Bringing your Brand to Life through Effective Print: A Conversation with Sharon Taylor

Welcome to this week's episode of the "Future-Proof Your Business Podcast" with your host Lucy Rennie.

In this week's episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Sharon Taylor, owner and managing director of Paragon Print and Marketing Solutions who describes herself as a “nosy” printer and loves helping people elevate and bring their business to life through the power of print.

Sharon shares insights into her world of print, from her traditional Heidelberg litho printer, the intricacies of choosing the right format, colour or finish, to the magic of creating a “lumpy bumpy mail".

We have the BEST conversation about the highs and lows of running a business, about Sharon's own journey and the power of non-alcoholic beer and sausage rolls.

We chat about:

• how being a good leader in any business is all about communication and being fair.

• why you need to be able to step back and look in.

• recognising that you don’t know everything, getting the right person on your wing who can help and be brave. Be brave, make decisions, make mistakes and learn from them.

• sense-checking everything you do. Are you doing it because you've always done it that way or because that's the best way of doing it?

• being nosy, and curious, finding out more about who they are and what they want to achieve.

• how clients just want you to make them look good!

• making it bounce when it lands on someone's desk so that it's memorable, and you get that phone call.

• how to strike the balance between work and home,

  
  and how it can feel like you're "getting onto a fast moving train at the back of the carriage and have to clamber your way through to the driving seat."

• Transcription

  Lucy Rennie 00:04

  Hello, and welcome to the Future -Proof your Business podcast with me, Lucy Rennie.

  Lucy Rennie 00:10

  I'm a massive champion for small business, and I'm on a mission to help you to love what you do, and to build and grow your business in a way that works for you and feels good. I'm convinced that the best way to create a successful and sustainable business is to do it from the inside out, which means that it's got to start with you, the business owner. In fact, I believe that business really is all about people. And that if you want to future proof your business and make an impact, then you need to get really clear on why you do what you do, create the best experience and then build relationships and trust. This podcast, I want to share with you my knowledge and experience as well as some behind the scenes stories and strategies from inside my business. And I'll be having lots of conversations with some amazing business owners and inviting them to share their stories and expertise with you. So I can make sure you've got everything you need to stay focused on track and feel more in control on this roller coaster ride that is building a sustainable business.

  Lucy Rennie 01:14

  Hi, and welcome to this week's episode of the future proofing Business Podcast. I'm Lucy Rennie and I am delighted today to welcome to the podcast and somebody that I've known now for gosh, I think it's about seven years, maybe six or seven years. But that's the wonderful Sharon Taylor, who is the managing director of Paragon print and marketing solutions. And I'm going to let Sharon introduce herself properly in a second. But I know that she's been working in this industry for gosh, over 25 over 26 years. And in my eyes, she is

  Lucy Rennie 01:53

  the guru of everything print. And

  Lucy Rennie 01:57

  you know what I'm like about the fact that I'm a massive believer in the in the little things and little touches and really kind of creating that amazing experience. And Sharon is one of those people who can really help us in doing that. So welcome to the show. Sharon, would you like to introduce yourself and maybe share a little bit about who you are, what you do, and kind of how you ended up doing? Yeah, what you do today?

  Sharon Taylor 02:23

  Yes, thank you, Lucy, and thank you for inviting me to your podcast today is very exciting.

  Sharon Taylor 02:29

  For such a lovely introduction as well. But dare I say it was probably near a 10 years when we met because I've had Paragon now for eight years. And I met you re paraglide. So

  Sharon Taylor 02:43

  longer. Really? Both of us. Yes, thank you. So just introduce myself. My name is Sharon Taylor. My business is Paragon prints and marketing solutions. We're based in Stockport. And basically we're a noisy printer. And what I mean by that as a, as a company, we're nosy because he wants to know why clients are doing certain projects in order to understand how we can input more of our advice and help. So I'm hoping that's what our point of differences is as a commercial printing company. And as you quite rightly say, I've been in the industry pushing 30 years in sales and account management. And sales and account management is what I still classed myself as today because that's the bit of love about my job. Even though my role is MD of a printing company with a staff count of 10. My job is sales and sitting in front of clients and, and hopefully delivering the experience that you've suggested. So yeah, that's me really. And that's that's Paragon, what we do.

  Lucy Rennie 03:59

  Now is, I can't believe it's been that long actually, that you've you've had Paragon because you do want to explain a little bit because you you you bought the business, didn't you with your husband, Mike, is that right? And so it's your MD but also the owners kind of of the, of the business. That's right.

  Sharon Taylor 04:15

  Absolutely. And as you say we so I've always been employed up until eight years ago, and always been in the print industry many many years. And long story short, a company I used to work for offered me a position to take over then existing company that so I basically it was it was a bit of a no brainer. I knew all the staff and knew the previous business owner really well. And I knew the company really well and its reputation. So for Mike and myself as you say it was a it was a no brainer, really to jump in the driver's seat. So everyone was taken on under TUPE law. So a lot of the team you've known they've only worked with myself and Mike For the last eight years, I've been working under the Paragon banner for over 25 years. And so there's a lot of knowledge and experience within within the business which is, which is great. No, it's

  Lucy Rennie 05:13

  a so I love the fact that you called yourself a nosy printer. So what what is it though about? Do you want to? I don't know. For me that the print industry it's kind of one of those you know, me I love manufacturing and industry and all those things. And I think prints part of that, because it's big, you know, real print, like traditional printers, big machinery and things, isn't it? So what? How did you get into print in the first place? So you said nearly 30 years? What was kind of Yeah, was that what you wanted to do? When you were at school? What was kind of your

  Sharon Taylor 05:48

  blind? You know? Yeah.

