October 1, 2024 • 44 mins
Brittany Voxland and Samantha Drumm are friends turned business partners in Fort Worth, Texas. Realizing their complementary skill sets, they merged their businesses, combining Brittany’s social media expertise with Samantha’s branding and website skills to form Project Social. This transition from friends to business partners wasn’t planned, but it felt natural, providing them with the energy and motivation to stay creative and driven. They emphasize the importance of “leaning into what felt right” as a key factor in their success.
Both women come from corporate backgrounds, with Brittany working in HR and Samantha in government PR, but they sought a career that would allow them the freedom to balance their family lives with meaningful work. Their entrepreneurial journey also led them to open Elle Maxine, a women’s boutique in Fort Worth. They treat the boutique as a client of Project Social, using the marketing strategies they’ve developed to build a welcoming, aesthetically pleasing shopping space that’s accessible to everyone. The boutique, with its chic yet comfortable vibe, feels like a place where customers can relax, enjoy a glass of champagne, and shop.
Brittany and Samantha attribute much of their success to the supportive Fort Worth community, noting how their clients have become friends who continue to support their ventures. The close-knit nature of the Fort Worth area has been instrumental in the growth of both Project Social and Elle Maxine. They also talk about the challenges of balancing business and life, agreeing that perfect balance is a myth. Instead, they’ve found a sense of harmony by involving their families in their work, whether it's their children helping out at the boutique or understanding the work that goes into running a business.
One of the key lessons they’ve learned in business is the importance of delegation. As their businesses have grown, they’ve realized the value of trusting their team and empowering others to take on responsibilities. Project Social now has a strong team, and both women emphasize that growth requires letting go of tasks and relying on the right people. Ultimately, for Brittany and Samantha, entrepreneurship is about creating a legacy for their families. They want their children to see the value in hard work and experience the joy that comes from building something meaningful. Their story is one of friendship, creativity, community, and the ability to balance the demands of business with the rewards of family life. This episode highlights how two friends took a leap of faith, merged their talents, and created businesses that reflect their passion and commitment to their families and the Fort Worth community.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Season 3 of the Speech Source Podcast
with your hosts Kim and Mary.
This season, our title isChanging the Game.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
We are highlighting small business owners and
entrepreneurs who have unwrittenall the rules to starting a
business and use their talentsand their creativity to be able
to build a business that is alifestyle designed just for them
and is making incredible impactin our community of Fort Worth,
Texas.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
So don't forget to subscribe to this season so you
don't miss an episode.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
We are so excited to be able to have two incredible
guests with us.
They are Brittany Voxland andSamantha Drum.
They are two friends turnedfemale entrepreneurs.
They started with a socialmedia marketing company, project
Social, and then they have alsostarted their new venture of a
(01:04):
women's boutique together inFort Worth, texas, called El
Maxine.
So welcome guys.
We're so excited to chat todayabout how all of this came to be
.
Thank, you.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's funny.
We like finish each other'sthoughts and like the same thing
too, because we've been workingtogether for so long together
and show up in the same outfitoften.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
How did you first meet and how long have y'all
been friends and businesspartners?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
We met back in 2009.
We weren't super close backthen.
We just met through ourboyfriends at the time they
played on the same kickball team.
Boyfriends, no husbands, yeah.
And then years later, wereconnected through marketing.
We both had our own marketingbusinesses and I focused on
(01:56):
social media and Sam was websiteand some social and branding.
So we she was looking for aperson to manage her social
media clients and so she reachedout to me and then I came on
board with them and then we justdecided to merge our businesses
(02:19):
together so that we could offerour clients more, and we just
thought we would be better as ateam.
Well, I think, to stem off ofwhat Brittany was saying, I
think even from the beginning,leaning into what felt natural
has been a really good businessdecision we made, because we
maybe didn't think about mergingour businesses so quickly, but
(02:40):
it was working really well andwe were giving each other the
energy to stay motivated.
So we merged pretty quickly,but it was working really well
and we were giving each otherthe energy to stay motivated, so
we merged pretty quickly, butit just it felt right and
everything matched up and wewere like let's do it, let's go
all in and just see if it'sgoing to work, and we both came
from backgrounds of workingfull-time jobs.
(03:01):
I worked in human resources for12 years before actually going
into business for myself.
I left my job when I waspregnant with my first son and
then I was home for maybe ninemonths or so and I was like,
okay, this isn't, I'm not happydoing this, and not that I'm not
(03:22):
happy being a mom.
I love my children, but I alsoneeded something for myself,
because just being so used tohaving a schedule and somewhere
to be and reasons to get dressed, and then it was just hard to
go from that to being astay-at-home mom.
So then I went into retail andthen that's how it all got
(03:42):
started for my entrepreneurship.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
And then what about you?
All got started for myentrepreneurship.
And what about you, Sam?
How did you get started?
I guess you had your ownbusiness and the branding and
website, and how did that lenditself to merge with Brittany?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So, if you've known me for a short time or a long
time, I'm always doing multiplethings at once If it's two jobs
or I've got a new hobby going on, and so I started my marketing
company in 2015.
That was because my husband andI we bought a title company and
(04:19):
his company needed marketingand I was like, oh, I can do it
for you, no big deal.
So that started by Cat CityCreative with a business partner
at the time, and then slowly Ifell more and more in love with
it.
I was working for thegovernment at the time doing PR,
and I had a mentor say do youwant to keep putting bricks in
(04:42):
this person's building or do youwant to start building your own
structure?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And that really resonated with me and I was like
no, I'm going to go all in onmy own.
I want to build my own building.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And so then Brittany and I just merged and we went
all in and she quit her job.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
That's what I was curious a little bit about that
process.
Did you both have separate LLCsor established business and
then you completely created anew one?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Or how did that process work?
We did Initially we hadseparate LLCs.
We've created another LLC forthe boutique, I think after we
knew what we were doing and wejust thought it would be easier
to how that was structured to doit again.
But no, initially we we had ourown LLC.
They were structureddifferently, I think one of them
was a sole proprietorship atthe time and the other one was
(05:31):
an LLC, and you just do whatworks best for you.
And then we just we created aDBA and took Project Social as
the name.
We kind of went through aprocess, too, of if we should
merge our names, or the ultimatedecision was, it was just
easier and less confusing if wehad one name for our clients.
And going forward, we decidedthat social media was the
(05:57):
gateway to how a lot of ourclients were finding us.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
We call it the gateway drug of marketing.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Everyone says I need social media first, and then we
usually can say well, youactually need all this other
stuff, yeah, so that is a lot ofthe people that come to us.
They originally come asking forsocial media help just because
it is so important forbusinesses to be present and
business owners don't have timeto do everything, and so then
(06:23):
they reach out to us and we alsodo training and things.
You don't necessarily have tohire us to do it all for you.
So, anyway, we had just toyedwith the idea and decided that
was the most attractive name.
As far as finding new clientsand I think Brittany brings up a
good point A lot of decisionswe've made throughout the time
of being in business.
(06:45):
We've had to put that hat on andsay what is our client looking
for right now, or what are theyneed, or you know, who are we
trying to sell this to andwhat's going to be the most
attractive to them.
Even though Cat City Creativehad been in business longer and,
brittany, I remember being likeyou know you should keep it,
you've had it longer, you'remore attached.
But at the time I rememberbeing like you know you should
keep it, you've had it longer,you're more attached.
(07:07):
But at the time social mediawas on the rise, and still is,
and I was like, no, we need tomeet our clients in this space.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Project social is just going to be more attractive
to what people are looking for.
So how were you able to attractyour clients to your business?
Because, looking at your listof the clients that you've
helped with your branding, theseare solid Fort Worth companies
that you guys are making brandsfor, very specific to Fort Worth
and very much part of ourheritage and culture here.
(07:41):
Their branding must have beenso important to them.
So how did you get them asclients or say, hey, I think
we're the right fit for you guysas a marketing?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
agency market.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah, exactly.
How do you market Well?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
said Brittany, we do these strategic sessions for our
own clients and we had to havethat aha moment and say we have
to do this for ourselves.
We tell our clients to sit downand make business goals and
then we set marketing goals thatmatch those.
So we had to set business goalsfor ourselves and we set
clients that we wanted to target, people that we work with today
(08:20):
.
We put them on a list and saidwe want their business.
How do we get to rise to beworthy of getting that client?
We made a big decision a coupleyears ago to actually let go of
our not Fort Worth basedclients the most glamorous but
(08:47):
we just felt like we wereserving the Fort Worth clients
so much better and our goal wasto be the number one social
media agency in Fort Worth, andwe all knew that.
We all said it.
That was just our goal.
So helping this client that wasnot even in Texas wasn't
helping us reach that goal.
So we let that client go and itseemed difficult at the time
but looking back it probably wasa really big turning point for
(09:08):
us.
