1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Britney Saunders and welcome to Big Business, the 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: place where business is far from boring. 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 2: And today I'm recording on gadigal Land. 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: Now I somehow manage to build an empire from the 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: garage underneath my house and I'm here to share it 6 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: all with you, from the winds, the mistakes, the challenging 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: times and the funny moments in between. So, whether you're 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: in business already, perhaps you're not in the game at all, 9 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: Maybe you're just looking for some inspo, or you simply 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: just want to hear the teat when it comes to 11 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: running a business, this is the podcast for you. Coming 12 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: up on today's episode, I'm joined by a very special 13 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: guest and my mouth is actually watering at the theme 14 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: of today's episode. I'm joined by Johnny who is the 15 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: owner and founder of cake Mail, which is a cake 16 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: delivery service. 17 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:49,919 Speaker 2: They do a lot more than just cakes. They do 18 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 2: all sorts of. 19 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: Stuff and they do same day delivery, made to order 20 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: in Sydney and they will deliver it. 21 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: To your door. 22 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: Cake Mail was created to revolutionize the way customers and gifts. 23 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: The limited options available in Australia's cake and gift giving industry, 24 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: particularly for last minute deliveries, drove the need for innovation, 25 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: and that's how cake Malt came to be. Johnny is 26 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: going to be sharing with us his insights into his 27 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: unique business, as well as a lot of hilarious stories 28 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 1: that aren't so hilarious when they happen, but they're definitely 29 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:20,279 Speaker 1: very funny. 30 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 2: Now, Johnny, welcome to Big Business. 31 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 3: Thank you. 32 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 2: I feel like this is going to be a. 33 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: Bit of a delicious episode because your cakes look absolutely amazing. 34 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 2: I actually saw I think it popped up. I don't 35 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 2: know if it was on my TikTok on. 36 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: My Instagram a little while ago. Because we've been trying 37 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: to get you in for a little while. I know 38 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: that you've been off traveling or you are you traveling? 39 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, I've been traveling. 40 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 2: Where did you go? 41 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 4: So? 42 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 3: I just got back from South America? 43 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: Oh wow? 44 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 3: Did Brazil, Columbia and Chiley, which is nice. Before that 45 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 3: was in Europe as well. Well. 46 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: Welcome back. 47 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 3: Thank you very much. 48 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: We've been trying to get you and you've been gallivanting 49 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: around the world. 50 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 3: I'm glad to be back. I've got miss home of you. 51 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 2: Yeah you do, don't you? 52 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 3: Well? 53 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: I saw a video pop up. Now, did you go 54 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: on like a morning show or something. 55 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 2: On the news. 56 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we had a morning show and we had 57 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 3: so we had the morning show and then Chatter nine News. 58 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 3: So that was recently because we just launched a cake 59 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 3: vending machine yeah, inside Westfills Chatswood, and so essentially they 60 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 3: were intrigued with, you know, because it's something that hasn't 61 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 3: really been done before. Yeah, and so the news love 62 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: new stuff like that. But I guess it was our 63 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 3: kind of way to do retail without the whole expense 64 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 3: of setting up a whole new store. 65 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: And it makes sense especially for you, like if if 66 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: you are selling something as small as cakes, like, do 67 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: you really need to commit to having an entire shop? 68 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, for sure. 69 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: So the vending machine thing just absolutely caught my eye 70 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: when I saw that video pop up, and I've said, 71 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: we have to get this guy on because I want 72 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: to hear more about the vending machines and how it 73 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: all works kind of thing. Yeah, I haven't watched the 74 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: video for quite a few months, but I think you 75 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: were saying something along the lines of how you believe 76 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: that vending machines are. 77 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 2: Going to be like the way of the future. 78 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 3: Did you say, what kind of it already is? Because 79 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 3: like if you go to like I don't know if 80 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 3: you've been like in Asian countries, but Japan, Korea, they're 81 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 3: already started. Like you go out on the streets and 82 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 3: there is just vending machines and everything and they sell everything. Yeah, 83 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 3: and it just makes mine And we're so far online 84 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 3: because we were very traditional our with our retail and stuff, 85 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 3: and so I feel like eventually we're gonna get there, 86 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 3: but we're just someone has to do it. So that's 87 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,399 Speaker 3: why we're like, you know, let's do it, and let's 88 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 3: start the trend. 89 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 2: What was it going to Japan or something that inspired? 90 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:31,239 Speaker 3: So I saw them in Japan. 91 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 2: Wow. 92 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 3: And then even in Vegas, like America's starting to kind 93 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 3: of jump on it too, so they have a lot 94 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 3: of you know, vending machines in their casinos and stuff. 95 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: I think the only vending machines that I've really seen, 96 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: I've seen like beauty brands do it, like I know, 97 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: like Kylie Jenner's cosmetics, I've seen vending machines of that. 98 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: I think I've seen the Sprinkles cupcakes over in America, 99 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: Like I think they started that a little while ago 100 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: over there, and then yeah, I've never been to Japan, 101 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: but I can only imagine they've probably got vending. 102 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 3: Machines for absent literally everything everything. 103 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: I've even seen, like vending machines for shoes, like all 104 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: like emergency shoes on a night out, Like if girls 105 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: are wearing heels and their feet are hurting. There's vending 106 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: machines that have little like ballet flats in. 107 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 2: Them and you can buy them. It's kind of smart. 108 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 1: What did get going into this whole vending machine thing look. 109 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 2: Like for you? 110 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: Like? 111 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 2: Did you have to? So you've obviously just got. 112 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,559 Speaker 1: The one vending machine at the moment in Westfield? Chats 113 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: would first of all, how did you organize that with Westfield? 114 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 1: Like I obviously I have two Westfield stores myself, so 115 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: I know what it's like to go and get a 116 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: commercial lease and do all that kind of stuff. But 117 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: if you just want to plunk one vending machine in 118 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: a Westfield, how does that work? 119 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 2: Exactly? 