1 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Britney Saunders and welcome to Big Business, the 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: place where business is far from boring. 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 2: And today I'm recording on gaddigal Land. 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: Now I somehow manage to build an empire from the 5 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: garage underneath my house, and I'm here to share it 6 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: all with you, from the winds, the mistakes, the challenging 7 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: times and the funny moments in between. So, whether you're 8 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: in business yourself already, perhaps you're not in the game 9 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: at all, maybe you're looking for some inspo, or you 10 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: simply just want to hear the team when it comes 11 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: to running a business, this is the podcast for you. 12 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 1: Coming up on today's episode, I'm joined by a very 13 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: special and exciting guest. 14 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: It's Kenny Lee from light my Bricks. 15 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: To put it in a nutshell, can he quit his 16 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: nine to five job in twenty eighteen and in six 17 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: years he has created a global company that as of 18 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: right now, has turned over twelve million in revenue and 19 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: the premise of it is so simple. Dubbed as the 20 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: ultimate building experience for Lego fans, light my Bricks specializes 21 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: in Eli de lighting kits. 22 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: People can use to light up their Lego. 23 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: He quite literally turned his passion for Lego into a 24 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: massive company. 25 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 2: Kenny, welcome to big business. 26 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you for having me. 27 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: You've traveled from Melbourne to come on. 28 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 3: That and they said, hey, you might be on Britney 29 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 3: Stones like yeah, man, book me a flight. 30 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: I love it. I love it now. 31 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,040 Speaker 1: I feel like your business is a prime example of 32 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: someone turning their hobby into like a business and a passion. 33 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 1: For those that aren't familiar with your business, do you 34 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: want to give us just like a elevator and how 35 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: it came to be? 36 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 3: Yep. So the company is called light My Bricks and 37 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 3: we are I mean I started it from Melbourne purely 38 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 3: off my passion for Lego and what we do is lighting, 39 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 3: so lighting up Lego, which is yeah, an interesting idea, 40 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 3: but yeah, I was able to turn that into what 41 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 3: it is today. And what it is it's a We're 42 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 3: a global company and we sold lighting kidstill all around 43 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 3: the world to crazy Lego fans who just want to 44 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 3: make their Lego look ten times cooler, and that's that's 45 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 3: what it is. 46 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I love it. 47 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: And I read that you were kind of arguing with 48 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: your wife because you were spending so much money on 49 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: the Lego. 50 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 2: But now you feel like you can kind of justify 51 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 2: it totally. 52 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 3: I mean, it's a business. That's why I started it, 53 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 3: Like how do I win this argument with the wife 54 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 3: to try to start a business out of it? And 55 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 3: then back then I just assumed anything tax right off 56 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 3: meant free Lego. 57 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 2: So I was just like I've talked about this on 58 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: my podcast before. 59 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 3: That's it. 60 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 2: People have no idea when they go, oh, well. 61 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 3: That's a tax, right, that's it. 62 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, still pay one hundred percent, get a little 63 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:41,679 Speaker 1: bit less off the tax. 64 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 3: That's yeah. I think a lot of people just assume, yeah, 65 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 3: tax right off means it's free. 66 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: So many people like, we're going out for breakfast now 67 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:49,519 Speaker 1: tax right off from Like no, no, no, we still 68 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: have to pay for full breakfast. 69 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's why free. I was just trying to figure 70 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 3: out a way to not just win the argument with 71 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 3: the wife, but to get free Lego business. Yeah. So 72 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 3: I was able to find and like I was very 73 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 3: much like part of like a Lego community, and we'd 74 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 3: talk about how awesome our Lego collections are with post 75 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 3: videos and photos, and I knew that I wasn't the 76 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 3: only crazy nut out there. That's spending thousands of dollars 77 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 3: and some of these guys are spending way more, and 78 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 3: I was like, no one's doing lights. So if I 79 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 3: can find a way to make this something out of it, 80 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 3: even if it was just for myself, I'll be onto 81 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 3: something winning here. So that's what I did. 82 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: So do you have any experience with electronics, because I 83 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: was looking at your website last night and my partner 84 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: AJ loves like Lego and he works with me now, 85 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: but he's an electrician. 86 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 2: So I was kind of showing him one. 87 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: Of your YouTube videos that was on your website and 88 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: I was like getting him to look at the wire 89 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: and he goes, he must be an electrical engineer or something. 90 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 3: Not at all, not at all. And so but what 91 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 3: I think what it was is that was a issue 92 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 3: like when people saw lights and Lego, they thought, oh, 93 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 3: this is the too hard basket. You got to be 94 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 3: electrician to be able to do that. But that was 95 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 3: the I guess the problem I was trying to solve 96 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 3: to try and make it easy for people, and that's 97 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 3: why I developed like this lighting system that makes it 98 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 3: easy for anyone to light up their Lego. So no, 99 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 3: I don't have an experience. It's so interesting and. 100 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: It just goes to show like you don't know how 101 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: to do something like that, to start a business in 102 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: an area that you have no idea, you've obviously just 103 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: got the right people on board to help you. 104 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, And look, I think back then, I had no 105 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 3: idea how to start a business or anything, and I 106 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 3: was just wanting to put lights in my own legos, right, 107 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 3: But I had a friend of mine who knew the 108 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 3: Chinese market somewhat. Because I didn't even know where to 109 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 3: start when I started the business, I think. 