I can even pitch that to a newclient now and say we let this
client go because we want toserve you here in Fort Worth and
that really does resonate withthem and it means a lot that we
want to help Fort Worthcompanies grow.
I think the other thing is wejust had to have the confidence
that we were good enough forthose clients.
When we walked in the door andsaid we want to help you with
your business, we had to beconfident that we could actually
(09:29):
do it.
Yeah, being able to sit down ata client's place of business
and really hear their needs andbe in that moment with them is
so important, especially thesedays when you can go buy a logo,
you can go buy social media,this and that click of a button.
(09:49):
But we wanted to offer ourbrains and our creativity and
our presence, and so just beingable to literally be an
extension of their team was ourgoal and to become submerged in
their business and really have aclear idea of what they needed,
and so we're able to customizeevery client package I guess you
(10:12):
can call it to really know whatthey need.
And we reevaluate and we saywell that didn't work.
Let's do this.
This worked really well.
Let's do this again.
And so just being in the sameplaces and knowing who their
customers are and we're theircustomers, and so just being in
the same places and knowing whotheir customers are and where
their customers, and it justgives a really personalized
service, being on the end ofstarting a small business.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The internet is saturated with resources to
market yourself, from YouTube tojust courses, to all these
platforms that you can get on,and it seems like you can piece
it together.
But having someone be able towalk you step-by-step through
that process because it can getso overwhelming, I think about
what we've learned just with usdoing it.
(10:57):
I can't imagine what y'all haveexperienced, client after
client, and then having thatexpertise to say, okay, what do
you want?
I can step-by-step walk youthrough this process.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
And I think what you're also saying is the
support system, right, likewhenever you're sitting there
trying to go through all thosedifferent resources or figure
out what you need.
You also need someone to talkto or bounce ideas off of, or
someone that's been through it,or a mentor, or to hire someone,
right, but you typically need,I know, as women, we like to
verbalize things, so we needsomeone to bounce all these
(11:29):
thoughts off of and say do youthink this is a good idea?
Or I'm thinking about this?
Have you had any experiencewith it?
I know that throughout all ofthe time that I've been in
business, I know my one thing isI could never be in business
alone.
I just I have to have someonealong the way with me to say
tomorrow's going to be different, or that's a terrible idea, or
(11:52):
it looks great, you should do itand it's just way more fun.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
And it's way more fun .
Yeah, we agree with y'all therefor sure, yeah, and to working
with clients.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Having that person who focuses on marketing, having
that team, is so important toactually execute ideas.
But when is that idea going toactually come to fruition?
And you need people to saythat's a great idea, but this is
what it's going to take toactually make that happen.
And I don't think we have theresources or the time or the
money, whatever it is to makethat happen.
(12:22):
So just taking those ideas andbeing able to talk it out and
say, let's do this one, let'smark that one off, this one's
just causing us stress, we'renever going to do that, and so
just really just talking it out,is we enjoy doing that so much
with our clients and figuringout new things to do and being
creative with marketing tactics?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And listening to you guys talk, I guess I did not
appreciate how much trial anderror comes into play with
marketing.
And I think about it with Kimand I as speech therapists.
It's all trial and error withkids.
We're working with them, we'relike, oh, you didn't like those,
okay, we're going to do this,and we're constantly pivoting.
But then you take someone likeus and we try to do something in
(13:05):
marketing and then, when itdoesn't work, or even if it does
work, you don't have thetoolbox to know where to go from
there and you realize how muchyou need someone, and not just
that you can pay to do something, but, like you said, with your
Fort Worth clients, thatunderstands your business,
understands who your customersare and can tell you what you
(13:28):
need better than you even knowyourself.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Absolutely so.
When I first went intomarketing I had opened a store
actually two and then I don'thave a degree in marketing.
I learned all from running myown businesses and literally
having to figure it out myselffrom scratch.
So when I sold those twobusinesses, I decided that's
(13:52):
where I was headed after that,because I knew how many business
owners there were locally whowere trying to do everything and
I thought I can take myexperience and help them apply
it to their businesses anddedicate my time to actually
helping other businesses do that, just because I understood it
(14:13):
so well from that perspective.
And that's how I started doingsocial media, because I thought
I can easily roll in and sayhere's what works, here's what
doesn't.
And I find it reallyinteresting and fun.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Tell us more about Elmaxine.
How did that start?
And then, brittany, I didn'trealize that about you, about
your previous history in retail.
Just why did you decide to do aboutique together?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
So I was doing retail in 2015 and then sold those
businesses and decided to go tomarketing, and then I really
wanted to do another store inFort Worth.
I felt like we're in our ownlittle world here and I just
felt like there was still amarket for more boutiques that
(15:03):
have a luxury field thateverybody can come to.
So I decided that I wanted todo retail one more time.
I gave it another go and, ofcourse, I had to bring Sam along
with me, so now I tried to warnher.
We're all about retail andeverything that it comes with.
It's so fun.
We treat the store like aproject social client, which I
(15:28):
think has been a really easy wayto marry the two businesses.
I always joke that El Maxineshould be the best project
social client because we shouldbe listening to all of our own
ideas and doing all our ownideas to the fullest when I was
telling Sam about opening astore and going back into retail
.
It's just, we have lots offriends and we were just social
and I was telling her it fitsinto our lifestyle.
(15:48):
It's just a lifestyle being inthis retail realm.
It's really hard and it's a lotof work, but it's a lot of fun
and we just, as a marketing team, work so well together and we
just really balance each otherout.
And it's been amazing so farfor L Maxine.
(16:09):
We've been in business for sixweeks and someday that feels
like years, like we've got somesystems in place, which is
awesome, and some days it feelslike we opened yesterday, yeah.
So I think that whole usalready having been working
together and knowing how we workand knowing where we are
organized and where we're not,we already have each other
(16:30):
figured out.
So having the store cometogether quickly has been such a
great experience.
The goal behind LMAXY was toprovide a really aesthetically
pleasing place where you canshop.
There's a price point foreveryone.
(16:50):
You can come in, have a glassof champagne, relax, shop.
We have home goods stuff and wewanted to be sort of like you
go grab a Starbucks and you goto home goods and you roam
around.
That's fun to a lot of us.
But then you get to also shopfor clothing and shoes and
jewelry and things we reallyjust focus on easy to wear, not
(17:14):
too trendy, because Fort Worthwe love what we love.
It's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
It's almost like a live portfolio for your other
business.
Look what we can do.
These are examples of how wecan market.
One of the articles Mary sentme when we were researching
before our interview was yourblog post about the five things
that businesses need to stayorganized, and that was a really
(17:40):
great read.
And how have y'all figured outhow to organize both of these
businesses as far as?
Do you have certain days thatyou allot for one business, or
how have y'all figured thatprocess out?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
We have an amazing team.
I was going to say our team.
I don't know how we've been solucky, but we sure do have an
A-list team and we could not doit without them.
Since we first started workingtogether, we both came into it
like with a tight grip on ourtasks and our businesses and how
we wanted to be ran and allthese things that we've slowly
(18:19):
let go and let other people helpus, and then it worked.
And then we realized, okay, thisis how we're going to grow, by
letting people help and puttinga good, solid team in place.
But yeah, we definitely aretrying to work out a schedule to
where it's like on Mondays wedo this, on Tuesdays we do this.
We have a set monthly meetingwhere just she and I meet and
(18:43):
it's our CEO meeting and we talkabout everything that we need
to talk about.
We don't do it at the store, wedo it at a place where we can
just focus.
Yeah, I think something toothat we've learned, that maybe
five years older, samantha andBrittany didn't know.
That we know now is before.
We thought this fancy newsoftware or new tool would fix
(19:05):
all of our problems for a systemor organizing or reminders, and
now I think we rely more on thesystem.
First, I wish I could show youI carried around this piece of
paper in my purse for a month,like it's so soft because it's
been worn.
But that piece of paper is whatwe just kept referring to and
(19:27):
we kept refining it and we wereorganizing job descriptions and
we were organizing all kinds ofstuff and daily tasks on it.
But we didn't need this fancysoftware to do it for us.
We just needed to sit down andsay what's really broken, how do
we really fix it, how do weutilize the team we have, and do
that instead of thinking thisshiny tool that you can buy for
(19:49):
$9 a month is going to fix itall for you.
But we really just dedicatedtime to focusing on it and to
working on that, and then thesoftware and the systems and
this is like for a lot ofbusinesses.
We tell them that can comelater.
You've got to have that systemin place first and knowing how
you're communicating with eachother if it's a whiteboard or a
text chat or whatever you've gotto have that fixed and that
(20:10):
down and then you can implementsystems, a shiny system that'll
help you streamline it.
Yeah, we do.
We're old school.
When we sit down and work, wehave an excel spreadsheet with
lots of different tabs and andwe refer to that we literally
have a folder in our OneDrive.
