What began as an intentionally unpolished podcast recorded on sofas, in cars and borrowed office space by coach Taz Thornton and her wife Asha Clearwater has grown into a global listenership.
The back-of-a-fag-packet approach (from two women who don’t smoke) has led to a growing ecosystem of training, tools and community for creators who want to show up without slick studios or performative branding.
Award-winning coach, bestselling author and speaker Taz Thornton is continuing to grow the audience for her podcast Awesomely Off-Topic, co-hosted with her wife, book coach, editor and publisher Asha Clearwater of Turquoise Tiger.
Since launching in July 2025, the weekly podcast has attracted listeners in 25 countries, spanning Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania, with particularly strong audiences in the UK, United States, Singapore and Australia.
The show’s success has now led to the creation of a podcast-on-a-shoestring training programme, a companion book (out soon), and a currently in development, community-led Podcasting Club – designed to support people who want to launch and sustain a podcast without expensive equipment, complex tech or traditional gatekeeping.
Now with more than 30 episodes released, Awesomely Off-Topic offers candid, unfiltered conversations about business, creativity, visibility and what it actually takes to keep showing up as a human in work that often rewards polish over honesty.
Recorded in everyday settings – from borrowed office space to the car and the sofa at home – the podcast is intentionally unpolished. It challenges the idea that meaningful content requires slick studios or perfect conditions, instead centring on lived experience, nuance and real-world conversation.
“We kept waiting for the perfect time, the right kit, the polished plan, and then realised we just needed to start,” said Taz.
“What we talk about here is real – the messy, joyful and challenging parts of building a business and a life, without pretending to have all the answers.”
Episodes explore topics including personal brand, visibility, storytelling, ADHD and neurodiversity, creativity, AI, pricing mistakes, burnout, books, grief and rebuilding. New episodes are released every Tuesday.
Asha Clearwater, book coach, publisher and founder of Turquoise Tiger Press, said: “We wanted to create something that sounded like the conversations people have when they’re not trying to impress anyone. The behind-the-scenes chats where ideas collide with real life. The response showed us how many people were craving that.”
Before launching her coaching and speaking business, Taz held senior roles in marketing and publishing, eventually reaching national director level for a global brand. Her work now blends business strategy with empowerment practices including NLP, meditation and embodied confidence work.
She is the author of several books, including Unleash Your Awesome, The So What? Mindset, The Little Book Of ADHD Life Hacks, Whispers from the Earth and More Whispers from the Earth.
Awesomely Off-Topic is available on all major podcast platforms.