Alana Hurd Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Alana Hurd
Alana Hurd is todays guest, a lady who loves to “Start With Why” everyday, but that perhaps wasn’t always the case.
However as soon as I heard about her daily hustle and drive to achieve a dream not just for herself, but for eight complete strangers then I knew I had to have her on the show.
And so I did, back on episode 233 of Join Up Dots where we discussed the creation of her My Million To One programme whereby she was on a mission to raise one million pounds to provide housing for eight disabled children that she first met when volunteering in Africa.
She was asked to help whilst volunteering in the area and quickly approached a couple of local charities who agreed to help by adopting the children and providing them a home on the proviso that she found money every year to pay for the children’s home.
Seems simple, part of the start with why strategy?
Well throw into the mix money for all their needs, education and rehabilitation costs – and guarantee that the money would be provided for their lifetimes then it seems daunting to say the least..
So… she challenged herself to raise £1 million – enough to build the orphanage itself and then enough money to sit in a bank, so the centre can survive off the interest payments.
Now she has added even more charitable hustle and adventure into her life by starting Plucky Us, born from the people that she met previously
How The Dots Joined Up For Alana
As she says ” When I was setting up My Million To One programme I set out to network with other entrepreneurs. I expected to find a lot of other people who were positive & ambitious & trying something different but I didn’t: I just met a lot of people who weren’t like me at all and who didn’t really understand or want to help.
The people that did help me to build & promote it in the end were actors, adventurers, athletes, musicians (to name a few) and only scattered amongst them were there other people establishing similar businesses.
What EVERYONE had in common though was a positivity an ambitious outlook, determination, drive and a desire to be the best that they could be. They were all successful, outgoing people who helped others: people who both inspired and encouraged.
They did understand the start with why concept and why it was so powerful.
As MMTO grew, an organic community formed around it of these wonderful people. MMTO members had become friends and they were telling me about exciting projects that they were working on and I found myself CREATING CONNECTIONS between members (introducing them to one another, forwarding each other their proposals) when I saw how they could help each other achieve their chosen goals.
The members in question were often in different industries and sometimes different countries but – when presented with their hopes & dreams – it was clear how they could match & empower each other and MORE IMPORTANTLY I knew that they would also GET ON WELL because they were LIKE MINDED, OUTGOING PEOPLE.
So how did this lady come to find herself in Africa volunteering in the first place?
And why does she think that entrepreneurs in the business world, are unlikely to help in the same way as the creative folk are?
Well let’s find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Alana Hurd.
Show Highlights
During the episode we discussed such weighty topics with Alana Hurd such as:
How Alana walked into a world of business and health issues with all the naivety that she could muster, until realising that success comes by rest as much as hustle.
Alana shares the problems of building your mindset to look at No’s as just one more step closer to gaining the big Yes’s your business needs.
Why Start With Your Why is such simple advice, but one that so many people ignore until it is truly too late.
And lastly……..
We talk about connecting with the super successful without care, as more often than not they will bend over backwards to help you in your pursuit for success.
How To Connect With Alana Hurd
Return To Top Of Alana Hurd
If you enjoyed this episode with Alana Hurd why not check out other inspirational chat with Jack Canfield, Johnny FD and the amazing Christopher Lochhead
You can also check our extensive podcast archive by clicking here – enjoy
Audio Transcription For Alana Hurd Interview
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. join up dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK, David Ralph.
David Ralph [0:25]
Yes. Good morning, everybody. Good morning and welcome to join up dots. This is one I’ve got to get straight into the introduction because this is probably one of the most epic introductions that I’ve ever given because this lady is hustle, she’s got drive to achieve a dream not just for yourself, but for a complete strangers. That’s what it started with. When I last had her on the show. And back on episode 233 of join up dots. We discussed the creation of a million to one program whereby she was on a mission to raise 1 million pounds to provide housing but eight disabled children that she first when volunteering in Africa. Now she was asked to help whilst volunteering in that area and quickly approached a couple of local charities who agreed to help adopting the children and providing them a home on the proviso that she found money every year to pay for the children’s home same simple, well throw into the mix money for their needs, education and rehabilitation costs, and guarantee that the money will be provided for their lifetimes, when it seems daunting to say the least. And it was. So she challenged herself to raise 1 million and have to build the orphanage itself and then enough money to sit in a bank so the center could survive of the interest payments. Now it’s kind of spun a bit and she’s added even more charitable hustle and adventure into her life by starting plucky us born from the people that she had met previously in her last business. And she says when I was setting up my million to one program, I set out to network with other entrepreneurs, I expected to find a lot of other people who are positive and ambitious and trying something different. I didn’t, I just met lot of people who weren’t like me at all, and who didn’t really understand or want to help. The people that did help me to build and promote it. In the end were actors, adventurers, athletes, musicians, and only scattered amongst them were other people establishing similar businesses. What everyone had in common, though, was a positive ambitious outlook determination, drive and a desire to be the best that they could be. They were all successful, outgoing people who helped others, people who both inspire and encourage. And as my million to one grew, an organic community formed around you have these wonderful people. And these members have become friends. And they’re willing to tell me about exciting projects that we’re working on. And I found myself creating connections between members introducing them to one another, forwarding each other their proposals and when I saw how they can help each other achieve their chosen goals. I was the lady I was the lady in the middle. Now the members in question will often in different industries and sometimes different countries. But when presented with their hopes and dreams, it was clear how they could match and empower each other. And more importantly, I knew that they could get on well, because they were like minded outgoing people. Brilliant. So how did this lady come to find yourself in Africa volunteering in the first place? And why does she think that entrepreneurs in the business world are unlikely to help in the same way as the kind of creative folk the musicians and stuff? Well, let’s find out as we bring them to the show to start joining up? With the one and only Alana Hurd. Morning, Alana. How are you?