110 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: Most people are, what's the first thing I could do? 111 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 3: And you just automatically think, oh, everything's made in China, right, 112 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 3: So just find someone who knows. And I was just 113 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 3: annoying this guy at my work all the time. I 114 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 3: was his boss, so I could kind of tell him 115 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 3: what to do. I was just like, find me a 116 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 3: place that can manufacture E laity lighting. So that's how 117 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 3: I started, And I didn't because I didn't understand anything 118 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 3: about electronics. I just found someone overseas who could just 119 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 3: make this part and make samples and then I'll be like, night, 120 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 3: change this or add this little plug onto it and 121 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 3: make it this small that kind of thing, and that's 122 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 3: I guess how I was able to start and progress 123 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 3: from there. 124 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 2: Yeah mazing. 125 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: Another thought that I've had pop into my mind since, 126 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: like looking you up and seeing everything that you do. 127 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: What has it been like navigating a business where you're 128 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: creating a product for someone else's products? Yeah, because I'm 129 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: interested to know, Like, have you had to be careful 130 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 1: with using the word Lego in your marketing and all 131 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff? Yeah, Like you know, I make 132 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: clothes and it's not for something else, So how have you, like, 133 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: have you had any run ins around like making something 134 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: for a Lego product? 135 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 3: Yeah? A lot of people who asked that question. But 136 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 3: at the very beginning, like I sought some legal advice 137 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: because I don't know anything about yeah anything legal ramifications. 138 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 3: But that's I guess the most cautious I've ever been. 139 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 3: And the legal advice that I received was you can 140 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 3: use it as long as you clearly state that you're 141 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 3: not you'mpany, you're not Lego, you're not affiliated or associated 142 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 3: or you're not endorsed by them an anyway, And as 143 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 3: long as you use the little R every time you 144 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 3: use the word Lego, you're fine. 145 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 2: Okay, that's good tonight. Have you like now connected with 146 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:13,119 Speaker 2: anyone at Lego? 147 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 3: Like yeah, so when was it? Just around COVID time? 148 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 3: We caught the attention of Lego purely through I guess 149 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 3: social media and they just started catching on to what 150 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 3: we're doing and they actually contacted us and said, hey, 151 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 3: we want to fly out and talk to you and 152 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 3: figure out what. Yeah, so they came out and they 153 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 3: spent like a couple of days with us, and we 154 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 3: actually ended up starting a partnership with them to create 155 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 3: a lighting product that was like a two year project. 156 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 3: And that's another story because there's like so many heard 157 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 3: alls working with a massive company. 158 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: Like imagine, like to do one thing, it's got to 159 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: go through like a hundred loops and yeah, two hundred boards. 160 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. So at the time, I'm like I fit the jackpot, 161 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 3: you know what i mean, Like Lego are working with me, 162 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 3: and they did say, look, there's going to be a 163 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 3: lot of hurdles. I'm like, what kind of hurdles could 164 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 3: they be? Anyway, long story shot, Yeah, it was a night. 165 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 3: It wasn't There's a lot of rodbumps along the way. 166 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,559 Speaker 3: And after that two year period, the people were working 167 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 3: with their contract didn't get extended for various reasons, and 168 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,239 Speaker 3: in the end I was able to get the legal 169 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 3: okay to keep pursuing this project, which we kind of 170 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 3: did bring some market last year. It's like a two 171 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 3: point oer version of what we had prior to that 172 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 3: in terms of what our product looks like, Yeah, I 173 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 3: love it. 174 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: I read that when you started like my bricks, you 175 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: started with like a ten thousand dollar investment. 176 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: That's another question that a lot of people ask me. 177 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: I'm sure you get the same sort of question, like 178 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: how much money do I need to start a business? 179 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: And I always say that's a really hard question to 180 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: answer because it depends if you're opening a shop or 181 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: if you're baking cakes at home, Like everything is so different. 182 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: But with that ten thousand dollars and obviously building your 183 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: business to the size that it is now, what do 184 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: you owe your success too? Is it like back then 185 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: when you first started and you had no idea? What 186 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: was it that got you off the ground? Was it 187 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: personal branding, was it paid marketing? Was it a bit 188 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: of everything? 189 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 2: But what was that? 190 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 3: Yeah? It was a yeah, it was a combination of 191 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 3: little a few things. For me that ten thousand dollars. 192 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 3: Injection into the business was purely for stock, so it 193 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 3: started off with I think the first kind of stock 194 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 3: order might have been five grand, and then I was 195 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 3: able to kind of validate the market by selling it. 196 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 3: But I think a lot of it, a lot of 197 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 3: what contributed to access early on was the content actually, 198 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 3: like social media and digital marketing, because the product is 199 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 3: so visual, like as soon as you see it, you 200 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 3: kind of get what it's all about. So for me, 201 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 3: it was all about like raising awareness online through you know, Instagram, Facebook, 202 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 3: and just getting the product in front of other people 203 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 3: who see it and they oh how did you do that? 204 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 3: Or oh where can I buy that? And that's what 205 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 3: really drove the success. So lots of products, and with 206 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 3: the products was constant images, videos, you know, how to 207 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 3: is all that kind of stuff, and I think that's 208 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 3: what really pushed us forward. And then when I started 209 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 3: learning about like paid ads, that was what really you know, 210 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 3: for more people. So I think a lot of it 211 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 3: definitely is not just the product, but a lot of 212 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 3: it was digital marketing. 