Pleased to meet you!

With almost a quarter century of running small businesses under my belt, I’ve been genuinely forced to admit: what do I really know?

I’m honestly sick to death of the absolute bollocks that is peddled online. So I’m here as the anti-thesis. If you want positive platitudes and false hope, look away now.

This is real life. This is my real life. And I’ve created a Substack around it because, why the hell not?

Everyone’s peddling the perfect positive. If you get the impression that it CAN be done, that it ISN’T difficult, and it’s just YOU who doesn’t get it, then this is the place for you.

My writing style is raw, ragged, and rambunctiously off-beat. This is entrepreneurialism in the real world, warts and all.

Sneak on to my substack get a flavour and if I’m making you feel you are not alone, and there’s more worth paying for, subscribe for just the cost of a cup of coffee every month. 

Tricia

howtobeshitat

99 10

There’s an hour in my day that makes me twitch.

I used to think staying in my pyjamas at 9am was lazy.

But I’m not. I’m writing, producing ideas and insights, and doing more than I was a few years ago when I’d be sat at my desk, barely alert and waiting desperately for the caffeine to kick in.

Yes, it still makes me twitchy.

But the twitchiness is easing with each week.

And it’s a level of twitch that is completely worth it.

My new article is out now. Head over to Substack to read it: Link in bio.

#entrepreneur #businessowner #businessstrategy #growthmindset

1 1
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17956304493077368
There’s an hour in my day that makes me twitch. I used to think staying in my pyjamas at 9am was lazy. But I’m not. I’m writing, producing ideas and insights, and doing more than I was a few years ago when I’d be sat at my desk, barely alert and waiting desperately for the caffeine to kick in. Yes, it still makes me twitchy. But the twitchiness is easing with each week. And it’s a level of twitch that is completely worth it. My new article is out now. Head over to Substack to read it: Link in bio.#entrepreneur #businessowner #businessstrategy #growthmindset

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1 1

I used to think I was crushing it.

Long hours, a growing team, always being available.

Tomorrow, I write about why starting work at 10am now feels quietly rebellious, and the difference it has made.

Subscribe to my Substack now to get it straight to your inbox.

👉 Link in bio.

#business #entrepreneurlife #mindsetmatters #selfgrowthjourney

2 1
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18076397294576700
I used to think I was crushing it. Long hours, a growing team, always being available. Tomorrow, I write about why starting work at 10am now feels quietly rebellious, and the difference it has made. Subscribe to my Substack now to get it straight to your inbox. 👉 Link in bio. #business #entrepreneurlife #mindsetmatters #selfgrowthjourney

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2 1

There was a time when 70 hour weeks felt like a badge of honour.

6am starts.
7pm finishes.
Weekends… another working day.

I told myself I was building momentum.

In reality, I was building sleep debt, stress, and a version of success that quietly cost more than it gave.

This Saturday I reflect on those grind years and the surprisingly powerful shift that came from moving my working day by just one hour.

If you are interested in the reality of entrepreneurship, warts and all, subscribe to my Substack: Link in bio.

#entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #startup #growthhacking #leadership

2 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17864151372512720
There was a time when 70 hour weeks felt like a badge of honour. 6am starts. 7pm finishes. Weekends… another working day. I told myself I was building momentum. In reality, I was building sleep debt, stress, and a version of success that quietly cost more than it gave. This Saturday I reflect on those grind years and the surprisingly powerful shift that came from moving my working day by just one hour. If you are interested in the reality of entrepreneurship, warts and all, subscribe to my Substack: Link in bio.#entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #startup #growthhacking #leadership

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2 0

At 9.15am this morning, I was still in my pyjamas.

A year ago, I’d have called that lazy.

Now? I call it aligned.

After discovering (thanks to my Oura Health ring) that I’m a Night Owl, I shifted my working hours by a whole hour, eschewing the shackles of 9-5 in favour of a more innovative 10-6.

