ISSUE 9 • JULY 2020
IN CONVERSATION WITH
Shakira Taylor Founder of Fitness With Shakira
5 parents share how they plan to bounce back and thrive IN CONVERSATION WITH
Rob Moore
Author, Property Investor and Disruptive Entrepreneur
Transform your mindset to achieve success
WHAT’S NEXT? Using the coronavirus crisis to assess your business and come back stronger
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SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT My name is Vanisha Virgo, and my main business is Mama and Me Doula services.
What inspired you to start your business?
I say main as I have other businesses under the umbrella name of Mama and Me.
My son was born non-responsive and was rushed to the neonatal unit to be resuscitated. I had a postnatal haemorrhage, and I was rushed to the theatre as I was losing so much blood.
I am a single parent to one child, Micah aka Munch.
I didn’t get the birth or postnatal care I envisioned. I got to met my son in the neonatal ward 6hrs after giving birth. My son spent 2 weeks in the hospital, and the lack of emotional support was hard for me, don’t get the wrong
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The story about my business Mama and me Doula begins with my sons birth.
I had a few really good friends checking in on me every now and again but there were times I needed a hug and to talk to someone about what I was experiencing. Once home, I kept thinking about my start to parenting, but everyone kept telling me that everything turned out fine and focus on the fact that now I was healthy, and the baby was healthy. It made me feel as if I couldn’t talk about how I felt after my experience.I later realised I was seeking unbiased help and support for my birth trauma.
It was about 2 years after my sons birth that someone told me I would make an amazing Doula with my background in childcare. She gave me the details of a Doula trainer, Mars Lord, in my area of North London. I contacted Mars, and after talking to her about what a Doula is and how to become a Doula, I realised that what I was seeking in my early days as a new parent was the support of a Doula. I had always been the person amongst my friends, and my family who goes round to help the new parents, listening to them talk about their experience, helping by cooking or bringing
a meal, watching the baby while the parent's shower, wash their hair, has a nap etc., it’s only when I met up with and spoke to Mars that I realised that I had naturally been supporting friends and family in a postnatal doula role for years i just didn’t know it. This is what a Doula does, provides support for families and their babies prenatal, during birth and during the postnatal period, whether it is the first or 7th baby.
Offers As a person of colour myself I know there is a lack of representation within the Doula and postnatal community and I offer a discount to people colour. You can find more information about me and what I do as a Doula on my website. Mama And Me Doula Services www.mamandmedoulaservices.co.uk
Tell us about the services you offer? I am so glad I did my Doula training with Mars Lord of Abuela doula training, I have learnt so much and am better equipped to support families. I am now also a trained babywearing and breastfeeding supporter. I love being a doula and am passionate about helping families find their space and come into their own as they embrace their birthing and parenting journey
Services Birth prep Postnatal support Breastfeeding/Infant feeding support Babywearing support and sling hire for clients
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In Conversation with
Shakira Taylor Founder of Fitness with Shakira Shakira Taylor is 38 and the founder of Fitness with Shakira and proud single mum to a 16-yearold daughter. Shakira is passionate about small businesses, a champion for change and diversity in all industries. She enjoys helping others to feel motivated to move and achieve more in their lives. She has run her business for over five years and offers a range of fitness and business services which includes personal training, online fitness classes, corporate wellness, fitness events and business coaching and support.
Image photo credit Nux Photography www.nuxphotography.com
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I understand that you have various streams of income can you tell us how you got started in business? I began my own Personal Training business back in 2015, it was never my plan to start my own health and fitness business, but it made sense. I took redundancy from my full-time marketing and events job back in 2011 with no real plan on what my next career move would be, I spent the next few years doing freelance marketing and admin support for two small businesses so I began to experience what it would be like to have your own business.
