Donna: Welcome to the She's in Business podcast for Mums made for more. I'm your host Donna Hann. And today is a special guest episode. As a listener to this podcast. Chances are you are a mum. And my guest today is someone who has most probably been in your house, and on your TV, Tina Harris has spent a lifetime in front of the camera as the much loved character La La on ABC kids TV. Yes. Lala is on the podcast today. And although the character is very entertaining, we're actually talking to the real person behind that character. Now, let me tell you, Tina Harris is a powerhouse and a very kind and genuine person who I've had the pleasure to meet a few times in person.
With three international TV shows and multiple viral YouTube videos, including the latest video on YouTube, which has now seen over 140 million views when it comes to being in front of the camera, Tina and her husband, Mark have literally been there and done that.
For me, it's a thing on screen. They have created a signature online course, courage on camera, and it teaches solo preneurs, how to plan, create and monetize their videos. Video is exploding right now and creating professional looking and sounding videos is really important for small business owners. So our chat today, It was just, well, you'll hear it.
It was just so easy.
And I want you to stay tuned until the very end, because I share a story about meeting Tina that I know you will appreciate.
Also, as you know, I'm a mom too, and it's not lost on me. That part of our job description involves organizing the family aswell as organizing your business.
So to help you with that, I've created the ultimate productivity planner to keep the dreaded overwhelm at bay. And to give you added confidence, to show up as your best self, knowing that you've got each and every week mapped out to be ultra productive. So if you want it, you can go get it at www.donnahan.com/freeplanner
that's www.donnahan.com/freeplanner.
Now let's get chatting to Tina Harris.
Tina Harris welcome to the podcast.
I'm really stoked to have a heated chat because you may not realize this, but our paths have actually crossed quite a few times over the past few years. And I've met you through a few different people and you've probably met so many people over the years that I don't raise this to embarrass you by not remembering.
So I don't want to make you feel awkward. I feel like our paths have crossed. And most recently we've been both presenting for the Australian children's activity association. But before that, I actually first met you in person at the Watson for kids awards. You were presenting the awards. It was a few, I think it was 2008.
Well, that'd be right.
Tina: Probably. I love the Watson for kids awards. I think they're, you know, an amazing platform to really showcase and celebrate so many people who run kids activities. Yeah. Yeah. It's a great event,
Donna: Really, really is and I've got a story to share with you a little later about that, but I also met you backstage at the Brisbane city, Christmas carols in 2008.
And at that time, I was the owner of the dance studio and we were invited to perform. And it was like, you were just so beautiful with our kids backstage and, you know, making them feel comfortable in seeing you as this superstar. And then they were like, oh wow, she's a real person though. And then with COVID coming in with both embracing new opportunities and developed a side of business, which is online, which I'm so excited to talk to you about.
And like many Australian mums, I first came to know you as the character of Lala from the kids' TV show. And there's so much more to you then just Lala. And I know that because I've been following you for a little while, but for the ladies listening, who perhaps they're just starting out in their business or they've been in business for a while, would you mind sharing your business journey with us today?
Tina: Business journey, oh my gosh. Well, I am a serial entrepreneur. I, from, from my early days back at the Conservatorium where I met Mark, my husband, I've always had a side hustle. And whether that was booking my friends into gig opportunities or running a Christmas Carol company or whatever it was, and, I graduated the Conservatorium and went on to sing with opera Australia for a number of years.
And it was a friend at opera Australia, when I had our first daughter who said to me, your really great at working with kids, why don't you teach early childhood music? Now at the time I was in that really interesting journey and I'm sure so many of your listeners are experiencing this or have gone through this.
Where you become a mum and your universe shifts, and all of a sudden you reassess everything and you go actually was my previous life and job, what I really want to do now. That I've got little people, does that work with, you know, the way our family's growing and where we see our future. And so.
Left the opera company, and I went off and I opened my first music school, which then ended up being for music schools and was bigger than Ben Hur. And I was running around like a crazy woman,
Donna: Which is not really happy with little kids.
Tina: Thank goodness. I've got an amazing mother-in-law, but I think it was it's always, and I've explained this, my, my youngest is now 18 and I was explaining this to her.