213 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I love it. 214 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: What would be your advice to anyone who is starting 215 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 1: a business and they're too scared when it comes to 216 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: like creating content about their product, which I think is 217 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: something that everyone will go through at some stage, especially 218 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: if they haven't built a personal brand. Like what's your 219 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: advice to those that are just getting started. Maybe they've 220 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 1: got a product that is visual and you can show 221 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 1: it off. 222 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 3: I think for me what really kind of almost made 223 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 3: me not start the business was purely this, Oh it 224 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 3: hasn't been done before. What would you know people around 225 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 3: me think? Or how much money can I really make 226 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 3: from selling lights for Lego? This is a secondary product 227 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 3: to a primary product, you know, most people, and my 228 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 3: advice to that was to not look for validation because 229 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 3: the chair the more unique your idea is, no one 230 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 3: else is probably doing it, and that's even better. So 231 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 3: that's kind of like this, I guess, a mindset of 232 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 3: leaning into that passion and breaking out of this mold 233 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 3: or a box that society, this place you want, you know, 234 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 3: placed upon you. And so for me it was like 235 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 3: I was in my thirties. I had a really cushy, 236 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 3: corporate IT job and that was all safe and secure 237 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 3: and stable. Starting a business when you're in your thirties. 238 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 3: I had two kids, I had a mortgage to pay, 239 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 3: like this was all in this hole, the no going, 240 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 3: the no go zone, the irresponsible zone. So for me 241 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 3: it was like that almost maybe not start away exactly, 242 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 3: You've got good career progression, you've got a mortgage to pay, 243 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 3: all this kind of thing, let alone you want to 244 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 3: start a business based on legos. So for me it 245 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 3: was more just like, yeah, being so into what I 246 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 3: was doing and understanding that I was actually really providing 247 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 3: value or fixing this problem that other people wanted to 248 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 3: light up the lego they couldn't. It was combining my 249 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,719 Speaker 3: passion for lego and then understanding that all these things 250 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 3: that are stopping me from starting is not fact. It's 251 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 3: all you know what society is saying. 252 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 2: Yes, and it's in your head. 253 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:18,959 Speaker 3: That's it. So had I not had done that, I 254 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 3: wouldn't be here today, exactly right. 255 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 2: We love saying that, We say all the time on 256 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 2: the pod. Do it scared? 257 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, even if if you want. 258 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 2: To do something and you're scared, you can still do. 259 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 3: It when you're scared and don't be afraid to fuck up. Yeah, 260 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 3: you know. For me, it's like how much have you 261 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 3: learned from the mistakes you make? And a lot of 262 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 3: people are so scared to start because they're scared of 263 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 3: making the mistake, or they're scared of losing money, or 264 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:41,199 Speaker 3: they're scared. 265 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 1: Of I don't know, friends and family will say, but 266 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: I genuinely think from my experience that business is just 267 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: continually making mistakes and learning better for next time. Like, 268 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: no one starts out knowing what they're doing. Everyone is clueless. 269 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: Even now, like where I am today, seven years into 270 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,079 Speaker 1: my business, I'm still just figuring this shit out, I 271 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: say to my staff all the time, I'm still figuring 272 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 1: this out as well. 273 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 3: This I know, and I think it's just embracing that. Yeah, 274 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 3: I'm sure when you started, like you would have had 275 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,679 Speaker 3: people or you would have had this fear of like 276 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 3: what your family or your friends around you are thinking 277 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 3: or saying, because you're going all in on this. 278 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 2: Business and they're like, what are you doing? I don't 279 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 2: think they don't even understand what you're trying to do to. 280 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 3: It, and they don't they will never understand it. And 281 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 3: being okay with that, yeah, because obviously when you're right 282 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 3: into your business, you are kind of sacrificing social events 283 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 3: or family time or whatever it is. And being okay 284 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,199 Speaker 3: with them thinking that rather than constantly battling to convince them. 285 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 3: Do you know what I mean? That? That was yeah, 286 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 3: what I found. 287 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: I think as well, when a lot of people start 288 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: a business, they look to their friends and family as 289 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: their first customers. But I always say to people, and 290 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: I have people DM me like, you know, about their 291 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: friends and family and not supporting their business as much. 292 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: And my advice to anyone, especially if you're getting started, 293 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: is if you're wanting to build a genuine brand, think 294 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: beyond your friends and family, Like, yes, they'll support you initially, 295 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: but like as for us, I would never expect our 296 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: friends and family to support my business, you know, Like 297 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: I've got to think beyond that, And so does everyone 298 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: when they're starting a business, because otherwise you're like keeping 299 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: that customer base really small. 