Claudia Studdert started her Media Connect Consultancy business in February this year and already has developed strong relationships with her clients. Claudia uses a personalised 15 step strategy implementation plan to tackle clients online needs.
In this episode of So You Want to Start a Business, Claudia offers some unique insights to starting your own business.
Listen to Claudia’s StartUp story here
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You can read the entire transcript of Claudia’s interview here.
I’m Ingrid Thompson and thank you for reading this post.
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Perhaps you’ve been wondering if you have what it takes? If your idea will work or even how much it actually costs to build a successful business?
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It’s your step by step guide to launch your business smarter and faster and I’m so excited to be sharing it with you and can’t wait to hear about your progress.
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Happy reading! Now here is the full transcript of the podcast.
INGRID: Hello Claudia and thanks very much for joining us today.
CLAUDIA: No problems Ingrid. Thanks so much for having me.
INGRID: To get started, can you describe what business you are in? What is your business?
CLAUDIA: My business is a digital marketing consultancy called Media Connect Consultancy. So I work with businesses to manage their digital marketing, so all digital marketing aspects of their business, whether that be social media, web design, or campaigns and press releases or publicity. I take care of it, yeah.
INGRID: Fantastic. And when did you start your business?
CLAUDIA: I started my business officially in February this year, so almost coming up to 6 months ago.
INGRID: Ok, and why? What was your motivation behind starting your own business?
CLAUDIA: Hmmm, I think I saw in myself that I may be able to do something like that. And I sort of had the marketing skills and knowledge to get into that, and I also just really wanted to, sort of, something that was fun, and that I could really enjoy to kick-start my career.
INGRID: Very nice. And so, if you wanted something fun, and to kick-start your career, is that what your business is giving you? Is that one of the things that your business is giving you?
CLAUDIA: Yeah definitely, I mean is really amazing to be able to work for yourself at such a young age. Just to be in control of your own life, and your responsibilities you take on, so I think that’s a huge thing for me. And just really the, the, having your own business and working for yourself is a huge huge aspect of what I wanted and why I started up my business, so I’ve definitely achieved that. And I love it, it’s really great.
INGRID: That’s good. So you officially started in February, but how did it feel real? What was the thing that made you feel you were in business? What was that thing that gave you a sense of being in business?
CLAUDIA: Hmm, probably. I remember I did alot of planning, so I had my business cards printed and my logo designed and all the necessary registrations thru the govt and ABNs and everything. So I was all sort of set up and then I basically went around and cold called at my local shops, and I remember walking back and I had this really great conversation with this interior design and landscape architecture studio, and I think from memory I met them about a week later, I met both of them, and they said they wanted to move forward with me and they were really excited. So that was probably the moment walking home from my local shops when I realised this is real, and I could do something really cool here.
INGRID: Isn’t that lovely.
CLAUDIA: And I still have that client to this day, so it’s really special.
INGRID: And it’s interesting I was at a breakfast with Naomi Simpson recently and that is one of her favourite questions – do you remember your first actual client or the first purchase in your business? And she was telling different people’s stories about that. It’s one thing that people remember forever, that first person.
CLAUDIA: I think of them and I always remember it, and it’s really special to have that relationship as well. It’s sentimental.
INGRID: That first client, indeed. So, how did you know that people needed what you were offering? What made you think that websites, marketing and PR was something that your clients needed in the particular way that you do it?
CLAUDIA: Well I remember having a conversation with my dad while I was doing my HSC still, and he sort of, we were talking about what I’d do after school, and I was getting a bit anxious about it. Because I like to plan ahead and know what’s happening and when, and what I was doing. So I was a bit of a worrier about what would happen when I left school. He has his own business and he has lots of really great clients, and he sort of mentioned to me that I could do something with managing people’s businesses social media, because obviously being my age and my generation I’ve grown up with that, and sort of have those skill sets that are necessary. And I thought that was a really cool idea and he said there is that gap in the market while digital marketing becomes so much more important, that people need someone who can reasonably manage all their digital marketing. So I sort of think that when I really thought about it and thought it was a great idea, and there would be space for me to start something up.
INGRID: That’s a really lovely way to describe it, that there’s ‘space’ for you. And Claudia one of the things we haven’t actually made immediately clear to the audience listening – when did you do your HSC?
CLAUDIA: Just last year.
