Shed Geek Podcast
The Shed Geek Podcast offers an in depth analysis of the ever growing and robust Shed Industry. Listeners will experience a variety of guests who identify or specialize in particular niche areas of the Shed Industry. You will be engaged as you hear amateur and professional personalities discuss topics such as: Shed hauling, sales, marketing, Rent to Own, shed history, shed faith, and much more. Host Shannon Latham is a self proclaimed "Shed Geek" who attempts to take you through discussions that are as exciting as the industry itself. Listeners of this podcast include those who play a role directly or indirectly with the Shed Industry itself.
Shed Geek Podcast
From Backyard Shop to Award-Winning Success: The Inspiring Journey of 2MamaBees Playsets
Unlock the secrets of entrepreneurial success with the inspiring story of Juliana Vanlaanen from 2MamaBees Playsets. Alongside her childhood best friend Samantha, Juliana turned their shared challenges into a thriving business that supports families through purposeful play, all while incorporating eco-friendly practices that make a positive impact on the environment.
Get ready to learn about the unique ways 2MamaBees has positioned itself for growth by staying true to their values. Juliana shares invaluable insights into their journey, from crafting playsets with minimal assembly time to using sustainable materials. With a commitment to giving back, the company even partners with American Forest to replant trees, ensuring their success is linked to a positive environmental footprint. The episode also explores how strategic leadership decisions, like moving from independent contractors to full-time employees and embracing specialized roles, have been key to their expansion ambitions.
We also explore exciting future plans for 2MamaBees, including breaking into wholesale and retail giants like Sam's Club and Costco and expanding into the Canadian market. Juliana unveils new, inclusive product lines designed with sensory development in mind, supported by a partnership with Autism Speaks. Experience how 2MamaBees is setting new industry standards and building a supportive business community with innovative strategies, positioning themselves as a household name and a leader in ethical business practices.
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This episodes Sponsors:
Studio Sponsor: Union Grove Lumber
Versabend
Cold Spring Enterprises
Shed Geek Marketing
Welcome back to this week's episode of the Shed Geek podcast. This is Susan Frair, I am the Shed Gal and I have the absolute honor and privilege today to be with Juliana Vanl aanen 2Mama Bees Playsets. Juliana, welcome, welcome. Welcome.
Juliana VanLaanen:Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here.
Shed Gal:I'm going to let you tell our audience and we have a lot of listeners and we have a lot of viewers because it's on, you know all the podcast things Would you mind telling everybody how we met?
Juliana VanLaanen:So actually, Susan and I met because we were on the Blox together, which was a competition reality show with Wes. And I think we actually met the first night because we went head to head for a finals round, so we got to meet in a green room, and the second we heard what each other did. We were like wait, this is too like serendipitous, like we were meant to be best friends and since then it has been a great relationship.
Shed Gal:I love that because I was thinking oh yeah, this is my new, new best friend, and so, Juliana, tell us about what you're well, and before you tell us about your business, just know that everyone who's listening. When Juliana and I met, what she does filled a huge need of what I needed as a shed metal building dealer, and so it was just like this lifelong relationship started that moment. Juliana, tell us 2Mamabees.
Juliana VanLaanen:Well, I just wanted to also say it was kind of like same for me, because it was like a relationship I didn't even think would be so lucrative for 2MamaB ees, but having that wholesale relationship with you. So, it went both ways. I think that we both definitely benefited from the relationship. But so to Mama B's we are a now 12 time award winning manufacturing company. Yes, we actually just won toy of the year, which we are so excited for, for our London swing set, which launches officially, officially next week. Our purpose is to empower families through purposeful play, and we create luxury swing sets, playhouses and other children's products.
Shed Gal:I love that. I remember looking up your website, you know, after we talked, and I'm like okay, your play sets are different than what's out there. We know there's some really fun play sets out there and kids love play sets, but yours are unique, they really are unique. And congratulations, I mean your, your awards, because you haven't been in business for 20 years. You're a fairly new company and my guess is in 12 to 24 months you're going to be right up there with the most well-known because you're well on your way to that place, that company in the country. Tell us, tell me a little about how you started, when you started your, your background, and then we'll get into the really fun stuff of let's talk about what you're selling.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yes, so we actually started as a small backyard Etsy shop. So, the company was founded by myself and my childhood best friend, Samantha. We are currently mothers of eight children between the two of us, but at the time when we started the business Samantha had three and I had two. Her son was born and diagnosed shortly after with autism and I think through that journey Samantha kind of lost her footing. I think when you're a mom it's just so ingrained in you that you do everything. So, all of a sudden she had therapists in the house for six to eight hours a day and she really lost where she stood as a parent and what her purpose was in life. So, you know, she started to become withdrawn and I'm sure there was some depression there, which is pretty understandable with a diagnosis like that. So, her husband came to me and I was working corporate America at the time and we just kind of discussed what was going on with Sam and how we could help, you know, just empower her to feel like herself again, something that was her own. I mean he even phrased it as just have her make 100 bucks a week, like something that feels like she's accomplishing something weekly for herself.