300 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, And not just that, it's I think understanding that 301 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 3: you as an entrepreneur, you almost have a different mind. 302 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 3: Your brain works differently, and so you can't expect others 303 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 3: around you to all to completely understand and to always 304 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 3: be completely on board because this is out of the 305 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 3: ordinary for them. It's different, it is, And not just that, 306 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 3: I think sometimes the people around you aren't used to 307 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 3: that and it also could be a reflection on them 308 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 3: as well. And that's okay. Yeah, everyone's different and just 309 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 3: being okay with that. 310 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 2: I love it. 311 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that you said that, like most of 312 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: your customers are grown up. 313 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 3: That's it. I think a lot of people when they 314 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 3: hear about what we do, like my bricks and Lego, 315 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 3: they think, oh, my kids would love that. My nephews, 316 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 3: nieces or children, the kids and you know, would love 317 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 3: your product. But it's actually our market is actually grown 318 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 3: ups who love Lego. 319 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: I would be interested to know the stats from Lego's standpoint, 320 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: like how much of their customer base like adults. 321 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 3: First, it's changed so dramatically in the last I would 322 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 3: say since Covid started. Prior to that, I mean I 323 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 3: started the business eight years ago, so there were adults 324 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 3: I guess targeted sets, but they were still very much 325 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 3: packaged in as a kid's toy. Yeah, we're talking like, 326 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 3: you know sets that are like maybe two hundred bucks, 327 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 3: three hundred bucks, right, but they still look like it's 328 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 3: kid's toy. Fast forward today, if you went to a 329 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 3: Lego store, you'll see like half the section of Lego 330 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 3: all in black boxes with eighteen plus in it. Yeah, 331 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 3: and they all have like really these massive sets. We're 332 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 3: talking like one thousand, five hundred bucks for a Lego set, right, 333 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 3: And this is aimed at adults because one, adults have 334 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 3: that disposable income where kids don't. And two, like adults 335 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 3: love nostalgia. They love, you know, like things that they 336 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 3: wish they had that were young, but they probably didn't 337 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 3: have the luxury to afford these kind of things. As 338 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 3: are older, they're like, holy shit, this Ghostbusters vehicle because 339 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 3: what I dreamt of when I was a kid, now 340 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 3: I can afford it. So Lego just constantly bringing out 341 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 3: these new sets targeted at adults, and it's very clever. 342 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: We do love nostalgic things, like just before when you 343 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: walked in, we were talking about dial up internet, Like 344 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: we're always like reminiscing on stuff that we love when you. 345 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 3: Were a kid. But for us, a lot of my bricks, 346 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 3: it's like that's our target customer because it's for those 347 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 3: who love to build and display Lego not so much 348 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 3: kids who love to build and destroy, build and destroy 349 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 3: and just leave it all over your carpet kind of thing. 350 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 3: Our customers are the ones who build and display and 351 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 3: they love to display. They have that pride and display. 352 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 3: They want to find ways to make it look even 353 00:15:58,400 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 3: better with lights. 354 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're inspiring me. I feel like I've never built 355 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 2: a Lego. 356 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: Anything you will now, Yeah, I feel like I want 357 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: to go and buy one and put it together. Yeah. 358 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 3: There was something really therapeutic about building Lego and that's 359 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 3: what I love and that's what I got into. Yeah, 360 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 3: I'm not that crazy creative person in terms of like 361 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 3: building and going on Lego masses. Like everyone says, oh, 362 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 3: you should go on Lego masses, but have. 363 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 1: You ever gotten in contact with them though about your 364 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: lights and your busy Yeah. 365 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 3: So for the very first season the Challenge, Designer like 366 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 3: bought a shit ton of like products from us, but 367 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 3: they couldn't say anything because Lego are so pure to 368 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 3: their brand they would never want to dilute it anyway. 369 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 3: So they did use it in the first season. But 370 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 3: our products are very like more consumer home based, and 371 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 3: they went fit for like studio line massive. Yeah. But yeah, 372 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 3: like there's something so therapeutic about just like building something, 373 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 3: following instructions and not really thinking so much and then 374 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 3: in the end you've created this awesome, Like I. 375 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: Don't have to give it a go because I don't 376 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: know why, but I put it in the same category 377 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: as flat furniture and I hate black pass. 378 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 3: This is different. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there's only the little 379 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:10,160 Speaker 3: pieces and it's quite unique on how they design certain things. 380 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 3: But like Lego are totally changing in terms of like 381 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,719 Speaker 3: the different sets they're bringing out, like, for example, like 382 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 3: the botanical range, like Lego flowers. 383 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've seen all like the bunches of flowers. 384 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know, they look really good. So maybe I'm 385 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:24,880 Speaker 3: going to have to get one, which you can start. 386 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm gonna have to get one. 387 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 3: Well. 388 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: Something that I always like to ask guests on the 389 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,639 Speaker 1: pod is have you ever had a business blunder? 390 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 3: Yeah? Of course everyone has business blenders. 391 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 2: Write a novel honestly. 392 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 3: Yeah. Look. The one that I can think of that 393 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 3: cost me a lot of money, a very expensive learning experience, 394 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 3: but a good experience in the end was So we 395 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 3: do lighting for Lego, so I think like kits that 396 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 3: you installs your Lego, we wanted to appeal to a 397 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 3: different market still within the Lego community, and that was 398 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 3: Lego minifigure collectors. So little mini figures. There's a whole 399 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,159 Speaker 3: other market of people who go crazy collecting them. Like 400 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 3: we're talking like Star Wars minifigures, Harry Potter minifigures, a Lego, 401 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 3: a Lego person, a mini mini fige person a figurine 402 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 3: of everything. Set you buy you usually get like a 403 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,640 Speaker 3: little figure figure. Yeah, and like you know, you can 404 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 3: build it through the legs, torso, head, hair piece, all 405 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,239 Speaker 3: that kind of thing, cape, whatever and so and so 406 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 3: they do like you know, figures based on like say 407 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 3: Harry Potter characters or Star Wars characters, that kind of thing. 