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Brand to Scale is a podcast where we talk to business leaders and industry influencers about how they built their brands. Each episode dives into real stories about starting up, growing through challenges, and what success looks like behind the scenes. It's an honest look at the people and ideas driving business forward.
Jess: [00:00:00] Welcome to Brand to Scale the podcast where I sit down with people who have built something meaningful and ask them how they really, really did it. I'm Jess, your host, and today I'm [00:00:10] joined by someone who's grown and sold a successful retail business and is now helping others navigate the emotional and strategic rollercoaster of entrepreneurship.
Welcome, [00:00:20] Helen.
Helen: Well, thanks. Lovely. Sounds crazy when you say it like that, doesn't it? Yeah, that was really cool.
Jess: I mean, I could have gone on with a big
Helen: no, don't,
Jess: don't go. We'll
Helen: be a old date. [00:00:30]
Jess: I'll leave you to tell the story. Give us a little bit of background about, um, who you are, where you've come from, and a little bit about your journey so far.
Helen: Yeah. Amazing. Um, I know we haven't [00:00:40] got like all day, so I'll try and keep it as brief as I can. Um, so my background, I was brought up on a green grocer stall. My parents were Green Grocers. Um, my mom was [00:00:50] actually a florist and I started my sort of entrepreneurial journey, I guess, um, on their market store in, in Cardiff Markets.
And I absolutely loved it, even though my dad used to get [00:01:00] me up at like, uh, like five o'clock on a Saturday morning and drag me down the, the wholesalers. It was from then. I loved like just listening to the conversations. So he wouldn't let me out to the [00:01:10] van though. He would keep me in the van. That sounds really bad.
And I locked in the van, um, with Beam, which is so bad, so full of sugar. Um, but loved it. And I [00:01:20] remember just sat there just like still being half asleep because I was really young. Um, but just like looking around and listening to all the conversations. Um, and I kind of just knew from there that. Business is just all about [00:01:30] chatting, right?
It's just as I grow and, you know, learn that as well. It's just about conversations. Um, so yeah, I've worked on their store for a long time. Did the whole, um, was all very good at school, [00:01:40] to be honest. Did Mitch in a little bit as well, like to remember Mitch? I don't, I don't recommend that by the way. Um,
Jess 3: stay in
Helen: school,
kids
Jess: stay school
Helen: drinks.
[00:01:50] Definitely. Definitely. Um, and then went to uni, got a drinker's degree. Didn't really wanna go to uni actually, but I went to visit my sister. She's like three years older than me and I was like, hang [00:02:00] on, is this what uni's about? Just go and have fun. I was like, okay, I'm going. I'm going. So went to uni, got a a, just kind of scraped through a degree.
Um, I got a degree in [00:02:10] International business management specializing in retail. Like what a title is that? Wow. Absolutely ridiculous though. How so? Um, yeah, but loved it. And then, okay. Finished [00:02:20] uni and I went, uh, went traveling for a bit around the world. Lived in Australia for just under two years and couldn't stay, got kicked out.
[00:02:30] Gutted. What did do, absolutely devastated was Did you get kicked out? Yeah.
Jess: Oh, no. Playing
Helen: you, unfortunately there was, um, yeah. Couldn't down the bees that I had and I couldn't get sponsored to [00:02:40] stay and like the, yeah, the, the rules are really strict to stay at Aus Anyway, I got kicked out, came back and was like, right, what am I gonna do?
And I fell into um, property, found a [00:02:50] property, worked my way up, the sort of property lad there and was in that industry for about eight years. But I knew like I wanted, I wanted to do something [00:03:00] else. I knew there was sort of something else buzzing around and I actually got gems on three. Coffee shop. You mix, like my thing was coffee, like I love talking.[00:03:10]
I actually didn't really like coffee at the time, but I think it was more, I just wanted to chat to people and I was like, well, everyone, everyone loves coffee, right? But I got, um, 'cause I've done three different units and I was [00:03:20] like, you know what? Coffee's just not my time at the moment. Whatever a reason.
And I got offered then an opportunity to start, um, [00:03:30] the joint venture partner bringing the tiger. So it was known as Tiger Retail when I started and it was rebranded to Flying Tiger Copenhagen. What a mouthful. Um, with my [00:03:40] then business partner, Kate's and it kind of just went really fast. It was like right, we had to get a loads of money to start 'cause we didn't have any money [00:03:50] together.
Um, let's get a lot of funding and we grew that business to a fairly substantial size in five years. Yeah. Just terms of five [00:04:00] years. It was, um. And I'm sure you're gonna ask me more questions on that, so I won't go onto that too much. But I sold, sold the shares in that business. It was actually six years ago now.
So I've been out to [00:04:10] that for six years, which is mad when you think about it. Um, and I've, I kind of changed and pivoted quite a lot. And this was on the introduction. I now help, um, predominantly [00:04:20] female founders, um, to understand that when you get to a certain, certain stage in your business, like instead of just flipping your desk up and going, I [00:04:30] fast enough, I'm gonna walk away.
We look at kind of what's, what's working, what's not working, and also what's missing. So it might be, but actually your business is doing okay, but [00:04:40] actually your head is in the right place. So we work on maybe the emotional side or um, or I call it the more human side of what's needed to really, um, you know, grow or.
Or [00:04:50] just sort out your business in a way?
Jess: Hmm.
Helen: Um, I've also created a lovely, lovely network. Of course, she drives collective, which is for female founders [00:05:00] again, or aspiring female founders to have a really lovely space where they can come together and feel connected and feel heard. [00:05:10] Because when I was in the, very much in the thick of things, um, and I can't go into a lot of detail, but because we were women in that industry and in [00:05:20] that space, we weren't given a lot of opportunities or we had opportunities to taken away from us.
And I'm determined to not let that happen to other, um, female founders now. [00:05:30] So yeah, we've got a lovely, um, online membership as well as just started. So it's all exciting, sort, exciting. And yeah, that's just a little bit of what I do. I've also got, um, [00:05:40] two daughters. I've got twins who are gonna be six in March.
Jess: Wow. Busy life.
Helen: Wow. See? Right. I,
Jess: yeah,
Helen: but I'm still smiling. [00:05:50] Well done. Just about.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Brief. Brief.
Jess: Yeah. Put, put on a smile and just get, get through the day and it with them with what challenges? Yeah.
Helen: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And there's [00:06:00] a lot of them, right?
Jess: Yeah. Yeah. Always. Yeah. Always.
Jess 3: Great.
Jess: What's, um, like, just going back to those early, early days then, so your, your parents were self-employed and it sounds like you've [00:06:10] never really had, for want of a better term, a proper job.
Was that ever on the cards for you at all, or was it just like, that's not the way it went?
Helen: Um, so I love that I had even a proper job [00:06:20] when I ever had like a, I never really had a corporate job like that. I knew that definitely wasn't gonna be for me. Um. I don't like being told what to do for a start. If someone tells me something to do, I'm like, you're [00:06:30] not my teacher.
Yeah. Um, I did work in London as well as part of, um, my degree. So I worked in Oxford Street for, you know, how much I loved. Um, but yeah, no, I think, and it was never, it was never like put on me [00:06:40] from my parents like, you've gotta go and be your own boss or be self-employed. Um, like my brother's not my sister's not, I think for me it was more that [00:06:50] I really don't like people telling me what's,
Jess 3: when you your own boss, you can just tell yourself what to do.
Right?
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: That was
Jess: in you, that was just in you, that you needed
Helen: to do [00:07:00] something yourself. So I think so I, it's that not long ago and I'm like, you know, has it always been in you, the entrepreneurial side? I'm like, must have thought [00:07:10] to be honest. But yeah. If you've said to me now like, go and go and work and go and get a, a nine to five corporate job.
It just doesn't sit with me like [00:07:20] Yeah, like they, I my bones not full time. Do like a day, probably like a day a week. Yeah. But not, not full time.
Jess: Not fulltime. No,
Helen: no, not for [00:07:30] me.
Jess: Did you learn any lessons by seeing your parents, you know, run a bit? Did they run it together as well?
Helen: So it was interesting, yes.
