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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 23: Franchise Flourishes and Marketing Magic
Could navigating business relationships and marketing strategies be as thrilling as a rollercoaster ride? Join us on a nostalgic journey as we catch up on life, unpack marketing semantics, and share a hilarious story about a confusing conversation on marketing with a parent. We dive into inquiries from Aberdeen and Chichester, the art of crafting effective funnels and content, and our enthusiasm for tools like the Score App and the insights of Daniel Priestley. This episode is a treasure trove of practical advice and amusing anecdotes for anyone in the marketing game.
We didn't let a failed co-working space trial in Wyboston dampen our spirits—instead, it led to an inspiring afternoon by the lake where we strategised our expansion plans. Hear about our targeted advertising tactics in Hertfordshire and Wiltshire, the excitement of content creation, and our cautious optimism for franchise growth. Our experiences at a recent business event, featuring powerful sessions by Dani Wallace and Daniel Priestly, and an emotional talk by Simon Squibb, offer a backdrop of learning and unexpected connections amid a hailstorm at Pendley Manor.
Support and mentorship play a pivotal role in entrepreneurship, and we reflect on their importance, especially for new franchisees. Listen in as we discuss the value of guiding new business owners, the long-term impact of effective marketing strategies, and the significance of creating online training resources. We cap off the episode with a lighthearted segment about tarot readings, future surprises, and the ever-present challenge of choosing the right business partners. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, this episode offers a blend of insights, humor, and heartfelt reflections.
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, how are you?
Speaker 2:I'm all right, you yeah it's been a long time, Nick. It's been a long time I should have left you. What is that song?
Speaker 1:I have no idea. I think you've trashed it whatever it is.
Speaker 2:I think it's Aaliyah or A Liar. Whoever Aaliyah. Some people say A Liar First, you don't succeed.
Speaker 1:That's what it is. I hate that song so much. Oh my God, it's been so long. What have you been up?
Speaker 2:to what haven't I been up to?
Speaker 1:Beavering away. Yeah, marketing the shizzle out of marketing, aren't you, I think so? Yeah, you've had some really good contracts, like signing up on some good stuff.
Speaker 2:Great, brilliant. Such a supportive friend, thank you. What's that shit that you do? I did actually speak to someone at the weekend.
Speaker 1:I didn't want to say deals. That was the thing, because then it makes me sound really crude and that's the only thing that's in my head. You had some really good deals, some really good deals, and I was like I'm not saying deals. What is another word? Partners? I'm not saying deals. What is another word?
Speaker 2:Partnerships, maybe Is that what you'd say yes, yeah, okay, because I don't ever see it as.
Speaker 1:A job a deal no A contract? No, it's very formal, isn't it?
Speaker 2:It is yeah, because I'm more about collaboration.
Speaker 1:So yeah, would you say. You just I got some deals in, didn't I?
Speaker 2:That's what I wanted to say.
Speaker 1:No, Okay so what would you put it as Partnerships?
Speaker 2:Yeah, or I've converted some clients. How about that?
Speaker 1:That's a good one, isn't it? Well, you've converted a hell of a lot of clients lately, haven't you? I've?
Speaker 2:been busy, bea. Yeah, what did we discuss last time we were on here?
Speaker 1:I have no fucking clue. Oh, okay, just a what I was going to say on the marketing front is.
Speaker 2:I spoke to someone at the weekend and they were talking about oh yes, so-and-so needs to do a press release, and I was like, well, you know who to speak to, don't you? They were another parent, I run a marketing agency, I'll help you. And he just went yeah, marketing and then silence. Oh God, that's as extensive my knowledge of marketing is. That's why there was such a gap. I didn't know what to say. Oh wow, See where it's in public service.
Speaker 1:So you had no idea about marketing it just doesn't have much to contribute on it.
Speaker 2:I think that's the first time I've ever really stumped someone in a convo.
Speaker 1:I do marketing. Is this on, Okay then.
Speaker 2:I was trying to have banter on it and there's it wasn't getting knocked back pissing in the wind. Nothing, absolutely nothing. But at least he acknowledged it. Yeah, and how about you? How have you been?
Speaker 1:all right, I've had an inquiry from Aberdeen. Oh yeah, yeah, I haven't heard anything back yet, but we'll just see. She was really keen and, um, like signed her NDA really quickly and I was like Aberdeen, I don't know anything about it so automatically went into research mode and, speaking to anybody I know that lives there or has lived there, got loads of research and then nothing. So I don't know if she's still interested or she's not. I'll touch base with her this week.
Speaker 2:I thought did you have another inquiry as well?
Speaker 1:I've had one for Chichester, yes, so we will see what happens, but at the minute we're beavering away on funnels and ads and lead generation aren't we Funnel fun? Funnel fun with Franschau. So I'm working with this lady called Anschau and I got her name wrong, didn't I? Because we were talking about franchise chat with Anschau, so I just went Franchel, franchel stuck. Franchel is now stuck, but you always think I don't think it's that rude. Is it rude to?
Speaker 2:nickname her Franchel. No, I mean, we could have said more derogatory terms, but Franchel is pretty accurate, it's her name franchise funnel yeah, franchise, yeah, I think it works. Oh god, yes so we're doing funnels.
Speaker 1:I'm learning all about funnels and it's a real head fuck. I know you don't see it as a head fuck or do you?
Speaker 2:I do you know the bit that I struggle with is the like the journey of they get the sequencing. Yeah, this email. Follow by this. Follow by this, follow by this yeah, that was massive.
Speaker 1:So we created 25 pieces of content, thinking that that's what Anshel needed. But then she was like I need the emails as well to put it into the funnel. And I was like, oh dear. So I then went and created 25 emails to go along with the content that I'd put in. And you need a call to action in every part of the sequence, don't you? And then it was like, okay, so now we've got the sequence and the content, like blogs and different avenues that they're going towards from each email. Now we need lead generators and what are they? And I was like, oh god. So we've created a checklist yep, like a franchise checklist for anybody looking into franchise and what they would need to do and the research they should do.
Speaker 1:Then I've created a franchise mastermind, just helping people understand everything there is to know about franchising. What else have we done? We've got the normal like movies franchise sales document and then I've got a score app. Oh, I know this is quite exciting actually because to ideas fest oh, yeah, so, so daniel priestly yeah, who owns score app was. I absolutely adore him. I think he's brilliant and loved him on, yeah, dioceo. I've got his little book as well about this, the scorecard system, and he's recreated those old-fashioned, you know, the tests that you used to do in like cosmopolitan and all of that. It's absolutely brilliant. It's such a genius way of marketing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then you like for us is what sort of business owner are you? Yeah. Are you a franchise owner? Empire builder yeah. Are you a great team player? Like, not ready to franchise yet or not ready to open up your own business yet? Yeah, budding entrepreneur there's loads and you can just set it, just create your questions and set it so that whatever they answer leads them to a separate summary as such. So there's my four, four lead generators, and then you're gonna help me create the ads to go behind the lead generators, aren't you?
Speaker 2:yeah, that's exciting. I have gone into full-on work mode and thinking how do we activate this, how do we get in front of the people, the cases, yeah that want a movie's franchise?
Speaker 1:yeah, because the whole purpose is to bring interested people that would want your brand or it would benefit them in one way to sign up to something one of your lead generators to then go into your email sequencing so then we can talk to our potential franchisees and nurture that sequence. So it's kind of automating the whole of the marketing journey, right? Yeah, that's right now.
Speaker 2:The job that we've got to do next is generate more eyeballs at the top of the funnel, so at the top of this structure that you've put in place, to get them to work their way down the funnel, so they shake out at the bottom and convert into franchisees yeah, so then they're literally just contacting us, but what we've said is we've done all of the territory.
