SheCanCode's Spilling The T
Embracing the start-up journey and the crazy passion to build
Join us for an inspiring episode where we delve into the exhilarating world of startups!
Tune in as Sophie Brown, Commercial Director, Flowlio and Katie Fradley, Product Development Director, Flowlio, share their unique journeys, the challenges and triumphs of building a startup, and their crazy passion for innovation and growth. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business professional, this episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiration to fuel your own startup dreams.
Sophie is a trailblazing figure in the tech industry known for her dedication to fostering inclusivity and diversity. Sophie is a passionate advocate for women in tech, working tirelessly to inspire the next generation through school and college initiatives. With a stellar track record in sales and account management, Sophie has generated millions in revenue and nurtured lasting client relationships, ensuring customer retention and success.
Katie's love of technology has driven her to play a crucial role in developing innovative software products for healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With her extensive project management and business change consultancy experience, Katie has been instrumental in shaping Flowlio's SaaS platform. She has also channeled her expertise into creating the rapid Project Fundamentals training course, designed to complement the new system.
SheCanCode is a collaborative community of women in tech working together to tackle the tech gender gap.
Join our community to find a supportive network, opportunities, guidance and jobs, so you can excel in your tech career.
Join us for an inspiring episode where we delve into the exhilarating world of startups!
Tune in as Sophie Brown, Commercial Director, Flowlio and Katie Fradley, Product Development Director, Flowlio, share their unique journeys, the challenges and triumphs of building a startup, and their crazy passion for innovation and growth. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business professional, this episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiration to fuel your own startup dreams.
Sophie is a trailblazing figure in the tech industry known for her dedication to fostering inclusivity and diversity. Sophie is a passionate advocate for women in tech, working tirelessly to inspire the next generation through school and college initiatives. With a stellar track record in sales and account management, Sophie has generated millions in revenue and nurtured lasting client relationships, ensuring customer retention and success.
Katie's love of technology has driven her to play a crucial role in developing innovative software products for healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With her extensive project management and business change consultancy experience, Katie has been instrumental in shaping Flowlio's SaaS platform. She has also channeled her expertise into creating the rapid Project Fundamentals training course, designed to complement the new system.
SheCanCode is a collaborative community of women in tech working together to tackle the tech gender gap.
Join our community to find a supportive network, opportunities, guidance and jobs, so you can excel in your tech career.
Hello everyone. Thank you for tuning in Again. I am Katie Batesman, the Content Director at she Can Code, and today we are discussing embracing the startup journey and a crazy passion to build. Today we're going to delve into the exhilarating world of startups With me today. I've got the fabulous Katie Fradley, product Development Director, and the wonderful Sophie Brown, commercial Director, both from Flolio, and they're here to share their unique journeys and challenges and triumphs of building a startup and their crazy passion for innovation and growth. Welcome, ladies. Thank you so much for joining us on Spilling the Tea today.
Speaker 2:Great to be here.
Speaker 3:We're so excited to be here.
Speaker 1:I know you're both really busy, ladies, and thank you for coming on and sharing your story with our community. Our ladies are going to absolutely love hearing all about your journeys and working at a startup and your crazy passion for building. So let's kick off with a bit of background, if that's OK. A bit of context about both of you. Katie, should we start with you? A little bit about you, how you got into tech and how you ended up at Flowlio?
Speaker 3:Sure, so I'm not from a tech background. Originally, I did biology at university, um, and I quickly realized in my final year that I did not like being in the lab seven days a week, um, so I decided after graduating that I needed to do something else. I followed what I enjoyed and I enjoyed projects, and my first role was actually in a pharmaceutical company and I was doing project management and they asked me to sort out a project that was involved in designing and developing a complaints handling system for a customer service team. So I got involved in this, my first IT project, and I absolutely loved it, and from there on forth, I knew that I wanted to be in tech projects, and the rest is history. So, honestly, it's probably my best advice for anyone who actually doesn't know what they want to do is to follow what they enjoy and you will end up in the right place.
