Exploring the Great Outdoors with Suz Horton

#108 - Suzanne Horton (Edited)

Thu, Nov 14, 2024 9:10AM • 40:22

00:00

Emma, do you want to live a life of freedom and adventure? Are you wanting more than the daily grind? Me too. Welcome to the Emma Lovell, show a place where we talk about living a life you love. Now I'm your host, Emma Lovell, and my number one value is freedom. I've spent the last 14 years running a business and traveling the world, and now I take my husband and toddler along for the adventure too. It's possible, and I know you can create a life doing what you truly love as well. This podcast will inspire, motivate and encourage you to go after your dreams, to create a life you love and to live it now, not wait for a time and or someday in the future, I'll be sharing episodes weekly about how I harmonize business travel and self care. I'll also bring on incredible guests to share their journeys, the wins, the challenges, and how they're creating a life they love. Let's jump in and get dreaming. This is a space for you to manifest a life you love.

01:03

I would like to acknowledge and recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of this place, now known as Australia. I am grateful for the continuing care of the land, waterways and skies where I work, live, listen, learn and play from here on you, Emma country and from wherever you are listening, I pay my respects to the elders past and present.

01:26

Welcome to today's episode. I'm excited to introduce you to Suzanne Horton, the founder and director of mukmat. I was very fortunate to meet Suze, as I love to call her, at a speak with impact workshop run by her sister in law, Shelly Horton. And I just was overwhelmingly impressed by Susan's incredible business and journey. She is a true entrepreneur, and I've just marvel at the product that she's created, but let's learn a little bit more about her. Suz is the founder of muck Matt, Australia's favorite grass mat. She loves getting outside into nature as much as anyone, but she also likes to do it in comfort and muck. Matt came about because she was trying to find a solution to stop the constant sand and grit on the floor. Her mission with muck Matt is simple, to inspire everyone to embrace the great outdoors without the hassle of bringing the muck indoors. And a fun fact every holiday they go on, she makes it a mission to Skinny Dip somewhere and somehow Sue absolutely lives the lifestyle and that she promotes in her business. And I'm truly inspired by what she's created and the movement to get more people outdoors. I know you're going to love this episode as much as I did. Please welcome. Suz Horton,

02:53

welcome to the Emma Lovell show. Suz Horton,

02:58

thank you, Emma Lovell to be here now. I always get our guests to say in their words, because you know you best tell us a little bit about you. Okay, so yes, Suzanne is my name. I live in Burleigh, heads on the Gold Coast. I've pretty much been raised on the Gold Coast, and as a result, the beach and the outdoors is very much part of my lifestyle, and, in turn, my family lifestyle as well. So

03:29

yeah, and obviously, we're mixing the conversation today with business and pleasure. So the love of beach and the outdoors has led me to where I am today with my business,

03:41

yeah. And otherwise, I have

03:44

two teenage boys that are now 19 or nearly 19 and 16, which is kind of crazy, just being for a surf with my eldest son, which is lovely, and my husband, Todd, who you know his sister very well, yes, yes. That's that's the common thread. So I got to meet you at Shelly Hortons, fabulous speak with impact,

04:09

confidence building speaking day, where we got filmed, and you got to share your message, and you're a bit nervous. You're like, I don't really know how to do it. You would, and then you were brilliant. Thanks, Emma. I often say that to my team, because I,

04:23

like I, I did a lot of public speaking through high school and with my previous job. So I I certainly don't get nervous in front of a crowd presenting, but put a camera on me and I go, just what happens? I shy away from it. So yeah,

04:41

Michelle, well, then after we, you know, we met, and I went and looked up your business and the socials, and there was this, like, fabulous video where you were talking, and I was like, What is she on about? You were great. No,

04:56

maybe it's more of a, I can do it, but it's certainly not but.

05:00

Part of the business, or what I do day to day that I enjoy. I know some people love it, but it's definitely not my jam. Yeah, well, and that's it's good to know, but also, like, I think it's so great that you recognized

05:13

so many founders don't want to be that, or they shy away from it, or, like, shy away from the business owner, and they're like, oh, it's about the customers and it's about the team, and it's about the product, and it's like, yeah, but who do you think is going to sell it? And when you're the founder and your Creator, your story is part of it? Yeah, absolutely, yeah. And to that, I know that. Yeah. So for those who don't know, let's, let's talk a little bit about muck. Matt, I've got one at my front of my house. And it was funny, because I didn't really know. And then one of the ladies actually has them, because she does caravanning. And then sue, well, she said she had one, and she was like, Oh yeah, I've got a mat. And I was like, Oh, it's a mat. I was like, Matt and and I like, I like, got to learn about it. I was like, This is amazing.