INGRID: So this makes you in your teens still. So starting your own business in your teens is very exciting for you, isn’t it?
CLAUDIA: Yes, definitely.
INGRID: It’s wonderful. I always ask people how they fund their business. So obviously for your digital marketing business, do you have an office, is there equipment you need? How did you get funding at the beginning?
CLAUDIA: Hmmm, well the wonderful thing about my business is that didn’t require much funding because obviously all I was putting in initially was my time and my skills really. Of course there were administration costs, registering a business name, and ABNs and website and domain names and business cards, but aside from that, there wasn’t really any huge costs. And I am really lucky that there weren’t costs, because it could have been a setback being so young and having to fund a huge business start-up. So it was really lucky that it’s an area that doesn’t require much initial investment.
INGRID: And so, if you wanted to expand, and in terms of your office, are you able to have a home office?
CLAUDIA: Yeah, I have a home office, and my dad has an office in the city so I can use that if I want if he’s there, or there’s a few days a week when he’s not in the office so I do have that option but I haven’t had to use it yet. And so if I meet new clients, we meet at café’s and that’s pretty normal now days anyway.
INGRID: That’s what I was going to say, you often meet at their premises or in a café anyway.
CLAUDIA: I’m able to work from home and given that I am only 19 so that’s important too. So I can still sort of have my younger life I guess. (Both laugh.)
INGRID: That’s right. So if you think about your customers, you said you had been up to the local shops and found the interior design and garden-scaping client, but how do you find new customers? How do you go about finding someone you want as your customer and how do you go about talking to them?
CLAUDIA: So, I’m very selective with who I work with, because its only fair to the client and myself that I am passionate about their business and I want to achieve results for them. And so I am very fussy about whom I approach, so interior design landscape and architecture I love. I love home decoration and inspiration so that was a natural one for me to approach, but then I also keep an eye out on Facebook or Linked In because there are often businesses we are looking for someone to do this for us, so I actually have a couple of proposals that I am waiting on hearing back from now, that have simply stemmed from them saying they needed someone on social media, and one of them is a really huge fashion brand that I absolutely love. It’s probably my favourite store in the whole world, so it’s quite easy if you keep your eyes out and your ears listening to find people who might need you. Or alternatively I would do a lot of market research initially and I research businesses I’d like to work with and how they manage their digital marketing. And then approach them and say this is what I could do for you, I think you could improve this, and I think it’s just really about being on top of it, and finding business that you really want to work with.
INGRID: So would you say that you have developed a niche? Is there a niche in the type of businesses you want to work with?
CLAUDIA: Hmm, yeah, probably. I mean at the moment I have sort of, all the clients that I have are areas I’m really interested in, and love working in and passionate for. And I have had a couple in the past that I wasn’t so interested in and I think that can really make a huge difference. So, sort of now, I am really really fussy about who I want to work with, and you really need to form great business partnerships with your clients in order to achieve results, and to do the best that you can for them.
INGRID: Yes, very nice. So in terms of pricing strategy, you obviously charge for what you do. You obviously don’t do this as a gesture of good will, so how did you get started like that? I’m sure you’ve had your own method for choosing a price, and you don’t need to necessarily tell us what your price is, but how did you come to decide how much to charge for the different things you do?
CLAUDIA: Hmm, my dad helped me a lot with this, and I actually had this little leather bound book that he got me the year before at Christmas, and I sort of would sit and plot with that the sort of different packages I could offer and what I would potentially charge, but that is quite a challenging thing in the beginning because when you have no experience in the area that you are about to embark on, and you don’t really know what people would want to pay, so I think its really working out, and now I’ll talk to clients about proposals and ask them what their budget is. And sort of work to that, so each client is different, I don’t think that I have any two clients on the same retainer, so its all very different depending on what they need. So, I sort of have worked it out, and I am still working it out, and I still think of ways that I could price my services, and if there are better ways or if I am doing it the right way. So it is really challenging so I also did a lot of research into other similar companies and what they offer, so I sort of compiled a bit of a folder on my computer of different packages that different companies provided, and that did help me a little bit, but I think that I was quite a different being a one-man sort of wagon, different to the bigger corporations that offer what I offer. It was challenging that I think I’ve worked it out nearly now.
INGRID: So it sounds like you probably have. Claudia, just to make it easier for the audience listening, just explain why a retainer is a good pricing model, just your understanding of how a retainer works and why that works for you as a revenue model?
