Hashtag Authentic - a podcast for online brands, businesses and creatives

Jen Carrington is a coach for big-hearted creative business owners based in Manchester, UK. We first met when she was launching her coaching business and I was looking to take my blog a bit more seriously, and three years down the line we've both learned and grown an awful lot. In this episode we reflect on the lessons that business and money have taught us both, and Jen shares the secrets of structuring a working week for the self employed.

“Anything that has ever changed your life - that person had to stop being afraid of self promotion. They had to pitch the book agent, they had to write promotional tweets, they had to work with a PR agency and talk themselves up. That's the reality of putting yourself out there." Sarah Von Bargen is a writer and teacher who’s been blogging for nearly a decade at Yes and Yes. In that time she has travelled the world, created ebooks, ecourses, appsand more, and been featured in places like Forbes.com, Lifehacker, Problogger and Glamour. And she says she only really started trying quite recently! She is a living gold mine of wit and wisdom, and in this episode we talk about two topics that are close to her heart. Intentionality – in our online actions, and in our spending too.

Xanthe Berkeley is a photographer and videographer with a penchant for stop-frame photography and cheerful colour. A a self-confessed 'project fountain', she's able to chart her own creative and professional development by the projects and assignments she has embraced along the way. By the end of this episode I defy anyone to not want to find their own new initiative, and follow in Xanthe's footsteps creating for pleasure and passion without caring about the response.

Kat Molesworth is a blogger, photographer and vlogger, and founder of Blogtacular, an annual UK conference for bloggers and online creative folk. She is also a font of knowledge on all things blogging and internet related, so I wanted to get her take on the future of blogging, and whether or not it’s really important for online creatives.

Sas Petherick is a UK-based coach who specialises in helping women experiencing self doubt. I first met her through Instagram a year ago, and was struck by how much insight and wisdom she could drop into the most incidental moments of casual conversation. She also makes me laugh until it hurts. For anyone who's ever felt like an imposter in their own career, or like their self doubt is holding them back in life, this episode is essential listening. I think you're going to love it.

Hannah Argyle has over 200k followers on Instagram, as well as a successful lifestyle blog and partnerships with a heap of big name brands. I called her up for this episode to get the scoop on how she balances motherhood, the expectations of her Instagram audience and her own creative desires.

This episode is 'mailing list 101', for people who don't have one, people who think they don't need one, or for people who have one but aren't doing anything about it...

This week I talk to US-based business coach Tara Swiger about the importance of creating for your right people on instagram and beyond, and why finding them is the secret to achieving your dreams online.

With over 66k followers on instagram, Jono Smart says about 90% of his business comes via the platform in one form or another. His signature minimalist designs can sell out in a matter of hours, and he’s now in demand across the world as a contemporary potter. I called him up for a chat about sales, keeping a healthy Instagram mindset, future-proofing his business, instagram as a creative 'gateway drug', & his frank online sharing of living with Bipolar disorder.

'Comparison is the thief of joy'. We've all heard, read or pinned it on Pinterest, but how can we keep our worry about other people's success in perspective, and avoid falling into the comparison trap? This week I share lessons I've learned about learning from our envy at other people's achievements, and how to handle the fear of failure when it hits.

This week I chat with Dominique, better known as AllThatIsShe on Instagram. In the last 12 months she has gained over 100k followers from scratch, simply by sharing her uniquely beautiful, fresh and innovative content. We talk about how she did it, finding a balance when sharing her family life, and her go-to photo staples for Instagram success.

This week I'm talking with Instagram royalist, Philippa Stanton of 5ftinf. With over 460k followers, Philippa was a pioneer of the whole flatlay movement with her colourful 'domestic foraging' shot at her kitchen table. We talk about the early days of Instagram, authenticity, staying fresh and creative, and following our obsessions - wherever they may take us. Find show notes at meandorla.co.uk/podcast3

How can you get more Instagram followers without having to resort to shady tactics? Is it still possible to grow just by using honest engagement and great content? I'm sharing the 5 deceptively simple strategies I've used to grow my account to 152k that can work for everybody, right now.

Why do you seem to lose followers every day on Instagram no matter what you do? In this episode, we look at this tactic people use to grow their accounts - why they do it, what it means, and why ultimately, it's a bad idea for your Instagram account.