Speaker 1:It was so funny, wasn't? It went to why, boston we started, we trialed our um co-working didn't, didn't go to plan. No, it wasn't the one for what we were looking for. Anyway, however, we did end up spending the afternoon by the lake, didn't we? And sitting outside, which was glorious, and I bought out my maps so I could spend four thousand pounds on mapping my territories. Instead, we printed off a map of every county and highlighted the towns that Moors would work on, based on population and gut instinct.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Some of them we were like Can we call a friend on this one? Yeah, not sure. Or no, no, no, Definitely no. No, I've been there, it's not yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was three of us with Yasmin, going through all the different towns and the areas that we know. Like the towns that we know of, that would work, hitchin being a prime example, maybe Amptill, harpenden, st Albans, berco, all of that. That was really cool.
Speaker 2:I really enjoyed doing that. I think it was interesting to see actually where the next place is going to be, with the greatest amount of potential locations. Yeah, because it wasn't where I thought it would be was it not?
Speaker 1:where did you think it would be?
Speaker 2:well, I thought it'd be more closer to this way, but it's not no, it's not.
Speaker 1:Bedfordshire is not the one, is it selfishly?
Speaker 1:really fucking annoyed yeah, it was Hertfordshire and, surprisingly, wiltshire. And then I spoke to helen, business partner helen, and she lives in Chippenham. So she gave me loads of towns that she knows it would work. I didn't know she lived in Chippenham, that's beautiful. She said not Chippenham, but she gave me all the towns that are big enough that can house a moose and that are affluent enough, and I didn't know that it's still an hour commute from Wiltshire into London. Really, yeah, from Chippenham, wow. And she was giving me loads of other places that are on the train line that I had no idea. So that was really cool, but it's surprising Wiltshire, such a big county.
Speaker 2:So I am now thinking how do we get the greatest exposure and the most cost-effective way possible? That's targeted towards Katie, which is your demo right In that particular area.
Speaker 1:So we're going to do some test ads, aren't we? Where we do like two ads per lead gen and see which one lands in different counties. So we're going to just test one county at a time? I think aren't?
Speaker 2:we yeah, but we'll run four. So if we run four ads with four lead generators because you've got four right yeah and then do split testing on each, on the creative right, okay, so like one video, one photo type thing, one carousel maybe, yeah, okay, but how do we? The exciting thing for me, which is this, is where I freak out because I'm loving it like this is my squeaky bum.
Speaker 1:I'm like, okay, I can create all of this, I can see all of this, but for me it's the images, the video, the content.
Speaker 2:I'm like, oh my God, I can't, I'm excited for that, really excited, and I think it's that walk we need to give the movies experience and try and create that in an ad Amazing, amazing, so that look, touch, fear like as a client when you walk into every single one what that we need to try and create atmosphere, generate emotion from an ad.
Speaker 1:That's fucking exciting yeah, can you just direct me, tell me what I need and what content you need, and then you can do the rest.
Speaker 2:Thanks, yeah, we've got loads of video content of walkthroughs and stuff send them to me and then we can have a look and see. And it's. It's about playing on your values. You've got milliseconds to make a first impression on an ad, so how do we do that?
Speaker 1:yeah, it's really cool. It is really cool and I kind of feel like the legwork is being done and then we can get to a point where we we were saying about just turning on an area, so I I only want to take on three franchises this year. I'm comfortable taking on three and I'm only selling three territories. So there is a limit to it and there is a not like a scarcity, but I want people to understand that. You know, we're picking wisely and we're picking the towns that we need. We're not just scattergunning it. It's not a scattergun approach.
Speaker 2:No, it's targeted, it's strategic, but we need to be super careful on this funnel. Why do you think I'm going to get too much interest?
Speaker 1:Do you yeah?
Speaker 2:We need to be really, really tight on. I'd almost prefer to go tight on the targeting to begin with, because three is not a lot. No, it's not. You think about how many you've got to get in the top to shake out three at the bottom.
Speaker 1:I don't know what that is. How many do I need to get in the top to get three?
Speaker 2:Well, we discovered some facts and figures the other day. Didn't we about people that are on the franchise website?
Speaker 1:which we didn't know yeah true, 200 summit visitors.
Speaker 2:You only need three of those to convert. And you've got, and that's without any ad, that's just seo, but you've got potentially two already. So it's, we need to work out what your conversion rate is. And then this is we're testing, aren't we?
Speaker 1:we're piloting yeah, but I can't believe that I'm 11 years in business. This is the first time I'm doing anything like this, but I suppose that's quite normal, isn't it 100%?
Speaker 2:I think you've had such incredible success with movies to get this far without having to spend on advertising.
Speaker 1:That's huge but then also what excites me is that once we've got to return it off, create a waitlist and then just say you know we're not, we're not doing any more franchises, but put your name on the wait list and your location and we'll get in touch as soon as anything comes available, because I don't want to not give the service. You know the overselling and under-delivering, yeah. But then the thought of a wait list excites the hell out of me, because then that's my operational head, where I go, right, I can build my team now. Yeah, how many is in the wait list? Yeah.
Speaker 2:And how are we driving that demand?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is. But then the thought of just turning on an area and saying, right now we've done Hertfordshire, next is Wiltshire.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because we know what the outcome will be. That's really exciting, isn't it?
Speaker 2:But we were talking the other day't we? About looking at the peak of the mountain, going I want to get there and shitting yourself on the overwhelm of the steps in between yeah, that's exactly where I was at with this whole funnel and, funny enough, talking to Tracy, that's where she's at.
Speaker 1:She needs to do exactly the same process in her business. Yeah, and she's in therapy.
Speaker 2:Like it can be used against every module yeah, I just also think that you get too close to it, like you can't see the wood through the trees when you're on your own. I think that goes for if you're in a position, if you're in a team. You just you need that outside help to go. Hold on a second.
Speaker 1:Yeah, look up and it is that expertise. Yes, it's literally. It feels like if you're looking at that mountain, you've got someone coming along hold your hand and say I'll get you to that level and then you'll probably need someone else to get you to the next one. Yeah, it's really special.
Speaker 2:It's really cool. Is there anything you'd like to get off your chest today, Amy? No franchise, fun. Yeah, done tick.
Speaker 1:I'll talk about Ideas Fest, because that was fucking epic. Oh my god, it was so good. I really want you to come with me next year. You've got a whole crew coming. I feel like me and Trace were there to scout it out, but I want to take all my entrepreneur friends with me next year Because I bloody loved it. The people were cracking.
Speaker 1:There was loads of stages with different speakers on for all different parts of business. There was a lady danny wallace, I think her name is that had a whole tent and she does loads of public speaking coaching. I found out she was katie godfrey's public speaker, a coach, nice. But then my favorite was daniel priestly, because I bloody love him. I love everything he does with marketing and how he just understands people and just understands how to market to people and get the right result. He also really simplifies it as well. Yeah, yeah, his was a really good chat. He's really easy to listen to. And Simon Squibb oh, I love him so much. I want him to put a microphone in my face and says what's your dream? And I'm like, well, I want 50 salons by 2030, simon, and how are you going to help me get there?
Speaker 2:But you had some epic conversations as well with people, other entrepreneurs other business owners.
Speaker 1:And it's weird, isn't it? Because Tracy, she's very she can be very holistic and she's very much about what the universe is sending us right. So we were there like I had my plan for the whole two days and I'd highlighted all the talks I wanted to go to. I really wanted to maximize my time there and we listened to Simon Squibb. That made us both cry, actually, just because he was such a good human and what he was doing. We're both sobbing.
