In this first-ever solo episode of Focus on the Fun Stuff, I’m pulling back the curtain on a big lesson I learned this year from a surprisingly small mistake.

After more than 16 years running Mi PA, I’ve seen all the highs, lows, and everything in between, but these past six months? Let’s just say, we hit a “porridge” stint—progress slowed, the team felt less connected, and even my own joy took a hit.

So what went wrong?

Turns out, the answer was right in front of me: six months ago, I took down our 60-month growth plan from the office wall, and that one change had a huge ripple effect. Without that clear vision front and center, we lost that unified sense of purpose that fueled us during our rapid growth from 2020 to 2023. With no roadmap to rally around, we lost some of our spark.

In this episode, I’m diving deep into:

1. Why the removal of our vision led to slowed growth and a dip in team connection
2. How having a visible, unified roadmap was key to aligning our team and driving progress
3. What I’m doing now to refocus, set a fresh plan for 2025, and put it back on the wall
4. And why every entrepreneur needs a clear vision to avoid “busy” work and focus on real growth

If you’re feeling a little lost in your business or just lacking that usual drive, tune in for insights on how a strong vision can ground you, motivate your team, and keep the joy in your journey.

Get ready to head into 2025 with clarity and purpose!

This episode is for anyone wanting to make sure their next steps are aligned with their goals, growth, and enjoyment in business.

Listen now! 🎧

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

In this week’s episode of Focus on the Fun Stuff, I talk to Tom Almas—a former punk rocker turned entrepreneur who’s redefining the flexible workspace industry across the UK.

Tom founded Wizu Workspace eight years ago and grew it from a start-up to an impressive £8 million business with a team of 55. But he didn’t just stop at business success; he’s also raising two sons with his wife and navigating the constant challenge of balancing work and family life.

In this episode, we dive into:

1. Tom’s unique approach to time management that keeps him focused on the things that truly matter—at home and at work

2. How he uses a powerful mental image involving “big rocks” to prioritise his non-negotiables, like family time, health, and key business goals

3. His game-changing exercise for entrepreneurs: If you only had four hours a month to work on your business, what would you focus on?

Tom’s story will inspire anyone who feels torn between professional success and a fulfilling personal life. His perspective on “what am I becoming in the process?” will encourage you to think differently about your own priorities.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a leader, or just someone searching for that elusive work-life balance, this episode is packed with real-life insights to help you thrive.

You can connect with Tom here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomalmas/

https://wizuworkspace.com/locations/

Useful links:

Service Innovation Award - FlexSA (article):

https://www.flexsa.co.uk/news-post/service-innovation-award-goes-to-wizu-workspace

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Emma Mills sits down with entrepreneur Adam Kara, founder of Coaching Culture and Learning Heroes for an exciting conversation about how he scaled and exited his business for 8 figures inside 3 years.

Adams, known for his no nonsense, straight talking approach to building and selling businesses and he shares invaluable lessons from his entrepreneurial journey.

In Adam’s episode, you’ll discover:

· The back-to-front way to look at your business if you ever want to sell it

· How to shift your mindset to build a business that’ll attract buyers

· The common misconceptions loads of us have about when it comes to working out the value of our businesses

· And how shedding one decent revenue stream actually kickstarted the REAL growth Adam’s business needed before selling


This episode is packed with wisdom on how to build a business that’s built to sell and Adam’s big hairy goal to be a billionaire 💥💵


You can connect with Adam here:
https://www.facebook.com/AdamKaraOfficial/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkara1/

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Emma sits down with Mike Jones the founder of "Better Happy," to discuss the journey of running a successful business without sacrificing your personal well-being.

Mike shares his journey from military service to owning a CrossFit gym, and eventually establishing "Better Happy," a company dedicated to fostering healthier work environments. They dive deep into the core topics of crafting a sustainable business strategy, the emerging importance of cultural engagement in the workplace, and the complex dynamics of effective leadership.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

🔍 The Importance of Strategy: Mike emphasises how a well-crafted business strategy can fulfill both personal and financial goals.

🤝 Engagement & Culture: Discover why creating a motivating and fulfilling work culture is more crucial than ever.

👥 Leadership Dynamics: Uncover the common missteps business owners make when assuming their leadership team thinks like them.

🌿 Health & Performance: Learn about a framework that can help you manage long-term strategy for sustainable success.

✨ Overcoming Burnout: Mike’s journey from burnout to creating a balanced work-life system.

Don't miss out on the engaging stories, valuable lessons, and practical tips for business owners feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or in need of a fresh perspective. 🎧

Connect with Mike:

My site and free weekly newsletter for business owners/leaders and managers: www.mikejones.live

Offer for Focus on the Fun stuff listeners: Better Happy have a new course - Better Happy Business Systems, which is free for listeners in exchange for feedback and or sharing of their wins from implementation.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-jones3/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@BetterHappyWithMike

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

In this episode, Emma sits down with friend and client Dawn McGruer, a seasoned entrepreneur of 20 years, best selling author and host of Dawn of a new Era which is a global top 3% podcast. Dawn is the perfect example of mastering the art of work-life balance whilst focusing hugely on profitability in a business that you love.

