Selling you ideas, expertise, approach, and perspective too leads to feelings of 'pick me', which might make us feel that we are the product. Personal branding advice often encourage this - to package yourself. Which means rejection can feel very very personal.

But here’s the truth: you are not for sale. In this episode, we explore what it really means to claim your authority without reducing yourself to a transaction.

You’ll learn:

• The hidden danger of wanting to liked online and how we mistake popularity for success.
• Why expertise isn’t about credentials or certificates.
• The surprising shift that helps people take you seriously.
• How to stop competing on price (and start leading with value).
• What the boldest leaders do differently when positioning themselves.
• How to make business feel less personal and more personal at the same time, to stand out without fearing rejection.
• The one thing that makes your expertise timeless — even in a changing world.

You are not a commodity. You are a leader, and it’s time to position yourself that way.

Starting something new in your business is fun and easy. But stopping what no longer serves you? That’s the hard part.In this episode, we dive into why letting go is the overlooked side of growth — and why clinging to antiquated conditioning, outdated beliefs, old habits, and tired ways of working keeps us stuck, small, and invisible.

If you’ve been sensing that the next stage of your business or career requires a bold shift, this one’s for you.

You'll learn:

• Why “starting fresh” isn’t the whole story of growth.
• The hidden cost of holding onto outdated ways of working.
• The overlooked mindset shift that makes bold moves possible.
• Why being specific is scary – and why it's so powerful.
• The surprising truth about confidence (and when it actually shows up).
• The quiet habit that’s been keeping you small — without you even realising it.

It’s time to stop planting seeds in a crowded garden. Let’s clear space so your next chapter can flourish.

Your professional reputation is a bankable asset – it can pay dividends when you know how to turn your reputation into revenue.

In this episode, Brook McCarthy is joined by two experts in building reputations and monetising thought leadership – Kathy Rhodes of the Thought Alchemist, and Erin Huckle of Chuckle Communications.

We talk about what it really mean to be a thought leader — and how to build this without feeling silly, pretentious, or like you’re shouting into the void?

We dig into the reality of building a professional reputation that doesn’t just look good online — but also creates real opportunities, partnerships, and revenue.

You'll learn:

• Counterintuitive advice to reduce your risk and build your profile right now.

• The uncomfortable truth about challenging the status quo (and why that’s where credibility lies).

• How to reframe self-promotion so that it feels natural and generous.

• The three qualities that every thought leader needs.

• Why being visible isn’t enough — and how to connect your reputation building to grow your revenue.

• How building your thought leadership is the key that unlocks opportunities that comes to you, premium-paying clients, and personally meaningful, hugely satisfying work.

If you’ve ever wondered how to grow your profile without burning out or faking it, this conversation will spark fresh ideas and give you practical starting points.

Join us in Sydney on September 17 for Reputation to Revenue! A big shift can happen in just one moment – don't miss this if you want to grow your reputation, build your thought leadership, and translate this into burgeoning revenue and profit. Nab your ticket now: https://reputation-revenue.club/

What does it take to turn personal upheaval, bold moves, and emerging tech into a thriving business that spans continents?

In this episode, I sit down with Kachina Dimmock, founder of Collective Catalyst (Australia’s first AI marketing agency) to talk resilience, AI, and running a business from the French Basque coast.

From her time in the Army Reserves to stepping on stage as a competitive bodybuilder, Kachina shares the mindset, discipline, and planning skills that have shaped her as a leader. We cover the leap from Wollongong to Biarritz, the rebrand that transformed her business, and how she’s weaving AI into marketing in a way that’s ethical, responsible, and creativity-first.

You’ll hear:

• How scenario planning from her MBA changed the way she approaches uncertainty in business

• The process behind her rebrand and claiming the “first AI marketing agency” title in Australia

• How Kachina relocated overseas without losing clients or momentum

• Why daring to be different and leaning into your quirks may be the most important growth strategy in the AI age

Whether you’re curious about using AI in your business, planning a big move, or simply need a reminder that adaptability is your greatest asset, this episode is packed with insights.

If you want to work with me for a year and create massive momentum in your business, join my Momentum Mastermind: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/momentum/

What if the real reason your business isn’t growing isn’t a lack of skill but your addiction to overthinking, overplanning and over-prepping?

