From Kitchen Experiments to Slime Empire: Sophie’s Story
Meet Sophie, the 20-year-old founder of Sophie's Slime Factory, who turned her childhood love of slime into a thriving business empire. Starting at age 12 with homemade recipes, she now runs a gorgeous creative space in Castle Hill with a team of 15. Listen in as Sophie shares her journey from kitchen experiments to professional slime queen , including the science behind the perfect recipe, growing pains of expansion, and how her family's support made it all possible.
Number of fucks given in this episode: 8
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Episode Transcript
Christine: Welcome to Fuck Around and find out a podcast about the ins and outs of owning your own business. I'm Chris.
Rah: I'm Ra Sorry, I just made the phone make a fart sound. I'm, that's a good fart sound. She's a fart sound. I'm also trying to finish chewing my sandwich. Should we start again?
Rah: No, I'm keeping this in.
Christine: Excellent. Excellent. Good.
Rah: Yeah, totally keep it in. Alright, so I'm Ra the fart woman.
Emily: Um, and I'm Emily and we're here today in a very. Very fucking cool location.
Christine: and totally on our, our colour brand.
Emily: Absolutely. All the rainbows. And we're at Sophie's live factory. Yay.
Rah: And we have the, the Sophie, oh,
Emily: we have the, the infamous famous Sophie part of our, with us today.
Sophie: I don't know if I’d call myself famous yet.. Maybe.
Christine: Oh darling, it won't be long.
Rah: We're working on it. Yeah.
Emily: Yeah, we are. You are definitely infamous. Anyone that's a mother around here. Knows about you.
Sophie: Thank you.
Emily: That's informy in its best. I did recommend someone the other day actually. They're like, what can we do? I was. Um, we are so excited. I'm excited because, um, one, you're so freaking young, so I'm like, you've done so well with your life.
Rah: Wait, how old are you?
Sophie: I'm 20.
Emily: You fucking stop it. When you said 19th birthday, I was like maybe 22. Like you were such a baby. You've done so well.
Sophie: Thank you. Holy shit. So thank you.
Christine: Alright. Wow.
Emily: It's also kind of funny to have someone younger than me. Yeah, I'm gonna add, I'm the youngest.
Rah: Finally, Emily says she's been wanting this since the beginning.
Emily: These guys make references to stuff and I'm like, what?
Rah: We keep making references on how old we're compared to her? Because I'm 10 years older than her. Yeah. And Chris is about 10 years older than me.
Christine: Sophie, you are 20 and you were younger than the timeframe between my birth and Emily's birth.
Sophie: Um, and yet we're talking like each other.
Christine: Exactly. We're talking in space about business, um, entrepreneurship. An awesome color and branding.
Rah: So hang on. So you're 20 and this is your second. Second for your business?
Sophie: Yes. Okay. And we were only at the old space for 18 months.
Rah: Holy shit. Or what not. So you've been in business for a couple of years then?
Emily: Yeah. When did you start the business?
Sophie: I, so 2017. I was 12.
Everyone: Oh God. Shit. She was 12.
Christine: What was I 12?
Emily: I was having a baby in 2017.
Christine: Wow. Wow. And, and, and we don't, and we, it's not an ageist thing. Um, I think we're just the three. Yeah. Jealous and impressed.
Sophie: Thank you.
So at 12. What was, was it it this?
Rah: I was chasing boy bands back then.
Sophie: Like Oh my God, me too. That age. But yeah, I was as well. Yes, absolutely. But in your spare time?
Sophie: Yes, I was, what was the business at 12? So the trend of slime started like, I think end of 2016. So I was in year six. Yep. And like I'm a very like, tactile person. I actually used to steal blue tack from. All of the, um, signs and stuff when I was in primary school.
Mm-hmm. So got in trouble. I did. Yeah. I did. I find, I found any way to be like, fidgeting with something, whether it was like Blue Tack or Play-Doh. So when the slime trend came around, obviously I was like obsessed with it. Um, it just started out me literally just like playing with slime, making it like in my laundry,
Emily: fucking around and finding out, as we call it.
Sophie: Exactly right. Exactly right. And I was like, I think. Our ingredients have definitely changed a lot, but we used to use like laundry detergent. Yeah. So obviously I was stealing all of my mom's laundry detergent. Oh my God. Shaving cream so cheap too. Shaving cream, laundry detergent, glue. And my mom was so sick to death of me using all of her ingredients, so she was like, okay, you can make me some money back.
And I was like, challenge Accepted. Yep. So I started selling slime on Etsy. And to just like my friends at school and it just sort of like blew up. Especially at school. I would like always have like $5 bills in my pocket. Not that I'd save it or anything, I'd spend it at the canteen on the same day because why not?
Yeah. Um, but yeah, just started off literally just selling slime and then I think I went to one of my primary school friends' birthday parties and she was like, okay, let's make some slime. So all of us just got together. There was no, it was, wasn't hosted or anything and just made some slime and I was like, hang on.
This could be like a really fun birthday idea. Yep. So my mom was like, okay, let's figure out some logistics. And obviously, 'cause I was so young, she helped me so much. Like definitely would not be this place without her. So bless herself for helping and putting up with my shit, but that's okay. Life goes on.
Emily: Hats off. Hats off to supporting mothers. Love those.
Sophie: Yeah. Love you mom and dad. Um. But yeah, so we, you know, figured out some logistics and I did my cousin's birthday party. I was 12. My sister was 14. She's also helped out so much. And yeah, we went off to my cousin's birthday party and just made slime with them.
Very different to the way it is now. It's definitely evolved into. Something a lot more sort of organised. It was a bit of chaos at our first party. Got a lot. But yeah, the kids loved it and I was like, okay, let's, you know, let's try it. I think I started off by making like a Facebook page or something.
Emily: Yeah, as you do
Sophie: Mum put it on like, um, one of the Hills District moms, you know, like, um, you know, my daughter's just started this. Slime business, who wants a party. And pretty much ever since then, we've been booked out. So before we got this place in Rouse Hill, um, we used to go to the customer's houses.
Yeah. Set everything up and then leave. So we traveled all around. Yeah. Australia. Yeah. Back and forth. And we'd do two parties a day. We'd go up to the eastern suburbs and then come down to Parramatta and Penrith. And it was just like chaos. Pretty like chaos. Loved every second of it. Meeting people, seeing different people's lives as well.
Mm-hmm. Um. And obviously like seeing the kids happy is like the best thing ever. Yes. It's really rewarding. So I think that's what motivated us to keep going and because it was the only thing at the time that was like, it was super different. And then I graduated 2022 and we were actually going to sell the business because I was at uni.
My sister was doing psychology at uni, so I started doing medical science 2023. Um, so yeah, we were gonna sell it and that was gonna be it. And then my mom's like. I don't think that we should let go of this.
Emily: Mm. There's so much potential.
Sophie: Let's go a thousand times bigger. Dunno why we thought to do that. I was like, let's go a thousand times bigger.
Rah: So mom's an entrepreneur too?
Sophie: She is, yes. Clearly. Yeah. She's very, um, we're very different personalities, so I think it's good that we have. Like that. Yeah.