Um, so my, [00:07:40] my mum's um, dad had the business. I never, so unfortunately died before I was born, but yeah, they had the business. So it was actually, it was actually in my family for about 30 [00:07:50] years. Um, they did run it together. My mom also had a, the florist in, at the other ends of the market if you, if you know Wales, the other end kind of market.
Yeah. So they [00:08:00] did run it again. And my mom actually sold the florist then and she went to work with my dad's. Um, they're actually separated now, so I dunno what that says about what. Okay. I [00:08:10] don't know, but yeah, they did, they did run it together.
Jess: Wow. What, did you learn any lessons from that, um, you know, on how to build a business, run a business?
Or was it just all, you weren't really [00:08:20] taking that in or maybe subconsciously you were, or any lessons to not do when you were doing, to not do?
Helen: Um, yeah, so what would, I remember they had, they are very [00:08:30] different roles and I think that is something that I've kind of brought in now in, in my, in my career is, so my dad went [00:08:40] to get all the produce as such.
Right. He was, he was out and about and my mum was working more on the stool and having conversations with, with the customers. And I [00:08:50] think that's something I kind of thought actually that's really good to have if you are in a partnership or if, if, you know, if you've got people around you is to have your set roles.
Mm-hmm. [00:09:00] Otherwise you get. You wanna do it all right? 'cause when you, when you're in a business, you wanna do everything for a certain amount of time, and then you actually don't wanna do anything at all. You don't wanna do it all. Um, but [00:09:10] yeah, I'd say yeah, watching them have this, the separation of what they did, they were both really good at.
Like their, their roles in it. Um, and I think, again, that's [00:09:20] only looking back now. I realize that at the time it was just like,
Jess: just what
Helen: they did. Just, just, yeah. Yeah. Just what you did. You know? And I think I was, I was, I was young. I was young, so I didn't really take much [00:09:30] notice, but,
Jess: but
Helen: looking back in that kind of work,
Jess: until you look back later on and they're like, oh, maybe that was something that was
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: A little subconscious lack.
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: That [00:09:40] did.
Helen: Yeah. Definitely.
Jess: Tell me about partnerships then. You, you said about, you were, you said you were given an opportunity and then there was a partnership there. What did, were [00:09:50] you given an opportunity or did you hunt an opportunity down and grab it with both hands?
Helen: Yeah. What? Yeah. That's really interesting actually, isn't it? The way I've said that was given an opportunity.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: It [00:10:00] wasn't given, I wasn't given it. We, um, so what, what actually happened was, um. My own business partner, Kate, she'd been made redundant and she'd gone, um, abroad and she's, [00:10:10] she's seen this brand and she and she come back and she knew that I was looking to, to do something else.
It was on my own. And, and she said there, there is an opportunity here that they're [00:10:20] looking for, um, directors and, uh, founders to bring the concept to, to Wales and to grow it across the region. Um, and she said, are you interested? And I just, I asked, [00:10:30] actually, I had to be convinced at first and I was like, what is this?
Like what is this brand? Is it gonna be ours or is it gonna be someone else's? Um, and if you dunno what a joint joint venture [00:10:40] is, you know, we had partners in, uh, David Danish with Danish Partners and we, so we ran everything. So the, the business was fully ours in [00:10:50] our operations, but we had partners in, in Denmark.
And it, I guess. It wasn't given to me. No, that's that's really interesting, Jess. Just that actually [00:11:00] tried, picks up on it wasn't given. So there was a choice. Yeah. And actually the choice and I decided then to, to be involved in that, [00:11:10] in that business. Um, Ooh. Never thought of it that way. It's,
Jess: it's, it's interesting language, isn't it?
Yeah. It's, you do hear it a lot, especially from, especially [00:11:20] from women who go, oh, you know, I accidentally fell into it, or this opportunity came by, or, yeah. And we kind of just ownership over our own success [00:11:30] sometimes, so, yeah. I, I picked up on the given, I was
Helen: like,
Jess: yeah,
Helen: no, I'm, that's really, really interesting, right?
Because the partnership I've got now with She Thrives collective is [00:11:40] completely different. That was something that. We created out of a, a want and a need for something in the area. [00:11:50] Where was the other one? Yeah, I'm gonna sit on that and think about that. You're welcome. You're welcome. Yeah.
Jess 3: Look
Jess: what's, um, that's an interesting way into [00:12:00] business then, Nick.
'cause you weren't, you know, starting anything from scratch growing. You weren't, you know Yeah. Acquiring a business or however are the, are the methods there are to do it. So,
Jess 3: yeah.
Jess: What was the, [00:12:10] for anyone who doesn't know, what's the process of that? Were they advertising for, did you have to apply? Like what, how does that actual actually work?
And is it a thing now or is it quite rare?
Helen: [00:12:20] Yeah, no. So, um, it's, it's not a thing now. So it's not a thing with, with Tiger now. Um, so what, what, the way that it was, the [00:12:30] way it came about was they were kind of, uh, advertising, I guess. On their website for, they're looking for territorial partners in certain [00:12:40] areas.
And we just happened to have the, the, the opportunity in Wales and Bristol. Um, it was initially was [00:12:50] open, so we, yeah, we did be able to put a business plan together. We had to, um, we had to go to Denmark to be, to meet the other, meet the other [00:13:00] partners. Um, and I remember going over there with Kate and we got, we put the, kind of the, the brief together and they invite us to come over, which was huge.
We were like, brilliant. You know, we, we've kind of got in [00:13:10] here. Um, and I remember, I remember being over there and there was Kate and I and three, uh, three, three men never met before. Um, and they were [00:13:20] all talking and half of 'em were talking Danish and they were just talking really fast. And remember looking at Kate thinking, I have got no idea if this is going well.
I got no [00:13:30] idea. Afterwards, one of the guys said, oh, we knew, we knew you were gonna be a good, really good fit for us straight away. [00:13:40] Obviously we had to drag out a bit because we couldn't just say yes straight away. Um, but also we were deciding on where to, um, where to sort of start us and where to, where to, yeah, start the plant, the [00:13:50] seeds.
So we were kind of like not knowing if it was a yes straight away, where we were sat there thinking, what the hell are they saying? 'cause we can't speak Danish. Um, so yeah, we kind of did have [00:14:00] to apply it in that kind of, in that sense.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Um, so they, they, they, their plan was to always, so there was four, four part [00:14:10] four partners in the UK in the end.
So it was London, um, Scotland, Wales, and um, west Flett kind of. Um, I'm trying to say like [00:14:20] Manchester, Liverpool, that kind of way. Um, and they, it was always to come in and get those territories set up and to a place where they could then buy us back out. So [00:14:30] that's what happened. It was an exit. Yeah. So our, our plan was always a five year plan.
Um, again, looking back and you reflect, right? We probably should have gone on about year [00:14:40] three 'cause we would've been made more money. Um, different situations kept us there. Um, and we just loved it. We, we were so passionate that actually we didn't wanna go on year three anyway. We [00:14:50] wanted to stay and, and ride it out for as long as we could.
So
Jess: that's really ballsy though, you know, it was like just going over there and being like, yeah, we can do this. I'm assuming you had. [00:15:00] Really, you know, the first time doing a business plan or anything like that. First experience in a room like that with loads of dudes who aren't Yeah,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: With their business.
How old were you at the [00:15:10] time and how terrifying was it really?
Helen: So I was 32, just about to turn 45. Yeah. I was 32. [00:15:20] And you know what? Yeah. I was actually shit scared because at that time I actually didn't have, I didn't have any confidence. My, I was really quite quiet and a lot of people [00:15:30] see, speak to me now and go, you're not quiet.
Hell. And I, no, I'm, I'm not quiet. I'm really passionate about something. Otherwise I am super quiet. I'll be like, as a black, not talk.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Um, so yeah, I was really scared, but [00:15:40] also I was like, no ball to this. I know. And I knew we could do it. Um, and it was an opportunity that. I really wanted Mm. And [00:15:50] being a Welsh Italian woman and the answer was there will happen.
Um, you know, sorry. It was, and as I said, like Kate was much more vocal than me, like, you know, I was [00:16:00] talking about roles and stuff and, and she was much more vocal at the time and I kind of just let her, um, looking back now, I, I, I don't have regrets, but I wish I was more [00:16:10] me and more vocal because I got a lot to say as well.
