Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Hey, everybody, and welcome back to the Confessions in the Home Office podcast. My name is Wendy Hill and if you're wondering why I call this podcast Confessions in the Home Office, it's because I've been working out of my home office running my marketing consulting company for almost 20 years. It'll be February 1st will be 20 years.
So, yeah, Nisha's been a great cheerleader about that. Yeah. So today one of my good friends, Nisha Patel is our guest and she runs a boutique PR firm here in Greenville in Patel Communications. She's a full time mom and business owner. And we're going to talk about two topics that I don't think you normally would put together, but it really makes sense. Goal setting and thinking about the new year and connecting with others. And I will say that those are two things that I always think that I have tackled and then I don't because I haven't sat down and written it out or I haven't really made a plan on how doing that, how to do that. So welcome Nisha, and start off by just telling everybody a little bit about you and how you got here.
[00:01:11] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Wendy, for having me on. I'm super excited.
Well, obviously, as you said, I am the owner of Infatel Communications. I'm based out of Greenville, South Carolina. But my trajectory did not lend me to this. I'm actually a former on air reporter. I work for both a CBS and a Fox affiliate. I did that for probably about a decade and then I jumped over to what us journalists like to call the dark side of pr. And so that's where I am, PR marketing. I had some in house gigs for a little while, but eventually, of course, starting a family, you get burned out, so needed to leave and out of necessity. And Patel Communications was born because I just needed more flexibility and that time to be able to spend with my family and be more present.
[00:02:07] Speaker A: Isn't it amazing when you're running your schedule, how you can fit everything in, but if you're driving to an office, like you can't get anything done. So.
[00:02:17] Speaker B: Yes. I don't know if anybody understands. Yes, 100%. You are in a home office. Obviously I rent office and downtown, but it helps me be able to be sane because I do have the twin girls who are at home running around with their head cut off. So I'd never get anything done.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: Yeah, I can't imagine what that would be like. Fun, but crazy. Yeah. So let's dig in. I wrote a couple of questions for you I know you'll be able to answer these. You start your goal setting process for both business and family in Q4. And I know this because you sent me some of your goals back before Christmas and I was like, I thought I was on top of it. No, Nisha's on top of it. So what prompted you to develop this timeline and how has it evolved over your two decades in pr?
[00:03:03] Speaker B: So I was never good at setting goals or writing them down or any of that. I think I just kind of had them in my head. So in the four years that I've been in business, I have never done that. But the fact that I have the twin girls, two year old twin girls at home, I do have a nine year old who is involved in every sport known to man. On top of tutoring, juggling, also my husband's work schedule. I really needed to be able to get some type of focus and really do something to make sure that I am reaching goals in my business but growing my business. So I think it came out of the, the need to really be able to, okay, I'm going to come in every day. These are my goals. And here is a tactical plan every week in order to meet those goals. I had never done that before. It was just kind of an overarching annual, you know, five random annual goals. And you know, by mid year my coach would be like, oh, where are you with your goals? And I'm like, I have no idea.
So it really came out of need to be like, I really need to get serious about this business and, and really surround myself with people who can help me get there for sure.
[00:04:24] Speaker A: Well, and I think if you're right, if you don't write it down or you just kind of keep it in your head, everything else kind of takes over that space and the next thing, you know, like you said, it's May or June, you're going on vacation. You're like, I'm going to make the same amount of money I did last year. And I'm not just doing this to do that, you know, I mean I want more money for more options to do more things and you know, if, if revenue is your goal. But I don't think we're all in business just to be kind of stagnant with stuff. So no, I think that's good. So you're, you're juggling balancing three kids with a PR firm. How do you structure these different type of goals just so one doesn't get more time than the, you know, than the other?
[00:05:08] Speaker B: Well, I make sure. That the kiddos are kind of taken care of first.
[00:05:14] Speaker A: Right.
[00:05:15] Speaker B: You know, we obviously have a nanny for the, for the twins and so obviously the nine year old's in school until 2:30. So really I structure my day around that. I have a very finite amount of time, work time really during the day. So my work hours are kind of 8:30 to 2.