Juliana VanLaanen:So, we actually started as just this backyard Etsy shop. We built some window boxes for our own homes. Every piece that we would build we would really just put on our own houses and then take pictures and say, throw it up on Etsy and be like, well, somebody wants to buy it, they will. So, it was originally window boxes. Then we built some porch pad swings and we would get orders during the week and then we drink wine and use heavy power tools on the weekend, because those two go together really well, heavy power tools on the weekend, because those two go together really well. But it really was that organic and started just from, you know, two friends trying to find their way and navigate their way through a difficult diagnosis.
Juliana VanLaanen:And then she had redone her backyard. It was beautiful, it was stunning and she had what is one of our competitors playhouses, and it's, you know, the standard Brown playhouse, and it wasn't very aesthetically beautiful. So, we decided to paint it and it was so beautiful. We had no idea how we'd ship it, no clue what we'd do, but we threw it up on our Etsy shop just with like a hope and a prayer maybe somebody would like it. And they did.
Juliana VanLaanen:We made about a thousand sales in one year. So, I quit corporate America, and we went from Sam's backyard to my backyard, to one warehouse, to two warehouses, and we were, at the time, buying our competitors' playhouses by the semi-truckload and then hand painting them for 14 to 16 hours a day in a warehouse with no AC, repackaging them and shipping them out, and all on the back end. We were taking all of this customer feedback, which is really personalized, especially on Etsy, because people talk to you like they're your friend. It's just a different type of platform to sell because everything is homemade. So, we took all of that feedback and we used it as our market research and then we launched our own brand in October of 2021. So just about to hit year three.
Shed Gal:It is such an amazing story to me and I mean I started laughing when you said a thousand in the first year. It's like most people would have been like, hey, if we could sell one or two a month, this is a great little side gig. You literally launched yourself right into an incredible business. It is. It's literally like the American dream and I love the fact that you brought up like the market research and I talk to dealers all the time about that in the shed industry Like we have to try things, we have to test things, we have to throw stuff out there and we have to, you know, get, get feedback and data and analyze it and then tweak it. You know this all sounds very familiar to you and me and many of the people I've talked with and that's exactly what you were doing all along. So, I'm curious, like do you still make window boxes for homes?
Juliana VanLaanen:So, we don't make window boxes for homes anymore, but we do make window boxes for playhouses and even if you if you yeah, if you buy one which you already know, it comes with real working window boxes that you can actually plant real herbs and flowers. But if you already have a swing set in your backyard and you just want to add some working window boxes, you can always purchase those as accessories as well.
Shed Gal:I just love it. I mean, it is such an incredible story and the human side of that with Sam. I didn't know that. I didn't know all that until we're talking and it's like I don't even have the right words for it. It's just absolutely incredible. That's something that I just want to help my friend. I want to help my friend, I want to, you know, give her something where she feels purpose outside of the family life. That and it's just Juliana. It's really incredible. Well, you know that. Yeah, I know let's not cry. Hey, I don't know that I've cried on a podcast yet I definitely haven't.
Shed Gal:Not yet.
Shed Gal:We'll be the first criers on the Shed Geek podcast Magnificent Monday with the Shed Gal is now no, no, no Buckets of tears. It would be tears of joy that it's such an incredible story. Your play sets are very, very unique. You know you can do the custom colors, you can do the. You know they are just so unique. The interesting part is I find your price point because you say they're luxury and when I hear luxury I think of high end very, very expensive. I think that your play sets, personally, in my market research, are very well priced, in fact. I mean they're not inexpensive by any means, but neither are the other companies out there selling them. Your price point you're selling a luxury product and I feel like it doesn't have the luxury price tag. Was that intentional or was that?
Juliana VanLaanen:me. No, I'm sorry, um, absolutely I think. Um, and even more so now, like our London. When we rolled out our London, we really went and took a deep dive into the market and said what price point is really like, driven home for, like consumers, because we want our products to be available to the masses, we don't want everybody to have to buy a play set, and in a year it's falling apart in your backyard and you're like, why did I even you?
Juliana VanLaanen:know, invest in this and, honestly, it is like all sheds or outdoor structures everything is an investment, right? So, whether you're spending $4,000 or you're spending $2,000, it's a lot of money, no matter what way you stretch it. So, one aspect that's extremely important to us is the quality, and we create heirloom craftsmanship products, so not only can you watch your kids play on it, but one day you'll watch your grandkids play on the exact same swing set in your backyard. To give you like kind of a comparison, our rain two-story swing set weighs close to 450 pounds. Our competitors of the same size weighs 250 pounds. That's based on just the quality integrity of the wood alone.
