#awinewith Carla Canning
MEET Carla Canning, Founder of Connect Lead Achieve
You can find them here:
Transcript
Danielle Lewis (00:04):
Carla, welcome to Spark tv.
Carla Canning (00:07):
Thanks, Danny. I'm excited to be here. Oh,
Danielle Lewis (00:11):
I'm excited to have you here. I feel like it's good vibes leading into a new 2025, so I'm excited to chat to you about Biz Today.
Carla Canning (00:21):
Lovely. Yeah, the New Year's off to a pretty hectic start already, but I think it's always nice, isn't it? You come into a new year, new goals and Yeah, it's nice to kick it off with a chat like this.
Danielle Lewis (00:35):
Totally. I'm all for arbitrary dates and energy. I know. It's like yesterday, it was just the day before. It was 2024 for some reason today, but I'll take it if it gives me fresh energy, I don't care. I agree. So good. Well, let's start out by telling everyone who you are and what you do.
Carla Canning (01:00):
Sure. So I'm Carla. I run a HR and training consultancy called Connect Lead Achieve. The majority of our clients are in the community services space, but we do do some work with other SMEs as well.
Danielle Lewis (01:19):
So good. So what does HR even mean? So when we start our own businesses, we are often all of these things, all of these terms, we need to know what is hr,
Carla Canning (01:36):
Where do I start? So I think often when people think about hr, they think about hiring and firing, right? I think if you are running a business, and they're often the times that you want to look at your HR practices, but in my experience, HR is a lot more broad than that. So HR encompasses everything from your values and your culture within your organization through to how you treat your people and what's the workplace that you want people to show up to, and what kind of strategies do you have in place to keep people engaged and passionate about the work that you are doing. And of course, right through to the not so great stuff when things aren't going as planned, how do we help to support people to maybe exit our businesses because they're not the right fit for us, or maybe we've outgrown them or they've outgrown us, and how do we do that in a way that's respectful and compassionate and compliant?
Danielle Lewis (02:38):
I really love that. I was actually talking to a HR person the other day and I ignorantly made the mistake of they were talking about something. I was like, well, is that what you do? Yeah, we do that as well. And that's why I asked because I have been guilty of thinking of it as hiring, firing, perhaps career development, professional development, but not so much in the nitty gritty of culture and getting the most out of people in the workplace. And I actually think that's so cool because I know, so my other business scrunch at its peak was about 20 people and god damn fostering culture
Carla Canning (03:24):
And
Danielle Lewis (03:24):
Looking after all of those humans and trying to keep them all happy when they come into work with their personal lives as well as business expectations. It's really challenging as a business owner.
Carla Canning (03:38):
And I think it's even more challenging at the moment because there has been so much change in the HR space as well. I'm sure everyone heard about the right to disconnect legislation at the end of last year, but that was not the rolling my eyes. It's okay. I often talk about HR often makes people have the hair on the back of their neck stand up. They're like, oh, that feels really prickly. So I try and make, I often say, let's put the human back in human resources because it really is about how do we actually support our people to do their best work, which as business owners allows us to be able to create workplaces that people want to work in and helps us to achieve our goals too. But I guess there's a whole lot of change that's happening and as business owners it can be really hard to keep on top of that. And if you're in a small business, you're probably already wearing multiple hats anyway. So you're probably the IT consultant and you're probably the marketing manager and you're probably the social media director and you're probably wearing a thousand different hats on any given day. If one of those is HR and learning and development and all of those things as well, it can be really hard to stay across what are the things that you absolutely need to do to make sure that your business is meeting the expectations that are required.
Danielle Lewis (05:01):
Oh my God. So true. And you're right, the world has really changed in the last, oh my God. I mean, I think that from a business point of view, the world changes all the time. I know we've kind of had a really big one in the last few years, so I've been in business for about 12 years and I can't remember a stressful year of a not stressful year where things were changing seriously.
Carla Canning (05:26):
Yeah, there's always something going on, isn't there?
Danielle Lewis (05:29):
Totally. So when do you think in a small business life cycle, when do you think is the right time to be thinking about hr?
Carla Canning (05:38):
That's a great question. I would say as soon as you are going to employ another person, I think that you really need to start thinking about what does HR look like for us? Now, I don't think that means that you need to have a dedicated resource for that, but I think it is important to start to think about, okay, what does this person's role actually look like? How much do we need to pay them? Are there rewards and are there other agreements that we need to make sure we're across so that we are doing the right thing by that person when they do come on board? And then what happens when they decide that they want to change the way that they work, increase their hours or decrease their hours? And so anytime that you're employing somebody, you do need to start to think about this from a more strategic perspective and just make sure that you are ticking the boxes that you need to as well.
