Episode 010 with Lynne Darcey Quigley, Founder and CEO of Know-it

Speaker A: Foreign. Hello, and welcome back to the Product Podcast. My name is Amy Kelly and I'm very happy to be joined by lynn Darcy Quigley, CEO and founder of KnowIt. Before we jump in to today's episode, we have a special message from our sponsor.

Speaker B: Since 1994 in the U.S. televerde has been employing incarcerated women and training them to be sales development reps and inside sales reps that represent some of the biggest brands in the world. From founding, we have been involved with tech companies, so we are pleased to sponsor the Broad Tech podcast in support of women in technology.

Speaker A: Thank you so much for coming along today. Lynn, how are you?

Speaker C: I'm very well and thank you for having me.

Speaker A: Thank you for making the time to join us. Uh, so just to kickstart, can you just introduce yourself to us a little bit more about yourself, your background?

Speaker C: Sure, yeah. So, as you said, lynn Darcy Quigley, CEO and founder of KnowIt. Um, we are a Soviet tech company. We get people paid. Um, that's what our platform does. We're a SaaS platform. We're global. Um, my background personally is in commercial debt recovery and litigation. Been doing it for 33 years. I know I don't look like that, but that's okay. You don't need to say that. So, yeah, yeah, 33 years, been in commercial recovery. Suppose the mission for us was always to get people paid. You know, we're, we're in a business, uh, where if our clients don't get paid, you know, the economy stops and that's how serious we take it, you know, so that's our mission. So that's what the business is all about. Always has been about that.

Speaker A: Um, yep. Money is no laughing matter.

Speaker C: We need cash flow. Everybody needs cash flow.

Speaker A: Yeah, and you're speaking to an independent here, so this is like, uh, you're talking my language. We need to get paid on time.

Speaker C: Absolutely.

Speaker A: Ah. So just, you know, tell us a little bit about why you started it and, you know, what's. Where did the name come from as well?

Speaker C: Yeah, so started. No, actually, just like during the pandemic, really. We work. The software is really targeted for SMEs. You know, so there's 6 million SMEs in the UK. Um, and we didn't really. They have. They don't have access to a lot of data. You know, all the PLCs, and, you know, the major global companies will have access to really good credit data. They can look at risk and they can understand risk. Um, when an SME, these things are not that important. To you and you really don't get access to a lot of data. So for me, over many years of suing loads of people over my time in recovery, I just understood that the real benefits of giving this software product to small SMEs would be absolutely fantastic. And there wasn't anything else in the market, you know, so we decided just to take a bit of uh, a punt as it were, um, and just write this software. Um, so we were doing it on a manual basis, but it was only when someone came to us and said, can I have help? We would assist, but we didn't have the reach and we knew the software would allow everybody easy access to this type of data if I brought it all in the one place. So that's what we did. Um, so yeah, March, March 20, right spac bang, right in the middle of COVID when it just started, we went right, let's do the software. So we started and we just built it out from there. Um, and yeah, that's probably it. We did take our time building it. Um, cause we, we wanted it to be an end to end product. So we made it really full. Um, and yeah, we took all our experiences, you know, my experiences, how I would behave if I was a credit manager or a credit controller using this product. And you know, we tried to do, you know, make it as real as we possibly could. And it wasn't just about the tech, cause I'm not a techy person. So it was actually about using the software to get what you need rather than the software running you and you still use it and you don't really get a conclusion, which happens in a lot of software. You know, you get so much of the journey and then you have to figure out the rest of it. I didn't want you doing that. So yeah, um, so yeah, that's the software. And you know, when we started it and why, um, was really just to benefit the SME. I feel that market is truly neglected, um, but makes up 6 million of us in the UK. You know, it's as who we are without those businesses we don't thrive, you know. So, um, in the name note, where does that come from? Melissa and Jason 1 so most of the people that you speak to, certainly when you're in litigation with them or you're, you know, you're petitioning or you're doing something in terms of trying to get them paid, they go, I didn't know that. I didn't, I didn't know that and I didn't know you could do that. And, uh, see, if I had only known M. I wouldn't have done that or I wouldn't have signed a contract or I wouldn't have supplied the goods or there's always deep regret because they didn't have the data, they didn't know. Um, and that's where it came from. So we went, you know, you subscribe, you'll get to know everything that you need and then the mistakes on you, you can hold your hand in your heart and go, I made a proper decision. Actually give them credit or give them product or give them goods. Because we gave you the insight to actually read what the customer was doing and how it would affect you. So that was where it came from because. And still even today I hear that all the time. I didn't know. Only if I had known. Yeah, knowledge, platform, use the technology, put your data and you'll see in minutes what your customer looks like. Customers are always going to tell you that they look fantastic. They're never going to tell you they look rotten and can't be anybody, you know, so that was a big thing for us. And the software does that perfectly.

Speaker A: Yeah. And the cash flow side of things and everything. Just knowing where your money's coming, when it's coming is just so important.

