Latest / Imagine If with Doone Roisin | Health, Wealth & Wisdom for Women (formerly Female Startup Club Podcast) / The similarities of finding a biz partner and finding a lover with Elyse Daniels from Exodus Wear

Transcript

The similarities of finding a biz partner and finding a lover with Elyse Daniels from Exodus Wear · Imagine If with Doone Roisin | Health, Wealth & Wisdom for Women (formerly Female Startup Club Podcast)

• 0:12
  Welcome back to another episode of Female Startup Club. My name is Dune, and if you're new here, let me bring you up to speed. I'm a year and a half into my own entrepreneurial journey with my sparkly jewelry brand called Kinks, and I started this little corner of the internet to connect with all the badass female founders that I'm inspired by on the reg. And all you really need to know is that by subscribing to all the cool stuff we're putting out there,
• 0:34
  You'll have knowledge, tips, tactics, and strategies delivered straight to your ears, straight to your inbox, and straight to your social media from the world's most successful female founders, entrepreneurs, and women in biz. Now, this next mini episode that you're about to hear is actually out of the regular six cues format that I've been harping on about since I launched Female Startup Club.
• 0:54
  Elise Daniels is a well-seasoned founder. She's 10 years into her business creating customized jackets for dancewear. And she's had a bunch of crazy success with my most favorite pointer being Justin Flipping Bieber wore one of her customized jackets.
• 1:10
  I know. Oh my gosh. Just pause to let that sink in for a second. It is freaking ridiculous. Anyway, she's currently going through the sale of her business at the moment. And when we caught up before filming this episode, she was telling me about what it was like on the journey of finding a business partner to go through all this with her.
• 1:28
  And her friends basically likened it to single life and the big bad, scary world of dating. So I'm just jumping in here to remind you that throughout the episode, she's talking about finding her business partner and how it's pretty same, same to finding a lover partner. And it's not a recap of her actual dating life. Well,
• 1:45
  And because I like to keep things scrappy, once you think it's getting to the end, I actually turned the recording back on because I started asking her about her mentor and we decided mentor, mentor, and we decided that it was pretty cool too. And we should record that for everyone else to listen to because it might help you as well.
• 2:03
  Um, so yeah, I hope you really enjoy the episode. Elise cracks me up. She's so funny. Feel free to slide into my DMs with your feedback. My Instagram is at Doon Roisin and yeah, you know how much I love to chat. Enjoy. Hey, we are back for another episode of Female Startup Club and I am with the lovely Elise Daniels from a company called Exodus Wear, which she founded 10 years ago. When I was 21. Um.
• 2:31
  When she was 21. Wow. Very impressive. A baby. Yes. And we actually met by chance just a few weeks, a few days ago, a few days ago. We met, we e-met each other a long time ago. We e-met. Yeah. In real life. On message. IRL, is that it? We met RRL. I love it. I love it.
• 2:50
  Very, very Instagram appropriate. Yeah. So we met Arielle by chance a couple of days ago and then she was telling me this story about her business and where she's at now, 10 years down the track. And we got to talking about the similarities between dating and business life.
• 3:08
  And so I said, oh my God, please come on my IGTV show and tell us about your business. So we'll tell you about dating. Tell me about dating in your business. Yes, which is very confusing. I've been married for like 10 years now. So whenever I talk about it, people are like, aren't you like married? I'm like, yeah, yeah, no. Aren't you in a real other relationship? Yeah, like I'm a husband. I'm like, oh no. The reason why I call it that is...
• 3:34
  For the last three years, I have been in the process of finding someone to purchase the business. So I'm in the process of exiting. And obviously, whenever you exit, there's a handover period. And so essentially, it's kind of like you're married to that person for a while and then you like amicably split, hopefully.
• 3:52
  Anyway, so at the time of when I decided I wanted to sell the business, it was probably like a little bit already too far down the track to start dating. Like I was already at the point where I was like, I want to just like get married and have kids and be done. Like I want to. So I, the first guy that I got a stereotypical guy that you think you should marry rich has got the big house, like big office building.