Danielle Lewis (06:30):
Yeah, I do love that. And I think that as business owners so nice to be able to have somebody to go to talk about this stuff with. I mean, you can't exactly talk to the employee about it. They're obviously not the experts. So to have someone like you to go to just to take that weight of what is that strategy look like? What do I need to know? What are best practices and how can I create something that's aligned to the thing that I want to create in the first place?
Carla Canning (07:01):
Yeah, absolutely. And how do you actually recruit the people that are going to help you to progress your dreams as well? Because you can recruit somebody who absolutely has the skills to do the job, but if you haven't already worked out what you value most, it's very hard to recruit someone who's going to be the right fit to help you progress in the way that you want to as well. And who's going to represent your business in the way that you want them to for your customers as well.
Danielle Lewis (07:32):
Yeah, exactly. It's really interesting. People are so complex, it makes sense to be thinking about it a little bit more strategically other than I just need this task done.
Carla Canning (07:45):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
Danielle Lewis (07:47):
So good. I love it. So how did you even get into running your own business?
Carla Canning (07:54):
Well, so I started my HR career quite a long time ago. I actually worked in a very corporate environment for about 15 years. So I was in HR and learning roles at a law firm for a really long time. After that, I had kind of decided I was never going to do HR again, and I went and worked in community services. So I had done a counseling degree when I was a lot younger and decided I wanted to go and put that into practice. So I went and became a counselor. I worked in a drug and alcohol rehab and worked my way through and became a leader within that organization and then went on to leadership roles in other community service organizations. And what I realized is that every one of those organizations had the same challenges. So they were fairly small, not-for-profits who really didn't have the resources to have in-house HR support. So it often just ended up being me that would do it anyway.
Danielle Lewis (09:01):
Yeah.
Carla Canning (09:03):
So in trying to move away from that, I found that I couldn't quite escape it. So a couple of years ago, or about four years ago, I was doing a bit of a mix between working as a COO at a disability provider, disability services provider, and providing some consultancy and training and support to some other organizations. And a couple of years ago decided that I'd turned my side hustle into my main gig, I suppose. So now I do this full time.
Danielle Lewis (09:34):
Wow, that's so awesome. Isn't it interesting how sometimes we think the grass is greener or we think we're done with something and the path just leads us full circle?
Carla Canning (09:46):
It does. It keeps on pulling you back in. And I think the other part is I came from, the way that HR was done when I first started in HR looks quite different, I think, to what people would think of being a HR now. So I loved the opportunity to actually be able to get to know the people and to work alongside them to truly help them succeed in their roles. And I think HR at some point became a bit of a tick and flick and a risk management function. So I try really hard to really focus on how I learned to do hr, and that's really relationship building and supporting people to grow and develop within an organization. So sometimes in doing that, you do actually tick those boxes quite easily anyway, but it's just trying to flip it on its head a little bit and make HR a little bit less scary because I know it can feel a little bit overwhelming for people.
Danielle Lewis (10:47):
And how nice that you can take the best of each of the worlds that you've been in and then align it to your values and create a business that is HR the way you think HR should be.
Carla Canning (11:00):
Yeah.
Danielle Lewis (11:00):
Yeah. Yes. That's so good. And how did you find navigating moving from employee to business owner? I mean, theoretically you go, well, at least I've got all the HR skills. How did you go with all of the other
Carla Canning (11:15):
Things? Yeah, look, I'm probably still fairly new in that journey, to be honest. And there are still times where I go the ups and downs of that is very different to just knowing that you've got, you show up at eight 30 every morning, you've work till five, and there's something that feels very safe and secure about that, doesn't it?
Danielle Lewis (11:38):
Yes, sometimes. Sometimes I dream about what that was like.
Carla Canning (11:44):
Yeah, it's not that long ago for me. So I can kind of still remember what that was like. Having said that, most business owners, I've got lots of things going on in my life. I'm a mom of teenage boys. I love to go on adventures and travel, and I guess having the opportunity to have the flexibility to work around those other things is a real benefit, I think, in running your own
Danielle Lewis (12:08):
Business. Yeah, absolutely. I think oftentimes we go into our own businesses thinking freedom, flexibility, and then they swing towards no freedom, no flexibility, and we kind of have to pull ourselves back and remember why we're doing it in the first
Carla Canning (12:25):
Place. Yeah, absolutely. For sure.
Danielle Lewis (12:29):
What do you think has been one of the biggest challenges that you've faced running your own business?
Carla Canning (12:36):
I think it's just my own insecurities, my own worries, my own anxieties. I don't think that there's anything more challenging than sometimes the conversation we have in our own head.
