February 27, 2024 • 54 mins
Step into the world of a maven entrepreneur with our amazing guest Rebecca Simpson, and uncover how to weave the fabric of a successful business that leaves customers yearning for more. Prepare to be inspired as Rebecca walks us through her transition from retail to playing a pivotal role in her family's plumbing and heating company, and her latest venture, The Barn at Wind's Edge. Together, we'll explore the essence of a flourishing corporate culture and how a profound commitment to guest experiences can build unbreakable community ties.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to make every customer feel like the guest of honor? In our conversation, we unlock the strategies that empower your team to exceed service expectations, highlighting the importance of a value-driven hiring process and the cultivation of a 'happy team.' From personalized gestures to comprehensive training, we dissect the art of creating memorable client interactions, and I'll share my philosophy on nurturing a team whose actions are a reflection of our core mission.
Dealing with the thorns of business, such as customer dissatisfaction, can be as telling as the successes. We discuss the 'take the heat' method, emphasizing the need for empathy in service recovery and the incredible power of a sincere apology. The theme of understanding diverse perspectives emerges as a cornerstone for true financial success, a reminder that the heart of business success lies in treating people with genuine care.
Mackenzie Kilshaw Co. offers comprehensive business coaching, and consulting tailored to your needs.
With Mackenzie's award winning entrepreneurial expertise in strategy, leadership, business development, branding, website development, social media management, SEO, sales and customer service training and more, clients receive personalized guidance to drive growth and success.
Let's make your business unforgettable!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Shauna Foster (00:06):
Winning is your guide to making it in business.
Join our award-winning host andentrepreneur, Mackenzie Kilshaw
, and special guests in casualconversations that will educate
and inspire you on your businessjourney.
Winning will help you learn thehard lessons the easy way, with
guidance from celebratedentrepreneurs and business
(00:26):
leaders.
It's fun, it's informative,it's Winning Hello.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (00:32):
Hello, welcome to Winning.
I'm your host, MackenzieKilshaw, and my guest today is
Rebecca Simpson.
Hi, Rebecca, hello, hi, how areyou?
Rebecca Simpson (00:40):
I'm really well , how are you?
Mackenzie Kilshaw (00:43):
Well, I'm good, except for I'm going to
just confess I have a coughcandy in my mouth because it's
that time of year to get a cough.
So I apologize if I havemarbles in my mouth to everyone
listening, Do you, Rebecca oh?
Rebecca Simpson (00:54):
Oh good, I have my water right here, because,
you never know, it is that timeof year and I might have a
spontaneous coughing fit orsomething like that.
So we're exactly.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (01:03):
It is what it is right.
So Rebecca started herentrepreneurial journey with the
opening of her first business,Craving's Maternity and Baby, in
2006.
And the initial success led tothe expansion they had Craving
Kids come on in 2011.
In 2013, Rebecca actuallyjoined her family business,
(01:26):
which I we're going to maybetouch on that because I feel
like me and my family workingtogether probably wouldn't be so
great, but so she went to herfamily's business i Plumbing,
Heating and Electrical where shefocused on corporate culture,
employee engagement, customerservice.
(01:47):
It all led to their success,but we always talked before.
Rebecca and I talked about ifyou're an entrepreneur, you're
an entrepreneur.
And so, in 2018, Rebecca tookon her most exciting venture.
She had dreamed up the barn atWind's Edge, which is an upscale
v event venue with deliciousfood, a really cool prairie
(02:10):
aesthetic and every detail tomake sure that her clients have
the most unforgettable events,which I know because I've been
there.
It is a beautiful space andthere was nothing like it in
Saskatoon.
So thank you for starting a newbusiness that we can all enjoy,
thank you.
So, Rebecca, I gave a littlebio of you, but why don't you
(02:33):
just tell the audience who youare a little bit more about your
entrepreneurial journey.
Rebecca Simpson (02:39):
Sure, so, as Mackenzie said, I'm Rebecca, I
am currently the owner and I runthe Barn at Wind's Edge here,
just outside of Saskatoon.
I'm a mom, two boys and one is20, which is unbelievable.
I 16.
(03:00):
I know, I don't know how that'seven possible and I was born
and raised in Saskatoon.
I grew up in an entrepreneurialfamily.
Actually, I come from a longline of entrepreneurs.
My dad bought into CentennialPlumbing and Heating when I was
in high school and he had hisown accounting practice before
(03:24):
that and then my grandparentshad a wholesale company.
So it is in my blood.
I was in denial about being anentrepreneur because I saw what
the life looked like.
I hardly saw my dad at allgrowing up.
He left before I woke up in themorning and then he would
usually come home for dinner forI don't know an hour and then
(03:47):
he'd go back to work and Ithought that was kind of crazy.
But I got roped in.
So my former business partner,Jordana Jacobson.
She had the idea to start amaternity and baby store and we
knew each other but we weren'tsuper close friends but we were
at an event and she said do youwant to start this business?
(04:08):
And I was like I'll work foryou but I don't want to own my
own business.
And then I thought about it fora day and kind of got on the
one whole day.
Yeah, so that's how that started.
I think it obviously is in yourblood.
It is something that you eitherhave or don't have, and when
(04:30):
you are an entrepreneur, it isactually a lot more work, but
you're always doing the thingsthat I don't see.
I shouldn't say that You're notalways doing the things that
you want, but you're alwaysworking towards the things that
you want, and it is.
I can't imagine working forsomebody else now.
I don't think I could, so yeah.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (04:53):
Hey, I feel you, because we talked before,
too, about if you have thatentrepreneurial bug gene
whatever you want to call it inyou.
It's really hard to stop itbecause you're always thinking I
can make that a business,somebody should start this.
My husband always says- I'mlike somebody should make that
into their business.
He's like not you, because I'malways like you just always
(05:17):
have that part of your brainthat's like we need that.
You see, something that'slacking.
I mean, when you started thebarn, like you saw, we don't
have an event space like this.
Somebody should start this.
And it's going to be me, right,yeah, yeah, how did you?
Yeah, like, how did you do that?
Rebecca Simpson (05:37):
I always wanted to have a party barn, but I
mostly wanted it just for my ownuse.
That was kind of how it started.
My husband and I own someproperty just outside of town
and I was always like you knowwhat, when we, when things kind
of settle down, we'll just builda little barn and have a little
barn dominium on top of it andit will be like it's true and
(06:00):
it's outside of town.
So when our kids were little wewere like, oh, it'd be perfect.
You know you can't go away forthe whole weekend to the lake,
but it feels like it's outsidecity.
So everything.
I thought I would have thisparty barn and I would just host
my own parties in the bottompart and kind of have a little
apartment over top.
And then it was like, well, youknow what?
There's not a lot of placesother than hotels or the kind of
(06:24):
traditional convention centersto host parties and have
weddings and do different typesof events.
So a friend of mine she livesjust right next door to where
the barn is and I said to heryou know, you really need to
open a party barn.
(06:45):
She works for the federalgovernment and she was like,
yeah, no, like I am not anentrepreneur, just yeah, I have
no interest in that, but I lovethe idea.
I think you should do it, andthis is kind of the story of my
life where?
Mackenzie Kilshaw (07:03):
What did I say?
Somebody should do this and youdid it.
Rebecca Simpson (07:09):
So my business partner and I eventually like,
after we kind of talked about it, it's like no, really we need
this.
So we had to jump through a lotof hoops to work with the RM of
Corman Park to get thisre-zoned, and so we built a
12000 square foot party barn.
(07:29):
You know, it grew a lot, kindof went from being this we would
bring in an old barn and maybespruce it up a little and have
some parties there.
And now it's like yeah, it's abig, substantial building that
we designed specifically formostly weddings, but we do other
events.
(07:49):
And that was five years, and soI guess the planning started,
oh gosh, like six years ago nowand we've six or six and a half
years ago and we've been openfor five years.
But we had a little bit of apandemic in the middle.
So that put a kind of Imagineyeah, but we're back in business
(08:11):
and we're busy and things aregetting back on track, so it's
good.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (08:16):
Yeah, and one thing, too, that I love that
you've done is I think mostpeople think of it as a wedding
venue, but you guys host yourown events out there, where I
know you've done differentdinners and things and you have
a lot of corporate events, soyou've done a really great job
of streamlining your revenue,like you're not just a wedding
(08:38):
venue, you're a first venue foranything.
Rebecca Simpson (08:41):
Yeah, weddings are kind of our bread and butter
, but it definitely has.
Even though we are open allyear, most people want to get
married.
Kind of May to even Novembernow, actually everything's kind
of moved, and then we do getsome December weddings.
So the first like four or fivemonths of the year are pretty
(09:02):
slow here.
So we've started doing our ownevents, as you mentioned, and we
do a lot of corporate eventsduring the week, even during
wedding season.
So even though we designed thespace specifically for weddings,
we've took care of all thedetails for that.
It is a nice space for otherevents too, so it's nice to do
(09:22):
other things and meet otherpeople, and then those people
sometimes develop into eithercorporate clients or wedding
clients.
So it's good that way.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (09:32):
Yeah for sure .
Yeah, building that communityis huge.
One thing we didn't touch on,which I don't have even in my
notes, but I want to talk aboutit, is community.
You are really, really a strongsupporter of the community in
Saskatoon.
Your whole family I don't wantto just say you, but your whole
family Silver Spoon Dinner inSaskatoon, which I've been doing
many times and is always such agreat event and a fundraiser.
(09:55):
So do you want to talk a littlebit about community?
And even, how has that helpedyou now in your business?
Rebecca Simpson (10:02):
For sure I think, similar to my
entrepreneurial roots.
I come from a long line ofSaskatoon community supporters.
I don't talk about this much,but my grandpa was actually the
mayor of Saskatoon before I wasborn.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (10:20):
I didn't even know that, like just before I
was born too.
Rebecca Simpson (10:23):
So A while ago.
