Speaker 1 • 0:00 - 0:32 • 97%
If I wasn't working the hours I was working before in corporate, I felt like I was like not working when I first became an entrepreneur and I went on a hike or do yoga or something during the day, I was like, like, do I even have a job? Like what is happening? Right. , welcome to the Daring Dreams podcast. This is your host, Hailey Bowen and I am here with one of my favorite managers that I've ever had in my entire life and I'm so pleased to introduce you to Sue Olin.
Speaker 1 • 0:37 - 1:18 • 98%
Sue actually just started her own business not too long ago and now we're like entrepreneurial buddies. She's got a lot to say and she's got a huge background in corporate marketing as well as leadership and strategy and high level that she's bringing to her business. So I'm going to let Sue introduce you to her business and herself and then we're gonna have a really awesome conversation about why she did it, why she started this business, how she released the golden handcuffs, the bravery that went into that, the hurdles, the personal problems, like all the stuff that goes in with like actually being ready to remove those golden handcuffs.
Speaker 1 • 1:18 - 1:23 • 97%
I went through it and I wanna talk to my dear friend about it for her as well soon.
Speaker 2 • 1:24 - 1:25 • 77%
Yay.
Speaker 1 • 1:25 - 1:26 • 95%
Welcome.
Speaker 2 • 1:26 - 1:37 • 97%
I'm so excited to be here. That was so kind because you have been always one of my favorites too. I mean we go, we have so many laughs and we have so many learnings together that I love. I love that we're both entrepreneurs now.
Speaker 1 • 1:38 - 1:46 • 97%
I know. Me too. I think entrepreneurship is like one of the best personal development gifts that you can give yourself , so.
Speaker 2 • 1:46 - 1:47 • 96%
Oh yes.
Speaker 1 • 1:47 - 2:00 • 96%
Yeah. And I know I just, I think it's awesome. Okay, so before we jump , like all the good juicy stuff, tell us about what is it that you do now? What's your company name? Okay. And what do you do? Okay,
Speaker 2 • 2:01 - 2:42 • 96%
So my company name is called is Good People Business Consulting. And it's funny, I always like to explain it because throughout my career I've always said I just want do good work with good people. Can I just do good work with good people? And so when I left I was like, I wonder what a good name would be. And it just really represented who I am and why I left. So that's my business. And my services are more small medium businesses who need business leadership type things. So I've had a lot of corporate experience and I say I laugh because I really wanted to work with businesses who needed me and want me to care about their business 'cause I over cared for a really long time.
Speaker 2 • 2:42 - 2:51 • 95%
Yeah. And so all this great experience that I have to bring to people. So things like strategic business plans or I call them discipline, business operations.
Speaker 2 • 2:51 - 3:22 • 97%
So just really if you think of like COO stuff, like high level hr, how to actually do a business plan and also do annual plans that feed up into the business strategy. Those are things where I love and I really like kind of geek out in that area. So yeah, it kind of encompasses a lot of things which is good for smaller, medium businesses who may not have those skills. They know they're an expert in their business but not in running a business. That's how I kind of explain it. And then the other thing I do is coach.
Speaker 2 • 3:22 - 3:37 • 96%
So people leadership, I'm more leaning into this right now. I love working with teams and trying to develop people. And throughout my career when I ended, that's really where my passion lie. So I love that aspect of it. And I call mine kind of like business therapy.
Speaker 2 • 3:37 - 4:12 • 97%
So there's a lot of leaders out there or leadership coaches. Whereas I like to help people and make the most impact in the moment. 'cause I say it's like personalized and curated because everyone is at a different stage. Everyone is in a different industry, in a different organization. And so I like to really meet people where they are in that growth. Think of it as, you know, going to therapy, you have your list of things that you want to talk about. It's that same thing. So how do I have this troubled relationship And we're having communication problems where my leader isn't a great leader or they've not taught me my discipline.
Speaker 2 • 4:12 - 4:23 • 98%
Like I don't even know how to grow and coach. So that's kind of the coaching that I do. So that's what I do right now. Fine. I take everything that I learned in coaching and now bring it to people who might need those skills.
Speaker 1 • 4:23 - 4:28 • 98%
Tell me, why did you decide to do this After so many years in corporate?
Speaker 2 • 4:28 - 4:41 • 96%
I feel like I've gone back, I've analyzed this a little bit and when I went back and did my MBA, I took an entrepreneurship course and I really loved it. Like I didn't think I would like, that's not who I was, but I really love that course. Yeah. And then
Speaker 1 • 4:42 - 4:47 • 87%
Entrepreneurship, let me just because I know you, yeah. Entrepreneurship is like major risk take.
Speaker 2 • 4:48 - 4:48 • 41%
Yeah. So
Speaker 1 • 4:49 - 4:50 • 86%
That doesn't sound
Speaker 2 • 4:50 - 5:20 • 96%
Like I'm not Is that where you're going ? I know, I'm so not, it still scares me every single day. So yes, it's, I'll tell you how I got to this point. So, okay. It's funny going through corporate, 'cause I worked at some very corporate places. I always felt like I talked about over caring. Like I cared so much. I really wanted to make impact where I was with both people and with, you know, the work that I was doing. But there was always like a stopping point, right? There's only so much that I could change or so much impact I could make.
