Toucan Talks
Toucan Talks is a podcast for Wilmington-area business owners and entrepreneurs who are eager to learn from those on a similar journey. Each week, we talk with an area business owner about their successes, challenges, and experiences in business. Don’t worry – we keep it fun as we bounce from topic to topic.
Toucan Talks
EP 18 - Brittany Fountain on Scaling Businesses, Communication Strategies, and Balancing Work-Life
Who wouldn't want to illuminate the blind spots in their business? Brittany Fountain from Britt Joy & Co joins us to share her unique approach to growth and culture strategy. She has applied her human-focused strategy to collaborate with companies ranging from those with 50 employees to Fortune 300 giants. But this isn't just about human resources. It's about fostering continuity, trust, and alignment within your company through the careful use of language.
Brittany isn't your average corporate strategist. She delves into the customer experience, so that she can help businesses build a culture of alignment. But as simple as it sounds, many businesses struggle with communication breakdowns. Brittany shares her insight into how using someone's name can create a ripple effect across the company.
We hope you enjoy this episode and learn a lot from our wonderful guest!
Check out Brittany's website:
brittjoy.com
Connect with her on social media:
www.instagram.com/brittjoyco/
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Meet your hosts and learn more about Kickstart Collective at kickstartcollective.co
Kickstart Collective is a creative marketing agency based in Wilmington, NC. We offer our clients a creative advantage through creative content and marketing strategies.
Welcome to the Two Can Talks podcast brought to you by Kickstart Collective. Join us as we talk to local Wilmington business owners about what has led to their successes, challenges and more. No question is off limits as we bounce from topic to topic.
Speaker 2:And this podcast is brought to you by Kickstart Studios. Kickstart Studios is Wilmington's newest video podcast studio, equipped with multiple camera angles and an in-house producer. Creating a high quality video podcast has never been easier. Don't let the tech and gear learning curve hold you back from jumping into podcasting or creating video content any longer. Our team takes care of it all for you, so you can focus on the message you want to share. You simply show up record and receive the final product. No more wasting time setting it up and breaking down the gear, setting up lights or doing sound checks on your own. Our in-house producer will have everything set up and ready to go for you. Check us out at Kickstart Studios.
Speaker 1:Welcome to Two Can Talks. I'm so excited to have you on. I think we're going to have a fun episode talking about all the things that you're doing, and I also hope and I think you'll have some good stories. Maybe, if not, we'll mix them up. There's always a story. There's always a story. So, brittany, britt and Joy Co, you are the chief humanity officer, and is there another?
Speaker 3:There's another one, founder, founder. I love it, all the things, it is all me.
Speaker 1:All the hats. Yeah, you have all the titles.
Speaker 3:We could have named anything and it would have been you Right, and I come from big families. I kind of answered anything already, so it's just perfect. Goes with it. Awesome.
Speaker 1:I love it. We can just yell out different things.
Speaker 3:I know Chances are I'll turn my head.
Speaker 1:Me who. So yeah, I don't know. If you want to give us a quick overview, we'll definitely dive into the weeds of what all you do, but if you want to give us a quick overview of what you do and the business, that would be awesome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so Britt Joy Co is a growth and culture strategy firm, so what I do is I work with companies to come in and apply a level of human focus to their growth and culture strategy. So it can be spatially, it can be tweaks to language or process, but is really just an integrated focus that provides like a just a layer of humanity that has sort of been missing in the workplace.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Just probably a little bit. Do you? Are your clients like probably more in the corporate side? Is it like larger corporations, mid-sized, a little bit of both?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so corporate America is definitely the focus. Right now my client base is 50 employees and under the goal would be like fortune 300, several hundred people really go in and break up the bureaucracy. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Get a girl for that. Get in the weeds.
Speaker 3:So that's where. That's where the goal is, but right now it's 50 and under, mostly local folks. So, and it mixes from for profits to not for profits, software to agriculture and everything in between. So if there's people, I'm there.
Speaker 1:Awesome. I love it. So how long have you?
Speaker 3:when did you start? Yeah, so December of 2022 is when I created the LLC and I put it all out there, love it. For about a year and a half or so before that I was just sort of helping people that I know that own their own small business or they're incorporated with the nonprofit that I've either served on a board for or done work with individually otherwise sort of like test concept. Yeah, but December of 2022. So we're almost coming up to a year. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:Oh, my gosh Of when I had my own company.