So I think that that's how likeI just was born into that that
it is your requirement to giveback to your community, and so
my parents are huge supportersboth of our Jewish community and
just the broader Saskatooncommunity and so, similar to
(10:48):
growing up in family businessthe Silver Spoon Dinner and the
Silver Plate Dinner we're kindof also our family's businesses.
That was always fundraising forthings.
So, yeah, I just think it'ssuper important.
I've been given a lot ofopportunities growing up in this
community and a lot of supportgrowing up in this community, so
(11:10):
I do feel it is myresponsibility to give back.
While we're on the Silver SpoonDinner topic, we do have an
amazing event coming up in Maythe first Monday in May I think
it's the sixth this year, but itis Candice Bushnell who is the
(11:31):
creator of Sex and the City.
So it's supposed to be anamazing one woman show and I'm
just giving a little shout outto that because my mother would
be very angry if I did it.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (11:41):
So I would talk about it, so I need to
share, Rebecca, your mom, Linda,is one of my favorite people.
Speaking of community, but whenI had my stores, your mom would
always she oftentimes stoppedinto my store to ask K, want to
do a donation or something?
And I was like, of course I do.
It's a great cause and at theend of the day, the donation
(12:04):
usually helped me too right inmy business to get people to
know who I was and whatnot.
But I always love to support it.
And one of my favorite thingswas the handwritten note that
your mom would send me after theevent and we're going to talk a
lot about guests and clientexperience in a little bit.
But your mom sending me thatnote always just touched my
(12:27):
heart because I knew that shegenuinely appreciated me
donating to the event or comingto the event, whatever it was,
and that just fostered thatrelationship with her and I
where I always would do whateverI could do to help her cause.
And that's what it's about,right, like it's that building
(12:49):
of a community.
Rebecca Simpson (12:51):
I learned from the best for sure.
My mom has put her personaltouch on the Silver Spoon Dinner
for over 30 years and I thinkthat that is almost like a lost
art, the personalizedhandwritten note that she does
send to every single donor.
It is unbelievable like shewrites hundreds, if not a
(13:12):
thousand, letters every year anda message yeah like it wasn't
just like thanks for yourdonation.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (13:19):
It was Dear Mackenzie, yeah.
Rebecca Simpson (13:22):
So I definitely have taken, like I learned a
lot about customer experiencefrom my mom and Silver Spoon
Dinner, even though it's not abusiness per se.
We've been raising money as acharity, but you do want your
guests to have an amazingexperience at either a charity
dinner or with your business, soI definitely learned from the
(13:45):
best with her.
And yes, I just.
Everybody is just blown away bythat, especially nowadays where
you can use, I don't know, anapp or something.
You can use AI to do something.
But this is all coming from herheart and it is as you said.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (14:03):
It's it makes a big difference and it's
evident that she actually cares,so 100% which I think is really
a great way for us to lead intoour topic today, which is
client or guest experience.
And it doesn't matter what yourbusiness is, right, it doesn't
matter if you're seeing someonein person, if you have an online
(14:26):
business, if you have arestaurant or a hair salon or,
in your case, an event space, itdoesn't matter.
It all boils down to your guestor your client having the best
experience that they canpossibly have, sure, and so
let's start with, first of all,why is this important?
Rebecca Simpson (14:46):
Well, as you mentioned, I mean any kind of
encounter that you have, whetherit's in person, online.
You want that to be anexperience there.
You I've heard this beforewhere you could say they say,
like you can have an expense oryou can have an experience.
When people are spending moneyon something, you want them to
(15:10):
have the good memories and aonce in a lifetime opportunity,
rather than just thinking like,oh, I spent this much money on
something.
So I think that that it's justany interaction you have with
people.
You want it to be a positiveexperience and and that's what
(15:32):
I've, even though I've worked ina number of different
industries I think that this isuniversal that you want people
to leave whatever business youhave with a great experience
under their belt, and then,hopefully, they'll pass it on to
other people and that they'llwant to come back.
So I think that that's a keyfor any business.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (15:55):
I totally agree and it's how they feel
right when they come in and theyfeel welcomed and appreciated.
It's your mom sends the note,because that's your mom, but
also you.
I got, I get a personalizedhandwritten note from your mom
afterwards.
That makes me feel so great andthe next time she asks me, I'm
like yes, because I, I want todo it, because right, and I tell
(16:20):
my friends you guys need to goto the Silver Spoon Dinner.
You guys, we went out for thisrestaurant meal.
It was fantastic, our waiterwas so awesome.
You guys got to go there right,like that's what it does for
your business.
Rebecca Simpson (16:31):
It does and and it's just we do it as our jobs.
You know, when you do somethingover and over and over and it
becomes kind of just yourresponsibility, almost you
forget that, especially in ourindustry, where it's weddings or
(16:52):
other events.
But just talking about weddings, for example, like this is one
of the most important days ofsomebody's life and so you want
that you have one chance to havethat be the most amazing
experience that they possiblycan have and you want that to be
the memory they have.
So I think that that's just keyis not getting kind of bogged
(17:17):
down in the day to day and justremembering, like with empathy,
that this is a huge event and ahuge important and a big expense
.
You want somebody to have onlygood memories about it.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (17:32):
So it's important yeah.
I totally agree.
So, talking about experience,what can you do as the owner of
the business to ensure, makesure 100% that that client or
guest receives an exceptionalexperience?
Rebecca Simpson (17:50):
So I think it starts so at the top me as the
owner.
This has been my number onepriority and it has been right
from the start.
So I think that that's thebiggest thing is the leader or
the leadership team has to trulybelieve this.
And then, as you are assemblinga team, you need to make sure
(18:15):
that you have people that shareyour values.
So when you're hiring people,you need to make sure that they
understand, but also not justunderstand, but live and breathe
a culture of customer serviceand helpfulness and saying yes
to people and wanting that,wanting to make this the best
(18:38):
experience possible.
It's really hard to offer agood experience if your team
hasn't bought into that.
So you need to make sure allthe way from me as the owner
down to not down to, but acrossteam, everybody who has any
kind of interaction with ourclients, whether it's in person,
(19:02):
online, over the telephone thatthey all believe that this is
super important, and thenthey'll take that into
consideration with every littlestep that they take.
So I think that that's how itstarts.
And then with us, like for me,not only am I picking people who
share values, but then we do alot of training.
(19:24):
So not only is there trainingwith the actual physical job,
like serving food or how todesign a floor plan or how to
create a contract for somebody,like there's actual physical
jobs but on top of that there isthe customer service training,
(19:46):
and so we actually callourselves the happy team.
That's what we call ouremployee group, and the happy
set stands for helpful,attentive, problem solvers,
positive and yes-minded.
And so in front of everyone'sdesks, the people who have desk
jobs, that's like right in frontof their faces, that when
they're answering questions andwhen they're helping people,
(20:09):
like, are they being helpful,are they being attentive, are
they being problem solvers?
So it's just like reminding youof what your job is like, not
just the physical, it's apurpose, yeah.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (20:22):
We're here.
It's so funny to me the amountof people that ask me how to
create a great experience forpeople and make sure that the
customer service is off thecharts good.
And I asked them what kind oftraining they do for their team
and they say, well, we show themhow to work the computer system
and whatever, and that's it.
(20:44):
And I like my head blows off alittle bit because I think it
all start when you said that Ilove that and I agree it's
having a team that believes it,the leaders showing it and
living those values and thattraining that is gonna get you
there.
And when everyone's trainingthe same way and you have like
procedures for things of how todo things and everybody does it
(21:07):
the same, that customerexperience just goes way up.
Rebecca Simpson (21:11):
Yeah, I think a little bit on that note where
you said everybody does it thesame.
I think that's a huge thing.
That I've learned over theyears is you can have procedures
in place and you need to haveprocedures in place, but you
also need to have the right teamwho can.
Like we said in, one of ourvalues is problem solving.
So you can't have a handbookthat includes every single
(21:34):
scenario, because you would havea 10,000 page handbook and
nobody would take the time tolearn that.
So what you really need to dois when it's value centered,
when you can think of, like, whywe do things, then people, if
you've chosen the right peopleon the team, they may not have
(21:55):
experienced that exact scenario,but they can go back and be
like okay, so I'm supposed to behelpful, I'm supposed to be
attentive, I'm supposed to doall these things.
How am I supposed to deal withthis situation that I've never
seen before, but I need it toend up in a good experience.
So, yes, you can trainprocedures, but you also want
(22:15):
people who are humans, who canproblem solve, and to me, that's
like the number one value isproblem solving.
You can't really teach that.
I feel like people either havethat gene or don't have that
gene, and sometimes, if it takessome time to develop your
problem solving skills, butthat's what differentiates us, I
(22:37):
truly believe like everybody'sgonna have a different scenario
and it's how you handle thoselittle hiccups or not even
necessarily bad things, but I'venever heard that before.
Okay, well, what would be theimplications of this?
And I don't see why that wouldbe a problem.
So you want people who, yes,you want it to be a consistent
(22:58):
experience for people, but youwant it to be almost
personalized.
Everybody wants to be seen asan individual and everybody does
have different needs and wantsand expectations, and so if you
can kind of tweak it a littlebit to cater to each individual
(23:22):
person, I think that's where youcan get that exceptional
experience that you wouldn'tnecessarily get when it's like
okay, you have to do A, then youdo B, then you do C, then you
do D, and then you just repeatfor every single person.
So I think there's just thathuge component of having people
who really believe in the systembut are able to think outside
(23:43):
the box and think like what isthe best, what will be the best
outcome for both the company andthe client and the experience.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (23:55):
Yeah, that's such a great point, and
especially when it'sservice-based, like yourself,
because, like you said, thingscome up that you don't even
realize are gonna could evercome up right, and you will have
to, on the spot or on the fly,right now, figure out that
solution.
I'm assuming, too, that part ofthat kind of I'll say that
(24:18):
perfect employee that you'relooking for would also be calm
under pressure and right, sothat problem comes up to them
and they're not just like, oh myGod, what are we gonna do?
Rebecca Simpson (24:29):
Right, they can everybody has to be calm,
because we want a great energyhere too.