Speaker 1:yes, I love that. I love that you didn't start in tech, that you fell into tech, which a lot of ladies say that they fall into tech. I fell into tech, and so most of our community, um, and also that you, you know you went into something that is not highly technical which is wonderful as well and that people can come into tech and have great careers. Our community love to hear that all the time, 100%.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you can learn along the way. I'm still learning today. You can learn from other people and I think other people appreciate if you're interested and ask questions, and each year you'll learn more and more and more.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, and I'm assuming as well, when, when you went into project management, that it's more about communication and soft skills rather than coding, and everything that you think comes with a career in tech, that misconception that tech is techie.
Speaker 3:Definitely. I think there's a taboo around tech that you need to know all the ins and outs of computers and technology. Absolutely not. You can go in with those soft skills and develop from there. And I said, you learn without even realizing and you've got all these acronyms and before you know it you know you're in these technical meetings and you're understanding what people are saying.
Speaker 1:Yes, which sounds quite daunting. So for yourself, how, what? What is your background? How did you end up at Flolio? Um? Did you, did you have a similar career route? What, what happened?
Speaker 2:uh, slightly different. So, um, I dropped out of university after three months, um, and I was a fresh teenager going into the working world. I didn't really know what I wanted to do. My dad always worked for himself. I always looked up to him and he's a wheeler dealer and I was like, right, I could go and sell something. I was like, whatever it is, I can go and do it.
Speaker 2:Um, and I got a job in a tech company. I was up against other grads but they picked me, I think, just because I was so blooming, tenacious and passionate about it and I basically said I'll go in there and beat all the boys on the sales team, um, which I kind of did, actually, but I was the youngest there and I was also the only woman, so it was a heavily male dominated industry. Um, I did that for a few years and I got headhunted for a job in Manchester. So I moved up to the northwest incredible for tech opportunities. I've worked at some really, really interesting, I'd say, tech companies in in in the northwest.
Speaker 2:Um, I took a short hiatus from that this is a very kind of left wing but I went on a television show called Married at First Sight for a short period of time and then I got straight back into my tech career. So it brought me to here Flolio, which, yeah, we've been building the business for the last like year and a half and I came on board about nine months ago. But, yeah, super passionate to be here and it's been a bit of a journey. But, yeah, tech so interesting and I've learned so much over the years I've been in technology through commercial roles, partnership roles, strategic roles, everything really.
Speaker 1:I love that Another lady that fell in tech but also that you went to university and thought you know what? This isn't for me, and that is also lovely to hear, because so many young people nowadays think I have to go to university, I have to have that degree and actually, if it's not working for you, there are lots of different ways to get in. And your thought was just I'm going to be all the sales boys at this company and I'm just going to do well anyway.
Speaker 2:So why not Exactly that?
Speaker 1:There are a lot of young people that have to make that decision. Should I go to university or not go to university? I suppose there are ups and downs for for everything and the subjects you pick and and also the experiences along the way. But yeah, so interesting to hear that you just thought this isn't for me and I'm going to go for a career in tech instead, and still have been very successful with a change, a change of route into the tech industry anyway, which is what I love our ladies love to hear you don't have a traditional route in.
Speaker 1:You don't have a traditional route in, you don't have to take a computer science degree either and feel like that's your only way into the tech sector. You just went in with tenacity and was like I'm just going to beat everybody, why not? So you covered a little bit about your motivation, how you both fell into the tech industry and how you got started. Can you tell me a little bit about what inspired you both to join Flolio and contribute to its growth? Was there something about that company that just kind of you looked at it and thought I just really want to be a part of that story.
Speaker 3:Well, um, I just it's an interesting question because, um, I was originally part of one consulting which, uh, ceo steve um owned, and I was brought into the company in project management, but also on the side, he had this idea in his head of creating um, flow leo um.
Speaker 3:At the time, obviously it wasn't called flow leo um, and because I I had done all these projects on working on systems, developing systems, of course I said yes, 100%, and um, we then spent one, one day a week, which wasn't a lot of time, really mapping out the process of the system and how it would all join together. So I guess I was, I was there from the beginning, um, and I want to be there till the end, um, so, yeah, I, I love that and I I want to see it grow. So when Sophie joined, it got even better. Um, sophie is my colleague, but also she's my friend. Now we're friends outside of work and I think that makes such a good partnership as well. Like when I go to work, it's not just about growing the product, it's growing our internal relationships as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And as a team, you become so loyal to each other as well. We think you know what. I just really want this to work, not just because of the company, but because of the team around me and the fact that you have those relationships.