Speaker 1:And then we went out, had a little mooch around, went to another one. I think we bailed on that like five or ten minutes in. It wasn wasn't really what we were expecting and then all of a sudden the heavens opened Like absolutely open. It was hailing, Like it went mad. So we all went into the bar tent Not everyone, because a lot of people were sitting listening to talks In that bar tent. I met some of the most incredible souls that we ended up like really connecting with and hanging out with for the rest of the day and evening. So much so I didn't go to any more talks. My plan did not work. But I met a guy that owns a solar panel company. That was incredible. I met another really young lady, like she's 25, from Belfast, come a lot of people there on their own. Yeah, she'd come over on her own and she's got an engineering degree and she's got a business installing EV chargers. Oh yeah, home and commercial oh God, she'll be raking it in, right about now.
Speaker 1:Kind of she's building it, but she said, because she's not like this big brand, you know, like people don't know of her straight away. However, her and this solar panel guy who is an ex-trady that got into solar panels yeah, and he's done it with his brother and made an absolute success of it. Honestly, the chat between them because they're both so passionate about sustainability and sustainable energy and they were teaching us all this stuff about battery recharge and using your old battery from one car and charging your whole house and all of this but it was so fascinating watching them like two completely different worlds but having the same passion. That was really cool. I just met loads of people from all walks of life, so it was really good.
Speaker 2:so the things we've talked about it a lot like we had a debrief, didn't? We went to for coffee not for very long, but last week to talk about how it was and see how each other were.
Speaker 1:I think what I'm hearing is it feels very much like the tribe that we can't yeah it really is, and it's all people, all life, all backgrounds, and Trace has got a few contacts in the finance and tech space from her old like life, and I ended up chatting to this guy who is a multi-millionaire investor. You know, like all of these things Magical. It was really magical, it was really cool. And what was so cool about it is there was no pretentiousness. Everyone was just there as business owners. There was none like you're worth this and you're worth that, and I'm little and you're big there was none of that.
Speaker 1:It was like how can I help?
Speaker 2:Nice.
Speaker 1:Everywhere you went. Yeah, what can I do? There was one area that was a bit like, look at us, we're amazing. A bit ego driven, but the rest of it was so cool and holy moly were there. I ate so much of their guacamole. I did get a little bit drunk, had to leave my car in the field and get a taxi back to that. But there was a guy who's created a business and it's wine in a can, but it's craft wine, it made from northern italy. That was really cool and I was like why in a can normally tastes like shit, how come yours doesn't? He goes. It's really interesting that you've noticed that because we have a special lining in our can that stops the sediment isn't it.
Speaker 1:No, he said that it reacts with aluminium, which is why it's better from bottles. Yeah, so they've put like this lining in their can. It's still recyclable but it stops that reaction. I was like mate and that was he was selling them for a fiver me and trace kept like tap, tap, popping away. We'll have. We'll have more, please. We had a lady put glitter all over her face.
Speaker 1:There was an area to do like your 60 second pictures in the middle if you wanted to. No, I didn't. There's like the food was incredible, so it's like a mini festival. There wasn't camping, but it was in penley manor, which was beautiful, and we went and stayed the night before and we met the deborah and deborah yep, who, one of the deborahs, owns the deaf village. Beautiful, oh, my god, lancashire, I think it is the deaf village. They were really lovely and they were up for an award. I didn't know they were doing this award ceremony and they won. And then they came and found us afterwards and like yeah, you know, it was really cool.
Speaker 1:I was two sheets to the wind. Is that the right? Is it 10 sheets or two sheets? 10 sheets to the wind? Yeah, I was definitely 10 sheets to the wind, I was having the time of my life in the rain, like after a 10th can of wine or whatever. It was wow, but it was great fun. It's really really good fun. And then the second day, we actually did do like some more networking. But in what was nice is it's networking without feeling the pressure of networking. You're literally just meeting and connecting and saying, hi, what do you do? And everyone's like so that's the first question hi, I'm so, and so what do you do?
Speaker 2:I love it. I'm excited.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was really cool, so I'm going to take a whole crew of us yeah, and we're going to stay for the last night yeah, we've got to go the night before, because that was really lovely.
Speaker 1:We had a whole day of just catching up and chilling out and then two days. But I wish I'd have stayed the the night of the last day, because that's when everyone would party, I would imagine, especially like all the events, team and stuff excellent. There was a lady doing cold baths there as well. There was someone else doing cacao ceremonies and like a holistic tent with massage. I went straight in with the glitter and the wine. Yeah, like that's my time for festival.
Speaker 1:And because I was wearing a sequin jacket, I felt like I attracted the ones that like, oh, you're my cup of tea, I want to hang out with you. You're drinking wine out of a can, you've got your glitter on and you've got sequins and you're wearing leopard print. There was a few that made a beeline and Trace was like here's one of yours. But it was great. It's really really good, fun, fabulous. Yeah, lots of general chat, a nice chat as well. Like connection isn't really good connection. Like it's really tough, isn't it sometimes? And then a lot of people were like I know so and so that can help you with that, or actually I've got a problem with this, this and this? Do you know anyone?
Speaker 2:you know entrepreneurs like as a breed, are so generous. I think so really, really generous at whatever level they're at.
Speaker 1:Do you think it's because we know what the struggle? We know what the struggle is, so we want to help as much as we can? Or is it just that creative thinkers?
Speaker 2:I think it's a bit of both. I really do, but I think it's just a bit special, isn't it? Interestingly, we launched winchester you launched winchester with wild birds support, yes, on marketing, and I produced an end of campaign report which I've then presented externally, and that went really really well. I never talk about results, as I've said to you before, because why don't I do that?
Speaker 1:probably a bit scared yeah, but also social media results. A lot of people think they're putting money in social media and there's nothing to prove what they're getting from it.
Speaker 2:There is loads, but they just don't know how to access all of that, yeah, and it's also tying it all together, like don't just look at one, you've got to look at multiple analytics to make sure that it reinforces the message or not. And why not? So interestingly, someone said after presenting it does the franchisee know and appreciate the support that they've had from you and will they want to work with you long term? I said that's a really, really interesting. I've had love, so that's a really interesting question. And let's just everyone that I was speaking to was an entrepreneur, is a business owner, has set up multiple businesses and launched and things have failed and things have succeeded. I said it's a journey, though you've got to remember that this business owner is month one at this point and we've gone. Here you are. This is some support, this is what you've got you can't afford any different, though she doesn't know any different.
Speaker 2:You can't afford support in your first year, really can you not I? Didn't do. I didn't get marketing support for a couple of years, and it's also a journey that you have to go out alone because you have to. You have to fall a little bit. You've got to figure out what works. Yeah, you have to know your territory, know and understand your area. But if you can help someone in that moment in year one, or year two and just go, look, this might help you.
Speaker 2:Here you are, take it, have it. I think that's really powerful yeah, god, massively.
Speaker 1:I never had any of that. I think movies would be. Yeah, I'd be two years ahead if I had marketing input.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but not if I mean like the reason I share that is because I think if, if we always think back to our old experience, don't we? If I was setting up wild bird and someone said, here's something to help you, here's something that you could do, that would make a difference. Not it, not even marketing anything. Okay, absolutely anything. I'd be so grateful for yeah but are you grateful at the time I always see where I see what you mean.
Speaker 1:So going back to yeah, does she know? But also entrepreneurs being so helpful, yeah, yeah yeah yeah, because I would. I'd be generous with my time and I've already done it. I've said to trace like I'll let me help you, let me sort out my funnel shizzle and then I'll come and help you with yours. I'm not going to charge.
