£100K of business coaching in 45 minutes

Welcome back to Business Class ✈️

This week’s episode is a little bit different. We’re diving into something I’ve avoided talking about for a long time - mindset, confidence, and learning not to care what people think… even when you’re still figuring it out.

After investing over £100,000 into business coaches, mentors, therapy, and personal development, I’m breaking down the biggest lessons I’ve learned so far -not from a place of “I’ve mastered it”, but from being right in the middle of it.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why success comes down to consistency, not skill
• The real reason you struggle to stay disciplined in business
• How to deal with jealousy, comparison, and people acting weird around your growth
• Why people fall out of your life when you start levelling up
• The truth about being a business owner and how it changes you
• Why discomfort is the currency of success
• How to actually make things happen in business (even when you don’t feel ready)
• Protecting your energy, your mindset, and your identity as a founder

I also share some personal experiences around burnout, feeling “comfortable” in business, and what happens when you realise your next level requires a completely different version of you.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode is based on my personal experiences, opinions, and lessons as a business owner - take what resonates and leave the rest.

If you’re in that phase where you’re growing, evolving, and questioning everything… this one’s for you.

Take your seat, and let’s get into it ✈️

Produced by TAEPodcast www.taepodcast.co.uk

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome aboard to business class. The only place to be if you are on your journey to success. You'll be showing the ups, the downs, and everything in between. Just a disclaimer that this is all my own and famous and what if someone works for me as a first-time business owner. So please take everything I say with a pinch of salt. So take your seats, shop in, and welcome aboard to business class with me, Vicki Elliott. Welcome back to business class. Happy Monday. Thank you so much for taking your time out on a Monday and listening to me. I can't believe how many people listen to this every single week, like religiously. That means so much to me. Because it is hard to commit to one podcast. Like, I'm not gonna lie, I dip in and out of a lot of podcasts, and I have a really bad attention span. So for those of you that come back every week, it means so much to me. And I'm really looking forward to today's episode. I feel like I've not sort of, well, for you guys, obviously I post every week, but I sometimes bulk post, like bulk film. So I feel like I've not sat down by myself to record a solo episode in a while because I was so on it with my filming and my bulking and things like that. So I wanted to film a is it class as a special episode today? I don't know. Just something a little bit different because I feel like the one thing, if you'll notice that I haven't touched on in my podcast out of all the solo ones that I've done, the one thing I haven't spoken about really is like almost like mindset and not caring what people think because I haven't felt qualified to speak on that because I am still very much figuring it out. But I thought I don't think I'm ever gonna get to a place where I feel like I have figured out mindset and staying positive and um not caring about people's opinions and things like that. I'm getting better, but I was like, I'd rather do a podcast now speaking about what I've learned so far rather than like waiting for it to be perfect, if that makes sense. So I'm gonna basically summarize what I have learned from being coached by many, many business coaches and mentors and mindset coaches and therapists, you name it. I'm gonna put the best things that I have learned in this episode for me to come back selfishly and listen to, but also for you to understand the things that I've learned and some of the conversations that I've had have just been wild over the past even like year, two years. So that's gonna be the theme of today's episode. My takeoff this week is that I've been wearing hashtag not sponsored, a little aura ring, which you'll be able to see. And it basically tells me different things about me. I feel like we've all probably heard of an aura ring by now. Um, but my actual so it tells you what your body age is. And one of the first things I will say that sort of links in today's episode is that I believe when you're a business owner, this sounds so extreme, but you should be treating yourself like an athlete. Like you should have a really strict schedule, a really strict routine, a really good diet. Like it's really important because the better you are, the better your business is. So it's like I need to take this a little bit more seriously. So my ring told me, it tells you your body's age. You have to wear it for like two weeks, tells you the age of your body based on the exercise you do, I guess like the food you eat, um, your heart rate, things like that. So I'm, for those listening, I'm 25 years old. Can we get any guesses in of how old we think my body is? Okay. Drum roll. It told me my body is 35 years old. Now there's nothing wrong with being 35, but as a 25-year-old, I was like, right, so I'm my body's actually 10 years older than I physically am right now. So I've been basically working to get it back to my age or at least lower than my age. So I've been, I have like a little pink treadmill in my house. I've been running, I've been doing more yoga. So my takeoff is that so far I've got it down to 30, and that's after only a couple weeks of um training, but like moving my body more. So that just shows you like you, if you're sat at home thinking, I don't do this type of exercise, you need to get move in love because you don't want to be having an old body age. Because even though you look your age, that's going into like your quality of life, how long you'll live. Like that's been my focus, has been thinking about how I can take more care of my body. My departure is that I go through different modes in business, and I've spoken about this before. Like, you will have different periods of your business. Somewhere everything's going really well, you can be a little bit more relaxed, take the foot off the gas a little bit, and somewhere you're in acceleration mode, you're pushing yourself for whatever reason