You know, you think when you go through school that you're going to study and you'll end out, you'll come out the other side and you'll, this is your career. And what, as I'm getting older and wiser, I'm finding out that it's actually all a journey and every new incarnation of career takes from what you've previously done and it builds and becomes the next.
So from the music schools, um, the opportunity came to create Lala from Lala came, television shows and live show performances and traveling overseas. And from that has now come this new enterprise that Mark and I working on together, which is courage on camera and helping female entrepreneurs make beautiful videos for their online courses and memberships and the YouTube channels.
Donna: Yeah, and that's why I've got you here today. Because when I heard that you're developing this online program to really help small business owners to develop that confidence on camera, I was like, what a great way that you're wrapping your skills and knowledge up in a different, I guess, a medium in a, in a way and helping other business women to really market their business in a different way.
Because to me on video, you're showing a different side of the person who's behind the business, and you're able to engage with your clients and customers in a completely different way, but it also builds a really high level of trust. Doesn't it?
Tina: Absolutely sharing your story, being authentic with your message is actually how you make lifelong customers.
And that's what we all want. We all want raving fans and we want to be that magnet that really attracts the audience to us rather than chasing the audience. So I really think that video is on this massive growth surge at the moment more than the property market video is taken off. And people often say to me, 10 years at too late to go out and make an online course.
Is it too late to start that YouTube channel? No, it's not. It's actually the perfect time. And just look at how Instagram is really focusing on reels. Everything that you do on social media today is not about a still image. It's about video.
Donna: Um, I couldn't agree more. And I think too, like, particularly when you're looking at social media and things like that, it's the video that will often stop you from scrolling.
And that's something that I talk about a lot when I'm working with my clients in my ready to rise online program. That marketing is a strategy and videos should be part of that marketing strategy. So, do you have any advice around how to include it as part of your strategy?
Tina: I think really it's something that you should be using on your social media, two to three times a week.
It's something that you should be becoming best friends with. I've got a number of clients and one I'm thinking of in particular as a brilliant illustrator. And when she first came to me, she said, oh, look, I love making videos, but I feel really uncomfortable when I've watched them back. I hate the sound of my own voice.
And I hate the way I look on camera. And I said, look, one of the simplest tools you can do is open a closed private Facebook group. Video your cell phone, your phone start to get used to actually speaking into the camera. Like the iPhones are incredible. You can shoot in 4k, absolutely insane. And she did that and she's now become a bit of a video monster.
And I can't keep her off video. She's on video. But, getting used to watching yourself back, getting used to your presentation style, finding your voice, your persona. It's not a character. It's your persona. It's being confident with who you are on camera is really important and a closed Facebook group that you don't invite anybody else to.
Nobody else it's just for you is a great way to practice.
Donna: Yeah. I love that. I've actually never thought of just doing a closed Facebook group, that's just for practice like this. Isn't fantastic.
Tina: And for anyone who's going live. If you're, if you're wanting to start a live strategy on Instagram or Facebook or any other media and even LinkedIn live, it's also a great way to use that closed Facebook group so that you can practice, without anybody else seeing it, you can actually press all the buttons. You can go live into that closed Facebook group and nobody else will see it. It's just for you.
Donna: Yeah. It really is a great way. I love that. And what do you think if we're looking at the biggest mistakes that you see small business owners make, when you get to know them as one of your clients, when they getting in front of the camera, what are some of the mistakes that they make and what are some suggestions for improving that?
Tina: I was just working with a couple of guys actually day before yesterday. And one of them has a YouTube channel and he's been making, um, finance videos and, it was really interesting actually, because watching the video back, it was a great video, great content, but he never once looked down the barrel of the camera and engaged with the audience at home.
And I think a lot of people look at a camera, whether it be an iPhone or a webcam or a proper video cam. And they don't speak to they one person at home, they try and speak to the audience as a whole. And I think really finding that key avatar, that one person that you want to speak to. And let's be honest when we're actually creating our businesses.
The key avatar is usually ourselves.
Donna: I couldn't agree more. I think that that really is true.
Tina: So, rather than speaking to a thousand people speak to that one person, speak to your avatar, looking down the center of the barrel of the camera. And you'll find that all of a sudden everything starts to make sense and you get that instant connection.