Christine: Oh, yin and yang is so important.
Sophie: Exactly right. Because like making decisions is like really hard. Like she has a completely different opinion. I have a completely different opinion, but when it comes together, it just works. Yeah. Yeah.
Emily: Um, you just described Chris and I, good.
Sophie: It is, and you need it. Like, I wouldn't be able to do this without. You know, without her and without my family support. Yeah. Um, so yeah, we opened up Rouse Hill in November of 2023 and just,
Emily:: you just went gangbusters.
Sophie: Oh my gosh. It was just insane. So busy parties were getting booked out and I was having to say no to people and, um, I. You know, obviously I think we needed that place. As I was saying before, we needed that place for trial and error.
Christine: Of course. Yeah. Yeah. Finding out it was the same thing.
Emily: It was the first, you know, physical location.
Sophie: Exactly right. You're always gonna learn from that. Oh my gosh. Exactly right. Um, so yeah, that place was not air conned, so definitely learn from that.
Emily: My firsthand experience there with my daughter's party, she was warm.
Sophie: It was very warm, and I think. I didn't like how, you know, the customers were not comfortable. Our staff wasn't comfortable and it just wasn't,
Emily: but everyone like, you know, everyone gets on with it anyway. Exactly. We're for everyone was like, they understood Exactly day weather.
Sophie: I tried everything. I was like, I'll put portable air conditioning fans, but it just was not working. And I think the fact that it was a factory rather than like school.
Emily: Yeah. You couldn't have called it down.
Sophie: No. I'm like, there was no Right and it was just like we were trying everything but it wasn't working and we were like, okay, it's going really well. We need this bit of an upgrade. Let's move. So then we decided to move and now we have this place and
Emily: it's just so sparkly and new.
Sophie: Exactly. Right. My god. Moved in 1st of March. Um, yeah, 1st of March. So fresh.
Emily: We're clock in. Like what? Wow. Today's not even two weeks.
Christine: And we had a tour when we've arrived today, it's amazing. Awesome. Some color movement spaces, and yes, the air conditioning is delightful. Nice. Very nice. Thank you for looking after the perusal. Yeah, absolutely. That's okay. Understand.
Emily: It's so cool. And I mean, this would've also, I'd imagine Covid wouldn't have. Made really any effect to what you were doing because it's, I mean, pretty covid proof.
Sophie: Yeah, it is. And I think, um, we started doing, um, online Zoom slime parties.
Emily: Oh, that's so clever.
Sophie: So we would ship out our DI it was, it was really fun. We'd ship out our DIY slime kits. Mm-hmm. Which we sell here now. We don't do this online parties anymore.Um, we used to ship them out and then they all joined on the Zoom and we taught 'em how to do it over the Zoom. And I think that was really fun as well. 'cause it was just like so different. Yeah. To anything. Yeah. And like we're all navigating covid. We're all trying to figure out what the hell we're doing with our lives and everything.
Yeah. But I'm still here sitting at home making slime
Emily: and also running a business.
Sophie: Yeah, exactly.
Emily: You know, you're still running your business and you're still making an income.
Sophie: Yeah, it was. It was. Yeah. Which is really beneficial. It was really tricky. Like, I think I definitely struggled and my family struggled with being in each other's faces all the time.
Emily: We all, we all there, but yeah, we all, we were like, ah, definitely makes you go, God, I like you better when I can just get away from you. You know?
Rah: True separation ain't a bad thing.
Sophie: No, it's not.
Christine: And that's awesome.
Emily: What would you say in your God, help us when she gets to 30. Did you? Yeah. World is Which 20. I know you could franchise this shit. You do know that, right?
Sophie: I really want to Oh yeah. Scares me a little bit because.
Christine: And that's good. It's good to be scared to be honest. And it's excitement as well.
Emily: But yeah, it often means it's probably the right thing.
Sophie: Yeah. I said to my mom, I was like, I really kind of wanna open another one. And she was like, really?After all the stress you just went through with this bet you could. I'm like, yes.
Rah: You replicate it. Replicate it, exactly. Right. Learning. Um, called the E-Myth by, um, I'll have to find his name somewhere. Um. And he talks about, he, it's basically he tells the a parable basically, but with the business hat, like he's a coach. Yeah. Um, or mentor. And he talks through someone who had a bakery, did it 'cause she loved her auntie's recipes and then she lost her way and that, but her goal was to franchise. So it's really interesting to hear that story. So I reckon it's, yeah.
Sophie: Oh yeah, definitely. Yeah. I think, I think it's more just, um, I have a bit of like. Separation anxiety from my business. I'd be like, I don't want anyone else to try and, well, there's that.
Emily: That's the thing too. You've, at least in this beautiful position of having the choice. Yes. You could franchise or you could open multiple locations.
Sophie: Yeah, exactly. Right. Yeah
Emily: and it just, I mean, obviously changes how you then function Within the business, but. You've got that choice, which is so nice. Choice is the best. Having the choice is so good.
Sophie: Definitely. Yeah. I kind of wanna open potentially one up in the eastern suburbs. We've got massive clientele over there from when we did um, parties, like when we went to we all
Emily: the eastern suburbs, we all think money, money, money do it.
Christine: kids, but kids have to be kids, right? That's absolutely need to do this kind of thing.
Emily: And they're more likely to outsource.
Christine: Oh, absolute. Hell yeah. Absolutely. They,
Emily: that's a great idea. You should keep your out some location.
Sophie: Yeah, it would be pretty cool to be able to open up multiple, be a lot. Yeah. Yeah. So much. I think I go a bit mentally insane.
Christine: Well, it's about having the right manager, you know, team,
Emily: you need team internal infrastructure to be set up currently and then you find it would work like clockwork.
Sophie: Yeah. I mean this place is when we went away in January, um, yeah. I was away for the whole month. Yep. And Rouse Hill was still runningand my best friend and one of our employees ran it and it was just. So smooth sailing. Yeah, they were. That's so cool. Incredible. That's brilliant. And it just showed me that I can put my faith into people. Yeah, absolutely. And they can do an incredible job with it. So I think once this is on its feet a bit more Yeah, you'll go so far. I'll definitely have the opportunity to, yeah. Potentially open another one up.
Rah: And the fact that you are able to go away. Yeah, exactly. Volumes too. Exactly.
Sophie: No, my team on. I can't, like sometimes I'm like, I am so lucky to have these people. I just hired another five girls.
Emily: I was about, say, God, how many employees do you, how many people have you,
Sophie: I have a team of 15 now.
Emily: Shit, she's 20 with her own business in a beautiful location and a team of 15.
Rah: It's so what are we doing with our lives?
Christine: I don't know. It makes you sit and go, well, yes, yes. Let's not go into what?
Rah: It makes me serious.
Sophie: It's, it's so weird to think. Thank you. It's. Yeah, so we actually, our first employee came in as a customer and his 16-year-old boy, and my mom looked at him and was like, I recognize you from somewhere. We actually did his slime party when he was 10 years old.
Everyone: Oh, cute.
