Voted Least Likely

3 Controversial Beliefs I Have (That Help Me Grow My Business)

Not all growth advice is comfortable.
Some of the beliefs that have helped me the most are the ones people push back on the hardest.
In this solo episode of Voted Least Likely, I share three deeply held — and often controversial — beliefs that have shaped how I run my business, show up in difficult moments, and keep moving forward when things don’t go as planned.
These aren’t polished motivational soundbites. They’re practical, uncomfortable mindsets that helped me move out of victim thinking, stay grounded in uncertainty, and learn from places I didn’t expect.
This episode isn’t about telling you what to believe — it’s about offering perspectives you can sit with, challenge, take pieces from, or leave behind.
In this episode, I talk about:
1. “Everything is my fault”
- Why taking full responsibility gives you control — not shame- How a victim mindset can feel comforting but keep you stuck- The difference between blame and ownership- A story from an early holiday market that completely changed how I show up- Why your behaviour matters more than the circumstancesHow responsibility creates momentum, even in bad situations
2. “I am not entitled to success”
- The uncertainty of building a business and why it never guarantees a happy ending- The sacrifices that come with entrepreneurship — time, relationships, rest- Why hard work increases your chances, but doesn’t make success inevitable- Starting my jewellery brand assuming I would fail — and why that mattered- How not feeling “owed” success helps me stay grounded and presentWhy enjoying the journey matters when outcomes aren’t promised
3. “You don’t have to like your mentors”
- Why you don’t need to agree with everything someone believes to learn from them- Taking what works and leaving the rest- Moving away from all-or-nothing thinking- Learning from people with different values, politics, or perspectives- Why nuance and independent thinking are critical for growth- Resisting cancel culture as a default approach to learning
Key themes in this episode:
- Personal responsibility vs. self-punishment- Growth through discomfort- Entrepreneurship without entitlement- Mindset shifts for long-term business building- Learning discernment instead of idolization- Letting go of the need to be liked or universally agreed with
This episode isn’t for everyone — and that’s okay. These beliefs are controversial because they challenge comfort, certainty, and consensus.
My hope is that hearing them helps you feel less alone, sparks a new way of thinking, or gives you permission to question the beliefs you’ve been holding onto — especially the ones that might be holding you back.
Take what resonates.Leave what doesn’t.And focus on the beliefs that help you become your best version.
Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard

Building a Business That FITS Your Life with Lauren Tilden

What does it really take to build a small business, especially when your brain doesn’t fit the traditional mold?
In this episode of Voted Least Likely, I am sitting down with entrepreneur, marketer, and podcast host, Lauren Tilden for an honest conversation about the behind-the-scenes challenges of running a business, navigating late ADHD diagnosis, and learning how to work with your brain instead of against it.
Lauren shares her journey of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, how it reshaped the way she approaches her work, and the systems she’s put in place to support herself as a business owner.
Together,  we dive into why clarity-- around the life you want and the business you’re building-- is one of the most important (and often overlooked) foundations of long-term success.
This episode is a reminder that there’s no one “right” way to build a business—and that success looks different when you define it on your own terms.
In This Episode, We Talk About:
-The realities and growing pains of building a small business
-Lauren’s ADHD diagnosis and how it changed her relationship with work
-Why clarity around your desired lifestyle matters just as much as revenue goals
-Designing a business that supports your energy, values, and season of life
-Letting go of expectations and building sustainably
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by entrepreneurship or wondered why traditional productivity advice doesn't seem to work, this episode is for you.Learn more about Lauren Tilden here: https://www.makinggoodpodcast.comDoing the Dang Thing Workshop: https://www.laurentilden.co/dtdt-workshopFollow Lauren on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurentildenConnect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard
 