• 4:15
  boring as fuck and a very small you know what um he's just the type of guy you think you should marry but like you eventually wake up and realize that if you spend the rest of your life with this person you were going to be miserable and that you'll like have an affair and you know it just won't be good but i actually live with regrets yes i'd actually never dated really like almost in real life like because i met my partner when i was 16 and
• 4:41
  I never really dated in business. Yeah, I know, right? So I've, like, never really dated. And so when I started these, like, business negotiations, I literally just was like, oh, my God, I'm in love with you. And, like, here, see me naked. And here's my bank account. And, like, let me love me. And, like, yeah, like, this was like. Tell me that you love me back. It was like, are we getting married? Like, the worst kind of, like, data ever. So I went into it all wrong thinking that, like,
• 5:09
  I was so lucky that they loved me and that, you know, like I was so like lucky to have found the one or whatever. And negotiations just took so long because it was like a hundred year old, hundred year old organization that I was in discussions with.
• 5:23
  very different style to like, you know, the modern startup. And so like, we'd have a discussion and they're like, cool. Yeah. We need to like chat to the board about this. And then I'd have to wait six weeks. And I was just like, Oh my God, these people are like dinosaurs. And so it's what I'm for a whole year. And so I was like trying to explain to my friends and, you know,
• 5:40
  people who don't know what is going on. And so like as I was explaining the situation to them, I was like, okay, so now we're negotiating the prenup. And I'm like, so in the event that they're going to buy out the rest and negotiating how much I'm going to get, blah, blah, all this sort of stuff. And it was so funny because at the time a lot of my girlfriends were single and were on the dating scene. And so I'm telling them what's going on and they'd be like, Elise, don't you know that he's ghosting you? And I'm like, no.
• 6:07
  ghosting what does that mean and they're like oh yeah girl like you gotta like get with the times and like how why did you like send in news already like all this sort of stuff kind of thing so it became this hilarious like joke within our group that every time we'd catch up with each other everyone would go around like sharing their dating stories but i finally got to be part of the like group and say what was going on with me
• 6:29
  And I would share my dating story. Your business dating. My business dating. Anyway, so you know how everyone has that one girlfriend who, like, is going to be the one who will, like, cross the barriers of friendship and awkwardness and be like, okay, here's the deal. Like, you need to, like, he's a fuck-wee and, like, he's treating you bad, blah, blah, all that stuff. Well, I have a business mentor who's a male, much older than me, but he's my girl that does that for me.
• 6:53
  And I remember a year after negotiations and was still going. With the dinosaurs? With the dinosaurs. He said to me, Elise, you know, I never tell you what to do and I support you and all this stuff, but, like, I don't think you should go ahead with this deal. Like, he is not the one for you. Like, you're just rushing ahead. Like, you want to be married and so you're just trying to, you know, make this deal happen when they're not right. Like,
• 7:14
  Just the fact that we have taken a year to negotiate says to me that you will not survive the handover period and it will all end in disaster because they wanted me for five years. And essentially, if I walked out in any of that time, I lost my final 50% equity. Like I wouldn't have vested all of it.
• 7:29
  So it was heartbreaking, but I ended up telling them that, you know, the deal, I'm like, we were very talented. And I was thinking like, oh my God, I just, I want this deal to happen so much. So that was really upsetting. But ironically, throughout that like situation, I found out that they were dating someone else.
• 7:47
  which is totally okay because in a business setting they can do that. But through a mutual friend, I found out one of my mates. Cheating. Yes. I was also in discussions with them. And so we started to compare notes about dating them. And here's one for you. Like, let me introduce them. This is not the one. This is not the one. Anyway, so I got set up on a blind date.
• 8:09
  business coffee meeting and um met this guy don't use the terminology if you're selling your business it's not the terminology to you don't get confused you're not allowed to sleep with them that would mess up everything um but yeah so pretty much i got introduced to this guy and he was the ring bound so any girls out there who date and all that sort of stuff know that he was like the fuck boy he was the one that like
• 8:33
  Wined and dined you, promised you the world, it was all flushed. Swept you off your feet. Yeah, no substance, never called when, like, he said he would. So I got swept down that garden path because I'd obviously never experienced that. And so I was like, well, this is nice. I'm going to wind and dined. Yeah, I'll fly to Melbourne and come see you and you fly to Sydney. So we had, like, a long-distance relationship. Yeah, so that went on for, like, another year. Obviously, like, I got better the second time I dated, which everyone always...
