42 | The Launch Nobody Joined

A year ago, almost to the day, I launched something I had poured my heart and soul into, and not a single person joined. In the first episode of Season 3, I tell you the honest story of why Productivity with Zest went quiet without a goodbye, what to do after a failed launch when you find yourself on the sofa googling jobs, and how the questions I asked myself on the other side of it became the three lenses behind The Sharpened Leader®: Know Yourself, Raise Your Standards, and Lead at the Level You Need To. You’ll leave with one question to sit with this week, and it might not be a comfortable one: where have you gone blunt?Timestamps 00:00 The launch nobody joined 00:30 Why Productivity with Zest went quiet 02:35 The lowest week, and orange squash versus champagne 04:55 The questions that became the three lenses 06:00 The blunt pencil 07:05 Safe but not comfortable 08:05 Know Yourself, Raise Your Standards, Lead at the Level You Need To 10:30 This week’s step: where have you gone blunt?LinksRead the article and find the full transcript at https://thesharpenedleader.com/episode42Kerry Smith of White Rose Training on the group programme: https://youtu.be/WV0ur5tWbNsThe Business of Coaching programme with Joanna Lott: https://go.joannalottcoaching.com/thebusinessofcoaching Episode 41, Productivity Lessons from My Dad, Dr John Kirkby CBE: https://thesharpenedleader.com/episode41/The Productivity with Zest archive: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcast/Read the article: https://thesharpenedleader.com/feeling-stuck-in-your-business/ Message me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

For most of my life I carried a belief that I was difficult to be around, a prickly character and not an easy person to love, and it took my closest friends sitting around a table in Harrogate to show me it had never been true. This episode goes deeper into the first lens, Know Yourself, and why we so often can't see our own strengths as a business owner until someone else brings them out of our blind spots, with the story of how Kerry Smith of White Rose Training Yorkshire went from working until ten every night to a fully booked free CPR session.Timestamps00:00 The belief I've carried my whole life00:50 Why we don't know ourselves as well as we think01:15 My 40th, and the guest list I was sure nobody would answer02:15 Harrogate, and the friend who told me to stop saying it03:00 How a belief like that holds a business back04:00 Kerry Smith and discovering her strengths05:15 The other side of the coin, from ten at night to seven06:30 Sharing her story, and the press picking it up07:40 Restart a Heart, from an empty room to fully booked08:20 Your step this week: two questions to askLinksRead the article and find the full transcript at thesharpenedleader.com/episode43Episode 42, The Launch Nobody JoinedWhite Rose Training YorkshireKerry Smith on LinkedInKerry's story in her own words (1 min video)Kerry's case studyThe Sharpened Leader® Group ProgrammeWest Leeds Dispatch: Farsley mum helping community restart a heartBusiness Up North: Leeds first aid trainer in demand with life saving free workshopsFree Restart a Heart CPR and defibrillator sessions, Saturday 21st November, 10am and 1pm, White Rose Training, Farsley (book through the White Rose Training website)Message me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

You’re doing all the right things, you’ve read the books, or more likely listened to them in the car between the school run and a client, and still it feels like treading water, working hard just to stay where you are. The Sharpened Leader® is a podcast for business owners who are brilliant at what they do but running out of room to breathe, and ready to love their business again. I’m Jasmine Clarke, an executive coach, and every episode takes something I see in my work with business owners and gives you one step you can take this week.The first two episodes are out on Monday 9th November, then a new one every other Monday. Follow the show now and they’ll be there waiting for you.Message me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

In this very special father-and-daughter episode, I sit down with my dad, Dr John Kirkby CBE to talk about productivity, resilience and purpose that lasts a lifetime.John is the Founder of the Isaiah 61 Movement and Christians Against Poverty, an international charity that’s helped thousands of people break free from debt and find hope again. He’s a three-time Sunday Times Best Leader award winner, Honorary Doctor of Bradford University, been awarded a CBE and one of the most mission-driven people I know.But this story didn’t start with titles or accolades.After losing his dad as a teenager, facing financial collapse and the breakdown of his marriage, John was completely lost. Then a friend shared life, faith and Jesus with him and that moment changed everything. Thirty years on, he’s channelled that transformation into work that now helps others rebuild too.Together we explore:💡 How “There is a better way” became his lifelong productivity mantra 🚫 Why doing less is often the most productive move you can make 🎯 What it means to live mission-critical only, and how to apply it in your own work 💬 The art of collecting “no’s” and turning them into lessons 💛 Why kindness to yourself might just be the ultimate productivity skillIt’s part masterclass, part heart-to-heart, and packed with perspective for anyone who’s ever tried to juggle ambition, purpose and family life.If you’ve ever wondered how to keep going through setbacks, or how to focus on what really matters when life gets noisy, this one’s for you.Message me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

