Episode 21: From debt and bailiffs to building something meaningful - with Natasha Britton

00:00 Hey, Susan here. Before we jump into the episode I wanted to let you know that i'm running a free storytelling masterclass on zoom on Friday the 18th of September at 12 noon UK time We'll start in a thrift shop in New York we'll talk about James Bond and you'll see that you have so many stories that you could be sharing in your business You'll see how to break them down into short, easy-to share stories and we'll work on one of them on the call. To join me simply register at TheBusinessOfStories.com slash free masterclass Then look out for the Zoom link that you will get sent by email Put Friday 18th September at 12 noon in your diary And I'll see ya there!

00:54 You're listening to The Business of Stories with Susan Paton, showing you how to share stories that do the selling in your business so you don't have too. I attended an event a couple months ago and there were some great speakers who delivered awesome content but when i think back I can't really remember the details of any of the content maybe a little nugget here or there But what I do absolutely remember are the stories each speaker shared. I remember Lisa Johnson's story about being bullied and Kelly Lundberg's story about leaving her job with Emirate Airlines cabin crew to start a magazine because that is what stories that make us feel something do, right? They stay with us – we remember them!

01:47 I also spoke at some events myself last year, including the first ever in-person event put on by Natasha Britton. And again what has stayed in my mind ever since that event was Natasha's story from being homeless and pregnant to getting out of her council flat to starting a business that wasn't working To investing money in a business that she didn't know if it would work. To the business she has today, helping salon owners to build a profitable business while working less

02:24 So when I started to think about guests that love to have on the show, Natasha is one of the first people that came to mind. Her story is incredibly inspiring but it's so much more than that! It's a journey of self-discovery and growth and values and tenacity and resilience and self belief And I'm so glad that Natasha agreed just to come on and share her story with me and with you So, let's jump into my chat with Natasha Britton. We've known each other a little while now. In fact, I spoke at your very first in-person event where you stood up on stage for the first time ever! It was my first ever time! Amazing and told your story and it was a really powerful story that set the scene beautifully and really helped to get everybody in the room seeing A what is possible for them? And B why are you're the perfect person to help them

03:39 Right, we'll get on to that in a bit but first of all I would love you to just share that story your story that you shared in the room that day with our listeners. Yes, thank you so much as well for having me on Susan. I feel privileged! It's so lovely. So yeah my name is Natasha Britton and I'm a business mentor and strategist for salon owners and solo business owners in the hair beauty and aesthetic world. My story really starts with a tough beginning...I grew up on a council estate we lived on benefits. I left home really young. I left home whilst i was doing

04:18 And I actually became a mom at the age of 17. And it got to a point where I could feel history repeating, and I was in a private bed sit at the time she was about three months old and my landlord said we're selling so you're gonna have to move out! And iIwas like what? He said you better go to the council and I thought oh my god I don't want to... I don't want my kids to go through what I went through living on a council estate and there's nothing wrong with a council estate it's just not a nice The Business of Stories podcast is brought to you by the Business of Stories, a production Being technically homeless with a three month old and I had big plans, you know. I had big plans when i was like 38 weeks pregnant. I was sitting there writing my business plan for this salon that I'd love to open one day and...I never told anyone I did this because it was so unrealistic like people would just look at me like how could you open the salon? Like you've got no money! Like you've got no experience but it was my big dream

05:21 And it wasn't easy because when I had my daughter, there was no internet really. I actually wrote to the Prime Minister – it was Tony Blair at the time – and asked him how can I start a business? They put me in touch with The Prince's Trust at that time. They weren't helping people like me but were helping ex-offenders so they said we can't help you Shell livewire can social the petrol company they had this program called shell live wire. I join their community and started to learn all about business and what it takes to set up a business in its right you need a business plan and i start teaching myself as you know the internet started move on and i

06:07 I got some funds to get a computer and then i found myself on the forums like helping people with business. And, I really loved it! By this time I had purchased a property...I'd actually got out of council housing. I actually did have to go into council housing when I got evicted and I thought I do not want to be here. I just do not want to be here so I got myself a part-time job. I saw these new flats going up just literally a stone's throw across the road from where i lived and i was like oh my god, putting this on my vision board. Like i'd love to be in this new property so i started making inquiries and i thought if i could purchase this property this will really set me up

06:57 So I had a little part time job in the evening working in Pizza Hut, believe it or not. As soon as my partner finished, I had to go and work in the evenings till 12 o'clock at night but I just did whatever it took to get some money in and from there I researched everything so how do I get a mortgage? How can So, I'm going to start with a story about my own experience.