Throughout this period of time, I began my own health and wellness journey, as I had always battled with my weight and hated exercise! As I began to understand more about my own body, nutrition and exercise, I was encouraged by my best friend, who is now my business partner to pursue my certificates in Personal Training. Once I became a fully qualified Personal Trainer and HulaFit Instructor, the next natural step for me, was to start my own business where I could combine all my previous skills of project management, marketing, events and now fitness. My business has grown over the past five years and has taken me into directions I never thought possible. As I have developed as an entrepreneur, I have realised the need to have more than one source of income, especially in fitness,
whereby the business is solely dependent on my body which can be physically demanding.
What are some challenges you faced in your business journey, and how did you overcome them? Starting any business comes with its challenges, obstacles and unexpected surprises to say the least! The main challenge for me as a curvier woman in her 30’s starting a fitness business was acceptance by the Fitness Industry. Prior to starting my own business, I did not realise how competitive the industry was and how there was a massive underrepresentation of female fitness professionals who are in their 30’s, bigger than a size 12 and from a non-white background. I definitely felt I had to work harder to prove my abilities to be able to run classes and even gain clients and contracts.
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Special Feature Bounce Back and Thrive Being a business owner is difficult, to say the least. You have a lot of pressures facing you - growing your business, raising kids and finding time for yourself are all challenges. When COVID-19 came to the world, for a lot of business owners, it was a borderline catastrophe. For parent business owners, there was no ‘borderline’ about it. This was an unknown, easily transmitted disease with a very high mortality rate which put a lot of clients and customers out of a position to buy services. Despite this, many business owners have managed to bounce back in these trying conditions, and many plan to thrive. 16
The Unknown Future For a lot of business owners, this was basically a business-killer. One of the main issues that was no doubt being faced by parent business owners everywhere was the distinct lack of childcare. Most business owners could focus on their business during the day because their children were in mainstream education. This plan quickly went out of the window in the face of COVID-19. It was now the case that many parent business owners had to try and tackle a selection of issues such as homeschooling and having partners working from home. The situation was further compounded by the lack of business, late or even nonpayment for goods and services which many business owners faced. Many businesses relied on public interaction to an extent, and this was now not possible.
Prospering in the Face of Adversity Despite the growing number of issues presented for parent business owners, many were not going to just quit. There was a continuing and constant effort to try and keep businesses afloat during these challenging periods. Many adapted existing business practices to make them more habitable for a digitally
inclined lockdown. If a service or product could be sold and offered online, then business owners would find a way to do just that. It was a real sense of a “can do” attitude, and it made sure that in one form or another, many livelihoods continued. These individuals all represent a real sense of determination and grit, which is hard to properly explain. These are professionals who have managed to really be more in the face of hardship. We’ve been lucky enough to have some of these parent business owners step forward and share their experiences with everyone. They have demonstrated that they are willing and inclined to fight for their business, and we’re very proud to hear their stories. The lesson to learn here is that when it comes to what can be done in the face of overwhelming odds, it’s sometimes better to hang up the rulebook and decide for yourself. These incredible people proved that they weren’t afraid to try and move on, and they did so well. Their stories are far from over, but the legacy that they have created and the impact they will have for business owners struggling with COVID-19 right now can not be underestimated.
SPECIAL FEATURE Georgiana Tanner, Simplify By George www.simplifybygeorge.com
How has your business changed during this challenging time? During this challenging time, I changed my business to offer organising and decluttering services virtually rather than just in person. I realised early on that I needed to adapt and change to give my new business a chance of surviving. I looked at the core service that I provided for clients and thought about how I could transfer it to a virtual service. I put together a package which includes a series of video calls supported by a very detailed plan. The plan breaks down what can seem an overwhelming job into simple step-by-step instructions - which means the client can work at their own pace. I even recommend storage solutions to help organise the space if appropriate.
I am really pleased with how it has worked and the opportunities it has provided. The new way of working means I am able to tap into a new customer base as there is no restriction on location, and all the clients I have helped so far have found the whole process simple to follow and are very happy with the results.
