Helen Sanders

Video Transcript:

Since I joined the EC, my business has completely changed. In fact, I sold one business because of what I’ve learned at the EC. And now, I’ve started a new business and two and a half years in, I can safely say I would not be in this mindset of success, and I wouldn’t be surrounded by amazing people within my business and also at EC, in order to really push on with my business, my family and my life. So it has been a holistic change all round.

In terms of my business, I could not have said I knew anything about marketing before I joined the EC. I still don’t proclaim to be an expert, but that’s fine because there’s plenty of experts at EC that guide me to know what I need to be doing for my business. And then I can implement it, albeit it might take a bit longer than other people, but I still get it done. And it still has really pushed my business on.

I first joined the EC because I felt quite lonely as a business owner. And then, as soon as I joined and I started going to all the regional meetings and the national meetings, I didn’t miss any. In fact, I’ve never missed any. And then, when the TEEPS came along, it means that I hadn’t realised that I was lonely, but then you get together with lots of other people who run their own businesses, and you realise that we’re all in the same boat. We’re all running different businesses, completely different businesses, but we all have the same pains. We all have the same reasons, similar reasons, for pushing on and wanting to do what’s best for our business and for our families.

So I didn’t realise that it was like that before I joined the EC. And now that I’ve joined the EC and made some really good friends, as well as made some really good associates that I know, get me, get my pain, in terms of my business, and understand where I’m coming from as a business owner. Friends and family around me, don’t really understand that. Whereas I know that I’ve got a ready made community there who have got my back.

In terms of numbers, since I joined the EC, I sold a business. I started a new business the day after I sold that business. And the first year was okay. It was pretty solid, okay. The second year was okay. And I’m now into my third year and I’m nearly six months into my third year, and I’ve already done revenue wise what I did for the whole of last year, I would like to say absolutely hand on heart, that the EC has played a massive part in that; be it finding out about applications like Zero, be it to finding really good accountants, book keepers, being surrounded by people who get how hard it is to run your own business.

But also, it’s about mindset, massively about mindset. I know that I can pick up the phone and make an appointment with a member of the team, who I see at regionals, and they get me back on track. If I’m having one of those weeks where perhaps financially things aren’t quite working out, or marketing-wise things aren’t quite working out, and I can absolutely hand on heart say that the EC has played a massive part in improving the wealth and the health of the business, which then impacts massively on my family and the rest of my wider community.

I can’t have one favourite thing. So it isn’t one favourite thing from the EC, because there are too many. I can’t have one favourite thing, so there must be at least five. I won’t take up your time, but TEEPS have been incredible, whether you go on one of the one day ones, or the showcase ones that Nigel runs. I sometimes pick on courses in January for a TEEP in the November. And then think when I get to November, why did I pick on that again? I still go. And then I come away and I always, always pick up two or three nuggets.

Another one of my favourites are the Nationals. I would not miss a national and I haven’t missed a National. I always come away feeling really inspired, literally bouncing off the walls because it just reinvigorates and reaffirms with me why I’m doing this. And the fact that I know that I can push my business on to be even better. And the third thing that I would say, and this is my final thing, is the people within the EC and people that not just work at the EC, but the community that the EC have brought together of fellow business owners, absolutely hands down a winning combination.

Helen Sanders – WingroveTailored Ltd