• 9:03
  But eventually, like, I had learned a few life lessons. And look, we weren't monogamous or anything. So I was, like, talking to other businesses at the same time and learning a lot and comparing and, like, kind of working it out. But, like, he was kind of, like, the second serious one that I talked to. And you had your girlfriend. Yes, my girlfriends were, like, backing me up. So I knew. Don't be needing. Don't be needing. Well, so do you want to know what happened to this one? My girlfriends told me all about it. He was breadcrumbing me.
• 9:29
  Oh my God. You told me what this is. Okay. Ladies, do you know what this is? I've never heard of this. This is where like guys will have like, it doesn't have to be a list, but what essentially happens is like they'll go radio silent. And then all of a sudden they'll just like drop a little breadcrumb, which will be like a text, which is like, Hey.
• 9:46
  Hey girl, what's up? Yeah. No, what are you doing? What are you doing? Or they'll like your Instagram post. Like you haven't heard from them for like, why are you liking my Instagram post? Like what's wrong with you? Why are you creeping my page? Yeah. So all of a sudden. Just sliding into your. Yeah, why are you sliding into my DMs? Get out of there. You didn't want to date me or whatever. Anyway, so my friends are telling me he is breaking me.
• 10:06
  what? Really? I'm like, okay. So like learning what all of this stuff is. So thankfully my gal pal, male business mentor, male mentor was like, okay, at least like you have done, like, I didn't give anything, didn't give financials, nothing. Like I pretty much was like, you tell me like what I should take you. Like, I don't, I've learned all about this. I know what kind of guy you are. Yeah.
• 10:32
  So pretty much got to like the tail end of that process and I had kind of like, here's what I want. Call me anyway. So he says, yep, yep, yep. I'm going to like call you like in a couple of weeks or whatever. Anyway, so that was like in September, October. Do you know when he called me? January.
• 10:50
  January. Why didn't you call me? Yeah. I'm like, what the hell? So anyway. What's wrong with me? No, don't worry. I was past that phase. I knew that I was, I had self-worth. I knew that I was something of value. And so I was just waiting for the one. Anyway, so he calls me literally like, I'll reenact the phone call. I see his number pop up. I'm like, you're fucking kidding me. So I'm like, hi. And he said, oh, hey, how are you? Hey, how have you been? I'm like, yeah, okay.
• 11:15
  He's like, oh, okay, well, you know, like I'm coming up to Sydney next week. And I was like, okay. And he's like, should I call you? And I literally said. Should I call you? Yeah. And I was like, I won't hold my breath. And then I was silent. So I was like, no, I refuse to be breadcrumbs by you anymore. Yeah.
• 11:34
  And he was like, oh, okay, cool. Like, I guess I'll call you then. I'm like, rightio, like, bye. Anyway, suffice it to say, I never heard from him again. But ironically, he introduced me to one of his friends while we were dating. Has this ever happened to you? We date friends. And he and I started doing business together.
• 11:57
  So he had a factory and started to manufacture one of my products for me. And we just got along really well. And I was like, he's just such a nice, genuine guy. Like, you know, like there was certain things like. This guy's been right in front of my face for so long. Yeah, I just didn't notice him. And there's like certain tests in every relationship. So like I always say like putting together IKEA furniture, like going away for your like first weekend away or like any sort of renovations is like a test for your relationship. Or when you get released.
• 12:24
  Yeah. When you get like barley belly. Yeah. And are they going to like be nurturing or not? So we had our first test as a relationship where like his factory or customs, I can't even remember like fucked up. And essentially like this school was not going to get their goods on time. And I was like, okay, well fine. Like I'll just go to the airport and get them. He's like, no, no, I'll go. And I was like,
• 12:45
  Oh, I'm like, I did so many crazy things. You have no idea. Like I literally made him meet my parents. I made him come and meet with me every single week for a year. We'd have,
• 12:59
  I'm a classy lady. Every week, like at 7am for like a whole year, I was like such a psycho. Like I remember early on, I wanted to see what type of car I drove because the last one had driven like a real fancy, fancy car. And I was like.
• 13:16
  No, I want any fancy cars. They're out. I want someone sensible with their money. And I don't want flash. I want someone who's not going to blow everything anyway. So I remember this one time that I was like, we were going to a coffee shop or something. And I was like, Oh, let's just take one car. And he's like, Oh, okay. Well you're going to take your car. I said, no, no, no. Like, let's take your car. Anyway. So he's like, okay, well my car's a bit messy. That's fine. Anyway, he drove a Toyota Prius.