Speaker 3:I love it.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. You should have a party.
Speaker 3:I know A party for a company that I never actually wanted to have. What are you talking about? So we can dive into that later, right yeah?
Speaker 1:We'll get there. That's so funny. So, yeah, we can. Yeah, great segue, we'll jump into the cans. So what we'll do for those of you who have never tuned into this lovely podcast is we have these coins, so you will take one, you will drop it anywhere on the board and if it lands on a one, we'll answer or we'll ask you a more business related question. If it lands on a two, it's not a business question. It's anything from life to not, like I don't know, to gripes to community, all the things.
Speaker 1:Luckily you don't have any bad Google reviews, but if you did, there would be one in there that would be more like, like mean tweets read mean tweets style, but business owners read mean reviews. That's always a good time, but it's also lucky for you? You don't have any of those. So it's a good thing, but kind of a bummer for the podcast.
Speaker 3:We can make up something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm just like I'm, excited about this.
Speaker 3:I was a big prices right. I'm going to drop it. Sick day, oh yeah. So this whole Plinko board thing is just my love language.
Speaker 2:All right.
Speaker 3:So glad, here we go Okay.
Speaker 1:So we're diving right in deep. That is the other thing about this podcast since it's all random, it kind of goes out of order sometimes, so we literally bounce around.
Speaker 3:I like that.
Speaker 1:So when you have a new client and they're like, oh crap, we need some help here on this front for whatever reason. What is the process of like you going in and being like yeah, you do, yeah, here's how we do this.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you are so messed up.
Speaker 3:No, I should turn it.
Speaker 3:It always starts with an intro call or a meeting, so I'm usually meeting with either the department head or the CEO, like whomever has reached out, to just kind of talk and like what's going on and where are the challenges that you see?
Speaker 3:A lot of the times, challenges that we perceive are not the challenges that actually are, and so, allowing people to talk it out, a lot of times these challenges haven't even been voiced out loud, even to themselves. So this might be the first time that they are hearing these words out loud about what they think the concerns are and really just allowing for them to share everything, like what are the best parts, what are the worst parts coming to a place at the end of that conversation to where we can say like, okay, great, I'm gonna recap this, I'm gonna tell you what I see, where I think that immediate solutions are and we'll set up from there. I just think that even for myself, once I start to talk about things out loud that's such a process driver for me is where I'm like oh wait, that's not actually the problem. Like this is the problem.
Speaker 1:So almost hear it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Third hand, that's cool. Have you seen like a trend? Is it like they feel like just like the company culture for lack of a more specific term is just like not good. Is it like they see a lot of turnover? Is there like a common driver that they're like that like the light bulb comes on for them, that they need some help?
Speaker 3:Yeah, a lot of it's financial based, so they'll see like, oh God, we spent so much money on staffing this year.
Speaker 3:What happened? Yeah, or you know, our profitability is down but our revenue was up. Where's the gap there? There's not a line item that's jumping out to me to say like, oh, cost of goods were higher this year. It's a lot of little things that are adding up, and then some of it's just like underlying tension and they're feeling that and they're like I don't know where this is coming from. It's all of a sudden Like walk in the room, like oh, yeah right.
Speaker 3:And so once you start to get into it and it's not that there's anything that normally I'm pointing out where I'm like let me tell you the most convoluted story. It's normally just a blind spot and it's because we're just too close to what's happening to be able to say like, oh yeah, that was it. So that's been fun to just sort of like. If there is a thread that ties everyone together, it's normally we're too close and there's a blind spot that we just don't see and we need somebody to be able to point that out for us. That's cool.
Speaker 3:Awesome, all right, I get to do it.
Speaker 1:Yes, keep on going. Occasional. I was about to say, occasionally they fly on off. That's right.
Speaker 3:Watch your watch your face. I know she's a wild one.
Speaker 1:All right, straight business. Okay, so you talk about immersive alignment? Yeah, you want to explain what that means.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I started thinking about this process and what it looks like and what's different about what I'm considering when going in talking about culture and alignment, and from an employee standpoint, from a customer standpoint.
