Fledgling Freedom-preneur Interview: Lola Hoad

Welcome to a new instalment of my blog interview series, where I chat with fledgling freedom-preneurs about their first baby steps in business. 

By sharing their stories, warts and all, the aim is to help you find more clarity as you start out on your own business journey, get inspired, and see that all entrepreneurs have to start somewhere!  

So this month I've been chatting with paper goods designer Lola Hoad, who swapped graphic design for starting her own design studio and business coaching.

How long have you had your business?

I started LH design, my paper goods company, in May 2014 after a redundancy from a graphic design job. One Girl Band, the collective I run for female entrepreneurs and creatives, started in June 2015. 

Did you have any business background or experience before you started?

Definitely not! I was 19 when I first started, with just a few GCSEs and a half-done Photography BTEC to my name. I'm almost completely self-taught, apart from expertise I've picked up from previous jobs and from my parents, who are also self-employed.

What were the 3 most important things you invested in when you were starting out?

Being 100% honest, I was silly when I first started out. I had the wrong mindset when it came to money, and it resulted in me not investing in as much as I could've. The first major investment I took out was getting my paper goods printed with local printers, rather than just through my trusty inkjet! Last year, I hired a business + mindset coach (who I wish I had to hand sooner) and finally did my dream run of gold foil notebooks. 

Is there anything that you spent time/money on, that now with hindsight, you would do differently?

If I knew then what I know now, I would've hired a coach and invested in my products a lot sooner. Perhaps I would've invested in One Girl Band right from the beginning too, but I quite like how organically it's grown.

How did you get your first customers?

With LH design, my first customers were either from Etsy (so lots of promoting and building up my brand on social media) or via wholesale. I would email shops I liked and thought were in line with my brand's values and ask if they'd like a sample pack of cards to try out. The wholesale side of LH design is now the biggest side, and that wouldn't have happened if I didn't focus on it as early as I did. With One Girl Band, I got my first coaching clients by, again, building up my brand and expertise field value on social media, as well as offering free clarity calls.

What tips do you have for starting a business whilst still in your 9 to 5?

Just get started! The oldest trick in the book. If you feel you don't have enough time to do everything you need to do, you definitely won't get it done if you just give up. We all have the same amount of hours in the day, the month, the year. It's all about how we use them; with purpose, clarity and intent. 

You can check out Lola's gorgeous designs at www.lolahoaddesign.co.uk

So do you know anyone who is in the early stages of their biz, and would like to share their story and lessons learned? Then ask them to email me at hello@thecoastalcoach.com

Fledgling Freedom-preneur Interview: Rosie Odette

Welcome to another instalment of my new blog series, where I interview fledgling freedom-preneurs about their first baby steps in business. 

By sharing their stories, warts and all, the aim is to help you find more clarity as you start out on your own business journey, get inspired, and see that all entrepreneurs have to start somewhere!  

So this month we are chatting with jewellery designer Rosie Odette, who swapped running restaurants for sourcing and designing stunning jewellery from India.

So how long have you had your business? 

I started out as a goldsmith having trained in Hatton Garden in June 2014. Then I travelled to India where I carried on working as a goldsmith and made my first bespoke high-end collection. I then found a manufacturer there and design two new collections, and went on to launch my website in 2015. 

Did you have any business background or experience before you started? 

I had no previous background in business but had worked in the service industry for years and ran restaurants. The people management, customer service, and organisational skills I picked up were really useful and transferrable, as well the grit, tenacity and ability to long hours. 

Is there anything that you spent time/money on, that now with hindsight, you would do differently?

In hindsight you can over-order stock, but I'd rather be ready and have stock, then tell a customer what they want isn't available. But it's also never a bad thing to sell out. Stock balance is an ongoing balancing act, because in every market the most popular things are always different!  

How did you get your first customers?

I got my first customer from the first ring I made; a ruby ring made in silver. She loved it and asked if I could make her one. That was only three weeks into my training, and I had just happened to source two rubies from Goa earlier that year. Clients continued to contact me from seeing my posts on Facebook and it took off from there. 

I'm going into my third year now. They say the first three are the hardest, then you plateau a bit, then it's two more years before you are out of the woods. 