07:42 A family just started stepping in as well. They said, we'll pay for your fees for your solicitor and I was like oh okay that's great! You know i stepped out...I didn't know how I was going to do it but people just started saying well I'll give you a few thousand to set up get furniture and stuff like that and I was like Oh my god this is amazing everything's just falling into place But it's because I stepped out, because I had that vision. If I didn't have that vision, I wouldn't have got anywhere. So once I'd purchased the property, living the life you know... Got out of council housing found out i was pregnant and I was like oh my god second child 21 years old! I've got a mortgage to pay, I've got a four-year-old now and I'm pregnant with my second. I thought yeah we'll make it work, we've done it before we can do it again. Yeah bring it on

08:34 So, obviously during maternity leave and all of that I was still working at Pizza Hut. Went on maternity leave and this is when i joined the Shell Livewire thing. This is...I still had the vision of the business that was never ever going away! I thought I really want to do this so started researching about business and really you know learning everything I could whilst being a mum at the same time as well Yeah, I started helping people online just for over two years. I was helping people in the forums. I actually became a business mentor for them they asked me to do it like voluntary so I used to help people with that and then they actually said to me we're having an award ceremony and would love you to be there We've actually nominated you for an award And i was like oh my god! I'm only 23-24

09:26 That was my first ever award that I got for services to enterprise and that just kind of blew my mind. I was so nervous, I was so young...I had to go make a speech! I sat on the head table with the Mayor of London at this time it was in Claridge's Hotel and I thought oh my god i'm surrounded by all these entrepreneurs. I had little side hustles going on you know? I had a little import export business I was doing on eBay and stuff like that So you didn't have a salon yet? Didn't have the salon yet. It was still The Big Fission, you know so everybody knew by then I'd won a salon because i was talking about it all the time and getting more and more confident And it was only when I went to go get my nails done with my nail technician in Walthamstow We used to talk about business all of the time He said Natasha I really love your business mindset

10:20 He goes, I know you've not got the money but i've got the money and let's go into business together. Want to sell this business? I want a move location! I wanna get bigger salon and I'd love to do it with you because you've got such amazing business brain. I thought oh my god this is my opportunity But I actually got a job in a laser and skin clinic by this time. So, I'd left Pizza Hut after the maternity leave went and got a job in a laser and skin clinic. We've been working there for good few years it's helping me pay the mortgage all of that but still in the back my head is still want to be doing my own business so by then having this conversation with him I was actually pregnant for the third time when I was going on maternity leave and he said to me look

11:08 Obviously you're on maternity leave, you just had a baby. Let's start talking about it, let's start planning it out." By September my son was about eight months old I've got three kids now still paying the mortgage and still hustling all of that stuff. Three kids now and he has come along and said there is this opportunity. I thought I cannot turn this down! He's going to be my investor basically So we got to work and we started to set up the whole business from scratch, which is really risky. You've got no client base new area... We went in the shopping centre and it was... The rent and the rates are ridiculous in Greater London so there's a huge huge risk I would be giving up my job as well to go and do this! And that's what I did

12:03 And I said from the get go, I don't really want to be a therapist in a salon. I want to be a business owner and I want to have staff and that was a big, big...I could call it mistake. It did happen but I relied heavily on staff from the get-go. I had massive wages, massive overheads and his business was thriving so he was like a nails and pedicures downstairs and i was upstairs doing laser and skin and he really thrived because he had the shop window you know everybody could see what he was doing but i had to try and pull people from downstairs upstairs and get them in and it was only when i really started to struggle

12:50 I was just like, taking as little...just literally enough to eat and pay one bill or two bills you know? And nobody really knew what was going on behind that. I was putting on the smile working 70 hours a week Trying to make things work. Everybody thought on the outside it looks successful, but on the inside I was dying! I thought how can i sustain this any much longer? You know...I weren't able to pay wages some weeks. I was just so stressed I didn't even want to go into work So I went into research mode again and I started to think you know right how do I get clients in

