#awinewith Skye Anderton
MEET Skye
Skye is the Founder of Ruby Olive.
Find Skye here:
Ruby Olive website or Instagram @rubyoliveonline.
Transcript
Danielle Lewis (00:06):
Sky. Thank you so much for being here on Spark tv. We made it. Yay.
Skye Anderton (00:11):
We did. I'm very excited. Thanks for having me.
Danielle Lewis (00:14):
Of course. Of course. We have known each other for so long. I don't even know how we first connected decades ago, but you're crossing paths. We do all meant to be. It was just the universe. Yeah, exactly.
Skye Anderton (00:31):
And we even had a drink in New York one year in 2015, I think it was.
Danielle Lewis (00:36):
Oh my God. That's right. That is so funny. I forgot about that. Oh my God. We really do cross paths.
Skye Anderton (00:42):
Yeah. Randomly. Randomly. But it's great. I love it.
Danielle Lewis (00:46):
It's so good. It is so good. Obviously just brilliant people just connecting. I love it. I love it. So let's start with telling everybody what it is you actually do. What is your business?
Skye Anderton (00:57):
So my business is, well, I have honestly a few little businesses, but my main business is an online e-commerce business focused on women, I guess it's called ruble of Jewelry and Accessories. So we sell and produce and support artists and do lots of different things under that umbrella. But essentially we have an online brand, which is all about living your vibrant life, living ly and inspiring people to be essentially you, uniquely you, I should say, not essentially uniquely used. It's really empowering people to be who they are, not being afraid of being their true self. And if you want to wear the color, wear the color. If you don't want to wear the color, that's totally all as well.
Danielle Lewis (01:47):
I'm like, I really picked the wrong day to wear a black T-shirt to a podcast recording,
Skye Anderton (01:52):
Danielle, because it's not about trying to change people. It's really all about inspiring people to feel comfortable in their own skin, to feel comfortable about who they are and celebrating everyone's uniquenesses. And that's what we love to do with our products. So a lot of our products are, we have products that I design, but there's also products which are a stock standard product, like a lanyard or a puzzle. But we'll celebrate Australian female artists and we'll put their artwork on those items. But we might make those items a little bit special. Like the lanyards. We put them in a cute little box and we put life quotes in them. So when someone receives it as a gift, it makes them feel really special. We try to have little details, just have that little point of difference that makes people feel a little bit more excited or special or just puts a smile on their face, which is essentially what we're trying to do. We're trying to make people feel happy and feel good.
Danielle Lewis (02:53):
I love that. That's perfect. I think we need a little bit of that in our lives, don't we? Yes,
Skye Anderton (02:58):
We do. I agree. Especially at the moment where everyone's feeling all German and gloom. But yes, obviously there's all that stuff around us, which is not, there's crap that happens, but a lot of the time we do need to think about some positives. And you said before when were talking, before you press live about, it's what you make of it. You've really got to just change that attitude and just sort of think, okay, yes, this is shit, or this is not how I expect
Danielle Lewis (03:29):
Ideal,
Skye Anderton (03:31):
But where's the silver lining? What can we do? Can we put a necklace on that's going to make us feel a little bit happier? Can we wear a lanyard? That'll just make people around me feel happy and vibrant. Glasses, chains. Can I wear a neon glass chain? Which is just ridiculous, but it's actually so fabulous at the same time. It's
Danielle Lewis (03:49):
So fabulous. I've just got into glasses, chains because I leave my glasses everywhere. So I've just got, I'm bringing them back. They're amazing
Skye Anderton (03:58):
Bringing into back, and we have neon chains and they're really heavy and chunky and they're so awesome. Love them.
Danielle Lewis (04:08):
Oh my God, that is amazing. I love it. It's such a great philosophy and so cool because there's purpose, obviously the first thing you say when you intro is jewelry accessories, but it's actually the purpose behind it, which is beautiful.
Skye Anderton (04:27):
And we always say it's not about the product.
Danielle Lewis (04:29):
Yeah.
Skye Anderton (04:31):
That's kind of our vehicle. I guess the product is the vehicle that can hopefully make someone's life feel a little bit more vibrant or a little bit happier or something a bit more fresh. Exactly. So yeah, it's not about the product, although we're really proud about our products and we love our products,
Danielle Lewis (04:48):
But Exactly. Exactly. They are gorgeous. So yes, that makes sense.