408 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,959 Speaker 3: And where to give you an example, like some minifigures 409 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 3: can cost like up to a thousand bucks just for 410 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 3: this little piece of plastic because it's rare in the 411 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 3: wrong business. Yeah, my business partner had spent recently one 412 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 3: thousand bucks on a Star Wars like three p the 413 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 3: little droid on thousand dollars just a little bit figure. 414 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 3: What they do is they they put in a little 415 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 3: bag and they just put in the drawer because there's 416 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 3: nothing that's create that's nothing out there that is kind 417 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 3: of like a display case forum. So that's where I 418 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 3: wanted to kind of appeal to. I wanted to look 419 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 3: for find a way to create a product that was 420 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 3: that not only allowed them to display it, but actually 421 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 3: looks good in like a nice home. Because Lego to 422 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 3: little minifigure cases, but they're very plastic, they're very like colorful. 423 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 3: It's like the kids thing. It doesn't look that good 424 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 3: in your living room on the wall. So I thought, 425 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 3: out of course, went to Ali Baba and tried to 426 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 3: find a manufacturer to make this. And then so I 427 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,440 Speaker 3: found a company and they made these really cool frames 428 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 3: and what it is, it's like a it's like a 429 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 3: big photo frame, but it actually can house all these minifigures. 430 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 3: They look really nice and lights up and it just 431 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 3: looks really cool. So went through the process of designing 432 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 3: the product. Do your sampling. They turned out awesome, right, 433 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 3: sample everything, and sample again, doing the right thing there, 434 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 3: and then we go to making the big purchase order 435 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 3: and we have to buy a thousand of each size, 436 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 3: so we bought two. I spent almost two hundred thousand dollars. Wow, 437 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 3: purchase order right hadn't validated much at all, but that 438 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:07,959 Speaker 3: was a minimum and I didn't know anything else at 439 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 3: the time, So I'm like, oh, I believe in this 440 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 3: lightly so much crazy it's gonna be awesome. We pay half, 441 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 3: and Ali Barba had that. I knew about quality checking, right, 442 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 3: but I didn't like, I wasn't going to I didn't 443 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 3: go over there, right, So that was I guess one 444 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 3: of the mistakes. I paid for like a third party 445 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 3: to go in and do your. 446 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 1: Quality control, which everyone listening like, that's something that you 447 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: can do additional. 448 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 2: Because I think is it traditionally they might check. 449 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 3: Like twenty the Yeah, so they did one in five. 450 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: I think so then you can have like a company 451 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: go and quality check more. And that's like you know 452 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 1: when you buy a hat and there's like a little 453 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: sticker on the inside that says QC. 454 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:47,439 Speaker 2: It's like a sealver sticker. That means it's being quality controlled. 455 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 3: Someone just stuck a sticker on it. Yeah, which is 456 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 3: in this case. I think this is what kind of happened. 457 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 3: So I thought, oh, surely if it's a third party, 458 00:20:56,760 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 3: everything will be fine. So they cuture the Q seed it. 459 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 3: They gave me a certificate saying this is been quality inspected. 460 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 3: We wait two months for it to come via sea. 461 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 3: We get it. Meanwhile, we had done a campaign. We 462 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 3: had pre sold of these units and we had our 463 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 3: partners who had Birch bought a lot of them to 464 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 3: sell in their stores. When they arrive, we didn't check 465 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 3: it because it's been Q seed, right. So we started 466 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 3: shipping them out, and not long after that, we started 467 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 3: getting all these complaints from people gone, showing us videos 468 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 3: of how bad it was, showing fingerprints, showing scratches on 469 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 3: all the acrylic sides. Parts of the LED lighting was 470 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,400 Speaker 3: like falling off. It was a nightmare. I'm like, oh, 471 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 3: surely this must just been have been a transit issue. 472 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 3: We started opening up one by one and we're like, oh, 473 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 3: holy shit, this one. He has got fingerprints everywhere. It's 474 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 3: like someone ate and I used to make this joke. 475 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 3: I can make a joke now. But we found crumbs. 476 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,120 Speaker 3: It's like someone had eight fish and chips and then 477 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 3: out of assembling the units. It was that bad. And 478 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,479 Speaker 3: so I remember having to get everyone in my family 479 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 3: to come in and open all of them. I remember 480 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 3: Sam back in the day. He came and we actually 481 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 3: had to open every single unit. But also so frustrating 482 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 3: is it was not all of them were bad, Like 483 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 3: it was maybe one in five that were good, but 484 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 3: we had to check every single one of them. On 485 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,400 Speaker 3: top of that, the one in five that were good 486 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 3: that we sent out to customers, by the time actually 487 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 3: reached them and they could be anywhere around the world. 488 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 3: They received that, they opened it up and parts had 489 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 3: fallen off, and we started having to give refunds and 490 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 3: it was a nightmare. On top of that, one thousand, 491 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 3: two thousand of these big frames takes up a lot 492 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 3: of space. I bought a forklift, I like bought all 493 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 3: this like paler racking, just to house them. In the end, 494 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 3: it was just a nightmare. And these this company was 495 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,160 Speaker 3: based in China, so when we tried to take legal action, 496 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 3: that was a whole other battle. It was so stressful 497 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 3: for me because everything was now focused on this rather 498 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,479 Speaker 3: than the actual business. Yes, we were losing money, we 499 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 3: were losing our reputation. And in the end, like we 500 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 3: did go through like a really long kind of legal proceeding, 501 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,440 Speaker 3: we did get back a little bit of money in 502 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 3: the end, it was like twenty grand as opposed to 503 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 3: two hundred. But that was a very very expensive business blunder. Yeah, 504 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 3: but I did learn a hell of a lot from it. 505 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: You live and you learn, did you have to do 506 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: anything for your community, like did you put out any 507 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: posts or anything to say. 508 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 3: No, because it was quite earlier on. It was very 509 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 3: early on that we kind of came across this issue. 