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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 20: Transformative Partnerships, Mindvalley Insights, and Balancing Entrepreneurship with Family Life
Ever wondered how a partnership can turbocharge your entrepreneurial journey? In this episode, we recount our exhilarating experience of forming an internal marketing agency and prepping for a major franchise launch. By working together, we've created a dynamic synergy that feels like having our own personal board of directors. We discuss the transformative power of shared accountability and strategic marketing efforts, uncovering how multiple minds can achieve extraordinary success.
Imagine scaling your business while enhancing your well-being—that's the magic of Mindvalley. We share our passion for this online platform and the life-changing impact of their guided visualizations and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Discover how understanding visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles has reshaped our professional strategies and personal growth. Inspired by Regan Hillier, we dive into the challenges of manifesting dreams and maintaining unwavering faith in the process.
Balancing parenting with entrepreneurship is no easy feat, and we get real about the highs and lows. From managing fierce independence in our children to ensuring family time amidst a hectic business schedule, we share heartfelt moments and practical solutions. We also talk about the exciting prospects of forming a mastermind group for Wild Bird and planning a much-needed family holiday. Join us for an episode filled with optimism, actionable insights, and the quest for work-life harmony.
SHOW NOTES:
Mind Valley Referral: https://join.mindvalley.com/r/Xemq6GOY0vWr
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
Hi, hi. What are we on? I actually don't know. I think it's episode four. We had a titbits with Wills, yeah, and then we're episode four, season two.
Speaker 1:I was thinking the other day of what, how this all started and when it started. We started in winter and it's now summer and a lot has happened there is a.
Speaker 2:It's been a lot of change, hasn't there? Yeah, it's been a lot of things, a lot of big things that's happened as well I feel like our businesses, I I feel like our businesses are changing rapidly, yeah, and I and I'm excited for it, I'm really excited, but I don't know what came first. The business change or us Like is it us being together? I don't know. That's rapidly changing the business because we're talking to each other so much and we're keeping each other accountable and we just spur it on. I don't know.
Speaker 1:I don't know. I think there's an element of the stars aligning, yeah, which is lovely, but I don't know.
Speaker 2:I feel like I'm being served up some massive lessons and pivots and tests, maybe but also, don't you find, when you can hash it out with somebody and we're doing it on a regular basis now, we've never had that before, other than when you other than the coach you're speaking with?
Speaker 2:yeah, but I feel like it just seems like my business is moving faster than I've ever moved it yeah and I think when you've got someone to talk things out with, that's in business as well it just makes your decision making skills quicker yeah, and I don't know if that's it.
Speaker 1:Well, this must be what it's like to have a board maybe yeah, true, that's what I feel like. I feel like you are on the wild bird board and I'm going what about this? What?
Speaker 2:about that, but I do feel like we're making, we're making decisions, we're making moves. Things are just going quick. Yeah, I know that we're working together as well. I know that's so exciting, isn't it, do you?
Speaker 2:love it yeah, do you know? And also it's bringing a whole new lease of marketing that I've never done before. Yeah, but it's also a massive relief because I feel like, oh, someone else can do it properly. Well, I've always, as when you're, when you're in business, you are just like figuring it out, aren't you, and just winging it, and I feel like everything I've done with marketing, that I'm really good with brand, my branding, and I'm really good with all of that, and I know very clearly what my marketing should be. Yeah, and always have done.
Speaker 2:But you can't do everything, I can't do everything, and so when you came up with this idea, or we, I can't remember if it was a joint yeah, and I was like this it takes so much pressure off but also adds more support to the franchisees, so I feel like I am supporting them better than I ever will do. Yeah, like new franchisees as they come on board but also deliver better results. Yeah, and actually saving me time, like it's a win-win. It's like so many checkboxes ticked. Yeah, but also like even having that meeting with Yaz. We've now got three people working on marketing. Before it was just me yeah, but to actually have our own marketing agency within this.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's just magical. I'm really excited about it and I'm really excited to do it with this new franchise in Winchester and then rinse and repeat.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm excited for the debrief. I think that's really important to get a debrief after we've done the launch. To go right, what do we change? What do we adapt for the next one? Because there's so many learnings.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I've been really clear with the new franchisee as well that this is her first time, yeah, and she's like, oh exciting, so it will be. We are trialing it and we are testing it to see if it works. So we would love as much input from you as possible. But we've never been able to do this with a launch before. It's always been me and my team putting some pr together and seeing what we can get right in a press release, sending it out and hoping for the best. But imagine actually having you doing that and then chasing up and following up. We're going to get so much more exposure and so much more traction.
Speaker 2:I think this will be the biggest and most powerful launch we've ever done, because when you asked me earlier what's the budget, I was like I've never spent more than 100 quid on advertising yet. We've always had two full days because it's so much hustling. But then that's the difference, isn't it? When you're new in business, you just have to do what you can for minimal money. So I've got really good at marketing a business with no budget, yeah, which is an incredible skill, and I've never spent more than a couple of hundred pounds on any kind of advertising campaign.
Speaker 1:But the thing is in an ideal, ideal world.
Speaker 2:We want to bank that ad until after launch yeah, really yeah, because it's so word of mouth, but now we're talking about tv advertising, we're talking about pr, we're talking about so much more, and I know that all comes at a cost, but we've got this far with nothing. Can you imagine, yeah, how big it can get with something? Yeah, but I've also. I think it's really dangerous to spend money in advertising when you don't know what you're doing. Yeah, so I've always avoided it because it's yes, I've done some google ads. Yes, I've done some social media ads and I may have boosted a few posts, and I'm very sorry, but I've done lots of that, but I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just doing it on a wing and a prayer. So I'm why I'm so worried about wasting money.
Speaker 1:I avoid it yeah, but then there's other people that I know that you've spoken to another business owner before. That's hemorrhaging revenue on advertising to generate leads and thinking that they're getting a really good deal.
Speaker 2:It's not a return on investment yeah a thousand pound on advertisement to get a five grand lead like no I don't think that's a good return I don't think that's good roi at all.
Speaker 1:But the thing is meta and linkedin, but meta they're just making it accessible it's so easy, you can go to the shop and buy sweets, because you can advertise to whoever you want. But every pound that you invest into advertising, even if you're shoving it behind a boost, is a targeted ad campaign.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you wouldn't do that on an advert in a local newspaper without really thinking about it and picking the right newspaper it's just so easy and that 50 quid here and there adds up, but like you say, you wouldn't.
Speaker 1:But they entice you like do you want to spend more? Here's a voucher for you to spend more. Yeah, Great, and it does work, but you've got to be really clear about what you're going into it for. Yeah, and I always say, especially when you're if you're spending under a thousand pounds, for example, on social media advertising, are you willing to lose that?
