Takeaways:

1. In this episode, we delve into the multifaceted life of Leanne Brown, who has evolved beyond her public persona as an ex-housewife to become an advocate for wellness and empowerment.
2. Leanne's journey emphasizes the significance of self-discovery and resilience, as she navigated personal challenges to emerge stronger and more aware of her purpose.
3. The discussion highlights Leanne's commitment to addressing societal issues, including her advocacy against harmful practices and her dedication to educating the next generation through her children's books.
4. We explore the transformative power of community and connection, illustrating how supportive relationships and shared experiences can foster personal growth and collective healing.

Takeaways:

1. The podcast features a conversation between two individuals who share a deep connection, having met through social media.
2. One participant encourages the other to pursue new ideas and ventures, emphasizing the importance of taking risks.
3. The discussion touches upon the evolution of personal and professional relationships, highlighting the significance of supportive friendships.
4. Both speakers discuss the challenges of balancing personal life and business, particularly in the context of parenting and self-care.
5. The podcast addresses the importance of community among women, particularly in relation to empowerment and collaboration in entrepreneurial endeavors.
6. There is a focus on personal growth through experiences, including the importance of trusting oneself and learning from past relationships.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Jolt
2. Bolt
3. yes button dinners
4. Prince's Trust
5. Stephen Bartlett
6. Diary of a CEO
7. Emma Louise Boynton

In this episode, Susie dives into the quiet, often unseen process of rebuilding confidence after things fall apart whether in business or life. She shares her personal journey of starting over, explains why confidence isn’t about being loud or fearless, and introduces her “Four R’s” framework to help you rebuild stronger, wiser, and more grounded.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro

01:48 – What true confidence really is

03:47 – The turning point: letting go of who you were

05:37 – The Four R’s: Reflect, Reframe, Reconnect, Recommit

09:17 – Rebuilding confidence in real time

10:00 – Final takeaway: confidence isn’t found, it’s built

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

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📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

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Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

You're listening to the Just Build It podcast. Real conversations about business, growth, and everything that comes with chasing a bigger life. I'm Susie Batista, property developer, speaker, and someone who's learned that building anything worthwhile never really comes with a manual. This isn't about perfection or overnight success. It's about that messy middle, the lessons, the setbacks, and the courage to keep going when no one's clapping yet. You'll hear stories from entrepreneurs, mentors, and creatives who've turned struggle into strength, and sometimes just from me, sharing the unfiltered side of building a business and a life on your own terms. Let's get into it. Welcome to episode three of the Just Build It podcast. We're going to get a bit serious on this one. Today's episode is how to rebuild confidence after you've had setbacks. There's this strange silence that happens after things go wrong. So when deals fall apart or the job ends or the plan fails, people rally around you. And then people stop asking how you're doing, And you're just left with yourself. And it's in that quiet space where your confidence either disappears completely or it begins to rebuild. And I have been there more than once.

Susie Batista (01:48)

And sometimes it's business and sometimes it's personal. And what I've learned is this. Confidence isn't something that you just get back. It's something that you rebuild differently. And here's the truth about confidence. People think confidence means being really loud or fearless and certain. And in my experience, it's just not like that. It's that really quiet belief that whatever If it happens, you'll handle it. And it's built in the moments that no one really sees. And when you show up after being knocked down or when you try again, even though you're Our hands are still shaking a little bit from last time. And most of us lose confidence because we start attaching our worth to our results. I'm going to say that again because I think this is key. We lose confidence because we start attaching our worth to our results. The project fails, so we think that we failed. But confidence has nothing to do with outcome. It's about identity. It's who you still are when everything else gets stripped away and when things just go wrong. And rebuilding starts really, really small. So when I was rebuilding, after selling my design business, I genuinely felt completely untethered.

Susie Batista (03:47)

I went from being the expert in what I did and feeling so comfortable. I had my team, I knew design inside and out, and I felt like I was really starting again. New Instagram, this whole property world. It was such a new industry, new rules, and a new version of me. And at first, I was definitely trying to get back to how I used to feel. And I would say that was the biggest mistake that I made because I was never meant to go back. I was just meant to rebuild and be stronger and wiser and more grounded. And rebuilding confidence isn't about pretending that everything's fine. It's about creating proof that you can move again. And it always starts with one thing, like a tiny win. One conversation, one idea, one action. It doesn't just fix everything. But it gives your mind evidence that you're not stuck. There are four R's that I've created, and I've created them to try and have a better way to rebuild. These are things that I use and that I talk about. It's not really a formula, it's just rhythm that helps you move through the mess, I guess.

Susie Batista (05:37)

So the first one of the four R's, reflect. Don't just rush past the pain. Sit with it long enough to understand what actually happened. And you can't really rebuild things from denial, only from the truth. What actually happened? And ask yourself, what did this teach me that success never could? What did this teach me that success never could? What did this failure teach me? What did this hardship teach me? Because I'm coming out of it, what did it teach me? The second one is reframe. This is something that, gosh, if you ever say anything to me that's slightly negative, I will come down hard on you on this one. So change the language. Instead of, I failed, say, That experience taught me what doesn't work for me. It sounds like woo-whu and a bit small, but language is everything, and it shifts your energy from a Claim to ownership. Number three, reconnect. When things go wrong, people tend to isolate and hide away, and that is totally normal. It's human. It's nature. But rebuilding is faster when you reconnect with people who remind you who you are. It's not a coincidence that community is the buzzword at the moment.

Susie Batista (07:30)

It goes back to where we all started, whatever religion you are, whatever faith you have, somewhere within your story, there's been a community that started at the beginning. And if you just find that one person even who makes you feel seen and not judged, sometimes that's all you need to get moving again. So reconnect with your community and you'll bounce back faster. Number four is recommit. And I would say this is the most important one. Confidence doesn't come from pep talks. It comes from commitment. So you need to decide what your next move is and stick to it long enough to see the progress. Decide what your next move is and stick to it long to see progress. It's quite simple, actually. And even if it's tiny, keep with it, because momentum is so much louder than motivation. So when you feel like you've lost yourself, if you're in that stage right now of rebuilding uncertainty, trying to figure it all out, And I've been there on many of occasions, and it's one of the worst places to be, actually. It just doesn't feel good. Please know this. You haven't lost your confidence. You've just lost your connexion with it.

Susie Batista (09:17)

And that connexion comes back the moment you take even the smallest step forward. And you don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to move. Just take action. Every action, every choice, every time you get up and try again, that's confidence being rebuilt in actual time. And that is what true confidence looks like. It's calm, and it's earned, and it's yours. If you like anything you hear in this podcast, please drop me a DM on Instagram. Send me an email, susanne@justbuildit.uk I love to hear from you. I love to help. And just remember, confidence isn't found, it's built.

Takeaways:

1. Many individuals encounter challenges with their businesses, particularly regarding lead generation and social media presence.
2. A primary reason for business struggles is often a lack of clarity in branding and direction.
3. Trust is essential in branding, and effective branding communicates clarity and certainty to potential clients.
4. Choosing a target client does not limit one’s opportunities; rather, it enhances focus and promotes growth.

Takeaways:

1. The episode provides invaluable insights into the challenges of building a luxury brand amidst personal and professional adversities.
2. Amy, the founder of Glossy Cushions, exemplifies resilience by managing a burgeoning business while navigating motherhood and home renovations.
3. The discussion emphasizes the importance of quality craftsmanship and unique product offerings in the competitive luxury homeware market.
4. Listeners gain an understanding of the significance of building a supportive network and the impact of genuine relationships in business success.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Glossy Cushions
2. Topshop
3. Matalan
4. Maserati
5. MasterCard
6. Pretty Little Thing
7. Boohoo
8. Dunelm
9. Harrods
10. Selfridges
11. Harvey Nichols
12. McLaren
13. Warwick
14. Pursuit

1. The episode features an inspiring conversation with Steph from Indie Interiors, who has significantly impacted the design industry.
2. Steph reflects on her journey from being a novice designer to establishing a thriving business, highlighting the importance of collaboration.
3. Listeners will gain insight into the challenges and triumphs experienced in the interior design field, emphasizing resilience and growth.
4. The discussion touches on the support systems necessary for success in both personal and professional spheres, particularly for women in business.
5. Steph shares valuable lessons learned from early projects, illustrating the necessity of adaptability and continuous improvement in design work.
6. The episode concludes with a discussion on the future aspirations of Indie Interiors, focusing on strategic growth and brand recognition.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. indieinteriors.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Indie Interiors

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

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📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

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In this episode, Susie breaks down the truth about mentorship — what it is, what it isn’t, and why the right mentor can completely transform your business and personal life. She shares how coaching helped her turn a small interior design company into a systemised, profitable business she eventually sold, along with the mindset shifts and accountability that made it possible. You’ll learn the real purpose of mentorship, the myths that hold people back, and how to know if you’re truly ready for it.

Timestamps:

01:00 – What mentorship actually is

03:48 – How coaching transformed Susie’s business

10:54 – Who mentorship is not for

12:34 – Who mentorship is for

14:03 – Mentors vs. coaches

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

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Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

Welcome to the Just Build It podcast. I am your host, Susie Batista.

Susie Batista (00:05)

And before being a full-time property developer, I built and sold a luxury interior design firm. That chapter taught me far more than how to run a business. It taught me about standards, pressure, and confidence. This podcast is a space to talk honestly about money, mindset, and all the small decisions that shape our lives over time. If you're building something in business, in property, or in yourself, you're in the right place.

Susie Batista (00:33)

This is Just Build It. Welcome to episode five of the Just Build It podcast. Once again, thank you for sticking around. This episode has been Requested, actually. And when I asked more people about it, I got the same response that people are curious and slightly confused about what it's like to work with a mentor or a coach. And it's something that I bang on about all the time. So this episode is dedicated to mentorship. It's going to be about what it is, what it isn't, and why it really matters, and how it absolutely changed my life. So just to be clear, mentorship isn't about motivation so much or validation, or somebody to just cheer you on and say, Yeah, come on, you can do it. I found that mentorship is really about making quality decisions. So a lot of the things that a mentor will talk to you about or a coach, you know. You know what you need to do, but you just get so confused. There's so many paths, there's so many different directions that you just don't quite know how to do it so you don't do it. And a mentor will absolutely hold you accountable.