Speaker 2 • 5:21 - 5:40 • 97%
And there were times where I felt like I was being inauthentic to myself, like maybe my values a bit. And not that any place ever crossed a line, but just I felt like my values sometimes were always rubbing up. And so I just kind of always felt at odds or that there was only so much I could do flash forward to like the last place that I was.
Speaker 2 • 5:41 - 6:11 • 97%
I really wanna state, I loved every place I worked. I loved the work that I was doing and I loved the people that I was doing it with, but it's more of the size of the organization and the impact I could have. So when I got to my last place, I really had felt like I had done a lot in my career. Like I was really fortunate in my career. You know, I grew from an independent leader to like executive had a ton of learning, was given so much responsibility, it was fantastic. And I felt like there was no more impact that I could be making in those places.
Speaker 2 • 6:12 - 6:26 • 98%
And to be honest, I kind of was pushed a little bit to it because I had some personal loss. My sister had just passed away, my dad had an illness. I realized that I was stressing out in my life about things that I shouldn't be stressed out about.
Speaker 2 • 6:26 - 7:00 • 97%
Those two really were the things that kind of pushed me. 'cause you're right, me being a risk taker that would never, I would never have foreseen that, but I decided to put my money where my mouth was, is that if I was that unhappy and I've been telling other people and supporting other people that I should do it myself. So that's really why I took the leap. I would say to you that maybe if I had thought about it a little harder, I've never done it. It's scary. I would've thought like, what did I do? But I don't regret it for a minute. Like I really don't. I get so much joy out of helping people with things that might come easily to me.
Speaker 2 • 7:01 - 7:14 • 96%
Again, there are experts in their business, their business comes easily to them. But if I can bring a piece of that to someone, oh my goodness, it's like the best thing ever. And I get joy every day. I get to work with good people and do some really great work. Good. That's
Speaker 1 • 7:14 - 7:14 • 86%
Good. I love that.
Speaker 2 • 7:14 - 7:16 • 85%
I love that. That's why. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 • 7:16 - 7:22 • 98%
So what would you say is the purpose of your business? Why does good people exist?
Speaker 2 • 7:22 - 7:56 • 96%
It's to empower confidence. It's where I've come down and that's confidence in both your business really. You know, getting confidence and having disciplined business but also in you as a person. And that's why that coaching aspect and it is through focus and clarity. That's really, sometimes I was playing along with the lines like I reduce chaos. Like, because until you hone in on those things and make them intentional, that's how I feel like I've got my confidence. The more intentional I got with things like understanding my values in creating a plan and living, living that plan, the more confidence I had.
Speaker 2 • 7:57 - 8:05 • 95%
You know, once you create a disciplined strategic plan, you're more confident. So that's really the purpose. That's the purpose of good people, is to instill confidence. And that can be people and that can be your business.
Speaker 1 • 8:06 - 8:35 • 95%
I love that. And actually I think it's the same thing with my business. I mean that's not the purpose of my business, but when you have clarity, the confidence just comes, right? Because you know your next step, you know your next move and why you're doing it. And I think it's so important for small businesses to get that clarity in their overall business operations, which is what you do. But also in the marketing, which is what I do. So like yeah, we're like the COO, I'm the CMO. So like , you guys need help. Like we're the
Speaker 2 • 8:35 - 8:40 • 93%
Two. That's right. We're the team and we know we work well together. We've already done Okay. Yeah.
Speaker 1 • 8:40 - 8:51 • 95%
Tell me , you started this business, what are some of the like unexpected hurdles or challenges that came up that maybe you weren't really prepared for
Speaker 2 • 8:51 - 9:26 • 97%
? I mean, there's a laundry list of them. It is like, I mean first of all you have to know because back to your point, I'm like I probably wasn't prepared for entrepreneurship. Like there's really no one in my family that's done it. So it's not like I saw this modeled. Right? So one of 'em is these are in no particular order. Yeah. But that comes to mind is having to like promote myself. 'cause I'm my business and that is the worst thing for me. I hate talking about myself. I don't like pictures taken. Like I literally don't like doing it and you have to do it.
Speaker 2 • 9:26 - 9:43 • 98%
So it's really uncomfortable. So that would be my first, and I'm still not, I still haven't cracked it. Like I have an Instagram account and it's so painful for me to go on there and talk because it's just not natural. So it's not natural to me. So promoting myself,
Speaker 1 • 9:43 - 10:15 • 95%
I think that most entrepreneurs, most of 'em at least that I've worked with, that's been one of the major hurdles, right? Yes. Which is why we need to get really authentic with our marketing. By not marketing yourself, you are doing a disservice to the people. And so even though it's challenging and awkward sometimes if you think of it that way, 'cause if you truly believe that what you're doing is helping somebody Yeah. And you believe in what you're doing by being too modest or embarrassed or whatever to get out there, you're actually hurting the very people that you wanna help.