But that's another story. Um, so I did let her lead on a lot of the stuff in that meeting, but I remember [00:16:20] coming outta there and we both kind of went, oh, well done to both of us. 'cause we both put inputs in and it was an amazing feeling to feel [00:16:30] that, you know, somebody that didn't have a clue anything about access.
My only real retail background was my mum's Green gr my, I was Green Grocer store and I worked in. [00:16:40] London for a year. Like it's not very much really, is it? And they're like going, yeah, go on. You can run a, a multi, you can, you know, hopefully project to a multimillion pound company. So it was like, yeah. You know, [00:16:50] when you look at it that way, it is quite cool, I guess.
Jess: Yeah, definitely is. Cool. What be, um, the plan going into that? Was it always to, I mean obviously they had a [00:17:00] five year plan and that's the way that they, they mapped that out, but in your head and for your goals and ambitions, was it, I'm gonna do this work really hard five years, make my [00:17:10] money, go do something else?
Or was it, I'm gonna, I dunno, build something really recognizable. What, what was the thinking behind?
Helen: Yeah, so was, um, just to clarify, it [00:17:20] was, it was our, we had a five year plan, not, not theirs, they would've probably let us go for longer, but we, we kind of always had a five year plan. Um, our. [00:17:30] In all honesty, we, you know, you build out this business plan that looks amazing on paper.
The reality is it doesn't always happen that way. Right. And [00:17:40] we, we knew we wanted to grow. We knew wanted, we wanted to be, uh, recognized for bringing something really fun to [00:17:50] a market where there wasn't anything fun. Like there just wasn't. And, and
we could have grown it a lot, a lot bigger. Um, there were restrictions in [00:18:00] place, so that was a bit of a frustration and learnings. We, we definitely grew too fast at certain points as well, and we should have pulled back in certain areas. Um, but [00:18:10] yeah, we. I've forgotten the question now. I was honest. I'm just trying to think.
I'm going back like, was
Jess: it, um, you know, was it you now you've clarified that as well. That was your Yeah. Your plan. Was it, um, you know, to make as [00:18:20] much money as possible?
Helen: Um, I to make as money. Yeah,
Jess: yeah. And live a great, yeah,
Helen: it was, it was at that time it was, uh, I'm gonna speak for Kate as well. Um, [00:18:30] it was about making as much money as we could and with our projections, we should have made a lot more than we did.[00:18:40]
And everyone thinks, you know, oh wow. 'cause you wanna do a successful, like 6 million pound business that I'm a millionaire. Well, I'm absolutely not. You know, in reality of the business life, you know, I'm [00:18:50] not, I wish I was. Yeah. Do I wish I was? I know money at that time for me was really, really important and.
I was pissed [00:19:00] off when we, the exit to not being a millionaire, in all honesty, and don't get me wrong, came out with some money from it. I did. And I always gotta reflect that, [00:19:10] that it's not, it wasn't just about the money, like it was, we created, over that time about 300 jobs. Like we brought a lot of fun to, uh, to people's [00:19:20] shopping experiences.
Um, you know, we, I've made some really lovely friends from it as well.
Jess: Wow.
Helen: So now it wasn't about the money, but at that [00:19:30] time the plan was to. Like, you know, be super rich and do all those things the super rich people do. I dunno what they do, but nothing, but
Jess: I mean, neither unfortunately. [00:19:40] Yeah,
Helen: yeah, yeah. But my, my, my life is very different now.
I don't focus on the money with what I do. 'cause I, if I do, I was, I this conversation with somebody this [00:19:50] morning, actually, when you focus purely on the money, in my opinion, everything else just falls out of alignment. [00:20:00] And you're chasing from my opinion, the wrong thing. You know, money's great. I you need it.
Of course we do.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: It's what you can do with it. Um, [00:20:10] so it's gotta have that, like now I look back and I just think, oh, there's certain things and I'm like, oh yeah, I wish I hadn't done that, but I did it then and I can't change it.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Um, so yeah, [00:20:20]
Jess 3: it was about
Helen: the
Jess 3: money.
Helen: Then
Jess: what, um, who did you have to.
Become And what personal development work did you have to do in that period to [00:20:30] build that successful business? And, and was there some things that you had to learn really fast that you were like, shit, I dunno if I can, I can,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: I dunno if [00:20:40] I'm the right, the right fit for this.
Helen: Yeah. So you had to become, um, so I, I had to become, I'm gonna speak for myself here.
I had to become a person that [00:20:50] I didn't really like, in all honesty, in certain elements of it. Um, I had to become quite pushy and quite hard. And if [00:21:00] you ever meet me, I'm actually not that person. I'm the complete opposite. I'm not, I'm not push over by any strategy of imagination, but I'm actually a, um, I cha I change my personality for that [00:21:10] business.
In a way that didn't actually suit me. Um, and that's because it was things that were outta my control. So say for [00:21:20] example, um, like when we were growing and you're speaking to, you know, massive landlords, you're speaking to agents all the time and all they care about, and I'm gonna say this, all they care [00:21:30] about is the money.
They don't care about anything else. And if the answer's no, you had to really fight for, for things that shouldn't have been [00:21:40] hard. Like it just shouldn't have been. I mean, I'm actually going back to before we even opened any of the stores, like we had to obtain quite a bit of funding to get going [00:21:50] and nobody was interested, like literally nobody.
Um, there wasn't, in my opinion, the opportunities back then they were now that there are now for. [00:22:00] Forefront. And I still think there's some work to be done there, but there's much more opportunities. And there wasn't then. And everyone just kept saying no. And it was really pissing me off
Jess 3: why,
Helen: like, gave us this opportunity.
Like we, we know it [00:22:10] works. The, the, the projections are brilliant. Um, and I had to become quite hard. Like I had to get my, my strong head on. And that wasn't always eating. That [00:22:20] didn't come like naturally for me. Um, I don't like confrontation. It's not like I don't, it doesn't, it doesn't feel right for me. So yeah, I had to become a person that wasn't, wasn't great.
[00:22:30] And actually in, um, just thinking of like the recruitment side of it and the staff side of it, oh my God, I do not miss that. I got so much respect for people that [00:22:40] love like HR and around all the staff. Oh God, you know, that's why it's a really difficult decision. It's why we close the store fan, like getting in, you know, letting people [00:22:50] go.
Um. That was really tough. And I, I remember coming home, um, one day said to my husbands, I was like, that was one of the hardest days, like having those really tough conversations with some of [00:23:00] our staff. Um, and I didn't like, uh, so we ended up getting, uh, uh, somebody else to do that, but I didn't wanna do it anymore.
I just didn't wanna be that person. Yeah. Yeah.
Jess: That's, um, that's, [00:23:10] it's not a, um, an unusual story, is it? I think you have to sort of edit your personality a little bit to
Jess 3: Yeah.
Jess: Fit with what's needed at that time and it, when it feels [00:23:20] really uncomfortable.
Helen: Yeah,
Jess: painful sometimes. And that can be really exhausting as well.
And then sometimes you're like, am I doing this, like for reasons, um, if I like [00:23:30] that. Yeah. Have you absolutely brought yourself back to who you are now since that type? Or have you still got some traits that you, you harness every now and again when you need them? [00:23:40]
Helen: Yeah, I think there's always gonna be, I'm always gonna be that hard person if I really, really need to.
But since I've sold that business and [00:23:50] created my own coaching and consultancy and the shooter eyes collected now, it was, it, it was, and it still is essential that I'm actually [00:24:00] really true to my own personality and my own values. 'cause otherwise I just feel, I just feel all like outta sync. I, it doesn't, and that, that [00:24:10] projects as well, like that whole ripple effect.
If I'm not being myself, the people that I'm work with are just not gonna get the best of me. Um, so I am now I'm my, I'm myself and you know, [00:24:20] people that meet me. You get me? Yeah. And I don't hide. I don't change. I don't change who I am. Um, you know, why, why should we? And I think that's a, that was a massive [00:24:30] learning for me.