But I also have to account for meetings, I have to account for client buyers. So I really try to structure my day in such a way that I have maybe three big tasks that need to get done.
And so I write that down and I make sure that those, they don't. It doesn't always work, but I try my best and if it doesn't work, then I just move it to the next day because what else are you going to do? Because by the time 2:30 rolls around, I got to pick up the kiddo from bus stop, then I got to leave the nanny at three, then we got to start on homework. And then the other has, like I said, basketball or soccer or tutoring something that day. Then I have to make sure the twins have their food ready.
And then by the time we get home, it's like 7, 7:30, he has to eat. I put the girls to bed and then it's like 8 o'clock before I sit down. So it's like I'm not doing anything. And when I get home, forget about it. Right. Hurts. I'm over.
[00:06:31] Speaker A: Well, I noticed something this morning. So like yesterday I was home, you know, and didn't have any meetings with it being the holiday. And I worked and dabbled on things all day long and never really took time off just to hang out. This morning I was like, I've got this podcast interview and I've got meetings this afternoon and helped produce more podcasts this afternoon. I got a day's worth of work done in 90 minutes this morning. So it's always, it's almost like with packing. If you've got two days to pack, it'll take two days. If you have three hours to pack, you can get it done. So I think that's good that you have really structured, structured days like that.
[00:07:07] Speaker B: Yeah, I think that's important. That's important to make sure that you get your stuff done to really, I think really you have to sit down and determine how many hours do you have in the day to spend on your business. And you know, I don't think, you know, it's that old adage of, you know, you have to constantly be booked and you have to look like you're busy. And I think that that is just not true. Like just because somebody thinks that you need to be busy all the time. And if somebody looks at you and says, why don't you have, you know, 20 meetings scheduled? That you accomplish nothing by doing back to back meetings because you're not going to accomplish anything during the day. So I think it's important that you space those things out and you take one day out of the week to really focus on, on your business. Like for me, Mondays are no meeting Mondays. So I don't have any meetings on Mondays. And that's when I focus on my business. So I spend those five, six hours just on the business.
[00:08:03] Speaker A: No, I think that's smart. And that's what I've been trying to do too. I feel like life picks up on Tuesdays right now, but in two years with different clients or things, it may change, but I'll take it while I can get it. You know, let's switch and talk about local think tanks. So you've mentioned creating those.
Can you give us an example on how one of these connections has led to an opportunity or a big breakthrough with your business?
[00:08:28] Speaker B: Yeah. So I started the think tank actually last year with a group of female owned businesses. And not gonna lie, they were all my friends and so a majority of them were stay at home moms. And this was kind of like their second.
Their second, their, I guess an afterthought, their business.
[00:08:48] Speaker A: Right.
[00:08:49] Speaker B: So, but it was great. I started it. They really helped me implement foundational things for my business that really helped me to grow it. You know, I was really suffering from a lack of business and awareness over the past year or two.
So really starting this think tank really helped me with that. But six months or seven months into it, I got to a point where I needed to find a second group because my business had grown, that I needed to find other like minded women who were also in the same position as me. Because those people that were in the original think tank, they were really focused on, you know, taking their time with their business and I was ready to just go and so, and ramp up. So this second group honestly has been the one that has really helped me understand that if you put the work in, it doesn't have to be a constant grind all day every day, but if you put the work in, it will happen. And so I am surrounded by these women who I can just text and say, hey, I don't know how to write a sales email. What's your process? How does that work and they are so open. And of course that includes you, Wendy. So all of you are so open and I just love it. So honestly, it has really helped me grow to the point where now I'm comfortable networking also with other people that I don't even know. And I used to hate that before.
[00:10:19] Speaker A: Yeah. Do you feel like you're a natural introvert or extrovert? What do you think?
[00:10:22] Speaker B: Introvert. 100%.
Me too.