Juliana VanLaanen:So, we're really trying to create pieces that have longevity, not only just for families to be able to, you know, purchase it once you're one and done, but also to reduce our carbon footprint. You know like there is a huge amount that could be said about the fact that when you're constantly having to redo and reproduce these products and they end up in a landfill and they're not disposed of the right way, and even if they are painted, it's difficult for them to be, you know, upcycled. So why not make sure that we're creating quality products that have longevity to them. And then we are reducing our carbon footprint at the exact same time.
Shed Gal:That's incredible because I, you know, I've spoken with some other playset companies prior to meeting you and those things were never brought up. It was just, you know. And it's not that there aren't good products out there, this is just a different category of playset, it just is. But again, the price point it's very, very reasonable point. It's very, very reasonable. We also have the opportunity to which I think is amazing as a dealer with you and being able to offer them on my lots. You know people can purchase them outright. They're drop shipped directly to their house. You know you're talking two or three weeks to have it drop shipped. If it's a custom color, of course it takes longer because it's a custom color, but I mean it's well worth the wait. You know, drop ship directly to their house.
Shed Gal:You have, as I understand it, a network of installers nationwide that aren't employed through you, but a company you work with and we can put that company up to that can be paid to actually install them. And for folks like me, that is the way I would want to go, because it might take me three weeks to put something together that the normal person could put together in two or three hours. But there's a lot of people like me. We also are able to offer financing on the play sets and also a no credit check rental, which that requires that it be professionally installed. But I mean, that is just amazing. Now someone might be saying, oh well, if they can't afford the place, that they can't afford it. Hey, the shed industry and metal building industries are really built on rent tone. You know, I would have done it when my kids were small. I would have paid it off early, as soon as I could. But I mean, it's just another way to be able to get it.
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Shed Gal:why was I mean you? You mentioned that, you know. Why was that important to you? Why did that come up? Is that from your history? Is that? Is that because that's not normal? I think a lot of people just go, hey, we're going to build something, we're going to sell it, we're going to make some money. You really put thought into this.
Juliana VanLaanen:We did. You know, when we, when we originally launched 2mama bees, we had some brand principles that we really stood behind. I think we're always, as parents of eight kids, we try to look through the lens of a consumer and we do offer assembly services. But even just a touch point on that, like as a lens of a consumer, our build times are one to two hour builds. Almost the entire structure comes pre-assembled for ease of assembly. So we try to really eliminate all the pain points that we feel as parents, like kind of what you just said it would sit in the garage for six months and then all of a sudden it's winter and I don't have time to assemble it, and so you know, we understand that because we're moms ourselves. On top of that, I think really the key principles that we look for in a company, because information is at our fingertips, it's sitting in our phone at all times and consumers are aware now and they research and they look into things. I do. I look into what my kids are eating and what they're playing with and I'm not buying every single plastic just off the shelf because I understand that there are repercussions, not only just for you know, day-to-day I mean you have to watch out for BPA. Luckily there are some guidelines in America not as like, like significant as what they are overseas, but still so.
Juliana VanLaanen:We really focused on some core brand promises very early on when we were thinking about our brand, and one was eco-consciousness, and we thought about that in a number of different ways. One, of course, is the fact that our playhouses come with window boxes that can plant real herbs and flowers, and that's just to spark children's interest in the environment at a very early age. I think it's something that's kind of overlooked with families Like maybe you garden as you get older, but why not start it when they're young and start teaching them the fundamentals of what our environment needs for growth and environmental consciousness at such a young age? And then from there we really built upon that. So, it was important to us that everything had low VOC paint, meaning that everything was very non-toxic. So, anything that our kids are touching, putting in their mouths, it matters, you know it does matter, and it's unfortunate that the FDA doesn't regulate things as stringent as they should, but that doesn't mean that we can't make sure that we're creating a brand that exceeds those expectations, which is what 2Mama Bees does.
Juliana VanLaanen:Aside from that, we also then went even further to say hey, we're going to give more than we take. So, for our rain two-story playhouse, for instance, it takes roughly one tree to build. Rain two-story playhouse, for instance, it takes roughly one tree to build. We work with American Forest, a reforestation nonprofit, and for every rain, we replant 10. For every London, we replant five, and so on and so forth. So, we are always giving more than we're taking.
Juliana VanLaanen:So, we really wanted to full circle that we weren't like. We're not just going to stop at the fact that we're non-toxic and lead free. That's the basics. We want to dive even deeper. We want to make sure that everything we're doing is truly leaving a mark on the environment and making sure that other companies are forced to level up If we're talking about it and we're bringing it to their attention. There's no reason that us, as a brand that's only been around for three years, can do this, and you can't. You should have been years ago. So, let's step it up and let's all give back and make a lasting mark on this world for our children. We're selling to children, but we're not doing anything to protect the environment that our kids are living in. I mean, I don't know, that doesn't really feel good to me.