Speaker 2:There's no payment for any of that, I just want to see us succeed. Yeah, yeah it's true, isn't it actually? I don't think, when you're in it, when you're year one, year two, year three, you're just fucking trying your hardest, aren't you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but she is that person that in two or three years, if I've got a franchisee struggling, she'll be the one that will say let me help. Yeah, I know she will, because that's the sort of person she is. Yes yeah, yeah, wowzers, but you got some clients off the back of that, didn't you? Yeah, fascinating though, because you were worried about sharing it, wasn't it Like?
Speaker 2:you asked if I minded.
Speaker 1:I don't ever mind anything like that.
Speaker 2:I know, but I wanted you to be happy to share it. Yeah, I've never done anything like that before.
Speaker 1:But also I think it puts your money where your mouth is a little bit. Do you know what I mean? Like if you're selling marketing or if you're saying what you do, when you have results like that, people are like oh, they can see it, it's tangible.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah, I feel like a fucking idiot for not having Quantifiable. Is that the right word? Yes, yeah, yeah Not tangible, tangible is real, tangible is the same. Oh, is it Okay?
Speaker 1:Yes, so that was really cool. That was cool and it also shows that it can be used. The same concept, principles can be used across any industry, right as long as you know the foundation, you know your avatar. You've done all your groundwork.
Speaker 2:But that's all I get, and luckily so. This I mean, maybe it's unfair to say that people were converted off the back of that, because I've known this group since January, so we are on month nine of knowing each other, but it was by far the most engaged, the most feedback, like it was like oh, now I get it.
Speaker 1:Like now I can see what it means. Yeah, because you're talking to people that don't necessarily know what marketing is, don't understand it or don't have enough confidence in it. Maybe.
Speaker 2:But you forget, don't you? I think you forget what you know and what you take for granted. Yeah, for sure. So yeah, there has been a lovely little influx off the back of that, which has been wonderful, so are you going to create your online training? So I have submitted in a competition for Fiverr to win some grant money I don't know when I find out about that, actually which. If I get that, then yeah, I will, but there's nothing stopping me filming it, there's nothing stopping you doing it now.
Speaker 1:I've just done mine for, uh, the franchise mastermind, but also I've done a career mastermind for the beauty industry, which I was saying to you earlier is a bit of a labor of love actually, because this isn't a revenue generator, although it's the breadcrumbs, isn't it? Because it's like future proofing in the respects. I want people to understand the opportunities that are in the beauty industry, because a lot of people I think that you only go into it if you're thick or if you didn't pass any gcses, or like you would never do anything else. They just see it as like the I don't know whatever it is, like it's the cast aside kind of industry. You're never going to make any money. And I actually talk about it because my dad said to me when I told him I'm going in the beauty industry, he just went what an absolute waste of your intelligence. And I was like what you mean? He goes you need to be a lawyer or something like you're too smart to be a beat what you do. Why are you doing that?
Speaker 1:I said because I want to and I said but also, don't you believe that if you can be, you can be a success in any industry? If you put your mind to it and he went no, it's an absolute waste of time. I can't believe you're doing it, I'm not going to support it. But then he only supported it when I chose to train in Henlow Grange because his girlfriend at the time's daughter had been training there. So then it was OK.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah yeah. That's small thinking, though, isn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but my nan paid for my kit because he wouldn't do it. He did take me there, though twice a week. That's kind.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so just on that, I have been talking last week to 18 19 year olds as part of some work with a client about getting them ready for their final year and this will be the fourth time you've heard this story so I'm very sorry for repeating it again, but it breaks my heart that I asked the question who here believes that they can be anything that they want to be? And I'd say, across four days we had less than 10 people put their hand.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's heartbreaking, isn't it? That's gutting. It's so sad that they're not being inspired, because why are people not teaching?
Speaker 2:that are business owners, mind you or like were you inspired when you were 18, 19?
Speaker 1:mate, I was already taken off over the world like I was already going on ships. I was really inspired but I knew what I wanted and how I was going to get there. But my dad was an entrepreneur and I kind of had this hustle from it.
Speaker 2:I was working from 13 yeah, I'd like, because I was working from 14, but but I also. My dad runs his own business. My sister was running her own business, was surrounded by entrepreneurs, but I was shoved into. You have to go to sixth form. You've got to do these A-levels by year two. These 18, 19-year-olds I was talking to would have been me. I'd had a fucking enough.
Speaker 1:Oh did you. See, I went to college at 16 and then went off. I was working on cruise ships at 18.
Speaker 2:I did not want to be there and the sixth form that I was at was just pushing, pushing, pushing for uni. Pushing, pushing, pushing. I did all right in my first year in my as level, shockingly bad in year two, because I was getting really fucked off. I was like I don't want this anymore. I want to work. I want to work. I'd had enough.
Speaker 2:Did you go to uni? No, no, went to top shop. Yeah, I was working there already, but I got, was on a full-time position doing virtual merchandising and then mum said why don't you go? And mum said, why don't you go and be a weather girl on the telly and I thought, yeah, I'll fucking do that. And then went for an interview at GMTV. Wow, did you not? Have I not bored you with this story before? Yeah, she was. So mum, mum, obviously. She was a stay-at-home mum for a good while and then part-time working for dad. I remember saying to her when I was really young I really want to be a hairdresser, because that's what my, my sister's always been my role model. I really want to be a hairdresser. And she said that was so ridiculous. We've already got one in the family don't need another one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like all right, fucking back to the drawing board, then cheers mum, and that's so funny.
Speaker 2:And then, yeah, again mum's influence. Why don't you go and do something on a telly, nicole? Go and do something on a telly. And then did so. The airtime on telly, on telly, on teller, um, yeah, I feel bad, like the 18, 19 year olds weren't giving much back. Oh, it's so sad, but it's a funny old age. And then I think if I was, had I been in that room when I was 18, 19, would I have been the same.
Speaker 1:I had an incredible lecturer. Well, she was our lecturer, our trainer at college, and she genuinely made me feel like I could achieve anything.
Speaker 2:But they just we were talking to them about soft skills and self-awareness and values and what drives you. I don't know if they teach that.
Speaker 1:No, no, it's all just. It's all to follow the system, isn't it? Be a good student, get a good job, like, get a good qualification, get a good job and then earn decent money and pay your tax and then buy a house and then live in that house and pay it off for the rest of your life, like it's the same. It's the system, isn't it that we're all forced into. And I think entrepreneurs are like no, I want to fight the system, I don't want to be the same.
Speaker 2:That's what, like we were given a platform I could have spoken to the young adults about. It doesn't have to be this way, but you weren't allowed to. No, it's not my remit, it's not my business. It wasn't the brief either, but there's nothing more powerful than going. You don't have to do what they tell you to.
Speaker 1:Little side notes. There's another way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no right, and neither the hilarity is. Neither myself or Steve have been to university. Did you tell them that?
Speaker 1:no, yeah, it is interesting and I think that's why I wanted to do this career mastermind, because I want to show the beauty industry. Like you, hopefully, you've chosen this industry for the right reasons, but these are your opportunities. Like, don't just think you're gonna go and just paint nails for the rest of your life, unless you want to do that. There are so many opportunities. And then I've done like pros and cons of different parts of the industry, different careers, how to get there, how to be employable, how to get jobs, how to sustain jobs, but also to use people's money. Like, if you've got your big, hairy, audacious girl, what is that and what do you need to use? What do you need to learn along the way to get to that goal?
Speaker 2:It's interesting, isn't it?
Speaker 1:It's fascinating. I hope it inspires a few people Of course it will Even just to think a bit like bigger. Rather than I'm just going to do my qualification and hope to get a job in a salon. Rather than I'm just going to do my qualification and hope to get a job in a salon. That's great, but what do you want after that? And yes, you could just have something that's self-employed, works around your family, that's fine. But if not, you want to take over the world. How are you going to do it? I'm in for the ride.