What tips do you have for starting a business whilst still in your 9 to 5?

It's tough. You need vision, passion, tenacity, grit and a great product that you love. Business is also about relationships and having the inner strength to carry on when the going get tough. 

I didn't start with a business plan or cash flow, that all came later and I'm glad it did. If someone had showed me what I would go through I possibly wouldn't have started! However it's a blessing really, learning to jump through hoops. 

I've come so far against the odds, and invested so much that I can't go back now. It’s like a marriage, you've got to make it work. You have to keep on asking yourself the question - is it worth fighting for/will it pay off in 5 years time? If the answer is yes, then keep fighting for it and find a way. 

Not having a plan was the best thing - as I just grew with it and had to get creative. You make it work. The gold is in how much you grow as a person, especially when time and time again you're given the choice to give up. 

If you can keep a 9-5 job going great, but at some point you have to leap and just give your business your full commitment. Having savings is helpful, but can also make you not work/ strive as hard so it's a catch 22. It's also about conquering the fear of failure and taking the leap. As the saying goes "leap and the net will appear”.

You can check out Rosie's stunning designs at www.rosieodette.com

So do you know anyone who is in the early stages of their biz, and would like to share their story and lessons learned? Then ask them to email me at hello@thecoastalcoach.com

Fledgling Freedom-preneur Interview: The Vegan Viking

In this blog series, I interview fledgling freedom-preneurs about their first baby steps in business. I thought it would be inspiring for you guys to hear their stories, warts and all, to help you find more clarity as you start out on your own business journey.  

So first up we have local legend, the Vegan Viking! (or Chris as he’s otherwise known), who swapped his career in sales to start a vegan food delivery service and now runs a vegan cafe:

So how long have you had your business? (*time of writing was 2016*)

Around 3 months, however I started writing my blog about 2 years ago.

Did you have any business background or experience before you started? 

I've worked in Sales, Recruitment, Fitness & Nutrition as well as Food & Beverage, so I feel I have a fairly well rounded background. 

What were the 3 most important things you invested in when you were starting out? 

1. Catering equipment. I trialled using eco friendly silicone tupperware which I then found wasn't scalable and didn't look quite right. I then chose some compostable throwaways that help with the branding and are easy for people to recycle. 

2. My electric van which is more affectionately known as the ‘Shield Maiden'. I started off using taxis and buses until I invested £2500 in her. She's pretty much free to run, given there are some electric charge points around the city that are free to use. It's value truly comes from a brand stand point though. I've already won business from people seeing it around town and it generates plenty of smiles too. 

3. Time & hard work. Without doubt this is what I perhaps underestimated the most. I spend most waking minutes thinking about new ideas/recipes/ways I can improve the service. Apart from maybe one day per week when I can truly relax, I'm sourcing new suppliers, marketing on social media or testing new recipes on my ever-supportive wife.

Is there anything that you spent time/money on, that now with hindsight, you would do differently?

With hindsight perhaps the silicone packaging I initially used. However if I hadn't used these and got feedback, I may have never ended up using the excellent eco-packages I use now. I feel, from my experience, all mistakes are just part of the learning process, and whilst not apparent at the time, help you to provide a better service and ultimately contribute to a more efficient business model. 

How did you get your first customers?

I trialled the service at my current place of work within my team and anyone else that was interested. Then started advertising in specific social media groups and dropping business cards anywhere that I came across. Also found that word of mouth is a powerful tool. Nothing beats getting out and talking to people. 

What tips do you have for starting a business whilst still in your 9 to 5?

If you are passionate about something and feel it is going to benefit the people in your community and further afield, then go for it. Prepare to have some sleepless nights and a few setbacks on the road to wherever you're going. Gather feedback on your product/service but ultimately you have to make the key decisions, have the courage in your convictions! 

*2019 update*: Chris has now swapped his food delivery service for a vegan cafe in the heart of Brighton called The Longhouse Cafe, and you can find out more about his delicious offerings here.

So do you know anyone who is in the early stages of their biz, and would like to share their story and lessons learned? Then ask them to email me at hello@thecoastalcoach.com