  Lucy Rennie 05:53

  Yeah, what was it about Fred?

  Sharon Taylor 05:54

  And yeah, I mean, from from, from school, if we're going to start there very briefly. My mum was very young, when she had me, she was only 16. So as a as a young girl, I realised very quickly, that to work hard, you know, gives you the treats that you need, because of it in and a young mom, it was very difficult for her. So there were challenges with that. So when I left school, and being born at the end of August, I was always the youngest in my class. So I didn't feel ready to leave school. And I remember sitting at the kitchen table with the Manchester Evening News or paper. My parents were not very academic with me and supportive in that respect. It was all about skills of life, rather than academia. But yeah, I was reading this paper, and I could just see loads of secretarial jobs. So I decided to apply to be well, sorry, I went to college and learn shorthand and typing at Stockport college for a year. And then got my first job as a receptionist when I was about 17. And so yeah, that's basically what happened. And then from there, I was very fortunate enough to work for an amazing business leader, who gave me room to grow. And I left home at 18 and needed to have an income to support my rent. So basically, I went to my boss and said, I'm leaving home next week, how can I? What can I do to earn more money? And basically think he respected that question. And he put me into accounts to help credit control and things like that alongside my reception duties. Then it came to a point where I needed more money because I was getting older, I was now sort of pushing 21. And I wanted to get into sales. I saw the sales guys come in for the monthly meetings. They had cars, they had suits and lunch provided. And I thought, I want a bit of that. And that's how I got into sales to answer that question. And it's always been from day one about servicing clients in the most professional way, always doing what you say you're gonna do. And then you build a reputation, that you're trustworthy, and people can rely on you. And I think that's key as a salesperson and as a business owner.

  Lucy Rennie 08:14

  Yeah, no, that's massive, isn't it? And it's that it's like you say, doing what you say you're going to do and the trust behind that that comes from it. And so, and you're so good, because you just, you just yeah, you just that you personify that, that goodwill and that trust in that you've got the charisma that goes with it. How, what about print them? Where did that start? How did you get into the printing industry? And what is it about print that kind of gives you the tummy flips or or kind of gets you excited?

  Sharon Taylor 08:47

  Yeah, well, that the print side was, I was actually headhunted by a printing company. Sounds very glorious, but it wasn't that small printing company in Stockport, and he offered me a job with a salary that I wanted, he offered me the car, and I wasn't in print about towel selling. Do you remember the old 35 mil slide? Projection things and oh HPs and things like that. That's what I was doing at the time. So it was very different. And as I say, To cut a long story short, I took the job learn all about the backside, the backside, the back office of the business, which was on the replay, so the technical behind the print, the print happens and and it was it's like you said manufacturing, it's a it was a very thorough many processes involved in those days with print. And it was quite expensive as well because the processes were time consuming. And then there were various elements, but in today's world, everything's most more instant and more digitised. And yeah, so that's how my journey started with print. I think it was about two A 324, something like that. Yeah. And that was it really. And then I had a couple of jobs for different printing companies. One thing I would say is a couple of my employers I didn't aspire to be is all I would say. So when I did get the opportunity to be a business owner, I knew what I didn't want to repeat. And that they were valuable lessons for me, and hopefully, for our team as well. Because I think to be a good leader in any business. You know, it's all about communication and being fair. And yeah, so that's kind of how I got into print. I've always loved it, because every meeting is different every requirement is, even if it's just a simple set of business cards, it may want cutting to a an unusual shape, it might want some texture adding, and it might need to fold out. So it's an appointment card as well as a bit. I mean, that's a simple one. But this, everything's got so much potential. Every job so

  Lucy Rennie 11:11

  yeah, no. Yeah, you know, yeah, I love everything to do with print and what we can the possibilities of it, I think, and sometimes, even just listening to you, I think there's almost like, I think sometimes it can be on the outside of it. People think, Oh, it's just the printer that does things and listening to you talk about the rep pro side of it. And actually the technical side of print, there's so much more to it. In terms of Do you want to share a bit more about kind of that side of it? I think it's great for people to hear that this is like anything, I suppose, isn't it? What until you know, you don't know, do you but share a little bit more about what goes on behind the scenes.

  Sharon Taylor 11:53

  That's a good point that, yeah, so files come in to us, which are print ready. And with respect to the people that send them in and are always print ready, they may need. But obviously it goes through a checking process. So we call it our flight checking process. And if we're not happy with the way it paginates into a booklet, or it's not going to work from any other aspect, we will always communicate back to the artwork. So that there's no, you know, we don't just take it and as you say, just pop it through a printer, it doesn't work like that. And so there's a lot of investment in technology to help us be proactive, when that's going through. And then obviously, it goes to various machines, we've got the on the LITHO side, you've got the aluminium plates, which are etched with a chemical free plate maker. Again, that's another process that is to be checked and managed. Then the day comes to put those aluminium plates onto the four towers of the Speedmaster 70 for the Heidelberg press. And then obviously, blank papers put at one end. And this is where the manufacturing is really super sexy, really, because it has little suckers, it pulls a paper up, it takes it through underneath each channel, each tower puts its own colour cyan, magenta, yellow, black, or a spot colour. And I'm sorry, guys, if I'm talking technical, but I'm in my zone. And when it spits it out the other end in full colour glamour, or ready to be cut and finished as it needs to be. But as you quite rightly say, Lucy, there's a lot of skill by the operator, the machines are amazing. But it's all down to the operations and quality controls. Because with the best will in the world, even the machine can have a hiccup. And if you're not keeping an eye on it and checking those colour balances, to keep the job consistent from when we printed it for you last time. So it matches, all those things are going on in the background. And it's only talking to you now that I realise how much more complicated that processes than I than I even think of.