Speaker 2:Speaking of big, hairy, audacious goals, I had a tarot card reading a week before last. Yeah, cake karaoke, cake karaoke. I think I'm going to win the lottery Genuinely. If it's not the Omaze house, it will be the lottery. Hasn't that been Jordan? Now has it? I think so. Maybe that's who I was calling earlier.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, 0-3-4-5. Maybe it was. That would be hilarious, amazing, absolutely amazing. So you're going to win the lottery? Yeah, wheel of fortune. She did say at one point I think you're going to get a surprise in like three to five days' time. Still hasn't happened yet. Kate just saying and I don't want to ruin it, but it's going to be something big. So I got off and the card that she showed had a dog in it. So I went into Matt and I was like are you gonna surprise me with a dog? She said, because the point was someone that you love is going to give you this massive gift. It's going to be huge. I've got another german shepherd coming in. Is there a puppy on the way, matt? And he was like absolutely no way. Oh right, okay, then must be something else. Oh, may's house, here I come yeah, yeah, we both.
Speaker 1:I had one as well, and we both. Mine wasn't quite as it like exciting as yours. I'm not gonna win anything, but she did. We both got the three years, didn't we? Something big is going to happen between yeah, she said that you're working on something, and as soon as it starts, it'll be really successful, and within three years, you'll have the abundance you're looking for. What do you think it's going to be? She said the same to you, though, didn't she?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but she didn't say it was you, she just said a collaboration.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she didn't know that I was friends with you.
Speaker 2:I don't know, I don't know whether it's a commercial property that we're in just like mulling over.
Speaker 1:That's a nervous little laugh, speaking of time yeah, there's lots of things we're mulling over, but I also think this the way that we've done all the funnels with franchise I think this is going to turn a huge corner for us because we're working together. The more franchises I sell, the better it is for you as well, and then the more ad spend you know that marketing part. I think it that collaboration between us is going to help the business grow, help your business grow, but also I think we're leveling each other up we're not.
Speaker 2:we are not even a year into wild booze as well, is it not? No, it's November.
Speaker 1:Wowzers. I mean, we should have recorded a few more, don't you think? All right, but we have made a deal, haven't we that?
Speaker 2:if we're not feeling it, we don't do it. Oh yeah, yes, yeah, because there's nothing worse.
Speaker 1:We've done it a few times, haven't we? We tried forcing it. We're like can we just sack it off and just have a chat about what?
Speaker 2:we need to get out of our system.
Speaker 1:I think it's always me, though it's always me, that's not quite where I don't know you always come in, you all right, you sure you're all right, you look all right, you're a bit flat. Today I'm like thanks, I was feeling great.
Speaker 2:You were a bit flat. I think it's because you didn yeah, so I'll let you know when the lottery win comes in.
Speaker 1:Thanks, or the Cotswold house? Yeah, that'd be really nice. We could do with that, couldn't we like a really nice space to work in? I don't know what the fuck.
Speaker 2:I'd do with it, to be honest with you. So do you know what's making? I am wavering, I do. We'd go and live and live in it. We'd rent it out, come on would you.
Speaker 1:You've got to keep it for a couple of weeks, though, for us to go and work it.
Speaker 2:I would have a party and some co come and come work yes, you have a room and ensuite.
Speaker 1:That's the dream. That's what we just spent the last hour, looking for somewhere to go and work and, like, have a little break found somewhere there, didn't we? Yeah, we did next week. Going to keep it secret, squirrel are we what in case?
Speaker 2:it's as bad as why Boston? In case everyone turns up, we're going away. Yes, we are.
Speaker 1:World moves are going on tour we might record from there as well.
Speaker 2:I don't think we will. I'm really excited, I am. I'm apprehensive as well, why? Because I've not left hope before. I don't think.
Speaker 1:Yes, you have, but not without Matt. Yes, I think it's really important and I think hopefully we found a little spot that works, that we can do a little bit of work from a little bit of creative thinking, a little bit of spa, a little bit of dinner, a little bit of wine I honestly won't know what to do with myself.
Speaker 2:I can help you fill the gaps. Sounds exciting. I will ask again what else have you got to take off your chest?
Speaker 1:Ah, working with shit companies, oh, okay, yeah, so I've moved.
Speaker 2:Fulfillment now Yay, that's all happened.
Speaker 1:We did ask on the last one, didn't we? If there was any questions, we did yeah. So I've moved Fulfillment and now that I've actually moved and I don't rely on the previous company, I'm going to tell you what fucking Egypts they were. Can I say Egypts if I'm not?
Speaker 2:Irish. Well, yeah, if you were Irish you would have said feckin' Egypts.
Speaker 1:You can carry on. Oh my God. I, oh my god, I've never worked with a company that is so disrespectful of stock, of time, of everything they basically would they could. They had no communication whatsoever. And then if we had a problem like all of our stock got shipped out and it was all damaged we just wouldn't hear from them. And then it was like how do we make a claim? That just nothing, tumbleweed. And then, yeah, and then we would replace this stock, raise another order, and then I would say you need to package this in the way that I've asked you to, please, and I was always really respectful. And it was that whole like oh, there's teething problems, it's fine. In the end I was like I have replaced like six orders now in the last two months. Not once have you told me about how to make a claim.
Speaker 1:There was no systems and processes in place and how can I scale my business if I can't even rely on this company? So I had to move and it was an utter bull. They can cost me a small fortune, but you know what? It's been an absolute fucking dream. It is like night and day. This company I've moved over to, have got an account manager. They've got customer service manager. I've moved over to have got an account manager. They've got a customer service manager. I've got the warehouse manager that's asked me exactly how I want everything packed. It's just made life so much easier.
Speaker 1:I've not had one complaint, touch wood, not had one complaint about badly sent products.
Speaker 1:However, we have had a a joke with katie winchester because she ordered one bag of key rings, which are 100 in each bag.
Speaker 1:They obviously didn't see the description and it just said one, so they've literally taken one and put it in a box katie's got. We've got a very similar sense of humor, but it's like she's got a wicked sense of humor, yeah. So she ordered a five liter soothe, which is like the biggest item we do other than the big, big boxes of wax, and they'd sent this one five liter with one lowly key ring and then just filled the void next to it, and so she just sent me a barrage of gifts all by myself, bridget jones singing like I've got, I've got, no problems, but my one key ring in one and all of this. And she was just sending me all these messages one after the other, and it really tickled her that she was. It was so funny and I was I didn't realize that she'd ordered a hundred. I thought she'd made a mistake and actually or it just slipped in like I didn't think that they'd made the mistake.
Speaker 1:And then I went back to check her order and I was like oh, you actually ordered 100 key rings and they sent you one that's even funnier and then even funnier after. That is I. I told them what happened and said that it's one bag. So they sent her a bag with 99 key rings. They'd actually counted up 99 kumis. Oh my gosh, because I don't even count them. I weigh them, yeah, but I weigh them and then add another one in just for luck, just in case, just for luck.
Speaker 2:What the fuck are you? Let's chuck a penny in the fountain at the same time.
Speaker 1:No, because it's plastic. Not all the weights are accurate.
Speaker 2:So if you put a hundred in you, where's your measure? I I am totally with your process. What I'm not with is your justification. I'll just chuck one in for luck it's just in case.
Speaker 1:It's not a hundred and it's some plastic is heavier than others, and maybe a couple like yeah, so I'm always over the weight is what I'm trying to say so that no one's ever underdone or undersold, yes, anyway.
