Meet Leanne Mitton from Norlink. She is an agency of one providing web services for small business and solopreneurs. She helps entrepreneurs and small businesses build and grow their website. She focuses on your specific goals, for online success.
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Lee:
Welcome to the Agency Trailblazer Podcast. This is an Agency Life episode coming to you every Wednesday and Friday, where we interview an agency owner from around the world, asking them the same questions because we’re all different, but we’re all the same. So let’s listen and learn from each other. This podcast is brought to you by the agency Trailblazer Blazer community? Is agency life stressing you out? Then? It is our mission to help you build an agency that you love. We’ve created a community which includes the Agency Reset roadmap, that will allow you to get your agency back on the right track. We also have lots of noble, straight to the point, easy to consume workshops. We have a thriving community of other agency owners, and we all wrap up every month with a mastermind call with myself and sometimes a special guest where we unpack your questions. For more details, check out agency trailblazer.Com. Welcome to another episode of Hashtag Agency Life. This is Lee, and on today’s show we have Leanne Mitton.
Lee:
How are you, Leanne?
Leanne Mitton:
I’m good. I’m well.
Lee:
I’m glad you’re good. And you have a big Canadian smile. Look at that big. For anyone who is listening to the podcast, remember you can watch Hashtag Agency, Life on Agency, trailblazer.com, forward slash YouTube, and don’t forget to subscribe as well because the more subscribers I get, I think that makes me a YouTuber as well. And I love that. That would be really cool. As a completely selfish of me, I know, but go ahead and hit subscribe. But today is not about me. Today Leanne is about you and we’re going to go through our lightning round of questions to learn all about your agency. And the first question is, what is the name of your agency and what do you do?
Leanne Mitton:
So the name of my agency is Norlink and I build websites for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Lee:
Awesome. And if we were all going to buy a birthday cake or presents, when’s your birthday of the business?
Leanne Mitton:
It’s actually a little bit of a complicated one.
Lee:
Uh, tell us.
Leanne Mitton:
And I.
Lee:
Know it, But tell us anyway.
Leanne Mitton:
Yes, so you know it. Um, Norlink originally started in about 1996. I started there in 97. I bought it in 2004. So if we’re going to go with a birthday, we’ll go with the day that I registered the business name, which is March 3rd, 2004.
Lee:
Well, happy birthday on March the 3rd, 2004. Really? I should make a note of all of these, shouldn’t I? And send a birthday cards out to everyone. But I don’t know how many episodes we’re going to go down. This might mean I’m, you know, 100 episodes from now. I’ll be sending out 100 birthday cards every year, so I’m not going to promise anything as yet. Well, let’s go into your setup. And just so people know, Leanne is coming on a show very soon to tell us about how she bought that business. So that’s an episode that you can look forward to in the future, right? Your setup is how many people do you have in your team at the moment?
Leanne Mitton:
I have me.
Lee:
Awesome.
Leanne Mitton:
And some subcontractors.
Lee:
And the subcontractors. Are they in specific things that you can’t do, or are they in things that you can do, but you just need more of you?
Leanne Mitton:
Uh, stuff that I can’t do. So I hire out graphic design because I hate graphic design. Give me code.
Lee:
Give me code. That should be the tagline of your of your business. You know, like, give me code. All right. Now I know the answer to this one as well. But for the people listening who can’t see where you are, do you have a home office, or do you have an office that you like to go out to, or do you even have the best of both worlds?
Leanne Mitton:
I have a home office. I’ve had a home office for, uh, about 11 years now. Before that, I actually had a real office and went, why do I have this? Yeah, my commute is awesome now.
Lee:
And then with regards to the people in your team, which are the contractors. And again, I’d like to reiterate to a lot of people. Some people don’t consider themselves agencies necessarily, but an agency is a group of creatives that are creating for their clients, and you are an agency with you kind of steering the ship, but you have your consultants with you, etc. and clearly you’ve chosen these people over time. You’ve developed a relationship with these people over time. So what sort of culture do you guys all have? How do you all work together?
Leanne Mitton:
We all actually work from home. Um, I find I primarily work with women, not for any specific reason. That just seems to be how it works out. I don’t know if it’s just kind of more of the attention to detail with certain things.
Lee:
Um, careful what you say.
Leanne Mitton:
I know I’m watching. I’m sorry. It’s the Canadian way.
Lee:
Sorry. Sorry. Keep going.
Leanne Mitton:
I lost my train of thought.
Lee:
I primarily work with women because they are far more attentive to detail than men. You just said something like.
Leanne Mitton:
They can be.
Lee:
Oh, sorry. Can be.