These are exciting events thatwe're involved with, so you
don't want people who are alwaysvery flat or not emotional
about stuff.
But it's also knowing, like,who on the team can handle this
(24:49):
situation best, or who in thiswho like there may be five
people and who will best servethis experience.
So there's also just kind of alot of self-awareness that's
required.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (25:03):
For sure.
So when you're interviewingpeople, I'm assuming, then
you're asking a lot ofbehavioral questions where what
do you do when a problem happens, or how do you solve something,
so that absolutely you knowthat they're capable right
absolutely, and I think thatit's good to actually use like
(25:23):
the technique where it's liketell me about a time when you
did this so that it's like youcan just make up like a
theoretical answer to that.
Rebecca Simpson (25:32):
I also just use my gut a lot and that's what
I've learned in business andit's really hard to explain that
to other people who aren'tnecessarily entrepreneurs that a
lot of what I do just is on gutfeeling and I know that doesn't
necessarily sound superprofessional or you need to show
(25:52):
some analytics with it.
It's just like, yeah, are you?
I can probably tell if you're agood problem solver just
walking into my building becausemaybe the one door is locked or
what do you do?
Yeah, so I tend to just, yeah,go with the gut and yeah, go
(26:13):
from there.
But we have an amazing team.
I have several employees whohave been here right from the
beginning and I'm just, I'm sofortunate because I have
surrounded myself with the bestof the best and it's so fun
working with them as well.
Like and that's the other thingis a happy, like what we call
(26:35):
ourselves a happy team, like weare here.
We want to be happy.
It's a most of the time it'sreally joyful occasions that we
are here for and that shows toowhen your staff are enjoying
themselves.
And if you're just doing a joband you don't like it.
It's noticeable and it's reallyhard to give a good experience
(26:58):
if you don't want to besomewhere.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (27:00):
Oh for sure.
And that's also a testament toyou and your leadership, because
part of why the reason theywant to be there is you, right
it's.
You have that attitude and youhave the leadership that they
believe and understand why it'simportant, right.
Yes thank you.
Rebecca Simpson (27:17):
It is true, I love coming to work every day
and I love working with my teamand you know, everybody has bad
days and everybody, you know,can notice if they're not in
their best mood and stuff.
But I can really tell if I'm,you know, not presenting my best
self, that the whole team likeit.
(27:38):
Just it brings everybody down.
So it is super important as aleader to you know, emulate what
you want everybody else to belike.
So it's sometimes it's tricky.
You know everybody has stuffgoing on and it's sometimes
tricky to suck it up, but it'srequired and it really pays off
(28:00):
and honestly, like this, thesecond I walk in here and I've
got a great mindset and I'veswitched it on it, it it's, it
happens.
It actually is true.
You can have other stuff goingon and as soon as it's like, oh,
I'm with my people, I'm havinga great time and we're and we're
planning somebody's wedding orwe're decorating for this and
it's, it's great, it's fun.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (28:22):
Well, and how fortunate are you that you get
to be a part of so many people'sspecial events Like your
wedding is one of the biggestthings in your whole life, right
, and that's really an honor tobe a part of their special day.
Rebecca Simpson (28:35):
It certainly is , and I think that that's kind
of again in the background, likewhen, when we're talking to our
team and stuff, it's likeremember the importance that you
play, like somebody remembersthis day for their whole life.
Yeah, so, and you, like everysingle person here the
dishwasher, the servers, theplanners, the administrators,
(28:55):
like everybody was involved.
There's so many people involvedin, you know, starting from a
tour all the way to booking andthen executing these events, to
also after the event.
So, like so many people havetouched that event and made it
happen and I think it's such anhonor, like you said, to be
(29:15):
involved in that.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (29:17):
Yeah, for sure.
You mentioned having a bad day,and it happens to everybody in
business, Whether you're theleader or you're maybe that
customer coming in.
I just want to touch on thisbecause I we don't often talk
about the the negative things,but what happens if your client
doesn't have a good experience?
Rebecca Simpson (29:40):
So luckily we haven't had that happen too much
.
I think that backtracking a bit, like I said, when you put the
plans in place ahead of time,like if you can anticipate the
issues that are going to arise,when you get to know your
clients and you really like tryto cater to them, you mitigate
(30:04):
that a lot, but, like you said,it does happen from time to time
.
So the biggest thing that I'velearned over the years is that
you need to empathize with your,with the situation, like
something that might not be abig deal to me, maybe a huge
(30:25):
deal to them.
And that's the part where it'slike I, you, you don't need to
put your own spin on it.
If this affected them and theywere upset by it, that's real.
And I think that's the numberone thing is just like
acknowledging that this upsetthem or that this wasn't to
their standard.
Empathizing with somebody ortrying to convince them that
(30:49):
what we did was correct or thatwe followed the procedures, or
this is how we always do it.
That doesn't get you anywhere,and I think that that's a huge
learning experience that justcomes over time, that to
empathize with somebody,regardless if you agree or
disagree, it doesn't matter.
At the end of the day, you wantthem to be happy, and if they
(31:11):
weren't happy, you're not goingto convince them otherwise by
just telling them all the thingsyou did or what, whatever.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (31:20):
Yeah, exactly .
Rebecca Simpson (31:22):
In a business group a long time ago, one of my
colleagues had said that theyuse the acronym take the heat,
and so they use H, e, a, t and Hstands for here, e stands for
empathize, a stands forapologize and T stands for take
positive action.
(31:42):
And I think I've always nowused that kind of as a guideline
.
So actually listening to them,so for the hearing, it's like
listen to the actual situationhere, their side of the story.
It is good to kind of get yourstaffs take on something and
(32:03):
hear like your team side, but atthe end of the day that doesn't
actually matter.
And then empathy, likeespecially with weddings, these
are super emotional times.
You don't know, like the familybackground, you don't know what
went into all of this, youdon't know all the details, and
(32:24):
so just like honestly showingempathy for the situation and
understanding that this didn'tgo as they wanted it to.
And then obviously a hugeapology and just like a sincere
apology that it didn't go asplanned, when somebody has an
idea in their mind and it didn'thappen that way.
(32:46):
You did something wrong.
So to take to do a real apology.
And then last part is takingpositive action and that is
doing whatever you possibly canto correct this.
So, and sometimes I think likewhat I might I don't want to say
favorites, because I never likethis Like as a business owner,
(33:09):
this is like the most gutwrenching part of having a
business.
When you've disappointedsomebody, especially when it's
like they're spending a lot ofmoney, they've put a lot of
effort and time into this.
It's like when you, when you'vemissed the mark, it feels
terrible and I think that youwant to always have that.
When you've lost that empathy Iguess it is and you don't
(33:33):
really care anymore, that's whenyou probably need to get out.
Like when you're not into it,it should feel bad if you've
messed up like this.
So when, when something likethis happens, I always want to
just ask, like, how can we makethis right?
I think that that's the bestquestion that I've come up with
(33:54):
that seems to work, because it'slike some people just want to
have, want to be heard, somepeople just want to vent and say
, like you know, I'm reallydisappointed, this should have
happened like this, andsometimes that's all it takes is
that you just like listen andhear and say you're right.
(34:14):
I'm really sorry.
We tried and we missed the markand often when people say like,
when they tell you how to makeit right, it's quite easy to fix
and often times they'll it'susually less than what you were
planning to do.
I know this sounds weird, but,like you know, if you were
(34:37):
planning to give a discount oryou were planning to completely
refund something, or you wereplanning to I don't know if it's
a smaller event maybe you weregonna you know, I don't know
give them something for free.
Whatever, usually what theycome up with is a lot less than
what you were thinking.
So and then it's specificallywhat they want, and at the end
(34:58):
of the Transaction if you wantto call it that they should be
satisfied, because if you dowhat they say, then it should be
solved.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (35:10):
So I love that.
I love that.
It's so true.
And it never is what you think,because I know for me in my
business I'd be like like whatcan I do to make you happy?
And they, you know, literallylike well, next time I'm here,
whatever you know, and it's noteven a thing I'm like, oh yeah.
Rebecca Simpson (35:30):
I have an example.
Like there was a mother of Ibelieve it was the groom who's
dress got snagged on one of ourchairs.
So there was like a a screwsticking out of the chair and
she was really upset, like thisis her son's big day, they had
to do photos, her dress had asnag in it and she was visibly
(35:55):
upset.
And so, you know, in the momentI wrote her, I went up to my
office, I wrote her a card and Ijust said I'm so sorry that
this happened.
Please let us know what we cando to fix this for you.
And, like I was, I wasn'texpecting a response that night.
I just wanted to give her alittle something and I happened
(36:16):
to have, like I don't know Ithink it was maybe a gift card
to Starbucks or something that Ijust put in there and like it
was not nearly.
I wasn't expecting that thatwas gonna solve the problem, but
I just wanted her to know.
Like we know, this is a bigdeal.
I want you to know right awaythat we care about this and how
disappointing that would be tohow this happened.
(36:37):
And she wrote the mostincredible note the next day
after the wedding she made shewas fine after a while.
You know it was on her hip andshe was putting her hand on her
hip for all the photos and stuff.
Yeah, she was nobody else.
And she just wrote back and shejust said like how Impressed she
was that we took it seriouslyand that we dealt with it
(36:59):
immediately.
And she said there's nothingyou can do like that's all I
wanted.
I just wanted you to to hearand say sorry and that's what we
did, and it was like I don'tknow.
I mean, I felt kind of sillyabout giving the $10 Starbucks
card or whatever.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (37:16):
But that was a token.
It was a token to be like we'rehere, like let's talk about
this more.
Rebecca Simpson (37:22):
But no, she was able to, I think because of the
way we handled it right away.
She just was like you know whatit's actually not she was.
It was a big deal in the momentand then she was like you know
what?
This is the once in a lifetimeI'm gonna have fun at my son's
wedding.
So it just it's honestly thatacknowledgement I think that
makes.
That is the most importantthing.
(37:44):
I agree.
