Episode Transcription

 

Kirsty Gibbs: All right. All right. Today we have got Ali from HeadStart Club. Ali has been working with me for a while.

She did tutor boot camp, you know, back in the day to learn how to start her business. Then she joined the Tutoring Growth Membership, and now she's part of the Profit Pathway.

So I wanted to bring Ali on today, mainly because she has just got this most amazing mindset and commitment to growth.

And because of it, she's doing really fantastic things in her business. So before I go any further, thank you for being here, Ali.

Do you want to tell everyone a little bit more about you, your business, where you are, those sorts of things?

Of course.

 

Ali Carter: Thanks, Kirsty. That was so, so nice of you. So my business is... It's HeadStart Club, and we run from Noosa up at Noosaville.

So we have a beautiful space that we run our sessions from up here, just down from the river at Noosaville.

And I started it at the end of 2024. I was finishing up my full-time teaching role and just realised that there was this area where students were transitioning from kindy to prep.

And there was a bit of a gap in their, not their abilities, but just in their preparation, I guess, and getting them ready for prep.

And, you know, these poor little learners, they were so excited to be there. They were so keen, but it's just a lot for them.

It's a lot when they first start. So I saw an... Area where I could assist, I guess, families who were preparing their little ones for prep, and started doing some preparation club sessions.

So that's kind of where HeadStart Club started from. I then had quite a bit of an influx in families needing support, so tutoring for their students that were already at school, and have then now, I guess, pivoted a little bit and created a club to support one to three-and-a-half-year-olds who are just getting those foundations of learning.

So gross motor skills, fine motor skills, just really having fun. It's all play-based and interactive. get the families involved.

But yeah, I guess it's grown in so many different ways from where we first started and from what I thought it would be.

Yeah, and I'm just loving it. It's so much fun. I think you mentioned having that growth mindset, like that is the part.

Of business that I have loved the most, like never just, I guess, creating these really great clubs and really great programs, but always wanting to build on top of them more and more.

So yeah, it's been really fun.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: That's awesome. It's so exciting, isn't it? And I mean, just for listeners who are tuning in, is it today, like this week, is this the first week that you are launching this brand new offer?

Yes, this Thursday, we are running our foundation club.

 

Ali Carter: So we're just doing, you know, come and play and check it out this week, free trial classes for families.

We already have, what have I got, like 10 families signed up that are coming on Thursday. So I'm really excited about that.

I think that's a good starting place. And what I'm really wanting to create, I guess, with Head Start Club is this one-stop shop for early childhood development.

So families can come here with their one-year-olds and do this. Educational playgroup where they're building the foundations and then they think, oh, now my three-and-a-half-year-old has had so much fun at this playgroup and I'm going to get them into your preparation club classes so that I can get them really ready for when they start prep.

We're finding, I'm going off on a bit of a tangent here, I'm sorry, but we're finding with our preparation clubs, like they're so keen to learn and they're little sponges.

And so we're teaching them, you know, letter sounds and syllables and early onset and rhyme and they're just taking it all on board.

So when they start prep, they're going to just be so much more ready because they've got this prior knowledge.

They can sort of, they can work out, you know, regulating themselves and getting through the day and then when they come to that literacy block, they're going to think, oh, yeah, I've got this.

I know what I'm doing. I'm all over this.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: So then I'll start with so much more confidence, which is really cool. I love that. Yeah, and so then once they're once they're at school, then we have those clubs where we can support them if there are gaps that they're finding or if they need some more support once they're in the classroom.

Yeah, fantastic. So, I mean, one of the things that is, I'm going to say, a little bit unique about you, only because I see the flip side of it so often, is you made a decision to invest in support very early on through Tudor Bootcamp, then obviously moving over to work with me inside of the group coaching programs and the Profit Pathway.

And you did all of this before you were even earning that steady income or money as such. What made you take your business that seriously?

Seriously, right from the start?

 

Ali Carter: I think I just knew I had to. Like, my first degree was a business degree before I did teaching, and I absolutely loved that, but then fell in love with, like, working with children.