Speaker 2 • 10:15 - 10:43 • 97%
I love that. I am so about mindset and I love that you've just stated that 'cause it's, it's true because it came really easily to me when I was at corporate, right? 'cause that was part of like, that was just me naturally doing what I was doing. Yeah. But me stepping outta that now in that is that it's really difficult, but mindset is everything. I love that you reframe it that way. 'cause I think it's a really important point to make. And I will take that one away. I'm gonna take that point. Yeah. Take
Speaker 1 • 10:43 - 10:44 • 56%
Always learn
Speaker 2 • 10:44 - 11:17 • 93%
From, take some notes too. Alwayslearning from Haley, the second hurdle was a personal hurdle. It's about redefining success. So growing up, you know, I'm of that age where, you know, success was graduate high school, you go to university, you get a job, you get like promoted. Promoted. Like that's success, right? Yeah. And so when I became executive and I left that role, I was so caught up in who I was. And that's defining success not from an not an ego is in a boastful way.
Speaker 2 • 11:17 - 11:25 • 97%
I just mean like I felt really great in the role. I felt like I was leading the great team and doing some great work. And so without that corporate lens,
Speaker 1 • 11:26 - 11:26 • 88%
Yeah
Speaker 2 • 11:27 - 11:42 • 97%
I had to like figure out, well what does success mean anymore to me? So that has also been a hurdle of just now that I'm an entrepreneur and things look differently, I have to be figure out redefining success for myself. So
Speaker 1 • 11:42 - 11:43 • 99%
That's
Speaker 2 • 11:43 - 11:44 • 99%
Interesting. That was another big one.
Speaker 1 • 11:44 - 12:15 • 97%
, I guess mine wasn't so much success but more identity. Like when I left, yeah. My role, it was like an identity crisis. It was like , who am I? Because I, at that time when I left, I was in what I thought was my dream job and I left to stay home with the kids. I didn't leave to start a business. And I think I was equating that role with like who I was. Like it was like part of who I was. That was tough. And then, you know, I mean that was a decade ago now for me, but yeah.
Speaker 1 • 12:15 - 12:26 • 98%
Yeah. But redefining success and I love as an entrepreneur that you can actually redefine success over and over and over and over again. And nobody can tell you your definition is incorrect. Right?
Speaker 2 • 12:27 - 13:02 • 96%
Right. I read this one about like running a race and like why are we all thinking we have to run the same rate? Like we're all, and it really resonated with me is that like, that's right. Why am I still having to figure out like, or keep up with thinking that's success. Like I can define it however I want. And to your point, if next year I wanted to define it differently, I define it differently. Yeah. You know, it's, it is an interesting concept but I do ident, I do get your identity as well. 'cause I think that was also a piece of it like, yeah because I feel like we've been conditioned in our life
Speaker 1 • 13:02 - 13:02 • 89%
Yes
Speaker 2 • 13:03 - 13:16 • 96%
To, or at least some of us of a certain generation and maybe families and maybe it's different, but there are certain ways that de definition of success and who we are. And we do get caught up in that. So absolutely. That was, that was another,
Speaker 1 • 13:16 - 13:30 • 97%
And I also got caught up in, in the same vein is I got caught up in, if I wasn't working the hours I was working before in corporate, I felt like I was like not working . So today,
Speaker 2 • 13:30 - 13:31 • 74%
Hey,
Speaker 1 • 13:31 - 13:49 • 96%
I went on a hike and I'm, I'm okay with it now 'cause I've been an entrepreneur for 10 years now. So I'm okay with it now. But like when I first became an entrepreneur and I went on like would go on a hike or do yoga or something during the day, I was like, like, do I even have a job? Like what is happening? Right. .
Speaker 2 • 13:51 - 14:23 • 97%
I know I, so, so we are the same. We are so the same person. Like I literally, okay, so I'll admit I was talking to my therapist and I said something about productive, like I, well I don't feel like I have to be at the office five days a week and I have to be there in a certain times. And she's like, or I don't feel productive. And she goes, well tell me a bit more about that. And I was like, why did I say that? But that is how I also, then I had to go deep into that. But anyway, I do feel the same. It's a hard mindset to get out of when you're used to it.
Speaker 2 • 14:23 - 14:37 • 98%
Now I do like to leave the house. Like I do have an office. I do like to leave the house, but I'm now just starting to get into that where like I'm gonna stay home Mondays and Fridays and work there and maybe I won't work as long or, and that's okay. That's okay. Okay.
Speaker 1 • 14:37 - 14:42 • 93%
Tell me, do you have any more like things that hurdles or challenges that you were not aware was gonna happen?
Speaker 2 • 14:43 - 14:50 • 94%
I mean there's little things like, okay, maybe it's not a little thing like a whole, the whole accounting thing and like oh
Speaker 1 • 14:51 - 14:51 • 96%
Yes.
Speaker 2 • 14:51 - 15:02 • 98%
Like it's like painful. So like that's not even fun to talk about . No, but that was a hurdle because I didn't, I thought I was an organized person and clearly I'm not. But understanding that whole world,
Speaker 1 • 15:03 - 15:07 • 95%
Yeah. I knew I wasn't organized and clearly I'm not
Speaker 2 • 15:09 - 15:39 • 98%
Well I thought I was and I'm not like, so that whole thing of getting used to that and the, and sorry, okay now I've got a whole bunch coming out. So that's one. And then the fourth is about time management. So I've always been great at time management when I had a corporate job. 'cause I knew I had parameters. Like I knew the meetings, I knew the things. But when you're an entrepreneur, you a new project comes in and you're like, okay, now how do I structure my day? How many, how many clients can I take on how many? So that was a big learning too.