Shed Gal:So, I love that. I love that and you're leading by example, and I mean I think that that's. I think that I think that you're going to make a big impact. I love your name. I've never asked you this before and it was funny because when we saw each other a couple weeks ago at grad school, uh, I had just been saying to someone mama bear, and then I said, oh, 2mama bears. I don't know, it's 2mama bees, 2mama bees. It's such a cool name. Where did it come from?
Juliana VanLaanen:you know, it was so like organic. We were sitting there thinking about what our name should be and I was like, well, we're busy bees because we are right, we're pulled in a million directions with eight kids, and so there was two of us and it just kind of stuck and we kind of loved it and everything from there has been now that there was so much branding that we didn't think of early on. But now it's everybody's welcome to our hive and we're buzzing with excitement and so it's, it's fun. It's like fun and outdoorsy and like comes full circle, like branding. I love it.
Shed Gal:Yes, well, and it's. It's funny Cause I was thinking like you know the sustainability, and we all know that bees are very important for our environment for many, many reasons, and so, yeah, I just I think it's such a fun name, such a fun name. Uh, I love it. I didn't, I didn't know that part. I was like, oh, I'm gonna ask her, ask her about.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yeah, you know what. You're so right too, and it really is. It's like, maybe it's just like the irony of it all that we, like, had like this vision for foreshadowed before us. But your, yes, bees are obviously a very important part of sustainability in the environment, so yes, and it's.
Shed Gal:I know that there's some products out there um on the market, on the shed site, like the LP siding and stuff where it's more sustainable, and white pine wood and different things, and I just, you know, I didn't realize that I would be interested in hearing the you know, the details about how a piece of siding was built. But when I got into it I'm like, wow, this is actually really cool that a company, especially as big as LP, has thought about these things. I just, and on a small level, you thought about it when, you know, when you started. So, you started, you know, in Sam's backyard and Samantha's backyard and then your backyard and then, and then a warehouse that had no air conditioning, but that's not where you're at today is it?
Juliana VanLaanen:No, it's not so now, thankfully, at today, is it? No, it's not so now. Thankfully, it's just not where I'm at today, thankfully now we are manufactured by an incredible group, uh, second generation Amish artisans, and their attention to detail, their, uh, just level of craftsmanship and the quality that they produce. The love that's behind it is, I think, felt in every piece that we manufacture, and it's an incredible partnership.
Shed Gal:They are like family to us and we are so blessed that we found them it's just incredible because, like, my brain wouldn't even know, like I don't even know how to get to like, yeah, um, you know, and I know you have a really good partnership I know there's a couple of big deals that are in the works and I'm not even sure that we can talk about those Uh, but I do know that there's a couple of really big um potential contracts, uh, in the making that literally will put you probably the most well-known brand and that's, you know, in the next year or so, I believe. So, I won't say anything that'll get me or you in trouble, but this is a company that folks that you're listening and watching, this is a company to watch, not only incredible people, I mean. That's, first and foremost, incredible product. Thank you.
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Shed Gal:And then I want to delve into you a little bit about the business side of it, because I do try to emphasize with dealers and manufacturers. You know you have to be a business person and manufacturers do really, really well, but then you know sometimes the business side of it needs some tweaking. So we can go into that. But let's talk about, like your warranties or what if? What if a customer or a dealer like myself? What if there is an issue?
Juliana VanLaanen:So, two things. So, if, if you do have an issue let's say a box comes in and nobody's perfect right, so you're missing a part, or like a small piece comes damaged we send a replacement part directly to the customer, at no charge to either the customer or the retailer. We also have a five-year warranty on all rot and decay of the product itself. So, if they were to send us a picture and let's say the window box had some rot decay on it, we would replace it within those five years, no questions asked. So that's kind of just our way of making sure that people can alleviate that little like it's wood. I wonder how it holds up in this environment and that environment, yeah.
Shed Gal:Yeah, have you, and you've shipped them all over the country then, haven't you?
Juliana VanLaanen:We've shipped to all 50 States and we've shipped to Canada.
Shed Gal:Oh, hey, I'm glad, I'm glad you just added that in there. I didn't know. And folks you can go to, to mamabees. com or shedgal. com and, um, you know, look into the play sets and take a. I mean they're incredible. Let's talk about the business side. You came from corporate America, which is wonderful. Samantha was, you know, with the kids.