06:02

Having a map be so great. I was like, great. You got a doormat? Like, woo, but it's not a doormat. Tell us what is a muck map? Sure. And yeah, we've, we digress. But Shelly and I have some funny stories about when I first

06:16

started the business. But not really is. It's more like on my side, the sequin gal, not the camper banning surfing. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, as you said, Muck Matt is a doormat. However, it's a doormat that actually works, and that that's why I've seen success with the business like I have. So as I mentioned in the intro, we are a family of surfers, beach goers, our boys play footy, Todd, and now the kids mountain bike, we hike, so there's a lot of outdoor activity, and as a result, a lot of grit and sand that comes back with it. So when the boys were still pretty young and I wasn't working, we're doing a lot of surfing, and I had an off cut pieces of astro turf that I found worked really well to get the sand off our feet after a surf or getting changed out of our wetsuits. So I had that rolled up in the back of the car that I would just take along to the beach each time we went surfing, and it, it just, it was kind of a snowball that every time I had it out at the back of the car, getting changed or cleaning our feet, I'd say nearly every single time someone would look at it, at point say, that's great. Where'd you get it from? And, you know, I come home to Todd and say, someone commented on the mat again, and after about three or four months, I just said to Todd, my God, I reckon there's something in this because the interest it's gaining, and the fact that I just found it so effective, I'd be just kicking myself if I forgot to pack it, because then, yeah, back in the car. And so, yeah, I did a little, or a little bit, turned into a lot of research, and there was nothing like it on the market in Australia. So that took us into a, I say ask, because Tony was kind of, you know, helping out alongside to begin with, just to see whether, does this have legs? And yeah, we, we decided to commit 10 grand to it and give it a crack. And so,

08:15

yeah, I did some extensive research to find the the ideal kind of turf that looked great, the right quality, but also, you know, the right length of bristle, so it act like a brush to actually get that sand off. We found the local manufacturer here in Corona. I didn't have to commit to big minimum quantities to begin with. So it was a very safe dip to a business that,

08:42

you know, could have, like I did, have in my head, if I sell the first 500 and, you know, that's it. Well, I've given it a go and, but yeah, it went the other way. Yes, yeah. And when? So, what year was that?

08:56

When did it? When it did? Sorry, that was 2017 that we launched, yeah, so seven years ago, yeah, yeah. Could you imagine where it be now? No, not at all. Absolutely not so that we launched just prior to Father's Day. So that was the great time to kind of, you know, get it out in the market. And like all founder starting businesses, it was the grind at the start, so turning up to every caravan and camping Expo,

09:28

yeah, just a lot of hustling, getting a lot of PR in the early days, which was great. And,

09:35

yeah, it was a combination of, and I say this often, that it was a product that the customer sold for me. So it and it, it was brilliant. It was

09:49

because the caravan camping and surfing community are very

09:54

community minded, so they love sharing tidbits about what they're using. So it was a ripple of.

10:00

Where someone would buy a muck mat, they'd like it so much that they felt compelled to tell their friends their family about it. In the early days, when I was managing customer service, I'd get a lot of emails saying I was camping here and my neighbor mentioned it, or my mum sent me this link, and

10:17

yeah, so it was really organic, along with, you know, a lot of,

10:21

as I said, hustling as well. Yeah, but that that certainly the growth happened quite quickly because of that. And I think, you know, any business owner would say that's the ideal scenario that, oh, customers do, do, you know, the selling for you in a way, and that's in sometimes it is hard to when you're so close to the product and you know, or the service or business you you sort of know, and you're like, just get it. Like, come on, just get it. This is, yeah, what it is. And so it can be, it can be hard to step out of it and to articulate that message. Because especially when you've been doing it for a while, and I just love the way you say it actually works, like, it's a doormat actually works because, yeah, we've got one. And, you know, and I was that was, like, my thought I was, like, living in an apartment. Why would I need a doormat? Like, because I was thinking this at a welcome mat, and it's like, I don't need a mat or to wipe my shoes. Like, I don't know, we walk up three flights of stairs, but even walking up three flights of stairs, there's still a crap ton of sand there.