Speaker C: I think it's a customer, uh, it's just the customer data. And what is the customer, customer doing? You know, so if your customer loses money, then you'll know about it. But what if your customer's customer loses money? You're third in the party. You're still providing service, you're still providing product. You don't see the loss. You do if you use our software, you see it coming, you can decide, you can make decisions. Um, and I think the SME was completely decision. They were in the dark, um, completely in the dark. Making decisions, sometimes catastrophic decisions for their team, you know, their staff, you know, making really big decisions on not having a lot of data. And I don't think there's, uh, you know, it's 20, 25. There's no need for that. There is no need for it. So, yeah, so I. It's easy seeing it when you know how, but when you don't know how, that's.

Speaker A: But get know it to know it.

Speaker C: Absolutely. You said it.

Speaker A: Shameful plug. Yeah, we need to plug it. Um, so, you know, you said earlier you're not techie and I think we've chatted about this separately as some of the big challenges you might have faced with that. But let's just talk about your experience, you know, as a founder, what have those biggest challenges been?

Speaker C: Yeah, I think for us it wasn't a business challenge for me ever. Um, you know, the sales and the marketing and the business strategy and the setup and the commercial planning and all of that stuff. I'm not saying it's really easy, but I've been doing that a long time. I have another business that's been running 18 years. So fundamentally they were. I would never have issues with them and if I did, I would just go to my team and I would go around and see who I can get to support me. It would never really be an issue. The tech side, I suppose it was a bit of blind ignorance for me. I thought it's only a bit of code, I'll be fine, I'll get somebody to do that for me. But um, but that's my risk appetite. That's where I sit in terms of risk. So that, ah, so that was the big thing for me. The risk was I'll just get somebody to do it. Do the take side. Um, if I to rewind back, I'd probably have a co founder who was completely embedded in the take.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker C: You know, and I could have all the ideas and the ambition and the strategy and the commercial goals and the marketing and I could, I could do all of that. Just you deliver the product. Mhm. And that's what I should have done. That's probably my biggest regret. I think it took me longer because I didn't have that. Maybe I would have been steered differently or I would have done it faster or quicker or maybe not done it to the capacity that I did because I'm an all or nothing and I put everything in the platform. I might never didn't have to do that. So I think if I had to take founder, that would be um, I'm okay sharing. I'm good. I'm a good delegate and m. I'm a good sharer. I don't have that Smabble. I don't have that. That's not my personality, you know. So I think if I had a take founder with me to own that part. I think so, yeah.

Speaker A: And um, you know, when we're talking about the challenge, uh, you know, of just that part of admitting it, you know, it's almost that looking back and thinking, okay, yeah, like the tech side of things, but it moves fast, isn't it? You kind of just like you had the idea, you wanted to bring it to life. Absolutely. So you kind of want to jump in full steam ahead I don't think

Speaker C: I realized it right away anyway.

Speaker A: Ye.

Speaker C: You know, I was probably in it for a good while before I went. You know what? You know, I definitely have that. Don't have that skill.

Speaker A: But finding those brilliant tech founders obviously is just pure gold because then they can really just own that and make sure that the product is.

Speaker C: It's just been built with my world as well. It's like you can't. If it's not your world, it's very difficult to find somebody that you can match with. Mhm. As well. You know, should be matchmaking services for founders.

Speaker A: And there you go. Maybe you've just given away the business idea.

Speaker C: There you go.

Speaker B: Another one?

Speaker A: No, thank you. Um, I just went to the Ashes. Well, you know, when we're talking before about the global aspect of it, because it's not necessarily just a UK problem of trying to get paid on time, we're talking like this is very relevant across the entire world. So what is that global, um, growth being like for you? How are you approaching it? You know, what's been hard about it? Great about it.

Speaker C: Yeah. Um, so I think the global growth for us was all. We always wanted to do it through a partner. Um, because it's so difficult for a founder and a small business to fund that, you know, that type of growth. Um, you know, so getting a partner in terms of somebody that would completely benefit from the product and we could give it to their customers, you know, so we would really just white label and do the. Do the. Do the take. Um, and that's what we've done. Um, so we signed the contract about a week and a half ago and it was 1,206 days. Know that I'm counting. But that's how long I worked in the deal for.

Speaker A: Wow.

Speaker C: Correct.

Speaker A: That is a long time. I know.

Speaker C: And I had a large bottle of champagne. When the contract gets signed by then I was done. No, no, nothing more than me. So yeah. So that was an idea for us that, you know, I did go out to Australia and New Zealand and I was in the Valley and I spent time in San. And all of that. And it was all very, very. I wasn't of an age where I could be seduced by that. Mhm. Because as you know, I'm heading towards my 50s. So I'm like, I've been in business for almost 20 years, so I understand that it might be shiny, but it's not really that shiny. Um, and I always thought I can't do this in my own. Just can't do it in my own. Um, we really just need a global partner. So I went out and tried to get one, and we got one. But dealing my global partner is so difficult. Like, they move m at snail's pace. All the checks and balances and, you know, all the due diligence. And it's a nonsense, absolute nonsense. And if I had to give something to anyone back, oh, uh, we'd be like, you need to make sure you dig into that piece instead of just going at their pace.

