The Ascribe Podcast

If you have an idea you want to bring to life or you’ve been feeling worn out and lost the passion for what God has called you to do, then this episode is for you. We spoke to Polly Payne- Founder and CEO of Horacio Printing, about the keys to uncovering and pursuing your God-given dreams. Polly left her career in advertising to redesign her life and pursue the passion God gave her to launch Horacio Printing, a faith-based brand which has sold over 40,000 Dream Planners around the world and raised over $60,000 to fight human trafficking.  Her journey started with an idea to create a luxury planner in 2014 that would inspire people to dream big, eliminate distractions and remain aligned to God's Word. She was able to sell out her first production run in three months, and over the past years the brand has evolved, helping thousands to live a purposeful life.  Polly opens up about partnering with God, the power of prayer when you’re feeling stuck or hopeless and the inner-work involved in bringing your best self to your business, vision and goals. Listen as she shares wisdom and insights around how she's overcome the challenges of entrepreneurship and remained centred in the calling God has for her life.   Discover more about Horacio Printing www.horacioprinting.com   Learn more and connect with ASCRIBE www.ascribeculture.com www.instagram.com/ascribeculture

Many of us want to excel in life and become everything that God has created us to be. And this will usually involve periods of pressure that will arise during the process.  Although pressure is often viewed in a negative light, the upside of experiencing pressure is that it can help us to grow and expand our capacity  for God to work through us( check out Isaiah 54:2). Whilst the downside is that it can lead to stress and anxiety if it becomes overwhelming. So how do we embrace the positives and ensure we reach a healthy medium when we encounter the pressure points in life or with work? In this episode Sarah Crook shares the perspective shifts that enable her to keep God at the centre of her life and business. Nominated for Forbes 30 under 30, Sarah owns a Branding & Design Business based in Florida where she has been able to double in business yearly, for the past 5 years.  We spoke about why your brand should keep evolving, the essentials for a good website and the need to produce work to an excellent standard, stating that: ‘Excellence honours God and inspires people’ If you ever struggle to keep going in the midst of pressure, this episode will help you to realign your focus and your motives so you can keep running your race in a way which honours God.   Find out more about Sarah and Alisabeth Designs alisabethdesigns.com instagram.com/alisabethdesigns   Learn more and connect with ASCRIBE www.ascribeculture.com www.instagram.com/ascribeculture

Sometimes,the journey towards our God-given vision might not be as smooth and simple as we would have expected. But the lessons we learn along the way can benefit us and others if we allow God to reshape our perspective . If you're familiar with the story of Joseph in the Bible, you'll know that he faced a number of challenges before seeing his God-given dream come to life.  The journey of Joseph was highlighted by this episode's guest, Samuel Brooksworth where we spoke about the paradox of having a vision and calling which may seem far-fetched and look very different to our current realities.   Samuel started his career in Sales & Marketing when he was 17, he appeared on The BBC’s Apprentice in 2016, and has helped over 100 entrepreneurs start their own business ventures.   Yet even with these admirable achievements he has faced unexpected challenges in his corporate career and also when trying to secure funding from investors to launch his own business. But he used his frustrations to fuel his faith and in November 2020, during the pandemic, he left his corporate career at The Guardian to relocate to Ghana where he co-founded Remoteli- a company providing outsourced services to individuals and businesses, globally.  His resilience and faith has helped him to navigate disappointments and this episode will inspire you to make bold moves in the direction God is leading you and your business.

Have you ever felt nervous about sharing your ideas or been worried about  promoting your business publicly? If you have then you're not alone. Creative anxiety is very common especially with social media validation becoming more and more prevalent in our culture. On this episode I spoke to Josie Gamble about the realities of pursuing our creative passions, how she has released the pressure to prove herself and why prayer is needed for managing your projects and personal commitments as a business owner. Josie is a creative entrepreneur and founder of the Christian Creative Network who gained a First Class Honours Degree in Industrial Product Design, went on to become a lecturer and has run her design business for the past 14 years. We discussed the importance of faith and creativity while addressing four key challenges women face as business owners; managing client expectations, pricing your services, self-doubt and burnout. Whichever field of work you’re in, God can empower you to create, grow and innovate to inspire positive change around you.    To learn more about Josie and her platforms: https://christiancreativenetwork.com https://christiancreativedirectory.com   Learn more and connect with ASCRIBE www.ascribeculture.com www.instagram.com/ascribeculture

Talking about money can be an uncomfortable topic for many people, especially women. But when it comes to your life and business, it pays to be financially organised and prepared for the vision God has given to you. "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it." (Luke 14:28) In this podcast we spoke to Benedicta Egbeme - a qualified accountant who is currently working as a Management Consultant in one of the 'Big 4' accounting firms.   We discuss the finance fundamentals for starting and growing a business, how a business cashflow can help you manage any impulse spending, and how to financially prepare to expand your brand and business. We also unravel how to move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset as a female entrepreneur using biblical insights and recognising that every new level of growth requires a new level of faith.   This episode will help you plan for financial success without leaving your faith out of the equation.   Enjoy listening. Connect with Benedicta: Website: http://beniratiofinances.com/ Instagram: @beniratiofinances    Learn more and connect with ASCRIBE www.ascribeculture.com www.instagram.com/ascribeculture