Susie Batista (02:08)

And most people don't need more information. We've got a wealth of information at our fingertips. And now with ChatGPT and so much content on social media, there's loads and loads of information out there. But we need better judgement and sharper priorities and fewer expensive mistakes. Oh, my God. I've got three mentors now, which is crazy. And each one has saved me thousands. Trust me, thousands. And each one has made me thousands. And I think this is what people can't get their heads around, the upfront cost of a mentor. And when When I first got my coach, and I'll go into a little bit about coaching and mentorship, but I started with a business coach, and that was somebody that I found after doing an incredible Tony Robbins seminar. And I just asked somebody who is very, very... He's well known in the area. He's got a very established magazine. He knows everybody. And after this Tony Robbins seminar, I messaged him said, I need a coach. I need a business coach, and I need him to be the best business coach you know. And he just straight away sent me a message back within minutes with the name of my business coach, which is Mr. Carl Morris, absolute hero of mine.

Susie Batista (03:48)

And before I started working with Carl, my design business was okay. I had a couple of members of staff. We had a very small office, and the Projects were coming in, but I did not have a clue how to run a business. Not a clue. Anyway, I got Carl, and he helped me transform that business into a systemised, well-managed, well-led, happy team. I knew what cash was coming in. I knew what cash was coming out. I knew what made me profit. He pushed my boundaries massively. And ultimately, he was the one that helped me sell the business. This is a funny story. I was just going to close the business down. I decided that property was what I wanted to do. The demand and the stress and everything of working with these footballers and high net-worth clients, it gets to you in the end. And we were already doing property, doing doing big things. And so I was going to close the business down. And I had a session with Carl. And I said, Carl, the time has come for me to close the business down. And he just went, what? Close it. And I was like, yeah, I'm just going to close it.

Susie Batista (05:18)

And he said, Susie, you are going to sell that business. And when you think, wait, this is an interior design business. A, who buys an interior design business? B, I am the face of the business. See, I am just not the person who would ever sell a business. It's not me. And long story short, from that conversation to selling the business, we're talking about three months. Would I have been able to do that without a coach? No, no way. So I'm telling you all these little stories to inspire to really, really think if you want growth, if you want the next level, if you want to make clearer decisions, having a mentor or a coach is key. But something that I do need to I do need to touch on this, though, mentorship isn't a guarantee of success. You have to put in the work. And I believe that because you're made to be accountable and because it It's a hell of a lot of money. And like I said, when I first started working with a business coach, I did not have the funds. So it was almost £2,000 a month. Right then in my business, I was like, I just don't have a spare £2,000.

Susie Batista (06:49)

And luckily, because of this seminar, Tony Romen said, You just go for it. You will find the money. Have you ever been in that situation where you've got You've got something coming up or you've got a big payment or you don't know how you're going to pay something, but it always works out. You always find it. Trust me, trust me. That is what this is like. You find it. But it isn't a guarantee of success. You have to be willing to put the work in. And I know with all of my mentors, they've worked with people that haven't put the work in. Every single session, they've not done what is been advised, and they've let people go. So you have to put the work in. And a mentor won't so much fix your business. They don't just tell you what to do. They'll help your thought process, which is a sign of a very, very, very good coach. Don't just expect somebody to come and just give you a blueprint and tell you what to do and say, go on, do it. They'll make your brain And Carl always used to do that to me.

Susie Batista (08:02)

So what do you think about this, Susie? What do you think is the right decision? And I'd be like, Carl, can you not just tell me? And he'd go, Well, no, you need to figure this out. So then I'd start to really think and I'd go through my thought process and he'd say, Okay, that's good. But have you thought about this? Okay, but if you did that, what would happen then? And I'd go, Well, yeah, if I actually did that, then so and so might And he'd go, do you want them to leave? And I'd go, no. And he'd go, so maybe think about something else. So I'd have to think about something else. And in the end, I'd get there. And it was almost like he was doing those flow charts. Yes, no. But I was the one doing the thinking. Does that make sense? So, gosh, I really can't rave about this guy enough. And another myth that I've heard somebody say, which I I just think is crazy, that paying for a mentor means that I'm going to be seen as weak or behind or that I don't know what I'm doing in my business.

Susie Batista (09:10)

Oh, my gosh. Anybody who thinks that needs serious mindset shifts. I just think that's really sad. And all you're thinking about is what other people think. That's all you care about, what other people think versus what is best for your business and what is best for you? So if that's you or if those thoughts have ever cropped up, that's something deeper that you need to work on. Because working with a mentor is one of the bravest, strongest things that you could actually do. So let me just explain who I believe mentorship is for and who it is not for. So who it is not for, let's start with that. It's not for people who just need constant reassurance instead of taking responsibility. It's not for somebody that just needs a yes man. And it's not for people looking for shortcuts. Yes, it can save time and it can save money, a lot of money from learning from mistakes, but it's not a quick scale to six...]]>🎧 Episode 5 – What It’s Really Like to Work With a Mentor (And Why It Can Change Everything)

In this episode, Susie breaks down the truth about mentorship — what it is, what it isn’t, and why the right mentor can completely transform your business and personal life. She shares how coaching helped her turn a small interior design company into a systemised, profitable business she eventually sold, along with the mindset shifts and accountability that made it possible. You’ll learn the real purpose of mentorship, the myths that hold people back, and how to know if you’re truly ready for it.

Timestamps:

01:00 – What mentorship actually is

03:48 – How coaching transformed Susie’s business

10:54 – Who mentorship is not for

12:34 – Who mentorship is for

14:03 – Mentors vs. coaches

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

Welcome to the Just Build It podcast. I am your host, Susie Batista.

Susie Batista (00:05)

And before being a full-time property developer, I built and sold a luxury interior design firm. That chapter taught me far more than how to run a business. It taught me about standards, pressure, and confidence. This podcast is a space to talk honestly about money, mindset, and all the small decisions that shape our lives over time. If you're building something in business, in property, or in yourself, you're in the right place.

Susie Batista (00:33)

This is Just Build It. Welcome to episode five of the Just Build It podcast. Once again, thank you for sticking around. This episode has been Requested, actually. And when I asked more people about it, I got the same response that people are curious and slightly confused about what it's like to work with a mentor or a coach. And it's something that I bang on about all the time. So this episode is dedicated to mentorship. It's going to be about what it is, what it isn't, and why it really matters, and how it absolutely changed my life. So just to be clear, mentorship isn't about motivation so much or validation, or somebody to just cheer you on and say, Yeah, come on, you can do it. I found that mentorship is really about making quality decisions. So a lot of the things that a mentor will talk to you about or a coach, you know. You know what you need to do, but you just get so confused. There's so many paths, there's so many different directions that you just don't quite know how to do it so you don't do it. And a mentor will absolutely hold you accountable.

Susie Batista (02:08)

And most people don't need more information. We've got a wealth of information at our fingertips. And now with ChatGPT and so much content on social media, there's loads and loads of information out there. But we need better judgement and sharper priorities and fewer expensive mistakes. Oh, my God. I've got three mentors now, which is crazy. And each one has saved me thousands. Trust me, thousands. And each one has made me thousands. And I think this is what people can't get their heads around, the upfront cost of a mentor. And when When I first got my coach, and I'll go into a little bit about coaching and mentorship, but I started with a business coach, and that was somebody that I found after doing an incredible Tony Robbins seminar. And I just asked somebody who is very, very... He's well known in the area. He's got a very established magazine. He knows everybody. And after this Tony Robbins seminar, I messaged him said, I need a coach. I need a business coach, and I need him to be the best business coach you know. And he just straight away sent me a message back within minutes with the name of my business coach, which is Mr. Carl Morris, absolute hero of mine.

Susie Batista (03:48)

And before I started working with Carl, my design business was okay. I had a couple of members of staff. We had a very small office, and the Projects were coming in, but I did not have a clue how to run a business. Not a clue. Anyway, I got Carl, and he helped me transform that business into a systemised, well-managed, well-led, happy team. I knew what cash was coming in. I knew what cash was coming out. I knew what made me profit. He pushed my boundaries massively. And ultimately, he was the one that helped me sell the business. This is a funny story. I was just going to close the business down. I decided that property was what I wanted to do. The demand and the stress and everything of working with these footballers and high net-worth clients, it gets to you in the end. And we were already doing property, doing doing big things. And so I was going to close the business down. And I had a session with Carl. And I said, Carl, the time has come for me to close the business down. And he just went, what? Close it. And I was like, yeah, I'm just going to close it.

Susie Batista (05:18)

And he said, Susie, you are going to sell that business. And when you think, wait, this is an interior design business. A, who buys an interior design business? B, I am the face of the business. See, I am just not the person who would ever sell a business. It's not me. And long story short, from that conversation to selling the business, we're talking about three months. Would I have been able to do that without a coach? No, no way. So I'm telling you all these little stories to inspire to really, really think if you want growth, if you want the next level, if you want to make clearer decisions, having a mentor or a coach is key. But something that I do need to I do need to touch on this, though, mentorship isn't a guarantee of success. You have to put in the work. And I believe that because you're made to be accountable and because it It's a hell of a lot of money. And like I said, when I first started working with a business coach, I did not have the funds. So it was almost £2,000 a month. Right then in my business, I was like, I just don't have a spare £2,000.

Susie Batista (06:49)

And luckily, because of this seminar, Tony Romen said, You just go for it. You will find the money. Have you ever been in that situation where you've got You've got something coming up or you've got a big payment or you don't know how you're going to pay something, but it always works out. You always find it. Trust me, trust me. That is what this is like. You find it. But it isn't a guarantee of success. You have to be willing to put the work in. And I know with all of my mentors, they've worked with people that haven't put the work in. Every single session, they've not done what is been advised, and they've let people go. So you have to put the work in. And a mentor won't so much fix your business. They don't just tell you what to do. They'll help your thought process, which is a sign of a very, very, very good coach. Don't just expect somebody to come and just give you a blueprint and tell you what to do and say, go on, do it. They'll make your brain And Carl always used to do that to me.

