Full Transcript for Ready, Squat, Go: How Two Students Changed Womens Toilets For Good.

that us ourselves have been drawn into. 00:04:41.451 --> 00:04:50.360 You know, it's something that we know the problem we feel the pain waiting in the queues, but yet we've just stood about thinking, oh, someone else will do something about it. 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:57.685 But then you get this conviction of, like gosh, something needs to happen, so let's see if we can do it, let's, why not us? 00:04:57.685 --> 00:05:01.112 That kind of attitude of why not us, if not us? 00:05:01.112 --> 00:05:01.392 Who? 00:05:01.392 --> 00:05:04.793 You know, that kind of the powerful, convicting language that you hear. 00:05:04.793 --> 00:05:09.709 It was that kind of moment, and then we just have been curious and been running with it ever since. 00:05:10.819 --> 00:05:20.312 Well, I think it's amazing that you found such a huge problem that no one had addressed, but also that the scale of the problem didn't intimidate you and Hazel. 00:05:20.819 --> 00:05:29.355 I think there was a bit of naivety at the beginning, to be honest, which was actually a protective thing, because if you knew what we were getting into, I don't know if we'd even started. 00:05:29.355 --> 00:05:35.576 But yeah, I think it is massive and sometimes it is intimidating to think about. 00:05:35.576 --> 00:05:48.567 We're actually changing industries, we're changing language, you know we're changing expectations and budget allocation and you know there's so many important things that people addresses and challenges, and so that's a big responsibility. 00:05:48.567 --> 00:05:56.910 So, yeah, I think the naivety I wish we had a bit more of that at the moment but yeah, it is a huge opportunity. 00:05:57.129 --> 00:06:00.649 You had a huge opportunity and we'll talk about how you got there in time. 00:06:00.649 --> 00:06:06.189 But just for anyone watching or listening, you have just served the London marathon. 00:06:06.189 --> 00:06:10.350 Yes, so you've had literally tens of thousands of people go through PCOR. 00:06:10.350 --> 00:06:21.531 So for anyone listening, this is a true story of a couple of women founders changing the way that events and even society operate. 00:06:21.531 --> 00:06:23.404 So I do want to call that out. 00:06:23.404 --> 00:06:25.091 So one listening goes wow, that's amazing. 00:06:25.091 --> 00:06:27.040 Let's stick around and listen to this story. 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:40.273 So you and Hazel university find a real world problem, unlike just submitting your thesis and then getting jobs and say, well, we found the problem, but we decided not to tackle it. 00:06:40.273 --> 00:06:41.940 You have decided to tackle it. 00:06:41.940 --> 00:06:42.860 You have decided to tackle it. 00:06:42.860 --> 00:06:46.124 Can you just take us through the steps? 00:06:46.423 --> 00:06:57.271 the stages that you've gone from university thesis to actually delivering these P-Col urinals to the London Marathon. 00:06:57.630 --> 00:07:03.754 Sure, I mean, there's so many stages and so many things I could talk about, but to condense it down. 00:07:03.754 --> 00:07:07.418 So after university, Hazel and I did get full-time jobs. 00:07:07.418 --> 00:07:16.665 I got a job at an innovation consultancy and Hazel got a job with oh my goodness, I've forgotten the company now. 00:07:16.685 --> 00:07:20.632 An important company, Very important company sustainable company Sorry, hazel. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:33.401 And we did that in our days. 00:07:33.401 --> 00:07:39.108 And then we worked on Pequil in our mornings and our evenings to sort of keep going and keep pushing, getting more research, talking to more people, more customers, and so that was how we funded the sort of our work on Pequil. 00:07:39.108 --> 00:07:52.125 Right at the start, we were also applying for grants and competitions where you'd win 500 quid there, 200 quid here, so that would sort of tie us over, um right at the start. 00:07:52.125 --> 00:07:56.060 And then, um, we managed to get a grant from the University of Bristol that enabled us to go full-time, so we were able to quit our jobs, which is an incredible feeling. 00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:59.569 To you know, focus the best hours of your day on what you really want to do. 00:07:59.569 --> 00:07:59.629 Um. 00:07:59.629 --> 00:08:03.569 And then we made lots and lots of prototypes. 00:08:03.569 --> 00:08:11.052 So we were already making cardboard prototypes and 3d prints, but then we made two scale prototypes that we took to covid safe events. 00:08:11.052 --> 00:08:23.982 This was in 2021, um, and we took our large scale prototypes to get real feedback from women at these events, because you can talk about it all you want, but as soon as you go to an event, get your feet on the ground. 00:08:23.982 --> 00:08:25.584 That's when you get your real feedback. 00:08:25.584 --> 00:08:27.348 So it was fantastic. 00:08:27.348 --> 00:08:30.021 So the first one we went to was on the Downs in Bristol. 00:08:30.021 --> 00:08:36.277 Um, it was a comedy garden festival and, um, we had the BBC feature us. 00:08:36.277 --> 00:08:45.404 It was a fantastic opportunity because it meant that we won the front page of the BBC with this um made out of scrap material prototype. 00:08:45.445 --> 00:08:52.400 Basically because we had no money and that meant we had customers internationally reaching out to us saying how do we get you to the US? 00:08:52.400 --> 00:08:54.706 I want you in Malaysia, literally. 00:08:54.706 --> 00:09:01.489 It was incredible the demand that we were able to showcase and that was a big point for us because it meant that when we went for investment, we had all this sort of that. 00:09:01.489 --> 00:09:09.609 All these customers lined meant that when we went for investment, we had all this sort of that, all these customers lined up that showed the demand for our product like this. 00:09:09.609 --> 00:09:12.081 So lots of prototyping. 00:09:12.081 --> 00:09:14.567 And then the next step was raise investment.

