Trusting Your Instincts: How Sammie Searle Built an Award-Winning Business

Trusting Your Instincts: How Sammie Searle Built an Award-Winning Business.

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Welcome to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast! In this special Spotlight series episode, Nicole Louise Geddes sits down with Sammie Searle: performer, entrepreneur and the heart behind award-winning children's entertainment business Boogie Tots. 

After building a successful career on stage and overseas, Sammie decided to create her own spotlight, founding a thriving business that helps performers craft flexible, fulfilling careers, especially around family life.

Today, we dive into Sammie's journey from being labelled "bossy" as a child to embracing her natural leadership as a franchisor and CEO. We’ll talk self-doubt, setbacks, and the art of trusting your instincts, as well as the transferable skills every performer possesses, often without realising it. 

If you’re a performer facing a pivotal moment, a parent balancing ambition and family, or simply dreaming of building something meaningful, this is the episode for you. Get ready for honest stories, practical advice, and inspiring proof that sometimes the greatest spotlight is the one you build for yourself.

Chapters
00:00 Sammie's entrepreneurial journey

04:10 Reflecting on being a leader

08:39 Prioritising Happiness at Work

11:50 Transitioning skills from entertainment to business

13:43 Gaining confidence and public speaking

17:37 Winning Mompreneur of the Year

21:59 Perseverance in the performing arts

25:14 Joining business coaching programs

28:10 Understanding business layers and learning

29:32 Investing in a boot tops franchise

32:43 Benefits of becoming a franchisee

37:16 Wrapping Up the Episode

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📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello and welcome back. In this episode of the Spotlight series, we're joined by the incredible Sami Cell, performer, entrepreneur, franchiser, and founder of the award-winning children's entertainment business Foodot. After spending years entertaining audiences across the UK and overseas, Sami found herself facing a question many performers eventually ask. What happens when the life you want no longer fits the career you've built? Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity to appear, she created one for herself. Together we'll explore the journey behind her chapter, not bossy the bot. From navigating self-doubt and career setbacks to building a thriving business that now helps performers create flexible careers around family life. We'll talk about leadership, confidence, franchising, motherhood, and the transferable skills performers often underestimate. This is a conversation about trusting your instincts, embracing your strengths, and discovering that being too much might actually be your superpower. Whether you're a performer considering the next chapter, a parent balancing ambition and family life, or someone dreaming of creating something meaningful from scratch, Sammy's story is proof that sometimes the greatest spotlight isn't the one you're given, it's the one you build for yourself. Please welcome to the spotlight the wonderful FOSS babe Sammy Searl. Welcome to the Spotlight series, where each week we meet one of the brilliant co-authors and creatives behind Spotlight on Success, the Performanpreneur book that's redefining what success looks like both in and out of the showbiz spotlight. I'm your host here, Nicole Louise Geddis, and in these special episodes we learn even more about the stories behind the sequence. Raw, honest, powerful reminders that the end of one act is only the beginning of another. So listen in as we chat challenges and triumphs and inspire you to shine in any spotlight you like. Thank you. Absolute pleasure, Sammy. It is an absolute joy to have you here on the podcast and to have you as an additional co-author in our best-selling book. It is such a privilege to have you join us for the second edition. How does it feel to be an author, Sammy?

SPEAKER_01 2:07

It feels a bit crazy. Um yeah, I'm quite excited to uh when the book comes out and um yeah, all of that.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