Speaker 1 • 15:40 - 15:40 • 94%
Yeah. I,
Speaker 2 • 15:41 - 15:42 • 96%
That was a big learning through.
Speaker 1 • 15:42 - 16:12 • 97%
Yeah. Like I went through near burnout twice in my business over the years and I've had to stop taking clients completely at those two times because I overcommitted myself. And I think that happens with a lot of entrepreneurs. Sometimes you grow a little bit faster than you think you're gonna grow. You don't have the operation set up, you don't have the team set up. And so when that happened to me, I was like, okay, I'm gonna hire an admin. I'm gonna hire another coach to work with me.
Speaker 1 • 16:13 - 16:43 • 95%
And then it became a huge struggle because then I had to train them and I didn't have time to train them. And so then I went from working, you know, 12 hour days to 15 hour days just trying to keep up and then you have to give feedback. And so I think, you know, what you do for a living is, is probably helps people from getting to that point. I would think. Yeah. And they needed you like early in my career because I had no idea And it's like, oh, somebody wants to hire me. Yay. Right, because you're a new business. Yes.
Speaker 1 • 16:43 - 16:45 • 97%
Like you don't wanna say no to anything
Speaker 2 • 16:45 - 17:21 • 97%
And when's the next one coming So I have to take, right. So it's, it is that, and I, I was fortunate I did get some advice before I laughed or I did ask, maybe I had already laughed probably. 'cause I think I did that. And then when I was seeking some advice of how best to structure things and you know, one of the best piece of advice was know what you're gonna say no to. The other piece was that you, you think you have this many hours a week, you probably take off 10 for admin and all that other kind of stuff and you don't wanna actually work the same amount. Like there was a lot of learnings of those types of things so that my mindset could make sure I didn't hit that point of burnout.
Speaker 2 • 17:21 - 17:32 • 98%
But it is that juggle of, okay, now I need to take these clients and I've got a couple bigger clients. But then when that ends you still want the filter. So like that funnel coming in. So it is an interesting Yeah, it's an interesting juggle.
Speaker 1 • 17:33 - 18:01 • 98%
Yeah. Yeah. And I know a lot of people, it does affect your marketing, right? Because for small businesses, the more consistent you are with your marketing, as long as it's like good marketing that's effective and people understand it and clear, right? The more consistent you are, the more people are gonna come in. Right? And so what happens a lot of the times is people get to a point where they're like, okay, I'm at my capacity so unless I'm ready to grow my team, I need to ease off on the marketing. Well when you ease off on the marketing, then you, they
Speaker 2 • 18:01 - 18:02 • 84%
Go somewhere else almost
Speaker 1 • 18:02 - 18:22 • 98%
Start again. Right? Like when, when the funnel, so it's this weird business owners, it is a weird bot to kind of get through that. Like, I don't know what you call it. It's like that that it's like a hump of like right before you're ready to hire people for your team, there's this weird hump that that is really sometimes hard to get through.
Speaker 2 • 18:23 - 18:28 • 95%
Yeah. To manage through on a whole bunch of ways. Yeah. Hours. Trying to think of Yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1 • 18:28 - 18:43 • 93%
Yeah. It's like you're, you're like max, max capacity, your marketing needs to keep going. If it keeps going you're gonna have to say no to people. And so it's just this weird Yeah. Yeah. So I always tell people believe that your marketing's gonna work and prepare for that.
Speaker 2 • 18:44 - 19:14 • 98%
Right, right, right. Yeah. And at least I know I was talking to a young business owner and I said that like, you have to do your forecast, right? Like make sure you're forecasting out from a resource like how much before I need to then take people like and then have that. And that's where I go with like some people don't, don't know that. And that's the great part about having a coach or going to someone is that having those kind of tips, it's like, oh okay, of course. But I would never have thought of doing that. Right?
Speaker 2 • 19:14 - 19:24 • 98%
Yeah, probably eventually she would've got there. But to do it ahead of time. But those are those growing pains and just being able to see a little bit out of your business so you can prepare for it.
Speaker 1 • 19:25 - 20:02 • 96%
Yeah. Let's, let's talk about coaching coaches for a second. Yeah. . So I have just hired a coach to help me actually. I bought into this program that they were teaching me how to build a sales team and d different things. Anyways, what a weird experience to be on the other side of the coaching table. . Like I was scared and now I understand. Now I understand. So pe like people were always nervous when they started with me and I would always say, I'm gonna have, this is gonna be a good client because they told me they're scared.
Speaker 1 • 20:03 - 20:16 • 90%
If they're terrified, I'm like, oh they're gonna be good because for whatever reason all the clients that I had that were scared like soared, right? And so , so I'm, so then I got scared and I was like, oh that means I'm gonna soar .