00:09:14.567 --> 00:09:16.551 Um, and this was in covid. 00:09:16.551 --> 00:09:28.275 So lots of zoom meetings, lots of dodgy wi-fi, which was not fun, very triggering, but we did manage to raise 250K in COVID for an event-based business. 00:09:28.275 --> 00:09:32.985 So you know that's no small thing and we often think about that. 00:09:32.985 --> 00:09:33.948 How do we do that? 00:09:33.948 --> 00:09:37.320 But we had some incredible investors and that still back us today. 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:46.197 And, yeah, that allowed us to manufacture the product in the UK and then be able to launch at Glastonbury in 2022. 00:09:47.480 --> 00:09:49.028 I could keep going but that that's Well, what an amazing story. 00:09:49.028 --> 00:09:58.653 So it sounds as though you managed to really tap into a zeitgeist where, although it hadn't been developed, everyone saw the need. 00:09:58.860 --> 00:10:16.621 Yes, that's right, and COVID actually helped in some ways, because it was a chance for festivals and events to rethink their sustainability and to look to switch up their solutions, and so people were a bit more open to change, a bit more open to trying new things instead of sort of the same old rigmarole. 00:10:16.621 --> 00:10:52.221 So, yeah, in that way it really did help us and also because we're so much more hygienic than portable toilets, it meant that because covid had just happened, everyone was looking for sanitary options, so it was another sort of arrow in our in our boat yeah, like for those people that aren't familiar with how a woman's urinal works, I I don't know whether it's possible to say paint us a picture in words yes, I try my best yeah, so that people can visualize, of course yeah, so it is a standalone facility so you don't have to hold anything. 00:10:52.260 --> 00:10:53.104 It's not a funnel. 00:10:53.104 --> 00:11:02.509 You just step into this facility and pop a squat, you pee into this thing called the pedestal, which is anti-splashback, and it's really comfortable for all squat heights. 00:11:02.509 --> 00:11:09.327 We've tested this thoroughly and there's a handle if you want support and you just pop a squat and pee, squat and go. 00:11:09.327 --> 00:11:10.211 It's that simple. 00:11:10.211 --> 00:11:23.484 It's a designated safe space for women to go for a wee, just like the equivalent of male urinals. 00:11:23.484 --> 00:11:23.644 Uh, it's. 00:11:23.644 --> 00:11:24.828 What's the key thing about peak quiz is the efficiency. 00:11:24.828 --> 00:11:27.980 So we've designed it to be 2.7 times faster than a portable toilet, which means women are in and out of those queues like no. 00:11:27.980 --> 00:11:32.270 Tomorrow means that you get back to the event without having to miss out on anything. 00:11:32.270 --> 00:11:34.543 Um and those, those, um. 00:11:34.543 --> 00:11:41.567 That efficiency has been made real because of things like the pedestal being just squat and go. 00:11:41.567 --> 00:11:43.592 You'd have to touch the thing, clean anything down. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:48.537 It's overlapping doors instead of like a lockable door and it's semi-private. 00:11:48.537 --> 00:11:49.740 This is the important thing. 00:11:49.740 --> 00:11:53.971 It means that when you're standing up, you can be seen from the waist up, so it's really fun. 00:11:53.971 --> 00:11:57.485 You can wave at your friends, um, but then when you're peeing, you're popping up. 00:11:57.485 --> 00:11:58.765 You can be seen from the waist up, so it's really fun. 00:11:58.765 --> 00:11:59.486 You can wave at your friends. 00:11:59.486 --> 00:12:00.889 But then when you're peeing, you're popping a squat. 00:12:00.889 --> 00:12:02.311 You can't be seen by anyone and that means you're fully private. 00:12:02.311 --> 00:12:03.471 It means that you're incentivized to just pee and go. 00:12:03.471 --> 00:12:08.001 You're not checking your phone, you're not doing anything else in the toilet, you're just peeing. 00:12:08.022 --> 00:12:19.730 You said something there which made me think of you and Hazel as engineers, which is about the micro moments and makes me think about the idea of the frictionless customer experience. 00:12:19.730 --> 00:12:27.309 We remove anything that's a bottleneck, and you've identified time as being the give back for the customer. 00:12:27.309 --> 00:12:35.888 How did you light upon what you're calling micro moments as being one of the keys to success? 00:12:36.890 --> 00:12:40.267 I think we just knew that we needed to make it more efficient some way. 00:12:40.267 --> 00:12:53.072 So we were trying to tackle what, what was it that was slowing this process down and then try to re-out, design it basically, um, and that's shown throughout our journey, because we're actually launching a version five next year. 00:12:53.072 --> 00:12:57.511 So, you know, not just version one, not two, not not three, not four, but five. 00:12:57.511 --> 00:13:04.653 And that's just micro improvements that we've made to make the product a lot more efficient, a lot more desirable for the user to use. 00:13:04.653 --> 00:13:10.072 So, yeah, it's just constant iteration and improvement to make it even more efficient. 00:13:28.419 --> 00:13:32.879 So let's talk, then, about the move from raising money and making these things yourself, these urinals yourself, to commercialization, because it's one thing to have a great idea and get people saying, hey, can you deliver it. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:47.808 It's another game altogether when there are two of you in Bristol and you're delivering urinals to Glastonbury, for example, or to the marathon in London. 00:13:47.808 --> 00:13:51.136 How did you and Hazel overcome the really the transition from idea and prototype into delivered commercial product? 00:13:52.381 --> 00:13:58.131 um, I think a big moment was when we started manufacturing from the UK. 00:13:58.131 --> 00:14:10.229 So it went from building the prototypes ourselves to an established rotational