It's gonna create even more ripples than the first edition because the four additional stories we've added just add so much more depth and breadth, and everybody's experience is so different. It's just impossible not to reach the person that needs to hear your story. And the think the person that does need to hear it is somebody who's navigating that kind of pivotal moment of stepping up into that CEO role, like that internal one. We're talking about turning that bossy and business brain into that CEO leader, and you've done that perfectly. Through your chapter, you talk about starting um life as a child label bossy and ending here we are now as an award-winning franchiser with Boogie Tots as the CEO of your life and your business. Talk us through um very quickly, kind of where you started internally and emotionally with that bossy label and how it feels to own that now later on in life.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Yeah, so being called, well, I was called a leader. It's uh in my school report, it said Samantha always wants to be the leader, and I remember feeling not good about that, and um because ultimately that means you're bossy, and it's not a very attractive quality, or we're led to believe it's not an attractive quality in the little girl, so yeah, so I guess I didn't really want to be the bossy one because bossy one isn't popular, and um yeah, I guess as well, always been a former, always looking for a little bit of attention. Um, and yes, and now I'm embracing the fact that I actually I'm I am a leader, I'm very good at being a leader, and when I'm not the leader, I kind of want to take charge. So um I'm trying to just embrace that and accept what I'm good at and admit that boss doesn't have to be bossy doesn't have to be a a bad thing.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

It certainly isn't, and actually funny that you just said that because it just highlights the fact that it never said bossy in the first place, that's evolved in your own mind and possibly in other conversations that developed after that particular moment that sits with you all these years later. Um, leader is such a strong word, but again, it's something that many people kind of sway away from because of the accotations. But you are leading your own life, Sammy. Now you always have done through your chapter. Um, you talk about travel, you talk about um different different roles, different relationships, um, and they've all led you to where you are now. So, what do you actually think about the word leader now?

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Yeah, I like it. I like it, and I know I'm I'm good at it. There's um like certain situations in our in our house, like it uh in our family, where I kind of want my husband to take charge, but we've kind of we know now that I am better at it, so I just need to step into that role and I will take charge because I'm I know how to handle these situations. So yeah, I'm embracing it. I'm just trying to um make it who I am and is fine. Who I am is fine.

SPEAKER_00 5:24

Well, who you are has got you right to where you are meant to be. Um, so and that is building your franchise boogie tots, it's creating that business, it's juggling motherhood and you know, small children at the start, and now you know adult children here, and building that business alongside all kinds of seasons of your life. Um, do we want to jump there quickly? Talk to us about boogie tots. I know you're branded up there and wearing the t-shirt. You probably just come in from a session, and it's very much you know what you do and who you are right now, um, leading that. So tell us about Boogie Tots.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

Yeah, so Boogie Tots are fine, engaging dance classes that are very much based in my entertainment background, um, based on that mini disco that you would have, you know, when you go on holiday. But also, um, so my first child was a boy, and when we were looking for classes, there wasn't much out there for boys, not in that musical dance kind of space. If if it was, it was ballet or um musical theatre, and we tried a couple of those, but what they were asking was for my child to stand still on a spot and wait for his turn, and he wasn't really gonna do that. So I decided to create boogie tops for Him and For Me, and it's a fun um dance-along activity that requires imagination and creativity, and it's really great, and it's really come around now. So we just hit our 18th birthday, and there's just things that are happening now. Um, I recently reached out to a couple of people that used to come to Boogie Totts to try and get some uh testimonials on what they thought of it, and it's resulted now into a girl that used to come to Boogie Totts. She now she's going to be you leaving university in um June, and she wants to come and work with Boogie Tots, and I just think that's amazing because that really does it's a long game, but we've created that person who's got that confidence, who loves dance, who loves to move, who loves performing, and now they're coming all the way at 20 years old and still still got it.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

Oh, I love that. I'm literally jumping around my questions, Sammy, because that's giving me goosebumps. And I can see if you're watching this on YouTube, listeners, you can see Sammy's kind of love and joy for everything that she is doing and creating and created. Um, and I'm gonna jump to a question that was further down my list about being a heart-led leader. Um, and I think you can tell from listening to that and that journey, 18 years in the making of just the boogie top part. Um, but you've also spoke about, you know, using your skills from the entertainment industry, from from those mini discos and entertainer kind of skills and foundations to build that, and then you built it around your son. And I'm just seeing so many love hearts when I'm speaking to you and hearing your story, it's just very heart-led. Um, and if you've read Sammy's chapter, you'll know she followed her heart into relationships and moving countries and motherhood. Um, do you think that that is you know something you'd encourage others to do? Because the girl that you're now taking on as uh Boogie Tot's uh professional, she's also kind of following her dreams and her hearts. Do you think that's important?