So that was my key passion. So I guess I had that passion there to start a business. My husband has a really successful building business, and I've watched him grow it from, you know, working out of our house to now running this really successful business.

And I guess I was always a little bit jealous of him doing that, and I always had in the back of my mind that it was something that I wanted to do.

And I would throw out, like, random ideas for businesses to Jake all the time, and he'd be like, oh, no, that's not it.

No, that's not it either. Oh, don't know if you should go with that one. And then when I said, this is something I'm really passionate about, I think I would.

I really want to do this. He was like, that's a good one. You go with that one. So he was really supportive of me getting a business coach, so finding you.

And I think that was because that helped him so much when he first started his business, having someone that had been through it all.

You know, you ran school readiness programs, so you had done it all before. You owned successful tutoring businesses, and I just found that every time I would talk to you, you would give me these ideas that, and this is, I think this is like what a good business coach does.

They give you ideas that you can't come, you haven't come up with on your own, and you would give me such great ideas every time I talk to you.

So I just knew I had to invest in you and in me, and it's worked out really well.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: soon. run, but I can live I'm not That's the thing. The word invest is exactly what it is. It's like when you buy a house or a car or anything like that that you don't have the money for right then, you're buying for it now, knowing that you can continue to use it and have those gains from it forever, you know, and business coaching is like that.

And the things that you learn whilst you're growing your business are things that don't just help you to get back the investment that you've made, but they actually help you to make even more.

So, you know, when people sit down, they go, oh, I can't afford that. whether it's with me or anyone else, you know, this isn't a, you know, not trying to push you into it, but just investing in yourself, whatever that looks like.

yeah, sometimes it can be a little bit daunting because you're like, I don't have $70 a week, which to be honest, isn't that much, you know, like we charge a hundred.

A lot of us for a tutoring session. So even $100 to $200 a week, investing that knowing that this is going to help us make much more than $200 a week.

And it's not just a financial return. It's getting organized, building systems, getting flexibility and time back in your business.

So it is an investment, and I think it is difficult for some people to see the long-term benefits from it.

 

Ali Carter: Oh, yeah, definitely. And I think how you put it in that, as teachers, we spend so much money on resources and materials.

Like, I just did my latest profit and loss for the last financial year, and it was crazy how much I spent on teaching materials.

So, like, and, you know, we've spoken about that a lot as well. So that's something I know I need to watch for the next financial year.

But we spend all this money, but then... We don't put money into the things that we don't know how to do, you know, like we know how to run really great programs, we know how to teach these little learners, but I didn't know how to run a business, like that, it was all new to me.

So even just your initial checklist of how to, what to do to start your business, like when I first started, I just kept going back to that checklist, and it was such a saviour in the beginning.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: I think that's good too, like having the structure. I even know now, if there's something that I'm doing in my business, having a checklist that blocks out all the other noise, because there are so many things.

 

Ali Carter: It's like when you're in the classroom, there's a million and one things that you could be doing, but if you try and focus on those million and one things, then you don't ever really do anything properly, and you just are continuously going around the cycle, never actually ending.

Yeah.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Whereas when you've got something like a checklist. It says, okay, do this, this, this, this, and this to get you X, you know, X or Y result, then it just keeps us on track.

And I think we end up getting results quicker than it as well.

 

Ali Carter: Yeah, definitely, definitely.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: So a lot of people say that they have a tutoring business, but they're actually not making money and they're not really treating it like one.

What do you think separates someone who's winging it like this, as opposed to somebody like yourself, who's actually building a business?

 

Ali Carter: That's a good question. And I don't know if I, you know, if I 100% know the answer to that yet.

I do know that, like we've spoken about, investing in support or people that do know what they're doing is such a big thing.

thing. I don't know. I know that I am not great with finances, so my husband helps me a lot with that because it's his passion, and you've got to be across it, don't you?

You've really got to know your numbers, like you always say. So I do know my numbers, but in saying that there's so much to it in order to run a profitable business, my husband's always asking me, okay, so how much did that class make?