moulding factory producing the product for us, and that was the product that we had ready for Glastonbury. 00:14:10.229 --> 00:14:12.274 However, there is a story here. 00:14:12.274 --> 00:14:16.071 You know, one of those barriers that you, as founders, always have to come up against. 00:14:16.071 --> 00:14:21.508 Unfortunately, the manufacturers made half of the product, so they made the tanks but not the walls. 00:14:21.508 --> 00:14:26.211 So if we had just gone ahead, we wouldn't have been able to do Glastonbury that year. 00:14:26.940 --> 00:14:30.971 So, as gritty founders that we are, we were like no, this has to happen. 00:14:30.971 --> 00:14:32.860 How do we get to Glastonbury? 00:14:32.860 --> 00:14:34.547 How do we make sure that we do this? 00:14:34.547 --> 00:14:37.240 Launch Women access? 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:38.102 How do we get to Glastonbury? 00:14:38.102 --> 00:14:38.924 How do we make sure that we do this? 00:14:38.924 --> 00:14:39.726 Launch women access, this product? 00:14:39.746 --> 00:14:40.649 So we got loads of our friends together. 00:14:40.649 --> 00:14:59.764 We, we ordered some scaffold, loads of allen keys and some foam boards and we basically built the walls ourselves I think over 300 walls over a weekend or two, and our you know, new employees they also gave up their weekends to join us, and it was just this big team effort that enabled these walls to be made. 00:14:59.764 --> 00:15:05.126 And we got to Glastonbury and we launched there and it was significantly successful. 00:15:05.126 --> 00:15:09.288 We were on Women's Hour, we sort of hit huge BBC outlets. 00:15:09.288 --> 00:15:19.972 It was incredible and we got to prove that this is something women love and really want to see more of, and that those walls we actually took throughout the whole of 2022. 00:15:19.972 --> 00:15:26.076 It wasn't just Glastonbury, so the manufacturers actually couldn't have produced those walls for any of the other events either. 00:15:26.076 --> 00:15:31.138 So it just shows you just have to really dig deep and think how can we actually make this happen? 00:15:31.138 --> 00:15:39.083 As a founder, you're like so stubbornly passionate about what needs to go next. 00:15:39.083 --> 00:15:39.504 So, yeah, that was. 00:15:39.524 --> 00:15:50.433 That was a really big moment of going from just prototyping to commercialization can I ask what went wrong with the procurement process that the manufacturer didn't deliver? 00:15:50.474 --> 00:15:52.182 because I wish I knew. 00:15:52.182 --> 00:15:54.589 Okay, there's multiple reasons. 00:15:54.589 --> 00:15:56.253 You know things that you can't help like. 00:15:56.253 --> 00:16:08.553 You know, one of the tool makers was sick for three weeks, delaying production, you know, or some a big order took longer than they anticipated before our order, pushing ours back. 00:16:08.553 --> 00:16:15.788 You know, there's just so many things that you can't control with manufacturing and so, yeah, that

buffer time was just eaten up. 00:16:15.788 --> 00:16:23.393 But you know, we've learned a lot from it and you know we we do enjoy, um, not having to make ourselves. 00:16:23.393 --> 00:16:28.350 You know we do enjoy working with manufacturers that have those skills to make sure we can commercialize. 00:16:28.350 --> 00:16:34.067 But, um, yeah, we're excited to be producing version five in poland year. 00:16:34.067 --> 00:16:42.150 So we went out there last year and we absolutely loved it and it was a fantastic factory where they've got everything run to a T. 00:16:42.150 --> 00:16:47.191 We really enjoyed their business, their manufacturing. 00:16:47.370 --> 00:16:53.519 Okay, obviously it's a bit disappointing that in the UK you won't be able to find someone to deliver, that you've had to go to Europe. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:17:03.063 But what I will ask you is a cash flow question, because when you commercialize you've got the quarter of a million but you've got a team. 00:17:03.063 --> 00:17:04.146 You've got you and Hazel. 00:17:04.146 --> 00:17:10.171 How are you able to structure the cash flow to carry you through? 00:17:10.171 --> 00:17:24.923 Because if you have a manufacturer that doesn't deliver but you've probably got a commitment to glass debris, for example, yes for me, anyway, the stress is when I'm trying to arbitrage the relationships between a customer and a supplier. 00:17:24.963 --> 00:17:32.230 Right as an entrepreneur, you get stuck between what you promise one person you'll deliver and what someone else promised yeah, you'll deliver, and you're expressing how you. 00:17:32.230 --> 00:17:37.163 You bridge the gap by just sheer force of character and appetite of risk, isn't it? 00:17:37.163 --> 00:17:38.227 Exactly. 00:17:38.227 --> 00:17:55.906 Yeah, can you just take us through how you solved, how you dealt with that practically or emotionally, because I think often people look at entrepreneurs oh well, they, they were there and they got to there, but there's there's a lot of challenges, not just the physical but the financial. 00:17:55.988 --> 00:18:07.231 Yeah, I mean from a cash flow perspective, what we ask of our customers is 50 up front, so as soon as they book, and then 30 30 days before the event and then 20 seven days after. 