120 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 3: It's not easy. It's like it's not like I getting 121 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 3: a store sounds like hard, and as you know, it 122 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 3: is hard, but it's vending machine. It's like it's as 123 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 3: hard because it's you're trying to lease a space. You're 124 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 3: trying to get them to create a space for you 125 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 3: as well, because legally they need like all the permissions 126 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 3: and riots and stuff, and Coca Cola own a lot 127 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 3: of the spaces to right, so it wasn't easy to 128 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 3: get a space, and they don't just give it out 129 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 3: to anyone either, so I had to full lock to 130 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 3: a whole you know, business proposal and say, you know, 131 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 3: because it's such a new concept as well, they don't 132 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 3: want to just put something random in there that's not 133 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 3: going to work. Yes, So I think it helps that 134 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 3: we had a brand behind us and that we could 135 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 3: you know, use that space accordingly. But it was it 136 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 3: wasn't easy to get the approval to do. 137 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: It, so you kind of had to say, this is us, 138 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 1: this is our business, this is how many customers we have, 139 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 1: this is our product exactly, and here's why I think. 140 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 2: It will be amazing in your center. And then have 141 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: they got you on like a lease? 142 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 3: Yeah essentially, yeah, yeah. 143 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: Because I know, like with our commercial leases for our 144 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: Westfield stores, it's based off the square meterage of the shop. 145 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: Are they charging you based off the skua? 146 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 3: I think they charge us per the for the spot, 147 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 3: Like it's like it's like a whole different department, it's 148 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:48,679 Speaker 3: just for vending. 149 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 2: Wow. 150 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so interesting to me. And do you have 151 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: plans to I think you said in the like when 152 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: you went on the Morning Show that you are hoping 153 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: to expand and do more vending machine. 154 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 3: So we're looking into buying a few more. The first 155 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 3: one was kind of just a test to see how 156 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 3: it's going and you know, what we need because we've 157 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 3: never done this before, so we kind of wanted to learn, 158 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 3: you know, what we need to get right, what products 159 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 3: so well, what spot. Like we've moved the vending machine 160 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 3: in a few different spaces within that same shopping center, 161 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:15,160 Speaker 3: so we know. 162 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,679 Speaker 2: Have you noticed a drastic difference like moving it around? 163 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 3: What do you try? It's so important, Like it kind 164 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 3: of depends. Like when we had it near the car park, 165 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 3: it did better because people were kind of buying it 166 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 3: on their way out. Yeah, where as opposed to when 167 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 3: we had it in the middle of the shopping center, 168 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 3: it wasn't doing as well because people were too already 169 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 3: caught up in shopping and stuff. So kind of now 170 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 3: we're testing it in a food court area, too, but 171 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 3: we still kind of found that the ones, the one 172 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 3: when it was near the exit, that's where it did 173 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 3: the best. 174 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 1: And that makes the no sense because you're on your 175 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: way out, you've done your shopping, you've stopped thinking about 176 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: all the things you needed to get, and you're on 177 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: the way to the car and then you look and 178 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: there's this vibrant orange vending machine with all these beautiful 179 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: cakes in it. 180 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: You're like, oh, fuck it, I'll get one. 181 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'll get one on the way out, get a 182 00:06:58,200 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: little treat for myself. 183 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: Or if you're going to one's house, you'd be like, oh, 184 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 2: I could get that and take that. 185 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 3: It's like an impulse buy on your way out. 186 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. 187 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: What has been the most challenging part of this whole 188 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: vending machine venture. 189 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 2: So far for you? 190 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 3: I think our thing with because of stock. Like we've 191 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 3: never done retail before, Like we've always had pre orders 192 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 3: and we know how to allocate, specially with stock management. 193 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 3: So we've vending machines. Obviously, when you have something in 194 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 3: there for too long, it goes off. So it's kind 195 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 3: of managing wastage and managing stock levels so we know, 196 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 3: you know how much the right amount to put in 197 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 3: so we don't have to throw anything out because they 198 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 3: only last a certain amount of time. Yes, so we've 199 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 3: never had to deal with wastege before, so that's been 200 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 3: a big that's been a big challenge for us. 201 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, that would be especially because you know the other 202 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: half of your business or like your business is like 203 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: cakes that just go out and the customer gets them 204 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: and they're happy. Whereas now you've got this vending machine, 205 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: you're going to have to be keeping your eye on 206 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: when am I putting the stock in there? 207 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 2: When do I need to pull it out? 208 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: When does it become not good enough to eat anymore? 209 00:07:59,480 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 3: Exactly? 210 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: And what have you found has been the most popular 211 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: selling item in your vending machine? 212 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 3: So we probably the biscofine, the Bisco pons was done 213 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 3: really well. In the oil one. We've just introduced cake 214 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 3: jars as well, and we did that because you wanted 215 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 3: to sell something at a lower price point just to 216 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 3: test to see, you know, if lower costing items did better, 217 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 3: and they are. They're doing pretty well, but it's kind 218 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 3: of been a mix so far. But we still want 219 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 3: to put a few more products in there to kind 220 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 3: of test, Like we want to throw some cupcakes in them, 221 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 3: and we want to throw some bigger priced items like 222 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 3: whole cakes in there. 223 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: How does it because I remember seeing it in the video, 224 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: like is it one of those machines that goes up and. 225 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 2: Like carefully picks it up and then brings it. 226 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,079 Speaker 3: It's like a conveyor belt. So it's essentially it goes 227 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 3: up and then it rolls it onto this platform and 228 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 3: then it brings it back down and then it rolls 229 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 3: it back out. 230 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: Because I be worried if you're doing like a big 231 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: cake in there, that it's going to like smash. 232 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 2: Have you had anything go wrong like that? 233 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 3: Not yet, No, it's not. It's not possible, luckily, because 234 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 3: if it just dropped down, the whole thing would. Yeah, 235 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 3: it doesn't. It doesn't just drop down, because a lot 236 00:08:58,160 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 3: of people think that because they think they go and 237 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 3: they just drop sound. But it's not a normal vending machine, right, 238 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 3: it's like a very high tech vending machine. 