11:22

Yeah, absolutely. Even the habit short thing, I think, as well, of like that, we now take the shoes off outside, like we get our son to take his shoes off outside. And sometimes it's not even that we've been to the beach, it's that he's been at kindy with the you know, so like, empty the shoes outside the door, that we're only cleaning up outside the door. It's just a habitual thing. But, and I said to you off air that I've got one in the car, and I just haven't gotten the habit yet. Slash, I don't think we've been going to the beach in the car that much. So it is very helpful at the house, but that it actually works. And I just I love that. I don't think I've had I think I am more now. And once you're a mum, or you have products that you really love, I don't think there's products that over the years I can remember, but since being a mum, there are these products that you just you do you want to sing from the roof. So you're like, are you not knowing about this? And it tends to be that experience. I think it's when, like, you just have that story, and when I got to see you speak that day, and why I wanted to have you on the podcast was like, you had a problem and you found a solution. You live the lifestyle. You you live it. You are like in it, and you demonstrated it. And so then, and it was just that real need, and it is. It's just like the ideal business storm. Yeah, that absolutely yeah and yeah, you're spot on that. It's, it's not a disastrous problem people have, but it's, it's a daily one. So I think that's been Yeah, big part of the success of the product as well, that, you know, everyone's got a floor, whether it be the caravan at home, the car. And, you know, the the cleaning is a daily task. And if it helps people, it's yeah, that that's so much satisfaction for me as well. And as soon as you say it like, when you go, Oh, you know, got sand through the house, or you just go, Oh, yes,

13:23

feel the grit, and you can feel it. Look down, and it's like, Oh, got a vacuum and and you just, and I think it deters people as well. I think there are times where you go, Oh, we're not going to the beach because it's too messy, it's too much. And we're not going to go, yeah, camping together. Yeah, big swear, I

13:44

you know the product is just valuable. It's the sand in the bed when you're camping, either

13:51

at the front of the tent or as you're stepping into your caravan, so you're not getting pretty dandy sheets or sleeping bag. That's a good thing. Yeah, it's yes, so yeah, definitely more so than Yeah, the car and that you go, okay, whatever. I'm sitting on my seat. But

14:06

if you've had sand in your bed,

14:09

in all over, then it's such a you know. And because I'm not, we're not at that stage yet where we are camping. I would like to be but, you know, yeah, my friend who was there on the day, just straight away, she's like, Oh yeah, we've got one. Yeah, we can use it. It's so great. And who's just spouting your chemo that happens so often as well. And as I mentioned earlier, the ripple effect. But the number of times I am somewhere, and for whatever reason, the muck map comes up and someone says that you or, oh my God, I've had it for this long, and I love it. I've bought four, and even the other day, we're doing a promo video. We've just started a fundraising campaign with serve life saving amazing. So my back to me not loving being filmed, but I've been filmed down the beach with the lifeguards, and in that time.

15:00

Two people stopped and said, we've got a mark. Matt, we love it.

15:04

Yeah, that that still blows me away to think back to your point as well, about, Did I, did I anticipate it would grow like this? And, no, not at all. And then, like, so you're sort of an accidental business owner, or, had you owned business before? Like, what like, did you think you would be this kind of business owner? Quite the opposite.

15:25

So my most of my working career, my background is in health science, so I worked for many years with different specialists in diagnostic around heart and lung and vascular health, and then moved into the pharmaceutical company, where I learned sales skills, and for most of it, it was people management, so brilliant job that kept my interest with the science, but learned a whole set of business skills

15:51

many times. And just on the flip side, my parents, I've grown up watching mom and dad. They own news agencies, so their own business, and they worked extremely hard. And,

16:04

you know, I saw the stress that came with it. And when I was in big corporate, corporate, I'd often think, Oh, why would anyone start their own business when I've got HR, finance, marketing, all the support I need.

