60 acast.com Meeting at the Crossroads podcast https://shows.acast.com/meeting-at-the-crossroads-podcast en Sarah Daly Sarah Daly Every business owner reaches a crossroads. Should I grow or hold steady? Is it time to step back or am I not ready? Do I stay, sell, merge, reinvent or start again?


It's not if you reach a crossroads. It's when.


Meeting at the Crossroads is the podcast where business owners and directors share the real, unfiltered stories behind the decisions that defined them, moments of growth, exit, retirement, reinvention, and uncertainty, and how they found a way through.


I'm Sarah Daly, a qualified accountant, transition facilitator, executive coach, and business consultant. I've started, grown, and sold my own business, and I've stood at a few crossroads of my own. This podcast is my way of making sure no business owner has to face those moments without the benefit of hearing someone else's story first.


Because we all have something to learn from each other. No matter your age, your stage, or the size of your business.


Short episodes. Honest conversations. Real experience.


Find me on Instagram at sarahdalycoaching, on LinkedIn as Sarah Daly, or at sarahdaly.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Every business owner reaches a crossroads. Should I grow or hold steady? Is it time to step back or am I not ready? Do I stay, sell, merge, reinvent or start again?


It's not if you reach a crossroads. It's when.


Meeting at the Crossroads is the podcast where business owners and directors share the real, unfiltered stories behind the decisions that defined them, moments of growth, exit, retirement, reinvention, and uncertainty, and how they found a way through.


I'm Sarah Daly, a qualified accountant, transition facilitator, executive coach, and business consultant. I've started, grown, and sold my own business, and I've stood at a few crossroads of my own. This podcast is my way of making sure no business owner has to face those moments without the benefit of hearing someone else's story first.


Because we all have something to learn from each other. No matter your age, your stage, or the size of your business.


Short episodes. Honest conversations. Real experience.


Find me on Instagram at sarahdalycoaching, on LinkedIn as Sarah Daly, or at sarahdaly.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> false Sarah Daly info+69ef7a74e569441e2354d10f@mg-eu.acast.com 69ef7a74e569441e2354d10f meeting-at-the-crossroads-podcast episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/69ef7a74e569441e2354d10f/1781449662910-bfb2f044-431e-4cfc-b87a-e213955309b4.jpeg https://shows.acast.com/meeting-at-the-crossroads-podcast Meeting at the Crossroads podcast Making Big Decisions Under Pressure with Dawn Coupe Making Big Decisions Under Pressure with Dawn Coupe Wed, 26 Aug 2026 23:00:00 GMT 23:01 6a79f3495a90490c34ea2040 false https://shows.acast.com/meeting-at-the-crossroads-podcast/episodes/making-big-decisions-under-pressure-with-dawn-coupe 6a79f3495a90490c34ea2040 69ef7a74e569441e2354d10f making-big-decisions-under-pressure-with-dawn-coupe full 3 Dawn Coupe built Equinox Consulting from a single 3-month contract into a multi-million-pound consultancy over 11 years, growing the business tenfold in just 4 years. But behind the growth was a business barely holding together: contracts overrunning by hundreds of thousands of pounds, mounting supplier debt, and a company that had scaled faster than its systems could support.


Dawn shares what it really took to walk away from a deal that looked like a lifeline, how she rebuilt trust with her leadership team, and the lesson she now carries into her coaching work with founders who've built something brilliant and lost themselves inside it.


In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Why rapid growth can be as dangerous as decline
  • How to spot a "helpful" offer that isn't 
  • A simple way to test any high-stakes decision 
  • Why your busiest, most stressed moment is the worst time to sign anything 
  • The real cost of carrying a crisis alone
  • How to build a support network before you need one 
  • What recovery actually looks like 
  • The mindset shift that changes everything


Meeting at the Crossroads is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

If today's episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow business owner who might be standing at their own crossroads.


Connect with Sarah

LinkedIn

Website

Instagram


Connect with Dawn

LinkedIn

Website


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Dawn Coupe built Equinox Consulting from a single 3-month contract into a multi-million-pound consultancy over 11 years, growing the business tenfold in just 4 years. But behind the growth was a business barely holding together: contracts overrunning by hundreds of thousands of pounds, mounting supplier debt, and a company that had scaled faster than its systems could support.