239 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: I can imagine that a piece of equipment like that 240 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,239 Speaker 1: was super expensive to make and especially customizing. 241 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, So essentially how we got it's it's like it's 242 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 3: a white label things. So the technology already exist, yeah, 243 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 3: and then we just white label it. 244 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: Essentially, which for people that are listening that don't know 245 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: what white labeling is. 246 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 3: So white labels when you just buy I don't know, 247 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 3: depending on what the whatever space you're in, you just 248 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 3: buy something that's already made and you kind of rebrand 249 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:32,439 Speaker 3: it to be your own. Essentially. 250 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you found a company that kind of makes 251 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 1: these vending machines the technologies there, and then you can 252 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: wrap it and make your own, and then you imported 253 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: that into the country. How the hell did you get 254 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: the vending machine in the I can only imagine the customs. 255 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 3: And don't even get missed out. I can only imagine 256 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 3: get into the west Fields like we had to. If 257 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 3: I show you the videos of it going, we were 258 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 3: willing it on the road and then willing it into 259 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 3: the front door of the west Field. 260 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 2: Oh no, and I'd sod for. 261 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 3: The elevator, so we had to. Literally it was it 262 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 3: was like four people trying to push this big and 263 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 3: it's massive as well. It's not small, yeah, it's two 264 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 3: point two meters high. 265 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: I would be so worried, especially because it is like 266 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: it's technology in a box. 267 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:11,839 Speaker 2: I'd be worried that. 268 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: One little thing would come loose and then the whole 269 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: machine wouldn't work, Like if you're wheeling it down the street, 270 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: I'd be freaking out that I was going to break 271 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: the machine out. 272 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 3: We've been through that worry multiple times as well because 273 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 3: we've had to move it. Moving it is the worst thing. 274 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 2: I can only imagine when's the next one? 275 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 3: If there is one, we're looking into getting free more 276 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 3: wow and. 277 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: You're going to go Westfields every time. 278 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 3: Well, it's interesting because we've had a lot of since 279 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 3: we've launched, We've had a lot of other companies reach 280 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 3: out to us wanting to get these machines, because at 281 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 3: first it was so hard just to get anyone to 282 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 3: take it. And now since you know, we got featured 283 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 3: on TV and all that, everyone's like jumping at us 284 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 3: and get it. So we've had UNI's approach. 285 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 2: Us that would be a good one. 286 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 3: I ressell clubs approachest. We've had hospitals approach USTs. So 287 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 3: it's kind of like, yeah, it's kind of like an 288 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 3: eye opener to see what we don't know what to 289 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 3: do yet, because it's like these could be do you 290 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 3: better than shopping centers? We don't know, like hospitals, Like 291 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 3: it's such a it's a good thing if you want 292 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 3: to say a gift to. 293 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: A fea, if someone's having a tough time in hospital, 294 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: give you a beautiful k Yeah. 295 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 2: Wow. 296 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: I guess another thing that I haven't thought as well, 297 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:16,319 Speaker 1: what is the benefit to let's say Westfield for them 298 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 1: with you having your vending machine in there. Because again, 299 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: I know the way that it works when you have 300 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: an actual store in Westfield. I know that you pay 301 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: them rent and all that kind of stuff. Is that 302 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: all they're getting from you? Or are they taking a 303 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:29,359 Speaker 1: cut if you're allowed to stay. 304 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 3: It's just been rent at the moment. Yeah, I'm not sure. 305 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 3: I know they do take commission. I'm not sure off vending. 306 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 3: I think vending is a bit different. Yeah, like it's retail, 307 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 3: but yeah, no, it's just rent. 308 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 2: So you're quite literally just paying for the space. 309 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 1: And the same goes for any traditional retail store in 310 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: a Westfield Like you are just essentially paying them rent 311 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: and what they will do and what may be in 312 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: your contract with them as well, which is in our contracts, 313 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: is each retailer they give you a like a threshold 314 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: and if in a year you make a a that threshold, 315 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: they then take a percentage of every dollar above that threshold. Yes, 316 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: but and it's all calculated off the square meterage. So 317 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if they do the same for the 318 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: vending machines. But every single store, let's say like Apple 319 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: for example, like their store is huge, so then that 320 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: number for them is really high kind of thing. And 321 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: the numbers that they give you is high to the 322 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 1: point where it's almost not achievable. We get pretty close, 323 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: but I haven't had to give Westfield a percentage of 324 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: our sales, like we've just come under each year, which is. 325 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 3: Good because you want to make more. If you're making 326 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 3: more than you've got to start paying for it. 327 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's every dollar above that amount that you make. 328 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: It's it's not every dollar you've made. 329 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 2: Before then kind of thing. 330 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: So let's say, for example, it's one point five million 331 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: dollars in the year. Any dollar above one point five million, 332 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: they will take a percentage of every dollar above that. 333 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: And it's negociable what that percentage is. And we haven't 334 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: we haven't just hit it, but I know when we 335 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,079 Speaker 1: were getting close to it in like our first year 336 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: of our Westfield Miranda store, I was saying to my partner, 337 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: a j stop, stop, stop, like we need to stop 338 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: making money, because I didn't want it to get to 339 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: that point. 340 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 2: But like you said, it's like a double edged sword. 341 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 1: You want to make more money, then you know, if 342 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: you make a little bit too much, then you're going 343 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: to actually make less. 344 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: So I'm not sure if it'd be the same for 345 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 2: you with that. 346 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 3: I don't think yet, but on the track they inforce it, 347 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 3: I don't know. 348 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 2: Let's go back to cake Mail. 349 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: I was reading up on your website and you started 350 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: baking when you were in high school. 351 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 3: You're really young, seeming pretty much well even before that, 352 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 3: like I always had it as a hobby, but sixteen 353 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 3: is when I started. 354 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:50,839 Speaker 1: The business, and it was just you always liked baking 355 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: from when you were really. 356 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 2: Young, and then you just thought, what I'm gonna start. 