Susie Batista (08:02)

So what do you think about this, Susie? What do you think is the right decision? And I'd be like, Carl, can you not just tell me? And he'd go, Well, no, you need to figure this out. So then I'd start to really think and I'd go through my thought process and he'd say, Okay, that's good. But have you thought about this? Okay, but if you did that, what would happen then? And I'd go, Well, yeah, if I actually did that, then so and so might And he'd go, do you want them to leave? And I'd go, no. And he'd go, so maybe think about something else. So I'd have to think about something else. And in the end, I'd get there. And it was almost like he was doing those flow charts. Yes, no. But I was the one doing the thinking. Does that make sense? So, gosh, I really can't rave about this guy enough. And another myth that I've heard somebody say, which I I just think is crazy, that paying for a mentor means that I'm going to be seen as weak or behind or that I don't know what I'm doing in my business.

Susie Batista (09:10)

Oh, my gosh. Anybody who thinks that needs serious mindset shifts. I just think that's really sad. And all you're thinking about is what other people think. That's all you care about, what other people think versus what is best for your business and what is best for you? So if that's you or if those thoughts have ever cropped up, that's something deeper that you need to work on. Because working with a mentor is one of the bravest, strongest things that you could actually do. So let me just explain who I believe mentorship is for and who it is not for. So who it is not for, let's start with that. It's not for people who just need constant reassurance instead of taking responsibility. It's not for somebody that just needs a yes man. And it's not for people looking for shortcuts. Yes, it can save time and it can save money, a lot of money from learning from mistakes, but it's not a quick scale to six figures in one month thing. It really is be in it for the long run, but let's grow quicker than what you would have done without me. It's not for people who put the blame on everybody else and everything else.

Susie Batista (10:54)

They blame the market, they blame their clients, they blame timing. If that is you as a person, then you're really going to struggle working with a mentor or a good coach because they won't take that. Which leads me on to, it's not for people who aren't willing to act on uncomfortable feedback, because, again, any good mentor, any good coach is going to give you honest feedback that you have to swallow. Yeah, kick back if you want. But you really have to listen to them because they've got your best interest at heart. And where does it make sense? So who is mentorship for? I would say mentorship is for people that are putting in massive effort, but it's not creating the results. So there's a link missing. And it's for people who seem to be very, very busy, but absolutely unclear on the direction. It's for people that seem to be growing, but the whole business feels unorganised and chaotic and unsystemised. And it's for people that when you've got decisions to make and big decisions, you really carry that weight on your shoulders alone. Mentorship is incredible for that. So just to end this, what I would say the difference between mentorship and a coach.

Susie Batista (12:34)

My business coach, for example, he coached a lot of different businesses. So I was an interior design firm. He coached big banks. He coached people that played professional golf. He was a coach in business. Now, we've got a mentor. We've got two other mentors. So we work with an incredible lady called Jo. So she is our property mentor. And a mentor is somebody that is very specific in a certain area. I am a mentor. I wouldn't feel comfortable calling myself a coach and coaching a variety of businesses. But what I can do very, very well is mentor people within an industry that I know inside and out. So that's with home staging, with interior design, and with the startup of property. So our mentor, Jo, she just mentors us on properties. Every session that we have, we go through all of our deals, we go through the numbers, we go through the strategy, all those sorts of things. And then my other incredible mentor Dawn. So Dawn's speciality is women scaling to 100K a month and personal branding. So she's a specialist in that. And so that's why I have Dawn for this side of the business.

Susie Batista (14:03)

So if this episode has made you pause and reflect on how you are actually making your decisions and a feeling of wanting to do more and grow more, but just needing clarity and strategy and organisation and more focus, that's usually an incredible signal. Don't ignore it, please, because working with the right mentor or coach could absolutely change your life. Because not only does it change your business, it can change your personal life. It changes your mindset. I know that it did that for me. And if anybody wants to explore what mentorship looks like with me, then please just drop me a DM. There's a link in my bio that takes you straight to WhatsApp. We can jump on a discovery call. It's free of charge, and it just helps me get to know you a bit better, you get to know me a bit better, and see how we can potentially work together. Have a great day, whatever you're doing, go and thrive and take that massive action, and I'll see you on the next episode.

In this intimate episode, Susie sits down with her mentor, Dawn McGruer, to talk about the real work behind growth, the messy parts, the mindset shifts, the identity changes, and the breakthroughs that don’t show up on Instagram. Together, they unpack the behind-the-scenes journey of building confidence, scaling businesses, embracing discomfort, and navigating the challenges that shape entrepreneurs. If you’ve ever wondered what working with a mentor actually looks like, this conversation takes you inside it.

Timestamps:

01:13 – What working with a coach really looks like

03:07 – Trust, energy, and choosing the right mentor

05:07 – Dawn’s role as a scaling strategist & serial entrepreneur

07:47 – Dawn’s childhood, early career, and unconventional path

12:21 – The risk-taking era, loss, writing a book at 21

14:26 – Building networking events, communities & global platforms

16:49 – Creating accredited training and launching multiple businesses

18:12 – Scaling clients, burnout, and stepping back from the operational grind

19:27 – Rebuilding a business model that supports health, wealth & impact

Connect with Dawn McGruer:

Website → dawnmcgruer.com

Instagram → instagram.com/dawnmcgruer

LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/dawnmcgruer

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

Welcome to the Just Build It podcast. I am your host, Susie Batista. And before being a full-time property developer, I built and sold a luxury interior design firm. That chapter taught me far more than how to run a business. It taught me about standards, pressure, and confidence. This podcast is a space to talk honestly about money, mindset, and all the small decisions that shape our lives over time. If you're building something in business, in property, or in yourself, you're in the right place. This is Just Build It. Today's episode is a really special one for me because it's not just about showcasing somebody I admire, it's about letting you in on the behind the scenes of my own journey. Every step I've taken so far in building my personal brand has been shaped by the conversations I've had with today's guest. Dawn isn't just a mentor and coach. She's been my sounding board, my challenger, my biggest pusher when I wanted to play small, and the calm voice when I wanted to throw it all in. We're going to talk honestly about what it really takes to grow, the blocks I've had to work through, and the lessons that aren't in the textbooks.

Susie Batista (01:13)

So if you've ever wondered what it's like to work with a coach, or if you're curious about the shifts that actually change someone's life and business, this one's for you. Let's dive into the conversation with Dawn McGroer. Dawn.

Dawn McGruer (01:28)

Susie.

Susie Batista (01:30)

Thank you, first of all, for coming on one of my very first podcasts. I would just like everybody to know how we initially met. That was through a mutual friend who gave me a call and said, A good friend of mine, Dawn, have you heard of her? I was like, Yes. Already followed her. She wants somebody to come on her podcast. She wants somebody that's maybe into property. I recommended you. We had a chat, came to your retreat, came onto the podcast. From that very retreat, everything changed for me. Everything became very clear on you, the people that you work with. A couple of days after that retreat, I said to Romeo, I feel like I really want to work with this woman. He said, Well, message her. We had a couple of glasses of wine. Message you. We had a lunch, and this was only What? About eight weeks ago, something like that.

Dawn McGruer (02:32)

Yeah, literally. Yeah, two months.

Susie Batista (02:33)

And within those two months, I have started my personal Instagram brand. I have been on a panel I have my first big speaking gig, and I have now started a podcast. So for anybody who's ever on the fence about a mentor or a coach, that's just proving that That with the right coach and the right mentor, big things can happen, right?

Dawn McGruer (03:07)

Yeah, and I think it's about trust on both parts. I think one of the things that people forget is the working relationship and the mentoring is about the energy that you get, because if it doesn't feel right, then it's not going to flow. I think this is one of the things I always say, that never go into something unless you have that gut feel, that absolute feeling like this is going to be the thing. Every time I've done that myself, it's been the best investment I've done. So I totally agree.

Susie Batista (03:43)

Tell us in a Nutshell, what you actually do now as a mentor.

Dawn McGruer (03:50)

I think this is the thing because obviously on LinkedIn and Instagram, and I'm fairly new to Instagram, only been on it for a few years, everything is very much around your key content pillars and what you want to be seen and heard for. I think the difficulty is, is trying to explain without confusing exactly what I do because everybody sees me forward front as a mentor. I would say my key specialist area is as a scaling strategist. So I knew from a very young age that I could look at a business, I could look at the model, and I would know whether it worked or not. And And that only came from having so many epic fails myself when I started my business. And it was almost like a formula that I had to go through to test, to test, to test, to see these critical areas. These five critical areas that I always look for in a business. And if someone said to me, what do I do? I'm a speaker, I'm an author, I'm a podcaster, I'm a strategist, I'm an investor, I have multiple other businesses. But I I think, really, if you were to put it under one term, it's an entrepreneur because there's always something new every single day.

Dawn McGruer (05:07)

I don't know if I'll ever be done. I'm on my third book now, I'm on my fourth business. Do I see anything stopping? No, I'm 46. I still feel like I'm at the beginning. Everything is fresh, everything is exciting. And I just know that there is still more magic to come, more excitement. And every single day, I'm tested. I think what people think is Being in business, you know what you're doing. Like 25 years on, I must know exactly what's happening. No, I don't. I still have the same challenges, but it's all relative. It's different challenges. So in the beginning of a business, you have challenges maybe around cash flow. So you only switch those up for maybe having more team challenges. I think the thing is that people say, Oh, I'm having a really tough time in business. We all do, and it will never change. But half of that is the fun of being able to create and direct. Because when I think about my most epic fails, I'm like, honestly, the tears, the sleepless nights and everything, the resilience that's given me is huge. I am fearless, I am unshakable, I'm unapologetic, I know what I'm going to do, and I do it.

Dawn McGruer (06:18)

So it just goes in cycles. And I think sometimes we go full circle. And some days I remember that same feeling of starting my business because I'm tapping into that again, because I'm starting something something new. I think the thing here is that whatever you see online, it's just a small snapshot of what we're doing. But behind the scenes, I didn't create what I've got now overnight. It's taken 25 years. And when we When we think about the issues and the challenges, I would urge someone to actually go and embrace them because as much as you feel the feel, and it feels that you're never going to get past it, everything will be okay. It is. This is what I always tell people, there is nothing outside of your health that can't be changed. I'd always say that if you are feeling in business that it is tough, just speak to someone because it just changes it. It's almost like your epiphany moment is sharing that problem and just getting someone's perspective. Also, you're running it through in your own head all the time. We can't outthink ourselves in a problem. We have to get it outside of our body.

