This week on The Digital Circus LIFE podcast we explore the transformative journey of Vicki Brown, a personal trainer and owner of LIVEFITNOW, who turned her health issue into a career path filled with purpose and passion. We will delve into the pivotal moment that changed her life and the steps she took to build a successful business aimed at helping others. Along the way, we will also discussed the importance of balance, discipline, and personal growth.
Or LISTEN to the podcast on your preferred podcast platform via www.digitalcircus.life today!
Vicky's life took a dramatic turn when she fell ill during her final year of school. Diagnosed with a condition called indeterminate colitis, she realised the need to prioritise her health and take control of her well-being. This led her to join a gym and immerse herself in exercise, sparking a deep passion for fitness and personal growth. Vicky's illness, though initially seen as a setback, became the catalyst for a new direction in her life.
With her newfound love for the gym, Vicky decided to pursue a career in personal training. She obtained various qualifications and started working with clients, continuously learning and gaining experience. She was driven by her desire to help others improve their physical and mental well-being, particularly as they age. Vicky wanted to enable individuals to maintain their strength and independence well into their later years.
Maintaining her love for fitness while running a business required careful balance and discipline. Vicky recognised that her career had to evolve beyond one-on-one coaching to reach a broader audience. Embracing the power of the internet, she sought ways to inspire and guide more people in leading healthier lives. This expansion allowed her message of strength and well-being to resonate with a larger community.
Vicky's goal is not finite; it expands as the need for support and guidance grows in society. She believes that people are facing increasing challenges in terms of physical and mental health, loneliness, and overall well-being. As a result, her purpose becomes even more significant over time. Instead of envisioning an endpoint, Vicky sees her role expanding and her impact deepening as she continues to provide support and inspiration.
Vicky acknowledges that the journey hasn't always been easy. There were times when maintaining balance between her personal life and business obligations felt overwhelming. However, she recognised the importance of personal growth and continuously evolving her skill set. By embracing new challenges and refining her time management skills, Vicky was able to find a more sustainable balance and prioritise self-care.
Throughout her journey, Vicky has found strength in the power of community. Connecting with like-minded individuals, learning from colleagues, and being part of a supportive network has been crucial to her personal and professional growth. By surrounding herself with passionate individuals, Vicky has been able to unlock new skills, broaden her horizons, and continue making a positive impact on the lives of others.
Vicky's story serves as an inspiration for those seeking purpose and passion in their lives. Her journey from illness to a fulfilling career highlights the transformative power of embracing challenges and pursuing your true calling. By finding balance, maintaining discipline, and embracing personal growth, Vicky has created a business founded on helping others achieve physical and mental well-being. As she looks toward the future, her purpose continues to expand, empowering her to make an even greater impact on individuals seeking a path to a long, good, and strong life.
Starting a podcast? So are we. After two years of procrastination our podcast will be launching in 2023. And in our latest video below we share with you our reasons for why we have decided to start a podcast for our small business.
Do you have one? If you do please do leave us a comment on the blog. We're always looking for new podcasts to listen to!
So why start a podcast for your business when it seems that every small business out there is starting a podcast??? Well the simple answer is they're not! In reality there are only 3.02 million podcasts in the world. That is minuscule in the grand scale of things and just proves that there is podcasting real estate to be had.
We have been teaching our The Digital Circus members about macro content and the possibilities it opens up for your business for the best part of three years now. And to date we still haven't recorded our own podcast. We kind of thought it was time to practice what we preach. We're hoping that technically we can help illustrate best practice for using long form content in your marketing strategy but also personally it will allow us the opportunity to get to know our Circus members on a whole new level when it comes to them sharing their stories with us.
This really is the ultimate Digital Circus collaboration!
Anyhow, in this short 10 minute video we share with you in more depth why we have decided to start a podcast in 2023 and how we would love your support!