  Lucy Rennie 14:08

  Yeah, no, it's so interesting because, like, even just when you said we want, we want it what you said the customer needs to supply the artwork or the document to your print ready. And even that I think in this world is something that maybe most people don't actually understand or recognise or aware of what actually what that means. And I'm interested because I think there's a lot of there's been a massive shift hasn't there in terms of kind of the tools that are out there and even just thinking about graphic design itself and what that means in terms of print RedX you know, you've got things like Canva now, haven't you where people can do it all themselves. They're not necessarily aware of what you know. Yeah, explain a little bit more.

  Sharon Taylor 14:55

  Because yeah, yeah. Is

  Lucy Rennie 14:57

  print ready. If somebody wants you to print so they Let's give an example of maybe like, maybe because you talked about their life, though, and I'm sure most people are going What's life? What's that mean? And what are those aluminium plates? So could you maybe talk us through? Give us some examples of what might be where you can get the big sexy manufacturing machine out? And that's when you do that, and kind of the, you know, and yeah, what that means. So is it a brochure or, or whatever? And then where actually, it might be the digital, which has changed a little bit. So what does that mean? And what do we need to think about at times?

  Sharon Taylor 15:31

  Okay, yeah, I would start by saying that the gap between your short run digital print using sort of more digitised presses, which look probably similar to some office copiers, to give it some context, I would say in in a small area, versus the LIFO machine, which is a machine which I should know how big it is I just visualise our print room. It's huge. It fills a massive space. And to give you some idea of scale, our operators stand within the press to sort of change blankets and things within the machine itself. So it's a huge platform machine. Why so is life the graphic, so it's a chemical based on water, and ink and they all interact, and then they get laid onto the paper and even down to the type of paper you put in through the machine. So for example, if I was to say uncoated paper, I'd be talking about something like a letterhead, or a composite where you can sort of feel the fibres in the paper. And then we have coated which is used mainly for leaflets and brochures, which is a much slicker finish in as much as it's a very smooth to touch. There isn't any fibre it is coated slightly, and the ink reacts differently on both uncoated and coated and I suppose that's where our experience would come in where we would guide people who say, I want it on an uncoated I want it on recycled, so it feels organic, but they have bright vibrant colours in their artwork. And what that's going to do, it's going to get sucked into the paper, whereas the coated one, that colour sits on top of the paper, and it maintains the brightness and vibrance of colours. So those are the conversations we have to check what's more important because we can get recycled, coated and recycled, uncoated, and it's that wow factor they're expecting. So that they like the aluminium plates are the pre press bit. It has to and basically the aluminium plates go on a huge roll on the press. And that's the bit though they're etched in such a way it's like a negative, it's the opposite of the of the image, it's a negative. And what that does is it doesn't pick up water, ink and colour within certain areas. And I'm going to bore you slightly now, but there's four towers of full colour print. And there's cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. And any full colour print you see on catalogues are made up of those four colours, traditionally, but if you were to take a sheet off the first tower, you'd only have the cyan, so you don't have a pale blue, and it would look really weird. You took it off a second tower, you'll have you say on your magenta, it might look a bit more the image you're expecting. But it's only till it's gone through the yellow and the black and the final end where you get a full colour image. So does that make sense? That is it's sort of like layers of graphic on top of each other to create full colour.

  Lucy Rennie 18:41

  Yeah, definitely. And I think if I'm honest, what I wanted to get across was the complexity of it. And actually how, you know, in the sense of actually the detail that goes into creating those things, and I think that's where it's, it's Yeah, incredible to hear about in terms of how you worked. And today as this nosy, this nosy kind of cat account manager, you said are nosy business, yeah. Can you talk a bit more than about cars? So in terms of how people how print can add value to somebody's business? Because ultimately, that's what you're doing, isn't it? You're going in and you're working, partnering with your clients and helping them to, you know, promote their business or market their business or whatever that might be? Do you want to give a bit more of an example of if it's sort of dive into it a little bit more about how you help your clients and sort of the Yeah, the value that you help them to bring to their business and what that how print can help.

