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Wild Moos
Welcome to Wild Moos, the no-holds-barred podcast where the boardroom meets the playroom.
Hosted by Amy of Mooeys and Nicole from Wild Bird Marketing, this podcast dives into the messy, joyful, and often chaotic life of being a mother and a business owner.
Every episode is a candid exploration of the trials and triumphs that come with juggling spreadsheets and sippy cups.
From start-up stories that defy the "perfect mum" myth to scaling a business without sacrificing sanity, Amy and Nicole share it all.
Expect laughter, tears, and plenty of swear words as they peel back the curtain on what it really takes to thrive in the dual worlds of business and motherhood.
Wild Moos is a community, a confession booth, and your cheerleading squad all rolled into one.
Whether you're knee-deep in nappies, drafting business plans, or just dreaming about what could be, Wild Moos is the podcast for every mum who’s ever had to lock the bathroom door just to answer an email.
Tune in for your regular dose of inspiration, commiseration, and a reminder that you're not alone on this wild ride of entrepreneurship and motherhood.
Wild Moos
Wild Moos Podcast Episode 16: Braving the Business Storms of Expansion and Identity
Have you ever stood at the edge of a precipice, the wind of uncertainty whipping around you, as you pondered the leap into business expansion? Buckle up, dear listeners, because today's episode is an unfiltered odyssey through the peaks and valleys of entrepreneurial growth. I'll take you on a raw, behind-the-scenes journey of managing a thriving work life, salon management, team recruitment, and personal health within the franchising world. It's a candid conversation about the universe's challenges before major achievements and the undeniable power of perseverance.
This season, we're not just sharing insights; we're exposing the emotional core of navigating business transitions, particularly within a franchise. Together, we'll dissect the decision to transfer a franchise territory and the strategic dance required to maintain brand integrity while keeping clients and staff in the loop. With special focus on our new franchisee Winnie's dedication to sustainability, we'll explore the intricate balance of marketing authenticity and the solace found amid life's significant changes. And yes, we'll even touch on coping mechanisms, because who doesn't need an escapism binge or two?
Join us as we dissect the art of pitching for investment, clarify the essence of our brand goals, and unravel the marketing strategies that are reshaping our world. It's a journey of self-discovery, business savvy, and community strength, guided by the transformative insights of a franchise think tank and the energizing power of networking. Let's celebrate the successes, learn from the setbacks, and support each other on this complex, yet rewarding path of entrepreneurship and business development. It's more than a podcast; it's an invitation to grow together.
Nicole Bilham of WildBird Marketing Agency
https://wildbirdmarketing.co.uk/
Amy Lewis of The Mooeys Group
www.mooeys.co.uk | www.mooeysfranchise.co.uk | www.mooskin.co
Okay, come on, go Clapperboard.
Speaker 2:Because I'm happy. No too much.
Speaker 1:Action. The virtual clapperboard is back, episode. I don't know. I think we're just going straight in Season two, episode one. Oh are we? Yeah, wow. Martin said to me the other day why are you doing seasons? Nobody does seasons, not even Stephen Bartlett. Who do you think you are?
Speaker 2:hey, number one fan.
Speaker 1:I don't actually know why we're doing seasons. I think it was to give us a break, wasn't it?
Speaker 2:yeah, we don't have to. Oh, now I feel like I've got an identity crisis on my hands. Who are you? Who even are you? Who is she? Where did you?
Speaker 1:find her. Who is she? Oh God, I love that. No well, we make our own rules up, don't we? Yeah too, fucking right. Who gives a shit?
Speaker 2:Who gives a hoot, so we were on a break.
Speaker 1:We were on a break.
Speaker 2:We were on a break. Um, so we are back and it's been a little while, right it's?
Speaker 1:been about a month, hasn't it, since we recorded three or four weeks?
Speaker 2:how has it been for you not recording and not having me in your life on a regular?
Speaker 1:so depressing. It's actually been really tough because I'm so used to hashing things out with you. However, it was the right time, also because work was so chaotic. I think if we'd have squeezed it in it wouldn't have been any good, because I was so stressed. You were stressed and you know we've said, haven't we? If it doesn't feel right, don't force it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we booked one in, didn't we? And we just both agreed that we can't do it. We are over stretching ourselves.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there is a lot to be said for that um yeah, because this is joy and fun and fills our love cup. Yeah, and if. If it's stressful or forced, then it's. We're not doing it for the right reasons and it just was the like. My feet have not touched the ground. I feel like my head's going to pop off.
Speaker 2:I've got really good visual there as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know like I actually feel like that If I was a cartoon I'd be like the roadrunner and then at the end my head would pop off.
Speaker 2:So why are you feeling like that? What's going down?
Speaker 1:tell us it has just been. I feel like the universe is firing me so much shit, can you deal? With it and I'm like probably like punching it away. Can you deal with this? Take this, take that, take that, what is it is?
Speaker 2:it the bazooka like yeah she's going.
Speaker 1:We've set up a rocket oh my god, I I genuinely feel like that, and I was speaking to katie godfrey bless her and she said I'm a massive believer that when you are on the edge of greatness, something massive is going to happen. But the universe is going to send you tests to see if you can cope with it. Yeah, and I I'm like, okay, I can cope with it. Okay, I can cope with it. I got it loud, loud and clear Just loads of stuff Salon stuff. I'm trying to sort out Horsham, which is going better Management, team recruitment, all of that remote and being there. So I'm travelling loads at the minute.
Speaker 1:Hazelmere has decided to exit her franchise agreement and focus on her health, which she needs to to, and I'm really proud of her for her decision because her franchise agreement is coming to an end very soon anyway, and it was just a mutual, like we're not gonna renew, or you know, she's had five years and she's had a really rough road because she opened six months before Covid, so it's not been easy. Yeah, she needs to focus on her health and her family, so we've had that. That was a really hard conversation because we started the franchise journey together and I just, you know very clearly, I want to finish it with you together as well, and it's been emotional, it's been quite sad for everything. I went and helped her. Tell the team. You know like I want to support her as much as possible, but it's just, it's yeah, it's really emotional that must really take its toll on you.
Speaker 2:Carrying that weight, how, how do you deal with it? What do you do?
Speaker 1:oh, I don't know. I feel like I just just keep swimming, just like I genuinely felt, like it was. It was the right thing to happen for her and for the business, yeah, but also I've got to protect my brand. I've got to protect my business and I knew that I had another franchisee that was very eager to have that territory. So after the conversation for Hazelmere, it was then right we need to have a conversation because the territory is now available and it would be a real shame We've got some really loyal clients that go there. It would be a real shame to lose a Moose in that particular town.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, it was like, let's see. And actually the franchisee that I was speaking of, she wanted it and there's no point in her going in and setting up another premises down the road when this one's already set up with branding. So I think she's spoken to the landlord, she's going to take over the lease and things like that, because as a franchisor I have step-in rights as well. So that means that to protect the brand and the clients and the staff and things like that, I can step in and take over. It wasn't as simple with this situation, but also I've got enough on my plate managing my own salons and, excitingly, we've got another franchise in Winchester, which has been confirmed.
Speaker 2:Brilliant.
Speaker 1:I'm so excited. So there's just loads of big things going on. I've been spread very thin and so I didn't want to take on another salon to operate. I needed to find another franchise or for the territory, ideally. But we're managing clients, you know, because one salon's closing it'll have a refit and then it'll reopen under new management. So managing the comms with clients for that and staff and it has felt like massive things.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Excitement and sadness, all these massive emotions. But that's business, isn't it?
Speaker 2:So when you have have like, you go through mass change like that in a very, very short space of time and having to like deal with big, big emotions from people that you work with and for your brand. How do you like cope at the end of the day, once everything you've done, all your conversations, the kids have gone to bed, you're sat on. I'm just picturing your life. I don't know if this is accurate, but you're sat on the sofa watching Real Housewives. Thanks for the context always Real Housewives.
Speaker 1:Mind, you have been watching the Gentleman. Nothing like having people's heads blown off to chill you out, isn't?
Speaker 2:it. Oh my god, oh, I loved it. Okay, so this is your decompressed. This is it?
Speaker 1:so me and martin, like there was a couple of days he was like, if you need to work, I understand. I was like I don't want to. I don't even want to look at my computer, I want to watch people's heads get blown off. Yeah, so can we watch that? That helped, oh my god. And yeah, when I was in the middle of all of it, when the kids were asleep, me and Martin were binge-watching that and it was just a way of completely Indulging in something. Indulging in something where I don't have to think about anything other than the twisty plots of this programme and the pigeons oh my God, I love that idea.
Speaker 2:When I sell F fardom. I'm going to send pigeons out because I've got like four people that want to, if you imagine the highest bidder, I guess.