Yeah, I really like happen butit does.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (37:51):
And yeah, and we've all had experiences In
just our own general lives thatthat wasn't what I thought, her
it wasn't good service her thefood wasn't good or whatever it
was, and the ones that do justwhat you say you know what can
we do to make it better and it'sresolved.
(38:12):
You kind of never think aboutit again, right, like okay,
that's fine.
Rebecca Simpson (38:16):
Talking about it in a positive way, like it.
Actually.
ometimes in this you don't wantto purposely make mistakes so
that you can correct them.
But the times that people haveproblem solved and corrected a
problem, that's where you standout actually.
Well, exactly, you know, whenyou do the everyday things,
(38:38):
those aren't remarkable, thosedon't stand out in any way.
But when you have a problem andyou can fix it and solve that
you, it is more memorable.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (38:50):
I agree.
And the thing is if somebodysays, oh, your sister had her
wedding at the barn and how wasit?
And they're not even gonna talkabout if there's something
happened, they're gonna say itwas fantastic because you dealt
with it, it's resolved, doesn'tmatter.
If you didn't deal with it andit wasn't resolved, they'd say,
oh gosh, don't get married therebecause this happened and they
(39:12):
didn't do anything.
Right like we've all had thatat businesses where you're like,
don't go to that restaurant, Ihad a bad experience and they
were like oh well, not ourproblem, w So it just shows that
that unique and that hand touch, or that, you know, personal
touch service really does gosuch a long way.
For sure Is it important to beunique in your experience.
Rebecca Simpson (39:39):
I think, in some ways, like there's, I mean,
in our culture, I think it'spretty standard, like how you
have a wedding, there's certainsteps you take and it's pretty
consistent.
But I think the inconsistentpart that we are is that we want
it to feel like your own.
(40:01):
We want you to be able to putyour own personal touch on your
event.
We don't want it to feel cookiecutter and, though we do this a
couple of times a week, we wantyour day to look different, to
feel different and to be exactlywhat you want.
So, yeah, I think theuniqueness is that we can make
it unique for you even thoughthat's a prescribed event.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (40:25):
Yeah, and well, that's what makes that
experience so fantastic forpeople and really touch them and
stick out because you are doingeverything you can possibly do
to make their day or their eventthe best that it can be for
them, right.
Rebecca Simpson (40:41):
For sure, and I think, like a lot of having
procedures in place and havingthings consistent is super
important and that is whatcreates a great formula for an
event.
You want to follow those things.
It's just when there's specialrequests or different problems
(41:02):
that arise or different dynamicsthat you can think outside the
box, that you don't have to saylike, no, we absolutely can't do
that, unless it's against thelaw.
We're pretty open to things, sowe've had some interesting
requests and part of our happyteam.
The last one is the why foryes-minded.
(41:23):
So we want to say yes as muchas possible, as long as it's
safe and within the law.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (41:33):
We're not doing i illegal, but we're going
to make you happy.
That's awesome.
But that's a part of yoursuccess, right?
Because you do have that greatcustomer service that leads into
them having a great event,which leads into them talking
about it and telling theirfriends to go there.
Or maybe they repeat customershopefully not for weddings, but
(41:56):
they have a corporate event.
They're like well, let's sit atthe bar and we had our wedding
there.
My friend had their weddingthere.
It was so fantastic and that'show you win, right.
That is how you are successful.
Rebecca Simpson (42:06):
Exactly, and we do.
I just actually had a phonecall today.
We are doing an event herein-house and it was the mom of a
couple who got married here andshe wanted to buy tickets for
her son and daughter in law forthat event.
So it's like we do get repeatcustomers in different ways.
We haven't had any repeatweddings yet.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (42:30):
Hey, that's also positive.
All of our weddings aresuccessful, so your marriage is
successful.
That's your new marketingtagline.
Rebecca, you weren't too bad,but Well, you're on a good roll.
Five years right, that's apretty good odds, awesome.
Do you have a most importantlesson that you would share with
(42:51):
people, or something thatyou've learned along the way
that really resonates with you?
Rebecca Simpson (42:57):
Oh boy, I think the number one thing is just
remembering that everybody ishuman and I'm a human.
The people we deal with arehuman, our staff, they're all
human, and I think that's huge.
(43:18):
Everybody comes with baggage,everybody comes with
expectations, everybody comeswith stuff and at the end of the
day, you're just a personhelping other people, and often
in business I think we forgetthat.
I think when you get stuck inthe procedural stuff or in the
financial stuff, at the end ofthe day you're just helping
(43:42):
people, and I think that goes along way to understand that
everybody's different andeverybody just needs to be
treated carefully too.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (43:56):
Yeah, I don't know Kind of that kindergarten
golden rule treat others likeyou want to be treated.
That's kind of your whole.
Rebecca Simpson (44:05):
I think there's one step past that.
You say treat others how youwant to be treated, but I think
it's actually treat others howthey want to be treated.
I think often we think thateverybody thinks the same as us,
and I think that that's part ofwhen you make a mistake when
what I come up with might not bewhat you want to solve the
(44:25):
problem, you might have atotally different idea, just
because that's who you are.
So I think really listening ishuge and then just understanding
.
These are just people and it'sa huge responsibility and a huge
honor to get to work with a lotof different people.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (44:46):
I totally agree.
I usually ask one thing thatyou wish you had known.
Maybe that's the reallylistening to people, or is there
anything else that you wish youhad known?
I feel like you've had so muchexperience now by now.
Rebecca Simpson (45:02):
When I first started with Cravings oh my gosh
, we knew nothing.
I still don't run numbers, andmaybe this is a bad thing.
But I am not a numbers person,I am a gut feel person and I
feel like my business, the way Irun my business and the way I
(45:24):
believe business works, is verydifferent than kind of the
conventional beliefs.
So when you're doing well andyour numbers are looking good, I
feel like that's the reward fordoing the other things well,
versus always looking at thenumbers and then working
(45:45):
backwards from there.
So that has been a bit of achallenge to explain that to the
bank, but it has served me welland I think that that's just.
It's almost like the SimonSinek, like what's your why, and
(46:07):
it's like working backwards.
That's super important.
When I first started in businessI couldn't pinpoint what it was
that I really had a hard time,like explaining to other people
or not having the analytics showsomething.
(46:27):
You can't necessarily showeverything analytically.
When you're working with peoplethere's that X factor.
That is that feeling.
That is a good experience.
There's no way to show it.
You can manipulate the numbers,you can talk about the
(46:52):
statistics and all that stuff,but at the end of the day.
There's just this little pieceof I don't know.
I don't have a name for it.
It's like the X factor.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (47:04):
I totally know what you're saying and I
think it kind of comes back toyou run your business with the
belief and you talk and you'rehappy acronym and you're
training, and I think when youdo the right things and you have
a really great handle on all ofthese things, the financial
(47:29):
success follows, because youdefinitely need to keep an eye
on things.
Rebecca Simpson (47:37):
The cash flow is super important, but you also
can hire experts.
Maybe that's the thing I the,maybe the piece that I wish I
would have kind of bought intoearlier, because I grew up in
family business and my dad wasmy mentor.
You know, at the beginning ofmy business, with Cravings, for
(48:01):
example, you know I was doingthe books and I was doing the
cleaning and I was doing kind ofall the different things and
when you're first starting out,you don't really have a choice.
But, for example, the books likemy dad is a turn it accountant,
that's in his DNA, it is not inmy DNA Like that was the most
(48:24):
painful thing I ever had to doand I would just leave it to the
last minute and do it, and thenI'd have to call my dad 12
times t an h And eventually,like he probably did it for me
(48:44):
but pretended I was doing it.
And when we find a bookkeeper,like that was the best
investment we ever made andhonestly, I'm sure it saved us
so much money because I made somany mistakes and I was being
charged like penalties on thisand that because I wasn't doing
it right.
And that's not my area ofexpertise.
(49:05):
And I think that that's key toois like everyone knowing what
your strengths are and thensurrounding yourself with people
who have the places whereyou're lacking.
Like have people on the teamwho have different skill sets
and who enjoy doing differentthings, because then you know I
don't have to do all the thingsthat I hate doing.
(49:25):
Obviously, as adults, you dosome things we don't like.
That's just life.
But if you can have people wholove making spreadsheets and
love doing you know, theorganizing background stuff,
like great, and I think thatthat's key is just yeah, do get
help with things that you arenot good at, and that is like
(49:49):
bringing you down.
I think that you can then freeup the time to do the things
you're really good at and thatbring you joy.
Like you can't just do jobsthat you don't like, you have to
do more of what you like.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:04):
I agree, I totally agree.
I also try to do my own bookshuge fail.
So I am all for don't do whatyou're not good at or you don't
like, because it's not going toserve you.
Rebecca Simpson (50:15):
Yeah, and I honestly don't think it saves.
It definitely doesn't savemoney in the long run.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:21):
No absolutely not, because it's your time
doing it.
That time is also money, right.
Rebecca Simpson (50:26):
For sure.
What could you be best usingyour time for, if you're?
Really gifted at something else.
That's what you should be doinginstead.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:35):
Yeah, I totally agree, Rebecca.
I know that people are going towant to check out the barn and
know more and maybe get to knowmore about you, so where's the
best place for them to find youor to go to see more?
Rebecca Simpson (50:48):
For sure.
So we are on Instagram.
I don't know what our handle isprobably @the barn at indsedge.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:56):
Sorry I should have these written down
in front of me.
You probably told me to do thatand I did it.
It's okay, I'll have it in theshow.
I'll have it in the notes.
Perfect, thank you.
Rebecca Simpson (51:06):
You're good at this, you help me out.
We're on Facebook, we have awebsite, the barn at W and, yeah
, we're out in the community too, and we'd love to have
everybody here for an eventsometime soon.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (51:22):
Thank you so much, Rebecca, for being on.
I really appreciate you sharingand, I agree, customer services
where it's at.
So we'll be looking forward toseeing and hearing what people
think about this episode.
So thank you so much and foreverybody listening, we'll see
you on the next episode.
Thanks for listening to Winning.
Be sure to subscribe to get allof our new episodes.