Shed Gal:I don't know her work history, but this is at the end of the day of business and oftentimes, you know, even in the shed and metal building industry, it's a dealer, but no one has ever talked to them about being a business owner and how to actually run a business. And so, you know I work with a lot of people on that. Tell me about running it as a business. Now, we know you're buzzing around. See what I did there. You know you're busy. See what I did there. We know that. We know that that's a given. Yeah, what have been some of the challenges on the business side? If you care to share that, what are some things that you feel are really important? We talked about market research and listening to customers and potential customers. I know your reviews. I gave you a review. It was a legitimate, awesome review, but you have a ton of amazing reviews. Let's talk about that, the business side of it.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yeah, I mean I would say, obviously, first and foremost, you want to really make sure that you're starting lean right and if you're able to start lean, you should you know, and then, as you stage and grow, just putting people in place that are better suited for the roles that you're not the best suited for. I think marketing is a huge role that I think should be filled by somebody of a more qualified stature than yourself in any business whatsoever. It is a specialty field and the one thing about marketing is that if you are hiring the right person, it will pay for themselves, right, and then there's profit on the back end. So, it's kind of one of those no-brainers. I don't think you do it out the block, I don't think you do it day one, but I think you implement it within year one, for sure if you can. If not year one, year two.
Juliana VanLaanen:So, I would say the way we've built our team out is that we have our director of marketing and she has support underneath her CFO, even if it's a fractional CFO, which is how we started as well, really being able to, which is the same thing that we did when we started with our marketing.
Juliana VanLaanen:So, our marketing originally, when everything started was all I don't want to say a 1099, but it is a 1099 independent contractor, so fractional CEO or CFO, an independent contractor for our marketing team. As it scaled, as it grew, then we started to recognize that it needed to be more in-house. Luckily, we were able to take both of those people who were already working as independent contractors and bring them on full-time as employees, but maybe that's not always the case. That doesn't mean that you still shouldn't transition and bring somebody on full-time when it is necessary. As far as running the day-to-day operations, I think you and I are probably in alignment that it is best that we are working on our business and not in our business as much as humanly possible. But you need support to make sure that that's done correctly the people in place that are able to support you in the way that you can walk away and work confidently on your business, because they are confidently doing all the things necessary in your business to help it grow and develop.
Shed Gal:I love that and remind me your marketing gal's name, Ashley Sink Wonderful.
Juliana VanLaanen:And then we have Michaela now too, and we love our Michaela wonderful.
Shed Gal:And then we have Michaela now too, and we love our Michaela wonderful, yeah, I, I love that. It's. It's, you know, the starting lean is super important. And I look back, you know, my first lot was me, you know, and then we very soon opened a second display lot and it was my husband.
Shed Gal:And then I reluctantly hired part-time employee and I had, when I was in insurance uh, I had been a trainer for many years but mostly as an insurance agent went back and I had an employee who embezzled bunch money and it, oh my gosh, oh yeah, and it devastated me. So what? I'm in devastate, I was devastated emotionally. I literally couldn't believe that someone I considered a friend would do that. And so, I had told my husband when we started out I'm never having an employee. I mean, I did, he'll tell you, I'm like never, because it was so devastating. Well, so I reluctantly hired someone, but I never called them employees, I called them team members At part time.
Shed Gal:Beth, she had the audacity to move back to Texas from Washington, so I lost her, her, but she was my first employee. Then I had a business coach who said you must delegate, you must, and in my head this goes back to what you were saying. In my head I was like but I can't afford to delegate. And she said ah, you see it as an expense, I see it as if we do it right, it makes you money. And you alluded to that.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yeah.
Shed Gal:Yeah, and I. So, I'm not involved in my business like I was originally with, but it's. It's having the right people. You've got quite a team. How many folks do you have?
Juliana VanLaanen:So, on full-time in-house we probably have like six to 10. But then obviously with our manufacturing team we have now three or four manufacturing facilities, and so I'd say like 50 there as well. But we have, like a director of manufacturing who oversees all our manufacturers. So, we have the people in place, that kind of like at the top we get to speak to on a regular basis, but I don't have to talk to every single employee, which is good.
Shed Gal:So as much as you can eliminate those headaches as well, yes, yeah, I think that's amazing, and even for you know, for the folks in the metal building industry. You know, if you, if you're a one person I'm not going to say one man show, cause you could be a one gal show there's nothing wrong with that. But there's this there's this tweak in a person's head at a certain point that some people want to be an actual business owner where they want to grow. And these are good, helpful tips of no one's born knowing how to run a business. And so, these good helpful hints of looking at things where it's not an expense but that it helps generate your income, more income, putting the right people in the right jobs, making sure you have standard operating procedures to cover yourself, so that we just can't I hear that all the time I just can't delegate. You know, no one will do it better than me. Well, that may be true, but there's as one person, it's humanly impossible to do what my whole team does for me.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yeah.