Speaker 1 • 20:17 - 20:52 • 97%
But yeah, it's a really awkward, it's awkward at first to get a coach. I think. I know you like people really want one. And now that I actually have a coach after being on my own for 10 years, I wish I had gotten a coach earlier. Like I, I dabbled in it a little bit, but not nothing on a consistent basis. It's so good to be held accountable to have a second opinion. Yeah. To, to fill in the gaps where you aren't strong. Like yes. Like I cannot say enough about beauty of hiring a coach, whether it's a marketing coach or an operational or HR or whatever.
Speaker 1 • 20:52 - 20:57 • 98%
If you're a small business, I think that is an investment well worth it. So
Speaker 2 • 20:58 - 21:40 • 96%
Yeah, I agree. I the, you know what the beauty other thing is that I love about it is that it is so personal who you go to topic specific, like depending on what you're looking for or a generalist, a topic specific. Even just how the rapport is. And I love that you say like people who were really nervous because I think those are the keeners, right? That those are the people who really want to coach. And that is like, I talk also about success. Success for me as a coach is if the person is successful in implementing the tools that we're doing like and using, and I say that both on the work that you know I do is that it's great we can create all and do all this work, but if you don't actually put it into action, you're not successful and I'm not successful.
Speaker 2 • 21:40 - 21:59 • 96%
Like that's not, that's not successful for me. You're not gonna walk away going, oh Sue was gr did this great thing 'cause it's sitting on a shelf, but the coaching is so personal. So I love that you've got that fit. And like I say, if you are excited about or nervous and scared Yeah. It means you're ready to have a coach I think. And you're prepared to do the work. Yeah.
Speaker 1 • 22:00 - 22:00 • 82%
Yeah.
Speaker 2 • 22:00 - 22:01 • 62%
Because if you weren't nervous
Speaker 1 • 22:02 - 22:06 • 97%
Are scared, I guess it means that you don't think something big is gonna change.
Speaker 2 • 22:06 - 22:07 • 99%
Right,
Speaker 1 • 22:07 - 22:08 • 93%
Right. Like if you're
Speaker 2 • 22:08 - 22:14 • 97%
Yeah. Or you're just not, you're just not in it for the right, for the actual tools. Right. To actual change.
Speaker 1 • 22:14 - 22:21 • 95%
Yeah. That's, that's interesting that that might be my new mandatory question. Are you scared to work with me? If yes you're ,
Speaker 2 • 22:24 - 22:30 • 83%
That's a true new line, just put that on our intake forms. I like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh, that's so funny.
Speaker 1 • 22:31 - 23:03 • 97%
So Sue was my manager at the first creative agency that I ever worked at. Very good manager. Like she gave me confidence in myself. And I think that like also as a coach, right, that that's something that a coach can give because we don't have, like as an entrepreneur, you as a business owner, you don't have a manager anymore or you don't have a manager. And so sometimes you need that person that you can go to and you know, throw your like papers on the table and be like, I'm so mad.
Speaker 1 • 23:03 - 23:08 • 98%
Or you know, I'm so upset or I can't figure this out. It's nice to have that person. So
Speaker 2 • 23:09 - 23:12 • 97%
It is, it's always nice to have that person. Yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1 • 23:13 - 23:21 • 94%
Yeah. And it's not always like your significant other or you like your best friend who wants to hear about your business challenges.
Speaker 2 • 23:21 - 24:00 • 96%
That's right. And that's, can I just make one comment about that? Because I think it's really important is that, you know, we work or people like depending on where where you work and what you do, like you spend a lot of time at work and it affects everything. It affects your mental health, it affects your wellness. Like we talk about wellness in general, like your health. And so it's, it's kind of of seen as normal or getting to be normal to go to a therapist for personal things. It's like it's, you know, you can talk to your spouse or your partner about your day to day and the day to day, but do they know the intricacies of things and how things, and do they want to hear about it every day or
Speaker 1 • 24:00 - 24:02 • 93%
And can they actually help you ?
Speaker 2 • 24:02 - 24:03 • 87%
Exactly. Can
Speaker 1 • 24:03 - 24:23 • 93%
Isn't their advice valid? Like Troy gets so mad at me when I don't listen to him. He's like, why are you asking for my advice when you never take it? And I'm like, I'm not really asking for your advice, I'm just kind of like talking out loud. But yeah, you know, just gimme a, I want you to listen because I'm never gonna listen to you because you don't know anything about marketing
Speaker 2 • 24:23 - 24:53 • 95%
. Right. And that's, and that, that was the thing with my, my husband. He didn't know either. And so you wanna solve these problems like you need to talk through these problems. So just as much as that, we spend a lot of time, I guess my point is we spend a lot of time at our office or on our business or on whatever that and, and if you don't have that manager and sometimes even if you do have a manager that isn't, you want an objective person, you want a com. Like someone who's going to also though tell you the really reels, I call it the really reels. Yeah. Tell you the really reals and help you solve it.
Speaker 2 • 24:53 - 25:02 • 97%
Not give you the answers, but help you get the tools so that next time you bring those tools to the table too. Right? Yeah. So you're learning tools to help you. So Yeah.
Speaker 1 • 25:02 - 25:15 • 96%
Yeah. Very, very interesting. Okay, so tell me a little bit about when you decided to start the business , what was the initial vision or dream for the business? How long have you been in business now? Two years. Okay.
