The Countrywoman’s Guide to Work, Life & You…

This week’s guest is Katy Theakston from The Owl and the Apothecary.
Now, depending on your perspective, the words witch and wild woman in the introduction may either intrigue you or make you slightly nervous.
But you needn’t worry, there’s no hex throwing or cliched pointy hats in this conversation - as long as you too love nature and the countryside, you’re going to find common ground as you listen.
As Katy & I chatted together, I realised that whilst Katy speaks about nature, seasons, ritual and wildness, I often talk about fallow periods, transition and creating space to think. We’re using different language perhaps, but we were often describing the same thing from different directions.
Katy shares how heartbreak became the catalyst for a completely different life. Leaving a successful career in London, moving to Dorset, becoming a mother through IVF and building a business that helps women navigate some of life’s biggest transitions.
Our conversation is a reminder that life moves in cycles. There are seasons for growth, seasons for action, seasons for harvest and seasons for rest. The challenge is often recognising which one we’re in.
If you’ve ever found yourself standing at a crossroads in your business or your life wondering what’s next, I suspect you’ll recognise more of yourself in this conversation than you might expect.
So often, when we’re trying to solve a problem in our business or our lives, we double down. We push harder. We work longer. Yet some of the best answers arrive when we step away from the desk, take the dog for a walk or simply allow ourselves a little space to think.
As someone who spends a lot of time talking about the value of fallow periods, I found myself nodding along throughout much of this conversation.
The thoughts that stayed with me after our chat.
* Heartbreak was the beginning of Katy’s journey, not the end of it.
* Nature isn’t somewhere we visit; it’s something we’re part of.
* Rest isn’t the absence of progress, it’s often where progress begins.
* Growth takes the time it takes. We don’t always get to rush the season.
* Ritual is a part of our everyday life and much of the witchcraft that Katy practices is about bringing her closer to the land and more in tune with the seasons - embracing the old ways.
Katy is one of the warmest and most kind-hearted people you will ever meet - so if you want to connect with her and find out more, we’ve linked her website at the beginning of this article and you can find her on instagram here
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below, so don’t be shy, please do engage and let us know what you think.
Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



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Jacob Lockwood of Lockwood Smocks was a career soldier in the Coldstream Guards and set to stay there for life.
Until he got restless and extremely fed up of consistently getting soaked through on exercise, and he became convinced that he could make something better.
That started him on a journey that led to him and his ever-supportive partner Ruth starting Lockwood Smocks, a business that has consumed their lives somewhat. However, thanks to Jacob’s social media skills - which as he himself says, is just sharing and telling their story as they go - Lockwood has become a big hit.
In this episode, we discuss all the trials and tribulations of starting a business, the added complications of committing to British manufacture and how tenacity and a sheer doggedness to make things happen has catapulted the business forward in ways that Jacob and Ruth could only have dreamt of even a year ago.
Jacob shares a lot of wisdom in our interview, but the clearest bit of insight is that many entrepreneurs don’t have all the answers before they start and Jacob’s ‘Just bloody start!’ attitude has carried him a long way.
I can’t help but feel that this story has a lot more to tell as the business develops - and I know from talking to him, that there’s news coming out over the next month that will transform the business.
You can follow Jacob and Ruth’s Lockwood Smocks story here and Jacob’s instagram is here
The Lockwood website is here so you can take a look at their lovely products.
Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit countrywomansguide.substack.com