  Sharon Taylor 19:43

  Okay, if I can start by sort of maybe sharing a couple of scenarios that might give you an idea. And when I say we're nosy I've been in the trade a long time. And what's worked for me and has meant that clients have stayed with me personally through Mike Maria, is, is due to the fight. It's all about relationship. And it's all about instead of just being an order taker, understanding why that client wants that, set that brochure. And if by asking the question you find out so much, it's like, what, you know, why are you doing the brochures while we're at an event next month, and we want a brochure? And what is it products that you want to promote? Well, we want to promote all of this, but that particular widgets going out of stock at the end of the year, so we'll probably need some more brochures, printing. And just with that knowledge straight away, we can help by saying, Well, do you think it might be more effective to have maybe a folder with inserts, and then when that widget is out of date, it's it doesn't have to be in the folder anymore. You can also det update all the data sheets that go in that folder that may work better than a stitch brochure, which is just a complete unit that would need to be reprinted. And there's no adapting that. That makes sense. So that's where the nosiness comes in, because you never know what's going to come out the other end and, and where you're going to go with it. To deliver the right product is going to work for the client, because in these days, costs us everything, you know, we it's been tough, we've all had a tough sort of four or five years now. And we're still in this difficult climate. So we're very mindful about people's budgets. And we want you to come back because you've had a great service, and you've had value for money. And that's what it's all about. So that's where the nosiness comes in. But there was another bit where we did a brochure for a chap just this week, actually. And the phone call went along the lines, I emailed him and said, your brochures due this afternoon, just to let you know that they're on the way. And they'll be with you later. And he rang me and he said, Sharon, I've made a mistake, the artworks not right, the artworks not set up, right, my designer sort of sent me the wrong file, and the resolution is not good. So my heart sank because I thought, well, these are going to be boxed up and delivered to you within the next hour or so. But it was able to come I just said sit tight, I'll come back to you in a second. Ran the office. And the production team said yeah, we spotted it was upside down and needed to be twist around. So we did that. And the resolution is absolutely fine. Otherwise, we wouldn't have printed it. And I thought that that Yeah, I had the warm fuzzy feelings and thinking team are pretty amazing. They everyone's everyone's there on the page to deliver a good experience. So to help people's businesses, I think it's a mixture of everything. And Lucy, you'll know this more than anybody you know, as far as comps are concerned. I think he's you got the right mix of you social media, you printed collateral where it matters, and all the other bits and bobs that that go with that. But if you're gonna do print, why not make it stand out from the crowd? Why not add textures, special finish cut to a certain shape, make it bounce when it lands on someone's desk so that it's memorable, and you get that phone call? Or they scamper to your website, that kind of thing. So that that's why we do print we just don't we're not an online printer. We there's a lot of form background goes into it.

  Lucy Rennie 23:28

  Yeah, no, I'm so glad you just said that. And it's the spirit of inviting as you've been talking. So the seven things I want to come back on. So I think what you were saying in the beginning of that part, there was actually when you're asking questions, which is key, isn't it to kind of be that nosy that knows is that the business owner? Because actually, but yeah, but I think that's it, it's your clients, they don't know what they don't know. And that's why they're coming to you, isn't it? Because actually, you're the one you can say actually, that's not what you need this listening to you and hearing actually why you do it. Let me recommend this or actually, let me help you. And I think that's huge, isn't it that I think sometimes we were losing a lot of that because because we go in Quick Fix online or we're not having that customer relations, you know, a lot of businesses where they haven't got that personal touch, she's lose that expertise or Yeah, I think Yeah. Is that does that resonate?

  Sharon Taylor 24:25

  Yeah, a more consultative approach without sounding you know, bit pompous. But I think that's what it is. It's kind of understanding for each project. I mean, don't get me wrong, we get lots of repeat orders that come through via email. And our job then is to make sure it's done timely, consistently with last time on budget and, and that's it, you know, that there's a lot of that going through, but anything where it's just a little bit outside of the box, then we grab hold of it and try to add value. It's not always the case and sometimes I'm sorry, thoughts and ideas are not taken on board. And that's equally fine. But at least we know, we did our best to, you know, do what we're passionate about. So,

  Lucy Rennie 25:11

  yeah, that I think it's so important. And a lot of the clients that I work with, that's exactly that is that kind of, they're experts in their fields, and they've got the team and they know what they're doing. But actually, there's a lot of things and you know, what it's like, when you win in a business, there's so many things that we don't know, isn't there, but we need to, we need that help. And we need to find those right people who can help us in that. So I think it's massive, especially for because you know, it can be quite a big budget, can't it in terms of print and marketing and what you're doing? So you want to get it right. And you want to make that you know, you want to be memorable, I think is what you were saying isn't it create that experience? Yeah, it's

  Sharon Taylor 25:47

  a big financial commitment in some projects. And it's really important that we maximise and get what we need out a bit. I mean, we, we work to produce graphics for exhibitions, we produce lots of signage, we did a project recently for a wealth management company, where they basically have signage for the outside of the building or the inside of the building folders, insert stationery, the full suite. It was quite nice, actually. Because it was it just meant a client abused every touchpoint of our business, had a meeting with him last week just to say hi, How did everything go? He was absolutely over the moon and even suggested he would recommend us to his accountants and some of these larger corporate clients, that's just music to your ears. And you know what, I went back to the office with some non alcoholic beer and sausage rolls. Just to get them all together in the in the centre office there and say, Look, guys, this is what we've done. This was a feedback I've just had. So thank you. And that that was just a really fuzzy feeling to to do that.

  Lucy Rennie 26:57

  Yeah. Yeah, it's a so and I think it's, it's almost kind of the satisfaction that you're getting from your clients having that satisfaction with their class to in this app, isn't it? It's that it's creating that we've been talking to someone I've been running a workshop this morning with some guys about what branding is and what it means. And it's it's almost you want to evoke an emotion, don't use of people touch and feel and, and get excited about something. And I think that's where print for me comes into play. Because you can actually use your textures you can, you can make something personalised, it might even just be a sticker on the postcard doesn't have to be massive, does it but it's just showing that you care exactly what it is that that makes you stand out.

  Sharon Taylor 27:39

  Yeah, we've just done something for a training company actually down in Birmingham. And we came up, they just wanted pieces putting into like a puzzle for the training. We suggested a magnetic substrate which would stick to this a three poster with all these little elements stuck on. And then rather than just deliver that, we thought, Well, why don't we create a little box? I mean, it wasn't a huge run, I think it was 100 units. But we created a little box for the little pieces to go in. And, you know, so the whole thing was very nicely presented. And she got I know, when she received it, she got more than she expected and, and it looks good on on her peers. Because she's produced this amazing product in their eyes. And that's that's what it's all about. Make me look good. Yeah.