Speaker 2 • 25:15 - 25:42 • 95%
So officially three. Okay. However, I like to say a year and a half because when I left it was Nova Scotia power that I was at. And when I left they actually hired me on and they were my first client. Okay. So because I was finishing off part of the portfolio that I had. So I can't really say that was my fall security a little bit. Yeah. So I say I am about a year and a half in, how about that? Okay.
Speaker 1 • 25:42 - 25:50 • 94%
Okay. Yeah. So from your initial vision or dream you wanted this business to look like to now? Yeah. Is it the same? Has it evolved?
Speaker 2 • 25:51 - 26:25 • 97%
I feel like I had a vision and my initial one was to do I really, I haven't placed a lot of emphasis on the coaching. I mean in the last six months I guess I have, but that's the portfolio I thought I would be right out of the gateway. Yeah. Like that piece of it. And then my second piece was about, you know, working with the more of the small business and doing some kind of work shopping. So then I feel like the longer I got in it, I moved away from the coaching because some of the business stuff came up and eventually I've circled all the way back to almost my original vision .
Speaker 2 • 26:26 - 26:57 • 96%
So it's kind of funny, somehow I moved, yeah, I moved a little bit away from it, but then somehow it came back. And even my initial thoughts of how I would organize or how I would hold my leadership. Like I started in a place, kind of kept rethinking it, overthinking it, doing too much thinking about it, and then stopped overthinking about it. And then I hit like literally my notes. Oh I, I started with that. Like it was, it's it's actually hilarious. Yeah. That I ended to write back where I was. But I, I feel like that's a normal thing.
Speaker 2 • 26:58 - 27:01 • 75%
I like a normal to really know what the
Speaker 1 • 27:01 - 27:03 • 88%
I beginning question, right. We're like, is this, yes.
Speaker 1 • 27:04 - 27:34 • 97%
Like there's just so many opportunities. And I had this conversation with a client the other day, she's like, Ugh, she was very upset and she's like, I just feel like there's nothing like I don't know what to do. I've done this and this and this. And like I feel like there's, I don't know what to do now to grow beyond where I am. And like she's super successful in her small business. It's almost a medium business. like is a good business. And I said, well you have access to so many different avenues, like you've done that. But like in business, like there's so many different lines of business you could do.
Speaker 1 • 27:34 - 27:49 • 97%
There's so many ways to expand. There's so many mark. Like it's infinite the number of ways to be successful in business. You just have to find the one that is authentic and ties to you. So like if you do not like Instagram, Sue Oland.
Speaker 2 • 27:49 - 27:50 • 89%
Yes, I know.
Speaker 1 • 27:50 - 28:03 • 97%
Then there's other marketing avenues that could overfill your capacity quite easily. But you have to choose a different lane instead of just doing what you think you have to do or should do. I
Speaker 2 • 28:03 - 28:03 • 99%
Know,
Speaker 1 • 28:04 - 28:04 • 99%
Right?
Speaker 2 • 28:04 - 28:36 • 97%
That's a problem you do. And it's, it's so I love that you say that too because, or a couple things. So if I remember a couple things, be the authentic, like I remember doing the old circle of what am I good at? What do you know, oh yeah, what's my passion and what do people need? Right? Like I did that. Yeah. And that's why for me simplifying down to business leadership in these areas, like the discipline, business, creating plan and start plan and then the people coaching. Like that's really clear on my two offerings. So I love that you say that authentic to you though. 'cause I feel like those ones I can stand behind.
Speaker 2 • 28:37 - 28:50 • 98%
Yeah. But the whole thing of like thinking of what I have to do is also a problem of mine. Like I also feel like that is a problem of mine a little bit. And I'm still working through that one.
Speaker 1 • 28:51 - 28:52 • 91%
Like what do you mean by that?
Speaker 2 • 28:54 - 29:27 • 97%
So I feel like from a coaching perspective, I should have a presence on Instagram and mostly just so people can see me, right. Because I think it's a really personal, it's a personal thing. So I want people to see me, to hear me, to get where I'm like what are my values? What is important and who I am. Yeah. But yet I am to go on and talk, talk like, I mean we're you and I are talking 'cause it's a conversation. It's so much easier. Yes. And authentic to me. I always say if I meet someone in person, like put me in front of someone, great.
Speaker 2 • 29:28 - 29:37 • 98%
But put me in a place that I feel not natural. For me it's difficult. So that's my point is that a lot of people are out there on Instagram and, and so how do
Speaker 1 • 29:37 - 30:16 • 97%
You make Instagram natural for you? You just said have conversations with people. Right. And so when I started, depending on purpose, I had a live show that I did every week and it was like interviewing people. It was similar to this, but it was like live, it was easy for me 'cause I literally like just talked to people and you know, pulled information out. And so it was fun and authentic and people got to know me. And then I started doing them. Well actually I started by myself doing them. But then I started adding people and anyways there could be opportunity and instead of doing reels and like stuff like that, you cater to who you are and you do Yes.
Speaker 1 • 30:16 - 30:18 • 98%
You know, live interviews or whatever instead.