Danielle Lewis (12:52):
Oh my God, I just love that you're saying this because I'm having that day right now. Oh, no, I know it's coming on Jenny. Why? Seriously though, it's just the, there is a to do. I know exactly what to do. It's so wild. I'm like, I know exactly what I need to do to achieve my goals. And some days it is just that little voice in your brain hole that is being awful, and it's like a struggle between just do the stuff on the to-do list woman and you, oh my God, what am I doing with my life?
Carla Canning (13:26):
Yeah. Yes. Yeah, absolutely. But I think we are our own worst critics, and I would never allow speak to someone else the way that I speak to myself in my own head. So I know that it's not there. We need, I know that it's not okay. Yeah, that's right. I'm an internal, I'm firing myself. Yeah, that's right. Oh my God. I often say that when you've got pay the invoice or when you're doing all of these extra things, the things that don't necessarily come naturally to you, sometimes the really nitty gritty admin, detail oriented stuff that you'd love for somebody else to do often go, oh, geez, I wish that that admin chick could pick up a game in knowing that it's actually yourself. I love payroll, really let us down this week.
Danielle Lewis (14:25):
That is so good. That's what I say to my husband about house stuff. I'm like, oh, that made of ours. You really need to buy. She is just not on it. She
Carla Canning (14:37):
Is not doing a good job.
Danielle Lewis (14:39):
That's actually my subtle dig at, I'm not the maid, I'm not doing the jobs. Oh god. So do you have any tips for how, if that little voice inside our heads is being a little awful, do you have any tips or strategies that you currently use to pull yourself out of that?
Carla Canning (15:02):
I'm probably very lucky that I've got an incredible group of people around me that I can rely on for that. So I've got some amazing friends, family, mentors that they're the ones that I tend to reach out to when, okay, I need a bit of a pep talk. Can you help me? So yeah, I think it's really about that network of people that you build, who are the confidence that you have that will absolutely hold you accountable and say, Hey, girlfriend, you just need to pull your finger out and get on with that. Or to know when you do actually need puddle or someone to hold your hand for just a minute, or to take the reins even for just a little while too. So I think it is, it's about relationships for me and knowing who it is that you draw upon or call upon in those moments.
Danielle Lewis (16:01):
Yeah, that is actually fantastic advice. Having a support network, I think in all levels of life, there's certainly people in different areas. Some people you won't go to for the business stuff, some people you won't go to for the husband stuff, some people you won't go to for the kids stuff. There's all kind of layers of people you can tap into. So important to have that network around you.
Carla Canning (16:28):
Absolutely. I couldn't agree more. And then knowing as well, when you do just need to go, okay, just stop. Just get on with it. Just do it. I think sometimes it is actually just starting something because once you start, it's often not a problem, but you can go around in circles, whereas if you just go, okay, 1, 2, 3, we're diving in.
Danielle Lewis (16:53):
Yes. I love just
Carla Canning (16:55):
Getting on with
Danielle Lewis (16:55):
It. It's so true. I think sometimes you think about that of things you procrastinate over forever. You do them and you're like, oh my God, that took me three minutes.
Carla Canning (17:05):
Yeah,
Danielle Lewis (17:05):
That's right. I've been putting that job off for three months.
Carla Canning (17:08):
Exactly. Yes, it's so true. Why don't we do that? I wish. Maybe I need to do a bit more psychology study or something so I can get to the bottom
Danielle Lewis (17:18):
Please. Well, if you figure it out, if you can please let us all know, because I don't think we're alone. Oh, that is so good. It is true though. There's a good, Mel Robbins actually has that book, the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, where when you're kind of in that stuck place, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and just
Carla Canning (17:38):
Go, just do it.
Danielle Lewis (17:41):
I love that. That is so good. And how are you growing your business in 2025? So what's going to be some strategies that you use to find new business in this year?
Carla Canning (17:54):
Yeah, look at the risk of sounding like I'm repeating myself. I actually think it's about relationships. No, I won't. This is good. So my goal for this year is to really make sure I've got strong professional networks as well as the personal networks. But a lot of the work that I do, particularly in the community services space, is really supported by some industry bodies that I think are really valuable for information and support for those organizations. So the last 12 months, I've been really focused on how do I build that industry alignment so that I can help to grow the business in that way. So it's really just cementing some of those relationships and continuing to invest in that space. And from the SME side of things, getting involved in the Chamber of Commerce and some of those other networks as well. In Brisbane, we are really lucky. There's some great networking events and some awesome people that are truly there to try and support other SMEs and support other people trying to really develop their businesses as well.
Danielle Lewis (19:11):
That is so good. I think relationships are everything. I mean, I don't even think it matters if you're in business or not, if you want to advance your career or kind of do anything. Relationships are just so important. So you mentioned events and strengthening relationships. Have you been like, how do you even get in touch with these people? Do you join communities? Do you reach out cold email people? How do you even get started on that as a strategy?