Dawn shares what it really took to walk away from a deal that looked like a lifeline, how she rebuilt trust with her leadership team, and the lesson she now carries into her coaching work with founders who've built something brilliant and lost themselves inside it.


In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Why rapid growth can be as dangerous as decline
  • How to spot a "helpful" offer that isn't 
  • A simple way to test any high-stakes decision 
  • Why your busiest, most stressed moment is the worst time to sign anything 
  • The real cost of carrying a crisis alone
  • How to build a support network before you need one 
  • What recovery actually looks like 
  • The mindset shift that changes everything


Meeting at the Crossroads is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

If today's episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow business owner who might be standing at their own crossroads.


Connect with Sarah

LinkedIn

Website

Instagram


Connect with Dawn

LinkedIn

Website


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Rebuilding after Burnout with Leadership Strategist Charley Swords Rebuilding after Burnout with Leadership Strategist Charley Swords Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT 19:57 6a565d957e01c44e38990e16 false https://shows.acast.com/meeting-at-the-crossroads-podcast/episodes/rebuilding-after-burnout-with-leadership-strategist-charley 6a565d957e01c44e38990e16 69ef7a74e569441e2354d10f rebuilding-after-burnout-with-leadership-strategist-charley full 2 For 29 years, leadership strategist Charley Swords has asked leaders one essential question: not what are you trying to achieve, but how are you actually leading? 

But this episode isn't about the leaders she's coached, it's about her own crossroads. After years of relentless international travel, a health scare forced Charley to stop completely. A visit to her GP delivered words she'll never forget: get on a plane, and you'll come off it in a box. What followed was an 18-month recovery, the closure of her limited company, and a hard look at whether to retire, return to employment, or start again.


Charley talks candidly about resilience, the myth that stepping back is a sign of weakness, and why she believes self, family, and work must stay in balance for anyone in business.


In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How to recognise the warning signs your body sends before burnout forces a decision for you
  • Why stepping back from a business is a sign of strength, not failure
  • How to evaluate your real options when facing a health, career, or business crossroads
  • A simple framework for keeping yourself, your family, and your work in balance
  • Why closing or restructuring a business isn't the same as giving up
  • How to rebuild momentum and confidence after an extended setback
  • What to consider when facing more than one major life disruption in close succession
  • Practical ways to adapt how you work when your usual way of operating is no longer possible


Meeting at the Crossroads is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.


If today's episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow business owner who might be standing at their own crossroads.


Connect with Sarah

LinkedIn

Website

Instagram



Connect with Charley

LinkedIn

Website


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> For 29 years, leadership strategist Charley Swords has asked leaders one essential question: not what are you trying to achieve, but how are you actually leading? 

But this episode isn't about the leaders she's coached, it's about her own crossroads. After years of relentless international travel, a health scare forced Charley to stop completely. A visit to her GP delivered words she'll never forget: get on a plane, and you'll come off it in a box. What followed was an 18-month recovery, the closure of her limited company, and a hard look at whether to retire, return to employment, or start again.


Charley talks candidly about resilience, the myth that stepping back is a sign of weakness, and why she believes self, family, and work must stay in balance for anyone in business.


In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How to recognise the warning signs your body sends before burnout forces a decision for you
  • Why stepping back from a business is a sign of strength, not failure
  • How to evaluate your real options when facing a health, career, or business crossroads
  • A simple framework for keeping yourself, your family, and your work in balance
  • Why closing or restructuring a business isn't the same as giving up
  • How to rebuild momentum and confidence after an extended setback
  • What to consider when facing more than one major life disruption in close succession
  • Practical ways to adapt how you work when your usual way of operating is no longer possible


Meeting at the Crossroads is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.


If today's episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow business owner who might be standing at their own crossroads.


Connect with Sarah

LinkedIn

Website

Instagram



Connect with Charley

LinkedIn

Website


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Trusting Your Gut in Business with Christina Clarkin Trusting Your Gut in Business with Christina Clarkin Wed, 24 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT 19:53 6a2ad9a2440b9d7bbf6eb415 false https://shows.acast.com/meeting-at-the-crossroads-podcast/episodes/trusting-your-gut-in-business-with-christina-clarkin 6a2ad9a2440b9d7bbf6eb415 69ef7a74e569441e2354d10f trusting-your-gut-in-business-with-christina-clarkin full 1 What does it take to let go of a brand you built from scratch and merge it into something new?