Donna: Yeah. And I think it's a really great way for your confidence as well, because when you're having that, one-on-one chat with somebody you don't feel as though you're on show for the rest of the world to see, which is tricky to get your head around when you're jumping on social media or YouTube, and anyone can jump in and see you. There's a lot of nerves that come from that. So I think that, yeah. Great tip. Thank you.
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Um, let's talk about tech, something that I feel in talking to other women in business when I'm like, come on, stop making videos and get yourself out there and put the face to the business.
And all of that kind of stuff is the tech side is what puts them off. They're like, well, I don't know what equipment that I need, which most people will have because an iPhone is a great place to start. But also what puts a lot of people off is the equipment. How do I know? Where do I start? Have I got, things to get me going and then how do we connect it all together? And then there's the editing and all of that kind of stuff. All of the things. So what tips do you have that makes that a whole lot easier. If anyone is listening to this and they're like, okay, I'm ready to start. But the tech stuff is where they lose in confidence.
Tina: Yeah, look, I think it can be broken down really simply into three categories. You've got, you need something to capture the audios, your microphone. You need something to capture the picture. So your camera and you need something to show you in your best. And that is your light. So if you've got your microphone, your camera and your light, something in each of those departments, you're often running.
And so what we like to work with our students on is looking at these three options on different budgets. So if you're just starting off, you can get going with a good quality smartphone, a webcam, even if you could even use your smartphone, you don't need the web cam and a microphone. And whether that be, something like the Rode Yeti, which I'm using today for zoom, just to enhance our chat today, or whether it be a lav mic that you attach to yourself and plug into your phone, a ring light, those things, they're only like a hundred dollars and they are insanely useful. We always advise people to go for a larger one rather than a smaller one.
So you want one about the size of a family pizza box and that will give you a more even light across your face. And try and get the ones that have got the dimmable switches on the back, not the one that you take the ring on and off. So you want to be able to dim the warmth of the light and also the brightness of the light that's to get started and then you're off and running.
And then we look at different ways to do three point lighting, especially for using green screen. A lot of people think that the virtual background on zoom. Zoom does the worst case when you've got the green screen behind you, and then you do the virtual key and it kind of cuts out your face and your head.
And it kind of all, it looks a bit weird. There is amazing software out there now. And so when you're editing and you know, you can use premiere pro there's a student version of premiere pro, which is quarter of the price of what the professional one costs. And if you're a teacher or if you've got a child in your house that goes to school, you can apply for the student version of that program, which is incredible
you can also use for free DaVinci Resolve that is the free software to download and use. And that is the professional software, a lot of the industry are using, we're more premiere in our, in our studio, but you can also use DaVinci. And so these are all things that we love to work with people. And I've created a bit of a cheat sheet, which I think you're going to share the link to
Yes,
Donna: later in the show notes.
Tina: We've created this sheet. So you can, whether it be a small, medium, or large a budget, we've got recommendations for lights, camera, and sound, and just simple things like auto queue. A lot of people worry about how am I going to remember this script or where am I going to look, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
There's a couple of different versions that we would recommend. And again, they're really inexpensive. You can run them using your iPhone or your iPad and have all of your script and everything ready to go, so. Being you on camera.
Donna: Yeah. I love that. I love it. I think it's practice makes perfect. Right? You need to get in there.
And I know when I was recording my videos for my online course, I was really nervous with the tech stuff. And I'm like, I bought a few different microphones and I've got different cameras and stuff like that. But you know, on a really small budget, it's like, well, I can't afford all the big flashy stuff.
How am I going to do this? And I think even like, you know, you can position yourself in natural light. If you can't get your hands on a ring light at that point in time. And it's really, I think. Oh, also that confidence that I know that you teach within your program as well in that you are you, and you, uh, there's something special about each and every one of us.
And it's just making sure that you're embracing that. And that really is the point of difference that you can be from other businesses. And especially, I think when you are working on camera, people are either going to love you or they're not, and that's not really for you to worry about because, well, you can't really change that.
It's their opinion and it's their choice. But in putting your best foot forward in being you and being authentic, like you said before, when it comes to the tech stuff, if you've got that confidence under your belt, talking to your ideal customer, knowing that you're not going to be everything to everybody and, you know, really focusing on an ideal customer and then practicing.
In the closed Facebook group. I love that idea and experimenting with your tech and trying things out. And then once you've got that down path, just going for it, isn't it.