Speaker A: Yeah. As in, like, putting all that, um, you know, kind of the KPIs into that.

Speaker C: Just the urgency. Like, you know, you're just going, okay, and there's a bit of you. It's going. I don't really want it to. Tell him to hurry up. M. Just in case it falls apart. M. And that's not typically like me because I'm not that, you know, I would typically just go, come on, let's go, let's go. But it's very, very difficult when you don't have that, uh, power. So the global growth for us. Yes, spot on. I think the plan is executed now. Now all the hard work needs to begin. Um, and I think that's okay. That bit of it I'm not worried about at all. Um, it was really just getting the partner.

Speaker A: It was interesting what you said as well about the funding, the global growth, and that's why you went for the partner. But, you know, compared to maybe some other founders, like, oh, we need to get to grow globally. But we've talked about this in the bootstrapping side of things, you know, what's that been like for you? You know, considering the investment side or not considering it.

Speaker C: Yeah, I considered investment for about six months. Um, and I pitched for about six months. And I thought, I'm not doing this too busy. I can't. I can't be bothered with it. And I know that's really callous. But I was also in a different position where, you know, I've got a business that's running. I make money so I could invest that money. So I suppose it's not one fits all. I think I'm very different. The fact that I could take money and invest into this product, and I didn't need anybody else, didn't need anyone else's money. I had my own money to do it. Um, right or wrongly, should have spent somebody else's money, because there's a hell of a lot of people out there doing it. Spend all the investment money, and I don't Know, it just wasn't for me. Um, and I thought I would rather work in sales and marketing, get the product right, get to market, do all the stuff I enjoy doing instead of sitting with investors and meetings and, you know, having to convince them that my product was the best one to invest in. It just. Just didn't want to do it.

Speaker A: Yeah, it's a massive time cost to founders.

Speaker C: Didn't want to do it yet. And I've got as a young family and I just didn't want to do it. I just wasn't. I wanted to go to the hockey and go to the tennis and, you know, I wanted to spend time. I just didn't want to do it. I had no appetite for it despite, you know, all the offers and all of the, you know, come to the Valley, you know, do a daily way flip. We'll give you this, this, that, the next thing we like if you fail 20 times. I mean, all over it had the full party, you know, I wasn't, you know, I had everything thrown at me. I just. Nah.

Speaker A: And that's like, that takes a lot of guts to say nah. I'm just like, not stupidity.

Speaker C: There is an absolute border there, you know, Sam, I'm not going to say I'm either one or one or the other.

Speaker A: No, I think it takes a lot of guts because I think that it said, uh, you know, it is a narrative you find in all founder ecosystems worldwide talking about the importance of investment, importance of investment. But I love when I speak to offenders that are bootstrapped and they have taken it, you know, in the. The sales and marketing, making sure there's customers there, all buy their product, growing that way. And I think that's amazing. You know, that's such a fantastic way to grow. Um, and it's a great reminder to all founders you do not have to go down the investment route. You can look at other ways to do it.

Speaker C: I suppose a lot of the investment as well, and a lot of people I've spoke to over the time of doing it, a lot of them don't necessarily do need the investment from the money, but they also need the investment from the support, you know, from the boardroom, you know, this buy the boardroom that you get and all the, you know, and I didn't get that. And that may. That might also not have been good for us as well. So just. You've got to take. You've got to roll the dice and see if it. If it's for you or not. But yeah, investment is a, Is A complete time thief.

Speaker A: Yeah. Um, let's talk about a little bit the support you've had here in Scotland. Um, because, you know, growing it from Scotland, we're always trying to either inspire more tech, ah, founders, future tech founders in Scotland, or just to be able to promote Scotland as more than just these stereotypical things that people say when you think, when you ask, you know, tell me, what do you think of when you think of Scotland? When really actually we have this incredible tech scene here. We've got loads of amazing founders like yourself, there's fantastic products being built. Um, but has there been any support here that you've leveraged or any sort of the ecosystem players that you've, you know, went to or anyone you want to recommend?

Speaker C: Yeah, I think, um, spent quite a lot of time in the early days with FinTech Scotland. Um, you know, from the guys there, obviously Nicola and her team there. You know, she's fca, you know, probably a lot of commonalities because the industry that we're in, in fact, you know, the money and voice finance and creditors and all that kind of stuff. So, I mean, they were great with us, you know, and still to this day, they're always sending initiatives. Do you want to do that? Do you want to do this? And, you know, and they wanted me to speak at loads of events and stuff like that and just give that piece back and, you know, I was, I'll do it absolutely, you know, all the time. Um, and they were really good, you know, with us in terms of. Can we help you with any. Is there any little loans, any funding, any of this, any that. That you can just get your, you know, get your hands on? Is there any staff, is there any initiatives you want to do, you know, so they were really, really good with us. I probably think that's, uh, I mean, the early days we'd done, um, accelerator with the, you know, the accelerator, and we were one of their winners to the Barclays Eagle Lab back in 21. So we won then. And then we went on, um, the, the edge.