357 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 2: We were selling them to friends and family. 358 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 3: First it was friends and family and then it kind 359 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 3: of was like the whole word of mouth thing from there. 360 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 3: But I literally did it out of my garage from home. 361 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 3: So first it was in my mom's kitchen and she 362 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,319 Speaker 3: got she cracked it because there was we turned the 363 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 3: whole house into a business, had all these people rocking 364 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 3: up to the house, and orders go everywhere, and the 365 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 3: whole place was a mess. So then we converted the 366 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 3: back garage into a whole industrial kitchen and then from there, 367 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 3: because we outgrew that, then we moved into a warehouse. 368 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 2: Yeah weell. 369 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: I feel like most businesses start that way, Like my 370 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: business started in the garage underneath my house. 371 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, you can't have it any other way, no, And. 372 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: I think it's really special to be able to start 373 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: a business that way, to start it from quite literally nothing, 374 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: just you making these cakes at home kind of thing, 375 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: to then fully turning into a proper business with a warehouse. 376 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: And for those who haven't seen your business before, you 377 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: do a lot, like I've been stock on the Instagram, 378 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: Like you do all sorts of cakes. 379 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 2: You do cupcakes, you do the cakes where you pull. 380 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: The ones, yeah yeah, and then it all like falls 381 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: down and so you do also like same day delivery 382 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: in Sydney or something like that. 383 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, So same day was kind of our main 384 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 3: like competitive point with our business because we are the 385 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 3: first people in Sydney to do the same day cake delivery. 386 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 3: And that's kind of what tipped our business over the edge, 387 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 3: because like everybody makes cakes, but what makes your cakes 388 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 3: different to everyone else, And our thing was a service 389 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 3: because we're like birthday cakes especially are the single most 390 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 3: forgotten thing on a birthday, yet they're most important. Yeah, 391 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 3: And so that like we always saw that as a 392 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 3: gap because when I was running my business before that, 393 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 3: I was thinking people were always so last minute to 394 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 3: organize cakes, and they always wanted them delivered. So I'm like, 395 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 3: I imagine there was somebody that you could just order 396 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 3: off and it would come to you. So then I 397 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 3: saw us, like, you know, we like now the uber 398 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 3: eats of birthday cakes. 399 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 2: Wow. And how do you orchestrate that from your end? Obviously? 400 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 2: Do you just have to have a certain amount ready 401 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: kind of thing? 402 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 3: We make everything to order, wow. 403 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 2: But if someone order in the morning. 404 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we have up to a twelve o'clock today. 405 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 3: But it took us a very long time to get that. 406 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: Process because I was thinking, maybe you would have like 407 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: twenty bisco Offs done and twenty cookies. 408 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 3: And cream or a couple, yeah, because we know we're 409 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 3: going to sell them. Yeah. But eventually, when at a 410 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 3: certain time hits, we just literally make to order because 411 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 3: we don't want to like have stuff there ready for 412 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 3: the next day, like when everything out fresh. Yeah, wow, 413 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 3: So the process we've got is we've nailed it, but 414 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 3: it took us a very long time to get it right. Yeah, 415 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 3: a long time. 416 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: I think that's a thing that a lot of people 417 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: again can be misled with in business, is it takes 418 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: so long to get to a point where everything is perfect. 419 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: Much like you with your vending machines and right now 420 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: going we're just testing it out. 421 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 2: We don't know what we're doing. 422 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: And I'm sure you know if it all goes well 423 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: for you with these vending machines, in three years from now, 424 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: you can be like, look at where we are now 425 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: with these vending machines, and you can look back and 426 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: compare to now when you've got the one vending machine, 427 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: how different it'll be. Business is always a journey, I 428 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: would say, and it takes forever to get to that 429 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: good point. But I personally believe even when you think 430 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: you're at the good point, you're not. 431 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 3: You're not. 432 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 2: There's always so much more that you can improve on. 433 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: How does your team look with the cakes, like if 434 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: you're making them to order kind of thing like how 435 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: many people have you got baking every day? 436 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 2: What does that look? 437 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 3: Like, yeah, we have got a good team, but what 438 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 3: about in the kitchen we got about eight or so people. Yeah, 439 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 3: and then we have a whole team of driver as well, 440 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 3: so we do all our deliveries in the house as well. Wow, 441 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 3: because that was another challenge ahead of our business when 442 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 3: whenever we sent them out with careers and stuff, they 443 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 3: would just treat them like they or nothing like that, 444 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 3: throw them away. They'd be melted, they wouldn't arrived the 445 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 3: way that they're meant to. So we had to then 446 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 3: go and invest all our resources into setting up a 447 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 3: delivery network. So like all the drivers we basically work 448 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 3: for us. Yeah, so it took us a while to 449 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 3: get that as well. 450 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: I could only imagine we have said before that some 451 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:53,880 Speaker 1: like one day we want to do like a delivery 452 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: because we're based in Newcastle, we want to do like 453 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 1: a delivery day in Newcastle, you know, like same day 454 00:17:58,640 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 1: delivery or whatever. 455 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 2: And I've said to my partner Aj. 456 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:03,919 Speaker 1: How would we even like work out what suburb you 457 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: go to first, and like what would be the loop? 458 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 2: So I can imagine it would have been. 459 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was such a especially with Sydney, like there's 460 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: so many more suburbs here. Yeah, so much more traffic, 461 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: Like how do you even orchestrate something like that. 462 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 3: Logistics is the hardest part of our business. Like everybody 463 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 3: asked me, like what's the hardest part. Logistics is the 464 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 3: worst part because it's people, especially when you're dealing with 465 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 3: emotions and people gifting. Everybody. When you give some like 466 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 3: something to someone, you want it to be perfect, right, 467 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 3: So you're gonna have people on the other end saying, 468 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 3: please make sure this cake is delivered by three o'clock, 469 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 3: or it's going to a school this person leaves at 470 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 3: two o'clock that has to get there at this time, 471 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 3: or it's in the hospital in the maternity ward but 472 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 3: you can't get through you need it and there will 473 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 3: be like ten million instructions attached to it, and so 474 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 3: trying to get everyone's delivery perfect to how the customer 475 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 3: wants it. It doesn't always happen, like no, I think she happens. 