Dawn McGruer (07:31)

So what do I do? I just think serial entrepreneur, and I think fundamentally, I just want to do unto others, have done to myself. And I think that is my ethos in life and business.

Susie Batista (07:47)

I briefly know your background only because I'm very inquisitive and we had a lovely lunch and I was asking you, how did it all start? Where did it all...]]>🎧 Episode 4 – How One Conversation Changed My Entire Direction with Dawn McGruer

In this intimate episode, Susie sits down with her mentor, Dawn McGruer, to talk about the real work behind growth, the messy parts, the mindset shifts, the identity changes, and the breakthroughs that don’t show up on Instagram. Together, they unpack the behind-the-scenes journey of building confidence, scaling businesses, embracing discomfort, and navigating the challenges that shape entrepreneurs. If you’ve ever wondered what working with a mentor actually looks like, this conversation takes you inside it.

Timestamps:

01:13 – What working with a coach really looks like

03:07 – Trust, energy, and choosing the right mentor

05:07 – Dawn’s role as a scaling strategist & serial entrepreneur

07:47 – Dawn’s childhood, early career, and unconventional path

12:21 – The risk-taking era, loss, writing a book at 21

14:26 – Building networking events, communities & global platforms

16:49 – Creating accredited training and launching multiple businesses

18:12 – Scaling clients, burnout, and stepping back from the operational grind

19:27 – Rebuilding a business model that supports health, wealth & impact

Connect with Dawn McGruer:

Website → dawnmcgruer.com

Instagram → instagram.com/dawnmcgruer

LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/dawnmcgruer

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

Welcome to the Just Build It podcast. I am your host, Susie Batista. And before being a full-time property developer, I built and sold a luxury interior design firm. That chapter taught me far more than how to run a business. It taught me about standards, pressure, and confidence. This podcast is a space to talk honestly about money, mindset, and all the small decisions that shape our lives over time. If you're building something in business, in property, or in yourself, you're in the right place. This is Just Build It. Today's episode is a really special one for me because it's not just about showcasing somebody I admire, it's about letting you in on the behind the scenes of my own journey. Every step I've taken so far in building my personal brand has been shaped by the conversations I've had with today's guest. Dawn isn't just a mentor and coach. She's been my sounding board, my challenger, my biggest pusher when I wanted to play small, and the calm voice when I wanted to throw it all in. We're going to talk honestly about what it really takes to grow, the blocks I've had to work through, and the lessons that aren't in the textbooks.

Susie Batista (01:13)

So if you've ever wondered what it's like to work with a coach, or if you're curious about the shifts that actually change someone's life and business, this one's for you. Let's dive into the conversation with Dawn McGroer. Dawn.

Dawn McGruer (01:28)

Susie.

Susie Batista (01:30)

Thank you, first of all, for coming on one of my very first podcasts. I would just like everybody to know how we initially met. That was through a mutual friend who gave me a call and said, A good friend of mine, Dawn, have you heard of her? I was like, Yes. Already followed her. She wants somebody to come on her podcast. She wants somebody that's maybe into property. I recommended you. We had a chat, came to your retreat, came onto the podcast. From that very retreat, everything changed for me. Everything became very clear on you, the people that you work with. A couple of days after that retreat, I said to Romeo, I feel like I really want to work with this woman. He said, Well, message her. We had a couple of glasses of wine. Message you. We had a lunch, and this was only What? About eight weeks ago, something like that.

Dawn McGruer (02:32)

Yeah, literally. Yeah, two months.

Susie Batista (02:33)

And within those two months, I have started my personal Instagram brand. I have been on a panel I have my first big speaking gig, and I have now started a podcast. So for anybody who's ever on the fence about a mentor or a coach, that's just proving that That with the right coach and the right mentor, big things can happen, right?

Dawn McGruer (03:07)

Yeah, and I think it's about trust on both parts. I think one of the things that people forget is the working relationship and the mentoring is about the energy that you get, because if it doesn't feel right, then it's not going to flow. I think this is one of the things I always say, that never go into something unless you have that gut feel, that absolute feeling like this is going to be the thing. Every time I've done that myself, it's been the best investment I've done. So I totally agree.

Susie Batista (03:43)

Tell us in a Nutshell, what you actually do now as a mentor.

Dawn McGruer (03:50)

I think this is the thing because obviously on LinkedIn and Instagram, and I'm fairly new to Instagram, only been on it for a few years, everything is very much around your key content pillars and what you want to be seen and heard for. I think the difficulty is, is trying to explain without confusing exactly what I do because everybody sees me forward front as a mentor. I would say my key specialist area is as a scaling strategist. So I knew from a very young age that I could look at a business, I could look at the model, and I would know whether it worked or not. And And that only came from having so many epic fails myself when I started my business. And it was almost like a formula that I had to go through to test, to test, to test, to see these critical areas. These five critical areas that I always look for in a business. And if someone said to me, what do I do? I'm a speaker, I'm an author, I'm a podcaster, I'm a strategist, I'm an investor, I have multiple other businesses. But I I think, really, if you were to put it under one term, it's an entrepreneur because there's always something new every single day.

Dawn McGruer (05:07)

I don't know if I'll ever be done. I'm on my third book now, I'm on my fourth business. Do I see anything stopping? No, I'm 46. I still feel like I'm at the beginning. Everything is fresh, everything is exciting. And I just know that there is still more magic to come, more excitement. And every single day, I'm tested. I think what people think is Being in business, you know what you're doing. Like 25 years on, I must know exactly what's happening. No, I don't. I still have the same challenges, but it's all relative. It's different challenges. So in the beginning of a business, you have challenges maybe around cash flow. So you only switch those up for maybe having more team challenges. I think the thing is that people say, Oh, I'm having a really tough time in business. We all do, and it will never change. But half of that is the fun of being able to create and direct. Because when I think about my most epic fails, I'm like, honestly, the tears, the sleepless nights and everything, the resilience that's given me is huge. I am fearless, I am unshakable, I'm unapologetic, I know what I'm going to do, and I do it.

Dawn McGruer (06:18)

So it just goes in cycles. And I think sometimes we go full circle. And some days I remember that same feeling of starting my business because I'm tapping into that again, because I'm starting something something new. I think the thing here is that whatever you see online, it's just a small snapshot of what we're doing. But behind the scenes, I didn't create what I've got now overnight. It's taken 25 years. And when we When we think about the issues and the challenges, I would urge someone to actually go and embrace them because as much as you feel the feel, and it feels that you're never going to get past it, everything will be okay. It is. This is what I always tell people, there is nothing outside of your health that can't be changed. I'd always say that if you are feeling in business that it is tough, just speak to someone because it just changes it. It's almost like your epiphany moment is sharing that problem and just getting someone's perspective. Also, you're running it through in your own head all the time. We can't outthink ourselves in a problem. We have to get it outside of our body.

Dawn McGruer (07:31)

So what do I do? I just think serial entrepreneur, and I think fundamentally, I just want to do unto others, have done to myself. And I think that is my ethos in life and business.

Susie Batista (07:47)

I briefly know your background only because I'm very inquisitive and we had a lovely lunch and I was asking you, how did it all start? Where did it all begin? And I think there'll be so many people who will want to know the same thing. So take me back. Take me way back. Talk to me about your base, your childhood, where you grew up, and then how you transitioned into what you're doing these days.

Dawn McGruer (08:15)

I think even as a child, I always felt really different. And different, I never just fitted in. I never wanted to do the same things as other kids did, but I was really contented. And I would just go off and do my own thing. And My mum and dad always say the best and worst gift they ever gave me was my first computer because I'd be up at five o'clock in the morning doing all the games, and then it'd be like,. They were like, My God, Dawn, get off the computer. But I was just always really hungry to learn, and I just always wanted to go and try things. Anything that I just wanted to go and explore, I just always felt like, Well, if someone else can do it, why can't I? That was the basis of how my parents brought me up because my dad's an entrepreneur. He has worked in finance. He was travelled all the time. I only saw him at weekends and not necessarily all the weekends because he was travelling in Europe and globally. They always said to me, everything's possible. I just always had this inner sense that, well, if they're doing it, I can do it.

Dawn McGruer (09:19)

I remember doing ice skating. My dad was like, Are you sure you want to do this? Then I started semi-pro ice skating, and then I joined a swim team. I just always felt fairly invincible. I didn't do the traditional route with school. I got expelled, which is ironic because I'm actually a qualified teacher now. What did you get expelled for, Dawn? I don't know. I think it was just... There was no one thing. It was just a general not being able to adhere to authority. I think that is something that has definitely played out in my later life. Because even when I got my first job, I just seemed to Excel in the corporate world. I never really fitted, I don't think, into anything until I found the business tribe. Everyone else went off to university. I did a year in college, fast-tracked my qualifications, and then I was like, I just want to work. My dad literally did not know I'd left college. I had to break the news to him once I'd got a job because my mum was like, Whatever you do, find a job, then break it to your dad. And got a job.

Dawn McGruer (10:23)

I just landed on my feet. My first job was like 30 grand. And back then, I remember just getting an unlimited Amex and travelling. It was just crazy because I was still 18, 19. And then I started my business at 21 after I did my Chartered Institute of Marketing Qualifications. I knew I liked business. I knew I liked psychology. I knew that I was just hungry in the marketing world. I got a scholarship with New Castle University, and I was just doing diplomas, diplomas, diplomas, qualifications, ended up with 12 of them. And then when I started my business, I had all of the absolute arrogance, I think, that I was like, everything's just going to be fine. It's just going to be the same as working in a corporate brand. So it wasn't. Got my first offices in Wilmslow, above the Rex cinema, where I used to go as a kid, which I loved, painted them bright yellow, metallic bright yellow from Bennington. It was this really funky agency building. I just went through this feast and famine, and it was tough. I remember ringing my dad going, I I just don't even know if I can do this.

