SBS Event 2024
If you haven’t heard of the SBS (Small Business Sunday) Event before it is amazing and every small business should enter (I think it may be UK only?!). Every Sunday at 5pm you can tweet @Theopaphitis and share your business, if you’re lucky enough to win you are in for a treat. Myself and the girls from @rockpoolcreative have been 3 times now.
If you do win you get to go to this empowering event every year, it costs you nothing other than hotel stays if you don’t live near Birmingham. Amazing food, goodie bags and THE best guest speakers. So far we have seen Theo Paphitis, Sir Tom Hunter, Sara Davies and on Friday we listened to @staceysolomon… wow, wow, wow is all I can say.
Whenever we go to this event we always come away with one nugget of information that completely changes our outlook. It can be one sentence that just resonates and stops you in your tracks. “Run your business with your head not your heart” quote from Sara Davies. “Make sure you have cashflow” quote from Theo, “They are not failures in your business, move on, change it” quote from Stacey.
So much of what Stacey said confirmed that I am on the right track with my businesses. Explaining to people about being real, being authentic. Sharing your life with your audience, I already do all of this. Your audience/customers want to know the back story, they want to know who’s behind the business because your customers and audience will be invested in you. You are your brand really not your product if that makes any sense at all. Loads of people do what I do, but what I like to think sets me apart from everyone is being authentic, sharing my life, my family, my struggles, the struggles of running your own business with a family. It isn’t all sunshine roses its bloody hard work. But the we get to reap the rewards that is the difference.
My business went through the roof during Covid. Yes for most it was a terrible time, but I didn’t have that experience and I am aware that is a privilege. I am so proud to say that during this time over 180 small businesses started from students investing in my courses. Some quit their full time careers, others had a side hustle going on and some started their own businesses part time. How amazing is that.
Since I started the online courses my main goal was to get as many small businesses up and running as possible. People taking control of their finances, empowering women and men to go for it. I do have to sit back and take stock sometimes of what I’ve achieved so far. As I said earlier there have been times when stuff didn’t work, I didn’t just give up. It was a case of right move on, what’s next.
The biggest tip I can give you other than the ones stated above is it PLAN.. PLAN, PLAN.. what do you want to get out of your business? What do you want to achieve? Write it down. Don’t take things personally when they don’t work out. Move on, if the same thing keeps going wrong or doesn’t work and you just sit on your laurels! What do you think is going to change? Nothing. If you keep doing the same thing but are expecting a different outcome you’re going to be disappointed.
I have a few students over the years who message me and say ‘I’m just not getting any orders in!’ So I go through with them…what are doing to advertise? Are you on socials? The answer is always well I tried that for a week and nothing happened. PLEASE REMEMBER – NOTHING happens overnight. You can’t just sit there and expect business to come to you. Get your name out there, take some taster boxes to big corporates. Run a giveaway or a competition. Who doesn’t love a freebie! Also remember your mindset is a lot to do with it. If you’re already defeated and you’re being negative you’re only going to attract negativity. Get off your backside and PLAN what you’re going to do even if its only a week at a time.
I explained this once before and it was taken completely the wrong way.. I am blunt I know but I’m not going to change who I am for anyone, and if you don’t like me being honest then maybe I’m not for you lol. I completely understand that everyone has their own issues and awful things happen. If I told you all of mine, you’d think you were reading a horror novel. I wish I was joking. You know how I feel about negativity! You’ll just attract it. You know how I know that? I have been there. Laws of attraction…. I believed in manifestation before it was even called that lol.
My groups are a safe space for everyone to air their grievances and the trials of running your own business, that is what its for. You know, the pain in the bottom customers who drive you up the wall.. etc etc that isn’t being negative that’s ranting and getting it off your chest.
Anyway rant over…..
Only you are responsible and accountable for your business. It is so empowering to get in your head that things will change. I’ve had to change and evolve so many times over the years. I’m about to do it again now, I tried not coming on stories because of the algorithm not showing any of you, but its not working. I’ve got so much to say, surprise surprise, I do love a chat.
After listening to Stacey I immediately thought to myself get back on stories. AND get on with the other (more on that below). She was saying about her Instagram followers being like friends that you have a chat with. And that’s how I always felt, like I was chatting with friends and putting the world to rights. I have so many friends now that I haven’t even met, yet consider dear friends. You know who you are… like Stacey said people don’t have to watch you it’s their choice whether they watch your stories or not, and then the epiphany happened! I get a lot of trolling as you know and it doesn’t effect me, but having this break for the past few months has been bliss. I have always laughed at the trolls because they don’t even know me and what I find so bizarre is no one is making them watch my account hahahahahaha
Students have been messaging me for ages now saying the same thing.. “I miss you on stories and your daily chats!” Too many people have said it now so time to read the signs and get on with it. My fear has always been that people get bored of what I’m talking about, so many of you have already heard what I have to say but going by the messages I receive maybe you weren’t, lol Sometimes I will just talk about my family and not necessarily the cake business but that is real life.
Getting back to the SBS event Stacey also spoke about Mum guilt. She doesn’t have it, she said she is very privileged as she has so many family members who step in take care of her children while she’s working etc. But her theory is it’s good for her kids to see her work and inspire them. One thing I will say though is that I never feel guilty for taking time out for myself. We spend our whole lives making sure everyone is ok and somewhere along the way we get forgotten about. Going away with the girls for Thursday and Friday was so needed, I was going to bail last minute because this house business is stressing me out so much I didn’t want to be a Debbie Downer…. Lee put his foot down and said GO you need a break.. so I did and it was lovely just non stop talking for the 4.5 hour car ride and then non stop talking until 2.30 in the morning hahahahaha I feel totally refreshed and after listening to all the amazing people at SBS I feel like a rocket has been inserted up my a…
Come the f*** on Bridget… if you’ve seen Bridget Jones Diary you’ll know! 😉
PS: I tagged Stacey Solomon in my stories and she replied arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh totally fan girling over here.
Lots of love
Jane x
RIGHT….here is the exciting news!
After reading the above about Friday and listening to @staceysolomon talk about her life and career. It gave me the kick up the butt that I needed and to “just go for it”as I always say to you all… So, after far too much procrastinating over the past 3 years I’ve decided to start a Podcast.
I need your help please, below is a form for you to fill in if you wish to of course. Let me know what you’d like my podcast topics to be? Can be anything! I can’t wait to hear all of your ideas, I’m so excited and have that fire in my belly feeling about this.
Lots of love
Jane x
ps. Feel free to put your name and email, or don’t if you would rather not!
Thanks Jane for your continued support to all us small business x