510 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:33,919 Speaker 3: So we were able to kind of just work individually 511 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 3: with the customers and the wholesalers offering refunds, offering the 512 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,640 Speaker 3: new units, but we did validate that people do want 513 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:45,400 Speaker 3: this product. Yeah, we haven't gone back and revisited yet, 514 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 3: and just one. 515 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: Of those things because you can be so turned off 516 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: by something like that, and then it can make you 517 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: not want to go back again, even though you know 518 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: it's a really good idea and you know people wanted 519 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:57,199 Speaker 1: it because you did a pre order it and you 520 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 1: sold so many prime. 521 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 2: It can really like damage you exactly not want to 522 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 2: go there. 523 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 3: It can exhaust you mentally, and in the end you're 524 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 3: just like putting everything into this little and not little, 525 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 3: but this this situation taking you away from the business 526 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 3: and taking you away from actually growing the business. So yeah, 527 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 3: expensive mistake which we've learned a hell of a lot from. 528 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,679 Speaker 3: So I guess to others out there who are starting 529 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,360 Speaker 3: that be careful. You know that your process properly, even 530 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 3: if it means flying over if it's an overseas manufacturer 531 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 3: flying over to validate it and just treat it like 532 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 3: it's everything. I put so much trust in the ALIBERBA process, 533 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 3: which I shouldn't have. 534 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, on that topic of going through something really quite stressful, 535 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: I think a great question for me to ask you 536 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,439 Speaker 1: on that is like, how did you manage something like that? 537 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: Because I think it's very easy when you're the business 538 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: owner and you're trying to do all the other things 539 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: when something does go wrong, doesn't matter how small or 540 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 1: big it is. I know for me personally, I find 541 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: even if it's like the tiniest problem I'm dealing with 542 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 1: in my business, I find it really hard to let 543 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: go of that, and then I'm staying up at night 544 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: thinking about it, and then you can't sleep and you're stressing, 545 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: and then, like you said, you kind of forget about 546 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: the business and it all becomes about this one problem, 547 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 1: no matter how big or small. 548 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 2: What is it that you do like learning from. 549 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 1: That to kind of mentally deal with dealing with those 550 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: stresses and still like focusing on your business at the 551 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: end of the day. 552 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 3: I think acceptance that you have fucked up is a 553 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,160 Speaker 3: big thing, and just changing your attitude around it, because 554 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 3: there's one thing for you to have an issue, but 555 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 3: then if you choose to constantly dwell on that, it's 556 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 3: just going to send you down a rabbit hole where 557 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 3: you're just putting everything into it, taking again, taking away 558 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:49,119 Speaker 3: your focus. It's kind of like embracing that fuck up, 559 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 3: embracing that issue that you've had front on and saying, Okay, 560 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 3: it's happened. What can I learn from it? And then 561 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 3: turn that negative into a positive? I think that's really 562 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 3: important and just yeah, evolve from it, learn from it, 563 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 3: and yeah, turn that focus away from just dwelling on 564 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 3: that negative and focusing forward. 565 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 2: I definitely find that a lot of business is mindset. 566 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 2: Oh and I'm not like a like woo woo. 567 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: Kind of person neither am I I'm not, But when 568 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: you stop and think about it, it's like business is 569 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: quite like spiritual and it's massively like a mindset, even 570 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: if you're not into that kind. 571 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,840 Speaker 2: Of thy Yeah, yeah, it is. It's like mind over 572 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 2: matter a lot of the time. 573 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, well that's I mean, looking back at it now, 574 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 3: that's my whole kind of like outlook in a lot 575 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 3: of not just business, but personally, it's It's all about 576 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 3: the mindset of challenging why you're thinking a certain thing, 577 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:47,679 Speaker 3: and then challenging that to question why not me or 578 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 3: why can't I do this? And then just being at 579 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 3: a I guess breakout of this mold again, and then 580 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 3: and then taking that on like full on kind of thing. 581 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 582 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely, Yeah, So I'm really interested to hear from you, 583 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 3: like I've taken this this personal branding journey in the 584 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 3: last twelve to twenty four months and seeing the importance 585 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 3: of getting out there and you know, almost being the 586 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 3: face of the company, sharing the story and building that 587 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,400 Speaker 3: kind of relationship with your customers so that they can 588 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 3: relate to you. Like, I'm keen to hear about how 589 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 3: or why you chose to do it and how that's 590 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 3: I guess related to you or how that's translated to 591 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:22,959 Speaker 3: your audience. 592 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. 593 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: So my story is almost backwards to a lot of 594 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 1: other people's because you see business owners start a business 595 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: because they want to start a business. Then they learn 596 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,120 Speaker 1: about personal branding and so like they start the business 597 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: first and then they start building the personal brand, whereas 598 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: my journey has been completely the other way. So for me, 599 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: I started a personal brand before I even knew what 600 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: that word all that same because I started making YouTube 601 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: videos in high school. 