Skye Anderton (04:52):
Yeah.
Danielle Lewis (04:53):
And you mentioned you designed some of the range as well. So what's your background? How did this all actually begin? Was there a career? Were there other businesses? What is the go?
Skye Anderton (05:04):
Well, I have always designed and developed products. My background is in marketing, so I don't have, I did that at university, a business at university, although when I was at university, I was hoping I'd learn about how to build a business. But you don't learn that it's more management. No, I
Danielle Lewis (05:22):
Don't find you learn anything practical at school, university,
Skye Anderton (05:27):
Let's be honest. And hanging out and having friends. It's so funny. No, when I was at university or before I was at university, when I finished school, actually probably around the same time I started uni, I started my own little business selling jewelry. So I went to the valley markets, which is, I think it's still around in Brisbane with my little handmade beads and my painted bags. And I think I was 18, and I set up a stall four 30 in the morning and started selling my stuff. And one thing led to another, and I got in a couple of little stores in the valley or in areas around Brisbane, which was really, really cute. But I was making absolutely everything, everything. And I found it quite stressful. I was 18, 19, and I did that for a couple of years. I had other jobs as well.
(06:14):
I don't think I really made much money from it, but I just did it as a labor of love. And then raised enough money to get a flight to London. And I thought, I love this business and I love making stuff, and I love my jewelry, but I really need some experience. I really need to learn how to business and I need to learn this industry. So I thought, oh, look, let's go to London. And in one year I become an expert. Become an expert. Exactly. I thought, I'm just going to get my worldly experience in London and blah, blah, blah. So naive, absolutely naive. So when I was 21, I think I was about 21. I moved to the UK with my now husband, but he was just my boyfriend at the time. We moved to the UK for one year. I couldn't get a job.
(07:04):
Oh my God, months. I was so depressed. My husband got a job straight away, but I was just, that'd be bloody, right? I know. And he's in the first place. But anyway, to cut a long story short, it took me a very, very long time to get a job in London. And I eventually got a job just in marketing, in sales, funnily enough, working for a TT magazine actually, which was magazine for all of you that your listeners, if they've been to London that know the news and travel that back in the day when they didn't have the internet where you get your jobs and you get your accommodation in the magazine. So I used to sell all those little ad spaces. And so that gave me quite a bit of experience. And yeah, I was there for nearly two years. And then we realized in the uk, I had no experience in what I went to do.
(08:02):
It was frustrating. Best laid plans. Yes. Yeah, I know. But we were loving living overseas. We were loving London, we were loving travel, and so we worked out that we could stay on a family visa that my partner had. His grandmother, we realized, didn't even realize back then until after his grandmother was born in England. Oh my god. In 19. Oh my gosh. So we went through the process and were able to stay there a little longer. And that's where I was like, right, I'm giving it my all. And I ended up getting a job in the fashion industry, working for free for a week, got my foot there. And from then for the next probably seven years or so, I worked my way up to become an accessories buyer for a high street retailer. So that's where my career, I was in London for almost a decade. And so that's where I learned a lot of the stuff about product development, designing, buying for large retailers. So through that time, I met a lot of suppliers. I met a lot of people. I used to travel a lot, which was, oh my gosh, I don't think I ever took it for granted, but I probably did take it for granted, just like going to Paris for the weekend.
Danielle Lewis (09:20):
Oh my God. Sounds like a tough life.
Skye Anderton (09:23):
Going to India all the time, going to China, it was so much travel and all odd work. It was amazing. So I really felt very grateful that I had that experience. So that was amazing. So yes, fast forward, having a great time over there. And then 2010, my husband and I decided, you know what? We've been in London long enough. I think my mom had been pining for me to come back quite a long time. So we came back and that's when we sort of thought, I really want to get married, start a family, and do those sort of things, which yeah, we came back after traveling for three months around Africa, Morocco. When I say Morocco, I mean, yeah, the whole of Africa, including Morocco. We went to Scotland, we went to Eastern Europe, we went to India, went to all these places for three, four months, came back in the May, and in the back of my head I was always like, I'm going to start my business again. I'm going to start my business again. I've got the experience now. I've got the experience now. So yeah, got back in the May while I was traveling, was thinking about what I wanted to start business. I wanted to start, I was sketching in a book business ideas and stuff like under the Serengeti sky. It
Danielle Lewis (10:37):
Was actually, oh my God, just CLE of inspiration.