Speaker 3:One hundred percent. I think we hold each other up day in, day out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so for yourself. Why did you want to join Flolio? What was it about it that you thought I really want to be part of that and contribute to its growth?
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I mean it's so exciting to think about because, as Katie said, it wasn't Flolio when I was involved and obviously it was being developed and the software was being developed, but we didn't have a name. So since I came on board, we literally were like brainstorming names, doing the logo, like we've literally done this from inception to where it is today.
Speaker 3:The name was hard, wasn't it so?
Speaker 2:The name was so hard we had so many sessions because we didn't have a.
Speaker 2:We didn't have an office before. We're now in an office space, but we used to sit in like a bar in Manchester. We used to work there all day, we used to just hash it out and we were trying to think of names and branding and taglines and all of this stuff. So it's so exciting to see it now. But my kind of personal, the way I came into the business, was Steve and I met at an event that I put on, um well, a couple of years ago now.
Speaker 2:Um, and it's kind of crazy how things come back around I put this, um, this LinkedIn post out because I wanted to change up my career a bit. Um, and I I love LinkedIn the power of LinkedIn is amazing and I put this post out and I said, look, I'm kind of looking for this I'm not quite sure something flexible. Um, it blew up and it got over a hundred thousand, uh impressions and it went really far and I got some incredible people come back and offer me these, you know, amazing full-time roles and stuff. But I had a chat with Steve and something just clicked and I'm so pleased because, you know, it's like that catalyst moment where you're like. I made that decision at that point and it brought me to here. So it's been a. It's been a journey, but we've literally done everything from from the start to where we are now, to build it to what it is yeah, I completely agree with both of you about what you said about joining a startup and and and how much can be.
Speaker 1:Also, it can be incredibly challenging as well, but incredibly rewarding. To join a company like that, where you're having to think about the name and the logo and the strap, like all of those things from you know, just from the ground up is so, so much fun. But also it takes a certain type of person to want to do that, because you know I've been at a few startups and and you notice from the team as well it takes a certain person that is okay with doing that every day and building that company. Instead of just thinking how can I find ways to improve, you know what's already there and how to run it better, you actually have to think about building that company and what. What that's like, um, which can be incredibly challenging but, as you said, very, very, very rewarding.
Speaker 1:Um, on that note, can you describe the early days of the startup and any memorable moments or milestones? Sophie, you mentioned sitting in a bar and literally just hashing out what was happening. Do you do you have memorable moments so you're like, oh gosh, do you remember when, when we did that, or do you remember, you know, perhaps you had really small offices when you started and and you all kind of sat together and looked at each other thinking is this ever going to go?
Speaker 2:anywhere. I think, well, that it was always fun. I mean, thinking back, it's a but our much lost in Manchester. People might know it, but we used to sit at the back in a booth and we used to work there all day and it is it's. It is really it's. It's an amazing thing to build this, but it is very intense. You're with, you know the same three people every day and you're working together and, thankfully, we all are so respectful of each other and get on so well. But you know, no doubt there will be moments where we probably want to tear each other's hair out, but you know we'll get there, um, but yeah, I think those early days were just.
Speaker 2:I think it was when we would, you know, because we, we thought of a name originally and there was a name that was already in my mind. Um, we went through the process with that that ended up not not being suitable, um, so we had to change it. Like, things change all the time and you have to just adapt day to day, but I think it's just been exciting every time we've we've achieved something. Um, last week, we had our launch, which was incredible, and I think the amount of people that were there and everything it just made it all worth it. But yeah, I think those early days were just us working and Albert Schloss, like thinking of ideas, things coming to fruition, you know, booking meetings even, or like getting a demo with a certain company that you were hoping to, and things like that. Like every little thing is amplified just because it's so important.