Leanne Mitton:
They can be. But, you know, it’s people who are very passionate about what they do. Yeah. Um, so, I mean, my graphic designer, she is absolutely amazing. I can send her the vaguest information, and she makes it look amazing. Wow. It’s like. That’s cool. And, you know, I’ve worked with some content writers over the years. I’m kind of just trying to find, you know, someone to fill in that need right now. Um, and I’m looking kind of for a couple other areas where I want to bring people in, but.
Lee:
So be sure to connect with Leanne in the agency Trailblazer Facebook group if you are a content writer, because she’s looking to develop some relationships and if you’re a bloke you know, still apply, you never know.
Leanne Mitton:
Still apply, still apply. I got I got no issues either way.
Lee:
No, no, I’m only messing with you. All right. So let’s talk about your mission. And I would love to know. Do you have a particular niche within your agency?
Leanne Mitton:
I don’t know. Um, I guess I don’t really focus on a specific industry, but I like working with those small companies. You know, they have, you know, it’s probably just themselves. They might have 1 or 2 employees and they’re struggling to kind of do everything themselves. And so I come in and I, you know, I’m part of their team. And I take that that struggle and that hassle off of them. Um, with, you know, their web presence.
Lee:
So you kind of do have a niche. Your niche isn’t necessarily an industry. Your niche is, um, a person that you’ve described, which is a very stressed out small business owner that maybe has 1 or 2 people on staff, and that in itself is a niche in a very good description. I can instantly think of three people down the road from me that I could connect you with, because that’s a very powerful message, I get that. So yeah. So you kind of have a.
Leanne Mitton:
Really I’ve been working on this lately.
Lee:
Yeah. No, that was good. I liked it. So I love how people think they don’t have a niche. And then when they describe their ideal client, they can find something from that. Now we’ve I think we’ve already started to touch on this, but what do you think the main problem is that you solve for those stressed out business owners.
Leanne Mitton:
The main problem is that they’re just they’re overwhelmed with everything that goes into a website, from choosing your domain name, finding hosting, what pages, what content to put in there. Um, even, you know, like setting up their email on their devices. I do a lot of that technical stuff for them. Um, it kind of stems back to my days of doing tech support back at Norlink. And, you know, is the modem plugged in kind of thing.
Lee:
Have you turned it off and back on again?
Leanne Mitton:
Yep, yep. I’m like, I hate answering that one, but I’m like, sometimes it works.
Lee:
All right. So you’re also outsourced it for your clients as well? I am actually yeah. Wow. Okay, I was joking, but you actually are. No, no, I kind of am. All right. The accidental IT person?
Leanne Mitton:
Pretty much. Yeah, yeah. Um, you know, some some of the stuff I can answer for them and some of them, like, I don’t know, might call someone who does that hardware stuff.
Lee:
I think though, it is very common, a lot of small business owners, they’re struggling, like you said, with the web build, but also just technology in general. And your background. Again, I know your background with regards to Norlink and everything. You’ve got a very technical background. So that’s brilliant that you’re able to help bridge the gap for people, to help them with their emails and all the other stuff that most people have no clue about. It happens. It comes in great. I’ve got an email, but they don’t have any clue about how any of that actually worked. Yeah. All right, well, let’s talk about marketing. I would love to know how you generate leads as a business.
Leanne Mitton:
Pretty much it’s word of mouth and referrals. And it’s almost always been that way.
Lee:
All right, well, let’s go back in time then. Word of mouth referrals. Was that because of some networking or how did you get those initial clients to build on those referrals.
Leanne Mitton:
That’s kind of hard to say. Um, because that was almost from before when I even bought the business. Um, when I bought the business, the clients already knew me. And then. So, I mean, it was an easy transition for them. Yeah. Um, you know, I just went from employee to. Hey, it’s me. You’re calling me up now. Um, I mean, I do a lot of networking. I’ve been involved with a couple of different local networking groups, you know, kind of here and there, and I’m trying to get out more into the community a little bit more. I kind of scaled things back when I had my son, and he’s almost eight now, and it’s like, okay, it’s time to get back out there and start building up the business.
Lee:
This isn’t a question that’s on this list, but it’s something that I want to know right now. Um, he said he’s he’s almost eight. My my girl’s 11. And I keep thinking to me, she’s still a baby. Do you have that feeling or has he got past the baby thing for you?
Leanne Mitton:
Uh, he’s kind of past the baby thing. Um, he’s a pretty independent kid, which is really nice because he comes home from school usually, like school is done at 3:00. That’s when the bus drops him off, and he usually entertains himself for another hour while I finish up some work. Oh.
Lee:
He’s cool.
Leanne Mitton:
I he watches a.
Lee:
Lot of from Molly coddling Ellis. I’m like, I just want to give her hugs. But anyway. All right. So back back in the focus. Back for focus. Sorry. It’s just intrigued one parent.
Leanne Mitton:
You’re like oh squirrel.