So after a VERY long time of procrastinating we are very pleased to announce that we are just about to start recording our brand new Macro content project, The Digital Circus LIFE. We are very much looking forward to creating a podcast that is all about regular people doing some of the most remarkable things in their business and day to day life. We will be starting by interviewing as many of our Digital Circus members as possible and although some of these will be in person we recognise that the vast majority of our interviews will be conducted remotely. So with that in mind we thought that before we start recording we would share some simple technical tips for being a virtual podcast guest so that we can help to make sure the recording is as good as it can possibly be.
This is a big one! Please try and find somewhere to sit somewhere with a strong internet connection/ signal. We wouldn't want to lose you half way through the interview! We sometimes find before we start to record online that it helps if you reset your router and restart your laptop before you go online. It's not a necessity to do this but it helps to re-establish your internet connection if it's been a bit glitchy.
Find somewhere quiet and uncluttered to film in. Ideally somewhere with good natural light in front of you not behind you. We will be using the video as well as the audio from our podcast so we want you to feel happy with the aesthetic when it goes on our YouTube channel!
We recommend you use an external microphone if you have one. Please ensure that it Is connected to your device before recording. More often than not we realise half way through a video that we're only connected to the laptop in-built microphone and haven't switched it over to the external microphone!
Don't be the person that "dings" half way through the recording! Set you device onto focus mode, switch off/ silent mode your phone and if close down any tabs on your laptop that could be any kind of distraction during the recording.
If you have headphones please do wear them as they are great for helping to avoid echo and improving sound quality. If you don't have them? Don't worry, we'll work with what we've got!
Depending on what software we have chosen to record with we recommend that you open it in a Chrome Browser on your device, particularly if we are using Riverside which is our preferred podcast recording platform. If we're ever using Zoom to record it's definitely worth checking your zoom account is up to date. We've all been there when you've gone to login and its decided to run an important update just as you're about to start a meeting!
It's always useful to have as much information about our podcast guest as we can before we hit the record button, both in terms of making sure we get in right on the day but it also helps us to speed up the post production process.
Before we start its great for us to know..
RELAX AND BE YOURSELF!
Remember that we as the podcast hosts are very much looking forward to chatting to you and we will do everything we can to put you at ease throughout the recording. This is your time, there are no wrong answers so please do relax and enjoy yourself!
We are recording our first season of The Digital Circus LIFE this summer and will be launching in Autumn 2023. We would absolutely love it if you supported us and gave it a listen! More information will be coming soon!
We all know how powerful testimonials can be for our businesses. Video testimonials are the icing on the cake, the literal gold in the marketing, because it means that it's coming literally from the horses mouth. You can boost your credibility and trust really quickly at the same time as giving yourself quality content to share with your audience. But how do you get your customers to hit that record button? We know that so many of us are a little camera shy, or unsure of how to do it. So we thought we would create a quick one sheet guide for you with our top tips for recording a video testimonial for your to share with your audience!
These tips come in two parts. The first part being technical advice and the second a few ideas for what a video testimonial could/ should include..
Quality is key when it comes to video content. With this in mind try and record in 4k where possible as it gives you the most options for post production. If your phone doesn't have 4k capability set it to the highest quality you can. If you're using an iPhone this is simple. When you're in video mode just click on the top right hand corner of your phone and you can change your settings there.
Your backdrop doesn't need to be fancy, in fact the least distracting the better. With that in mind, consider whether it's a good idea to have your socks hanging on the dryer in the background for all to see! Ideally sitting somewhere with natural light in front of you is a bonus. Remember that if you sit with a window behind you, you'll likely be in shadow.
Although we will always recommend using an external microphone we recognise that not everyone will have an external mic lying around their house. Sound quality on your smartphone is usually ample quality but just make sure you are recording in a quiet space without lots of background noise as those sounds will often be picked up.
Well actually this point depends on how you are likely to use the content after it's recorded. Landscape may suffice for you. However the likelihood is that you will be using a recorded video testimonial on social media. WIth that in mind most social media platforms are built for portrait based content. Make your life easier and save yourself the extra editing time..
