In this episode...

Sophia Noreen: 0:00

I showed a few colleagues and they looked at me, I tell you, Laura, they looked at me and they were like, what the heck are you doing? They're like, you should be pursuing this. This is not something that just sits on the sideline. And I think that it was what I needed to be pushed off that cliff with two feet into the unknown. Yeah. But funny enough. So I did resign.

Laura: 0:21

And I told them about all the duties just as a mom and that kind of thing that I was doing. And they looked at me like I had three heads and it was that moment where it all made sense to me, that I was trying to do too much and everything just seemed to not be falling into place. So I gave my notice.

Sophia Noreen: 0:46

Welcome to the Boss It Podcast. My name is Sophia Noreen and I took an Etsy startup and launched it in big box retailers within 12 months. As a creative with an entrepreneurial drive, I left my full time career in healthcare to find better harmony between career, family and self care. We believe you can have it all. Yes, you can launch and run a successful scalable business while maintaining harmony in all aspects of your life. We believe we can learn from each other and draw on many experiences to create the best life possible. During each episode, we will share proven life hacks that will keep you on top and striving every day. There should be no hesitation. Make a plan. Take action. We are here for you.

Laura: 1:28

Welcome everyone here at boss it Sophia Noreen and me, Laura are so excited to give you a little insight on our entrepreneurial journey. But first we would love to hear from you. Join us in our Boss It community, by heading over to our website Bossitclub.com and join our mailing list. As we grow, we will be launching our community of fellow Boss It BFFs, and we want you to be a part of it. Okay. Sophia Noreen. Let's dig into this. I can't wait to tell them all about how we got here. Are you ready?

Sophia Noreen: 2:01

Oh yeah.

Laura: 2:02

All our amazing listeners heard in our last episode, Sophia Noreen, you started out in the healthcare field and fast forward to today are running a successful product based business. So like what the heck. You to fill in the blanks for us? How did you get here?

Sophia Noreen: 2:19

Oh, my goodness. So guys, thank you so much for joining us. Yes. I'm going to tell you today a little bit more about how I got into this crazy world of entrepreneurship and running on my own business. As I was actually, and I still am a registered physiotherapists. I was working in a really cushy job. like many people are before they go on this journey. I was working at a local hospital and I had a full pension, a hundred percent benefits and a four weeks vacation. I didn't need to work on the weekends anymore. I didn't need to work in the evenings anymore. And a lot of people were just like, "what is she doing? My story really starts with the fact that there was something missing in our product based world. As a Muslim mom, we realized very quickly that our children didn't have very much exposure to our cultural holidays, Eid and Ramadan. Of course, like any mom, we started to take it upon ourselves to DIY and to look at other ways of bringing the culture and religious aspects into the home during these times. And so I tell you, Laura, I literally started looking on Amazon and I was looking for Eid balloons. I almost bought Eid balloons for $30; like latex balloons that were like just 10 latex balloons and they weren't even rated well. At the time I had a colleague of mine that worked with me in the clinic and her name's Khadeeja; shot out to Khadeeja, because without her, I don't think we would have actually gone very far. She was that person who was like, "Oh my gosh, can you please hurry up and just make the money envelopes." She was trying to buy Etsy printables and go ahead and, glue them together. And she was trying to make money envelopes to give to the kids. We give money traditionally. So back home, in, the middle East and Asia a lot of these places don't generally have money envelopes. I know some Eastern cultures, they have money envelopes like Chinese new year, you get the red, lucky envelope. So I thought, why don't we have something like that? And it would really energize the kids they'll see the money envelopes. And of course kids like money, but little kids don't have any concept of money. So the envelopes we designed them to be really cute and they were a hit. That was our first product coming out. I was pretty bold and, I started doing the manufacturing overseas because I just wanted to make sure that it was affordable for every family that wanted to celebrate Eid and Ramadan in the same fashion with money envelopes and with party decorations all those, bells and whistles that come along with celebrations. We wanted to make it affordable and we took some risks. We went to scale the business faster, I think, than most would have given the fact that it was a very new concept. Money envelopes had come out, but not at the same scale and, right out of the gate so many people loved the product. The first year we sold out and then the second year I ordered a larger amount and we were very fortunate to start scaling very quickly. We were able to enter Indigo, which is a bookstore in Canada, and we entered a few of their stores and they even let us hold events. We had released the greeting cards. We had some toys on the market. So Laura, I went like full gangbusters on products. Like I didn't hold back. when I have an idea in my head, I don't generally stop.

Laura: 5:50

Yeah. So it all basically came from this need in the market. As a mum, you recognize that what you were looking for wasn't out there. And so you just took it upon yourself to go source it and make it and have it brought to people in an affordable way. And I think that's so awesome.