00:18:07.231 --> 00:18:21.359 So we get a large percentage of the cash up front before the event actually happens, which means that we have that cash flow coming in significantly throughout the year and that really helps us sort of prepare for those events and tie us over. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:30.282 But we have raised a second round of investment with from since 2022 till now, and we are currently raising investment around now. 00:18:30.282 --> 00:18:33.592 So you know we are constantly looking for new investors. 00:18:33.592 --> 00:18:41.070 So if anyone's listening that wants to back people, please reach out to us, because we always want to start new relationships with new investors. 00:18:41.070 --> 00:18:44.375 And, yeah, see how we can get Pequil international. 00:18:44.721 --> 00:18:45.839 Okay, that's wonderful, amber. 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:48.547 So let's think about investors. 00:18:48.547 --> 00:18:51.142 Will love the product, yes, and half the world. 00:18:51.142 --> 00:18:54.755 Let's face it half or over half the world needs what you're offering. 00:18:54.755 --> 00:19:00.874 But investors also look at the founders and the relationship between the founders. 00:19:00.874 --> 00:19:10.994 Can we just talk a little bit about how you and Hazel operate, because that can make or break a business. 00:19:11.819 --> 00:19:16.990 Yeah, I think well for PQOL, our relationship has made the business happen. 00:19:16.990 --> 00:19:20.690 So, you know, both of us would say we don't want to do this on our own. 00:19:20.690 --> 00:19:26.990 This is something that we've entered into together, this is something that we both really believe in, really want to see happen. 00:19:26.990 --> 00:19:29.144 You know the off the back of the London Marathon. 00:19:29.144 --> 00:19:35.664 You know we were collecting the urine to turn into fertilizer and we were there on the ground actually collecting the urine ourselves. 00:19:35.664 --> 00:19:39.330 And you know you have these moments of, like, shared experience. 00:19:39.330 --> 00:19:42.520 You're like nobody else understands me like you do. 00:19:42.520 --> 00:19:45.146 No one else gets the grind like you do. 00:19:45.146 --> 00:19:57.301 And it's this very rare relationship where you challenge each other, where you care for each other, where you really grind and see that strain with each other and try and support each other in the best way you can. 00:19:57.301 --> 00:20:01.853 Um, I don't know any other relationship in my life that's like this one. 00:20:02.560 --> 00:20:11.125 Um, but yeah, we, we shoulder each other, you know, and you have to be constantly communicating to to let each other know where you're at, even today. 00:20:11.125 --> 00:20:17.425 You know, communicating where our mood's at in the day, like, oh, I think I need to just have a break, have a drink, get a cup of tea. 00:20:17.425 --> 00:20:19.373 Um, disclaiming. 00:20:19.373 --> 00:20:20.917 You know, today I feel a bit rough. 00:20:20.917 --> 00:20:21.961 You know that kind of thing. 00:20:21.961 --> 00:20:28.800 It's the day-to-day communication that makes your sort of relationship reliable and steady. 00:20:28.800 --> 00:20:34.130 And, um, trust, trusting, and I think, yeah, both of us treasure. 00:20:34.130 --> 00:20:39.404 Treasure it, because I have got friends that are solo founders and it is a big struggle, you know. 00:20:39.404 --> 00:20:44.143 It's isolating, it means that you don't feel as understood by your peers. 00:20:44.143 --> 00:20:53.792 There's there's a lot of positives as well, but I know from experience that having a co-founder is significantly better yeah, well, there's old old saying, isn't

there? 00:20:53.813 --> 00:20:57.905 if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go further, yeah, go with others. 00:20:57.905 --> 00:21:17.153 When you look now at people and you know the role that you two have been able to play and the community that you found in the accelerator, yeah you've come both as students yeah and I think not it wasn't from a business studies background. 00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:22.387 No, no, I studied anthropology with innovation, Hazel studied physics with innovation. 00:21:22.387 --> 00:21:26.590 So you know we both had sort of creativity in our blood. 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:45.883 You know we've been creating dens and go-karts and small business projects on the side all the time, but no, not like a business background necessarily the side all the time, but, um, no, not like a business background necessarily, and so what are some of the ways that you've got involved with the accelerator and how that's helped to to grow people into the? 00:21:45.923 --> 00:22:00.026 kind of business that it's becoming I think a big thing about the accelerator is sharing in the challenges that you're facing, um, because, like I mentioned, nobody else quite understands you like another founder does. 00:22:00.026 --> 00:22:13.488 Um, and sharing those struggles is like quite a vulnerable thing to do and if someone can help you in that, in that position, you'll, you know, you feel so grateful, you feel so supported and and backed. 00:22:13.488 --> 00:22:16.093 You know, I think there's this real feeling of fight. 00:22:16.093 --> 00:22:22.423 If you're a founder, you're constantly like come on, I want to create something, and it can be really difficult to create something. 00:22:22.423 --> 00:22:29.273 So if someone's got your back and says, hey, I can connect you with this person or hey, don't worry about it, I've been there and you'll get, you'll get through it. 00:22:29.935 --> 00:22:33.786 That is massive and it's not to be underestimated to have that support system. 