It says open this at yourmonthly meeting and we open it
(20:32):
and it's all the things that weneed to go over and review, and
then, on each tab, we go backand we scroll down and start the
new meeting and so we can thenlook at finances, look at all
the whatever issues it is.
And now we've just made one forLMAX and to do the same thing,
because our minds are going in ahundred different directions.
And sometimes on our meetinginvite, I put a note on there
(20:56):
and it said go to your monthlymeeting folder.
Like literally have to makenotes like that just to be able
to keep it all together.
But then once we have thatmeeting, we feel so much better
afterwards because we can all wecan come together and sort
everything out.
Yeah, one of my favorite thingsabout sam, do you tell, is, um,
(21:19):
if I'm stressed out, she'll belike pull your to-do list out,
let me see it.
And then she's nope, nope, markthat off, that's done, mark
that off, that's done.
And I'm such a good list maker.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
And then throw that list away and make an even
longer one.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Throw that away and make a longer one, and she's
nope, let me see it.
And she just dwindles it downand says no, so-and-so, just
like making it all.
Just bring it back to likereality.
Okay, here's the things thatyou have time to do.
Let's get those things done,and so that's one of my favorite
(21:53):
things about.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
That is so helpful to Sam.
I want to hear from you too onthis.
How do y'all feel like yourskill sets compliment or, I
guess, are the same as eachother's?
Is there a core foundationthat's the same and then you
have complementary skills?
Or do you find that you bothhave that CEO visionary type
(22:16):
style and then you're executingor you're really delegating to
get the other tasks done thatmaybe are not as well suited to
you?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
I think it's exactly what you said.
I think we both have thevisionary, I think we're both
entrepreneurs at heart.
I think we both have a reallypositive attitude in general.
We can shake off a bad day infive minutes and just say let's
move on, it's done, let's keepgoing.
Five minutes and just say let'smove on Like it's done, let's
(22:47):
keep going, and I think thathaving that together has been
awesome.
We're not dragging each otherdown just because we both
naturally get up and keep goingand then, I think, compliment
each other really well.
In regards to the details, I aman executor.
I will sit down and make a listand I will delegate every
single item out and just knockthem off and get them done.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
We're still going to do it ourselves.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
I know this is a podcast, but this has been my
list last week.
It's just crossing off andhighlighting, because I need it
cropped off when I thinkBrittany will maybe go down a
rabbit hole and it was a rabbithole we didn't even know we
needed to go down.
She's oh my gosh, I realizedthis and this and we could do
this better and be fine tuningthis.
Or she will go find the newsoftware that makes our lives 10
(23:31):
times easier, and so I thinkwe're able to complement each
other really well.
On the small stuff, I do love agood process.
I love a good system, sometimestoo much to where I'm looking
for the next one, even though Idon't need it.
I was telling Sam I almost senther a picture of all the
planners that I bought just forthis year I had cleaned out my
(23:51):
office and I like a stack ofplanners that I never use.
Because I just love a goodplanner, I only need one Project
.
Social we did this like a yearago but we literally designed
their own planner for what ourday-to-days look like.
We did exactly what we wantedit to look like for all of our
clients.
I still use it.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
I guess she's moved on.
I love that.
Did y'all get it done throughlike a Vistaprint?
It's a company called Blurb.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
B-L-U-R-B and you can upload any book and print one
or 50 or sell them on theirwebsite so other people can go
buy it.
Very cool, that's.
The other thing is, I'm anendless resource of random tools
and I think, as small businessowners, we do have to lean on
the ones that actually do helpmake our lives easier.
(24:41):
Yeah, and that's that's a goodpoint, cause, like Sam, recently
became a Mac person.
Finally, after years of tryingto convince her, are y'all Mac?
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Do y'all use Mac?
I exclusively, I don't knowWindows at all.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Okay, so the little reminder app it's literally
called reminders and I alwaysuse that.
And the easiest little tool now.
You can assign people to tasks,you can hashtag and put
something in so you can searchin that app and it's super
simple.
We them have a place toreference and check it off.
(25:15):
Literally check it off and it'sdone.
Sometimes you don't need toeven try to reinvent the wheel
and just use the resources thatyou have right underneath your
nose, that are so easy.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Oh wow, you just gave us a huge tool, mary.
We have not used the remindertool for each other.
We need to.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
but Kim has recently converted as well.
I did just within the last yearand it took a minute but my
husband and.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
I both did and I think we're sold yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
So something I've found that's been really helpful
too is you pick up your phoneand do the exact same things out
of a habit.
Right, you push the exact sameicon to open the exact same app.
It is ingrained in your brain,and so if I'm really wanting to
change a habit or use a new tool, I will go rearrange the home
screen on my phone and I willput that reminders app where
(26:16):
Instagram used to be, so thatway I just pick it up and open
it up, or I'll go rearrange thatto trick my brain.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
It's a good idea.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
It's like putting your fruits and vegetables at
the forefront, pretty in theirfridge.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
No, look at this first, not the other things
behind it.
I also wanted to ask about,okay, complimenting each other's
skill sets and having the same.
How do you guys feel like youbalance each other in terms of
spending?
I've been to your store andit's just beautiful.
It's this cross between reallychic, elegant atmosphere, but at
(26:51):
the same time, it's reallyhomey and comfortable too, and
it smells really good.
You guys have this incrediblescent going, but all of that
creation costs a lot of money,and so how were you guys able to
decide together on what thingsyou wanted to spend money on and
(27:11):
how much you should allocatethe store?
Speaker 3 (27:14):
is a whole new animal .
So when we opened L Maxine, wesaid here's X amount of money we
want to spend.
And then we went back in and weI say we, but Sam filled it in
and said here's what we've spent, here's where we're at, and
just really detail oriented.
And so that we were able tostay within that range, we
(27:37):
agreed on a budget.
But budgets change also and assomething would become more
expensive or Brittany would sayI think we really need to spend
money here, then we'd look andsay okay, do we want to increase
our budget or do we want totake money away from something
else?
I think we have a lot of respectfor each other as business
partners and I know that if shecomes to me and says I really
(27:57):
want to spend money in this area, I respect that and I trust
that and I know there's a reasonwhy she's saying that.
Respect that and I trust thatand I know there's a reason why
she's saying that.
So I think having to be able totalk about it and say do we
want to put in more money or dowe want to sacrifice something,
is the conversation you have tohave.
I think that crucialconversations are difficult, but
you have to have them whenyou're in business with someone,
(28:18):
and with your clients too.
If you're not in business withsomeone, having those more
difficult conversations can feelscary, but the second you have
one you get closer as apartnership or you get closer to
your client and you realizethey respect me more.
We're doing this together.
You feel safer to have the nextconversation.
Typically, yeah, money's hard,it's just like a marriage, right
(28:40):
, yeah, I think.
But I second what you say aboutrespecting each other.
If she comes to me and sayssomething, I'm like she knows
something, let's do that.
Plus, I feel like I don't know.
We both have very similarvisions, I think too, and when
we bring up a conversation aboutmoney, it's we're very much
(29:02):
naturally in the same place, Ifeel like, and I think we're
both pretty frugal.
I don't think we're both justlike big spenders, and so I
think we're safe when it comesto that, and just knowing that
about each other it just makesthings go easier.
I've had business partners whereyou're not equal.
You're one's way over here andone's over here, and then it
(29:26):
causes a lot of conflict.
I don't know.
I think where we're at isreally on the same page and it
always has been, so we're reallylucky, yeah.
And then just within that, likestaying flexible, knowing, like
setting budgets, but knowingit's just a number, you're just
guessing.
At that point You're justtrying to say we want to spend
6,000 here, and then it's doubleand you're like okay, now what
(29:47):
do we do?
It's a puzzle to figure outmore than it should be, a
conflict, and coming togetherand problem solving and figuring
it out and still supportingeach other.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
This is going back a little bit.
I wanted to know how big yourteam was, because what you said
about holding on to your tasks,that's hard.
I think we have this vision andthen it's really hard to let
some of that control go.
So I'm very curious about theprocess.
How did you find your team andhow big has it grown?
Speaker 3 (30:19):
The project social team is ebbed and flowed.
We typically keep fivecontractors like main
contractors on retainer or thatwe're communicating with
constantly and, honestly, a lotof that's changed because
marketing's changed and socialmedia has changed.
If you had told me like fiveyears ago, I need to hire just a
(30:39):
social media content writer, Iwould have been like that's
insane.
And then we hired one and itwas the best thing ever.
And now we're like, oh yeah, Isee what do we do in the next
two years?
So we need that position againand that's changed quite a bit.
I will say I don't think this isanswering that part and I
preached this to 10 peoplebefore I ate the words myself
but if you are saying yes tosomething, you have to say no to
(31:00):
something else if your scheduleis full, and so when you really
write down that entire list ofthings you have to do, you have
to pick the things you're sayingyes to, because everything else
you're saying no to it.