[00:10:26] Speaker A: I mean, you know, it's every time I record a podcast, I mean, I have to, honestly, I have to psych myself up a little bit, you know, of hitting the record button and, or going to the networking event later today, that type of thing. But I do think that's. That you really nailed it when you said once you feel like you've got people that can, that are helping you and you're putting in the work and you're moving things ahead, you have that confidence to go out and do more. And I think that makes a huge difference is having the confidence.
[00:10:58] Speaker B: Yeah. And you can't look at these people as competition. They're not competition.
[00:11:02] Speaker A: No.
[00:11:03] Speaker B: Right. There's plenty of business to go around. You and I offer some of the same services, but we, we've never looked at each other as competition, which I love. It's more of, well, how do we work together in order to try to go after some of this business? Like how do we team up together? And right now it's just that support that you need that your family can't necessarily give to you because they don't understand maybe what you're doing. But these group of women do because they're in the exact same boat or they were in the exact same boat that you were in. So those connections are very important because.
[00:11:38] Speaker A: Everything I, I say or run past my husband, he says, that sounds great, sounds great. And I appreciate that. That's a great confidence booster. But, but you know, he's a history professor. He's not a marketing guy. If he watches this, he's gonna be mad at me.
So here, here's one more. What's, what's your approach when a carefully laid plan, whether it's vacation or client event, it just goes sideways. What do you do? How do you, how do you adapt and keep goals and focus without just like wanting to throw your hands up in there?
[00:12:13] Speaker B: Well, I definitely want to throw my hands up in the air, but I think that I am a very laid back person. I mean, it really takes a lot to rattle me, to stress me out. I mean, it takes A lot. And I think it's because of my background as an on air reporter. I had to take a lot of criticism with what down to what I was wearing and how I would say things and how I would talk. Like I had to grow that backbone, without a doubt. And so I think that when I am faced with that, which is quite often, I then just tell myself, you know what? I'm not going to discourage myself. I just didn't get to that this week. So you know what? I'm just going to move it to the next week and we'll just move it. We'll just keep going and take it one day at a time. Because I think that is important. It's just like a weight goal, right? Like, you know, you are trying to stick to this diet in order to lose weight, but, you know, you decide to just eat that piece of bread and then you're like, well, forget it. I'm just, I'm just going to keep eating and, you know, just go. But I always have to tell myself, just take it one day at a time, one step at a time. And it may take me longer to reach that goal, but I'll reach it. But I have to know that I. My priority at that point has to be with the family or with whatever obstacle is in my way to deal with that first and then move on to the other thing.
[00:13:37] Speaker A: And I think it's good when you're calm and laid back and you've had the job experience like you have. Like, I've met with clients before, done like a big assessment with them, and they come in and they are just jacked up, stressed out, and they want me to be right there with them freaking out. And I'm just not going to do it because in the whole scheme of life, really, you know, and when they leave, they're like, I had one lady one time say, I don't really like that. I'm kind of chilled out about everything now, you know, but, you know, in this business, in this business, you've got to be, because if not, you will just stroke out because there's always something going on.
So you're in the business of telling stories and, you know, to get coverage for your clients. How does this help you with communicating, like, with family?
[00:14:24] Speaker B: Well, it doesn't.
There we go.
[00:14:27] Speaker A: Well, that question didn't work.
[00:14:30] Speaker B: While I am excellent at telling my clients stories and getting, getting them in the media and getting them in front of their audience, the home communication sucks. And I hope my husband doesn't watch this either.
But I will say that, you know, and I don't know if it's a. It's a man thing or what. I mean, I can put it on our shared calendar, on the, you know, written calendar on the refrigerator. I can tell them a million times that, oh, I have this networking event, or I have this or I have that, or you got to pick up, you know, Ethan today or you got to take him to whatever it's like. It, like, goes in one ear and goes out the other, 100%. So there's really not great communication between me and him. But I will say me and my nanny, 100%. We can be very well. So, you know, I know when he. When I have to stay, you know, maybe late at work or if I have a networking event that evening, I know that I need to tell her, okay, I need you to stay late until I get home, you know, and. And then you can go home. So we are very good at it, but when it comes to the husband, not so much.