Speaker 1:Yes, and you're saying adapt and change and and again. That's something that not everybody likes. Some people just like to sometimes be in a corporate and have that environment where they just slot into their job and that is it. They don't have to think about um too much change and by the end of the year, know you kind of just been through the motions in your job In a startup. It's a very different world, isn't it, and it's just very much like, as you said, adapt and change constantly, and that is really good fun. Also though I don't know, sophie, if you agree you're also held to account for and responsible for a lot of things very early on, because there's only you as a team, a very small team, that has to get this going and that has its ups and downs, obviously, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, massively. I think. Well, Katie and I we haven't been at director level before. You know this is new to us and it's an incredible opportunity and each day I'm so appreciative of that. But it comes with its responsibilities and obviously you know, when you're building a business, think you know funding and money and things like that. I mean you've got a ticking time bomb here. You know the money's not endless, it's gonna run out and you have to decide how you're gonna spend it. You know whether we need to raise more money, how you know what we need to bring in to be able to break even. And it's a really difficult thing. I think there's a real balance, because a lot of it can become quite not stressful, but there is that responsibility and you have to kind of take that on, that weight on. But equally, you can kind of yeah, you have to find a way to balance that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Katie. What about you? Can you describe the early days of the startup and any memorable moments for you and milestones that happened?
Speaker 3:oh, there's many, many and I'm sure when we look back on years to come, we'll remember those with affection, even now. Um, so it's already touched on quite a few of them. So the coffee is copious amounts of coffee and pastries that we ate. Sat together brainstorming, listing out everything that we needed to do. The launch event last week. That was incredible. I'm so proud of us for doing that For me as well, personally, when I started off me as well, personally, when I, when I started off, I definitely didn't have the confidence that I do today.
Speaker 3:And I remember when we were looking for a developer for the system and we used to work in a shared office called Tracton House, um, and I remember overhearing someone talking about their business and I realized that they would have a contact for a developer for us, and I was so nervous, but I knew I needed to approach this person, ask them if they had any contacts. Um, and I was so nervous. I went downstairs first to get myself a glass of water. I remember coming up the stairs all intention of going over to this person. I ended up tripping up the stairs with this glass of water, um, but I still did it. I went off, uh, went over to them, um, asked them, I got a contact and that person is the person who's developing our system today. So for me that was. It's quite memorable.
Speaker 1:It's quite funny when I look back on it now, um, but at the time that was a big moment for me yeah, amazing, um mentioning uh confidence there, the amount of confidence that you um find at a startup, my gosh, yes, because, again, with the, you're the only people there there's no one else there to to say you know, I'll go over to them and I'll ask if they have a contact. So I think, definitely, if you're a young person, it's very much startups can be seen as a bit of a risk, perhaps because if you're in your first or second job, you might be thinking, maybe I won't go to a startup because I'll go to somewhere that's a big brand that's already developed. But actually you learn so much more, so much faster at a startup and your confidence will just rocket. But working at a startup, because you have to do everything and there's nobody in your way. So, yeah, I love the fact that, yeah, the developer that you went and spoke to is the person that's working with you today.
Speaker 3:No, you've really become your own boss in a startup and I actually couldn't imagine going back to um a big corporate company anymore. Um, flolio is like our child, I suppose. We nurture it and, yes, it has its ups and downs. Um, we have pressures there, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Um, and yes, the amount of growth that we've all been doing, we're all learning um, and doing that off our own backs as well, it's amazing to say, and I'm proud of all of us yes, yes, a bit um on that note.
Speaker 1:what do you believe are the key elements of a successful startup team? You've both mentioned how close your team are, that you all feel very loyal towards each other, so are there any key elements that you think every startup really should have within their team?
Speaker 2:yeah, I think. Well, I touched on it briefly, but I think the respect that you need to have for each other is is huge and, like I said, I think we're both so lucky that we work with steve. He's an incredible ceo and he's very flexible with um, with our team, which is amazing, um. But I think I think you need to set out your roles and responsibilities. We probably didn't we only did that quite recently, so for quite a long time we probably were, uh, you know, not stepping on each other's toes. But it can be difficult to like divvy out those tasks and kind of understand where each person sits and what they're doing. And when it is literally just you three, it can be difficult because then you're working on the same things and it's like you know, we can be more effective with our time. But once we kind of split that out, I think that that's made a big difference because we've now got our roles and responsibilities and you know, katie on the product development side and myself on the commercial side, it definitely helps.