And so you have to startdelegating something, even if
it's small.
I feel like people rise to theexpectations you set for them,
giving people test projects ortasks, or even are just starting
(31:23):
small.
But you have to start somewherebecause you can't, you cannot
do it all.
I know this little rant is fullof like puns, but I also had a
personal trainer say you can'tsay no, you have to say it's not
a priority.
And so if you say, oh no, Idon't have time for that, you
have to say no, it's not apriority, because everyone has
same amount of time in the day.
So pick your priority for theday.
(31:44):
So just getting that mindset ofeither I'm going to do it all
and kill myself trying to do itor I'm going to have to start
delegating something to someone,and picking what you delegate
can be small in the beginning.
But yeah, our team at ProjectSocial has five or six
contractors and one full-timeassistant right now, and then
that LMAX team team has ahandful a store manager.
(32:05):
Yeah, retail is a differentbusiness setup.
You physically can't be thereevery day, so you have to have a
manager in place and aninventory manager.
And we're lucky to have ProjectSocial so we can roll in all of
our marketing into that helpthere.
And then the buying and all ofthat we have.
About what do we have Five onour LMAX team right now?
(32:30):
But and two, I remember one timewhen we were we were going
through, our full-time employeeat Project Social was offered
with a better position or ahigher paying position and she
was leaving us.
So then Sam and I came togetherand we weren't even thinking
about LMAX at this time and wewere like how busy do we want to
(32:52):
be, how much money do we wantto make, how big do we want this
business to be, and then,literally writing down a list of
what we both wanted as businessowners and what our goals were,
then told us exactly what weneeded to do, and so it was like
we decided it was about to besummertime and we wanted to just
(33:14):
spend more time with our kids,and having that person leave
meant not being able to maintainas many clients, but also it
gave us back time to spend withour family and we knew that we
could scale back up after summerwas over or if we did even want
to do that.
So I think, like comingtogether as business owners and
(33:34):
setting goals and prioritiespersonal and business really
helps you decide who you need tohelp you or if you need to help
, if you need help at all.
But yeah, with every personthat's like on your team,
there's also an additional layerof responsibility or an
additional task that's put onyour plate sometimes if it's,
you know, training or answeringa question or scheduling or
(33:56):
whatever and so you have toreally, because now you're
someone else's boss too, and sonow you do take on more
responsibility with that as well.
But then you also can grow, andyou can't grow without more
people.
That's just how it is, and sojust depends on where you want
to go and where you want to takeyour business.
Do you really have to just havethat, sit down, talk about it
(34:20):
and really decide what you want,and then, if you do feel like
there's tasks on your list thatyou can delegate, then you can
always find someone that'swilling to help.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Since you guys are such a huge part of the Fort
Worth community, I want to heara little bit about how
friendships and connections inFort Worth have impacted your
business and your livespersonally.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
I feel like it's everything, hugely Everything.
I was just saying our projectsocial clients are the best.
They're the best.
They've become friends, theyhave given us business because
of it.
They've supported Elmax Scene.
How many communities could youhave a marketing business and
then be like, oh, I'm also goingto start another business,
(35:08):
which, in the back of their mind, I'm sure it was like all right
, am I going to still get timeand attention as a client at
Project Social?
But they've been some of ourbiggest supporters and I think
Fort Worth is really specialthat it is still so small town
in regards to how it supportseach other.
Yeah, we've had a huge warmwelcome with our new business
(35:29):
and it's been, you know, friends, family, other boutique owners
sent us flowers, you know, atour opening and we have a
bulletin board in our back stockroom and I've been just tapping
all of the cards, mostly fromSam's friends, that are like
you're a boss, babe, you'reamazing.
This is great, all thesesupportive notes that we guys
(35:51):
have hanging there and it's beenhuge.
I think at this point, sincewe're so new, I think easily
could say the majority of oursales are people we know,
because just that's how the work, you know we're friends of a
friend.
You know friends have liketalked about it and our friends
have been our supporters.
But yeah, fort Worth is.
(36:12):
We're so lucky, like lucky tobe in this town.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Oh, that's what we've seen time and time again.
You can have the best businessideas you want, but unless
you're connected, then thatreally doesn't mean a whole lot.
And I think that I really likewhat you said, Sam, earlier
about leaning in when somethingfeels easy and it feels right
has been so important inbusiness and something like my
(36:40):
type A self.
I have to really allow myselfto lean in to those things that
happen naturally, but it reallydoes all come together.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
And I think that's where Brittany's complimented me
so well is.
She's just more spontaneous.
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Like, why not, let's go for?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
it, and I'm sitting there in the back of my mind
what's the Excel?
Spreadsheet going to look likewhen it's updated and, like you
said, allowing yourself just todo it, because sometimes that's
where it starts.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
We started off at the very beginning, Brittany, with
you talking about.
You had your first child andyou needed something more that
was for you.
So, this next question is twopart, but the first part is do
you feel like you found that,and is there ever okay?
How do I balance this now as myfamily's grown, and is that
(37:32):
ever a struggle?
And then the second part iswith what y'all have created,
have y'all sat down during yourgoals and thought out what is
the legacy that you're wantingto leave?
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Yeah, when I first started as an entrepreneur, it
was really hard, because notonly was I a new mom but a new
business owner.
I had always reported tosomebody and had a very
structured schedule andexpectations.
So yeah, that was reallychallenging and finding that
balance was really difficult,because when you own your own
(38:03):
business which I'm sure you guysknow you can't turn it off.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
It's on all the time.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Yeah, it was really hard and plus, when retail comes
, travel and little ones andyou're traveling, and that was
really challenging.
But I feel like this timearound in retail has been
completely different, justhaving a business partner that's
on the same page as I am andmore organized and systems in
(38:29):
place, and it's definitelybetter.
And now that I've hadexperience and done it the wrong
way and regretted it, and nowit's okay, now I've learned from
my mistakes and doing it now.
And if I's okay, now I'velearned from my mistakes and
doing it now and if I could talkto somebody that was in a
position I was in back then andjust tell them it's all going to
(38:50):
be okay and it's just, it seemsso important for your business
to go perfectly.
But really and it's I'm onlydoing it because I want to be
with my family, when I want tobe able to make my own schedule
and things like that.
It's definitely challenging andI feel like, plus, I'm a lot
older now and so I feel a lotmore laid back and less just
(39:11):
able to have a grasp on things alot easier when I think the
retail side more than projectsocial, we allowed our families
in the business a lot from kidshanging clothes or hiding in the
dressing rooms watching theiriPads at night, but I think we
just we brought them into thatbusiness a lot in the summer had
a lot to do with that, but forthem to experience a little bit
(39:33):
of it we.
My son was our biggest criticwhenever the build-out was
happening, cause he was.
This doesn't even look like astore, but we want him over, so
that's good.
He wanted to be our cashregister guy.
He wants to be trained on cashregister, but just bringing your
family in, because by dinnertime we were talking about how
the day was.
(39:54):
Our kids are a little bit oldernow so they can ask and you can
talk about something and theyhave a point of reference
because maybe they were there orthey saw it.
I also think I've learned.
My kids are six and almosteight now.
It's okay for mommy to not beperfect around them, and I think
it's probably a good thing forthem to see us weak or just
(40:15):
having a down day to struggling,because they're going to
struggle too, and so for them tobe able to feel comfortable,
for me to say, oh, I had a badday two days ago, remember that
this is how I was feeling and Ithink the balance it doesn't
have to be perfectly balanced,it's okay just to bring them
into the business side of all ofit, even if it's a bad day To
(40:37):
go into the question about thelegacies.
My son is 10 now and I feel likehe's really seeing what mom is
doing and hearing dad say I'mproud of you and things like
that, and just asking me aboutthe business and hearing and
seeing those things.
He asked me the other nightjust out of the blue mom, how's
(40:58):
your store going?
Speaker 1 (41:00):
And it's just so sweet.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
The other day he went on a bike ride.
It was so sweet.
The other day he went on a bikeride.
It was so cute.
He went on a bike ride and hejust recently is allowed to go
around the block and he saw ayard sale and so he stopped to
look at the yard sale and thenhe came back and he's mom,
there's a lot of things youwould like at that yard sale.
And I told him about your storetoo and I was like, oh, that's
(41:24):
so sweet, sweet, and so I seelittle things that he's doing
and he's like proud of it and soit makes me really happy and I
feel like that he's taking it inand he's learning too that he
could.
I don't know he couldpotentially be a business owner
one day.
He has a little post-it hangingon the cash wrap where he's
tallying up his paycheck becausehe'll come in and do a few
(41:44):
things and he'll add it up.
And so yeah, I think they'relearning from us.
Honestly, when I first startedworking for myself, started a
business, it was simply to beable to pay for my kids'
education and not have it comeout of family funds, and so that
was my original goal, and whenyou keep it in that perspective,
(42:05):
it's all worth it.