In this debut episode of Meeting at the Crossroads, Sarah sits down with marketing expert Christina Clarkin to explore one of the boldest decisions of her career, merging her solo business, The Marketing Lounge, with fellow industry experts Aidan and Jim to form MX3.


In This Episode, You'll Discover

  • Why Christina reached a growth ceiling in her solo business and what made her reluctant to simply hire
  • How she and her future partners were "matchmade" by a mutual vendor, and what made the chemistry click
  • What it really felt like to consider letting go of a brand she had built entirely on her own
  • Why growth alone isn't always enough, and how to recognise when you've hit a ceiling you can't break through solo
  • Why fear of letting go of your brand, your control, your identity as a business owner is normal, and how to work through it
  • How to use your "why" as an anchor when doubt and outside opinion start to cloud your thinking


Christina had built a profitable, well-respected business over four and a half years. But she'd hit a ceiling. When the opportunity to merge came knocking in late 2019, her gut said yes, and then COVID arrived. What followed was months of uncertainty, a house move, and a deeply personal decision about what kind of business owner she wanted to be. This is that story.


If today's episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow business owner who might be standing at their own crossroads.


Meeting at the Crossroads is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Production by Amanda Fitzgerald.


Connect with Sarah

LinkedIn

Website

Instagram


Connect with Christina

LinkedIn

Website

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What does it take to let go of a brand you built from scratch and merge it into something new?


In this debut episode of Meeting at the Crossroads, Sarah sits down with marketing expert Christina Clarkin to explore one of the boldest decisions of her career, merging her solo business, The Marketing Lounge, with fellow industry experts Aidan and Jim to form MX3.


In This Episode, You'll Discover

  • Why Christina reached a growth ceiling in her solo business and what made her reluctant to simply hire
  • How she and her future partners were "matchmade" by a mutual vendor, and what made the chemistry click
  • What it really felt like to consider letting go of a brand she had built entirely on her own
  • Why growth alone isn't always enough, and how to recognise when you've hit a ceiling you can't break through solo
  • Why fear of letting go of your brand, your control, your identity as a business owner is normal, and how to work through it
  • How to use your "why" as an anchor when doubt and outside opinion start to cloud your thinking


Christina had built a profitable, well-respected business over four and a half years. But she'd hit a ceiling. When the opportunity to merge came knocking in late 2019, her gut said yes, and then COVID arrived. What followed was months of uncertainty, a house move, and a deeply personal decision about what kind of business owner she wanted to be. This is that story.


If today's episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow business owner who might be standing at their own crossroads.


Meeting at the Crossroads is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Production by Amanda Fitzgerald.


Connect with Sarah

LinkedIn

Website

Instagram


Connect with Christina

LinkedIn

Website

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Meeting at The Crossroads Trailer Meeting at The Crossroads Trailer Tue, 19 May 2026 18:07:25 GMT 2:17 6a0ca6ddbf33122289f75c4c false https://shows.acast.com/meeting-at-the-crossroads-podcast/episodes/this-is-meeting-at-the-crossroads 6a0ca6ddbf33122289f75c4c 69ef7a74e569441e2354d10f this-is-meeting-at-the-crossroads trailer Every business owner faces moments that stop them in their tracks. Meeting at the Crossroads is the podcast that meets you in those moments.


Hosted by Sarah Daly, a qualified accountant, transition facilitator, executive coach, and business consultant, each episode features candid, unfiltered conversations with business owners and directors who share the real stories behind their defining decisions. Short, honest, and grounded in lived experience , this podcast offers the kind of insight that's often only understood in hindsight.


Whether you're on a commute, a coffee break, or facing a crossroads right now, we're here to make sure you never have to face those moments alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Every business owner faces moments that stop them in their tracks. Meeting at the Crossroads is the podcast that meets you in those moments.


Hosted by Sarah Daly, a qualified accountant, transition facilitator, executive coach, and business consultant, each episode features candid, unfiltered conversations with business owners and directors who share the real stories behind their defining decisions. Short, honest, and grounded in lived experience , this podcast offers the kind of insight that's often only understood in hindsight.


Whether you're on a commute, a coffee break, or facing a crossroads right now, we're here to make sure you never have to face those moments alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]>