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Yeah, I think I think times are different now, and I think um younger people do that more. I think they take on well if they can find a job, they again they take on jobs they want to do. And um it's I think it's it's important to leave with your heart. It's about happiness. You've got to be happy in your work. There's nothing worse, I think, in than going to work in an environment where um the people are hard to get on with, or you know, there's no joy when you're there. So I think it is really important to leave with your heart and do the things you want to do because um you know what's the risk? If you don't like it, you you find another job or you you try something else. I I was always brought up that way that if um you know, if it doesn't work out, you just come home again, or if it doesn't work out, you do something else. So I've kind of always led with that, and you know, risks are good, it's good to take risks, you know, you're never gonna get anywhere if you just stay on one path for the rest of your life. You've got to experience stuff.

SPEAKER_00 9:41

I completely agree. And that sentence and that statement you said that your family obviously said to you growing up is one that you know I can completely relate to. It was something that was said in our household often. If you don't like it, you don't have to stay, you can come home, home, home, home. And just knowing that you had that security to make a different choice and change things up. But that's you and I now here at the end of a you know a good few chapters going at work because it you can evolve, you can maneuver. Is there any is there any point, Sammy, where your head really did say one thing and your heart said the other, and you were in that limbo kind of moment or have you always followed your heart?

SPEAKER_01 10:22

I think it's hard to follow your heart sometimes because you because you had these like sensible decisions. Um but in entertainment, in that environment, um there's very much it's very much led that way. I was I was thinking this about I think that might be why I'm quite good at business. Um, because there's a lot of trial and error in entertainment. You get you get lots of chances, you know, you have different holiday mochers every two weeks, so something that lands one week might not land the other. Or so I think you get lots of chances. So I think when I was younger, I would have led with my head and maybe followed the contract. I think a lot of people do that. Um, but as time went on, I um yeah, I did leave with my heart. I left what could be considered the perfect job or the job I was striving for. Um, I left that to um let follow my heart and uh be with my now husband.

SPEAKER_00 11:15

I think it's important for you to say that part out loud because many people reach a crossroads and it is determined that crossroads is you know navigating those relationships, you know, that that building on and wanting something different that might not fit with where we've been going. And a lot of the time I hear my clients say, you know, it's that moment of marriage or parenthoods, and there's no there's no shame in that. That's exciting, that's a brand new chapter, and then I think you're absolutely right. From for many years we'd have followed our our heads, but when the heart does kick in, and that's what the book's about, right? When passion meets purpose, when the heart and the passion and everything aligns, then you've got the next beautiful spotlight to step into. What other skills? Because I think you're right, I think entertainment does give people a lot of chances and experience to take chances. I love that, and I'm gonna I'm gonna use that in the future and credit you for it because it's perfect, it makes complete sense. So that is a fundamental kind of lesson and learning through entertainment and the entertainment industry that we probably don't even realise we're gifted. Um, what other things do you think is transferable? What do you think as an entertainer you learnt that now as a CEO of your business, you're going, yeah, no, I I learned that many moons ago and it's working for me today to still?

