{"id":7684,"date":"2021-07-29T10:00:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-29T09:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=7684"},"modified":"2024-01-15T16:06:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T16:06:07","slug":"sound-advice-tiktok-small-business-rob-huysinga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/sound-advice-tiktok-small-business-rob-huysinga\/","title":{"rendered":"How TikTok can explode your small business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rob Huysinga (aka Bubba Ice<\/a>), the co-founder of experiential ice cream chain Pan-N-Ice, has a massive 1.3 million followers on TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s already built a business with the help of social media, so he understands what works. He provides insight into his own experiences in becoming an influencer and why he decided to leave the world of ice cream and funny videos to set up a new experiential brick and mortar business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dig down to his advice below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TikTok is a platform for releasing your inner weirdness<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promote your brick and mortar businesses with social media<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes social media virality is a matter of timing and luck<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand what kind of media works for each social media platform<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which social media platform you use depends on your business model<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media can increase your brand loyalty<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With social media, engage with your audience for success<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have a look a what other influencers are doing on social media<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marketing and branding knowledge can be useful<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand the challenges of being an influencer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay consistent with social media<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An online ecommerce business might not be your thing<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Culture could be crucial to your business<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand the trends in your industry<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Run your business with purpose and profit in mind<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take advantage of quiet time<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can boss your business<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

TikTok is a platform for releasing your inner weirdness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I know nothing about TikTok. How did you get started?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the beginning of 2019, I was making ice cream, and a customer was recording me. Suddenly got a load of DMs the next day on Instagram saying, \u201cOh, you\u2019re going viral on this platform called TikTok.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d never heard of TikTok before. So I went over to it, and this video was blowing up, so I just decided to get on the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It seemed pretty fun and was all video. It allows you to be quite weird on it, where Instagram, where it\u2019s just photos, is taken quite seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With TikTok, you can release your inner weirdness and eccentricity. You can go wild on it without anyone judging you. It\u2019s a great platform, and I love it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For listeners that haven\u2019t watched these videos, explain a bit of what you would do and what made your business eye-catching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I founded this ice cream brand (Pan-n-Ice) when I was 20 years old. I saw the concept when I was in Thailand and brought it back to the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I found that the majority of my customer base was on TikTok. As a startup, we didn\u2019t have massive marketing budgets, so it was just a great way to create an authentic and organic relationship with your customer base. I made the ice creams, and it blew up with each video getting millions of views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the last year or so since I sold out of that company, I\u2019ve been more reflective. As a result, my life path has changed slightly, which is why in the last 12 months, I\u2019ve been relatively quiet on TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But now I\u2019m around the corner of launching a new brand (Bubba Oasis) and will get back on TikTok<\/a>. I\u2019m excited to connect again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promote your brick and mortar businesses with social media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tell me about the new brand. Is it ice cream related?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not ice cream related. I found myself wanting a whole new challenge. So I sold out of Pan-n-Ice last year, and for the last six to 12 months, I\u2019ve been preparing for this new concept, which is effectively a home away from home and a place to work and play for Generation Z.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the day, it\u2019s a coworking space, and then at night, it turns into an experiential destination. We\u2019ve got creative cocktails and a vast roof terrace where we will do immersive live events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re going to partner up with lots of TikTok talent, and it will be a stage and place to go for talent to perform and show what they\u2019re incredible at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s going to be the hub of a community. We\u2019ve got our first site lined up in Islington in London, and then we got two more locations in the pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exciting times, but slightly nerve-wracking. It\u2019s the biggest project I\u2019ve ever been involved in, and we\u2019re learning new things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve not had that much time to be on TikTok for the last 12 months. But I\u2019m excited to get back on it and make history again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tell me about the move into bricks and mortar then, because that\u2019s extremely different from what you\u2019re used to doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously you travelled around, and it was very much a mobile business. So what have you learned? Talk to me about your learning curve. How steep has it been?