Sophia Noreen: 6:08

100%. That was the biggest thing. And I think, given the fact that I was that customer, it was even easier to push it. I think also I was surrounded by people who also needed the product. So that was also another motivating factor. You need to know, I guess a little bit about the job, right? Like the fact that I left my full time job.

Laura: 6:30

You had this amazing idea and you followed it all the way through. And as you said, like huge dedication came out with a massive product line and, did some amazing launches in some big box retailers. I guess currently then what. Does your journey look like now? So I know a lot of people sometimes, go all in and, just quit their day job. but tell us a little bit more about what that current situation looks like for you.

Sophia Noreen: 6:58

I guess I was doing it for about a year, as like a hobby shop. It's a seasonal business. It was only six weeks. And then I decided to go one step further and I went to a convention and I came back from the convention and it was a good convention. I felt oh, a lot of people like the products and I got some good feedback. The sales were not as great as I thought they would be, but when you go to events, I said, Oh, I'm there for networking which I did. So it was great. When I got back to the office,- so I'm working my full time job at the hospital- I showed a few colleagues and they looked at me, I tell you, Laura, they looked at me and they were like, what the heck are you doing? They're like, you should be pursuing this. This is not something that just sits on the sideline. And I think that it was what I needed to be pushed off that cliff with two feet into the unknown. Yeah. But funny enough. So I did resign. I gave them a very, I get them four weeks because I think I also needed that four weeks buffer time to just wrap my head around what I was getting myself into. Ironically, another job presented itself and I told this other job, I said, "I don't mind helping out, but I do not want to work full time anymore". I want to work part time. I was also in the midst of trying to juggle the family with the young kids, working full time and a job that was not ending at 4:00 PM. It was going well past, into my night hours. And I wanted to also work on Also Sophia, which is a product based business. So when I made the request to be part time, they scaled the job down and they actually wrote, they basically wrote that they would accommodate to my needs. And so I said, okay, like, why not? I'll do the part time work I'll work on Also Sophia part time. And so that's what I'm currently doing. The product based business continues to scale. We managed to do Walmart last year, so that was fantastic. And let's see where we go. I still want to work part time. I think like you said, it's, everyone has a kind of a different path. So yeah, I guess that's where I am in right now in the present moment. I'm working part time. I'm working on Also Sophia part time. So yeah, basically Boss It Club is going to be my new baby because Also Sophia is growing up. It's in the toddler stages And of course my clinic, part time work is there and I'm fully dedicated to that as well. I guess I'm just a person who just likes to do a lot of things.

Laura: 9:30

She's just a mom juggling all the things.

Sophia Noreen: 9:34

Yeah.

Laura: 9:34

Okay. So I love that. Thanks for giving us sort of the insight on your journey and how, who you are and where you came from. That's amazing. Because I'm your BFF. And I know all the dirt, I think it's time to share with everyone else.

Sophia Noreen: 9:49

What kind of data are we talking about?

Laura: 9:51

Let's do a fun, little rapid fire question round. I'm just going to ask you a bunch of questions and I just want sweet, short, simple answers to let our listeners get to know you. Okay. You're ready.

Sophia Noreen: 10:03

I'm ready, girl.

Laura: 10:05

Okay. So sweet or salty?

Sophia Noreen: 10:08

Definitely. Sweet.

Laura: 10:09

Yeah. you like the sweet, what is your favorite indulgence?

Sophia Noreen: 10:13

Oh, my gosh, Laura Secord chocolate dipped, ice cream cone. I don't even think you know that.

Laura: 10:19

I think this is new, but I do know your love for ice cream; that's for sure and chocolate. What is your favorite place you've ever visited?

Sophia Noreen: 10:28

That is a difficult one. I was very fortunate to visit a lot of places.

Laura: 10:32

Name something that sort of sticks out in your mind or something unique or different.

Sophia Noreen: 10:36

I really enjoyed going to China. We went for a vacation and we were only there for a few weeks, but, I really enjoyed it. I also liked Africa though. So it's a toss up.

Laura: 10:46

Yeah. Oh, both amazing places who wouldn't love that. and I know the answer to this, but everyone else needs to know. What is your favorite activity for relaxation?

Sophia Noreen: 10:57

Oh yes, this is, you should know this.

Laura: 11:00

How do you get Zen?

Sophia Noreen: 11:01

I do yoga. And with that comes meditation every week.

Laura: 11:06

Yup. She loves her yoga. Amazing. I'm going to ask you one last question. I would love to know what is the best part so far about being your own boss?