that might be. I am in push mode at the minute, and girl is exhausted. Like, I am literally all 24-7 hours of the day, I'm thinking about my business. I'm thinking about up-leveling it because I think I'm in a really strange place at the minute where I don't want to admit this, but I've kind of become a bit comfortable with my business. Like every month is a good month, everything's going well with the team, there's like no issues really. And I've I've become comfortable in the past few months. I've been like, this is great. I haven't really thought about how can I take it to the next level and how can I push for more clients and how can I push for more money and stuff like that. I've just been like, yeah, like everything's great. And the universe saw that and thought, Vicky, no. It shook me up a bit, and it was like, girl, come on, put your foot back on the brakes. So that's been my focus, and I am exhausted. I am, I do feel like I'm kind of like living on adrenaline. But um, I feel like just the more you go through in business, the more you get to a point where you're just like, yeah, this is normal. Like, you know that you can have the phases where you've you've got your foot on the pedal, but then you can have your phases where you cruise in a little bit more. So I'm on my foot on the pedal mode at the minute. So, jibba jabba out of the way. I'm gonna get into today's episode and give you, I'd say I've spent about£100,000 on business coaching, mindset, like I said, therapists, all of that jazz. I'm gonna try and summarize what I've learned to you in the next how long are my solo episodes? I don't know, 30 minutes, 45 minutes? Hopefully not an hour. Let's get on into it. Okay, so like I said, I have put off doing this episode because I didn't feel ready. Like I feel like when I give advice on things, I like to speak from the side of I've been through it, I've come out the other side, here's my advice. Whereas with mindset and with not caring about others' opinions, I'm still in it. I'm still learning to this day. I've still not got it all figured out. I still have those really sickening, horrible anxiety moments when something goes wrong. I still spiral when I get a hate comment and I get really, really hard on myself. Like I am still in that, but I'm not gonna let that hold me back from sharing with you what I'm learning and the journey that I'm on. So I basically put it down into different sections. But the first thing I want to focus on and the first rule that I have learned is that being successful does not come down to skill, it comes down to will. And that's a great little thing for you to remember. And basically what that means is consistency. We all hate this C word. We all hate the C word consistency, but we all we all know deep down that is the path that drives us to success. Like we all know that. If we were to be suc uh successful, yeah, if we were to be consistent and post three times a day on TikTok, in a year, it'd probably make your like match your salary and become your full-time job. Do we do it? No. We all know that if we went to the gym every day, we would probably get either the body that we're after or the mindset that we're after, or whatever it is we're craving from the gym after a year. But do we do it? No. We all know that consistency is king, but none of us do it. So when you think about people you look up to in business, they're actually no better than you. They just have been more disciplined with their consistency. That's what I've learned. So I'm no better than you, the people I look up to are no better than me, the people they look up to are no better than them. They're not smarter, they're not more um creative, whatever it might be. It's because they've been more disciplined and consistent. So that is where the first mindset hurdle comes in because you have to go so deep into why are you not being consistent? It's usually because you don't know what you're working towards. I definitely feel that when I'm not being consistent with my habits, my routine, um, with my vision of what I want to achieve in business, it's because I don't know what I'm working towards. I'm just doing it to get cash in the bank. I'm not really aligned with what I'm working towards. Um, the second one with consistency is that there's not, there's not enough leverage. So there's not enough almost bad things that will happen if you aren't consistent. So, for example, I really struggle, and I've always spoken really openly about this with like fitness and the gym and going on the treadmill and going to yoga with consistency, because for me, nothing bad is gonna happen if I don't go to the gym today. So why would I go? Do you know what I mean? Whereas I know that in the long run, if I don't go, uh it'll affect my mind, it'll affect my body, um, it'll affect my nervous system. Like that's the main reason I go above anything is to calm my nervous system and to get all my help energy out of my system. Why don't I go? Because nothing bad today is gonna happen if I don't go to the gym. So there's not a strong enough reason for me to go. So we have to create leverage. We have to create something bad that will happen if we don't do the thing. So I've always spoken about how um for me, what gets me to go to things is if I've spent money on it. If I've spent money on a yoga class, I'll go to it. If I've got to do yoga in my living room next door, next door, no, my dressing room, next door to my bedroom, I'm not gonna go because nothing bad's gonna happen. So you have to create leverage, otherwise, you will not be able to be consistent. And I've also wrote down here the person you have to become is harder than the business you're building itself. That was like a proper penny drop moment for me. Um, when one of my mentors said that to me. The person you have to become in business is harder than building the business itself. Like that is just that just does something to my brain. Because yes, the business is hard, but the way that I have had to alter as a person to fit being a business owner has been so much harder than actually building the business. And I had like an instance recently that I wasn't really gonna speak about on camera to go get too personal, but I will. Um, I like to be completely honest with you, I'm not a massive drinker, I'm not a massive partier. And I think that that has been because I work so hard on my business. So, like on the weekends, I would rather be like this sounds so pick me energy. Like, oh, I'm