Speaker 2:money. Yeah, it's a gamble. Yeah, if the algorithm works against you, you might end up with nothing. Well, I've always not wanted to take that gamble. Or if I have, I've just done it at really low risk. But now this excites me because I'm going to have to put a marketing fee in future franchisees. It's got to happen because I want them to get bigger and better, quicker yeah so they're going to have to put.
Speaker 2:Every business would invest at least two percent into their marketing pot anyway yeah, um, but also you, it's going to be.
Speaker 1:So you've built movies at the minutes in a in a concentrated area. When you go to a completely new territory where you don't have that brand awareness within what half an hour drive of all the other salons, that's going to have to work so much harder than than winchester will. Yeah, because you're going completely to new people that have never seen movies before yeah, but that, that's exciting.
Speaker 2:But that the that money that spend wouldn't come out of that marketing budget because if, if, well, franchisees will have to give us two percent of their net revenue, like their fee is five percent but two percent, but that's not profit to us. It wouldn't come to us and we would have to have a full plan of how that's spent and show how we've driven that revenue. But that excites me a lot because at the minute I know that the salons aren't spending anything on marketing as well as I'm not. So imagine if I say, look, let us spend this for you but get bums on seats. That's, our goal is to help you get bums on seats, but also things like your priceless and your gift cards, and all of that comes in that budget so you don't need to buy that separately gift cards and all of that comes in that budget, so you don't need to buy that separately.
Speaker 1:It's all in. Yeah, what a great solution as a business owner or as a franchisee to go.
Speaker 2:We got you on this yeah, but I haven't been comfortable enough to do that so far, and I've always left it to them to spend their own money on marketing, and I know how to market the business with no money.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I teach them all of those tools but then that's not scalable, it's not scalable, but also, um, there's some that are doing much better than others when I feel like, actually, if we could manage that two percent, it would make their lives even easier. Yeah, and if we could prove, but we'd have to have evidence of what we're doing and how we're doing it, and it needs to be accountable you can't just go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, can't just go. Thank you very much.
Speaker 2:No, no and it doesn't have any profit associated with it yeah, but things like web development and all of that, it would be done a lot more efficiently, yeah, and they would then have access to what they wanted and changes that they want, and you know, it's just lots of things that would be better for them.
Speaker 1:Lovely isn really because you can generate a monthly report and keep them up.
Speaker 2:But then that's not something I can do. I haven't got the time to do that, but that is something that Nicole Billum can do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but then we can also look to automate that in the long run, because that's great now, but realistically, you want that to be running itself. Yeah, to say this is what was spent here, which is just budgeting effectively, and this is what we've got off the back of it, but that should be an automatic auto report yeah, and when we do campaigns, we do it for everybody, yeah. And then we share the results Amazing. Do you know what I really want to talk about today? What Mindset.
Speaker 2:Yes, shall to talk about today. What mindset? Yes, should we talk about what we're doing at the minute?
Speaker 2:yeah so we have signed up. We're kind of doing it as a trial, aren't we? I could test that, we can talk about it, and if anybody else wants to try it, they can. Yeah, but I've been following a company called Mindvalley for a long time now over a year and I really like what they're doing, and if you haven't seen Mindvalley, it's a online training space for well-being, self-development, self-improvement, basically everything you could imagine is on this, how to scale businesses is how to learn.
Speaker 1:I don't know it's got everything on it, isn't it yeah?
Speaker 2:it's like a over 100 different. Oh my god. I feel like all I don't know. It's got everything on it, isn't it? Yeah, it's like a over 100 different, oh my god they call it don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you could search for anything and it'd be on there and I always wanted to do it.
Speaker 2:I actually really want to go to one of their events. They're about three grand and they do them in Estonia, oh yeah, in Tallinn. I love Tallinn as well. It's a beautiful city. So, yeah, they do it over two or three days.
Speaker 1:It's mega.
Speaker 2:But there's a lady called Regan Hillier that specializes in manifestation and I've been following her for a while and obviously the more I look, the more I'm getting served everything. So I listened to one of her intro videos and then it was like, well, you get it half price if you join and it's, I think it's like a hundred pounds, isn't it a month if you pay the full price? And we got it for like 50 quid we're on 50 50 quid yeah 50 dollars something like that and I was like what's the harm?
Speaker 2:and they have a full, like money back guarantee, don't they? In?
Speaker 2:30 days if, and no questions asked, you can literally just do it through your account. Yeah, and I thought what have I got to lose other than $50, and I can get it back if I want, which is obviously great advertising that's what they want, but I really want to do this. I feel like I'm in a place where I'm working with great people and I'm really scaling, but I also need to look after me. I'm really scaling, but I also need to look after me. I'm feeling really exhausted. I'm feeling a little bit uneasy. Money wise, yeah, and I know what I want and what I need. Not sure.
Speaker 2:I feel like the faith is the the best thing. Yeah, it's a spirituality and a faith that I need just to be able to trust that it's going to happen, because I'm impatient, but but I'm also a bit of a control freak and it's that I just need to have a little bit of faith in something that it's going to work out and that it's all going to pay off. And I'm working for the right, I'm working this hard for the right reasons and all of that. So I signed up and then I sent it to my little friend, nicole.
Speaker 1:You pinged it to me and I went yes, please.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because you're feeling very similar, aren't you? We've talked about this before.
Speaker 1:I feel like I'm perfectly good at being everyone else's cheerleader, but if I flipped that cheerleader inside into my head, it's probably the devil going you're no good at this, you're no good at this, you're no good at that and I, like you, feel quite uneasy about money at the minute. Okay, my one overriding thought is I know that it will always be all right in the end. I know it will because I take action. I do the things that I should be doing blah, blah, blah, blah blah but I also am telling myself things like this is really hard, this is really hard to find new clients. And guess what? What's happening? Yeah, I'm finding it really fucking hard to find clients. Yeah, so now that I've got this awareness, I know that the biggest impact that I'm going to have is flipping my mindset.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I couldn't tell you how I've got to this stage, no idea, but it just. It is what it is and I think we're both. I haven't done any more since I told you where I was on the mind.
Speaker 2:No, we're about the same sort of level, aren't we? And it's really easy videos, isn't it? It's like 13 minutes 10, 13 minutes.
Speaker 1:And she does guided visualisations and when she does those to, they're powerful, aren't they? Yeah, and I can feel it. I'm there, yeah, 100% there. I keep falling asleep, I keep crying at how good my vision is, like the relief that I feel. Yeah, that it's there, but I'm also learning NLP.
Speaker 2:Of course you are, yes, and how's that going?
Speaker 1:It is fascinating, but I can't unlearn it. It's like a mind virus, is it? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:What can't you unlearn?
Speaker 1:How to calibrate what kind of learning style I have, calibrate where what kind of learning style I have, which is how my brain remembers things or constructs things right? So there are three. They are visual, auditory or kinesthetic kinesthetics touch and feeling, emotions it's obviously the camp, you said I think. No, it is, but I there's always one that's dominant. My dominant one is visual, right. Okay, but your eyes go to.