CLAUDIA: So a monthly retainer is really important to me because it stays the same every month and it doesn’t really change ever, and it’s very constant even though some of the workloads may differ on different months. So I think that’s why I use a retainer, and also it’s just good to have a set price that a business will be paying you every month. So, it doesn’t change and it’s just a clear cut way of making sure that everyone is happy, and that the prices are what everyone wants to pay.
INGRID: That’s a beautiful answer Claudia. It’s good for the business cause they know what they are spending every month, and it’s good for your cash flow cause you know what is coming in every month.
CLAUDIA: Yes, I think that’s important. You know, sometimes, I’ve had client’s retainers’ change, or their needs have changed, so then we’ve adjusted the retainer, but overall it really does stay the same and it’s an easy way to do it, instead of calculating hours, and rates and how much time you’ve spent. I mean I will have some months where I might spend 4 hours on a client and they still pay me the same as if I am spending 10 hours. It’s just an easy way to do it.
INGRID: Much much easier for everybody. So, its probably early days for you Claudia and you’ve only been in business for just over 6 months now, but have you thought about an exit strategy or a growth strategy? Where is this going, what are your thoughts on that?
CLAUDIA: Look at the moment I am just enjoying it, running it, just plodding along and I have had times where it’s grown really fast, and I’ve had you know, 11 clients, and then I’ve had times where it’s a bit smaller. I’m just sort of keeping it manageable and as it grows it will grow. And I don’t have an official exit strategy, and I don’t think it’s anything I wish to exit anytime soon, and if it grows it grows, and that would be great. Maybe in the next couple of years I’ll try to push it and grow it, but at the moment I’m just enjoying it and keeping all my clients happy and doing the work.
INGRID: Well that sounds like a great strategy and who knows in a couple of years time you might have franchises, or branches, and a start-up with a team.
CLAUDIA: I do have a couple of staff but they aren’t full time workers or anything. We’ll see.
INGRID: People help you get things done.
CLAUDIA: Yep.
INGRID: So let’s think about, it is only 6 months, but is there something you wish you’d done differently at the beginning? So you look back over time and think gosh, if only I’d known that, or if only I’d done that, you know what could you have done differently from the beginning?
CLAUDIA: Hmm, probably being a little more confident in myself and what I had to offer. But I think that’s really hard when you are starting out and you are only 19 and you aren’t sure what is going to happen. Yeah probably being more confident and going out and saying I’m worth this, and I can do this for you, instead of tip-toeing around and doing all this research and planning, just going out and doing it, but either way its worked out well for me, and I am where I am, and I probably wouldn’t change too much.
INGRID: No, it sounds like it. So it sounds like you are the sort of person who likes to plan, and you’ve had some good advice from people along the way from people around you. Was there anything you’d wish you’d known from the beginning? Like having more confidence is something you could have done differently, but is there anything you’ve learned in the last little while where you think, gosh I wish I’d known that 6 months ago.
CLAUDIA: Hmm, probably what I was talking about before, that you should really work with clients that you really want to work with, and that you enjoy working with. I probably wish I’d known that a bit earlier, and I sort of just learned that. I think that is going to be important in my business future. Yeah, that is probably what I’d known a bit earlier, but other than that, not much else. I was quite organised with everything because I am that sort of person.
INGRID: It does sound like that is a good lesson, about who you really want to work with, in terms of that. So you’ve mentioned your dad, and your dad being helpful because he’s got his own business and able to give you guidance in relation to that, but is there anyone else who has been of assistance to you in your business?
CLAUDIA: Probably my mum. She helps a lot with the admin stuff, and the proofreading and the editing copy for me. Umm but other then that it’s probably just the two of them that have been of greatest assistance to me.
INGRID: It’s really a wonderful example of family supporting each other and we see a lot of that in business families working together and taking care of each other.
CLAUDIA: Yeah, its been really great, getting Dad’s advice on the actual business side of it, and mum’s always saying I’ll read it for you and I’ll edit it for you and check everything whether it be a proposal or, sort of, a press release, that’s really helpful to have
INGRID: It’s always good to have another set of eyes over something, isn’t it?
CLAUDIA: Yes it was.
INGRID: So feedback in business is important, feedback to the business as a whole and feedback to us as individuals. Who gives you feedback, where do you get useful feedback from Claudia?