So just all about them.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Oh, that's amazing.
Thank you guys so much forsharing.
I love to hear how personal thebusiness becomes.
Before being a business ownermyself, I guess I saw them very
separately of okay business, andthen you have your family.
Even when Kim and I startedthis podcast of okay, how are
(42:33):
you balancing the two?
And the more we talk to peopleand the more we experience it
ourselves, we're like, no, no,balance does not exist.
There is no perfect balance,but I love to hear how the real
answer is that they're soconnected.
You're building your businessfor your family and then your
family is able to be a part ofthe business and, like you said,
(42:56):
brittany, to be part of thatlegacy.
So I love hearing how you guysare living this out and are such
a great example to your kids.
And then you are just such ahuge asset to Fort Worth.
Fort Worth is really lucky tohave you so sweet.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to subscribe tothe podcast so you don't miss an
episode.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Leave us a review and tell your friends all about the
amazing guests you're hearingon the Speech Source Podcast.
Welcome to Season 3 of the Speech Source Podcast
with your hosts Kim and Mary.
This season, our title isChanging the Game.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
We are highlighting small business owners and
entrepreneurs who have unwrittenall the rules to starting a
business and use their talentsand their creativity to be able
to build a business that is alifestyle designed just for them
and is making incredible impactin our community of Fort Worth,
Texas.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
So don't forget to subscribe to this season so you
don't miss an episode.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
We are so excited to be able to have two incredible
guests with us.
They are Brittany Voxland andSamantha Drum.
They are two friends turnedfemale entrepreneurs.
They started with a socialmedia marketing company, project
Social, and then they have alsostarted their new venture of a
(01:04):
women's boutique together inFort Worth, texas, called El
Maxine.
So welcome guys.
We're so excited to chat todayabout how all of this came to be
.
Thank, you.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's funny.
We like finish each other'sthoughts and like the same thing
too, because we've been workingtogether for so long together
and show up in the same outfitoften.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
How did you first meet and how long have y'all
been friends and businesspartners?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
We met back in 2009.
We weren't super close backthen.
We just met through ourboyfriends at the time they
played on the same kickball team.
Boyfriends, no husbands, yeah.
And then years later, wereconnected through marketing.
We both had our own marketingbusinesses and I focused on
(01:56):
social media and Sam was websiteand some social and branding.
So we she was looking for aperson to manage her social
media clients and so she reachedout to me and then I came on
board with them and then we justdecided to merge our businesses
(02:19):
together so that we could offerour clients more, and we just
thought we would be better as ateam.
Well, I think, to stem off ofwhat Brittany was saying, I
think even from the beginning,leaning into what felt natural
has been a really good businessdecision we made, because we
maybe didn't think about mergingour businesses so quickly, but
(02:40):
it was working really well andwe were giving each other the
energy to stay motivated.
So we merged pretty quickly,but it was working really well
and we were giving each otherthe energy to stay motivated, so
we merged pretty quickly, butit just it felt right and
everything matched up and wewere like let's do it, let's go
all in and just see if it'sgoing to work, and we both came
from backgrounds of workingfull-time jobs.
(03:01):
I worked in human resources for12 years before actually going
into business for myself.
I left my job when I waspregnant with my first son and
then I was home for maybe ninemonths or so and I was like,
okay, this isn't, I'm not happydoing this, and not that I'm not
(03:22):
happy being a mom.
I love my children, but I alsoneeded something for myself,
because just being so used tohaving a schedule and somewhere
to be and reasons to get dressed, and then it was just hard to
go from that to being astay-at-home mom.
So then I went into retail andthen that's how it all got
(03:42):
started for my entrepreneurship.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
And then what about you?
All got started for myentrepreneurship.
And what about you, Sam?
How did you get started?
I guess you had your ownbusiness and the branding and
website, and how did that lenditself to merge with Brittany?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So, if you've known me for a short time or a long
time, I'm always doing multiplethings at once If it's two jobs
or I've got a new hobby going on, and so I started my marketing
company in 2015.
That was because my husband andI we bought a title company and
(04:19):
his company needed marketingand I was like, oh, I can do it
for you, no big deal.
So that started by Cat CityCreative with a business partner
at the time, and then slowly Ifell more and more in love with
it.
I was working for thegovernment at the time doing PR,
and I had a mentor say do youwant to keep putting bricks in
(04:42):
this person's building or do youwant to start building your own
structure?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And that really resonated with me and I was like
no, I'm going to go all in onmy own.
I want to build my own building.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And so then Brittany and I just merged and we went
all in and she quit her job.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
That's what I was curious a little bit about that
process.
Did you both have separate LLCsor established business and
then you completely created anew one?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Or how did that process work?
We did Initially we hadseparate LLCs.
We've created another LLC forthe boutique, I think after we
knew what we were doing and wejust thought it would be easier
to how that was structured to doit again.
But no, initially we we had ourown LLC.
They were structureddifferently, I think one of them
was a sole proprietorship atthe time and the other one was
(05:31):
an LLC, and you just do whatworks best for you.
And then we just we created aDBA and took Project Social as
the name.
We kind of went through aprocess, too, of if we should
merge our names, or the ultimatedecision was, it was just
easier and less confusing if wehad one name for our clients.
And going forward, we decidedthat social media was the
(05:57):
gateway to how a lot of ourclients were finding us.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
We call it the gateway drug of marketing.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Everyone says I need social media first, and then we
usually can say well, youactually need all this other
stuff, yeah, so that is a lot ofthe people that come to us.
They originally come asking forsocial media help just because
it is so important forbusinesses to be present and
business owners don't have timeto do everything, and so then
(06:23):
they reach out to us and we alsodo training and things.
You don't necessarily have tohire us to do it all for you.
So, anyway, we had just toyedwith the idea and decided that
was the most attractive name.
As far as finding new clientsand I think Brittany brings up a
good point A lot of decisionswe've made throughout the time
of being in business.
(06:45):
We've had to put that hat on andsay what is our client looking
for right now, or what are theyneed, or you know, who are we
trying to sell this to andwhat's going to be the most
attractive to them.
Even though Cat City Creativehad been in business longer and,
brittany, I remember being likeyou know you should keep it,
you've had it longer, you'remore attached.
But at the time I rememberbeing like you know you should
keep it, you've had it longer,you're more attached.
(07:07):
But at the time social mediawas on the rise, and still is,
and I was like, no, we need tomeet our clients in this space.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Project social is just going to be more attractive
to what people are looking for.
So how were you able to attractyour clients to your business?
Because, looking at your listof the clients that you've
helped with your branding, theseare solid Fort Worth companies
that you guys are making brandsfor, very specific to Fort Worth
and very much part of ourheritage and culture here.
(07:41):
Their branding must have beenso important to them.
So how did you get them asclients or say, hey, I think
we're the right fit for you guysas a marketing?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
agency market.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah, exactly.
How do you market Well?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
said Brittany, we do these strategic sessions for our
own clients and we had to havethat aha moment and say we have
to do this for ourselves.
We tell our clients to sit downand make business goals and
then we set marketing goals thatmatch those.
So we had to set business goalsfor ourselves and we set
clients that we wanted to target, people that we work with today
(08:20):
.
We put them on a list and saidwe want their business.
How do we get to rise to beworthy of getting that client?
We made a big decision a coupleyears ago to actually let go of
our not Fort Worth basedclients the most glamorous but
(08:47):
we just felt like we wereserving the Fort Worth clients
so much better and our goal wasto be the number one social
media agency in Fort Worth, andwe all knew that.
We all said it.
That was just our goal.
So helping this client that wasnot even in Texas wasn't
helping us reach that goal.
So we let that client go and itseemed difficult at the time
but looking back it probably wasa really big turning point for
(09:08):
us.
I can even pitch that to a newclient now and say we let this
client go because we want toserve you here in Fort Worth and
that really does resonate withthem and it means a lot that we
want to help Fort Worthcompanies grow.
I think the other thing is wejust had to have the confidence
that we were good enough forthose clients.
When we walked in the door andsaid we want to help you with
your business, we had to beconfident that we could actually
(09:29):
do it.
Yeah, being able to sit down ata client's place of business
and really hear their needs andbe in that moment with them is
so important, especially thesedays when you can go buy a logo,
you can go buy social media,this and that click of a button.
(09:49):
But we wanted to offer ourbrains and our creativity and
our presence, and so just beingable to literally be an
extension of their team was ourgoal and to become submerged in
their business and really have aclear idea of what they needed,
and so we're able to customizeevery client package I guess you
(10:12):
can call it to really know whatthey need.
And we reevaluate and we saywell that didn't work.
Let's do this.
This worked really well.
Let's do this again.