Speaker 1:So she then messaged me and said you know that we've counted like four bags and they're all different amounts. And I was like, are they all over 100? And they were like, yeah, some are 100, some 102, there's one that's 101. I said, oh, it doesn't matter, then it's because I weigh them. But they'd actually counted out 99 key rings. Wow, the attention to detail oh my god.
Speaker 1:But yeah, you can use this great company. Yeah, go on, I'm really really pleased with them. So if anyone needs a fulfillment center, I can recommend them for sure, northampton. But then also, it's that whole like when you're partnering with a company, when you're a small business, I think it's so important who you choose, isn't it? And then what you realize is I've felt the everyone's felt the pinch lately, but there's some partnerships that I've got where I'm really feeling the pinch and it's affecting me and my business and the service they're giving me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's really bothering me, I think this really comes down to value alignment big time and I think, as an individuals, having the self-awareness on your values still annoyed with myself that I waited until my mid-30s to actually figure out what they are. But when you have your business that you have built, you pour your values into that and as you grow you, the individual and the business, get further and further away or like disassociated, but that doesn't change the way that you operate and I know that you've done great work on your values as Muiz, which is so, so important, but if you don't partner with the right business as a collaboration, that's where you get that friction.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's so. Yeah, exactly that it's so difficult. So I'll give you an example of my wholesaler that I buy my product. So I really want all my products made in the UK. My blend is a signature blend and we use their products that they've manufactured and they've put my blend in them and I have asked them a few times recently, over the last year, about different things.
Speaker 1:Not for me that it's nothing like significant. So, for instance, the big five liter containers I pay a thousand pound a year for insurance just so that my products can be refilled. Like it's insane. Yeah, if you think my salon insurance is 350 pound a year in each salon pay a grand just for product insurance because I want all my products. It's like part of my values, right, and I said to them like they provide a label, but the labels they put on are really difficult to get off, like you have to use soapy water to get them off. It's really annoying because they're cheap labels.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so up until now I've always just sent them my labels and they've just put mine on. I just wait for a batch number and expiry date and then I write it on and then send it to them. So I'm only doing like 10 at a time in an order, yeah, or 10 of each product. So I send it to them. Obviously, when we get massive, then I will have all the labels printed with the batch number and expiry and they will all be stored together and we'll use them. But I do all of this so that it's all within my insurance remit and that it's all the right way of doing it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I've said to them this time I need to place another order for 10, and I probably order 10 of each every six to eight months and something like that. So I said to them about it and the response I got was we can't do it this time because we've changed. We've had a few processes change and we can't do it. So, yeah, would you say, there's I can't remember the reason so we'll just have to send them to you and then you'll put them on. So that means the product comes to me. I then remove their shitty labels, put my own labels on and then I have to post it back out to northampton, which goes against all of my like carbon footprint. Like what's the point in buying in the uk?
Speaker 2:I might as well get it made, yeah, elsewhere why can't they send it to you without the labels on?
Speaker 1:because Because, it has to be shipped with a label. But you know, it's not just that. They said to me this is not what these products are designed for, excuse me. She said these products are designed for bulk. They're not designed to be on display. That's why normally the labels don't matter. So I've got this young lady in customer service or sales telling me how to use the product.
Speaker 2:I've been doing this for five years but they've massively moved the goalposts, haven't they?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, they have, and their minimum order quantities have gone up. And anytime I've said anything, I feel like I'm the pain in the ass, yeah, like I'm a burden to them, and I've said to them a few times like I feel like you don't want my business. They're making I feel like you don't want my business. They're making it really difficult. If you don't want my business, let me know. And she's like no, but it's just the way the business is and basically, take or leave it and I understand, with or without your energy, right, but I'm still a customer and I'm still spending tens of thousands of pounds a year.
Speaker 1:So, what did you do? I wrote an email to the owner and linkedin yeah, basically give zero fucks. Who responded is very generic. I appreciate his response and I just said to him like I feel that I'm being shunned as a small customer. But I'm a small customer that could become big, yeah, and then you're going to see me as important, but right now you don't, yeah, so my 10 to 20 grand a year is not important enough for you and it's not what they say, it's not how they say, no, it's how they've made you.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much and it's all very generic, not like non-committal, and I said to him I want to give you feedback. I'm a business owner and I don't want to just be that customer that disappears, doesn't buy from you anymore, and then you know without telling you, yeah, and he just went with. You know our systems, our business has grown massively and we've had to make a few amendments and we can't do the same level of one-to-one service or something as we did once upon a time.
Speaker 2:Sorry, you feel like that best of luck or something, and I was like so this is what it was like thanks for your business, but you're too small for us is basically what I got from that which is such a shame, but what they're doing is creating a gap in the market for someone else to come in, because they'll. You won't be the only person that's feeling like this, because they have made a conscious effort to focus on efficiency and optimization, which I understand as a business owner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but they could spin it, but the thing is, it's the same as putting all your eggs in one basket, right? What if that big company, that massive company that they're dealing with, or the massive five companies the bigger they are, the harder they fall?
Speaker 2:yeah, so if those companies go down, yeah but that'll be a lesson for him, right, and you've tried to help him see, and you've done everything that you possibly can to say I don't quite agree like this is not.
Speaker 1:It's not. For me, it wasn't that difficult just to put some labels on, yeah, but it was the questioning of why I use those products and I'm explaining it going. You know like, I've got the insurance to pay for this, you don't need to tell me what to do, yeah, with this. Oh it was.
Speaker 2:I was really insulted yeah, I think it's a real shame. Real real shame when businesses do that.
Speaker 1:I think the products are the best, and I did tell him that if it wasn't for the fact that your products are the best ones I can get, I would have left.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's an element of being over a barrel, which is what happened with the old fulfillment company as well. Yeah, you were over a barrel with them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because it was the fear of moving all of that stock and that process. I was like, oh god, I have found another company for products but it's going. It took me like a year to develop my products at least, and it took me so many different tests and I just think I can't be bothered with it. I really like them. I don't want to try and match it. Can I? Can they be matched? But then also the other suppliers don't produce the oil, so I'd have't produce the oil, so I'd have to get the oil made there. But what I think this company I'm working with now want to do, I don't think they want to be in bottling, I think they want to be in mass production.
Speaker 1:And actually at Ideas Fest I was speaking to a lady no, it was a Lady Anna guy actually on a stall. He's built the hoppers. He's an engineer that's built the machine hoppers. Yeah, you know the ones that, yeah, you fill the bottles, yeah. And the lady, one of the, the girl on the stall, knew me. She was like you're Mooskin, aren't you? And I was like yes, and she went, I follow you. I really wanted to talk to you, I'm really pleased you're here, and I was like, okay, like considering Mooskin followers are like what? 200?
Speaker 1:I was gobsmacked, yeah, but it's because she was talking about filling bottles and she was fascinating and the guy on the stall knew the company that I'm talking about and he was like they are really shifting towards. They want people to buy. What you're buying is five liters. They want people to buy like 10, 20 liters and then fill their own products because they don't make the money in filling products because of the time and the equipment and labeling and all of that. They literally want to give you the big 10 liter drums and then you use something like this and fill up your own bottles and I was like, oh, martin, do you want to create like a conveyor belt? And, oh god, I thought of it. I'm like, yeah, bringing it all back in house again. I don't want to do that.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no. I think you're definitely better off with the partner, aren't you?
Speaker 1:yeah, I just want something to give a shit.
Speaker 2:The thing is they're just missing a trick. Really like, from my perspective, this company if they're, they want to focus on that, fine, but how much of their business is this now? Can you segment it off, or can you just teach your customer service team to pretend that they give a shit? Yeah, I think that's the difference, like yeah, it's the emotional intelligence, I think.