Sophie: So six years prior, and this was when we, you know, didn't need employees. We just had my family hoping, um. And my mom's like, do you potentially want a job? Like, he's so great talking to people. He's so bubbly. He's really passionate about slime, which is the most important thing.
Um, and he was like, yeah. So he was our first employee. I think that's really cool that we
Christine: That is lovely origin story
Sophie: also. Yeah. Um. And then, yeah, it just went on from that. I put out calls for, um, you know, like a hiring call and I just got so many applications and I'm like, that's so weird that people wanna work.
Emily: It's a fun job. It's not like I'm not just wait, being a waiter, you know?
Rah: Yeah. So different dish pig.
Sophie: Yeah. I just hired five more girls, just like for this new place and literally she'd only been working for like, maybe a week and she ran a party. Like it was nothing. Yeah. Like she's. All of them are just so incredible.
Emily: The right people. The right people, they're,
Rah: and you're attracting the right people as well, obviously.
Sophie: They're so good. Yeah, I think as well that the fact that I can relate to them 'cause they're my age or younger. Yes. I think having that nice like relaxing environment to be able to. Not just be stressed. Like you can't be stressed when you're running a party of kids. Yeah. So like being in a pretty relaxed environment, being able to just have fun with it, it's like so important. Yep. Otherwise the, the parents and the kids pick up, you are not having fun. Yeah. Yeah. So if you're having fun, they'll have a great time.
Emily: Absolutely. So important. Totally.
Christine; And yeah, young enough to kind of like relate a little bit and find that fun. Definitely. But old enough to be an adult. An adult in the room for the children, this parties, it's, yeah,
Sophie: it's been hard to navigate it. Yeah. Um, definitely like having employees has never.Something I would even imagine of doing at this?
Christine: No, of course.
Sophie: Especially at this age. I actually thought I was going to just be in uni and become a potentially a doctor or something, but yeah. You still My life is, you know, I do, I do have that option.
Rah: Dr Slime. Oh, that would be cool.
Sophie: I could do therapy with slime. Yeah. Hundred percent. That would be fun.
Rah: Yeah, you could, that would be so, takes away the white coat syndrome.
Sophie:Yeah. True.
Emily: I mean you've got such endless possibilities. And can I just say for your family to be as supportive of they for this, oh my so good is mind boggling and amazing. Like I wouldn't be able to do that.
Rah: Do they have their own businesses or anything, or No. Or they just have day jobs?
Sophie: So my, my sister's studying psychology. Um. So that's, I think she just loves kids and loves being able to, I think she wants to.
Christine: So there's a connect to this.
Sophie: Yeah. So at our place right now we have um, an occupational therapist. Her name's Priya. She does, um, occupational therapy in like that place and also goes to people's houses. And my sister also works for her, so she has clients. So she's studying at uni and has clients. I think that's why she loves this place as well. Um, my brother's still in school. He's in year 11 right now. He wants to be. Potentially a fighter pilot, but I think that's just what my dad wants him to do. There's always like, dad's always. That's, that's right. Dad always wanted to be a fighter pilot. So my mom is a midwife. She works up at, um, nor West Hospital.
Christine: Yeah. Cool. Um, that's a job. That's a job. That's a job.
Sophie: Big job. She's only casual, which is really nice for her because yeah. She wouldn't be able to take too much. I know. What a lovely vocation. Intense. Yeah, definitely. And then my dad took a break from policing. I think he's gonna retire from policing and he just sat the bar to become a barrister.
Rah: Oh, what a cool family.
Sophie: Yeah. He's waiting on his results.
Christine: We'll cross everything for that.
Sophie: Like he's gonna pass.
Emily: He’s my kind of guy. I wanted to be a cop for a long time. Yeah. And then I did a bit of criminal law as well. Yep. So interesting. So interesting.
Sophie: Yeah. He um, he was there like, he started off on the bikes. It's so funny me thinking about him on a bike. But anyway, in car. Yeah. And then he became, um, a police prosecutor and yeah. Took a break and now he is becoming a barrister.
Emily: That's awesome.
Sophie: He's a bit all over the place,
Emily: but clearly everyone's very ambitious, which is nice.
Christine: Which is huge. And therefore really support Exactly.
Sophie: Is why this place Yeah. Worked so well. Because we were all like bouncing off each other. Oh, let's do this, let's do this.
Emily: Um, that's so exciting. Like they, it's also nice to see. Like, especially from your parents' perspective, encouraging you so young for one.
Sophie: Yeah.
Christine: Mm-hmm.
Emily: And also not. Being afraid of potential failure, like Yeah. I hate the word failure personally because I feel like nothing is a failure. Yeah. 'cause you recorrect and you keep going. Learning. Learning. Exactly. Absolute learning. Yeah. You don't fail at things. Yeah. You just change the path. Yeah. But you know, I know from like my mom from example Yeah. Has told me to shut our businesses down about 70 million times.
Sophie: Wow.
Emily: she says she's supportive. Yeah. I also know she won't listen to this episode or at all, so That's fine.
Rah:Saying and demonstrating are very different thing.
Sophie: Yes.
Emily: And I think it's her own fear from her own businesses that she's run that she couldn't, the last one especially, she just like, she got to the point where she needed staff but didn't want that precarious point where you need help, but you don't wanna pay for the help. Yeah. And then just went not too hard. Yeah. So I know it's coming from her own experience, but it's so fucking demoralizing. Yeah. To have someone so strong. Both of your parents, your whole family behind you.
Sophie: Oh my gosh.
Emily: Tell 'em they're done a good job.
Sophie: Yeah. Oh, they're incredible.
Emily: Yes. Hats after that. That's really, really awesome.
Sophie: I know, as I said, I would not be able to even like painting the walls. I knew nothing about painting a wall before opening.
Rah: You opening this, you put internal walls and everything.
Emily: Yeah. You actually refitted this space. Space.
Sophie: Like only things that you wouldn't think of. And I'm like, yeah, that's a dad job to do. You can help me with that. Yeah, that's a male job.
Rah: All the things that I would just go, this is not the space for me to rent. Like, I'm not gonna sign a lease 'cause it's not too much set up. Yeah. Like, it would freak me out.
Christine: Was it hard to find this brilliant new space? Um, no. You knew what you wanted.
Sophie: Yes.
Christine: Because you'd tested out exactly right. Um, Rouse Hill. But did you, was this a difficult find?
Sophie: Well, my, my mom did a lot of research on it, so she did the research and I did the. Looking going and looking at it. Um, when we actually saw this place, I actually said, absolutely not. Okay. It's not what I want. I can't,
Rah: so I think from a faded sign, it used to be a music school.
Sophie: Um, that was like ages ago.
Rah: Was it? Okay. That's a very faded sign. Used to be.
Sophie: Yeah. A very faded sign. This used to be, um, a triathlon training. Like gym.
Everyone: Oh, wow.
Sophie: Oh, upstairs was like a bike, um, mechanic. Yeah, yeah. For them to like adjust bikes or something. Yeah. And then, yeah, they had bikes. Um, but I think because a lot of their business was online, they didn't need the space anymore.
