How this web designer deals with imposter syndrome whilst building a biz and life she loves
Leah from Little Biz Online never set out with a plan - now she’s running a thriving business with her husband as a full time employee as well!
Now her work allows her to build a life that suits her family.
Here Leah shares the highs and lows of building a business - and why networking is one of the best tools in her marketing plan.
What’s your biz?
We are a web design business, building websites to evolve with business growth.
Who do you work with? What sets you apart?
Our ideal customer is a NZ SME who wants their website done right, and to be supported over time, not handed a website and left to manage it alone.
With a background in marketing, we bring strategic thinking into every website – making sure it’s not just built well, but working towards real business goals.
What sparked the idea behind your business?
When returning to ad agencies wasn't a good fit for me with a young baby, I turned to helping small local businesses with marketing part-time - and one needed a website.I said I didn't know how, but they said I would figure it out... and I did!
I loved the combination of strategy, project management and creativity, and made this my business focus moving forward.
Initially building for businesses of friends and family, I gained confidence and skills. Lots of big learning curves and late nights after babies had gone to bed paid off.
Thirteen years later, and with my husband onboard fulltime now too, we have an amazing, thriving lifestyle business.
What does a typical day look like for you as a business owner?
My husband and I are lucky enough to work from home on our lifestyle block just outside Whangarei. Once the kids are at school, spend our days working side-by-side, bouncing ideas off each other and solving issues for clients.
It is rarely lonely, with frequent Zoom meetings with clients from all over NZ and Australia - or popping into town to meet with local ones.
Fridays are reserved for us to get out of the office - either getting jobs done or a rare 'date day'. Our weekends are full on with Scouting activities and gymnastics competitions - so our cups (and calendars) are full..
What are some of the key milestones in your business journey so far?
There was no big master plan! I initially was content being a stay at home mum, making some money to contribute to groceries etc.
During this time, I was honoured to be asked to be on Michelle's team at Network NZ as her "WordPress Expert", this was a big line in the sand for me, enabling me to be seen by more businesses throughout NZ, and grow a network who still support me today.
After 5 years, it became obvious that I wasn't going to have to go back to work in ad agencies when the kids went to school, so we got to move back 'home' to Whangarei. In 2020, my 20 hours per week skyrocketed to 60 hours per week during Covid as businesses scrambled to get their online presence up to speed with online stores, etc. At this point, my husband was made redundant from the small engineering firm he worked for - so I grabbed him in to help, and he has stayed (despite engineering job offers).
We have continued to grow the business together, and enjoy our lifestyle and freedom. Last year, we took a trip to Japan for a month with the kids, working remotely for a couple of hours each morning and giving the digital nomad thing a test drive. Who knows where we will head when the kids finish high school!?
What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced so far?
Imposter Syndrome! Gets me all the time - despite having a Bachelor in Business, a decade working in media strategy and clients across NZ and Australia trusting me with their businesses, I still feel like being self-taught when it comes to web design and WordPress management is a weakness.
We have amazing clients who are grateful for the work that we do, and I have to keep reminding myself of this!!
What are you most excited about in your business right now?
We have just gone through a shakeup of redefining our core target and aligning our offerings more than they have been. It feels very refreshing and purposeful.
Our hopes are to work more in-depth on a more select group of websites. When we are part of the team for a business, rather than someone they send work to, it is very energising.
What’s worked best for you to build brand awareness and get customers?
Networking! From face-to-face networking, to being part of Facebook groups and helping people with their annoying website issues, getting infront of people and showing how much I care about their success (and that I don't just speak geek!) is how we meet most of our clients.
That and word-of-mouth, which is priceless.
What is one of the important lessons you've learnt as a business owner? What advice would you share to someone starting out?
If your gut says you don't want to take on a client or a job, don't. Even if you really need the cashflow. It isn't worth the grief.
There are so many amazing, lovely clients out there to value you and your work, you don't need to work with dickheads draining your time and energy.
How does being a part of She Owns It help you in your business journey?
Circle back to networking above!
That and knowing that there are people to fill MY knowledge gaps too. There are too many hats in business to be expected to know how to wear all of them, even though we try.
⚡️ FAST 5:
1. One thing you’d tell your younger self starting out?
All those core papers of your Business degree will actually be more important than the ones from your major. Pay more attention in accounting!! And believe in yourself a bit more.
2. Your favourite biz or personal development books or podcasts?
It may sound terrible, but I actually despise personal development books and podcasts. Maybe I just haven't given the right ones a go, but I find they fuel the imposter syndrome more than inspire me. It is part of my work-life balance to turn it all off. After a day in the office, my brain needs some light-hearted bubblegum.
3. How many tabs do you have open right now?
Too many to count - every project in a new window though! But my inbox is generally above the fold, and that is what I see as a marker of being organised for me.
4. What's your go-to power song?
The Man by Taylor Swift. Not a big Swiftie, but my daughter is. Working in a tech job, some days I have to deal with some real chauvinistic IT guys who don't believe I actually do know what I am talking about and it grinds my gears so bad!
5. A quote you love and why?
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do." - Mark Twain
As a big over-thinker, this one helps me grab opportunities and make the most of life!
How can people connect with you and your business?
https://littlebizonline.co.nz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lharold/
https://www.facebook.com/littlebizonline
Our Trades/Small Business package is great for service businesses who don't have a website yet, or are ready to trade up from a DIY WIX/Weebly/etc site to a more professional web presence. For SOI members who sign up before the end of July (and mention this at time of briefing), we will offer a 10% discount off their project quote: https://www.littlebizonline.co.nz/tradie-websites/
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