2026 feels like the year personal branding stops being optional. Not in an influencer sense, but in a practical one. In this episode, I talk about what it really means to put yourself out there, why being seen by people who already know you is the hardest part, and how visibility often comes before confidence. This is about clarity, consistency, and letting yourself evolve in public.

I set out to read 25 books this year. I ended up with 17.

In this episode of I Had Plans, I get real about what happens when a hobby turns into a goal, and a goal starts to feel like work. From forcing myself through books I didn’t enjoy to finally finding reading again on my own terms, I share what missing my target taught me - about focus, capacity, and how the lessons carry over into running a business and building a creative life.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure of doing more, tracking everything, or turning joy into a metric, this one’s for you.

December makes planning strange. Some days you don’t even know what today looks like, yet somehow this is when the ideas for next year start showing up.

In this episode of I Had Plans, I talk about planning when routines disappear, days are unpredictable, and everything feels a bit looser. I share how I hold plans without locking them in, why this season pushes me to think big picture, and what it’s like letting go of structure when I usually rely on it.

If you’re ending the year feeling inspired, busy, and slightly out of sync all at once, this one will feel familiar.

“You can just use the transcript.”

I hear this all the time when people see me taking notes in meetings. On the surface, it sounds practical. Helpful, even. But for me, it misses the point entirely.

In this episode of I Had Plans, I talk about why I still use paper in a very digital world, how note taking helps me stay focused, and what online meetings don’t show about attention, engagement, and neurospicy brains. It’s a reflection on tools, assumptions, and the quiet pressure to work the “right” way, even when it doesn’t actually work for you.

If you’ve ever been told to change a system that already works just because it looks different, this one’s for you.

School holidays as a self-employed parent come with a special kind of chaos. The routine disappears, the house gets louder, and somehow the important meetings still need to happen.

In this episode of I Had Plans, I share one of my not-so-proud parenting moments involving a bowl of popcorn and a very important call, plus what it really looks like to balance work, kids, guilt, and sanity during the break. I talk about the constant adjustments, the behind-the-scenes juggle, and how I try to make it all work without completely losing myself in the process.

If you’re navigating school holidays, running a business, or just trying to survive the week, you’ll probably feel very seen in this one.

Launching a podcast is easier said than done. In Episode 9 of I Had Plans, I talk about my experience starting a podcast, the tools that helped, the lessons I’ve learned, and how I balance recording with client work and life. If you’re a freelancer or creative curious about podcasting, this episode is for you.

In this episode of I Had Plans, I’m taking you behind the scenes of a project I’ve been building quietly for months. Instead of sharing the glossy launch version, I’m inviting you into the messy, exciting middle, the part where an idea starts turning into something real.

I talk about the brainstorming stage that lights me up, what it’s like building something for a niche community that I’m personally part of, and how I’m balancing creativity with the business side of things. From planning memberships and value to figuring out how to grow an audience from scratch, this episode is all about the real work that happens between having an idea and being ready to launch.

If you’ve ever started building something because you knew or hoped it would genuinely help people, you’ll relate to this one. Pour a coffee and join me as I share how this project is taking shape and why it matters to me.

Ever noticed how we spend all our time fixing everyone else’s stuff and neglect our own? In this episode of I Had Plans, I talk about my neglected website, the classic “cobbler’s children” problem, and why taking even tiny wins for your own projects matters.

Honest, relatable, and maybe a little rebellious - just like freelance life.