And so just being in the sameplaces and knowing who their
customers are and we're theircustomers, and so just being in
the same places and knowing whotheir customers are and where
their customers, and it justgives a really personalized
service, being on the end ofstarting a small business.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The internet is saturated with resources to
market yourself, from YouTube tojust courses, to all these
platforms that you can get on,and it seems like you can piece
it together.
But having someone be able towalk you step-by-step through
that process because it can getso overwhelming, I think about
what we've learned just with usdoing it.
(10:57):
I can't imagine what y'all haveexperienced, client after
client, and then having thatexpertise to say, okay, what do
you want?
I can step-by-step walk youthrough this process.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
And I think what you're also saying is the
support system, right, likewhenever you're sitting there
trying to go through all thosedifferent resources or figure
out what you need.
You also need someone to talkto or bounce ideas off of, or
someone that's been through it,or a mentor, or to hire someone,
right, but you typically need,I know, as women, we like to
verbalize things, so we needsomeone to bounce all these
(11:29):
thoughts off of and say do youthink this is a good idea?
Or I'm thinking about this?
Have you had any experiencewith it?
I know that throughout all ofthe time that I've been in
business, I know my one thing isI could never be in business
alone.
I just I have to have someonealong the way with me to say
tomorrow's going to be different, or that's a terrible idea, or
(11:52):
it looks great, you should do itand it's just way more fun.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
And it's way more fun .
Yeah, we agree with y'all therefor sure, yeah, and to working
with clients.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Having that person who focuses on marketing, having
that team, is so important toactually execute ideas.
But when is that idea going toactually come to fruition?
And you need people to saythat's a great idea, but this is
what it's going to take toactually make that happen.
And I don't think we have theresources or the time or the
money, whatever it is to makethat happen.
(12:22):
So just taking those ideas andbeing able to talk it out and
say, let's do this one, let'smark that one off, this one's
just causing us stress, we'renever going to do that, and so
just really just talking it out,is we enjoy doing that so much
with our clients and figuringout new things to do and being
creative with marketing tactics?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And listening to you guys talk, I guess I did not
appreciate how much trial anderror comes into play with
marketing.
And I think about it with Kimand I as speech therapists.
It's all trial and error withkids.
We're working with them, we'relike, oh, you didn't like those,
okay, we're going to do this,and we're constantly pivoting.
But then you take someone likeus and we try to do something in
(13:05):
marketing and then, when itdoesn't work, or even if it does
work, you don't have thetoolbox to know where to go from
there and you realize how muchyou need someone, and not just
that you can pay to do something, but, like you said, with your
Fort Worth clients, thatunderstands your business,
understands who your customersare and can tell you what you
(13:28):
need better than you even knowyourself.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Absolutely so.
When I first went intomarketing I had opened a store
actually two and then I don'thave a degree in marketing.
I learned all from running myown businesses and literally
having to figure it out myselffrom scratch.
So when I sold those twobusinesses, I decided that's
(13:52):
where I was headed after that,because I knew how many business
owners there were locally whowere trying to do everything and
I thought I can take myexperience and help them apply
it to their businesses anddedicate my time to actually
helping other businesses do that, just because I understood it
(14:13):
so well from that perspective.
And that's how I started doingsocial media, because I thought
I can easily roll in and sayhere's what works, here's what
doesn't.
And I find it reallyinteresting and fun.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Tell us more about Elmaxine.
How did that start?
And then, brittany, I didn'trealize that about you, about
your previous history in retail.
Just why did you decide to do aboutique together?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
So I was doing retail in 2015 and then sold those
businesses and decided to go tomarketing, and then I really
wanted to do another store inFort Worth.
I felt like we're in our ownlittle world here and I just
felt like there was still amarket for more boutiques that
(15:03):
have a luxury field thateverybody can come to.
So I decided that I wanted todo retail one more time.
I gave it another go and, ofcourse, I had to bring Sam along
with me, so now I tried to warnher.
We're all about retail andeverything that it comes with.
It's so fun.
We treat the store like aproject social client, which I
(15:28):
think has been a really easy wayto marry the two businesses.
I always joke that El Maxineshould be the best project
social client because we shouldbe listening to all of our own
ideas and doing all our ownideas to the fullest when I was
telling Sam about opening astore and going back into retail
.
It's just, we have lots offriends and we were just social
and I was telling her it fitsinto our lifestyle.
(15:48):
It's just a lifestyle being inthis retail realm.
It's really hard and it's a lotof work, but it's a lot of fun
and we just, as a marketing team, work so well together and we
just really balance each otherout.
And it's been amazing so farfor L Maxine.
(16:09):
We've been in business for sixweeks and someday that feels
like years, like we've got somesystems in place, which is
awesome, and some days it feelslike we opened yesterday, yeah.
So I think that whole usalready having been working
together and knowing how we workand knowing where we are
organized and where we're not,we already have each other
(16:30):
figured out.
So having the store cometogether quickly has been such a
great experience.
The goal behind LMAXY was toprovide a really aesthetically
pleasing place where you canshop.
There's a price point foreveryone.
(16:50):
You can come in, have a glassof champagne, relax, shop.
We have home goods stuff and wewanted to be sort of like you
go grab a Starbucks and you goto home goods and you roam
around.
That's fun to a lot of us.
But then you get to also shopfor clothing and shoes and
jewelry and things we reallyjust focus on easy to wear, not
(17:14):
too trendy, because Fort Worthwe love what we love.
It's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
It's almost like a live portfolio for your other
business.
Look what we can do.
These are examples of how wecan market.
One of the articles Mary sentme when we were researching
before our interview was yourblog post about the five things
that businesses need to stayorganized, and that was a really
(17:40):
great read.
And how have y'all figured outhow to organize both of these
businesses as far as?
Do you have certain days thatyou allot for one business, or
how have y'all figured thatprocess out?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
We have an amazing team.
I was going to say our team.
I don't know how we've been solucky, but we sure do have an
A-list team and we could not doit without them.
Since we first started workingtogether, we both came into it
like with a tight grip on ourtasks and our businesses and how
we wanted to be ran and allthese things that we've slowly
(18:19):
let go and let other people helpus, and then it worked.
And then we realized, okay, thisis how we're going to grow, by
letting people help and puttinga good, solid team in place.
But yeah, we definitely aretrying to work out a schedule to
where it's like on Mondays wedo this, on Tuesdays we do this.
We have a set monthly meetingwhere just she and I meet and
(18:43):
it's our CEO meeting and we talkabout everything that we need
to talk about.
We don't do it at the store, wedo it at a place where we can
just focus.
Yeah, I think something toothat we've learned, that maybe
five years older, samantha andBrittany didn't know.
That we know now is before.
We thought this fancy newsoftware or new tool would fix
(19:05):
all of our problems for a systemor organizing or reminders, and
now I think we rely more on thesystem.
First, I wish I could show youI carried around this piece of
paper in my purse for a month,like it's so soft because it's
been worn.
But that piece of paper is whatwe just kept referring to and
(19:27):
we kept refining it and we wereorganizing job descriptions and
we were organizing all kinds ofstuff and daily tasks on it.
But we didn't need this fancysoftware to do it for us.
We just needed to sit down andsay what's really broken, how do
we really fix it, how do weutilize the team we have, and do
that instead of thinking thisshiny tool that you can buy for
(19:49):
$9 a month is going to fix itall for you.
But we really just dedicatedtime to focusing on it and to
working on that, and then thesoftware and the systems and
this is like for a lot ofbusinesses.
We tell them that can comelater.
You've got to have that systemin place first and knowing how
you're communicating with eachother if it's a whiteboard or a
text chat or whatever you've gotto have that fixed and that
(20:10):
down and then you can implementsystems, a shiny system that'll
help you streamline it.
Yeah, we do.
We're old school.
When we sit down and work, wehave an excel spreadsheet with
lots of different tabs and andwe refer to that we literally
have a folder in our OneDrive.
It says open this at yourmonthly meeting and we open it
(20:32):
and it's all the things that weneed to go over and review, and
then, on each tab, we go backand we scroll down and start the
new meeting and so we can thenlook at finances, look at all
the whatever issues it is.
And now we've just made one forLMAX and to do the same thing,
because our minds are going in ahundred different directions.
And sometimes on our meetinginvite, I put a note on there
(20:56):
and it said go to your monthlymeeting folder.
Like literally have to makenotes like that just to be able
to keep it all together.
But then once we have thatmeeting, we feel so much better
afterwards because we can all wecan come together and sort
everything out.
Yeah, one of my favorite thingsabout sam, do you tell, is, um,
(21:19):
if I'm stressed out, she'll belike pull your to-do list out,
let me see it.
And then she's nope, nope, markthat off, that's done, mark
that off, that's done.
And I'm such a good list maker.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
And then throw that list away and make an even
longer one.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Throw that away and make a longer one, and she's
nope, let me see it.
And she just dwindles it downand says no, so-and-so, just
like making it all.
