Small business is tough. When do we get to have fun? (EP#87)

When did small business stop being fun?

~ Are you spending too much energy worrying about things in business you can’t control?

~ Are you making the most of the things small businesses can do better than big businesses?

~ Could bringing more fun, personality and joy into your business actually make it stronger?

Small business is tough. It’s always been tough. And in 2026, there’s no shortage of things making it feel even harder.

Economic uncertainty, inflation, rising interest rates, merchant fees and changing consumer spending are putting pressure on businesses and households alike. But in this episode of Money Secrets, Fi asks a different question: when do we get to start having fun again?

Because while you can’t control the economy, inflation, government policy or the latest interest rate decision, you can control how you show up, how you communicate with your customers, who you choose to work with, how you price and the experience you create.

Fi also unpacks why competing on price is rarely the answer for small business. Instead, our advantage lies in the things big businesses struggle to replicate: personalisation, genuine relationships, agility, direct conversations with customers and the ability to create experiences that feel thoughtful, valuable and human.

And maybe part of doing that is letting business (and marketing) be a little more fun. From handwritten notes to playful social content and finding joy in solving problems, Fi explores how bringing more personality and energy into your business can change not only how customers experience your brand, but how you experience running it.

Plus, Fi shares a sneak peek at the new Peach brand campaign dropping next week. A campaign built around exactly this idea of combining the hard parts of business with play, fun and a little competitive spirit.

Because small business might be hard, relentless and full of problems to solve. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun while we’re doing it.

🎧 Tune in for Fi’s take on what small businesses can control, why competing on price isn’t the answer, and how bringing more fun back into business could be exactly what we need right now.