Yeah. So when I walked in, I couldn't, I couldn't see it. You couldn't see the vision. Yeah. Um, but then, you know, I looked at the numbers, I looked at the layout and I was like, okay, you know, we could put walls here. We could potentially do this here. And then when everything was cleared out, I was like, okay, I can see it now. I can see it, I can visualize it. Yeah. It was more like, it was less hard finding actual space because there's so many places, certainly around hills at
Emily: they're building quite a bit at, they're building so much, a lot of people moving.
Rah: You guys are lucky out because in a West, no,
Christine: there's no, there's nothing.
Sophie: Yeah. Oh, how annoying.
Emily:But you know, I feel like you know where you were before closer to Annagrove Road in Rouse Hill. Yeah. There's shit tons of them being built on Annagrove Road right now.
Sophie: Yes. Behind. Behind where the slim factor used to be. There's more going up to,
Emily:yeah, there's so much space out there, right. That is using the space, but I think you are actually better suited here because this is a little bit more central. Yeah. You've got a, it's easier to reach the other side of all those suburbs like Winston, Balham Hills all kind of way, and you've got all the Kellyville that way too. But you're also surrounded by, as we were saying when I walked in, like there's a lollipop. Down the street. There's zone bowling across the road.
Christine: It's very pretty central. There's parking on the road, which is a great, and
Sophie: I definitely think the entrance, that entrance is perfect. It, I, didn't have the sliding doors at Rouse Hill. Yeah. All we had was like a banner and a few signs on the wall. It wasn't like catching,
Emily: it didn't give you the space either though.
Sophie: Exactly. Right.
Emily: Because it was all driveway. So you've got the space to really make a little presence out the front.
Sophie: Exactly. And I think this one wall, although it. An interesting look right now.
Rah: It's building.
Sophie: It's building. Looks so good. Yeah. And it looks, it's, it's definitely eye catching, so, yeah. Yeah. Not only the spot, but the entrance has made such a difference.
Emily: Yeah. Meant to be.
Rah: Yeah. Because when I pulled up, 'cause I've, I, I've never made my own slime, never been to a child slime party like nothing. I watched some ASMR during covid with us about, we've all been there, but then pulled up. Walked across and then I'm like, oh, there's a table out here that I could, you know, I can see, you know, it's like what I,
Emily: sitting and having a coffee or waiting for the past from Paris painting that you used to do in the shopping centers during the school holidays.
Rah: Like, okay. Oh, and there's some shit on the wall. Yeah. Okay. That's all colorful. Sorry. It's not shit like, I know it's. And, and then I'm like, oh, and then these glass doors open and it's like this. Yeah. It's a stuff. Yeah. It just gives it, yeah. Definitely. And even the,
Emily: and I can and can see pumping in here.
Sophie: It does get a little bit, yeah, wordy. And I feel like already we've only been here af like what's the day today? Tuesday? Yeah, it is last Saturday and Sunday already. I think I'm already noticing that people are coming in more. 'cause like for the public drop in. So we've, we've had no problem booking out for parties, but we really struggled to public get the word out there.
Emily: Well again, the positioning of where you were before Yeah. Wasn't. Like also, 'cause you were at the back of that complex as well. Yes. So like you had to look you up to know where you were going. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. You're gonna have more thoroughfare here.
Sophie: Exactly. Right. People know about us already and
Christine: people who don't know who are coming to this premises for something else, they're gonna drive it.
Sophie: Exactly.
Christine:And you know, there's. One party this year and there's another, potentially another child in the family and there's always next year's party, like, yeah. Um, so, you know, these kids parties are just awesome, awesome business to get. And I mean, you know, you are closer to this and with the kids and stuff, stuff, it's my kids. So you know, your kids. Go to a, a slime party of somebody else's. So the next thing is that they want it, right?
Emily:Which is like, we went to a party, I came to one of my friend's kids' parties and we were upstairs at Rouse. At your old place? Yeah. And then I was like, I said to Arabella, what do you want for your birthday? Slime factory!
Christine: And I was so, I mean, if you have a. Slime party for 20 kids. Yeah. That's, I don't know the, the, the, but even if you said 50%, yeah. That's 10 new slime parties in that one party.
Emily: Do you own run school holiday workshops in here?
Sophie: We, I haven't. Yes we do. Yeah. Cool. Um, I wanna do an Easter workshop. Yeah. Got it. I haven't put that out yet. Yeah. But definitely I think this week I put it out. Yeah, you should. Um, we've done like Christmas workshops. We've done disability groups as well. That's awesome. They love it and I love doing it for them because they are the happiest people on this planet. Can I just say, yeah. Happiest people. Yeah. God.
Emily: You could even run, um, sorry, just my mind's still thinking as you're saying that you should run a mom and Bub's one. Oh. Like you could give pre-made slime to the baby to like, obviously they need to sit with them and make sure the kids don't need it or anything. But like the mums could all have, you could have like a mother's group come in and actually have the Bubs just.Sit on the floor and like smoosh and the sensory piece.
Sophie: That's, seriously, I will add that. That would really good.
Christine: Yeah. And a great way for moms to do something.
Rah: If I had a team though, I'd be doing team building out here.
Emily: Oh yeah. Yeah. I reckon I'm already brewing in the back of my mind that we need to do a wine and slime night.
Christine: We need to do something through, through the collective for sure. And oh my God. And of course it'll happen when you have franchised or expanded, however that looks like. Oh my God. 'cause we wanna do events all over Sydney, right? Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
Emily: You should go up the Central Coast.
Sophie: And have a factory.
Emily: Yeah. Terrigal. Somewhere like that where it's really Terrigal. Got people go there specifically and you're gonna get a whole environment. And because you've got all the families that moved in Covid, so you've got like
Rah: I've got family that moved up there, so they've got little kids I think as well.
Sophie: Something there'll be for so different. Yeah, I've only, you know, I've only ever been in Sydney with this. Yeah. We've had people reach out from like South Africa and America being like, can you come to us and do a sign party?
Christine: Oh my heavens.
Rah: Do you know Australia?
Sophie: But I can mail a kit to you. Right? Yes. Which is what we have done in the past,
Christine: but I suppose because you have done the online slime party. If you wanted to bring that back, you could absolutely could and do it overseas.
Sophie: Yeah, absolutely.
Emily: That's all pre-made kits. All even the ma DIY kits and stuff. Are you running an e-commerce side or anything at the moment? I'm not at the moment. Um, we have in the past, but I don't think that the, the market was like, it's not as big in Australia, in America, online slime.
Emily: Yep. Huge. Oh my gosh.
Sophie: These companies will put up a restock and they'll all be sold out within like an hour. Oh my God. You need to, it's really, really big over there. Yeah. Could you imagine? But I think I can try and do it. I'm thinking of, you know, starting my own mind. You should start, you should open something up rural.
Emily: You could, you could franchise rurally. Yeah, if you wanted to, to save the fact that it's rural and it's really far away and it's whatever happened, but like we just came from Bathurst last week. Yeah. Something like this. I'm just thinking of
Rah: That's not rural, that's regional.