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That is a great question. As I said, I wanted a new challenge, and the project we\u2019ve currently got is a 5,000 square foot site. There\u2019s alcohol and cooking involved, so it\u2019s just a step up from the ice cream game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of how I\u2019ve gone about doing it\u2014I think the first thing for me was to realise what I\u2019m bad at. Because when more is at stake and the risks are more significant, there\u2019s less margin for error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll give you an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So operationally, I\u2019m not that good. I\u2019m OK\u2014I can work my way around an HR operations manual, but I\u2019m no expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I looked at other brands out there, such as Joe & The Juice, where they\u2019ve got an incredible culture. I wanted to reach out to them to see if there was anyone there that I could collaborate with.I<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018ve partnered up with the ex-head of HR at Joe & the Juice, and he\u2019s now taken over HR operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s fantastic and making that his own. It means I can trust him to do that, and we can grow together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, I\u2019m not the best cook. I\u2019m awful. On TikTok, I\u2019ve been technically the chef because I\u2019m creating food (ice cream), but I\u2019m no expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I reached out to a cook called Isaac, who\u2019s got a significant following online, and very much in line with the new brand Bubba that I\u2019m creating. Again, it goes back to creating that culture. So he\u2019s crafted this incredible menu with another chef friend of mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve also got a good friend of mine from university who\u2019s in banking. So he\u2019s going to oversee the finances, and then we\u2019ve also got Johnny, who was also at Joe & The Juice, to help with events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m just super proud of the team, and teamwork makes the project work, as it\u2019s pretty daunting. I\u2019ve built incredible people around me to take control of the areas of the business that I\u2019m not good at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes social media virality is a matter of timing and luck<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How are you planning to market this business? Because obviously, your roots are in Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Are you going to be able to replicate the successes you\u2019ve seen previously with a new business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a great question. In all honesty, I don\u2019t fully know. With the previous brand I was involved in, it was a bit of timing and luck. I got on to TikTok at the beginning\u2014the algorithm was terrific, and it was very content friendly when I got on to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But we\u2019ve ensured that our menu is TikTok friendly. So, for example, we\u2019ve got a tandoori oven right in the middle of the food counter. We\u2019re making fresh dough through a bakery, making fresh flatbreads every single day. All of that is very camera friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m going to go from just the ice cream content and morph more into the cooking of the breads and chucking the dough up, chucking the dough around, slapping it around, and slapping it in the oven. Bish Bash Bosh. All things that have virality factors to them. Same with the cocktails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My platform\u2019s no longer just about me. I want to get other talented TikTokers. Whether it\u2019s a singer or dancer, come and perform on my platform. So it becomes this community-centric thing as opposed to just Bubba Ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand what kind of media works for each social media platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s fascinating that the idea of something being TikTok friendly needs a lot of colour and movement\u2014a feast for the senses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s one thing I learned with the previous ice cream brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone talks about pictures being Instagram friendly. But is a video TikTok friendly? Will it engage the viewer for that first five seconds when millions of videos are posted on TikTok every day? Will it capture them? Is it thumb-stopping? Is it weird? Is it rocky? Is it eccentric?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s what works, and that\u2019s the reason why when I get back on to the platform. I will continue to try and create viral content that spreads nothing but positivity into the viewer\u2019s daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can boss your business<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Which social media platform you use depends on your business model<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thumb-stopping. I\u2019ve learned new lingo! I recently saw a stat saying there were 25 billion views of the hashtag small business on TikTok. Does that mean it\u2019s somewhere all small businesses should be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I think it entirely depends on what your business model is. If it\u2019s B2B and your consumer is over 50, you\u2019re wasting your time on TikTok. On the other hand, if you\u2019re B2C and your consumers are early millennials or Generation Z that are getting on TikTok right now, it\u2019s staggering the virality that could happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll give an example. This one guy follows me, and he works in Cold Stone Creamery as an ice cream maker. In 18 months, he\u2019s got 10 million followers on TikTok and booming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I spoke to him the other day\u2014he\u2019s getting ad campaigns. It\u2019s so simple that you just have to be your authentic self on it, whatever that may be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a bit eccentric and weird, so that\u2019s what I get across on my TikTok. Other people might be obsessed with coffee! Regardless of who you are, TikTok is no longer just a place for teenage kids to do dance routines. It\u2019s a place to showcase your talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media can increase your brand loyalty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

But for a dinosaur like me, can you explain how you turn a view into a customer because many people will just enjoy the video and then move on? So you can\u2019t do a hard sell\u2014or can you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I love offline businesses. I\u2019ll forever be in hospitality. I tried to do an online business in lockdown selling soaps and hated and was so bad at it. I love people and interaction. I love creating spaces that just allow and facilitate human interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a bit hard to answer that question in a concrete manner, where I can say I have 500,000 followers, and then 10% of that converts to a sell or a meet and greet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I find that the more followers I had as it was going up and up, the bigger and bigger the queues would be. The queues would only be that way because of TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, one guest called Ellie. She came from Cornwall basically, to have our ice cream. I just found that mind-boggling and crazy, but that\u2019s an example of how powerful the platform can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That is amazing, and that shows the kind of brand loyalty you can build when people travel miles and miles. Can you describe your previous ice cream business for the listeners, bearing