The result is better energy, better focus… and one twitchy hour between 9–10am where I feel like I should already be “at work”.

I call it The Twitching Hour and I’m writing about it this Saturday at 8am.

Subscribe to my Substack to get it in your inbox: Link in bio.

#smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

0 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17987486096778125
At 9.15am this morning, I was still in my pyjamas. A year ago, I’d have called that lazy. Now? I call it aligned. After discovering (thanks to my Oura Health ring) that I’m a Night Owl, I shifted my working hours by a whole hour, eschewing the shackles of 9-5 in favour of a more innovative 10-6. The result is better energy, better focus… and one twitchy hour between 9–10am where I feel like I should already be “at work”. I call it The Twitching Hour and I’m writing about it this Saturday at 8am. Subscribe to my Substack to get it in your inbox: Link in bio.#smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

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0 0

If your agency resigns, it is not an inconvenience. It is a warning.

Agencies do not leave good clients. We are loyal, often to a fault.

This latest article is a reflection on why psychological contracts always surface eventually, whether you acknowledge them or not.

My latest article is live now and don’t forget to subscribe if you are ready for an honest conversation about how business relationships really work: Link in bio.

#entrepreneur #businessowner #businessstrategy #growthmindset

1 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17871165720447210
If your agency resigns, it is not an inconvenience. It is a warning. Agencies do not leave good clients. We are loyal, often to a fault. This latest article is a reflection on why psychological contracts always surface eventually, whether you acknowledge them or not. My latest article is live now and don’t forget to subscribe if you are ready for an honest conversation about how business relationships really work: Link in bio. #entrepreneur #businessowner #businessstrategy #growthmindset

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1 0

I’ve had to face some hard truths recently.

I absorbed work that should have been scoped and costed. I papered over cracks because there was not enough resource to fix them. I made budgets stretch when they never really should have and told myself it was temporary.

Somewhere along the line, I invented a psychological contract with a client that did not exist.

I have written about this in my next Substack article.

👉 Subscribe to read it in full: link in bio.

#business #entrepreneurlife #mindsetmatters #selfgrowthjourney

3 1
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18100261498723150
I’ve had to face some hard truths recently. I absorbed work that should have been scoped and costed. I papered over cracks because there was not enough resource to fix them. I made budgets stretch when they never really should have and told myself it was temporary. Somewhere along the line, I invented a psychological contract with a client that did not exist. I have written about this in my next Substack article. 👉 Subscribe to read it in full: link in bio.#business #entrepreneurlife #mindsetmatters #selfgrowthjourney

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3 1

Every written contract is accompanied by an unwritten one.

And it is almost always the unwritten one that causes the most pain.

If you work client side or agency side, you may want to read my latest article on Substack.

It goes live this Saturday at 8am.

👉 Subscribe to get it straight into your inbox. Link in bio.

#entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #startup #growthhacking #leadership

1 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17927798415212500
Every written contract is accompanied by an unwritten one. And it is almost always the unwritten one that causes the most pain. If you work client side or agency side, you may want to read my latest article on Substack. It goes live this Saturday at 8am. 👉 Subscribe to get it straight into your inbox. Link in bio.#entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #startup #growthhacking #leadership

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1 0

After 18 years with the same client, I resigned.

This year is a transition year for me and the business, and I`ve been reflecting on the power of written contracts and the psychological ones we quietly invent in our heads.

My article goes live this Saturday at 8am on Substack. If you have ever stayed too long or given too much, this one is for you.

👉 Subscribe so you do not miss it: Link in bio.

#smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

3 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18065416112292301
After 18 years with the same client, I resigned. This year is a transition year for me and the business, and I've been reflecting on the power of written contracts and the psychological ones we quietly invent in our heads. My article goes live this Saturday at 8am on Substack. If you have ever stayed too long or given too much, this one is for you. 👉 Subscribe so you do not miss it: Link in bio. #smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

...

3 0