00:22:33.786 --> 00:22:34.386 So. 00:22:34.386 --> 00:22:41.467 So for us, it was that greater support system underneath Piquil that allowed us to reach out to people and be like what did you do when you hit this wall? 00:22:41.467 --> 00:22:43.747 How did you get over that hurdle? 00:22:43.747 --> 00:22:47.180 And then us allowing us to do the same for others. 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:50.150 If we could help others, we would pass that on and do the same. 00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:54.691 So would you say that, even if you have a founder, like you and Hazel have? 00:22:59.040 --> 00:23:00.231 being part of a broader community brings some benefits. 00:23:00.231 --> 00:23:01.019 The perspective, I think, is key. 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:02.665 We always talk about perspective. 00:23:02.665 --> 00:23:09.493 If you're just working on your business and you're working from home quite a lot, you can be quite insulated. 00:23:09.493 --> 00:23:10.945 You can lose perspective. 00:23:10.945 --> 00:23:14.038 So when you come into spaces like this and you ask what's your business, what are you going through at the moment? 00:23:14.038 --> 00:23:14.402 Who are you talking to? 00:23:14.402 --> 00:23:15.344 So when you come into spaces like this and you ask what? 00:23:15.344 --> 00:23:15.734 What's your business? 00:23:15.734 --> 00:23:23.223 You know, what are you going through at the moment, who are you talking to, it kind of opens you up to be a lot more um, grateful. 00:23:23.223 --> 00:23:23.884 In a way. 00:23:23.884 --> 00:23:26.531 You sort of understand hey, let's celebrate these wins. 00:23:26.531 --> 00:23:29.104 You know, the London Marathon just happened, what like? 00:23:29.104 --> 00:23:31.690 We were dreaming of this three years ago, you know. 00:23:31.790 --> 00:23:40.729 So I think perspective is one of the most important things as a founder and, as you say, you've got the perspective of everyone here supporting you too, haven't you? 00:23:40.729 --> 00:23:49.561 I think that, uh, even as being on the podcast here, yeah, people are celebrating and in your corner it's wonderful to have you and hazel and, I guess, family and friends. 00:23:49.561 --> 00:23:56.807 What about the the mindset shift that you two are having to go through now? 00:23:56.807 --> 00:24:03.173 Because, as the company grows and you've got pitches out to investors and you're going to go for more. 00:24:04.854 --> 00:24:09.758 What are you having to think about differently now as an entrepreneur? 00:24:09.758 --> 00:24:12.087 Because it's not been that long, in fairness. 00:24:12.087 --> 00:24:15.691 I mean, you launched the first project in 2020, I think it was 2021. 00:24:15.691 --> 00:24:24.586 We're in 2025, so you've actually accomplished a huge amount in a short amount of time. 00:24:24.586 --> 00:24:25.326 Thank you, yeah, it's incredible. 00:24:25.326 --> 00:24:28.252 What mindset changes have you had to make and how are you making those? 00:24:29.761 --> 00:24:30.502 good question. 00:24:30.502 --> 00:24:35.489 Um, I think I'll. 00:24:35.489 --> 00:24:54.303 I want to rephrase it the mindset things I want to keep okay, um, because I think that's what has let, has meant the business continues is to sort of hold on to traits like the passion, the grittiness, these sort of like personal qualities that have actually enabled the business to keep going. 00:24:54.303 --> 00:24:56.165 Um, that's, those are the mindset qualities that have actually enabled the business to keep going. 00:24:56.165 --> 00:25:00.238 Um, that's, those are the mindset qualities that have really enabled our business to thrive. 00:25:00.238 --> 00:25:03.968 Because this grittiness you don't find it in lots of people. 00:25:03.968 --> 00:25:09.166 The grittiness that it takes to sort of do the really hard work that no one else wants to do. 00:25:09.166 --> 00:25:13.905 You know to be the last person at the end of the day, to to clear up the cups. 00:25:13.905 -->

00:25:15.730 You know to do the things nobody sees. 00:25:15.730 --> 00:25:25.369 I think you need that grit and that conviction, passion, and those are the things I want to have throughout my whole life, not just running this business but in every aspect of life. 00:25:25.369 --> 00:25:27.906 But, um, those are the things I want to keep. 00:25:27.906 --> 00:25:30.077 Sorry, I rephrased your question there. 00:25:30.097 --> 00:25:30.480 That's okay. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:39.134 In a way, that's probably, uh, the hallmark of why you're such a great entrepreneur, because you're staying very true to your core values. 00:25:39.134 --> 00:25:43.567 Right, it needs to be done, and you've got this higher sense of purpose. 00:25:43.848 --> 00:25:44.250 That's right. 00:25:44.250 --> 00:25:47.470 The purpose point is a really it's what drives us. 00:25:47.470 --> 00:25:50.708 It's not just clickbait, it's something that we really believe in. 00:25:50.708 --> 00:25:55.853 It really is what keeps us going and why, when it's so hard, we do keep going. 00:25:55.853 --> 00:26:04.413 And I think any business founder would agree that if you have purpose at the center of your business, it is that thing that keeps the engine going. 00:26:04.712 --> 00:26:21.749 Yeah, I think you're absolutely right, and the people that fall by the wayside are those who didn't really have a mission, but maybe had a motive, maybe self-interest or short-term interest, rather than the bigger picture which you've got, really just equality for women, you know looking at your website and watching the videos. 