Speaker 3:Most of the challenge with them comes from the place where what we say and do no longer points back to who we say we are. Yeah, and that can be as simple as something. If I'm a customer and you email me and you said I'll talk to you soon, yeah, but you really don't lay out what soon is. So to me, I'm like well, she's going to email me back tomorrow, yeah, but it's actually two weeks. Yeah, we'd have a difference of understanding, we're no longer in alignment with the language that we're using, and so it creates this undercurrent of mistrust and confusion.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I thought about this and I'm a very like, visual, like charismatic person, so I'm like okay, so what does it look like if I step into the shoes of the employee, like, what does it look like if I fully immerse myself in the customer experience and I'm trying to uncouple as much as I can from, you know, the marketing lens or the sales lens or the finance lens? And what does it look like if I step into, like maybe just as an onlooker or community supporter, and so I just kept doing this number, you know, and so, if you're listening, I'm just like putting my hands over my head and it's like a shampoo, and I was like I'm immersing myself, like I want to immerse myself into that position so that we find alignment, and so I just sort of coined the term. I mean, it's not trademarked, maybe, maybe I know.
Speaker 1:Maybe I should You'd be a hurry up. I think this podcast will be on like two weeks, so right, I know.
Speaker 3:So it's just really the act of like, how am I fully stepping into this space and figuring out, like, how does it feel? Am I in alignment? And, if not, again back to before? It's like, what are the changes in language or process so that we can bring that to a place of continuity?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I love that, I know, um, not on the business side. On the personal side, luke, my husband, who was also my business partner, we were having a conversation the other day and I was cause I was. He said why do you sound like yeah, whatever, that sounds good. And then a few days later I was like hang on, we need to clarify Like, what does this actually mean? And he, literally he was like it would be like 80, 20, this. And I was like that's great, but I have no concept of like what 100 is.
Speaker 1:So, is this like 20% is like two hours, or is that going to be like two weeks, right? I literally have no idea. Yeah.
Speaker 3:You're like we just need clear language. I was like so that was the baseline.
Speaker 1:I was like you know exactly what you're talking about, cause you're into that deep. I literally have no idea what 80, 20 means.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and if I was like okay, cool, what am I signing up for? In six weeks I'd been like or six months. I'd be like you said 20, and with no realm of like right Idea of what, 100 is Right, and it was just that baseline of not fully understanding that can really derail like a simple conversation with your partner. Yeah, or you're actually your business. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, that's funny. I like that Well thanks, I know.
Speaker 3:So far it's been good. Anytime I explain it to people they're like oh, I guess, and I'm like, I know, yeah, um, we, for whatever reason, we just have not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, unless you're like being very intentional about like right doing it, it just doesn't happen.
Speaker 3:It doesn't translate. Yeah, so it's good.
Speaker 1:All right Again.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm going to go to the side now. There we go. Personal questions. Let's see what happens.
Speaker 1:These are always fun and scary. I'm just going to go.
Speaker 2:Sometimes they are.
Speaker 1:Oh, I forgot this was in here, but it's a classic and I can't wait. Okay, what is your spiciest opinion that most people disagree with? Oh my gosh, and it can be business. It can be. It can be literally be anything.
Speaker 3:Okay. Spicy opinion Um, tea is dirty water Okay, especially living in the South, like that's not a popular hot tea or like, like I see, hot tea, iced tea, cold tea, sweet tea.
Speaker 1:It is dirty water, it might be dirty sweet water, you know also.
Speaker 3:I mean like clarification, like we are in North Carolina, yeah, um, we are not in right, Like we're not in Asia, like we're not in like a proper environment. I'm talking about like, yeah, bojangles sweet tea, bojangles, which also gives you. Look, it tastes like a cigarette and I've never even smoked a cigarette, but I just know in my bones that if I smoke a cigarette it would be Bojangles sweet tea.
Speaker 1:Oh no, I know I think you're going to break the North Carolina internet with a spicy take. We should have vetted you, I know. Sorry, I am not a big fan of hot tea. I will give you that. We drink sweet tea like every night for dinner. Growing up.
Speaker 1:Not anymore. I was like no, not anymore. No Now, but every now and again, especially like the places that have like the little pellet ice oh yeah, that was sweet tea. I'm like probably like once a year, I'm like I need this, yeah, but like I immediately just feel like sugar, right, like that. Like syrup, like running through my veins.
Speaker 2:Mm, hmm, um, okay.
Speaker 1:Well, fun fact dirty water.
Speaker 3:I know tea is dirty water.
Speaker 1:people All the people that are die hard Bojangles.
Speaker 3:I know I'm sorry y'all that was enjoy your spicy.
Speaker 1:It was so spicy.
Speaker 3:We went back for another. Yeah, it's like um try again, yeah, yeah Again, lady.