Emily: Yeah. Okay. It's rural to me.
Emily: Yeah. Three drive somewhere like Bathurst would be amazing. Like that would be a such a cool spot to have something like this.
Sophie: Something so different.
Rah: Hire a minivan and do mobile ice cream. Cast fun.
Emily: You could do markets like a and like, yeah. But you could do market stalls and stuff. You go to major events.
Sophie: Yeah. We've done markets. A lot of markets. They're so fun. Yeah. Cool. So fun. I think because there's, it's just so Kid Central. Yeah. And they just see it and they're like, oh, I have to,
Emily: have you done Rouse Hill Town Center markets?
Sophie: Yes. The Christmas ones. Yeah. We did Christmas. We did that too. 20, the two days? Yeah. 2019. Yeah, two years ago. Oh wow. Okay. It was great. Yeah. The kids just love it. Yeah. I mean, I see why, 'cause I started it because I loved it. Exactly. Yeah. So it's like, I like that's
Emily: It's the sensory stuff that everyone loves. Exactly. And the fact that you've got all these, like we're looking at. Um, so if you, right now it's got this beautiful back wall and there's step one, choose slime add-ins, and we were just kind of obsessing over all the different things and going,
Rah: there's like the, it's like the stuff you'd put on cakes, so it's got the little Yeah, the little beanie things. It, it was so weird how you decorate. Yeah.
Emily: And then you've got your scents over there as well and then you charm wall and then you
Rah: Yeah. I hundred percent be making the unicorn fart scent. Absolutely. To slime
Sophie: it smells good. It does smell really good.
Emily: We love saying unicorn farts.
Rah: That's right.
Sophie: Kids just like always laugh.
Rah: Oh yeah. fart jokes, man. Yeah, it's the funniest thing ever.
Christine: I'm looking at the slime throwing wall, and I just think I'd like to throw some slime.
Emily: Like you get stress relief. Yeah, like a rage. Rage room. Who needs to throw an ax? Throw slime. That'd be cool. You used to watch Nickelodeon, didn't you?
Sophie: Yes. The slime, sliming it. Yeah, we have thought about that, but the logistical nightmare on it.
Emily: Oh, the cleanup too would be nuts.
Sophie: I mean, we could put like ponchos over them.
Christine: No, no, no. They're not gonna wear it. I've taken so,so, uh, my son, um, back in the child day, um, 'cause he's 18 now, but we've been out to the Slime Fest, Nickelodeon festival out at Oh nice. Olympic Park a couple of times. And um, so I went with two girlfriends and we had, um, five boys. Um, out and the green slime all over the, the hair. So fun hair, the face, the clothes. I mean, putting them back in the car. Thank God for leatherette seats, I tell you. Yeah. Always gonna. And you've brought one. Yeah.
Christine: You know what, like you're gonna go to something, you know, like if you don't know that a kid is gonna be filthy Yeah. Like, you know, dumb. Um, you know. Yeah. You just deal with it.
Sophie: Yeah. I mean, that's why. Our motto is to literally make Simon our place, not yours. Yeah. Yeah. Our house over here. Make all the mess. I don't care.And then go home and you're fine. Yeah. No, and you put some benefits up for it
Emily: and as a parent to be able to come here, run a party, and then go home to a clean house or you know, just not extra trashed house. Yeah. Is and just be done with the party is so nice. It's like so nice because I've always done that about do I just have it at home and make it cheaper?
Emily: Do I do it out or not? And it's really not actually having it at home by the time you paint off full of food and all that stuff, like the pricing is not hugely different. Yeah.
Rah: And the time investment of the stress of cleaning.
Sophie: Yeah. It's so much more. And you have do all the work here. We even cut the cake for the, for the parents because a lot of the parents get really stressed. Yeah. Some parents have never cut a cake in their life. Especially when you've got 15 screaming kids. Yeah at you and we're just like, okay, we're gonna do it for everyone. And I just like how they get to sit back. Yeah. Like I like seeing that they can just, just have fun and just like watch your kids do it while we do all that.
Rah: So that can be part of it as opposed to
Sophie: Exactly. Right. Rather than getting stressed because it's really not that much more for us to cut the cake, but it means more to them to. To just sit back it,
Christine: I think just to witness it and you know, I've been the mum at enough parties that there is still a level, the mental load of a, a mother and the party, and it doesn't matter that you've outsourced the stress load to get to that particular day and until that party lost is over. Mm-hmm. You are totally. You know, you are on eggshells and so I think something as simple as cutting and serving your cake.
Sophie: Yeah. It means so much. Huge.
Emily: It just takes all the pressure off, right?
Sophie: Like it's Exactly, and as I said, it's really not that big of a deal for us to do it, but if it means you know more for them, then obviously we're gonna. Yeah, put that effort in to make your experience better.
Christine: So, uh, back in my day again, I'll show my age. So the big thing to eat in class was per, um, Perkins paste.
Sophie: I thought you were about to say poo for a second.
Christine: because I wanted to say, which is a totally different thing, but Perkins paste in a purple container was like the glue to have in class. Of course, my mother didn't buy on trend things, um, so didn't have it. But anyway, the thing in, at. School, you know, you Perkin up. Yeah. Perkins Paste. And you were eating stuff.
Rah:This was the glue that you had to use A brush. Yeah, brush and stuff. It was old school. Very old school.
Sophie: It's satisfying.
Emily: It makes you feel better. I dunno what they're talking about either.
Christine: Yeah. No, but I, I, the reason, I don't even know why, because we had a conversation about what's the worst thing they can do, you know, eat So. You have obviously tested out lots of recipes. Now I'm not asking for the secret, secret sauce or anything like that.
Rah: The 11 herbs and spices.
Christine: Yeah, but keep it.
Emily: But she's got it on the wall.
Sophie: Every part of my ingredient.
Christine: Well, there you go. The up bottles. But how much. What was the, what was the journey like? How, how did you find that? Was that obviously research trial and error? Where, you know, where, how, yeah, I, I don't know. It just started the whole, how did it start finding the recipe that you have today?
Sophie: Yeah, so as I said, it started off with laundry detergent. Yeah. So I think laundry detergent. So I'll tell you the science behind it really quick. Very go, very short science. Thank you. So PVA glue. Um, bicarb soda and contact lens solution. Eye contact solution. Yep. Those are the three ingredients, which is like the base of the slime. Um, in contact solution there's a chemical called boric acid. When boric acid and PVA glue come together, it basically breaks apart the bonds and forms new, like really fancy bonds. It's called a non-Newtonian fluid.
Rah: Yep. Oh yeah. Right.
Sophie: So it's neither, yeah, neither a liquid or a solid. So it has properties of both. So you'll see, like when you whack it, it's almost like a solid, but then when you let it drip through your hands, it will melt. Yeah. So it's got,
Christine: it's like adding water to bicarb, um, cornflower, you know, it does that kind of thing.