• 13:42
  the tone of praise. He's like a double as an amygdala. Yes, great. He's got multiple ways to income. I literally was like, oh, are you learning Italian? Like going through his vanity, essentially, like looking at everything in his company.
• 13:55
  Anyway, so this guy turned out to be like the real deal. He's the guy that you marry. He calls when he says he's going to call. Okay. So he may not send flowers like every anniversary or like do one of the kind experiences, but when you're sick, he's there. When you need like someone to help your parents move, like he volunteers, like he's a good guy.
• 14:17
  But the little like trick to the story was that when he approached me and was like, okay, so I know that you're looking to like sell and get a business partner.
• 14:27
  I happened to be 10 weeks pregnant at the time. So of course I had to delay everything. And then like, so essentially we became engaged. He actually like invested in the business and we started to work together more. So I like the poor guy, I've made him work hard. Okay. But essentially I finally agreed to sell 50% of the business to him. So yeah, that was my.
• 14:50
  business dating story. How's it going now? You're obviously not divorced. We're not divorced. Look, we've had troubles as all couples do. It's been a learning experience. Yeah, but I think the difference is we're both committed. So we made those values. We didn't take them lightly. Yeah, so look, there's been times like he's tried to kind of like get involved. Like he's a very hands-off kind of guy, which is really good for me because I'm like, don't tell me what to do.
• 15:17
  that's the same for my husband. Don't tell me what to do. But yeah, he kind of lets me do what I want to do. But then like, he tried to like, like, I don't mind suggestions. Like, so he'll suggest something for marketing or whatever. But then like, he tried to get, Oh, I want to like employ this guy to do this. And I was like,
• 15:34
  No, honey. That's my division. I was like, yeah, I was like, if you want to, like, employ someone to oversee something in the factory, go ahead. But I'm like, that's not my department. But, yeah, so it's all good. But then the one thing that we left open-ended was I have to negotiate the final 50% in terms of the valuation and I have to negotiate the period of time, which at first I was all like. Period of time to work in the business before she exits completely. Yes.
• 15:58
  And like before I was all like, oh yeah, I want to do really quick and I want to get out and all this stuff. And then when the reality struck that I was like, I was going to sell my business and I thought I was going to be like a lady of luxury and do nothing. And then I had a kid and then being a lady of luxury, just completely. Now you're at the messy playground. Yeah. Is that what it's called? Yeah. I literally had green fluoride paint down my arm like an hour ago.
• 16:21
  But yeah, so I, I thought it'd be appropriate. Um, it wasn't so nice. I was like, it didn't come like pink, but yeah, so pretty much I realized that the thought of doing nothing was absolutely petrifying to me. And while I love my daughter, the thought of going to messy play in Jim Baroo and like, that's what we do all day, which is cool, but I kind of would like to work out what I'd like to do next in life.
• 16:47
  but I have absolutely no idea what that is. So I'm currently like aimlessly wondering. And you don't want to be a stay-at-home housewife? No. I wish I could. Like, I wish I could, but I just can't do it. So me and my daughter, we're very busy. We're always schedules. Busy ladies. Yeah, we're busy ladies. We're busy ladies. She's got to do. Yeah, we can't sit at home. She's got a schedule. Yeah, otherwise we go stir cozy. Yeah.
• 17:08
  Well, thanks for sharing your story. I hope it was helpful if you're single in the life or single in business. I feel like these are great analogies for all of us to take on board. I mean, I'm also engaged, so it doesn't help me now. But it would have been valuable. It helps me if it was a few.
• 17:28
  And we're back. I just had another question for her, your mentor, how they met and how that partnership came about. So she's just going to tell me. I'm hearing it for the first time. I just have all these weird stories all the time. Okay, so I knew that I wanted a mentor, right? And everyone's like, you should have a mentor. And I'm like, cool. So how do you get a mentor? Yeah, how do you actually get a mentor? Yeah.