  Lucy Rennie 28:24

  Yeah, exactly. And it's and it's bringing the brand to life, isn't it? So you can have you're helping people with that sense. But I love this, the idea that you've gone back with sausage rolls as well. So So So tell me more about what that is? Because that's a whole other part of the business, isn't it managing people in your team? And so talk to me a bit more about how that's gone. So over the last 810 years, managing that business and yeah, because it's not just print, that is it. There's a whole there's lots of other places to spin and people are a big part of that. So how's that gone? What Yeah. Do you want to share your experience with that?

  Sharon Taylor 29:11

  Yeah, so our people are our biggest asset really, without the tangibles Paragon wouldn't exist. And without their as I mentioned their experience earlier. The sad thing is, it's not sad, but when we when we took over the business, a lot of that culture had been really diluted. The previous business owner obviously had his own plans to exit the business. And the best word to use was everyone was felt very fragmented. There was there was no coming together as a team. There was a lot of blame culture. So it probably took us two years to bring the team together. mend some of the broken relationships because there were a couple and get everybody on board that we are, we're there for each other, and how we should treat each other like we treat a client like a paying client. Because at the end of the day, we're all there to do a job and mutual respect and support is essential. sorts of eight years on now. And really, I just love the vibe in Paragon, you've got Scott with his newsy car and you've got Sue at the bench, doing a bench hand stuff with a farmer No, because we all reach a certain age. Something else going on in that corner, the vibe is good. You know, we have our Friday morning breakfast, where everyone has a breakfast, Friday, and everyone looks forward to the bacon booties and COVID hit us hard. And I would say that was probably the the moment We clung to each other more. I created a WhatsApp group because we have to shut the doors in COVID, as a lot of businesses did, but people just switched off their marketing. And we had to furlough the entire team. And for a time, so during that time was really critical that we kept in touch with everybody and this Whatsapp group, me doing silly videos, just talking to everybody just letting them know that Mike and I were still positive and the businesses here for you. I think at the time, I didn't know what impact I was having. But I think what I witnessed when everybody finally came back from furlough was that the team was still a team. There was a few individuals I kind of spotted, felt a bit strange because they'd been furloughed longer than others. But it was just necessary for the business at the time. So we had to start rebuilding that again. You know, we have the obviously, our Christmas celebration and things like that. But yeah, the team culture I think is great. And anyone will help anybody. And that's, that's the key.

  Lucy Rennie 32:07

  Yeah, no, it says to here, and I think when you when you're talking about your team, and you know the journey that you've been on, it's almost that's how you future proof the business, isn't it? Because actually, you've got now the team that will come together and support you. And when they the example you were saying before about the fact that they'd actually spotted the error in their document for the client and fixed it and done it without? I mean, that's amazing, isn't it? And it's exactly what you want, and gives you that peace of mind as well. How, in turn, you touched on COVID. And I know that it was a particularly it's not even tricky. It was horrible time, isn't it? It's worse than tricky. It's been rubbish for a lot of businesses, including you guys. But I think it's it's amazing to see how you're you've brought it all back. And you know, you kind of and that's that's the sharing that I know about it, you know that you would have that candidate still be there and come in and doing it. And I've always seen it. That's one of the key things really about business not necessarily being talented. It's having that grit and determination and cannabis strength, isn't it to come back? If you were to sort of share a bit more about the highs and lows of running a business? Do you think that when you bought the business sort of 10 years ago? Was it what you expected? Or has it? I don't know what what sort of been your experience of being a business owner now rather than necessarily just being a, you know, the not just being but being the sales manager? And how has that changed your perception of business? And? Yeah, is it been as easy as you thought it was gonna be?

  Sharon Taylor 33:39

  Absolutely not. It was the best way I used to describe it within the first 12 to 18 months, though it was like getting onto a fast moving train at the back carriage and I'm into Clumber your way through to the driving seat. It was really, it was a shocker. And I kind of always self managed and managed small teams around me when I've been employed previously. So handling people and servicing the clients was my thing. But to do that, from a strategic point of view was very, very different. Because I used to do it just to benefit Sharon and my clients. Whereas now I was doing it to to benefit the clients and the team. And it's just different. You've got your HR to keep an eye on and obviously the culture the big need for good HR. And this finances I'm not a numbers person, as I say not the most academic, but I've got good people in place. And yeah, that the challenge is through the code. So the 10 year challenge was the beginning and I was fortunate enough to get selected to go on to a Goldman Sachs business programme, which was very, very difficult because I was new Due to being a business owner, but that stood me in good stead. And then there was just doing the processes, looking at the processes, making sure the processes serve the business. And how we do things, do we always do it? Because we've always done it that way. Or we're doing it because that's the best way of doing it. Things like that, which I've never looked at before, because I just used to bring the orders in brief the designer and check the client was happy with the job before. So yeah, yeah, all the backroom stuff. As a business owner, I'm fortunate enough, I worked with my husband, who's head of operations, so he makes everything happen. And so that's good, too. But yeah, I've lost me thread with the question.