Speaker 1:Oh gosh, um okay. Do you have any funny company culture, good or bad going into a client situation stories that you can share on the internet?
Speaker 3:Oh, of course, Great, love it, let's do it. Um, I was working with the company and we were just like, okay, let's just go broad. Like, let's just go an overview on your website. Went through all the copy, da, da, da, da and I was like, okay, we're just going to like one final look through. Like if I'm immersing myself as somebody who is curious, I don't know anything about this company. I don't know where they're located. I've never met them at a conference. What does this look like? There was no phone number on the website. Mm, hmm, so I now go into this room with people who are like leaps and bounds smarter than me. Yeah, we're talking about like we would never even be in like the same class.
Speaker 3:Like you know it's just, it's one of those things where it's a whole legally blonde situation where you're like what? Like it's hard, yeah. And so we're going through the information and go also guys, did you know you don't have a phone number on your website. And they were like what? And I was like I mean, honestly, how do people contact you? And they're like I don't know, we've never considered that. And it's like these people who have built some of the most sophisticated systems for some of the most sophisticated industries had no way to contact them. And they were like, oh, I was like it's okay, it's a blind spot. I'm like it is a blind spot and the same way. Luckily, that's an easy one to fix.
Speaker 1:Easy one to fix right.
Speaker 3:Also like being with a guy in his business and I was saying, you know, using somebody's name is like, scientifically, one of the sweetest sounds that we hear, like our brain lights up in a way that it won't for any other type of name to be called. So if we want to be intentional with customers, the easiest way you can do that is just use their name. Yeah, it's like, well, we do that. And I was like, okay, great, let's watch. So we sat back and not a single person's name was used.
Speaker 3:And he's mortified and I'm like it's fine, like it's not. This is not good or bad, like this is just. This is the blind spot. So I mean I think it's funny. It's more of like. Isn't this funny?
Speaker 2:how human we are, it's not like a mortifying situation.
Speaker 1:No, it's not like making people read bad business reviews, Right or like you know like a bodily function situation, but it is, I guess, maybe endearing is probably the better way to say that.
Speaker 3:It's just so endearing to be like look, we are all people, we are all messing up every day. We just need people to guide us back to it and that's sort of the purpose of my work. So I love it? Oh good, okay, last one, let's do it Business. Back to the biz. Oh, I get to pick, okay.
Speaker 1:I don't know if we let's see, we'll dive into it. So how did you get into your current line of work? How?
Speaker 3:did you get here? And so funny because I was thinking about this the other day just of like, it's only been a year since I put this out, and a year ago I would have sort of danced around this and be like well, I don't know.
Speaker 3:It just sort of came to me and I don't want to step on toes and I would just say, like today, answering that question, like in the most honest sense, it was the refusal for me to accept lip service, like to accept just the canned language that was being provided to me about why things felt wrong and that led me to research and that led me to curiosity and that led me to, you know, trying this out and that you know, so, on and so forth. And so it's like, and the most honest place, it was the refusal to accept and just settle on a canned response to something that didn't feel right and then turned out the research and support and so on and so forth. So that's cool, I know, keep pushing friends, do it.
Speaker 1:I think we have time for you and you like maybe do like two more. Okay, see what happens.
Speaker 3:I like it From the top. It's such like a great tribute Now that Bob's gone. I know, I know RIP, sorry man, personal question. Here we go here we go.
Speaker 1:What is your favorite local go to place? For it can be whatever. It can be food, it can be drinks, it can be fun, it can be whatever your fave. Well, it comes to mind.
Speaker 3:So I'm from Wilmington, yes, and that's sort of interesting in and of itself because not a lot of people are from here, which is fine. It's beautiful. You guys come enjoy the space. I hope you bring something cool to it. Don't just come and suck. Yeah, don't suck. But, fun fact, I worked at Flamin' Amy's. Yes, so when it first opened, my uncle owned the restaurant that was there before, and so I helped them open the restaurant and help them paint the flames that are on the inside of the wall, like the owners are sort of like second parents to me. So Flamin' Amy's remains my favorite, you know, burrito style, not quite Mexican type of food, so anytime, Favorite burrito.
Speaker 3:Oh, fajita burrito, I've never had that one.
Speaker 1:I usually go tie me up or a big jerk oh.
Speaker 3:I do love a tie me up. I like the tie me up in a bowl.
