Rochelle Humes: Why Waiting Until You’re 100% Ready Is Holding You Back

re:WORKING with Tim Campbell

In this episode of re:WORKING, Tim Campbell interviews media personality Rochelle Humes about her transition from pop star to successful ent

Key takeaways

• Rochelle Humes suggests that 'your thing' is the skill that comes easily to you but is difficult for others.
• She advises against quitting a primary job too early, recommending using the '5-to-9' period to build business evidence.

Main topics

• Entrepreneurial risk-taking
• Brand development and scaling

Notable quotes

Your thing is the thing that comes easy to you that's hard to most.

Conclusion

The episode serves as an inspiring blueprint for creatives looking to

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) You don't know until you're in it, but actually is what it takes. Speaker 2 (0:03) Michelle, founder, entrepreneur, what's one thing that you've done before you were ready for it? Speaker 1 (0:07) Every single thing. Speaker 2 (0:08) Seriously? Speaker 1 (0:09) You need those moments to push you forward to the next thing. So Speaker 2 (0:12) there's this stat that if a woman sees 60%, she's not quite ready, but if a man sees 20, he's jumping in. Yes. Do you buy into that? Speaker 1 (0:18) Absolutely. I think women are way more rational, where maybe men are a little bit more impulsive and they're like, yeah, let's go. How Speaker 2 (0:24) did you know your fire? For Speaker 1 (0:25) me, your thing is the thing that comes easy to you that's hard to most. I've always and will always have that working class mentality. When I was young, I was like desperate to be a pop star. My job was a promo girl. If anyone ever stops you in the street to give you a leaflet, just take it. Speaker 2 (0:42) What's the one piece of advice that you wish you had earlier? Speaker 1 (0:45) I wish someone told me it can be really lonely. Hi, I'm Rochelle Humes and I'm reworking with Tim Campbell. Speaker 2 (0:59) Hi, it's Tim here, and welcome to the new season of Reworking. Coming up this season, I'll be sitting with some inspirational people to help answer the questions that really matter to you about work and help you succeed on your own terms. Maybe you've read a job description, tick seven out of the ten boxes and close the tab. Maybe you're waiting to feel ready before you ask for the promotion, pitch the idea or start the thing. We've been told confidence comes first. Usually, it's the other way around. You act, and the confidence follows. To help me unpack that, I've invited someone who has started a game more times than most. Rochelle Humes went from pop star to handing out leaflets outside a supermarket, and from there to presenter, founder of My Little Coco, and host of Ladies Who Launch. She's also about to launch another brand from scratch. We'll get into why so many talented people hold back, whether success ever fixes self-doubt, and how to go for things before you feel ready. you'll leave with practical ways to put yourself forward without waiting for permission. Let me know what resonates in the comments. Speaker 2 (2:05) Michelle, thank you so much for coming. I can't wait for this conversation. You're at the top of the list. You're the one I wanted to speak to first because your journey has been amazing. Founder, entrepreneur, you've done so many different things in different areas. What's one thing that you might have done before you were ready for it? Speaker 1 (2:24) Every single thing. Seriously? Every single thing. And I think sometimes that's really important. And I think I was that girl that... I never, I mean, a prime example of me, I remember when, this is before the group, before any of that, I remember getting a, you remember the stage newspaper? Of course, Speaker 2 (2:39) of Speaker 1 (2:39) course. And so that's obviously how you used to, kids used to see auditions before it was like a thing to have social media or whatever. Speaker 2 (2:47) And Speaker 1 (2:47) I remember there was this advert that came in and I can't remember for the life of me who it was for. And I used to go on them all the time, like little sort of, not modelling jobs, but like, you know, I did one for a serial ad and I did one for fairy and I was just like an extra or doing, you know, I used to do whatever. And there was one that come in that was like a good paid one and someone had called me about it and I was like, yeah, I'll go for that. And I, but you've got to be active. You've got to be this. You've got to be that. Yep. I'm all of those things. That's