476 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 3: Like a driver will get into a car accident, all 477 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 3: the cakes will be damaged. So like that happen, Yeah, 478 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 3: multiple times, Oh, she happens. Or a driver will get 479 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 3: to a house and there will be a dog and 480 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 3: the dog will be barking at them. We can't even 481 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 3: cross and the dog like one time a dog literally 482 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 3: jumped the fence and was chasing the driver with the cake. 483 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,439 Speaker 1: And the hard thing is as well, like stuff like 484 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 1: this happens in business every day, and customers, I guess, 485 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: don't see that side, and even as like especially like 486 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: you said, if it's a cake and if it's something special, 487 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 1: and you're like, I'm so sorry, but the drive has 488 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: been chased down the road by a dog and his 489 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: legs being bitten and the cake smashed on the ground. 490 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 2: I think a lot of the times the customers don't. 491 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: Care that that happen because it's their special moment with 492 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: their cake and. 493 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 2: They're like, oh, I needed the cake, like where is it? 494 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: And I can understand their point of view, but also, 495 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: like you said, like shit happens in business all the 496 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: time that is completely out of your control. What would 497 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:50,880 Speaker 1: you say in your how many years have you been 498 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: doing cake mail? 499 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 3: Cake mal has been seven years old? 500 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 2: Wow? 501 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, well done, thank you. 502 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: What would you say has been the biggest mistake or 503 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: desare start in that time? 504 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 3: So I remember one time there was so like I've 505 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 3: done multiple roles, so I've always taught myself every single 506 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 3: role of the business, and so whenever I was needed 507 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 3: to do that role, say like you know where stuff 508 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 3: was sick or couldn't rock up, or we need extra help, 509 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 3: I would know how to do it. And so on Christmas, 510 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 3: the admin she couldn't rock up, she was sick, so 511 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 3: I had to do that role. Now I hadn't done 512 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 3: that role probably be about to use. Even though I 513 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,119 Speaker 3: learned that role and I created that role, I completely 514 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 3: forgot how to do it. I'm not very tech savvy, 515 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 3: so you're more hands on, yeah, more hands on, more creative, 516 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,959 Speaker 3: But that role was more so like Xcel based, and 517 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 3: like exporting all the orders and pretty much doing the 518 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 3: logistics part of it and creating like the labels and 519 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 3: the order list. And so I clicked a few wrong 520 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 3: buttons and essentially, and we didn't know this until the 521 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 3: orders went out, when we started getting emails saying, hey, 522 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 3: I've received the wrong cake, and and again and again, 523 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 3: I'm like and it literally happened to every single order. 524 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 3: And so essentially what happened was in so we have 525 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 3: we sought the orders alphabetically, but I sorted the cakes alphabetically, 526 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 3: so every sing so every single person got the wrong cake. 527 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 2: And it was just all on Christmas Day or like 528 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 2: just before Christmas. 529 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 3: Christmas was Christmas Eve, so pretty much it was our 530 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 3: last every day. So pretty much I ruined Christmas for 531 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 3: about three hundred and something people. 532 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: You are the gringe, literally and we're all the all 533 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: the cakes Christmas theme. 534 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,199 Speaker 3: Some of them were, but some of them weren't. So 535 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 3: like people were getting like happy Birthday cakes or like 536 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 3: we have we have like a selfie cake where you 537 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 3: upload like your photo, so some people were getting random people. 538 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 2: What year was this? 539 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 3: This was, like I'm going to say two thousand and 540 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 3: nineteen was just before COVID. 541 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 2: He ruined Christmas with some people, Like some people were 542 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 2: funny about. 543 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 3: It, funny, but it was kind of like it didn't matter. 544 00:21:58,040 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 3: Like it was like and you can imagine like your back, 545 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 3: like it felt so bad and it was we had 546 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 3: a evon three hundred and fifty people, like it was 547 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 3: just shit. It was. 548 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 1: It was not good at all, with some people raging. 549 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: I could imagine some people would be raging. Some people 550 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 1: would find it funny. You ruin, Oh no, wow, I 551 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,959 Speaker 1: mean if you don't laugh, you cry, right, And I 552 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: feel like these things happen in business, and at the 553 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 1: time you definitely wouldn't have been laughing. Yeah, I would 554 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,199 Speaker 1: have felt sick and not been able to sleep a 555 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:29,960 Speaker 1: couple of days. 556 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 3: I was out. But now, but now you laugh about it. 557 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 3: It's always like the bad ones, the bad stories that 558 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 3: you remember and you told people, and you always laugh about. 559 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: Them, exactly right, And it's from those times where yeah, 560 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: that was absolutely fucked when you ruined Christmas for three 561 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: hundred people, But you can look at it now. 562 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 2: Laugh, and I'm sure you learn a lot of lessons 563 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:48,399 Speaker 2: from that. 564 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 3: Yeah, every time I do that role now, I always 565 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 3: go back to that and I'm like, make sure you've 566 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:53,640 Speaker 3: done this right? 567 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: Yes, one, how did you recover from that in the end, Like, well, 568 00:22:58,600 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: we're inally good. 569 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 3: About customers, and I've always believed that you need to, 570 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 3: especially with our business, because our business relives and repeat 571 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 3: customers over and over, Like, if you fuck up their 572 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 3: cake once're not gonna order if you will again, you 573 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 3: need to keep them on your side. So if we've asked, 574 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 3: we refund that every single person, and then we also 575 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 3: gave them a twenty five dollar store credit to use 576 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 3: as an insensitive on their next order. 577 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, did you find that a lot of them came 578 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 2: back again? 579 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, most of them. Look, most people will understand you're 580 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 3: gonna have your handful of people that probably just sped 581 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 3: up and not gonna come back. But you tely think 582 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 3: about it's always gonna happen. You can't keep everyone happy. 