Um, I am. Unique and everyone is unique. And actually we've gotta lean into that. 'cause they, that's your, that's your strengths, right. Being [00:24:40] you. Um, so everything I do now has gotta have, um, it's gotta have the alignment with my values, who I am, um, I mean me as a person and then the [00:24:50] people that will be attracted to you will get that.
And those that, that don't, then that's okay.
Jess: Yeah. I'm
Helen: okay with that.
Jess: I would say
that
Jess: also saves a hell of a lot of time [00:25:00] if you are Yeah. People that are not your people, then you're just saving so much time. So, so
Helen: time.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Yeah. And your energy as well. Like when you say how much [00:25:10] energy you putting into something that you don't actually wanna be anymore, let's put.
The good side, you know? Um, so yeah, it's a, it's, yeah. You're so right there. Jess saves you a [00:25:20] lot of time and so much energy.
Jess: It does so
Helen: much. It does. Yeah.
Jess: Co coming out of that, that business, then selling it, um, was there a temptation then to go, right, I'm gonna [00:25:30] do something similar, but on my own terms now, because I know how that works.
I had, you know, the foundations, but I know I could do that in a different way and, and better. [00:25:40]
Helen: Yeah, there absolutely was. Um, and it's interesting because, um, when I came out, so like, yeah, I been really nice. I had a bit of down, I went bit of a [00:25:50] burnout, felt a bit lost, you know, sold something. I was in a bit of a trauma state, to be honest.
This. It's a lovely business and then gone to nothing. And I was like, what, what can I do now? Um, and I was actually going through a fertility [00:26:00] journey at the time, um, and I was like, right, I know what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna, I'm gonna create a load of fertility, like support products and go into it that way.
[00:26:10] And then I was like, no, I don't wanna do that. I actually don't wanna do it. And can you imagine? And I do feel sorry for the people that were in retail in COVID, like we [00:26:20] sold the year, like literally, um, the year before. I can't even imagine
Jess: Wow.
Helen: Being in that business in, in God. Oh my goodness. [00:26:30] So yes, there was, there was always something in me for that.
Um, but for whatever reason I didn't do it. Well, I have no, I haven't done it yet. There's, there's still things [00:26:40] bubbling away.
Jess: Love that
Helen: yet there's still things bubbling, but yeah. It might be a y
Jess: you were, um. Your focus was elsewhere then, if you were going through that fertility journey, did you start that while you [00:26:50] were with Tiger as well?
Did you have a plan Yeah. How all that was gonna look, look like?
Helen: Yeah. So it was, um, yeah, so I unfortunately, um, I had two ectopic [00:27:00] pregnancies when I was in, um, in the Business Insider.
Jess: Wow.
Helen: Um, and yeah, they were really, really hard like, you know, emotionally and physically. Um, so Right. My attention [00:27:10] kind of went in a different way for a period.
Um, so navigating the fertility journey we went on and trying to grow and [00:27:20] scale and run a business was really tough. Like the two together, the, the, yeah, it was, it was really, really hard and it happened twice, like, just once, [00:27:30] twice in, in the time I had it as well. Um, so my, my focus though. Was always the business.
And again, when I reflect and look [00:27:40] back, would I have done things differently? A hundred percent. Like a hundred percent. And when I, when I left, I was speaking to, um, HR [00:27:50] consultants actually when I, when I sold and, and she was talking about, um, having a fertility policy as part of a, uh, part of a handbook for one of our clients.
And I was like, oh my God. I [00:28:00] didn't even, I didn't think of anything like that for when we, as our employees, you know, we had a fairly young, uh, workforce, a fairly staff, uh, young, yeah, young staff. But [00:28:10] actually now, like, you know, things that I've gone through, would I have put those in place? Yes. Um, so yeah, it was, it was tough being, um, going through that process of trying to [00:28:20] start a family while running a, a.
A multimillion pound business, you know, it was, yeah. That wasn't an easy, an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination.
Jess: I can, I [00:28:30] can only imagine.
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: What,
Helen: yeah. There,
Jess: um, was there any judgment's, probably too strong a word, but people who care for you, who were, who were [00:28:40] around you or, or otherwise thinking, look, this is a bad idea.
Like, what are you doing? You know, you need to be focusing on the family element and focusing on that and not worrying about all of this over here. [00:28:50] And did you feel any pressure to just be, you know, that, you know, I want to be a mum, I'm gonna focus on all of that, or, you know, and the career element. 'cause I, I found [00:29:00] that a difficult balance because you, you have to be, be pick a box.
Helen: Yeah. Yeah. And put yourself in one of them.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Be in one of them.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: I [00:29:10] think, um, no, there was, there was no pressure from anyone. Um. Actually, um, Kate, my business partner, like I always give her credit for this. I remember that the first October, October I had, I was in, I was in quite a [00:29:20] bad place and she said, don't come back.
Don't come back to work yet. And I was like, no, I'm coming back. She was like, don't, you're not ready. And I, you know, I do remember that and I did have a little bit more time off you talking like a week or [00:29:30] something, but I did need that. Um, but I think, 'cause I didn't actually, um, I didn't actually have, so I've got, as I mentioned, I've got twins now and they, um, they didn't come until when I'd sold, [00:29:40] so when I sold the business.
So I actually believed the timing is everything. And I think for whatever reason they were just, they were meant to come [00:29:50] after.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: They were meant, they were meant to come. Um, when I had Tiger and it was our last chance, and I just think I was in a much better, like a much better place. It's probably, it's quite strong, but I wasn't like, I [00:30:00] wasn't as busy.
I was. I had more time, I guess, and they weren't there. They were IVF babies, but I had more, I felt [00:30:10] calmer and maybe that was my body just saying. Right. You are actually, you know, you you can work. Yeah. We're gonna give you two now, you know, two, come
Jess: on. Um, hard you two. Yeah, yeah. Go. [00:30:20] I have the two.
Helen: Um, so yeah, I, I, no, there was nobody and I, I didn't call myself in the box.
It's something I obviously really wanted. Um, again, hindsight would I have them [00:30:30] again? I dunno. It's funny, isn it, when you get to that, at that age as well, you're like, oh,
Jess: it's so hard
Helen: what you, I
Jess: can't be running a business. It's
Helen: great. [00:30:40] And now I'm running two, you know, got twins now, so, yeah. Um,
Jess: yeah.
Helen: Timing
Jess: that you, um, you sold, um, sold the business and, and then Yeah.
The twins came along. Then you [00:30:50] said you felt a little bit. Lost at that point. Like, what am I gonna do now? So did that
Helen: massively,
Jess: you know, the arrival of the kids, um, allow you to have that space to focus on them for a period? Or were [00:31:00] you thinking, were you still in that, what am I gonna do next phase?
Helen: Yeah.
I always beating in the water. My, my is my,
Jess 3: yeah.
Helen: My brain doesn't [00:31:10] stop. And, um, they, the girls came in 2020, so they came a week before COVID, right before the pandemic. So that was fun in itself. Wow. Um, so I did have a, a, a [00:31:20] period of 18 months, I think it was maybe two years. Um, but yeah, I was like, right, what am I gonna do?
But I think the way my brain just [00:31:30] works, I can never sit still anyway. So even when the girls were born, they were like here for about two weeks and I was all like, okay, what? Let's go, what let's about to work?
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: And she just was like, maybe a we can, 'cause it's COVID [00:31:40] and no, it's like, oh, okay. Yeah, so this is my life now.
And I was like, oh, I dunno, this, you know, I'm, I always kind of [00:31:50] always worked. I've always been busy. And I think from when I sold and when I had ciga, I love helping people. So I love [00:32:00] giving them the support, the advice, the knowledge and all that, that I've got. I can do what they want with it, really, but I love giving back and I love being that [00:32:10] support to those that, that, 'cause I didn't have that, like when we had Tiger, there was, again, I was gonna say there, there wasn't as many opportunities that there are now for like, you know, um, [00:32:20] coaching or mentors or business support.
And if they were, they were just all like wrong. They weren't aligned. They were, I'm gonna say it, they were men in gray suits. [00:32:30] They just weren't for, for me. And. So yeah, if you are in business, get that support.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Get it. Because it's amazing. It's amazing.