16:19

Yes, and here I am. So I guess maybe I had it in me and didn't think it was possible. But yeah, as I said, I I knew after using that prototype mat, there was enough interest there and need that I'd kick myself if I didn't do it so. But a lot of what I learned watching my parents and also what I learned in corporate I've been able to translate into this business, which has been fantastic, and it's transferable skills. I think that's where people get stuck when they're starting something new, and certainly with an identity piece and a new role, is that you're like, oh, but I'm not this. And it's like, but when you pull apart, what is a business owner, or what do they do? And a lot of it is people management. A lot of it is selling or under marketing, which you've clearly done very well,

17:11

understanding a need which you had, like, you know, this part, like, parts that you pull apart and you like, well, then I already have those pieces. I just hadn't put it into these getting accustomed to that new identity. But also,

17:27

if you don't have those pieces like you can get them right, it would have been support you would have got from other places. You didn't know. Product manufacturing,

17:36

absolutely not. And a lot of it, I think, is instilled at a young age as well. So what you know, how you're brought up, and, yeah, just, just things like hard work, integrity, honesty, fairness, all those things that they're, they're not skills, but they're, I guess they're how you approach your values and how you approach everything in life. And they're extremely transferable in business as well, because there's a lot of skills you can learn, but just the foundations of how you operate as a person, I think, is, you know, equally as important in business. I think another benefit you have is that you have do have a focus on health, and you do have a focus on lifestyle. And I feel like it's you know, from the short time that I've known you, it's something that you're not willing to sacrifice. And I think where a lot of business owners fall over is that they end up slipping into working like a corporate

18:32

and working nine to five or whatever. And I know you said there was some hustle at the start, but I I feel like I get such a strong sense of who you are and what you and your family stand for. And obviously, you know that's the lifestyle that you're selling. And so you're very, I feel like you're quite defensive of that boundary. And so you being able to take care of yourself and have that self care and prioritization has probably also added to your success. Yeah? Absolutely agree with that. Yeah. I found,

19:08

well, I have my passion, and the product came from my passion and my lifestyle, and I build a business around that. So absolutely and I if I was having to set up a business around designer handbags or makeup or something. I quit after a year, I think, but it comes so naturally to me. And yeah, I am very, very strict on my boundaries, because I know I'm so much better when I allocate time for surfing, the beach, ice bars, walks, friends.

19:41

Yeah, I I have a pretty tight rule that I don't commit to a meeting before 10am

19:48

so if, like a day like today, if the surf is glassy and beautiful, I can get it out there and not be resentful. If I'm, you know, from the computer at 8am and looking out and it's a beautiful.

20:00

Little day. So that's and, yeah, you can, I suppose the beauty of being your own boss as well, but you the work gets done. But when you have a little bit of flexibility in those set boundaries,

20:14

yeah, you're just better for it. Yeah, the mom and wife and a business owner as well, and I certainly with my team, I put on my first full time staff member in April this year. Congrats. And just chatting him to him before this call, actually, and he'd been for a surf, and he just sounded so pumped, and we're just workshopping through a problem. And yeah, when I hung up, oh, he's just on, I could tell he's had the best morning out in the serve. And,

20:44

yeah, I certainly filter that down to to the guys I work with as well. That's and that's values, like, that's the company's values, and that's your values. And there's such alignment there. But I think there's so many people like, this is what a business should look like, and this is what a entrepreneur should look like, and this is what I've got to do in order for it to be that. And, you know, I been had made money from travel for many years, and I, we were talking off there about, you know, how much, and someone, I so much, live my values and show my values. I now have to, I've got to work a little bit on communicating the value. That was what we were talking about as a LinkedIn strategy. But anyway, but um, you know, I think I would work with people in travel, and I go these travel meetups and be like, I've just been here and I've been there. And people like, oh, well, I run a travel business now, so I don't travel. And I was like, Huh? And they did. They were these startups and like these, like things that they built out of, the thing that they loved, and it had consumed them that they no longer got to do it. And I just like, No thanks. And I've managed to make money from travel over all these years. And now it's like, okay, how now's what, where I've married them, and because I still had that block myself, like, of, oh, you can't make money from travel, or you've got to run it like a business if you're going to make money. Like, you know where it's like, there are people who are have their lifestyle, have the thing that they love, have their passion, and have also managed to monetize it. And it was only Yeah, last year that I realized that it was possible, so doing it in a much more, a much more graceful way. But I was like, I will never get to that point where, if, if the business takes over and stops me from doing what I love, I'm out. Yeah. How can you stand there and talk about this thing that helps all these people? And you're like, but I'm, oh, yeah, you did that five years ago. Don't do it anymore, yeah? But now I'm, yeah, I'm burnt out and yeah. And I think, like me, it you're not, you haven't got to where you are. Out of luck. It's been a life by design. You've you've paved it that way. And I think that's where it is. People, I think, fall into this expectation that if I'm going to be successful in the business, this is what it takes. And he's so much has to be sacrificed. And yes, you need to make sacrifices. But there's, there's a point where,