Speaker 1:But it's coming from the top, because his attitude was very much like well, thanks very much for your feedback. Sorry, you feel like that. Glad you love our product. See you later. Yeah, I was like okay, I'm not expecting like red carpet, come and have a conversation. I'd love to get your feedback, although that is something I would do. Yeah, and I think that's the difference. If I get a complaint in my business, I take it really seriously and I want to know how I can improve.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was not. This comes down to values.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he was not interested in the slightest, which is a real shame. It's a real shame because I don't want to move, but is that being held over in it by an over-barrel Like you've got to do this or yeah. Yeah, so that's really frustrating, but I don't know if it's just a point of we're in this. In the level of business I'm at now and like growing, I feel like the partnerships I've got around me are so important. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, you're about to level up. We're going into player four enters the game and you're going up to level three and you will be able to access a different kind of service, different kind of providers. You will have more choice. Because you're bigger, you'll be able to play the market more freely. Yeah, true, but no one can see that opportunity at the minute because you're only as good as the orders that you've put in. Yeah, morphle them. If they can't see the opportunity, yeah, there will be someone else.
Speaker 1:I will do one more order and see how I get on with it. And see, because the next order I do will have to be bigger.
Speaker 2:Yeah. But we'll see you're gonna give them one last opportunity so yes, let's go into questions last time we recorded, we asked all of our five listeners what they would like to know. How can we help? Was our question. Yes, oh, the other thing also that we need to talk about is that you are about to speak at professional beauty on sunday I am.
Speaker 1:I've got a couple of speaking gigs at the minute. So, yeah, I'm speaking at professional beauty north thanks to you and your pr skills. This is the first time I've ever been asked. You know a lot of the time you're going out there like so putting yourself out there. Can I speak here? Can I do this? This was the first time I've ever been asked.
Speaker 2:Oh, they're on it. They loved you. Can we have?
Speaker 1:Amy, amy, amy, amy, amazing Amy, thanks. So I'm talking all about franchise Franchising, your own brand Franchising, buying into a franchise, and I'm really excited about it, really excited Going on with Todd as well.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you are. I'm going to try and pull something out of the bag.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I've booked a premiere in. You're welcome to come and crash me if you want Thanks.
Speaker 2:I think it's going to be amazing and I'm really, really looking forward to how you're getting on. How are you feeling about it?
Speaker 1:A little bit nervous. Oh yeah, yeah, but I've been doing so many presentations and slides like I know it, and I know the information I've got is all in my head. I don't need to. I just need slides to trigger different parts of it so, yeah, I've just done the whole online mastermind.
Speaker 1:I've done Katie Godfrey's mastermind with her crew the other day, so I have no problem with what I'm talking about at all. I just it's I don't know. I think last time I done it, I done one about waxing and I had four about at all. I just I don't know. I think last time I done it, I done one about waxing and I had four people turn up and I got myself in such a like state to get to do this talk and then I stood there and I had four people and I'm like I hope it's not the same again. I hope it's not the same.
Speaker 1:I've been asked to talk at Surrey College as well, a university, the Reading University, the business studies group, and that's a contact of mine, but randomly she's asked me to go and speak to her class. She's like I don't want you to get up at the lectern because it's a university. She goes. I think it would be a bit intimidating, but I'd like to do a question and answer session with you and let them ask questions about your LinkedIn profile, and she goes, and how to maximise your LinkedIn profile. She goes. I'm doing loads of work with them at the minute about utilising LinkedIn and I was like mate, I don't. I mean I use LinkedIn. She goes, but I think your content is really unique on LinkedIn. I was like, is it? I don't think it is.
Speaker 2:It is actually, it's very authentic. Yeah, oh, okay.
Speaker 1:Maybe that actually it's very authentic. Yeah, oh, okay, maybe that's where she's going with them, but she hasn't given me that, that word. But, yeah, she's invited me to go and talk to all these business studies students getting out there. Yeah, but that sort of shit is what I really love. Yeah, because they're studying business, but they're being taught by people that have never run a business, I know, and I'm like, why, yeah, why I know, because I would love to do that in the future. No, when I've actually got time and I've made all my millions and I don't need to work, then I would do that.
Speaker 2:What impart your knowledge on the youngers?
Speaker 1:Yes, For people that want their own business. I would, oh, I'd love that. I'd love it. Little academy yeah, like a proper business school Academy. Yeah, like a proper business school. Yeah, I'll teach you your fucking margins, as you need to know them. I'll teach you your fucking margins, yeah, but it's true, because they're not learning that properly. Young adults, no, but also how to get yourself out there. That'd be really cool, wouldn't it Imagine?
Speaker 2:if we pooled the?
Speaker 1:resources together of all of our crew, and we had like a proper business school.
Speaker 2:So even if I could just take one crew and we had like a proper business school, so even if I could just take one. So when I was talking to the 18 19 year olds last week I was talking about values and steve was talking about how he's motivated by money but then actually gave the backstory behind it which was formed when he was very, very young by his nan and mine was.
Speaker 2:I said guys, I'm not motivated by money, but if I can shift one of you from walking in this room to feeling slightly more positive when you walk out, that's me fulfilled. That really is. And then later on in the presentation, we talk about practicing your communication skills in a world where, in a world that doesn't want to communicate with you. Yeah, self-service, pay at the pump, all of that kind of stuff. So we encourage you to use your communication skills, have the self-awareness, practice those soft skills, blah, blah, blah. And then, on day two or three, a young lady came up to me at the end I do a visualization with them as well. So take them into time machine, put them to next year when they open their results, and then ask them to step outside of themselves and take a photo of what that felt like and look at it every day. And she came up to me at the end and said I loved that she has made my month. I loved that.
Speaker 2:The visualisation was amazing, everything that you delivered, really impactful. Thank you so much. And Steve and I were like no, thank you. Thank you for telling us, thank you for giving us feedback, feedback. And then, on the last day someone else said about can I do work experience with you? Yeah, amazing, but imagine if you could take those 18 19 year olds that had the desire to set up their own business and shove them through an academy. Oh my god, maybe that's what's happening in three years. Right, should we go for a question, okay, regarding time for small business owners. After seeing poor service providers who market well do better in business than good service providers who don't market well, this is a clear sign that emphasis on marketing should overtake the efficiency and organisation for delivery of a service.
Speaker 1:This is completely backward in my opinion well, the problem is, you could be delivering the best service in the world, but if no one knows about it, business isn't going to work right.
Speaker 2:And if you, are a business of one. How do you service and market at the same time, isn't?
Speaker 1:this a standard problem within every single small business owner. 100%, because they're creating a business on their values or what they want, or the problem they're trying to fix. Yeah, but there's always an area that they're missing. Whether it's finance, whether it's marketing, it's their weakest area, yeah, so then just bring in someone to do it for you.
Speaker 2:But this person's point will be they can't afford it.
Speaker 1:Then you've got to figure it out.
Speaker 2:It's like standing out from a crowd, isn't it? So they're basically saying the people that have got money to buy up these services putting a veil over the service that they actually provide because they've got the cash, whereas the ones that don't can't I get it.
Speaker 1:But I also feel like there's a bit of a mindset shift here. Big time, yeah when. Stop worrying about what anyone else is doing. Don't put your energy into that. Put your energy into what you're doing. Stay in your own lane and if it's something that's not working, it's not pushing your business forward then figure it out.
Speaker 2:Yeah is what I would say yeah, I agree and I talked to I think I've said this before but so many business owners that are obsessed with socials, yeah, absolutely obsessed with social email campaigns.