Jess: Yeah. It's [00:32:40] hugely important to have that angel on shoulder and the devil sometimes don't do that.
Helen: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Definitely. Yeah. Both.
Jess: At what point then were [00:32:50] you, did this seed of an idea come to you about what, what you're gonna do next and, and this, this business?
Helen: So I would say, um, so I got into [00:33:00] coaching. Obviously I've got the, you know, all the experience with, with Tiger and, and everything else I'd done in my life.
But this sort of, I, I felt like I needed some [00:33:10] kind of qualification to give me that extra, not just the, the lived experience, the extra. Um, and I remember that the girls were about four months [00:33:20] old, or maybe four or five months old, and James said to me, I booked you to go on a, on a. A course and I was like, all right, okay, well for a weekend without the kids, [00:33:30] without you,
Jess: things all in,
Helen: like
Jess: he's the first time one.
Helen: So it was, um, it was such an NLP course and it was learning all about like your mind. And you know, one at a time, I didn't even know it was bad. He said [00:33:40] he just don't enjoy it. So I was like, right, great. So went anyway, learned, there's so much you can do to support yourself, like with really like simple skills and tools and techniques.
[00:33:50] And I came away and I was like, oh my God, that was amazing. Um, and I wanted more. So I, yeah, I went through the whole system. I mean, I'm a master, uh, master [00:34:00] coach now, and I actually trained at hypnotherapy as well, so I'm a master hypnotherapist and it's just like a lovely extra element that I give to my [00:34:10] clients now that when we do all like the strategy work and all the, you know, the real detail.
There's lots of stuff that's still in our minds that like, it's still [00:34:20] not good enough or there's something there. So I add in a bit of hypnotherapy just to tap into, you said you like your subconscious mind to tap into your, your unconscious a bit more and just [00:34:30] Yeah, just cement it with a, some lovely, um, lovely relaxation that reminds you that you are bloody good enough and you are enough.
Jess: Wow.
Helen: Um, [00:34:40] so yeah, it was from that point that I got into sort of more of the coaching and I actually started, I mentioned it, I started doing the fertility coaching, um, that I [00:34:50] thought was really in line, but actually, um, it wasn't, I think just 'cause I'd been through that, I felt like, oh, I needed to give all that back, everything I'd been through.
But actually it was quite draining and I, I, [00:35:00] I wasn't enjoying that, so I pretty much left that. Um, and then I got into the personal and, and business coaching and I absolutely love it. Like. I absolutely love it. I get [00:35:10] to choose what, who I work with when I work. Um, and it's just, bro, it's great. I love it.
Jess: You can tell by your, um, yeah. Energy when you talk about it, that you can [00:35:20] really enjoy it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. What, um, what's the, what's a common, you said you predominantly [00:35:30] work with, with women, but I'm assuming Yeah. You know, it's not, not exclusive, but No, also, what's a recurring theme that you see quite a lot with female founders or female business owners that [00:35:40] they come to you with that issue and I Is there a thread that you, you see quite often?
Helen: Yeah. Um, there's a couple actually. Um, do you know what, what are the first [00:35:50] words? Is actually confidence. A lot of lacking confidence. Um, and then the other one is like, what's next? They get to like a certain level and they like. They, [00:36:00] they've, so they've started this business to gain, I dunno, freedom, financial freedom, time freedom, whatever it is.
And then they're about two years in and they're like, I'm back to square one. Like, [00:36:10] what's kind of next? And that, that's probably the, the theme that I, I work with predominantly now. And, and not often. It's like, it just needs little tweaks. Mm. Like, [00:36:20] it's not massive things. I think when, you know, uh, most people I work with are like, oh, you know, I need to do this, this, this.
I'm like, no, you don't. You. And, and one of the biggest things actually as well, which I forget is the, [00:36:30] they feel like they should be doing this because everyone else is doing it. And I'm like always say, what do you wanna do? This is your business. You run it your way. So we do [00:36:40] a lot of work on, um, just looking at actually what's missing.
So one of my questions I talk about a lot is what's missing? So we look at what's working, what's not, and then what's missing. So it could be [00:36:50] that, um, I dunno, they've lost their confidence in themselves. So that's what's missing there is, is work on them. So we do a bit of work on them, or it could be, you know, what's missing is, um, [00:37:00] staffing isn't right.
Or actually they're at that stage now where they may need like a part-time VA or something just to support them so they can do what they're bloody good at, is the bit that they start in the [00:37:10] beginning. Um, so yeah, there's, there's the, the two things there I think is the, the, the what's next and confidence hits a lot.
A [00:37:20] lot.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: Why do you think confidence is such a 'cause? I'm assuming lots of these people have, like they've they've started the business. Yeah, the business. Um, so that confidence must have been there at some point. [00:37:30] So yeah, it's happened along, along the way.
Helen: A lot of, um, comparitis, I call her. So looking at other people.
Yeah. And then seeing all, you know, this social, [00:37:40] social media life that looks amazing. And they're like, well, how can they do it? And then they, you start to kind of detract on themselves and they're like, well, they're doing it better than me. Oh, right. So I'm not good enough. And then you just start losing [00:37:50] yourself.
You go back and back and back. Um, so yeah, a lot of the time it's just looking at what's around you. They're taking too much from other people and forgetting, forgetting themselves and forgetting the why. And, and [00:38:00] going back to like why they started the business in the first place. Um, 'cause if you foc there's, you know, focusing on too much from other people, then they lose their confidence.
'cause they think, well, they're doing [00:38:10] better than me. Oh, I can't do it. Why am I not doing so good? And it's just like a vicious circle. They go round and like, I love social media like I do, but it is a bitch. Like, you know? Right. [00:38:20] You've, you've gotta be really strong and realize that it's, yeah. It's not all body.
Looks like.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: And if yes,
Jess: it's really interesting, isn't it? 'cause I, it de [00:38:30] it really depends. I love social media too. I like, you know, but it de I've gotta be in the right mental space to be able to consume certain content. You know, it's [00:38:40] either really inspirational and it drives me, or it makes me feel like shit and I'll, and like hide and draw rock.
Helen: Exactly.
Jess: Yeah. And it's, yeah. Well I know [00:38:50] as I get older, I'm more aware of when I'm feeling those things, so I stay away from it for a little bit because I know that's not gonna do me any, any help. But it's easier said than, doesn't it? Because especially if you [00:39:00] run a business that relies on, on some, you
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: On
Helen: social media
Jess: a lot.
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: A lot of time there. Um,
Helen: yeah, definitely.
Jess: You've mentioned the, the NLP and the, the mental [00:39:10] wellbeing stuff there. Um
Helen: mm-hmm.
Jess: It's, it's interesting isn't it? You've, you've got, you've got business coaching and, you know, systems, process, people, all the stuff that you need to run a business.
Great. But [00:39:20] you also need. To sort your brain out to be handle it. And I think Yeah, your
Jess 3: brain out.
Jess: Yeah, you, but I think [00:39:30] people miss that, that bit about looking after that, that part of you and, um, while you're doing, you're busy doing all, all of the other things. Are you actually looking after, you know, how you [00:39:40] talk to yourself?
Um,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: And things I'm most stupid that not, that's quite a lot of the work as well. That, that you, you Yeah. That to help people through that.
Helen: Yeah, [00:39:50] definitely. And when, when we look at, um, a business for example, and a three as well, but when you look at your business, it's like how much time are you actually spending on your business?
So I [00:40:00] work three between three, three and a half days a week. Right. And I'm like, I get all my stuff done in those days. So there's no reason you can't actually do that as well, [00:40:10] depending on what you're doing. Right. But generally. We're not productive in the time that we spend on our business because we are looking at other things, or your time is [00:40:20] allocated all wrong.
So if we actually look at your day, and so I was working with a client yesterday and she feels really guilty if she doesn't [00:40:30] start work by like nine o'clock. And I'm like, okay, who's told you you gotta start working nine o'clock? It's like, oh me? I'm like, yeah, right. You've run, you run your business. If you wanna go for a [00:40:40] run at 10 o'clock in the morning, depends on what you're doing in a day.