If at all possible use a tripod to record a video testimonial. Failing that prop up your device with a pile of books to keep your camera stable. Nobody needs shaky hands making us feel we're on some sort of rollercoaster. We always recommend cheap and cheerful tripods on Amazon for as little as £20. They are a worthwhile investment if you're likely to do more filming in the future.
Once again this really comes down to how you are going to use this video content and where you are likely to share it. Nobody really needs an hour long jackanory story. It should be long enough to get your point across with one or two key takeaways about your service or product. Ideally a great length video testimonial that can be shared on social media as short form video content should be around 1min long to a maximum of 90 seconds.
Ultimately a video testimonial can be whatever you need it to be. It's your opportunity to talk about how you feel about the product or service you received. But if you are unsure there are a few things to remember.
Remember to breathe and relax. Recording a video testimonial should not be a stressful activity. Slow down and talk from the heart in whatever way feels comfortable to you. You cannot get it wrong!
If you are looking for more advice and tips on how you can grow your business more effectively and efficiently online remember we are here to help. Why not look at The Digital Circus membership and join us alongside a whole host of other remarkable business owners improving their online visibility.
We are constantly asked by our clients and colleagues what kind of microphone they should invest in when it comes to audio quality for their content. Our answer is always the same. Buy the best that you can afford as quality is key. And yes, there are the big dogs out there on the market with the likes of Rode and NTG, but what if the most you can afford is £20? Well with this in mind Alan went out and bought the Dual wireless cavalier/ lapel microphone for his iPhone and thought he would review it for you to see and hear for yourself.
The Dual Wireless cavalier/ lapel mic is available on Amazon and at the time of purchasing were £21.
Are they going to win any awards? Probably not.
Are they worth purchasing? Absolutely.
Watch this short six minute video filmed by Alan and our dangerous Ben as they talk through the pro's and cons of these microphones which includes a real life demonstration of them in action.
Remember, audio quality is important however more importantly than that, so is just getting started with your content creation. If you need to get started, these microphones are a great entry point. Upgrade your kit as and when you can.
If you are stuck with your content creation are looking for some support and advice don't forget that is literally why we at Yellow Tuxedo exist! Book a virtual cuppa with us and we can work out what it is you need!
Wild Apple Design started with a vision of creating great designs, which inspire, engage and educate the next generation. 20 years on and we are still going strong. We love to help others and share our knowledge so have put together some tips and snippets that we have found useful over the years.
We feel our resilience to changes in market dynamics, and the way the publishing industry operates is down to so many factors. We believe that business success is not always about the company’s bottom line, it should be measured by customer satisfaction, service/product quality and a strong reputation. There are so many variables involved in the success or failure of a business, both internal and external, however, intuition and listening to your gut will often get you through. We have learnt that if you put the work in you will get rewarded.
There have been many lesson learnt from our 20 years in business. Keep reading for a few tips which we feel have kept us going:
Our journey brings together invaluable experience, sometimes hard-fought lessons, and we are always looking at what’s next around the corner, to do this, you cannot run a business in a bubble and you need support in all areas to move forward and grow.
Over the years we have had support in different ways, through staff, trusted suppliers, network groups, mentors and more recently with Yellow Tuxedo. As a small team, you need those external influences for a rounded opinion and as a sounding board. There are always going to be tricky decisions to make, and it’s then you need people around you, as you do in a family, to get information and clarity.
Our experience over the last year with Yellow Tuxedo has been one of support and genuine interest in what we do. This is a rare thing - Alan and Emily are always engaging, knowledgeable and approachable.
Our advice is to find your tribe and develop your support network so it’s in place when need it.
Having a strong vision is super important and something that the whole essence of the business hangs on. A strong vision can act as a guide and reminder in times of challenge helping to focus, direct growth and develop.
Being passionate about your business and instilling this into your team can be a force to be reckoned with, a united workforce sharing a vision is a powerful tool. For example, all the team here at Wild Apple share the company’s vision and are passionate about producing designs which will be used to help educate and make someone’s life better.