23:05

yeah, if it's sacrificing too much, it's, you don't want to do it. Yeah, yeah. I don't want to borrow it. And you, you've shown that there's a successful way to do it. I think it's so lovely that,

23:19

that there's this, like you can, you can make it work, but that's by being so true to that value and so committed and and having that boundary. And it's funny, because I see you as such a laid back, and I feel and I do like I see that, then you talking about your person working with you, you're bringing that laid back ease into it. But it's also like, yeah, we're going to work. We're going to work, like, happy stuff, and then we're going to work, and he's like, he's coming in, and he's so focused. I just think that that that laid backness then comes into the brand as well, like, like, yeah, that lifestyle, that's the laid back but if you, if you come into my time, or if you you know that's where the boundary, that's the harsh, that's the forcefulness of you. Like, so my surfing time

24:10

pretty early.

24:12

I love it. Like, it exactly. Um, duality. So you're like, Yeah, I'm not laid back until you mess with my time. Yeah, that's true. Em, and also with that in mind, I think, as a business owner,

24:26

what's really important is understanding what you're

24:31

if I said North Star, but what, what do you want out of the business? Because I think it's easy when you're starting to see success is to get caught up in that and just think, right, big is better. And everyone's kind of, you know, oh, you're doing so well. What are you doing next? And you can get caught up in this

24:50

growth and probably aiming for things that don't matter to you or whenever on your radar. And that's when the balance can be thrown.

25:00

In. So I think that's always a good reminder to go back what you know, what, when's it enough and and what, what my goals are and staying true to them, yeah. And what is your getting caught up in the momentum? What is your North Star?

25:17

Um, good question. Um, I Yeah,

25:23

it is still to maintain the lifestyle I have now, but grow the business that doesn't require any extra hours from me. Yeah? Lifestyle, yeah, absolutely, yeah, making the right nature, yeah, yeah. I get a lot of enjoyment out of the business, so I still want it to be part of what I do, but in a balanced way, and have the flexibility. As you know, we've just been to Norway, heading to New Zealand in a couple of weeks, so to to intertwine that with the business is that that's perfection. For me. I love it, yeah? Look my North Star. And it's funny, because I'm, we're doing a rebrand, which come out soon, and even in my logo is a compass. So that

26:16

North Star, yeah, for me, it's freedom, and then where I go, and I used to identify as a freelancer, and I would go, where's the free and freelancer, like, I'm in here, and it's just, I would just walk out the balcony, just be like,

26:34

this, have to, need to, must. And it was like, why? And it was a such a quick place to catch myself like, is this freedom like this, this is the thing that I'm proposing and, you know,

26:48

suggesting, and then I'm, I'm the one who feels trapped like I can't some days it feels hard to walk down to the pool, which is, yeah, stairs, you know,

26:59

it feels like I can't even get outside. I mean, that's been a while, but, like, I was just going, where's the free, where's the free. But I subscribed, I signed up for that, yeah, and you lose all of that. But I, you know, and I shared with you yesterday, I went and dipped in the ocean. And I think sometimes we and I said, I haven't got the market out the car. And I think because sometimes we make it, build it into this bigger thing than it needs to be, and it's like, I could, I literally dipped in the ocean. I drove a street away, um, because, you know, time was shorter, so I was like, Yes, I'd like to go to that beach, but I'll find a body of water. Okay, that's still ticking the box. And I put my head under the water, and it was shark o'clock, so it was, like, a long time in here. My husband's the diver at Sea World is like, very bad scenario. Yeah, I really did the thing, you know, and then the only thing I didn't do was I was wiping my feet on the grass. I could have got my line of glass, yeah, yeah, yeah, and put that on the ground and away as we go. And it was just like, why do we build this thing up? Like, it's a really it's a really good point that I know a lot of people around exercise are the same, like, I don't have an hour, but could just be five minutes in your yard doing a few push ups and squats, and then your energy's back. And I'll often before I jump on with a couple of Team zooms during the week, and

28:22

you know, it's kind of my whole gang know it now, but I'll quickly jump in the pool before a meeting, just to, yeah, just up and get energy and things like that. I'll look and go, I've got four minutes before the meeting. Quickly jump in the pool. Wet hair. Here we go.