583 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 3: The ones that you can't keep happy that you don't 584 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 3: really want them at the end of the day because 585 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 3: they're just gonna always find someone to pick. 586 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 2: Oh, I feel you. 587 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,880 Speaker 1: I literally got an email this morning from a customer 588 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 1: saying that she hopes that karma gets me. 589 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 3: That's a new one. 590 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, Like I got the most horrible now, But because 591 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 4: we rejected her return, because like when you're returning, so 592 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 4: like we get returns. 593 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 1: Back with our clothes, which is a whole other part 594 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: of business. Like you wouldn't have returns on cakes, I'm sure. 595 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: And it has to be in like one hundred percent 596 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:06,639 Speaker 1: original condition. If it's got like pet hair or like 597 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: smells really strong of something, Yeah, we can't fold it 598 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 1: back up nicely and put it on the on the 599 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: shelf and sell it again. 600 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 2: And so we're just the worst people in the world 601 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 2: for rejecting her return. 602 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 1: Even though, we send it back to her at our 603 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: own cost, and we're like, you know, usually we charge 604 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:24,439 Speaker 1: someone to be like here, you're going to have to 605 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: have it back and you're gonna have to pay for 606 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 1: the shipping. We send it back to her, and yeah, 607 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: she said that she. 608 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 2: Hopes that karma gets me. 609 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,719 Speaker 1: But you can just literally never make anyone like everyone 610 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: has a lot of though, Like. 611 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 3: With people buying stuff, wearing it and then returning it, 612 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 3: do you see a lot of that? 613 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: We would, yeah, And like it's a really shady part 614 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: of this industry, I guess is people would buy something 615 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 1: like carefully take the tag off, wear it, and put 616 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: the tag back on and send it back. But our 617 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: warehouse team pretty thorough it comes to checking returns and 618 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: like you can kind of tell when something has been worn, 619 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 1: and like we fucking smell, like it's really gross, but 620 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 1: we like check over it because you just want it 621 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: to be perfect, you know. So yeah, I totally agree 622 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: with you that you can't make everyone happy when you're 623 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:10,199 Speaker 1: in business. 624 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people naturally are people pleasers. 625 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: We want to make everyone happy, like that's just who 626 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: we are as humans. But I think being in business 627 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,440 Speaker 1: will give you the biggest wake up call. You literally 628 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: can't make everyone happy. Some people are going to absolutely 629 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: hate your guts. 630 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:27,479 Speaker 3: It took me a long time to learn that as well, 631 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 3: because you're always wanting to make everyone happen, and every 632 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 3: time we'd get like a complaint or something, it would 633 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 3: really hit me hard because we work so hard to 634 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 3: build the business to that point, right, and so whenever 635 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 3: you get people that aren't happy, like, it took me 636 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,160 Speaker 3: a while to sit there and say, it's okay, it's 637 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 3: mine Like, You're always going to have people that aren't 638 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:46,879 Speaker 3: going to be happy, And. 639 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 2: That's point I couldn't. 640 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: You're speaking my own language, honestly, And I think it's 641 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: really important that to all business owners out there, no 642 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: matter where you are in your journey, you have to 643 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 1: know it's okay if people hate your business. 644 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 3: You just want to go like you actually do something. 645 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:03,640 Speaker 3: They go you can't little little thing. 646 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're going to spend all of your energy for 647 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: the whole day on that customer that's going off at 648 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: you or whatever. 649 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:10,719 Speaker 2: When you kind of just have to go, all right, 650 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 2: I'm going to close this ticket now and wish you 651 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 2: the best kind of thing. 652 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: What else in your business journey so far, have you 653 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: found to be surprising or challenging. 654 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, So during like COVID, especially in the midst of COVID, 655 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:31,919 Speaker 3: like a lot of businesses were closing down and then 656 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 3: but it was funny because our business was doing the opposite. 657 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 3: Our business was the doing so it was getting busy 658 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 3: and busy and busy. We couldn't even manage it. Like 659 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 3: our business went ten times in sales over the course 660 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 3: of you know, the two weeks, and then every time 661 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 3: there was like another lockdown, it would go more and 662 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 3: more and more because our business was like one of 663 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,159 Speaker 3: the only ones that could operate because we'll food delivery. 664 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 3: So we got around it. And so during COVID it 665 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,680 Speaker 3: was like we had to keep hiring stuff. We had 666 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:00,959 Speaker 3: to like we're operating our business at a level that 667 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 3: we didn't even know how to do because it was like 668 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 3: ten times production and so it was just crazy. I've 669 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 3: never ever seen the business at that point ever, and 670 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 3: we'll never ever get there again because it was like 671 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,439 Speaker 3: people will ordering it because we were one of the 672 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 3: only things open. Yeah. Wow, especially with gifting and stuff, 673 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:18,439 Speaker 3: like you couldn't see your friends, so you would have 674 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 3: to send them something yes, and so COVID was a 675 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 3: big surprise for us because I didn't expect our business 676 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,440 Speaker 3: to do that. And then ever since doing that, we've 677 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 3: retained a lot of our customers from it. 678 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:31,719 Speaker 1: So it's almost like COVID was like an amazing yea 679 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: for you. I feel like for a lot of businesses 680 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 1: it either was like a make or break for them. 681 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: I feel like for online businesses, online businesses boomed in 682 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 1: COVID because everyone was at home, everyone was getting the 683 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: COVID payments off the government kind of thing, and they 684 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:48,360 Speaker 1: were just spending money online. 685 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 2: I know for us as well, we only. 686 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 1: Had our one retail store at the time in Newcastle, 687 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 1: so that shut which was fine because it was just 688 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: our one little Newcastle boutique, but our online sales went 689 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 1: up as well, especially Becau, because when we first went 690 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: into lockdown, it was like the weather was cooling down. 691 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 2: We were coming out with all of our trackies and hoodies, so. 692 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: It was like because people were just buying trackies and 693 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,640 Speaker 1: hoodies to sit at home on Zoom with their friends. 694 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 2: I guess, how did you. 695 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 1: Because I've heard a lot of stories from business owners 696 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: and I have friends who are business mentors, and coaches, 697 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: and they've said a lot of businesses that did peak 698 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 1: in COVID have really struggled since because they saw this 699 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 1: boom in COVID and they thought, oh, this is amazing, 700 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: like this is what it's going to be now, and 701 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: then when things went back to normal, they felt their 702 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:37,359 Speaker 1: business slow down again. 