Speaker 1:So when you ask me to recall something, I'll go up here, because this is where my visuals at the top in an arc, auditory's in the middle. Kinesthetic is down here, right, and you will look to one side or the other to remember something that's happened or to construct something that hasn't happened.
Speaker 2:Right, okay, does that make sense. Yeah. So why do you look up, or you don't. You go like that, don't you? You close your eyes. Who does you do If you're thinking, If there's like you need a plan or something, you always go okay, and then you close your eyes.
Speaker 1:Do I like you need a plan or something. You always go okay and you close your eyes, do I? Yeah, what's that mean? I don't know. I'm probably trying to shield what kind of learning style I am from whoever it is I'm with, but I'm really enjoying it.
Speaker 1:I was recommended to do it by andy rivers and he's also doing it at the same time, because his feedback is you are very good at reading people. This will just give you the knowledge as to why you're so good at it and give you the theory behind it. But there's really cool things like how to build a rapport really quickly, how to resonate with the people that are auditory, so saying things like I'm hearing that you're saying xyz. Then you'll start to align on your communication. If it was a visual person, you'd be saying I see exactly what you mean, let me paint this picture for you, and then they're gonna be along on the journey that you're having together a lot further faster. If it was someone who's kinesthetic, you would be saying I feel, I feel, yeah, wow, tell me what that feels like.
Speaker 2:Or that's a lot to be studying at one time, don't you think? Nlp stuff, nlp as well as their manifestation I feel like it's complimenting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because reagan, yeah, talks about nlp a lot at the start because it's where she, when she started spending all that money on investing in herself.
Speaker 2:Once she started learning about nlp and hypnosis, yeah, they were the things that started to transform the way that she thought, which then, aided her success it's fascinating, do you think it's an age thing, when we start investing in ourselves and our own knowledge, or developing and growing fuck?
Speaker 1:knows. But I I feel like even six months ago I was going why so many people spending money on self-development? I don't got time for that. And now I'm there going right 50 quid, amy. Yeah, let's go for that. We need to get.
Speaker 2:We need to get that done but it's going to be really cool to talk about it. So you have your short-term vision and then your long-term vision, which I really liked. We can talk about our visions. I mean, we can, if you want.
Speaker 1:You're not going to change yours, are you no?
Speaker 2:So we've got the same vision. That's the problem, haven't we Accidentally? So the problem is I explained to Nicole. When she said what are your visions? I was like I feel a bit embarrassed saying it because it's so outrageous and actually I'm not even sure if it's possible. But I just need to have faith. If it's meant to be, it will be, and that I mean it might change as I go further through the quest but the other thing is is what I found fascinating is that Reagan shares that mindset.
Speaker 1:Visualization, manifestation is about that vision and pouring all of your energy into that and not worrying about the how I feel. Like that in itself, I really struggle with that. Yeah, how do I get that? I want to know.
Speaker 2:I've done manifesting before, but that's what I really struggle with and I think that's what holds me back and I know you just have to have firm faith. But also people that journal and manifest and write, they say write this stuff all day, every day, and I'm like I mean I'm trying really hard to do this, but Adele who does the full moon ceremonies?
Speaker 1:she was talking about affirmations, yes, and that she used to write them. Adele who?
Speaker 2:does the full moon?
Speaker 1:ceremonies. She was talking about affirmations, yes, and that she used to write them like lines every day. Yeah, I've tried that.
Speaker 2:It's more consistency with me. Yeah, I do it and I get really into it and I'll do it for a couple of weeks, that work done. Finished, and then I'm like oh, something else has come up now, but I really want to make this work. There's an element I want to see. Yeah, I want to test it and see if it works, and my short term is pay off some debt and have 20 grand in in a stash fund nice yeah in September right okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Where are we now June?
Speaker 2:15th right. My long term was to win the Farnamame's house but it's not to win the house, is it?
Speaker 1:it's to have that house.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's that that house is like I mean, I do, am I've done a maze. And then I cancelled my subscription last month because I was like, well, I'm not fucking winning, you haven't given me a hundred thousand, I'm out like I'm out, this juice is not worth the squeak. No um, and I was on that 25 pound membership and every there's so many houses and I'm like, yeah, I love this, I love this. Yeah, I can see myself there. Oh, no, not the townhouse.
Speaker 1:That's okay, I don't want to reply.
Speaker 2:I don't want London. No, it's okay.
Speaker 1:I'll come off that one.
Speaker 2:However, there was one in the Lake District.
Speaker 2:Yes, it was near Lake Windermere and it was a couple of years ago, I was like I, that's when I was really journaling loads and I was really into affirmations and manifestation and it didn't fucking work. So didn't win it. So I got the. I backed off for a little bit and I remember saying to Trace and some other people I was like, can you, I'm going to live there. And I said to Martin, like this is the floor plan, this is where I'm going to live, this is what we're going to do. You know, there's a barn here for you to put your tools in, have a workshop, there's all this. And then I just got the because I didn't win it and I was really like I've put so much into this, but I knew I always had that little bit of doubt of the sink. That's why it didn't work. Yeah, so this time this at this house is my favorite house.
Speaker 1:They've ever done yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's in the location. That is perfect for me, because I used to live in Farnham. But also all of the salons are sort of within that distance, so it takes a lot of pressure off. Also, is it a dream home if it doesn't have a pool? So if it hasn't got a pool, I don't normally go for it because it's not a dream home.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:This one's got a pool and a spa, but also all the visualizations I've done in that Regan Hillier course is in the grounds of that garden, because my dream home is to be backing onto woodland yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm not fast. I love. I'd love to be near the beach or near the sea, but if I can't be near the sea, I want to be near woodland or nature, and so that garden and having that patio area in that garden, I actually can feel myself there. That's my dream home. So yeah, the problem is Nicole, as we found out in our combo who else is?
Speaker 1:visualising the same fucking thing. I think I'm really interested to see what happens, really, really interesting. What throughout the quest?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, because it might change. Mine is yes, it's that home, yes, it's winning a maze, but actually it's that home is my dream home, the way it's designed, the way it's laid out, the way it's in the, in the wood. So all of that possibly location as well, but all of that, the green area, like all of that, is where my heart is. That's what I want to be doing. It's the freedom that that will give I think, yeah, so she does, so reagan does.
Speaker 1:I actually think they're a bit of hypnosis because of the way that she does them, but she'll do guided and they're really fucking fast. She talks really fast, but they are. She is a hypnotherapist, isn't she? But I think it's a short, sharp burst of getting you to that visualisation and then she anchors it, doesn't she? Mine is so strong in the feeling. I think we've built our own home that's what it is and I'm in a kitchen and I can. The design is very interesting, very different, lovely. But the biggest thing in my vision is that feeling of that version of nicole and every time she asks or she guides me there, I get upset because that's not how I feel right now. I'm excited to feel like that. Yeah, and the relief, the happiness, the joy, the fulfillment is so magnified in that vision. I just can't wait. I really can't wait.