Speaker 2:Like without the wraps or whatever reason. The flour tortilla, okay, throws it off. I can see that. Throws it off.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I love the taco Mexicana and I do it with pulled pork and it's so good, so we almost got Flamin'. Amy's for dinner last night. So thanks so much for joining us and I'll see you in the next video. Like my kids, my kids call it chips and salsa. Like, can we go to chips and salsa?
Speaker 1:Yeah, sure, absolutely. If you're going to Pineapple and Halloween, you're salsa. That's right, that's right.
Speaker 3:So yes, if you are new to Wilmington or if maybe you just have not tried it for whatever reason, good play me, amy, crazy reason I know it really is so good it is. It's my fave. All right, this is like a good mix.
Speaker 1:It is.
Speaker 3:It's a good volume of business and personal.
Speaker 1:OK, follow up essentially from that question. So this was brought to us, came a regular question. After Kristianne Jackson-Moscow was a guest on this podcast. Ok, jay, yes, which I think originally it's actually Blair's question. Ok, like life question, yeah, so instead of a spirit animal, what is your spirit food?
Speaker 3:Oh Like what food best and bodies do you as a human, so I've listened to your podcast a lot.
Speaker 1:And I know yours is nachos.
Speaker 3:And I would sort of double down on that, but do like the trash can nachos?
Speaker 1:OK, it comes in a can. Oh, in the can. Have you seen that I was thinking street tacos? Oh, ok, go.
Speaker 3:So it comes in like a can.
Speaker 1:OK.
Speaker 3:And it's on a plate, and then they lift it up whenever. And it all kind of like comes out, so saying like it's messy, it's delightful, it's kind of a visual experience, right, what is happening here? Yeah, it's a big like you know, I love it or hate it.
Speaker 1:It's a crowd You're yeah, I feel like you're a crowd pleaser.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Definitely it's an experience Also kind of an introvert maybe a little bit. Yeah, you're like all up in, that can.
Speaker 1:And then, once you're out, you're out. Well, we're here.
Speaker 3:I RSPD.
Speaker 1:yes, we're here to party.
Speaker 2:But would I mind being holed?
Speaker 3:up at home? Not at all. I would really enjoy that Actually.
Speaker 1:That's so funny. I love that Cool. What are we at time? Wise Joshua, oh sweet. Well, we can do one more before we hit these closing questions. I like it. We're rolling right along. I know, man, this is just all about you.
Speaker 3:It's like a therapy session.
Speaker 1:I know we should be running two can talks to therapists. I know what's your favorite thing that comes out of a can. Oh my gosh, Is it nachos?
Speaker 3:I know, seriously OK. So I am an 80s baby and I feel like I have to preface this with so many things. I love the environment and I value our health and all the things, but, like you're about to die, diet Coke and hairspray would be like two very, very close contenders for this.
Speaker 1:We haven't got hairspray yet Look, you're your first one to go that route. I love it.
Speaker 3:Tell me all Well, so again North Carolina. It's like a humid swamp If you're not blessed with a certain type of hair, like you got to lock it in Also, I was a competitive dancer.
Speaker 1:Yes, do you know? Yes, you've pretened some fumes. Yeah, like it's in there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm taking that with you, so I do. I mean, I've literally have always had hairspray in my bathroom, since I was like a tyke.
Speaker 1:Favorite brand.
Speaker 3:Tressame.
Speaker 1:OK, I know yeah, classic.
Speaker 3:I could have gotten like Aquanet, but I don't know if they still make that. Oh no, I honestly have no idea and I'm not quite fancy enough to go for like a I think I probably use too much of it to go for an actual salon brand.
Speaker 1:So that is my argument. The opposite with shampoo and conditioner, because I only wash my hair like two times a week, tops Same. So I do spend an unreasonable amount of money on my shampoo and conditioner, but I'm like you know what it lasts for so long, so long. Like if I was washing my hair every day. Probably couldn't afford this lifestyle.
Speaker 3:Right, but I don't.
Speaker 1:So I feel justified.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's what, and a hair spray is probably what I mean, and dry shampoo.
Speaker 1:And just like Anything of this, Not really.
Speaker 3:You know caring too much, which is funny because before I started BritJoy and Co, I went through this exercise of you know what was your essence as a child? What do you, how would you describe yourself today and what is like your highest and best self version?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And I was like you know, like a lot of it is kind of the same, yeah, but I would really want to look better. I was like I think that means I have to like shower more.
