Real stories from real business owners doing the work behind the scenes.
This series shines a light on the people holding it all together – the creatives, strategists, service providers, and operators who are building businesses with heart, boundaries, and a whole lot of figuring-it-out-as-they-go.
You’ll find honest reflections, delegation lessons, capacity wins (and misses), and a look at what it really takes to keep a small business running sustainably – without the gloss.
Tahlia Meredith is an online businessing Goddess. She has been in the digital space for the better part of a decade, and shines when she is in the weeds of a new course build or literally untangling thoughts. Grab your cuppa and come and meet this Good Human.
Share a snapshot of your business with us – who you support, and what you do?
I partner with seasoned solo business owners who are ready to scale with intention and don’t want to do it alone anymore, and they often have a course, membership, or group program in their business model.
In a nutshell, I help them map the vision, build the systems, and bring the whole thing to life – whether that’s building a new online course or mastermind, streamlining your business’s back end, launching a new program… if it happens behind the scenes in your business, chances are I can help you with it!
What do people think your work looks like – and what does it actually involve most days?
Great question… I think it depends who you ask! A lot of my non-biz loved ones have no idea and probably picture me like that cat bashing on a laptop 😁 Most days I’m checking in with clients on Zoom and Slack, updating Asana boards, drafting marketing copy, figuring out why that thing isn’t triggering that other thing, setting up a new marketing funnel or course space, or any of the dozens of tiny things we do every day!
What does “being supported” look like in your business right now?
Having a community I can lean on that just gets it; working with clients that are values-aligned and embrace me as a partner in their business; having a coach that shows me what I’m missing and creates accountability to keep me moving forward.
What’s something you’ve delegated (or are considering delegating) – and what made you decide it was time?
A few bits and pieces – and the ‘it’s time’ moment was recognising I can’t hold everything in my head/schedule all the time! Next up with be a cleaner I think, cannot wait for that!
How do you manage your capacity – or at least try to keep things workable during busy seasons?
I’m pretty good at keeping business in business hours generally. In busy seasons where it overflows, I try to be strict about when that can happen – I might do a Saturday morning session, or one late night, rather than letting it bleed across my whole schedule.
Are there any boundaries or non-negotiables in your business that have made a real difference?
Turning off notifications on my phone. Even when it’s not urgent, sometimes just seeing that email or Slack message out of hours is enough to pull my whole brain there. These days, anything work-related doesn’t ping on my phone, so if I’m not at my desk I’m not thinking about it (in theory…).
What would you tell another small business owner who’s struggling to hand something over or make space for support?
Take the time (or extra investment) to find someone who can lead you a little bit. If you engage a VA (for example) who lacks initiative or experience, knowing they’re waiting around for you to figure something out or make decisions is just going to make you feel even MORE stressed.
Instead, opt for a more experienced VA or OBM who can see where you need help and either knows how to pull it out of your brain, or can go and do it without your direct oversight/input.
What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself through running your business?
A lot of it was already there, I just had to call on it way more than I anticipated (like resilience, integrity, self-confidence, and curly problem-solving skills). Something new I’ve realised is I’m really good at zooming in and out between big picture and details.
And now – some rapid fire Q’s ♥
Work soundtrack: silence, Spotify, or background chaos?
TV shows I’ve seen a million times – Schitt’s Creek, Scrubs, The Office, Sex and the City, Brooklyn-99 etc
Biggest distraction when working from home?
My cat!
Best time of day to get work done?
Morning, but not too early. I’m not one of those 5am people…
Go to snack..
Anything salty, like popcorn or chips. Also loving mandarins lately.
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