Alana Hurd [3:29]
I’m pretty good. That was amazing. It was long.
David Ralph [3:35]
I actually as I was whizzing through that I was actually skipping bits, because otherwise it would have been that was it. Thank you very much for being here, Atlanta. And off we go. But I’ve got so much I want to talk to you about because you are one of those brilliant people. But I would like to say and you’re probably say, Whoa, David is nowhere near. But I feel that I’m a friend of yours. And we’ve kind of connected even though you’ve only been on the show why before. And I think that is purely down to your your spirit and your your hustle you. You are there for other people more than the majority of people that I talked to who are pretty much in there by themselves.
Alana Hurd [4:14]
Wow, that is a big thing to say. I don’t know.
No idea if that’s true or not.
David Ralph [4:22]
But you a friend of mine all about your there for other people
Alana Hurd [4:25]
that I’m there for other people more than others? I don’t know. I chat to people a lot. And I like helping people out a lot. But I don’t I have no idea if I didn’t want anyone else. And we are definitely friends. That’s without question.
Oh, gosh, I don’t know.
I think I think you’d have to ask the people. I have no idea if that’s true.
David Ralph [4:46]
Well, I’ve been asking a lot of people because I’ve been interviewing about 1200 people over the last four years. And you are you’re a beacon, you’re a beacon because all you do something where To be honest, I we pull you along. I think to myself, it’s great what you’re doing, it’s brilliant. How the hell you going to make a living? What helps you not live in a cardboard box giving all your energies away for other people? So how do you actually build something that is like this, but actually keep the lights on?
Alana Hurd [5:19]
See, I learned to be a lot more business savvy when I since I was doing the last moment in one campaign back in 2014. That was a big lesson. So now I’m far more balanced in the way that I work. So plucky us is a UK nonprofit that you summed up really concisely actually, that was really nice. But so people pay me for the introductions and 80% of what they pay goes into a plucky money part that creates funding for them and their projects. But the other 20% goes to me so as plucky grows, I have more money for myself to exist and live. So it’s it’s social enterprise, it does a lot of good, but it also has that business aspect to it. And then with Emily’s mission heading off in the Campbell plan around the UK, in million Emily, I’m I’ve set that up very much. So there’s it’s for the two nonprofits is for Rocky and my money into one to achieve a million. But I’m working with 250 partners, and I bring on board at the minute who are helping me to fund the van and keep me on the road and make sure that I don’t die of starvation. So there is a more savvy aspect to it. And then I started out dream Hollywood back in 2014. If that makes sense?
David Ralph [6:31]
No, it does make sense. And so you you quite openly say dreaming the you kind of way into it naively.
Alana Hurd [6:38]
Yeah, I always intended I, my dream for making a million was that I would take as little of that as possible to survive while I did it. And I would kill myself to do it. And I would achieve this goal. And I would sacrifice everything. And I just got I got really ill because you can’t data not for a sustained period of time. And that was the more Li became, the more the venture suffered. And I learned that you don’t do that. And that you have to look after yourself if you’re going to be the the one that’s driving something because otherwise there’s nothing to drive it. So yeah, that was that was a big lesson learned. But it’s led on to why plucky is growing so successfully. And why the new relaunched my minions one swaps users is my course, is already making more money than the original ventures back in 2014. So yeah, it was a big lesson. It’s a lesson
David Ralph [7:34]
all of us, I think every single person. And if you’ve listened to join up dots, you know that I’ve been previous as well. We make ourselves Ill try to build something. And once you get to that point, when it’s really, you know, the box is opening, and they’re starting to work out what music to play. As they put you into the box, you think God, I’ve got to do something here. I’ve got to so and it’s all common sense, isn’t it? But some reason. All business owners, ladies and gentlemen seem to think that they are some superpower that can just keep on operating lower and lower on energy until something keeps in I don’t know why we do it.
Alana Hurd [8:12]
I think it’s slightly insane. I think it’s a culture that’s changing. I think Arianna Huffington had a lot to do with that, with how outspoken she’s been about the fact that those practices are quite outdated. Now. I think there’s a lot of people who are working more holistically, I suppose. So shorter hours, but more creatively combining intuition and mindfulness a lot with business. And personally for me, that’s bought me huge amount of success. And I stumbled into that as a way of getting better because I got so well, that actually it’s it’s made me a lot more money than working mega mega hours and never sleeping and starting to make decisions that were based a lot on panic and fear. Rather than stepping back and looking after myself and seeing what opportunities there were that I was missing when I was working on a clock, and I just had no time to think. But a lot of people, I think it is changing a lot of the people. So a lot of lucky members don’t work that way. A lot of numbers. working a lot more smart, smart ladies, I work a lot, a lot smarter about it. So yeah, I think there is a definite culture change that people are becoming aware that is just not a healthy way to live. And that it’s not, it’s not sustainable. In the long term,
David Ralph [9:24]
is it I do a month on a month off, this is my new new thing. But I have found I’ve just come out this the first day from my first month off. And I found that the majority of that month, I was bored. I didn’t know what to do with myself. And I know it’s right to rest. But you need to have something fun. And even saying to the wife, look, if we stay in the house, we’re just going to do healthy stuff. So we’ve got to go, we’ve got to run three. And she keeps on saying well, we can’t do it at the moment when the kids are in school and all that kind of stuff. How do you sort of separate yourself? So it isn’t work overtime, then what do you do when you’re not being heard super businesswoman.
