Are you building your business from alignment or from pressure?

In this episode, I share 7 things I'm not doing in my business; even though the internet says I should. From posting daily and niching down further, to scaling faster and launching constantly, we're unpacking the online "rules" that often lead to burnout instead of sustainability.

If you're an entrepreneur, creative, or small business owner feeling overwhelmed by business advice, today's episode will help you rethink growth, visibility, and success on your own terms.

I talk about:

• Why posting every day isn't the only growth strategy
• The truth about niching down
• Depth vs scale in business
• Why constant launching can create pressure
• The danger of building from fear

If you've ever felt behind, not strategic enough, or like you're not doing "enough" then this episode is your permission to pause and choose alignment over algorithms.

Key Takeaways

• Not all "shoulds" are aligned with your vision: Just because something works for someone else doesn't mean it's right for you. Strategy without alignment leads to burnout.
• Depth can be more powerful than scale: Bigger isn't always better. Building for impact, connection and sustainability may serve you more than chasing numbers.
• Consistency doesn't have to mean constant: You don't have to post daily, launch quarterly, or pivot with every trend. Intentional visibility can be more powerful than relentless output.
• Fear shouldn't be your business strategy: Many online "rules" are rooted in fear; fear of irrelevance, slow growth, or being left behind. Building from alignment creates longevity.

Episode Highlights

• 00:00 – Why I'm questioning business "shoulds"
• 01:35 – Not posting every day
• 03:10 – Not niching down into something microscopic
• 05:00 – Choosing depth over scale
• 06:45 – Stepping off the launch treadmill
• 08:10 – Not chasing trends
• 09:30 – Not outsourcing everything (yet)
• 10:45 – Why I refuse to build from fear
• 12:00 – Final thoughts: Choosing alignment over noise

I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!

If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes including this one on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

Has the fear of being trolled ever impacted how you show up online? It definitely has for me, and sometimes I feel like I can't share all the things that I want to in case I attract hate.

Today on the podcast I'm chatting to Rhiannon Louden, who is a brand and wedding photographer, all about an incident where she got trolled and exactly how she handled it.

A big facet of this conversation is about values, and I love that it comes back to something that has been chatted about on this podcast so many times before: the importance of your brand values. Rhiannon shares a candid story about a reel featuring a trans wedding that attracted significant hate, and how she navigated that storm while protecting her clients and standing by her beliefs.

We touch on personal branding, attracting the right clients, running your business with integrity, and why "going viral" isn't always the dream we think it is.

Key Takeaways:

• Viral isn't always a victory: Rhiannon shares how a reel hitting 5 million views brought a wave of hate rather than just "success". It serves as a reminder that visibility without the right audience can be damaging.
• Values act as a filter: Being vocal about your values (e.g., trans rights) effectively repels people who don't align with you. While the trolling was difficult, it ultimately solidified her niche and signaled safety to her ideal clients.
• Client care comes first: When the post blew up with negative comments, Rhiannon's first priority was her couple. She communicated openly with them and gave them the option to delete the post, prioritizing their mental health over the "viral" reach.
• Have a crisis plan: It is helpful to think about how you would handle trolling before it happens. Having a process—like warning clients or knowing when to turn off comments—can help you stay calm in the moment.
• Separating your brands: We also discuss Rhiannon's decision to run two separate brands (Rhiannon Neale for weddings/families and Rhiannon Louden for branding) to ensure her messaging stays clear and relevant to each specific audience.

Episode Highlights:

• 02:00 – Rhiannon's journey from journalism to photography and moving to Scotland.
• 04:00 – The decision to split her business into two distinct brands to clarify her messaging.
• 06:00 – The story of the viral reel: How a post celebrating a trans wedding attracted millions of views and a storm of hate.
• 13:00 – Handling the fallout: How Rhiannon communicated with her clients and gave them the power to decide the post's fate.
• 15:00 – The aftermath: Why repelling bigots is actually a business positive, and how it has led to more aligned inquiries from the LGBTQ+ community.
• 19:00 – The reality of viral fame: Why we need to stop romanticising the idea of "blowing up" online.

About The Guest:

Rhiannon Louden is a photographer and brand mentor based in Scotland. She runs two businesses: Rhiannon Neale, focusing on alternative, documentary-style wedding and family photography, and Rhiannon Louden, where she offers personal brand photography and mentorship for female entrepreneurs. She is passionate about diversity, inclusivity, and helping business owners show up authentically.

You can find her wedding work at https://rhiannoneale.com/ and her branding work at https://www.rhiannonlouden.co.uk/

Mentioned in this episode:

• Rhiannon's Viral Post: The reel discussed regarding the trans wedding (though comments are turned off!).

I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!

This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

In this episode, I'm sharing four brands I genuinely love and feel deeply loyal to — not just because of their products, but because of the missions they're built on. Each one shows how having a clear purpose, strong values, and a quality product can create lasting trust, emotional connection, and long-term brand loyalty.

Come tell me which brands you're loyal to and why; I'd love to know!

Key Takeaways:

• Building your brand around a clear mission will attract loyal customers
  When your brand stands for something meaningful and consistently lives it out, people don't just buy once; they recommend you, return to you, and feel emotionally invested in your success.
• Pairing purpose with quality creates trust and longevity
  A powerful mission alone isn't enough; delivering a genuinely great product builds credibility, repeat business, and long-term sustainability for your brand.
• Telling human stories gives your brand depth and meaning
  When your brand highlights real people, real impact, and real change, it builds empathy, trust, and a deeper connection that goes far beyond features or pricing.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:24 – Why mission-led brands create strong loyalty and trust
• 02:38 – Madlug: how dignity and storytelling build brand loyalty
• 05:26 – Who Gives A Crap: sustainability, humour, and ethical business
• 08:29 – Manumit Coffee: employment, dignity, and social impact
• 10:33 – Tony's Chocolonely: ethical supply chains and purpose-driven design
• 13:31 – What mission-led brands can teach you about your own business

Mentioned in the episode:

• Madlug
• Who Gives a Crap
• Manumit Coffee
• Tony's Chocolonely

I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!

If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes including this one on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!