In this episode, we examine why speed beats perfection every time and how embracing fast, imperfect action can create the momentum your business desperately needs, without burning you out in the process.

You’ll discover:

• Why perfectionism is snobbery, and the price of pride.
• The simplest strategy to create momentum and sell as you go
• How to launch faster, iterate quicker, and embrace recycling.
• The truth about “bothering people” with your marketing (hint: you’re not).
• Why the best time to sell is right after you’ve sold and how to leverage this to stack your cash.

Ready to make speed your superpower? Join my Momentum Mastermind and learn how to stack your offers, automate your backend, and build marketing that moves the needle: https://www.hustleandheart.com.au/momentum/

In this episode, we dive into the emotional, neurological, and digital tangle of decision-making in our AI-saturated age.

From our daily navigation of AI as business owners, to the broader cultural shifts that affect our clients and target market in how we make (or avoid) decisions, we explore the role of trust, creative thinking, and discernment in a world of infinite options and shrinking attention spans.

This episode is for you if you feel like you're sabotaging yourself with comparisonitis, being productive, but with not much to show for it, and cursed by overthinking, and skirting the edges of having the dangerous convenience of outsourcing what makes us distinctly human.

You'll learn:

• Brook's Seinfeld reruns and peanut butter toast period, to cope with depression and overwhelm.

• Why decision-making feels harder than ever (hint: it’s not just you).

• The neuroscience model that explains why you’re stuck—and what to do about it.
• How AI is affecting more than just your marketing — and where it might be quietly weakening your leadership.
• The silent danger of "consuming for inspiration".
• The one question to ask every hour when you’re having a bad day.
• The most powerful thing you can do in the age of information saturation.

Momentum Mastermind is here! Time to become a Roller, rebuild creative confidence, reclaim your focus, and take back your decision-making power. Find out more: https://hustleandheart.com.au/momentum

Brook talks with Lisa Corduff, a successful entrepreneur, speaker and writer, on how AI and climate change will affect our future, including looking after our families, building our businesses, selling online, and how to move through collective and individual grief. Lisa talks about how she got out of existential dread into proactive preparation, and why navigating uncertainty with experimentation and resilience is key.

The future is uncertain, but that's always been true. The difference now is the pace and scale of change. Business owners who acknowledge this reality, build resilience, and focus on uniquely human value will be best positioned to thrive in whatever comes next.

You'll learn:

• Why your agency is oh-so-important, and how to get it back when you're feeling powerless, by staying connected to what makes us fundamentally human: creativity, critical thinking, joy, and deep connection with others.
• Why major change involves grief and how to move through these, especially as a business owner.
• Why understanding the context you're operating in is critical, and how to balance learning with taking action.
• What's changed in online communities that we're building and why agility is more important than ever.
• What we're investing in the age of AI.
• How to reduce your risk by increasing diversity in your income streams – which the cool kids are calling 'portfolio careers'.
• Human-proofing your business and how to build your social capital to inoculate yourself, your business, and your family.
• Choosing empowering stories to reframe your relationship with uncertainty and get your power back.
• How to be delusional optimistic even when the world is burning.

This episode is supported by Momentum Mastermind, Brook's new year-long human-powered, AI-assisted adventure. Learn more: https://hustleandheart.com.au/momentum

Welcome to the future! Season 6 is here and it’s all about asking the big questions, honing our predictive skills and positioning ourselves and our businesses to make the most out of what’s to come.

No doubt about it – the future is volatile and oftentimesscary. It’s easy to believe that the past was better, and set our nostalgia and sentimentality lead. But leaders aren’t leaders if they only show up when life’s a party.

In this episode, we explore leadership, resilience, communication, connection, and the key areas we need to be aware of as business owners.

You’ll learn:

• What I’m investing in in my business, to better set it up for the future.
• The secret to happiness that’s alsogoing to make your business responsibilities a hell of a lot lighter.
• What we lose in our ‘always on’ society and how to deepen our discernment and wisdom.
• The key skills we require not just for the future, but also for our own mental health and joy.
• What it means to create a ‘mutual admiration society’ with our clients.
• What we can automate and outsource, where AI is best used, and what needs to stay very much human.

If you like this episode, I'd hugely appreciate a five star review!

Find me on my new Substack: https://substack.com/@brookmccarthy

And on Instagram to continue to conversation: https://instagram.com/brookmccarthy