Lee:
Yeah totally squirrel. And there’s one in the background I see okay. So yeah there there he or she is uh, to be gender inclusive. Right. So, uh, how this is fun. How do you, Leanne, measure success?
Leanne Mitton:
For me? Success is just knowing that I’ve taken that stress and that burden off of the client. And, you know, I’ve produced this website that’s going to help them to generate more leads for their business. Yeah. And I mean, yeah, I mean, as a single business owner. You. It’s hard to wear all the hats. So I know that, you know, for me, success is knowing that, you know, I’ve taken one of those hats off their head and, you know, help them out.
Lee:
Absolutely. Now, isn’t it funny? I’ve seen this as a constant pattern throughout all of hashtag agency life so far. People are measuring their success not based on money whatsoever. And yet we constantly get this flood of people stood in front of an amazing sports car, telling you how you can generate hundreds of thousands of pounds through clients, etc. and yet all of us are saying actually, our success is by helping someone, by seeing a smile on their face, family time, whatever it is. It’s just this constant thing. So I love this question because it is bringing out what is the most important to us in our lives, and it makes dollars and cents which are important to pay the bills. But actually those smiles and those lives that you’re changing. Good answer Leanne. Ten team points.
Leanne Mitton:
Nailed it.
Lee:
Hashtag. Nailed it. All right. So it’s only me and you and a few thousand listeners. So let’s have a bit of a confession time. Okay. That joke’s never going to get old for me. And what is the biggest problem that you feel you have as an agency?
Leanne Mitton:
For me, it is trying to figure out what I want to focus my learning on.
Lee:
Especially when you said squirrel earlier.
Leanne Mitton:
Because yeah, I am like, so.
Lee:
She sent me something. What’s this on Appsumo?
Leanne Mitton:
Pretty much. It’s like, you know, I’m looking into more of the Google Analytics and analysing that data, which is then bringing me into some SEO information. But then I also want to get into like lead captures and all that is like but but no, I have to focus on this. But this is kind of pulling me. And so it’s, it’s focusing myself into, you know, really figuring out one thing and then I can go on to the next.
Lee:
I Olutely. What’s the word? I agree, I’ve had this same problem. I’ll give you something that’s helped me. And for anyone else who’s struggled with this, what we now have is a daily task lists of things that I need to get done. Some certain things scored more or less important, you know, stuff that I absolutely have to get done. And I’ve been using the Pomodoro technique. So on windows. Yeah. On windows there’s a focus ten I think it’s called, which is a timer which I’ve been using. And then on a mac, I think there’s one called tomato something or tomato. I Google it if I remember, I’ll throw it in the show notes, and that’ll allow you to do 25 minutes on one of those tasks and then take a five minute break. Um, but I’m totally with you on the rabbit hole as well of if you look at Google Analytics and then you’re like, oh, SEO. Oh, and oh, maybe I should be doing this. And then you go off on a tangent and you forget.
Leanne Mitton:
Well, they all they all kind of interconnect to and it’s like like it’s and it’s like, well where do I stop?
Lee:
And the funny thing is, is you are a small business owner on your own and wearing many hats, and you help you help the same people. So what you need is someone to come and help you with those. No. Okay. Whoa! Inception. How cool is that? Yes. No. But thank you for being honest and sharing that with us. I promise we won’t tell anyone other than the few thousand people listening. So it’s all good between us.
Leanne Mitton:
I think most people know about my squirrel thoughts.
Lee:
No. That’s good. And again, thanks for being honest. Well, let’s talk about well-being. I mean, most of the time we’re stuck behind. I’m sat at home in my home office at my desk. So are you. Maybe we’ll grab some a quick bite to eat at lunchtime and then back at the keyboard, etc.. That can be. I can suck for agency owners. So there’s a couple of questions we have now around wellbeing. And the first thing is really your mental wellbeing. How do you switch off especially when you have an office in the house?
Leanne Mitton:
I set work hours and I only work during those work hours on client stuff. I’m doing a little bit more in the evenings on learning just because I can’t fit it into my work day. Yeah. Um, when my son’s at school, the bus picks them up about ten, 10 to 8 in the morning and drops them off right about at 3:00. So my work hours are 8 to 3, and I only try to work during those hours. So outside of that I’m like, okay, work’s done. And I kind of leave my office and ignore the phone. If it rings, try to ignore emails.
Lee:
It’s there’s something really powerful about setting that time. It’s something that we did a few years ago about setting an end time, because if you don’t have an end time, you don’t hurry your work up to finish by that time so you can finish for the day. You tend to think, oh, I’ll just carry on with this after dinner. And then the 18 hour days start and before you know it, you’re absolutely exhausted. So that’s a really, really good practical strategy for setting some work hours. And that really, really helps. Okay then health wise, what do you do to say stay healthy? And if the answer is nothing, that’s fine. What are you thinking of doing? Because I’m currently struggling and I need some advice.