Speaker 2:Um, I think also, there's always going to be, it's always going to be up and down, and I think that you're you're gonna have, um, you know, little arguments and things like that, but that's expected. I mean, if you didn't, it would be crazy. Just because it's like a pressure cooker, I think, you know, if anyone's able to cope in that environment and never have any, then you know, take my heart off, but I think it's part of it. To be honest, it shows the passion, um. But yeah, I think the respect is huge and I think that we thankfully do have that within a team and I think that we also know that, if we needed to, you know we can bring something up with one another if we're concerned about something, um, we also make decisions as a team, which is incredible and, again, massively appreciative of our ceo. You know he doesn't go and just do something and tell us he's done it. He'll bring it to us and say what do you guys think about this?
Speaker 1:which I love yes, instead of having that whiplash feeling of, oh my gosh, everything changed. The ceo changed everything and didn't tell us um, yes, I love the fact that you you frame that as respect, because you're absolutely right. Especially when you're on a small team, you that can really make or break a team. When you have challenges that come up where you have to have those awkward conversations, because you have that moment where somebody on your team will throw you under the bus and you think everybody makes mistakes, you know, like everybody, if something got missed, you don't have to throw each other under the bus. You just have to pull together and work together and just get closer and figure out how to come out on the other side of that.
Speaker 1:But you're so right that that comes down to respect and that is something that is built day to day. Actually, a lot of that is built from you having started sitting in a bar and having those moments and then, obviously, as you grow as a team, you know that must already be in your DNA and in your culture as a company anyway. So if you're now reflecting that to new employees that join, have you found as well that people that join that you're incredibly careful as well as to who you bring on to the team and that um, they're going to uh, you know, fit in with that culture um, or at least add to that culture um, because it must be. It's quite difficult to to build that for a startup, isn't it?
Speaker 3:I think you mentioned before, you have to have a certain type of person in a starter, and 100%. I think the right people need to be on the team. So you need to be disciplined, you need to have motivation, because it's down to you at the end of the day to drive that forward. You're your own box and you're going to wear quite a few different hats, so you need to um be determined enough to actually take up responsibilities that maybe you wouldn't enjoy as much as others yeah, because sometimes there is no one there to do those activities yeah, yeah, 100.
Speaker 3:You know um, we're all like doing the laundry, but we've got to do it.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes exactly, exactly and, on that note, obviously in a startup there are there are the fun jobs and then there are the not so fun jobs. Um, as you uh said, there we're doing the laundry as well. Um, you're both very driven and both sound very passionate about your jobs, um, and and really love working at uh, at flow leo. So what keeps you both motivated and passionate about your work at flow leo? Um, katie yourself is there. There's something that you just love that kind of drives you every day to think I, I just want to come and work here and really make this company a success.
Speaker 3:I suppose it is that end goal of seeing it out people using the product. So I'm really passionate about the product itself and I think that is very important. In having a business, you have to love your service offering. So the product will help people, will help them in their day-to-day jobs, and I wish I had Flolia when I was starting out in project management, because it's an enterprise project management software solution. So it will help people to set up projects, deliver them, report on them, realise the benefits, and it's suitable for people who are starting out in their careers as well as seasoned professionals. So it keeps me motivated knowing that when we provide this offering, it's going to help people, it's going to change the workplace.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, I couldn't agree more, and we've had a few ladies on here say that they love working in tech because they make an impact in people's lives, which is, again, it's something that's like the best kept secret in tech that you know. You just think you're going to come in and you're going to work on your own and you're going to work in a basement and you're going to write lines of code and that's it, and actually you help people day to day and you make an impact, and that is why most people want to join the tech industry if you're a people's person, honestly, the tech industry is fantastic for you.
Speaker 1:Yes, definitely so for yourself. What keeps you motivated and passionate about your work at Flolio?
Speaker 2:um, well, um, yeah, um, the impact that we make is huge. But I think me personally, um, like ever since I dropped out of uni, I had a point to prove people were like what are you doing? So I, I'm, you know, obviously I'm more commercially minded, so I am massively competitive and I just can't. I mean, I was gonna say I can't fail, but everybody should fail. You should, you should fail fast and you should, you know, be able to put yourself back up again.