The ability to be flexible and adapt is fundamental. Flexibility in the workplace means being able to quickly adjust to new circumstances as they arise, both internally and externally. Markets change all the time! You need to find a way to stay relevant and helpful, occasionally thinking outside of the box and revising your service provision to best support your clients. We have found that allowing employees flexibility, encourages; autonomy, freedom and balance, often resulting in an increase in performance, productivity and loyalty.
If you can’t dominate the market in which you operate, then find your niche and be the best that you can be, offering quality solutions. Stay true to yourself as a company and your vision, add value to key services and differentiate yourself from the competition. If you’re going to offer the same as other companies, do it better, if not, then do it differently.
Consistency is key to success in business. Make sure that the products and/ or services you offer are of consistent quality and try to exceed your customer’s expectations, this way, your clients will trust you. Once you have established trust your customers are more likely to remain loyal.
Customer service and an experience that meets and exceeds expectations are essential to success, without your client base you don’t have a business. We pride ourselves on being friendly and hospitable, with open channels of communication to ensure our clients feel they can approach us, as and when needed. Open communication channels like this often mean issues can be dealt with efficiently and effectively, saving both time and money on both sides.
Make sure you know your limits, and be mindful of what you can and can’t offer as a company - don’t offer a client what you can’t deliver. This doesn’t have to mean missing out on an opportunity and could lead to furthering your service offering.
Here at Wild Apple our service offering is quite niche and a lot of new work is from repeat business or word-of-mouth recommendations. But we keep a strong online presence whether we are busy or not - as it is this consistency that we find builds trust.
We post on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, we would love you to follow what we do! We also have a quarterly newsletter where subscribers can learn what’s happening in the studio, find out what projects we have been working on and learn a bit more about us.
You can also find out more about Wild Apple Design here.
We hope you enjoyed reading our musings above and if any of it struck a chord, then please do get in touch. Likewise, if you have other tips to add we would love to hear them.
Building an online ecosystem is one of the most talked about discussion points around the Yellow Tuxedo table. We thoroughly believe in the flywheel model of marketing as it fits well with our company culture and values as opposed to traditional funnel type marketing methods. An online ecosystem totally makes sense when it comes to helping spin that flywheel faster.
Whether you are just starting out in business, have been running for a few years or are even 20yrs plus in business it is never too late to consider your online ecosystem and getting those foundations in place ready for growth.
We think that the ecosystem model is something that every business could consider adopting. It's a way of truly establishing a well rounded online presence that builds long term growth and legacy. To help you get to grips with how this works in practice and why it might work for you we have created a very simple three part email series that goes into a lot more depth about the what, the why and the how of ecosystem building.
There are no catches, there are no sales pitches within them and each of the three videos are less than 5mins long. If you would like to get access to this mini series all you need to do is sign up via the box below.
Thank you and have fun always..
Emily & Alan
Hi, I’m Laura, a creative brand designer and I am excited to talk to you about branding touch points.
Now hold on, I know what you are thinking “Branding touch point? Yawn!” But don’t scroll off yet, let me tell you a story.
I used to hate looking at my emails. I mean, how many boring promotional emails flood your inbox daily? But then one day that all changed. I was scrolling through my inbox deleting another bunch of dull emails with uninteresting titles, but one email caught my attention.
It wasn’t your typical sales pitch but a funny, quirky and downright entertaining email and you know what, I read the whole email to the end. As I kept reading, I realised that this business had turned their email into a super strong “brand touchpoint” But what the heck is a brand touchpoint and why should I care I hear you ask?
“Your brand is the sum total of how someone perceives your organization. Branding is about shaping the perception.” - Ashley Friedlein, Founder of Econsultancy.
A brand touchpoint is any contact your client/customer has with you or your business that helps shape that perception.
Every single interaction you have is a touchpoint and it is moulding how your customer feels, thinks and more importantly if they will become a fan of your business and spread the word to attract more clients.
Are you creating a winning customer experience?
If someone asks for x (insert your zone of genius here) do they instantly think of you and your business? No? Maybe? Then you might need to spend some time elevating your brand touchpoint.