Alana Hurd [10:06]
God, I have no idea. I’ve got two small dogs. And they really help because you have to get up and take them out. And they have to go for walks and the to the dogs, I had a really small but a lot of exercise. So that helps that forces me to go out. And then that gives me some balance. They’re really good because they demand attention, because dogs do. So they really help for balance. And other than that, gosh, I didn’t know it at the moment. It’s really funny that we’re having this conversation now. Because at the moment, I’m working longer hours than I have done for a long time. Because I’ve got this big deadline on the 20th pick up the van. So I’m putting all of these pieces into place that even even now I’m trying to make sure that I step back into balance. And sometimes I’ll take a morning off. And not I don’t know meditate for half an hour to make sure I feel like I’m making the right decisions. I’m not making decisions based on being frantic. So yeah, I just kind of try and create that balance. And then once I’m on the road in the van, it’s a lot easier to enjoy the sunrises and sunsets and have a bit of perspective on on what I’m doing.
David Ralph [11:15]
Did you think he stems from the fact of we go through school life where basically you got to be there at eight o’clock in the morning or nine o’clock in the morning. And then you leave at a certain time and you’ve got to do your homework. So you do your homework, and then you go into employment more often than not. And when we’re into that, we have to work for a living, and we haven’t got a choice of how we do it. And nobody ever says to you in corporate land. I tell you what Eliana, work out how much work you’ve got. And if you can do it in two days, we’re paying you for five but you can you know, get it. Nobody says that. It’s just that you have to fill up the time with tasks. Do you think that we’re sort of programmed into that?
Alana Hurd [11:57]
I think we are. I think it’s changing. Again, I think Brian, since bringing in those changes and being very public about it, and I think that because he’s doing it, he’s allowing other companies to follow. So I think there is this idea of changing that. Why should people look into a normal nine to five, if it’s less productive and as profitable for the company. So I think there is a culture change. And I think, Well, you know, yourself, so many more people are branching out into their own businesses, because they, they don’t want that life, people are starting to just choose a lifestyle, rather than a nine to five job. But I think that the education system you have in place doesn’t help to set you up for thinking creatively, I was very lucky with the school that I went to. But then from school, I went into television and television was amazing. But I worked from six in the morning till eight at night, often six days a week, and it becomes a bit insane. And then those hours become very normal. And that’s why I carried across into the campaign in 2014. But I just couldn’t sustain it for for the amount of time I was doing at Forbes and TV, you have breaks because you’re in between jobs for two or three weeks, you get that break. But it is it has become normalized, you work these longer hours. But yeah, as I was saying, I think it is changing. I think that’s a really good thing. It needs to change for people to start living healthier lives and their lives and, and not resentful lives where you look back and you spent most of your year doing something you didn’t want to do.
David Ralph [13:24]
And as you said, you can make more money doing it. And Batman said, that’s a journey, that’s a bridge, you’ve got to cross. And I do a lot of business coaching. Now I do a one month business coach. And the thing that I say to them all is I can show you how to do this stuff I can show you, but until you really believe is going to be difficult for you. You know, there’s the mindset bridge, you’ve got to cross to change your programming all the way through. But once you do it, you could never walk back. Could you could you go back alone. Now Could you go back into into TV and stuff were you doing in TV, what what type of programs.
Alana Hurd [14:02]
So I worked in drama for a long time, I was an assistant director, and then I crossed over into documentaries, and factual it was okay. It was what I thought I wanted to do all through school. And when I, the longer I worked, and I was in TV for seven years, the longer I realized that was amazing for other people, but it just wasn’t for me. But yeah, I agree with you that mindset is everything you’d have to. And that’s actually something that I changed within plucky us very recently back in the summer, because I found myself making these introductions for people. And some of them were just told us, like, could make someone a lot of money, someone who was just starting out, and I could introduce them to someone who is much further along the path but willing to work with them. And they would waste the opportunity. And it happened about a third of the time. And I realized that what was holding them back was their mindset. So I ended up completely remodeling lucky because I got really sick of that happening. And now there’s three coaching sessions a month that a free for members, with a money coach for a financial a strong financial position, mindset, and confidence in money, and then business and mindfulness. Because without that mindset, you’re screwed. It doesn’t matter what actions you take, you’re going to keep going back around in a circle until you make those changes within yourself. And you know that?
David Ralph [15:13]
Well, I do know that so so let’s jump into that. So you saw one person over there that was doing something, you saw somebody else over there and you thought my God, if I put the two of them, it’s going to be an explosion of positivity, this is going to be brilliant. But one person Ben didn’t really take it any further because I didn’t quite believe I had. What’s going for him? Would that be be about right?
Alana Hurd [15:36]
Yeah, I think so. I think that’s what happened. So there was someone won’t go into too much detail. Okay. You Casey ends up listening
David Ralph [15:45]
to this,
Unknown Speaker [15:46]
I can’t do it. He was.
Alana Hurd [15:49]
Yeah, so he was just starting out in the creative industry, the lady I was introducing him to was the most connected person that I know in the industry. And she was willing to help him connect with the people that put yourselves out the people that she knew and give his business a huge flying starts. And they connected a bit. And then I think she got really busy, she didn’t reply to an email once. And he dropped it. He didn’t try to chase or or check if she got the email or anything. And it was just an absolute golden no money up front huge opportunity for him to bring on these quite high level clients for no risk. And he didn’t pursue it. And I realized it was but I was speaking to him, I realized it was because something was holding him back. But I was it just couldn’t keep happening. It couldn’t. I couldn’t keep making these opportunities or creating opportunities for people and then seeing them wasted. So I realized that I needed to change was helping people to change their mindsets, first and foremost, so that when those introductions came about, and as opportunities came about, they made the most of them. Because that’s Yeah, if you don’t have my mindset, everything else falls apart. Ready?
David Ralph [17:03]
Oh, you mindset must have been pretty damn strong back in the my million to one because some of the people that you connected with, who actually were really supportive. And there’s a very famous mountain climber that people will know called Ralph. He’s, he’s very frightening. He’s renowned to be no thrills get to it and stuff was that not a scary person to reach out to and, and ask for help and connect with.