not like most girls, but I really am not. Like, I on a weekend refer to like um, you know, learn about something or like watch masterclasses, or I'll sit and like watch a film whilst I'm working on my laptop. So I don't really like I go out with friends for like lunches, but I'm not like a go-a-outer lover drink sort of thing. And I put myself down for it a lot because I'm like, oh, I'm not like most 25-year-olds, like loads of people my age are still going out drinking, they're still going out like clubbing or partying or whatever it is, and like I'm just not there. And I went out recently for like a family um outing, and we were like drinking, and I was just like, I don't really want to drink, and I felt so out of my comfort zone and out of my depth, and just like I wasn't supposed to be there. And my partner was like, Vic, like you are not a normal 25-year-old. Like the things you've been through, the conversations you've had, have like almost aged my brain. So I think you have to understand that when you're in a business, you as a person would change massively. And people that don't own a business are not on the same wavelength as you at all. And that is not meant to sound like patronizing or whatever. It's just, I can't even put into words the things I've had to endure in this business. It's like a toxic relationship that I keep going back to. And it's really changed my way of living, my mindset, like everything about me. And I think you have to accept that that is gonna happen when you're in a business. And that's a good thing. Um, and now I just know that my environment that I don't like to be in is in clubs, pubs, sticky bars. Yeah, that's just not my vibe. I don't enjoy it. I don't like it. Drinking is not for me. I love me a cocktail, love any more than two, maybe maximum three, I'm alright, thanks. Like that's not for me. Um, and everyone's completely different. You'll have things that like I do, which you're like, I don't know how Vit can do that. But you have to come to the come to terms with the fact that when you're growing something this big, so much stuff is gonna happen and it's gonna transform your brain. So that's the one thing that I've sort of learned in the past uh year, I would say. I've also wrote here, like these are all just like random. Basically, what I do is I have this thing in my notes called my business bible. And anytime I hear any information that really actually like hit, you know, when some sort of some information then just takes you back and you're like, whoa, I write it down. So what I've done today is just gone through things that have really resonated with me and really like triggered me and been like, whoa. Um that and that's why I'm going through, and it's all a bit jumbled. So the next thing I wrote down um that I learned from a mindset coach was you hold up a mirror and trigger feelings in people that they don't understand. So often that's why people behave weirdly with you. And again, this will happen on your pursuit to success. I've had so many, so many friendships, colleagues, family, acquaintances, whatever it might be, that disappear off the face of the earth with absolutely no trace. And it is the most bizarre thing. Like I'll have a really good friend, we see each other all the time, we speak all the time, I'll arrange to go out. You know, should we go out for a meal next week? Read, ignored, uh, next day, unfollowed on Instagram, blocked on whatever else it might be. You're left with absolutely no clarity, no resolution, and it's the most horrible feeling. You start to pick yourself apart, you wonder and think about everything you've said. Have I done something wrong? Have I said something? Has someone else said something? And you just know that's not the case. Like I can't tell you, obviously, for sure, um, but you just know that's not the case. And I've had that happen to me so many times. Like for people I've known for years, for people I thought I'd have in my life for years, and I couldn't understand why. I just didn't get it at all because I was like, we've had no disagreement, we've had no argument. Like, I I would never just just remove myself from someone's life without an explanation. And this mindset coach was like, when you are in pursuit of something big and you're becoming a success, or whatever it might be, it doesn't even have to be in business. It can be you are, I don't know, I don't I can't think of any example. Like you could have just bought your dream car, you could have an amazing relationship. That's a good example. You can have an amazing relationship. Everything and everyone around you, you're holding up a mirror to and it triggers feelings in people that they can't understand. So let's say, for example, you are like trying for a baby and you get pregnant on your first try, and then your best friend really, really, really wants a baby and she's been trying for like two years, that's gonna trigger some emotion in her. Of course, she's gonna be happy for you, but it's gonna trigger something in people that they can't understand. So those instances when people remove themselves for your life is because they can't bear to be around you. And it's not that it's you that's the problem. It's not that you're unbearable to be around. It's that by being around you brings up negative feelings for them that they can't understand. Because not many people are gonna hold their hands up and say, it's because I'm jealous of this person. Um, which I guess leads me to another thing I've written down, which is that when you do feel jealousy, it's because it's a call to action. So, like, let's say, for example, someone buys my dream car and you feel that like dip in your stomach. I can't explain it. You feel, you know, you see it on Instagram, you feel that dip in your stomach, you feel like a like that's not me. And it can mean that you have negative feelings towards the person that's bought that car, but it's because you want the car. So that every time I catch myself feeling like that, whether it's about someone else's business that's doing loads better than mine, or I don't know, someone could have just started a podcast and they get a million streams in the first month or whatever, if you feel anything strong towards that, that's on you, that's not on them. So, like, even that relates to like when you're posting things. If people have a problem with what you're posting, and let's say you just bought your first office and some of your bestest friends haven't liked