Tea with the Queen

Hosted by Emma McQueen

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232

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Jul 2026

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About the show

Emma McQueen has been supporting women from all backgrounds to achieve their full potential for more than 20 years. She's passionately committed to ensuring women have what they need to feel fulfilled and excited by their working lives. We all have it in us to achieve our full potential- sometimes we just need a bit of understanding, some practical and logical actions and a gentle nudge to get that momentum which leads to progress and progress which leads to fulfilment. Emma McQueen chats with a range of women in leadership and in business to explore the practicalities of how they feel energised by their work and their personal definitions of success. Join Emma for a tea as she and her guests chat success, failure and optimism, sharing the actionable, results-focused tips and strategies that got them to where they are today.

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July 5, 202612 min

Why Pitch Slapping is Killing Your Referrals

Want more referrals in your business? Let's start with basic manners. Before you roll your eyes, this isn’t an etiquette lesson, it’s about why skipping the relationship building in business is quietly eroding your growth and giving your network the ick.In this episode, I share two recent experiences that made me pause and realise how common it has become to confuse digital access with a genuine relationship. In an era dominated by AI, cold funnels, and automated messages, true relationships are a competitive advantage because they are the one thing that can't be replicated.I discuss why familiarity should breed thoughtfulness rather than assumptions, the dangers of letting your personal urgency dictate your manners, and the three simple filters you need to run your communication through before hitting send. If you want a business built on long-term trust, sustainable referrals, and real revenue, it’s time to put relationships first and opportunities second.LINKSEmma McQueen:WebsiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/YouTube ChannelAugust Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Mentioned in this episode:Style BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/Style BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/Style Bundle

June 28, 202617 min

How to Build Consistent Sales: The 3-2-1 Rhythm

If your sales feel like a feast and famine cycle, you’re not broken. You’re just relying on bursts of effort instead of a rhythm you can keep when you’re busy, and that’s why the panic months keep showing up.In this episode, I’m sharing the simple daily framework I use to build consistent sales without burning out. It’s called the 3-2-1 rhythm, and it’s designed for real business owners who are juggling delivery, clients, and a life.We’ll break down what counts as a reach out, why follow ups are where most money gets left on the table, and how one simple post keeps you visible without turning you into a content machine. The goal is not intensity; it’s repetition that compounds.If you want a pipeline that stays warm even when you’re flat out, this will give you a clean place to start. Try it for two weeks and tell me what shifts for you.Chapter Markers00:00 Introduction00:35 The Feast and Famine Sales Cycle02:41 The 3-2-1 Sales Rhythm03:15 What I See in the Business Development Sprint04:58 3 Reach Outs (Start Conversations)06:18 2 Follow Ups (Move Deals Forward)07:45 1 Social Post (Stay in the Room)09:39 Consistency Over Intensity11:52 Common Mistakes That Break the Rhythm14:30 Step into ConsistencyLINKSEmma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Mentioned in this episode:Tracey Rudich - Intimo - InstagramTracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram

June 21, 202623 min

How to give clear feedback as a leader

Are you staying nice on the outside while fuming on the inside? In this episode, I help you understand how to give clear feedback as a leader without causing a massive blowout or hurting someone's feelings. Most leadership friction in growing businesses isn’t a strategy problem; it’s an avoidance problem.I give you some advice on how to ditch the outdated "feedback sandwich" and replace it with a powerful, fact-based framework called SBI (Situation, Behaviour, Impact).You will learn how to manage the emotional stories in your head, check your true intent, and approach your team with curiosity instead of reaction.I also give you some neuroscience hacks to create a brain-friendly space so your message actually lands instead of sending your team into defence mode.Stop waiting for your team to "just know" the boundaries and start leading with clear, respectful communication that builds trust and drives business growth.Chapter Markers00:00 - Introduction - Why unclear is unkind02:54 - Check your intent: Shifting from what’s wrong to what’s strong05:41 - The 4-step process to reflect and manage your emotions09:35 - The SBI framework11:22 - Why you must practice your feedback out loud13:40 - Creating a brain-friendly space using the SCARF model15:30 - Case study: The massive cost of an unsaid conversation17:50 - How the human brain actually remembers feedbackLINKSEmma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Mentioned in this episode:Tracey Rudich - Intimo - InstagramTracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram

June 14, 202619 min

Stop Chasing Views: How to Position Yourself as the Expert

If you’ve been told to post more, show up more, and be everywhere, this episode is your permission slip to stop treating visibility like the goal. Visibility matters, especially early, but if you’re still hustling for every sale years in, it starts to feel like a treadmill that never switches off.We unpack the shift from visibility to positioning using a simple lighthouse test, plus a real example of what it looks like when a buyer arrives already warm, already trusting you, and basically already sold. No chasing, no convincing, no heavy lifting.You’ll hear the core building blocks that move you from being seen to being chosen, and the mindset shift that makes it stick. If sales feels harder than it should, or you keep attracting the wrong clients, this will help you figure out what’s actually going on and where to start.LINKSTracy Rudich, Initmo: https://www.instagram.com/tracy.rudich Emma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Mentioned in this episode:Tracey Rudich - Intimo - InstagramTracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram

June 7, 202629 min

How to Delegate Without Micromanaging: Stop Taking the "Monkey"

If you’re burnt out as a leader, it’s probably not because you’re lazy or disorganised. It’s because you keep picking up “monkeys” that were never yours to carry, and you’ve slowly become the bottleneck while everyone else clocks out at 5.If you've been trying to figure out how to delegate without losing control or feeling like you're abandoning your team, this is for you.In this episode, I share the simple question that changes everything, plus the mindset shift that stops you rescuing and teaches you how to delegate effectively. It’s about keeping ownership where it belongs, while still supporting your team with clarity and rhythm so things actually move.We also talk about why being clear is kind, and how unclear expectations ruin your ability to learn how to delegate successfully, creating frustration, performance issues, and awkward conversations later. You’ll hear what intentional leadership looks like in real life, including the regular conversations that prevent surprises and help your team grow without drama.If you care deeply about your people but you’re tired of carrying everything, this one will land. What’s one monkey you’re ready to put down this week?CHAPTER MARKERS00:00 How to Lead a Team: The Mindset Shift01:02 Why Team Management Feels Hard (The Statistics)02:06 Why Employee Underperformance Starts With Clarity03:36 Who’s Got the Monkey? (The Secret to Delegation)05:06 Why Leaders Take on Too Much Employee Work06:02 How to Delegate Effectively: Next Move & Check-Ins06:45 How to Do a Monkey Audit to Stop Micromanaging07:58 The 3 Pillars of Successful Team Leadership09:32 Balancing Employee Accountability With Empathetic Leadership10:02 Fixing the Communication Gap in Small Business Management11:20 How to Run a "Role and Relationship" Chat With Staff12:45 Management Case Study: Fixing a Briefing Breakdown15:50 The 5 Core Conversations Every Business Leader Needs18:18 How to Give Employee Feedback With No Surprises19:20 How Clear Communication and Delegation Reduces Burnout20:10 How to Hold Your Team Accountable (Without Being Bossy)22:10 Managing Employee Performance vs. Employee Behaviour23:05 Leadership Case Study: Keeping Standards Clear24:30 Learn How to Delegate Successfully This WeekLINKS:BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Emma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/The One Minute Manager: Ken Blanchard - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-new-one-minute-manager-kenneth-h-blanchard/book/9780008128043.html?source=pla&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22225225579&gbraid=0AAAAA-Ia9hPa9Du3bsdeLnKB4aXR1albY&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz9_QBhD_ARIsADnSCfDBe0tdEa77zKd82Jh8HAZGD0SGbJAVd9s6LvfviAwUuctIAjiaJDgaAvD5EALw_wcBThe One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey: Ken Blanchard - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-one-minute-manager-meets-the-monkey-kenneth-h-blanchard/book/9780007116980.html?source=pla&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22225225579&gbraid=0AAAAA-Ia9hPa9Du3bsdeLnKB4aXR1albY&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz9_QBhD_ARIsADnSCfDPC_OOYVydaSaMk624ZQuz2ZRTD56gYdL-zRLu0PHS_WIlt4vOaqkaAlLJEALw_wcBMentioned in this episode:Style BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/Style BundleTracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram

May 31, 202620 min

Why Growing Your Business Feels So Chaotic

If you’re somewhere between $100k and $500k in revenue and thinking, “Why does this feel harder now?”, welcome to the messy middle of business. You’re not in the startup phase anymore, but you’re also not running a calm, well oiled machine. Things are working… but they’re also not working.In this season, the chaos isn’t a sign you’re failing. It’s feedback. More clients, more moving parts, more expectations, and suddenly the cracks show. You drop balls, your calendar becomes a mess, and the old strategies that used to work stop feeling reliable.We’ll talk about the sneaky pipeline drought that hits right after a strong quarter, why undercharging becomes obvious in this phase, and how “doing everything yourself” turns into the biggest bottleneck. This is also where mindset matters, because growth can mess with your confidence even when revenue is rising.If you’re in the messy middle of business, here are your next steps: keep the pipeline warm, price for outcomes, delegate one draining task, and know your numbers (profit, not just revenue). The messy middle isn’t permanent, but it does require a new way of operating.Mentioned in this episode:Tracey Rudich - Intimo - InstagramTracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram

