What happens when a successful career collapses, and you have to start again from scratch?
In this episode, Kirsten Harris, founder of BDB Agency, joins Cait Muir to talk about the messy, unpredictable reality of entrepreneurship.
From leaving school at 16 to running international logistics companies, becoming a CEO, losing a franchise network, and eventually building a digital marketing agency in her late 40s - Kirsten shares her powerful story of business failure, resilience, reinvention, and starting again.
This conversation dives into the real side of business ownership that rarely gets talked about - financial pressure, leadership responsibility, and the courage it takes to rebuild when everything falls apart.
If you’re a salon owner, service-based business owner, or entrepreneur navigating uncertainty, this episode will resonate deeply.
Tune in to hear about:
✅ The reality of running a business when everything goes wrong
✅ Lessons from building and losing a franchise network
✅ Why many business owners hide financial stress
✅ How failure can shape stronger entrepreneurs
✅ Starting a new business in your late 40s
✅ The power of surrounding yourself with the right people
✅ Why non-linear career paths often lead to the biggest opportunities
✅ The mindset needed to rebuild after major setbacks
✅ How automation and smarter systems are changing service businesses
✅ Why it’s never too late to start again
This episode will change how you think about failure, reinvention, and what's actually possible on the other side of rock bottom.
Key moments:
00:02:00 Kirsten's Non-Linear Career Path
00:07:16 International Logistics at 16
00:12:40 Investing in a Global Company at 23
00:19:40 Pivoting Into Franchising
00:23:00 The Co-CEO Disaster
00:27:20 Pouring Money Into a Failing Business
00:36:00 The Power of Sharing Failure
00:40:20 Rebuilding at 47
00:45:00 The 80/20 Launch Rule
00:54:20 Automation and AI in Business
00:57:40 Automate Tasks Not Relationships
01:05:38 It's Never Too Late to Pivot
01:11:00 Sleep, Health, and Body Clocks
01:17:55 The Future of BDB Agency
If you've ever felt like it's too late to start, too scary to pivot, or too shameful to ask for help - press play.
-
👉Connect with Kirsten Harris
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-harris-bdb/
https://www.instagram.com/bdb.agency
-
👉Find out more about how we can work together:
https://iconiccoaching.com.au/coaching/
-
👉Here’s how to connect:
https://www.instagram.com/tellmeaboutit__podcast
https://iconiccoaching.com.au