[00:15:42] Speaker A: Okay, well, scratch exact question out. I will never ask that of anybody again.
[00:15:46] Speaker B: No, no personalities.
[00:15:48] Speaker A: No. And. And you're being real about it. You know, most people would just say, oh, well, I've been able to do this and this and this, and it's helped my marriage. No, I think it's just everybody's personality is different. Yeah.
[00:15:59] Speaker B: And I would say if somebody out there watching knows that secret, please tell me, because I would love to know. I don't know how many different ways I can do it. And it's so funny because all of my friends are the same way. Like I tell, you know, we always have the exact same story. Like, oh, well, I can't make it today because, you know, he has to do X, Y and Z. And so.
[00:16:19] Speaker A: Right.
[00:16:19] Speaker B: I think a lot of times we do put ourselves as women on the back burner because, you know, all of a sudden, things will come up for them.
But I've tried to make it a point this year to be like, you know what? No, I'm going to go. Like, I'll figure out. I'll figure out how the kids will get. Will get taken care of. And I think that's what we do best, is that we just. When an obstacle comes our way, we figure it out and then we move on. Right.
[00:16:42] Speaker A: Or problem solvers, definitely. So what advice would you give someone who's hesitant about reaching out to build like a. A networking or connection support system?
[00:16:54] Speaker B: So, I hate networking. I mean, I think Wendy's the same way. I think a lot of people are the same way. They hate to.
[00:16:59] Speaker A: They just go to go.
[00:17:01] Speaker B: Yeah, because I think when you show up at those things, either a, there's an already established group of pockets of people that are the same people that go. So they're comfortable with each other or be their bosses, make them go, so they don't even want to be there.
But I will say that I think networking is a must. I think it's. It's important that you include that in your strategy for this year if you are looking to grow. But if networking scares you, then I would say start with your own connections and your own network. Nine times out of 10, those people probably have no idea that you started your own business or that you're thinking about starting your own business. So just shoot them an email, shoot them a LinkedIn message and just say, hey, I know we haven't connected in a while, but I'd love to catch up and grab a cup of coffee or take them for a glass of champagne for happy hour. You know, I mean, who doesn't like champagne? Like, just, you know, just go for happy hour and just catch up. And I cannot tell you when I did that last year, my business and my clientele, it just skyrocketed. Like, the amount of connections and referrals that I got from it was amazing. And you never know who knows who. So if there's a particular client or business that you're trying to get, I promise you, somebody knows somebody to get you in the door.
[00:18:25] Speaker A: No, that's. That's really good. You know, I was. I was thinking about how you just never know what the next conversation is going to lead to. You know, and so that's smart.
Is there anything else you want to share with us?
[00:18:39] Speaker B: You know, I would just say, you know, as small business owners, you know, we do everything. You know, we are responsible for our own bookkeeping and our scheduling meetings and getting the work done. But if there's anything that. Any advice that I could give you for this year is just take it one day at a time. Like I said earlier, just give yourself grace and don't get discouraged. Like, again, you'll. Your, Your business will grow if you put it. If you put your. Put the work into it. Again, that does not mean you have to be working on your business 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But, you know, set aside like an hour or two each day to just work solely on your business. And again, just take it one day at a time, and I promise you will see results.
[00:19:26] Speaker A: That's smart, smart. Well, Nisha, thank you so much for being here and making me laugh this early in the morning.
It's always fun when we spend time together there.
Be sure to subscribe, follow, like, comment, do all the things this podcast is on YouTube and all major audio podcast platforms. And next week's episode will be about all the lessons learned from 20 years in business. So again, thank you, Nisha. I will put your contact information in the show notes so if anybody wants to get in touch with you, they can. Awesome.
[00:20:00] Speaker B: Well, thank you so much for having me.
[00:20:02] Speaker A: Thanks. Bye. Bye. It.