00:26:21.749 --> 00:26:30.890 But looking at the website or watching the videos, I can see the enthusiasm that women have for, frankly, the relief, right. 00:26:30.890 --> 00:26:32.445 I mean, they've been waiting a long time now. 00:26:32.445 --> 00:26:33.127 They don't have to wait. 00:26:33.520 --> 00:26:34.599 The relief is the right word. 00:26:34.759 --> 00:26:35.583 The relief is the right word. 00:26:35.603 --> 00:26:35.804 Yeah. 00:26:37.971 --> 00:26:43.824 How have you been marketing to those event companies? 00:26:43.824 --> 00:26:45.535 Because you've got some PR. 00:26:45.535 --> 00:26:47.580 Can I say PR? 00:26:47.789 --> 00:26:50.970 You've got some public relations just to qualify for that, see how many puns we can get in. 00:26:50.970 --> 00:26:52.336 Yeah, how many puns can we get in? 00:26:52.435 --> 00:26:52.857 one interview. 00:26:52.857 --> 00:27:01.163 But what about the marketing to those companies that are looking at? 00:27:01.163 --> 00:27:05.440 They've got an established port cabin provider. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:08.055 They've got a piece of the field that already comes to it. 00:27:08.055 --> 00:27:12.555 They sell the tickets, whether the women get a better urinal or not. 00:27:12.555 --> 00:27:16.063 You know people aren't voting with their wallets for that service. 00:27:16.063 --> 00:27:23.707 How are you getting the proposition for PQAL into the

market to get people coming to buy? 00:27:24.249 --> 00:27:24.710 good question. 00:27:24.710 --> 00:27:30.407 I think we started with events that shared our values so glastonbury, for example. 00:27:30.407 --> 00:27:41.202 They're always looking to be more innovative, they're always looking to be more sustainable, they're always looking to bring something new, something fun into their event and obviously they set the bar. 00:27:41.202 --> 00:27:47.701 So we wanted to start the influential events and then it would just triple down into the rest of the industry and that's what we've seen happen. 00:27:47.701 --> 00:27:50.199 So that that was definitely the right move. 00:27:50.199 --> 00:27:54.714 But we do sort of angle our pitch to customers sometimes differently. 00:27:54.714 --> 00:27:56.461 So we do. 00:27:56.461 --> 00:28:06.385 We obviously create a better experience for the women, but we can also generate a lot more revenue for the events themselves, because when women aren't waiting in the queue, they're getting a drink. 00:28:06.385 --> 00:28:12.593 So you can see that we generate a lot more revenue for the event themselves and actually peak will pays for itself once it's there. 00:28:12.593 --> 00:28:19.692 So if a event is struggling to get more money every year, this is something that they can do too that's a good. 00:28:19.712 --> 00:28:20.134 yeah, that's good. 00:28:20.134 --> 00:28:21.856 So if they're not peeing're shopping, that's right. 00:28:21.856 --> 00:28:22.938 Which? 00:28:22.938 --> 00:28:26.785 With two daughters, and you know three sisters I think you're absolutely right. 00:28:26.785 --> 00:28:29.057 So maybe I don't want to have people. 00:28:29.057 --> 00:28:32.140 It costs me even more money when I take my daughters to it. 00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:45.490 But you said you got into Glastonbury, but there's a little bit missing that I do want to talk about, because, as an entrepreneur going, ok, you got to Glastonbury, but how did you get into Glastonbury? 00:28:45.490 --> 00:28:46.654 Because it's a huge event. 00:28:46.654 --> 00:28:50.170 They must have so many vendors pitching them, everything. 00:28:50.170 --> 00:28:53.259 So I would just love for someone to hear that might be listening to this. 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:58.438 Ok, that is the practical step I would need to take to get the dream client. 00:28:58.438 --> 00:29:01.403 That would make the cascade of customers full. 00:29:01.403 --> 00:29:02.525 Yeah, the dream client. 00:29:02.586 --> 00:29:04.628 That would make the cascade of customers full. 00:29:04.628 --> 00:29:08.690 Yeah, so the way we approached Glastonbury was we were still students at the time and we reached out to them as, like research. 00:29:08.690 --> 00:29:11.576 We were like, can we get your advice, can we get your opinion on this design? 00:29:11.576 --> 00:29:13.436 We would love to provide this for you. 00:29:13.436 --> 00:29:15.758 What sort of size tank capacity would you like? 00:29:15.758 --> 00:29:18.077 What kind of colorful walls would you like? 00:29:18.471 --> 00:29:26.905 And actually involving them in the development process, enlisted them on the journey, and so we weren't, we weren't selling to them from the start. 00:29:26.905 --> 00:29:33.851 We were constantly keeping in touch with them and and sort of showing them the new design that we'd come up with what about this? 00:29:33.851 --> 00:29:34.894 What are your thoughts on this? 00:29:34.894 --> 00:29:48.182 And we were talking to the head of sanitation at the time and so, yeah, it was like a constant feedback loop and they gained more and more interest in Pequil and it meant that when we did have something to sell, they felt a part of ownership. 00:29:48.182 --> 00:29:51.599 They felt like, yeah, I want to see this, how this goes? 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:53.076 I've fed into it. 00:29:53.076 --> 00:29:55.218 You know I've said that this tank should be this size. 00:29:55.218 --> 00:29:58.119 I've said that you know, women would want this kind of dimension. 00:29:58.119 --> 00:30:04.383 So that was definitely the way of getting the our first customer across the line. 00:30:04.383 --> 00:30:08.699 Um, and yeah, we, we really love our relationship with glastonbury. 