(51:44):
If you enjoyed this episode andyou'd like to help support the
podcast, please share it withothers, post about it on social
media and leave a rating andreview wherever you listen to
Winning.
To catch all of the latest fromus, you can follow Winning
Podcast on Instagram a Winning upodcast, facebook Facebook at
(52:04):
Winning podcast Podcast and onTwitter at a Winning pod.
Winning was created and isproduced by me, mackenzie
Mackenzie Kilschah Kilshaw.
.
.
Kilshaw.
Music, created Firby SummerFurby, editing by Seth Armstrong
.
Special thanks to Shauna Fosterfor voicing our opening and, of
course, a huge thank you tothis episode's guest.
Thanks again for listening andI'll see you on the next episode
(52:27):
.
Winning is your guide to making it in business.
Join our award-winning host andentrepreneur, Mackenzie Kilshaw
, and special guests in casualconversations that will educate
and inspire you on your businessjourney.
Winning will help you learn thehard lessons the easy way, with
guidance from celebratedentrepreneurs and business
(00:26):
leaders.
It's fun, it's informative,it's Winning Hello.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (00:32):
Hello, welcome to Winning.
I'm your host, MackenzieKilshaw, and my guest today is
Rebecca Simpson.
Hi, Rebecca, hello, hi, how areyou?
Rebecca Simpson (00:40):
I'm really well , how are you?
Mackenzie Kilshaw (00:43):
Well, I'm good, except for I'm going to
just confess I have a coughcandy in my mouth because it's
that time of year to get a cough.
So I apologize if I havemarbles in my mouth to everyone
listening, Do you, Rebecca oh?
Rebecca Simpson (00:54):
Oh good, I have my water right here, because,
you never know, it is that timeof year and I might have a
spontaneous coughing fit orsomething like that.
So we're exactly.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (01:03):
It is what it is right.
So Rebecca started herentrepreneurial journey with the
opening of her first business,Craving's Maternity and Baby, in
2006.
And the initial success led tothe expansion they had Craving
Kids come on in 2011.
In 2013, Rebecca actuallyjoined her family business,
(01:26):
which I we're going to maybetouch on that because I feel
like me and my family workingtogether probably wouldn't be so
great, but so she went to herfamily's business i Plumbing,
Heating and Electrical where shefocused on corporate culture,
employee engagement, customerservice.
(01:47):
It all led to their success,but we always talked before.
Rebecca and I talked about ifyou're an entrepreneur, you're
an entrepreneur.
And so, in 2018, Rebecca tookon her most exciting venture.
She had dreamed up the barn atWind's Edge, which is an upscale
v event venue with deliciousfood, a really cool prairie
(02:10):
aesthetic and every detail tomake sure that her clients have
the most unforgettable events,which I know because I've been
there.
It is a beautiful space andthere was nothing like it in
Saskatoon.
So thank you for starting a newbusiness that we can all enjoy,
thank you.
So, Rebecca, I gave a littlebio of you, but why don't you
(02:33):
just tell the audience who youare a little bit more about your
entrepreneurial journey.
Rebecca Simpson (02:39):
Sure, so, as Mackenzie said, I'm Rebecca, I
am currently the owner and I runthe Barn at Wind's Edge here,
just outside of Saskatoon.
I'm a mom, two boys and one is20, which is unbelievable.
I 16.
(03:00):
I know, I don't know how that'seven possible and I was born
and raised in Saskatoon.
I grew up in an entrepreneurialfamily.
Actually, I come from a longline of entrepreneurs.
My dad bought into CentennialPlumbing and Heating when I was
in high school and he had hisown accounting practice before
(03:24):
that and then my grandparentshad a wholesale company.
So it is in my blood.
I was in denial about being anentrepreneur because I saw what
the life looked like.
I hardly saw my dad at allgrowing up.
He left before I woke up in themorning and then he would
usually come home for dinner forI don't know an hour and then
(03:47):
he'd go back to work and Ithought that was kind of crazy.
But I got roped in.
So my former business partner,Jordana Jacobson.
She had the idea to start amaternity and baby store and we
knew each other but we weren'tsuper close friends but we were
at an event and she said do youwant to start this business?
(04:08):
And I was like I'll work foryou but I don't want to own my
own business.
And then I thought about it fora day and kind of got on the
one whole day.
Yeah, so that's how that started.
I think it obviously is in yourblood.
It is something that you eitherhave or don't have, and when
(04:30):
you are an entrepreneur, it isactually a lot more work, but
you're always doing the thingsthat I don't see.
I shouldn't say that You're notalways doing the things that
you want, but you're alwaysworking towards the things that
you want, and it is.
I can't imagine working forsomebody else now.
I don't think I could, so yeah.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (04:53):
Hey, I feel you, because we talked before,
too, about if you have thatentrepreneurial bug gene
whatever you want to call it inyou.
It's really hard to stop itbecause you're always thinking I
can make that a business,somebody should start this.
My husband always says- I'mlike somebody should make that
into their business.
He's like not you, because I'malways like you just always
(05:17):
have that part of your brainthat's like we need that.
You see, something that'slacking.
I mean, when you started thebarn, like you saw, we don't
have an event space like this.
Somebody should start this.
And it's going to be me, right,yeah, yeah, how did you?
Yeah, like, how did you do that?
Rebecca Simpson (05:37):
I always wanted to have a party barn, but I
mostly wanted it just for my ownuse.
That was kind of how it started.
My husband and I own someproperty just outside of town
and I was always like you knowwhat, when we, when things kind
of settle down, we'll just builda little barn and have a little
barn dominium on top of it andit will be like it's true and
(06:00):
it's outside of town.
So when our kids were little wewere like, oh, it'd be perfect.
You know you can't go away forthe whole weekend to the lake,
but it feels like it's outsidecity.
So everything.
I thought I would have thisparty barn and I would just host
my own parties in the bottompart and kind of have a little
apartment over top.
And then it was like, well, youknow what?
There's not a lot of placesother than hotels or the kind of
(06:24):
traditional convention centersto host parties and have
weddings and do different typesof events.
So a friend of mine she livesjust right next door to where
the barn is and I said to heryou know, you really need to
open a party barn.
(06:45):
She works for the federalgovernment and she was like,
yeah, no, like I am not anentrepreneur, just yeah, I have
no interest in that, but I lovethe idea.
I think you should do it, andthis is kind of the story of my
life where?
Mackenzie Kilshaw (07:03):
What did I say?
Somebody should do this and youdid it.
Rebecca Simpson (07:09):
So my business partner and I eventually like,
after we kind of talked about it, it's like no, really we need
this.
So we had to jump through a lotof hoops to work with the RM of
Corman Park to get thisre-zoned, and so we built a
12000 square foot party barn.
(07:29):
You know, it grew a lot, kindof went from being this we would
bring in an old barn and maybespruce it up a little and have
some parties there.
And now it's like yeah, it's abig, substantial building that
we designed specifically formostly weddings, but we do other
events.
(07:49):
And that was five years, and soI guess the planning started,
oh gosh, like six years ago nowand we've six or six and a half
years ago and we've been openfor five years.
But we had a little bit of apandemic in the middle.
So that put a kind of Imagineyeah, but we're back in business
(08:11):
and we're busy and things aregetting back on track, so it's
good.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (08:16):
Yeah, and one thing, too, that I love that
you've done is I think mostpeople think of it as a wedding
venue, but you guys host yourown events out there, where I
know you've done differentdinners and things and you have
a lot of corporate events, soyou've done a really great job
of streamlining your revenue,like you're not just a wedding
(08:38):
venue, you're a first venue foranything.
Rebecca Simpson (08:41):
Yeah, weddings are kind of our bread and butter
, but it definitely has.
Even though we are open allyear, most people want to get
married.
Kind of May to even Novembernow, actually everything's kind
of moved, and then we do getsome December weddings.
So the first like four or fivemonths of the year are pretty
(09:02):
slow here.
So we've started doing our ownevents, as you mentioned, and we
do a lot of corporate eventsduring the week, even during
wedding season.
So even though we designed thespace specifically for weddings,
we've took care of all thedetails for that.
It is a nice space for otherevents too, so it's nice to do
(09:22):
other things and meet otherpeople, and then those people
sometimes develop into eithercorporate clients or wedding
clients.
So it's good that way.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (09:32):
Yeah for sure .
Yeah, building that communityis huge.
One thing we didn't touch on,which I don't have even in my
notes, but I want to talk aboutit, is community.
You are really, really a strongsupporter of the community in
Saskatoon.
Your whole family I don't wantto just say you, but your whole
family Silver Spoon Dinner inSaskatoon, which I've been doing
many times and is always such agreat event and a fundraiser.
(09:55):
So do you want to talk a littlebit about community?
And even, how has that helpedyou now in your business?
Rebecca Simpson (10:02):
For sure I think, similar to my
entrepreneurial roots.
I come from a long line ofSaskatoon community supporters.
I don't talk about this much,but my grandpa was actually the
mayor of Saskatoon before I wasborn.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (10:20):
I didn't even know that, like just before I
was born too.
Rebecca Simpson (10:23):
So A while ago.
So I think that that's how likeI just was born into that that
it is your requirement to giveback to your community, and so
my parents are huge supportersboth of our Jewish community and
just the broader Saskatooncommunity and so, similar to
(10:48):
growing up in family businessthe Silver Spoon Dinner and the
Silver Plate Dinner we're kindof also our family's businesses.
That was always fundraising forthings.
So, yeah, I just think it'ssuper important.
I've been given a lot ofopportunities growing up in this
community and a lot of supportgrowing up in this community, so
(11:10):
I do feel it is myresponsibility to give back.
While we're on the Silver SpoonDinner topic, we do have an
amazing event coming up in Maythe first Monday in May I think
it's the sixth this year, but itis Candice Bushnell who is the
(11:31):
creator of Sex and the City.
So it's supposed to be anamazing one woman show and I'm
just giving a little shout outto that because my mother would
be very angry if I did it.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (11:41):
So I would talk about it, so I need to
share, Rebecca, your mom, Linda,is one of my favorite people.