• 17:46
  And so it, and everyone always has like, oh, it happens organically. It, when it's right, it's what the fuck does that mean? What does that mean? Yeah. Anyway, so when I have Google, so when I decided that, well, I hadn't even really decided that I wanted to sell the business at this point, but I was in this period of like, what am I meant to do next? And so everyone I knew like was getting investment and raising rounds and stuff. And I was like, I never did that. Like I bootstrapped my business with $6,000. Like I didn't know about going and asking people for money.
• 18:16
  So I was like, should I be doing that? Like, I don't know, should I like go international? What should I do? So I ended up emailing, um, and like connecting on LinkedIn with all these people who had invested into custom product brands. So anyone who had kind of invested into a company that made some sort of custom products, obviously I make custom jackets.
• 18:34
  So I met, well, I connected this guy on LinkedIn. I was like, hey, and I kind of did a very like short, I don't know if this is what got his attention, but I literally was like, hey, been in business 10 years, turn over this, don't know what I'm doing next. Should I raise? Can I ask this question? It's like very like, instead of being all like, oh, blah, blah, I literally was like, yeah, no, I was like, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy. Which turns out it's his personality. So maybe that's why it worked.
• 19:01
  And he was like, yeah, cool. Come have coffee with me. Anyway, what are the chances? The day before I am meant to meet this guy, like I'm super excited about it, right? And so I am the type of person who gets into an Uber and I think it's like a therapy session or that I've paid for like someone's advice. And I'm like, okay, so here's kind of what's going on in my life. And so literally I say to the Uber, I'm like, hi, my name's Elise. Tomorrow I'm meeting this guy. I'm very excited about it. And I'm like, what do you think?
• 19:25
  And he's like, oh, sorry, like, what did you say the guy's name? Can you say that again? Yeah, he's like, where are you going? What was the address? Anyway, so I was like, yeah, so I'm meeting him. And he's like, hold on. He's like, sorry, what did you say the guy's name? And I was like, yeah, this is his name. And he's like.
• 19:45
  And I'm like, what? And he's like, that's my next door neighbor. And I was like, what? I was like, shut up. You're like, can you put in a good word for me? No, I think this is a scam. Cause like, I don't want to reveal my mentor's address and all this stuff, but like he lives in Bellevue Hill and it's a very, very nice house. And I was like, did you go on Uber? I'm like, what is this about? I'm like, you do not live next door, do you? He's got the Toyota Prius.
• 20:10
  It was like a Volvo or something. I was like, oh, cool. So like, why are you driving, you know, Uber? And it turns out that like, he's this super successful guy that like lives in like somewhere overseas for six months, comes back to Sydney for six months, doesn't work, was bored and just thought, oh yeah, like I'll do some Uber driving.
• 20:28
  And so I was like, this is like crazy. He wants to be busy. Yeah. He's like, this is probably would be me. Cause I'd be like, I'm so bored. I will go drive Uber. Get in the car, Olivia. We're going Uber driving. Yeah. I'd be the person that's constantly getting reported. Yeah. I don't know why my Uber driver had a car with a kid and a dog in the back. But anyway, so I was like, this is so weird. And so the next day when I meet him, I was like, do I bring it up? Like what do I do? And he's like, Oh, so my neighbor met you yesterday.
• 20:57
  was true. And I was like, yeah, like what are the chances of that? That's really crazy. So it like really broke the ice. Anyway, for some reason, like I can sometimes be quite guarded, like in terms of business and like
• 21:10
  You know, I feel like as entrepreneurs, sometimes we're forced to put on this really strong front. Like, everything's great. Like, I'm going well. Like, I don't know. Like, it's sometimes vulnerability is kind of seen as a weakness. Yeah. And so sometimes, like, I wouldn't really be very vulnerable with people. But with him, I'd never met him. I don't know why. All of a sudden, I was just like...
• 21:29
  I'm really lost and like I've had the business for this long and should I do this or should I do that? And then this thing happened to me before. And like, I just like, it was so weird. Like it just was like, here's everything about me. And we got to the end of the meeting. He's like, you should not be raising capital. He's like, you don't need to raise capital. Why give up like, you know, part of your business. He's like, I think you need a strategic partner who's going to take you to the next level and there's also a potential buyer. So like, he's the one who set me on this path, right?
