20 Questions with… Lala Social
I have been following Laura from Lala Social for a while now and i always found her posts and webinars so insightful! Her messages and information are always delivered in a such an authentic, concise and refreshing way. Honestly if you run a small business you need to follow this account - the free information is invaluable and she has amazing courses available (my marketing playbook) . Oh and did I mention she started this business when she was just 23!
Want to learn about her amazing journey? Read on!
WHAT IS THE NAME OF YOUR SIDE HUSTLE BUSINESS AND WHAT INDUSTRY ARE YOU IN?
Lala Social Club. I'm a consultant and educator for small businesses who want to cut through the noise in their marketing.
HOW LONG HAS YOUR SIDE HUSTLE BEEN RUNNING?
I started my business at 23 in 2016.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
I was working in marketing for a coffee company and loved the work. I have always been creative and loved writing, design and photography. I quickly realised that these skills made me the perfect fit for a role in social media and content creation. I guess I started because I wanted freedom, I loved helping people and I saw a real gap. The problem I saw was that there were so many businesses who had a wonderful offering but the way they communicated and shared their business online didn't reflect that. My intention was simple: I wanted to help people look good on the internet. Since then, the business has grown and evolved a lot!
DO YOU STILL WORK FULL TIME ANYWHERE ELSE?
I quit my day job in the middle of 2016 and started full time in Lala Social Club. I started working from my "home office" AKA a sun room that had no air conditioning and had just *a touch* of mould. I took photos to make the space look beautiful but really, at best it was a sweat box and at worse it was an occupation health hazard! Since then, we are now a team of 4 people. And there's no mould in our office!
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST FINANCIAL INVESTMENT YOU'VE MADE IN YOUR BUSINESS?
I worked with a sales consultant early on and he helped me to move from offering "done for you" packages into consulting. This was a game changer for my business. He also helped me with my mindset so that I would feel more confident to charge more for doing less (double win!). I've been super blessed to have so many people come alongside me for the journey. My family & friends who run their own businesses have also supported me through the journey. Oh and my husband is my biggest supporter and build the business with me which makes a big difference. He's a big dreamer which I love. I know I'm really blessed!
DID YOU INVEST IN BRANDING WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED YOUR BUSINESS?:
Initially, I created my own business cards and felt like that was everything I needed to have an official business ha! About 6 months in, I reached out to a friend who is a graphic designer. She created my brand for me and I still use it today! Having a clear, bold brand is super important to me and has definitely helped me to be memorable and recognisable.
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU REGRET OR WISH YOU HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY IN YOUR BUSINESS?
So many things! I don't really regret much (except that one time I threw out some vintage leather pants - terrible decision!). In my business, I like to see failure as an opportunity to learn and change. Yes, I wallow a little bit but then I get back up, take note of what I've learned and keep on moving. I've learned to trust my instincts; on people, projects and even "great opportunities". Sometimes saying no is the best answer and often it leads to even better opportunities down the road. I wish I had invested more time into understanding my finances and dashboard from the beginning. That would have saved me a lot of money! I've also learned that not everyone is a good fit for me and I'm not a good fit for everyone and that is totally okay.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST PART OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Seeing our clients and students implement what I teach and get the results. That is my highlight. Hands down. In COVID, I saw so many business owners in our community face really tough situations with grit, determination and just the right amount of scrappiness and that really encouraged me. I feel inspired by our community daily.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
The hardest part for me has been to let go of people pleasing. I want everyone to like me. My husband likens me to a Golden Retriever ha! I want everyone to win and everyone to love me and that is actually just not possible. I think separating my identity from the business is also something I find difficult. It's important to have hobbies outside of business, to see your friends and to call your parents every now and again. Sometimes my work/life balance is way off kilter so that is something I have to work on.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU WERE STARTING OUT?
I wish I knew how hard it was going to be.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR SELLING YOUR PRODUCT SERVICE?
Phone calls. For me, if I can get someone on the phone to chat with them, I can sell them a product/service that is right for them. I always tell people to find their selling sweet spot and stick to that. We have also simplified our offerings so that I'm not selling a bunch of products. We just have two key products which makes my life easier and makes the sales process much smoother.
IS THERE SOMEONE WHO ORIGINALLY INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR SIDE HUSTLE?
To be honest, it was mostly me. I kind of figured things out as I went and I've always been okay with taking risks. My friend Glen James really helped me treat it like a business from the beginning which really helped me. He made sure I was invoicing correctly and doing all the business side properly which really didn't come naturally to me.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE ELSE STARTING A SIDE HUSTLE?
Don't wait too long to go full time in your business. There is always an element of risk involved so at some point you will have to take the leap and trust the process. Oh and you've got to have loads of self belief and back yourself even if everyone else thinks you're crazy. p.s. Meltdowns are normal and totally okay. We all have them!
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
I got the gym (albeit, somewhat begrudgingly), have a coffee and breakfast, read a book or listen to a podcast and then walk down to the office. Generally I try to not check my emails first thing in the morning so I can focus on what I need to get done. I fill out my planner for the day and list off exactly what I need to do so that I don't get distracted by and reactive to other things. Most days I'm busy working on our podcast, course content, sales calls and our 1:1 client work. When I'm done for the day, I shutdown everything. I make a list for the following day and then I walk on home!
HOW HAS LIFE CHANGED NOW THAT YOUR PURSUING YOUR PASSION AND LIVING YOUR DREAM?
In so many ways! I've become more self aware, I think. I've learned my limits and am becoming more aware of my boundaries. I'm learning how to be more assertive and to have tough conversations (not easy!). I have also become way more driven, disciplined and organised than I was before.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BUSINESS IN 5 YEARS?
In 5 years time, we will have an online membership that houses all of our small business courses. I want to hire people who are way better than me at marketing so I can focus on building the brand and the creative direction. Every year, I want to help 1000 business owners to grow their businesses and hit their goals with our courses and programs. Oh and maybe I'll be working from New York City. Maybe!
BEST TIP FOR BUILDING/GROWING A COMMUNITY/FOLLOWING ONLINE?:
My number one tip is to show up, be real and keep adding value. People want to feel seen, known and heard. Gone are the days of macro marketing, it's all about one to one connection and truly caring about your customer. Keep showing up and investing in your community but make sure you're being strategic. Be generous but don't just give everything away for free. Have a plan to get people to a place where you can make offers and they can buy from you.
ANY OTHER ADVICE YOU WOULD LIKE READERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU, YOUR BUSINESS, OR BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN GENERAL?:
My final piece of advice would be to go for it! I think we are our own worst enemies at times. We are the ones who place the limits on ourselves and I really believe that anything is possible if you're prepared to do the work and stay in your lane. In small business, every day is a learning curve so if you can roll with the punches, adapt your approach, keep learning and commit to personal growth, you'll be successful.
HOW DO YOU REST, RECHARGE?:
For me, hanging out with my family (and my super cute nieces and nephews) is also something that recharges me. I love morning ocean dips, reading a good novel in the sun and writing music.
ONCE COVID IS ALL OVER WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL TO?:
I want to go back to Paris and visit Italy in the Summer. That would be the dreaaaam. My husband and I would love to do a stint in NYC too, so maybe we'd look at that!
insta: @lalasocialclub.co http://mymarketingplaybook.com
