows where it will go, but dear listener. I'm gonna try and represent you as best that I can and ask some questions about all sorts of things about Teresa, about her business, the podcast, and maybe some bits that are fun as well. So firstly, T congratulations on 400 episodes of the podcast. Thank you. I was trying to work that out earlier. And if on average there's 50 a year, that's eight years. Teresa: So it's been less [00:05:00] years 'cause we've done like a few extra in different places, but I think it's at least six or seven years. Yeah. That's insane, isn't it? Biz: It's a long time to be doing something so consistently. Well done. Teresa: Thanks. Thanks. I often have to go. No, that's a big deal. Like when I think I have never, ever missed a Monday, not one. Biz: Wow. That, I mean, that is special. Really. I am not. Consistent at all in that regard. So absolutely. Hats off to you. Absolute for that. What's your secret? Teresa: Well, I was just gonna say, right, we need to say at this point, so BPO has a podcast called Humans Exhaust Me, which is one of my, I actually don't hardly listen to. Any podcast now, unless I watch him on YouTube, which I can also do with yours. But yours is the one I consistently listen to. And I am the person that if an episode hasn't gone out, I will message Biz Paul and go, where the hell's the episode? Because I am waiting for it. So I can vouch for a, his excellent podcast, which is about humans that exhaust him, and [00:06:00] B, that he is not consistent sometimes. So sorry. Biz: That's, that's okay. That's okay. You know, my next question should be why is consistency important? And, and we will ask that, but I'll just jump in with a, a defense of my podcast, if you don't mind, is that, you know, one of the things that exhausts me about humans is their inconsistency. And sometimes it just happens that I'm just not consistent. So we'll just leave that on the table here. Yeah. You tell me, Teresa, about why it's so important to you to be that consistent way of Never missed a Monday. Teresa: I think I am really good at. Being accountable to others, and I don't wanna let people down. I'm a people pleaser and for me, when I say I'm gonna do something. That's the thing that keeps me accountable and consistent is knowing that I have said now in the early days, and probably still to a degree now, if an episode didn't go out, no one's gonna be knocking on my door going like, I'm not gonna have hundreds of people go, and where your episode, I [00:07:00] possibly would've a few people go Where Your episode. But it's just the sheer fact of knowing that I've said every Monday that in truth, can I say it's almost like, it's almost like, can I and will I ever stop? Like, it's almost like I can't now, which I'm not saying I want to, I don't think I do, but it is almost a bit like, well, no, that's what you do. Every Monday there's an episode. So, and, and just in my head sometimes like, well, how long will this go on for? Is this forever now? Or Yeah, that is, it's an interesting one. Biz: I mean, it could get to the point where just one week there's no show and no one knows what's happened and maybe I have to come on and go, she died. She was ni she was 97. Yeah. You know, Teresa: I'm glad you added that because I was just like, alright, that's nice. Not next week. Biz: What if, what if this is the last show? I'm so sorry. Okay. Sorry. Teresa: But maybe we should have that whole thing of like, you know, this is what I would do, you know, have some people have like a death folder. Like if something happens to them, this is what happens to their [00:08:00] business, which apparently every business owner should up. Maybe in mine it says Biz Paul is to do the final episode, Biz: take over the show. You know, it's a big deal when Biz Paul's on the show. Yeah, exactly. It's either an anniversary episode, episode or an announcement. Okay, so, so taking us back to the, the question, because I think this is really important, like be, don't apologize, it's fine. So the. Not missing a Monday. I mean, I just think it's, it's so impressive actually to not miss a Monday. And you've sort of mentioned about how the people pleasing element of you sort of makes that happen, gives you the motivation. But there must be times when the buffer gets shorter and shorter and shorter. Does that not induce a huge amount of anxiety for you? Teresa: Uh, yes and no. We, I have such a good team now. Not now. I've had them for ages, but like they're slick with the process and I know that not so Phil, who edits the podcast, not that I ever really want to think like this, but I know that [00:09:00] if I had a very short window, he would very kindly turn that around for me. And Johanne would do the same in terms of getting it out. I, there's been times where I am so far ahead, it feels like I'm completely disjointed from it and I really struggle. And then there have been times where I am literally like one episode to the next, to the next, to the next. Right now I'm probably where I like to be of about three or four episodes out. So I'm, I'm hopefully always about a month in advance and then I'll let that almost run out and then I do another month. And then, and I think I prefer it that way because I'm not. Like I said, when I recorded especially episodes where I interview, like I would interview someone and go, well, that's going out in six months time. Thanks for being on the podcast. And I hated that. It just felt like it just didn't feel right. So for me now, like I, I do prefer a slightly shorter window, but I still need to have, and in terms of the interviews, they're planned, they're just not recorded. So I have another six or seven, I'm recording in [00:10:00] the next. Two weeks I think, and then obviously that's gonna chuck me out for another few months and then I'll do some more recording in another few months time. So yeah, I don't want to ever leave it, but because like the team and how long we've been doing it, if it was left till last minute, I mean I could, I know that, like I could do it on the Friday afternoon and speak to Phil very nicely and speak to Johanne very nicely. And we could have it out by the Monday. I don't want to and they don't want me to, but I could if I had to. Biz: Just so you know, folks we're recording this in November, 2023. That's how far in advance that she's fan this. So yeah, Teresa: we're really prepping. Biz: Just tell me a little bit more about your team. 