If you doubt yourself, you’ve probably been told at some point that that’s a problem. But doubt doesn’t mean you’re not capable—it means you’re considering the consequences of your options. And that surely makes you a more responsible human being? amzn.eu/d/00otVPez

very excited to be featuring alongside other good businesses in today's @thetimes.com newspaper, thanks to the Good Business Charter. goodbusinesscharter.com

Last year my business was like a toilet (in a good way!) - this year, it's more like the mythical gemstone iolite (as used by Vikings)... thirdsectorexpert.blogspot.com/2026/03/more...

"Invisible expectations, outdated norms, and the pressure to follow someone else’s rules" - all of the sorts of things I help people navigate in their organisations, so apt I could sponsor the latest podcast episode on this subject from the No Bullsh*t Coach. happier-life.co.uk/whats-draini...

I'll be sharing the stories behind 'alternative business models' that you don't normally hear (and how pirates, monks, Victorians, and bankers have influenced them) as part of the upcoming @fsb-uk.bsky.social Academia networking event later this month: events.fsb.org.uk/en/8d2bI2X7/...

how we apply our values in our businesses can sometimes come at a cost... thirdsectorexpert.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-...

Very excited to be able to add 'FISV' to my official profile, after the @instituteforsv.bsky.social conferred a Fellowship on me in recognition of my work and impact in the field of social value that began way back in the 1990s...

The Lifelong Learning Labs are here and we’re inviting you in. They’re a national experiment exploring what learning unlocks for adults at work, at home and in our communities. Because adults deserve better. Have your say: thewea.info/4axvRCH #WEALabs

Nice to end February on a high - being named as the UK's Charity Consulting firm of the year, in the Corporate Excellence Awards. www.corporatevision-news.com/winners/adri...

"This is not a 'how to build a business' manual. It is a lived, scraped knuckles, learned the hard way kind of book. Part memoir, part guidance, part 'I probably shouldn’t admit this but here we are'." = possibly the best description of my book, 'Flushed!', from a reader. amzn.eu/d/0hHvOIMA

We may be facing the prospect of it being nearly the end of February already, but there's still plenty of the year left to play my 2026 bingo card... drive.google.com/file/d/1zTwR...

In the years since my first book, 'Loving your doubt', was published I've noticed a spike in sales of it each spring - is there a correlation between imposter syndrome and the ending of the winter months that I've somehow missed in my researches on this subject..? amzn.eu/d/022Xw1bU

Very chuffed to be (re)named as the corporate consultancy of the year in the global M&A Today awards.

Very excited to see myself in the pages of the @financialtimes.com at the weekend, sharing some of my hopes and fears about what the impact of #MakingTaxDigital will be - not only on individual businesses like mine, but also the wider ecosystems and support services we rely on...

When confusing one Adrian for another can lead you to some very unexpected adventures... open.substack.com/pub/adrianas...

As a accredited 'Good Business' myself, it's always exciting to see how others are harnessing their respective enterprises to make dents in the world that help all of us, during this #GoodBusinessWeek. #GoodBusinessMatters

Proud to be able to share the outputs of this fast research report about unpaid carers with volunteer/paid roles in social economy groups with @mcrcommcentral.bsky.social While no surprises about inclusion, some concern about impacts to wider community manchestercommunitycentral.org/blogs/create...

Feeling a little mischievous after managing to get the august @isbecommunity.bsky.social to showcase the bingo card I've made for my business this year... www.isbe.org.uk/isbe-member-...

After being 'flushed with success' last year, I'm now trying to avoid being 'brassed off' in this one... substack.com/home/post/p-...

It's international Lego day today - and did you know that these magic bricks form one of the squares on the 2026 bingo card about me, that you can play along with this year? drive.google.com/file/d/1zTwR...

It's #ReclaimTheEconomyWeek! Around the world, people are coming together to demand an economy that puts people and planet first - and showing how it's already being done. Sign the petition calling on leaders to redesign our economies to put people and planet at the centre: vist.ly/4p5xr

Excited to see my reflections and insights on how to accidentally create a business that outlasts over 90% of all others is back in the Amazon top100 best seller list! www.amazon.co.uk/Flushed-firs...

For anyone who claims travel expenses as part of their work - did you know it's been 15 years since HMRC last reviewed the amount you can claim for business mileage (and the costs of driving have risen by about 40% since then...) petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...

What if your imposter syndrome isn’t a flaw, but evidence of care, conscience, and intelligence? (the time I asked Dr Who what they thought about my take on the subject - thirdsectorexpert.blogspot.com/2026/01/how-...)