28:39

It is. It's so little moments during the day, it's so on brand, and it's just like, just, we just, it doesn't have to be so hard. And I think as well, so people could also look at you and be like, Oh, yes, Susan, her family do this, you know, mountain biking and surfing and like, oh, how do you get to that point? I although, obviously, we live a very adventurous life. I really aspire to to do some of that adventurous stuff with the boys. I enjoy it myself. Yeah, like these days, yeah. It's just it's not possible right now to go for a four day trek. Or, you know, My son can't ride a bike yet. I don't like mountain bike riding. That'll be a them thing, but I'm like, well, but then there's a walking trail 20 minutes away called the koala trail. And all I want is the trees, right? I just want that, like earthy tree, the bush, like in Australia, which is the bush, and to be amongst it. And it's like, then we'll do the eight, we'll drive 18 minutes away. And if it's 1020, minutes, it doesn't have to be a three, four hour hike. We'll get to that.

29:46

Yeah, you gotta change your expectations, depending on, you know where your family's at, that's for sure. But you know, I can speak to the fact that our boys, having been exposed to all.

30:00

These things when they were younger. It's gives me so much joy that it's ingrained in them now. And yeah, Josh, our elders had just been away with his girlfriend. He was telling me about the sunrises and the sunsets and

30:13

the walks and the swims. And yeah, I'm listening to all thinking, Oh, you're just, you just get a high from the those little, simple things in life. And yeah, he probably doesn't even realize he's saying it, but that just makes me so happy. And did you have people I don't know. What I find frustrating is like, I get people saying sometimes, or, Oh, what if, when you're older, Finn doesn't like that? Or, what if he's a homebody, or, how are you going to keep this up? Or, Oh, you gotta do it now, because he won't want to do it with you one day. And I'm like, I'm 37 and I still go on trips with my dad, and I'm taking India in March, and you're out there surfing with your boy. I'm like, why people do people project that onto like, oh, you can do it now, but you can't do it when they're older.

31:00

No, I Yeah. I kind of think, you know, replot your sew, and, yeah, yeah, yeah,

31:07

yeah. I just think it becomes, you know, he'll get to, they'll get to decide how they want to live and whatever they want to do. But it's like, no, this is, this is normal for them. Like your boys surfing the morning is normal for them going on a adventurous holiday is normal for them going and getting up at the sunrise is normal thing that he might have introduced the girlfriend to or, yeah, absolutely, you know, I think that's so lovely that it's just

31:36

that you get to see that. I'm really I look to people like you, and I'm like, yeah, yeah. Kind of happens by osmosis, but

31:43

yeah, it's it's certainly a joy to see. I feel like we've talked about it throughout, but it might be an obvious answer, but I always like to ask people, What does living a life you love look like now? Yeah,

31:59

I hope I'm not repeating myself, but I probably reflect back to my values, and it's hard to narrow down to values, but the three that I refer to almost daily are joy, well, being and collaboration. So in my day, I

32:17

try and include a little part of each, and they're often a good guide of decision making. So if I did this, is it going to include those? So,

32:29

yeah, living the life I love each day, having, you know, several moments of joy, well being, which I've talked about, and that could be anything from a surf to a jump in the ice bath.

32:41

We at the start of this year as well. We because our whole family loves it so much. We bought a sauna and an ice bath that we've got at home. And now I have mates over all the time, and we catch up in the sauna, have a girls chat, and then jump in and out of our pool in the ice bath, so that that's the lovely part of the day as well, and collaboration, it's a mix of social so, you know, spend time with friends and family, but also collaboration from a work point of view. So I really enjoy, you know, whether it's the collaboration with customers my team or brand partners we might be working with, get a lot of energy as well,

33:22

I love it. So I feel like, when I met you, I just felt such clarity and like, as I said, I knew you were,

33:31

I feel emotional super.

33:35

I just think it's so

33:38

admirable to see someone living their values and living this lifestyle that you're just so it's

33:47

just non negotiable. And I just, I haven't met the boys, I haven't met Todd, but I just, I can get a sense of your family, and

33:58

I don't know like product is so, I mean, now I have a product, and I was like, I didn't realize I was starting an E realize I was starting an E commerce business, but I didn't, kind of get product. And I was like, how could you have a thing that you just like, I just don't love something that much. Like, I just don't, yeah, I know. I mean, I guess travel was my product, but I just,

34:18

I just seeing, like, it's just such a beautiful alignment and integration and values and all of it marrying together. And just got such a beautiful energy from you. So I just want to say

34:32

thank you. I want to say congratulations, but also like, yeah, it's really inspiring, and it just gives me so much hope. Um, with a child, you know, my son's nearly four, of the path that we can have as well, that we can, you know, I can have a business I love, I can have a lifestyle that I love, that we can have this. I don't believe in balance, but I think if anyone's got balance, I feel like you've got a beautiful, beautiful balance. Thank you.