it or engaged with it or even asked you about it in person, because it's not about all online, that is not on you, that is on them. That's because that's making them feel a certain type of way. And I think once I understood that, it really made me just relax a little bit more and just Mel Robins hashtag let them. Like, I am not a chaser anymore. I used to have these friends that would remove themselves from my life and I would message them and just be like, Hi, I'm really upset. I don't know what I've done. Can we meet up? I'm so confused. They would read it, I would send another one, I would send another one, I would literally be like, please just talk to me, what if I don't, what if I don't, blah, blah, blah. I just let them go because people that want to be in your life will be in your life. And I don't want anyone in my life that I have to force to be in my life because they're like, oh fine, I'll meet up with you. Absolutely not. That has been like just for me as a person, as a people pleaser, my biggest understanding is that just by being myself is enough to drive people away. Just by existing, just right now, even, I could be making someone feel uncomfortable because I'm confident of speaking in front of camera, or because I feel confident to wear this outfit, or because it could be anything. You don't know what people have got on in their lives, and also just understanding that even the fact you're listening to this podcast and you're hopefully understanding what I'm saying, I would say like not not not not not point one percent of the population understands things like this and is self-aware enough to understand themselves in this way. So when you do have people that do block you, ignore you, don't interact with your stuff, don't compliment you, say things that are bitter towards you, it's just because they've just not worked their shit out. Like, I think you know when you have been through stuff, you've done the work. Um, like whenever my friends do something, I'm the first to comment. I'll send them flowers. I feel so happy for them because I'm happy in my life. So why would I possibly have an issue with them? Or like, I don't know, if my even if my friend did just start a podcast now and she got a million views straight away, I'd be like, that is amazing. I'm so, so happy for you. Because yes, I might be able to recognise in my body, I feel a little bit of you can't help how you feel as a human being. You're allowed to say as well that you feel jealous. I might feel a bit of like, oh God, I wish that was me at a million views or whatever it might be. Um, but you still you understand that emotion, you process it, and you're happy for that person. And I think as well, just that's what's given me the mindset shift of like, because I would get angry about the smallest things. Like I could be like doing my little shopping MS, someone can cut in front of you in line, someone can nudge past you, and I used to be like, oh, that's so rude. How can someone do that? And I'd overthink it. And I just thought, honey, they're not in the 0.001%. That's just what I tell myself. I'm like, they just don't get it, and they're just not on the vibe. And do I want to be friends with someone that's not on that vibe? Absolutely not. And that also brings me into this next one. If you're operating, right, really listen to this, okay? Because this one, I love this one. If you're operating at a higher frequency, you will attract others and opportunities on that same higher frequency and you'll repel anyone or anything that's lower. So that is another another way that I've been able to rationalise people just dropping out of my life like dead flies, is they are on a much lower vibe than I am because I'm only attracting people on a higher frequency and energy. If you believe in energies and frequencies, you'll get this. If you don't, you can just ignore me. Um, but I have found that often when I am sort of leveling up in life or I'm, I don't know, in a really good place, that is when people might just leave out of nowhere, but it makes room for people that are either even better. So that has helped me to rationalise a lot of things. And yes, I do love a metaphor as well. The next thing I've written down here is how I have, I guess, helped myself to be protected in business because I will say I'm a massive people pleaser and I'm too nice to a lot of people. And things I do really take things personally. So let's say, for example, a client isn't happy with my work and I've got to go on a call with them and listen to their feedback. I would, and again, I've not figured it all out. I still take it really personally. I'm like, they don't like me, I've done something wrong, they think I'm this, think I'm that. So to protect myself, I've almost sort of taught myself to build a character of me in business and me outside of business. So think about it logically. The people you're working with, your customers, your clients, even people now that follow me on Instagram, TikTok, even you guys that listen to this podcast, you know me, but you don't know all of me if that makes sense. Like you know what I'm choosing to show you. Like that's so mysterious. So if someone says, I can't stand listening to Vicki's podcast, she's so annoying, she's so This, you say that they can't make a full judgment on me because they don't know the full me, if that makes sense. If I've got a client who's unhappy with my work, they're unhappy with the work, they're not unhappy with me as a person, they don't know me as a person. So that's how I sort of rationalise that is they can't someone can't make a full judgment on you because they don't know you, and you have to protect the character of you outside of business versus in business, if that even makes sense. That's how I sort of logicalise difficult conversations and opinions. People just don't know, and you're only choosing to to show them, you know, the bits that you want to show them. Next section I want to move into is how you can just make things happen. And what I love is when I'm going for a real funk and someone just simplifies it for me, and I go, Oh, that's actually really easy. So, you know, for example, if you're like, I don't know, I'm just such a procrastinator. Like, for example, ads. I haven't really ran ads my whole career because I haven't needed to. And I'm working with someone at the minute who's kind of like pushing me to do different things to like attract new clients. And one of them is ads, and I'm