Juliana VanLaanen:So, touching on that too, like if you're empowering the people that you've hired, first off, stand on your own two feet that you were capable of hiring people that you know should be in the roles that they're in, and then empower them to do it. You know, take your ego out of it. I think that's like a huge aspect. I don't care if you're a woman, you're a man, you're anybody. I think ego does play a role. When you're doing it all early on by yourself. It is a whole lot. And then you get like well, I did it all and I've done it all, but you're probably not growing. If you're still the only one doing it, then you're not growing big enough and you're not focusing on what you should be focusing on to continue to grow. So, it is your job, it is your role as a CEO and the head of the company to empower the people that you put in the positions that they're in to do their job that you hired them to do, and by giving them room to grow, not micromanaging them, not overseeing every single little task. And, like you said too, if you've built the proper SOPs, then they should be able to fully accomplish and execute what you're asking them to do and if not, then go, look at your SOPs. Then go. You know, at the end of the day, everything is your fault. If you're the CEO, it is all your fault. If you win, it's your fault. If you fail, it's your fault. So, look at where your weak points are. If you have employees and they're not you know they're not up to like the bar that you want them to be at then you need to look at where you failed them, to either empower them to get there or to set the standard operating procedures in place so that they know what the expectations are that they need to be meeting. So it kind of like you know, once you've kind of like really driven that home for yourself and you kind of like take all that in, take your ego and set it all the way aside, throw it out the door, then you're now able to create a team where everybody is lifting and building and working upon it, and I don't even have to go look at those SOPs anymore.
Juliana VanLaanen:I know Ashley is working on them. Every time she's doing something different that we all like, that we all agree on. I know that I've empowered her enough to know that she's going to make sure that she writes those SOPs in and Michaela can follow them and we can grow as a team. And she's now working her own team, she's building her own team. You know, and if I was doing that all day, if I was micromanaging everything Ashley was doing, we wouldn't make any more sales Like I wouldn't have the time. There's only so many hours in a day and, trust me, I work the majority of them. Okay, I hear you, I see you, I know.
Shed Gal:We both do yeah.
Juliana VanLaanen:And even then there's still not enough hours in a whole day. You know, Agreed, Agreed.
Shed Gal:I love that about the standard operating procedures and I think you know, agreed, agreed, I love that about the standard operating procedures and I think you know I had a mind shift not too long ago and it, I think, was actually at the Blox that I don't have to put the standard operating procedures together, my team members, my employees, that because no one's doing it better than them, and I have a couple of them working on, working on it right now. Now, to them it's a foreign language, but I'm empowering them to. Uh, you know, here's, here's some guidance, but you know, do the research and it's, it'll be wonderful because it's really their job to then train their replacements so they can move up. As I see it now, um, you know, seven years ago, six ago, I saw it as my job to train everybody. You know, and I just I just don't see it that way.
Shed Gal:Now I, I don't talk to a lot of my team members nearly as much as my heart feels like I should. My head knows I don't need to talk to them every day. I don't need to. It's just like you to talk to them every day. I don't need to. It's just like you. If you know they're doing their job. I'm interested to know what you, because I have some little things in the back of my head of where I think you're going to be in 12 months or 24 months, which, by the way, don't matter at all. What's in my head? Where do you see this company in a year, and in two years and in five years? What do you want to see?
Juliana VanLaanen:You know we have a lot of big goals and one thing about 2Mama Bees is Sam and I always say we'll set a goal and then 2Mama Bees just come over and like bulldoze it and we're like, oh, we didn't dream big enough, right? So yeah, and it's great, right, like it's. I hope. I hope it continues to exceed what my expectations are. But I would say short-term goals, like within the next two years. We would love to be on a whole lot more Shed Gal lots and wholesale lots with different vendors and distributors. We would love to be in stores. We have some big deals that we're working on right now, primarily with, I can say them, Sam's Club. I'm being quiet.
Shed Gal:And who did you just say?
Juliana VanLaanen:you're working on and deal with Sam's club, and then it would be Costco to follow. And I think the reason that those are important, just the same as you, is that the product sells itself when you see it in person. So, it's not exactly a product that I think would ever really fit. And that doesn't mean that we won't, because we are creating a lot more products, but it is not necessarily a product that would go just on like a target shelf space. But a Sam's Club and Costco make a lot of sense for us. You can see it set up in person and you know, then you can grab it right from the store and take it home for a birthday, which that level of convenience can't be beat. Same thing with you. That level of convenience can't be beat. So those are like some short term goals. I would say longer term goal we do want to break into the Canadian market and so we'd love to work with some distributors there. And then always just new products, new product launches. There is one product that, if you don't mind, I'll just take a second to talk about. If you don't mind, I'll just take a second to talk about. I would love that. I want to know too.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yeah, so all of our products are named after our own children and Makai, who is Samantha's son, with autism and speech therapists, to really look at all aspects of sensory development and where we can incorporate different sensory development into this product launch.
Juliana VanLaanen:A percentage of the proceeds are going to go to Autism Speaks and we really want it to resonate with families, be a product that could be used both indoor or outdoor.