Skye Anderton (10:41):
It was actually quite mind blowing to think about all this sort of stuff. And then, yeah, I came back July, I registered the business name Ruby Olive. I went and visited suppliers that same month. I started getting samples in a couple of months later. And then October I got married. We renovated a house during that time, and I think I was pregnant by December.
Danielle Lewis (11:08):
Oh my God. Way to do it all at once,
Skye Anderton (11:12):
Honestly. And then it hasn't stopped. So from thousand 10 to 2022, the last 12 years I haven't stopped. And it's been amazing. Honestly, I haven't wanted to change a thing. So it's been great.
Danielle Lewis (11:28):
Oh my God, that is absolutely incredible.
Skye Anderton (11:32):
So that's kind of the story. And then Ruby began and yeah, that's a whole nother rollercoaster.
Danielle Lewis (11:39):
Well, and look, that's the rollercoaster we're here to discuss. So reveal all,
Skye Anderton (11:46):
Look.
Danielle Lewis (11:48):
Well, a question I have, because you have been in business for so long, let's talk about that rollercoaster. So have there been times over the last 12 years where you have questioned why you even started a business in the first place? Or come across challenges where you thought, wow, really whilst I went out and I got all of this experience working for somebody else, when it came to a situation in my business, it's completely different. I had to learn new skills and new challenges along the way.
Skye Anderton (12:18):
Yeah, look, I don't think anyone can actually prepare you for actually starting your own business. As much experience as you have out in the real world. The positives and the negatives, I think you can't even understand and contemplate what involved.
Danielle Lewis (12:41):
There is no course that can answer all your
Skye Anderton (12:43):
Questions. There are, because everyone's different as well. Everyone's in everyone's experience and everyone's coming into starting a business with different experiences as well and different knowledge. So look, that's really interesting. But I guess your question on was there a time where I was like, why I do I want to do this or whatever? I have never, ever even the lowest of low. I have never ever thought, why am I doing this? Because I have always, always wanted to do this and never ever have. I just thought it'd be easier to work with someone else. And I probably said that it'd be easier and it would be easier. But I have never, ever, ever, honestly hand on heart ever wanted to do that.
Danielle Lewis (13:34):
That is so good. But I love that you kind of precursor it with even on in the lowest of moments because that's it, Ryan. It's not all unicorns and rainbows every
Skye Anderton (13:44):
Day. It's pretty much the opposite. So many days, the unicorns in the rainbows are few, and I shouldn't say that. There are, like we said before, it's what you make of it. But the lows are actually more often than the highs in terms of roller coaster. But I actually don't wind the lows because they add to the drive and they add to the excitement and they add to the pressure. And
Danielle Lewis (14:11):
That's where the growth happens, I think as well. It's not until you butt your head up against a brick wall that you kind of figure out how to get smash through it. Right?
Skye Anderton (14:21):
Exactly. Exactly. I mean, perfect example to this about, oh, I started the business 2010. It was going really, really well. I went and got into about two hundred, a hundred fifty, two hundred stores really quickly. The model was mainly focused on wholesale. I didn't really have an online presence as much. A little bit, but not really much. There were weeks where I didn't get an order online for sure. And so there was a point where the whole style started to drop, and I had to make a decision of do I focus on consumer and try to grow that or do I spend a lot of energy on wholesale? And I could really see that both of these areas were really struggling. And there was a point probably about two or three years where there was money that I was putting into the business left and center. Actually, it was my husband's money. Well, I shouldn't say my husband's money. Our money,
Danielle Lewis (15:19):
Family money. Yeah,
Skye Anderton (15:20):
Family money. But he was working my business basically to keep my business afloat. And had I not had a partner to be supportive in that role, the reality, I wouldn't have had a business. So I'm really grateful for that. But there was a point where he said, Skye, because he believed in me, yes. But he said, if you can't turn this business around by May next year, and this is one, I can't remember the exact year. So it was about five months away. You need to shut it down.