'cause you do mention your team quite a lot and your team, I know is important to you and the things that you've done, like go the Philippines and actually see Johanne and Johanne's family. How did you get to the point where you've built the team that you've, that you've got, what lessons have you learned from having a team such as the ones that you have? Teresa: I, my attitude towards the team has changed so [00:11:00] much. Not as in them as individuals, but having a team. I used to think that the sign of a successful business was a big team, and I did it to the point where I. I lost money and not lost money, but I didn't make anywhere near what I should have done because I had a big team. Because I felt that that was the mark of a success of like, look at this huge team I've got. So I must obviously be earning loads of money where I wasn't hardly taking anything and I was just paying out. So now the view of the team is one. I love the fact that they've all been with me for years, like Phil has pretty much. He didn't start with me with the podcast because he didn't even edit podcasts back then. Mine was the first one he ever edited. 'cause I went to him after about, it was probably about a year, I think me and my husband edited it for a long while, and then after about a year I went to Phil and said he was a voice. Actor and I had worked with him, he'd been in my world, and I went to him and said, obviously you're [00:12:00] a voice actor. You do a lot of audio stuff. Who do you know that could edit a podcast for me? And he said I could do it. And I was like, well, would you want to? And he said, yeah. And now he has a whole podcast agency, which is Ace, but he's been with me for years. And Johanne has been with me about four or five years. And my opinion now is actually if my business was to grow much more. I have Michelle. She's been with me about six months now. If I was to grow much more, I really don't want much of a bigger team. Like I said, I think in my head I was like, I need this huge team. I need all these people. And now it's like, actually, I. I don't want a massive team. There's definitely some gaps that I'd like to fill, but we currently don't have the skills or capacity. They're just not their skillset that I'd like to bring someone in, but I think that would be my last person if I was to bring them in. Biz: Okay. Let's, let's riff off that a little bit then, in terms of sort of. Where you are [00:13:00] now and, and some of the lessons that you've learned, particularly over the period of, of 400 episodes. Obviously you've been in business longer than than episodes. So my first question was, why did you start a podcast in the first place? Teresa: The very honest answer is because back in the day, I wanted a business like Amy Port Fields and Amy had a podcast. So what else was I to do than have a podcast like that honestly was probably all that went through my head back then. I think there was a part of me that thought, I'm gonna like that more than anything else because I like talking. But honestly, I think that was, that was as much as went into it as just, Amy's got a podcast, Amy's got a successful business. I want a business like hers. I need to have a podcast. Biz: And I don't think there's anything wrong with. Taking inspiration from somebody that you admire and thinking about the way that they do things and and testing things out and having a go and seeing whether it works for you. So on that basis now, [00:14:00] would you say that the podcast performs a very different function to what it did back then? Teresa: Yeah. Yeah, completely. I think I love doing the podcast. I think if I was to stop, I dunno what else I would want to do as a consistent content. I definitely wouldn't do blogging or anything like that. I would do YouTube as well as the podcast, but that's a whole host of just getting it sorted and it is on the radar and has been for ages. I think for me, what the podcast has done is it's put me in touch. I. With some amazing humans in my space, like to get on and have a hour conversation with someone who is at the top of their game. Like one of the guests I had is Dean Graziosi, and I know not everyone will be a fan of his. And actually I didn't ask him. They came to me and I obviously said yes because it's Dean Graziosi. Although he wouldn't [00:15:00] necessarily be someone that I would go to. He is massive and to have an hour conversation with him, like there's no other way in this world. I could have got that if I hadn't have got the podcast. You know, the same with Denise Duffield Thomas, like Julie Solomons like some of the people I've had recently. Like, oh man, I. Who owned Trafficking Vision, Ryan Deis. Like, I've had such amazing conversations with some of these people and there's no way I could have done that if I hadn't got a podcast. So I think one, to even get connected with those people, the credibility that I have been given because I've had those conversations has been amazing. And I think I just like talking and I think I do it in a very, and I'm not saying this is like how I smile, because maybe it's not the best way, but I'm really authentic. So it's not massively polished, it's not scripted, it's not highly edited at all. Like, you know, Phil does not change the order [00:16:00]...