Now, back to the email that caught my attention. The brand had used humour, OK, sarcasm, they knew their target market and sarcasm is my love language! They added their personality, which not only made me laugh but made me remember them and made me want to find out more and it had a great call to action that I clicked on.
I know, that’s great for them but what about my business Laura? A good brand touchpoint will evoke a feeling or move your client along your purchase path. But how do we do that, I hear you ask.
For starters, it’s important to look at every touchpoint you have and use them to your advantage. But that’s a massive task and you don’t have time for it! Don’t worry I have a simple process for you. Building a strong brand is like stepping stones. Take it one step at a time and you will cross the river.
Let’s start with mapping out your customer journey (see map) I usually like to do this on a large piece of paper and Post-it notes, or you can print off this blank version as a PDF and add your own notes if you prefer.
1. What was the reason for the interaction?
2. How did you want the client to feel? How did they feel?
3. Was it on brand?
4. Do you have any sticking points in your customer journey?
5. How can you level up the touchpoint? Add more value?
6. How can you move the client closer to making the purchase?
Let me tell you about the best £50 a branding client of mine spent on her business and yes you’ve guessed it was a brand touchpoint but not one you would expect.
A car sign, yep that’s it. This simple “Wedding cake on board” sign she uses, it covers the whole of her car’s back window and was created to help her when driving slowly delivering her wedding cakes. It stopped her from being honked at and being cut up when delivering her stunning cakes. This was a touchpoint she didn’t realise until she started tracking how her customers found her.
“Oh, I saw your car sign outside a venue”, “Oh I was sitting in traffic and saw your sign”. Yep, a simple removable sign with her website and Instagram name has helped reach a local network of people. She has now invested in a better on-brand version.
Another brand touchpoint we created for a client was for a local milk dairy, we created a range of business cards that his team can handout with different cow jokes on them. These not only bring a smile to your face, even if they are cheesy, and make the kids laugh but they are memorable. Now he runs a competition for new cow jokes on his social media.
Now, don’t panic. Your touchpoints don’t have to be funny to be memorable. In a world where getting a human to respond to an email is a novelty simply keep track of your customer interests and add them to your emails. This is a perfect touchpoint and also one the larger companies can not do!
Are you looking for a list of branding touchpoints to build on in PDF format? No, I haven’t got that, I have a better list!
A tried and tested list that you can do in 5min, 10min or 30 min that will improve your business touch points and client journey. It will also help to build on the know, like and trust values and help your customers have an excellent time with you. Here are some examples of 5min touchpoints you can do.
Answer phone messages - You don’t have to have the simple “leave a message” Boring!
How about adding a call to action? Or adding some personality to the message?
“Sadly I am unable to take your call right now because I’m out saving the world one design at a time. But don’t fret! Leave a message after the beep and I’ll get back to you faster than you can say ‘Comic sans’. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, check out my website with frequently asked questions at LauraAnnedesign.com. If this is a Pantone emergency, drop me an email at [email protected].
Now that sounds so much better and your client has a call to action to follow.
Automatic response - Along similar lines as your answer phone message what about your automatic response to a DM on socials- often gets overlooked and boring. These messages can turn a client off. Add in some fun details about you/your business or a link to a brochure/FAQ page that might answer the question they were about to ask.
Email titles - Don’t be lazy and send generic email titles, use your imagination or chat GPT to come up with some creative email titles that get your clients opening every email you send. While we talk about titles do this for any documents/ attachments you send too.
Email Signature - The email signature is a gold mine and should reinforce your brand identity, why not add a link to a free handout? Bringing your client one step closer to purchasing from you.
Replying to customer reviews - Take a few minutes to respond to a recent review on Google. Make it personal to them so future clients see how much you care and talk about the problem you solved for them.