Speaker 2:We'll keep you posted on the journey, yeah and if anyone wants to give it a go, we've got a little referral code, haven't we? I don't know, yeah, if you go into your account, like I said to you tonight.
Speaker 2:You can refer it, but I mean, this is their most popular quest of all the quests that they do, and I'm not surprised. Yeah, it's like over a million people have done it. She's like her voice is beautiful and I love her story, I love all of it. I just think the whole brand, the whole business, I think it's incredible. I just think it's it's interesting and it's something different. And I like reading, but I feel like I'm a little bit done with business books at the minute. I'm really struggling to be motivated to read a business book. I feel like I've done quite a lot you did yeah, consecutively yeah, and it was like just gets a bit dull, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:I can't even finish a Stephen Bartlett one, I'm just like oh god, I don't.
Speaker 1:It's controversial. I don't really like a business book, do you know? I don't because I feel like, as entrepreneurs, they get rammed down your throat yeah and I can't and I think that's the problem.
Speaker 2:I've got that we've talked about so many times about the noise and I feel like business books are noise and there's only so much education you can do and I'm I feel really drained and really exhausted, like I'm forcing and I want to stop yeah a little bit and stop forcing.
Speaker 2:Like what am I forcing for? Yeah, what am I pushing for? Why am I pushing so hard? Well, it's because I have this massive vision of 50 salons in five fucking years and I've got to push and I've got to get there. And then there's actually it will happen. Yeah, and probably quicker if I don't force it, if I have a better energy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and actually just focus on what I want to happen and putting the structure in place. And I think for the last five years I have been in force mode. I'm like what can I learn? How can I learn it? How can I be quick? All this is irritating me 10X your revenue and all that bullshit. I just want to be focused and I've been laser focused. All this is irritating me 10x your revenue and all that bullshit. I just want to be focused and I've been laser focused. Probably, you know, when we interviewed Willow and she's like I want to spend more time with you and stuff, and I'm like I'm so focused on this. But what can I do to make my life easier and breathe a little bit, because I feel exhausted?
Speaker 1:How do you feel after the Willow chat?
Speaker 2:Oh, I felt really proud of her. Yeah, I loved how she articulated herself. Yeah, I love her viewpoint on it yeah.
Speaker 2:I knew that that's what she would feel if she was asked like. I kind of expected that. I love that she was honest. I love that she cared about my feelings and was like I don't want to hear your feelings, you know, because I just looked at her and thought you really are an incredible little soul and as parents, we are so busy telling them off. I know we are so busy telling them what they're doing wrong. And I had this chat with Martin the other day because I was like I know that it's hard work. I get that it's really hard. We have two very fiercely independent children who know who they are, know their own minds, and I can hear her little voice just saying you, I wish she'd spent more time with me, but I understand. I was like she really is special, she really is an incredible little soul.
Speaker 2:Both of your children are incredible, do you know what she said to me the other day. We was in her bedroom and she was giving me a hug it was yesterday and we were sorting out her bedroom, because their bedrooms are disgusting and drive me crazy. We sorted out her bedroom and she gave me a cuddle and she went your mum would be so proud of you. I was like what? And she went I just think you know. And I said what, nanny, nanny, like my stepmom? And she went no, your mum. So why are you saying that? And she went because of things that you've said about her. I just think you should know she'd be really proud of you. And I was like which? There she is the spirit of my mum.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she is so yeah and then she said you'll really like her, you'll really like she, you're very similar as a mum to her. Oh god, I was like all right, mate, thanks.
Speaker 1:And here she is.
Speaker 2:Hello, amy, I'm just going to morph into her now Like okay, thanks, really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was so intuitive.
Speaker 2:She really is, but we're both struggling at the minute as parents. You know these kids are turning seven and nine. Their demands are more. We're also trying to educate them about being good humans, but they also think they know everything. Yeah, they also ignore us permanently all the time and I think we we get so hyper focused on what they're doing wrong yeah and then obsessive about they're not doing what we need them to do or what we've asked them to do. We're missing the fact that they're epic.
Speaker 2:They are really good and they're going to fight. They're going to fight. They're two girls two years apart, and I said to Martin the other day you know we're going to have this for the rest of our lives, so we just need to figure out a way to manage it rather than take it personally, or rather than make it such a massive ordeal that I can just switch off to it. But I think it's because I had that with my sister that we hated each other throughout our teens. We loved each other but hated each other as well and fought so bad. And I think because I had that with my sister, it doesn't really bother me that much.
Speaker 1:I need to release this Eddie. Stop doing that Eddie, stop doing this Eddie.
Speaker 2:Eddie. Eddie yeah because they're just being kids. We've got to appreciate that they are just children. Yeah, and they don't know this. Yeah, you're expecting them to know this and behave a certain way, and he's three. Why is that?
Speaker 1:Is it because you've got other stuff going on in your head? I just think I'm at capacity, but that's my choice. I don't know what I would do if I was on maternity leave or had I had a proper maternity leave where I just solely got to focus on the children.
Speaker 1:I think I'd lose my mind because I'm not that way inclined. I've had some big conversations this last week with matt billum about I find it hard sometimes when I'm soul care giver, I'm finding it hard to not resent that he is out doing what he loves, which is a supportive wife. I should be going oh, I'm so happy for you, but I'm not that girl. Unfortunately, I am the one that goes how could he fucking do this to me? Now, if I was using my nlp brain, I'd be saying I'm living in cause and not effect. But so we had a big chat last week and I just said look, I'm finding it really hard. Matt's perception was I don't think you're enjoying wild bird. That's really hard to hear.
Speaker 2:It's really hard to hear, but is it a bit?
Speaker 1:resentful as well that he gets to do his think you're enjoying Wild Bird. That's really hard to hear. It's really hard to hear.
Speaker 2:But is it a bit resentful as well that he gets to do his thing? You're forcing the hustle, yeah, but also, by forcing the hustle, you're not actually spending the quality time with the kids and you're losing your temper with them. So it's a vicious cycle, isn't it? He called it though he really called it, I thought that it was.
Speaker 1:I was like this is this is classic. This is a you problem, not a big problem. Yeah, this is 100 mom's got breast cancer, but it's all about the tax bill right now. So this was I. I am struggling with wild bird right now, but this is clearly all matt billum's fault. No one else is right. So it was a hundred percent, but it was I. I handled it like a grown-up. Well done, thank you. That wasn't enough. Well, it was, but for a short period, and I said I really need to talk to you about this and I want you to help me find a solution. I'm angry and I think it's your fault. And then he did. He called it. He said I think wild, wild birds not making you happy.
Speaker 2:It's really really tough to hear, really tough when you told me that I was like how did he know that?
Speaker 1:probably 12 years of being together.