in mind this is audio? If they haven\u2019t watched the videos, they\u2019ll have no idea what it is your fans were watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So there\u2019s a big frozen steel surface, and you from a great height pour this cream\u2014explain what happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a minus 30-degree pan. So you get this liquid cream, pour it on to the pan, chop it all up, and then make fresh ice cream within a minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I founded that company when I was 20. I sold out of it last year, and now I\u2019m creating this new experiential concept called Bubba. That\u2019s the backstory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With social media, engage with your audience for success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How did you make sure you were constantly innovating in terms of the content you were producing? Because I know that you had a thing where you were doing a different flavour every day with your last business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you keep that fresh? And for you as well, if you\u2019re doing it every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If anyone\u2019s listening to this and has a Generation Z customer base, then definitely get on to TikTok. A great way is to create a product for the family and the fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m writing a comment, \u201cWhat cocktail would you like me to make? Who knows, maybe tomorrow I\u2019ll make it for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly you\u2019ve got thousands of people saying, \u201cOh, make me a Mojito, make me this make me that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That just boosts engagement, but it also allows you to build a personal relationship with someone who\u2019s ultimately on the end of a phone. It\u2019s a great way to make that emotional connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Because you\u2019re not a faceless brand\u2014you\u2019re accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some of your videos on YouTube, I noticed you were almost reading comments live. You feel like you\u2019re in the room with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you learn to do that? Are you a natural at being an approachable guy, or did you do some training?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there a course you can do in this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d say I\u2019m terrible at lots of things, but one thing I love is people interacting. The more organic and authentic you are in front of the screen, the more you can build that relationship with the end viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I aim to make content for literally anyone watching it\u2014I want them to feel like it\u2019s them and me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does that make sense? It\u2019s a bit weird, but I find that it works pretty well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have a look a what other influencers are doing on social media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

And your manner in front of the camera it\u2019s so natural. Did you find that you just got better with practice? Do you have to hone it? Is it a craft that you got to practice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Well, I\u2019d say a lot of people say it comes across as cringe. I overstepped the mark as I was first getting on to TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I got a bit excited making ice cream, and the video went viral. I was getting so much abuse and hatred. They were saying this guy is so cringy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And to be honest, I look back on the video, and it was cringe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s an example of me being a little bit too much on camera\u2014a little bit too awkward. So it\u2019s about toning it down a little bit and not rubbing people up the wrong way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all honesty, I think the guy who nails this best is Salt Bae, who is a massive inspiration to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve met him twice, and the way he\u2019s managed to market his brand through Instagram with nearly 40 million followers. As a result, whenever he turns up at any one of his restaurants worldwide, there is an enormous queue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, he\u2019s adding excitement and joy into every single one of his guest\u2019s lives by literally sprinkling some soul on a steak. He\u2019s almost the pin-up boy for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marketing and branding knowledge can be useful<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do you do your homework? Are you continuously tracking the latest clever influencer marketer campaign or the latest person who\u2019s building a brand?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much time do you have to invest in watching the broader social media world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, it\u2019s been interesting because, for the last 12 months, I\u2019ve been building behind the scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I deleted Instagram for six months and replaced it with Pinterest because I said to myself, \u201cRight now, I need to create this new business model, and I want to launch for the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d go on Instagram and find I was getting distracted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I became obsessed with interior design. Soho House and these sorts of places where in the day there is coworking and a night it turns into something else with a fun and cosy vibe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of social media, I\u2019ve not been on it for the last 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have noticed guys who are killing it, and I do analyse the likes of Salt Bae and what makes them tick. I\u2019ve looked up Salt Bae\u2019s first-ever Instagram photo to see how organic it was and things like that,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I find it so interesting, but in all honesty, I had a love for marketing and branding when I was younger. I was lucky enough to go to a fascinating business school where I learned so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I was going to ask you whether you went to business school. What were the key things that you think that shaped your entrepreneurial expertise while you were there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I think many entrepreneurs, especially my age, have dumbed down university and encourage dropping out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t encourage that, nor do I discourage it\u2014I think everyone has their path in life. It\u2019s not for anyone else to say, \u201cOh yeah, you should be a dropout. University is a waste of time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, university wasn\u2019t a waste of time. I was fortunate enough to be in a position where I could go to one of the best business schools in the country and listen to the CMO of Caterpillar and all of these great brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it was a tremendous experience for me, and it helped me mould the first brand that I founded. And