602 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 2: When Instagram wasn't a thing, none of that. So for me, 603 00:27:57,760 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 2: my personal. 604 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:03,679 Speaker 1: Brand journey has been super organic because for years I 605 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:05,959 Speaker 1: just made like fun little videos in high school and 606 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:08,439 Speaker 1: then this Instagram app came out and then I was like, Oh, 607 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 1: everyone come follow me on this cool new photo app, 608 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: just like and they've got cool filters, Like that's what 609 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 1: Instagram was back then. 610 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 3: Did you find that, like, I guess, your audience before 611 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:20,679 Speaker 3: you started the brand is the same audience that you 612 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 3: created the brand for, I mean the company for, Like. 613 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 2: Do I still have the same sort of people, like. 614 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 3: You know, you obviously fate the clothing label, Like, did you, like, 615 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:30,880 Speaker 3: do you find that the people that were I guess 616 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 3: following you prior to you starting were the ones who 617 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 3: actually big like they're the customers. 618 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's a really interesting question. 619 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,719 Speaker 1: I definitely have a lot of people that have been 620 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: following me for the entire journey. 621 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 2: Wh's just really crazy. 622 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: I've got people that have been following me for over 623 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: ten years, oh wow, and they've seen me go through 624 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: every phase in my life, like from team to where 625 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: I am now. 626 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 2: Which is really cool. 627 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 1: And I know when I launched Fate, I had a 628 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: big audience because I'd built the YouTube channel, I'd built 629 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: the Instagram and so I obviously knew and I tried 630 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: a lot of other businesses before Faith, like I'm sure 631 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:05,840 Speaker 1: a lot of other business owners like it's not always 632 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: your first rodeo. But when I launched Fate, that's when 633 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 1: I had that big audience across YouTube and Instagram, so 634 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: I thought, of course, I've got potential customers here. And 635 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: it's been interesting to see because you hear so much about, 636 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: you know, influencers starting brands, and there's often like a 637 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: negative kind of I don't know, yeah, a negative connotation like, oh, 638 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 1: another influencer starting a brand kind of thing. But it's 639 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 1: been interesting to see that, yes, having a personal brand 640 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 1: will tie that really close connection between yourself and the customers. 641 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 1: But it's also been cool for me to see Fate 642 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: kind of grow on its own as well. Maybe it's 643 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: more so through like our paid ads and everything, where 644 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: we're getting those new customers that have no idea who 645 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: we are. But you hear so much about personal branding nowadays, 646 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: and I think especially with the rise of TikTok. It's 647 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: becoming more and more massive, like owner found, like founder content, 648 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: staff content, like it's becoming bigger and bigger. 649 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 2: And I just think now I. 650 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 1: Wouldn't have a clue how to start a business without 651 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: the personal brand side of it. Like it amazes me 652 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: that people can start businesses now and they never do 653 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: the owner founded because that's all I've ever done. 654 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 3: To unlock for me. And I think what I love 655 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 3: about what you do is it's that journey sharing, yes, 656 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 3: and that's what people love, and so I'm that's like, 657 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 3: you know, part of my personal branding journey is all 658 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 3: about sharing it with people so they can actually relate 659 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 3: to it and see that I'm not someone who you know, 660 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 3: is saying that I've done it all. It's all that 661 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 3: growth kind of journey, and that's what I think. I'm 662 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 3: genuinely interested in hearing it and learning about other people 663 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 3: that's going through that as well, yes, and then building 664 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 3: that I guess relationship where people want to learn and 665 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 3: they relate to you and they just find interesting even 666 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 3: the good, the good and the bad kind of things. 667 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: And I always say to people and people's fears around 668 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 1: starting making content, it's like oh, I'm too scared again, 669 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: back to what we're talking about at the start, Like 670 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 1: I'm scared what my friends and family will say. I 671 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,760 Speaker 1: just say like post the content anyway. And when I 672 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:12,959 Speaker 1: started Fate and like when you started your business too, 673 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: like we didn't have TikTok or anything like that. Yeah, 674 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 1: small business TikTok is like more popular than ever hour, 675 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 1: even if it's something as simple as, hey, I'm setting 676 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: up my Diamer label printed today, I'm. 677 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 2: Going to do a video trying to figure it out. 678 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 1: Like you can make content out of the most basic thing, 679 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 1: and people love following that journey, even if you're starting 680 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: it in your spare bedroom. 681 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 2: People love seeing that shit. 682 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 3: I find it so interesting, Like you make a piece 683 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 3: of content and you put everything into it, you spend 684 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 3: so long on it, and it just flops and then 685 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 3: you just create another piece of content that took you 686 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 3: like two seconds and then Yeah. 687 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: So my advice to everyone when it comes to personal 688 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,960 Speaker 1: branding is like personal branding is everything in twenty twenty five, 689 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: and I feel like a lot of owners need to 690 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 1: get on board with it otherwise they may be left 691 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: behind because and I know it sucks, because not everyone 692 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: wants to do content. They don't want to be in 693 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: front of the camera. But it's kind of like the 694 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 1: way that business is shifting. 695 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 3: I think it's that authenticity as well. Like people are 696 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 3: so scared of just starting because I don't know, I'm 697 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 3: not good on camera, or I stuck at making content whatever. 