Speaker 1:Yeah, send your pigeons back, but I just thought it was absolutely brilliant and it was a real great way of completely separating from the stress. But I do go into head down, plow on through mode, which is bad because I shut everything else out, but I just can't. I can't even talk about it sometimes. I just have to be really pragmatic and go through the process one step at a time, keep writing my list, keep going through it, keep thinking of every scenario.
Speaker 1:But I at the time I felt like I was playing three games of chess yeah because I'm playing chess with Horsham and staffing and management structure and I'm restructuring things there and then I was like playing chess with the closure of one salon and then chess with another opening and I was like, oh my god, and you're thinking of every scenario, if this happens, that might happen, if that happens, and that's what I found exhausting. Yeah, but then that's being the director of a company, isn't it? And seeing all of the moving parts and what options there are that can like help everybody.
Speaker 1:But also having to do a lot of that thinking on your own yeah, I did speak to my business part about it, but by the time I actually got hold of her I'd kind of made all the decisions. I just ran it past her and she was like, yeah, sound like that is a lot of weight to bear on your shoulders it was, but I didn't do it alone because I had you and Martin, like the sounding boards and it's a you know I've.
Speaker 1:I'm really lucky. I've got some incredible people, because when it comes to that you, you just have to hash it, shoot the shit my dad used to call it, or like chew the fat. You know, like you just need someone that you can be like what do you think? What do you think? How, how's this going to go? Yeah, luckily I still. You know, even though we weren't recording, I could still do that. Yeah, and every night mine was like what's going on, tell me what's happening, and like downloading so that I could work through it it's a lot like.
Speaker 2:So tips for when your back is against the wall and you're dealing with a load of strategic decisions or a lot of pressure or a lot of emotion. Yeah, amy lewis's way find something that you can completely switch your brain.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I needed to, because otherwise I feel like that's when if you don't have something, you can switch off to whatever that might be. It might be exercise for some people, it you know, I'm not drinking that much at the minute and I don't. I try really hard to not drink when I'm stressed because I don't want to rely on that. I want to have a drink because I enjoy it, not because I'm using it for something. Yeah, but I'd also come down with like a really horrible cold. So I felt like shit as well and I I just felt like for the last three weeks I have been waiting. This isn't even mud, this is fucking quicksand. Yeah. But there was always this voice in my head saying it's because you're on to something. Yeah, it's because there's something. You're being tested, it will be okay, you'll get through this, totally agree. And I just think, as long as every decision I make, that I'll always ask myself the three questions is it good for the business, is it good for the client? Is it good for the staff member? And I will always have to answer yes to those three when making a decision. Yeah, it's not always great for everybody, but is it the right decision? Does it feel right, go, stick with your gut instinct. I do.
Speaker 1:I've done a lot of hypnotherapy, like going to sleep, to wind down and to switch off, yeah. But also you kind of got to step into your power and you've got to step into you. I'm running this business, I know what I'm doing, I will get through this. And there was many times when I actually didn't feel that power and I was like what am I doing? Am I the person to get through this? Can I cope with this? Can I deal with this?
Speaker 2:but that's so, so I did talk to you a lot at that point and I think that you were so exhausted? Yeah, yeah, I was and you were.
Speaker 1:You were getting sleep, but you were mentally exhausted and I was having to use hypnosis just to get to sleep, yeah, but I was listening to things like courage, believe in yourself, like all of this, just to give you the strength that, yeah, I needed to pull on strength because I couldn't pull on people, because I didn't actually have the energy to say I need help or can someone have a chat. And I also didn't want to repeat what was going on, yeah, cause it was even more exhausting. I just needed tunnel vision. Yeah, this is what I need to do.
Speaker 1:I don't even really want to repeat any of it. It was like just. It was like just, these are. I've got to make some really weighty decisions that have a huge impact on my brand and my business and people.
Speaker 2:And actually I feel the weight of people more than any of the rest. I know and what the things that we spoke about, like your kindness and your approach and your absolute devotion and dedication to the individuals.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm not sure it's landed like that on some occasions. No, but I know that doesn't matter. I think that's harder when you know that you've done it with good intention and that person still sees the bad or still thinks the bad, and I have to just separate that and go. Well, I know that every decision I've made has been made with integrity and kindness and the best decision for both the people and the business made with integrity and kindness and the best decision for both the people in the business.
Speaker 2:um and there will always be others that think I'm a greedy bitch or you know, huge generosity, oh my god, yeah, because I'm calm as a bitch.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I don't believe you'll get successful if you fuck over people along the way.
Speaker 2:I totally agree with you and I I know that you can stand in the pure light of your decisions and what you've done because I don't choose money over anything.
Speaker 1:I choose the people always, and I think that's a very feminine energy and a feminine approach, and sometimes I wish I could embody a masculine approach and go fuck it, it's a business, it's business, don't make it emotional. And I really wish I could embody that sometimes. And, um, my business partner embodies that a lot. You know that is definitely her. Yeah, that is definitely the way she works. Um, so sometimes she is the voice of reason, but, yeah, I do choose the emotional side and it's probably slowed my business growth down a little bit.
Speaker 2:I don't think you choose it. I think that's just who I am.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, well, you as well, isn't it?
Speaker 2:yeah, and I don't I. I don't think it slowed the business down at all.
Speaker 1:I think that it's you cut movies open, you cut any of the businesses open and it will pour out with kindness and generosity and people first yeah, and I think when you, when you know you've made those decisions and there's still people that are annoyed with you or upset with you and also you know there was some I had some not nasty comments, just felt like my shoulders became very broad because when you're making the big decisions, you're also the target for retaliation or anger or criticism or blame yeah and it's like, oh, you know, there's been a few when people have bare face blamed me and I'm like, actually that's not true, or you know, and again it's standing in your power and saying thanks for your opinion.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate it. I will learn from it. If I can take anything from it, I will. I don't have to agree yeah and walk away. Yeah, that's been really tough, but you're such an epic communicator.
Speaker 2:You really are like even in the. Yeah, you really really are, especially when things are being said or it's difficult yeah, there's been some unkind stuff there's been some really unkind stuff and you just handle it like oh like a boss hopefully. Like a pro.
Speaker 1:But there's also, you know, the universe not only thrown the shit at me and I'm like, yeah, I can take it, I'm ready for growth, I'm ready for levelling up, I'm ready for all of this. But then there's the, the other side of things.
Speaker 2:I couldn't be more apt. You've just seen your. I only play big on your. Come up on your phone. Well done, good old phone.
Speaker 1:Thank you yeah one of the interviewees on the guest on Stephen Bartlett's podcast I think it was the psychologist that I listened to that I said to you about listening to and he said people will tell you who they are, show you, but they will eventually always show you, yeah, who they are. And you know what? In the last month, I feel like I'm just getting boom, boom, boom like mirrors. This is actually who people are, yeah, and it's heartbreaking at some points because you're like wow, that I, yeah, I didn test, though, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, people are in difficult situations, things that they are finding hard, and they do show who they really are. They show their true colours and sometimes it's hard to see, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, there's been loads of lessons, loads of lessons, and it is something I want to download and decompress with once I've got through it, because we're still not the other side yet. It's just a lot, it's not. Yeah, decisions have been made, things are happening, things are moving forward and it's just keeping that communication open. But that communication has been constant, like constant phone calls, constant conversations but this is one of the biggest challenges with growth, isn't?
Speaker 2:it like you've made something that feels cozy, that's like a family, and now we're buckling up for growth.
Speaker 1:We are buckling up for growth and there's a lot of decisions that have to be made that are business decisions, yeah, and there's a lot of, especially like even my own salons as well. Yeah, it needs to be treated like a business now and it's not um a club for everyone just to love, sit and enjoy and sit around, drink tea and chat about the problems. It's a business, yeah, and I've got to put my business first, so, yeah, I think it's like.
Speaker 2:I think KG is right this is you're getting sent the ultimate test. But even if we row back a week, your strength, what's happened in that relatively short period of time, is huge.
Speaker 1:It is massive and it's what most people deal with in a year, I reckon. Yes maybe five, but I am ready and actually within three, I think probably three months, let's be real. It's probably been a tough couple of months, but I think I am going to come out and I will spend some time, like quiet time, listing what I've learned from this. And it was really funny, actually, because I went to the Franchise Think Tank yesterday in. Birmingham, the second one they've done.
Speaker 2:I fucking love it so much, Just to remind our listeners was it January that you went for the first time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the one that I stood up and said what my problem was, and I went there thinking my problem was whether I get investment or whether we had a party, didn't we talking about investment? And I was really uneasy and I was like, do I need investment? Do I grow? Do I do I do this, do I do that? I don't fucking know what I'm going to do with it. I need an operations manager. I can't afford an operations manager. I'm doing all the work myself.
