Pip Stocks is the Founder of Hearsay, a platform that helps businesses integrate their customer conversations, improving their CX and CEO, and Founder of BrandHook, a brand & customer experience consultancy.
She has a passion for helping her clients make better business decisions anchored in the voice of real people and works with clients such as Museums Victoria, CUB, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Coles, The Country Road Group, Porter Davis, Zoos Victoria, The Just Group, South East Water and AMP and ad agencies such as The Royals, Brands to Life and VCCP.
After starting her career in London working in agencies such as Saatchi’s and Grey Advertising in London running the Global Procter & Gamble brands like Hugo Boss and CoverGirl, she went client side and was appointed Marketing Manager to launch a new Virgin business, Virgin Energy, a Richard Branson start-up during the first dot.com boom and bust. She is a regular industry commentator and contributor to the CMO, Marketing Magazine and CEO Magazines. She has produced & hosted two podcast series and is a Business Mentor at Rare Birds. She holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing), a Bachelor of Psychology, and is a Non-Executive Director of the Dandenong Market in Melbourne’s south east.
Hearsay is a market research SaaS platform that automates the research conversation process and springboards strategic thinking. It takes all the hassle out of setting up, running and analysing conversations and cost effectively brings the customers voice back into the business.
We spoke to Pip about what sparked her new business venture, and how she overcame hurdles along the way.
How did you come to start your business? Was there a particular spark or a significant turning point?
I have a Brand & Customer experience consultancy called BrandHook that has been going for 14 years. On behalf of our clients, we organised and ran many customer conversations to help them build strategies for growth. During that journey we were asked to help our clients with a process to have their own conversations, and when we mapped out what was needed it looked like a tech platform.
When you initially started your business, what hurdles did you face?
I am not a tech founder and the rest of the team are great practitioners with no tech platform, so we were building a tech platform without a tech team.
Who or what was integral to you overcoming these hurdles?
Trial and error. We landed on a great company to help us build our Commercial MVP and then add in the latest round of new features. I really like working with them but know I need to bring the tech in house.
What is a piece of advice you wish you had been told before starting your entrepreneurial journey?
Learn how to meditate early as there will be many highs and lows.
Where do you see yourself and your business in 10 years?
The Hearsay button is an API into many systems where clients can use it as a way of diving deeper into their customers lives.
Me – supporting other female founders financially and emotionally with their own start up journey.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Vision
Drive
Resilience
What has been the biggest mistake you’ve made in business?
Missing the fact that building a strong culture is key and that I am responsible for that. We are doing this differently this time.
Outsource the skill or learn the skill?
Outsource but make sure you know enough to review, evaluate & comment.
How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
Interesting question. I suppose until you’ve tried every angle, tweaked every word, experimented with every sales strategy, promoted the product to every tribe and built every feature necessary.
How do you personally measure success?
Am I feeling calm, am I being kind to myself and others, am I getting a good balance of family, friends, work, own time, exercise, rest and the most important …. fun and belly holding laughter.