May 24, 202628 min

How to Avoid Making a Bad Hire

Hiring is one of those business milestones that sounds simple until you’re the one doing it, and because most of us aren’t hiring every week, it’s easy to second guess yourself, delay it, or rush it when you’re already exhausted. In this episode, we’re talking about why so many women put hiring off for too long, what hiring fear really looks like in a growing business, and why “I’ll just keep doing it myself” quietly becomes the most expensive option.I’m sharing what I’ve learned from sitting on every side of the hiring table, from recruiter to HR Director to coach, and the patterns I see over and over when business owners start hiring. We’ll unpack the real cost of a bad hire (it’s not just money), and why messy hiring decisions tend to leak into your time, your energy, your confidence, and your team.You’ll also hear the simple hiring framework I come back to when I want hiring to feel calm and commercial: getting clear on what to delegate, writing a position description that actually attracts the right person, hiring for skill and will, and building a basic interview process and onboarding plan so you’re not winging it. If hiring has been sitting on your to do list for months, this is your nudge to stop overthinking and start getting clear.LINKSEmma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Mentioned in this episode:Style BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/Style BundleStyle BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/

May 17, 202619 min

How Successful Entrepreneurs Escape The Productivity Trap

Ever feel like you’re sprinting through the week, ticking every box, and still going nowhere? This episode is for the high-performing business women who are doing a lot, moving fast, and quietly feeling flat.This year I picked a word: intentional. Which sounds simple, until you realise it means slowing down long enough to hear yourself think, and pausing before you say yes just because you can.I’m sharing what I’m practising instead, like tiny moments of silence between meetings, quiet walks and sleeping on decisions so I stop reacting at lightning speed. It has changed how I lead my business.If you’ve been wondering how to escape the productivity trap, take one small step this week. Create one pocket of space, even five minutes, and notice what changes. Not in your to do list, in you.LINKS:BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Emma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/Atomic Habits Book by James Clear:https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habitsThe Third Space:https://dradamfraser.com/speaking-content/the-third-spaceMentioned in this episode:Style BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/Style BundleStyle BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/

May 10, 202621 min

Why your Business Plan Keeps Falling Apart

This one’s for the business owners who keep buying the blueprint.The “proven” content plan or the foolproof sales script. The morning routine that apparently turns you into a millionaire by Thursday. You see it work for someone else and you think, cool, I’ll just do that. Easy.Except you try it and it feels like you’re wearing shoes that don’t fit. They look great on, and you technically can walk in them, but every step is uncomfortable, forced, and annoying.I’m sharing a few simple client examples that show how one small change in process can make content feel easy and sound like you again, plus how to use “forced vs flow” as data instead of a reason to beat yourself up. We’ll also unpack the sneaky danger of business “shoulds” and why doing less can sometimes create more traction.Listen in, then ask yourself this. What are you doing because it’s proven, even though it doesn’t suit you? And what would change if you gave yourself permission to do it your way instead?CHAPTER MARKERS00:00 Stop Copying Playbooks00:53 Content That Sounds Like You02:24 Voice Notes and Better Inputs03:25 Realistic Posting Commitments05:29 Find Your Content Rhythm07:00 Networking Your Way10:30 Goals Money and Profit13:44 Bigger Rooms Better Principles15:38 Four Steps to Your Method18:11 Build Your Own Business Strategy BlueprintLINKS:BD Sprint:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/Emma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/Mentioned in this episode:Style BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/Style BundleStyle BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/

May 3, 202613 min

Your Mental Health is Your Business

This one’s personal. A “minor” ankle injury forced me to stop, and I didn’t realise how much I rely on my regulators (walking and running) to keep steady until it was suddenly gone.While I was benched, I also had a routine skin check, and it brought up more emotion than I expected after last year’s melanoma. I told myself it was fine, filed it away, and kept going. Then I jumped on a call with Serena, my sister and business manager, and one simple question opened the floodgates.In this episode, I’m talking about what happens when your “regulator” gets taken away, why stress can stack up quietly until you feel flat and heavy, and how to find your way back without needing some big dramatic reset. I’ll also give you a few questions to help you spot your early warning signs, protect the thing that keeps you well, and make sure you’ve got someone in your corner who won’t let “I’m fine” be the end of the conversation.LINKSEmma McQueen:Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/websiteFor a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne:https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/Mentioned in this episode:Style BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/Style BundleStyle BundleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/