Dawn McGruer (11:31)

This is hard because I moved out at 19 and bought a house. So I had offices, a house, all my bills, everything. And I was just like, This is crazy. So I remember just feeling that money worry. Everyone's had it, right? But it can make you sick. And I just kept saying to my dad, Oh, my God. And he's like, Dawn, just keep moving. You've got your health. And he used to say it was character building. So because I didn't have enough to do, obviously, at the same time, I decided I decided to then do my first book, invited 37 authors onto it, raised money for cancer research. Then it was endorsed by Sir Nigel Hawthorn. Then it had, well, it is the only publication in history that I know of that was allowed to publish and feature Woodrow Kipling's poem, If. So did that. I was like, 21.

Susie Batista (12:21)

So did that book come from a point of pain then? A point of- Yeah, totally.

Dawn McGruer (12:25)

My risk-taking was all to do with the fact that around about 19, 20. I lost six people in quick succession. So I just literally had an attitude of like, well, whatever. Like, what's the worst thing that can happen? You're going to die, and you're going to die at some point. So I may as well just do it anyway. So every Everything that came with that, it was literally, I was living it in my life and business. I mean, probably quite destructive to a degree, but it just changed my whole landscape. So I was like, I have no fear. I'll go and do this. I'll write a book. Why not? I'm 21. And everyone was like, What are you doing, Dawn? This is crazy. You'll never get it published. And I was like, Well, it's in every bookstore now. And I just rang the bookstores. And everyone was like, Well, how did you do it? Well, I had no script. No one had told me what to do. And it was just gumption. It was like, Do you know what? If I don't ask, I don't get. So I rang Waterstones. They started taking it. Blackwells.

Dawn McGruer (13:21)

And I just started ringing all of the wholesalers and stocking it. And then it was on Amazon. And then I had a book that people were walking into bookstores and buying. My agency, I think, was the biggest education because as I kept going through this feast and famine, I eventually broke the cycle because I realised the model and the messaging wouldn't work. But it didn't take a short period of time. And honestly, I think 18 months of going through that and push, push, pushing, my message wasn't clear. People didn't really get it. And then when I was like, Right, I am like a virtual business partner to people, people were like, Oh, I get this. Okay. So I was like, Well, this is the beginning of the Internet. I can get you online. I can get you more visibility. And then I started getting clearer and clearer on what I did. And people were like, Okay, I need a dawn in my life. So I started a community, and basically all of these business started coming to networking events.

Susie Batista (14:26)

You started the networking events? Yeah.

Dawn McGruer (14:28)

And that's where a business consult, one of my first embraces of my second business came from because I was like, I need to bring businesses together because they need to understand that actually online and face-to-face go hand-to-hand. I did them in car showrooms, Aston Martin. I did them in Park Lane, London, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Bentley. I just went to all the showrooms and said, Can I invite 150 people for a cocktail party with driving simulators, chocolate fountas, all of these things? I got sponsors, Cooots, HSBC, and I had this panel of experts as well that anyone who came to me, I was like, Look, I know the best person who can get you a mortgage or get you this. So business consorts It was like an online directory. And one of the business exhibitions in the Northwest said, Dawn, can you build us a networking platform? Because there was no social network there. Built the platform, 50,000 people later, I was like, Christ, what I'm doing with this? And then that's just how these global events started. So I started in the UK, and then I started doing some in Europe. The crazy thing was, is I was doing maybe two or three events a week.

Dawn McGruer (15:42)

I mean, I don't even know how I got through that with 150 people coming to these events. Is this you and a team? Yeah, I did hire a team, so I'd moved officers, but there was still only me and three. Me and three. So we were running a marketing agency. We were running... So that was Aurora Marketing. Then we were running the networking. And then everyone was like, Oh, my goodness, Dawn, this is amazing. You should be able to teach us. I was like, Yeah, I can do training courses. So everything I did was organically fueled by the customers. Built these courses, and they were like, Do you know what would be really magical, Dawn? If we could get some marketing training. Because I was doing all the strategy for BT, Microsoft, tech data, all of their marketing. And then they were like, But how do our team implement this? How do they actually utilise it? So at that time, there was so much that was unaccredited, uncertified. So because I didn't have enough to do, again, started a private university, business Consult Academy, so that I was now training the teams But it took me two years to get accredited.

Dawn McGruer (16:49)

I had to train as a teacher whilst working full-time. And yeah, I got my accreditation. And it is crazy because I was one of the youngest. I I don't think they embraced me particularly well because I think I was an unknown, and I definitely wasn't someone who conformed to authority. Anyway, I launched the qualifications, still doing them now, 30,000 students trained, and they graduate in Westminster. So two businesses down. Then in 2017, I decided that my passion was to go full circle and do what I had done myself for other people. Because it's like I saw people online, and as much as I was working in corporate, I was like, my passion is the people that lived my life, that walked my walk, that I'm seeing have the pain and the challenges, the money and the mindset. I can I want these people and I can get them to scale faster because literally I have done everything wrong in business at...]]>3c641c15-0d2f-4be1-9f6a-8a534dbdc495Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:15:00 +000054:13falsefull1441Episode 3 - How to confidentley show up on Social media🎧 Episode 3 – How to confidentley show up on Social media

In this episode, Susie opens up about the silent space that follows failures — the deals that collapse, the plans that fall apart, the moments when confidence feels like it’s disappeared. She shares how confidence isn’t something you “get back,” but something you rebuild, piece by piece, through tiny wins, truth-telling, reframing your language, reconnecting with the right people, and recommitting to movement. You’ll learn her Four R’s framework and why confidence is an identity, not an outcome.

Timestamps:

01:48 – Why confidence disappears after setbacks

03:47 – Losing identity and the mistake of trying to “get back” to who you were

05:37 – The four R’s of rebuilding

07:30 – Why community speeds up recovery

09:17 – You haven’t lost your confidence, just your connection to it

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Welcome to the Just Build It podcast. I am your host, Susie Batista. And before being a full-time property developer, I built and sold a luxury interior design firm. That chapter taught me far more than how to run a business. It taught me about standards, pressure, and confidence. This podcast is a space to talk honestly about money, mindset, and all the small decisions that shape our lives over time. If you're building something in business, in property, or in yourself, you're in the right place. This is Just Build It. Welcome to episode three of the Just Build It podcast. Thank you for sticking with me. So this episode is going to be about social media and visibility and why showing up on social media changes everything. But I'm not talking about it today in the way that it's usually talked about. So honestly, I really don't know anything about algorithms or trends or vanity metrics or growing to millions. That's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about how social media can just be truly incredible for your business, especially within home staging, interior design, property, Because that's what I know. And I can just home in on my experiences with social media, and how incredible that has actually been.

If it wasn't for social media and Instagram, I truly don't think I would have been able to sell my design business the way I did. So the person that bought the business was somebody that followed me on Instagram. And then I did a post about my business coach. Just a story, actually, not even a post. I did a story with my business coach and this particular person saw the story. She reached out to my business coach and started working with him because amazingly, she just thought, Okay, well, if he's coaching Susie and she's doing well. Then I want him to coach me. And then when I came to sell the business, he put the two of us together and the rest is history. So it really can be absolutely life-changing. And I bang on about social media and how people really need to show up and show their faces to so many of my designer friends who are incredible at what they do. Their designs are insane. And you know I'm talking about you, you guys. Their designs are amazing, and yet they're still not showing their face that much on social media. And it's just crazy because it's really what people want to see.

And I truly believe this, that people don't lack the ability. They just lack confidence in how they show up on social media. But when it's used properly, it's one of the safest places to practise being visible. And I just think you're just talking to your phone, you're behind a screen, you're not in front of hundreds of people. It's so safe to practise being visible. And I just think you might just recognise that in yourself. But hopefully, just that little one-liner can change things for you. It's one of the safest places to practise being visible. And when I first started with my home staging business, I just thought, I'm just going to have to start showing people what I'm doing. And for me, it was more that I wanted more work. And how I used to knock on estate agent doors and hand I'll send out flyers and try and be in magazines. And then I thought, how else do I reach people? I know. I'll get an Instagram and I'll start showing people what I'm doing. Because if I show people what I'm doing, then hopefully they'll book me for work. And it's really as simple as that.

It's really as simple as that. Show people what you do, show people who you are. And then they trust you, and then they invite you around, and then you can start working for them. It's not complicated, really. And I think what a lot of people do is they, from the very beginning, they think that they'll start posting more when they're more established, or they'll start posting more when they feel more confident, or when they look the part, or when they know exactly what they're doing or talking about. But But that is not a strategy to start gaining more clients and making more money through social media. And people are so worried about being judged, and they're worried about saying the wrong thing, and they're worried about not being taken seriously. And every time you hide from showing up on social media, you just reinforce that belief in yourself that you're just not ready. And you just have to practise it. And as I bang on, the confidence doesn't arrive, and then you show up. You show up, and then the confidence is built in the whole process. And social media really isn't about being polished, and it's not about practising things over and over again.

Every time that you complete a post, or you speak on camera on stories, or you share a thought, or you explain something that you know, what you're actually doing is teaching your nervous system that I can be seen and yet I'm still alive. And I find it so easy now to be able to just show up on stories. And I think how I've always dealt with this is that I am building a community of incredible, lovely, supportive people. And when I'm I'm talking, I'm just talking to you guys. Just like now in my podcast, I really do feel like everything I express in the way that I'm talking, I'm just talking to just incredibly great people that need to hear something on that particular day or needs inspiring or needs that confidence boost. And I'm here to help And that is the same with social media. You are there to... The best way to sell on social media is to show people how you can help them. How can your designs or how can your properties or if you're not in the property industry, whatever you're doing, what are you doing to help people? I feel like we all love to help people.