SPEAKER_01 12:39

So I think definitely people's skills. Um, I think people underestimate people's skills, and I see this a lot in my business, where um the ability to talk to other adults now that might sound really silly, but uh um people can entertain kids all day all day, but you've got to entertain the adults too, and that's where that's where the gold is because especially in a school when we go into schools and nurseries, if you can get those teachers and those TAs involved and dancing, I think um it just changes everything, and then they're on your side, so then the kids are on your side, the parents are on your side. I think that's really really helpful, and also being able to work a crowd. So I feel in my business in Boogie Tots, I could get uh maybe not everyone, but at one point I could get each of you joining in at some point, and I'm very confident in that, and I think uh the ability to keep going, you know, do your set no matter what's happening, you just keep going, even if the world's crumbling, you're just carrying on. I think that's really important, and um yeah, and confidence, and and faking confidence because we always as an entertainer, you don't may not have the confidence that you portray, but uh confidence is a big one. And then I do know what else when I became a mother, I then realized how important it is to highlight the kids, entertain the kids, let them have their moment. Um, and I really try and do that, and I think just like those those skills that you think are social people skills are actually really valuable. And another one, just being able to talk on a microphone, the amount of people that are scared to talk on a microphone. I experienced that um when I was on the PTA in the school, no one wants to make an announcement, so you know, and that's another place where I took a took a step forward and became the leader.

SPEAKER_00 14:33

I love that. No, there's hundreds of transferable skills. I think you could go on and on because you're right, there's so many. And listeners, if you're listening, going, well, I can do that, I can do that, I can do that. You can do anything. Those foundations from our show bizground really do hold us in good stead. This book is live in proof, you're live in proof. Everybody that comes on this podcast is live in proof. Um, so if there's a performer listening today who feels trapped because they consider themselves just a dancer, just a singer, just an entertainer, what would you want to tell them directly? What you know, what kind of mindset shift do they need? Because we know they've got the skills, they're listening and thinking, oh, yeah, no, I can do all of that, but there will be just a piece of that puzzle that's missing. They just think they're just a what's what's your advice for those people listening?

SPEAKER_01 15:24

Well, it's not just, it's like you are, you know, you are an entertainer, performer, dancer, and those transferable skills can really work in any any job, really. You know, being able to customer service is presentation, it's you know, it's yeah, I think I personally think if you want to do something, you should just go for it. You should give it a try because what what do you actually lose? You might lose a little bit of time, a little bit of effort, maybe some money. And I think those are risks worth taking for like for future happiness. And um, yeah, I don't know if that answered your question, did it?

SPEAKER_00 16:02

It absolutely did. What can you lose, but what can you gain? I love that you said, Sammy, I'm gonna repeat it back to you. You're not just a, you are a, and I think that's the bit. Maybe we're putting a bit of shade on the fact that you know we're just a performer or we are a, but actually, that is who you are, and that version of you can step into to the next spotlight, to the next job, to the next role, purely because of exactly who you are-a dancer, a singer, an entertainer-that is always going to be part of you. And let's build on that, let's build on that, let's find the support, let's do the thing. Um, and when you did the thing, Sammy, you went and won awards. You did it, you committed, you built this business. You 18 years old, um, it's still going strong, it's evolving every every year. And when you did start this, you created something very special, and it's an award-winning business. Tell us about that feeling because I can't imagine you believed that was possible at the beginning.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

No, I I don't really think I think for a long time boogie tox was something I did alongside my children. Um, I didn't really have um, I was gonna say I didn't have a mission, I always have ambition. Um, I guess I didn't know how to be that business person that can sustain the contracts and get new contracts and all of that, so I learned all of that, and then it wouldn't occur to me to apply for an award. I think I might have done it early on and it was a public voted one, and um yeah, and it didn't really get anywhere, and it was a little bit exciting. And then um uh last year I won um Mumpreneur of the Year, uh, which I'd applied for before, and I'd become a runner-up. And I cannot tell you what I put differently in those application pops, but I do know that in the one where I won, um the people that judged it they saw the passion and the heart, and maybe I wrote it rather than writing an essay, I wrote it from my heart and with all the passion, and that was what did it. I guess people want to know not just the ups, they want to know the downs as well, the difficulty, and that yeah, and now we're an award-winning business and um and and mum preneur as well.

