She Took the Leap; Motherhood, Identity & Building a Business on Your Terms with Nicole Bilham

In this fourteenth episode of My Kind of Business, Alex is joined by Nicole Bilham – founder of Wild Bird Marketing, a strategic marketing and sales agency for heart-led founders.

After 13 years working in the commercial team at ITV, Nicole decided to leave corporate life behind and build something of her own. She launched her business in early 2019 with a clear intention: to create a business that gave her freedom, flexibility, and space to do work that truly mattered.

Since then, she’s grown Wild Bird Marketing while navigating the challenges of motherhood, including two pregnancies during turbulent times, a pandemic and the constant juggle that comes with raising a young family while building a business from scratch.

Nicole shares her honest and powerful story — from the early hustle, moments of self-doubt, and lessons in resilience, to the mindset shifts that shaped her journey. She talks about the emotional side of leaving a ‘successful’ career, the impact of stepping into a new identity, and what she’s learned about backing herself even when the path isn’t clear.

We explore the importance of community, navigating business while parenting, and the pressure many women feel to do it all — often without a roadmap. Nicole also reflects on the advice she’d give her past self, and the quote that gave her the courage to take the leap and build her wings on the way down.

Whether you’re starting out, considering a pivot, or simply craving a more human, heart-led way to grow your business — this episode is a must-listen.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Nicole’s early career and creative spark 05:40 – Entering the media industry and building confidence 09:00 – Taking risks and learning through uncertainty 14:00 – Leaving ITV and choosing to start Wild Bird Marketing 20:00 – Launching a business while planning for motherhood 25:00 – Navigating the newborn phase in lockdown 28:30 – Why she didn’t lean on her old network (and what changed) 32:00 – Business, identity and rebuilding after baby 36:00 – The inner conflict of doing it all 40:00 – Advice for others thinking about taking the leap 43:00 – Nicole’s definition of her kind of business

What to Expect

✦ An honest look at leaving a long-term career to start a business ✦ Why backing yourself matters — even before you feel ready ✦ The tension between motherhood, ambition and identity ✦ The lessons she’d share with anyone starting out ✦ What it means to run a business through big life changes ✦ A powerful reminder that it’s okay not to have it all figured out

Connect with Nicole

Instagram: @wildbirdmarketing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-bilham-16b24514/

Connect with Alex

📅 Book a free Business Connection Session: alexmccarthycoaching.as.me/businessconnectionsession 📸 Instagram: @alexmccarthycoaching 💬 Facebook Group: Business Connection Community 🔗 LinkedIn: Alex McCarthy 🌐 Website: alexmccarthycoaching.com