Speaker 1:It's like, actually I look fine, I just might need to put like a touch of effort.
Speaker 3:I know. I was like, oh, I get that this is humbling. I was like, ok, so yeah, the hair spray is going to be.
Speaker 1:It's the favorite thing that comes out of a can I mean?
Speaker 3:hi, yeah, yeah, all right, one more. Yeah, let's do it OK.
Speaker 1:Oh, that went full rogue. It's the hair spray on there. I know, girl, you were just a party today. We did coin this as the party can, so here you are, living up to it, living up. Are you more productive in the morning or the afternoon Morning.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would prefer to get up at like 4.30, like early OK. I really value like that slow time before children are away. I get that. My mom was a single mom a lot of our life growing up. I say a lot Formative years. She got remarried when I was in fifth grade but she was always the early rising girl. And I always thought she was crazy. And then I had kids in a career and I was like oh, that's the only time that's truly yours.
Speaker 3:I don't have clients calling me, I don't have a child needing me like this is my space. So yeah, definitely, definitely morning.
Speaker 1:Do you cause you do have kids? Do you feel like you use that morning time to like chill and like reset and it's like your time? Are you like trying to be? Are you like getting into productive or are you like I'm setting my day up with a second for myself that leads into like I can function the rest of this day?
Speaker 3:successfully. Yeah, it's like I mean it's totally blocked off for mine. So if, like, there's laundry that needs to be done or the dishwasher's clean needs to be unloaded, I don't care like good.
Speaker 1:I thought you were about to say like I get this stuff to. I'm like oh, that doesn't sound like me.
Speaker 3:Time no no, no, no, it's sort of like it's just that time that I've blocked off where I'm like I don't care.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Like you guys can wake up and you can fix a bowl of cereal. Like I don't need to have muffins for you because I needed my coffee. Yes, I'm just gonna chill. I know I needed to write an email that would take 15 minutes without it taking 45 to two hours because you guys Cause someone's yelling at me.
Speaker 1:I know I hope you said you can't, oh, that's funny.
Speaker 1:That's good. I hate mornings, but when we just had one kid which is probably more reason I should get up early I was like starting to get to where. It was like well, he was sleeping a little bit later, so I would get up early and it was so nice. But now that kid wakes up at like 6.15. And I'm like dude, he is too much. He can like get his own snack and go watch a show. So like I am like whatever, I guess I'll sleep now.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But no, I think that is important.
Speaker 3:Were you always afternoons growing up.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Were your parents like that too, do you remember? I?
Speaker 1:don't think so. But like if I could work from like 2pm until like 8pm yeah, I hope that would be like your spot, maybe like one, cause I haven't even worked for hours. But yeah, if I could like crank it out and like work like take a dinner break instead of a lunch break, I think I would thrive. But that doesn't work because I also do want to see my kids.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know they do like them.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I don't know. I know Good for thought.
Speaker 3:But it takes all kinds.
Speaker 2:It does.
Speaker 3:Cause if everybody was up at 4am then it just would not be the solitude.
Speaker 1:And if everybody was?
Speaker 3:working until 8,. You wouldn't find the solitude, so find your pocket. Yes, figure it out. Moral of the story Find your pocket Cool.
Speaker 1:Well, is there? I feel like we did a lot of personal questions On the business side. Is there anything else from like what you actually like do for clients that you want to share? Most of our like audiences Business owners probably, I would say, lean a little bit more towards small business but, just like as a business owner, here are just some like golden things they need to know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think most people know that culture and vision is important for their company. I think what we don't focus enough on is just using clear language for it. So it's great to have beautiful words, but if it doesn't translate to people's understanding, like, what's it for? Yeah, I think a good practice for business owners, a good practical thing, is to try and do like an immersive alignment exercise. Be your own customer.
Speaker 3:So, if you can do it from a retail standpoint, walk in and see it with new eyes. Like, is this easy to talk to somebody? Do I have an immediate connection with anyone? Is it difficult to navigate? Same thing with like your website or with any other type of service. So try and do as much uncoupling as you can to have the experience as the customer. I think that gives you a lens to see and I think finally, we just be like we all have blind spots. Yeah, the biggest challenge that you have is business owners who do not want to be receptive to the fact that we're all humans and none of us are ever gonna get this perfect. And to be able to know and get that feedback from people in a way that doesn't feel personal and that's hard, but again stepping into a space of uncoupling allows for more honest conversations to happen, so that you can see what you're missing.
