When you start a business, it’s easy to tell yourself you’ll sort the balance later. Later, when things calm down. Later, when it’s successful enough.

In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev shares what she’d do differently if she started again, and it starts with building a business around life, not squeezing life in around work. From the invisible mental load of being a business owner to the slow creep of overwork, she unpacks how good intentions can turn into burnout.

You’ll hear practical reflections on boundaries, delegation, energy, and designing your week with intention, plus a simple challenge to help you put yourself back into the picture. Because a business that costs you your life isn’t success at all.

We’re often taught that leadership is about control, authority, and having all the answers. But what if real leadership starts somewhere quieter, with self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the courage to change how you show up?

In this episode, Bev is joined by Nicky, whose career began with more than two decades in the Metropolitan Police, before moving into coaching and leadership development. Drawing on frontline experience, Nicky shares what she learned about pressure, responsibility, and the limits of trying to change other people - and why the only real power we have is how we choose to respond.

They explore what happens when high-performing environments ignore emotional wellbeing, how burnout creeps in unnoticed, and why being “strong” doesn’t mean shutting everything down.

Nicky talks candidly about learning to listen differently, creating psychological safety, and leading in a way that allows people to feel heard, valued, and trusted, even when things are busy or difficult. This conversation is about modern leadership, personal responsibility, and the quiet mindset shifts that can transform teams, relationships, and yourself.

If you’re leading people, managing pressure, or questioning how you show up at work and at home, this episode offers clarity, perspective, and a calmer way forward.

In this live episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev takes the podcast to the Vibrant Supper Club for an evening of food, conversation, and connection. Local business owners share what they’ve learned this year, the advice they’re taking into the new year, and what keeps them going.

From the importance of community to reflections on health, energy, and purpose, this episode captures the honest, human side of business. Bev joins the conversation too, sharing her own insights and the moments that make life and work feel meaningful.