Juliana VanLaanen:It will be a swing set, but we want to incorporate a lot of sensory elements. I think one thing that families that have children on the spectrum have a pain point with is that either they have to bring their child to and they have some amazing places for kids that need like the sensory friendly aspects, but you're still taking your child there, and then it takes them, you know, maybe one to two hours to feel comfortable and acclimated and by the time that one to two hours is up, you're frustrated, you're worn out and you're ready to leave. So, we want to build a product that can go in anyone's home. That is going to be a very reasonable price point and it's somewhere where you can play and you can also help your child learn and develop the skills that your therapists are already working on helping them develop and it'll be in-house, you know. So, when the therapist leaves, they're not taking it with them. You know these elements are going to be there for the family to support the family long term. Wow, yeah, we're excited for the Makai.
Shed Gal:I didn't know any of this. I think this is just. It's actually bringing a tear to my eye. I think it's absolutely incredible the thoughtfulness that you put into all your products and this one in particular. Thank, you.
Shed Gal:You weren't just making a change for your friend Samantha and your business owner, you're making a change for a lot of. I mean. It's absolutely, absolutely incredible.
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Shed Gal:I'm super proud of the fact that Shed Gal.. and folks, if you're listening. If you're a dealer and when you say Canada, I'm going to see a couple of my friends from Canada that are dealers up in Canada. I'm going to see them here real soon. I didn't realize Canada. I'm going to see them here real, real soon. I didn't realize Canada. If you're interested folks in either wholesaling, where you would buy wholesale, where the from 2mama bees or if you're interested in an affiliate program with them, where it's you know you have a link like that's on my website where if the product sells, you get a certain commission. I'd appreciate it if you reached out to me directly at susan@shedgal. com and I will facilitate that partnership for you.
Shed Gal:There are a ton of dealers out there. I think the one thing is they think they have to have a display, that of course you're going to have to buy the display, but unlike many companies where you have to buy a ton of displays, you don't have to do that here. We know it's going to be easier for dealers if they have a display, no doubt. I mean that's the way it is, but there's also nothing wrong with them offering it. You guys have wonderful marketing, wonderful graphics that can be color printed and beautiful brochures.
Shed Gal:Dealers out there. If you're interested, please reach out to me. I can help you design a way where you can start selling these products and, as you can, then you can buy your own displays. But you don't have to buy inventory to get hooked up with 2Mama Bees. This is just another way to help dealers generate income. It is going to attract more people to the lot. In fact, one of our lots has the displays and I can't believe how many people have driven up and literally stopped right by the play set. So, I know that it's attracting people, and more and more and more sales will come from that. Yeah, that's incredible. The Mackay I can't wait to see that. That's really cool. And London, of course. I've seen the pictures and by the time this airs, I'll probably have those on my list.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yes, you will, yeah, award winning.
Shed Gal:There you go. Toy of the year Slap a badge on it list.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yes, you will yeah.
Shed Gal:Award winning. There you go, toy of the year.
Juliana VanLaanen:Slap a badge on it.
Shed Gal:That's the funny part. I you know, of course I watch your posts and we're friends and so your stuff pops up and I'm like, oh yeah just oh another award, another award.
Shed Gal:I mean it's really incredible and I know you. You're doing an amazing job of marketing yourself and marketing your company and I truly believe 2Mama Bees is going to be a household name within the next couple of years. Shed dealers, metal building dealers reach out to me, Susan, at Shedgal. com, and let me get you hooked up with Juliana. I, too, went through the training with you and Samantha, and I was just personally, I was very, very impressed by the amount of information that you gave to me and, of course, neocortex from you, crocodile brain. To me. That means nothing to anybody that's listening. You're the expert and I'm trying to take it all in, but you were able to explain things to me just like you have on this podcast and, in a nutshell for those of you listening and watching, this company is doing things differently. They have a luxury product with a great price point, with the best people behind them. I mean, who doesn't want to represent a company like that? I mean, that's like you're like, literally like the dream company to deal with.
Shed Gal:Thank you, thank you, yeah, and I know for myself. You know I had reached out to a company and big company, well-known, very good people, very nice people. But the pushback I received is that they had just put another dealer in a county of 4.65 million people. The other dealer was about 45 minutes from my lot, with literally 2 million people in between, and they said to me well, if that dealer doesn't work out, we'll let you know and then maybe you could become a dealer. And I thought,
Shed Gal:it doesn't make any sense in a County that has, you know, almost a million and a half more people than the entire state of Arkansas, that they allow one dealer. Um, because that one dealer, you know, you know it's just one dealer. So, you know it met you. I was like, wow, I don't have to like, compete against other people. No, you want your product out there and sold. You want dealers, um, representing good dealers, represent ethical dealers, representing your products and I, I love that.