So how much will that class make? What are you charging out your teachers? are you? And so getting your head around that side of things is so important, really knowing your business and knowing the numbers is so important.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Sorry to interrupt. I think you just said something really great then, but inadvertently it happens for you. You your husband's asking you this question.

Yeah. And that's, we love Jake.

 

Ali Carter: Yeah.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Right there. Yeah, support.

 

Ali Carter: Thank you for not everyone has a Jake. Exactly.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Well, this is the thing. And sometimes someone has a Jake who doesn't know business, but their heart's in the right spot, but they actually don't know what they're asking or how to ask, or they might have a business that does things completely differently.

And it's just not always helpful. Like, bless my mum.

 

Ali Carter: I don't think she ever listens to my podcast, so this is okay.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: But people comment sometimes on my social media posts, and she's like, I can't believe you said that. I can't believe.

That's just cringy. I'm like, mum, it's okay. You're not my target audience.

 

Ali Carter: I love you.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Thank you for trying to help. But, you know, so sometimes, sometimes you have to pick and choose who you listen to.

 

Ali Carter: Oh, yeah.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: If I had listened to my mum, HeadStart Club would never have started.

 

Ali Carter: She couldn't believe that I was leaving the classroom to do this.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: My mum was the same, and my mum's a teacher as well. And she said, why would people, because I was talking about school readiness, and she said, why would people want to pay for that?

Why would people pay you? to do that. And so it's a whole other thing. And you have to keep reminding yourself that not everyone is your target audience.

 

Ali Carter: So don't listen to the people who aren't.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Like, obviously, you can be respectful about it, and especially your family and friends. But when Jake's asking you those questions, what that's doing is making you, and this is what we're doing inside of the Profit Pathway, obviously.

You know, some ladies are coming at me going, oh, I just feel like this is homework. No, this isn't meant to be making you feel like this is more work.

This is teaching you that if you want a business, you've got to act like a business owner. You have to be looking at your finances.

You have to be understanding this class looks really good because I've got lots of kids coming in. But on paper, it's actually not making me any money because I have to spend X amount of money on resources and teachers and rent and all those sorts of things.

So you've got to be at least looking into your finances and your business on, you know, I recommend weekly, but if not monthly, to see actually what's working and what's not.

And I think when you actually take those actions, it does impact your mindset. So rather than having that hobby mindset or that side hustle mindset, you come into what you're in, which I think is really about a business mindset where you're like, this is what I'm doing now.

This is who I am. I am a businesswoman. Just because I work with kids doesn't mean I'm not able to have a successful business.

 

Ali Carter: Yeah, yeah, definitely. You have to work on the business. And I think what you were saying before about, you know, getting systems in place and whatnot within your business.

I started HeadStart Club because I love working with children. But I also started it because. I love my family, and I want to spend time with my daughter.

She's starting PrEP in 2027, and I realised that if I was still in the classroom, there's no way I would have been able to support her when she transitioned into PrEP, which is such a big transition for them.

And so in the back of my mind, I'm always thinking, yes, I want to be working with children, but I also want to have the flexibility to be there for my own child as well.

So I have to set this business up, and it needs to be successful so that I can be there for Tilly.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Yeah, and even on that note, successful doesn't just mean you've got students coming in the door. Like you've realised, successful means being able to step away and have a break, but successful also means profitable.

And a lot of people fall into that trap of they leave the classroom and they start a business because they want to work with kids and they want more freedom and flexibility.

And in a sense, they do, because they don't have the data collection, they're not doing report cards, they don't have to go to school.

But they've given up, oftentimes, people are giving up so much of their income, and they're just okay with that.

And I do think so much of it is about a mindset and the actions that you take. So, I mean, do you, is there anything for you, like, any sort of self-talk, or, you know, anything that you did to help you adapt to stepping from that classroom teacher role into the role of business owner, not just tutor?

Like, was there a turning point where there was a real shift for you? Or was it just something that was always inside?

 

Ali Carter: Now that I'm, like, really into it, I think it was always inside. And I kind of look back and...