SPEAKER_00 18:18

So, again, you can think, oh, she's just a mum, and she's um a businesswoman, but it's kind of highlighting the fact that yes, you are a mum, and you're a business woman, you're not just uh yeah, Just uh, we're gonna scrap Just uh you take from this podcast listeners, it's there's no Jester, you are a combination of everything. And Mumpreneur, I love that because you built the business because of your son not having the dance, the the um opportunity to dance and and perform as a child that you wanted for him, and so that just feels so special, right? Yeah, it does feel good, it does feel good, it's an incredible journey, and um you're also an SBS winner if anyone's into the entrepreneurial circles of watching The Opathetis, who um who is the the founder of that award as well. So you're one of those, that's amazing as well. So so much exciting stuff, and you can read about the highs and the lows that you've spoken about just then inside the chapter. But are you comfortable to share a couple of those lows to make you know so that listeners can really hear how real these stories are? What what is a low that that stands out for you, Sammy, over the years?

SPEAKER_01 19:32

Well, the first one was when we set up Boogie Tots. Um, you know, it was a bit of a disaster. It was the class the the the vision of the class for me was gonna be brilliant, we were gonna learn the routine, you know, me and Ben can do this little routine, we can show you, you're gonna do it with your kid, it's gonna be fantastic. And it was sort of like um teaching you a dance, you know, stop and start the music, learn this bit, and we quickly realized uh that this isn't going to work, it's just not gonna work, and it was really busy as well with the class. Um, and I just didn't really know what to do, so I've just sort of sat them all down, got them in a circle, and we I think we sang, we might have sang twinkle twinkle stuff. I I know nursery rhymes, but I don't know if I could access them at the time. So I think we did royal boat, twinkle, twinkle, and then someone asked for one called Dingle Dangle Scarecrow, and I was like, uh, I don't even know that one. So I think they sang it, and it just felt like a bit of a disaster, and I just thought, how is this? Oh, I thought, oh my god, this is so embarrassing. That's what I thought, and um, but you know, we continued, and it's it's pretty good today, and I know a lot more nursery rhymes, but yeah, that was quite a low, and there was a point when I did think about stopping it, I was gonna quit. Um, but someone liked it, and uh they're called Shore Start Um Nurseries, they picked it up, and we went again, you know, and this time I didn't have to taut for business, they were gonna pay me. So um then it then it went on. So it went on the low and then it went on on the up again. And there's there's been lots of lows like that in business, like where you don't win a contract back, or a school now doesn't want you because they don't have the budget and stuff, but you know what, there's more schools out there, so you just you just keep going and um yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

I think I think it's a really important story to tell, and we've we've got so many highs in your in your chapter, in your journey, in your life. Um, and I do want the listeners to hear all of that and read all about that. But the purpose of the book is to show that transition, to show that evolution, to show that growth and that determination that we've all got. And I think you're absolutely right. There'll be people that are watching the podcast, reading the book, social media in general, that just think that it comes so easily and so quickly and Part of my mission is to say, well, it's beautiful and it's necessary, but it's not always easy. And so I really appreciate you, you know, sharing that story because you saying it felt like it was a disaster is gonna reassure somebody else right now that starting or midway and classes don't feel like they're going in the direction that they need to. So thank you for that. But it did grow, and um, you'd never stopped, and I think that's just such a big thing that the performing industry does and has gifted us and builds us to do is just keep going, keep going, keep smiling. You know, you've slipped up or your costume buttons popped, but just keep going, keep going. I can imagine you in that scenario, Sammy, with your son just smiling away, keeping keeping the class moving. Um, and uh yeah, here we are today. Is there anything that you would have done differently, Sammy? Actually, over the years? Anything that you wish you'd done sooner or done differently, or how do you feel?