like, oh, I just I don't get ads. And because I don't get them, they seem like a huge, huge task for me. Whereas all he was like was like, watch this masterclass and then you'll know how to do ads. I was like, Oh my god, that's so simple. So you need to make things happen in business, and that goes for so many things as well. Like, I to this day am still an outreacher, and you need to take it seriously as well. Like, I make spreadsheets, I make like, you know, like Google spreadsheets with everyone's emails in it. I count how many times I've followed them up. I have different emails for each follow-up, and you keep following up with people until they tell you to leave. Like, that is my philosophy in life. The first way I got my first few clients was by outreaching. I outreached to 200 businesses for were interested, and I made 400 pounds that day, and I was so happy. If you want things, you really can just go and get them. It's just finding the right people and being so persistent. Like, let's say, for example, you want to, I don't know, work with a certain client, just ask them, ask multiple times, ask different people in the business, offer to work for free. A lot of people disagree with me on that, but sometimes you just need to get your foot in the door and it pays off. I am uh the CEO and boss at getting my foot in the door. Anything I want, I will get it in whatever capacity I want, I will make sure that I get it. Um, networking as well. I did not networking has such a bad association. I feel like no one really wants to network, do they? But I do feel like this year and towards the end of last year, I've made more of an effort to network and being strategic with who I network with. So I don't mean going to like every networking event because I used to go to so many, and I just think I am just like not in the same place as some of the people here. And I felt like I was just giving away loads of free advice and not getting anything back, and I hadn't really gained anything. And I know that sounds really selfish, but networking is for your business. It's not for you to like. I mean, sure, if you want to go make friends, go make friends, but it's there for you to better your business. So even with this podcast, like if you've been listening since the start and you're an OG, you'll know that I didn't want to have any guests on the podcast. I just wanted to speak, you know, just be me on the podcast and speak every week. Because I was like, there's so many business podcasts that have guests on. So I don't want to be just another business podcast that has guests on just to like the sake of it and to tick a box. I don't want that. So, but I can't remember what actually made me get a guest on. I think I did the first few episodes and I was like, I don't know what else to speak about anymore. So, and I was also going through a bit of an existential crisis where I was like, I want more business owners to come on and be honest about what they're going through because it's so hard. So, anyway, when I first started to get guests on, then I would figure out that I would have the best conversations with them, obviously on camera, but after the podcast as well. Like that is where that's what I live for, and that is my version of networking. So I don't really have to leave, but I have the most incredible conversations and it's opened up so many doors for me. And just finding something where you can connect with people, and it doesn't have to be a podcast, it could be you want to go out and interview different founders, like just asking people if you're gonna have five minutes of their time, and I've learned probably like more from them than I have learnt from some business coaches, and also as well, like in terms of making things happen. I never know how to word this because I never want to say to people to lie about things, but I have always, again, been so good at bigging myself up and speaking things into an into existence before they happen. So, for example, I always go back to my example of when I wanted to be a speaker, I hired out a content studio, pretended to speak to a wall and got someone to film it. And then I was like, you know, come and book me for speaking gigs, just done my first speaking gig. Like that's how I established myself as a speaker because I was I was like, if I just wait to be booked, that could take months. And even when I first started posting on TikTok, I would start every video and say I'm a TikTok expert. Well, I didn't really know Jack shite about TikTok. I just said that because I was like, I want people to believe that. And then I started to believe it. So obviously, like I am a massive advocate for not like I hate it when people come on and they say they're like an eight-figure business owner and they're not, or like they say they they only show you the good sides of the business. Like, it's just strategically positioning yourself. It's not lying, okay. I'm not promising lying, but um, yeah, it's just being strategic about what you want and going to get it. That's probably one of the best things that I did. Next thing I've written down that I am still trying to come to terms with because I'm like, no, this still can't be having happening like five years in. I don't even know how long I've been in business for. I think I started it in 2021, but I never I've never officially checked exactly what date it is. So I think I've been in business for about five years. And something that I really struggle to come to terms with that I just I'm like, this can't still be happening five years in, is that discomfort is the currency of success, and the most successful founders, uh, business owners, entrepreneurs, etc., um, that one of their best best skills is being comfortable, being uncomfortable. And I hate feeling uncomfortable. I hate it. It's so gross. And by that I mean uncomfortable in being rejected from things, failing, people knowing that you failed, having bad months, not making enough money, like those are all feelings of feeling uncomfortable. And unfortunately, it just keeps happening, but on a bigger scale. And that's what people don't get as well, is that like I used to look up to really big business owners and be like, God, I wish I was in that position. I wish I had a huge team. I wish I was making millions of pounds. The thing is, like, they still have the same problems as you, but actually on a huge, massive scale. Like at the minute, you could be, you know, like a small freelancer making, I don't