Niche Talks™ with Penny Lee Penny Lee

In this episode we are talking about the power of niche for your business with Polly Lavarello.



Polly didn't always have a cushy business. She became self-employed as a single mum of two kids under the age of 3. Living on benefits, life was anything but cushy.Something needed to change. Passionate about marketing Polly went and found her place in the online space. She slowed down to speed up. Got super intentional. Got crystal clear on her strengthiest strengths, who she wants to serve and HOW. We discuss the drive to help women create businesses that give them space and give them the permission slip to be fully themselves – and why both are vital. Polly also hosts the Make More Money Podcast.



Yep there’s swearing.





SHOW NOTES:



https://pollylavarello.com/





Polly on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/pollylavarello/





Make More Money Podcast:https://pollylavarello.com/podcast







Find Penny here - www.thebranddirectoress.com







TAKEAWAYS




Finding your niche is essential in the online business space to stand out and make yourself unforgettable.
Being unapologetically yourself and leaning into what lights you up will attract like-minded clients and create a strong brand.
Success is not about following someone else's measure of success, but about defining what success looks like for you.
Taking the time to refine your offers and create exemplary experiences for your clients is crucial for long-term success.
Being curious, intentional, and playful in your business allows for continuous learning and growth.



CHAPTERS



00:00 Introduction and Meeting Polly

06:05 Creating a Solution for a Specific Problem

10:26 From Generalist to Niche

25:07 The Changing Landscape of Launches and the Power of a Strong Niche



Chapter timings may be slightly out due to editing.

In this episode we getting some doing your own thing and niching down insights from Sally Mansfield.



Solo parent of a 12 year old, Owner and founder of manners London, lifelong hustler (on a quest for rest), poem scribbler, word lover, joy seeker, designer & survivor.



Sally has created the brand born out of necessity, tenacity and the love for sisterhood (more on that in our chat) ‘To lift you up when all the women in you are tired.’ Using a trademark jersey fabric for everything – this is not your average body con. Sally’s entrepreneurial spirit is contagious and her love for community and power of sisterhood runs deep.



Find your niche, find your people – and never more so than this example from Sally. Manners London is as much about community as it is clothes. From the customers, fans, collaborators to the sewists.



A heads up there is swearing (again - and reckon probably in every episode coming to realise). 







SHOW NOTES:



https://www.mannersldn.com/





Meet the founder:

https://www.mannersldn.com/pages/story





Sally on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/sallymanners/





https://www.instagram.com/mannerslondon/





https://www.instagram.com/studiomanners/







Find Penny here - www.thebranddirectoress.com







TAKEAWAYS




Starting a business can be a way to rebuild and create a better future after a difficult situation.
Authenticity and staying true to your values are key in building a brand that resonates with others.
Creating a community of like-minded individuals who support and uplift each other is a powerful aspect of a business.
Having a clear vision and purpose can guide your business decisions and help you overcome challenges.
Future plans can include expanding the business and creating opportunities for others to rest and rejuvenate.





CHAPTERS



00:00 Introduction and Background

03:02 Starting Manners London: From Bali to London

09:53 The Power of Authenticity and Connection

16:01 Expanding from Online to a Physical Shop

27:59 Future Plans: Creating a Retreat Center

35:03 Conclusion

In this episode, opening of season 2 we come right out of the gate with Adman turned artist David Buonaguidi aka The real Hackney Dave. 



Son of Italian immigrant parents. Leaving school with art and woodwork Dave got into Advertising. And what a career. Heading up and co-founding several acclaimed creative agencies, creative directing at channel 4 and then back to agencies – But all that glitters is not always gold. Dave talks about how things really felt, how he has always fought for different and what has led Dave back in the art studio and waking up in the mornings fired up.



The niche is in your values – and this conversation explores how the push for doing things differently is not always an easy ride – yet the drive always leads to new adventures.



A heads up there is swearing. 



Please note the time stamps below may be slightly out due to editing.