again, it\u2019s helped me develop the second brand I\u2019m starting now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, for example, we\u2019d have seminars and lectures on cultural branding. It takes you back to learning about brands like Patagonia and Innocent Smoothies and how your communication expresses what you stand for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve subconsciously become obsessed with all these things, and that\u2019s why my business partner is now the ex-head of HR at Joe & The Juice and is culturally driven in the way he inspires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, our internal branding is around how are we\u2019re treating our team members who become part of the brand Bubba. So it all funnels back to those early days of branding and marketing, and it\u2019s exhilarating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I love that you are this outrageous contrarian because, on the surface, you seem super casual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You like making videos that look easy as anything, and then underneath, you have this whole marketing degree and deep thoughts about business culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it\u2019s interesting to see these two things play in one individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yeah. And now I\u2019ve had a bit of time off, I feel with the new brand, and as I\u2019m also getting old, my content will become more business-focused because ultimately, that\u2019s what comes first to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m obsessed with business. I\u2019m obsessive about marketing, branding and people first, with the influencer thing always a by-product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d never say I\u2019m an influencer\u2014even when I got to a million followers, only then did I reach out to an agent who helps me develop my brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as and when I come out of my shell a bit more with Bubba, I\u2019ll be speaking more about business and inspiring young entrepreneurs to go out there and do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe more strongly about that than ice cream.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can boss your business<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Understand the challenges of being an influencer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No, fair enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is being an influencer as hot and exciting a career choice as it might seem because it was named one of the top careers, I think last year or the year before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much money can you make as an influencer, and how much does it affect you in terms of the time you\u2019re putting on social media, as well as the delicate balance of brands and fans?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk to me about the life of an influencer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I think being an influencer is genuinely hard. I think a lot of people are pretty condescending about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I think influencers are incredibly creative, and they deserve as much respect as possible because, ultimately, if we\u2019re going to take it to black and white, they\u2019re a billboard, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A billboard in the 1980s was an advertising space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you\u2019re going to look at it in black and white, that\u2019s effectively what an influencer is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So brands are paying huge, huge sums to be associated with great talent and great influencers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s so competitive. Many people want to do it, and kids growing up now say, \u201cI want to be an influencer.\u201d That wasn\u2019t a thing when I was growing up, which makes me sound ancient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I say fair play to them. I\u2019m not passionate about doing that. It\u2019s great for me and the brand and marketing, but I come at it more from an entrepreneurial perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No, I understand that. But when you say huge sums, Rob, can you be straight with us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was the most significant amount you were paid as an influencer, and what was the smallest amount you would accept?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So with Subway, we did a campaign in the summer, and they paid \u00a35,200.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For one post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No, three posts, but I turned a Subway into ice cream. Luckily I didn\u2019t have to taste it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just made it. But that\u2019s on TikTok, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, for example, on TikTok, I\u2019ve got 1.3 million followers. So if I had that following on Instagram from what I\u2019ve heard from friends and stuff, the money probably be double that. So there\u2019s ample cash to be made on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why I respect influencers, especially the more prestigious ones because it\u2019s not easy. It\u2019s a full-time job, and it\u2019s also quite hard emotionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re judged externally, and that must be hard mentally to stay tough because obviously, people are only valuing you on your external shell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It must be pretty weird for your moral compass and your values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly you\u2019re being judged on things essential for your career, such as whether you look good in a photo or not, rather than who you are as a person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re nice should be a lot more important than looking good in a photo, do you know what I mean?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, yeah, it\u2019s an interesting one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay consistent with social media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve got one more social media question, and then I\u2019ve got a whole raft of other stuff to ask you\u2014which is about promoting posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you pick the right hashtags? Did you pay to promote any of your posts on any of the media? Talk about the promotion aspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On TikTok, I\u2019ve never paid for anything. It\u2019s all just been super organic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think it\u2019s a weird one. TikTok changes its algorithm every few weeks and releases new hashtags every single day. What you want to try and do is link up to those hashtags they use each day, and then that will push you to the page and your video up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to make your hashtags as exact as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, for example, if you\u2019re making a coffee and you want that to fly, then use hashtags directly related to coffee, right down to the type of bean you\u2019re using, because that way, you can dominate that particular niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to stay consistent with it. So a video a day keeps the doctor away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So these are things I\u2019ve not been doing for the last 12 months, but when I get back on TikTok, which will be in the next few weeks, I\u2019m going to start doing again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An online ecommerce business might not be your thing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