Speaker 1:I have found, I've outside of this and, martin, I have found the most supportive community within the franchise world, because it felt a bit cold when I first started, a bit masculine cold, like when I say masculine, don't be male or female, just that energy of like suits, grey suits, like a sea of them, you know, just like bank manager yeah, yeah, it was, and I was like this I don't know if these are my people and I'm just, you know, I'm like, stick out like a sore thumb here. However, I have found the cool kids, you know, and these guys that pulled this together are absolutely incredible at what they're doing. They have so many superpowers within the franchise space, but they all genuinely care and it's really weird, I think, my perception of corporate men hasn't been great. I have not experienced, I have not had great experiences with businessmen, okay, and senior management male senior management I've had really bad experiences, yeah, like been treated really badly or just not had great experiences. And these guys are changing my entire perception. Good yeah, they're really cool.
Speaker 2:Do you think this might change your perception?
Speaker 1:towards networking. I don't know. I don't know if we don't go that far sorry, but this is networking.
Speaker 1:They call it networking. It's like journey, though it is, it's like that. Just don't don't call it that. What do you want to say? We're having a? Yeah, so it was exactly the same format as last time. There was a few different faces, lots of familiar faces. I rocked up 45 minutes late, embarrassingly so They'd only just started doing the intros and then up came a bloody scream with my picture on going. So, amy, we're going to have a recap on how you've been doing for the last three months, and I was like, yeah, sure, I recap on how you've been doing for the last three months and I was like, yeah sure, I've just.
Speaker 2:I've just sat down, look like the twat, like bougie fucker, rolling 45 minutes late, my face on the screen.
Speaker 1:I was like oh, what a twat. Hello, everyone, do you know who I am? Yeah, but then they kept on mentioning me like throughout the whole day and it was getting. It was really sweet, but I was getting cringing inside like please stop saying my name please stop saying my name.
Speaker 1:And they're like, so, like, like Amy has, or yeah, amy has, like teacher's pet. Yeah, however, I did, I stood there and said for the last three months, this is what's been going on and these are, I feel, really safe talking about different franchise problems, because the more vulnerable you are, the better the input. I think, and after the first experience with them and sharing all of my vulnerabilities and my fears and my worries and all of this, I was so held and supported and I've had so many beautiful messages since on LinkedIn from franchisors that are either seeing it as inspirational because they're starting out, or that are really fully in and now just want to help. They just want to give back. It's brilliant, it's so cool. And I was actually talking to a lady that's got a huge franchise yesterday and she was like really well done, like I'm so proud of you and so lovely seeing you grow and I'm so excited to see what you do, yeah, and and she said and you've partnered with Tim as well, you're really in good hands.
Speaker 1:And I said I never thought there could be business men, business people, that could be so supportive. I always think there's an ulterior motive, like what are you after? What do you want? You know, and people that you'd have, I had this really bad perception of people. Just they'll want, they get what they want and they'll do anything for it. I don't know where that's come from it must be my dad.
Speaker 1:And then, and I said but these people have literally just opened up to me and all they want to do is help and they don't want anything for it. Yeah, why is that? And she said because and you will get there, amy, and it won't be long if you carry on the way you're going, but you will get to a point where you will not be in this fight or flight mode, yeah, and your whole business will be operating. And then you'll want to give back because you'll need a purpose, and it's not about the money and it's not about you've achieved everything you want to achieve. And there'll be a time when you'll want to give back and you'll be here doing exactly the same as these guys are doing for you. And I was like, wow, I get that yeah.
Speaker 1:I really get that, yeah, and I hope I can. And she went you're already doing it. Yeah, you are. Yeah, it was lovely. It was like a real like coffee conversation. That was only three minutes and should have been half an hour. We could have talked about everything and it was really inspiring, really inspiring.
Speaker 1:So I sent her a message last night saying, yeah, thanks the the very quick chat, but you are such an inspiration. She was like I cannot wait to see what you do. Yeah, like this is so amazing, isn't it? It's the faith and what came up like, yeah, exactly that, the faith in me and my brand and the validation, yeah, and so I said that what we've been doing for the last three months. And they honed in on me saying validation, and I said I cannot tell you how amazing it is to be validated within a community. I was intimidated by, yeah, I felt real fear, like, oh God, I've just got this little brand we just do now, yeah, I don't really know what I'm doing and winging it. You know, aren't we all? Ha, ha.
Speaker 1:And actually one of the hosts at the end said I, he goes, I want to give you some feedback. He said the person that was here three months ago and the person that's here now is completely different. Yeah, he said, just seeing you stand in your power and own your shit. You are standing here, this is my brand, this is what we do, this is what I'm going for. He said it's like it's like night and day compared to this woman that was standing here three months ago, going yeah hi, I have this problem and I don't know what to do. And he goes I feel like you've just done a full 360. Is it 180 or 360?
Speaker 1:180, yeah, I never know which one it is.
Speaker 2:It's like 360 would take you back to where you were oh yeah, we don't go full circle.
Speaker 1:We, we don't go full circle, we go opposite. Yeah, done a 180 and uh, and yeah it was, it was brilliant, and he goes. But validation for you is what? What pushed you? And I said, because I still do that, worry. I still worry like is my brand relevant? Is it cool or is it gimmicky? Is it this? Is it that? Am I on something? Am I just pushing something? Should I just go and get a job Like what you know? And then, when you've got people going, oh God, this is amazing, like you need to run with this. This needs to get bigger. You're going to be opening 10 to 20 a year.
Speaker 2:I'm like, really, but it gives you the strength that you need as well, doesn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So when you've got people that are complete strangers going, watch out for this one. Yeah, she's coming.
Speaker 2:She's coming Three months. Look at the change, yeah.
Speaker 1:And I feel it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think the hypnosis has helped. I think the people I surround myself with has helped. Yeah, it's so important who you surround yourself with, isn't it? Yes, you've got the wrong crowd behind you?
Speaker 2:it does not.
Speaker 1:When you've got people that are like go on and excited for that excited to see you grow and understand that the time it takes to do that growth.
Speaker 2:That's not long though for you, no, it hasn't been Because you're so fucking impatient. Yeah, maybe I think we had a conversation and I was like, if I had a magic wand and we could fix this right now, what would it be? And you were like, oh, I just want this, this, this, and within less than 24 hours, that had happened. And my point was a magic wand is something that can't be fixed, like you're just talking about time, and you're like, yeah, I know, but but, for fuck's sake, come the fuck on, please.
Speaker 1:Less than 24 hours huge change, oh my god. But yeah, it has been massive. So I want to get through the other side. I'm about 70 through now and then we've got like winchester do you reckon yeah? Then we've got winchester to look forward to. No, I'm so stoked for that.
Speaker 2:Winnie can we call it.
Speaker 1:Winnie, because also the franchisee. She's amazing. She's going to do brilliant things and I'm really excited to see what she does with that, like the way she's designing it. She's already done like full on floor layouts and everything. Oh god, like dream, an absolute dream, and she's so excited, you know, yeah, that's what you want, yeah, and she really embodies.
Speaker 1:She's been a client of ours for a long time. She really embodies, like what Moors is about, like secondhand recycled, upcycled. So she's been painting furniture while she's been waiting to find a property. Brilliant, she found a Chesterfield like a velvet one on eBay for 120 quid and she's sending me pictures. Yeah, my uncle is lending me a van.
Speaker 2:This is so much fun, oh, that energy yeah, oh god, it's just so magical yeah, and then we're going to be partnering, aren't we, nicole, little piggy coming together? Um, it's really exciting. So step out of the friend mode for a second. As a business like the opportunity to work with movies. I meant everything that I said on that email. The opportunity to work with movies is just incredible. Yeah, absolutely amazing. I feel exactly the same as the think tank does. You are going to do epic things and if I can be part of that in any way yeah, man I'm absolutely here for it so what are you doing for us?
Speaker 2:oh, so we have got. Should we talk about next week first? Next week next week, next wednesday. That's what we're doing first, isn't it? Oh, yes, yeah, yeah, so we're having some time together. We're having half a day together with you and wonderful yaz, and we are talking about it's actually a conversation that started about funnels isn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was like if we're gonna get leads for new franchisees, I need a way of communicating with them, because I've got nothing. I'm doing it like literally weekly all the thoughts that are in our head. What should we do today? Go on, yaz, let's put together another email like oh, what a waste of time.
Speaker 1:You know that's not a waste of time I suppose it's updates, but we don't have anything strategic when it comes to leads for franchise, and there's absolutely no point in putting advertising out there if I've not got a way of communicating with them. So it's like let's start from fresh yeah.