Speaker 1:Do you know what drives most of our business email communication?
Speaker 2:your email stats are something to behold. It's like a 55 open rate. That is mad. It's up. It's 124 better than the average in 2023.
Speaker 1:That is insane and we're emailing to about 10 to 12 000 people across our business. I don't I never know the exact number because some people drop off so the figures are great, but what does that tell us?
Speaker 2:that tell us that you've got a hugely engaged, but it's consistent and also I'm very um very particular.
Speaker 1:I don't want any sales in it. Like it is sales, like we talk about a product but it's no hard sales. It's not like buy this and you're going to miss out, like that urgent sale. It's none of that. No, it's just pure communication. We talk about stuff that's happening in the team so they feel it's all to do with community, like that's our value, right? So community and connection and collaboration. We have a whole section at the bottom of every email that is community led. Yeah, so if someone that comes into one of our salons has a business that they want us to promote that they think will help our clients, then we promote it for free. Yeah, which everyone's like you're crazy, you could charge for that. I'm like I could, but why? Yeah, because then that's inauthentic. Yeah, this is way more powerful yeah.
Speaker 2:So, in answer to the question, have a look at your marketing strategy. I will always. I feel like I. This is all I say all the time. Your answers always lie in your target audience always yeah, where are they?
Speaker 1:because they you might be delivering a premium service and they the people that are going to the other companies might be happy with what they're getting. Yeah, it's not your problem. No, your problem is to forget about that. It's a lot of waste, yeah, it's a lot of wasted energy. Yeah, and a lot. I think a lot of businesses fall into that like, oh, they're doing this and you know well, it's okay for them because they've got all of this. Yeah, but that's so much wasted energy. Like they're doing that, how do I get there? What do I do? What am I doing? Or how do I do it better? Because if you're just doing a copy or replicate someone else's, you're only going to get what they're getting. How do you do it better? And if you're already delivering a better service, then you're halfway there.
Speaker 2:Yes, you've just got. Identify your differentiators and bring it to life. Hope that helps. I don't. Yeah, I hope it does too. How do you find the energy to keep on going, especially when times are super tough or you can't see the end?
Speaker 1:oh, I really feel for whoever wrote this. How do you feel about that? Because you're in midst of baby still. I'm not.
Speaker 2:I feel like good question. So I feel like I have the past. I've really struggled the past year, really struggled and the things that have got me through to help me find the energy is you, as my tribe, is doing stuff that makes me happy. I always need to feel like I'm adding value or making progress. So having the self-awareness on what fills me back up and not doing the things that fills me back up and not doing the things that make me unhappy. Yeah, like overthinking or procrastinating has been key, but I feel like I'm constant because hope is so young.
Speaker 2:I'm constantly saying, right, where does my energy need to be? But I don't get that clarity to think unless I've slept well. So I think there's some bare basics sleep, nutrition, exercise. I'm probably only fulfilling one of these right now. Yeah, that enable me to have that energy. Yeah, if I don't have those things, I'm more likely to fall into bad habits or things that I know that aren't good for me. That impacts my energy. So it's the self-awareness of surrounding yourself with people for me that fill my love cup up yeah, it's also doing what you love.
Speaker 1:If you don't love it, it's a square peg in a round hole situation, isn't it? Yeah, it's forced. I love what I do. I absolutely love it. I've created a business that I wanted. I've created a business that I want to go to as a client I'd want to work in as a therapist I'd want to manage. It's a business that I want to do everything about. It like, yes, it's tough, yes, it's been really difficult. Sometimes I've had like the hardest conversation, sometimes I've had the best, sometimes I've, you know, made some I've screwed up and sometimes I've I've not. Yeah, but all of it I absolutely love.
Speaker 2:I totally like with love in your heart, you can do anything right. Yeah, but for me this year I've really found it hard to read constant. I felt like I'm having to reinvent. Yeah, because it's been so challenging to convert clients and I think I probably know why that's happened. Looking back with hindsight, that's been really challenging, really really challenging.
Speaker 1:You've gone through loads of different phases with your relationship with wild bird, like it's been really ridiculous. Yeah, pivoting, do I pivot? Do I not do? What am I doing? Because you just, you just didn't find your place. Did you like what you wanted to focus on and what you?
Speaker 2:know was important.
Speaker 1:I'm not even sure if I'm there yet I think, you're getting closer and closer and I think you've got. The thing is, when you're a small business, you have to adapt quickly, don't you? You have to be able to pivot and you have to go. I'm not feeling this. This doesn't feel great. I'm going to go this way and that's the beauty. Yeah, having a small business, yeah, and you've got to make those mistakes or make those changes to then fall on the one that you really love. Yeah, yeah, and I don't.
Speaker 2:I don't think you're far off. No, I'm really enjoying what I'm doing now. I'm yeah, I really am. So next question this is the last one I'm considering going self-employed, but I'm scared to make the leap. I'm not sure if I should do it or if I should stick in employment. How do I know if it's right? Hmm, so I'd say, push the fucking button and go for it and I would say take the leap and build your wings on the way down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think I told you about my sister with franchise. I told you I'd sold my flat in Southampton and I said I feel like I visualise it. I've got this massive button in front of me. It's a big, fucking red button and I want to push it, but it means that I'm going to my any savings I've ever had into this next business. Blah, blah, blah. And she went yeah, push the fucking button. And I was like I'm in, I'm in. I pushed the fucking button 15 grand into Moors franchise. Covid hit Fuck, that's the only savings I've ever had. Okay, thanks for that. However, it was worth it and it will still be worth it, and the money is still in the business. I still haven't had it back yet. However, it will come, it will all happen and it will all come. I feel like if it's in you, if you have that burning desire, as you would call it, yeah, if you have something that says I really have an itch I need to scratch, yeah, you're gonna regret it, yeah.
Speaker 2:I tell you what was bugging me about working like working for someone else was I was going. I can do it better than them yeah what are they doing?
Speaker 2:why have they got to that? Well, I could do this better. Yeah, I want to do this for myself, like I think that there are certain things that happen that push you further towards that, and it's knowing when you're at that threshold and when to change and adapt and take that leap. But there's always a I mean, there's nothing to stop you doing both. You could do a little side hustle if you're in paid employment. Depends how big your risk barometer is, doesn't it? So you could do a side hustle while you're still in employment to really test how how strong that desire is yeah, but when you do it as a side hustle, you're still relying on another source of income.
Speaker 1:So you don't give it your all. Doesn't matter what you think, you will not be giving it your all. Yeah, until your whole livelihood or your family would like like, yeah, need that money. It's a totally different hustle totally agree with that.
Speaker 2:Obviously set up wild bird with a lovely redundancy package on me, yeah, but then you run out quickly, didn't you? No, I made it last a little while, but I don't think that I would have. I had a buffer. I always had a buffer. Yeah, it's only when it ran out that I was like, oh fuck yeah, yeah, I've got a hustle now. Yeah, I was hustling, but not proper hustling like 20 hustling yeah, no, I don't know, I don't know it's hard to because it's all. No, no, no, no it's so different.
Speaker 1:When you've got no income, you've got no other choice yeah, you're on knees. You've just got to figure it out and I think that's when you come up with the best decisions. Yeah, but when you've always got that backup and that buffer, yeah, you're not going to give it 100. A hundy.
Speaker 2:One hundy. Yeah, that's it guys. Well, that's been lovely, has it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've enjoyed it, although I really need a wee now, yeah, and next week, when we get together, I think we should record Maybe a little tidbit.
Speaker 2:Yay, thanks guys Are we?
Speaker 1:going to use this. Oh, we are Go on, then give it the clapper. See you later. Bye for now. Bye for now.