• 21:56
  But that's so cool. Yeah, so weird. And then what ended up happening is the very first guy that I talked about in my story, the first guy that I dated literally within like a couple of days or a week reaches out and it's like, Hey, can we like meet with you? And so I ended up contacting the first guy and be like, Hey, like this situation is happening now and I don't really know what to do. And like, what should I give them? All this sort of stuff. And he's like, give me some advice. Yeah. Give me some help. Yeah. Anyway, so he literally, no words like, can you be my mentor? No, not at all.
• 22:25
  Anyway, so he's like looking, apparently like he's on the phone. He's like, okay. He's like, all right, so I've got two hours next Thursday. Can you meet me here? And I was like, yeah. I can. Yes, of course I can meet you there. So literally met with him for that first two hours. And then consequently throughout that first year when I was dating that first guy, I pretty much just kept reaching back to him. And then never ever asked, like, can you be my mentor? But just...
• 22:48
  Pretty much like here I am again with another question. And it just inadvertently- You never had the chat. It just, I just moved in. And I was like, oh, you're living here now. Yeah. And then it just turned in that like every, at the start of every month, I'd just send him my like financials. It's like, oh, here's my financials for last month. Like, you know, what do you think about like, and he thought, oh yeah, it'd be really great.
• 23:07
  Whenever he had time for me, I would drop everything. And so this is, okay, so in terms of how do I think you get a mentor and like have a good relationship with them, you have to listen to whatever it is that they say and try the advice and then report back on whatever happens. So like whatever he would tell me, even if I was like, I don't think this is going to work at all, I would go do it. And then I'd be like, oh, here's what happened from that advice he gave me. And I would always...
• 23:33
  Value his time as extremely important, which he's a very busy businessman, very successful. So it is, you know, he is very busy. And so whenever he had time available for me, I would go whether he was whatever time, anything. So like one of the funniest stories I had is like, I had an important like negotiation coming up and we just could not schedule ourselves to like get together.
• 23:55
  And he's like, oh, shoot. He's like, look, Elise, the only thing I can think of is like, I'm dropping off my car at Alexandria to be serviced. And then he's like, I've got to go to Rass Hill. And I was like, I will drive you there. I was like, I will drive you to Rass Hill. I'll be your Uber driver. I'm like, what time do I need to be there? Yeah, literally. Because he was like, he's like, I'm either going to get an Uber or if you want to come drive me. And I was like, yes, of course, I want to come drive you.
• 24:13
  Cause like to have someone's undivided attention in a car for an hour, it's just like priceless. So yeah, like sometimes he'll be on the phone to me and then mid-sentence, he's like, I gotta go. I'm like, like whatever. I'm like, if he doesn't call me back, I just like totally get that. That's, you know? Yeah. So I guess it's more like about finding someone. I mean, I have a mentor. It's Jay. I shout out to Jay like all the time. I'm like every podcast I've been on. I've mentioned him.
• 24:39
  But yeah, I always wonder what other people do and how that situation comes about because I never know, do people say it happened automatically? Well, I think at some point I was like, you're kind of like a mentor. Can you be my mentor officially? Can we be an official? And he was like, yeah, like anytime. And he always gives me advice. Yeah. It just developed that he was giving me advice on things that I was doing and providing support. I would always go to him with questions and I would be like, what do you think about this?
• 25:06
  I remember one day we were flying back from, we were flying from Geneva to London. And so we had like a few hours and I was like, Oh, let me tell you about this idea. And it was female startup club. And we ended up just jamming the whole time. And he built this like a wicked spreadsheet for me. And like, I'm someone that's not good with spreadsheets, but I love a good operating spreadsheet. And then I can like live my life. Yeah. Yeah. And so now this spreadsheet like runs exactly what I'm doing. And like, I keep up to everything with this spreadsheet that he helped me build. And I was just like, Oh my God,
• 25:34
  This is just so good. Like, thank you so much. Um, and so those kinds of things where, when he has time to help me and like, when he comes back to me with the questions that I have, it's just like pure genius that I appreciate. But I always wonder for other people, cause obviously mine happened organically and then I kind of was like, Oh, can you be like, like a mental kind of thing? Um, but I don't know what other people do or if people like pay for mentors or if people are like, because people will often say like, I have a mentor, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, it's more like a coach.
• 26:04
  You can have an executive coach and if you gel with someone like that, you can. But sometimes when you're paying someone, it can blur the lines of like, obviously it's their job.