13:41 What marketing do I need to do? And that's when I learned all about Google Business. That was one of the things that really saved me! So, you know I had so many struggles like cash flow issues staff issues. We've had sexual harassment we've had people stealing and we've had therapists taking all of the clients and leaving which is very common within the industry but you know, I didn't know that at the time and through all this adversity and hardship I've always been able to deal with quite a lot of stress anyway. I'm a problem solver, give me a problem and I'll solve it you know? But through all of that...I took what was going wrong and I was able to turn it into solution How can I combat that? how can I really problem-solve that And it was only when I started to really work on the marketing getting myself out there

14:44 that people started to realize that we were actually there. And then I really started to see the differences between myself and my business owner, he wanted a fast service quick in and out and i wanted high end high price. And I thought this isn't really working here so something's got to give and when things started to really take off I made some plans to open another business around the corner And I told him, I actually had to sit down. I was so nervous telling him and he was actually quite happy for me said look you know what? You got to do what you gotta do! If your not getting what you need here then i'm happy support you to go on He's still there now we've still got a good relationship but he was so supportive So I literally opened around the corner I spent a hell of lot money Of my own money I spent 75 grand doing up this salon

15:42 And once we opened, it took so long to open but once we opened I literally doubled my revenue overnight. Wow! Crazy? Just because I had a shop front and everything the way that I wanted it, everything you know that I ever wanted...that little girl who was writing out her business plan That was the dream manifested, you know. I thought the first one was the dream manifested but that's where all of the problems were lying and I had to do a lot of learning That was the journey, right? Yeah. The journey! Definitely and it was when I got to the second one that I was like no this is it now. This is me this is just mine you know we literally built it from a shell didn't even have a shop front on

16:34 No rooms we had to build it from scratch and I had it all mapped out on the floor. And then from there just went on from strength to strength I was able to systemize a business so I could pull myself out of it. So for the last couple of years, I didn't work in the business That was the site my dream manifested into reality, you know. And I ran that business for nine years and it was only during COVID that I decided to step out and start helping other people. And that's when I got back into those Shell LiveWire days, you know? As I was helping people and I felt so...I've got so much more knowledge now!

17:16 And the rewarding feeling of giving somebody advice, them implementing it and go oh my god I've got results. That for me was just like wow amazing! And from there you know i did the five day challenge stuff which really positioned me as an expert in the beauty world And from there it just went from strength to strength and I decided to sell the salon and go on, to help business owners with their businesses. Because that's where my true passion lies. I think during those Shell LiveWire days I really saw it there as well. Now that's what I've been doing for the last five years!

18:01 It's been a spectacular journey. Not easy! All those ups and downs. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so many challenges. Absolutely but you've got so much knowledge now and insight and wisdom and experience to share and I could see the minute you started talking about mentoring other people i could see you light up like yeah yeah I do love it that this is where you're meant to be Now I'm here to help people stop surviving It's not about surviving It's about building a business that you can actually be proud of and that will support your lifestyle as well. So I use my story a lot when i'm talking on stage or just in threads through my marketing because it is a powerful story, cause' I've had so much adversity in my life and I have managed to overcome

18:57 I think a lot of people can resonate with that, you know. Even if it's not homelessness even if its not the bailiff showing up at your door or getting into debt...I think people can really resonate with that struggle when you're in the mess of it and it feels like it's going to last forever And nothing lasts forever. And it's about, yeah, just soldiering through that really having the resilience and the determination to pull yourself through it Thank you for sharing. Absolutely love that story, it's so inspiring and but it does so much more than inspire which is what I want to talk about because this podcast is called The Business of Stories because it's not just about telling inspiring stories

19:47 How those stories help to position you in the way that you want to be positioned so that you can build the business of your dreams by connecting with your idol clients through stories that really resonate with them and make them feel like you get them. And they want to go on the journey with you by their side, right? Otherwise it's just a nice inspiring story if it doesn't position you the way that you want to be positioned. My kind of goal for all of the episodes in my podcast is to show listeners

20:25 Not just the stories they have, but how to explore their stories in all the ways that I've talked about in previous episodes. Like positioning yourself as the guide in your client's story, turning your message into a movement Bringing your unique blend of experiences and insights and adversity to your work, and how that makes what you do and what you offer unique. So loads of stuff there that I'd love to explore with you but... To start with how much of your story do you think is your driver now? And why behind what you do? I think it's a hundred percent! I know where i've been

