ELLA MCLEAN
ELLA MCLEAN, FOUNDER OF HELLO LOVER - A PLATFORM CHANGING THE OUTDATED SEX SHOP INDUSTRY AND MAKING INTIMACY BETTER, FOR EVERYONE. I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO KNOW ELLA FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. DURING THIS TIME WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR JOURNEY - MY PARTNER AND I LAUNCHED OUR BUSINESS AND ELLA LAUNCHED HELLO LOVER.
WITH ELLA BASED IN NZ AND ME IN AUS WE'VE SHARED PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS ONLINE AROUND WHAT IT TAKES TO START A BUSINESS AND WE'VE BOTH PASSED ON HELPFUL TIPS WE'VE EACH PICKED UP ALONG THE WAY. IN SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS ELLA SHARED THAT SHE HAD EXPERIENCED AN element OF LONELINESS - SHE DIDN'T HAVE A BUSINESS PARTNER LIKE ME TO BOUNCE IDEAS WITH, BUT MORE THAN THAT, THERE WAS NO ONE THERE TO RIDE THE LOWS WITH HER, AND ANYONE WHO OWNS THEIR OWN BUSINESS KNOWS THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF THESE.
ELLA'S EXPERIENCE IS ONE OF THE REASONS I STARTED POMONA, AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A NETWORK AROUND YOU.
WHEN WAS HELLO LOVER BORN?
FEBRUARY 2022
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO LAUNCH HELLO LOVER?
1 YEAR
YOU’VE BEEN PRETTY VOCAL WITH ME, AS WELL AS ON A RECENT PODCAST WITH PRU FROM OWNERS COLLECTIVE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY AND THE LONELY TIMES YOU EXPERIENCED - ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS AND IS THIS SOMETHING YOU’RE STILL GOING THROUGH?
TOTALLY! ENTREPRENEURSHIP CAN BE SUCH A LONELY JOURNEY - I FEEL LIKE IT’S A SIDE OF BUSINESS THAT’S RARELY ACKNOWLEDGED. THERE’S A LOT TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND DURING THAT FIRST START-UP PHASE. YOU’RE CALLING ALL THE SHOTS, HANDLING CHALLENGES ON YOUR OWN AND EVEN CELEBRATING THE WINS ON YOUR OWN *GOES OUT, ORDERS ONE GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE.. IT HAS BECOME EASIER OVERTIME. MY CIRCLE IS SMALL, BUT IT’S FILLED WITH THE BEST PEOPLE THAT I CAN CALL ON. I’M ALSO INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO HAVE MET OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT ALL AND JUST WANT TO HELP. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE YOUR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART AND WANT YOU TO SUCCEED - WHEN YOU FIND THEM, LEAN ON THEM.
HOW’S LIFE TREATING YOU NOW AS A BUSINESS OWNER?
CURRENTLY I’M IN THE GROWTH STAGE AND I’M LOVING IT! BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS AND CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS IS SUPER REWARDING - ALL THAT HARD YAKKA IS STARTING TO PAY OFF. WE’RE IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL SEXUAL REVOLUTION SO IT’S AN EXCITING TIME TO BE IN THIS SPACE.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A BUSINESS OWNER?
THE FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU PUT IN THE HARD WORK AND IT FINALLY PAYS OFF - IT’S SO REWARDING.
THINKING ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO LAUNCHING HELLO LOVER - IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE OR DO DIFFERENTLY?
IF I HAD MY TIME AGAIN WOULD I CHANGE ANYTHING? NO WAY! IT TAUGHT ME HOW TO EMBRACE VULNERABILITY.. I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO SIT WITH IT, THEN GET BACK UP AND START AGAIN. THAT’S HELPED ME IN ALL CONTEXTS OF LIFE, NOT JUST IN BUSINESS.
WHAT’S A NORMAL WORK DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
I TRY TO START THE DAY WITH SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD FOR MY BODY, LIKE A PILATES CLASS OR A WALK. THEN I'LL GRAB A COFFEE AND HEAD INTO THE STORE TO PACK ORDERS, CHAT WITH CUSTOMERS, ANSWER EMAILS, PLAN AND DESIGN ANY MARKETING MATERIAL, ATTEND MEETINGS, RE-ORDER STOCK, MANAGE THE WEBSITE ETC. THE LIST IS NEVER ENDING!
HOW DO YOU MANAGE WORK LIFE BALANCE?
WHEN I STARTED HL I REALISED PRETTY OUICKLY THAT INFEDED TO PUT MY HEALTH FIRST IF I WANTED THIS BUSINESS TO WORK, SO I'M ALL ABOUT THAT WORK LIFE BALANCE. EATING WELL, MOVING MY BODY, CATCHING UP WITH FRIENDS AND GIVING MYSELF TIME TO DO NOTHING. THIS ALL USUALLY GOES OUT THE DOOR IF A BIG PROJECT POPS UP THOUGH.'M A ONE-WOMAN BAND SO SOMETIMES I HAVE TO GO ALL IN TO GET THE TASK COMPLETE.
WHAT’S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’D PASS ONTO SOMEONE WANTING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS?
PRIORITISE YOUR HEALTH - THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO BACK YOURSELF.
FAVOURITE BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY?
GO SWEET SPOT MAKES PACKING ORDERS AND DELIVERY A TOTAL BREEZE - SAVES ME SO MUCH TIME! BLESS YOU GO SWEET SPOT
DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS MENTOR OR ANYONE YOU LOOK TO FOR ADVICE?
PIPPA LEKNER WHO WAS MY BOSS ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO - NOW A BUSINESS MENTOR, LIFE COACH AND BEST FRIEND. WE CHAT MOST DAYS AND SHE'S INCREDIBLY UPFRONT WITH ME IN THE MOST SUPPORTIVE AND MOTIVATING WAY. THAT WOMAN IS THE EPITOME OF A GREAT LEADER.