Danielle Lewis (15:58):
Wow. Because this
Skye Anderton (16:00):
Is not healthy. It is not the stress levels, the hemorrhaging money, hemorrhaging money. And we had two little babies at the time, two little kids, no money, and really, really, really tough stuff. And to hear that it was like a dagger in my heart, this baby nurtured and nurtured and nurtured. And I don't know what it was, but I thought I had a bit of a rocket up my butt. But that obviously gave the fuel to the fire
Danielle Lewis (16:30):
That lit
Skye Anderton (16:33):
And the way he said it so sternly. And I was like, there is no bloody way. I am closing this business. There's no plan B, no plan B, I have to make this work. So I just scurried and scurried and scurried. And I remember when my son started prep, I couldn't even afford school shoes for him. So I'm going to Big W and Kmart and I'm trying to work out what would be the cheapest school shoes.
Danielle Lewis (17:04):
Yeah, wow.
Skye Anderton (17:05):
And they're like a $12 one or an $8 one. That to me is I can't even believe that that's the reality.
Danielle Lewis (17:17):
That's huge though, right? Yeah. And I think it's so important to talk about as well, especially now where all you see is everyone's pseudo business success online. And we don't talk about these situations where your partner is saying, what the are you doing? Or you are in a position where you do have to go, well, what am I going to do here? Which shoe is the cheapest? That is a real reality of business at some points.
Skye Anderton (17:47):
Yeah. Oh, completely. But then like you say, everyone's got this Insta already their life, but I couldn't actually share that information on
Danielle Lewis (17:58):
Insta. Oh, absolutely not. Yeah,
Skye Anderton (18:00):
You've got this brand and so you've got to keep
Danielle Lewis (18:06):
Up the front
Skye Anderton (18:07):
Front. Exactly. But behind it, I was really, really struggling and really working out emotionally, am I going to make this through? Deep down I'm like, of course I'm going to bloody make this through. I've got to make this through because no plan B. And thankfully I did make this through, and we did have a really, really good couple of years and it's been amazing and wonderful. We did pivot and we did change, and our model changed and our model keeps changing. But I guess it's all about continuing to evolve and change and shit gets thrown at you and you're just got involved
Danielle Lewis (18:47):
And Oh, well, that's what I was going to say. It's never ending. Is it? Like we have financial crisis? Is this that? If it's not, yeah, the model of your business. And look, we all try things. I don't know how many times we've pivoted scrunch. It stopped counting now, but you have to until you get it right, and then all of a sudden cycle change and it'll be wrong and you have to try it again.
Skye Anderton (19:12):
A hundred percent. A hundred percent. So yes, lots of pivoting. But yeah, we thankfully have come out the other side and we've had a really, really good level of growth and I'm really proud of what we've achieved, which is great.
Danielle Lewis (19:25):
I love that so much. So as you did pivot, how did you make those decisions? Were there any obvious strategies that you tried that helped the growth or helped make the right decision?
Skye Anderton (19:40):
I am a quick decision maker. Number one. Good. I'm a quick decision maker, and I'm also a decision maker that relies on instinct.
(19:52):
So those two things, things that I think is a skill that I've developed over time, because I sometimes think you can overthink things. Obviously you do need to have a really clear pros, cons. You need to really think about the worst case scenario versus best case scenario. But really look at that worst case scenario. Yes, of course you need to look at those things to see whether the pivot is where you need to go. But I think once you've done that, I am able to do that really quickly. I'm able to make a decision when I make a decision. Okay, let's go. I don't sit on things too long. I just make decisions, which I think is,
Danielle Lewis (20:39):
And you've got to commit. Once you do make that decision, you've got to be all in of trying to make it work.
Skye Anderton (20:44):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Perfect. Was when I decided that I needed to focus on consumer, my consumer channel, my wholesale channel was dying for a number of reasons. And that online shopping started to increase and become really popular. And I decided, okay, I need to focus on this. So I went deep. I went deep on Facebook ads, I went deep on all these things. I learned it. I personally learned it.
Danielle Lewis (21:15):
And that was my question. So was it you doing it all in the beginning?