I that, you know, even coming up with all those business ideas, I knew that there was more that I wanted to be doing.

I loved teaching. I loved being in the classroom, but I always knew there was something more that I wanted.

Shift in my mindset, like I think I still have good and bad days with that. But it can be quite tricky sometimes when you have a rough day to think, yeah, this, you know, I've got to keep saying to myself, this will be successful.

You know, the last year that I've been running HeadStart Club has been probably like one of my trickiest yet for personal health reasons.

But I think that that has also really forced me to, again, put systems in place and hire it. Really great staff, and I have the best staff working for me who really love the business as much as I do, which I think is, you know, probably not as much as I do, but they really do believe in what we're doing here.

So it's just been, I also keep saying to myself, everything that has happened, I look back on and I'm like, that's why that happened, that's why that happened, that's why that happened.

It just all makes sense to me now, and there's been all of these really positive things that have happened to get me to where I am, which just makes me keep thinking to myself, you can do this.

Don't give up. I know it can be tricky, and I know that perhaps the last year your profit and loss isn't exactly where you want it, but it's going to get better.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: And can you just remind everyone, when did you actually start taking students on?

 

Ali Carter: So I had three students at the end of last year who are still with me now, and they're starting prep next year.

So I loved having them. They started with me from the beginning. So that was until I finished my teaching position at the end of last year.

Then this year, at the start of the year, I had a few health issues that I had to have a couple of operations for.

So it's been sort of a bit of a roller coaster. All I've tried to do is just maintain the students that I have organically been getting and then growing it when I can.

But like I said, I've got wonderful staff that really have supported me through it all. And now that that's all in the past, I've got this real drive to grow it and keep going.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: And I think that's just a really great thing to share because some people listening to this might think, oh, well, you know, I'll get there one day.

I just need to. It's like, no. You only decided last year. Like this has come about quite quickly because you've been proactive and you've had that attitude of just keep going, keep working on it, keep learning and keep growing.

And, I mean, one of the questions that I was going to ask you was what systems or decisions have you sort of put in place or that have helped you to actually treat your business like a business?

And you just talked about one thing then, which was your staff. I mean, so many people wait, and I'm not saying if there's a right or a wrong way to do it, but so many people think that the only way is to work yourself to the bone and take on as many students as you can and, you know, have all of your ducks in a row before you take on staff members.

But you've done that and you've done that probably before a lot of other people would have felt ready to do it.

 

Ali Carter: So, yeah, and I think when it comes to stuff. As well, like that's how you're going to make your business more profitable and more successful.

Like you said, there's only a certain amount of hours that you can fill with your sessions. You need staff members so that you can run more clubs, so that you can run more groups.

So having really solid systems in place for hiring staff has been a big one. Before I did my teaching degree, I was in HR.

So I think that was, you know, another passion for me. I wanted to have a really good onboarding process for my staff.

And even now with different roles, like setting up the foundation club, I'm constantly going back and like making lists of what I would do in the session or what needs to happen.

And so that eventually I can hire someone to run that foundation club for me. way we can So And it's amazing because I have teachers that email through our website and asking if we have any positions going and things.

So it's all word of mouth and people hearing about what you're doing. And that's kind of how I have found a lot of my staff so far, which I think is really cool.

And I, yeah, I never, I'll never have that mindset that, yeah, I can do everything. I'll always, my other teacher, Taylor, who runs my preparation clubs on Thursday and Friday, I say to everyone, I'm like, she's a way better teacher than me.

She's amazing. She's so great. And that's what you should be doing, hiring people that are, that can do it better than you.

She's incredible.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Totally. And I love that. And I love that, you know, often we, I don't know if it's pride or what, but we just think no one.

Anyone else can do it as good as us. And it's not true. You don't. You don't have to be the best person at everything you do, and you don't have to be the only person who can do all of the things in your business, even if it's the teaching or tutoring component of it.

You know, everyone will run their business differently. Sometimes I'll work with a client and they say, I don't, like, yes, I was a classroom teacher.

Yes, I did the tutoring, but now I don't want to do any more tutoring. So they're building their businesses around creating a team and systems so that they are not actually doing any teaching at all.

And then I know other people who run businesses where they are doing, you know, their days are maxed out with all of the teaching.

It's like, okay, that's great, but who's running your business and who's growing your business? And so you have to think of both of those aspects of it.

You know, can't, one doesn't exist without the other if you're going to be successful.

 

Ali Carter: Yeah, definitely.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: So. Looking back, is there anything that you do differently? I mean, I say looking back as if it's, you know what mean?

But from when you started at the end of this, sorry, at the end of last year and where we are now, is there anything that you would do differently in your business?

 

Ali Carter: No, I don't think so. I think, like I said before, it's, yeah, it's grown really, like, beautifully in a really, like, nice way, which I love.

And even now where I'm at, there's all of these exciting new things that are happening. So it just sort of keep, little things keep popping up that I'm like, oh, yeah, that's great.

Let's do that. Let's do that. Let's do that. I do think sometimes I need to just maybe, like, make sure that I'm focusing on my key offerings.

that. Let's Let's Let's do do Which I think now I've got it to a really good point with the foundation, the preparation and the support club.

Like I know where my, where my, I know those key offerings are going to really provide what I'm wanting HeadStart Club to provide, I guess.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: I think also, sorry, your key offerings, like last month, I think we're speaking about this, but they have a really great way of fitting into what we call for anyone listening, an Ascension model.

So, you know, you can capture someone, a family who's got a one or three year old, and they progress or progress through the stages of the service that you have, depending on, you know, their age and things like that.

So that's such a smart way of setting up your business. Because obviously tutoring is similar, you know, just because someone comes to you in grade four doesn't mean they leave when they finish grade four, you know, it's not like a pro.

The that starts and finishes, they go until they don't need you anymore.

 

Ali Carter: And sometimes when people do school readiness, they shoot themselves in the foot a little bit because they say, I just want to do school readiness.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: And especially if they limit themselves to four to five-year-olds, they've only got one year. So the lifespan of a client, a student, is 12 months.

And then it's actually maximum probably 40 weeks if you use all those four terms. And generally, you don't always have a student for the whole term.

might come in late or middle of the year or term free or whatever. So by you offering and being so thoughtful, and I know you put a lot of effort and thought into all of this, so that they can flow on and you're not just losing your students and having to find brand new students all over.

 

Ali Carter: Yeah, definitely. And I think that's where, you You know, I have thoughts of like running a baby sensory class as well so that I can, because I did baby sensory with my daughter and I absolutely loved it.

But then I sort of, you sort of have to take a step back sometimes and think that's not your area of expertise, just like wall down a little bit.

And then things happen where, you know, you'll get in touch with the lady that runs baby sensory in the area.

And she's going to come and have a look at the space that you've got. And you're like, okay, so it's good that you took, you just listened to your gut and you stopped there.

And it's also like, I only tutor to grade three because that's just where, I guess, that early childhood area, that's where that stops.

And I'm always thinking I'll have families contact me that have students in grade seven that need tutoring. And you just want to say yes to everything.

So, Thank But sometimes you're better off saying, oh, no, but I know there's this really great tutor down the road who does high school and just focusing on what your key offerings are.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: I have to keep telling myself that. That's so powerful and honestly takes such control and willpower because we do want to do everything.

 

Ali Carter: I know. I've had a real influx in parents wanting homeschooling sessions lately. And so I, at the beginning of the year, was really trying to put together like a homeschooling program.

And I think I spoke to you about this and I just I kind of had to pump the brakes and just think to myself, I know this is something you really want to do and you're really passionate about supporting students that aren't finding school the place for them.

But at this stage, if you really want the Foundation Club to do well, which I do, I think you just need to, that needs to take a back seat for a while.

A little bit.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Yeah. Hope everyone's listening and taking notes today because Ali is sharing lots of wise advice.

 

Ali Carter: Oh, my gosh. I don't know. Other people will probably say, no, you should just jump in and do it because you're… Well, the thing is, like we said before, you can't do everything.

No. I know. And you have to know what your goals are. You can have more than one offer.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: That's not the issue. You're making sure that those offers are the smartest offers to go together to align with the end outcome or goal that you're working towards.

And yes, your goals can change and your vision can change, but you don't want that to be changing all the time.

And you don't want to get that shiny object syndrome. And I think we do have it.

 

Ali Carter: And I guess you said before, you know, you loved talking and working with me because I would give you new ideas.

That's the benefit of my position is I get to have all of the shiny objects and share them with you.

Yeah.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: You can do one at a time.

 

Ali Carter: Try this one for a little bit.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Exactly. And you can pick and choose what works. And, you know, the other day when we were talking about this and you were talking about the homeschooling and your new service, and I was like, we've got to pick one.

And that was the one that makes sense because you're bleeding into your next lot of stuff.

 

Ali Carter: So you do.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Sometimes you have to put things on hold. And I actually say to people, make a list and call it parked.

Yeah, yeah.

 

Ali Carter: And that's it. It's not a no. It's maybe next year, at the beginning of next year, I can have a look at putting on a program.

And, you I'm still taking homeschooling students for tutoring throughout the day.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: It's just not a full day session like I would like to run eventually. Exactly. Exactly.

 

Ali Carter: Yeah.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: And that's it. It works now. Thank you so much. Before we finish. Shof, what would you say to somebody who's listening and, you know, maybe they're stuck, just not sure if they should start a tutoring business or not sure if they should invest because they don't, you know, they don't have the cash flow or the money.

What sort of, because honestly, the mindset that you have isn't the mindset that a lot of people have. They can't see beyond how much something costs.

 

Ali Carter: So what sort of advice and what should you say? Well, I realise how fortunate I am that I was able to set this business up as well and it's not like, you know, I had to use quite a big chunk out of my personal savings to get things up and running and some people don't have that option.

So I do realise how fortunate I am that I had that option. But it's saying that you don't. Need to do it the way that I have done it.

There are other ways to start it without putting in that big initial investment, I guess. And I'm not saying, it wasn't like a huge investment, but it was, you know, I found this wonderful space and I just, as soon as I saw it, I knew that that's where it needed to be because it has a huge backyard.

It had the shed that I could renovate. It had extra office spaces that I could, that I'm now subleasing out to an OT and a play therapist.

So everything just kind of aligned in that way to create this really great one-stop shop for early childhood development.

Um, but I guess what I would say is that, um, it, it just, it, you have to be really passionate about it.

And, but once, once you're in it, like, it is just the best feeling. I can't even explain it, but it's like, um, every day I, I come to work and I come to.

HeadStart Club. And I'm just, I'm so happy being in the classroom. You do have this like sense of not anxiety, but it's like, oh, what's today going to bring sort of thing.

And when you can create your own, your own classroom and your own thing, it's just such a special feeling.

I'm just, yeah, I absolutely love it. Yeah. I hope that's what you want me to say.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: That's what, yeah, whatever you want to say, but thank you. And it's great because, you know, just interviewing Hayley the other day, she said nearly the exact same thing as you.

Like, I just love it. I'm just so happy, you know, like doing what I love in a space that I've created, doing it in the way that I want to do it.

But, you know, and that's, that's what I'm here for.

 

Ali Carter: I am so stoked to hear you ladies saying that you're getting to this point. Yeah, working with these incredible.

Families, like I'm just working with, it's really nice when you're working with families that really have the same vision as you as well.

And they really, they come in here and they're like, oh, it's just, it's so calm in here. And so and so just loves coming here because they feel so, so calm and, and happy.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: And that's, that's exactly what I was trying to create. So. Awesome. So good. Thank you so much for your time today.

I really, really appreciate it. If people want to follow along your business and see what you're up to, where can they do that?

 

Ali Carter: What's the best place to find you? Our Instagram. So HeadStartClub on Instagram or our website, www.headstartclub.com.au.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: you. And I just wanted to share one more thing that we spoke about just before we jumped online and this, the only reason I'm sharing this is because it's so beautiful.

So Zoe from Ready, Set, Prep, also on Sunshine Coast, who was also a client of mine back in the day, which I think maybe is how you came across me through her.

 

Ali Carter: So I worked with Zoe at Matthew Flinders, which is a private school on the coast. And then when I first had my daughter, Tilly, I actually, Tilly would have been eight months, and I went and worked, did some of Zoe's sessions, some of her school readiness sessions, which I absolutely loved.

I did that for probably nearly two years. I worked with Zoe. And then I went back into the classroom for a couple of years.

And then when I was like, you know what, I want to start my own business, she was the first person I called.

And I was like, Zoe, do you think that, would you mind if I started something up at NOSA? And she was like, absolutely not.

Go for it. Do you want to use Ready, Set, Prep, name? Do you want to do this? Like, you're up at NOSA.

I'm down at Malullabar. There's room for... For everyone, she sends me students, like I send her students, her little girl, Lily, who I taught at Ready, Set, Prep, she comes up to our holiday clubs and the holidays.

So she's just been so supportive. And it's been so nice to have her because she really, when you do have tricky things happen, I can call her and she gets it straight away.

She's like, you just, yeah, like, you know, parents are busy. They're really busy and kids are busy and they've got lots going on.

And if you've just got to remember that always, if parents are sort of, you're in, they're in one day and then they've got something else and then they're out.

And that can get a little bit stressful, but Zoe just gets it. She's like, yep, just don't worry about it.

Keep going. You're doing great. And she's wonderful to have.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: And now you guys are actually collaborating. Tell us, tell us a little bit about that before we finish up.

 

Ali Carter: So there's a, there's a Sunshine Coast. Education fair in a few weeks' time, and I was going to book a stall, and I said to Zoe, do you want to go halves in it, just see what it's like?

I guess, you know, we're both running similar programs, just on opposite ends of the coast, so should we do it together?

And she was like, yeah, let's do it together. It'll be so much more fun doing it together rather than solo, and yeah, we laugh because we'll just, we'll talk to a parent and say, where do you live?

And they'll say, Mooloolaba, I'll be like, talk to Zoe, or like, what are you, Noosa, okay, talk to Ali.

So, you know, we're both very, very open to, you know, you support each other, and you make sure that there's enough students for everyone, and it's just what works for the family, really.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Yeah, I absolutely love that, and I just wanted you to share that because I know sometimes people are scared to go into business because they're like, I don't know.

It is, you know, uncharted, you know, waters to me. I don't know what I'm doing. But there are, you know, obviously, you know, working inside of our coaching groups and our memberships, you meet people exactly like you and, you know, in these communities.

And you learn from each other. You share stories. You know, sometimes you share horror stories. We've had a few just recently.

 

Ali Carter: Yeah, there's not many.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Not many at but sometimes there's some random things that happen and you're just like, like, wow.

 

Ali Carter: But it's like you said before, it's someone who understands. Totally. Yeah, they've been through it all. She's been running Ready, Set, Prep for nearly five years.

Like she's done it all. When I first started and had, you know, three students, she was like, that's amazing.

Three students is great. I only had one. And, you know, when you start out, you're begging people to come to you.

So she really gets it and she just makes you feel like you, I look at her now and she has run.

I think it's such a successful business, and I'm like, if I can get HeadStart Club to be anywhere near what Ready, Set, Prep is, then I'll be a very happy, happy person.

That's awesome.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Having someone to aspire to, to see if it's possible, and that's where I can get to too, I think that's so great.

And that's probably, without you even realising, it's probably actually something that's contributed to you having that growth mindset as well, knowing this is possible.

 

Ali Carter: Probably, yeah.

 

Kirsty Gibbs: Thank you again for joining me. It's so lovely always to chat with you, and if anyone's listening and they want to follow Ali, I'll put the link in the show notes.

Otherwise, make sure that you are subscribed, you're following along, and feel free to reach out if you've got any questions about this episode.

 

Ali Carter: Thank you. Thanks, Kirsty.