Alana Hurd [17:30]
I was really lucky with everyone who helped because
I, I’ve known Richie grant for a very long time. Because the the it’s obviously a Swazi charity. So he’s been incredibly supportive for years. And I knew a lot of people from TV was supporting me. So I was incredibly lucky to already have a level of credibility to encourage others to work with me. So I was really, really blessed in that way. And then it was much easier to reach out and actually so on our phones was something that kind of came to me which I was, I was really lucky. It was a gentleman called Chris watts, who runs a radio show and knows a lot of people in the adventure world and he’s just a lovely person. And he contacted me and said, Would you like me to ask if he’d be willing to do podcast Qa? The members can send in questions. So he helped me to set up and then surround alpha grade, which is really kind of in the Yeah, I was really lucky with a lot of the people were just really kind and really supportive. And what I was asking them to helpful was helping people who were with the previous my main smile was set up with is a swap. So everyone who donated got help to achieve their dreams because their donation was helping to build this dream home for the youngsters. So it was called a dream swap. So Sarah finds, for example, was answering questions for people who wanted to be adventurous and which the grant was answering questions from actors when he did a live q&a in London and Leon Taylor, the Olympic diver, a mentor, he was answering questions, people who wanted to go into the field of sport, so we’re all helping people within their industry. So I was really lucky that so many people came on board to offer advice ready.
David Ralph [19:14]
Let’s play some words. Now then we’re going to delve back into that because I think that that is a big competence boost having those people surrounding you, it really does sort of move you on. But of course, some people don’t have that. He’s Jim Carrey,
Unknown Speaker [19:27]
my father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
David Ralph [19:53]
Now, are you actually doing what you love Atlanta? Or are you doing what you feel you should be doing?
Alana Hurd [20:00]
Now Now I’m really lucky to be doing what I love. Lucky ass is plucky as massively fulfills a certain drive, I had a really big realization actually. And the credit really needs to go to cat files, if anyone wants to check it out. It’s cat files, calm the BYOB le s. Because she runs something called PR with heart. And she was an incredibly, incredibly successful marketing and PR executive working on massive projects. And then she got more and more interested in mindfulness. And now she provides courses and opportunities for people to really tap into their purpose and their drive and what it is that they that they really, really want to do under the surface, what rises up for them from their intuition and their subconscious rather than what they think they should be doing. And she did a group online group for plucky us a couple of weeks ago, and let the meditation I had a really big realization, which I think I knew beneath the surface, but really surprised me with the clarity that it came up, which was that I’m vegan as well, I became vegan back in 2014. And I realized that my main drives were not just to help humans. So I always knew I wanted to help people by opening up the yard. So everyone got a fair chance to achieve their potential. And it was the land that was lifting people up who had nothing to having a house and a home and health care. And the same chances as other people and was lucky is it’s helping people who don’t have connections or don’t have the right mindset or don’t have money to get the same opportunities as part of a community that creates that for them. But I realized through the band through monies mission, and what I’m doing now, and I have the pleasure coffee shop, is acting as a coffee shop promotions I sold as well, and the coffee shop is completely vegan. And I realized that actually my my purpose can recall it. But my drive I suppose my passion is spiritual quality for humans and animals are like that everyone should have that chance as sentient beings as opposed to have like to live life on their terms and have the chance to live life their own way. So that’s really that was that became really clear for me. And now I’m really lucky that that’s how Millie’s mission is set up. And that’s what I’ll be doing. From 30th of November is being on the road, fulfilling it passions, and I brought in a lot of vegan companies to work with, and a lot of really ethical companies to work with, he was selling through the van, and that’s what’s covering my expenses on the road.
David Ralph [22:33]
There’s a way you did you, you basically, you knew your wife, your wife came to the fore. And once you once you get back, a lot of business is quite easy. I you know, I talked to a load of people. And certainly in the early days of business, you know, I’m not going to put my hands up and say, Oh, well, I was a genius. I just sort of kept on going moving through getting clearer and clearer and clearer. And once you become clear on why you’re doing stuff, lot of your marketing becomes obvious, your branding becomes obvious, all the kind of stuff that you you feel that you’re setting your store now for everyone. You don’t need to you just have to niche down niche down niche down and be right. You don’t you?
Alana Hurd [23:15]
Yeah, I think so. Another thing that the cat talked about in her group, that a lot of the members who attended found really useful, she talks about your channel of how you’re going to make here make your purpose or your vision, I suppose happened. So for example, the business that you want to achieve, how do you make that happen. And again, it was meditation LED, as she’s really just mindfulness, letting yourself go still and seeing what just comes up without overthinking it. And she was really kind of hot on that everyone has a channel that’s right for them. And maybe that changes over time. But you have a channel that’s right for you in that moment, or whether that’s speaking to people in person or being on social media or being in the press or writing articles, you have something that you’re very attuned to in that time that will make your building your business or achieving your goal for easier. And I have found that in the last couple of weeks, that I’ve found that to be the case. So yeah, I think that if you kind of take the time to step back, and just trust, which was something that I did not know how to do back in 2014 at all. Things like can come together in a way that they just in my very limited experience. Don’t. If you’re frantic and overthinking everything, if that makes sense.
David Ralph [24:34]
It makes total sense. And I totally, totally understand but because every amazing idea that I’ve ever had in my business is generally when I’m on holiday. Yeah. And I’m just strolling around thinking things and bam, boom. And literally my my business since August, has transformed massively, just from this one idea that came to me as I was walking around Disneyland in Orlando. And looking at things and and it was just like, it’s bad all the time. But like trying to force things over time and getting on your, your WordPress site and thinking you’re going to make this sexy, and that looks good. And your sales funnel in the lead pages and all that kind of stuff. You’re just basically papering over the simplicity, which is business. And the simplicity is have you got something that somebody wants? Where are they? And yeah, you know, that’s how I see it. Now, I don’t see cleverness required in business. But I do see that you have to walk away and just allow your brain tears or bring those ideas, which is probably be why you have good ideas and above as well.