Speaking of community, but whenI had my stores, your mom would
always she oftentimes stoppedinto my store to ask K, want to
do a donation or something?
And I was like, of course I do.
It's a great cause and at theend of the day, the donation
(12:04):
usually helped me too right inmy business to get people to
know who I was and whatnot.
But I always love to support it.
And one of my favorite thingswas the handwritten note that
your mom would send me after theevent and we're going to talk a
lot about guests and clientexperience in a little bit.
But your mom sending me thatnote always just touched my
(12:27):
heart because I knew that shegenuinely appreciated me
donating to the event or comingto the event, whatever it was,
and that just fostered thatrelationship with her and I
where I always would do whateverI could do to help her cause.
And that's what it's about,right, like it's that building
(12:49):
of a community.
Rebecca Simpson (12:51):
I learned from the best for sure.
My mom has put her personaltouch on the Silver Spoon Dinner
for over 30 years and I thinkthat that is almost like a lost
art, the personalizedhandwritten note that she does
send to every single donor.
It is unbelievable like shewrites hundreds, if not a
(13:12):
thousand, letters every year anda message yeah like it wasn't
just like thanks for yourdonation.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (13:19):
It was Dear Mackenzie, yeah.
Rebecca Simpson (13:22):
So I definitely have taken, like I learned a
lot about customer experiencefrom my mom and Silver Spoon
Dinner, even though it's not abusiness per se.
We've been raising money as acharity, but you do want your
guests to have an amazingexperience at either a charity
dinner or with your business, soI definitely learned from the
(13:45):
best with her.
And yes, I just.
Everybody is just blown away bythat, especially nowadays where
you can use, I don't know, anapp or something.
You can use AI to do something.
But this is all coming from herheart and it is as you said.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (14:03):
It's it makes a big difference and it's
evident that she actually cares,so 100% which I think is really
a great way for us to lead intoour topic today, which is
client or guest experience.
And it doesn't matter what yourbusiness is, right, it doesn't
matter if you're seeing someonein person, if you have an online
(14:26):
business, if you have arestaurant or a hair salon or,
in your case, an event space, itdoesn't matter.
It all boils down to your guestor your client having the best
experience that they canpossibly have, sure, and so
let's start with, first of all,why is this important?
Rebecca Simpson (14:46):
Well, as you mentioned, I mean any kind of
encounter that you have, whetherit's in person, online.
You want that to be anexperience there.
You I've heard this beforewhere you could say they say,
like you can have an expense oryou can have an experience.
When people are spending moneyon something, you want them to
(15:10):
have the good memories and aonce in a lifetime opportunity,
rather than just thinking like,oh, I spent this much money on
something.
So I think that that it's justany interaction you have with
people.
You want it to be a positiveexperience and and that's what
(15:32):
I've, even though I've worked ina number of different
industries I think that this isuniversal that you want people
to leave whatever business youhave with a great experience
under their belt, and then,hopefully, they'll pass it on to
other people and that they'llwant to come back.
So I think that that's a keyfor any business.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (15:55):
I totally agree and it's how they feel
right when they come in and theyfeel welcomed and appreciated.
It's your mom sends the note,because that's your mom, but
also you.
I got, I get a personalizedhandwritten note from your mom
afterwards.
That makes me feel so great andthe next time she asks me, I'm
like yes, because I, I want todo it, because right, and I tell
(16:20):
my friends you guys need to goto the Silver Spoon Dinner.
You guys, we went out for thisrestaurant meal.
It was fantastic, our waiterwas so awesome.
You guys got to go there right,like that's what it does for
your business.
Rebecca Simpson (16:31):
It does and and it's just we do it as our jobs.
You know, when you do somethingover and over and over and it
becomes kind of just yourresponsibility, almost you
forget that, especially in ourindustry, where it's weddings or
(16:52):
other events.
But just talking about weddings, for example, like this is one
of the most important days ofsomebody's life and so you want
that you have one chance to havethat be the most amazing
experience that they possiblycan have and you want that to be
the memory they have.
So I think that that's just keyis not getting kind of bogged
(17:17):
down in the day to day and justremembering, like with empathy,
that this is a huge event and ahuge important and a big expense
.
You want somebody to have onlygood memories about it.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (17:32):
So it's important yeah.
I totally agree.
So, talking about experience,what can you do as the owner of
the business to ensure, makesure 100% that that client or
guest receives an exceptionalexperience?
Rebecca Simpson (17:50):
So I think it starts so at the top me as the
owner.
This has been my number onepriority and it has been right
from the start.
So I think that that's thebiggest thing is the leader or
the leadership team has to trulybelieve this.
And then, as you are assemblinga team, you need to make sure
(18:15):
that you have people that shareyour values.
So when you're hiring people,you need to make sure that they
understand, but also not justunderstand, but live and breathe
a culture of customer serviceand helpfulness and saying yes
to people and wanting that,wanting to make this the best
(18:38):
experience possible.
It's really hard to offer agood experience if your team
hasn't bought into that.
So you need to make sure allthe way from me as the owner
down to not down to, but acrossteam, everybody who has any
kind of interaction with ourclients, whether it's in person,
(19:02):
online, over the telephone thatthey all believe that this is
super important, and thenthey'll take that into
consideration with every littlestep that they take.
So I think that that's how itstarts.
And then with us, like for me,not only am I picking people who
share values, but then we do alot of training.
(19:24):
So not only is there trainingwith the actual physical job,
like serving food or how todesign a floor plan or how to
create a contract for somebody,like there's actual physical
jobs but on top of that there isthe customer service training,
(19:46):
and so we actually callourselves the happy team.
That's what we call ouremployee group, and the happy
set stands for helpful,attentive, problem solvers,
positive and yes-minded.
And so in front of everyone'sdesks, the people who have desk
jobs, that's like right in frontof their faces, that when
they're answering questions andwhen they're helping people,
(20:09):
like, are they being helpful,are they being attentive, are
they being problem solvers?
So it's just like reminding youof what your job is like, not
just the physical, it's apurpose, yeah.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (20:22):
We're here.
It's so funny to me the amountof people that ask me how to
create a great experience forpeople and make sure that the
customer service is off thecharts good.
And I asked them what kind oftraining they do for their team
and they say, well, we show themhow to work the computer system
and whatever, and that's it.
(20:44):
And I like my head blows off alittle bit because I think it
all start when you said that Ilove that and I agree it's
having a team that believes it,the leaders showing it and
living those values and thattraining that is gonna get you
there.
And when everyone's trainingthe same way and you have like
procedures for things of how todo things and everybody does it
(21:07):
the same, that customerexperience just goes way up.
Rebecca Simpson (21:11):
Yeah, I think a little bit on that note where
you said everybody does it thesame.
I think that's a huge thing.
That I've learned over theyears is you can have procedures
in place and you need to haveprocedures in place, but you
also need to have the right teamwho can.
Like we said in, one of ourvalues is problem solving.
So you can't have a handbookthat includes every single
(21:34):
scenario, because you would havea 10,000 page handbook and
nobody would take the time tolearn that.
So what you really need to dois when it's value centered,
when you can think of, like, whywe do things, then people, if
you've chosen the right peopleon the team, they may not have
(21:55):
experienced that exact scenario,but they can go back and be
like okay, so I'm supposed to behelpful, I'm supposed to be
attentive, I'm supposed to doall these things.
How am I supposed to deal withthis situation that I've never
seen before, but I need it toend up in a good experience.
So, yes, you can trainprocedures, but you also want
(22:15):
people who are humans, who canproblem solve, and to me, that's
like the number one value isproblem solving.
You can't really teach that.
I feel like people either havethat gene or don't have that
gene, and sometimes, if it takessome time to develop your
problem solving skills, butthat's what differentiates us, I
(22:37):
truly believe like everybody'sgonna have a different scenario
and it's how you handle thoselittle hiccups or not even
necessarily bad things, but I'venever heard that before.
Okay, well, what would be theimplications of this?
And I don't see why that wouldbe a problem.
So you want people who, yes,you want it to be a consistent
(22:58):
experience for people, but youwant it to be almost
personalized.
Everybody wants to be seen asan individual and everybody does
have different needs and wantsand expectations, and so if you
can kind of tweak it a littlebit to cater to each individual
(23:22):
person, I think that's where youcan get that exceptional
experience that you wouldn'tnecessarily get when it's like
okay, you have to do A, then youdo B, then you do C, then you
do D, and then you just repeatfor every single person.
So I think there's just thathuge component of having people
who really believe in the systembut are able to think outside
(23:43):
the box and think like what isthe best, what will be the best
outcome for both the company andthe client and the experience.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (23:55):
Yeah, that's such a great point, and
especially when it'sservice-based, like yourself,
because, like you said, thingscome up that you don't even
realize are gonna could evercome up right, and you will have
to, on the spot or on the fly,right now, figure out that
solution.
I'm assuming, too, that part ofthat kind of I'll say that
(24:18):
perfect employee that you'relooking for would also be calm
under pressure and right, sothat problem comes up to them
and they're not just like, oh myGod, what are we gonna do?
Rebecca Simpson (24:29):
Right, they can everybody has to be calm,
because we want a great energyhere too.
These are exciting events thatwe're involved with, so you
don't want people who are alwaysvery flat or not emotional
about stuff.
But it's also knowing, like,who on the team can handle this
(24:49):
situation best, or who in thiswho like there may be five
people and who will best servethis experience.
So there's also just kind of alot of self-awareness that's
required.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (25:03):
For sure.
So when you're interviewingpeople, I'm assuming, then
you're asking a lot ofbehavioral questions where what
do you do when a problem happens, or how do you solve something,
so that absolutely you knowthat they're capable right
absolutely, and I think thatit's good to actually use like
(25:23):
the technique where it's liketell me about a time when you
did this so that it's like youcan just make up like a
theoretical answer to that.