So we block that in, right? Because ultimately when you've been for a run, why are you going for a [00:40:50] run to feel good? To get your serotonin, you know, to bring your cortisol down, to make you feel good, you are more productive, is a ripple effect.
Jess: Okay.
Helen: And it's for you. So [00:41:00] when, when we're looking at a business, it's not all about the business because.
It all starts with you, right? So if you are, if you are not feeling it, or if you are knackered or you are not [00:41:10] enjoying going to work because you're really begrudging being in work because you wanna go for a run, go for a bloody run.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Or whatever that is.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: So, yeah, I think we do, we do [00:41:20] often forget about ourselves and don't get wrong.
Like, you know, it's not a work if you've gotta build your business and there's still gonna be days where you are gonna be working really late or get nothing doing early mornings. But [00:41:30] one of the things that I, I am so, so stricted on now is like boundaries. You have to have them. And it's, it's, it's easy, right?
I'm sitting in now saying, yeah, [00:41:40] okay, boundaries. But it's taken me a long time, like when I had Tiger, I had to reveal like zero boundaries and I was working like this all the time and that's what I got burnt out. I burnt [00:41:50] myself out three times. Like, who's done that? Me. And I think we forget that if it, everything starts with you and like if you don't.[00:42:00]
If you don't enjoy or don't spend the time on you, what are you doing it for?
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: You know,
Jess: it's, it's usually the starting point is I want, I want to build this [00:42:10] business to, like you said, be, have more time, be financially free. Yeah. Be able to control where and how and who I spend my time with. But then,
Helen: yeah,
Jess: you often [00:42:20] fall into the trap of the, this only works if I'm on it 24 hours a day.
Yeah. And you blink and it's been five years and you haven't done [00:42:30] any of the things that you planned
Helen: many of it,
Jess: which, yeah. Building the business, but
Helen: yeah.
Jess: Yeah, it's, it's
Helen: yourself accountable, isn't it? Or guess somebody that's gonna make you [00:42:40] accountable as well for both.
Jess: Mm-hmm.
Helen: So it's like, you know, get an accountability buddy.
It could, I dunno, it could be somebody in the network or whatever and the, you know, maybe have a coworking session they write. Okay. I dunno, [00:42:50] say on a Monday. We're gonna meet at 10 till 12 and we're gonna work coworking online or in person, whatever. And then the, you know, that person then will also say, right, have you been for your run or [00:43:00] whatever it is you love doing, or have you sat, sat down?
Or, you know, something. So you've, you, you've got the balance of somebody like pushing you. I'm not saying, I'm not saying like go and run every day and those only work, [00:43:10] but make sure that you've got the things you enjoy. I blocked in your diary as well. So notice, so you block out that time. And that's for me.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Otherwise, like you said, and I'm not like this, you know, work [00:43:20] life balance, like, oh, whatever I told me, like that, say it, but it's like, just make sure that you are enjoying. Your life as well, and your business isn't running new because when your [00:43:30] business is running new, you'll just see that bloody, yeah.
Burnout, overwhelm, ugh. Yeah.
Jess: Yeah. I love that idea of the, um, accountability buddy though. 'cause that's, um, it can be quite a low it's, [00:43:40] isn't it? If you're like Yeah. Doing it by yourself. Um,
Helen: yeah, massively.
Jess: Yeah. Is that,
Helen: yeah, massively.
Jess: Does that work well? Do you have to find someone that you really like to do it with?
Or gonna be anyone that you put [00:43:50]
Helen: No, but you know what, yeah. It doesn't have to be actually so much you like, because sometimes when you, when you find someone you really like, you end up just chatting ages. And actually if you just go somebody that's like, you know, really focused. Yeah. And actually it's a good thing [00:44:00] to have somebody, it's actually the opposite of you.
So like, you're not like too in sync, if that makes sense. So yeah, you've got the balance from, from somebody [00:44:10] else. Um. I've got like, um, crystal is my business partner now for, um, for, she's from waves. Like we've voiced out all the time, like all, all the time. And for me that just a, keeps [00:44:20] me sane as well. Um, but also we've got a bit of accountability there as well.
You know, I'm always like, go, go, go to the gym or do whatever, you know, there there's no, there's no pressure. Um, it's gotta be fun. It's gotta be [00:44:30] fun as well, you know. I was like, what are you doing it for otherwise?
Jess: Yeah, you are gonna spend a lot of your life doing this, so Yeah. Makes
Helen: yeah,
Jess: sure. Enjoy.
Helen: Exactly.
Jess: Talk, talk to me about the, she thrives then, 'cause obviously the, [00:44:40] the buddy stuff and, you know, feeling lonely. I'm, I'm assuming that was born out of, you know, izing that
Helen: pretty much so, yeah, I moved to, I'm um, part of girl, but I moved [00:44:50] to Swansea um, about two and a half years ago now. Um, obviously no Swansea 'cause I had a, a tiger store here, but my husbands a wansee and.
We decided just to move. Obviously I'm self-employed. [00:45:00] He, he can, um, work remotely and we've got more childcare support here, so there's always a win.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Um, but I came here and was like, right. I don't really know anyone from a [00:45:10] business perspective here. Like, you know, um, I don't know anyone. So I was like, right, I'm gonna look at what networking is around, you know, who's around.
And in all honesty, um, for anyone that's in this [00:45:20] area, I apologize, but the only one I could find was a real corporate space that just like, is not me. And I was like, I'm go into that. Was
Jess: it A BNI?
Helen: [00:45:30] So, oh, that's not something we would be like, should we just no. Go there? Oh my God. Oh God. Um, it was one similar and I was just like, it's not for me.
So I was like, I'm gonna create it, then I'm [00:45:40] gonna create something. And, um. How it, how it came about was I was out looking for venues and I was doing some contract work for, um, uh, business in Focus and [00:45:50] one of my, um, colleagues there was saying, I've got somebody who I think you should meet because she's in the same world as you.
She's NLP. And um, she's just been made redundant [00:46:00] from a, a 20 year marketing career. And she let out to support on something. She said, yeah, fine. It happens. We live like five minutes away. So we met in a coffee shop and I was talking to her [00:46:10] about, um, you know, different things and giving her some advice and she said, oh, one of my things is I want to start a women's network.
And I was like, oh, well that's really interesting. So I've [00:46:20] just been looking for venues and we just got on so brilliant in that like literally 30 minutes in the, in the pub. Um, and we just created it and, and it was [00:46:30] simple as that. We found a venue, um, and we've been going now for. About 15 months now. Yeah.
October. Um, and we've, so we, we launched in Swansea [00:46:40] went, it's gone really well. We, we've got a network now in iff. We did that about six months later just to build a community. Um, we've just launched an online membership, which is [00:46:50] lush We did a big event in, um, slag vineyards in October. We brought like all, um, you know, international Jesss in, and it's just lovely and [00:47:00] I feel really aligned with it because it's a, it's a community of, and it is women, it's women only.
Um, but it's given them an opportunity to come and a to [00:47:10] be inspired, but also to learn as well, and obviously connect and network.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Um, so yeah, that's what came about. And it's, I, I do think we trademark the, the [00:47:20] brands and. I, I so watch this space on drives. 'cause it's, uh, it's sort excited. Yeah.
Jess: Really it's, it's so funny how you talk though.
You're like, yeah, I have [00:47:30] the idea. And then I did it. I just, just did it. I know it, it's done.
Jess 3: Sorry, I'm not Jess because I'm like, I'm like this all the time. I'm, yeah.
Helen: I'm serving much [00:47:40] so, and, and people that will know. I'm very much an action taker and I just think, look, you know, if you're gonna do something, let's just do it.
And it just fail. If it does fail, then that's all right.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: You know, [00:47:50] giving it a go and just fail fast and, and move on.
Jess: Would you say that you are not a perfectionist, then do it, see it, and then perfect it along the [00:48:00] way or
Helen: I am. Definitely not a perfectionist. Oh my God. No, I'm doubt I Glen this idea.
Then I'm like, let's go, let's go. And then it's funny though because um, crystal is more, [00:48:10] she's not a perfectionist, but she's much more of a like
Jess: in the deep,
Helen: hang on a minute. Yeah, hang on a minute. Whereas I'm like, you know, I'm like, let's go, let's go. I think that's just my brain though. Um, no, I'm not a perfectionist [00:48:20] by any stretch to the imagination.