Just bring it back to likereality.
Okay, here's the things thatyou have time to do.
Let's get those things done,and so that's one of my favorite
(21:53):
things about.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
That is so helpful to Sam.
I want to hear from you too onthis.
How do y'all feel like yourskill sets compliment or, I
guess, are the same as eachother's?
Is there a core foundationthat's the same and then you
have complementary skills?
Or do you find that you bothhave that CEO visionary type
(22:16):
style and then you're executingor you're really delegating to
get the other tasks done thatmaybe are not as well suited to
you?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
I think it's exactly what you said.
I think we both have thevisionary, I think we're both
entrepreneurs at heart.
I think we both have a reallypositive attitude in general.
We can shake off a bad day infive minutes and just say let's
move on, it's done, let's keepgoing.
Five minutes and just say let'smove on Like it's done, let's
(22:47):
keep going, and I think thathaving that together has been
awesome.
We're not dragging each otherdown just because we both
naturally get up and keep goingand then, I think, compliment
each other really well.
In regards to the details, I aman executor.
I will sit down and make a listand I will delegate every
single item out and just knockthem off and get them done.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
We're still going to do it ourselves.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
I know this is a podcast, but this has been my
list last week.
It's just crossing off andhighlighting, because I need it
cropped off when I thinkBrittany will maybe go down a
rabbit hole and it was a rabbithole we didn't even know we
needed to go down.
She's oh my gosh, I realizedthis and this and we could do
this better and be fine tuningthis.
Or she will go find the newsoftware that makes our lives 10
(23:31):
times easier, and so I thinkwe're able to complement each
other really well.
On the small stuff, I do love agood process.
I love a good system, sometimestoo much to where I'm looking
for the next one, even though Idon't need it.
I was telling Sam I almost senther a picture of all the
planners that I bought just forthis year I had cleaned out my
(23:51):
office and I like a stack ofplanners that I never use.
Because I just love a goodplanner, I only need one Project
.
Social we did this like a yearago but we literally designed
their own planner for what ourday-to-days look like.
We did exactly what we wantedit to look like for all of our
clients.
I still use it.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
I guess she's moved on.
I love that.
Did y'all get it done throughlike a Vistaprint?
It's a company called Blurb.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
B-L-U-R-B and you can upload any book and print one
or 50 or sell them on theirwebsite so other people can go
buy it.
Very cool, that's.
The other thing is, I'm anendless resource of random tools
and I think, as small businessowners, we do have to lean on
the ones that actually do helpmake our lives easier.
(24:41):
Yeah, and that's that's a goodpoint, cause, like Sam, recently
became a Mac person.
Finally, after years of tryingto convince her, are y'all Mac?
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Do y'all use Mac?
I exclusively, I don't knowWindows at all.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Okay, so the little reminder app it's literally
called reminders and I alwaysuse that.
And the easiest little tool now.
You can assign people to tasks,you can hashtag and put
something in so you can searchin that app and it's super
simple.
We them have a place toreference and check it off.
(25:15):
Literally check it off and it'sdone.
Sometimes you don't need toeven try to reinvent the wheel
and just use the resources thatyou have right underneath your
nose, that are so easy.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Oh wow, you just gave us a huge tool, mary.
We have not used the remindertool for each other.
We need to.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
but Kim has recently converted as well.
I did just within the last yearand it took a minute but my
husband and.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
I both did and I think we're sold yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
So something I've found that's been really helpful
too is you pick up your phoneand do the exact same things out
of a habit.
Right, you push the exact sameicon to open the exact same app.
It is ingrained in your brain,and so if I'm really wanting to
change a habit or use a new tool, I will go rearrange the home
screen on my phone and I willput that reminders app where
(26:16):
Instagram used to be, so thatway I just pick it up and open
it up, or I'll go rearrange thatto trick my brain.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
It's a good idea.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
It's like putting your fruits and vegetables at
the forefront, pretty in theirfridge.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
No, look at this first, not the other things
behind it.
I also wanted to ask about,okay, complimenting each other's
skill sets and having the same.
How do you guys feel like youbalance each other in terms of
spending?
I've been to your store andit's just beautiful.
It's this cross between reallychic, elegant atmosphere, but at
(26:51):
the same time, it's reallyhomey and comfortable too, and
it smells really good.
You guys have this incrediblescent going, but all of that
creation costs a lot of money,and so how were you guys able to
decide together on what thingsyou wanted to spend money on and
(27:11):
how much you should allocatethe store?
Speaker 3 (27:14):
is a whole new animal .
So when we opened L Maxine, wesaid here's X amount of money we
want to spend.
And then we went back in and weI say we, but Sam filled it in
and said here's what we've spent, here's where we're at, and
just really detail oriented.
And so that we were able tostay within that range, we
(27:37):
agreed on a budget.
But budgets change also and assomething would become more
expensive or Brittany would sayI think we really need to spend
money here, then we'd look andsay okay, do we want to increase
our budget or do we want totake money away from something
else?
I think we have a lot of respectfor each other as business
partners and I know that if shecomes to me and says I really
(27:57):
want to spend money in this area, I respect that and I trust
that and I know there's a reasonwhy she's saying that.
Respect that and I trust thatand I know there's a reason why
she's saying that.
So I think having to be able totalk about it and say do we
want to put in more money or dowe want to sacrifice something,
is the conversation you have tohave.
I think that crucialconversations are difficult, but
you have to have them whenyou're in business with someone,
(28:18):
and with your clients too.
If you're not in business withsomeone, having those more
difficult conversations can feelscary, but the second you have
one you get closer as apartnership or you get closer to
your client and you realizethey respect me more.
We're doing this together.
You feel safer to have the nextconversation.
Typically, yeah, money's hard,it's just like a marriage, right
(28:40):
, yeah, I think.
But I second what you say aboutrespecting each other.
If she comes to me and sayssomething, I'm like she knows
something, let's do that.
Plus, I feel like I don't know.
We both have very similarvisions, I think too, and when
we bring up a conversation aboutmoney, it's we're very much
(29:02):
naturally in the same place, Ifeel like, and I think we're
both pretty frugal.
I don't think we're both justlike big spenders, and so I
think we're safe when it comesto that, and just knowing that
about each other it just makesthings go easier.
I've had business partners whereyou're not equal.
You're one's way over here andone's over here, and then it
(29:26):
causes a lot of conflict.
I don't know.
I think where we're at isreally on the same page and it
always has been, so we're reallylucky, yeah.
And then just within that, likestaying flexible, knowing, like
setting budgets, but knowingit's just a number, you're just
guessing.
At that point You're justtrying to say we want to spend
6,000 here, and then it's doubleand you're like okay, now what
(29:47):
do we do?
It's a puzzle to figure outmore than it should be, a
conflict, and coming togetherand problem solving and figuring
it out and still supportingeach other.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
This is going back a little bit.
I wanted to know how big yourteam was, because what you said
about holding on to your tasks,that's hard.
I think we have this vision andthen it's really hard to let
some of that control go.
So I'm very curious about theprocess.
How did you find your team andhow big has it grown?
Speaker 3 (30:19):
The project social team is ebbed and flowed.
We typically keep fivecontractors like main
contractors on retainer or thatwe're communicating with
constantly and, honestly, a lotof that's changed because
marketing's changed and socialmedia has changed.
If you had told me like fiveyears ago, I need to hire just a
(30:39):
social media content writer, Iwould have been like that's
insane.
And then we hired one and itwas the best thing ever.
And now we're like, oh yeah, Isee what do we do in the next
two years?
So we need that position againand that's changed quite a bit.
I will say I don't think this isanswering that part and I
preached this to 10 peoplebefore I ate the words myself
but if you are saying yes tosomething, you have to say no to
(31:00):
something else if your scheduleis full, and so when you really
write down that entire list ofthings you have to do, you have
to pick the things you're sayingyes to, because everything else
you're saying no to it.
And so you have to startdelegating something, even if
it's small.
I feel like people rise to theexpectations you set for them,
giving people test projects ortasks, or even are just starting
(31:23):
small.
But you have to start somewherebecause you can't, you cannot
do it all.
I know this little rant is fullof like puns, but I also had a
personal trainer say you can'tsay no, you have to say it's not
a priority.
And so if you say, oh no, Idon't have time for that, you
have to say no, it's not apriority, because everyone has
same amount of time in the day.
So pick your priority for theday.
(31:44):
So just getting that mindset ofeither I'm going to do it all
and kill myself trying to do itor I'm going to have to start
delegating something to someone,and picking what you delegate
can be small in the beginning.
But yeah, our team at ProjectSocial has five or six
contractors and one full-timeassistant right now, and then
that LMAX team team has ahandful a store manager.
(32:05):
Yeah, retail is a differentbusiness setup.
You physically can't be thereevery day, so you have to have a
manager in place and aninventory manager.