21:11 And I never want to be back there again. Yeah, and I know that there are other people where I have been when they message you you know when they reach out You really feel their struggle and I can see myself in them and i'm like if only you knew it's so frustrating sometimes because you want to fast forward them into the result but like you say you have to go on a journey And that journey is why I do what I do and why I share my story so much. Ultimately, I do want to be able to open like a charity or something. To help underprivileged children and young people... ...To give them that vision of where they can be So that is definitely one of my big goals And i will continue to use my story Sometimes it's a little bit

22:11 I've had some people say to me, well don't you just want to let go of that now? Now that you've got into a better position. You're not that person anymore. It's like well... A part of me does but a part of me doesn't because I know I can help so many more people with that as well. I don't know if you ever found that as well Susan And that is the bit of your story that will make people see that you get them If your story is just about the success, if your story is just about how you brought that story to life and the dream and it's all great. And you had this amazing business...if you don't talk about that you started from scratch, started with less than nothing, you were homeless and the fact that you were able

23:01 It sounds like a lot of what you've done is mindset, right? A lot of what got you through and helped you was the mindset and that resilience and determination and commitment. Just keep going and keep focusing on solving problems and finding solutions There's so much in there that makes you the person that you are today, what you do with clients. So powerful helping them bring the right mindset and approach to what they're doing. Without that bit of your story wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful because if you think about all those stories and all the films we love and movies we've watched

23:46 It's that journey that the hero goes on, right? Not the end. In fact they often... The ending is even not what they thought it was going to be, right? Yeah! Where they set off where they thought they were going but it's that journey of who they became along the way and you know what they learn and how they evolved and yeah a you know experienced along the way and and who they became That's the story. The story is not, oh they got there and they slayed that dragon and they found the girl and lived happily ever after. You want a happy ever after but that's not what you go to the movie for. You go to the movie to watch that journey of growth and emotion. Overcoming all the adversity and facing those challenges and everything else.

24:39 I'm really aware that there's a lot of business owners listening right now. Well, Phil yeah I've got a story but i don't know if i'm confident enough to share it or what are people going to say because you do have to be quite courageous to share your story and to be very open about it. There might be some people along that journey that are not happy to hear it and not happy to even see you on the other end at this success you know so I do understand it does take a bit of courage to put yourself out there But if you look at the impact that it has when you share your story, even if you can inspire one person to make a difference. That is worth it in my opinion. Yeah absolutely and I talk about this a lot. You do have to get a little bit vulnerable but

25:36 But the sharing the story is always about the intention behind why you're sharing it. It's why you're sharing, it's the purpose of the story. You don't tell that story just to say look at me, look at this journey I've been on – it's all about me! You're sharing that story and you're being vulnerable, and you're being brave to share it because you know that there are people out there. That story could be a game changer for them. They could hear your story and something shifts in them today and they go Go and take the next step. You know, whether it's with you or it isn't they exactly take that next step and something shifts and something changes and they might always remember the day they heard you share that story and you might never know they even exist

26:24 And that's so true, isn't it? Yeah. And that's what is so magical and powerful and impactful about is you could share that story and think nothing of it or even share your story and think oh that didn't get much engagement I didn't get very many comments on there but you don't know what impact you had and who heard it and what its changed for them So you said that you share your story a lot which is fabulous Most of your clients won't have your story, right? They don't have... Your story's unique. Everybody's stories completely unique and I think people get a little bit hung up sometimes on the oh but I haven't got my idol clients' story or it's not exactly the same

27:09 But it doesn't have to be. It just needs to be relatable and show people that you get them, that you understand how they're feeling what's going on for them right now like you know their story and it's where we start to make those connections I talk about in the sweet spot between your personal story and your business story or customer stories So, have you found that there's any parts particularly of your story that clients tell you that they really relate to and was it the parts you expected or sometimes is it something that you didn't expect? Yeah I think a lot of my clients' stories are me maybe six years ago.

