Scaling Your Business: A Roadmap to Success - The Zesty Boss
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lauren Todd, Founder of The Zesty Boss, located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The Zesty Boss is a small business coaching and consultancy company, focussing on those in the start-up and initial scale period. As an entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in both product and service start-ups, I coach based on my continued experiences.
Tell us about yourself
In 2017 I had a newborn baby and found myself with only £400 to my name. I'd had side hustles in previous years before I became a teacher. But now, on maternity leave with no income at all, I needed a way to multiply this money and fast! With wifi in Costa and only my phone in hand, I opened an online fashion boutique using every penny of this small £400 investment. Through the power of social media, I sold out on my launch night! The business snowballed week upon week, and within 18 months, I was earning more than I had been as a teacher in 2016! The business had a six-figure turnover by 2019, and the rest is history! In 2020, during the lockdown, I was asked by lots of my followers and customers - 'how did you do it?' and I found myself typing lengthy emails to help those who wanted to know. And so I launched The Zesty Boss with one 8-week live course available to purchase every 3 months. It was hugely popular, and within 6 months, I had coached over 500 people. Another snowball moment in business for me!
The Zesty Boss now features a membership platform with 160+ members, 1:1 coaching, and a marketing consultancy for those who are ready to outsource. This successfully takes my clients from brand-new start-up entrepreneurs to scaling business owners who are building teams and expanding their products/services. My clients have been known to leave their employed job roles to take on their businesses full time, to buy property to work within & to even franchise their brands to other areas in the country!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Starting a business with a minuscule investment, a newborn baby & an idea that took off and changed our lives is by far the biggest accomplishment of my career. Starting from nothing sounds like it's easy, but there's a lot of pressure to pay for your marketing and other 'necessary' business entities. Paid ads, flashy apps, expensive websites, and business coaches that charge thousands are all under your nose. It takes some seriously strong willpower and determination to work around those elements to find cheap or free alternatives. I would spend HOURS learning branding, social media & marketing techniques. The Zesty Boss is designed to help people to achieve all of this and more at a very affordable price.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
When you start a business and begin to scale, you can easily find yourself forgetting that life outside of work exists. When you're awake, you're working. And when you're asleep, you're worrying. Learning to switch off and find a healthy balance is vital for both family and business. That's something I work on with my clients regularly.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Stretch every penny as far as it will go, build three months' worth of business overheads, and move it to one side before you begin investing in new projects & don't forget that there's a life outside of your business that's there to be enjoyed! Some of the most successful businesses started from nothing. It does not take a young person, an experienced person, or a rich person to create success. It simply takes determination, a strong work ethic, and a bit of zest!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thezestyboss.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thezestyboss
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thezestyboss/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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