Rebecca Simpson (25:32):
I also just use my gut a lot and that's what
I've learned in business andit's really hard to explain that
to other people who aren'tnecessarily entrepreneurs that a
lot of what I do just is on gutfeeling and I know that doesn't
necessarily sound superprofessional or you need to show
(25:52):
some analytics with it.
It's just like, yeah, are you?
I can probably tell if you're agood problem solver just
walking into my building becausemaybe the one door is locked or
what do you do?
Yeah, so I tend to just, yeah,go with the gut and yeah, go
(26:13):
from there.
But we have an amazing team.
I have several employees whohave been here right from the
beginning and I'm just, I'm sofortunate because I have
surrounded myself with the bestof the best and it's so fun
working with them as well.
Like and that's the other thingis a happy, like what we call
(26:35):
ourselves a happy team, like weare here.
We want to be happy.
It's a most of the time it'sreally joyful occasions that we
are here for and that shows toowhen your staff are enjoying
themselves.
And if you're just doing a joband you don't like it.
It's noticeable and it's reallyhard to give a good experience
(26:58):
if you don't want to besomewhere.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (27:00):
Oh for sure.
And that's also a testament toyou and your leadership, because
part of why the reason theywant to be there is you, right
it's.
You have that attitude and youhave the leadership that they
believe and understand why it'simportant, right.
Yes thank you.
Rebecca Simpson (27:17):
It is true, I love coming to work every day
and I love working with my teamand you know, everybody has bad
days and everybody, you know,can notice if they're not in
their best mood and stuff.
But I can really tell if I'm,you know, not presenting my best
self, that the whole team likeit.
(27:38):
Just it brings everybody down.
So it is super important as aleader to you know, emulate what
you want everybody else to belike.
So it's sometimes it's tricky.
You know everybody has stuffgoing on and it's sometimes
tricky to suck it up, but it'srequired and it really pays off
(28:00):
and honestly, like this, thesecond I walk in here and I've
got a great mindset and I'veswitched it on it, it it's, it
happens.
It actually is true.
You can have other stuff goingon and as soon as it's like, oh,
I'm with my people, I'm havinga great time and we're and we're
planning somebody's wedding orwe're decorating for this and
it's, it's great, it's fun.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (28:22):
Well, and how fortunate are you that you get
to be a part of so many people'sspecial events Like your
wedding is one of the biggestthings in your whole life, right
, and that's really an honor tobe a part of their special day.
Rebecca Simpson (28:35):
It certainly is , and I think that that's kind
of again in the background, likewhen, when we're talking to our
team and stuff, it's likeremember the importance that you
play, like somebody remembersthis day for their whole life.
Yeah, so, and you, like everysingle person here the
dishwasher, the servers, theplanners, the administrators,
(28:55):
like everybody was involved.
There's so many people involvedin, you know, starting from a
tour all the way to booking andthen executing these events, to
also after the event.
So, like so many people havetouched that event and made it
happen and I think it's such anhonor, like you said, to be
(29:15):
involved in that.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (29:17):
Yeah, for sure.
You mentioned having a bad day,and it happens to everybody in
business, Whether you're theleader or you're maybe that
customer coming in.
I just want to touch on thisbecause I we don't often talk
about the the negative things,but what happens if your client
doesn't have a good experience?
Rebecca Simpson (29:40):
So luckily we haven't had that happen too much
.
I think that backtracking a bit, like I said, when you put the
plans in place ahead of time,like if you can anticipate the
issues that are going to arise,when you get to know your
clients and you really like tryto cater to them, you mitigate
(30:04):
that a lot, but, like you said,it does happen from time to time
.
So the biggest thing that I'velearned over the years is that
you need to empathize with your,with the situation, like
something that might not be abig deal to me, maybe a huge
(30:25):
deal to them.
And that's the part where it'slike I, you, you don't need to
put your own spin on it.
If this affected them and theywere upset by it, that's real.
And I think that's the numberone thing is just like
acknowledging that this upsetthem or that this wasn't to
their standard.
Empathizing with somebody ortrying to convince them that
(30:49):
what we did was correct or thatwe followed the procedures, or
this is how we always do it.
That doesn't get you anywhere,and I think that that's a huge
learning experience that justcomes over time, that to
empathize with somebody,regardless if you agree or
disagree, it doesn't matter.
At the end of the day, you wantthem to be happy, and if they
(31:11):
weren't happy, you're not goingto convince them otherwise by
just telling them all the thingsyou did or what, whatever.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (31:20):
Yeah, exactly .
Rebecca Simpson (31:22):
In a business group a long time ago, one of my
colleagues had said that theyuse the acronym take the heat,
and so they use H, e, a, t and Hstands for here, e stands for
empathize, a stands forapologize and T stands for take
positive action.
(31:42):
And I think I've always nowused that kind of as a guideline
.
So actually listening to them,so for the hearing, it's like
listen to the actual situationhere, their side of the story.
It is good to kind of get yourstaffs take on something and
(32:03):
hear like your team side, but atthe end of the day that doesn't
actually matter.
And then empathy, likeespecially with weddings, these
are super emotional times.
You don't know, like the familybackground, you don't know what
went into all of this, youdon't know all the details, and
(32:24):
so just like honestly showingempathy for the situation and
understanding that this didn'tgo as they wanted it to.
And then obviously a hugeapology and just like a sincere
apology that it didn't go asplanned, when somebody has an
idea in their mind and it didn'thappen that way.
(32:46):
You did something wrong.
So to take to do a real apology.
And then last part is takingpositive action and that is
doing whatever you possibly canto correct this.
So, and sometimes I think likewhat I might I don't want to say
favorites, because I never likethis Like as a business owner,
(33:09):
this is like the most gutwrenching part of having a
business.
When you've disappointedsomebody, especially when it's
like they're spending a lot ofmoney, they've put a lot of
effort and time into this.
It's like when you, when you'vemissed the mark, it feels
terrible and I think that youwant to always have that.
When you've lost that empathy Iguess it is and you don't
(33:33):
really care anymore, that's whenyou probably need to get out.
Like when you're not into it,it should feel bad if you've
messed up like this.
So when, when something likethis happens, I always want to
just ask, like, how can we makethis right?
I think that that's the bestquestion that I've come up with
(33:54):
that seems to work, because it'slike some people just want to
have, want to be heard, somepeople just want to vent and say
, like you know, I'm reallydisappointed, this should have
happened like this, andsometimes that's all it takes is
that you just like listen andhear and say you're right.
(34:14):
I'm really sorry.
We tried and we missed the markand often when people say like,
when they tell you how to makeit right, it's quite easy to fix
and often times they'll it'susually less than what you were
planning to do.
I know this sounds weird, but,like you know, if you were
(34:37):
planning to give a discount oryou were planning to completely
refund something, or you wereplanning to I don't know if it's
a smaller event maybe you weregonna you know, I don't know
give them something for free.
Whatever, usually what theycome up with is a lot less than
what you were thinking.
So and then it's specificallywhat they want, and at the end
(34:58):
of the Transaction if you wantto call it that they should be
satisfied, because if you dowhat they say, then it should be
solved.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (35:10):
So I love that.
I love that.
It's so true.
And it never is what you think,because I know for me in my
business I'd be like like whatcan I do to make you happy?
And they, you know, literallylike well, next time I'm here,
whatever you know, and it's noteven a thing I'm like, oh yeah.
Rebecca Simpson (35:30):
I have an example.
Like there was a mother of Ibelieve it was the groom who's
dress got snagged on one of ourchairs.
So there was like a a screwsticking out of the chair and
she was really upset, like thisis her son's big day, they had
to do photos, her dress had asnag in it and she was visibly
(35:55):
upset.
And so, you know, in the momentI wrote her, I went up to my
office, I wrote her a card and Ijust said I'm so sorry that
this happened.
Please let us know what we cando to fix this for you.
And, like I was, I wasn'texpecting a response that night.
I just wanted to give her alittle something and I happened
(36:16):
to have, like I don't know Ithink it was maybe a gift card
to Starbucks or something that Ijust put in there and like it
was not nearly.
I wasn't expecting that thatwas gonna solve the problem, but
I just wanted her to know.
Like we know, this is a bigdeal.
I want you to know right awaythat we care about this and how
disappointing that would be tohow this happened.
(36:37):
And she wrote the mostincredible note the next day
after the wedding she made shewas fine after a while.
You know it was on her hip andshe was putting her hand on her
hip for all the photos and stuff.
Yeah, she was nobody else.
And she just wrote back and shejust said like how Impressed she
was that we took it seriouslyand that we dealt with it
(36:59):
immediately.
And she said there's nothingyou can do like that's all I
wanted.
I just wanted you to to hearand say sorry and that's what we
did, and it was like I don'tknow.
I mean, I felt kind of sillyabout giving the $10 Starbucks
card or whatever.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (37:16):
But that was a token.
It was a token to be like we'rehere, like let's talk about
this more.
Rebecca Simpson (37:22):
But no, she was able to, I think because of the
way we handled it right away.
She just was like you know whatit's actually not she was.
It was a big deal in the momentand then she was like you know
what?
This is the once in a lifetimeI'm gonna have fun at my son's
wedding.
So it just it's honestly thatacknowledgement I think that
makes.
That is the most importantthing.
(37:44):
I agree.
Yeah, I really like happen butit does.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (37:51):
And yeah, and we've all had experiences In
just our own general lives thatthat wasn't what I thought, her
it wasn't good service her thefood wasn't good or whatever it
was, and the ones that do justwhat you say you know what can
we do to make it better and it'sresolved.
(38:12):
You kind of never think aboutit again, right, like okay,
that's fine.
Rebecca Simpson (38:16):
Talking about it in a positive way, like it.
Actually.
ometimes in this you don't wantto purposely make mistakes so
that you can correct them.
But the times that people haveproblem solved and corrected a
problem, that's where you standout actually.
Well, exactly, you know, whenyou do the everyday things,
(38:38):
those aren't remarkable, thosedon't stand out in any way.
But when you have a problem andyou can fix it and solve that
you, it is more memorable.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (38:50):
I agree.
And the thing is if somebodysays, oh, your sister had her
wedding at the barn and how wasit?