Speaker 1:You gotta unattach the first soft feelings to say about that. I know, and it hurts. I don't want to hear it either, but I mean.
Speaker 3:I go through and I look at my website and I'm like that's a little wordy. I'm like pull it back, britt, you know. So I mean we all have to do it.
Speaker 1:Yes, Updating our own website has been on my to-do list. I built our website, I guess during COVID, and then we've updated like, created new landing pages as needed. But I'm like I know, like. I have things every time I'm like I just need to sit down for an hour and do this. Yeah, I'll do it. So it's a good motivation. I know that kind of awareness.
Speaker 3:It's funny. So I mean from a corporate standpoint, every day I have people reaching out saying our company needs this and I think we're at an inflection point from like a corporate standpoint where we're going to see this being implemented at more of a scale. Small business owners like it's tough being a small business owner, but this is something that you really have such an advantage on. Yeah, because it's not that it's not impossible when it's big, but it's certainly easier when it's small. To right size.
Speaker 3:These sort of you know, areas that maybe might bring a better alignment for you and your customers. So small business owners lean into it. Yeah, don't think, because you're small, it's not a problem. Yeah, there's definitely opportunity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can get it right before, like you're saying before it's like cruise ship.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's like if you're a parent with your kids and they're, like you know, trying to teach your kids how to not be picky eaters, they're like it's much easier to do that and to stick to it when they're young. Then to let them grow and be 13 years old and be like well, here's your plate of broccoli.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like that is a hard angle we were literally before you got here, I was telling someone that for two years straight I mean, our oldest is only five, but for your lunch and or dinner every single day for two years, he had a pepperoni, a piece of pepperoni pizza or a cheesecake. And I'm like kid, no wonder your stomach hurts, yeah, yeah. So finally we were like we did, like I bought the course, I did the whole thing of like probably could use common sense, but I was like I don't know what to do.
Speaker 3:It's hard, yeah, slowly start, right.
Speaker 1:So I start putting a strawberry on your plate and then.
Speaker 3:I start doing this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah so, but now he's great Favorite food of steak. I love this kid yeah, he's off the other day this should come with a disclaimer, but the other day we got C street and he wanted a cheese quesadilla so I got his steak on the side so that the baby could also eat off of that. And I was like bud, do you want to eat any of your steak? My five year old looks at me and goes is it Wagyu Stop? I was like stop.
Speaker 3:So what did you just say? I know, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:So he has gotten a lot better as picky eating. But like why it's from C street bud? Sure, it's not.
Speaker 3:Wagyu, I know it could be if you want. Yeah.
Speaker 1:If I say yes, you had to try one by one time. Who?
Speaker 3:do you think you are? That's right, but could I just say yes, and you would eat it. Yeah, let's go.
Speaker 1:Other favorite steak is skirt steak. So I was like, no, bud, it's probably just skirt steak. You know, that's so sweet, such a drama, but that was a weird segue. But, yes, no, it's all the same, I love it, okay. So what can people expect from you next? You're about to turn one.
Speaker 2:I know Business about turn one.
Speaker 1:I'll say my eye just keeps watering.
Speaker 3:Oh, it's okay, I'm just crying, not leaking anything, okay, good.
Speaker 1:But, more importantly, you're about to turn one. You're about to go into year two of being an official business.
Speaker 2:So, what?
Speaker 1:do you have things planned, are you? Yeah, what's next.
Speaker 3:So year one, when I was like I'm going to put this out there, the original plan for success was like I'm just going to be consistent with spreading the information about me and what I think of my methodology and just sort of the curiosities that have led me here and to see how this takes. And if I get a client, great. And if not, like this was still a success, because there's a ton of books about corporate culture, there's a ton of podcasts, there's a ton of articles he's actually talking about what it looks like to do this work, and so that has been even still like a big curiosity of mine of just like when are we going to get people who are practicing this?
Speaker 1:Yeah, is that like? How do I say this? Do you feel like people like talking about it because it's kind of like not trendy, but it's like some do people just like talking about it but they're scared to do the work, so they're just like let me teach it. Or do you feel like it's something that is like or is it a mix of both?