35:00

And yeah, I'll just add it's,

35:03

I look at my boys and what they've gained from seeing me run this business as well. So the mum guilt, you know, we could talk about that forever, and it never goes away. But yeah, I'd say to any mums in their own business, it's, yeah, you're teaching your kids a lot of good things as well about, you know, seeing mum start her own business, build it to what it is, but at the same time being available for them. And yeah, it, whether you call that balance, I don't know, but

35:36

yeah, that that would be,

35:40

yeah, as the mum guilt doesn't go away, but there's, there's a lot of benefits from what comes with being working mum as well. Yeah, it's wonderful, and you've made such a brilliant product. Tell us, Sue, I know you don't love the spotlight, but how can we get our hands on a muck mat? Or how can we sort of learn more about this, and if we did want to learn more about you, how can we do that? Sure, and thank you. So we are online at muck map.com,

36:08

Instagram is always a good way to check out. We've got a lot of customer videos and testimonials, because, again, I think customers sell a lot better than we do. They're out and about. They're using it and spooking the difference it makes. And we are in about 100 retail stores around Australia, but Anaconda is our biggest chain supplier. So if you want to go and see it, you know in the flesh, yeah, Anaconda is a great place to start as well. And we'll just spell that for everyone. It's m u k, m a t, Mark, M U K,

36:47

exactly, yeah, M, a T. How many know my When? When we're throwing around the idea of the business, it was actually my dad who came up with the name.

36:59

Oh, Dad. Love it, yeah, no good on Dad. And he's just like, I call it the mark Matt. You're like, alright,

37:07

bravo.

37:09

Hey. I just, I had my moment of walking into a shop. I had, I went to dimmicks in Brisbane, and they had my book, and I just had, like, that's my product. Like, after, you know, just as I said, not ever having a product, and not necessarily thinking I ever wanted to to actually have because my my businesses for so long been so intangible and often times hard to explain. So it's so nice being like, like, what do you do? I read a book. Yeah,

37:37

for sure. There you go, stand near the pile and go, yeah.

37:45

How did it? How did you have a feeling like the first time you saw it in a shop, like walking to anacon? How do you feel? Oh, yeah, very much. So yeah, tub and I went up to the Ashmore Anaconda, I think a week after it was in store, and it was, yeah, it was quite overwhelming, actually, to walk through such a well known outdoor adventure store and see it in the the aisle. And yeah, got lots of photos of me holding it,

38:13

something you'd love, like, you know, like it. You love outdoor travels. I'm sure you spent many, many, hours in Anaconda stores, and it's very much that's me, and like me, shop, my next goal is the airport bookshop, because like to walk through it. I think I kind of kept it together, because it's quiet in a bookshop, and I was on my own. If I was with someone, I might have lost it a bit more. But if, when I fit in the airport, there's going to be I think I'll be like, yeah, that is, I agree. That's I'm a big fan of the library

38:43

and but if I'm buying a book, it is definitely at the airport. Yes, yeah. So yeah, I have to have that moment. But I think to Yeah, that's such a blessing of a product, that tangibility of it, and yeah, for sure, and your yours, is going to be great. You know, we talk about the power of community, and what a great gift, or, you know, thing for someone to read, and then also get their friends or family that are no they're going to be inspired by your book as well. So thank you. Touch base in seven years and and see where it's gone. Yeah,

39:20

I'm going to be

39:22

thank you so much. Sue that was so lovely to see we're down the road. I hope I get to see you again sometime. I'm sure jelly will stop again soon. Now, love it. Thank you for your time, and congratulations again on such a fabulous product. And

39:38

thank you,

39:40

thank you for listening. Lovell one. I hope this has inspired you to dream big and start creating a life you love today. If you love what you're hearing, don't forget to follow and rate on Spotify and rate review and subscribe on iTunes. It helps other awesome people to find this podcast and get motivated and inspired.

40:00

As well. Want to stay connected. Come and join the live a life you love. Group on Facebook or connect with me on Instagram. Emma lovell.au the same as my website, but all the details are in the show notes. Lovely. I'll see you next episode for more inspiration, motivation and freedom seeking. Now, go out there and live a life you love. You.