Speaker 2 • 30:19 - 30:25 • 89%
But yes. And so I'm starting to double in that. I know there's so shoulds, there's so many shoulds. The
Speaker 1 • 30:25 - 30:34 • 98%
Only real should I think in marketing is you should find something that feels good and authentic to you and you should do it consistently.
Speaker 2 • 30:35 - 30:51 • 98%
I know that's my, that's the second piece. I mean I, you know, you know there's been a few things going on, so I have not been consistent, but I do know that it is about consistency and no matter what you do, so whoever's listening, I totally agree. I'm just not living that right now and
Speaker 1 • 30:51 - 31:14 • 98%
I'm not living that. Like honestly I'm not living that because I know I'm too busy. And this is that weird hump that I was just talking about earlier in the show is like, I'm busy to market my business but I'm not like, it's just this weird spot. But I want to, and for me it's even more important because like if my marketing sucks, who's gonna wanna hire a marketing coach that
Speaker 2 • 31:14 - 31:14 • 86%
Doesn't
Speaker 1 • 31:14 - 31:16 • 97%
Do any marketing. Right?
Speaker 2 • 31:16 - 31:28 • 95%
But aren't we our own worst clients? Aren't we saying that isn't not what it is, like the hairdressers, like their own, don't look at their or their nails or you know, people's because they can't take care of themselves 'cause they're taking care of everyone else.
Speaker 1 • 31:29 - 31:36 • 97%
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So who is your most ideal customer? So people can self-identify?
Speaker 2 • 31:36 - 32:09 • 97%
Okay, so I would say it's definitely, I would say the working woman is first of all who I'd say is really who I would lean into. And those who are looking to transform. So either they're business and somehow they've realized that they're at a growing stage, they're at a stage of friction. Something has happened from a business and they know they need to try and get things intuitively or as a, as a people like, so you, you've been in your career for a while, you're not sure where you're going or you're a young leader and you're looking to grow and develop.
Speaker 2 • 32:10 - 32:23 • 96%
So it's about kind of that transformational moment, A moment of that you feel some spin or some friction. But I, I do like to say the working woman. 'cause that can be solopreneur, it could be a corporate, you know, someone in call the corporate, somebody
Speaker 1 • 32:23 - 32:23 • 91%
In a
Speaker 2 • 32:23 - 32:24 • 93%
Leadership type
Speaker 1 • 32:24 - 32:24 • 92%
Role,
Speaker 2 • 32:25 - 32:46 • 97%
Someone in leadership. I, I tend to shy away from executive mostly if I look at people management, it's more managers and directors that I feel I can make the biggest impact. Okay. Well there's many executives that I feel needed. I don't think they're always open to actually it. Whereas I feel like managers and directors, they touch the most people.
Speaker 1 • 32:47 - 32:47 • 93%
Right.
Speaker 2 • 32:47 - 33:17 • 94%
And make an impact on and on people. And I think that they are the ones on a day to day that probably have a higher struggle, like that struggle on a more daily basis with things that I can make the most impact with in the immediate Right. So, okay. Yeah, so working women looking to kind of in a transformational state, probably managers, but also again small businesses. I've worked with a lot of solo businesses to help 'em get some discipline. But again, mostly in a transformative stage. They've reached some growth.
Speaker 2 • 33:18 - 33:33 • 95%
There's some, they don't have those processes down. They don't have even like things like job descriptions or things of understanding, hiring, playing, interviewing. So any kind of moment of transition or transformation that they're feeling. Some friction. And that's I think where I, I meet them.
Speaker 1 • 33:33 - 33:59 • 94%
Okay. I love that . Okay, . Very good. Very good. So you have kind of two separate type people. People who would want the coaching who are in a managerial role. manage people . And then the person who like needs to figure out the processes and structure and business plans and like who's in a leadership role in defining the direction and stuff of
Speaker 2 • 33:59 - 34:00 • 69%
Business. Of the business. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 • 34:01 - 34:22 • 91%
That makes sense. Yeah, that makes sense to me. So I'm gonna ask one more question. One more question. , I it a really good one. Okay. So my last question is gonna be a marketing related question because this is a market podcast, whatcha doing from a marketing perspective that you think is working the best for you?
Speaker 2 • 34:23 - 34:41 • 98%
Okay, so I'm not sure this will be for everybody because I don't follow a lot of the traditional is that, to be honest, at this stage of my career, the best thing that I'm doing right now is actually reaching out to a network. My network.
Speaker 1 • 34:42 - 34:42 • 99%
Yes.
Speaker 2 • 34:43 - 35:11 • 96%
And even just explaining what I'm doing now. And as I say, I'm better in front of people and then them actually telling, oh I have this person and this is the person I know because I know who she is, I know what she can deliver. And I was terrified to do that. Yeah. I was terrified to reach out to a list of people who have always been my supporters or you know, peers. And I just didn't want to do it. Yeah. I didn't wanna do it. I know, because
Speaker 1 • 35:11 - 35:13 • 94%
You're asking for help .
