Good Ideas + Bad Decisions

About Good Ideas + Bad Decisions

Welcome to Good Ideas + Bad Decisions! Let’s be real - it’s the perfect name for a show hosted by two business owners who have absolutely made both. Between us, we’ve started businesses, burned out, bounced back, and helped other entrepreneurs do the same. We’re here to talk about the messy middle of running a business - entrepreneurship, mental health, and the chaos that comes with making your own path. Join your hosts Ellen and Kat as we candidly share our experiences, answer your burning business questions, and welcome other owners into our emotional support business club.

Publisher

Kat Oldershaw and Ellen Hockley

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Apr 2025

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

70 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   S2E14: Trading Archives for Autonomy with Virtual Assistant Emma Martin

   In this episode of ‘Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,’ Kat and Ellen introduce their virtual assistant, Emma Martin, and dig into her career path and her approach to work. Emma shares how she left an academic track after earning an English master’s at the University of Chicago, discovered a love of archival work, and went on to earn a library science master’s at UT Austin while working as an archivist, including for the Texas State Bar. After moving to Chicago just as COVID-19 hit and facing uncertain prospects in archives, she temped, then landed in corporate telehealth marketing, where she realized her responsiveness and encouragement weren’t valued the way metrics were. That led her to start her own VA business (and an art practice), where she finds fulfillment in process-building, copywriting, and supporting a variety of clients. Emma also explains why she prefers to stay solo rather than scale, why relationships and soft skills matter so much, and how to reach her at emmamartin.biz (http://emmamartin.biz). Emma Martin (http://www.emmamartin.biz) is a Virtual Assistant, artist, and steadfast champion for her clients. She manages their Substack and LinkedIn presence so they don’t have to, helps them find the right words when they’re elusive, and brings order to the proverbial junk drawer. She creates and follows up on the to-do lists that so often become mental roadblocks. Emma does everything from editing podcasts to running Instagrams to sending the emails that fall through the cracks. She has supported solopreneurs, coaches, and consultants across the arts, wellness, academic, and political sectors, clearing their calendars so they can focus on the expert work they love. Kat is the Founder of kat&co (https://www.katandco.org/), helping interior designers create streamlined, sustainable businesses. She is also the Founder of Back Office Design Support (https://www.backofficedesignsupport.com/), providing flexible, behind-the-scenes operational support to interior design studios, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication (https://www.benchworkfab.com/), a custom furniture and millwork company serving the design industry. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, Kat is known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download (https://katandco-download.beehiiv.com/subscribe). Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting (http://www.ellenhockley.com/) and SAGE Women (http://www.ellenhockley.com/joinsage). She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠ (https://substack.com/@ellenhockley). 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:47 Meet Emma 01:40 Academia Burnout 03:04 Archivist Life 05:06 Texas State Bar 06:36 Pandemic Move 09:52 Temp to Telehealth 11:43 Becoming a VA 14:32 Autonomy Talk 16:48 Names and Origins 17:45 Entrepreneur Parents 19:34 Mom’s Creative Hustles 20:29 Craft Store at Home 21:15 Paint and Sip Reality Check 22:24 Keeping Art and Money Separate 24:06 Scaling Without Buzzwords 26:19 Favorite VA Tasks 28:21 Career Wisdom Soft Skills 33:46 How to Hire Emma 35:45 Hosts Hype Emma and Farewell 38:03 Episode Outro and CTA

2. 

   25 Sept 2026

   S2E13: Breaking the Fear of Messing Up (FOMU) and Making Space for Intentional Joy with Brittany Martin Déjean

   In this episode of "Good Ideas + Bad Decisions," hosts Kat and Ellen talk to Brittany Martin Déjean, a speaker and coach who helps people break free from FOMU, the fear of messing up, which shows up as perfectionism, overthinking, self-punishment, and "superficial confidence." Brittany explains how she helps clients map their unique "FOMU fingerprint" and interrupt the cycle through awareness, body-based noticing, and accepting outcomes as they come. She also shares her coaching offerings, including a reported 73% reduction in time lost to FOMU within one group, and talks about her "Intentional Joy Club," which is hosting a throwback '90s karaoke Zoom dance party on September 30. Brittany Martin Déjean (https://www.brittanymartindejean.com/) is a keynote speaker and coach who helps high achievers interrupt FOMU (Fear Of Messing Up), the cycle of overthinking, self-criticism, and shame around mistakes. Her work grew from 6.5 years at Airbnb, where she trained over 1,000 employees and hosts in disability inclusion and coined the term FOMU. A recovering perfectionist and Harvard alum, Brittany now helps clients reclaim their time, energy, and peace, with clients reducing time lost to FOMU by an average of 73%. She has spoken for organizations including Andersen, NBC Universal, and Deutsche Bank. Check out Brittany's Spotify playlist! (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6UBoMsq1gIaS7yxkwm8BlP?si=wv4rvM4rS8-07BP1aWvuKg) Kat is the Founder of kat&co (https://www.katandco.org/), helping interior designers create streamlined, sustainable businesses. She is also the Founder of Back Office Design Support (https://www.backofficedesignsupport.com/), providing flexible, behind-the-scenes operational support to interior design studios, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication (https://www.benchworkfab.com/), a custom furniture and millwork company serving the design industry. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, Kat is known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download (https://katandco-download.beehiiv.com/subscribe). Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting (http://www.ellenhockley.com/) and SAGE Women (http://www.ellenhockley.com/joinsage). She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠ (https://substack.com/@ellenhockley). 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:54 Ghost in the Computer 02:46 Meet Brittany Martin Déjean 03:59 Fear of Messing Up 06:11 Superficial Confidence Explained 10:40 White Knuckling and Body Stress 14:49 Breaking the Spiral Cycle 19:51 Rewriting What Mistakes Mean 21:05 Who Brittany Helps and How 25:16 Proof FOMU Works 26:14 Joy Through Line 28:13 Backstreet Boys Breakthrough 30:15 Karaoke Zoom Party Plan 31:09 Nostalgia Mini Experiments 33:36 Joy Club Invitation 34:45 Being Yourself Publicly 39:04 Make Joy Nonperformative 42:15 Parting Wisdom 43:41 Where To Find Brittany 45:06 Podcast Sign Off

3. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Coffee Chats with Ellen + Kat: Episode 031

   In this mini episode of “Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,” Kat and Ellen ease into mid-September, comparing fall routines, back-to-school chaos, and their opposite work rhythms. Kat shares how business cards left at a coffee shop turned into a local Napa magazine feature. They get honest about the awkward side of business development, such as cold outreach, follow-ups, unsubscribes, and Ellen's small-steps approach to getting back into it. Don't forget to⁠ submit your business questions⁠ (https://organized-country-4e6.notion.site/1ca50631201e81b19c0dc4cc2363d894) for future episodes! Kat is the Founder of kat&co (https://www.katandco.org/), helping interior designers create streamlined, sustainable businesses. She is also the Founder of Back Office Design Support (https://www.backofficedesignsupport.com/), providing flexible, behind-the-scenes operational support to interior design studios, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication (https://www.benchworkfab.com/), a custom furniture and millwork company serving the design industry. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, Kat is known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download (https://katandco-download.beehiiv.com/subscribe). Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting (http://www.ellenhockley.com/) and SAGE Women (http://www.ellenhockley.com/joinsage). She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠ (https://substack.com/@ellenhockley).

Who has been a guest on Good Ideas + Bad Decisions

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Brittany Blumenthal
• Palveshey Tariq
• Sarah McNamara
• Chelsea Rafferty

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

74

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Good Ideas + Bad Decisions

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Good Ideas + Bad Decisions