Speaker A: Yep.

Speaker C: As well. So we won Scottish Edge too. Um, we get one of the biggest funds that year. Um, so we've done that and we win. Um, yes. I mean, the support in Scotland, I think if you want it, it's there in abundance, I think, because I probably. Sometimes I'm just a bit too old for my own self and I've just. And I've got a, uh, big enough business where I can. Going to go around. I can go with my own CEO and my Own financial controller, you know.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker C: I've got, you know, I can go in my head and market and I can, you know, so I've got people in my, my actual office as well, you know. But, uh, anything. Stupid questions I send to Fintech Scotland all the time.

Speaker A: Yeah. And we were talking earlier about stupid questions, but we were talking that you've got all your, um, you've got all your folk in the office with you all the time.

Speaker C: Yeah.

Speaker A: You know, and I think that's actually an interesting. And I'm just gonna fling this at you, but you know how you found that actually bringing people back in full time to the office compared to now, there's so many people talking about, no, no, we wouldn't have people back in the office, but you're enjoying having everyone back in.

Speaker C: Yeah, I think for us it was just, I suppose it was a couple of combinations of a few things and why, you know, people wanted to come back. You know, we had a lot of people who, you know, were single, they were on their own, they were living on their own. So really their work, their home, their couch, their telly was all they really had, you know, so they were in the mist. Us as a team. I think for us, you know, we're really, it's always about collaboration. You know, we're always whiteboarding out. We're always, you know, it's. We are an office like that. Ah. And I've built the business like that. Oh. Everybody that works for me, you know, we know everything that's going on. We're really, really a very, very close to each other. Um, so I think when they had the opportunity to come back to the office, they were like, right, we're coming back. Which was fine. But since then we've probably added about 15 heads on like our current staff. That's the challenge, getting people who to being at home and getting them to then go, if you want the job, you have to be here five days a week. And let me try and explain it to you. And when you get them in, they're probably about like, oh, okay, I'm do it because I want the job. And it sounds great, but see, after a while you could. They actually turn around and go, I'm so glad I done this. It's just they don't, they forgot what it's like.

Speaker A: Well, it's a big energy shift. It's a big habit shift that's, you

Speaker C: know, in the pace is just amends. You know, it's like not sitting in a team's call for 45 minutes to talk about something. If you just walked over to my desk, we would have had it resolved in a minute. We're not big enough, there's so much red tape. Just have a conversation. Go and do it. Let's knock it out the park. Go and do it. If it makes sense, let's do it. Um, so, yeah, so I think we've hired probably in the last year about 15 people, um, uh, in the last year. And as I say, most of them have came from completely remote or hybrid remote. And now they're in the office five days a week.

Speaker A: Yeah, it's a big change for sure.

Speaker C: But I think it's a change for them, not for us. You're all like, this is what we do.

Speaker A: Yeah, compared to now.

Speaker C: But I think it's okay. I think they're getting on with it and liking the job. And as I say, it is so fast, they probably don't see the days going by anyway.

Speaker A: Mhm. Yeah. I think it's the environment basically. If you're going into the good environments every day and you're happy to be there, that's.

Speaker C: I interviewed somebody last week and they said to me, um, can you tell me about the culture? And I think you're asking the wrong person says, why don't you just open the door and get out there and ask them? Because, uh, they'll tell you the truth. No point asking me, I'm going to tell you. It's wonderful, you know, so.

Speaker A: But go into the thick of it.

Speaker C: Aye, culture's massive, isn't it? And I think if you get everybody in the office, you can really create that culture. It's really, really good.

Speaker A: So we, um, have specifically in this series of the brawted podcast, focused only on women entrepreneurs, tech founders that we have here in Scotland like yourself, you know, fantastic women who have just went right out there and started businesses. And um, we. I have wanted to almost inspire more women to think, you know, if I've got this great idea, I could actually run with this and I can make this a reality. So do you have any advice for women that might be listening right now that are sitting on something and thinking, you know, maybe I will do that, but just need that wee bit of a push.

Speaker C: I know, I mean, the advice for me probably is just make sure it's really planned. Well, you know, because execution is really really, you know, the plan and execution is really critical. Um, but how do you tell somebody to do it? You know, that's the hard thing. I think it's easier when you're younger. Because I started when I was younger and I didn't have any commitments in any family, in any. You know, I think the older you get, the harder it becomes to pull your life away and really start. So you know, if you're coming out of uni or you're graduating or you know, you're young and you go, this is my moment, you just really need to do it because your moment will never come in 10 or 15 years when you're married and you've got kids or whatever. You know, it just changes.