Jess: I think
Helen: I would like, no,
Jess: I think that's a positive. I think you do need people who are like, you know, in the detail who can ask the questions in between the big [00:48:30] ideas that you've got that have to makes it, makes it work. But yeah, I prefer to live. I'm the same. I prefer to live in that fun. Yeah. I've got an amazing idea.
I need to make it happen by tomorrow so [00:48:40] that, you know, 'cause I've got some other things that are brewing over there. Yeah.
Helen: I, anything from my head that I wanna push forward. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally.
Jess: Not enough
hours.
Helen: I love it though. [00:48:50] I know and it's not right. I, yeah.
Jess: How, um, how important is, do you think then, is it to have, and not just for women to have, um, a [00:49:00] mentor or a coach in business?
And is there, um, you know, in your opinion, the best time? Like, is it right from the beginning? Do you need different coaches along the way? Like what are your thoughts on that? 'cause Yeah, there's [00:49:10] lots of opinions flying around.
Helen: Yeah, there is. And I think, um, if you would've asked me this 10 years ago, I would've said absolutely not.
What a waste of money. What a [00:49:20] complete waste of money. And I'm not just saying this now 'cause I am in that space now. Um, I couldn't do this without that support. Um, [00:49:30] what they bring you, and they talked about accountability. They bring you that accountability, they, that sounds involved. Um, and they'll, they'll be able to drive you in, in.[00:49:40]
In ways that you can't see. And that's what, that's what I, I absolutely love. Like, I'm not in your, in your business, I'm not in your head. I'm, I'm an outsider and I can [00:49:50] see the detail that you can't see. So I think that's really important. 'cause when you are in it and you're working in your business,
Jess: mm.
Helen: Generally one of the biggest things is you're not working on your business. So you really [00:50:00] need someone to look outside in. Um, and I would say, when do you need them? There's gonna be different people. They're gonna need different stages. So like, I probably [00:50:10] work with people now that are, and I am most passionate about between like n to three years, n to three years in business, right?
But then the level of [00:50:20] support that I would give to a starter, which obviously very different to somebody like three years in business. 'cause you're, you're at different stages. Um, and I would say when you get to, you know. Depends on where you are, but I'd [00:50:30] say maybe two to three years plus, you're gonna need somebody different.
So the startup support is not gonna be what you need. You may still love that, that coach or that mentor, and maybe they could still be a bit of [00:50:40] accountability, but you only need somebody that's already ahead of you,
Jess: you
Helen: again. So I think finding the right person, though is, is [00:50:50] probably one of the most difficult things.
'cause say you've gotta trust them and they're not, I don't like the word cheap. They're, they're an investment. And I think a [00:51:00] lot of people, especially like when you are early on, you can't, you think you can't afford, they can't invest. Like, I'm got the money to invest. I'm trying to start the business. But actually what you've gotta remember is what that [00:51:10] investment is gonna bring you.
Mm. And what support, what advice, you know, what they can bring to you. Um, I like, I, I can do it now, but we didn't, we didn't have anybody like, they just. [00:51:20] It wasn't a thing. Like, and I keep saying it, I don't, there was nobody that was like, can I be your coach or can I be your mentor? It was just not, not a thing.
Um, and I [00:51:30] I, what I, what I would say though is like, when you are, if you are looking for somebody to give you that support, do your research. Because there's a lot of people now that are just banding themselves as a coach, [00:51:40] as a consultant, as a mentor, and actually, okay, they might have a little bit of experience, but if they got the right experience for, for what you need as well, or if they've just done a [00:51:50] seven quid course online, they call themselves a coach.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: There's, there's, there's very, you know, and, and I get it and I actually for, for a while, stopped calling myself a coach. 'cause I was like, I don't [00:52:00] wanna be labeled that. And people are gonna think, oh, why are you a coach? Yeah, yeah. Totally. Especially over COVID. Like everyone was, everyone was saying they were a coach.
Great. Um, [00:52:10] so yeah. And then, you know, and then I think, oh, I'm like the word support though. I feel like. I dunno. Yeah. And you, then you go hang up then on what you're calling yourself and doesn't matter, all people care about was the [00:52:20] results you're gonna get for them or, or the outcome you're going to, you know, um, guide them, guide them on.
So yeah, I think what I would say is yes, invest it in somebody [00:52:30] is really key. Do your research though, and, um. Look at where you are and what you need for that particular time in your business.
Jess: Yeah,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: That, that will [00:52:40] change. And what you need support with as well. You know, it might not be, yeah. The inside the business, it might be your, you know, uh, defining what you want out of it.
And, and you might Yeah. That going into [00:52:50] it as well, which is, um, which
Helen: definitely
Jess: important. Yeah,
Helen: yeah, yeah.
Jess: Um,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: And that's big idea then Hallard, what, what are you going off to do now? What's Lucky Brain?
Helen: [00:53:00] So, I've actually got a couple of things also in the pipeline. Um, I've been, I've been trying to start my, so for those who don't know me, obviously sat down.
I'm still tall, so I really all, and I've been [00:53:10] trying to launch a tall sportswear brand for quite some time because, um, everything's too sunk for me and it does my head don't. I, so trying to get a, [00:53:20] a good, decent manufacturer. This morning I been made as a polyester, always like, ridiculous, expensive is, is causing my, my little brain, a little bit [00:53:30] fried.
So that is still in the pipeline. I've still got, um, that going on. Um, I, I'm gonna start writing a book this year.
Jess: Nice.
Helen: Which, um, yeah. Slowly [00:53:40] though I'm gonna ease myself into that. But then my, my ultimate real goal is I wanna have a space, um, in a beautiful, beautiful location, um, that you can [00:53:50] come and you can have business, I'm gonna call it support, business coaching, business support, whatever you need for that day.
But also you've got a range of like, [00:54:00] holistic, um, practitioners or, um, hypnotherapist around you. So you can come and do your work for like a few hours and then you go, right. Actually right now I wanna go and [00:54:10] have, um. A massage because why not, right?
Jess 3: Yeah.
Helen: I want a lovely space and you've got the both words of worlds of business and wellness joined together.
Jess: Oh, I love that.
Helen: So [00:54:20] that's, that's my, that's my plan six, find the location, um, and probably get about, you know, two or three meals. So if five
Jess: amazing. I'm like, there's no [00:54:30] sign of slowing down. You're not slowing down at all?
Helen: Oh, no. I'm 44, Jack. So, no, I, you know, my husband always say to me, said, I dunno how you are in your [00:54:40] head, because it's just so busy. And I'm like, well, that's just the way I've always been. That's the way I thrive. And yeah, you know.
I do, don't get me wrong, I do have [00:54:50] slow days as well. I'm not like a, you know, al always this, uh, always this busy, but it's, I I always find it really interesting. Yeah. And you know, I think, well there's opportunities out there, so let's, uh, let's take in [00:55:00]
Jess: this is it, isn't it? You gotta go. Yeah. And you're not given anything, are you?
You gotta go out and find No, I'm
Helen: gladly loved that, that has just stuck in my head, honestly.
Jess: It's because it it, thank you. [00:55:10] It bothers me when, when we Yeah, we,
Helen: you're right.
Jess: Underestimate ourselves and we don't give ourselves credit for, for things.
Helen: Mm.
Jess: You know, I [00:55:20] remember doing it, um, once a while back and it was like, oh, you know, I'm just really lucky, you know?
And then, no, no, no. It's not, not to do with luck.
Helen: [00:55:30] It's,
Jess: you know,
Helen: it's, it's not Is it at all? Absolutely. It's not at all. It's, that's, it's really annoyed actually. 'cause I just, I, I always say to my clients like, you know, that's what you've just said. It's not luck. I've said it for [00:55:40] myself. Wow. Okay. I'm have a word in myself now myself.
Jess: Coach yourself. Yeah. Back, back into, yeah. To use the right words. Yeah, [00:55:50] definitely.
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Amazing.