Alana Hurd [25:41]
Yeah, I think it’s absolutely true. I think it’s, I mean, there must be a lot of people who, who successful who don’t think that way. But it certainly didn’t work for me. And the people that I know, who are the most successful, take a lot of time off and allow themselves that space now trying to bring stuff together and that energy levels are so high, because they have that balance. And it’s Yeah, me I think that’s the real truth.
David Ralph [26:08]
But you love Ben, you you love that the most successful people take the most time off. So it’s still kind of in our brain. It still seems strange, doesn’t it?
Alana Hurd [26:19]
Yeah, I suppose it does. I suppose.
Chinese as an example, that springs to mind, but there isn’t a minute. Oh, yes, there is. Okay. So Junior, open, yummy, who’s a really super successful, very young, UK entrepreneur who’s helped me enormously I met him through my minions one in 2014. And he’s a plucky partner, and he runs the money mindset group for plucking members. And he also helps black members with a strategy set strategy session for their business, on a one off on one of opportunities, and he’s amazing. And he, I say he December have to reach out. Because that’s what makes that’s what makes it his life the most profitable, so that he can start the new year with with high energy. And he works incredibly sensibly and that way. And there he is. He’s just so happy and so balanced and very, very, very successful. And very generous with his time as well, helping a lot of lucky members. So yeah, it does work.
David Ralph [27:25]
He certainly does. And I’ve been proof of that, you know, I feel better, I feel more energized, better idea. It’s more and more profitable just simply because it is, as I say it’s not a hairy, scary. It’s just a clearly defined, I know exactly what I’m doing for the next year. And if something doesn’t fit into that, I think to myself, well, do I need it? And the other thing I don’t know about you, Ilana, I don’t allow anyone to speak to me just because they want to, you know, I don’t I get that a lot on LinkedIn. When people say, oh, have you got time for a virtual coffee? Go? Can we just connect? And I I don’t respond to any of them? Which is that holding me back? Because you are sort of a networking is your network, you are a connections person? Should? In your view? Should I allow more people to connect with me? Or should I stay protective of my time?
Alana Hurd [28:16]
That’s, that’s really tricky. Because I know a lot of people who made the decisions that you do. I don’t either. I don’t know if that’s the right thing or the wrong thing. I always I love people getting in touch because you never know where it could go. And I love sitting in coffee shops and sparking random conversations with people, because it always brings me an amazing opportunity. So I’ll check our chat to anyone really, and I’m really open. But at the same time, I think that that probably cost me a lot of time. For the times it doesn’t work out. But then other times it does an amazing and maybe it’s also because and TV. It’s a very ruthless industry, but at the same time, because it’s hard. Everyone helps everyone. So there’s a lot of people who lift you up. And I have a friend of mine who was he gave me my second job in TV on the bill. And I was just starting out. And he’s still a really good friend. And he always passed on work to me while I was in drama for four years. And and then I think of everyone who helped me. So rich, the grant, Leon Taylor, the Olympian who’s now plucky, his patron, I just connected with him through LinkedIn, and he had no reason to help me. We had one mutual friend, but that was it. But he has been so kind and so supportive and helped me so much. So I suppose that for me, every time someone reaches out to me, I feel that I should respond. Because people have been so good to me. And you never know where it could go.
David Ralph [29:53]
But when you go the other way you go to say Richard de gran, or whatever. And you don’t know that most people out there, I would say, would go, Oh, I can’t do that. I’ve got no value to provide to him. I’ve got no, you know, how did you do that to Liam Taylor to say, you know, this isn’t just a spammy approach. Because the world is full of spammy approaches, I get so many things that even though they’re just trying to sell me something, how did you do that to actually provide the value? Because that’s what I say, with networking, provide the value first, before you ever expect anything back?
Alana Hurd [30:25]
I know, I know. Gosh, I don’t know. Since this is, in a really unusual way to know what I can’t remember exactly how reached out to me. And I remember it was on LinkedIn, I think I might have just asked to connect and then struck up a conversation and said, This is what I’m doing. And if you would be at all interested in hosting a q&a, but no worries, if not, but really, I think really, to be honest, the credit comes down to Leon, and how nice he was. I don’t think that I did anything particularly right. I just think that he’s a very, very nice person. Richie grant, again, I we had a we had a kind of mutual connection, I suppose. Whereas he went to a school in Swaziland called Woodford County, Florida. And I was a volunteer. They’re linked with my boarding school in the UK. So it was the headmaster who passed on a message for me, initially, and I just wanted to reach the grant had just written his book, worldwide diaries about his making the film Wallah, his directorial debut and his story in Swaziland. And I was just about to go out and film a documentary in Swaziland to fundraise for this children’s ward, which was kind of how the lot like this kind of led to the 2014 campaign a long time later, but I just messaged a message to said, Dear Richard, I would really love any advice that you could offer. And for me, as well as land and read your book, I was really useful. And he replied on my straightaway with loads of really great advice. And then when I got back, not him to thank him. And certainly it was incredibly good advice. It was really helpful while I was out there. So I emailed him to say, thank you. And I said, I was sending a copy of a documentary, when I finished it really short, just 10 minutes. And he replied, and offered to narrator for free, it was all it was him, it was his kindness. So I think that I was just incredibly lucky to to be met with such openness by these people. But the rule that I kind of live by is just to be honest. So I’m, for example, I’m cold calling I suppose doesn’t live partner companies bring on the last partners, feminist mission for what I’m doing. And I’m just being incredibly open and saying, This is my crazy idea. And it is you might think it’s completely mental. But there is it works. And these are the people I’m working with. And some people say no, but actually, a lot of the people say yes, and and, and my conversion rates for cold calling are incredibly high. But I think it’s just because I’m being really honest and saying, look, if you don’t like the idea, it’s fine. And it is coming you mental, but this is how I’m going to make money. And so you’re going to make money and do you fancy doing some good together, and people are responding. But I think I’m just I don’t know, I just live in by the by a rule of just be really honest and be yourself. And some people like it, some people don’t
David Ralph [33:16]
doing the numbers as well on you, you know, you’re making the calls. You’re not just doing one and go, Oh, it didn’t work.