Speaker 2 • 35:13 - 35:46 • 96%
Yes. And I don't want to put people in that osi like, so, but what I've done is found my way. And I think this is a really act circling with everything we're talking about with marketing and we're talking about authenticity and being authentic to you is that I'm doing it in my way. So in, I just wanna have a coffee or here's who I am and this is what I'm doing authentic, if you know of anyone. So there's no pressure. Like I find it in my way to do it and I wanna be of value and however that makes it. But I think it's important one, to reach out to that network because
Speaker 1 • 35:47 - 35:49 • 72%
To be honest, that's the lowest hanging fruit.
Speaker 2 • 35:50 - 35:57 • 94%
It's, and for me the hardest, the lowest the easiest, but the hardest. And it has proven successful.
Speaker 1 • 35:57 - 35:58 • 99%
Probably the most beneficial though.
Speaker 2 • 35:58 - 36:03 • 87%
The most beneficial. And I should have done it a while ago. Okay. And I didn't
Speaker 1 • 36:03 - 36:07 • 94%
Yeah, yeah. Procrastinate with it. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 • 36:08 - 36:09 • 83%
I, I would say
Speaker 1 • 36:09 - 36:43 • 97%
That. So if I ever did it, I remember when I first started, I did a live episode on podcasts. Or not podcasts, sorry. On networking. On networking, yes. And how like, oh, I, I really don't like networking. Like I, I'm the least political person you will ever meet. I, that's why I did not love corporate. I felt like I had to be very political. I had to like be rallying for position and like not my style at all. And so networking, when I first started out, I did not enjoy it at all.
Speaker 1 • 36:43 - 36:59 • 97%
I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. I didn't wanna talk about what I did. I was felt salesy. Like it was like the worst. But what doing is different, you're actually talking to people that you know, who know of your work, know of your reputation and they're your your people. So there
Speaker 2 • 36:59 - 37:00 • 83%
Are people,
Speaker 1 • 37:01 - 37:01 • 98%
Yeah.
Speaker 2 • 37:01 - 37:13 • 97%
So added onto that, just so networking your people but or going to my network of, network of people and then networking I will also say has also proven successful.
Speaker 1 • 37:13 - 37:13 • 96%
Okay.
Speaker 2 • 37:14 - 37:24 • 96%
As painful. As painful as it is. And as someone had said, don't put yourself in the corner. And of course I look around and where am I in the corner and I made myself grow. Nobody
Speaker 1 • 37:24 - 37:26 • 89%
Puts baby in the corner. No.
Speaker 2 • 37:26 - 37:50 • 91%
Puts my I know that I isn't that the first thing that comes to our mind And I did it and I also was proven successful there. And so that's for me, ent the, even though networking doesn't feel authentic to me and the others is the moment I can be face to face with someone is my best marketing tool. Yes. And that's just for me, it's for the service that I do. So Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Marketing.
Speaker 1 • 37:50 - 38:08 • 93%
Yeah, it's fine. It liter this is a great lesson from this episode is to find what, play to your strengths, find what feels authentic, find what feels good, and do that consistently. Right. Right. And stop trying to do other things that don't feel good or just because other people are doing them.
Speaker 2 • 38:09 - 38:09 • 73%
Yes. You
Speaker 1 • 38:09 - 38:10 • 95%
Can cook
Speaker 2 • 38:10 - 38:11 • 63%
Hundred percent a steak
Speaker 1 • 38:11 - 38:14 • 97%
On a barbecue, on a frying pan in an oven. Like there's so
Speaker 2 • 38:14 - 38:15 • 98%
Many
Speaker 1 • 38:15 - 38:16 • 85%
Ways. Right. .
Speaker 2 • 38:17 - 38:36 • 97%
And it, it, it does capture, back to your point about this is a marketing is that, that would be the biggest piece. Whether you're marketing yourself, whether you're marketing a product, whether you're marketing like a service, whatever it might be, is to be authentic and do it in the most authentic way to you. Be authentic. Do it authentically.
Speaker 1 • 38:37 - 38:37 • 98%
Yes.
Speaker 2 • 38:38 - 38:58 • 96%
I mean I always say as long as you're authentic, never, you could always look at yourself in the mirror and it nothing will ever keep you up at night. And that's been my guiding principle. I think back, hey, right back to like the CCL days, like integrity and my character have always been the number one. And so if I can remain true to that, then everything
Speaker 1 • 38:58 - 39:03 • 93%
Will be rest. Everything will work out and everything will work out. And you deserve to be in the company called good people.
Speaker 2 • 39:04 - 39:04 • 38%
Aw,
Speaker 1 • 39:05 - 39:19 • 92%
Same. Okay. . Well we could talk all day. I'm definitely gonna have Sue back on this podcast another time 'cause Sue and I can just chat all day and . I'm sure we'll come up with something interesting for you. .
Speaker 2 • 39:20 - 39:26 • 96%
Yes. We have lots of stuff to talk about. Yeah, exactly As you said, we should have captured the beforehand. Yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1 • 39:26 - 39:31 • 97%
Exactly. Yeah. Before conversation would've made a great podcast too. Do you wanna tell people how to get in touch with you
Speaker 2 • 39:32 - 39:40 • 90%
Good people consultants.com same with good people. Consultants on Instagram or Sue a good people. Good people. consultants.com .
Speaker 1 • 39:40 - 39:49 • 95%
Okay my friends. We will see you next time or you'll hear us next time on Daring Dreams. Have a great day. Bye.