This week I’m joined by author, illustrator and entrepreneur Hannah Russell.
Many people will know Hannah through Little Alf, the miniature Shetland pony who first inspired a series of children’s books that went on to become bestsellers. What began as a blog written during recovery from a serious back injury has grown into a career spanning 20 published books, a thriving creative business and a loyal community of readers.
But this conversation goes far beyond books.
Hannah shares the twists and turns of a career that has evolved through opportunity, challenge and a willingness to keep trying new things. We talk about the confidence it takes to put yourself out there, the lessons learned from navigating cancer at a young age, and why sometimes the bravest thing we can do is return to the work that feels most like home.
Together we explore:
* Building a business from a passion rather than a plan
* How Little Alf changed the course of Hannah’s life
* The role animals played during recovery and treatment
* Why every chapter of your career teaches you something useful
* Learning to say no after saying yes too often
* The challenge of confidence, even after success
* Finding your way back to the work that lights you up
* The importance of community, connection and word of mouth
One of the things I loved most about this conversation was Hannah’s honesty. Despite publishing 20 books and building a substantial following, she openly admits that confidence doesn’t always come naturally. It’s a reminder that many of the people we admire are simply feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
For anyone wondering whether it’s too late, too difficult or too risky to follow something they genuinely care about, Hannah’s story is a wonderful reminder that the most meaningful journeys often begin with a single step and a willingness to keep going.
You can find Hannah here and here and look out for her new book for 2026!
Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit countrywomansguide.substack.com

I’d seen Lancashire-based footwear brand Lanx pop up on the show circuit that we’re on with Hiho, and their boots have become firm favourites with the menfolk in my family, but I didn’t really know that much about the brand.
So when I was thinking of people to interview for the Making Stuff Up channel I was presenting for Do Radio, Marv immediately came to mind.
At the end of the 2025 show season, I sat down with Marv for a chat and it’s time to share it with you, our CWG Community.
Marv’s path to creating Lank Shoes was far from conventional. Growing up in a family rooted in craftsmanship and entrepreneurship, he was surrounded by the sounds and sights of his father’s furniture-making business.
This early exposure ignited a passion for creating and marketing products. Marv recalls spending summers helping his father in the workshop, which laid the groundwork for his appreciation of manufacturing and design. Although he initially leaned towards marketing, it was his experiences with local footwear brands that drew him into the shoe industry.
It’s all too easy, especially when a brand is doing really well, to think that their journey to that point was a walk in the park. But when I sit down and have these chats with Founders, that’s never the case.
There are always points where they nearly gave it all up, where they didn’t have the answers and where the sweetest of successes is preceded by a very rough time.
But a bit of serendipity and a lot of tenacity usually sees them through the storm and they soldier on, learning to trust their own instincts as they go.
We talk about the moment Marv nearly closed the business, why becoming comfortable in your own skin matters more than following someone else’s blueprint, and how LANX found its true identity by returning to its Lancashire roots.
Huge thanks to Marv for joining me and to Do Radio for allowing me to share this with you.
You can find Lanx here
You can find Marv here
As always, thank you for reading and thank you for listening,
Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit countrywomansguide.substack.com

Eleanor Mills is a Founder, Speaker, Bestselling author, Award-winning journalist (ex Editorial Director of the Sunday Times and Editor of the Sunday Times Magazine) - and now the UK’s premier expert on all things midlife.
After a 30-year career at the top of British journalism, including senior roles at the Sunday Times, Eleanor suddenly found herself out of the corporate world at 50 - a huge shift that forced her to rethink identity, purpose and what the next chapter might look like.
As a result, Eleanor founded NOON.org.uk, a media platform and 50K+ community of midlifers to change the narrative around ageing; after all in the 100 year life, 50 is only halfway through. It’s Noon - lunchtime - and midlife isn’t a crisis but a chrysalis when we finally get to become the people we’ve always wanted to be.
Together Emma and Eleanor talk honestly about:
* the shock of losing a role you thought defined you
* why experience should make us more valuable, not less
* the freedom and fear that comes with entrepreneurship
* intuition, vulnerability and learning to trust yourself again
* building businesses rooted in purpose and values
* the courage it takes to speak truthfully and live more honestly
* why reinvention is becoming an essential modern life skill
The conversation moves from boardrooms to retreats, from journalism to entrepreneurship, and from external success to a more grounded and resonant way of living and working.
This is a rich, thoughtful and very honest conversation about transition, identity and discovering that sometimes situations not of your choosing can lead you to a fulfilling and purposeful life that you never knew you needed.
You can find Eleanor and NOON here
You can find Eleanor’s best-selling book “Much more to come” here (this is an affiliate link which means that CWG will get a small commission if you buy a book)

Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit countrywomansguide.substack.com