Speaker A: Life changes.

Speaker C: Life does change. Yes, absolutely. Would I have done that today, what I would have done all the years ago? Probably not. Uh, well maybe it's easier looking in a rear view mirror, isn't it? Because you can always go. But yeah, I think just do it, plan it out and it'll make sense to always put your numbers to it. But.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker C: Numbers are critical because you can be airy fairy. If it doesn't make sense, it doesn't make profit. You don't do it. And you need to start out with profit in your mind. Much am I going to make? How am I going to do many leads? Am I going to get many customers? Do I need to drill into all of that? You need to be really, really, really prepared. When do I break even? When do I m make money? When do I do this, when do I reinvest the money? You know, when do I start hiring people? You know, when's the growth coming? And that's, that's the thing. I think that people just coming out don't realize the business side of having something like a great product. Because you need the other bit.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: Just having that business plan, I think that's great advice is sitting down and having that actually mapped out more than beyond the idea.

Speaker C: It needs to be perfect.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker C: And nobody says you're going to execute all of.

Speaker B: Right.

Speaker C: You can probably rip it up 20 million times throughout your journey and go, that was rotten. I'll never do that again. You know, and you need to forgive yourself for making mistakes.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker C: And the minute you make the mistake, cannot drag that about you.

Speaker A: Yeah, I like that advice.

Speaker C: Yeah. Because it will just, you'll just take it everywhere with you. And I've made loads of mistakes, but you just need to leave it. And they're costly. You just need to leave them behind and just move on because that's it. And I think when you're new, you know you will make mistakes, not hurt you, but you just need to keep

Speaker A: Going, yeah, it's like building that resilience.

Speaker C: Oh, like you need to be like Teflon. Is that what they say? Is that the best word to describe it?

Speaker A: Um, but, ah, I think that's great advice, you know, for just women that might be considering getting into business. And um, but then also, you know, based on some of the things that you've already said as well and when we're thinking of early stage founders and um, some of the things you were saying at the start, like, oh, I wish I could go back and do that differently and then tech co founder, all these sort of things, let's just reiterate that a little for a wee second. Is just that advice that you have for early stage founders, what you wish you'd known back in the day at the very beginning that you could impart that wisdom on them.

Speaker C: Yeah, I think. Um, so, I mean, the co founders, obviously, you know, that would be on my wish list if I had to do it again. Um, secondly, I have learned a lot about tech, um, and I didn't really know anything about it and I tried to learn, um, whilst I wasn't that interested, I have to be honest. Um, but I think a new founder would really need to make sure they've got some grip on that. And another thing I didn't know is how quick or how not quick code moves. Because I'm like, just write it and hurry up. And everybody's like, it just doesn't work. Like, uh, that. And that was a huge shock to me.

Speaker A: Yeah, yeah.

Speaker C: It's going to take me three months to do that. And I'm like, sorry, what? You know, all these story points and oh, I mean, like, I was like, what? That was like. I told. I remember one guy came in one day and he gave me a book. I can't even remember the name of the book, but it was like, you read that And I'm going, I don't have time to read a book. Is it an audio? You know, that's my shortcut. And I actually did listen to it in the car for ages. And it was really just, you could hire two developers and hire 20 developers, but you'll never get your product any quicker. And I'm going, in the real world, that doesn't make sense. Right. Uh, because I know if I bring in 12 salesmen, uh, I need to give them 12 times the leads and they need to close 12 times the business. Right. It's math, isn't it? Well, that was in my mind. Not like that. When you're Writing a product. And that's the only way I can explain it. It's not the way you would think it is. You go, okay, so if I put six devs in there, can I get it in two months?

Speaker A: No, because this is a whole other ball game.

Speaker C: Oh. You know, so, yeah, um, yeah, I

Speaker A: think that's a really good advice for commercial founders. You know, if you are coming in with the same, you know, for sales and marketing people that were just like, we move fast, you know, we like to.

Speaker C: The numbers game, isn't it?

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: And you see it that way. Whereas, like, there's like this very.

Speaker C: It's almost a disconnect. It's a complete disconnect.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker C: It's like the two worlds should never collide. And I get that. Understand. Uh, you know, I always was. I hired a product manager once, um, and she sat firmly between the business and the dev. Um, because there was a lack of understanding from all of the commercial team on even the basic chat, what the team were saying. Just anything, just everything that they would say. And we're like, what? It was almost like we needed an interpreter.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker C: We were just so far removed from building that tech company. Um, so, yeah, you need to get close and you need to get someone. And I think that's where the co founder bit comes for me. Because you would have somebody who's got the same investment as you, the same interests, the same goals, common goals. They lose. We all lose. You know, where there's only one person losing because everybody else is getting their salary.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: You know, so that's the difficult thing for solo founders. Yeah.