know, like 5k a month or something like that. You could lose a client and it feels sickening, it feels gross. Imagine that when you're making 500k a month and you've got a team to pay for, and I'm trying to think of, and it's just like a massive, huge client. Like that, like, no. I remember once I was having recently, was it recently, a couple months ago, a really bad day and a really bad thing that I was going through that unfortunately, for the sake of how the world works, I can't share it on camera, which really annoys me because I'm such an oversharer. And I was really struggling with it, and I was like, oh my god, I'm just having such a bad day. And someone that I like was in my office building that I really look up to, he was like, Let me just like put this into perspective for you. And he basically told me the story of how he owned a really, really successful business, it was making millions, and I think like basically overnight it just went down the toilet and he had to fire or like let people go of 30 people in one day. And then he drove home and he literally was like, I was absolutely depressed. I didn't even want to exist, I didn't want to be alive anymore after that. And I was like, wow, my problem seems a lot smaller now. So, yes, like obviously we want big businesses, we want, we want things, we want more of this, want more of that, but like, why do we actually want it? And I think once you get past the whole, it looks good on social media, I can prove people wrong. It's like a big F you to people that weren't nice to you at school. Like, once you've done it, it's just like, why? Like, that's why my thing this year is impact. I want to make impact. I want to speak on stages, I want to speak on podcasters, I want to impact people's lives. It's less so more about I want to manage people's social media because I've done that now, and I've like gotten to a point where I'm I've done well with it. So now it's just like, what now? Like you have to just always be thinking of the what now, and um yeah, I don't even know what point I was trying to get to there, but just uncomfortableness is something you're always gonna have to sit with, and it's the most horrible feeling, but you just have to think, yeah, like it's uncomfortable now. So do you really want the big team? Do you really want the big office? Do you really want the big bills that you've got to pay? Because there's every founder that I have on here, you know, whether they're making six, seven, eight, nine figures, whatever it might be, all have the same problems, just on a bigger scale. And when you're on a bigger scale, it's a lot harder, you know. If you lose a client now and it's just you, whatever, you know, it's hard. But if you lose a client and you've got 10 employees and you've got to let all 10 go, that's another story for another day. Um, my next lesson that I just is such a me lesson. And I really want you to listen to this because it's so true. Whether you believe in God or the universe or spirituality or whatever that is, I'm gonna tell you this is just how life works. What what you ignore will keep happening until you give it why have I said century? I think it's because I was using Siri to type this out, type this out in my brain. Basically, what I'm trying to say, oh god, I don't even know why I have a podcast at this point. Basically, what you ignore will keep happening until you give into it and improve it. So I'm gonna tell you a story about how I am, as you should know by now, the most type B, unorganized person on this planet. And when I started working with someone to sort of fix this, he was like, Can I just say, Vicky, honestly, I have never ever worked with a business of your size and your scale, I guess, that's so disorganized. He was like, obviously, our front end is good, the work we deliver is amazing, but our back end and our systems just are non-existent. Like, because my team relies on me to fix that. Like, yes, you know, they can go and figure it out for themselves, but it should be me that's leading it. And I was like, Yeah, I know it's so bad, it's so bad. And I know that it's so bad. And you'll be listening to this hopefully, and you'll have something that you know needs fixing. Like, it's like it could be your CRM, or it could be you need to, it could even be something as simple as you have the same password for everything, and you know you need to change it for security reasons, but um, I'll get around to doing it another day. Like, I'll sort it out. Somehow, I don't know how it works, whether it's the universe, god, magic, whatever, it knows. So the more you ignore it, one day it's gonna bite you in the bum. And it has bitten me in the bum so many times, like in terms of lack of organization, in tour in terms, in terms of, you know, password, you could have a password leak. Anything like that, whatever you ignore will keep coming back. And that goes for so many things in life. It can be, for example, my I get really anxious about traveling by myself. I'm kind of ignoring that and putting a plaster over it and just bringing someone with me, like paying one of my team to come with me. Whereas I know that if I keep ignoring that, it's gonna, it just makes it even worse. So it goes for anything in business, whether that's organization, whether it's mindset, whether it's um, you know, you could be in a position like me where you're really comfortable with clients, then one day all of them go because you've not got your system set up in place, how are you gonna get them back? So that's what I keep telling myself is like, I just know now I need to address problems rather than just being like, yeah, I'll fix it, I'll fix it, because it'll come, it'll come back to bite you in the bum. And the best skill you can have as a business owner or an entrepreneur is the skill of organization. I truly believe if I was an organized type A person, uh, I would be a lot further in life. Like I think it's good because it's gotten me to a certain place, but organization, I wish I could be organized. I just can't. I there's such a block, a brick wall with it. I can't be organized. I absolutely, it just doesn't happen for me. So it's something that I'm trying to figure out. Um, that I to this day I've tried every system, I've tried everything. I can't be an organized person. And as well, sort of linking to that, when I am disorganized and everything's all over the place, and my house is literally upside down, and my whole dressing room is look like