Skye Anderton (21:18):
I went and found coaches. I went and found everyone that I was just on. And so just having those mastermind groups and coaches and just surrounding myself in that world deep, it almost gave me a bit of tunnel vision to focus on that area. And thankfully, and in my head, I was like, well, I'll give it a year and if I can't see a little bit of growth after a year, then I'll rethink the plan. But that was the plan. And thankfully that year did turn into the next year and the next year and the next year, and it was the right direction for me. But yeah, it's a hard one. I'm like, is this the right direction for me? I'm just going to just try it and maybe just get hopefully a few little wins and just see a few little patterns. And every time I had a win, oh, let's do more of that.
(22:15):
If something didn't work, okay, well let's try this. Let's try this. And it's totally testing and measuring. And one of my coaches back then used to be so big on testing and measuring, he was like, you can't improve what you don't know. And if you don't test and measure, what's the point in doing it? You have to test, you have to measure, you have to learn from your mistakes and learn from your results. And you can't do that anecdotally. And you can't do that just from looking. And you've got to actually look at the data.
Danielle Lewis (22:51):
Yeah. So what has worked well for you? So thinking about e-commerce, marketing in the last, I don't know, three or four years, what are you seeing that's working really well?
Skye Anderton (23:03):
I think it's changed a lot since I started. Most definitely. I mean, when I first started quite a few years ago, Facebook ads and social ads was working. And I think we all know that that's not working as well as what it has, but really the customer realizing the customer's really important and customer messaging is really important, and customer journeys are really important. So every customer is different. And having a really clear message in your email marketing, email marketing is huge. Absolutely huge for us. And making sure we've got a really clear email marketing strategy is really, really important. And just nurturing the customers and telling the customers a little bit about who we are as people because that whole thing of people buy from people they know and trust if they know you and if you can get in front of the camera and if you can actually speak to your customers, I don't do it all the time. I probably need to do it more. And I did it a lot more back a few years ago when I had a lot more growth. It made a huge big difference. People could see that you weren't just a faceless brand, you're actually a real person with a real business and you're
Danielle Lewis (24:23):
Worth supporting.
Skye Anderton (24:24):
Yeah, well, I would like to think so.
(24:28):
That's a huge thing, just not being a faceless brand. And look, if you've got heaps and heaps of marketing budget and you're a brand that's got shareholders and all that sort of stuff, that's a different story because you've got budget and you can build that brand through money. But when you're small and when you are growing and you business, it's really all about what is the message that you're trying to share? What are people going to relate to? And why would someone buy from you opposed to somebody else that sells jewelry, for example? What are you going to offer, whether it's through supporting a female artist or whether it's your values or whether it's supporting another charity or whatever it is. I think it's really important to have those really clear points of difference that you can share with your customers.
Danielle Lewis (25:22):
And I love that too, because the answer you gave was the thing that doesn't cost money. Sitting down and really intimately understanding who your customer is, making sure you own the relationship with your customer IE email list, and then making sure that you nurture them and communicate with them, that is all the free stuff, right? Yes, absolutely. I understand you need to drive traffic to your website, and so there will be costs associated with new customers, all that stuff. But the real game changer is the stuff that is you sitting down understanding who your customer is, and then you showing up and reminding people that you're a human.
Skye Anderton (26:03):
A hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. It's so important. It really is. So important.
Danielle Lewis (26:09):
Is there something you would do? You just sparked a thought thinking about people showing up online and how different that is to when we all started a decade ago, but if you were starting a business from scratch today, would there be anything that you would do differently than when you first started?
Skye Anderton (26:29):
Oh, look, I think when I first started, I was just throwing things and hoping something would stick.
Danielle Lewis (26:37):
I think I still am some days.
Skye Anderton (26:40):
Yeah, absolutely. Look, I think one of the things that's made a huge big difference to me is learning from other people, like getting coaches and mastermind groups and really talking to people about what's working for them and learning. And I don't think I really got that. Well, I did. I was involved with a few coach groups, but just really in a specific area. I think I'd probably do that sooner just for guidance, because you don't know what you don't know, right?
Danielle Lewis (27:20):
Yeah,
Skye Anderton (27:20):
Totally. And so if you can learn from people that have done it before or are an expert, you can get the knowledge so much faster. And now there's so much crap out there. There's so many cowboys, there's so many YouTube channels, oh, this is this and all, I get ads all the time, and I think my inbox is full every single day on, I'm going to help you generate X number of sales, blah, blah, blah, blah. It's all crap. But how do you see the wood from the trees? How do you see the good ones from the plethora of crap ones? It is really, really hard. And that's why talking to people and getting recommendations from people is so important. So I think that's definitely what I would do differently.