Speaker A: Um, aside from the tech and the co founder, uh, side of things, is there anything else that you wish you'd known back at the very beginning?

Speaker C: Think, ah, but probably how hard it was if somebody sat me down and went, you know, this won't work overnight. So the business model that I'm in just now, we realize revenue within 70% of revenue within the first 30 days. It's fast and I just couldn't compute, you know, so if somebody had actually sat me down and went, right, you're going to have to build this product and these are all the things you're going to have to do and you're going to have to subscribe to all of these products, you're going to have to spend all this money here and you're going to have to do all of this and that. And I would have been like, oh,

Speaker A: sounds like a lot of work.

Speaker C: Yeah. And not that I'm work shy at all. But I think the longer it takes, the more money it takes and then the less profit you get. So. And I think, you know, having worked and having still worked today, in an environment where you realize your revenue really quickly from your effort, you know, I can go lead to sale to revenue in three hours sometimes. Right. So, you know, it's super quick. That uh, wasn't happening.

Speaker A: Wow.

Speaker C: Still doesn't happen.

Speaker A: And what is the growth like for Nort right now? You know, how's the business doing?

Speaker C: You know, we're currently selling the product to our current Darcy Quigley customers, which is awesome. So we've got already the buy in, um, which is nice. Um, we pick up our leads from, you know, all the app stores that we're on. Cause obviously we're in like zero sage QuickBooks free agent. So we get, we're on the app store, so we get that flood of stuff coming through. We still have to demo and convert, um, you know, so still we're on a free trial as well, which was something completely alien to me, you know, because there's nothing free in business. Whereas this product, so this product sitting there and everybody gets to do all the lovely stuff for 30 days for free. And I'm like, really? Can we not just make that seven days? But obviously it's the adoption and all of that. So that's that, you know, that's so yeah, so we get, you know, businesses coming through. We probably onboard, you know, maybe 70, 80 customers a month alone from the Darcy Quigley just coming in in that revenue. Um, and then we have all the tech revenue coming through. So people, you know, just coming through the app store or, you know, finding us online or just Googling for, you know, credit control software. Um, you know, so we plug them in immediately there and we do lots of project work where we use the software to actually for our own gain. So it's not a customer. So we're actually using it and saying if we flush all the data through, we can give the client these results and stuff like, uh, that. So we're harvesting data a little bit now as well because the stuff's so good, you know, in terms of the intent with the data and it works for us. So we've got that type of customer too. And then obviously with a global customer that we've just signed, you know, they own probably or uh, do business probably with about 80 high, 80 odd percent of the SME market. So really we will just go through that vehicle now, you know, so our traditional way of doing business will Change.

Speaker A: So, Lynne, it'd be really awesome to just find out a little bit more about what is it that drives you as a founder?

Speaker C: I think always, um, um, there's a personal drive, isn't there? Then there's a business drive. So a personal drive for me is just really just to try and be the best version of myself every day. And by doing that, the consequences are that my clients get paid.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker C: And that really is, that's what it is. Because I always wanted to get people paid. That was a big thing for me is, you know, why should we do all the hard work and our clients do all this hard work and then they don't get paid. It's not fair, it's not right. There's a real injustice. I probably, if I didn't do it, uh, I'd, uh, do today. I'd probably be a lawyer or something. Fighting for injustices. I'm that type of. There's a very right or a wrong, maybe there's not in the middle. So, you know, I always did never ever like that, that people not getting paid. So yeah, so for me, that survive, you know, getting up, getting into the office, getting all the staff ready, what are we doing, you know, blah, blah, blah. And then the personal side is just providing for my family. Mhm. End of story. It's as simple as that for me. You know, making sure we, you know, get up in the morning, we can get stuff that we want, we can live a really nice life. Um, and I've took all the risks. I took all the risks when I was younger. You know, my husband and I both gave up our jobs. We founded Darcy Quigley together. You know, we shared sandwiches, we done all of that. Right. You know, like, you know, we had that together. Like, you know, when we first started, you know, we had mortgages with cars and we're going, we need to make this work. We need to make this work. You know, we need to make enough money to pay the bills and then you make enough money to live a life and then, and it just gets so I'm not saying material things are important, but they are because they do have their place. Um, but yeah, just, you know, personally just making. To show that I can provide for my family and for my staff. See, getting up and see when my staff come in, they've got a new car or they've just bought a new house or something. I can't tell you how excited I am for them. Yeah, it's great. Bought a new car. I'm like, right, come and show me what have you got? What did you do? You know, I'm going to move house, I'm going to buy my first flat. You know, we celebrate that and you know, we do a, you know, you know, the town hall thing that everybody, we call it the tune hall. Right. We do the tin hall every like every month and we have like the personal tune hall where you know, like somebody just bought a new flat and you're, you know, first time buyer brilliant, you know, And I know I supported them doing that.