SPEAKER_01 23:03

I wish I'd got into a bit of business mindset earlier on. I think it would have changed my life a lot earlier and changed my family's life. So I think that would have helped. I would have liked to have grown quicker. So we're now looking at franchising and kind of looking at franchising a little bit out of a necessity, as in I'm getting older, and I've tried to talk my kids into taking over my business, but they're not at the moment, they're not interested. So I don't want Boogie Tots to end when I've had enough of it or I'm no longer able to do it. So that's the idea of the franchising. But I would have liked to have started that earlier if I'd have ever thought that Boogie Tots was something that could be franchised, because I don't think I did at the beginning, because you have an idea of what franchising is, um, and I think I was told it a business has to make a certain amount of money before it could be franchised, which isn't strictly true, you just have to be profitable. Um, yeah, so that's one thing I wish I'd done I'd done earlier, and I um and also get instructors in. So I had some instructors early on and have had bad experiences with them, and so then I was shied away from that for quite a while, and um, and now I'm back on it and it's all fine because I know what I want and I know how to get the right people. But yeah, I just think sometimes when you get burned or have a bad experience, you step away from it for a while. So maybe if I'd have got over those situations quicker, um, I could have expanded quicker.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

Um, so as a CEO, you're gonna have to delegate. So and I guess that's where that next up level came from again. Like I'm delegating, I'm learning, I'm growing. I was interested in you say about being more business-y, learning some more business stuff, um, because we don't get taught that in the industry, correct? We you know, we've got all these wonderful skills, but we don't get taught the business bit. However, as an entertainer, as a performer, you are running yourself as a business just unintentionally, like without the knowledge. Um, so how would you suggest performers find this business knowledge? Where did you learn it? Do you do you look for support? Do you use the internet? You know, there's so many options here. What what are your ideas for them?

SPEAKER_01 25:13

Well, first woke up to it during COVID when everyone was online. I guess I saw a couple of things, um, some business coaching and and I joined that. And then so being part of SBS, you get access to uh business advice and like little courses and stuff like that, and then also um I'm part of a Nat West um accelerator thing, which helps you with business, so there's always little courses and stuff you can do, but I found it really useful for me personally to have um like a mentor or a coach that keeps me accountable and offers advice and is a sounding board because business is lonely, and uh you know, with all the will in the world, your friends and family are wonderful, but they don't always say the right thing, and it can be quite annoying um when they offer their opinions without having any um you know information on it. So, and I if I ask my husband, he doesn't say the right thing, it does annoy me, and then I think, why did you ask him? Why did you why did you do that? He doesn't know about this. So um, yeah, I think having someone to talk to who is of the same level or a little bit above you is really really helpful.

SPEAKER_00 26:24

That's been there and done that, you know. Um I completely agree. I stopped talking to my husband about business a long time ago. He's in the military, he does not get the entrepreneurial journey. Um, but you're right, community. Um, it's the one reason that I built Perform Enpreneur. Sammy's part of the community, and it's just so nice to know that you're not alone, like you say, it is lonely. As a performer, as an entertainer, we've spent decades amongst people, you know, doing and loving the same thing as us, to then step out of the entertainment industry and go, right, I'm now into the entrepreneurial circle, but I'm gonna be on my own, just seems really alien to me. We've been in casts, we've been in dressing rooms, we've been in studios, we've been surrounded by people, and we get a lot of energy from that. Um, and so I am like you, Sammy, go find the people, go ask the questions, go learn, go join the communities, go get the mentor, um, and don't necessarily rely on those inner circles. They're kind of there's something different, they're to have your your your life and your joy and your family time with. This is different. And um, would you agree that you said it was lonely, but it's also it's very rewarding, but it's difficult at the beginning because it feels like we don't know many of the pieces of the puzzle.

