More than a woman (in business) ?? ?? - Sarah Newland

"Three... is the magic number...??" - and our third interview is true to form, meet Sarah Newland of Keyboard Smash . A truly magical person who knows how to get shit done!

Sarah... thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, tell us about yourself and your business!

I specialise in successful outsourcing. Whether that is establishing the right jobs for people, making online communication more effective and efficient for hybrid teams or just finding ad hoc freelance?support, a client's business will be more productive as a result of working with Keyboard Smash. And it all started through being a VA!

But what I really didn't like about that job title was that whilst I was exposed to all the different parts of a client's business (and learnt a lot along the way) I saw all the things that could be done much better, but couldn't always achieve within my retainer hours.

I'd suggest streamlining tips, software to simply automate but clients would want me to stick to where they were comfortable. So I moved out of reactive hourly support, into proactive project support - introducing new systems and gradually, supporting clients to hire support to manage only the parts of the job that couldn't be handled by it.

I guess this is what makes us special at Keyboard Smash because we'll only ever take on work where we can eliminate waste. We don't get satisfaction from increasing our workload because we're doing more and more manual jobs. We only want to increase out workload with a client where they've seen how we can improve the way tasks are undertaken, so they expose us to more areas of their business to improve!

We're not interested in doing things how they've always been done, or laboriously undertaking manual tasks so we can charge more. We want to find solutions to speed up how work happens, in a risk-adverse and measured way to ensure that the business can grow sustainably.

What inspired you to pursue a career in business?

My Dad has run a successful business for 38 years so I was brought up in a house?where he got to make his own choices and live to the values he believes in everyday. He's commercially?driven, but really from a people perspective, he's made choices with his own family and people in mind.

Whilst working with him through my teens and early 20s I saw what kind of people manager he?was and it inspired me to grow something that is bigger than just me.

When you run a business you get to directly impact (ideally positively) those people in your team. Although expanding with a freelance team brings some headaches, I love that it has created an eco system of support. It's a win-win. Client wins?by getting support in their?business, and a freelancer wins by growing their income. And this inspiration comes from my Dad.

How do you balance work and personal life as a busy entrepreneur?

It has?been a hard?fought battle and is only won?with some serious discipline. I started Keyboard Smash post redundancy with?a 1 year old and had my second during my 2nd year of business.

There?have?been some very unhealthy times. Despite always working from home, Covid was a particularly?bad time as there was no division. The laptop was always there. There?was?so?much fear around the industry and pivots around how people were going to keep working.

I don't believe Wellness is spa days and reading a good book. Those things are great as well but I've done work, with a couple of hypnotherapists and various other coaches to help me to reframe and understand where my happiness comes from. And that doesn't have to be work work work.

I also sleep with my phone in a different room and don't look at it until I start work at 9:15!

How do you stay motivated and continue to innovate in your business?

I wouldn't say I am a natural 'innovator' and nor do I work in an industry where that is my differentiating?factor. I don't have to be ahead of the?curb when it comes to reducing waste. Innovation to me is self awareness and constant development of my people skills in order to get the best out of my clients and their teams in order to stand out as the go to in?my sector.

Luckily I'm very self motivated and consider getting a task done personal. Perhaps that's why I find it hard to switch off. My brain is always in?solution finding?mode. I?regularly network to get ideas, relish in person catch ups with clients and meeting different people where?I get challenged on my way of thinking, for the better! And I read a lot of books!

How do you approach risk-taking in your business decisions?

I'm risk adverse, but that is important in my line of work. A lot of my clients need more measured support in order to make some stable and practical business decisions. Businesses thrive where risks?are being taken to develop but they survive where there is pragmatic support and someone to challenge and say, "If we continue to do that...the business will go under!"

So I have to challenge myself on it and take measured risks to ensure that I develop the business, in a way that is comfortable for me. I also think it depends what growth means to you. For me, it is not working all the hours in pursuit of a huge financial goal that means I don't get to do any of the school runs.

I don't think it is sustainable to work out of your comfort zone all the time in order to achieve fast growth. I'm interested in the good life which means I have time to be personally, financially, mentally and physically well.

I've also got a few more risk-comfortable, self employed colleagues who I ask to challenge me on decisions I'm aware are holding me in my comfort zone.

How have you adapted your business strategy in response to changing market conditions?

Through Covid my support naturally leant itself to individuals who were pivoting to the online course and membership space. Because I was already working in software set up I developed in that area and got a good name for myself. So although I wouldn't consider it an intentional pivot, I just leaned?my skills to that area. And I wouldn't change the?experience I got during that time. But I've stopped supporting the boom of online only, side hustle, course creator type businesses now.

I've found that it's unreliable income and they jump from trend to trend without any strategy. It's inefficient and wasteful and demonstrates a lack of long term interest in creating a business to last.

I'm interested in supporting businesses that understand purpose, and that purpose goes beyond a laptop lifestyle and the next pay check. Purpose driven businesses are now being sought out in the employee marketplace as research illustrates that employees are looking beyond just a good salary and an enhanced holiday package. They want to go to work and spend their time for something more. So not only do I believe that strategically this is a good place to focus my efforts, it's where I'm keen to actually be spending my time.

Why not contact Sarah and connect with her? Sarah is a regular poster on LinkedIn sharing tips and advice as well as talking about how she helps clients to improve their businesses.

You can find more at the KeyboardSmash website.

*article updated as I'd (Justin) been an idiot and put the wrong question in for question 2! ??♂?