Speaker 2:But, um, I want to see this be a success, because I know that it can be, and the amount of work that's gone into it up to this point is incredible and it's been, you know, done by such a small team as well. And when we show people their response, it just, you know, it makes you realize even more how incredible it is. And the software is just so advanced and it is amazing. But, yeah, I just think I want to make a success of it and I think, as a team, you know, we've done such a good job up to this point. I would, I would hate to see that, you know, not happen, and I know that it will so every day. It's just, you know, we're just pushing and pushing to make that happen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and actually that mindset of you coming out of university and then thinking I'm going to make this work, that is exactly the mindset which is just perfect for a startup, because you sit there, foul fast and pick yourself up and that happens sometimes every day in a startup and you just have to keep going and keep going, don't you? It's just very, um, kind of dropping out of uni after three months kind of set you up for that mindset already.
Speaker 2:You just seem like you were that type of person yeah, I mean, if I can't hack uni for three months, then I need to go and do. Go and do something. So you know, thankfully it's worked out fine, but I knew it would like. At the back of my mind, I think they always say if you make a decision, or you make it, you have to be. You're never going to be 100%, even if you're 60.
Speaker 1:I think that 60 mark is like right, well, I'm more than 50%, so go for it, yeah yeah, definitely, and on that note of finding fast and picking yourself up, I wanted to ask you a little bit about the challenges, because startup world does come with a lot of challenges along the way as well, which is the fun of it. But what has been one of the biggest challenges that you've faced while developing Flowlio and Katie yourself, if you found any big challenges, or what was your biggest challenge so?
Speaker 3:I think it was having to learn a lot of different roles at one point. So, obviously, with us only being a small team, we wear a lot of different hats and there were lots of different things I didn't know, and I'm one of these people who doesn't like to not know what I'm doing. So for me, that was a frustration, trying to learn as much as I could in a short period of time. Um, but we're getting there.
Speaker 1:I'm learning so much and, as I said previously before, it's amazing how far we've come yes, that must make you an incredibly loyal employee as well, where you just think you know what. I learned so much here and and I've been given so much freedom to be able to try new things, even when you do feel uncomfortable, thinking this isn't what I'm meant to be doing, or maybe I don't quite get it.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't join a company if there wasn't the opportunity to develop definitely definitely get that freedom within a startup, um, even sometimes when we don't want it, but you still get everything. So, for yourself, what is there a biggest challenge that you kind of think of when you think of developing Flolio?
Speaker 2:um, yeah, I mean, well, the actual development itself. We only have one developer and he's based overseas. He's from manchester but he's based in columbia, so we've had um time difference to contend with. Um, we also had, I mean, things like we had a demo recently, um and, uh, the ip had changed so we couldn't do the demo, um, which obviously you know when you're booking it, we need the demo to sell it, to make money, to do this.
Speaker 2:It's like like you know, it's all these things, but you learn from every single thing, like all that needed was just to make sure that we told him that we were doing it at that time so that he could then, you know, not make those changes. But there's all little things like that that end up feeling like such huge things because you're like, you know, I missed out on doing that demo, or this didn't happen, this didn't happen, and it's a bit of a knock-on effect. But, um, I think also, just like the time management and stuff, like, like Katie said, we're wearing so many hats and there's just the three of us, so, you know, trying to work through a priority list that just gets longer and longer by the day, um is really tricky. So, yeah, I think things like that, but we're getting better at that. But the thing is, the priority list, yeah, it doesn't ever get any shorter, it just keeps going.
Speaker 1:So you're always in this cycle where to put your energy, because your priority list everything on there is important, it's all a priority, everything's a priority yeah yeah, but luckily you, you um bond really well as a team and at least have each other's backs to to help with that.
Speaker 1:Um, ladies, I could keep talking to you about this um all all morning, um, but we are nearly out of time. But I really wanted to know um a little bit more about Flolio. What are your long-term goals for Flolio and where do you see the company in the next five years? Um, katie, should we go with you?
Speaker 3:we have so many plans for Fllio. It's really exciting. Obviously, at the minute we've got the MVP out, the Minimal Viable Product, so this has all the functionality we originally mapped out, but we've got a pipeline of different features that we want to introduce onto the software system. I don't want to give them all away here. I want it to be a bit of a surprise for people as it develops and progresses. But, um, we'd love to see our product also and advertisements on, like a train or a bus, you know, see it out there. When people talk about a project management tool, I want folio to be the first one that comes to mind. Uh, but yeah, we've got so many fans, um, and we're super, super excited.