Alana Hurd [33:22]
Now I’m really like burning, burning, burning, burning. So if anyone feels like working with me is listening to this, please get in touch. Because there’s a few is the last few spaces. For the 14th of November, the products are looking for ethical companies to work with anyone with a kind heart. But yeah, I’m making a lot of calls. And no, not all of them work out. And some people cut me off within a couple minutes and just say, Oh, this isn’t for me, or I think what you’re doing is insane. Okay, I’m and actually on LinkedIn, I, I don’t have any real success on LinkedIn, by Leon, and a few other people. Leon LinkedIn, like, that doesn’t seem to be my platform, I didn’t get a good response rate on it. I think I’m a bit too. I don’t know, unusual or a bit too up front, maybe there seems to be a kind of rules of etiquette on LinkedIn that I do not fit into. I know other people do. And I
David Ralph [34:14]
think why you don’t fit into that, to be honest with you is, when you look at your profile, I come across a lot to sort of look at what you’re doing and stuff. It’s not clear. It’s it’s kind of I’m not really sure what you’re bringing to the table once you come. burst review and you understand, you know, exactly, but people need to actually, it’s like a newspaper, isn’t it? It’s bad, the highlights reel, and your LinkedIn profile doesn’t scream out exactly. Within three seconds what you’re all about?
Alana Hurd [34:45]
Oh, that’s very interesting. Maybe it’s something I should look at. And yeah, that’s you that that’s where I don’t have skill at all. Some people are amazing at that. I’ll tell you, you are you’re very good on on LinkedIn, and your profile is very clear. On I’m not amazing online, but I’m very good in person, hence that heading out and ending in person.
David Ralph [35:06]
Yeah, I changed my LinkedIn LinkedIn profile a lot. Yeah, I keep on changing it. And what I do, I change it, and I see how many messages I get through. And then I change it again, and it gets less, and then I change it back. You know, I’m constantly looking at my profile, which is bizarre, because most people that come through to me, I don’t actually, you know, connect with them anyway. But it’s a great way of promotion, and just a few words here and bear. Because ultimately, you know, LinkedIn is a search engine. And it’s SEO. And if you put the right things in bear, but people are searching for it brings you to the fore, people aren’t going to find somebody that is an invisible entity without much information on there. But if you think about keywords that people search for, it’s a great way of bringing up so I used to do a lot of podcast training in the early days. And so if you look at my profile, most of it is scattered. We podcaster training, podcast coaching podcast based podcast back, which means that anybody looking for somebody will naturally find me. Now I don’t do much of that anymore. Funnily enough, even though I am a podcaster. by trade. It’s it still is it’s a search engine. Everything online, I say to people is a search engine. If you go onto iTunes, it’s a search engine. If you go into Google, if you go into Yahoo, everything is information. And we need a way to find that information. And so that’s that’s what I just look at it, I look at it and think to myself, how can I give them a free second overview because people are busy. give myself as many options of being found and I just scattered the right word for it.
Alana Hurd [36:43]
Sounds really small. I don’t think like that. I think that I really should learn how to, but it’s it’s obviously a skill that you have naturally that I just do not. I think yeah, it’s very valuable, is very valuable. And I think it’s a I should laugh. Probably quite soon.
David Ralph [37:03]
Yeah, well, is it the key thing, Eliana, it’s not about us? It’s about what people are looking for? You know, so you’ve got to think about why would somebody want to connect with me, and more often than not, is because they want something from you that that’s that’s why they do it. So mine was quite easy. People wanted to learn how to podcast, so I scattered it around yours would be something else that you would build into either connections or a win win, whatever, you know, everybody’s got their own personal requirement for LinkedIn. But I think it’s hugely powerful. You know, I don’t go into Facebook at all about the messenger. Because I just think it’s, it’s doesn’t work for me. I go to LinkedIn, I go on to the platforms that bring people into my business easily. And that’s one of the things that I think, is very, very good, because people are serious, serious on LinkedIn, it’s not a lot of old city stuff, is it?
Alana Hurd [37:54]
Life, that’s true.
I think I finally tend to slightly too serious for me, though. I thought I read out Twitter. Twitter’s always worked really well, for me. Actually, I brought on the majority of people who donated for the last campaign back in 2014. A lot of them came from Twitter. And I can build I built credibility very quickly on Twitter, because which the grant and Leon and other people tweeted about what I was doing. So obviously, made it real, because I couldn’t possibly be faking it. So yeah, I think that’s Twitter is where I
slightly better than LinkedIn, I think
David Ralph [38:36]
what we’re saying in this episode, before we start sort of bringing to an end really is but the way to build a business is really understand your why. Otherwise, if you’re just going after money, more often than not, it’s the wrong money. And he just sort of kills you. Once you know your why build your whole business around the decisions that bring back to you, but allow you to have free time as well. Nobody wants to business but ultimately becomes a prison. And you can’t escape from it. And it’s just 24. Seven, but then take you are being honest, authentic real. And if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t do the numbers.
Unknown Speaker [39:15]
Yeah, I think so.