someone's scavenged through it, that's when I become stressed. And one of my favourite sort of lessons in life as well, I feel like life and business coincide so well, is that you're not stressed by doing too much, you're stressed by doing too little about what you actually care about and what you're actually focused on. Like I think I've spoken about this before in a sort of episode. But if you were to ask me, like, what things do you do every day that really move the business forward and that you love and feel passionate passionately about, I'd say like 10%. Like, really not much at all. And then that's why I've had to do a lot of reflection on what I do. So I've just been trying to be mindful. Like, honestly, I challenge you for a week to do this exercise every day. Just document what you're doing and how long it takes. And then by the end of the week, you can hopefully pull some data as to what does move the business forward, what is good for you, what things you just shouldn't be doing at this level. Because when you work up in a startup like mine, there is still things I do to this day that like a founder and CEO shouldn't be doing. Like, just shouldn't be doing because it's like anyone can do that, but your brain can only be in certain places at once and can only be doing certain things. So I've just been trying to actually understand like, what am I stressed about? Why am I always late for things? Why am I always doing things at the last minute and trying to give myself the gift of organization? Because it's true, like I am I'm only stressed because I'm not doing things that I'm actually really interested in and should be doing to put the business forward. And I truly do think this links to the next thing I've written down. Someone said the type of person you are is usually reflected in your business. To improve your business, you first need to improve yourself. It all comes back to the self, it all comes back to discipline. And that's why I said at the start of this episode, I really do think the most successful business owners, they treat their life like they're an athlete. Like when I sit with people, and I think to some of the most, most successful people I've met where I'm just like, wow, like you're just so blown away by them, they are so structured. Everything is so structured. They have the same morning routine, they have like a really good diet, they look after their body, they respect their time as well. I think a lot of it comes down to like it's just a lack of respect for yourself. Like, you know, if you're at a business event and you are staying too long and just chatting for people and having conversations you don't care about, there's a lack of respect for yourself there. Like I really admire it, and people are like, I need to get back for this reason, or they don't have to give an explanation, they're just like, I need to get back because I've got work tomorrow, or I need to get I need to go home now. Um, there's not there doesn't really have to be an explanation for things. Um so I've just been trying to think more about okay, I've got to a certain point in business now, like I've done well, okay, for me, I guess. But now it comes down to me. So that's sort of where I'm sat at the minute is I've gotten so far being the way that I am. But for me to get to the next level, I need to really focus on my mindset, what's triggering me, why can't I do certain things? Why am I not an organized person? Do I have a lack of self-respect? Like honestly, therapy is probably one of the best things you can invest in as a business owner because it all relies on you. It's such a mind game, like it is such a mind game, and that is one of the things not enough people are speaking about. Like, no one else is speaking about it. I listen to Sony business podcasts at the minute, and they're just so positive, and they're just like, Yeah, like life is so great, and it's just so I guess superficial. Like, I just truly love speaking to people on these plane seats here, and afterwards, and just being like, like, you know, you said that like team is good, like, what's it really like? And everyone always says the same thing. Everyone always says the same thing of things can look a certain way, but they don't align with what's happening in real life. So that's why I'm such an advocate now. For like, yeah, your business feels good. Wait, no, I've got that mixed up, and it's my literal own saying I should copyright this. Yes, your business looks good online and to other people. Does it make you feel good? Does it make you feel happy? Does it make you feel inspired? If not, why are you doing it? Like, what is the point? And that's when you start to have an existential crisis, what I had last year, because I was just like, I think my business looks good and like it's working well, but it doesn't make me feel happy, like I wasn't really enjoying it anymore. So that's why I had to shift all of my uh I suppose drive to what I'm actually wanting to work towards, if that makes any sense. And the last thing I'm gonna round it up with, which really helps me when there's something I'm working towards and I'm not getting it, or I have a really clear goal and I'm not getting it, and I feel like I want to give up. And I can't even remember where I heard this, but I'm gonna Okay, maybe I'll figure it out. I don't know. If you've tried everything, you would have what you want. Sit with that. Like, so many people give up on their businesses and they're like, Oh, I tried everything, but it just didn't work. If you truly tried everything, you would have the thing that you want. Like, that is why I am I'm quite annoying when it comes to wanting something. I will like latch onto a person like a leech and be like, just following up on this, just following up on this. Some of these people I've had in these podcast seats, right? I've had to follow up with 10, 20 times and I'll keep doing it until they say yes. And I don't think I'm annoying because I am in their position, I'm busy, I've got a lot going on. I bloody love it when people follow up with me because what will happen is I'll see someone's DM and then I'll get a call, and then I'll be on the call and I'll forget all about the DM, or I'll be replying to something, I'll get called into a meeting, or I'll see it and then I'll think I'll get back to it later. And you just completely, completely forget. So I you can make truly anything possible. And I know that sounds really cringy and really cliche, and