Speaker 2:I'm sure Sophie can tell you a bit more commercially, um, what we have in store yes, sophie, plans and and hopes and goals for for the future yeah, I mean, well, we're hoping to go, yeah, huge with this and we want it to be global, but we also we obviously have the project management tool, which is the software, but we have our training that was recently off-call, accredited, so we can offer that as the business, which is incredible.
Speaker 2:So that allows us to train up.
Speaker 2:You know we're so also as a team. We massively want to train, you know, the next generation and young people and we're hoping to partner with, like, universities and things like that to be able to offer that project management training, because really it's about giving people the right tools for the job, because we've seen it so many times where people are, you know, running projects and things like that and then they get, you know, worn down to the point of we've seen people go off for stress and things like that because they're not given the tools they need to do what they need to do. So the training and the and the tool, the software, literally goes hand in hand. So we're just looking to grow that really across different industries, you know, different sectors, and be able to train the next generation and be able to give back as much as possible with that. But, yeah, big, big goals and dreams and we've got, yeah, a product development, you know, timeline and roadmap. That's literally so incredibly, incredibly exciting, so we can't wait yeah, yes, my gosh, your priority list.
Speaker 1:Um, just doubled. Um. Can I ask you quick, you know, just pick your brains quick. If you're a member of the she can code community and you're thinking to yourself, should I join a startup or should I join a corporate? Um, in terms of you know you're just entering tech or you've been in tech a couple of years already. Is there any advice that you wish you know? Somebody told you when you started out, you know, going into a startup. Is there anything that you would tell our ladies? Katie?
Speaker 3:any advice I would just say to go for it, be resilient. Sometimes you're going to get knocked back. Don't let them deter you. Carry on, because you can do it. Um, I almost wish I had like a future version of myself, like pushing me myself, my earlier, younger self on um. But yeah, just be resilient and if you really want to do something, you can. So it's having that um confidence and um strength within yourself to say, yeah, we're going to do this and you can make it work yes, brilliant advice um Sophie yourself.
Speaker 2:Anything you wish, somebody had told you yeah, well, I think I think the startup environment it's not for everyone, but that's absolutely okay. I think that there's going to be people that are so well suited to it and have that kind of entrepreneurial spirit. There's also no harm in joining a larger company and building up your experience there. So it just depends where you're at as an individual. I'm such an advocate for, like mentor programs, and I think something that you can do is either find someone that's within your business or outside your business. Things like LinkedIn are great for that. Either find someone that's within your business or outside your business. Things like linkedin are great for that. Aligning yourself with someone that you know is a role model you look up to and asking them for advice.
Speaker 2:I think that's the best thing to do, and if you think you're joining a startup, drop someone a message on linkedin that's working within a startup. Um, you know, okay, so I'm more than happy to reply to messages like that, but you know, if you want advice or you want to hear more about it, go out and get that information. There is a wealth of information now that is at our fingertips that I did not have, you know, when I was 18 years old, that we do have now. Um, you know, tap into it, harness it and, yeah, literally, like Katie said, you can do whatever you know you want to do. You're literally your own worst enemy. So go go ahead and do it. What's the worst that's going to happen?
Speaker 1:true, true very true yeah, and just reaching out to to see, and you're right, I completely agree with, if you want to build up that experience, especially if it's your first job, um, and you want you know, uh, that that well-known brand, for instance on your cv, you know, go, go and learn what it's like just to be in the workplace, um. But I am an advocate for startups. I think they're a brilliant place to work. You learn so much, so fast and just be mentally to be a part of a story that grows and grows. By the end of the year you just feel like you've achieved so much, whereas sometimes in a corporate, you don't always get that opportunity. So I couldn't agree more. And, ladies, we're going to have to have you back on here to tell us all about Flolio.
Speaker 1:Not in the next five years, we will have you back a little bit sooner than that, but thank you so much for coming on and sharing your journeys today. It's been an absolute pleasure chatting with you both.
Speaker 3:People have been here.
Speaker 1:Thank you, For everybody listening, as always. Thank you so much for joining us and we hope to see you again next time.