Shed Gal:Like when I met you, I was like, okay, yeah, I was there to tape a TV show, but I was like I was thinking in my head oh my gosh, if I don't have any other connections from this, this was the one I was supposed to have.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yeah, I feel like I'm so in alignment with that too. It was really the irony of it, cause I don't think anybody else technically in our space well, definitely nobody on our season, for sure but we're all like in these groups now, like with everyone, and I've never seen anybody else that does what we do. And so then imagine, here we are on the same season together. It was just yeah, yeah.
Shed Gal:Yeah, yeah, I know, and I will have a very long-term relationship and I'm so impressed by your company, I'm so impressed by the passion behind it I can't wait to meet Samantha in person eventually. It is just, it's just really, really incredible and I know that you, you know when you're you were searching out people to sell your product and then we meet. I will say everybody that the show that we're going to be on uh should be airing the end of the year, early next year. Of course I'll blast it all over social media. So every single person in the shed metal in building industry, but it's called the blocks b as in boy l-o-x and uh.
Shed Gal:The crazy part about it is it's not syndicated because there's no drama. It is literally to help business people take their business from whatever they are to a completely different level. And I know Juliana, for you and me it's certainly we have taken it all in and we're using the tools that we learned. And just you know she alluded to it earlier. There was a little and I went head to head did, but there was no drama.
Juliana VanLaanen:There was literally no drama on the show either. It really like if anybody's looking for an environment and I guess, hey, let's plug the blocks, there we go, you're welcome less. But you know, if you're looking for an environment where you can team up and meet other like-minded entrepreneurs, I don't think I've ever found a better place. I mean lifelong friends, for sure you, lifelong friends, but not even just us People that are in totally different spaces, lifelong friends. You know it was invaluable for us and for me as the leader of our team I guess that's my role and my title it really did help me come back with just a ton of information.
Juliana VanLaanen:I learned so much. I feel like even the graduate school. We learned even more right. It's just an even deeper dive. So it's been an incredible journey and I have just met people that I think I needed in my life to help grow and motivate and align myself with, and so, yeah, just if anybody is interested, you should definitely reach out. It is an incredible television show. It is no drama whatsoever. You are all there for the same reason to learn and grow and expand your business and expand your knowledge and, trust me, you will exponentially.
Shed Gal:You know it was really cool. Oh, we're going to be on a TV show. I'm not kidding you. It was a couple hours in. I didn't even think about being on a TV show.
Shed Gal:The rest of the day oh yeah, but I will say this I don't know how much sleep you got, but in six nights I had I don't know 20, 21 hours of sleep in six nights, but I was. You know, it was really cool. It's about business, I think, before we wrap this up, one of the things from the blocks and of course I'm plugging it it's really cool. It's going to be fun to watch the education part of it. But the community that Wes Bergman and folks for those of you out there that don't know who Wes Bergman is, he has a long, 20 year career of being on MTV, on Real World, Austin and the Challenge, so some of you might know him, but he, he he's the owner of Beta Blocks. The man is brilliant. It's weird that he ended up on TV. His family history, his education, he's absolutely brilliant. I think what he's the most brilliant in of all the things is bringing a community together and when I talk to shed dealers and metal building dealers, I frequently see people that feel so alone, so alone.
Shed Gal:I have always reached out to other and that's why I'm well known. It's bragging, it's, it's a fact. I've always reached out and engaged, truly from my heart, engaged with other dealers and if there's dealers listening or manufacturers and if you're feeling alone, reach out to others in this industry. Most of us are really cool. Um, all of us are really cool in this industry. Who am I kidding? Right, but make your community, and I think Juliana. In fact, right before I jumped on the zoom, I had a text from Steve Dubelle in Phoenix that was also on the Blox, and so it's uh, it's truly connections that are important. Anything you'd like to add before we wrap this up?
Juliana VanLaanen:that you guys are truly blessed having Susan in your lives. You are such an incredible person, so inspiring, so uplifting, so motivating. I would say her presence, when she walks in a room, she just lights it up, and I am so happy that I met you and that you are in our lives, and I'm thankful that you brought us on your podcast. So thank you so much.
Shed Gal:Thank you, Juliana. That truly thank you. It's been a rough week for me. I cannot tell you how much your words mean to me, so thank you very much, and I feel the same exact way about you. We're going to wrap up this week's episode of Magnificent Monday with Susan Frair, the Shed Gal, for the Shed Geek podcast. I thank you all for listening, I thank you all for watching and, Juliana, thank you so much. This has been an absolutely fantastic hour. I appreciate you, and let's do another podcast in a year or so and see where you're at.
Juliana VanLaanen:Yeah, wonderful Thank.
Shed Gal:Wonderful. Thank you all. We'll see you next Monday on the Shed Geek podcast.
Juliana VanLaanen:Bye.