Jess: I wanna, um, bring it back to the a, so we talked a lot about like, you know, personality traits and like energy and [00:56:00] ideas and things like that. But if you had a personal alchemy formula for success, what would the one ingredient be?
Um, that you couldn't, couldn't live without?
Helen: [00:56:10] Oh my God, that's an amazing question. Um, that I couldn't live without. Okay. Um, you probably think this isn't [00:56:20] complete opposites of what I've talked about is actually downtime, having real rest because rest generates excitement [00:56:30] and it generates. Reevaluation. So I think real downtime and real, real rest.
And I don't even screw on your phone. Rest. I mean, like literally, you know, [00:56:40] yoga, need your rest, like that kind of vibe, you know?
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Just, just being, just being. Yeah.
Jess: Because that where the, those gaps are and the spaces in there, that's where [00:56:50] the, the ideas
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: Solutions. Um,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: Slot into your brain.
'cause you've given it a little bit of a, a space. Yeah. A
Helen: bit of a break, isn't it? Yeah.
Jess: Doing that. [00:57:00]
Helen: Do I do that? Yeah, I do actually. I am. Um, and this is, this is learned, like, I'm not saying this is coming easy to me, it has it, but so every [00:57:10] day, oh, this is gonna sound so silly. Every day before I go to sleep, I do them, I reflect on what the positive stuff that I've done in that day.
Because [00:57:20] otherwise, if I try and fall asleep with all the, the stuff that I've still gotta do, that's all my brain thinks about. So I reflect a lot and like my [00:57:30] non-negotiable is. I've gotta get outside at least twice a day. Like I've got, I've got dogs, uh, dogs, so that helps. But I've got to get out and do the things.
So like, my [00:57:40] exercise is really important to me. And if I, if I, if that's not in my life, then I know I'm gonna be an absolute nightmare.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: It'd be about, [00:57:50] yeah. So nobody wants to like my wife or mums, are they? So, yeah.
Jess: But is it,
Helen: it isn't
Jess: important to get to know yourself and it that, that way as well. And, you know, when you do need [00:58:00] to go out, step away from screen, not talk to, like, sometimes I just need to not talk anyone, talk to anyone for like, you know,
Helen: that's amazing.
That's my favorite thing.
Jess: Yeah. It's like I,
Helen: it's [00:58:10] literally
Jess: wanna do that. Um, or
Helen: just nobody.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: Which is a lovely brain break.
Helen: It is nice. And I, I do, um, I do go away as well, like away [00:58:20] from like my family. So actually this weekend I'm actually going on a yoga retreat that I go to every January league.
Um, I'm, I'm. Not great at yoga by [00:58:30] any stretch of the imagination, but it's just a breakaway and it's just a time where you can just have that like downtime for yourself. So that's like always booked in every year because it's something [00:58:40] that I look forward to and it's away from, you know, life, isn't it?
And sometimes you just need to step away and just take a different environment. And that's something actually I say to people, [00:58:50] especially now we all work from home, a hell of a lot more than, you know, we used to, is move the
Jess: distractions away from you as well. So like, change your environment and whether
Helen: that
Jess: [00:59:00] is just going to work in a coffee shop for an hour, two hours,
Helen: you know.
Go and do your creative thinking on a walk. Like don't, don't take your headphones. Yeah. Don't be distracted by [00:59:10] things. 'cause it's great. You know, we go on walks and we put our podcasts on and, which is amazing. Obviously this one, definitely listen to this one. Um, but sometimes we just need to, to not have anything.
Isn't it?
Jess: [00:59:20] Yeah. So it's interesting you said that actually. 'cause like, I, I always were, was trying to find ways to be more productive during rest time or break. So I, [00:59:30] okay. I said I know, which is, so the podcast is a good example. So like I'll go for a big mountain walk 'cause surround of my mountain's.
Lovely. I'll go and do that.
Yeah.
Jess: But I'll make sure I'm listening to something. [00:59:40]
Helen: Mm-hmm.
Jess: You know, that I'm gonna learn from. So I make sure that that time is productive. And I do quite a bit of swimming as well, um, at the moment. Oh nice. And that's quite nice 'cause you can't have a phone, you know, you
Helen: Yeah.
[00:59:50] Can't do anything, can you
Jess: can't do anything. But then I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to find, um, swimming headphones so I could do the same while I was swimming. And then I had [01:00:00] word of myself. 'cause I was like that, that's not the point. That's not what
Helen: No.
Jess: Going to do those things is to, it's not rain break.
So I've stopped
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: To do the walks and the [01:00:10] runs and the swimming without anything. And it's amazing.
Helen: Oh, well done. I was gonna say, how you finding it? Yeah.
Jess: It's, I mean,
Helen: yeah,
Jess: it's quite uncomfortable
Helen: Yeah.
Jess: Initially, because you [01:00:20] do have to listen to your own thoughts and you're like, oh God, I meant,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: You know, like, what is good on
Helen: Yeah. That's stuff coming back there. You know, my head, I, I don't in my own head, but Yeah. What's
Jess: going on? But,
Helen: well,
Jess: you know, after a [01:00:30] while you could, you just like drift and then some, you know, ideas will come or whatever. Mm-hmm. It's, it's a bit of a nicer, nicer. Space rather than trying to pack in more [01:00:40] productive learning into what time that's supposed to be.
And especially if you're a mom, like you don't get a lot of that time at all. Yeah.
Helen: You don't. You don't. Yeah. Yeah. I love [01:00:50] that. I love it. And it, yeah, like you said, it's not easy, is it to like, have just nothing and have your own thoughts. Mm-hmm. Um, and sometimes it can be horrible, but a lot of time getting into that like uncomfortable kind [01:01:00] of space is, like you said, it's really, it's more productive.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Um, and I always say like, if you're gonna do something, just do that one thing. So just focus on, on one thing. Right. So we, what [01:01:10] often we're like, we're watching TV and we're trying to, I dunno, we're trying to book something on our phone or like, we're not that I, I iron, this is a really bad example 'cause I don't [01:01:20] actually iron, but if like I was ironing
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: And I'd be watching tv. Right. Your brain's like, just gimme a break. Like you're trying to do too much. And I think that's just way, like I was definitely brought up as well to. [01:01:30] To be doing stuff all the time. And that's why I said it's not been easy for me to have that, like just complete nothing. Um, but if you're gonna do something, just do that one thing [01:01:40] rather than trying to fit, like you said, you know, everything into, to being productive.
Um, so yeah, my breaks now like, like when I, so I use time blocking and this like really works for me, but like [01:01:50] my, my like food break, my lunch break or whatever. So I will now, I'll just go and watch. I was obsessed with quizzes. I gone off a bit of on a tangent here, but like, I love a quiz, [01:02:00] right? So I, one o'clock if it's just turned the tv I only watch tv, but one o'clock I soon if you, and there's like a quiz on that I watch, I've literally just watched that for like half an hour.
That's like, for me, that's [01:02:10] really resting.
Jess: Yeah.
Helen: Um, I love it. So yeah, just find something that,
Jess: yeah. And I that you enjoy that Don't compare yourself to other people. So if you are, what should other people going and doing [01:02:20] these, you know, mad things to rest, but you just wanna sit down and watch half hour TV or half hour read a book.
Just do that. Do that thing. Um,
Helen: yeah.
Jess: I love what do
Helen: that
Jess: one
Helen: thing
Jess: com [01:02:30] Compare it to
Helen: Comparitis. Comparisonitis. Oh, it's a, it's a bugger. It's a bugger. But yeah, it's one of my favorite things. 'cause you just feel like then [01:02:40] I should be doing this when actually
Jess: Yeah,
Helen: yeah. Follow follower you wanna do
Jess: Yeah.
Yeah.
Jess: It says, who says isn't it? I'm gonna take that one away. I think I'll put that. Um, that's and definitely be a pullout quote. [01:02:50] Let's put it that way.
Helen: Okay. Alright, love,
Jess: um, LAN, I really appreciate
Helen: Oh, you're welcome. I really enjoyed it. Luckily, it's been beneficial.
Jess: [01:03:00] Thank you so much for listening to this episode, brand Scale.
Look out for another episode dropping very, very soon.