SPEAKER_01 27:38

Yeah. When you were just talking there, it just made me think of something. As a performer and entertainer, we watch and we learn, like we get taught our dances, we watch a good compare, and we kind of pick what we might do for ourselves. And I think you don't have that in business, do you? You don't have someone to watch or learn from, and I think that's that could be um like the the clue, if you like, that we have a different way of working and we would take something that we're given and then adapt it to how it suits us, and I think that's you can apply that to business as well. 100%.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

Do you think that's kind of where sometimes people are downfall because they're watching, watching, watching, and they're expecting, expecting, expecting the same results, but because they're not being taught it, um they're not understanding all the layers beneath those kind of social media businesses or you know, the the adverts for courses and and things like that. Um, again, rhetorical question, really, because I think the conversation has evolved. I think I agree with you. We like to to watch and learn as entertainment professionals, yet with we're not asking to be supported and taught, then we're just looking at that superficial level and we're thinking that is it. And you and I both know there's much more to it. So find those people that are willing to share the steps. Um, and I know that you are absolutely the person to ask to showcase and share and teach how to run that incredible Boogie Tots franchise. So talk us through, Sammy, your process. How do you find these people? How do they find you? Um, and there's a there's a term in franchising, isn't there? Doing business but not alone. And I think that's basically what we're saying here. Like, how incredible to do this but not start from scratch and do it alone. So talk us through your franchise opportunity and what people would get from working with you.

SPEAKER_01 29:32

Yeah, so if you wanted to invest in a boot tops franchise, you can have um that business in your area, so where you live. We're quite small at the moment, so it's more than likely that um your area would be available. And you basically get everything you need, so um, all the lesson plans, all the choreography, um when to do it in the term, but not just that, like not just the lesson plans, you get how to get into the schools and nurseries, like how to set up your marketing and social media, how to run your business, and um basically everything you need. And if you like there's kind of a few different options, but if you're a full-on entertainer, then there's some great stuff. Like we've got Easter Bunny package, we've got um elf doorstep visits that we do, we've got um kids discos and kids club that you can work with the local holiday parks. So there's a lot of opportunities there, but I think one of the main things that's great about a franchise is I've just told you about those 18 years and the ups and downs, it just cuts all that out because we've done all the trial and error. I mean, it's does it doesn't mean it's easy, you still have to invest your time and work on your business, but it cuts out a lot of trial and error. I was talking to my franchisee the other day, and we were just talking about some business stuff, and she said she doesn't need to worry about the business side um because she knows it's all covered and she's got the information there, so she doesn't need to worry about um, I can't remember what her exact words are, but basically, because she's part of the franchise, she feels quite secure and she knows everything works. And I've I I love that. I was like, Well, yeah, that's good. That makes me feel really like um and good about it, and it's very much um so you know we're saying when you don't know about business, who you're gonna look to. That's what we would help you with, or I would help it's it's me. I'll say we it's me. I would help you with it, and um, and it's in my interests for you know your business to succeed because it's representing the boogie tops brand, and um, yeah, and it'd just be really nice. Boogie Tots is so good, it just needs to be in other areas because um it's really great for the community. That's one of the things we love uh the most about it. It's such a community thing, and mums and dads and grandparents they all love it, and um, it really integrates you as the pillar of your community that runs this really fun activity uh that people really love. So it's uh good for the soul as well.

SPEAKER_00 31:59

100%. I love that view that you are, you know, just hearing these words from your franchisees and just reiterating to yourself each time, hello, yes, I am the CEO of this. People are looking to you, Sammy, and you are giving them the business, the support, the identity. Um, and that's so important. And to become that person in your community, I can't think of anything more appealing to a performer than that. Like you go, you've gone from sailing the seas, working in holiday parks, and you're coming home. People do always want to come home from those incredible contracts, but something shifts, something changes. When you're at that point, um, listeners, what are you gonna do next? You know, this could be a business in a box, and that's the bit that makes me excited for potential franchisees. Like you say, you've got it all there, you've got the support, you've got the accountability, you've got the marketing. Um, my business, my first business, is 21 years old this this year, and yeah, if I could cut out 10 of those years of trial and error, how amazing would it be right now? So that is the opportunity that's available to anybody that's thinking about becoming a franchisee. Um you just get it given and gifted and all the hard work done, but you do have to put in the hard work too. Sammy, who is your chapter for? If you could say, pick up the book, hand it to somebody, who have you got in mind? I know when we did the the workshops and the chapter building part of the process, we got asked to visualize who we were handing that book to. Um, who do you hope will pick it up and what do you hope that they feel at the end of reading your chapter?