  Lucy Rennie 35:44

  That I think we were talking about, kind of, how was it what you expected in terms of becoming a business owner? And you were saying about, you know, it wasn't at all easy. But actually, you've got the things I picked up on where you said about having good people in place, training or development. So the Goldman Sachs programme, which I think is a Yeah, it was a great opportunity for you, wasn't it? And then you talked about processes having, but the question that you said that you shared, then was actually is this the best way of doing something? So we've always done it this way. But is it the best way? I think that's such a good question to ask that very often we miss, don't we, or we don't think about because we've all you know, we're quite comfortable doing it.

  Sharon Taylor 36:33

  When you surround you with a team that have been there longer than you. So it's very difficult to try and unpick something that's something that's been there forever 25 years, and you're coming in, you know, 15 years later and saying, but actually, is this what we're all about? You know, is this the best way we can package it up? You know, can we not use recycle card boxes instead of plastic and all these elements that come into play, and it's only to be fair to the team, and Mike, my business partner and husband. They're in it every day. And I think part of being a business owner or leader, whatever you want to call it, is to step back and look in. And I don't have the time to do that. And I think we all get drawn into this. Work hard, work hard, but is what you're doing every day, actually helping to make the boat go faster, so to speak. And I think I struggle with that. But I do even write it in my diary, I even blocked time out in my diary, because I forget what you get wrapped up in something which you think is more important. But that strategic thinking. And sometimes I don't want to do it. I don't want to unpick the finance numbers, you know, it's not my thing been, is my job. And I've got to do because no one else is gonna do it. And so yeah, it is challenging. It wasn't what I expected it to be. I wouldn't change it for the world. I've gained strength, resilience, understanding, and total respect for any other business owner out there. Because it's not easy. I used to be employed all my working life until Paragon, and as sometimes I hold my hands up or criticise the directors and think, why on earth they're doing that or that's not fair or that's not. But you know, there's reasons that go on behind the scenes that I wasn't aware of. So yeah, take your hat off to any business owners out there small.

  Lucy Rennie 38:39

  Though it's Yeah, completely with you on it. And I think you're right, it's I think you've got to ask those questions about, is it the right way? Or are we, you know, can we do this better? Because that's otherwise? I think we're in such a fast paced industry as well, where things are changing, aren't they all the time that actually just to keep up it? Sometimes you've got to? It's hard enough, isn't it? Let alone being ahead of the curve and thinking, you know, being in that innovative business? I'm intrigued actually not necessarily shared anything about how is it because you said It's great working with Mike, but how is it not their element to the business, isn't it? Which, you know, God forbid, if mine's listening to this, I'm not sure I could actually do that every day with it. You know, it's this a different dynamic. So, yeah, how do we how does that work? How's that helped? Or, Oh, yeah. What are the challenges there?

  Sharon Taylor 39:30

  I think logistically, he's at one end of the building and I'm at the other, so that helps. Between us. But now I think our roles are very defined and from from very early on, it was quite clear that the hats I wore were HR, marketing, sales, finance, strategic planning, my operations, purchasing, protecting the cost of sales, you know, quality control, and strategic as you're planning, so we come together once a month strategically to talk about things, but we'll zoom each other, you'll be in one, it might be at the office remotely. So we're not even in the same room, and it feels more professional and more. And you, and there's no one knocking at the door saying, can I just check this? So, yeah, that's strategic come together, then the home life. I'd be lying ever. So we don't talk about when we get home. And sometimes when things haven't been good, it's been really difficult because you've moved low. And, you know, we just have to live through that. We've got our two dogs. So they they they're our distraction, I suppose when we get home. But yeah, it's, it's what you make of it. And I think whether you're married, or you're just business partners, I think as long as you know what each other have you do, what you do, and what you're responsible for. Then he and each other just keeps each other accountable, then in theory, it works. And the the downside is if he if he misbehaves, he's not having any dinner when he comes in. So

  Lucy Rennie 41:16

  love it, it's, yeah. It can't be I love the fact that you both on zoom there for your monthly meeting. That's a that's a bit like me, when I've got something really like important. I'll go and put my heels on under the table. Even if I'm in my black joggers, I'll put my stilettos on because it makes me feel in that zone.

  Sharon Taylor 41:36

  Lucy, I have to confess for this podcast a spritz myself with perfume? Why? I don't know.

  Lucy Rennie 41:44

  It's not there, isn't it? I think we've got to embrace that and do whatever you got to do to get yourself in that in that zone haven't used? So which I suppose brings me on to kind of the next question really is, is, I'm I think there's a lot of pressure out there for business owners to, it's all about scale and grow in and bigger. And, you know, kind of, that's that's sort of how you're not judged. But as a success, it's how big you can get or how big your team is or what your turnover is. And I'm kind of, I want to challenge that a bit. And I think this, this, for me, it's more important that actually, as business owners, we can do it, we can create something that works for us. And that feels good. And that we can do it in, you know, take that pressure off in sense of maybe you know the numbers, but actually do it in a way that's maybe you know, building the team in a different way, or adding value in a different way or that, you know, gets to a point where you're actually getting up in the morning and want to go to work that for me is the magic. And if we can do it, that's kind of what helps to make it sustainable. In is Does that resonate with you? And if so, what are sort of the key things, you know, maybe that you're bringing into the business, because I know you're a big one as well for sort of giving back to the community or kind of helping, you know, you like to sort of Yeah, show your support in other ways. How does that come into sort of your vision for your business and where you're going with things.