And Rob, I hope you don\u2019t mind me asking this question, but please, I want to hear about the soap business. What happened?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Oh my god. It was so bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I went into lockdown and had just sold the ice cream brand. I was at home where I thought of new concepts and ideas and wanted to hit the ground running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So everyone was in lockdown. It was when everyone was scared of coronavirus. So I said, \u201cWell. Soap sales are going to go through the roof. So why don\u2019t I just get on to that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all honesty, I got off to quite a good start with it, but I just found it so boring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve learned that the business model isn\u2019t for me, and again, hats off to the likes of GymShark, who nailed that online business model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for me, I love hospitality and creating places where people can connect and have a good time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that\u2019s why I\u2019m so excited for Bubba to launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Culture could be crucial to your business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Well, thank you for being honest about the soap failure. Because it\u2019s good to hear successful people talking about the times when they haven\u2019t got it a hundred per cent right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Bubba, you mentioned you\u2019d got one venue secured, and there\u2019s two more on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How big is it going to be? Are we talking global? Is there going to be a franchise? What is the ultimate ambition?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re not franchising because I\u2019m obsessed with keeping that culture, internal bond and camaraderie strong. The issue with franchising is that you lose control of that\u2014I\u2019m very anal about the brand, so that\u2019s not something we\u2019re focusing on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But to put it into perspective, my business partner Mo was at Joe & The Juice when they had three stores, and now in the UK, they have over 53. So he was opening four stores a month at one point, which means he\u2019s very much used to scaling out food and beverage concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From my time at the previous brand in the summer, we\u2019d have up to 10 locations at once with over a hundred employees. So although we\u2019re not experts, we have the drive, ambition and dedication to scale this out, and hopefully, we\u2019ll become the next big thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that\u2019s the grand vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do you feel like you\u2019re a serial founder? Like Bubba is not going to be your last venture, but one of several more?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, my vision for Bubba is to become a branded house. We\u2019ll nail this first Bubba concept, and then once that\u2019s up and running, we can go into Bubba retreats and Bubba beach clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That, for me, is the vision for it. We create this overarching hospitality group that adds fun, excitement, enjoyment into our guests\u2019 daily lives.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\tDownload your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can boss your business<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Understand the trends in your industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Has this all been funded from selling your last business, or have you taken on investment as well?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, we\u2019ve taken on investment. A few of my good university friends that work in the city have heavily funded us. We\u2019ve also got a bit from my family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The site itself was previously a restaurant\u2014we\u2019ve got a great deal and rent-free period because of coronavirus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s at an area that I know is relatively residential. I know people will still be working at home for the next few years, so we\u2019re tapping into that market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You sound like someone that does their homework. How do you get all the data that you need?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There were so many subtle nuances with this concept, and I spent six months building it up throughout summer to winter 2020. I was thrashing it out until finally, I had the final blueprint of the business model. That\u2019s when I reached out to the likes of Mo, Alfie, Johnny and Isaac, and got them all on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it all started because I love what I\u2019m doing and am passionate about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, I\u2019m fortunate enough to be a member of Soho House. Soho House is a brand that I love going to on a Sunday morning to do some work. I love going there on a Friday on a date or with friends on a Wednesday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have a great time, and it\u2019s so versatile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I said, \u201cWell, look, I\u2019ve got this TikTok following. I want to use that. I love brands like Soho House and know that brands like Joe & The Juice are scalable and hugely successful. I also know that I\u2019m personally good at building a commercial brand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So those are a few factors that led to me creating this new concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started looking at sites in central London and realised how expensive the rent is. So I said there\u2019s no point creating a concept where you\u2019re open from nine in the morning to nine at night. Why not just stay open till two in the morning? Then you\u2019re able to double your revenue opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019ve also gone for this chameleon-like business model. There are lots of subtle nuances to it, but hopefully, it resonates with people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a little bit scary right now. I\u2019d be lying if I said I wasn\u2019t a bit nervous, but as we get closer and closer to launch, the nerves are more turning into excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Run your business with purpose and profit in mind<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes nerves are good to hone your mind and focus your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you talk about getting these amazingly experienced people, how did you convince them to come on board with a completely new concept?