And as soon as you get that into your brain, that was a bit harsh, get that into your brain. As soon as you start to realise that, okay, I'm going to show up on stories, and I'm going to make a post, and I'm going to talk myself because I want to help people, then would you not do that? And also, don't forget that Because this is major. People don't trust what they can't see. And it's so true. Why are we so scared of the dark? We can't see it. We don't know what's there. It doesn't feel good. And people don't invest in what they don't understand. If you want people to buy from you and book you for your services and you're charging good amounts of money, how can they do that if they don't really understand what you're offering or who you actually are? So here's some Advice. If you are just going through all the feels right now in terms of social media. Repetition. The more you speak and the more you do it, the more natural your voice becomes. But you've got to start and you've got to do it. And you'll look back at those posts from the beginning and you'll just be like, Oh my God, how cringe.

But After the fifth post, and the 10th, and the 20th, and the 100th, you'll be like, God, you've got it down to a T. And the second is clarity. So explaining something publicly forces you to understand it properly. And I definitely found this on our property page on RSPN. The more I was able to talk about base rates and numbers and percentages and yields and try and help other people, the more I really, really started to understand it myself and had utter clarity of what our business was and how it functions and how property functions. So it will benefit you as well as your listeners. And proof. So stop guessing whether you can do this. Just do it and you'll see the evidence. You'll see the proof there. Just stop overthinking it. Stop wondering, Can I do it? Just do it and you'll see there, black and white. You've done it. You've made a post. It's fine. Nobody died. Everybody loved it. And the fourth piece of advice is to carry over confidence. And this is the really important part. So what you practise online will naturally spill into real life. So if you can get on stories and you can get behind a camera, and you can do a post, a talking post, and you can explain things to people.

If you can actually do that behind a camera, then it's going to start to reveal itself in real life, too. You'll start...]]>🎧 Episode 3 – How to confidentley show up on Social media

In this episode, Susie opens up about the silent space that follows failures — the deals that collapse, the plans that fall apart, the moments when confidence feels like it’s disappeared. She shares how confidence isn’t something you “get back,” but something you rebuild, piece by piece, through tiny wins, truth-telling, reframing your language, reconnecting with the right people, and recommitting to movement. You’ll learn her Four R’s framework and why confidence is an identity, not an outcome.

Timestamps:

01:48 – Why confidence disappears after setbacks

03:47 – Losing identity and the mistake of trying to “get back” to who you were

05:37 – The four R’s of rebuilding

07:30 – Why community speeds up recovery

09:17 – You haven’t lost your confidence, just your connection to it

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Welcome to the Just Build It podcast. I am your host, Susie Batista. And before being a full-time property developer, I built and sold a luxury interior design firm. That chapter taught me far more than how to run a business. It taught me about standards, pressure, and confidence. This podcast is a space to talk honestly about money, mindset, and all the small decisions that shape our lives over time. If you're building something in business, in property, or in yourself, you're in the right place. This is Just Build It. Welcome to episode three of the Just Build It podcast. Thank you for sticking with me. So this episode is going to be about social media and visibility and why showing up on social media changes everything. But I'm not talking about it today in the way that it's usually talked about. So honestly, I really don't know anything about algorithms or trends or vanity metrics or growing to millions. That's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about how social media can just be truly incredible for your business, especially within home staging, interior design, property, Because that's what I know. And I can just home in on my experiences with social media, and how incredible that has actually been.

If it wasn't for social media and Instagram, I truly don't think I would have been able to sell my design business the way I did. So the person that bought the business was somebody that followed me on Instagram. And then I did a post about my business coach. Just a story, actually, not even a post. I did a story with my business coach and this particular person saw the story. She reached out to my business coach and started working with him because amazingly, she just thought, Okay, well, if he's coaching Susie and she's doing well. Then I want him to coach me. And then when I came to sell the business, he put the two of us together and the rest is history. So it really can be absolutely life-changing. And I bang on about social media and how people really need to show up and show their faces to so many of my designer friends who are incredible at what they do. Their designs are insane. And you know I'm talking about you, you guys. Their designs are amazing, and yet they're still not showing their face that much on social media. And it's just crazy because it's really what people want to see.

And I truly believe this, that people don't lack the ability. They just lack confidence in how they show up on social media. But when it's used properly, it's one of the safest places to practise being visible. And I just think you're just talking to your phone, you're behind a screen, you're not in front of hundreds of people. It's so safe to practise being visible. And I just think you might just recognise that in yourself. But hopefully, just that little one-liner can change things for you. It's one of the safest places to practise being visible. And when I first started with my home staging business, I just thought, I'm just going to have to start showing people what I'm doing. And for me, it was more that I wanted more work. And how I used to knock on estate agent doors and hand I'll send out flyers and try and be in magazines. And then I thought, how else do I reach people? I know. I'll get an Instagram and I'll start showing people what I'm doing. Because if I show people what I'm doing, then hopefully they'll book me for work. And it's really as simple as that.

It's really as simple as that. Show people what you do, show people who you are. And then they trust you, and then they invite you around, and then you can start working for them. It's not complicated, really. And I think what a lot of people do is they, from the very beginning, they think that they'll start posting more when they're more established, or they'll start posting more when they feel more confident, or when they look the part, or when they know exactly what they're doing or talking about. But But that is not a strategy to start gaining more clients and making more money through social media. And people are so worried about being judged, and they're worried about saying the wrong thing, and they're worried about not being taken seriously. And every time you hide from showing up on social media, you just reinforce that belief in yourself that you're just not ready. And you just have to practise it. And as I bang on, the confidence doesn't arrive, and then you show up. You show up, and then the confidence is built in the whole process. And social media really isn't about being polished, and it's not about practising things over and over again.

Every time that you complete a post, or you speak on camera on stories, or you share a thought, or you explain something that you know, what you're actually doing is teaching your nervous system that I can be seen and yet I'm still alive. And I find it so easy now to be able to just show up on stories. And I think how I've always dealt with this is that I am building a community of incredible, lovely, supportive people. And when I'm I'm talking, I'm just talking to you guys. Just like now in my podcast, I really do feel like everything I express in the way that I'm talking, I'm just talking to just incredibly great people that need to hear something on that particular day or needs inspiring or needs that confidence boost. And I'm here to help And that is the same with social media. You are there to... The best way to sell on social media is to show people how you can help them. How can your designs or how can your properties or if you're not in the property industry, whatever you're doing, what are you doing to help people? I feel like we all love to help people.

And as soon as you get that into your brain, that was a bit harsh, get that into your brain. As soon as you start to realise that, okay, I'm going to show up on stories, and I'm going to make a post, and I'm going to talk myself because I want to help people, then would you not do that? And also, don't forget that Because this is major. People don't trust what they can't see. And it's so true. Why are we so scared of the dark? We can't see it. We don't know what's there. It doesn't feel good. And people don't invest in what they don't understand. If you want people to buy from you and book you for your services and you're charging good amounts of money, how can they do that if they don't really understand what you're offering or who you actually are? So here's some Advice. If you are just going through all the feels right now in terms of social media. Repetition. The more you speak and the more you do it, the more natural your voice becomes. But you've got to start and you've got to do it. And you'll look back at those posts from the beginning and you'll just be like, Oh my God, how cringe.

But After the fifth post, and the 10th, and the 20th, and the 100th, you'll be like, God, you've got it down to a T. And the second is clarity. So explaining something publicly forces you to understand it properly. And I definitely found this on our property page on RSPN. The more I was able to talk about base rates and numbers and percentages and yields and try and help other people, the more I really, really started to understand it myself and had utter clarity of what our business was and how it functions and how property functions. So it will benefit you as well as your listeners. And proof. So stop guessing whether you can do this. Just do it and you'll see the evidence. You'll see the proof there. Just stop overthinking it. Stop wondering, Can I do it? Just do it and you'll see there, black and white. You've done it. You've made a post. It's fine. Nobody died. Everybody loved it. And the fourth piece of advice is to carry over confidence. And this is the really important part. So what you practise online will naturally spill into real life. So if you can get on stories and you can get behind a camera, and you can do a post, a talking post, and you can explain things to people.

If you can actually do that behind a camera, then it's going to start to reveal itself in real life, too. You'll start to go to more networking events and talking to people at business lunches. And when you're meeting your clients, all of these helpful things that you've been talking about online and doing posts and useful information, you're going to just naturally start talking like that in real life, too. So I always felt that the more that I showed up on social media, the easier networking felt, the steadier that I felt walking into rooms, and the clearer that I spoke, and the less I went in on myself, Because what you're doing, you're actually practising being seen. And social media can become training, not just for followers, but for your self-belief. And I would say that most people overthink social media because they think it's like a performance. It's just a big drama, and you have to be totally fake, and It's not. It's just a conversation. And you're not talking to everybody. You're talking to the person who really needs what you know. So you don't need to be really loud, and you don't need to be controversial, and you don't need to be perfect.

You just need to be consistent. That is a massive key. Be consist and always show up, and just be real. I get the loveliest comments from people, and it's a common theme of comments and DMs that I've had since I had my interior design firm, which I grew my Instagram quite big. And somebody actually said this to me today, which was lovely because I feel like I've not heard it for ages, but now I'm growing my personal brand. People finding me again. Is that I'm able to come across as confident and knowing what I'm talking about, but in a really humble way and in a very real way and a very grounded way. So honestly, every time I hear that, I feel so happy because that is me. I am confident in what I'm talking about. I love to help people, and I don't lose who I am. So if you can do that, if you can just be you, authentically you, talk about what you know, people will really see that. So if you want to use social media to build confidence, then here's I would suggest starting. Post to practise speaking, not to impress.

Just to practise, okay? Don't worry about impressing anybody right now. Just post to practise. Number two, share what you're learning, not what you've mastered, not always what you've mastered. People love to hear things that you You've just discovered. People love to hear how you failed and how you've grown. It doesn't always have to be what you're an absolute expert at. Number three, repeat yourself. Clarity comes from repetition. Repeat your message, repeat what you're saying. People will love to hear it. And as your followers grow, then they probably won't all scroll down to the very end. So repeat your messages because it's not going to be seen by the same people each time. That's something I've had to learn, actually. Number four, so let it feel uncomfortable because that's where growth really happens. And I can just talk about that all day long. You know that I can by now, but let it feel uncomfortable because the growth happens there. And The fifth practical takeaway for you is remember, confidence grows after action, not before. I had to get that one in. That is a definite tagline of mine, but it's so true. Just do it.