Alana Hurd [39:18]
Yeah, I think the Y is really important. And I think Don’t overthink each decision. I think impulse. I think a lot of people in our business culture, corporate culture, maybe a taught to think and really examine each decision. And the impulse can be a negative thing. I don’t think impulse is a negative thing, I think it can actually be your intuition, or your subconscious does notice stuff a lot quicker and not passed on to your consciousness. Yeah, but is nudging you in the right direction. And I’ve had a lot of success from impulse decisions that have brought up opportunities or results that I hadn’t expected. So I’m a big believer and kind of trust, it’s taken me a long time to learn and build the habit interest in it. But now, if you those impulse, conversations or actions have provided me a lot more success, provided you’re doing what you’re really passionate about in the first place. Because denying I think there is a there is a flow, there is something to flow. Now the athletes discusses and this talks about as a slightly mystical thing, but it is there. And you can do some business. Everything is flows and everything is
David Ralph [40:27]
Yeah, is I was mentoring a lady last night down in New Zealand. And she was saying, basically, she’s got a business and she’s trying to find ways of bringing clients to a business is all about. And she said, Yeah, I was looking at this guy. And I was just thinking about him. And I was thinking, you know, wouldn’t it be interesting just to have a conversation with him? Because where he comes from, I recognize a lot of people, you know, that would want my service? And I said, So why didn’t you do it? And she said, Well, it was just the kind of full that went through my mind. And I said, actually a subconscious screaming at you, you know, actually a business plan, because that seems brilliant to me, if he knows people will want your service when speak to him and see how you get there. But she hadn’t. It was just a throwaway forward. She hadn’t defined it, she kind of almost felt like she had to have it down on a spreadsheet and written down. But it takes us back again to being in the bath, doesn’t it?
Alana Hurd [41:20]
Yeah, yeah. And actually the
mindfulness, online group response monthly, plucky is really important, because it allows people that time to do exactly that to dig and not just the time but the permission, as part of a group to be really still and a lot of this group is very successful. What makes a really successful business people are people just starting out, the ad himself who runs the group is very successful. And this is the path that he has chosen through which to do it. So it works. So you can have that faith in this process. And he just allows you the stillness and the end the kind of piece to tap into what you might not have been listening to and see what comes up. It’s really effective, really, really effective. That it I think it’s becoming a lot more mainstream now people are starting to incorporate it more as something that’s permissible, I suppose in our society a lot more than it was. And I think that’s really great.
David Ralph [42:16]
Let’s play some words. Now that kind of tie into that having that intuition, having that faith, just trusting something more than ourselves, is Steve Jobs.
Unknown Speaker [42:25]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards. 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference. He knew it didn’t mean he knew start with why and work outwards.
Alana Hurd [43:05]
He did I really like that. That speech I listen to the quite a lot. Yeah. Yeah, he does a Will Smith talks about it a lot, is becoming a lot more mainstream than it was to have that faith and that trust in your intuition and those decisions. And that that’s okay, that you don’t have to be the same as everyone else. And a lot of people are starting to decide the following their passion is okay. Having your own business is okay, doing this dying out on your own is okay. It’s not the crazy thing that it used to be if it’s a lot more acceptable. Now, if that makes sense.
David Ralph [43:42]
It makes total sense. And you can’t be more not even starting a podcast and trying to make money from it. You know, really, because it’s a kind of thing, but how do you make money from it? And I still get people saying to me all the time, but how are you supporting your family? And I say, I’m supporting them very well, thank you very much. But it’s it’s very difficult. Explain all the different elements that come into it. My my dad, my dad still can’t get it is still sort of things, but it’s just a phase I’m going through. And I say to him, you know, but why would I go back? Yeah, but you’ve got stability, you’ve got stability, if you get a job. Now I haven’t died. This is stability. This is my own decision. Everything I do build something stronger and stronger around me that can’t be taken away. I don’t understand he’s mentality. But of course, it’s old style, isn’t it Alana Hurd?
Alana Hurd [44:28]
But back then his generation, it was your job was stability, you could have a job for life, it was a lot more stable than it is now where I still speak to a lot of people who left school went to uni, and then did a graduate kind of graduate internship, I suppose in the company and investor with the same company. And they think that entrepreneurs need to go out on their own completely mental and what about the risk? And don’t you want to win if you lose the business? What if it doesn’t work, but it never seems to occur to them, that their job could go like that? Yeah, it could just be taken from them any minute. And a lot of them aren’t prepared for that at all. There’s no savings, they’re building a lifestyle and jr talks about it a lot in the money group, he does have lucky people, a lot of the people who who have these jobs in these lifestyles, live up to the max of the lifestyle, live up to the master income, with a complete faith that this job is always going to be there. And then they’re completely shocked to know the world is rocked when it suddenly goes and it can go any second there is no, we we choose to believe in this industry instability in this kind of promising a company that isn’t there anymore. So actually, I think that what you’re doing, as you already know, carving your own path, building your own chances for success is a far safer option. Now in my in my opinion, just my opinion,
David Ralph [45:54]
was my opinion as well. It’s difficult to get there, you’re going to have trials and tribulations stumbling Bose. Bye, bye, bye reaching out to somebody who’s been there before, you know that the world is there to help. It really is and people want to see you sort of reach out and and and just you know as Depeche Mode said reach out and grab it for whatever they said. And and that’s that’s what it all is. It’s just getting the faith putting it into your body and then doing stuff. And the action will become something and then the magic occurs. And it really does as it has with yourself as as with me, and hopefully so many more people out there. So if we reference a Steve Jobs beach again, what what would be your sort of big doctor when it became sensible to you, as you say the last time he was on the show, he was almost drunk, driving yourself into the ground. But now it’s become what you want. And it’s under your control. Do you remember when that really occurred to you?
Alana Hurd [46:52]
God no.