  Sharon Taylor 43:10

  And on the growth side, obviously doing that grow at Goldman Sachs, like eight years ago, that was all that was drilled into you was all about growth and how to upscale and, and I and so I entered the business world for the first time with that firmly in mind. And you're quite right to question it. Because that's great, depending on your industry, depending on the climate, there's so many things that can impact growth. And you can be busy fools, you know, you can recruit lots of people, and you can overstretch yourself, and then the market changes. And I do believe that we should have the confidence to grow. But at a sustainable level that and that's one thing I would say. We were at 13 and the beginning and we're now at 10. We may become 11 in the near future, but our turnover has not changed a great deal, but it's just how we operate and our cost of sales have increased massively paper. All all the bits that relate to print have gone through the roof. So we've had to adapt to that. I think growth is key from a mental point of view as a business owner because you just want to know that you can grow if you want to grow whereas I have been over the last you know in recent years, with no ability to grow it it was in survival mode. Just survive, control the costs. Please nobody go into liquidation and take us for lots of money. Just control everything as much as you can. And in 2023 So we're now entering back into that growth. And by growth, I mean turnover and profit, net profit. And that's where I'd just like sit comfortably for the rest of this year, you know, with no massive big plans. And then and then next year, let's think what we need to do. But also growth, I believe, comes from, for example, we trained, retrained operators of certain machines to operate the new machines for large format print, which they never done before. So they've grown massively, they've got two years under their belt now of operating a completely different machine. But they've had to learn. And that lifts everything. So that's another kind of growth, isn't it. So there's so many labels you can stick on, rather than just the finance. But you know, as long as we are continuing to make a profit, then we're safe. And then the other side is, as you quite rightly said, that give back the community side. I've done a bit of mentoring, we support various charities, speed of sight, is our main charity, and we offer printing, we make a monthly donation. Just this morning, I have a conversation with a food bank, in adswood in Stockport, and they're just not on the scene. No one knows they exist. So we're going to design some leaflets and get those printed in conjunction with another organisation who's supporting us with the cost. It's just those little things that you get. It's not sometimes it's not much, but it just takes a few boxes in our in that, okay, we're not knocking it out of the park, but at least we're helping people where we can that make a difference to the community? Sounds a bit saintly, but I think you know where I'm coming from these genuine?

  Lucy Rennie 47:03

  Yeah, they're definitely that's what I love about you. And I think it's it's Yeah, everything you say there about the growth, it's almost this, what you're talking about really is mindset, isn't it as well, and how that helps you to keep going. And I think as entrepreneurs or business owners, you've got to have that. It's really important. And that's what it comes down to, doesn't it in terms of kind of being able to keep going and on the other side of that is there's always that kind of spark, that you're always looking for the new thing or you want that adventure? Don't you're the challenge that comes with it? Yeah, so in terms of just to finish, right, because I'm conscious of time as well, and keeping up. I could talk to you for hours. If, if you if you with hindsight, or if you were thinking and you're speaking to people who were considering either starting a business, whether that's print or or a another, what would be your advice to them? What would or maybe what would you do differently? If it was you again, what would be the key things you would think about and take forward as the sort of your magic recipe for, for building something that is sustainable? That's going to be there?

  Sharon Taylor 48:10

  I would I would if I if I had my chance, again, I probably got a book like yours, which gives you lots of tips and techniques regarding being a leader of a business. I never actually read a book about taking over a business, I just sat in the chair at the office and thought right, what do I need to do. And I don't want to research either probably aligned myself with more of a coaching person to be by my side to help me make the right decisions. Because I think what a lot of what I did was more Locke than the knowledge. So maybe that would have been and that's exactly what I would say anyone who said to me they were starting is get a coach, get someone who can support you with the decision making someone you can bounce off. You mentioned earlier about having my husband on board with me. We have a coach, and he's a great mediator. You know, if I feel there's something not right on the upside, or vice versa, you've got someone just to take any heat out of the situation. But with regards to being a new business person, yeah, get the right person on your wing that can be there to help you and, and be brave, be brave, make decisions make mistakes. We all do it. We learn from them, and it makes us stronger. So that's what I do.

  Lucy Rennie 49:41

  Yeah, I think that's brilliant. And it comes back to all this what you were saying in the beginning, which was about having those right being surrounded by the right people, isn't it so making sure you've got those people you can trust and that you can ask questions and because it is a lonely world, I think sometimes isn't it so actually, yeah, having those people there that can help is, is really important. I must admit,

  Sharon Taylor 50:03

  you know, just recently I've been talking to v because the amount of times I've sat in a room and another business owner said, I've got nobody to talk to, or I can't speak to anybody else like this, because they don't understand our pressures. So, you know, getting into that sort of mindset of opening up and having having having a, what would you call it? That's a team around you that you can you can go to discuss your pain. One thing another? Yeah.

  Lucy Rennie 50:38

  Yeah. Isn't it sometimes just being able to say it and go, Oh, it's really rubbish today? Or? Or, you know, and actually, a lot of the time you realise you're not, you know, it's, you're not on your own with that, actually, everybody's going through it, or you can share ideas or just or even just sometimes someone go, come on, you can do this in less than you kick up the bomb when you need it. To make that decision, or we'll move forward. Yes.

  Sharon Taylor 51:04

  And to celebrate with as well, because that's the other thing, you know, I couldn't celebrate my business wins with my close friends. I do. But I can't tell them the nitty gritty. Because interesting. They don't necessarily let it so yeah, you're right, just to have those people who can say hi, arrive. Good job.