Speaker 2:So we need to get the foundation in place, don't we? That's ready for scale, and also to give you and Yaz the confidence that you've got a plan, definitely, and you've got a strategy and you know who you're targeting. Yep, and it's going to be different for every single territory, but the big, bold, hairy, audacious goal for Moody's is to have one in every single market town.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my first big goal is 50. I want us to get to 50 because then that's when we can make decisions about the growth of the business. Yeah, and also it wouldn't make us the biggest beauty franchise in the country, it'd make us the second. Why are you saying that?
Speaker 2:I was going to say is that right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, because Laser Clinic has got 120. We done a whole blog on it the other day. Actually Never heard of Laser Clinic, laser Clinic, so everywhere. Yeah, they're brilliant, yeah, yeah laser.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm going to do a little shout-out. Actually, If you are listening to this poddy and you love movies and you love what you hear and you think that you might want to open one, oh God, we'd love to hear from you. How do they get in touch? Amy, Email me amyatmoviescouk.
Speaker 1:Ah yeah.
Speaker 2:Who are you looking for? What are you looking for?
Speaker 1:Oh are, yeah. Who are you looking for? What are you looking for? Oh, you're gonna do my avatar exercise with me now, so uh out of the five franchisees I've got now.
Speaker 1:Um, it's a real different mix actually, but the latest one that's opening winchester, she this. This is a prime example of how a franchise can work for somebody. She's been in IT all of her life. Like all of her work and career she's done very, very well. She'd done an English degree, I think, and then kind of fell into IT and because it's so well paid, it's very hard, isn't it, to get out of a job that's so well paid. And she's gone into project management. She's managed teams, like all of these skills that are huge, transferable, hugely transferable.
Speaker 1:However, she was made redundant. So in her redundancy she was like what do I really want? She's wanted a mirrors for about a year and hasn't said anything to me, hasn't emailed me. She's had an email ready to send to me for a year, but it's just not been the right time. Family, different family things and all of that.
Speaker 1:Um, and then she was made redundant. She was like actually I want, now that the kids are a bit older and I've kind of got everything I wanted what do I really want? And she's like I really want to tap into my creativity. I really want to, um, have something of my own. I want something that I can mentor people, I can coach people. Then they can run that business and I can go back to a bit of consultancy if I want and I can do a little bit of what I want. But I can have the best of both worlds.
Speaker 1:And I've got another franchisee that's very similar. That she's waiting. We're trying to find a premises for franchisee. That's very similar. She's waiting. We're trying to find a premises for her, but she's very similar. She's got a brilliant career. She's a scientist, brilliant career. But she's exactly the same Like. This career is great, but I want something for myself, I want something for my kids, I want something to show my family. We all get it. It's our project together. And then she can do something on the side if she wants, or she can create an office within the salon. She can work there as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's what we're attracting a lot of people that see this as like a bit of an outlet yeah they can run the business, they can have some fun with it, like because the decor is really fun and it's all secondhand and upcycled. So, if you're passionate about the environment and you're passionate about the creativity and think because every salon is different and everyone's got their own stamp on it and that's really unique in franchise and I think that's what people love- yeah, it's the freedom there is a lot of freedom in it.
Speaker 2:I think it's also that burning desire to have something of your own, isn't it so? Creating a brand but not doing it from scratch?
Speaker 1:you've got a platform, so you feel like you're part of something but you can run your own business within that business. But katie's already said she wants three. She's like I'm going to do this and then I already know the other locations that I want after this. But I just need to get my team and my framework. But that's the project manager in here. Yeah, she's like I want to get the team, the framework, right and then I can utilize that team and then grow them and mentor them, because that's what she gets so much joy out of seeing people develop. And I was like, wow, you are fascinating. It's fascinating people's thought process. That's probably my favorite part, actually, when I do that first one-to-one like find out what is your purpose, why, why are you doing this? Why mu is, why, why do you want this? And their stories are always so brilliant yeah you know, petersfield hairs was very much like.
Speaker 1:I want something for myself. Yeah, my husband's had a great career. I've done property management, but I love mirrors and I want something for myself. I want to get my teeth stuck into something female like creative business owners are pretty fucking epic.
Speaker 1:They really are. Yeah, so it's so. And also, you're kind of not going into the unknown are, are you? There's something quite scary about setting up a business on your own, but if you can see other people and you can see what other people have done, you're like, oh yeah, I can do that. It's having the support.
Speaker 2:So next week we're going to be working on what that avatar? Really looks like and how to align to her as closely as we possibly can.
Speaker 1:Yeah, align to her as closely as we possibly can. Yeah, yeah, I'm saying her, I mean them. Yeah, I mean we've also. I'm just thinking who else we've got in the network? Like korea is a business woman like, oh my god, that woman's got like four businesses, I think, and she runs them within the salon. Like that's really cool. Yes, yeah, really cool. Yeah, so she runs her businesses from within the salon. Her team, she's another one so versatile it really is.
Speaker 1:So she's got aesthetics upstairs that's hers because she's a nurse. She's also got a care company that she runs with her husband. Her husband's got a franchise in a gym Like, oh my God, she is like epic human, they all are, they're all amazing. And then we've got Gigi, who is one of the best therapists I've ever known and she has run her business so brilliantly because she's such an epic beauty therapist. Yes, it's all about that. It's all about that. So hers is ran as a therapist. All of her team are incredible, yeah, and she's really, really busy because of the level of service that they give yeah, so it's all very different.
Speaker 1:Different it works, it's just very different people.
Speaker 2:I love it. I genuinely love movies. I think it's amazing now that I understand, because when we first met and you started talking about franchise, I was a bit like what the fuck is this? This is way back when on the accelerator. And then, since we've been like, become friends and we've been doing this yeah, just learning more about it and understanding the structure and why, the benefits of it, that franchise episode that we do, yeah, yeah, just brilliant, absolutely brilliant yeah, it's definitely one of my favorite parts of everything I do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's not the most favorite part. It's really exciting, isn't it?
Speaker 2:yeah, so we have that, and then we're also working together. So, yeah, your new partnerships, aren't we well?
Speaker 1:be your partner on yeah.
Speaker 1:So when we do franchise launches, there's a lot of work that goes into it. It's not just you pay your money and then off you go into the sunset. It's a huge amount of work and between me and Yaz, we can't continue doing it, and we also with franchise. It's all about systems and processes, but we need to put those systems and processes into launch as well. So that you know, tim is working with me and he really thinks I should be opening 10 to 20 a year. Yeah, he's like if you know that's your goal, you need to be doing that, which scares the shit out of me. But he's like are you ready? Yeah, because if you're not, what do you need to do? And that's where he's helping me, yeah.
Speaker 1:So the first thing I've thought about is we're not ready because we're doing everything ourself, very much like my salons, and I need an operations manager. I'm like what do we need to open these salons successfully so that they get the best support package, because that's what they're paying for but also we get the best exposure in the right amount of time? What superheroes do we need? What superpowers do we need that? We haven't got these skill sets Because me and Yaz are brilliant at figuring shit out and just getting it done, but we now need to be a bit more strategic about yeah what do we outsource?
Speaker 1:It's working smarter and I know that it could be done better than we're doing it, because we're not experts in it. Yeah, we're doing a great job and it's got us this far. Yes, but it we need to level up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, also 10 to 20 a year. Yeah, we couldn't do the pr for all of that could we well, it ain't no small fee not really.
Speaker 1:No, no, and you know, rightly so if we're working on our funnel and we're working on leads and lead magnets, we're doing all of that. You know we're working on our funnel and we're working on leads and lead magnets, we're doing all of that. We're getting the awareness out there. We're going to have so much more on our plate the travelling. I'm going to need someone helping me with properties. There's so much we need to look into. So then it'll be. I want Yaz conducting it all, coordinating it all and planning everything.
Speaker 1:She's the most organised human I've ever met what an epic role yeah, so I want her to be like more okay, we've got winchester opening, nicole, we're aiming for six weeks time. Boom off you go, suzy. We need the design work done, all of that, and it's more of a who's doing what and when. Yeah, because you know it'll be one a month before we know it that's amazing, isn't it? I think so it's exciting. And then I still get that whole oh god, I'm just this girl from clapham. Oh, who do I think I am how do we get past this?
Speaker 2:how do we? Or do you think, do you think that that? Because I feel like there's also some sort of little girl from Luton in me, that's going. Who the fuck do you think you?
Speaker 1:are. I see I don't mind her actually, because it keeps me a bit humble. I know people would say it's imposter, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It keeps me grounded.
Speaker 2:As long as she's not too shouty.
Speaker 1:No, she's not. She's just like all right love. Where do you think you're going? What are you're going?
Speaker 2:yeah, what are?
Speaker 1:you playing at doing? Do you not remember when? Come on, get back to the car park with your embassy be vogues now, darling.
Speaker 2:Oh god, too expensive, except this is what I mean.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the change in lifestyle, yes, I mean it's all been super, super crazy.
Speaker 2:So I've really struggled, not doing the potty Really why? Why have I struggled? I think I am probably having a minor identity crisis on Wild Bird.
Speaker 1:Oh, what is the crisis all about, nicole?
Speaker 2:I don't fucking know.
Speaker 1:If I'm honest, I feel a bit lost, oh, Do you think it's because you're doing so many different types of things within marketing?
Speaker 2:Or I couldn't fucking tell you I just feel a bit lost. Oh, and I don't know whether it is Hope's coming up for a year. Right, there's a huge disclaimer over this, and that is Hope is the thief of sleep currently. She's really struggling she's off the boob, boob, tap's gone these are like snooker balls in the bottom of a sock, swinging around around belly button height. I'm sure they'll come back, guys. I'll keep you posted they will.
Speaker 2:If not, there's some brilliant boob jobs out there right now there is excess skin so she's not sleeping, she's off boob. She's coming up for a year. She'll be on the 10th of May I don't know what the date is now.
Speaker 2:It's nearly May, isn't it? She will be one, and I don't know if this is like tiredness, Me going right. She's one now. Come the fuck on. We've had like a lull in Wild Bird. I feel like it's kind of on a mini pivot. We've had like a lull in Wild Bird. I feel like it's kind of on a mini pivot. We're obviously doing training courses now and I am questioning everything. Should we be doing that? Should we be doing? This Should we?
Speaker 1:be doing this.
Speaker 2:Spread yourself too thin, aren't you? Do you think so? And the noise. I did a video, didn't I? Last week about the noise. God, the noise is real, isn't it? Yeah, video didn't I last week about. The noise is real, isn't it? Yeah, it is the bullshit button.
Speaker 1:This is brilliant. There is so much noise, so much bullshit, yeah. So much sales, pitter, patter, fucking shit, yeah but we talk about this.
Speaker 2:I feel like this is a common theme because, it irritates the hell out of me like it's. I feel like I should. So it wouldn't change much because obviously they're always listening the old phones, but I feel like I should be doing all of my searching on incognito because the cookies are like haunting me fucking horny, but it's exhausting, isn't it?
Speaker 1:yeah, it's so exhausting and I, oh my god, so linkedin right. I had someone message me. I really hate people that lie, sales people especially, and I'm like Inspector Cluedo is it Clueso or Cluedo? I keep, I don't know, what are you?
Speaker 1:I don't fucking know, but I'm a detective so I will not take any bullshit. And this woman was trying to sell me something to do with. So a booking sister? No, it was a CRM for clients, I think. So I don't know. But basically she said she is a regular client of one of our salons. She lives locally, she's a regular client, she loves our salons, loves everything about them, she loves her time in the salons, but she thinks we can improve our communication with clients better. And I was like, okay, she messaged me a few times and I was like I'm gonna have a little look on her booking system, see if she comes in.
Speaker 2:Can't fucking find her bullshit we used to have a bullshit buzzer at GMTV back in the day. It's brilliant. It was like a big red button and we'd just press it all the time. Beep, beep. Yeah, I'll get that over to you this afternoon. Shut the fuck up, I'm on the phone.
Speaker 1:Oh, I need that bullshit buzzer. Yeah, we'll get one. And so, yeah. So I responded saying, just out of curiosity, I've had a look at our system. I've not seen that you've been a client of ours. And she went oh, I booked an appointment. It was under my sister's name.
Speaker 1:I booked an appointment at Christmas but I had to cancel. This is for a patch test, so you've never actually been into any of my salons, but you start your sales email with. You love coming to my salons. So I responded to her and I was like okay, first of all, I'd just like to highlight I would never do business with anybody that starts a sales email with a lie. Thanks for your time. I suggest in future you don't lie in when communicating with people to sell a product.
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah, it's like what do you think? Do you think she thought you were so big that you wouldn't check?
Speaker 1:I mean I don't know, but I just can't bear it. Like, don't ever assume we know what that means. Yes, makes an ass out of you and me but don't ever assume, and I don't care how big this business gets yeah, you reach out to me, I will do the research yes, I will look at company's house. I will do the research. I will find out if you are who you say you are, there we go yeah who are you who? The fuck are you it's so enjoyable, isn't it?
Speaker 1:it is, and I felt like she'd come back to me and said I'm really sorry for the misunderstanding.
Speaker 2:I was like there's no misunderstanding you lied and I caught you out. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I hope you've learned from this silly sausage, naughty torture. I just can't bear it.
Speaker 2:I'm glad you called her out on it, to be fair, because the sales emails I don't know about yours but mine are getting more chopsy like. Can you let me know? Can you respond with a yes or oh god, chopsy, it's got well, chopsy, how dare they? Are you trying to build a relationship?
Speaker 1:with me Because it's not fucking working. Are you bullying me to buy something I don't even?
Speaker 2:fucking need. Please, can you respond with a yes? Please, can you fuck off out of my fucking inbox?
Speaker 1:You didn't come to me. I don't have to respond to you. Knob, knob. Yeah, there's so much, isn't it? And because there's so many training courses and there's all these people telling everyone how to create these emails, I'm like fuck off. But you know, like pickleball, have you seen that I'm flicking them off? Flies off me, like go away, yeah. So there is a lot of noise and it is really confusing and it does make you overthink it. I think it's.
Speaker 2:I think they get you, if you're vulnerable, if you're resilient and you know and you're on your path. If you are where Amy Lewis is today, you can flick that shit off, bullshit buzzer and see a layer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, ta-ra, thank you, but if they're speaking to your pain points, which they are with you, it's too much, because it just makes you question question question. But there's also people, marketing, experts, that I'm putting in like quote. What is it In the back of comments? In the back of comments? I'm really shit today. I mean I'm tired.
Speaker 1:I don't know language today, ding, but there are these experts that are telling people. Find the pain points, speak to this, and we've talked about that before, haven't we? I feel like we've just talked about this all the time.
Speaker 2:I know I'm sorry we're repeating ourselves, but the noise got a bit too much for me the other week and you know there's lots of things going on. I delivered an epic course yesterday the first one that we've done of Pitch Club with Richard and Andy Rivers, and that was really good, Really really good. I think we have crafted something that's quite unique, special because you're teaching people how to pitch for investment, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:so Richard's talking about the investment life cycle, so how to secure it, what kind of structure that structures you can have and also, most importantly, how to fucking pay it back. I then go into elevator pitch and investor packs, and Andy Rivers talks about communication, getting in the room, research, and then he does an NLP anchoring exercise which is so powerful.
Speaker 1:See, all that scares the shit out of me. Why Pitching standing there? It's fear of rejection. Yeah, Completely. I'm like, oh God, I go back to that corporate man in a grey suit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can see it. So one of the most special things that happened yesterday is we kicked the day off with rules of engagement.
Speaker 1:Effectively, there are be kind and house rules in this, in this room, you can share them.
Speaker 2:House rules yeah, you can share what we talk about as trainers, but anything that you guys talk about doesn't go beyond this room, because people are being really vulnerable. They're talking about their businesses, they're talking about how they feel. There's a lot of stuff, uh, be kind, give good feedback, be engaged lots of, lots of and I guess I don't know if it's different training, but when we were talking about the structure of it, I think it's really important to change the energy, to put energizers in there, to put exercises in there that give you a start. Stop, yeah, because sitting and talking to a group for a day is a lot, yeah, and we were asking a lot of them, especially when I'm asking them to do an elevator pitch. Yeah, that is so overwhelming. If you've never done it can be right.
Speaker 2:So when it came to my input, I was a bit, because it's the first one that we've done. I was a bit anxious and we were running behind. So I'm thinking like I'm smack bam in the middle of the day, it's Richard, me, andy, and I'm thinking right, what are we going to do? And I need to change the energy. We're having a shift and I'm going to have to ask a lot of them to come up here and do this. So I teed it off, I said hello everyone. I'm blah blah. I just want to reiterate some of the the words that were shared this morning. I really want you to be engaged. I'm going to be asking a lot of you, I know that, but I want you to do it with kindness and with energy. But first, those of you that know me know that I love a game and know that all of my energizers are drinking games without the booze. So can you all stand up for me?
Speaker 2:I told you this so, just for the listeners, I got them to. Who's ever done the beer mat flicking off the table and grabbing, grab, flick and grab, bend and snap. So I got them. We've got a big table in the middle and I got them either side doing that and it was wonderful because they kind of worked as a team that there was lots of shouting. We did it twice one trial run and then they were up against each other and they kind of got a point each, which was quite cool. And then I got them to sit down and I said I'm now going to deliver my 66 second pitch, but after I've done I'm opening the floor for anyone else that feels brave enough to do so, and we had about four people come up.
Speaker 1:Oh amazing, I can't yeah, I would have been hiding at the back.
Speaker 2:At that point they didn't know, didn't know the structure hadn't gone through any of the work. It's me just saying do you want to come up and take this opportunity? It's me just saying do you want? To come up and take this opportunity, and they did, and I'm so proud of them for doing it.
Speaker 1:So, so proud, but this isn't just for property and construction businesses, or is it that you do this training for?
Speaker 2:The stuff that Richard's focused on is about property, but it can be applied to any business, and I did kick off by saying I believe every single business, no matter how big or small, every single person within that business should be able to deliver a 60 second elevator pitch. The trouble is the stigma attached to it, which you've just shared, which is why do I have to fucking do this? This is I don't want to do it. I don't want to do it.
Speaker 2:This is not okay, but if you were sat with someone at a dinner party, for example? And they said what do you do? Oh yeah, do fucking reel it off. Yeah, like nobody's business, because you spent the time to work on your values, to work on your mission, to work on your usp that's what it is yeah, and it's really stepping into the uniqueness of every single individual, because people will go.
Speaker 2:I can't say that, or I have multiple businesses. Yeah, you fucking, can you just do it in this sentence? Yeah, of course you can. That's fun. Like I really want to change the perception of 60-second elevator pitches. So that was good.
Speaker 1:Amazing Got a training session next week.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Stacey and I have got the Marketing Foundation on Tuesday. Tell me, what's this about these guys?
Speaker 1:know too. I've actually blocked the day out in case you want me to come. You are so busy at the minute, I know, but I love taking time out to sit and just write notes, because actually you just think about your business, don't you? You just think about what's going on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's brilliant. So we will be running through the absolute foundation that you need to do anything, marketing anything. It is such a versatile methodology that it can be applied for I need to secure new franchisees, or I want to get my first client, or I want to grow my global business.
Speaker 2:Whoever you want to target this methodology works perfectly, and we've used it for fucking years, so I just need a little bit more sleep before tuesday, yeah, and then I feel like everything will be fine with the world you're really falling into this training malarkey, aren't you like?
Speaker 1:you seem to be doing more and more of it, but you're really really good at it as well. Does it bring you joy, madam I?
Speaker 2:don't know yet. I think you'd have to ask me in about a week's time maybe I just think you're onto something.
Speaker 1:I don't feel like it. Well, no, because it's start and you never feel like it at the start, do you? But we've had conversations before and I can totally see you delivering training sessions using superheroes.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Doing different things that really help businesses. Yeah, businesses like mine that don't want to spend 10 grand on a coach but just need to learn like one thing, yeah, and to spend that one day and pay four or five hundred pounds, whatever it is to be in that room for one day to focus on one part of the business is like magical yeah so to be able to focus on your avatar and your marketing and like to be able to market your own business.
Speaker 1:there is so much value in that. Yeah, and you're teaching them how to do it for themselves. Yeah, like I'm sitting here thinking I wonder if me and Yaz should do this. I wonder if me and Yaz should come on this day, probably, yeah, yeah, because then we know who we're talking to. You know, you said about elevator pitches. I actually don't have mine because I don't think I have a really clear mission statement. Or like yesterday at their franchise think tank there was a guy who owns this incredible football fun factory. It's called what a model, what a franchise, like absolutely smashing it. And he's like we have a mission to be the best football coaching provider for children and to put more smiles on kids faces than any other business on the world. Amazing, and I was like boom what's their name?
Speaker 1:football fun factory. So they're um, like, do inflatables, so they combine football with inflatables and it's all about joy and fun. Like it's so cool, wow, and such a cool model. And they've got their own language for like everything. They don't call franchise territories, they call them communities, which I might now, because I absolutely love it, it's much nicer. But they don't have franchisees, they have head coaches. You know, like it's just really cool everything about what they're doing, and they've got 85 now I think they've partnered with center parks, they've partnered with two e, like they are smashing it and they're doing brilliant.
Speaker 1:Now should come on tuesday, yeah, rather than wednesday, or we do both I just you, just when you're saying about it yeah, because I don't know how we missed that. I think that, yeah, like I said when with the training, if you had then someone like suzy doing design and taught people how to do their own design, their own branding, like how cool is that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, you could activate the whole lot, couldn't you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then if they wanted, you've then got another contact. So you're building that community, like I've got with the Franchise Think Tank, but you're building a community of business owners and then partnering them with different superheroes.
Speaker 2:Right on the 60-second pitch. Would you like me to deliver mine on here? Go on then. Do you want to hear it? Yeah, you've got to partake. I'm not doing it. No, I'm not asking, fuck me. Just to clarify. You absolutely shat yourself, right. Do we need to check your panties? Okay?
Speaker 1:I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it, you're not doing it, yeah, yeah, hit me.
Speaker 2:I would like to ask everyone if you feel comfortable enough to close your eyes for me. Imagine a world where superheroes are real but instead of battling supervillains, they're working for your business. Sounds cool, right? What if I was to tell you that I've curated a team of superheroes with over 80 years experience of making other brands big, small startup scale up global look epic. Sounds cool, but probably really expensive. But what if I was to tell you that you could have access to that team for the fraction of a cost of a marketing employee? I'm Nicole and my business is wild bird marketing and we do exactly that. Oh my god, I haven't even fucking finished. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:No, it's all right, then I just go into. We're a superhero team. We help you with your strategy and we cover everything across marketing and I'm looking to connect with. I need to figure out what the ask is, but I usually say I'm looking to connect with business owners that believe in marketing and want to use it to their benefit to make a difference. Nicole Billen, that is powerful, right. This is what I want to change about the perception of a 60 second pitch.
Speaker 1:Because I had a vision of superheroes. I'm always in cartoon mode in my head, so I had a vision of superheroes. I'm always in cartoon mode in my head, so I had a vision of superheroes putting movies in loads of different towns. How cool is that? Yeah, because that's what you're going to be doing for us, aren't you? You're going to be launching all the salons when they come in, because we never actually finished earlier what you were doing. So you're doing all the PR, marketing, set-up Google business like all of it aren't you app, google business like all of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, platforms, templates so that they get their own social media, and then trying to get some press coverage locally and radio national, yeah, the whole lot. And then you're going to also interview the franchisees and then do some long form content and then bite size piece like it's really cool I really do you know what?
Speaker 2:okay, because I know you so well and know movies so well, it was really a privilege actually to have such a detailed brief because we spent, however, many months like in each other's company, that, and then I thought I know what all your pain points are and what could help. But it's just a pack, like it's a pack, isn't it?
Speaker 1:we're talking about a launch pack yeah, so you're creating the initial pack to set it up, yeah, and then when we press the button and it's like we've got a six-week window activation station and then that's it. You go in with the rest, you do the interview, I connect you with the franchisee.
Speaker 2:We leave you to it media training for the franchisee for any interviews that they need to god, there's a lot in.
Speaker 1:That isn't't there. It's really exciting. It's really exciting, but this isn't stuff that I can do.
Speaker 2:Well, you could I mean I couldn't Right, when you set up, you're all things to all people, so you do do that. But when there comes a point, when you're ready for scale-up, that's when you plug in your superheroes and plug and play the way you need them.
Speaker 1:Exciting, isn't it? It's so exciting. It's creating that structure for growth. Normal this is growth.
Speaker 2:This is scale up like you probably have a marketing person that sits within movie's group long term to cover all of those that really she's not liking this.
Speaker 1:I don't know I don't know, I never thought about it. I haven't thought about it yet. I haven't got my structure in place. I haven't got that. But I haven't even got my b-hag sorted or my elevator pitch sorted.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you don't look, I need it refined, I need it really clear. You know what I'm like. If I can't, if I don't have it written down I stress because I can't then focus on what it is yeah, and that's how I feel about everything at the minute, like I just need it written down. I just need to. What is that? What is it that I put on my wall? That is my absolute big, hairy goal and this is our mission. Yeah, like what? I don't know what that is yet, and I don't feel like I have clarity.
Speaker 1:You've got it for the group. Yeah, I don't really love them. They're done, but I didn't create them. I just uh, it doesn't roll off the tongue. I can't remember any of them, right, that's the problem and I feel like it's all fuzzy. Yeah, and that's what I need clarity with, and I think you know yaz needs that as well. So we know this is our ultimate goal and when those guys from the football fun factory stood up yesterday with their goal, I was like clarity. It was clarity every decision they make, they make with that goal in mind, and I was like that's what I need right now this is like the brand essence.
Speaker 2:This is the stuff that if you were to cut open a brand, it would pour out yeah, and you feel it in every little bit that you touch.
Speaker 1:See, mine's all about care. Mine's all about we care about the environment, we care about our people, we care about our community. All of that. That's all our values and it's beautiful. But that big fuck off. This is what we're going for, this is what we're trying to achieve. Yeah, I haven't got that Like. When he said our mission is to put as many smiles on kids' faces as humanly possible, I was like, oh God, what's my mission. So all we need to do?
Speaker 2:is just take those values, take those USPs and blend them into a mission that feels so aligned.
Speaker 1:That it rolls off the tongue, and I know it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the thing for me with Muiz is it's that wraparound feeling and that wraparound care. It's really emotive because it's not just about the upcycling, the sustainability, it's not all about that, no, we give a shit.
Speaker 1:That's actually what I want our saying to be a brand that gives a shit. That's all I think of, but you can't really use that in marketing all the time. I don't think.
Speaker 2:I think can, if you own it. There's plenty of people out there that do it. You just need to pitch it the right way. But this is so. How do you feel about the 60 second pitch that I delivered?
Speaker 1:I thought it was beautiful and it it made me want to work with you. It made me understand what your business is, as in. I know that you pull these superiors, I know about that, but I kind of had a vision of all these incredible humans pulling together to bring my business to the forefront. It made me feel really excited about what you're doing, and then it made me go what is it that I need in my business that these superheroes can help with?
Speaker 2:but does it challenge your perception of that 60 second pitch? It's not me going. I'm nicole.
Speaker 1:This is my business yeah, yeah, it definitely made me think of it differently. I mean, I've still got squeaky bum time at the thought of even doing mine, but that's because I don't have clarity. Yeah, I have no problem speaking in public if I have clarity, and I think this is my problem, and I had this in the natwest accelerator program as well. I didn't have that extreme clarity of our goal and our mission and what we are. And if I have that, I can do a 60 second pitch and no problem.
Speaker 2:But I'm really kerfuffled um, I'd really like you and Yaz to come on Tuesday, because I think that this will give you that space and that creativity to do that. Yeah, because all it is is just dedicating a day to it and stepping out of your shoes. Now, the irony of creating this course, which we call BYOB build your own brand is I need to do exactly the same for Wild Bird really check you out with your honesty, yeah, but it's really it's so hard to do on your own because I have all the same challenges that you have with clarity and really pitching what that is.
Speaker 2:I know someone yesterday who knows me well, who I've done work with, said Nicole, can I just talk to you for a second? I've done work with, said Nicole, can I just talk to you for a second? I was like, yeah, sure, what's going down. Tell me what's the goss what's in. And he was like how do you talk about Wild Bird? Like conversationally. I was like that's a really good point, because you've got this like structured. I'm on stage and I'm delivering a 60 second pitch. How do you then flip that to a conversation? I said, dan, can I be really honest? And he was like yeah, yeah, please. I said I make mine about the superheroes because I'm so uncomfortable about talking about myself that I make it all about them, and I know that I can do that with ease and with confidence and because it's what I believe. But if you were to say to me what's your credentials, what do you do, I'd go blah, fuck, don't fucking know Nothing. Don't ask me, why am I so shit at?
Speaker 1:this oh, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I think it's just who you are, isn't it? And that's, of course, in the right environment, when I'm not being a fucking dickhead, I can deliver, but that's why it's structured that way, and I think that I need to do that work. And it's so hard because I overthink it, just like every other business owner out there. What do I do? Who am I? What is this? What are we owner out there? What do I do? Who am I? What is this? Yeah, what are we trying to achieve? What do you love doing? I think I love to make a difference, like, if you tear me in half, I would be. I'm a people pleaser and I get the most out of making others shine Right, and that's what I love to do for brands, brands or people Right, and that's what I love to do for brands.
Speaker 2:Brands or people Both, Absolutely both. I love working with owner-founders because you're so close to the source of like, innovation and Creativity.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, it's brilliant.
Speaker 2:But then when you work in a bigger business, in corporate, in any medium to large business, you can see those changes happen really quickly If you just flip an individual or flip a structure or a sales process or a sales strategy or a marketing strategy.
Speaker 1:Of course, Because I know that Wild Buddy is marketing, but you are sales and marketing, aren't you? Yeah, and I've run from sales for such a long time, but sales is your background yeah, but there is something in this, yeah, because the excitement of you doing the launches of the salons, yeah, like you want to get your teeth stuck into that don't you?
Speaker 1:you're like yeah, yeah, I want to. I'm all over this. I want to get the PR, I want to get this, I want to get that. Like I see you get really excited about that, that launch, but then I also see you get equally excited about this training, yeah, where you're teaching other people how to do manage their business better, or do better in their business, or learn yeah, so there was a huge bit.
Speaker 2:Originally, when I started wild bird, I was like I just want to empower others to care about their marketing the same way. I fucking care about it because I believe that everyone should be excited about it and I don't. I believe that you have to have marketing and sales in cohesion with each other, otherwise it never fucking works but this is why we get so frustrated with all the noise because it's the bullshit button.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because it's other people and it's going against everything we're like. No, you have to know how to manage your own business, not just go out and sell shit loads. You have to be able to market and find the right people and who are you marketing to and not overwork yourself by throwing something at the wall and hoping something sticks.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I definitely need clarity within a while, but I need to you need a day off for Tuesday for yourself, don't you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, big time, big time, because, also, we spoke before about you helping brands get advertising on TV, didn't we't we? Yeah, I still think that's a brilliant thing for you. Yeah, I'm speaking with sky ad smart next week because, it's a. I think it's a really great advertising tool, but I think that's something you can get involved with yeah, it's terrifying, though for any business.
Speaker 2:I remember talking to people on the accelerator about it because, in lockdown, all of the sales houses, all of the broadcasters were offering incredible deals to get you on to tell because no one was fucking spending. They have all this, what they call distressed inventory that they needed to sell because you have to fill the breaks and no one was buying anything.
Speaker 1:So it was like deals 10 a penny yeah, I love this, this concept with Sky that I think it could work really well. They take all of your database yeah and then work out who your target audience is, and then they craft a video or content for you yeah, and then they only show it to your perfect audience or your avatar. It's massive, isn't it crazy? But because it's so niche, it's actually not expensive. It's massive, isn't it crazy? But because it's so niche, it's actually not expensive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, when he sends you the figures, we will look at it and see how it stacks up, because Sky AdSmart is very, very clever, very clever. But there's also loads of broadcast opportunities that you don't. That you would think, oh, no one else offers that because Sky's got the data. No one else has the data that they've got access to. It's the biggest that they've got. Everything else is measured by barb, which is completely different, or connected tv. So you've got a real mishmash of how to geo target in the same way that sky does. But that doesn't mean to say that there aren't options there and tv advertising. So you imagine, if you're spending 10 grand a month on digital advertising or socials advertising, if you were to flip that to a TV budget, which most of advertisers that spend that because they can set up their own ad, they can see how it performs. It's so much more accessible. Don't think that they can access TV in the same way.
Speaker 1:Well, also I'm not being funny but when you think a TV ad, you think millions of pounds, don't you? Yeah, Like automatic. I'm like no, I'd never be able to afford that. But when I was talking to Tim about a budget for Atlas, it's like mapping for territories, which I really want to do. It's so fucking cool, yeah, and it basically allows us to then distinguish what locations are best suited for movies.
Speaker 1:He was like but that's like four or five grand. If you're going to spend that, spend it on Sky AdSpot. So I was like TV advert for five grand. He was like, yeah, I was like shut up, there's no way I'm going to be able to do it. He goes yep, Because if you niche down, you've already worked out five areas that you want in movies.
Speaker 1:You've already worked out five areas that you want to move in. You've already worked out five towns St Albans, Berkhamstead, Hitchin, you know Harpenden, You've already got these places. Amptill you know all of these. You know you could list ten places that a moorish belongs in. So why do you need to pay something to figure that out? You don't need that mapping yet. It's great, but you just need to pay something to figure that out. You don't need that mapping yet. It's great, but you just need to work on what you know and then, when you've done all the towns that you know, you either go and travel and find some others or you use this territory mapping yeah yeah, I said but why don't you just spend six grand on finding a franchisee in these towns?
Speaker 1:I was like oh god, adverts sky. What are you talking about? Movies, movies on Sky.
Speaker 2:But it's exciting. So if you start on Sky, you'll have the asset for the ad and then you can pay for the license for it to go national.
Speaker 1:Well, this lady I spoke to that owns a big franchise I had that five-minute chat with. I was talking to her about Atlas and she said we've got 85. We've only just started using it, just so you know, don't feel like you need that straight away. Yeah, um, and she said but I done sky ad smart, just start, she goes in lockdown. And I still use that same advert to this day. Yep, I still use it for everything, everything we've used.
Speaker 2:It was brilliant so it becomes clear cast approved, which means you can apply anywhere you can put it out on. There's no stricter um approval process on advertising than there is on television. You'll never hit anything stricter. So if you've got an ad that's been cleared, you want to utilise the fuck out of it and you just pay for the licence to extend it beyond Sky. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's fascinating stuff, isn't it? But this is where you shine as well, like you know this inside and out. Yeah, do you give this advice to people?