And the confidence will grow after, not before. So a few reflection questions. Really ask yourself, Where am I hiding because I think I'm not ready? And why am I hiding because I think I'm not ready? And then another would be, what would change if I used social media as practise, not pressure? And how would my confidence grow if I allowed myself to be seen more often? This is honestly why I care so deeply about confidence, because when you feel confident in your business, in your numbers, in your voice, you really do start to walk differently and speak differently and hold yourself differently. And social media can really be the place that you start practising that. So not only will it be incredible for your business and for yourself, your sales and your clients, it can just be the place where everything changes in terms of your confidence. So on closing that, never forget that every expert was once a beginner. So start where you are and build forward. And never forget that nothing changes without taking massive action.

In this episode, Susie shares how confidence is built, not a personality trait you’re born with, but a skill you grow by taking action. Drawing from her journey from shy child to property developer, she explains why you shouldn’t wait to feel ready before doing something bold and how stepping out of your comfort zone repeatedly earns real confidence.

Timestamps:

00:35 – Susie’s early lessons in confidence

02:09 – How small actions pushed her out of her comfort zone

03:35 – Confidence isn’t a personality trait — it’s earned

05:19 – Acting before feeling ready in business and property

07:13 – First stage experience: nerves, mistakes, and growth

08:27 – Your action step: do the thing that makes you uncomfortable

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

Welcome to the Just Build It podcast. I am your host, Susie Batista.

Susie Batista (00:05)

And before being a full-time property developer, I built and sold a luxury interior design firm. That chapter taught me far more than how to run a business. It taught me about standards, pressure, and confidence. This podcast is a space to talk honestly about money, mindset, and all the small decisions that shape our lives over time. If you're building something in business, in property, or in yourself, you're in the right place. This is Just Build It.

Susie Batista (00:35)

Welcome to episode 2 of the Just Build It podcast. Thank you for sticking around. I appreciate that. So this episode is all about confidence and where it really comes from. And some people may be surprised to hear that I was actually such a shy child. I, acutely shy, used to hide behind my parents' legs and just really not want to talk to anybody. I'd get dropped off at brownies or rainbows when they had events and there'd be people there that I didn't know, and I'd just be so upset. I was talking to my dad about this the other day, And I said, Dad, what did you use to think? He said, I'll be honest, I was worried about you. I was worried that you'd just turn into a really shy adult. So what he did is he started at a very early age to push me out of my comfort zone. So for example, we were walking home one day, I think I was about eight or nine, and somebody had left their keys in their car door. Yes, Gen Zs. That was a thing. You had to open up your car door with a set of keys, not just like a ding, ding.

Susie Batista (02:09)

Anyway, keys were in the car door and my dad said, Soos, go and knock on their front door. He stood at the end of the drive, go and knock on their front door, tell them that they've left their keys in their car. And for a very, very, very shy eight-year-old, can you imagine? But I did it because I respected my mum and my dad greatly. So I did it. And then afterwards, he said, How did that make you feel? I was like, Actually, really good. And you're like, Wow, I actually did it. And lots of little things like that along the way, always, you know, Sue's, go and ask the waitress over there where our drinks are. Or go and ask the waitress over there for colouring books. And I'd go and do it, again, because I respected my parents. But all All those little acts very quietly, but confidently, pushed me out of my comfort zone. And I guess made me realise that what was I so worried about? As soon as you start to actually do it, you're like, That wasn't so bad. And with me, For me, especially, I would say confidence was 100 % not a personality trait.

Susie Batista (03:35)

It was something that I really did build through taking action. And I know there are many people out there who come out of the room singing and dancing and twirling and My daughter is definitely one of those people. And we all look at her and say, who's daughter is this? So sometimes you've either got it or you've not. But that's from a real personal confidence inside of you. But in terms of confidence with business, and I think this is where a lot of people do get stuck. Most people wait to feel confident before doing something really bold. So they wait to be a bit more knowledgeable or all those sorts of things before doing something bold. But confidence doesn't show up before the action. It shows up after. And there have been so many times where I have felt completely underqualified and not confident. And I sometimes think, what belief held me back for too long? And I would say that was definitely a belief in property. And I've said this before, when I have my design firm, I could design houses all day long. But when it came to buying them and bridging them and refinancing them and then selling them, that was just like learning Chinese.

Susie Batista (05:19)

It sounds really simple, and it actually is very simple, but I had it in my head that I wasn't going to be good at it because put an Excel spreadsheet, a spreadsheet in front of me and start giving me big numbers and percentages and yields and all that stuff. And I just go, oh. And property is very, very number, number heavy. And so I did use to walk into these networking events, being from a design world to suddenly being a property developer after I saw my business and just thinking, Oh my God, I don't know what I'm talking about. I did not feel confident, but I did it because I'd always been taught that from my mentors, from coaches. Get yourself in those rooms that feel big and scary and push you out of your comfort zone, and you will just come out so good from it. And I stick by that. And I invite you to do the same. Just push yourself out of your comfort zone, and the confidence really will follow. And it's totally earned by doing the thing before you feel ready. And I would say to you, if you want to take some action on confidence, then try and pick that one thing that makes you feel super uncomfortable, whether that is going to a networking event or standing up and doing a talk about your expertise or be on a panel, go on a podcast.

Susie Batista (07:13)

There's all these incredible opportunities There's a lot of changes out there that will push you. And you won't always feel confident about it. The very first time I got up on stage, in my head, I was going to be all right. And I was excited about it. I'd really, really planned everything down to the T, and I got on stage and I just felt so nervous. My voice started to warble. I had these cue cards. I was holding cue cards and holding a mic and everything was getting really slippy and I was forgetting my next slide, and it was just... I felt like it went terrible. But the feedback I had from that was that it was amazing. That inspired people. But I did it because I've got on my vision boards. I've had on my vision boards for ages that I'm going to stand and do public speaking. And you've got to start, right? Can't just dream about it. So I did it. And then after that, I felt amazing. And then since then, the more I've done, it just... You still get that little nervous feeling, but the confidence is definitely growing. So it's amazing.

Susie Batista (08:27)

So do that one thing that makes you uncomfortable. Book the networking event, reach out to somebody, ask somebody for a coffee that you're always nervous about asking, and do it without negotiating with yourself. Just Do it really, really quickly. If you're listening to this podcast, you're in the car, pull over, write an email, pull over, write a text message. If you're listening to it on a walk, get your phone out and do that thing. Then you're like, I've done it. I've done it. And let the confidence follow because trust me, it will follow. And don't forget to just keep going. You're closer than you think. And just to end it, nothing changes without taking massive action.

In this episode, Susie breaks down what really stops people from starting, not time, not money, but hesitation and overthinking. She shares the behavioural research behind action paralysis, why “ready” is a myth, and the three practical steps anyone can take to finally begin. This is a straight-talk, zero-fluff episode designed to push you into visible action today.

Timestamps:

01:32 – Why “I’ll start when…” is holding you back

03:02 – Action paralysis and mistaking planning for progress

04:54 – How imperfect action rewires fear

06:38 – Susie’s 3 top tips for building anything

10:18 – The power of accountability

11:30 – Your action for this week

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

You're listening to the Just Build It Podcast. Real conversations about business, growth, and everything that comes with chasing a bigger life. I'm Susie Batista, property developer, speaker, and someone who's learned that building anything worthwhile never really comes with a manual. This isn't about perfection or overnight success. It's about that messy middle The lessons, the setbacks, and the courage to keep going when no one's clapping yet. You'll hear stories from entrepreneurs, mentors, and creatives who've turned struggle into strength, and sometimes just from me, sharing the unfiltered side of building a business and a life on your own terms. Let's get into it. Welcome to episode one of Just Build It. I really wanted to call this podcast Just Do It, but Nike took it, so it's just build it, which is a perfect play off on what I do as a property developer and had a career as an interior designer. So we call Just build it, just build it, which is actually quite a good way to say if you just put one brick on top of the other, on top of the other, on top of the other, slowly, slowly, if you just do it, in the end, You will build something incredible.

Susie Batista (01:32)

So we are on episode one, and today I want to talk about how to start building when you have no time, no money, and no idea where to begin. And what I would say to all of those things is you've just got a lot of excuses, really. And you know that voice that says, I'll start when I've got more time, I'll start when I've saved a bit more. Or I'll start when I'm ready. Honestly, that voice is holding you back. It is not your friend. It's keeping you in your comfort zone. There's actually a fact from the London School of Economics, and they did a behavioural study last year that found 68% of adults in the UK delay starting a new goal or venture because they feel they don't know enough yet. 68 %. But here's the thing. The clarity doesn't come first. It's created by starting it. Did you know how to walk before you walked? No. Did you really know how to talk before you talked? No. But you heard people and you mimicked it and you tried and you babbled and you got it all wrong and then eventually you started to talk.

Susie Batista (03:02)

The same with walking, the same with anything that you're doing now. You weren't good at it at the beginning. And the truth is, nobody feels ready. Every entrepreneur that I know, at least, even the ones who look like they have it all together, started scared. They didn't have a full plan, and some didn't even have momentum. There's something psychologists call action paralysis, and it's when you mistake planning for progress. Oh my gosh. I have done this a lot, trust me. And you make lists, you tweak your logo, you read one more article, and it feels like you are actually doing something, but you're really not. And it's the reason why nowadays I just go for it within a matter of days, because if I start to procrastinate and I start to get everything perfect or want to get everything perfect, it just doesn't happen. And again, University College of London found that the longer you delay taking the first visible action, the lower your chance of ever starting it at all. Because hesitation strengthens fear. Action, even imperfect action, is what rewires it. I'm going to say that again. Action, even imperfect action is what rewires it, which is your brain.

Susie Batista (04:54)

When I started, I didn't know what bridging finance was in property. I didn't know how to find investors. It was all so new to me. My entire life had been interior design, but not really property development. And we can talk about my whole journey within interior design and cabin crew, but right now I am a full-time property developer. And all I could do is take one step at a time. I'd go and view a property, I'd talk to an agent, I'd start posting on Instagram about what we were doing. And every small action, built evidence, and evidence builds belief. So what do you actually need to begin? It's the biggest question. Forget any Any 10-step business plan or 10-year goal. And I know even my mentor would kill me for saying that. It's just something I don't believe in. I feel like you should really start to break things up into weeks and months and just bite-size pieces. Like the famous GCSE bite-size education, there's a reason for it. If you start Start asking GCSE students what they want to be when they're 40 and 50, and they suddenly start to freak out a bit.