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you get them to jump from a previous job, or were you lucky enough to scoop them up after post-coronavirus redundancy? How did you get them on your team?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, so I had a friend at Joe & The Juice, and I told him about my concept. I said, \u201cLook, I\u2019m looking for someone who\u2019s operationally savvy.\u201d And he replied, \u201cI know the right guy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mo had left Joe & The Juice a few weeks before, and straight away, we met up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I told him about the concept and loved it, so we just bonded around how we were to do it together, what kind of business and brand we would create, and what we would want it to stand for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How would we want to make our team members feel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating something that\u2019s value-driven and has a purpose. Of course, we are profit-driven, but the purpose is also essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We looked at other brands like Shake Shack, founded by Daniel Meyer, a restaurant server in New York. He\u2019s someone who inspires us\u2014so values-driven which we are as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Awesome. You talked earlier about how friends and family have backed your idea, and I love that I saw your mum in some of your videos back in your ice cream days. What impact has a supportive family had on you as an entrepreneur?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I think from a very young age, I was super lucky to be raised by them. They taught me the values of hard work, integrity, and treating people the same way you\u2019d like others to treat you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

And are they entrepreneurial? Do they run businesses?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where did you get this sort of trait?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honestly, I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My grandfather was super entrepreneurial, but I\u2019ve always loved that side of things, even when I was a kid. I\u2019d go to Turkey, bring back fake Adidas hoodies, and sell them at school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve loved just doing stuff like that, and I think it comes from independence. Ultimately this is a considerable challenge, and I love it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take advantage of quiet time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do you feel like having time off imposed by coronavirus and the fact you sold the business was instrumental in terms of giving you time to think and plan?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because it\u2019s pretty unusual for a founder to have a few months where they\u2019re downing tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s such a great question. I\u2019m not going to lie\u2014I found it challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m such an energetic person, thriving off interaction and being around people, whether it\u2019s in my office or whether it\u2019s with guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not having that, with being tied down and restricted due to coronavirus and not getting out, I found it challenging, and honestly, I hated it. But in hindsight, it\u2019s been good because I had the most creative period of my life in that quiet period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For months I was writing down different wild and wacky business and business plans. It\u2019s allowed me to be with the team that I\u2019m with now. It allowed me to create relationships organically over time and be patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It allowed me to find the right site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, I visited over 50 locations before I signed the lease on this one in Islington. It allowed us time to thrash out the concept, menu and create something special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve forgotten who said it, but it\u2019s a great quote\u2014direction is more important than speed\u2014it\u2019s against my nature that quote, but it summarises the last 12 months for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m glad you had that space. One last question\u2014the name Bubba, where on earth did that come from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Huysinga:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I just loved the name Bubba\u2014it rolls off the tongue. It\u2019s friendly and warm, and I\u2019ve got a good instinct about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, Bubba links into my current TikTok audience, and I didn\u2019t want to turn my back on that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tried to integrate that TikTok audience into this new concept, which is why, for example, I\u2019m so excited to get TikTok talent into Bubba and not make it about me anymore. It\u2019s about us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bex Burn-Callander:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve been an absolute star. Thank you for sharing everything from TikTok secrets to the challenge of building a brand new business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want more advice from the experts?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Subscribe to Sound Advice on Apple iTunes<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are also on Spotify<\/a> and anywhere else you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We would love for you to join our community and share your insights and stories. Season two is coming up, and we would love to take your recommendations for guests or even some questions you would like me to ask in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us know on Twitter @SageIreland<\/a> using the hashtag #SoundAdvicePodcast, on Instagram at or in the comments below, and we will get back to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can follow Bubba Ice on TikTok here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pan-N-Ice ice cream chain co-founder Rob Huysinga, aka Bubba Ice, talks about TikTok, his new venture and creating a great business culture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1161,"featured_media":8578,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162,163,165,166],"tags":[132,332,153],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230,234],"coauthors":[439],"class_list":["post-7684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","category-money-matters","category-strategy-legal-operations","category-technology-innovation","tag-start-business","tag-sound-advice-podcast","tag-startup-stories","post_format-post-format-audio","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Bex Burn-Callander","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/Blog_Header_Image_15.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business","234":"Start-up business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7684"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7684\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/8578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=7684"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=7684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}