What do you do when you step out in faith but then things don't go so well? Our guest on this episode left her full-time job to set up her jewellery business in 2018, and the following year was approached for a wholesale partnership by John Lewis (a large UK department store). But what transpired in that time required relentless faith and prayer. Six months into founding her business, her husband and co-founder was diagnosed with cancer. God miraculously restored his health and Anneka reflects back on that season as one where she felt closest to God. We discussed how her faith helped her navigate the insecurities she had as a teenager, and how she manages her role as the CEO of Recognised Store- a social impact business creating fashionable jewellery to raise awareness on social issues such as mental health, modern slavery and cancer support. This episode will inspire you to keep trusting God through the challenges of life and business, without losing sight of the purpose He has for you. Learn more about Recognised Store: recognisedstore.com instagram.com/recognisedstore  

What drives your ambition and who influences the choices you make when it comes to your life and business? On this episode we speak to Ify Alexis Lee about ambition, alignment and how to navigate the hurry and hustle culture many of us are living in.  We delved into the motives behind starting a business or passion project, remaining in alignment to your purpose and how to manage imposter syndrome and self-doubt when building a vision. Ify is the Founder of Love Limitless which is a movement for women who desire to live out God's purpose for their lives, and she's also the Founder of IA Kitchen, a hobby turned side-hustle where she serves up recipes and tips for everyday home-cooked dishes. This episode will inspire and challenge you around  the importance of community, what devotion to God truly means as a creative entrepreneur and how to honour the season you are in without caving in to the pressure and trends of society.   Learn more and connect with ASCRIBE www.ascribeculture.com www.instagram.com/ascribeculture

If you struggle with marketing your business, or knowing how to navigate the digital space to get your brand in front of the people who need it most, then this episode is for you. We're delving into all of this with Menekse who is a Marketing consultant with 15 years experience specialising in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). She is a lecturer for UAL's London College of Communication and ELLE Education, and is also the founder of an e-commerce marketplace- Cheerfully Given. In this episode Menekse, who grew up in a Muslim family, shares her career journey and how she has been intentional about developing her skills, stepping out of her comfort zone and challenging herself to grow in the field of Marketing.  This episode is filled with so much insight and tips that will help you develop your marketing game plan as you grow your business. We spoke about why you need short and long-term marketing goals to grow your business, how SEO can help you reach your target market in today's digital world, and how to apply the principles of Marketing as a faith-driven entrepreneur. Have a listen and don't forget to subscribe and share.    

Tobi is an award-winning journalist, Tedx speaker, and in 2018 was placed on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Media & Marketing. In 2014 she co-founded Black Ballad, the leading media and data company for Black women in Britain and beyond, after realising that the media industry was lacking racial inclusivity in its staff and content. In this episode she shares about being agnostic before finding her faith in God, her boldness to push past the objections of others when starting Black Ballad and taking the bold leap to transition the business into a membership platform in 2016 ahead of the curve. She also explained the challenges of raising investment as a black female founder and why she has chosen not to share her personal life as a wife and mother on social media in honouring her personal values. Tobi has taken a bold stance when it comes to her vision and her values, which is inspiring and challenging- have a listen.   Find out more about Black Ballad: www.blackballad.co.uk/ www.instagram.com/blackballaduk   Support Black Ballad's crowdfunding campaign: https://blackballad.co.uk/crowdfund-21   Stay connected with ASCRIBE: www.instagram.com/ascribeculture www.ascribeculture.com  

At the age of 20, Gbemi became Britain's youngest bridal wear designer and has spent the past eight years building Alonuko- a luxury womenswear brand based in the UK and serving clients internationally. Describing herself as a fashion designer and garment technologist, Gbemi spoke to us about how her Christian faith keeps her grounded in business by removing the pressure to conform to the standards of the fashion industry, whilst enabling her to uphold her personal integrity as a womenswear designer. In May 2021 she released her third bridal collection, The Freedom Collection and she opens up to us about the inspiration and craftmanship behind the designs, how she found freedom to evolve and express her creative potential, and her ambition of attracting a new, high-end clientele through this collection. The combination of her faith in God and fearless approach towards business has kept her going ever since appearing on Season 2 of the BBCs Young Apprentice and we're really excited for you to listen to this episode.   Find out more about Gbemi and follow the Alonuko journey: www.alonuko.co.uk www.instagram.com/alonuko_bespoke www.instagram.com/alonuko   Learn more and connect with ASCRIBE www.ascribeculture.com www.instagram.com/ascribeculture