00:30:08.699 --> 00:30:14.623 They, they always get all our stock every year and women absolutely love it at their events. 00:30:14.623 --> 00:30:17.212 So, yeah, that was how we sort of got that customer. 00:30:17.232 --> 00:30:26.162 It was just through relationship and through being keen okay constantly knocking on the door, and was that actually physically going down to see them, or we just found them on a website? 00:30:26.269 --> 00:30:33.191 In COVID, so it was just over the channels that we had, so it was email, phone, that kind of thing, great. 00:30:33.231 --> 00:30:39.194 So it's so important, I think, to go through the detail of how these deals get done, because for someone starting a business. 00:30:39.194 --> 00:30:42.085 It's often just that first step. 00:30:42.085 --> 00:30:45.817 That's the hardest and no one writes about. 00:30:46.218 --> 00:30:52.615 Yeah so true, I mean a lot of it is just calling people up, it's just doing the small bits and you just never know where it will go. 00:30:52.615 --> 00:31:02.558 I've got so many stories of like taxi drivers that knew an investor that they made an intro, or someone at the pub knew a manufacturer that linked me to another manufacturer that we went with. 00:31:02.558 --> 00:31:08.435 There's just so many ways of leads that you need to follow up on you have no idea where they can go. 00:31:08.809 --> 00:31:15.150 Exactly, and I think that's one of the joys of an accelerator program that you have mentors and people here. 00:31:15.150 --> 00:31:21.741 Are there any examples of how people within the accelerator community have supported you? 00:31:22.763 --> 00:31:39.820 Good question Definitely have had so many founders share their

investor-like spreadsheets, A lot of them sharing networks, being like oh, I think I know this competition might be suitable for you or I know this mentor that could help tackle this problem. 00:31:39.820 --> 00:31:45.657 The network is definitely the huge advantage with this and we've benefited significantly from that. 00:31:45.657 --> 00:31:49.119 I think it's the openness founders have towards each other. 00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:53.357 It's like, if I can help you, I will, and yeah, I really love that. 00:31:53.809 --> 00:32:01.318 Okay, and I think also within NatWest, because everyone's kind of joined this community of people under the umbrella of NatWest. 00:32:01.318 --> 00:32:02.815 There's a sort of a security. 00:32:02.815 --> 00:32:05.335 People's guards are not up right. 00:32:05.335 --> 00:32:06.778 They feel like they're all part of a community. 00:32:06.778 --> 00:32:08.193 No one's trying to sell anybody anything. 00:32:08.193 --> 00:32:09.981 It's not a commercial arrangement. 00:32:09.981 --> 00:32:11.589 It's really a supportive arrangement? 00:32:11.609 --> 00:32:13.820 Absolutely, there's a lot of respect towards each other. 00:32:13.820 --> 00:32:15.106 Everyone's very respectful. 00:32:15.106 --> 00:32:21.817 Everyone knows people are working towards something or creating something that brings something good into the world, and I think you know. 00:32:21.817 --> 00:32:22.458 Can you ask for? 00:32:22.478 --> 00:32:27.565 yeah, to be surrounded by people that inspire you, motivate you and support you. 00:32:27.565 --> 00:32:30.333 Yeah, uh, that's a real dream as an entrepreneur. 00:32:30.333 --> 00:32:33.180 Speaking of dreams, amber, where in you? 00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:37.953 Where have you and hazel got in your mind for the next five years? 00:32:37.953 --> 00:32:38.634 For piqua? 00:32:39.296 --> 00:32:44.363 five years, um, so we've got lots of different potential options. 00:32:44.363 --> 00:32:52.491 Um, that will just be curious and, like we've done so far, just testing and seeing and seeing how it goes and if that's what we want to do. 00:32:52.491 --> 00:32:56.981 So there's no like hard plan but, um, we are hoping to go international. 00:32:56.981 --> 00:32:58.692 This is the next big thing. 00:32:58.692 --> 00:33:05.474 Uh, we've got so much inbound requests from the us, australia, the eu, like there's just so much possibility. 00:33:05.474 --> 00:33:15.541 So once we've manufactured the v5, we will be going to events in germany, in the netherlands, um, and so that will be where we'd be scaling up in the eu. 00:33:16.172 --> 00:33:26.363 So manufacturers in poland will be very well suited to international expansion and also working with toilet distributors to actually reach women much faster. 00:33:26.363 --> 00:33:31.537 So we could scale up in-house, we could do all the logistics ourselves and that's what we've done up till now. 00:33:31.537 --> 00:33:33.857 So, hazel and I, we've got forklift tickets. 00:33:33.857 --> 00:33:39.777 You know we've been driving the stock around site in forklifts, we've been doing the cleaning, we've been leading the teams. 00:33:39.777 --> 00:33:46.582 But actually, if we want to reach women as quickly as we want to reach them, we want this facility to be available for all. 00:33:46.582 --> 00:33:48.931 We need to start distributing with other people. 00:33:49.111 --> 00:33:54.732 So that's how we're looking at scaling up I will ask you the million dollar question, which is about ip protection. 00:33:54.732 --> 00:33:55.213 And there I go. 00:33:55.213 --> 00:34:06.515 I've got another p in there, sorry sorry, not sorry sorry ip protection, because one might think that that there's no software code, it's a design. 00:34:06.515 --> 00:34:12.181 How are you going to protect PQOL from being copied? 00:34:13.094 --> 00:34:15.250 We have multiple patents granted and filed. 