Speaker A: Uh-huh.

Speaker C: You know, because they're in my business and as long as I'm the best version of me, I know I can provide for them, you know, so that's my motivation.

Speaker A: I love hearing that, Lynne, because it's um. I think that sometimes too many people think of the founder experience as like, oh, I'm just driving for this huge exit, I don't get it and sell my business. So I think it's refreshing just to hear you say that. You know, I think if you think

Speaker C: about Exit, and I found this very, very early on in my tech journey is lots of people wanted to speak to me about Exit. I'm like, I've not even started yet. It don't take my head space to exiting. I'm not there yet. You know, I mean, I'm ready, I'll do it myself. Uh, but uh, don't speak to me about that because I'm not, it's just not a thing for me. I think that's driven by investors and investment because that's the behavior. Because they want in and they want a buck, don't they want out? Whereas I'm like, um, that's not, that wasn't my path. Mhm. I wanted to be in to retire.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker C: Like not like normal. But I know that's not, I know that's not normal intake because it is normal.

Speaker A: Do you mean like, well that's not my normal. And this is the thing, like we're trying to showcase like so many different experiences to really get the full take so that no one thinks there is a normal way to do something. Like you have to feel confident that, you know, you've got this great idea, you're working hard, but you don't have to be thinking a certain type of way. As a founder, you don't have to be thinking of getting investment, you don't have to be thinking of Exit. You can if you want, but like you don't have to do anything.

Speaker C: You can actually listen. See, when you're self Employed or even your decisions count. And you make your own decisions. And that's the beauty about. Other than that, what you're taking the risk for, if somebody else is making your choices for you, you know, so the risk has got to be, I've got a choice. And m. You can do whatever you want or who you want to be. And I'm very much like that. That's what you know. And anybody who's starting out, they should really think about that. Uh, who do they want to be and not be swayed by the culture of tech.

Speaker A: Like, uh-huh.

Speaker C: You know, what's the exit? What's that? No, at me a minute. I haven't even launched my product yet, and I want to know when I want to exit. And that must be a state of mind for founders as well. You know, have that. Always thinking like that, when do I leave, when do I exit, when do I sell, how much do I sell, how much am I going to make?

Speaker A: Whereas when you look at the data, it's like, actually, when they exit, a lot of these founders are depressed because they finish, they sell their business, they walk away from it, and then they go, now what? You know, so there's that example as well. So, yeah, it's not always the best thing to be running and full steam ahead.

Speaker C: Whatever's for you is for you.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker C: And I think it's for you.

Speaker A: Won't go by you.

Speaker C: Absolutely. As they say, we say that in Scotland.

Speaker A: I do want to ask you, you said earlier, like, I, uh, get up, I do this, I do that. Is there anything like, you know, people talk about routines and daily things and kind of like I get up in a journal and all these things that people just really live and die by, um, as this founder way, or just to be an entrepreneur or to be successful, have you got anything that you do every day or any routine that you stick to to be successful?

Speaker C: No, I don't. You know, I'm chuffed that I get up in the morning, I can get my kids to the bus for half seven in the morning with their hockey bags and their sticks and all that. That's. I've achieved something. I achieve that every day. That's great for me. And then the next achievement is when I get to work and I start my day. So, no, I probably say my routine is built in my business. Day 95, uh, and then the rest is carnage. Cause that's just life. That is just life. You know, you go to the Supermarke, you go to the shops, you go, you get New hockey boots, you go to the tennis. I'm an Uber. That's m. What I do when I leave work at night I just run about running for taxis and that's my life and that's what I do. And that's what I do at the weekends. Uh, so no, I don't have any rituals or anything.

Speaker A: Yeah. And I think that it's good to share that. Again, like we're not.

Speaker C: And that's the big thing of being a female founder as well. I think it's very different from being a male founder.

Speaker A: Yeah, let's just talk about that for a second. You know, what is. You know, we have, even though we want to showcase all these amazing women, we haven't necessarily been overly talking about being a woman. But is there anything from your perspective of what you think that comes with.

Speaker C: Yeah, well, that running your family, you know, because I've got another job.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker C: You know, as well. And I've got a mother, so I've got an elderly mother as well. So I'm her daughter. I've got lots of jobs, lots of hats. So I'm not just a founder, you know, I've got to do all these things and got to do them really well and I've got a bit of time and a place and I don't think, you know, a lot of the male founders I've been around, it's not really about that for them. No, I'm sure there'll be some that are really like that. But you know, a female job is different, I think. Very, very different. But I'm not the one for burning your bra or anything. All this women lib stuff, you get what you get and you need to go out and take it.

Speaker A: Go out and take it.

Speaker C: That's it.

Speaker A: That's it.