Speaker 2:like I've never encountered. So, since setting up wild bird, we, sasi and I, bought a tv campaign through race um for a kid's brand called doodler um, up until, and I've never encountered, uh, any brands that have been ready to go onto television.
Speaker 1:Because you're working with startups or foundation brands, or I'd say so, yeah, because you're teaching them the foundations of how to run their business, right, yeah, but imagine, imagine if you started dealing with others that you could say, like for me again, the conversations of advertising you have appeased so many things I just didn't, I thought were way out of my reach. You know all of this shit. Imagine if you had companies that could turn around to you and say, look, I'm thinking of this, I don't want to just be sold to what's my best avenue, and you'd be like pay me for a day, let me work through it, let me find out who your target audience is.
Speaker 2:And there's so much like you don't. When you talk about traditional advertising it's not just tell You've got press which people still rule out and have got a closed mindset to.
Speaker 1:Radio you talked about. I mean, I never even considered that.
Speaker 2:You've got out of home, so all of the big screens that you've got everywhere, that are owned by Global or PrimeSite or whatever it may be, that go across the country. The geo-targeting, the niche targeting, but also the scalability, is far beyond the reach of what you could be able to achieve on social.
Speaker 1:But why does everyone just think social? Is it just because it's affordable, so accessible? Yeah, accessible.
Speaker 2:So all of the meta make it so fucking easy for you. Oh, do you want to boost this? Do you want to do that? No, don't fucking boost an organic post. That you've done, said with absolute love. If you're going to spend any pound on advertising, you create something specific for that audience. You're creating a mini ad. You're not boosting an organic post.
Speaker 1:You're creating officially told, so sorry I love you but I'm a booster. I know well, I have been in the past, but I don't actually get that much from it. We've tried. It doesn't really work for us because they're encouraging you.
Speaker 2:The meta will encourage you to spend, spend, spend, spend and, before you know it, you're spending 500 pound a month. Yeah, yeah, but you're boosting organic ads. You're not.
Speaker 1:You haven't crafted so this a guy at the franchise think tank yesterday. He's just started up a franchise and he's selling. There's a franchise that he's selling for like five grand and he's been part of a lot of these communities of like return on investment and spending your money with online ads and all of this. And he's like yeah, yeah, I've got 10 franchises sold them in the last year, five grand a pop and I'm only spending a grand per per franchise and I was like what it's your, your return on investment? Like you're getting four grand profit but that's not profit because it's obviously your license and the cost of your ip need is really.
Speaker 1:So your cost per lead is a thousand pound. And he was like, yeah, but it's brilliant. Brilliant because I've made 50 grand, it's only cost me 10. And I was like no mate wow, and that's purely Facebook ads. And I'm thinking am I missing something or what is what is going on here? Because I've never spent a penny on franchise advertising. Yeah, but then that's because we've got our audience that we're talking to, so I've spent money, but it's me and Yaz's time.
Speaker 2:Yeah more than anything. Yeah, but your time now needs to be diverted in the right areas, doesn't it? That's kind of different, and the other thing is Right. Let me spin it back this other way. So there is a reason why. Who do you think the top advertisers on traditional media are Like Flash or something, isn't it? No, unilever and PG. No, who Meta are like flash or something in there? No, you don't even page it. No, who meta google online platforms? Fuck off. So do you?
Speaker 1:no way no fucking way so of course they are.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right. So now you tell me that the people that own the digital companies, that own the social media platforms, think that their platform is the best for advertising when they are fucking, you've done it again. Mic drop moment like that, that is like crazy yeah, so every what an epic pr spin because everyone all business, small business owners are here and medium-sized business owners believing that socials is the way forward but then all these coaches and all these people are saying like, push it all, push it all, that's where you get your money.
Speaker 1:Return investment should be a four to one, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 2:Right, if you think there's research to suggest that it's anything between 7 and 13 touch points before you make a purchase decision, whether you are a product or a service, that's 17 opportunities to see a brand. But there is a reason why they are the biggest advertisers on traditional media because it works. It's one of their touch points. But it's a big touch point and it's got a hell of a lot of fucking ROI on it.
Speaker 1:Wow, sorry, just wow, don't be sorry. This is like phenomenal for business owners, because I think especially startups just think oh, I just have to put some money behind Facebook ads and it's really expensive and I don't really know what I'm doing. We all know Google ads are more expensive but a lot more targeted. Yeah, know what I'm doing. We all know google ads more expensive, but a lot more targeted. Yeah, so google ads for me work better if I'm like putting a new salon in place, because it's like you're searching for nails in that town, for instance yeah, you want to be top of the sponsored, but imagine if we can create, like a beautiful video of uh the muir salons, the vibe, the feel like the energy and then put that in the towns that we're based in, like.
Speaker 1:Can you imagine being able to flip that switch? We're launching in winchester.
Speaker 2:Here we go but imagine if you've got the complementary um, so the thing with touch points, if you are spending on, and this all comes back to the avatar and the foundation work. If you really graft at that and understand who you're targeting, you will be able to refine those touch points. So the person, the franchisee that you want to attract, she's seen your, or they've seen your ad on sky, ad smart, and then they go on to socials and they've retargeted with the same creative again. But would you want your own type thing? And it becomes for so many businesses, it becomes the breadcrumbs. And these are the touch points that you need If you know who your audience are, because the traditional model would be I am an advertiser.
Speaker 2:I'm Moody's and I've got a million pounds to spend on media. Oh, if only. Well, it's coming. I've got a million pounds to spend across traditional media above the line advertising. So TV, press, outdoor radio, as long as it's tuned to my target audience and we'll place them in the best places. We've got these creatives that will use these assets. You would take that to a media buying agency. I don't know of many media buying agencies in our area there's one in Dunstable, I can't think of any others and what the media buying agency lenders?
Speaker 1:I would just automatically think I'm going to get ripped off. I'm not going to lie. Yeah, because if I've got a million pound, I would just think I'd get vultures going.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, spend this, but we're going to keep 20% they do, but it's paid back by the sales house, so it never impacts how much value you get delivered because of the structure of traditional advertising. So the media, the setup of that, actually protects the clients, right? So it's not. They're not doing you out of money, but you are buying, so they get paid by. Yeah, so all of the money goes to all of the value of the million pounds and it will never be more than a 20 kickback from each of the broadcast houses, sales houses. However, you're buying that media, so why are you not doing that? Being a media agency, it's quite saturated, you've got, but you just said there's no one locally apart from dunstable. Yeah, but I don't know, I don't. Maybe it's different with Sky AdSmart now. So what the broadcaster sales houses are doing is making traditional media more accessible, which means clients can go direct to sales houses, which kind of cuts out that.
Speaker 1:I get that, but then you have to know that you want to go to Sky rather than come to you and you go. Well, this could work on.
Speaker 2:ITV this you have to know that you want to go to sky rather than come to you and you go. Well, this could work on itv, this could work on disney, this could be really good on nickelodeon or whatever. Yeah, yeah, um. So the thing with that is there comes a point. You'd have to work out what the tipping point is. You're probably only going to want to work with brands that have got a media budget of an annual media budget of a million pounds, say really because it's only 20, but it's not 20 everywhere so it'll be anything from five to ten percent to 20 at most.
Speaker 2:Hmm, interesting, huh. It's really interesting because you're basically you're effectively working on commission, so therefore that big figure needs to be worthwhile enough to, or you just have 10 businesses that yeah, that's my mindset. Challenge is I don't know how many local businesses are in that area.
Speaker 1:no, but you're saying about 100, about a million pound. Well, there's a lot of businesses that probably have like a 50 grand budget, yeah, so just get quite a few of them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we could adapt the structure. I think it's very, very interesting.
Speaker 1:It's fascinating, but this is it. Like you said, you know too much. Yeah, this is the problem, isn't it? You've got so much experience in different areas of marketing. Like, where isn't it? You've got so much experience in different areas of marketing. Like, where does wild bird fit with all that? But I think it does a bit of everything, but it's that full package for a business, isn't it?
Speaker 2:yeah, but then you end up being all things to all people and then you get your superheroes to do it. You've got other stuff that sits within that which we haven't spoken about, like sponsorship, where you align with a partner that really sings to your brand. So if you were to sponsor a podcast movies, for example, was to sponsor a podcast, whoever that may be that's massive because you have loyalty that sits within the podcast. Long form area is huge, god.
Speaker 1:So much to talk about when it comes to how exciting. I think we need to wrap up there oh, okay, bye thanks, though it's got me thinking and I really want to come on tuesday to your marketing. Love you thanks for the chat. See you guys.
