2020 has made many people re-assess their careers and job priorities, and sometimes you just need that little leap of faith to jump into something wonderful, become a small business owner or scale up your product business.
Experienced business coach Hannah Stacey took the leap into forming a small business with her Mum, and now coaches others on running a successful small business for themselves.
Read our Q & A below to hear about her experiences…
From small business owner to business coach…
Pedddle: Hi Hannah! Tell us a more about how your coaching began – how did you first venture into running and growing a small business, then take the leap into coaching others to do the same?
Hannah: Our family business, established by my Mum back in 2008 during the height of a recession around our kitchen table, was hand made all the way. We produced jams, chutneys, and other preserves using traditional open pan methods as you would use at home.
I started work at the kitchen on a part time basis when, in my early 20’s, I quickly learnt I didn’t much enjoy the corporate world. After Mum’s business partner decided to move to pastures new, the opportunity arose for me to join Mum as a 50/50 partner and become a small business owner myself.
At the age of 25 I became joint Director, eventually selling at the top of our game by 2018. In our final 18 months, we tripled the turnover after gaining contracts with customers such as Virgin Trains and Firmdale Hotels in London (our dream 5* customer!).
Mum and I had reached our 10th year in business when we decided to sell. Mum had suffered with her health for a while and the business had grown significantly in the previous two years. We both knew the time was right. When Mum’s health meant she was unable to work full time, it meant I lost
the support that I then realised, was so vital. We had both been lucky enough to have someone to talk ideas through with, share the decision making, and most importantly, someone who helped us to keep going.
With the experience I had gained through building a successful product business and overcoming my own battles with imposter syndrome and self-doubt, I knew I wanted to put this all to a good use. Knowing that there were so many in the small business world working through these battles on their own, I wanted to find a way to help them to keep going.
Since selling the business in 2018, I have gained my NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner and Life Coach accreditation and consumed a large amount of research in neuroscience, habit building, mindsets of the successful and delved into the all-important market research to find out
the most common pain points for small business owners right now.
I have such a keen passion to help support the talented and creative individuals out there. To ensure that the inner critic and self-doubt don’t stop them from achieving truly amazing things.
Tips for other small business owners
Pedddle: 2020 has been such a tough year for everyone, in so many ways. Many people feel stuck in a rut right now, with an uncertain future. Do you have any top tips to re-fresh and get a more positive mindset if you’re a small business owner?
Hannah: Ask yourself what’s causing that feeling and answer honestly. Is it that you’ve not made any sales for a while or that you’re not so wowed by your new product range? Are you worried about the Christmas period?
Whatever it is that’s causing you to feel stuck, identify it, be honest with yourself and then ask yourself what can you do that would feel good right now?
And for the instant boost; put on your favourite music, loud. Sing, dance and enjoy five minutes of feeling free.
Once you’ve given yourself a break, you’ll be more ready to tackle a bigger issue.
Pedddle: Do you have any tips for pinning down your goals to level up your business or get you out of that rut?
Hannah: The easiest way to pin down goals is to ask yourself what success looks like to you. How will you feel when you have it? What will your life look like? Then work backwards.
If success to you is being able to leave your corporate job, go full time creative, live freely or sell your products in Selfridges; set a goal to generate X amount by X date and then work out what you need to do to achieve that. Plan backwards!
Pedddle: What advice would you give for setting goals for 2021, with the world being so uncertain right now?
Hannah: If you’re serious about building the business of your dreams, when setting goals, stop playing small. The only thing in your way is you!
We are undoubtedly facing some uncertain times right now but
inevitably, your goals are as achievable as you believe them to be.
Speaking to the fellow impatient souls out there, be realistic with time expectations. There is no such thing as an overnight success story.
And the ever faithful piece of life advice; always think outside the box, in every area of your business.
Pedddle: We love a good saying here at Pedddle. Do you have any positive business mantras or mottos that you use for motivation?
Hannah: So, so many! My favourite go-to mantras that never fail to pick me up when imposter syndrome kicks are:
“I’m not behind the competition, I’m ahead of the ones still dreaming”.
And the classic from the inspiring Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right”.
Anything is possible!
About Hannah Stacey Coaching
Hannah Stacey is a 1:1 Mindset and Strategy Coach for female business founders. With a decade of experience in building a successful six figure product business and an accredited NLP Practitioner and Life Coach, Hannah now supports others in facing the overwhelm and starting to scale up confidently and successfully.
If you want to work with Hannah to plan your product business during the pandemic, get some business coaching or further advice, you can find her here:
Website: www.hannahstacey.co
Instagram: @iam_soulfullysourced
Facebook: @hannahstaceycoaching