Pre-meeting information email - Have a meeting booked? Send out a welcome meeting email the day before (I have just started doing this) but keep it personal to you. Mine talks a little about my career (building trust, I know what I am doing) my mom’s proudest moment, my dog Eddie ( Getting them to like me, who doesn’t like a proud mom or dog story) and a section on my dream to be a digital nomad (getting to know me). This humanises me to my client, gives us a common ground and something to talk to in that awkward 5mins and builds the know, like and trust factor.
Just finished a meeting? - Then be the first to send an email within half an hour! A book recommendation, a hot tip, or a link to an interesting blog you have written (have these already saved in your drafts) This keeps you top in your client’s mind. Snail mail is great for this too, a postcard with a quick note on goes a long way.
Pre-meeting gift - Is your client likely to write notes via the meeting? How about a branded notepad and pencil? Every time they pick it up guess whose business they will be thinking of? Simple touchpoints that work.
The business card is not dead - Some people will have you believe the business card is no longer needed. Well, I am here to tell you it can be a handy tool. Are you sending a parcel? Drop in your business card. Off networking? Meet someone on the school run? (This happened to me) you need a business card to hand. Find yourself walking into a face-to-face meeting and forgetting your business cards. Do not panic! A quick Canva tip you can make interactive business cards with a QR code, that your client can scan leading them straight to your website about your page.
Looking for more touchpoint ideas then download this simple guide here.
Finally, brand touchpoints are crucial to building a strong and memorable sticky brand and can have a big impact on your business. Each interaction you have with your customer, whether it is an email, social media message or invoice builds a strong brand and keeps them engaged with your company. By using the map and seeing your customer journey you can add more value and create a memorable brand experience that your customers will remember and recommend.
If you would like to find out more about me and how I can help you to work on your business brand and touchpoints please do visit my website www.lauraannedesign.com
Laura Anne Design - Strategy-led brand design studio
Email:[email protected]
When it comes to promoting your events we know lots of you use platforms like Eventbrite. And we are always curious to know why that is when for so many of you, you already own the tech to do it yourself! Yes, we know Eventbrite can bring you new people to your event, but does it really? And, we're big on keeping things simple and only sharing out links to your website. With that in mind we were keen to show you a practical walkthrough of this Eventbrite alternative.
We talk a lot out on the socials and with The Digital Circus community about simplifying. And simplifying means trying to use as fewer third party platforms as possible to make your life easier. Think about how many apps/ third party websites you currently use. a] it becomes quite costly if you want to use the paid features and b] by sending people into every different direction across the internet you're not actually building the cleanest and most straightforward of online ecosystems.
We often talk about growing your online presence by hosting your own webinars, or networking events like our Coffee Mornings to bring people into your ecosystem. So what if we told you that you could do this by using just your website and your email marketing provider? Two things you are likely to already have in your arsenal.
So, in this short demonstration video below Alan does a real time walk through of how we set up and "sell" spaces for our free Fabulous Yellow Tuxedo Coffee Mornings using just our WordPress website and Mailerlite.
The principle is sound regardless of where you've built your website [ WordPress, WIX, Squaresepace etc] and with whatever email marketing platform you use [ Mailerlite, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign] but if you're unsure of how to set this up yourself remember that we are able to offer one off Discoverer power hour sessions to help get you set up.
We do hope you enjoy this video and as always if you have any questions or would like to talk things through be sure to drop us a message and say hello!
What qualifies me to tell YOU what to do?
Absolutely bloody NUFFIN.
Firstly, it’s not my place to tell you what to do. It’s my place to helpfully inform and inspire. It’s completely up to you what you do with that information!
I will never claim to be a specialist "expert". Neither would I ever claim to know everything there is to know about the industry in which I work. I wouldn’t be that arrogant. The world is changing far too rapidly for me to be the #1 expert. I am continuously learning daily.
And I know that there are people out there that know a lot more than I do about online presence. FACT.
On the other hand there are also people who know a lot less than me who are happy to wear the “expert” label with pride. Why? Because there is always going to be someone who doesn’t know the information you have in your head and they recognise that.