Carla Canning (19:44):
Well, I'm really bad at sales, so I feel really uncomfortable if anything feels like I'm trying to sell anything. I'm so bad at it, Danny, and I know I need to work on it, but
Danielle Lewis (19:56):
I'll whip you into shape.
Carla Canning (19:58):
I know I knew that there'd be some advice coming, but the thing for me is trying to get things away from an online environment. So we are often bombarded with emails and LinkedIn requests and ads on wherever we turn. I actually try really hard to convert that into an actual conversation. So if someone looks like they're into similar things or they might be a potential new client, I try and arrange a time to actually have a conversation and just find out where they're at, what their business goals are, and then have some ongoing conversations with them to try and seal the deal in a much more gentle approach. And I think for me, that just feels a lot more comfortable than trying to do a cold call or an email blast or anything like that. So yeah, that's where I'm at at the moment. It might be a slower approach, but what I'm finding is that the clients then that I do bring on board, they seem to have a really quite a good values alignment because you've taken the time to get to know them. So I think that they then appreciate the way that we work at Lead Achieve.
Danielle Lewis (21:19):
You know what, I just want to call out that you are not bad at sales. I think that your approach is incredible because I think that's one of the problems with the word sales is everyone has this perception that it's got to be super hard, super process driven, super massive. And I actually love that. It's like, you know what? No, the way I sell is I have connections, I have conversations, I have values alignment, and if they're right for me, they're right For me, that is a sales strategy. And I just think that the fact that you've identified what feels good for you so that you can have conversations about your business, I think that that's incredible.
Carla Canning (22:09):
Thank you. It feels sometimes like it's a slow process, and I think that sometimes, and sometimes I do feel a bit frustrated when you go, we've been having this conversation for a while now.
Danielle Lewis (22:24):
Yeah, I think that's just one-to-one sales in general though.
Carla Canning (22:29):
And being conscious of not wanting to push too hard, knowing I guess when to kind of be a little bit more encouraging that they might need to sign up for some support.
Danielle Lewis (22:43):
I think it's so good. I often say that to people that I'm, I call it being a soft seller because, so I've been a not hardcore sales person, but my job role was sales when I was in corporate. And it is, you go through the training and it's the ask the open-ended questions and move them to this next stage and update the crm. And it's really like, I guess that masculine energy and push, push, push. And I think that's why I've gone all the way over to my, so my strategy is I'll just tell everyone on the planet what we do and then for me, for me, and if they're not, that's fine. That's okay too. That's okay too. So I've gone all the way over to soft selling as well. I call it that. I dunno if anyone else calls it that, but I just think you want it to feel good, and you don't want, if people feel pressured into something, the actual delivery experience turns out crap anyway.
Carla Canning (23:52):
Yeah. Well, and I think you run the risk of people
Danielle Lewis (23:58):
Disconnecting
Carla Canning (24:01):
Because they do feel like they're being pressured to do something that may or may not be quite right for them.
Danielle Lewis (24:08):
Totally. And I always think that if you give people a positive experience, even if it's not right for them now, it might be in the future. So why not leave on a great note and just keep them nurtured in the wind? Yeah,
Carla Canning (24:22):
I think so. That feels more comfortable for me anyway.
Danielle Lewis (24:24):
Yeah, no, I love that. I love that. Now, I always like to wrap up these podcasts on one last piece of advice. So reflecting on your time in business, what would be one piece of advice that you would give to another woman on her business journey?
Carla Canning (24:43):
Oh, okay. I think, is it okay to share too?
Danielle Lewis (24:48):
Oh my God, please do. Overachiever. Of course.
Carla Canning (24:53):
I think the first thing is, is that you don't have to have all the answers. So much of what has happened in the four years that I've been running my own business has felt completely accidental. And I think it's about being really open to opportunities and being flexible and being able to kind of go with the flow a little bit. That okay, it might not be 100% aligned with what you thought that business plan was going to look like. That's actually okay. And sometimes the best outcomes and opportunities come from just having a crack and seeing where it goes. So that might feel a bit uncomfortable for some people, but for me, there's kind of some adventure in that, and I like that idea. And then I think the second one is already what we've spoken about is to build that network to know who are the people that are there, to have your back and to build you up when things are going well, and to catch you if you fall. So to know who's your tribe, who are your people, and to invest in those relationships.
Danielle Lewis (26:04):
I love it. Carla, you are absolutely incredible. Thank you so much for sharing your journey and your wisdom with the smart community today. It's been an absolute pleasure.
Carla Canning (26:15):
Thanks so much, Danny. I've loved it. Hopefully we can chat again soon. Definitely.
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