Speaker C: So it doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman, you're entitled to it just the same. So I'm not that type that doesn't. In our world, I've got hundreds of men in my business and females, it doesn't matter if you get the right skill. It makes no difference who you. Um, but I get that it's, you know, women can, especially young women, they can feel quite intimidated, you know, and, and there is a lot of, especially when I was younger, a lot, uh, very, very male dominated. I'm in a very male dominated industry. There's not very many. Well, even in commercial recovery is, you know, solely what our platform does. Not many females in there, you know, in recovery and litigation and insolvency you know, and stuff like that. There's. There's just not.

Speaker A: Have you noticed anything about when you're working with men in that industry, you know, is there. Do you see different types of men that are, you know, kind of making. Creating that channel for you and making that path for you compared to ones

Speaker C: that are not m. Some, some people who are brilliant and you think, do you know what? And most of them have all got daughters. That's the funny thing about it. See, when you get down, they go, oh, I need to make sure my daughters get this path. And you know, and it's quite funny because they maybe feel different about it, you know, but listen, it's in all walks of life, you'll have females that will stand in your ways as well.

Speaker A: Yep, I've had plenty of that in my life.

Speaker C: So it doesn't matter, you know, you just need to just go through it. So I'm not, I'm definitely not, uh, I'm not a, you know, pro female in business and all that. It is what it is. You want it, you go and get it. You just need to work as hard. Um, has been a female student my way under no circumstances. I wouldn't let it. But that's my personality. So it just depends who you are. It's a hard one that, you know, because if you get a really good idea. But you, you're, you know, you're quiet and you're soft, but you're intelligent and, you know, that must be hard. I just don't have those characteristics, unfortunately. And I do meet people like that and I think good for you, you know, get, you know.

Speaker A: Yeah, it's, uh, it's very, it is. It's all down to who you are. And I think that that's empowering just to hear. It doesn't matter.

Speaker C: And the older you get, the tougher you get.

Speaker B: It's.

Speaker C: There's. There's no doubt about it, you know, and the more you see and the more mistakes you make and having. It's like the school of hard knocks, you know, as. And I know that's not. Not, you know, people don't want to hear that, but it's, it's true. You know, the older you get, the better you become. You. You make better decisions, you know, you've got better people in about you, especially when you start to make a bit of money because you can. The money allows, allows you to make better choices and you can hire better people. It's fact.

Speaker A: Love that. Love that. So just a couple more Questions? Sure. Right, so just to, to kind of pull back to. Obviously what we're trying to do with the BroadTech podcast is connect us to the rest of the world. We're not, we're not just this channel to speak to people in Scotland. We're actually speaking to people all over the world. We've seen great global audience engaging in this content who have been interested in what's happening, especially a lot of folk in the US which has been lovely and um, you know we just want to give someone a shout out that's in a different part of the world. So is there anyone that you want to give your global shout out to?

Speaker C: Yeah, there is M Raoul Ross. He's button so he's ah, like an ah, invoice finance product that's embedded in products in Australia. Um, and when I was out there somebody introduced me M to him. Um, and he was just a total free spirit, you know that you, you know I'm in a world, I know what I need to do in this world but quite m happy to give you some of my time and I'll talk to you and I'll let you talk to me which I think is fantastic. Cuz I suppose me looking at him I thought well he's made it, he's doing what he's doing his products embedded everywhere he'll be meeting, you know, he'll be making money, he's got good customers on there and he's done what he had to do and he's done all the graft. Um, but he was still wanted to speak to you. Could we work together? Is there any me could do together? Could I come to the uk? Could I do this? Could I do that? I'm going back, I want to come to Australia. Could I come here? You know so there was a I and I just thought he was brilliant and he was quite individual as well. He was like h. No, I quite liked him. I was like um, he's. And he's done it, you know, he's embedded his product and. Yeah, and it's there and it's functioning and it's working. I'm sure under the covers everybody talks about everybody's, you know it's manic and I'm sure it is all of that but it seemed as if it was just taking its stride. Quite like that.

Speaker A: Amazing. Yeah. Thank you so much Lynn. So just one last question for you.

Speaker C: Yeah.

Speaker A: If you can sum up your founder journey with one word, what would it be?

Speaker C: Mental.

Speaker A: Mental. Mhm. I think that says it all.

Speaker C: It does Good, bad. A ah good mental. A bad mental but absolutely mental. Every day is mental. Yeah, you just, you're just like. There's no other sophisticated way to say how a founder's journey is. Some days it's awesome, some days it's not so awesome. Uh, that's it. But yeah, it's mental day to day. Mental.

Speaker A: Well, thank you so much for coming on the Broadtech podcast Lynn. It's been a total joy having you here. We really, really appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

Speaker C: You're so welcome. Thanks for having me.

Speaker A: Thank you. And thank you to everyone who has been watching or listening. We really appreciate it. It would be super great. Grateful if you can share it. Follow us, uh, subscribe to the YouTube, all that great stuff and uh, we'll see you again on another episode in the future. Thank you so much everyone. Bye.