Sophie: Yeah, exactly. Same like that. Um, so yeah, we started with laundry detergent, which obviously had boric acid in it. I didn't know it back in the day, but obviously that's what it was. Yep. Um, but then we moved to trying borax, um, borax, as you know, is toxic. Yeah. Very, very toxic. Um, used to give kids third degree burns on their hands.
Emily: Oh god. Yeah.
Sophie: So we started off with, um, that borax because it was the cheapest. Yep. Um, and then eye contact solution, eye contact solution, not toxic at all. Very low dilution, which is why you need the bicarb as well. So if you just used PVA glue and eye contact solution, the dilution, it would just take a really long time.
Rah: So that bicarb, so the bicarb makes it pass, helps, it helps it along pretty much.
Sophie: Um, so yeah, we started off with, um, laundry detergent, borax, but then we were like, no, borax. Yeah, you can go away. We're not dealing with any poison, Yeah. Um, so yeah, eye contact solution and we used to get, we've actually been using the same one for a really long time. Literally Chemist Warehouse. Got it. In a pack of three or something. Um, but then we were like, okay, we need to cut costs bulk, buy it in bulk. Um, and we tried out a lot of different places. Got a whole bunch of different samples. Um, for the eye contact solutions.
Rah: Oh, 'cause it's not the same recipe.
Sophie: Yeah, exactly.
Rah: Right, right. Okay.
Sophie: And sometimes they do have boric acid in it, but because there's another chemical, it, um, like prohibits the boric acid from making those bonds. Oh, okay. Yeah. So we had to test it out.
Emily:So there's a lot of, there's a lot of trial and error.
Sophie: Yeah, a lot of trial and error. So yeah, we got a lot of different samples from overseas from. Everywhere, really random places. Um, and then, yeah, we came up with this one, which worked really well. I actually dunno the name of the brand, so I couldn't tell you. It's on the wall.
Rah: I'll have a look at, it's on the wall.
Sophie: Um, but yeah, we buy that in bulk. Um, glue as well has been a lot of trial and error for us.Some glues work really well. Yes, some glues don't. Um, our brand that we've been using almost since the beginning is called Helma. Um. Sells it to us in bulk. Um, but we found that sometimes when we use the Helma, the slime doesn't last as long and it goes a bit tough. Um, obviously we want the slime to last as long as we can.
Sophie: So then we started buying the Elma Glue in bulk. Elmer and Elmer, I know it's a bit, Elma is awesome. Brand in house. Yeah, it worked very well. Um, but yeah, we, we were able to buy it in bulk to get it for the same price. 'cause again, cost is a massive thing.
Christine: My God. Yeah.
Sophie: Um, so yeah, it's been, I actually found some old, old slime videos and we used to think it was so cool when the slime would make noise and when we'd we, when we'd make it with laundry detergent, the slime wouldn't make noise. 'cause like, I don't know. I don't know what, we might've been doing something wrong 'cause it was just a trial and error. Yeah. And the first time we ever tried it with contact solution, it made noise. And I have a video. The slime is like this big, tiny, pathetic amount because it was probably all we could afford. 'cause glue is expensive. Yeah. And we're poking it like this. Like literally the tiniest bit of slime back in 2017, and I'm like looking at it now, we're able to make these massive batches of slime.
Emily: Yeah, like it's just how far you've come every
Rah: Exactly. Literally have an industrial dough mixer now making your big batches for that thing.
Sophie: Thank the lord for that thing. Saving my arms.
Rah: would be saving your guns, although you wouldn't need a gym membership for arm day.
Christine: True. That's true.
Sophie: No, only this arm. I can't mix with this arm.
Rah: Oh, you can't alternate.
Sophie: Okay. So I was doing the gym today. This one was struggling and this one was flying. Yeah. So this arm's strong. This arm is very, very, very, it's always the way.
Emily: Are you lefthanded by chance?
Sophie: No. Right, right-handed.
Yeah. Interesting. There you go.
Sophie: So I was like, woo. This arm's like, no, I'm struggling.
Emily: Yeah. I'd imagine your costs of operation would be reasonably high with the amount of, um, product you have to have on hand to run the parties.
Sophie: Yes, it is. Yeah. The, the glue and our six packs, you know how I showed you before the six packs?
Christine: Yes. Yeah.
Sophie: Um, we used to get them from Kmart and we didn't buy them in bulk. We just sort of got, grabbed them and the prices of them have gone up so much. Yeah. And, um, because we haven't expected that we'd be booked out this quick. We're running out of them, but our, our ones that. Like we have now aren't like, haven't arrived yet.
Sophie: So now we're having to source them from Kmart, but because they've gone up in price.
Emily: Yeah. The margin's less.
Sophie: Oh yeah, exactly right.
Rah: if there’s a margin at all. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It might be over. Yeah.
Emily: Yeah. And it's just so tricky part about running business, isn't it?
Sophie: Oh, it's so hard. Running out of things are so stressful.
Rah: Yeah. I can't imagine. So the six pack, you mean the um, the little containers that the kids can mix up? The six flavors
Sophie: Yes.
Rah: Of their slime. So they make one batch of slime, break it into the six.
Sophie: Yeah.
Rah: Can color.
Sophie: Yeah.
Christine: One can be unicorn fart one, one can be lemon vanilla.
Sophie: Yeah. So we add different things. So we add like, again, so many ingredients and so many things in this factory that yeah, do cost a lot, but so worth it.
Emily: But you can also play like, like we were talking about before, with what you can try different things, try different places.
Sophie: Exactly.
Emily: You are not. Set in your stock.
Sophie: Yeah.
Emily: I mean, you're set in certain things, but not all of it, which gives you a little bit of flexibility.
Sophie: Yeah, it does.
Rah: It doesn't have, and you can follow the trends. So I know you've got the sprinkle packs that are frozen things.
Sophie: Yes.
Rah: And kids love that.
Christine: Oh, that's so cool. Yeah.
Emily: Yeah. It makes it so easy.
Sophie: Yeah, exactly right.
Rah: Should have done wicked.
Sophie: That would've been cool.
Emily: Just even green and pink would've been fine.
Sophie: Yes.
Rah:Do it in time for November. 'cause the second movie's coming out.
Sophie: Yes. Yeah.
Rah: It's gonna be run the Oscars next year,
Sophie: so I'll get onto that pink and green. I have a little girl that's having a slime party, maybe like a few weeks time, and she wants it to be wicked themed. I'm gonna put her in the pink room and then they can bring some green decorations. Yeah. So it's like good idea themed.
Sophie:Yeah, they can do that as well. I had another man come in wanting it to be a sonic theme. Oh yeah. Hey, you in the blue room. I like how we have, you know, you're able to them up, you're able to bring your own decorations and bring your own food and everything so you can play it off a theme. Even though it's is slime, you can still theme slime.
Sophie: We can make blue slime and pink and green slime because Cool.
Rah; Your party rooms, yes, you've got. Purple.
Sophie: Yep.
Rah: Blue and pink.
Sophie: Pink upstairs.
Rah: Okay. So cool. And then where we are sitting is like the open area where Yes, it's the drop-in area.
Sophie: Yes. And we're sitting on the playing table so kids can use like any of these molds and and stuff. And the molding.