fine. Booked the job. Speaker 2 (3:15) Yeah. Speaker 1 (3:16) I needed to be able to roller skate. Speaker 2 (3:18) And you couldn't? Speaker 1 (3:19) No. Speaker 1 (3:21) and did it and, you know, tried to give it a go. I mean, they must have thought, girl, by the time I got there, I'm sure now the casting would be a little bit more vigorous. But I think that's just my mentality. I'm almost like I, and I still do that. You know, we might get offered, you know, opportunities, whether that's with retailers or however that looks for the business. And we might not be ready. And I've been in situations where we've not been ready at the back end, but I've said yes to it. And I will leave that meeting and be like. Now I've got to figure it out. Speaker 2 (3:49) And Speaker 1 (3:49) I think sometimes you need those moments to push you forward to the next thing. So Speaker 2 (3:54) what are you saying to the person who may not be an Aries or who's listening now, who wants to have that impetus to just step into it, but they're afraid, they feel the fear first. What's your advice to them? Speaker 1 (4:04) I just think as humans, sometimes we can really get in our own way. And actually, if it's something that deep down, you know, you want, or you're not ready, or I'll do that when, or I'll be happy when. Sometimes when isn't, Well, when it's Speaker 2 (4:18) not Speaker 1 (4:18) promised, right? So I think sometimes it is just acting now. And obviously, you know, by any means, I'm not going to go in tomorrow and say I want to be a chartered accountant because everyone would be in trouble. I think if you Speaker 2 (4:28) did, you'd make it happen though, right? I'd be a Speaker 1 (4:30) friendly one. I'd be a friendly one. But I think, yeah, I think, you know, if you know that, you know, maybe that would be great for me, but maybe next year, like, why not now? And sometimes you have to be 80 % of the way there and you'll alter the... you know, the rest of the 20 on the journey. So I think sometimes it is important just to, if it scares you and you've got that knot in your tummy, I'm a real believer that that's a good thing. Speaker 2 (4:57) Amen to that. So there's a lot of people who would say that women particularly... don't ever step forward until they see 100 % clarity of what's next. So there's this stat that's gone around that says, if a woman sees 60 % of the things, she's not quite ready. But if a man sees 20, he's jumping in and doing the other stuff. Do you buy into that? Speaker 1 (5:15) Yeah, absolutely. I think women are way more rational. I think women are way more considerate. So they're not Speaker 2 (5:19) afraid, they're more rational. I like that. Speaker 1 (5:21) That's what I think it is. I think we'd actually like really sort of... almost forecast it and have a strategy and think, hang on, if I do that now, does that, I think we're a bit more methodical in our approach and what could go wrong where maybe men are a little bit more impulsive and they're like, yeah, let's go. Speaker 2 (5:37) And Speaker 1 (5:37) I think, and I'm maybe a bit more obnoxious. I think, absolutely, I can, you know, I've watched the marathon, I can run it tomorrow, you know, and I think if we, if we sort of nurtured that in us a little bit more. I do think we've got the upper hand because if we nurtured that impulsive side a little bit, mixed with the kind of methodical approach, I Speaker 2 (5:59) think we're winning. Would Speaker 1 (6:01) you Speaker 2 (6:01) advise that for people in your life in terms of particularly women to be more bold around what their convictions are? Speaker 1 (6:08) Yeah, absolutely. Because if you look at like, you know, I've got many male friends in business and they sort of, one thing that men are really, really good at also is calling each other and saying, oh, well, you need that? Oh, I'm going to send you Tim's number. Tim, speak to my friend. And they're actually, I think, in business, they're a lot better at connecting each other and having their community, you know, like their people. Where women, I think, you know, and this is the downside of women, I think we maybe think, if I give it to her, I'm going to take it off my plate. And, you know, there can be a little bit of that mentality. I think that's quite a British way of thinking. I think you're right Speaker 2 (6:46) there, you're right. Speaker 1 (6:48) Like, you know, like you think stateside and everyone's like, right. I remember when I first, I lived there for a period of time with the girls in the group. And, you know, if someone felt