Sophia Noreen: 11:17

Oh, wow. I really think it is the speed of execution. I love being able to see things happen. I love to be able to basically move as fast as I want to go. That's what I love about being my own boss. Before, if I was working for a company that was larger, it would take a long time to see results. And now if I want to start this podcast past, we can start it in as much time as we need. It's like Parkinson's law. The time you give it as the time it will take. Essentially, I love seeing things happen.

Laura: 11:56

and fast.

Sophia Noreen: 11:57

And I apologize to Laura for that in advance because sometimes she's like, "I'm so" ...what did you say, Laura? You're like, "my brain is full".

Laura: 12:04

Yeah. I can't do anymore.

Sophia Noreen: 12:07

One. you're like "Take a lap. I'm not talking to you about this today"

Laura: 12:11

It's so true. So true.

Sophia Noreen: 12:13

All right. It's my turn. I could ask you a bunch of questions, so people get to know who Laura Elizabeth is.

Laura: 12:20

Let's do it. Okay.

Sophia Noreen: 12:22

So everyone, Laura was a charted professional accounted, and she actually still is, but I want her to give us a little more insight on her journey in being her own boss. So Laura. I want you to start from the beginning.

Laura: 12:35

Oh goodness.

Sophia Noreen: 12:36

How did you get from being a charter professional accountant into photography full time?

Laura: 12:43

Okay. so I started out in business, out of college, I graduated and I knew that I wanted to own my own business. It's always been something that in the back of my mind, growing up in an entrepreneurial household that I wanted to do, so I graduated from college. I was ready, set to own my own business. I had my business plans drawn up and applied to, every place I possibly could to get money and kept meeting that with a lot of resistance, I just wasn't able to get enough capital to go forward with the plans that I wanted to do. So at that point, I had to stop and reevaluate it and decide what I could do as a person living in a small town. I wanted to be successful at whatever it was that I was going to do, but I just didn't quite know that path. So I continued on, at university in business, at the university level and decided to become a chartered accountant. And after completing that, I worked at a public firm for about five years. Got my designation and my wet feet, but in that area. But while I was doing that, I also started a family. And as a mom with young kids, it's so hard to balance a career that's extremely demanding on your time. We had to work during tax season on Saturdays, and I just found it very hard because my partner is also a self employed individual too. I found this passion as a new mom photographing my baby, my first baby. And that passion just grew into a side gig. And I started doing the photography just on the side to fill a passion that was in me. So after about three years of juggling working full time, doing photography on the side, I came to a crossroad where I just knew that how I was living my life at that point, wasn't working, there was just too many balls in the air and I couldn't keep everything straight. Because I had that business backing and that desire to always own my own company, I basically just quit my full time job and did photography.

Sophia Noreen: 15:20

So you literally jumped in. Two feet.

Laura: 15:23

Yup. I think I had a conversation one night with a group of girls and I was telling them, okay, when I go to work for this time to this time, and then I leave and then I come home and I edit or I'm coming home and shooting someone. And I told them about all the duties just as a mom and that kind of thing that I was doing. And they looked at me like I had three heads and it was that moment where it all made sense to me, that I was trying to do too much and everything just seemed to not be falling into place. So I gave my notice. While I do say I jumped two feet in, yeah, totally went a full time photographer, I do want to backtrack just a smidge. There were some calculated risks that I did, make in doing that decision. I think that I did do some preparation of our lifestyle in order to go forward with that risk. So it wasn't totally spontaneous .Yeah, I think it's important to note that it wasn't like total cold Turkey just for our listeners out there.

Sophia Noreen: 16:29

Yeah, that's perfect. so basically, so they know that Laura being the responsible professional charted accountant, knew that she needed to do X amounts

Laura: 16:38

I would say that I just made some lifestyle changes and we made some life decisions before doing that big jump. So we as a family had some good footing in terms of, we had. Been building and moving a lot in our houses. And, also just making some financial decisions on what we weren't going to spend anymore, now that I was making a new jump on a career. So there was some prep because like you said, that I am an, a chartered accountant as well. And I do like to take some calculated risks.

Sophia Noreen: 17:10

You strategically planned your lifestyle to match your income level because let's face it. It is a difficult transition and it's something that a lot of people may not consider when they're looking at their passion project or their side hustle. Why is it that they're still working there full time job? Because it's the one that actually pays the bills. And that's a reality for a number of years while a business is being established. And they're not alone on that journey. I think everyone has to go through that and one of the options is what Laura did in that she jumped in two feet, but she definitely compromise different aspects; so luxuries that you had before you sacrifice when you just had started becoming full time with your photography. Versus what I did is I actually am sacrificing my time because I actually work more at night and Laura knows this very well. I work the midnight shift many times because when I work with manufacturing partners, I can only speak to them in the middle of the night anyways. Even though I work at a day job, half of the week, the other half of the day, from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM, I'm actually up doing work, which some people would say, "Oh, I can't do. That's not the lifestyle for me". And, you just have to look at your own abilities before taking that journey. That would be my advice. What can you stomach making sacrifices financially or do you stomach your time? Because face it. You need to somehow find time to expand and scale your business

Laura: 18:46

For sure.