Dawn shares the non negotiables in her week and how she completely re-engineered the businesses that no longer served her version of what was important to her and what success looks like.

Learn how she personalises her schedule to:
-Avoid monotony
-Leverage her time
-Delegate non-essential tasks to maintain mental clarity

Dawn also shares the impacts of masterminds and retreats, and the significance of steering clear of distractions to stay focused on core business goals.

Tune in to discover how you can scale your business without sacrificing your joy and fulfilment all while focusing on the fun stuff 🫶🏼

For more insights from Dawn, visit her website www.dawnmcgruer.com where you can find her podcast, books, and an array of other resources aimed at helping you thrive both personally and professionally.

Follow Dawn:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/businessconsort
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/businessconsort/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dawnmcgruer/

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

If you're interested to know how going to Thailand for a month can help you create a business that runs and scales without you - todays episode is for you!

In this inspiring episode, Emma welcomes Adrian Hancock, the founder of Clear Property Group, Clear Visual communication and Peak 9 Business Coaching to delve into his incredible journey.

Starting his business back in 2010, Adrian has faced many challenges and together, they delve into the importance of mindset, strategic delegation, and balancing personal and professional life.

Adrians Episode delves into:
- His journey from managing high staff turnover to achieving a stable team that run the business without him
- The significant role of personal and professional development in achieving his success.
- Launching Peak Nine, his business coaching and mentorship venture, aimed at helping small business owners find strategic growth and balance.
- The positive impact of restructuring his company during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to remarkable business growth and operational efficiency.

Quotes and Highlights:
- "Overcoming challenges in business is possible, even when feeling stuck."
- "Mindset and reaching out for help reduced my workload significantly."
- "Integrating personal and professional life creates a strategic vision for both."
- "Client feedback and a win-win mentality are essential for business relationships."
- "The 'seven out of ten' rule empowers teams and reduces decision-making pressure."

Resources Mentioned:
- *The Untethered Soul* by Michael A. Singer
- Tony Robbins’ programs, including the Platinum Partnership and Business Mastery course
- Aaron Curry’s events on building property portfolios

Connect with Adrian Hancock:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianhancock/
Website: https://www.clearvisual.co
Website: https://www.peak9.co.uk

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

If you want to learn more about building an effective team, the challenges of delegation, and the importance of balancing personal well-being with business growth....you are in the right place!

Justin Blackhurst is an entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Digital Next, a multi-million pound digital agency specialising in search marketing and renowned for helping businesses grow online. Starting his business from home with zero investment in 2009, he has transformed Digital Next into a well-established agency working with some of the world's largest brands.

In this episode Emma and Justin discuss team growth and hiring, outsourcing, the challenges of delegation and finding the fun stuff in your business.

Follow Justin Blackhurst:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinblackhurst/
• Company Website: www.digitalnext.co.uk

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟

Hey everyone! Welcome to the very first episode of "Focus on the Fun Stuff" with me, Emma Mills. I’m super excited to finally kick off this podcast.

If you’re a business owner feeling bogged down and needing a dose of fun and freedom in your work life, then you’re in the right place!

Let’s get into why I started this podcast and what’s in store for you!

What We Talked About:

• Kickoff:
  • I finally did it! After years of making weekly videos, I’m diving into the podcast world.
• Who’s This For?:
  • If you’re overwhelmed, stuck in the daily grind, or just want to enjoy running your business more – this is for you.
• A Little About Me:
  • I started Mi PA, a leading UK virtual PA support business, back in 2008. Trust me, it hasn’t always been a fun ride!
  • I've faced the ups and downs of being a business owner, from burnout to breakthrough moments.
• What To Expect:
  • I’ll be sharing my own strategies and stories to help you love your business journey.
  • Exciting guest interviews with business owners who’ve been there, done that, and love what they do.
  • Topics like setting priorities, focusing on what matters, and finding that elusive work-life balance.
• The Magic of Shared Stories:
  • Nothing beats hearing from other business owners who understand what you’re going through.
• Join the Conversation:
  • Let’s make this a two-way street. Find me on social media, share your thoughts, and let me know what you want to hear about.
  • Next up, we’ve got an incredible guest, Vikas Shah MBE, so stay tuned!

Connect with Emma!

Get my weekly newsletter here with actionable tips and strategies from me every single Sunday on how you can plan to Win The Week

• Follow Me:
• Instagram: Emma MIPA
• LinkedIn: Emma Mills
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaMills
• Websites:
  • EmmaMills.co.uk
  • Mi-PA.co.uk

Reviews and Feedback:

Loving the show? Your feedback means the world to me and helps others find us!

Thanks so much for listening to Focus on the Fun Stuff Podcast! Let’s make business a bit more fun together! 🌟