Danielle Lewis (28:12):
Yeah, totally. I think that that's like the blessing and the curse of social media a, the blessing that yes, anyone can start a business today. Anyone can put themselves out there today, and it's so easy. But the flip side to that is it means anyone can say anything they want and make any claims they want. And you Right. Not all of them are perhaps living what they preach. If I hear one more person say, be a seven figure entrepreneur, I'm going to
Skye Anderton (28:44):
In six months or a year
Danielle Lewis (28:47):
Totally. With no effort just showing up on reels.
Skye Anderton (28:51):
Yeah, exactly.
Danielle Lewis (28:52):
Just dance on reels and you'll be a millionaires. Drives me crazy. I what
Skye Anderton (28:57):
A burst your bubble. But anyway,
Danielle Lewis (29:01):
It's true. But no, I love that. I love that investing in learning earlier in your niche and getting recommendations from other people. I think that that's brilliant.
Skye Anderton (29:14):
And I think being a lifelong learner, being a forever learner is something which I always want to be. And you never know enough. You
Danielle Lewis (29:27):
Have to learn Well, and it changes all the time as well. Doesn't, like you said, it's completely different than when you first started.
Skye Anderton (29:33):
It changes every six months. And I enjoy learning. I listen to stuff all the time, and I do really enjoy it. So I think that helps a lot. Just being inquisitive.
Danielle Lewis (29:47):
I love that. And what about switching off? So we mentioned, I think before we hit record, that it's manic leading into Christmas for most of us, but how have you managed a family, a personal life, a not letting the business consume you? Do you have any insights? Wisdom for us? Serial crazy entrepreneurs.
Skye Anderton (30:11):
Yeah, serial crazy entrepreneurs. Yes. Look, I do think that my business and my life, my personal life are very much enmeshed. I think when you run a business or when you are an entrepreneur, you don't have a family life and a business, I don't think. I mean, I'm sure everyone's different. That's fine. Totally
Danielle Lewis (30:44):
Pick your own path. People
Skye Anderton (30:46):
Pick own path. Exactly. And what works for some people and what works for others is totally fine. And I'm not here to judge, but for me, my world is very enmeshed and it's actually totally fine. And I love it. And my son, who's now 11, he has always seen me being an entrepreneur. I am very present to them. I pick them up from school nearly every day, so I am really present to them. But he's seen me being an entrepreneur. And guess what? He just started his own little business a couple of years ago.
Danielle Lewis (31:23):
Stop it. 11. Oh my God. Now I feel like I'm behind in life. What's he doing?
Skye Anderton (31:28):
He started it at nine. Yeah. So he's doing really well. He's doing really, really well. And he's been on podcasts and stuff as well.
Danielle Lewis (31:41):
Oh my God,
Skye Anderton (31:42):
This is incredible. It's not necessarily a bad thing. Him seeing stuff and we talk about things all the time. And my other son, he couldn't care less. He just wants the money. He doesn't want to do the work. The son that's got the business actually couldn't care less about the money. He just really loves having a business.
Danielle Lewis (32:04):
That's funny.
Skye Anderton (32:06):
It is just funny. Everyone's different. But yeah, I think it is important that I do pick the kids up from school, and I think it is important that I do have that time with my husband at night. I do cook dinner and I do do all those domestic things. I might go back and do work when the kids go to sleep. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I definitely don't do it as much now than what I did when I first started, when I was on that treadmill trying to survive. But I just moved to acreage, which is a bit exciting. Oh,
(32:46):
Amazing. So my whole life now is so different because we've got space and I find it your environment. I didn't realize how much your environment plays such a big role in that balance. So I could be working on my phone out the front in amongst all the gumtrees, but I'm so relaxed and chilled and not actually feel like I'm working because I'm not a desk in front my computer. So there's all those little things where yeah, it is. Look, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love it. It is very enmeshed, but I'm okay with that.