You Don’t Have to “Fit Into” Your Industry

What if the parts of your story that feel out of place are actually the reason you’re meant to do the work you’re doing?
In this episode of Voted Least Likely, I share the parts of my life that don’t match the assumptions people make about me as a jewellery designer — and how learning to stop hiding them changed everything.
For years, I believed I had to smooth out my story to be taken seriously. I felt embarrassed about my background, my lack of formal education, my mental health struggles, and the ways I didn’t “fit” the image of my industry. I thought these things disqualified me.
They didn’t. They shaped me.
This episode is an honest walk through the truths I used to keep quiet — and why embracing them has helped me build a brand, a community, and a life that actually feels like mine.
In this episode, I talk about:
Why you don’t need to fit into your industry to succeed
Being an extreme introvert in a very public-facing business
How protecting your energy isn’t selfish — it’s necessary
Dropping out of junior high and building a career without formal education
Letting go of shame around “unglamorous” career paths
How years of entry-level jobs became one of my greatest educations
What it’s like to build a brand without family support
Choosing your life, even when others don’t understand it
How community can grow out of loneliness
Growing up on a lighthouse island — and how it shaped my creativity
Feeling behind socially, emotionally, and professionally
Mental health struggles at a young age and learning their impact later in life
Why versatility, function, and intuition drive my design process
Not traveling, making sacrifices, and trusting long-term timing
Letting go of the need to fit in — and choosing to grow instead
Key takeaways:
You don’t need a polished or traditional story to be worthy of success
Your differences are not liabilities — they’re connection points
Confidence comes from acceptance, not approval
It’s okay if your version of success doesn’t look like anyone else’s
You’re allowed to build a life that makes sense to you
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt out of place, behind, unqualified, or “too different” to belong — and wondered if that meant they were doing something wrong.
You’re not.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stop trying to fit in, and start becoming more yourself.Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard

My Biggest Failures of 2025

One more episode about 2025 and then I'll move on...There's a lot of talk about success online, but we don’t spend nearly enough time talking about what didn’t work.
In this episode, I’m doing an honest reflection on my failures from 2025. The missed goals. The wrong decisions. The moments that felt heavy, heartbreaking, and disappointing.
This isn’t a highlight reel or a “failure turned success” story. It’s a real conversation about what happens when things don’t go according to plan. — and why those moments often shape us more than the wins ever could.
I share what failed and what those experiences taught me about boundaries, expectations, resilience, and trusting myself. Some lessons were obvious in hindsight. Others took months to land.I'm also diving into some of the emotions I felt last year as I watched everyone celebrate their milestones on social media. 
If you’ve had a year that didn’t unfold the way you hoped, this episode is for you.
Failure doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means you're brave enough to try.Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard

Planning a New Year (That Actually Fits Your Life)

The start of a new year can feel full of pressure — new goals, new habits, new versions of ourselves we’re supposed to magically become overnight.
In this episode, I’m inviting you behind the scenes of my annual planning session — not the polished version, but the honest one.
I walk through the goals I set last year, what actually worked, what didn’t, and the expectations I had to let go of along the way. Some things surprised me. Some things stung. And some things only made sense once I slowed down enough to really look at them.
This episode isn’t about hustle or rigid goal-setting. It’s about reflection, recalibration, and choosing a direction that actually feels aligned with the life you’re living — not the one you think you should be living.
I also guide you step-by-step through a simple planning process you can do alongside me — whether you’re mapping out a business, a creative practice, or just trying to move into the new year with a bit more clarity and intention.
If you’ve ever felt behind, unsure, or quietly disappointed with how a year unfolded — this conversation is for you.
In this episode, we talk about:
Reviewing last year’s goals with honesty (not shame)
What I achieved — and what I didn’t
Why some goals quietly stop fitting
Separating meaningful progress from performative productivity 
Letting go of goals that no longer serve you
How I approach planning in a way that feels sustainable
A gentle framework you can use to plan your year
Setting intentions that leave room for real life
This episode is your permission slip to plan slowly, thoughtfully, and on your own terms.
Take what resonates. Leave the rest. And remember — you’re allowed to evolve.
Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard

Happy Holidays (and congratulations on making it through a difficult year)

Happy Holidays!Like many of you, this year was a rollercoaster. I experienced some of my best and worst days in the last 12 months. I will be taking the next two weeks to process everything we went through by focusing on the glimmers of joy, and finding the lessons in the chaos.As always, I want to thank YOU for tuning in to the Voted Least Likely podcast this year, leaving 5 star reviews, or recommending the show to a friend. It means more than you know. Happy Holidays, talk soon in 2026✨
Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyardKnow someone who would make a great guest on the show? Find the application form here. 