it's not really the whole anything's possible, just you know, change your mindset and things like that. You have to go out and make it happen. Like, think of what you want and reverse engineer it backwards. So I think sometimes people think, well, if anything's possible, I would like a Ferrari by next year. You have to reverse engineer things. So for me, what I was thinking of when I was like, anything's possible is like I really wanted to be a big speaker and speak on stages. So I was like, okay, so I can't just go obviously and ask to, you know, I couldn't ask, hi, can I do a TED talk? Hi, can I come and speak uh on this huge stage in front of people because there's no credibility to back me. So when I say ask, I don't just mean that. I mean you have to reverse it back. So I was thinking, okay, so I'm not a speaker, how can I put my foot in the door and become a speaker? So it might be you put on your own event and you speak on the stage, or it might be you ask someone to speak at theirs for free, or it might be you do what I did and pretend to blah blah blah blah and pretend to be a speaker at first. Then when you start to build that up, that is when you have a speaker portfolio. So it's like when people want to start a business, it could be a web design business, it could be a social media business, whatever it might be, and you're like, oh well, I can't yet because I've not got any experience. Like, make the spirit experience for yourself. Some of the best people I've hired have had no social media experience, and they've just made it for themselves. They've said, I've actually not had a job in social media, but what I have done is grown my own social media, or I ran my friends for free to show you what I could do, or I built up this portfolio of what I would do for your current clients. Like, there's so much you can do when you're proactive. And like I said, it just all comes down to being consistent and being so stubborn, like being so, so stubborn. People that I know that have been in business for like 10 years, they're like the most stubborn people because I just like this is what I want, and I'm making it happen happen. And no, it's just the suggestion. I'm not being told no, I'm going on to the next thing. Like, I've had so many things where I've been told no, and I just push back on it and keep pushing and keep pushing. And if not now, it will happen. Like, not everything is meant for you in this exact time. And again, I know like I don't want to go too spiritual in case people aren't spiritual, but I always think that when there's an opportunity I really, really, really, really want and I don't get it that. Is a reason why I've not got it. So, for example, there was something that I really, really wanted recently. Um, there was an opportunity abroad, I shan't say what it is, but it was for a huge brand. I really wanted it, and I was like, I just felt like I was gonna get it. I felt as if I already had it. I was like, yes, I'm aligned with it, I'm getting it, and I didn't get it, and I was like, right, but I didn't feel really, really disappointed. I just thought to myself, there's a reason why I've not got that. It could be I go there and I have a massive panic attack and it puts me off speaking forever. It could be I go there and the people don't like it, and then I get a bad reputation in the industry or whatever it might be, there's a reason why you've not got it and something else better will happen. I've had so many instances like that. Um, up peak experience for me is just when I was looking to buy my first house. I found the first one of the first houses I looked at. Me and my partner were like, we love it, we want it. I was like, I can just feel myself living here. Like I just was meant to be in this house and we didn't get it. And I was gutted, I cried a lot. I was like, I can't imagine myself living anywhere else. I don't want anywhere else, there's nowhere better. Lo and behold, I think six to eight months later, we were in a house that we loved even more than the first one. We were like, God, aren't you so glad that we missed out on that? And that's why I think like we go through so much hard things in business, look back on them now and think to yourself, aren't I so glad I went through that? I would say some of my toughest, toughest times in business, I hated them. I absolutely hated them. I look back now and I think I'm so glad that that happened because now I know this, or now this has changed the way I do that. So when I'm in things now that feel really tough, I just think I'm gonna look back on this in a year and think, thank God that happened. And it honestly helps me a lot. Like it obviously doesn't make it easier, but I don't catastrophise things quite so much as I would used to, if that makes sense. So I feel like you'll either take a lot from this episode or just be really rambly and rubbish, and if that's the case, that's fine. Um, but it was just sort of an honest take on things that have really stuck with me recently. What has really helped me and my mindset with um people, because at the end of the day, the hardest part of a bit about business is people, whether it's the people around you, your team, your clients, your customers, um, whatever it is, it's always gonna be people. So the more that you can understand people, the better. And the more that you can understand yourself, the better that your business will be as well. So I'm gonna leave that with you today. Hopefully, you took some notes and enjoyed this episode. I'm definitely gonna listen to it back whenever I need it. Um, and massively appreciate you listening. If you could do me the biggest favour and rate this five stars on Apple, Spotify, wherever you're listening, please like this video on YouTube, subscribe. It is hard out there. Um, and I really mean that. Like whenever I listen to podcasts, I like forget that I'm not even subscribed to them. Like I watch one of my favourite YouTubers. I've watched for like five years, I'm not even subscribed to them. So when they ask me now, I'm like, yeah, sure. So if you could do that for me, I would really, really appreciate it. Um, and as always, my DMs are always open if you've got any questions or if there's anything you want to chat about in business and you just need a bit of help. I love a voice note, so don't feel shy in leaving me a voice note. And that's all from me today. I hope you've enjoyed this episode, and I will see you next time on board here in Christmas class.