The story: How it all began
A year and half ago, I had returned from a 3 month sabbatical overseas, and I was ready to begin a new path. I had a choice to make: the safe road was to find a well paid full time job, but the exciting choice was to start the business that I had dreamt up while I was overseas. I had around 20 years experience in Admin, HR, and WHS in construction and financial services industries, and for the last 3 years, I had started and ran a very successful Airconditioning and Electrical business. I loved running that company, and I knew how valuable it was to have someone behind the scenes doing all the admin, marketing, customer service, and bookkeeping - so I felt like I could provide that service for multiple tradies.
At first I decided to take the safe option and began searching for a job. Yet, every time I was put forward for an interview, my heart sank and I ungratefully accepted a couple of interviews. I very quickly realised that my heart just wasn't in it. So, after a very effective coaching session with my good friend and confidence coach, I decided to back myself and take a chance - and Behind the Boots was born! My coach pointed out to me that I would regret it if I didn't at least try my idea. So I used my savings to fund my little start up and hit the ground running. In no time at all, I had everything set up, but then Covid hit Australia, and I was left wondering if I'd made the right choice. Have you ever had a feeling of determination rise up inside you in hard times? That's what happened to me right then, and I decided in my heart "I want my story to be, that I started and grew a business in the middle of a Global Pandemic", so I set out to do whatever it took to make it happen.
I had to completely change my marketing strategy as I was no longer able to reach potential customers the way I had anticipated. I did absolutely everything possible: from early morning every day, I was making cold calls, attending zoom networking meetings, making admin tip videos and sharing them all over facebook, contacting potential collaborators, joining tradie groups, and calling all my contacts to see if anyone needed my services. Not every avenue worked, but I decided to measure "momentum" rather than whether I was getting new customers. By taking action every day, I was causing momentum, and it didn't take long to get my first amazing tradie customer! Then another, then another, and so on and so on. I've been testing and adjusting as I go, and I've been thoroughly enjoying watching my tradies' businesses grow as I support them and cheer them on from the sidelines.
There have been some incredibly surprising outcomes for my business as I look back. I thought that the challenge of Covid would hurt my business, but it actually put me in a perfect position to provide remote admin support without my clients feeling strange about it. Prior to Covid, I would have struggled to get tradies to accept that I wasn't in their office, but remote work is now totally normal. I've found that every challenge that has come my way has presented me with an opportunity - to learn, to grow, to adjust, and to flourish. And now, in May 2021, my little business has won Professional Services Business of the Year Award at the Snowy Monaro Business Awards 2021. I couldn't have imagined that I'd be in this position when I took that risk in January 2020 - that I would have 2 staff, a full load of clients, and a business award by mid 2021! Sometimes in life, you just have to take a risk and try something, you just never know what will come of it, you might even win an award...