And they're not even gonna talkabout if there's something
happened, they're gonna say itwas fantastic because you dealt
with it, it's resolved, doesn'tmatter.
If you didn't deal with it andit wasn't resolved, they'd say,
oh gosh, don't get married therebecause this happened and they
(39:12):
didn't do anything.
Right like we've all had thatat businesses where you're like,
don't go to that restaurant, Ihad a bad experience and they
were like oh well, not ourproblem, w So it just shows that
that unique and that hand touch, or that, you know, personal
touch service really does gosuch a long way.
For sure Is it important to beunique in your experience.
Rebecca Simpson (39:39):
I think, in some ways, like there's, I mean,
in our culture, I think it'spretty standard, like how you
have a wedding, there's certainsteps you take and it's pretty
consistent.
But I think the inconsistentpart that we are is that we want
it to feel like your own.
(40:01):
We want you to be able to putyour own personal touch on your
event.
We don't want it to feel cookiecutter and, though we do this a
couple of times a week, we wantyour day to look different, to
feel different and to be exactlywhat you want.
So, yeah, I think theuniqueness is that we can make
it unique for you even thoughthat's a prescribed event.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (40:25):
Yeah, and well, that's what makes that
experience so fantastic forpeople and really touch them and
stick out because you are doingeverything you can possibly do
to make their day or their eventthe best that it can be for
them, right.
Rebecca Simpson (40:41):
For sure, and I think, like a lot of having
procedures in place and havingthings consistent is super
important and that is whatcreates a great formula for an
event.
You want to follow those things.
It's just when there's specialrequests or different problems
(41:02):
that arise or different dynamicsthat you can think outside the
box, that you don't have to saylike, no, we absolutely can't do
that, unless it's against thelaw.
We're pretty open to things, sowe've had some interesting
requests and part of our happyteam.
The last one is the why foryes-minded.
(41:23):
So we want to say yes as muchas possible, as long as it's
safe and within the law.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (41:33):
We're not doing i illegal, but we're going
to make you happy.
That's awesome.
But that's a part of yoursuccess, right?
Because you do have that greatcustomer service that leads into
them having a great event,which leads into them talking
about it and telling theirfriends to go there.
Or maybe they repeat customershopefully not for weddings, but
(41:56):
they have a corporate event.
They're like well, let's sit atthe bar and we had our wedding
there.
My friend had their weddingthere.
It was so fantastic and that'show you win, right.
That is how you are successful.
Rebecca Simpson (42:06):
Exactly, and we do.
I just actually had a phonecall today.
We are doing an event herein-house and it was the mom of a
couple who got married here andshe wanted to buy tickets for
her son and daughter in law forthat event.
So it's like we do get repeatcustomers in different ways.
We haven't had any repeatweddings yet.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (42:30):
Hey, that's also positive.
All of our weddings aresuccessful, so your marriage is
successful.
That's your new marketingtagline.
Rebecca, you weren't too bad,but Well, you're on a good roll.
Five years right, that's apretty good odds, awesome.
Do you have a most importantlesson that you would share with
(42:51):
people, or something thatyou've learned along the way
that really resonates with you?
Rebecca Simpson (42:57):
Oh boy, I think the number one thing is just
remembering that everybody ishuman and I'm a human.
The people we deal with arehuman, our staff, they're all
human, and I think that's huge.
(43:18):
Everybody comes with baggage,everybody comes with
expectations, everybody comeswith stuff and at the end of the
day, you're just a personhelping other people, and often
in business I think we forgetthat.
I think when you get stuck inthe procedural stuff or in the
financial stuff, at the end ofthe day you're just helping
(43:42):
people, and I think that goes along way to understand that
everybody's different andeverybody just needs to be
treated carefully too.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (43:56):
Yeah, I don't know Kind of that kindergarten
golden rule treat others likeyou want to be treated.
That's kind of your whole.
Rebecca Simpson (44:05):
I think there's one step past that.
You say treat others how youwant to be treated, but I think
it's actually treat others howthey want to be treated.
I think often we think thateverybody thinks the same as us,
and I think that that's part ofwhen you make a mistake when
what I come up with might not bewhat you want to solve the
(44:25):
problem, you might have atotally different idea, just
because that's who you are.
So I think really listening ishuge and then just understanding
.
These are just people and it'sa huge responsibility and a huge
honor to get to work with a lotof different people.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (44:46):
I totally agree.
I usually ask one thing thatyou wish you had known.
Maybe that's the reallylistening to people, or is there
anything else that you wish youhad known?
I feel like you've had so muchexperience now by now.
Rebecca Simpson (45:02):
When I first started with Cravings oh my gosh
, we knew nothing.
I still don't run numbers, andmaybe this is a bad thing.
But I am not a numbers person,I am a gut feel person and I
feel like my business, the way Irun my business and the way I
(45:24):
believe business works, is verydifferent than kind of the
conventional beliefs.
So when you're doing well andyour numbers are looking good, I
feel like that's the reward fordoing the other things well,
versus always looking at thenumbers and then working
(45:45):
backwards from there.
So that has been a bit of achallenge to explain that to the
bank, but it has served me welland I think that that's just.
It's almost like the SimonSinek, like what's your why, and
(46:07):
it's like working backwards.
That's super important.
When I first started in businessI couldn't pinpoint what it was
that I really had a hard time,like explaining to other people
or not having the analytics showsomething.
(46:27):
You can't necessarily showeverything analytically.
When you're working with peoplethere's that X factor.
That is that feeling.
That is a good experience.
There's no way to show it.
You can manipulate the numbers,you can talk about the
(46:52):
statistics and all that stuff,but at the end of the day.
There's just this little pieceof I don't know.
I don't have a name for it.
It's like the X factor.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (47:04):
I totally know what you're saying and I
think it kind of comes back toyou run your business with the
belief and you talk and you'rehappy acronym and you're
training, and I think when youdo the right things and you have
a really great handle on all ofthese things, the financial
(47:29):
success follows, because youdefinitely need to keep an eye
on things.
Rebecca Simpson (47:37):
The cash flow is super important, but you also
can hire experts.
Maybe that's the thing I the,maybe the piece that I wish I
would have kind of bought intoearlier, because I grew up in
family business and my dad wasmy mentor.
You know, at the beginning ofmy business, with Cravings, for
(48:01):
example, you know I was doingthe books and I was doing the
cleaning and I was doing kind ofall the different things and
when you're first starting out,you don't really have a choice.
But, for example, the books likemy dad is a turn it accountant,
that's in his DNA, it is not inmy DNA Like that was the most
(48:24):
painful thing I ever had to doand I would just leave it to the
last minute and do it, and thenI'd have to call my dad 12
times t an h And eventually,like he probably did it for me
(48:44):
but pretended I was doing it.
And when we find a bookkeeper,like that was the best
investment we ever made andhonestly, I'm sure it saved us
so much money because I made somany mistakes and I was being
charged like penalties on thisand that because I wasn't doing
it right.
And that's not my area ofexpertise.
(49:05):
And I think that that's key toois like everyone knowing what
your strengths are and thensurrounding yourself with people
who have the places whereyou're lacking.
Like have people on the teamwho have different skill sets
and who enjoy doing differentthings, because then you know I
don't have to do all the thingsthat I hate doing.
(49:25):
Obviously, as adults, you dosome things we don't like.
That's just life.
But if you can have people wholove making spreadsheets and
love doing you know, theorganizing background stuff,
like great, and I think thatthat's key is just yeah, do get
help with things that you arenot good at, and that is like
(49:49):
bringing you down.
I think that you can then freeup the time to do the things
you're really good at and thatbring you joy.
Like you can't just do jobsthat you don't like, you have to
do more of what you like.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:04):
I agree, I totally agree.
I also try to do my own bookshuge fail.
So I am all for don't do whatyou're not good at or you don't
like, because it's not going toserve you.
Rebecca Simpson (50:15):
Yeah, and I honestly don't think it saves.
It definitely doesn't savemoney in the long run.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:21):
No absolutely not, because it's your time
doing it.
That time is also money, right.
Rebecca Simpson (50:26):
For sure.
What could you be best usingyour time for, if you're?
Really gifted at something else.
That's what you should be doinginstead.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:35):
Yeah, I totally agree, Rebecca.
I know that people are going towant to check out the barn and
know more and maybe get to knowmore about you, so where's the
best place for them to find youor to go to see more?
Rebecca Simpson (50:48):
For sure.
So we are on Instagram.
I don't know what our handle isprobably @the barn at indsedge.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (50:56):
Sorry I should have these written down
in front of me.
You probably told me to do thatand I did it.
It's okay, I'll have it in theshow.
I'll have it in the notes.
Perfect, thank you.
Rebecca Simpson (51:06):
You're good at this, you help me out.
We're on Facebook, we have awebsite, the barn at W and, yeah
, we're out in the community too, and we'd love to have
everybody here for an eventsometime soon.
Mackenzie Kilshaw (51:22):
Thank you so much, Rebecca, for being on.
I really appreciate you sharingand, I agree, customer services
where it's at.
So we'll be looking forward toseeing and hearing what people
think about this episode.
So thank you so much and foreverybody listening, we'll see
you on the next episode.
Thanks for listening to Winning.
Be sure to subscribe to get allof our new episodes.
(51:44):
If you enjoyed this episode andyou'd like to help support the
podcast, please share it withothers, post about it on social
media and leave a rating andreview wherever you listen to
Winning.
To catch all of the latest fromus, you can follow Winning
Podcast on Instagram a Winning upodcast, facebook Facebook at
(52:04):
Winning podcast Podcast and onTwitter at a Winning pod.
Winning was created and isproduced by me, mackenzie
Mackenzie Kilschah Kilshaw.
.
.
Kilshaw.
Music, created Firby SummerFurby, editing by Seth Armstrong
.
Special thanks to Shauna Fosterfor voicing our opening and, of
course, a huge thank you tothis episode's guest.
Thanks again for listening andI'll see you on the next episode
(52:27):
.
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