It’s it’s been a gradual to be honest. I’ve been learning every step of the way. And I don’t I think that’s the biggest thing I learned from the previous campaign was in a lot of ways it was very successful. And I ended up having Q and A’s with Toronto fines as we mentioned, and Jools Holland is really kind and Liana Rushdie grant and Jason Fleming and Richard he founded headspace that’s now massive. So I was really lucky, I got to work with these people. But I didn’t hold anything back for myself. And also the one of the main kind of fills the model I set up then was there was no adaptability, it was locked in stone. So when plucky came about and lucky came about, I deliberately started it as a hobby to see if it would work. And then I built on it, but it’s changed four or five, six times the model until it’s got to this point. And I suppose that’s, that’s the thing that the biggest lesson that I’ve learned is to always be adaptable Emily’s mission going off in, in the campaign and having it as the coffee shop, or the merchandise store, the coffee shop idea came from someone else that came on board, from one of the first partners who came up was a coffee partner, just because he was really, he was really great. But it wasn’t even a coffee shop, then that was that wasn’t the idea. And then it’s like, what should we be in coffee shop? But yes, absolutely. And that, for me, it’s about adaptability and growth and not being close to ideas and just constantly looking for where you can make more money where you can make it more concise, where you can make it easier for all flows better.
But yeah, adaptability. I suppose that makes sense.
David Ralph [48:26]
It makes total sense that I kind of almost knew you were gonna give me the answer. I haven’t got it find moment. It just little things that occur and and you saw life proceed for. And it is strange when you look at stuff. And you think, Wow, how did I get here, because it’s all it’s all our action. It’s all our decision. It’s all our hustle. But you kind of look at it one day, and you think this is actually real, this isn’t a hobby anymore, this is proper thing. But you can’t remember all the pieces you put together to build it, you can remember some, but it’s it must be like having a baby I was being it must be like having a baby where women forget the pain. And they just have this beautiful thing. And I think with businesses like that you get to a point where you you almost want to say to people, I’ll just go ahead and do it. It’s brilliant. It’s easy. But of course it’s not. And that’s not what this show is about it is hard, isn’t it
Alana Hurd [49:20]
is hard. It’s really hard. And you have to keep believing, and you have to keep not taking anything personally, I think that’s a really big thing. Don’t take me personally, people can really go after a client or go after customers and be so upset when it doesn’t work out. But I think something you have to learn is that maybe they’re just not the right person. For your business there. Maybe they’re not the right person to buy for maybe the the next person is the perfect person. And you have to start accepting that maybe that’s the case. And again, that’s trust. Maybe it’s okay that they didn’t buy it. Maybe that’s okay. They didn’t like your idea. And then you stumble across something he was perfect. But you wouldn’t have had the opportunity if the first person had said yes. So I think it’s Yeah, a lot about kind of finding your way and finding your path. And keeping on that and just keep on keeping on. That’s what everyone says is no,
David Ralph [50:09]
keep on keeping on absolutely, as I do on this show. And I do the same thing literally every time. So I keep on keep on saying to people, this is the part of the show when we’re going to send you back in time to have a one on one with your younger self. And if you could go back in time and speak to the Atlanta that was on the show last time on episode 233. What kind of advice would you give her? Well, I’m going to play the theme. And when it fade Europe, this is the Sermon on the mic.
Alana Hurd [51:00]
So advice to my younger self would be take a lot more time off. trust your intuition have a lot more fun. Go for those big creative ideas. Believe that anything’s possible contact the people who you think could say no, ask for the big money Don’t be afraid to ask for the big money. And just keep going and keep enjoying it and have fun first and foremost because with fun comes wealth of every sort. That the minute you start stressing and you start panicking, everything shuts off everything closes down. So take time off look after yourself have a lot of fun and the rest will happen I love
David Ralph [51:37]
Allah alone our body listeners wants the best way that people can connect with you.
Alana Hurd [51:42]
Oh yes please can connect to me the more people the better. So the best way is so my three o’clock Yes, the website is my email is Alana Hurd at plucky com PL UC ky us.com I pick up the mass constantly on the phone give me a call if you want to be involved in Emily’s mission in any way, which is the capital and that’s driving around the UK as the coffee shop vegan coffee shop and merchandise store and mobile office raising money for my money into one the homeless yc land and building plucky said thousands of people can have the funding and the introductions and the help to achieve their goals because everyone deserves it. So the best number if anyone wants to get in touch and chat about being involved is Oh 75020087245. But gosh, I’ve chatted about minis mentioned so much online that if you just look that up, there’s got to be there somewhere. So yeah, that’s probably the best way to get involved.
David Ralph [52:43]
And we will have all the links on the show notes to make it as easy as possible. Alana Hurd, thank you so much for spending time with us today joining those dots and please come back again when you’ve got even more dots to join up and I know you will be back on the show, as I believe at my joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to be good afternoon. Alana Hurd, thank you so much.
Alana Hurd [53:02]
Thank you It’s been so lovely was really nice to reconnect.
David Ralph [53:08]
alone I heard I adore Alana Hurd I really do. She’s just so lovely in so many different ways. And she’s building a business that helps people and that’s that they’re the best businesses when you can help people. Obviously make a living for yourself. And as we heard on the show, it’s quite easy to help people and end up in a cable box yourself. That’s the balance. That is the put your mask on first when it drops down. And then you know, build your business up from that point onwards. But people don’t. People generally don’t they set themselves off and they burn the midnight can do as I say until things get to a dodgy position. But it doesn’t need to be it really doesn’t need to be. Until next time. Thank you so much or listening if you as I’ve been mentioning through the shows, if your interest in starting your own business and don’t know where to start me just send this message on an email show us your interest. And I will connect with you and see if it’s something that we can help you and support you. But until next time, if you will bring us your ears again, I will appreciate that. And I will be here with my mouth, my mouth and your ears was a perfect combination. Until next time, see ya. Bye bye.
Outro [54:24]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you are wants to become so he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to join up dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on join up dots.
