“Be confident in who you are” with Lucy Critchley
Making your business fit you and your life
“For me, there’s never any pressure to be on all the time. You don’t have to be. I’m not about that life.”
In this episode, I’m joined by Lucy Critchley, founder of Untold Creative, a podcast and content studio. Whether you need a podcast producing, some ace social media content creating, or a hand with your email marketing, Lucy’s got the right person for the job.
There’s something really special about hearing how someone has built a business that feels like them. Not what they thought they should do, but what actually works for who they are.
In this episode of Do Your Thing, Lucy and I chat about the journey from TV production to self-employment, what happens when you start something new with a new baby at home, and how learning to work your way changes everything.
Starting a business with a new baby at home
When Lucy decided to start her business, she was on maternity leave - right in the middle of lockdown.
“At the beginning, it was all just really exciting. Even if now I might think twice about a project, back then it was like, ‘oh my gosh, someone wants to work with me! I’m so excited.’”
With a background in TV and radio production, Lucy was used to fast-paced work and long hours. But after her daughter was born, she knew she wanted something different: more flexibility, more variety, and more space to do meaningful work.
Like so many small business owners, she started by figuring things out as she went, embracing the messy middle and the thrill of doing it her way.
Making work work around family
Building a business while raising a child isn’t easy but Lucy found a way to make it work: “I would love for my daughter when she grows up to think that she can do whatever she wants. She’s grown up around my business, so she sees what’s possible.”
That’s something that runs through everything she does. She’s created a business that gives her space to be present, both at work and at home. Renting an office close to school has been a big part of that balance: “the level of productivity when I’m in a place designed for work is so different to when I’m sat at the kitchen table.”
It’s a reminder that boundaries don’t have to be strict. They just need to work for you.
Learning what fits (and what doesn’t)
Like most of us, Lucy’s learnt through trial and error. “I’ve made loads of mistakes, probably so many I can’t think of specifics. But one thing that’s made a big difference is having space between home and work life.”
And when it comes to clients, she’s learnt that fit matters just as much as skill. She tells how she worked with people who weren’t the right fit, probably for longer than she should have. But it taught her a lot about what a good working relationship looks like.
Now, she sees every client relationship as a partnership. One built on trust, collaboration, and shared goals.
“For me, it’s knowing that the big thing is collaboration — that we meet in the middle. I see it as we work together to achieve the outcome. It’s not about control. It’s about being an equal partner, having a voice, and helping clients make decisions. I want to be a sounding board, not just someone ticking off tasks.”
Bringing Untold Creative to life
Over time, Lucy’s business evolved from “just her” to something bigger. What began as Lucy Critchley VA has become Untold Creative, helping businesses share their stories through podcasts, content and mentoring.
Working with a branding expert helped her see what she couldn’t on her own: the through-line in her work. “When it became Untold Creative, I knew the business wasn’t just me anymore. I wasn’t a VA. I wanted a name that captured what we do: helping people tell the stories they haven’t had space to tell yet.”
The result is a brand that reflects everything Lucy stands for: collaboration, creativity and community.
“Being self-employed has taught me to embrace the parts of me I’d once tried to hide — and I think that’s what attracts the right kind of clients.”
The power of community
Community comes up a lot when Lucy talks about what’s helped her most in business. She’s honest about the fact that working for yourself can be lonely, but also that finding the right people changes everything.
“A good community, having great people around me, whether that’s pals I’ve made through business or my family - it makes such a difference. When you’ve got people who champion you, who mention your name in rooms and cheer you on, it’s just the best feeling.”
It’s not about competition, it’s about connection. Lucy believes the self-employed community is full of people who genuinely want to see each other win. And she makes a point of paying that forward by recommending and supporting others whenever she can.
That sense of collaboration, friendship and mutual support runs through her whole brand, and it’s a big part of why Untold Creative feels so human.
Doing business your way
There’s a grounded confidence in how Lucy talks about her work and it comes from years of figuring out what fits, what doesn’t, and what really matters.
She’s built a business that feels good to run, and that’s the whole point of Do your thing: finding your own rhythm, instead of chasing someone else’s.
Follow Lucy on Instagram, connect with her on LinkedIn, and visit the Untold Creative website to find out more about Lucy and her team.
And if you enjoyed this chat, you can listen to the full episode of Do your thing, and subscribe, wherever you get your podcasts.