like you were good, you know, there was a good opportunity, they'd be like, right, come out. We're at dinner tonight. You need to meet this person. That doesn't happen here as much. And I love that culture. I love that. It's why I love my podcast. bringing women together and hosting those dinners. I think it's incredible when we act that way. We're a force to be reckoned with, you know? Speaker 2 (7:14) So take us back to, because everybody sees the glitz, the glam, the launches, the brands, the amazing stuff that you've created. The Speaker 1 (7:21) stuff that makes Instagram. Everyone Speaker 2 (7:23) loves a bit of Instagram, right? But take us back to the time when you're handing out leaflets outside of Tesco's. Oh Speaker 1 (7:29) my God, you know that. I know, listen, I did Speaker 2 (7:31) the research. I love that, Speaker 1 (7:32) good research. Speaker 2 (7:33) Go back to that time. How did you... put yourself in a position to be where you are now? What did you have to do personally to get over standing outside Tesco's handing out leaflets? Speaker 1 (7:44) So basically before, when I was young, I was like desperate to be a pop star. That was just like... the thing that was on my bucket list. And then I, you know, like most kids, I mean, it's probably changed now. Kids probably want to be influencers now. There's been a big dial shift. Speaker 2 (7:58) Listen, a couple of people in here want to be like your baby pop stars. Trust me, right? Speaker 1 (8:01) There we go. But that was kind of what we knew, right? It was when those big sort of pop idol shows were on in that era. And I was then, there was an audition that came up on telly. and I, on CBBC, and at the time it was to sing and support S Club 7 at Wembley Arena. And I was like, mum, please let me go. And Frankie Bridge, who I was in S Club 7 and the Saturdays with, we went to the same sort of dance club together. And we were like, we begged our mums to go and queue up and take us. And it was like the old school days of those shows being huge. And like, it would be queues, it was like queues around the block at Wembley Arena. And our poor parents, we queued all day long. But we thought we were just going for a chance to sing. And then we'd gone back and we had a couple of recalls and it went well and we didn't really, there was no pressure attached. It was like fun days out Speaker 2 (8:50) for us. Speaker 1 (8:50) We were having a good time. Yeah. And then I remember being sat down and Simon Fuller coming in the room and said, we've actually decided this should be a band. Like, how do you feel about it? And I remember whispering in my mum's ear and I was like, if you don't let me do this, I'm Speaker 2 (9:03) never Speaker 1 (9:03) going to Speaker 2 (9:03) do Speaker 1 (9:03) this. I was only 12 as well, big thinking, I'm like a big woman. If you don't let me do this, I'm never going to talk to you again. I also lived with her, so that would be a Speaker 2 (9:10) problem. Speaker 1 (9:11) And we did, and then we ended up running for quite a few years. And then after that... And obviously because we can't be juniors forever, we all started to look adult and that sort of dwindled away. My mum was like, well, listen, you can't. I always sort of give her so much credit for this. Like, you know, she really wanted to ground me and it was really, really important. You need to get a job. Speaker 2 (9:36) That's it. Speaker 1 (9:36) You know, I was sort of like, I hadn't then, I'd been homeschooled. I didn't really get good GCSEs. She was like, you need to go figure out what your thing is, but you're not. So Speaker 2 (9:45) mum was quite strict? Oh, Speaker 1 (9:46) yeah, yeah, yeah. In terms of that, she was like, go out and I'm here and go to get the stage out and go for auditions and do this and do that. And it was really uncertain. When you think about it, it finished when I was 15. Speaker 2 (9:57) So Speaker 1 (9:58) I was still really young, but also not at school. So I got a job at my local radio station, I think. Maybe I'd just turned 16. I got a job at my local radio station. And I was still really auditioning at the time. So I kind of did that to have money to... be able to then I'd like get on the tube and go for an audition. So yeah, so what I did was my job was a promo girl and I would stand outside Tesco's, you know, when you, when someone's like, there's a competition to win a car or, and I was, I say good at my job. When I look back, I used to sort of enter a lot of my mum's friends. Into the competition. Speaker 2 (10:35) That's