Tina: Absolutely.
And look at way back when we first started Lala, I remember it was kind of, we were a couple of years and up to that point, we'd only ever had positive feedback.
And I remember when we first got into TV for the first time and all of a sudden were opened out to this huge audience. And I had a couple of negative comments on Facebook and I spoke to my business mentor at the time and she said to me, honey, you've made it. That's great. The fact that you are now reaching that larger audience and you're reaching people who actually aren't your ideal audience.
That's great. That just think of that reach that you're getting. And so you're exactly right. There's always going to be that person in your realm, who is exactly your right audience member. But there's also going to be people out there who aren't necessarily attracted to your message and what you're doing and that's okay.
They can go somewhere else. Don't be afraid to be you and be your authentic self.
Yeah,
Donna: I love that message. It's something I speak of a lot to the people that I work with.
Now , I want to circle back to the story that I referenced to. So back in 2018, we met the first time I met you was through the what's of the kids awards you're presenting there.
I was a finalist in those awards, which was really exciting. It was at that beautiful cloud land venue in Brisbane. Oh, it's cloud man. Isn't it. And without sounding creepy, my husband's spotted you. And he said himself, the challenge of dancing with you that night and to give you some like backstory to my husband.
I'm a dancer, he is not. Like there is for him to dance with me is like, pulling teeth. Right. So I was like, what debts with Lala? Like, and he's like, yeah, that's what I mean, that's my challenge tonight. Cause they wanted to brag to everyone that he danced with Lala from TV. Anyway, he did get it. So I think there was the chicken dance or I dunno, who were doing some kind of thing and he wished you around and he came like, that was all, he did black out and came back to me and he was like, I did it! The evening you are recognized for, I think it was for your years of service within the entertainment industry and your family and friends had created this beautiful video for you.
And, oh my goodness. I was totally like choking out with tears when I was watching it in the audience. Because, a mom running a business, you and I, and the listeners to this podcast would know that sometimes it can be really tough in juggling those things. And over the years, especially when the kids are young, my kids are still quite young, so I've got a six year old and a almost nine-year-old.
And there's so much that you worry about when you're raising them and you're running a business and like, you know, you head hits in different places and physically you're in different places and all of that kind of stuff. But I remind my clients all the time that being a busy working mom. There's never a perfect balance, but there's always a blend that we can strive for.
And there are ebbs and there are flows and there are seasons in business. There are seasons in raising a family and all of that combined. And so what I know for sure is that if we explain to our children what we're doing and why we're doing it, we get them interested in learning those things. There's so much they get out of it. They understand tenacity and good work ethic, and they understand that making your dreams happen and understanding that expenses need to be paid from somewhere and helping other people, you know, in whatever you're doing is as a business woman. And circling back to that video that was created for you that night.
The reason that I was so choked up is because your children, oh my goodness. They just sang your praises. We're talking about you from the perspective of being their mom and how beautiful you are as a mom and the things that you've taught them from that side of things, but also their appreciation of you as a business woman and the journey that you've been on and the way that you worked together with your husband, Mark and all of those beautiful things and congratulations and kudos to you, because I think that it really. and actually grabbed you and had a quick chat with you and explain to you the feelings that I felt in watching that, because at that time 2018, I was feeling overwhelmed by my business. And I was feeling like such big mum guilt. I've worked really hard on that now, and I that's part of what I teach in going from the overwhelmed entrepreneur to the thriving entrepreneur.
But I'd love to know from your perspective and your experience. What would you say is the kind of things that builds that connection and that mutual admiration and that respect that you've built with your family unit,
Tina: Oh Donna! You made me choke up.
Donna: You know, it really wasn't moving video and yeah, like it's just what every mum in business, I think wants to see in, you know, once that connection with their kids and your kids. I think in that video, it was a few years ago now, but they're a teenagers. And so they had this beautiful understanding and appreciation of you, not just as mum, but also as the bigger business woman that you are.
And yeah, I'd love to,
Tina: I think like, firstly for anyone who's listening is that. Like all parents, I don't get it right all the time. And the kids are the first ones to tell me.
I remember that night saying it and being so moved and touched because they're the kind of things that you children don't tell you on a day-to-day basis. They, you know, it's mom, mom, where's my shoes, mom, mom, like it, and the kids have grown up on the road and we did a lot of touring through those formative years.