Speaker 2:You might know me pretty well yeah, but so he said that to you after you told him it's all his, his problem, that he's a selfish prick and has the opportunity to go to a job that he loves doing and you're stuck at home basically doing everything for the kids and you don't like him for it yeah, but he was right, the the source of it was.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to force the hustle. I'm trying to force the hustle. I'm trying to force the how, not pacing myself. Being all things to all people, I'm really stressing over the things that I don't have a huge amount of control over.
Speaker 2:We've also talked about people in your space.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, yeah, I've always been shit with boundaries.
Speaker 2:Always. There's a lot of people that take a lot of stuff from you. I think, yeah, work-wise, you know, yeah, because that's the job that you're doing. You're giving a lot, yeah, but boundaries. We've talked about this a lot, haven't we?
Speaker 1:yeah, and like Matt's version of that is I get five minutes with you in the car to go and get the kids. I get five minutes with you in the car and nine times out of ten you're on the phone or you're just saying can I bring this person back? But more often than not it's the only five minutes I get with you in the day and you're choosing to spend that with.
Speaker 1:I'm sure martin would say exactly the same you wear so many hats doing what we do right, and it's hard to hear that someone who's who you love is basically saying you're not giving me enough. But it's fucking five minutes, nicole, that's, that's shit, really shit. But it's because my brain is going right. Drive this shit forward. Come on, yeah, come on. Now you need to do this this this and this yeah, I get that.
Speaker 2:I get that also, it's all because it's where I shift. It's five minutes or even more. You know it's not like every night you're, you're together, yeah. Or you know every morning you're together, or whatever is it because it's?
Speaker 1:so hit and miss yeah, and, and that time is super important. So we did have a conversation about boundaries and I always used to refer to the people that I would allow to breach my boundaries as vampires.
Speaker 2:It's not their fault. It's my fault for setting the tone and allowing it, yeah, and then feeling like overwhelmed because you're saying yes to everything. Yeah, yeah, I get it.
Speaker 1:So I'm working on that, like with the help of Matt and with the help of Liz, and with the help of you, the wonderful soul.
Speaker 2:You say that so sarcastically.
Speaker 1:She's a wonderful soul it's getting better and the mindset stuff is helping. The NLP stuff is helping.
Speaker 2:But it was brave of Matt to say it very, very hard to hear, but I'm going to change it yeah, but are there roles within Wild Bird that you're doing that feel forced rather than enjoyable, or is it like what is it about Wild Bird? Is it you don't have a plan? Is it that you want so much for it but you don't know how you're going to get there?
Speaker 1:is it worrying about how, like yeah, yeah yeah, but the reality is we need more clients. Currently there's been a lot of volatility with our client, with our portfolio. Actually in the even if you just look at the last six months more volatility than we are used to and that makes it really hard to plan.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's your income you're relying on as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but also, it's like we introduced Marketing Foundation, we introduced Pitch Club, but with diversified revenue streams, but in a very, very short period, and I feel that I'm learning a lot at the minute, but that also causes me to question a lot at the same time. Right, so we've rolled out foundation. We've had a conversation about what a mastermind could look like if that was something that we did for wild bird which is great.
Speaker 2:It's changing so much yeah, yeah which is always a really stressful, really uncomfortable, but also you know better than anybody that that's when the growth is happening. Yeah, because you're throwing it all up in the air and going what do I want to do? Yeah, where do I want to take this? I still think that mastermind is an absolute blinding solution for you yeah, yeah, because of the my mindset.
Speaker 1:So my immediate reaction is let me just play out what's happening. This happened earlier when we spoke about it is. Yeah, but you're not going to get the clients, are you? Ah, that's my but you've already got one.
Speaker 2:That's why we're creating the mastermind, because you've got somebody asking for exactly this but that's my massive mindset challenge actually.
Speaker 1:No, that's unfair, it's not massive, it just needs to be done. Yeah, is that consistent? You can do this, nicole. Yeah, but that's going to be hard, it doesn't stop me, I still go right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, come on, let's go for it yeah, but if you've already got that seed of doubt, yeah, it's not going to be as big no, and that's what I've said a lot actually on this that I feel like I get in my way a hell of a lot, and I think the solution to that is the mindset, because I believe it and I can. I can see that it happens for other people. But just yesterday we were talking about visualization and what that vision is with the one-to-one that I was doing and their point was oh, I just want this for my family, just this, and it's such an achievable goal. I was like that's great. What's the timeline? It's like five years time. No, let's just break that down. If you converted this client, that client, that client, how achievable is this? Three clients? Oh, yeah, right. So how long is it going to take you to get three clients?
Speaker 2:oh, a year, right so why don't we do that now for the year, and then we'll refocus?
Speaker 1:this is not the vision, this is not the big vision.
Speaker 2:This is a milestone, yeah, very different and that will change, but it it's got to feel a little bit uncomfortable. It needs to feel like a bit squeaky bum time. And then I always remember when I set up, it was as, like, my mission is to get to 10. Yeah, yesterday I was on the phone to one of my salon managers talk about an ops role that I'm putting together and and I said the mission is 15. She went what happened to 10? I said well, we're nearly there now. We've got number seven opening next month. Yeah, it's not, it's not enough, I need a bigger goal. Yeah, she was like wow and I said but 50 makes me go. Oh, but I can see it, I can feel it and the rest will happen, the rest will come, but I need to get that infrastructure in place that it is like plug and play yeah got a new salon.
Speaker 2:This is what we do and that's what we're working on now, which this excites me because I love a system and a process, but I feel like that's what you need to do with yours, but that's what your marketing mastermind or your wild bird marketing mastermind, whatever you're going to do with yours, but that's what your marketing mastermind or your wild bird marketing mastermind, whatever you're going to do with it yeah I think this screams to you your values.
Speaker 2:This is like everything that nicole was made for and what businesses need. Yeah, which is always what you want. You always want to give value, you always want to feel like you're doing good and that helping people. But to have a six month mastermind where you can factor in your marketing foundation course. We can do a business plan session, you can do a mindset session. You can bring in all these superheroes who absolutely adore you and want to see you win as well, but also all have the same core values of wanting to help other people succeed yeah, 100 like this is all you, yeah, and I'm, I'm excited for this yeah and it doesn't need a lot of people.
Speaker 2:You just need like six people on each session, really, don't you? To start with? Yes and you'd have one running at a time but you can still manage your clients and still support them. But having that marketing accountability, having that marketing support, advertising support, where to spend their budget and build a community of other business owners, that cool yeah I just need to find the people.
Speaker 1:That's the bit that I, which is hilarious, because if you break it down, that's just marketing, yeah right yeah, but marketing for your own product hard, is it though?