entrepreneurial. That's entrepreneurial. Speaker 1 (10:37) And I'd be, they'd give me this and then, oh, I must have been a little bit older than that. Maybe I was 16, just turned 17 because then I could drive the car. I Speaker 2 (10:44) remember Speaker 1 (10:44) I'd not passed my driving test. I could drive the car and I would like go and pull up on my mum's drive and just sit there and like go, right, give me your address book. It's so bad, isn't it? And then I would go back and get some genuine ones but I was like, it's just not productive for us to be stood there all day. And there was a couple of us girls and we would do it together and it is, That job taught me so much. But one thing that it did teach me, and I always say this to everyone, so I'm passing this on to you too. If anyone ever stops you in the street to give you a leaflet, just take it. Just Speaker 2 (11:13) take it. Speaker 1 (11:13) It is the most disheartening thing ever when you go, excuse me, I just want to talk to you about da-da-da-da-da, and you're really sort of amped up, and you don't know who to approach. You look and you think, they look quite warm, and they're going to entertain me. And when someone goes, no, no, no, not today. And obviously we're all in our own worlds, aren't we? But that just taking it, whether you've been it up the road, but just taking it off that person, it feels like Speaker 2 (11:37) a win. Speaker 1 (11:37) What did that teach Speaker 2 (11:38) you? Speaker 1 (11:38) I think it really, I suppose just the art of... A, people, because you see, when you're in those situations, you really see the worst of people. Like, you really, really do. And the time. And also, like, the idea of that elevator pitch that we talk about now, that you've got 30 seconds to tell people what it is and what you're doing if you want someone to invest in you. But that, like, getting the story out quickly, knowing who to approach. And, I mean, you know, at the time, it wasn't, like, deep. I wasn't thinking I was learning anything. I was just trying to get paid so I could... have some money to get on the tube to get to the next bit. And it really did work for me. And I'll always, I'll always big up Time FM in Romford because they were very good. Because I was always like, guys, I can only be here till 12 today. I've got to go, you know, and they were always very, very nice. But I Speaker 2 (12:24) think for me, having known that and seeing where you are now, that humility that you carry has always been there. You'll never forget those days. Speaker 1 (12:32) And that drives Speaker 2 (12:33) you to make sure you keep achieving and going forward. And I think there's lots of people who are in... difficult situations, not in the ideal job, doing things that don't particularly align with where their purpose is. But it's good to see that you can step into that and know that there's another path. And Speaker 1 (12:48) I think in those moments, like you say, and I have people approach me all the time and discuss this, like, should I leave my job? Because I want to start this thing. And my advice instantly is always no. Not yet. don't have an idea and think I'm going to leave because we've all got real life, right? Like don't ever leave yourself exposed to start this dream idea. If you, but really make it, you know, be good and be present and do your job, but see it a little bit more transactional. I always saw it as I wasn't, I was never like, oh, this isn't my dream. Of course it wasn't my dream job. You know, of course not. But I... I knew what I was doing it for. I was Speaker 2 (13:25) like, Speaker 1 (13:26) no, I'm doing this because I thought to then go there. But so always sort of have that relationship where you can see that actually this is the, I'm having to do this as a foundation because guess what? This is paying the bills and it's doing what I need to do. But when I get home, I'm working on this said thing. And I always think. Put energy into, say, for example, you've got a nine to five. If you get home and you say, I'm going to do this for a couple of hours a night. Speaker 2 (13:50) Yes. Speaker 1 (13:51) And I'm going to work on this every night. And then I'm going to, I don't know, do half a day on a Saturday and then on a Sunday too. And then if it becomes a thing that you're noticing such progress in and that you can't put down, I think that's the moment where you go, okay, I know that I can make the jump. Speaker 2 (14:05) But I Speaker 1 (14:06) always think it's so, when you're sat here, and like both of us, you know, we've not