What qualities do you admire in yourself now that did not admire before the pandemic? During this time, there are qualities I have needed to call on like adaptability and innovation; the ability to think outside the box so that I could change my business model. I also had to consider how I could continue to put people at ease when technology can be so impersonal. The work I do is in their home – so it is very important to ensure clients are comfortable and confident with me sorting through their personal effects and changing their space, this is easier in a face-to-face scenario. It has also changed the way I approached social media; I have focused on videos and live streams so that potential customers can see the person behind the service.
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How businesses can leverage PR to survive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic There is no denying the cataclysmic effect that Coronavirus is having globally, let alone on UK businesses, the question is; How can we ensure the survival of our businesses through this uncharted terrain? Despite the initial business survival instinct to cut PR and marketing to stem the flow of expenses out of the business, the real value is in retaining and maximising any budget that you can allocate. Building an effective PR and communications strategy will be a key component to weathering this storm. Gone are the days when almost anything could be given the right angle to crowbar in the coverage. Frivolity and frippery have been replaced by value and empathy; any communications strategy now needs to educate, inform, inspire or, provide invaluable escapism. How can you navigate success through the pandemic, and how can you promote your business confidently and sell comfortably? Government guidance and all things considered; working safely has to be the number one priority. Beyond that, how do you create a PR strategy that can support you through such an unfamiliar time?
For starters, you have to be relevant and purposeful with any content you are creating. The chances are that some adjustments have been needed to your key messaging to ensure that you remain on-brand, yet mindful of the global circumstances. By retaining ‘educate, inform and inspire’ as a core focus of your content creation, you will be able to instil purpose in your
communication through the pandemic. This is not about capitalising on a global crisis; it is not about the ‘hard sell’; it is about building from a more measured and organic starting point to retain and engage your audience. You must be even more conscientious about spending time connecting with your audience and stakeholders. Acknowledge the situation and demonstrate empathy as everyone tries to adapt to the shifting environment and go above and beyond wherever possible to deliver extra value through the content you create and the time you share. It may be sharing expertise and guidance that would normally remain behind a paywall or closed doors. It may simply be offering time. Time to answer questions, to share advice. Consider how your content enhances the lives of your audience or makes it easier for
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other businesses to work with you. Be open and authentic as the human connection will give your communication infinitely more power than transactional interaction. Paying attention to this aspect of your communications and ensuring that your audience, on every level, feel valued, will retain your audience, engender loyalty and foster goodwill that repay you through and beyond the pandemic. When working on your content, consider how you can add value for your audience. Value has always been a critical component of effective PR and communications and is even more pertinent in the current climate. Where can you up level the value you are able to offer both to your audience and customers?’ Demonstrate an understanding of your customers, whether trade or consumer, what they want and need, then open your arms to being able to provide solutions where possible. Indulge and nurture any needs that your audience have, and you will be rewarded with loyalty.
It is crucial, at every stage, to ensure that a pandemic induced short term focus should not override long term vision. There are many aspects of a business that are currently so far beyond our control, that we need to seize those that are within in. Turning to PR will give you a proactive outlet to create and maintain a positive momentum that will support your business. PR is not without risks at the moment; when businesses get it wrong, it is noticed. Do not capitalise on tragedy or force a connection between your brand and the pandemic. Profiteering, while others suffer will instantly damage credibility, however, empathising and taking a proactive approach to the survival of your business will enhance credibility. There is nothing normal about the current cycle of content in the media, yet, there are still many avenues for promotion, across the media and beyond. Telling your story will give you a wonderful opportunity to open up to a wider audience. The public will support what they see; out of sight, out of mind. The avenues for you to