And we're lucky to have ProjectSocial so we can roll in all of
our marketing into that helpthere.
And then the buying and all ofthat we have.
About what do we have Five onour LMAX team right now?
(32:30):
But and two, I remember one timewhen we were we were going
through, our full-time employeeat Project Social was offered
with a better position or ahigher paying position and she
was leaving us.
So then Sam and I came togetherand we weren't even thinking
about LMAX at this time and wewere like how busy do we want to
(32:52):
be, how much money do we wantto make, how big do we want this
business to be, and then,literally writing down a list of
what we both wanted as businessowners and what our goals were,
then told us exactly what weneeded to do, and so it was like
we decided it was about to besummertime and we wanted to just
(33:14):
spend more time with our kids,and having that person leave
meant not being able to maintainas many clients, but also it
gave us back time to spend withour family and we knew that we
could scale back up after summerwas over or if we did even want
to do that.
So I think, like comingtogether as business owners and
(33:34):
setting goals and prioritiespersonal and business really
helps you decide who you need tohelp you or if you need to help
, if you need help at all.
But yeah, with every personthat's like on your team,
there's also an additional layerof responsibility or an
additional task that's put onyour plate sometimes if it's,
you know, training or answeringa question or scheduling or
(33:56):
whatever and so you have toreally, because now you're
someone else's boss too, and sonow you do take on more
responsibility with that as well.
But then you also can grow, andyou can't grow without more
people.
That's just how it is, and sojust depends on where you want
to go and where you want to takeyour business.
Do you really have to just havethat, sit down, talk about it
(34:20):
and really decide what you want,and then, if you do feel like
there's tasks on your list thatyou can delegate, then you can
always find someone that'swilling to help.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Since you guys are such a huge part of the Fort
Worth community, I want to heara little bit about how
friendships and connections inFort Worth have impacted your
business and your livespersonally.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
I feel like it's everything, hugely Everything.
I was just saying our projectsocial clients are the best.
They're the best.
They've become friends, theyhave given us business because
of it.
They've supported Elmax Scene.
How many communities could youhave a marketing business and
then be like, oh, I'm also goingto start another business,
(35:08):
which, in the back of their mind, I'm sure it was like all right
, am I going to still get timeand attention as a client at
Project Social?
But they've been some of ourbiggest supporters and I think
Fort Worth is really specialthat it is still so small town
in regards to how it supportseach other.
Yeah, we've had a huge warmwelcome with our new business
(35:29):
and it's been, you know, friends, family, other boutique owners
sent us flowers, you know, atour opening and we have a
bulletin board in our back stockroom and I've been just tapping
all of the cards, mostly fromSam's friends, that are like
you're a boss, babe, you'reamazing.
This is great, all thesesupportive notes that we guys
(35:51):
have hanging there and it's beenhuge.
I think at this point, sincewe're so new, I think easily
could say the majority of oursales are people we know,
because just that's how the work, you know we're friends of a
friend.
You know friends have liketalked about it and our friends
have been our supporters.
But yeah, fort Worth is.
(36:12):
We're so lucky, like lucky tobe in this town.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Oh, that's what we've seen time and time again.
You can have the best businessideas you want, but unless
you're connected, then thatreally doesn't mean a whole lot.
And I think that I really likewhat you said, Sam, earlier
about leaning in when somethingfeels easy and it feels right
has been so important inbusiness and something like my
(36:40):
type A self.
I have to really allow myselfto lean in to those things that
happen naturally, but it reallydoes all come together.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
And I think that's where Brittany's complimented me
so well is.
She's just more spontaneous.
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Like, why not, let's go for?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
it, and I'm sitting there in the back of my mind
what's the Excel?
Spreadsheet going to look likewhen it's updated and, like you
said, allowing yourself just todo it, because sometimes that's
where it starts.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
We started off at the very beginning, Brittany, with
you talking about.
You had your first child andyou needed something more that
was for you.
So, this next question is twopart, but the first part is do
you feel like you found that,and is there ever okay?
How do I balance this now as myfamily's grown, and is that
(37:32):
ever a struggle?
And then the second part iswith what y'all have created,
have y'all sat down during yourgoals and thought out what is
the legacy that you're wantingto leave?
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Yeah, when I first started as an entrepreneur, it
was really hard, because notonly was I a new mom but a new
business owner.
I had always reported tosomebody and had a very
structured schedule andexpectations.
So yeah, that was reallychallenging and finding that
balance was really difficult,because when you own your own
(38:03):
business which I'm sure you guysknow you can't turn it off.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
It's on all the time.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Yeah, it was really hard and plus, when retail comes
, travel and little ones andyou're traveling, and that was
really challenging.
But I feel like this timearound in retail has been
completely different, justhaving a business partner that's
on the same page as I am andmore organized and systems in
(38:29):
place, and it's definitelybetter.
And now that I've hadexperience and done it the wrong
way and regretted it, and nowit's okay, now I've learned from
my mistakes and doing it now.
And if I's okay, now I'velearned from my mistakes and
doing it now and if I could talkto somebody that was in a
position I was in back then andjust tell them it's all going to
(38:50):
be okay and it's just, it seemsso important for your business
to go perfectly.
But really and it's I'm onlydoing it because I want to be
with my family, when I want tobe able to make my own schedule
and things like that.
It's definitely challenging andI feel like, plus, I'm a lot
older now and so I feel a lotmore laid back and less just
(39:11):
able to have a grasp on things alot easier when I think the
retail side more than projectsocial, we allowed our families
in the business a lot from kidshanging clothes or hiding in the
dressing rooms watching theiriPads at night, but I think we
just we brought them into thatbusiness a lot in the summer had
a lot to do with that, but forthem to experience a little bit
(39:33):
of it we.
My son was our biggest criticwhenever the build-out was
happening, cause he was.
This doesn't even look like astore, but we want him over, so
that's good.
He wanted to be our cashregister guy.
He wants to be trained on cashregister, but just bringing your
family in, because by dinnertime we were talking about how
the day was.
(39:54):
Our kids are a little bit oldernow so they can ask and you can
talk about something and theyhave a point of reference
because maybe they were there orthey saw it.
I also think I've learned.
My kids are six and almosteight now.
It's okay for mommy to not beperfect around them, and I think
it's probably a good thing forthem to see us weak or just
(40:15):
having a down day to struggling,because they're going to
struggle too, and so for them tobe able to feel comfortable,
for me to say, oh, I had a badday two days ago, remember that
this is how I was feeling and Ithink the balance it doesn't
have to be perfectly balanced,it's okay just to bring them
into the business side of all ofit, even if it's a bad day To
(40:37):
go into the question about thelegacies.
My son is 10 now and I feel likehe's really seeing what mom is
doing and hearing dad say I'mproud of you and things like
that, and just asking me aboutthe business and hearing and
seeing those things.
He asked me the other nightjust out of the blue mom, how's
(40:58):
your store going?
Speaker 1 (41:00):
And it's just so sweet.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
The other day he went on a bike ride.
It was so sweet.
The other day he went on a bikeride.
It was so cute.
He went on a bike ride and hejust recently is allowed to go
around the block and he saw ayard sale and so he stopped to
look at the yard sale and thenhe came back and he's mom,
there's a lot of things youwould like at that yard sale.
And I told him about your storetoo and I was like, oh, that's
(41:24):
so sweet, sweet, and so I seelittle things that he's doing
and he's like proud of it and soit makes me really happy and I
feel like that he's taking it inand he's learning too that he
could.
I don't know he couldpotentially be a business owner
one day.
He has a little post-it hangingon the cash wrap where he's
tallying up his paycheck becausehe'll come in and do a few
(41:44):
things and he'll add it up.
And so yeah, I think they'relearning from us.
Honestly, when I first startedworking for myself, started a
business, it was simply to beable to pay for my kids'
education and not have it comeout of family funds, and so that
was my original goal, and whenyou keep it in that perspective,
(42:05):
it's all worth it.
So just all about them.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Oh, that's amazing.
Thank you guys so much forsharing.
I love to hear how personal thebusiness becomes.
Before being a business ownermyself, I guess I saw them very
separately of okay business, andthen you have your family.
Even when Kim and I startedthis podcast of okay, how are
(42:33):
you balancing the two?
And the more we talk to peopleand the more we experience it
ourselves, we're like, no, no,balance does not exist.
There is no perfect balance,but I love to hear how the real
answer is that they're soconnected.
You're building your businessfor your family and then your
family is able to be a part ofthe business and, like you said,
(42:56):
brittany, to be part of thatlegacy.
So I love hearing how you guysare living this out and are such
a great example to your kids.
And then you are just such ahuge asset to Fort Worth.
Fort Worth is really lucky tohave you so sweet.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to subscribe tothe podcast so you don't miss an
episode.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Leave us a review and tell your friends all about the
amazing guests you're hearingon the Speech Source Podcast.
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