698 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 3: But if when you're being authentic and real, I think 699 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:22,080 Speaker 3: that's what gets cut through. When people nowadays have a 700 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 3: real they're good at detecting bullshit, they can see straight 701 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 3: through it. 702 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: And if that was me, and if I was starting 703 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,920 Speaker 1: again today and I was in my spare room at home, 704 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: setting up my little at home office, and I was 705 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 1: scared of jumping on TikTok or I didn't know what 706 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: to do. Like I would just set up the phone 707 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: and say, I've got this business and I've meant to 708 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: be making this content and I'm so I don't know 709 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: what I'm doing, but I'm going to organically share it. 710 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: And people would love to connect with that because a 711 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 1: lot of other people feel that way too. 712 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, just set up a camera just then just leave 713 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 3: it on twenty four seven, forget about the camera and 714 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 3: just feel it when they see the real you. Yeah, 715 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 3: that's it. 716 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 2: I love it. 717 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: So Obviously we've spoken about mindset a little bit today, 718 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: which I feel like. 719 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 2: Is a whole other topics. 720 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're getting back again just mindset. But do you 721 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: have any other like key takeaways for people when it 722 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: comes to that business mindset? 723 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 3: Yeah? Business personal. I think for me, I've developed this 724 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 3: way of life or this philosophy, and I call it 725 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 3: create a Way, And all that is is purely tackling 726 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 3: that challenge front on and asking yourself what's stopping you 727 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 3: from doing what you want to do? And then asking yourself, 728 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 3: is it fact? Fiction? Is the society's thoughts? Is that 729 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 3: your family? Is it? Your community saying to you that 730 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 3: you can or can't do something? And then leaning onto 731 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 3: like your passion and asking youself like what's driving you 732 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 3: and leaning into that and breaking out of this what 733 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 3: I call a box in order to create your ultimate 734 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 3: life through breaking out of this this box that you 735 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 3: might be in that's stopping you from doing what you 736 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 3: want to do, Create a way. That's that's that's what 737 00:33:56,120 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 3: it's all about, and a lot of my way of life, 738 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 3: it's all about being creative, tackling that that challenge straight 739 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:07,440 Speaker 3: on and finding other ways to think outside the box. 740 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 3: For me, it's unlocked a whole lot of opportunities which 741 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 3: if I hadn't have done, I wouldn't have started the business. 742 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,240 Speaker 3: I wouldn't have I guess gone on this new business 743 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 3: journey of growth and learning about myself and learning about 744 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 3: how much more you can accomplish in your everyday life 745 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 3: and in your business. 746 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think at the end of the day, the 747 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: old saying like you can be your own worst enemy, 748 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 1: and it absolutely applies in business, Like you're the one 749 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: holding yourself that obviously finances as well, like you need 750 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: to have the money to do the things, but you 751 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: can be your own worst critic, can hold yourself back 752 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 1: in business. So I feel like having that positive mindset, 753 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: thinking outside of the box, even when you're faced with 754 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,799 Speaker 1: the challenge coming up with a solution, because not being like. 755 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 3: Oh no, this is all fucked nic. Yeah, that's all 756 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 3: that mindset. I love it being all we woo. 757 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, even when you're not woo. That's no shame for 758 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 2: the out there. 759 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,919 Speaker 1: Well, Kenny, this has been so great chatting with you. 760 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: At the end of every Big Business episode, I always 761 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 1: finish off with a tip of the week. It can 762 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: be personal. It can be a life hack, it doesn't 763 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:18,800 Speaker 1: have to be business. And I feel like we've already 764 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,319 Speaker 1: given so many tips in this episode, but do you 765 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:23,400 Speaker 1: have any kind of tip of the week for us? 766 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 3: Look, I don't want to be all we were again, 767 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,719 Speaker 3: and we've talked about creative way. I think the main 768 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 3: thing is, don't look for validation online, don't look for 769 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:39,279 Speaker 3: validation through your community. Just fucking do it. I love it. 770 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 3: I love it, Just fucking do it. 771 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 2: I love it. 772 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:43,919 Speaker 3: Well. 773 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 2: Where can everyone find you and your business? 774 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: Which, by the way, I was meant to ask as 775 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:52,359 Speaker 1: well today, like are you all online? Like is all 776 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: of your products just primarily stores anywhere? 777 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:58,239 Speaker 3: Like anyway, we do have a number of like brick 778 00:35:58,280 --> 00:36:02,280 Speaker 3: and mortar stores of in dependent lego sellers that carry 779 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:06,240 Speaker 3: our product, but mainly online is the easiest, probably the fastest, 780 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 3: like just like a lot of other e comm brands 781 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:13,200 Speaker 3: out there, online is where you can find So that's 782 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 3: like my bricks, dot com dot au. But if you're 783 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 3: just keen to follow my journey, it's primarily on Instagram 784 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,279 Speaker 3: at can you be like water? It's my handle, which 785 00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:26,600 Speaker 3: is like a Bruce Lei reference, which is another conversation. 786 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:28,319 Speaker 3: But that's yeah, that's how you can find me. Can 787 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:28,919 Speaker 3: you be like water? 788 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:29,719 Speaker 2: I love it. 789 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,719 Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much for coming all the way 790 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:33,399 Speaker 1: to Sydney today to be on All the way. 791 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,359 Speaker 3: I was like, now, yeah, it's not really just a 792 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 3: throwaway kind of thing. 793 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:38,840 Speaker 2: You're just fucking doing it. 794 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, doing it. That's it. I love it. 795 00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 2: Well, thank you so much. 796 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 3: Now is it all? Thank you?