Ever found yourself drowning in planners, apps, or endless to-do lists yet somehow still feeling unorganised? You’re not broken. You’re just over-planned and under-focused.In this birthday episode of Productivity with Zest (yes - the podcast turns 1 this week 🎉), Jasmine shares a sneak peek from the More Zest private podcast inside The Productivity Gym® - all about simplifying your planning so it actually works for you.Inside this episode:🗂️ The “planning audit” - how to spot what’s really not working🧭 Why you don’t need to overhaul everything - just zoom in on one area🌿 How to define what organised looks and feels like for you (not Pinterest)⚡ One small tweak to try this week to bring calm and clarity back to your system📝 Reflection questions to help you realign instead of reinventYou’ll leave this episode with:✅ A simple reset to make your planning sustainable✅ Permission to stop chasing the perfect system ✅ A clear focus for your next productivity “rep”💪 Want more?This sneak peek comes from More Zest, the private podcast inside The Productivity Gym®, where members train their productivity fitness step by step — from planning and focus to energy, boundaries, and procrastination habits.🚪 The doors are open until Friday 17 October, then not again until 2026. Join here → zestproductivity.com/tpgMessage me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

(Sneak Preview from More Zest, the private podcast from inside The Productivity Gym®)Ever feel like you’re doing all the things but still exhausted by mid-afternoon? Or that you're snapping at your partner, inhaling snacks, or staring blankly at your screen, not because you're lazy, but because you’re just done?This episode is all about one of the most overlooked (and misunderstood) pieces of productivity: Energy Management.We’re not talking bubble baths or vague “self-care.” We’re talking about practical ways to stop leaking energy like a dodgy tap, and start working with your natural rhythms instead of against them.Inside this episode: ⚡️ The 3 sneaky energy traps draining your productivity 🎙 A real-life story where Jasmine got it totally wrong (and what she'd do differently) 💛 Simple, science-backed ways to protect your energy, even on full days 🔁 The “energy scan” tool to help you notice your natural highs and lowsYou’ll leave this episode with: 🔎 Awareness of what’s actually draining you 💡 One small shift to test this week ✅ Permission to pause without guilt💪 This sneak peek is from inside The Productivity Gym®, where we train your productivity fitness step-by-step, from Energy and Focus to Boundaries, Systems, and Procrastination Habits.When you join, you’ll start with your Productivity Fitness Test, get your personalised roadmap, and access: 💬 Group coaching sessions 🎯 Monthly “Core Workout” workshops 💻 Weekly co-working bursts (Productivity HIITs) 🎧 The full More Zest private podcast library 🧭 Self-coaching kits to help you apply what you learnDoors to The Productivity Gym® are open right now (from 10th October until 17th) and the earlier you join, the more bonuses you unlock: the Productivity Power Pack, Planner Packs, and exclusive Focus Audio Tracks from my latest masterclass.👉 Join here: zestproductivity.com/tpgIf you are listening and the doors are currently closed, I open them a few times a year so use this same link to get on the waitlist.Because you deserve to stop leaking energy, stop feeling stretched, and start working in a way that actually fits your life.Message me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

What happens to your productivity when the results don’t sit neatly in your own hands?In this episode, I’m joined by my good friend (and brilliant human) Edd Parker, Product Innovation Manager at Christians Against Poverty. Edd has worked everywhere from Tanzania to the UK leading digital transformation projects, but his focus is always on people first, problems second.Together we dive into: 🍋 Why productivity is about outcomes not outputs (and why your to-do list might be leading you astray). 🍋 How to stay effective when you’re working in a matrix team or relying on people you don’t directly manage. 🍋 The truth that “organisations move at the speed of trust” and what that means for your meetings, handovers, and relationships. 🍋 The power of creating a Not-To-Do List (yes, you read that right!) to protect your focus and stop spinning plates that aren’t yours. 🍋 And of course… what South Park’s underpants gnomes can teach us about productivity (because why not?).This conversation is packed with practical insights and a good dose of fun, all about keeping your productivity flowing when you’re not the one holding all the strings.Message me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