SPEAKER_01 33:38

So I think the person it's for is that uh performer that's just leaving college or university and they're not really sure what their path is and getting them emotionally stupid. Um and it's for it's for them to see like the opportunities that are out there because there's so much. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 33:58

No, I love Sami, you've got me tearing up heart-led entrepreneur in an absolute love heart here. You are the epitome of that, Sammy. Um, that emotion is real, listeners. It's real because Sammy and I have felt this journey over decades. And if we can make it easier for that next generation, I know you wholeheartedly believe in my mission, Sammy. If we can make that transition easier for the next generation, if you can see that there's many, many spotlights, not just the one that you're you know aspiring to right now, there'll be more, there'll be different opportunities, different chapters, different um directions, and it's so beautiful to see. I know you're emotional, but it's beautiful because we know what's possible. Um, and you have been part of this book, and it's incredible. How would you sum up your book writing um journey?

SPEAKER_01 34:50

Exactly that a journey, and again, it brings up a lot, it's not necessarily sad, but it brings up a lot of emotions, and I just think writing it down um is quite cathartic, you know, it's quite powerful, and um yeah, also when you write down, you're like, Wow, I'm amazing, I've done all these things, and um yeah, I think it was it was quite easy as well through the process. The process made it easy. I love a deadline, so I'm good at working to deadlines and and being told what to do. So uh yeah, it was it was nice, and uh that first time when you get a family member to read it. Um, so the first person to read it was my husband, who's like he loved it, and then sending it to my mum, whom and my mum is the sort of person that she won't maybe read it, but she'd be like, You spelled that wrong, there's not you need a comma there, you know. She'll critique it, but uh yeah, she just set sent back lovely my uh lovely comments, so it's yeah, it was nice, it was a nice experience, and I like the fact you get it all out of your head and you put it down, and there's lots of bits that didn't go in the book, but it kind of let you see what your life is, where what your journey's been, and there's a lot of there's a lot of lessons in there for me as well.

SPEAKER_00 36:05

Amazing, because cathartic is a word that comes up all the time, but how often do we stop and really stop and and look back on all of those those chapters? Um, I've loved reading your chapter, Sammy. I've loved getting to know you. We speak every week through the through the book process and the voice note support, and you're just an absolute dream. You are boss babe, your CEO, you're doing incredible things. The story is only gonna get bigger and better. We're on this franchise journey now. I can't wait for franchisees to step forward. And finally, before we go, just tell us all, Sammy. It will be in the show notes below. Tell us all where we find you on social media so that we can connect if we'd like to.

SPEAKER_01 36:49

So Boogie Tots has a website with boogie tots.com and on Instagram and Facebook, we are at BoogieTots HQ. Perfect. We'll see you over there.

SPEAKER_00 37:00

Uh have a lovely rest of your day, Sammy. Uh, listeners, please do go and buy the book Spotlight on Success, the second edition available on Amazon. And um, we will be back next week with another episode. Big love, Sammy. Bye. There you have it. Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the Spotlight series, where stories shine and success gets redefined. If you loved what you heard, hit like, follow, or subscribe. And be sure to grab your copy of Spotlight on Success over on Amazon. And don't forget to tag us at Performapreneur across all socials. If you've been inspired today to step into a new spotlight, you can find the whole community ready to support you at performapreneur.co.uk, as well as up and coming events and even more about each author. Until next time, stay bold, stay brilliant, and continue to shine.