703 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 3: Did you I think we had the same thing, although 704 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 3: I knew it wasn't here to stay because obviously it's 705 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 3: only increasing because of COVID, So what's going to happen 706 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 3: when COVID stopped? So I kind of had that in 707 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 3: the back of my mind. But because their business went 708 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 3: so well, and we were forced to grow at a 709 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 3: rate that we weren't ready for. So we moved into 710 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 3: a bigger warehouse, we hired all these stuff, we implemented 711 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 3: all these new processes. So when we went back to normal, 712 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 3: it was like we had all this space, all this stuff, 713 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 3: and we didn't have the you know, the orders for it. 714 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 2: So it was kind of how did you manage that? 715 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 3: We had just like de scale, So we went from 716 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 3: scaling up to we literally had to scale everything back down. 717 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 2: Did you have to let people go from there? 718 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 3: We hadually had no choice, but as that kind of happened, 719 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,479 Speaker 3: and as COVID went away, more jobs became people went 720 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,479 Speaker 3: back to the original jobs because we during COVID, we 721 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 3: employed a lot of people that lost their jobs, and 722 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 3: I employed a lot of family as well because they 723 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 3: all lost their jobs. So it was like we were 724 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 3: one of the only people employing people. Like at one 725 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 3: stage we had over one hundred drivers. Wow, Like it 726 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 3: was just it was crazy. I've never seen the business like. 727 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 3: There was take everywhere. Even the new warehouse we moved 728 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,600 Speaker 3: into was not big enough, so we had to make 729 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 3: a makeshift warehouse outside. We put all these marquees and 730 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 3: tents outside so we could literally produce cakes outside. It's like, 731 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 3: I can't even explain it. You couldn't even walk on 732 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,480 Speaker 3: the floor because there was just shit everywhere. You got 733 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 3: at a level where I didn't think it was possible 734 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 3: at all. 735 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, business really is just one massive whirl wind, 736 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: isn't it. 737 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. 738 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: To wrap up the episode, where do you see the 739 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: future of cake Mail going? And I guess, looking back 740 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: on your seven year journey, did you ever think that 741 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: you would be where you are now when you first started? 742 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: Because I think that's a big thing for a lot 743 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 1: of business owners is they start this little thing at 744 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: home and then it turns into something massive. You know, 745 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: what is your overview of your journey and what are 746 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 1: your goals. 747 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 2: For the future, if any. 748 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 3: It's kind of crazy because when I started it, I 749 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 3: literally started it in my garage, and especially because I 750 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 3: was never meant to do this, but my mom never 751 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 3: wanted me to do this. She wanted me to go 752 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 3: to UNI. 753 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 2: What did you want to do originally or did you 754 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 2: always want. 755 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 3: To I never knew what I wanted to do because 756 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 3: I was so young. I knew I liked doing this, 757 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 3: but it was never meant to go this world. It 758 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 3: was never meant to be a business like and so 759 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 3: kind of brought at took off. It was like, all right, 760 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 3: this is pretty cool and I like doing it. And 761 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 3: I've always I've never seen myself working for anyone either, 762 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 3: So it's crazy when I look back now to see 763 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 3: what it's become. I didn't think it ever gets to 764 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 3: this stage. Never, So I'm happy with where at scotton, 765 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 3: and I guess kind of the goals now is to 766 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 3: kind of push it to what else it can be. 767 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 3: And that's kind of with the vending machines, because it's 768 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 3: like with our business especially, there's only so many birthdays 769 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 3: on so many days, so it's kind of like once 770 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 3: you hit that, it's hard because you can't really grow 771 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 3: much more like we've hit all the other like you know, 772 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 3: Valentine's fathers and mothers. They look, I've done all that. 773 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 3: But our next step will always retail. And that's why 774 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 3: I see with the vending machines, if we can get 775 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 3: it right, I think that's probably our next way forward. 776 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. I love that. 777 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: And would you ever open Like I know we're talking 778 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: about bending machines and saying you don't need a lease, 779 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 1: but would you ever open your own like little cafe shops? 780 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 3: Yeah? Look, I've thought about it, but I feel like 781 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 3: the main thing with our brand is that our different 782 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 3: point is that we don't have a shop. We are 783 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 3: online same day cake delivery, and I don't want to 784 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 3: cannibalize the whole business by opening a shop. 785 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, and the shops are hard. 786 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I definitely wouldn't mind opening up a shop one day, 787 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 3: but probably not with this brand, like probably with something else. 788 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. 789 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:08,560 Speaker 1: Wow, And have you thought the other way, like expanding 790 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 1: into let's say supermarkets where you're selling to them at wholesale. 791 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 3: So we've recently launched into ij Oh wow, so you're 792 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 3: doing it all. We're only testing out a couple of 793 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 3: stores to see kind of how it works. Yep. But yeah, 794 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 3: it's still kind of like playing at the moment. But yeah, 795 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 3: it's definitely something we could look into, Like especially with 796 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 3: the Woods and Calls, that would be cool because they've 797 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 3: obviously got more of a reach. 798 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely, you just have to be mindful of your margins 799 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: at that point because I know they take a lot 800 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: and also you have no control over the price they 801 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: sell your. 802 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 3: Products at wholesale is hard as well. It's like it's 803 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 3: another whole world. 804 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 1: I cannot even begin to imagine. That was my other 805 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: question that I had for you before. What would you 806 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 1: say that you owe all of your success to with 807 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: cake Mail? Like what is it exactly that has Like 808 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 1: obviously you've got your same day delivery, but like, how 809 00:32:57,400 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: have you gotten the audience that you have? Like has 810 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: it been social media and organic content or is it 811 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: being paid ads or has it been emails? Like what 812 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 1: would you say has been the biggest Yeah, you know 813 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. 