We’re taught that yes is good and no is bad. Yes feels helpful, friendly, positive. No feels sharp, awkward, and guilt-inducing.But... not every yes is a good yes.In this sneak peek from More Zest (the private podcast inside The Productivity Gym®), I’m digging into why some yeses actually drain your time, energy, and joy and how learning to say an Excellent No can transform the way you work and live.In this episode, you’ll discover:The hidden cost of a “Terrible Yes” (and how to spot when you’re about to give one).The psychology behind why saying no feels so hard, from negativity bias to the “yes reflex.”Simple phrases and rules you can use to buy time before answering.Why every no is actually a yes to something else that matters.How to say no with kindness and clarity, without guilt.Your challenge this week: pay attention to your yeses. Pause before answering, notice when you’re saying yes out of obligation, and start practising your Excellent Nos.Because protecting your time and energy isn’t selfish, it’s what makes space for the wholehearted, intentional yeses that truly light you up.Links & Next Steps📝 Download the free Zest in Action Self-Coaching Guide for this episode 🚀 Join my FREE 5-Day Focus Challenge starting 6th October💪 Get full access to More Zest + every Zest in Action kit inside The Productivity Gym → join the waitlist for when the doors openMessage me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

If you’ve ever found yourself faffing about on Canva, “researching” on social media, or pouring hours into busywork that doesn’t actually move the needle then this one’s for you.I’m joined by the brilliant Anna Green, founder of Direct Selling Success and host of the Direct Selling Success Podcast. Anna helps business owners (especially network marketers) ditch the hustle, set boundaries, and build businesses that actually fit into real life, without burning out in the process.Inside this episode: 🍋 The four simple things that really matter in business (and why everything else is just noise) 🍋 How to spot productivity traps like scroll holes and “panic posting” before they derail your day 🍋 Why boundaries are your best defence against burnout (and how to stick to them without guilt) 🍋 Anna’s brilliant pocket-of-time strategy for getting results in just 10 minutes 🍋 What to do when you’ve got a team… but they’re draining your energy instead of driving resultsThis conversation is packed with honesty, practical tips, and the reminder we all need: productivity isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing what matters most and giving yourself permission to drop the rest.🔗 Connect with Anna Green:Website: Direct Selling SuccessPodcast: Direct Selling SuccessSocials: @annagreenMessage me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn

Join my FREE 5-Day Fierce Focus Challenge starting 6th October and reset your focus!Procrastination isn’t laziness – it’s a signal.In this special sneak peek from More Zest (my private podcast inside The Productivity Gym®), we’re diving into procrastination with a totally fresh perspective. Instead of beating yourself up for putting things off, what if you treated procrastination as a signpost pointing you to what’s really going on?In this episode, you’ll hear:Why procrastination is not a time management problem but an emotion regulation problem.The 4 hidden signals procrastination might be sending you: fear, misalignment, lack of clarity, or low energy.Practical ways to respond – from lowering the stakes with a “bad first draft,” to breaking down vague tasks, to working with your natural energy rhythms.How to spot the difference between helpful procrastination (incubation) and harmful procrastination (open loops that drain your energy).A simple 3-step process to diagnose your own procrastination and take the right next step.Remember – procrastination is not a flaw, it’s feedback. Once you decode it, you can move forward with less shame and a whole lot more clarity.Links & Next Steps🎧 Listen back to Productivity with Zest Episode 5: Procrastination Unpacked: Why We Delay and How to Break the Cycle for even more practical strategies.📝 Want to go deeper? Inside The Productivity Gym®, this episode comes with a Zest in Action Kit to help you reflect and apply what you’ve learned.⏳ Doors to The Productivity Gym® reopen mid-October – join the waitlist here🚀 Before then, join my FREE 5-Day Fierce Focus Challenge starting 6th October and reset your focusMessage me!Join the Edge Your pencil sharpener between episodes, a free email that comes into your inbox in every episode week and helps you put that episode’s step into your business in about five minutes. Join at https://thesharpenedleader.com/edgeMore from JasmineEpisodes, articles and transcripts: https://thesharpenedleader.com/podcastWork with me: https://thesharpenedleader.comConnect with me on LinkedIn