The Cost of NOT Being Yourself

“There are real costs to not being yourself.”
In this solo episode of Voted Least Likely, I’m talking about the quiet ways we learn to water ourselves down to fit in, and what starts to shift when we finally decide to stop. As I’ve moved into my late 30s, I’ve felt a deeper pull toward authenticity-- not the polished kind, but the messy, honest, uncomfortable kind that actually feels like freedom.
I reflect on how much energy it takes to constantly edit who you are for the comfort of others.
This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt like they’ve been performing a version of their life instead of living it. If you’ve been feeling the nudge to take up more space, speak more truthfully, or finally choose yourself, this one’s for you.
Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyardKnow someone who would make a great guest on the show? Find the application form here. 

Entrepreneurship, Intuition & the REAL Journey Behind Building a Creative Life with Jenna Herbut

In this episode, I'm sitting down with Jenna Herbut — founder of the Make It Show, author of Make It Happen, and creator of The Conscious Lab. Jenna has spent years supporting makers and creative entrepreneurs, and her work has inspired thousands of people to pursue their ideas with courage, curiosity, and heart.
This conversation goes far beyond business. Jenna opens up about why entrepreneurship is one of the most spiritual journeys you can choose, and how she’s learned to navigate uncertainty by leaning into her intuition.
We explore:
How Jenna uses intuitive nudges to guide her decisions
Why building a business will shine a light on every part of yourself, the empowered parts and the messy middle
Why slowing down, listening inward, and staying honest with yourself might be the real competitive advantage
This is an honest, grounding conversation about the human side of entrepreneurship, the doubts, the revelations, and the moments of magic that appear when you trust yourself enough to keep going.
Whether you’re a creative, a founder, or someone dreaming of starting something but unsure where to begin, Jenna’s wisdom will meet you exactly where you are.Want to join the magic? Get your tickets for the Make It Show here.Make It Show Instagram: makeitshowLearn more about Jenna: https://jennaherbut.com/Conscious Lab: https://consciouslab.ca/
A huge thank-you to Jenna for hosting us at Conscious Lab for this in-person episode.Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard

Do you need to be an OPTIMIST to be an Entrepreneur?

In this episode of Voted Least Likely, we dive into a question that has kept me up at night: Do you need to be an optimist to succeed in business?
This topic was sparked by a moment at a recent entrepreneur event — everyone in the room seemed effortlessly confident, “delusionally” optimistic, and absolutely certain their success was inevitable. Meanwhile, I was quietly wondering why I felt so out of place… until it hit me:
I’m a pessimist.And in the entrepreneurial world, that can feel like a dirty word.
In this episode, I unpack what it's like to build a business when your default setting is assuming the worst. I talk about:
Why optimism is so heavily associated with entrepreneurship
The unseen advantages of being a pessimist (yes, there are some!)
How pessimism can sabotage your next steps — and how to work around it
The myth that you need unwavering confidence to succeed
My own early days building Leah Yard Designs, and why I genuinely thought I’d fail (but kept going anyways)
Why not fitting the stereotype doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong
If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one who doubts yourself, prepares for the worst, or secretly thinks everyone else must know something you don’t, this episode is for you.
We explore whether success actually requires optimism, or if there’s room in entrepreneurship for the rest of us: the over-thinkers, the realists, the cautious dreamers, and the “hope for the best, prepare for the absolute worst” types.
Listen in to hear why your mindset — optimistic or pessimistic — might be exactly what your business needs.Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard

Finding STRENGTH in a New Beginning with Iyeba Maclayton (2025 DFS Vancouver Inspiration Award Recipient)

In this special episode, I'm sitting down with Iyeba Maclayton, the recipient of the 2025 Inspiration Award from Dress for Success Vancouver. Iyeba’s story is one of courage, transformation, and a deep belief in what is possible when you refuse to give up.
She shares her journey from Nigeria to Canada and the challenges she faced while learning a new work culture and rebuilding her confidence. Iyeba speaks openly about the highs and lows of starting over, and how her faith grounded her through moments of uncertainty and fear. Her determination to grow, adapt, and honour her own potential is at the heart of this conversation.
This episode also highlights the meaningful work of Dress for Success Vancouver. Their support played a key role in Iyeba’s transition, offering community, resources, and the encouragement she needed to move toward a new professional chapter.
If you need a reminder of the power of resilience, belief in yourself, and support, this episode will stay with you long after it ends.Learn more about Iyeba here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iyebamaclaytonLearn more about Dress for Success Vancouver here: https://dfsvancouver.ca/Connect with the Voted Least Likely Podcast:www.leahyard.comIG: @leahyardTikTok: @leahyard