Where every school holiday, we would be on tour it and they'd get thrown in the back of the bus with the band and they'd have to get up at 6:00 AM in the morning and they get dragged along. And even from being really little, they were taking tambourines out of plastic bags and they were on the merge. As soon as I could get them on the merge counter.
I've got them on the merge counter because. They were learning maths by learning customer service. They were learning about the customer's always right, and keeping that, just having that mindset of this is how sell works. This is how you sell something. This is the kind of thing you need to do to, to give value.
And they were earning money. And so we always had, when we're on the road touring, they loved it because I used to pay them cash. And then they were allowed to go shopping with their own money. And so when COVID came along. Oh, the other thing that was really interesting about that time was that we missed the teenage years because every time we were about to, you could kind of feel the kids kind of getting to that kind of Knocky stage.
It'd be time to go on tour. Again, they get thrown in the back of the basket with the band. And they come out the other side or happy and shiny because they'd been part of this carnival lifestyle and they had that real sense of earned their, you know, they were part of the crew though, part of the team at belonging
times in the way that children grow up in the society that we're in at the moment.
They don't often experienced that extended family. And this is what the kids got on the road with Gary and Nick and Matt and GML sound guy. And we were all like traveling together. What I'm super proud of now is that both of them are very entrepreneurial in their own, right. And my eldest daughter, is working at the local cinema and she's got her own little side business with doing editing on the side and she's studying film and television at university.
And my baby who's 16, just got her first job at the florist shop down the road where she wrote out her resume and she sent it off. And then she went down there for an interview and she was all, yes, no, I know how to do sales. And I had to do this, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah. And that as a mum made me super proud because I can see that they are really switched on.
They know that making money doesn't have to be hard. They know that money flows and they know that it's not about hard work. It's about putting in a bit of effort and then you get the result. And I think as parents that's, the biggest thing is to change the way that we use language around kids so that it's not, we're not working hard.
We are just working. And I think when that shifted, they start to see that it can be fun. And when it's fun, that's when everything starts to flow. So I don't think I get it right all the time, but I do think that when kids grow up and they watch their parents, especially Mums in businesses, You'd be amazed how much they pick up.
Donna: Yeah, I agree. I'm already seeing that in my eldest, who's almost nine. Yeah. I see that he asked some really interesting questions about, you know, he wouldn't understand it as cash flow, but that's what it really is. And he sells his eggs that he collects from his chickens every morning to people and labels that go on top of the recycled cartons.
And I just think it's really great loss, still school them, and they don't necessarily learn it at the school in the same way. So I totally agree with you. Like it really is. They learn from our experiences in a way that maybe takes a few years for us to actually see the fruits of that. And rather than wrapping guilt around it, we can reframe it.
Female entrepreneurs to take the time to explain what we're doing and why are we doing it? And then it becomes a learning experience for them rather than mums working.
Tina: Exactly. Exactly. It's a positive thing. The other thing like my big life tip is barefoot investor for families.
Donna: Ah, yes. So good. So good.
Tina: That's good. It's amazing and both the girls are doing it and they can see how they, you know, put money aside. They own money comes in in one bucket. Put some across to their savings and some that they can just spend whatever they want and they love actually watching their money grow. And I think we should look at that when I was their age.
Donna: Yeah. Yeah, totally. Yeah. Oh, well, I've really enjoyed our chat. Thank you so much. Just everything that you shared with us, I'll be making sure that I linked your tech tips into the show notes and also where people can find you. If they'd like to discover more about what you're doing with confidence on camera.
I can hear my freezer beeping because we got interrupted by my youngest timing for an icy pole. And you can hear a beeping in the background. Um, and that's been annoying you in the last few minutes, listeners. I am sorry, but. My freezer would probably defrosting all over the floor. So I've got to go to, but thank you so much.
It's been a pleasure chatting with you and looking forward to see where it all goes for you.
Tina: Thank you.
Donna: Make sure you check out the show notes for anything extra, I talked to that today. If you liked the episode, make sure you subscribe and I'd love it if you left me a review. Even better, share it with a friend, because what I really want is to help women in business feel supported on their business journey, share it on socials tag me so that I can give your business a shout out to.
