Permission to be Human
A space to pause — without performing.
Transcript (click to read)
You can know a lot of people.
You can have hundreds of contacts.
You can be visible, connected, even well-regarded.
…and still feel completely alone.
If you run a micro-business, that experience is far more common than most people realise.
Hello, I’m Terry.
And if you’re watching this video, it’s because someone we both know has invited you into a space called Permission to be Human.
And that probably already tells you something about them.
But before I explain what Permission to be Human is…
Let me start by telling you what it isn’t.
It isn’t another room where you have to perform.
It isn’t a networking event where you need to be sharp, optimistic and “on”.
And it isn’t a place where you have to present the strong version of yourself.
It’s a space where you can relax.
Where you don’t have to manage perception.
Where you don’t have to be impressive.
Just honest.
Because one of the quiet challenges of running a micro-business is this.
You can know a lot of people.
You can have hundreds of contacts.
You can be visible, connected, even well-regarded.
And still feel completely alone.
Because most of those relationships sit at a surface level.
So you don’t always know who it’s safe to say things to like:
“I’m tired.”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’m carrying more than I expected.”
“This feels heavier than I let on.”
And underneath that, there’s often a quiet question many business owners carry.
If people really knew the pressure I was under…
…would it change how they saw me?
So we keep it together.
We stay capable.
We stay steady.
Even when something underneath is quietly draining us.
Permission to be Human exists because that pattern is common.
Not dramatic.
Not catastrophic.
Just common.
But it comes with a cost.
Running a micro-business is a three-ring circus:
time, money and energy.
We watch the money.
We chase the time.
But energy is the ring that quietly drops first.
And when energy drops, everything else starts to wobble.
Pressure builds slowly.
Recovery gets postponed.
We tell ourselves we’ll deal with it after the next deadline.
After the next client.
After the next quarter.
But the cost accumulates.
Not always dramatically.
Not as burnout headlines.
But as subtle erosion.
Less patience.
Less joy.
Less clarity.
More tension.
More carrying.
More weight than we let people see.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth…
Most of us look fine from the outside.
Which makes it even harder to admit when something feels heavy on the inside.
And that matters.
Because a sustainable business needs a sustainable owner.
Most business support focuses on the sustainability of the business.
Permission to be Human focuses on the sustainability of the owner.
Right now there’s a lot of conversation about wellbeing and the future of work.
But if you’re running your own micro-business, there isn’t an HR department checking in on you.
You are the department.
In many ways, you’re the one who has to check in on yourself.
And that’s where Permission to be Human comes in.
It’s a small, invitation-only space where people running micro-businesses can pause.
Not to optimise.
Not to perform.
But simply to notice what’s really going on.
In the sessions we use short video prompts to open conversation.
There’s time to reflect.
Time to think.
Time to speak honestly if you want to.
There’s no fixing.
No advice given unless you ask for it.
And there’s no need to present the strong version of yourself.
It’s about noticing.
Because when we really notice something…
things begin to change.
Across the sessions we explore the areas that tend to matter most when you’re running a micro-business.
How pressure shows up in you.
Where it may already be taking a toll.
How blurred boundaries or the habit of saying yes too often can quietly drain your energy.
How the pressure you carry shows up in your relationships.
And whether what you’re building still feels meaningful…
…or has slowly become something you simply manage.
Some people arrive feeling stretched.
Some arrive feeling quietly stuck.
Some arrive having had a “successful” day…
…but still feel strangely flat.
Whatever your version is…
you don’t have to label it.
You simply have to notice it.
Now the person who sent you this link knows you.
They know how you work.
They know what you carry.
And they cared enough about you to invite you into a space like this.
Because none of us are meant to carry the challenges of business alone.
And I think that tells you something about them.
So whether you feel drawn to come or not…
go back to them and thank them for thinking of you.
And if you’d like to attend, simply let them know and they’ll book you into your first session.
There’s no charge for that first session.
Because we don’t believe you should have to pay for something like this on trust alone.
Instead…
Feel it.
See how it lands.
And then decide.
No obligation.
No expectation.
Just two hours to pause…
…and pay attention to what’s really going on.
I look forward to seeing you.
Until then…
take care of yourself.
And take care of others too.
If you’re here, then someone you know thought you might value a space like this.
Permission to be Human isn’t a workshop, a networking event, or a development programme.
It’s a space where you don’t have to perform.
You don’t have to present the strong version of yourself.
You don’t have to be “on.”
It’s simply a space for people running micro-businesses to pause and notice what’s really going on.
Not strategically.
Not commercially.
Just personally.
Running a micro-business can look successful from the outside.
But it can feel very different on the inside.
Pressure builds quietly.
Boundaries blur.
Energy gets negotiated.
Relationships start carrying more than they should.
Meaning sometimes fades into management.
Most capable people don’t collapse.
They cope.
And coping can become normal.
Permission to be Human exists because that pattern is common – and it deserves space.
Permission to be Human is part of a wider idea behind The Human Business: helping micro-business owners build businesses that don’t cost them themselves.
Each session lasts two hours.
We use short video prompts to open conversation.
There’s quiet reflection.
Small group conversations.
Time to think.
There’s no fixing.
No advice – unless you ask for it.
No expectation to share more than you want to.
Listening counts.
Turning up is enough.
Across the sessions, we gently turn our attention to things that often get pushed aside:
- How pressure is showing up in you right now.
- Where your energy feels stretched — or supported.
- What your relationships are quietly asking of you.
- Whether what you’re building still feels aligned with who you are.
You never have to arrive with clarity. You just have to notice what’s true for you.
The sessions aren’t a course, and there’s no fixed order.
But over time, we come back to themes like:
How pressure and stress show up in you as a human running a business.
How energy is spent, protected and restored.
The impact of blurred boundaries — and the quiet cost of saying yes too often or too late.
The way work shapes your relationships — at home and with customers.
Where support exists, and where it’s missing.
What gives your work meaning beyond outputs and targets.
And how to work and live in ways that allow your business to succeed without costing you yourself over time.
Each session stands on its own.
You can join at any point.
Sessions run online.
They’re invitation-only.
Your first session is free.
After that, if you choose to return, there’s a small cost.
There’s no obligation either way.
Then go back to the person who shared this page with you.
Let them know whether you’d like to attend (or not).
If you’d like to try a session, they’ll book you in.
You don’t need to commit to anything beyond that first experience.
Just come.
See how it feels.
Then decide.