Speaker 2:is it hard if you just break it down, like you did with your client yesterday, to six people, even five? It's not hard right because I actually think somebody you've dealt with in the past would want to do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You had somebody yesterday practically asking you for this. I think you had a conversation with Susie earlier. This could be something that's offered for them.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:There's three people. It's half your audience already.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I think actually LinkedIn potentially would be the place, but you're also really well connected in different networking groups. There's there's business owners that are ready to scale or they're ready to to really grow, but they need the foundations in place, and that is your audience. They're already doing their thing, they know what they want, but they need to niche down, ready to push the button, like what you're doing with me, with with franchise. There's so many businesses out there that need something like this yeah, I just need to find them.
Speaker 1:Do you ever look back and think we started this? Actually, I think I know that you do because you said to me very early on I think you're going to challenge me in ways that I maybe haven't been challenged before. I think you're going to spur me on. Yeah, it's great, but also it's like, oh, my fucking god, here she goes again, making me accountable to do something that is absolutely terrifying, that I'm gonna have to do because it's what's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but it's scary at the same time it is scary, but so you know I've been invited for this franchise panel.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 10th of July. 10th of July. Book on.
Speaker 2:It's on Eventbrite that way so Debbie Lewis invited me onto this franchise panel, didn't really say much about it, just sent out an email would you be interested in doing this? These are dates. If you're interested, just earmark all of them, because I haven't decided which one yet. I was like, yeah, sure, if that was a year ago or even two years ago, I would have been like oh no, I'm no expert, why would they want me on a franchise panel? I'm not, I'm not doing that. No, no, no, no. Thanks for the offer. I would have turned it down because I was asked by NatWest before to do a franchise speaking gig of just talking about, yeah, what it means to set up a franchise yeah, and I was like, but I only had one or two and I was like I'm not, I don't want to do that no, no, no
Speaker 2:no, and I remember saying it was my franchise business manager and he was he's like you'd be really good at this and I think it would be really good for you and exposure. And I was like, no, not yet. And I felt really stupid for turning it down. But I just didn't have the confidence because I didn't feel like I knew enough about franchise. Now I feel like the fucking expert. I'm like, yeah, put me on that panel, mate, I'll have a chat about anything to do with franchising. I love it. I found my place. I absolutely love it. I love what it brings to people, I love what it brings to business everything. So I'm on that franchise panel and then, as soon as you was like, oh, I booked a ticket, I was like what, why are you coming? You were like because I'm there to support you.
Speaker 1:I was like, ah, okay, yeah, so I don't think I've ever seen you so uncomfortable. I know it was really weird. I was like why is she asking me why I'm coming? Of course I'm going to come. What else would you think? I think that the think tank has done that Most definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because I was the smallest fish in a big pond in that first think tank.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Then the second think tank. I was a medium fish.
Speaker 1:How's that? But like within six months. No, it's less than six months. You did think tank in January. Oh yeah, it was a three months quarterly, isn't it?
Speaker 2:um, yeah, I felt like small to medium fish what the fuck because there was a lot of people there that have got much bigger franchises, but there was also a lot more people there that have got very much smaller, or they're starting out or they're really excitable and I'm like, yeah, yeah, but do you know what? Going through what I did with Hazelmuth oh, fuck me, I think it's made me go. I could deal with anything now.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I genuinely don't think anything in the franchise or business space could get that complex, that uncomfortable, that difficult.
Speaker 1:In a very short period.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't think it would get any worse.
Speaker 1:I mean, it was pretty hard, pretty hard, but you pushed on through. Your resilience is remarkable, absolutely remarkable Thanks. Pretty hard, but you pushed on through.
Speaker 2:your resilience is remarkable, absolutely remarkable thanks, I feel like I'm really equipped to give advice now on franchising. And it's funny because katie godfrey was like she does masterminds and she was like so there's a next level of mastermind, but it's she's dealing with predominantly salons, business owners, and she's like the people that are coming on my mastermind are ready to scale up, get further locations or really scale up their business, maybe move location to bigger premises or get second, third locations or whatever. And she said but there's another load that are coming to me that they're ready to franchise can I just say that at that point I didn't say this.
Speaker 1:When you shared this the other day, the kg what a fucking soul to go. They want this, but I ain't blagging it yeah, no, she's not.
Speaker 2:She's an incredible human amazingly ethical individual.
Speaker 2:She really is, but she's she comes from the same place as you do. When it's like I have morals, I have values, standards. I don't ever want to rip anyone off, but also, if they're paying this money, I want to make sure I give them value. Yeah, um, which is why she's so successful. Yeah, and every business owner she's worked with has, like, just sings her praises because she gives a damn, she cares, she gives a lot of time and energy.
Speaker 2:She is everybody's cheerleader, but not the same with her. She doesn't have loads of cheerleaders because she's the biggest fish, so she's had to go out into outside of the beauty industry to find her people and to learn from. But yeah, she was like I feel like there's a third mastermind, let's think about it a bit more. But she's we're going to start with doing a webinar on franchising that's going to go into her higher tier mastermind. Higher tier mastermind she thinks she thinks there's another one for people that want multi-site or franchise. But she's like but I, I don't have all of that information. She knows about franchise, but she said, as soon as I think franchising salons, I think you and I think together we could be an absolute dynamic team.
Speaker 1:How does this make you feel?
Speaker 2:Excited as hell Because it gives me the opportunity to work and mentor people. I really want the beauty industry to see the value of franchising and I really want other people to franchise, because then it all just levels us all up and then people don't just set up their own salons, they just buy a franchise of their choice and if there's lots to choose from, it makes our life easier from a franchise perspective. But it also will bring this whole focus for franchising in the UK up, where it will take away a lot of that you know, pyramid scheme and all that bullshit, all of these myths about franchise. If we're all talking about it, it's bringing awareness. Yeah, it's all bringing up this awareness of franchising, but I really want those people, when they come out of college, to go.
Speaker 2:If I want my own business, I can set up my own. If I want an empire, if I want to create a brand, I want my own movies, right, or I want my own salon. Which franchise do I like? Yeah, is it a salon? Is it a massage center? Is it a high street salon? Is it a market town? So I want them to be able to choose, and so the more people that get involved in that, the better it's 100 singing to your values oh my god, yeah, so what's the action when's next?
Speaker 2:well, we're recording the webinar in september.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think she wants to put that in.
Speaker 2:And then she said the next mastermind she always needs something that people, when they've outgrown one, can go to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and she says that the people that are on her top tier at the minute will probably be the people that would go to the next and it would be putting the framework in place.
Speaker 2:So it would be doing the business planning along with the strategic growth plan, you know, like I've done with my franchise, but then also the entire framework of franchising and what that looks like, from the bare bones of even price, of how much they charge, but also operations manual that takes a long time to put together, systems, processes that they've got. She would have already worked with them on a lot of that, but putting all that framework together to franchise it and what they need to do, that's amazing. Yeah, I mean, we already do it. We have a business called salon franchise where we do that, but we do it for them as a consultant. Yeah, what this is is really exciting, because it's the same as what I'm saying to you about for marketing, but to have a mastermind of six months where they're accountable and you're doing check-ins, but they have that group where they're building something together it's really special, isn't it?