Speaker 3:Like it is an industry in the area that's growing, so people are just like just not, the practice is just not there yet I think it's easier to talk about it than it is to do it, and I think that there is more money to be had in terms of like scaling your business, yeah, than it is to actually do it. So when I said like I never wanted to be a business owner, I really don't, and I still don't want to be a business owner. I want to. I know, I know, you know it's like I want to. Like my business model would be to go into a large company, build out a team for them that do this work, lift out and go to the next. Now, that's not scalable, you know, in any way. Like I could scale by writing book, by doing keynotes, by doing workshops, by doing an online course, but for me, I'm like that does not solve the pervasive issue of what's facing corporate America. Yeah, and as much as we're like start your own business go girl.
Speaker 3:Like we need these giants of the industry and we need them to suck less so that people will stay, specifically so that women will stay, and so that's where my focus is.
Speaker 3:So I mean in terms of like, where does this go next? I've been really fortunate this year that I've had clients, I've had speaking engagements, I've had opportunities to do workshops and win awards and all these beautiful things. I think the next step for me is going to be pitching myself and that feels a little nerve wracking. I mean it's a big step. It's a big step and, just like you know, that takes guts to put this out there to begin with. Like that takes big guts. And then it also takes accepting the realization of what this world looks like in a lot of ways and who's in charge and how things get done, and willing to be persistent with that, and that's going to be a big Thing to swallow but I'm excited, I know I feel like, yeah, even like you said, like your year one goal Is was like brand awareness on some right for you and like the passion, but like that was already way more successful.
Speaker 1:Yes, then, just that.
Speaker 3:Yeah so yeah, I know, I think it'll be good, I know it'll. It's just um, yeah, it's. It's just taking that next step, which is always scary, I think, for anything, but especially whenever you're like it's just me here we go. Yes, for sure, catch me world. I know so it'll be good. I mean, you guys can all Stay a part of the journey.
Speaker 3:I mean I'm on the socials so it's my name or my company name, so Brittany Joy Fountain or Brit Joy and Co. I'm mainly post on LinkedIn for the business stuff, as you should.
Speaker 1:Is that the?
Speaker 3:strategy is that. Are we doing this?
Speaker 1:No, it's funny, our last Episode, me and Alyssa who's art, one of our account managers were talking and we were like said something about LinkedIn and I'm like it is which I don't know.
Speaker 1:maybe I like Right or wrong, probably wrong kind of ignored LinkedIn for a little bit, mm-hmm, but in the past, like year, it is like so much more I feel like of people like Business or like you like people setting there like a self-supposed, like industry experts and mm-hmm content, kind of like you saw an Instagram and like the influencer Personal level, but like on the business, yeah, it's so much more than just I don't see right, just networking, because it is still networking, but like job, job, networking, right Um. So yeah, I know I love your stuff.
Speaker 3:Well, it's been fun. I know it's been fun and I mean I'm a lot wordier with my posts and like what would be appropriate for the Instagram algorithm. Yeah, LinkedIn likes that. Yeah, I know. Yeah, your girls got thoughts.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you can do like short, quick. I thought like one long post, but like that's right skimmable, uh-huh, as long as you want, as long as someone can skim it. I know I'm gonna love you. Please.
Speaker 3:I know.
Speaker 1:I was listening to a podcast on LinkedIn recently and I Think I need to go back and like write this down. But if you which I don't do this, I don't have proof, but this is what they, this, what they said, okay, um, if you like, message someone on LinkedIn and they respond to you or like, that level of connection happens. And then for the next, I think they said, like two weeks, your like regular posts stay Like in the top of their feed. Oh, that's interesting. Yeah, so it's like if they, they pick up on that, like there's actually like an actual, like real connection, yeah, then your content is delivered more.
Speaker 3:And crazy. Gotta get it be more strategic.
Speaker 1:I know hey guys, hey, check my check. Well, cool, I feel like you. Best way to get in touch with you, obviously social, and then Social numbers on your website.
Speaker 3:I don't know website. I know website is just Brit joy calm, so Call text, email, you know whatever feels good Cool.
Speaker 1:Love to chat, love it. Is there any final thoughts you want? To leave our listeners with today, oh.
Speaker 3:I think I would just say Stay curious, like lean into those things that don't feel good, keep pressing, don't accept the lip service, like just come to a truer place Of you and your business and I think that you'll find that people will follow. That's certainly been the case for me and I'm grateful for it.
Speaker 1:So thank you for having me, of course. Thanks for joining us, thanks for tuning in to another episode of 2k and talks brought to you by Kickstarter collective. If you loved this episode, be sure to subscribe wherever you watch podcast and follow Kickstarter collective on Instagram at Kickstarter collective.