Sophia Noreen: 18:46

I have to ask you a very important question. What is the one thing you learned about being self employed that you didn't expect?

Laura: 18:55

Okay. I think even being prepared, going to business school and growing up in a home, of self employed people and also having a partner that is self-employed, I still learned a lot. One thing that I'd say is when I originally left my full time job, I was so gung ho that I was going to have so much time, so much free time to work on this business. And. I think the reality of that is not true at all. Because priority shit shift and things change, you definitely don't get all those hours magically appearing the way you thought you were. And so from that, I really realized quickly that workflows and processes are a necessary thing in any business. Because you need them to keep on track. There's so many demands as a parent and a business owner. In order to keep that all balanced and the boundaries in place, you need to have those workflows and processes in place.

Sophia Noreen: 19:57

110%. And then when you expand your team, they need to know what those operating practices are, in order to help you scale and grow your business.

Laura: 20:06

And then they're already there. So it's so helpful.

Sophia Noreen: 20:09

Exactly. It's like, why recreate the wheel over and over again? If you can do it once, it's just like anything, even like a simple email copy can help you quickly go through a workflow or a process.

Laura: 20:22

For sure, templates are my best friend.

Sophia Noreen: 20:24

That is amazing. We're going to learn a lot more from Laura because I'm sure she has a lot more to offer us in regards to what she learned. But I have to ask her the same exact questions she has asked me. Okay. So Laura, you're going through rapid fire because I feel that our listeners want to know so sweet or salty?

Laura: 20:41

I'm going to be twinning with you on this response. I'm also a sweet lover.

Sophia Noreen: 20:47

Laura is a Dairy Queen love her guys. Huge. Anyway, sorry. Favorite indulgence, please. Don't tell me it was Dairy Queen.

Laura: 20:53

Definitely love ice cream, but I also love gummy bears and I love when they're stale.

Sophia Noreen: 21:00

Crazy. I never understood that. We've been friends since we were six years old and I still don't understand why on earth, who wants to eat stale gummy bears. But anyways.

Laura: 21:08

Yeah.

Sophia Noreen: 21:09

Favorite place you've ever visited?

Laura: 21:11

Oh my, I could see how this question was hard.

Sophia Noreen: 21:14

Yes.

Laura: 21:15

I've been fortunate to have some family live in some really awesome places. So we've been able to visit. I'm still gonna go with Canada. I do love Canada. My heart resides at West. I still love the mountains and the lakes, I love it West.

Sophia Noreen: 21:31

And your favorite activity for relaxation?

Laura: 21:35

So because I live in a small town, that's surrounded by tons and tons of water, as a family, we've started to make our fun time out on the water. So paddle boarding, boating, swimming. Any of the above. Those are my happy place when we are out on the boat at sunset. Yeah. that is my relaxation right there.

Sophia Noreen: 22:00

That's fantastic. Everyone needs to relax guys. And I highly encourage everyone to think about the relaxation time and make it a habit. All right. So I think that's it. We've learned, a little bit about me, a little bit about Laura. And I know as you guys continue to listen to the podcast, you're going to learn so much more about both of us. if you have any questions at all, feel free to send us an email. Our email is [email protected] and it will be linked in the show notes below. If you want to hear something specific please send us an email so we understand what you're looking for and how this podcast is helping you out. I think that's all for now. Laura, do you have anything else to say to our listeners?

Laura: 22:40

No. I'm so excited to dig into the business side of things.

Sophia Noreen: 22:45

That's all for now.

Laura: 22:46

Bye.

22:49

So my fellow bosses, did you enjoy that episode now? It's time for you to make a solid plan and take action. But first, remember to subscribe and follow the Boss It podcast. So you receive a notification whenever we drop an episode. Remember to leave us a review on iTunes. Take a screenshot of your review and shared on Instagram as a post or a story and tag us @BossItclub. If Instagram is not your thing, no worries. Email your screenshot to [email protected]. As a massive thank you. We will be sending you our top 50 tips for starting and scaling a business. This list is exclusively for podcast reviewers. So don't miss out. Now remember bosses, make a plan and take action in all aspects of your life. Yes, you can have it all.