I happily call myself a generalist. A high end tech user I suppose. I have a really good understanding of how things work and I am good at learning information at pace. One of my super powers is it that when I don’t know something I go out and educate myself from quality sources and disseminate accordingly.
This time last year GA4 was totally alien to me. I found it really clunky and difficult to understand how it would ever overtake Universal analytics. Since then I have taken the time to study, to analyse and understand. I have gone through the Google analytics certification and given myself time and space to work it out.
Am I a GA4 specialist? No. Will I be? Perhaps sometime. Do I know enough information for my clients to get started on the right path to success with GA4? Absolutely. I am confident that I can help make a difference to our clients.
So if I’m happy to say that I am NOT the all knowing expert then why should you choose to work with me over Mr Clever Clogs to my left who claims to know it best?
Quite simply its about more than just your expert knowledge base. It’s about all of the other incredible stuff you bring to the party from that little place called the university of life.
I recently sat down and went right the way back to when I was at University to work out how I got from an under graduate to where I am now as the co-founder of Yellow Tuxedo. I sat with a pen and paper and I really thought about all of the skills I have developed over the last 20 or so years.
It’s always been a running joke between Alan Braithwaite and I that I went to WInchester University and got one of those “pointless generalist degrees” rather than qualifying in a specialist subject. Back in 2002 I did a BA in English combined with Media and film Studies. And lo and behold, I graduated and didn’t immediately run into a job in the media- I went and worked for Fat Face!!
But looking back at my degree now and how I can apply it to my time as a business owner it did teach me many MANY things.
It taught me about creative and critical thinking. It taught me about narrative and storytelling. It taught me about analysis, expression, argumentation and presentation. It taught me about social and political impact. It taught me about video production, media management, mixed types of media…. And the list goes on. They are all things that I discuss and utilise right now here in 2023 with Yellow Tuxedo.
So in a whistle stop tour of my colourful CV over the years what else have I developed that matters?
FatFace- Customer service, time management, objection handling, decision making, visual merchandising.
QE2 Activity Centre instructor for adults and children with disabilities- leadership, empathy, communication skills, group management.
English tutoring- adaptive teaching and learning styles, empathy, patience.
Victim support volunteering- support, empathy, resilience, confidence, confidentiality.
Forestry Commission- Project management, large scale budget management, marketing and communications, event management, community projects, building out public consultations, public events, procurement, staff management, objection handling, PR.
PHD research assistant and writing [Supporting a mature student with severe Dyslexia to complete their PHD]- patience, rapid learning, specialist writing skills.
International expeditions and trips- Operations management, dealing with change, risk awareness and management, strategic planning, team leadership.
Baylily Bell Tents and The Outside Bride- staff management, marketing, operations, customer service, systems and process building, experience in franchising, experience in business sales and closure.
And that doesn’t even cover life, love, family and overcoming personal challenges that helps me to relate with our clients.
When I look back at this mere snapshot that I scribbled on a piece of paper I can start to actually see the true skills I can bring to the table.
Learning and development skills.
Empathy and Listening skills.
Pragmatism and organisation skills
Life experience.
That can’t be replicated, it’s my experience and mine alone. It’s what makes me who I am. The subject matter, although of course relevant, is just a small part of what is important. Being able to communicate, to listen, to develop a helpful teaching and mentoring style, to get the very best results from our clients. That is what matters more.
And I can combine all of the above with the brand and culture we have created in Yellow Tuxedo. We are bold, we are brash, we are fun, we are lighthearted. But we are certainly qualified to take you and your business on an adventure thats for sure.
When it comes to working with a business mentor it makes perfect sense to find someone who might be a generalist rather than a specialist. Especially someone who has experience in a wide range of fields who can empathise and understand your current challenges. Under our current Yellow Tuxedo service offering we offer a four month business mentoring package whereby we can work alongside you in a 1:1 capacity. We want to come along on the adventure with you and to support you as much as we can.
If working with a mentor is something that you would like to explore with us in a little more detail please do feel free to book a virtual cuppa with us and we can happily chat through your options.