SHOW NOTES:



https://realhackneydave.com/



Link to the MAMA project on his insta:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxwGEieIsPa/?img_index=1



Some extra bits about Dave:

https://jealousgallery.com/collections/dave-buonaguidi



https://printclublondon.com/artist/dave-buonaguidi/



https://www.moreaboutadvertising.com/2022/11/dave-buonaguidi-guest-edits-the-big-issues-art-edition/



Find Penny here - www.thebranddirectoress.com



TAKEAWAYS


Finding your own path and making your own way is a process that requires self-discovery and perseverance.
It is important to stay true to your values and create a work environment that aligns with them.
Transitioning from one industry to another can be challenging, but it can also lead to personal and professional growth.
Following your passion and pursuing your dreams can bring fulfilment and happiness. Safety and authenticity are crucial in creative work.
It's never too late to start a new venture.
The midlife realisation that time is running out can be a powerful motivator.
Being selfish in a positive way can lead to personal growth and fulfilment.
Constantly improving and climbing the ladder of success is important in all aspects of life.
Finding and doing what you love is essential for personal happiness.
Niche and personal expression can be powerful tools in advertising and art.
Emotional connection and visual communication are key in creating impactful work.
Personal identity and connection to place can inspire creativity.
Embracing personal projects and constantly challenging oneself leads to growth and fulfilment.



CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:57 Finding Your Own Path

10:10 Setting Up a Cooperative Agency

14:00 Challenges of Growing a Business

24:58 Rediscovering Art and Values

29:54 Transitioning to Full-Time Artist

30:56 The Need for Safety and Authenticity

32:19 Starting a New Venture Later in Life

33:27 The Midlife Realisation

34:21 Being Selfish in a Positive Way

35:37 Constantly Improving and Climbing the Ladder

36:18 Finding and Doing What You Love

38:24 The Power of Niche and Personal Expression

39:26 The Importance of Emotional Connection in Advertising

41:50 Propaganda and the Power of Visual Communication

43:15 Creating a Brand Universe

45:18 The Evolution of Niche and Personal Expression

48:30 Exploring Personal Identity and Connection to Place

52:17 Embracing Personal Projects and Constantly Challenging Yourself

In this episode, Penny is getting her niche vibe on with Charlie Gladstone.  A creative entrepreneur with over 33 years experience of running his own businesses, mainly in retail, hospitality, events and food. Employing over 100 people across a host of small businesses, all of which were founded by and are owned by Charlie. His specialism is in creativity and in empowering, hiring and retaining great people through strong but gentle leadership. His absolute passion is enabling people to thrive in a productive, happy and profitable environment. A large number of his team have worked for him for over 15 years and some for between 25 and 33 years. His businesses have won multiple awards and been awarded the status of Cool Brand three times. A father of six, author of two books, podcaster of 70 editions, business coach, enthusiast, mentor and creative thinker.





How do you/can you niche down when you are a multi-hyphenate – when you are someone who does many things? Charlie does many things. And yet his whole approach is niche and this is what we talk about. 





SHOW NOTES: 

https://charliegladstone.com/

https://www.hawardenestate.co.uk/

https://www.glendyecabinsandcottages.com/



Glen Dye podcast episode 1 where Charlie tells the story of the place:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6PqpoENvoceLBX4lRyrxBS?si=e20cbdf57d5244ef



The Do Team book:

https://thedobook.co/products/do-team-how-to-get-the-best-from-everyone



Charlie on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/chasgladstone/

In this episode, Penny is getting her niche vibe on with her sister Kate Wadsworth. A teacher of twenty years, Kate stepped out of the classroom 18 months ago. She has taken a bold move to look at disrupting education with positive change. Training as a coach and bringing that into education and starting the platform What if Education?®



What If Education?® is on a mission to make education happier, more relevant and less stressful by looking at learning differently. 

It’s a bold mission and the dreams are big, and the journey starts here...





SHOW NOTES:

https://whatifeducation.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/what.if.education/

In this episode, Penny is getting her niche vibe on with Debbie Edwards. A strategist, entrepreneur, speaker, investor, and performance coach working globally with entrepreneurs, CEO's and senior executives. Debbie has years of experience in growth strategy and cultural change working with teams and individuals on strategic performance through gentle leadership.

Debbie has developed a body of work around the liberation of human beings in the workplace. First as the Founder of Edtech startup FDisruptors, a tech platform designed to increase diversity in tech, and now as a performance and transformation coach enabling entrepreneurs and CEO's to create the life that they want through the powerful gateways of gentleness and radical self love.

We talk how niching down allows you to do what you want to do – how you want to do it. 



SHOW NOTES:

https://www.instagram.com/_debbieedwards_/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-edwards-lovepioneer/