CLAUDIA: Hmm, probably some of my clients actually that I have really good relationships with. You know, I’ll regularly say are you happy with how everything is going, do you want me to work on anything differently, or sort of, manage things differently? And I think that’s really important, and also be able to ask your clients that, and sort of make sure everyone is happy and on the same page. Other than that my dad is always in the loop with what’s happening with all my clients and he will give me feedback but whether or not I take it, that’s a different story. As he will tell you. But you know it’s definitely helpful to have feedback and if you can ask people you work with, or who you are working for, you can ask them if they are happy, and that’s really vital for both parties.
INGRID: Yes and clients are a wonderful place to get feedback from. So maybe some of your buddies from your HSC, or some of your friends, or people you have just met, have said it might be great to start their own business, what advice would you give them? From your experience, what advice would you give someone who thinks they want to start a business?
CLAUDIA: Probably do lots of reading and research and then just go out and do it. Be confident in yourself and have fun as well, its meant to be fun. It’s not meant to be just work, so I think that’s really important to know.
INGRID: So if there were 3 key characteristics that you have that make you successful, and you’ve hinted at a couple of them about planning and having fun, but what are the characteristics that make you successful?
CLAUDIA: I think that probably my confidence, my communication skills are really important, and also my organisation, and my ability to plan everything and that’s really important when you are managing a whole number of clients by yourself. Yeah probably organisation, confidence and communication.
INGRID: And communication. So, Claudia thanks so much, you know it’s just been so delightful to talk to you, and from looking at your worksite and having spoken to you prior to the interview, you know you have so much enthusiasm and tenacity, and you just really wanting to provide a great service to people. So before we finish, is there anything else I haven’t asked you that you think might be useful? Because the people who are listening are either in the early stages of business or are thinking about starting a business, so what else that I haven’t asked that you think might be useful for them?
CLAUDIA: I think that probably just knowing that having your own business and working yourself allows so many opportunities for you to design your life. And that has been really important to me, and I think if you are working for yourself and you don’t have set office hours or times, I think it’s really important to manage your time really well and plan your weeks and how long you are going to spend on work. So I am also a show jumper so I train 5 or 6 days a week with my horse, so it’s really important that I can allow time for that but also come home and do my work. And you know, set hours or me, myself, even if I don’t actually set the hours and sit down and work on what I need to work on. I think that’s really important.
INGRID: So being able to get the time right for everything that you are doing.
CLAUDIA: And that is really hard at the beginning. I’d try to sort of plan out and Monday’s I’ll work on my business, and Thursdays and Fridays. But it really doesn’t work like that, its really just juggling each day and sort of making sure you have lots of time and you know what needs to be done for clients. So just sort of, you know, enjoying it, running it, just plodding along and I have had times where it’s grown really fast, and I’ve had you know, 11 clients, and then I’ve had times where it’s a bit smaller. I’m just sort of keeping it manageable and as it grows it will grow. And I don’t have an official exit strategy, and I don’t think it’s anything I wish to exit anytime soon, and if it grows it grows, and that would be great. Maybe in the next couple of years I’ll try to push it and grow it, but at the moment I’m just enjoying it and keeping all my clients happy and doing the work.
INGRID: Cause sometimes you might have set aside Mondays to work on your business but a client rings you on Wednesday and then what do you do?
CLAUDIA: Yeah exactly. It’s just being able to be really flexible and go with the flow, but also plan ahead and know what you’ve got to get done. I think I have, normally Monday nights I work quite late and plan all the social media posts for the week, and write a list of everything that needs to be done for that week for each client, and that’s really important. To just get everything down on paper, and having a process and times that you can tell clients as well, like I’ll be doing this on Monday nights and then we are done for the week, and I’ll be doing this on Tuesdays and yeah…
INGRID: Yes, very nice and very good. Thanks Claudia for allocating so much time for us today. And I thank you and wish you all the very best and we’ll look out for that fashion brand, you’ll have to let us know and we’ll put it in the show notes.
CLAUDIA: Thanks Ingrid it would be wonderful. I’m sure there are a lot of other people who want the role, so we shall see.
INGRID: You know, you as the individual may have that edge that’s different to everybody else.
CLAUDIA: Yeah, hopefully. I hope so, it would be really great.
INGRID: All righty, thanks so much.
CLAUDIA: Thanks so much Ingrid it was lovely to be apart of this and to talk to you. Thank you so much.
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