Robert Gerrish, founder of Flying Solo, interviewFlying Solo publishes a weekly email newsletter that goes to over sixteen thousand business owners; their website has over eighty thousand visitors a month and their new forum is buzzing with lively discussion and online networking. Alongside Flying Solo, Robert Gerrish works as a small business coach, consultant, author & professional speaker. Robert has been a business commentator on ABC Four Corners, A Current Affair, Sky Business, Fairfax Digital, 2UE and ABC Radio and presents a weekly video blog for CBS Interactive. In mid-2005, he released his first book Flying Solo: How to go it alone in business, co-authored with Sam leader and published by Allen & Unwin. The book is an Australian business bestseller. Robert, I really appreciate you taking this time out of your busy schedule for our interview today.
Robert Gerrish: I had a career in London in the marketing and design industry. We built a successful little business and sold to Saatchi & Saatchi advertising in 1989. At the time Saatchi's were the world's largest agency and while my car grew longer and my salary larger, I didn't enjoy the shift from small business. I quit and after a little foray into the contemporary art world, headed for Australia in search of a better way of working and living. Happily I found both! GG: How did the idea for the Flying Solo business and online community come about? RG: In 2000, after a few years of consulting to small businesses (mainly in the design industry) I came across this new thing called coaching. I did a good deal of training and was doing quite well building my one-person coaching practice when ABC Four Corners approached me to be part of a documentary on 'new ways of working'. The doco was great fun and after it aired my phone rang off the hook and I was madly busy for months. Our son had just been born (he's 9 now and I'm 53) and the mix of sleep deprivation and more work than I could handle left me fatigued and in need of a new plan. I sat down with all my client files and put all the people I LOVED working with in one pile, the remainder in another. Surprise, surprise, I discovered my niche there and then. I adored working with those going it alone. People looking to build a business that really served to provide lifestyle. The name Flying Solo popped up soon thereafter and I was off. I have always loved writing and so started submitting articles to magazines and publishing online. I also started my ezine in late 2000. After some months, the publisher Allen & Unwin called up and asked if I'd like to write a book. Sure I said, what shall we call it? They suggested we use 'Flying Solo' - I couldn't believe my luck! Having my hands full with a newborn (and a busy coaching business) I invited a friend, Sam Leader to co-author. We had so much fun, we decided to set up what's become the Flying Solo online community. Sam is one of my partners and our editor. Incidentally, Peter Crocker is the third partner and he handles marketing. GG: Now, you mention your very successful book you have co-authored with Sam Leader, Flying Solo - How to go it alone in business. I have read it and believe it should be on every small business owners bookshelf, but I wanted to hear from you why you think small business owners should go out and buy a copy? RG: Thanks for that lovely sentiment. To answer your question all I can say is that it's been referred to as a manual for going it alone in business and that was our intention. I have read squillions of small business books and they all seem to assume everyone wants to create an empire and grow big. Our book is for those who want to stay very small, but do it very effectively. "Loving your own company" is our little tagline and it's the sentiment that runs through our book. GG: This year, Flying Solo was deemed a site of 'national significance' by the National Library of Australia. How did you achieve that exciting accolade? RG: Great question. Not sure that I can remember. The phone rang and here we are! Goes to show you never know who's watching. Be good, be consistent and be patient. Good things happen. GG: Last year you launched what must be THE most successful and active online community for small business owners across Australia - the Flying Solo forums. Why do you think the forums and Flying Solo community grew so quickly? At the time, did you realise the size of the gap in the market you were about to fill? RG: Thanks again for your kind words. Frankly I think the success of our forums is due to the snail pace way we got it happening! We are driven by engagement. If we're doing our job properly, our target audience will engage with us and over time we have grown our audience and deepened engagement. We started the forums as a consequence of what we observed. Our audience were trying to talk with each other, we just had to get out of the way - by the time we got our act together there was a virtual line at the door! We didn't look for a gap in the market, we simply answered a need that we were not fulfilling. The fact that the forums are so good is a real testament to the individuals who are in there, such wonderful people, so generous and helpful. Quite astonishing really. GG: Coming back to your coaching, consulting and speaking business, what would you say the more successful marketing tactics have been for you with your business and why? RG: Having opinions and not being afraid to share them and being very clear about my niche. A love of writing really helps too! GG: What do you love most about being a Soloist? RG: My boss is really cool! Just kidding. I love choosing how I spend each day; how I can create my own environment and the responsibility I have for my own outcomes. Don't tell anyone, but I also love my two business partners (who are soloists). GG: Finally, what is something most people don't know about you? RG: That I started an art gallery in a public lavatory in London. It bombed and I lost my house...but I had enough cash for an air ticket to Australia, where I met Jane, where my son was born and where I intend to live happily ever after. Jane and I are both Piscean dreamers! GG: Wow Robert, thanks for being so open and sharing so much today. I wish you continued success with Flying Solo! I know our readers will really enjoy this interview.
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