  Lucy Rennie 51:24

  Yeah, so true. Because we're so rubbish at that, aren't we, acknowledging us celebrating their successes. So yeah, and that's what I love about, like, I've got my mastermind, where it's exactly that it's a space where the conversations that go on in there, you know, that you couldn't have that your normal world because actually, like you say, people just don't get it, it's not that they don't want to, it's just that actually, they don't understand what it means to be, you know, running a business and all those things. So as a last thing, I know that a lot of my clients who are looking to do something different or standout or show the care or whether that's internally or externally with with clients. I'm sort of I love recommending you to them on and having you as part of that, you know, those discussions right at the beginning of a project, because that's actually when you can, you know, like we talked about, you can actually help them or guide them or understand what they're really trying to do, and then advise them in the right way. How if people are listening, and they're thinking, you know, what, I'd love to speak to Sharon, or I'd love to kind of get her input on this. I've got an idea or an event coming up? How can they get in touch with you? What's the best way to find you?

  Sharon Taylor 52:37

  Just to email me, Sharon at Paragon printing.co.uk. And we'll pick the phone numbers. To me, there's all you know, the office, yeah, our website, but 100% will never ever ignore a request or a call to, to offer some support. So yeah, I mean, we have a website, we have a Facebook page. Sorry, had a phone call. We have a Facebook page. And yeah, so we're on social media. Yeah, just getting.

  Lucy Rennie 53:12

  So I'll put what I'll do is, yeah, that's great. So what I'll do is I'll pop all the links in the show notes, for people to go in and connect with you. And yeah, find out more thinking on your website, there's loads of different ideas and different things out there that people can get inspired by or have ideas from. And then normally, then different these podcasts, I like to sort of set a challenge or sort of encourage people to think a little bit differently about something. So I'm wondering whether there's something maybe that they could explore about doing something a little bit maybe different or thinking about how they can show their care to maybe their customers or their staff? And maybe they could they could then connect with us and tell us how they've done that whether it is just simply a branded postcard, whether it's doing something a little bit different. Would that be a good challenge?

  Sharon Taylor 54:03

  I think it would be a really good challenge. And it doesn't have to be a costly challenge, either. You know, if you've got a database, and maybe your top 25 clients, or the 25 clients you've not spoken to in 12 months or whatever, format. Yeah, and literally, direct mail to them. Whether it's a postcard, whether it's a letter with an invitation to have a chat, that kind of thing. You write loose or getting in touch, especially with direct mail is so personal now. It's we just don't get that kind of mail landing on our desk that's not, you know, a massive mail campaign something for someone that recognises Well, you know, you could put your logo on it their logo They thanked them for the collaboration over the years or whatever. And can we have a coffee? I don't know what since people but maybe even pop a little something in there so I call it lumpy bumpy mail. That's lumpy and bumpy, even if it's a chocolate

  Lucy Rennie 55:23

  love people oh my god, I love that that's gonna be ace. Yeah. Because and I think the thing is, you said it going back to be nosy. Actually, we think of direct mail. Don't be sometimes you're selling and advertising. But actually, that could be a direct mail that's going how you doing or Thank you, or what's keeping you up at night? Or how can we help or just love to know how you're getting on? It doesn't have to be an achy salesy thing that people might feel uncomfortable about, it can actually just be showing up to show you care. And sometimes when we do that without an ask, that's how we build more of the goodwill, isn't it? And then trust because actually, we are genuinely reaching out without, you know, wanting something in return.

  Sharon Taylor 56:03

  Yeah. Much more refreshing approach, isn't it? That? Absolutely.

  Lucy Rennie 56:10

  Oh, well, thank you so much for sharing and for talking to me today.

  Sharon Taylor 56:15

  I was nervous as I thought. You're very good.

  Lucy Rennie 56:21

  And I really hope we've been Oh, thanks so much. It's just nice to chat. Just just, I think that's it. It's, I think with this, we've I want to show people and just, you know, it's not all as rosy as it could be. And it's all excited. And there's challenges, but actually, you can do good stuff. And it's rewarding, isn't it? And it's exciting at the same time. So and yeah, I'm gonna take away lumpy bumpy, that's gonna be my takeaway. Thank you so much.

  Sharon Taylor 56:56

  No, thank you for the opportunity to share my story. And, you know, just to put me out there, it's, you know, and our business out there. More importantly, it's just, it's an opportunity and appreciate it. So thank you.

  Lucy Rennie 57:12

  No, thank you for sharing. I'll see you very soon. All right. So, listen. Thank you. See you later. Thanks for listening to the future proof your business podcast. I've been your host, Lucy Lenny. I want to help as many business owners build a business that works and feels good for them. And the best way for me to do that is to get this podcast out to as many people as possible. You can help me do this by sharing it, clicking subscribe, and especially by leaving a review. And if you want to get more of my insights and resources, then head over to my website. I am Lucy rennie.com. And come and join me and lots of other small business owners like you in my free Facebook group communicate with purpose. All the links are in the show notes. Thanks again and I'll see you next week for another episode of the future business podcast.

  text goes here

Resource Links:

• Get in touch with Sharon at Sharon@paragonprinting.co.uk

• https://paragonprinting.co.uk/marketing-solutions/

• https://www.facebook.com/Paragonprintandmarketing

• https://www.iamlucyrennie.com - free downloadable resources, other episodes and more information about how to work with me.

• Listen to more episodes of The Future-Proof your Business podcast - https://www.iamlucyrennie.com/podcast

• Buy my book here

• Join me in my membership The Future-Proof Club®️ here - https://go.lrcomms.co.uk/future-proof-club

  Come and join me and lots of other small business owners like you in my FREE Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CommunicatewithPurpose