Navigating Successful Collaborations with Vivienne Joy | EP269

Unlock the secrets to thriving collaborations in business with today’s Mini Mindset Monday! Join Donna Eade and her insightful co-host, Vivienne Joy, as they dissect the nuances of forming successful partnerships. Have you ever wondered why some collaborations soar while others crash and burn? Learn how to trust your intuition and recognise red flags early on. Vivienne and I share heartening personal stories and actionable strategies that highlight the indispensable role of gut feelings in making the right collaboration choices.

From ensuring value alignment to understanding the quiet power of your inner voice, we cover the essentials that can make or break your business relationships. Hear real-life examples illustrating the impact of mismatched values on reputation and business outcomes. Whether you’re hiring, teaming up for events, or forming strategic alliances, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you foster collaborations that truly elevate your success. Don't miss out on these vital tips that could transform your collaborative ventures!

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Transcript

Donna Eade: 0:30

You're listening to the Mindset in Action podcast, the place to be to grow and streamline your business. I'm your host, donna Eade. Let's jump into the show. Welcome back to the podcast, everybody, for another Mini Mindset Monday with me and my lovely co-host, vivian Joy. Welcome to the podcast.

Donna Eade: 0:55

Hello, lovely Donna, we are going to be talking about collaboration today, which is a really good look here. We are living, breathing the actual thing right here, because here is me and Viv collaborating on this podcast episode. So collaborations are something that I think is so important in business. I think they can really help you to grow as a business owner, to grow as a person and just to elevate things that you do. I think it's a really, really fantastic part of business and it's one of the things that I love about being a business owner. But I do think that sometimes we go into collaborations with certain expectations and thoughts and feelings and we can get ourselves in a muddle and sometimes collaborations don't work out. So, viv, what can we do to make sure that our mindsets are in the right place when we are looking to collaborate and talk to us about collaborations?

Vivienne Joy: 1:50

well, you can't see me folks, but I am nodding along with everything you just said there, donna, some of it lived experience, dare I say. Where I've just gone, oh, it'll be okay, even if I've had a little red flag, even if I've just thought, oh yeah, but that, yeah, but is the thing. So my first tip on this is your gut feel and intuition. So, even on the surface, if it feels like it should be something you want to do, there's even a tiny little niggle. If it feels like it should be something you want to do, there's even a tiny little niggle. If, in doubt, leave it out. Honestly, I cannot stress this enough. This is not just with collaboration. This isn't hiring people. This is speaking at events, you know, which are all kind of collaboration, because you're collaborating at different levels.

Vivienne Joy: 2:29

The gut feel is the most powerful thing, especially for women, but men as well. We need to make sure we're listening to that, because it's not there for no reason at all. Check it's not fear, because it could be. You know, someone's asked you to speak at a big event. It could be that you're just terrified of speaking publicly. We're going back to the episode on visibility here. But if it isn't fear. You'll know if it's fear because it will be really loud in the forget. What if you trip over? What if you took your dress into your pants, I don't know, whatever. So it'll be really loud, whereas that kind of um gut feel, the intuition, is quite oh yeah, but are you sure it's really quiet? Unfortunately it's much more quiet than the screaming head. So that gut feel really really important. The brain, the gut has a brain, so they call it m-braining. So all parts of you have a brain. So we need to make sure we do that. So once we've checked in without that is, without doubt, the key thing once we've checked in with that, we need to make sure some of the other things. So it's not just about our right mindset as the value set that goes with both parties in a collaboration.

Vivienne Joy: 3:30

I've watched and I've watched some of my clients do this agreed to collaborate with somebody and I thought what on earth are you doing that for? It's brilliant for them, but what's in it for you? You're going to take all your clients over there, they're going to make a load of money, but actually they're not right for your reputation. So this is about a value set. So, for example, if you're someone who delivers at all times, don't collaborate with somebody who's a bit sketchy, kind of turns up, kind of is kind of refunds, kind of answers questions, because all it does is diminish your level of authority and give them great level of authority. So people think, ah, if they're collaborating with her, they must be really, really reliable. When they're not, they're like unreliable.

Vivienne Joy: 4:10

Um, if you're somebody who um a massive audience, someone wants to collaborate with you. Because they haven't, it's really clear why. So we need to understand what the value is, what the value set of them is, what your value set of you is, what the value is in for you and what the value is in for them, what's in it for them, what's in it for me. Also, then we have skills, like, are they going to bring the level of skills that are needed for this collaboration? So I've watched. Years ago I watched a couple of my clients collaborate, a lot of my clients collaborate because they make really good business buddies. Um, I'll always say the same. I think I've got a module on this in my academy. Actually, um, collaboration ability, in fact, I definitely have. If you want it, just let me know and I'll send it to you for free, but they, um, they had different skill sets. So one was really calm and soothing, very hypnotherapy and retreats, and one was sales, marketing links. Admin and I said I remember saying to them both so are you going to do what you're both really good at? Are you going to fill the event and are you going to host it? Oh no, we're both going to fill it. We're both going to host it. Oh no, we're both going to fill it, we're both going to host it. And I just remember looking at them both on the zoom, thinking this is going to be a shit show because that's not what's going to happen, because the one who doesn't like tech is not doing tech and the one that doesn't like to deliver in the event is not going to deliver in the event. So make sure that the skill set for whatever you're collaborating on sits with whoever is collaborating. Otherwise you will feel resentment. You'll feel resentment because you're doing all the work and they're not doing any work, or they're getting all the whatever and you're not.

Vivienne Joy: 5:42

Also, think about payment. I mean, this is a massive subject, donna. Think about payment for it, assuming it's a collaboration that's being paid. Are they paying you? Are you paying them? Are you creating a joint venture where somebody pays into that? Because if and I've had this one, because if you're taking the payment for something and you're not at the VAT level, as soon as you start taking payment for the joint collaboration, your income is going to go up above that level. You haven't charged any VAT and that person gets half of it. Say, you've got a 50-50 share, you're actually out of pocket by 20% and I've been there and done that. So please know this is very close to my heart. Even if you're holding events and you've got people there, please learn from me.

Vivienne Joy: 6:21

Contracts are absolutely essential because while we're in the negotiations, it's all beautiful, it's all motivated, it's exciting, but just think about your own business safety, and most people don't. They really don't Think about what happens if someone buys something from somebody you're collaborating from. I've had this happen and then they didn't deliver it. It comes down on you.

Vivienne Joy: 6:42

I collaborated with a woman who seemed and she'd done some work for me and it'd been fine, because she was quite clever and she seemed on the surface, to be really, really good at what she did. And we did a collaboration and loads of people bought her high ticket thing and she took the money, did the first session and never delivered the rest of it. So I had a load of people check I know, right, I can see your face on it. I had a load of people chasing me saying, well, she hasn't delivered, I'm like well, that your contract's with her, not me. Did that tarnish my reputation? Absolutely, it really did, and there was nothing I could do about it. But she wasn't answering me either, I hasten to add, because because she knew she was gonna have to give back like 50 grand. So you know it wasn't a small amount of money either.

Vivienne Joy: 7:20

So just really be careful. You know, collaborations, they don't work that often. Business partnerships don't work that often because they're exactly the same. They are a collaboration. So really think about the trust levels you've got with this person. Contracts, contracts, the audience. Make sure they're the right audience for you, you're the right audience for them. Make sure that all lines up, the skill sets are there for the collaboration and also the value sets, the value sets for both and what's in it for both of you. And the gut feel is always right. It's my final word.

Donna Eade: 7:49

Brilliant. Yeah, listen to your gut, and I think, and there is something special about women's intuition, honestly. So if you can tune into it, oh, my goodness, amazing. Thank you so much for that, viv, because I think collaboration is so important when it comes to growing our businesses and finding new audiences and what me and Viv do here. You know this is a free exchange.

Donna Eade: 8:09

Nobody's being paid for anything, because I don't get paid for my podcast, so it's like there's no money exchange. But what we're doing here is we're collaborating in the fact that I'm bringing somebody I know will be of value to my audience, to my audience, and Viv shares it when I post it, so I get access to her audience. So it's a little bit of an audience builder for both of us and sharing of the knowledge and to you know, I know that Viv is very, very open at sharing and she wants people to succeed. So it's a beautiful way to collaborate. But those monetary ones the ones where you really do need a contract that was such valuable information to pass, pass on. So thank you for that, viv.

Vivienne Joy: 8:50

Final thing before we finish. I know you're trying to everybody all over the internet. Every coach will say collaboration over competition, like you don't see, you know, uh, android and Apple collaborating, so there isn't a collaboration necessity. You don't have to, and years ago they just didn't, they were arch rivals. Yeah, I'm not saying piss them off, but actually you don't have to collaborate to build your business. If it feels right, it's right.

Donna Eade: 9:15

Yeah, yeah, brilliant. Okay, guys, you've heard it from Viv. All her links will be in the show notes below. If you want to connect, do come over. She's got a fantastic group on Facebook and a free monthly networking meeting and we'll see you in the next one. Bye for now.