Welcome to Balance Sheet Banter, where we cut through the financial jargon to have honest conversations about what it really takes to build and grow a business, especially as a woman.

This week, Tara Askham is joined by Sophie Milliken MBE, founder of Moja, chair of Smart Works Newcastle, co-founder of City Ladies Networking, and author of three best-selling books.

Sophie shares what’s been keeping her so visible lately, from speaking at big events to growing Moja, and why visibility isn’t about one perfect platform. It’s about building credibility that lasts longer than a viral post.

Together, they explore why podcasting is still underrated for raising your profile, how consistency is what most people miss, and Sophie’s clever tip for building a Spotify playlist of your podcast appearances to strengthen trust and SEO.

They also talk about awards as an unexpected ROI driver, why being shortlisted can put you in the right rooms with the right people, and how to spot the scammy awards versus the credible ones worth going for.

Sophie shares the surreal story of finding out about her MBE, what the Windsor Castle experience was really like, and how it’s helped open doors through the work she does in business, community and charity.

They bring it back to money too, investing in yourself, taking calculated risks, and why time out of the business only pays off when you give yourself space to actually implement what you’ve learned.

💡 And download my 5 money-saving questions to ask your accountant, small questions that can make a big difference. https://welcome.tkafinancetraining.co.uk/5-questions-to-ask

Connect with Sophie:

Website: https://www.sophiemilliken.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-milliken/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moja_sophie/?hl=en

Connect with Tara:

Website: https://tkafinancetraining.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-askham/