Danielle Lewis (33:30):
Well, and I do love though that the point about your environment and also, so it's almost like life design. So you can choose your own path, right? Go all crazy into business work 24 hours a day, no stress, or you know what? Just work around kids schedules or find a balance or whatever it is. I think it is the what gives you energy and when do you show up for work and it not feel like work. I do love that I try and work by the pool sometimes, so I'm like super chill, getting some sunshine. I feel like I'm on a holiday holiday and I'm finishing up my emails. How do you insert those moments in your life and business so that they do all work together?
Skye Anderton (34:22):
Together? Yeah, exactly. Look, even when I'm going on holidays, I know my husband always says, you got to turn off for a week. But I actually quite just tapping in and seeing what everyone's doing and just answering a few questions, just I don't mind it. I quite like it.
Danielle Lewis (34:42):
And sometimes when you switch off, that's when all the ideas come.
Skye Anderton (34:47):
That's right. That is right. Going away for a long weekend and all these ideas come. That's very true. Which, yeah, it's also very, you're writing down these ideas.
Danielle Lewis (34:56):
You can't switch off being an entrepreneur, can you?
Skye Anderton (34:59):
No. You can't. No, exactly. My brain does work crazy hours.
Danielle Lewis (35:05):
I love it. I love it. I can relate. I can relate.
Skye Anderton (35:08):
Yeah. Well, I think sometimes people, because my son's brain works like that as well, but I think a lot of kids and a lot of adults are told that you should do this and you should do that. But I guess whatever works for you. If your brain does work like that, embrace it. It's not a fault of your brain. You may need to learn some tools or techniques to calm your brain if it's manic or if you're anxious or something like that. But we're born with what we are born with, and I just think sometimes we just need to embrace our way. We embrace
Danielle Lewis (35:51):
Our crazy,
Skye Anderton (35:53):
Embrace our crazy. That's right. I'm okay with it. I've learned to be okay with it.
Danielle Lewis (35:59):
I love it. I love it. It's so good. Okay, let's leave the Spark community with one last nugget of wisdom. So a lot of people that tune in are women in business. If you could give yourself one piece of advice reflecting on the years of being in business to a new business owner, what might that be?
Skye Anderton (36:21):
Oh my gosh.
Danielle Lewis (36:23):
This always puts people on the spot. I really should tell people about this question
Skye Anderton (36:27):
I thought, and I had a really good juicy, juicy one, but I'm worried that it's still just be,
Danielle Lewis (36:33):
I think anything that you say will be absolutely incredible and valuable to people. So
Skye Anderton (36:42):
Just don't doubt yourself. I think don't doubt yourself and believe in yourself. I think too many women in business or too many women in business just don't believe in themselves enough, and they don't go for those jobs that they think that they'd be great at, but they don't believe that they're good enough or they don't start a business because they're just a bit concerned. I just think believe in yourself.
Danielle Lewis (37:08):
I love it. I think if we all bloody believed in ourselves a little bit more, the world would be a better place.
Skye Anderton (37:16):
And having confidence is actually really hard.
Danielle Lewis (37:22):
Oh, totally. Totally.
Skye Anderton (37:24):
That whole imposter and all that sort of stuff, I'm all over that. I'm gone with that now because kind of like, well, I've done my time and I'm confident and I'm this and I'm that, and I'm very proud of where I stand. But it's not like that at the beginning, is it?
Danielle Lewis (37:42):
No, absolutely not.
Skye Anderton (37:45):
It's hard,
Danielle Lewis (37:46):
And I think it sometimes comes and goes. I mean, kudos to you because overcome it all. But I think for me, sometimes some days I'm like, absolutely. I know this shit. I'm nailing it. It's awesome. But then I'll be like, I want to push myself and go into this and this is new. And I will be that. Oh, can I do that? Am I allowed to do that? I don't really know what I'm doing over there. And it creates back course you can. And you do have to kind of kick yourself up the bum a little bit and say, absolute bloody, literally, I can do whatever I want.
Skye Anderton (38:17):
Yes, exactly. Exactly. It's having that belief. Yeah. Got this girl.
Danielle Lewis (38:22):
So good. Excellent. Way to end the podcast. You are amazing. Skye. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your wisdom with Spark.
Skye Anderton (38:32):
My pleasure. Speak to you soon at another
Danielle Lewis (38:34):
Champagne, please. Not enough. We have not had enough champagne in our lives.