814 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 3: I think out of everything we did, The main thing 815 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 3: that we did that like that I physically saw the 816 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:19,000 Speaker 3: business the sales go up, was influencers. Like back in 817 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 3: the days when we first started and we were sending 818 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 3: out our product to influencers and they were sharing it. Yeah, 819 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 3: that's where we got big reach. That's where we got 820 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 3: a lot of people ordering a lot of like obviously 821 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,600 Speaker 3: increased followers and things like that that I feel like that, 822 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 3: out of everything did the best for us. 823 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 2: Do you think it's still the same today, it's. 824 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 3: Very very different. I think influencers that it's hard because 825 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 3: obviously we've tested ongoing influences and it's hard because people 826 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 3: kind of know us already. I feel like we've influenceers 827 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 3: that best works with like a new product or a 828 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 3: new brand. But even then, now influencers know their worth 829 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 3: and they're charging a lot more for it. Oh yeah, 830 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 3: Like back in the days, we never paid for one influencer. 831 00:33:56,600 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 3: They just wanted a free cause it was kind of 832 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 3: like a privilege for them to be sent. Like we 833 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 3: kind of flipped it on its head. 834 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 2: And now it's like I'll have the cake, but I 835 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 2: also want ten brand. 836 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 3: Yeah literally, and it doesn't get the same pool as 837 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 3: it used to because there's a lot more influences and 838 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 3: they're posting a lot more things, and so your product 839 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:15,320 Speaker 3: is like drowning in so many other promotions. 840 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 1: I completely agree, and I've spoken about this on the 841 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: podcast before that influencer marketing like seven years ago was 842 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:24,759 Speaker 1: so different, Like you could give an influencer a cake 843 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: and they could post about it and you'd get hundreds 844 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:29,399 Speaker 1: of orders. Whereas now you could like give the same 845 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 1: influence or a cake and you might get two orders. 846 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 1: It's just because social media is so saturated now. 847 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:37,640 Speaker 2: Oh, I love it. 848 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:41,040 Speaker 1: Well, Johnny, I'm going to wrap up today's episode with 849 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:42,879 Speaker 1: a question for you. I feel like you've already given 850 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 1: us so many little tips, but I always do a 851 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 1: tip of the week. It can be about business, it 852 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: can be live, it can be anything in between. 853 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 2: What is your tip of the week for us? 854 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, when most business owners speak to me, I always 855 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,200 Speaker 3: say this one thing for them, and they resonate it 856 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:00,000 Speaker 3: with it well. And I always say work on the business, 857 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 3: not in the business, because a lot of business owners 858 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:04,720 Speaker 3: I meet are always so hands on in the business. 859 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 3: They're doing like you know, packing their orders, they're they're 860 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:10,319 Speaker 3: posting on social media, they're doing this, they're doing that's 861 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 3: that's great, But what are you doing to actually grow 862 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 3: your business? What are you doing to make sure your 863 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 3: business is not the same as it was yesterday. 864 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 2: I absolutely love that. 865 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 1: I feel like you having to go at me as 866 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:23,760 Speaker 1: well because I'm so hands on that I always do stuff. 867 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:25,800 Speaker 1: But I'm totally with you on that, and I think 868 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 1: it's really important when we do start new businesses from 869 00:35:29,239 --> 00:35:31,799 Speaker 1: the ground up, like in our garages, you're making the 870 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:34,719 Speaker 1: cakes in your mum's kitchen. It's really important to have 871 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:36,840 Speaker 1: your fingers in every part of the business then and 872 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 1: learn all those roles and do all those things and 873 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: understand how it works. But it gets to a point, 874 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:44,840 Speaker 1: especially if you are wanting to scale the business, that 875 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 1: you need to step away from those day to day operations. 876 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 1: And I know for me that I found over the 877 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 1: years of my journeys, I held a lot of guilt 878 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 1: around not actually doing those hands on things, Like when 879 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,759 Speaker 1: I felt myself not packing orders anymore, I would feel 880 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: guilty that I wasn't there helping my warehouse team, or 881 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: if I'm not in the store serving customers like I found. 882 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 2: I don't know if you experienced it as well. 883 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 3: It takes a lot to let go of your business. Yes, 884 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 3: it has to, Like you know, detach yourself from your business. 885 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 3: Your business will live without you, m M. Otherwise you 886 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 3: will never like you can't treat it. You can't be 887 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:20,880 Speaker 3: so emotional with business like. It took me a long 888 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,239 Speaker 3: time because I was so attached to it. Every time 889 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 3: something went wrong, I was there, whereas now I have 890 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 3: people in place, that manager, and obviously it doesn't run 891 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:30,960 Speaker 3: as well when you're not there. I get it. 892 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 2: You need to be there to an extent, yes. 893 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:35,200 Speaker 3: But to an extent like let it suck up a bit, 894 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 3: but still let it run by itself like it's it's 895 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 3: its own entity now, like you don't have to be 896 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 3: so attached to it. Don't have to be on across 897 00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:42,959 Speaker 3: everything about it. 898 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,600 Speaker 2: That's solid advice. Write that down everyone. 899 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: Well, Johnny, it has been so great to have you 900 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 1: on the pod. I'm looking forward to see where you 901 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: take cake mail next. And hopefully we might have to 902 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: get a cake mail vending machine in the Faith store 903 00:36:56,680 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 1: or something, but put Faith branding all over it and 904 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 1: have a fake cake machine. Thank you so much for 905 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:07,240 Speaker 1: coming on the pod. Where can everyone find you? Obviously, 906 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 1: we know you've got your vending. 907 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,120 Speaker 2: Machine in Chatswood. Go check it out. Where is it 908 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:11,800 Speaker 2: at the moment. 909 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:14,200 Speaker 3: In in Westfield Chatswood, in the food court. 910 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:14,839 Speaker 2: In the food court. 911 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:18,759 Speaker 1: If you're at Westfield Chatswood, go and go and get 912 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:19,560 Speaker 1: yourself a cake. 913 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:21,600 Speaker 2: And where else can everyone find cake Mail? 914 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:24,160 Speaker 3: And then you can just online so our website cakemail 915 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 3: dot com dot at you and then you can pretty 916 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 3: much pick whatever the cake you want and we deliver. 917 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 2: What's your number one suggestion for. 918 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:32,359 Speaker 3: The Ferrara fountains a bestseller Ferrara that's the one where 919 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:35,320 Speaker 3: you lift up the plastic and or the chocolate palls 920 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 3: down over the side of the cake. 921 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:38,320 Speaker 1: We might have to order one in for the Nova 922 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,279 Speaker 1: off us. We could order it today, Xandre, and it 923 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:44,120 Speaker 1: could be here today. We've still got forty five. Well, 924 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,359 Speaker 1: thanks Johnny so much for coming on, Thank you for 925 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: having great to chat with you. 926 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:49,839 Speaker 3: Thank you very much.