Leanne Mitton:
Uh, so my friend and I meet at the gym three times a week, and I’m up at 515 in the morning.
Lee:
Ridiculous.
Leanne Mitton:
I meet her there for just before 6 a.m.. Yeah. So we usually work out from 6 to 7 a.m., come home, get my son’s lunch ready to get him ready off to school, start my work day. Yeah, it’s not my favourite time to work out. I don’t really enjoy getting up, but I know once I’m up and because I have her accountable to meet at the gym, I’m much more likely to make it there. Yeah, sometimes she texts me and bails and I’m like, yes, I get to go back to sleep. Yeah, but I mean, for the most part, you know, we’re out there 2 or 3 times a week in the summers, we actually go to a local park and it’s up on a hill overlooking Lake Superior, and it’s got like this steep set of stairs and there’s this, this hill, and she makes me run up and down the hill and the stairs.
Lee:
Rocky Balboa moment. Yeah, it’s at the top. Yeah.
Leanne Mitton:
It’s a really steep hill. There’s. There’s a lot of people that train like hill repeats on it. Yeah. And then the other thing I’m trying to get back into running now. Um, I used to be really into running. I did like a half marathon about two years ago.
Lee:
Cool.
Leanne Mitton:
I mean, I used to do, like, 10-K every Saturday, and now A5K is going to kick my butt.
Lee:
I’m the same, like, can’t run for more than ten minutes without feeling absolutely exhausted anymore. It sucks. So. But I love the accountability part. You know, you’re meeting someone, you kind of have to show up, and me and Larissa do the gym. And, um, unfortunately, because I’m her boss, uh, there’s not really any accountability because if I don’t want to go, she’s like, okay, so I think I need to work on that a little bit. I need her to tell me off for not going. But anyway. Yeah. All right. So let’s we’re coming in to land and every business owner has that one tool that is just so freaking cool. And I know Paul Lacy is responsible for sharing really cool tools with us all on Appsumo and in other places, and we get shiny object syndrome. Um, but is there one tool that you could pinpoint that you feel has been absolutely essential to your success?
Leanne Mitton:
It’s kind of a tool, but I’m going to go with Facebook groups, the community?
Lee:
Yes. Why not? Tell me more or unpack why?
Leanne Mitton:
I kind of I stumbled across James Rose’s group probably about a year ago, and from there I met Imogen. And then I got into WP elevation. I learned about WP innovator and the trailblazers, and I mean, I’ve made all these great connexions and friends, and I mean, it’s just been absolutely amazing. Yeah, I mean, I’ve been kind of running my business myself with no one to bounce ideas off of or to kind of learn off of for the last, you know, 14 years. And so it’s nice to have someone who understands what I’m struggling with and kind of Helping me through the thought processes and teaching me about apps. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.
Lee:
Yeah. Pull. What are you playing at?
Leanne Mitton:
Thanks. Paul and Lorraine. Yeah.
Lee:
All of you. Um, I, I agree, I was surprised by your answer, but you’re absolutely right. They are a fantastic communities to be a part of because it means that we’re not alone. And even if we’re an agency owner with 50 staff, being at the top of the agency is still a lonely place to be. You can’t necessarily have I can’t have the conversations with Larissa or Karthik or Kate that I would have with people inside of the community because they’re, you know, they don’t own the business. They’re not kind of at that point. Whereas when we’re in James Rose’s community or whoever’s we’re talking to other business owners, you know, struggling with the same problems, and it’s absolutely phenomenal. So I would recommend obviously, our Facebook group that’s agency trailblazer.com/group if you want to check that out. And what we’ll do is we’ll pop in the show notes some links to James Rose’s group, WP builds, and a few other fantastic Facebook groups that you could be a part of if you are not part of those communities.
Lee:
So Leanne, that’s it. We’ve we’ve asked you all of the questions. Everything managed not to fall apart, which is awesome.
Leanne Mitton:
So, captain, join us.
Lee:
The cat didn’t join us. I’m a bit disappointed about that.
Leanne Mitton:
I know, me too.
Lee:
And the audio worked as well, so that’s fantastic. So I guess the last question is, is how can people connect with you? And then we will bid you adieu.
Leanne Mitton:
Well, I mean, Facebook’s always a really great way.
Lee:
We’ll put a link in there then.
Leanne Mitton:
Yeah. So Facebook and Twitter and if you’re a knitter, I’m on Ravelry.
Lee:
And I still need. Oh, did I introduced you to my friend at Shiny Bees. We will put up if you’re a knitter. If anyone is watching Knitter Shiny Bees podcast, we’ll put a link down below as well. Leanne. Thank you. Take care.
Leanne Mitton:
Yeah.
Lee:
bye bye.
Leanne Mitton:
Bye