Rah: Yeah. So you've got like the ice cube. Silicon ice cube trays. Really?
Sophie: Yeah.
Rah: And then you can shake your slime.
Sophie: Yep.
Rah: That's really cool.
Emily: So fucking cool. I know we need an adult slime here. I know.
Sophie: I think disco lights. Yeah, I know. We turn all the lights off. Make a disco.
Emily: That's so good.
Rah: You could do. So Cool. Wicked themed for the grownups. Oh my God, that would be fun. There's a lot of potential. You could get the Club Broadway DJ to come out and he can play the wicked soundtrack.
Emily: Yep. We're all very excited. Message Dan. DJ Dan who runs Club Broadway. He is insane. He's amazing.
Sophie: Is that the one, is that new? The nightclub.
Rah: He's been running it for a few years I think. But he runs me nightclubs in the city. Yep. But he tours Australia, like that's his gig.
Sophie: He's so fun.
Rah: Yep. Yeah. So much. Yeah. Like he's like, he's done like he's done events with like Casey Donovan. That's awesome. Yeah. So cool.
Rah: And the best part is it starts at at four and it's done by eight.
Emily: Oh, nice. It's adult version.
Christine: It's at nine in bed at nine 30.
Emily: Remember we are talking to a 20-year-old who can probably start her night at 10 o'clock.
Christine: No, we're talking to a very busy, you know, very sophisticated, busy working woman.Woman who will be exhausted because she's flat out, busy out.
Sophie: I don't go, I don't actually go out. Hey, too busy making money.
Sophie:Yeah. I dunno, it's not my vibe. Yeah, that's f that's, I'd rather just like
Christine: you're gonna work hard, but then you're gonna play hard when you do. So like you've just had your January off an entrusted your business world to awesome people and that's what you are gonna do. You will work hard and play hard, but not necessarily every week. Exactly. It's like a normal 20-year-old, you know?
Rah: How do we encourage the sun and air? Yeah. Now, who's 18? Mm-hmm. To. Perhaps put his energy into a business as opposed to booze?
Christine: Look, it's not that he's a boozer. No, no, no, no. Well, no, actually he's not. Although actually he's not. His, he's been, he turned 18 in January and he has only been to one party where he actually took alcohol and didn't drive. Okay. Um, so no, 'cause he, he's like me. Wants to drive everywhere so he won't drink.
Rah: That's his independent boy.
Christine: Yeah. He had a moment. I mean, you know, they, who should, uh, other people who should not be named the, but the Tate brothers were really big on TikTok and social media, um, and trying to brainwash, brainwash. And he was getting excited about that. Thank god that disappeared. Yeah, good. And it was a lot of like lack of enthusiasm and disappointment from his mother, um, around his excitement. Um, but yes,
Rah: which is good because. That would, that would've made me wanna do it more.
Christine: Yeah. Yeah. But no, no, we got through that. But yeah, I mean, this is a thing like, you know, some kids, you do look at people like yourself, Sophie, and then you've got others who are just, it's the other way round and there's not a wrong thing. But my hat off. My hat is off. Totally off to you. Yeah.
Christine: And. You know, it's just the fact that you started an idea at at 12, um, that's crazy.
Christine: But at 20 you have this marvelous space. There's not a lot that makes me want to play with kids stuff, but I'm really feeling it. Like I'm really going, oh, I, I don't like to do parties, but I'm going, oh my God, I could have a party here. Like no adult. Totally. I'm not in, in doing things with kids.
Rah:Do you parties for 47 year olds?
Sophie: I do now. That's what I might do. Yeah.
Christine: Yeah, she does now.
Rah: Beautiful. Yeah. Yeah. I noticed you do have the fridge, so I might just bring some. Bottles of bubbles.
Christine: Well, that's right.
Sophie: I don't even know if I'm licensed do that, to be honest.
Emily: I was thinking that because that is, that is a thing. But um, you could probably,
Rah: you're not selling it. You're not selling it.
Sophie: So look into a i'll
Emily: and be like, one of the waivers we were just talking about. Yeah. There's a lot of your life away. How is your professional indemnity insurance and public liability in here? I'd imagine it would be, yeah, it would bit intense.
Sophie: Yeah. A little bit intense, I think because there's been so many horror stories from slime.Yeah. And it ruining so many things, like cars having to get like professionally cleaned and couches and stuff. Yeah. I think like finding that insurance company that wanted to insure us Yep. Yeah. Was a little bit difficult. Yeah. But yeah, we, we found someone, which is good.
Emily: Yeah. Which is interesting to think like, I would never have thought that you'd find people not wanting to in insure you.
Rah: Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's. Weird. I mean I trampoline land definitely needs difficulty getting,
Emily: I often go places and I'm like, the insurance on this car is gonna be the freaking roof. Insane. I know. Like, would it be worth it? And it obviously is 'cause they still exist, but like,
Sophie: and I couldn't imagine And it's like. Our, I mean, personally, our slim's really easy to get outta clothes.
Emily: Like I've had Oh yeah. I've just machine washed it.
Sophie: Yeah. I've had, I've had kids go like this, stretch their slimer, put all the way over the head like a hat. Aw. Yeah. I just s shoved the head over the sink and I'm like, okay, you're gonna have a little bit of spa day today. Sweet. So put the head over the sink and just warm water and it rinses out.
Sophie:But I think because of all the horror stories.
Emily: People get afraid.
Sophie: People get freaked out and like, I get it. I do get it.
Rah: 'cause chewing gum that you have to cut outta hair contact.
Sophie: Yeah, exactly. Right. I know. And the kids freak out. It's like, am I gonna have to cut my hair? I'm like, no, no. It'll come out. It's okay.
Rah:So you're just super calm. It's all good. Yeah, it's all good. And so in terms of like, so clearly you and your family really didn't have any background that would've helped. Really? No. Unless there were, unless there was a ride out the front door, your dad would know what to do if someone was in labor, your mom would know what to do.
Sophie: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Rah: But did you have to, like, did you get any like consulting help or like experts or did you just do lots of research
Christine:: Fucking around and finding out?
Sophie: Yeah, exactly. That's literally exactly what we did. Yeah. Um, my grandpa has an engineering business, so he. Like our accountant is his accountant. Yep. Um, so that was like the first thing that we had, you know, we started making money and we were like, okay, probably should make it a little bit more professional and yeah. Pay taxes and whatnot. Um, all those things.
Christine: Damn, I hate that. God dammit. I know.
Sophie: I look at the pay and I'm like,
Emily: oh, and Baz, and then now you've got employee costs on top of that GST and like super superannuation. Super, super bitch.
Sophie: That's a thing. Yeah. So, yeah. Um, I think you learned a lot that was. Yeah. Oh my gosh. That was the first thing that we were like, okay, we have to do that. Um, but it was literally just trial and error. Yeah. To be honest. Um, I did go to a few, not a few, I lie one, um, hills like workshop where they taught us about like content in that.