Speaker 1:and I think I forget the luxury that we've had of doing that with nat west because it was free. Yeah, I think we're really fucking lucky to get on it big things there's so many big things isn't there. Yeah, is this normal? What's happening to us?
Speaker 2:I feel like this is pretty normal for me. I look at my to-do list over on my whiteboard going oh god, there's so much. I'll work through it, and some of it's little and some of it's big, some mahoosive, but it's all really exciting. But what I have realized is how much I need a holiday.
Speaker 1:Yes, and what are we doing about that?
Speaker 2:I've booked a holiday first time we're all going abroad. Same here, yeah, yeah, and I'm. I'm always like I do little weekends and I love a girl's trip and I love like little weekend breaks, and I feel like if anyone looked at me in my social media, they'd think that I'm always away or I'm always on the Isle of Wight or I'm always doing something. Yeah, but the problem is with that is when it's just little, it's exhausting, isn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we went to the Isle of.
Speaker 2:Wight and it's lovely, yeah, but you're traveling back it's also being that.
Speaker 1:I know you said that, but being in someone else's space is wonderful, but doesn't give you any of that breathing room.
Speaker 2:No to just be you as a family, and we normally holiday with people, so I can't remember the last, the last holiday we had just us I think pipe was six months old Like proper holiday away swimming pool. So I sat down with the kids and Martin and said what are your main priorities If we book a holiday? What is it you want? Martin was like I'd like to be close to the sea. I said I don't want to be around any other people, i't want a complex, I just want peace. Yeah, or as quiet as possible.
Speaker 2:Willow wants her own room, piper wants her own pool, so let's see what I can do. Yes, and it was like what boxes can I tick? And it's taken months and I'm sure there's plenty of travel agents that would help with this, but it's taken months and months and I found somewhere, finally in cyprus. Yeah, doesn't tick all the boxes, shared pool, everything else is ticked, yeah, but it's not a complex, it's like a residential complex so it's going to be a lot quieter than a holiday complex as such and I need to sort out flights, but it is.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited for it and actually we're putting everything else on hold, like we normally have a massive summer party and I just said I want to put the money yeah, take it out, because I will do some other social things for sure, but sticking 500 quid into a summer party when I'd rather I just I'm really craving downtime with my family reconnection yeah and building those relationships again, because we've all been so busy and I think we all need it.
Speaker 2:So 10 days, we've never had that. 10 days away, just the four of us in the sun. I cannot tell you how excited I am for it, and we would have just launched Winchester as well, so it would be like we launch Winchester, I come home, we're off. Yeah, let's hope it's not delayed.
Speaker 1:Because then it will be launch flight.
Speaker 2:Potentially. Yeah, I might meet them at the airport.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Fucking hell, but can be done is the main thing.
Speaker 2:Everything is achievable, but I feel that I haven't done that, I haven't made that a priority. And that's one of my biggest lessons in the last year is it's all good and well having that hustle culture of focusing on business, but I suppose I really thought about that when we interviewed Willow. It's like how can I change this? What can I fix? How can I stop feeling so pushed, so driven, but tired, exhausted? How can I stop that?
Speaker 1:and it's having those breaks. It's beautiful for you as a family. I really do and, like you say, so needed. Yeah, as much as I'm worried about going what?
Speaker 2:are you worried about I?
Speaker 1:haven't done any packing um, you're driving, you don't need to practice, throw it all in the car yeah, I am very grateful that we booked it ages ago and at the time, I think mum was ill. She was still in the middle of that treatment and I was like, no, we can't do it, we can't do it, I don't know what's going to happen. And Matt was like we need to book this, we need to book this. Yeah, it's not a lot of money. We're not going in school holiday, we are going to fucking Eurocamp. I don't know if I want to. I don't know how I'm going to feel like hope would have been six months, maybe less, at that point, and I'm so pleased that he insisted that we did it because I mean, I don't know what to expect, but I'm really happy, does your?
Speaker 1:camp every year. She loves it, but I'm really happy that we're all going away together yeah, exactly for the same reasons.
Speaker 2:But I feel like as a business owner I don't prioritise that. The priority is always everything else. I've always got a project on the go. There's always something else. Or like kids' holidays come round and then I'm like right, how many kids' clubs can I put them?
Speaker 2:in and all of this so I can carry on working, but I feel like if I don't make this a priority, I'm gonna be struggling, I'll be burning out. It's no good for any of them. If I'm the glue that holds us all together business and family and home life like I can't be the one burning out no, absolutely however, we have come up with something.
Speaker 2:When me and Martin first got together, I said to him my goal and my dream is that every year, for at least four weeks of the year, we travel the world and that we create a life where we can do that and explore a different country each time. And I kind of forgot about that dream. To be honest with you, it just kind of fell and I there's an element. I didn't even think it was possible. Yeah, and when we were talking the other day, I was like I really want to go to Bali. I love Bali, but I only went as a 21 year old backpacker. I would love to go and I had the opportunity to go this year and I couldn't do it. I wouldn't have been able to make it work and also I want to do it with him. So I said how about we make that a priority? So next year in August we go away for four weeks to Bali. Did I say this on the last one?
Speaker 2:don't know no, because it was willow ah, and we go away, spend four weeks traveling and exploring a country. And then Martin wants and I said, every year we think of a different country Like Martin's desperate to go to Japan, I would like to do it in Portugal. To be fair, I'd like to do four weeks in different parts of Portugal. You know, and he was like that would be amazing, I said, but I can't do it now. But if we have that as our focus for the business both of our businesses that that is our focus, that every year that's what we do rent out our house off, we go I've all.
Speaker 1:I love it. I've always dreamed of having a villa over the summer that people come, yeah, and drop in and go, but we are there for the whole time. It doesn't even need to be far Like. I'm really happy with it, just being in Europe. I want that and I want to create the memories for the kids and for us as a family to be able to do that. Well, you have a bit of you time and you have a bit of.
Speaker 2:But you can work from there as well and do what you need to.
Speaker 1:I want the grandparents to come out Like it would be great if we owned a place. Yeah, I don't know if I'd want that's not actually that high up on the priority list, because I'm quite happy to just are you, I, the idea of having our own place or all of that?
Speaker 1:it's not really up for me because I want to travel too much. Yeah, all eddie cares about at the minute is when are we going on the boat? Is today holiday day? Is it holiday day today? I said no, this morning same thing happened. No, darling, it's wednesday. Is it tomorrow? No, tell me when sunday is. So we go through the days of the week. I said and it'll be on sunday, and I think we've got to leave at like 5 am that's all right, just keep them in their pjs, put them in the car, yeah.
Speaker 1:But I think that he is after seeing them when we went away at the weekend and how excited he was to be in a new place and a new bed and stay in a hotel, and I just I can't wait to see his face when we get there.