tell your business survival story include business sections of the national news media, regional media, trade publications, online business media, but also social media channels and business networks. Branch beyond your industry to increase your visibility; perhaps look at interviews, case study positioning and online opportunities to provide industry insights with bodies such as the Federation of Small Businesses or Enterprise Nation. Promote your offering and uncover the hooks. What are the trends in your sector? For both consumer brands and those working B2B, understand where your brand sits within the media landscape, what your target audience read and go from there. The scope for promotion is vast if you retain authenticity and value at the heart of your messaging and have the confidence to promote in order to survive. You will find your role in this pandemic and the emergence from it; now is the time to embrace the power of PR, cheerlead for your industry and ensure that it can emerge strengthened with renewed authenticity and purpose. Fiona Minett Consumer PR Expert www.bossyourpr.com
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A Mindfulness Journey Hi, my name is Jo Kaye, and I am a mum, a wife, a founder and a coach! I grew up in North West London within a (slightly alternative) Jewish family. My mum and brother could both be described as fairly conventional, both still living in North West London with me. However, my dad was always searching for more and spent years in ashrams and following gurus, whilst my sister followed in his footsteps, eventually becoming a shaman who uses plant medicines to heal. I was lucky enough to be introduced to complementary medicines, meditation and alternative retreats from a young age by my dad, whilst my mum kept me firmly rooted in the conventional. My love for the practice of quiet meditation was further cemented whilst travelling around South East Asia at 18, and I also took the ‘Landmark Forum’ whilst living in New York at 19. I practised meditation and yoga on and off for many years. However, it wasn’t until I turned 30, single, living at home and hating my job that I took the
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plunge and participated in a 10-day silent meditation retreat called Vipassana. I was at a stage in my life when I realised that I was standing in my own way, and the only chance I would have at creating a life I would love would be to look deeply and honestly at what I was doing to sabotage it. Doing Vipassana enabled me to experience meditation more deeply and integrate it into my life in a meaningful way. Soon after this experience, I met my now husband, got my dream job in sustainability management and had 2 children. It seemed to have done the trick! I have two girls 13 months apart, now 8 & 9 Years old, and whilst it was completely brutal in the early years, life is much easier with them both now. I was made redundant after my youngest was born, leaving me without a job for the first time in my life! I was a bit lost and was sure my skills of being a good listener, empathetic and supportive could be put to good use beyond my family. An encounter with Ruby Wax at the launch of her mindfulness book ‘Sane New World’ in 2013 had such an impact on me that it immediately became clear that mindfulness and meditation was something I could now
share with others. In particular to fellow parents, as I realised how important the practice of mindfulness and meditation is when it comes to parenting. As a co-regulating species of mammals we feed off each other’s nervous systems, so if we are highly anxious and activated our kids will feel it too. I decided to set up The Breathe Academy to provide tools to bring our children up equipped to deal with the increasing demands of 21st-century living, by starting with ourselves. I now teach a variety of Mindfulness courses to individuals, parents, teachers and carers both in private groups and 1-1 coaching and also in corporate settings. I am very busy supporting communities through this difficult time and have provided a lot of resources on my various platforms. Jo Kaye The Breathe Academy www.thebreatheacademy.co.uk
Book Review
When you run a small business, making the commitment to engage with networking becomes so much more important than in corporate life. Having a supportive group of people around who will recommend you to others, and want to build up successful businesses at the same time is invaluable.
Been there done that got the t-shirt
genuine useful relationships
The book 'Networking a Successful Small Business' by Joanne Dewberry is a fantastic resource, written by someone who has done exactly that. Joanne is an author, busy small business owner, blogger and networking group founder. Her list of awards is seriously impressive too.
to was Joanne acknowledging that often when we say we don't like networking, we mean that we don't like leaving our comfort zone. This is especially true when you include social media in the mix. We can chat with people online for months before meeting them, if ever. The thought of stepping out from behind the screen and being in a room with others can feel a bit scary.
Get out of your bubble
Networking Tips from Joanne
Marketing Consultant
Early in the book, one of the things I liked and nodded along
1. Great networking isn't about one-off meetings, but developing
2. Finding a group that meets at a time to suit you is really important. If 7am or 7pm don't work for you, you won't commit to going 3. If you find networking hard at the start, you won't necessarily always find it hard. It is a skill, you can improve. You can buy the book on Amazon. Shona Chambers www.spaceat61.com
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