27:53 Yeah, I see a lot of there. A lot of me in them. I think a lot of people do resonate with it whether is from a personal perspective or some struggles that they've gone through personally or whether is a practical business side of the story you know? Hard to manage, you've got to deal with people customers. You know nobody knows me how do I get myself out there? And I think a lot of people resonate with that as well and then they see the after part and think I want that! That's what i want as well and they can resonate with the aftermath of all of the journey so

28:36 Yeah, I think I get people connecting with me depending on where they're at in their journey. Different parts of my story for sure. Definitely and also the other thing is that the way that you work with clients now and the way that you help clients and support clients is going to be different than somebody who only knew success Somebody who has, who everything worked and everything was easy. If those people exist... I don't know if they do! You're probably right they probably don't but i think because you've experienced so much adversity and to be running a business and literally have bailiffs at your door

29:21 A lot of people that would have, you know... A nervous breakdown. Yeah! They would have struggled to work through that and not just work through it go an buy a property around the corner an spend 75 thousand pounds on it right? But I think you know it's that lived experience isn't it that makes you the mentor and coach and guide that you are today And people can look at that and see like she doesn't just How to run a successful business. She knows how to deal with and manage and get through all the challenges that I'm going to face along the way. The problems, yeah. Yeah! And if you are a business owner, you know that it's never smooth sailing, there is always a problem around the corner so its about being adaptable at the same time. What stories were you telling yourself?

30:12 So, let's get started. Somebody trying to hold all of the glue together. It was, I thought how am i dealing with all of this pressure? I used to ask myself how am I dealing with it and think a lot of the time I just didn't deal with it. I used to ignore things Because if I knew, if I had to deal with every single thing. I just wouldn't have got through it So it was almost like firefighting Dealing with the person who's screaming the most at that time And then just going from there Right? I've solved that problem Right what's the next thing you know If you try and think about everything It just... You can't function as a human Like nobody can deal with that amount of stress

31:11 And it's focusing on the big things, isn't it? That are going to move the needle. Yeah or even Susan some days is just focusing on the small things like today I'm gonna get out of bed! Today I'm actually going to put my makeup on you know even just focus like when you're in Like deep despair, just those little things are... Yeah. Is going to be the major impact that it has and it's those little things consistently so it's not always the big things It's just yeah I'm gonna show up today. Amazing! Thank you so much well I'd love to finish with one of my episodes was how to turn your message into a movement

31:55 So if your business was a movement, what do you think that movement would be? The movement would be to... I've got my own sort of community and I call them My Supreme Beings. So it's all about stepping into your higher self into that CEO boss energy and you know, To shift which is my methodology into a supreme being you know visualizing yourself as that person that's got everything.

32:34 And what can I do today to be that? That is what i'm on a mission to do, you know. To really showcase to people that no matter where you are in life No matter what circumstances you've got, no matter if... You don't have the money to do it or you've got a disability or anything like that You can do whatever you want to do as long as you've got that big vision. Like, don't let anybody tell you that you cannot do it because if you start making the steps and you start researching and taking action towards it then you'll be quite surprised where you can end up! And that's what my business is about

33:22 If I was to create a movement, it would be to shift into that supreme being. That future version of yourself that's got everything you desire. And then choosing to be the person that takes the steps. Yes! Now! Yeah. How can I show...I always ask my community members how can you show up as that person today? They know exactly the answer so its about Amazing. Thank you so much, Natasha that was absolutely fabulous! Where can people find you if they want to follow you and find out a bit more about what you do? Yeah sure my main platform is Facebook so just type in Natasha Britton on facebook

34:08 I'm on LinkedIn and Instagram as well, but Facebook is my main platform. Fabulous! All right thank you so much really really appreciate it and i just know that this conversation and your story is going to impact more people than you'll ever know but thank you for sharing it with us today. I'm sure you found Natasha's tenacity and drive and commitment to her big dreams and vision as inspiring as I did But what I'd really love you to take from our conversation was how she's sharing her story to have an impact, to make a difference. To connect with the people she loves working with not with a story that's polished and perfect but with a story that's honest and real The stories that connect most deeply aren't just about success

35:02 They're about understanding and meeting your ideal clients where they're at. It's also a story that reminds people that where they've been can become the very thing that helps someone else move forward. Natasha uses her story to act as a guiding light for people who are still finding their way That's not just storytelling, that's leadership And it's a powerful reminder that your story can do the same. So I hope you enjoyed that episode and i'll see you next time for more stories that do the selling for you so you don't have to!

35:48 Thank you so much for being here. I love that we get to do this together! Would you do me a huge favour and please rate, review and follow this podcast in Apple Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts? And i'll see you next time for more honest conversations meaningful connections and of course stories