Speaker 2:You're going to have a great time. It's going to be awesome. But it's amazing, isn't it? I feel like we don't put enough emphasis on it when you're running a business or setting up a business, because you are so in it and so focused and also money is always a bit tight. But get creative. Just put that time away. It's so important. Yes, especially when you hear people like Little Willow going don't spend enough time with you.
Speaker 1:Oh God, that like that was hard to hear. Yeah, from this side.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love her honesty, but it's also like wow, okay but there's a lesson in everything, and the lesson is I need it, may not. She doesn't need my time every day, all day, but she needs quality time, yeah, and I need to make sure that happens and stop forcing it with other people always as well, yeah, because I always think they need that. It's nice when there's other people, but actually she just wants mum and dad yeah, yeah, although just to flip that on its head.
Speaker 1:Um, eddie started saying some really fucking nasty things to me. Oh, what's he saying to you? Ready for this? Yeah, the other day we were getting dressed just him and I and matt was downstairs with hope, and I said eddie, guess what? And he went what? And I whispered in his ear and said I love you? And he went I don't love you, oh, oh. I said please don't say that, that's not kind. And he said I love Daddy, oh, and I love Hope, and I don't love you. And no one loves you. Absolutely savage. I said that's really hurt Mummy's feelings. Yeah, don't say that, I'm going to tell Daddy. And he got right up close in my face and went no, you are not. Wow, no, he said it again this morning I don't love you anymore you know he's just doing it to get a reaction out of you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I know that he doesn't mean he's got no concept. Yeah, I don't think of what this means. But I came downstairs and I told matt and he was like, oh, he's like yeah, yeah, that kind of that stung a bit yeah, ouchy, yeah, but you know he's just in a safe place and that's the reason why he's doing it. Hopefully Hope won't be like that.
Speaker 2:No, she won't, but it'll be a nice little holiday that'll bring it all back in. I wonder why. I wonder where he's got that from or why he thinks that Because it's not like you say. He's probably not got any concept of it. So where's it come from?
Speaker 1:I don't know. I don't know if he's getting a hard time at preschool. So we took him in yesterday morning and we walk him. They have a big hall where they have breakfast, which is also where his peg is. So we walk him to his peg, put his coat down and then hand him over.
Speaker 1:And as him and Matt were walking back I was just telling the teacher about the jabs as Matt and Eddie were walking back, there was another little boy that said Eddie, why are you wearing your slippers to preschool? And they're not, they're just plimsolls. And Eddie was just didn't say anything. And then Matt said they're not, they're plimsolls. This is what he wears. That's totally normal. What do you wear?
Speaker 1:And then Eddie was wearing he's got some sweatshirts that have got the embossed logo on, but he's got some that haven't. It's not compulsory, so do they wear a uniform? Yeah, fancy, yeah, so he's just wearing a plain navy sweatshirt. And eddie just went oh, and then walked back to the yeah, so I don't know if he's in the class above. So we'll be going to school in september. I don't know whether that's having an impact or he's hearing things, because he started to say things like you're not my best friend anymore. Um, but when matt and I left, he matt told me and I was like, oh my god, I can't. What do we need to do? We need to buy more sweatshirts. And he was like, no, this is normal. This he needs to learn and build up some resilience to it. But it's also really sad. He's three.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's not nice it's so true, though, and you want to protect them forever, but then this morning I walked in and eddie.
Speaker 1:I walked in with eddie and there was a kid sat on the end of the table, sat next to this little boy, and he started nudging this little girl and pointed at eddie and I went like mama bear fucking came out. I was fuming and one of the nursery staff noticed and she went why are you not smiling? And I went because that little fuck over there gave my Eddie a bad look and she was like oh who. So I don't know if he's getting a hard time at preschool, but he's also like too young to try and talk that out with him at the same time.
Speaker 2:He'll figure it out.
Speaker 1:I know.
Speaker 2:Have you heard? Have you spoke to him about it, or is it just because it all happened earlier?
Speaker 1:This the look was this morning, the logo and the shoes was yesterday, Did you?
Speaker 2:speak to him about it. No, to see if anyone's given him a hard time.
Speaker 1:No, but I don't know.
Speaker 2:Take him for a little coffee chat, that little like you know when you go, can I?
Speaker 1:not tell you, I did this the other. So I felt like he was him and I weren't getting any quality time together and if Daddy's there, he will always choose Daddy. So Matt was at work and Hope was having a sleep and I said let's go and have a day date in the garden. Oh yeah, I'll make a coffee and you can have a hot chocolate. So we did that and we sat down and I was like so, eddie, how you doing? And all he wanted to do was down the drink and go and play. He's hard to get, like yeah, to get him to talk about his feelings yeah, it's a challenge.
Speaker 2:Does he like coloring in or lego or anything like that?
Speaker 1:uh, I could probably get the blocks out and get him building stuff.
Speaker 2:He likes the magnets oh, that's really good, yeah, but like if you went into starbucks, if you go anywhere, that's not normal, like common ground. But yeah, I love a little starbucks trip and then we take the coloring books or whatever you take and you just sit there and just do whatever you're doing, but so it's not like a forced conversation and you're just playing together. You're like I saw that kid give you a date look the other day and then see if he says anything. Or, yeah, see if it comes out. Good advice, amy lewis, I love a little coloring in trip with the girls. I feel like they open up massively Without actually needing anything else or a walk. If I go for a dog walk with them, they tend to open up.
Speaker 1:I've had a lot of advice that kids just like Blur everything out before bed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would lie with Willow in the evening.
Speaker 1:Eddie does not.
Speaker 2:There's no fucking.
Speaker 1:He's not that kid at all.
Speaker 2:No, it's quite. Maybe it's a girl thing more so than a boy thing. But yeah, I will lay with Willow in bed and she'll tell me everything. We'll have a great chat, I'll normally be half asleep.
Speaker 1:I'm looking forward to when he's older, but I do, you're right, I need to try. Maybe that's a Friday job, yeah, because in the evenings he's too tired. It's not even worth. He's got no, he's like Ian Beale nothing left.
Speaker 2:Bless him. Great chat, Business and babies Isn't that what Wild Moose?
Speaker 1:is all about. It's been a lot kid heavy, hasn't it? It has been quite kid heavy.
Speaker 2:We've got a lot going on kiddos and business Bizos and kiddos.
Speaker 1:Bizos and kiddos Right on that nug.
Speaker 2:God, you have a fabulous time.
Speaker 1:Oh, thanks.
Speaker 2:Have the best time.
Speaker 1:Are we missing a week then? Yeah, are we going to record while I'm out there.
Speaker 2:I don't know, should we? We could do a tip bit. You can tell us all about your Olly Bobs in.
Speaker 1:Euro Camp. Give us the DL yeah, okay right, thanks for listening. Thanks, guys.