Always exciting when the latest issue of Freelancer Magazine lands on my doormat - but doubly so this time as I've spotted myself in no less than 3 different places in it (and all for separate reasons!).

I know that a lot of people rate the on-line (and in-person) training courses and workshops I deliver - but I've just had an enquiry from Australia to lead sessions in that time zone!!

Each year I try something in my business I've not done before (you may recall that for 2025, this involved a lot of toilets...) - for 2026, that means it's a bingo card that I'm offering people to play along with!! drive.google.com/file/d/1zTwR...

Excited to be invited to "duck about" in sharing ideas as to how far in-person facilitation practices and techniques can be stretched to be done on-line, with the Facilitator's Cafe later this month - www.tickettailor.com/events/thefa...

"Villains are always the ones who are absolutely sure they’re right - Daleks don’t doubt; Cybermen don’t doubt; Time Lords stopped doubting (and look how that went)." Dr Who makes a cameo in my book about imposter syndrome, so it's only fair they get to review it? substack.com/@adrianashto...

“Doubt isn’t a weakness. It’s a moral compass.” - what might Dr Who might make of my book exploring imposter syndrome, if they added it to the TARDS library? substack.com/home/post/p-...

As you're reading this — literally right now — FTSE 100 CEOs have just been paid as much as an entire year's wage for the median full time worker. After just a couple of days back. I haven't even cleared my inbox yet.

Some say that with a family bloodline that tracks back to Rochdale, it was inevitable I'd end up supporting coops - but my university years and early working life almost meant I didn't... Looking forward to sharing some stories with @ukcoopstudies.bsky.social soon: www.ukscs.coop/events/co-op...

Instead of templates, worksheets, or challenges to start your 2026, how about reflections and insights from someone who accidentally started a business which has now outlasted 90% of all others, won lots of awards, and has changed laws and influenced national polices? amzn.eu/d/dqgfRfn

When was the last time you spotted someone wearing a monocle on a zoom call? (for the full story - www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...)

In-between mince pies and leftover Brussel sprouts, I've been dipping into the just released latest research into the state of social enterprise in the UK. (and bracing myself to be on the naughty list for next Christmas as a result...) substack.com/home/post/p-...

An alternative way to reflect on the year that was - asking an AI bot to tell me what it thought of me, based on my 2025 LinkedIn activity... (with thanks to CoAuthor) full post at: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Proud to have been able to share some of my stories and insights into the self-employed who are also unpaid carers for multiple family members, to inform the wider work of the national Working Families charity. If this also sounds of interest to you: workingfamilies.org.uk/about-us/par...

Not sure if it's a sign that I'm on the naughty or nice list, when I get a Christmas card from my local MP...?

Somehow my end of year reflection has ended up with me reminiscing a lot about toilets... open.substack.com/pub/adrianas...

As someone who's had the opportunity to support lots of business across West Yorks through being part of the AD:VENTURE programme, it was great to recently reflect and celebrate on this years installment of it - www.ad-venture.org.uk/advice-blog/...

Over the last 10 years, I've been interviewed on 18 different podcast shows (although 2 of them have subsequently never been able to be released, and another 2 are still going through 'editing'...) Maybe I'm not a typical podcast guest..? www.adrianashton.co.uk/media-covera...

When I wrote 'loving your doubt', I never imagined it would be appearing at writing retreats (such as those led by forcreativepeople.com)! Loving these video clips Helen's shared with me of the other titles mine's appearing alongside, as inspiration for future great books!

Very excited to find that I seem to have become a 'poster boy' for @teamipse.bsky.social and Sage's work on helping the more than 4 millions sole traders like me better cope with the oncoming #MakingTaxDigital... www.ipse.co.uk/downloads/ma...

I usually find myself on the 'naughty list' at this time of year, but as an accredited #GoodBusinessCharter business, it feels nice to be in Santa's good books 😉 goodbusinesscharter.com/christmas-ca... (and speaking of books... www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Adria... )

The letter 'B' seems to be a recurring theme in #TrainStationTinsel being spotted so far this month..?

Bringing a bit of my own festive cheer to the training room at @boltoncvs.bsky.social for the session I was delivering there today...

Seems that trying to be 'good' in your business isn't always as straightforward as it may seem... adrianashton.substack.com/p/what-makes...

It's that time of year when I show off my feet to the Internet - happy #PurpleSockDay (aka International Day of Persons with a Disability).

More #TrainStationTinsel for the holiday season (if streets and town centres can be decorated for December, why not train station platforms?)

It's December- which means #TrainStationTinsel has started to appear again...