Susie Batista (06:38)

But if you just take things bite size, it really genuinely works. So here are my three top tips to start building anything. So I would always say, number one, direction, not detail. You don't need a perfect plan. You just need a reason. What is your why? Why do you want to do it? And if you write one sentence that finishes this, I'm building this because... Then that is your compass. That's where you want to go. I'm building this because of financial freedom. I'm building this because I want to be able to go out to any restaurant that I want at any time of the day and not have to worry about the bill. I'm building this because I want to be able to take my children to activities or theme park over the holidays and not have to worry about money. I'm building this because I know I can do more with my life. I'm building I'm doing this because I'm later on or I'm mature in life and I just want to do something for me and worthy. There are so many reasons. Just write that down. Why do you want to do what you want to do?

Susie Batista (08:19)

Why are you building this? Two, consistency before confidence. Confidence does doesn't lead to consistency. Consistency builds confidence. Small steps daily builds confidence. To what you want to do. And according to Cambridge's Wellbeing Institute, people who take one small measurable action daily Increase self-belief by up to 50 % within a month. That is incredible. Number three, accountability. So another study has found that you are 65 % more likely to achieve a goal when you commit it to someone else. So tell someone and ask them to check in with you. Even one message of accountability changes everything. I am so fortunate enough that I have remained or my husband. And as soon as I tell him that I want to go for something, gosh, he is on me. He holds me massively accountable. And if you are a friend of mine or a family member of mine, that has ever told me that you are interested in doing something, you can bet that is the first thing I will be asking when we're together over a message, how's it going? And yes, it makes people feel uncomfortable when they've not actually done anything about it, and it should make you feel uncomfortable.

Susie Batista (10:18)

And that is the difference between an entrepreneur and somebody that just wants to feel very comfortable. If I've not done something and Ramaya says, How are you getting on with it? It makes me feel so bad and so embarrassed, and I will just go and just do it straight away. So let's end this podcast short and sweet, and I want to give you an action to do this week. So if you pick one thing that you've been over thinking and make it visible. So at Actually, find an image on Pinterest, on Canva. Think about that one thing that you've been wanting to do and get it in an image and have it on your phone because it suddenly starts to become real. And then send the message that you need to send to help you get there. Make the call, post something on Instagram, book a viewing. You don't need to make it perfect. You just need to make it real. You need to make it come alive. You need to put it out there. If you liked this podcast, then you can join the Just Build It newsletter at www.Justbuildit.uk And if your team or event ever needs someone to talk about business, mindset, and taking brave action, then you can get in touch with me direct through Instagram or at justbuildit.uk

Susie Batista (12:14)

I'm Susie Vatista. And remember, don't]]>🎧 Episode 1 – The power of acting before you feel ready

In this episode, Susie breaks down what really stops people from starting, not time, not money, but hesitation and overthinking. She shares the behavioural research behind action paralysis, why “ready” is a myth, and the three practical steps anyone can take to finally begin. This is a straight-talk, zero-fluff episode designed to push you into visible action today.

Timestamps:

01:32 – Why “I’ll start when…” is holding you back

03:02 – Action paralysis and mistaking planning for progress

04:54 – How imperfect action rewires fear

06:38 – Susie’s 3 top tips for building anything

10:18 – The power of accountability

11:30 – Your action for this week

🎤 Book Susie Batista to Speak

Bring Susie to your stage or podcast to inspire your audience with real stories about building wealth, confidence, and freedom.

📥 Download the Speaker Kit → susiebatista.com/speaker

📧 Bookings → bookings@susiebatista.com

💌 Join the Just Build It Newsletter

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, investing tips, and mindset tools — direct to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here → susiebatista.com/newsletter

Connect with Susie:

Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Transcript:

Susie Batista (00:00)

You're listening to the Just Build It Podcast. Real conversations about business, growth, and everything that comes with chasing a bigger life. I'm Susie Batista, property developer, speaker, and someone who's learned that building anything worthwhile never really comes with a manual. This isn't about perfection or overnight success. It's about that messy middle The lessons, the setbacks, and the courage to keep going when no one's clapping yet. You'll hear stories from entrepreneurs, mentors, and creatives who've turned struggle into strength, and sometimes just from me, sharing the unfiltered side of building a business and a life on your own terms. Let's get into it. Welcome to episode one of Just Build It. I really wanted to call this podcast Just Do It, but Nike took it, so it's just build it, which is a perfect play off on what I do as a property developer and had a career as an interior designer. So we call Just build it, just build it, which is actually quite a good way to say if you just put one brick on top of the other, on top of the other, on top of the other, slowly, slowly, if you just do it, in the end, You will build something incredible.

Susie Batista (01:32)

So we are on episode one, and today I want to talk about how to start building when you have no time, no money, and no idea where to begin. And what I would say to all of those things is you've just got a lot of excuses, really. And you know that voice that says, I'll start when I've got more time, I'll start when I've saved a bit more. Or I'll start when I'm ready. Honestly, that voice is holding you back. It is not your friend. It's keeping you in your comfort zone. There's actually a fact from the London School of Economics, and they did a behavioural study last year that found 68% of adults in the UK delay starting a new goal or venture because they feel they don't know enough yet. 68 %. But here's the thing. The clarity doesn't come first. It's created by starting it. Did you know how to walk before you walked? No. Did you really know how to talk before you talked? No. But you heard people and you mimicked it and you tried and you babbled and you got it all wrong and then eventually you started to talk.

Susie Batista (03:02)

The same with walking, the same with anything that you're doing now. You weren't good at it at the beginning. And the truth is, nobody feels ready. Every entrepreneur that I know, at least, even the ones who look like they have it all together, started scared. They didn't have a full plan, and some didn't even have momentum. There's something psychologists call action paralysis, and it's when you mistake planning for progress. Oh my gosh. I have done this a lot, trust me. And you make lists, you tweak your logo, you read one more article, and it feels like you are actually doing something, but you're really not. And it's the reason why nowadays I just go for it within a matter of days, because if I start to procrastinate and I start to get everything perfect or want to get everything perfect, it just doesn't happen. And again, University College of London found that the longer you delay taking the first visible action, the lower your chance of ever starting it at all. Because hesitation strengthens fear. Action, even imperfect action, is what rewires it. I'm going to say that again. Action, even imperfect action is what rewires it, which is your brain.

Susie Batista (04:54)

When I started, I didn't know what bridging finance was in property. I didn't know how to find investors. It was all so new to me. My entire life had been interior design, but not really property development. And we can talk about my whole journey within interior design and cabin crew, but right now I am a full-time property developer. And all I could do is take one step at a time. I'd go and view a property, I'd talk to an agent, I'd start posting on Instagram about what we were doing. And every small action, built evidence, and evidence builds belief. So what do you actually need to begin? It's the biggest question. Forget any Any 10-step business plan or 10-year goal. And I know even my mentor would kill me for saying that. It's just something I don't believe in. I feel like you should really start to break things up into weeks and months and just bite-size pieces. Like the famous GCSE bite-size education, there's a reason for it. If you start Start asking GCSE students what they want to be when they're 40 and 50, and they suddenly start to freak out a bit.

Susie Batista (06:38)

But if you just take things bite size, it really genuinely works. So here are my three top tips to start building anything. So I would always say, number one, direction, not detail. You don't need a perfect plan. You just need a reason. What is your why? Why do you want to do it? And if you write one sentence that finishes this, I'm building this because... Then that is your compass. That's where you want to go. I'm building this because of financial freedom. I'm building this because I want to be able to go out to any restaurant that I want at any time of the day and not have to worry about the bill. I'm building this because I want to be able to take my children to activities or theme park over the holidays and not have to worry about money. I'm building this because I know I can do more with my life. I'm building I'm doing this because I'm later on or I'm mature in life and I just want to do something for me and worthy. There are so many reasons. Just write that down. Why do you want to do what you want to do?

Susie Batista (08:19)

Why are you building this? Two, consistency before confidence. Confidence does doesn't lead to consistency. Consistency builds confidence. Small steps daily builds confidence. To what you want to do. And according to Cambridge's Wellbeing Institute, people who take one small measurable action daily Increase self-belief by up to 50 % within a month. That is incredible. Number three, accountability. So another study has found that you are 65 % more likely to achieve a goal when you commit it to someone else. So tell someone and ask them to check in with you. Even one message of accountability changes everything. I am so fortunate enough that I have remained or my husband. And as soon as I tell him that I want to go for something, gosh, he is on me. He holds me massively accountable. And if you are a friend of mine or a family member of mine, that has ever told me that you are interested in doing something, you can bet that is the first thing I will be asking when we're together over a message, how's it going? And yes, it makes people feel uncomfortable when they've not actually done anything about it, and it should make you feel uncomfortable.

Susie Batista (10:18)

And that is the difference between an entrepreneur and somebody that just wants to feel very comfortable. If I've not done something and Ramaya says, How are you getting on with it? It makes me feel so bad and so embarrassed, and I will just go and just do it straight away. So let's end this podcast short and sweet, and I want to give you an action to do this week. So if you pick one thing that you've been over thinking and make it visible. So at Actually, find an image on Pinterest, on Canva. Think about that one thing that you've been wanting to do and get it in an image and have it on your phone because it suddenly starts to become real. And then send the message that you need to send to help you get there. Make the call, post something on Instagram, book a viewing. You don't need to make it perfect. You just need to make it real. You need to make it come alive. You need to put it out there. If you liked this podcast, then you can join the Just Build It newsletter at www.Justbuildit.uk And if your team or event ever needs someone to talk about business, mindset, and taking brave action, then you can get in touch with me direct through Instagram or at justbuildit.uk

Susie Batista (12:14)

I'm Susie Vatista. And remember, don't wait for perfect. Just build it.