Sophie: Yes. Um, that helped a lot. So I think I might start doing a lot of other like workshops just now that it's getting like pretty. I mean it was big, but now it's like big goll pants. Yeah. Bigger. Yeah. I should probably put the big girl pants on and go do some more workshops. But yeah, I think it's just been trial and error.
Sophie: Um, and as I said, my family has been really good at brainstorming. Mm. So I think if it was just me, I'd need like professional help. Yeah. But I think because we have all these random, different minds and even our customers would suggest things to us and we're like, okay, let's do that. So I think it's been. heaps of trial and error, but also like the support.
Rah: Yeah, the community input. The community.
Emily: Everyone's got great. Everyone thinks differently. Right?
Sophie:Exactly.
Emily: Like you get great ideas from a lot of people and you're probably at a point now where you might benefit from a business coach.
Sophie: Yes.
Emily: We know a few business coaches that are really good
Rah: NSW Government, I think it's eight hours now, but I was getting 36.
Sophie: I Should look. Yeah.
Emily: You get a lot out of the, um, new South Wales government as well,
Sophie: That'd be awesome. Yeah. Yeah. I think just direction wise, like how do you, how do you set a goal to make it realistic? Yeah. Yes. I think is what you need.
Emily: Your KPIs, and how you track it.
Rah: I've got Exactly. I've got no idea on that front.
Sophie: Yeah.
Emily: We still work on that. It's very different per business as well.
Sophie: Yeah.
Emily: What you do here is very different to what the three of us offer in our business because you are more tangible than what we are, service-based. Mm-hmm. As opposed to the physical,
Rah: but also lollipops out the front.
Sophie: Yep.
Rah: They would have different ones to you, so you know.
Sophie: Absolutely.
Emily: And also where do you wanna be? Like, do you want a franchise? Do you want to expand? Do you want hit all these different locations? Yeah. There's so much potential. You've got brimming here. Yeah. And how do you want to,
Sophie: I just needed direction. Yeah. Yeah.
Emily: And, and stage that out, you know? Yeah. I personally hate five year plans 'cause I'm like fucking covid people. Covid. You can't have a five year plan 'cause of covid. I mean exactly. It changed everything. But if you have a general idea of where you wanna go, yeah. You at least have something to work towards.
Emily: But you've got like, you at least, you know, you can then work out where you wanna go. Yeah. And then start working towards it.
Sophie: Yeah. I'm a little bit, um, I'm a little bit stubborn in that if I want something. I will not stop chilling. Yeah. Which is good. It's good.
Christine: And it's, but also, yeah, you need to,
Sophie: an interesting trait of mine.
Emily: Oh, we're all stubborn. Yeah.
So I think it's like, I do wanna make it bigger. Yeah. I want, like, my goal is to be. Like the party place that lollipops is. When you say lollipops, everyone knows what it is. I think that's my goal. I think.
Emily: Don't underestimate how many people know who you are. Every time I have said your name, and especially in moms, everyone knows you well. I'm so glad you're very well known in the hills, very well known and I,
Christine: you know, people are going to listen to this episode and whilst you know. The 50 something to 45, 35 word women listening are gonna be inspired. But what I actually see is that, um, you know, uh, somebody is gonna say to their daughter or their son, oh, did you know you listen to this, listen to this. You know, I think you will inspire. Yep. A next gen generation. Generation. No notations. Not at all. You will inspire. Inspire.
Emily: I wish that I could have pulled my ass together. At your age. Yeah. And like I know what I'm possibly capable of achieving now. Yeah. Fuck I, I had a few extra years on that. That would've been great. Like it could've been so much further, like, you know. Yeah. Like, and, and I really do think hats off to your family.
Christine: Yeah, absolutely. Support is everything. I know. It really is.
Sophie: And it's intense, as I said. Like this place, getting it ready was very stressful. Yeah, I bet. And I was a bit of a stress head going through all of this. And I'd snap at my family and I'd come back and I'd be like, I'm so sorry. Yeah. I didn't mean to be abused.
Emily: Your family are the ones who you’re allowed to snap at, that's right.
Christine: They're your safe space. Yeah. You're allowed to. Oh my God. Yeah. And they won't take offense. Yeah. So we know that you've gone and had a lovely and well deserved break in January, and you've been going great guns in a hundred miles an hour, um, since you re um, opened in, um, castle Hill. But if you were to get a day off. How would you spend your ideal day off?
Sophie: Ooh. Well I haven't had a full day off in a while. Yeah. Probably have the longest sleep in possible. Yeah. Hopefully my body clock won't wake me up at bloody 6:00 AM I know.
Christine: Don't they suck?
Rah: Mm-hmm. So annoying.
Sophie: Yep. Um, yeah. Longest sleep. Impossible. Hopefully wake up at like 11. Yeah, that'd be good. Refresh. Yes. Um. Probably go to Pilates. Yep. Or some sort of gym class. Maybe go for a cold plunge if I can
Rah: Already. Your day is much different to mine.
Emily: Yeah.
Sophie: Yeah. I know. Yes. Keep, I know. I feel refresh.
Rah: Only cold plunges into a glass of coke.
Sophie: I mean, for me it would be pink lemonade,
Rah: but like it's a Shelly Temple. Nice.
Sophie: Still. Um, so yeah, probably just like working out in the morning so that the rest of the day I feel refreshed. Yes. And accomplished. And then. Probably just watch my TV show that I'm watching for the rest of the day and play with slime.
Christine: Excellent. Of course of,
Sophie: I still do it. I still do it even though, even though this is my job, I was watching my show last night while playing with slime. So I'd probably just do that. Maybe dance around a bit.
Emily: You’ve obviously picked the right thing. Yeah, absolutely. \
Christine: If you still get a lot of joy out of it. Yeah, I do at some point. And also a certain amount of therapy outta it for sure.
Sophie: Yeah. Anxiety relief. Yeah. Very, very good for anxiety related. Huge.
Emily: Well, thank you so much for having us.
Christine: Thank you guys for having us here.
Sophie: Thank you for coming over something,
Rah: Terry, for lack of a better term. Absolutely. I realize I'm saying this in front of a 20-year-old, you learn things young. I might cut that out for your mother. Yeah. Listen. Yeah.
Christine: So how do people find you?
Sophie: Yeah. Um, word of mouth. Yep. It's definitely, well, I hope you tell everybody. I hope that you hear from word mouth because that means I'm doing something right. Yep. Um, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube,
Emily: all the things.
Sophie: Everything.
Rah: I think I just search Sophie Slime factory, Sophie Slime factory.
Sophie: I think someone searched up. Um. slime workshop in Sydney and we came up. Yes. Brilliant. Love. A good possible was so good. I was like, oh really? Um, but yeah. Sophie sign factory. Set it up. Yay. Yay. I should be there.
Rah:Hopefully come and hang out at Castle Hill.
Sophie: Book your party. Or just walk in when you open.
Emily: I'm so planning as a girls. Oh yeah. Could be all everyone Night, all tonight we doing it night. It can be girly. Or the, thank you so much.
Sophie: Thanks for having. Thank you so much. Loved it. Thank you. Woo.
Emily: Like my daughter would say, like and subscribe!
