Karen Marie Johnston’s business was looking great at the beginning of 2020. After building up a loyal following in 2019 she had 8 retreats booked out for the duration of 2020. And then Covid-19 happened.

In this funny, warm and honest conversation, Karen shares the impact the pandemic has had on her business, how she’s managed to shift her focus to a more online model and why it’s still OK to feel not OK all of the time.

Karen is genuinely one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met. Her own journey through abuse, addiction, homelessness and recovery led her to become a social worker  – a job that she has no intention of leaving even though her coaching business has really taken off. The reason she’s so successful – even with the pandemic, is her absolute commitment to showing up and serving her community.

About Karen Marie Johnston

Karen Marie Johnston is a coach, social worker & yoga teacher for addiction & mental health. She organises beautiful retreats, online women’s circles and works 1:1. She has worked with women in the sex industry for the last 2 decades and has been nominated for an ITV National Diversity Award. Her work has been featured on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Women’s Hour’ and Channel 4’s ‘The Secret Millionaire’. She holds hope in some of the darkest environments and has witnessed deeply complex trauma. She wholeheartedly believes in transformation & feels privileged to walk alongside women, as they embark on their own journey of recovery & healing from self-neglect to self-love.

Find Karen on Instagram
Her Facebook group is Women’s Self Love Hub
Karen’s website: https://www.karenmariejohnston.com/

Check out the previous episodes in the Business NOT As Usual Podcast series  Cultivating Love & Connection with Corrie Cason and – Women, Money and Taking up Space with Money Coach, Ray Dodd

Maggie Patterson is the editorial director at Scoop Studio and the creator of Small Business Boss. With two decades of experience, Maggie has spent her entire career in client services and has been a successful entrepreneur for 15 years.

Today, she works with freelancers and agency owners to help them implement smart strategies for business growth using proven marketing, sales, and client experience tactics. She’s the host of the Small Business Boss podcast, has been on stage at events such as New Media Expo, Podcast Movement, and the Conquer Summit, and her work has been featured in leading publications such as Entrepreneur.com, Fast Company and Virgin.com.

In today’s episode, we talk about mental health, our frustration with how suddenly way too many people consider themselves to be an epidemiology expert (we’re looking at you tech bros) and what running a business through previous market downturns has taught us (and why that’s not always going to track into this one.)

Maggie shares her wisdom about what core skills and practices we all need to be focusing on right now (hint: they may not be sexy but they’re what bring in the money) and, of course, what’s giving her joy. 

Connect with Maggie at https://smallbusinessboss.co/
https://www.facebook.com/smallbusinessbosshq/
https://www.instagram.com/smallbusinessboss/

Check out the previous episodes in the Business NOT As Usual Podcast series  Cultivating Love & Connection with Corrie Cason and – Women, Money and Taking up Space with Money Coach, Ray Dodd