• 26:15
  to tell you the truth, but then obviously you're paying them and stuff. So I like, if possible to have an organic relationship and like truly it's so frustrating, but it's like, it literally, it's just one of those things that it's going to have to happen naturally. The only thing I would say is put yourself out there because at least reaching out to people being like, Hey, like I'm going through this phase in my business. And I know you've got knowledge in this, like, can I have five minutes with you? And I met with a ton of people, but no one, I didn't connect with anyone. Like I connected with him. And so it was like,
• 26:45
  when you know you know and so yeah like you just need to meet it's like a numbers game maybe you're gonna meet a lot of people and then when you do feel a connection to someone everyone that needs a mentor yeah when you do feel a connection to someone try and keep them in the loop I guess so it's kind of like yeah keep the keep the flow happening yeah even if it is passive like I guess with me with like sending my financials I'll kind of like here's my financials I don't expect I'm
• 27:09
  a response. Yeah. But often that will trigger like, oh, hey, like this looks good. Let's chat about that. So you might find someone who you can say like, oh, can I just like send you this? Or can I ask if you could like review what I'm doing or something? And most people I think, you know, are happy to give up a bit of time. I just think don't take advantage of it. Really like acknowledge that they are assisting you. Yeah. And if it's not gelling from their side, like if you think they're the one, but they're just like definitely giving you the signal that like,
• 27:39
  They're not interested. Yeah. This all comes back to day, right? So this is a day. If they're not interested, they're not interested. Yeah. And so you kind of kind of move on and just be like, okay, you know, like, cause you might be thinking, well, I want Mike Cannon-Brooks to mentor me. And he's just like, yeah, I'm not interested. Well, then you need to move on and think about who else.
• 27:57
  I'm getting a lot of memories of Sex and the City scenes where they go through these things. Well, it's all comes back to me. What if he doesn't call? Look, if he's not responding, he's just not back to you. He's just not back to you. And if he's constantly got reasons why he's not available, like if he wants to be with you, he will make time for you. Lol. Thank you. No worries. Thank you for that. We're definitely done. You don't want to do the Joseph Beard story?
• 28:23
  Oh my god, I actually do want the Justin Bieber story. There's a Tinder story and I totally forgot to ask her about it the other day. There's an existing video. Can we put it in the link? We'll put it in the link. We'll link you to the existing video. We'll put it in the link because this is very important. Preview. I got Justin Bieber to wear one of my jackets without paying a cent. Oh my god. Everyone's strange. Justin Bieber should wear it. Well, you need Hailey Bieber to wear it.
• 28:50
  Yeah, Hayley might be a better fit with the brand. She might be more on brand. She might be a kinks girl. We can only hope. All right, that's it. Okay, no more questions. Thank you. Bye. Bye.
• 29:05
  Hey, it's June here. Thanks for listening to this amazing episode of the Female Startup Club podcast. If you're a fan of the show and want even more of the good stuff, I'd recommend checking out femalestartupclub.com where you can subscribe to our free newsletter. We send it out weekly covering female founder business news, insights and learnings in D2C, and interesting business resources.
• 29:29
  And if you're a founder building an e-commerce brand, you can join our private network of entrepreneurs called Hype Club at femalestartupclub.com forward slash Hype Club. We have guests from the show joining us for intimate Ask Me Anythings, expert workshops, and a group of totally amazing, like-minded women building the future of D2C brands.
• 29:52
  As always, please do subscribe, rate and review the show and post your favorite episodes to Instagram stories. I am beyond grateful when you do that.
• 30:09
  Hey, it's June here. Thanks for listening to this amazing episode of the Female Startup Club podcast. If you're a fan of the show and want even more of the good stuff, I'd recommend checking out femalestartupclub.com where you can subscribe to our free newsletter. We send it out weekly covering female founder business news, insights and learnings in D2C, and interesting business resources.
• 30:33
  And if you're a founder building an e-commerce brand, you can join our private network of entrepreneurs called Hype Club at femalestartupclub.com forward slash Hype Club. We have guests from the show joining us for intimate Ask Me Anythings, expert workshops, and a group of totally amazing, like-minded women building the future of D2C brands.
• 30:56
  As always, please do subscribe, rate and review the show and post your favorite episodes to Instagram stories. I am beyond grateful when you do that.