00:34:15.250 --> 00:34:22.630 So from year one we filed a patent on our design, on the functionality of how it fits together, and that's been granted. 00:34:22.630 --> 00:34:24.615 That was in 2021. 00:34:24.615 --> 00:34:42.945 So that sort of you know, that sort of held us over from from the beginning and then, as our design has been developed, we've continuously filed more and more patents that have sort of broadened the umbrella of ip for peakwell, um, and that spans the uk, the EU, the US, china and Australia. 00:34:42.945 --> 00:35:05.909 So we're in a good position for IP and it's an important question because, you know, that is the next obvious thing copycats and what's the window of time before other people follow in our footsteps and yeah, that is very much on our brains to be like there is this window of time that we want to actually leap into and land grab there is this window of time that we want to actually leap into and land grab. 00:35:07.309 --> 00:35:07.791 That's great. 00:35:07.791 --> 00:35:17.719 I want to ask that question because there's been many an entrepreneur that has a great idea, commercialized it to some degree and a larger company an Armitage Shanks or someone could come along and, because they've got that heft, could steal it. 00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:34.630 So this idea of IP protection, either locally, regionally or internationally, is really important if you've got something that could be copied and actually it's remarkably low cost for the protection it gives you, even if it just creates a speed bump for anybody else, doesn't it? 00:35:34.750 --> 00:35:37.458 Yeah, that's right, that sort of barrier of protection is there. 00:35:37.458 --> 00:35:38.931 We're also building our brand. 00:35:38.931 --> 00:35:40.775 So that is another way we're protecting people. 00:35:40.775 --> 00:35:41.496 We're also building our brand. 00:35:41.496 --> 00:35:42.838 So that is another way we're protecting PQOL. 00:35:42.838 --> 00:35:56.083 We're becoming the go-to woman's urinal provider you know, the trustworthy, established

provider out there and we're building relationships, not just with events but also the toilet distributors that would have fleets of toilet blocks, things like that. 00:35:56.083 --> 00:35:57.516 We're building those relationships. 00:35:57.516 --> 00:36:06.844 So, actually, when we do want to go international, we have these fully formed relationships that we trust and that we want to work together in an effective way. 00:36:07.331 --> 00:36:39.452 So, yeah, the brand, the IP and the relationships are the key to that of the company now growing and the sort of environment that you're in shaping, how you and hazel think of yourselves and where you see yourselves in the next few years um, I think we, we know that people has made an impact in the event industry, which is crazy to say and I, you know, pat yourself on the back for that. 00:36:39.452 --> 00:36:40.715 That that is something to celebrate. 00:36:42.018 --> 00:36:46.264 Yeah, so we 100% know that PQAL has made an impact already. 00:36:46.264 --> 00:36:51.802 I think in the future we are ambitious and we want to see policy change. 00:36:51.802 --> 00:36:58.090 So we want to make PQAL make women's urinals a standard facility for all events. 00:36:58.090 --> 00:37:03.753 So when you go to an event, you need to have X, Y and Z and women's urinals needs to be there everywhere. 00:37:03.753 --> 00:37:04.655 Toilets are everywhere. 00:37:04.655 --> 00:37:05.536 Male urinals are. 00:37:05.536 --> 00:37:07.342 Women's urinals need to be there too. 00:37:08.172 --> 00:37:25.172 Um, so, yeah, we're we're excited to be trying to tackle that challenge and try and change policy and guidelines around that yeah, and you're doing that, I think, with the support of hazel, both of you, together with investors, new investors and and, of course, this amazing community in the Accelerator program. 00:37:25.172 --> 00:37:40.297 Final question Amber, if there's an entrepreneur out there thinking about how to grow their business, thinking about whether to join an Accelerator or not, what would be your experience that you'd share? 00:37:40.858 --> 00:37:48.777 I think one quality hazel and I both have is using, being really resourceful and being really resourceful with our networks. 00:37:48.777 --> 00:37:54.885 So, like always thinking, who do I know that might know somebody else as a graphic designer, who you know? 00:37:54.885 --> 00:37:58.496 I wonder if this person would be able to do something for free, I wonder, you know? 00:37:58.496 --> 00:38:03.420 And and sort of utilizing the people in our network is the in the best way possible. 00:38:03.420 --> 00:38:07.260 You know, from the beginning our families have helped us out big time. 00:38:07.260 --> 00:38:17.934 You know we've got family, creative families that would sort of help us model some sort of part of the product and be able to, yeah, draw on their contacts and just sort of think creatively about the networks that we have touch points within. 00:38:17.934 --> 00:38:21.737 And just sort of think creatively about the networks that we have touch points within. 00:38:21.737 --> 00:38:24.179 So always think who do you know? 00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:30.143 And look there first before thinking I need to make a stranger become my best friend before I can do anything. 00:38:30.143 --> 00:38:33.007 Just think, oh no, I know someone that knows someone else. 00:38:35.929 --> 00:38:39.085 And what about an entrepreneur that's looking at the accelerator and going well, is that for me or not? 00:38:39.085 --> 00:38:39.869 Maybe I can go alone. 00:38:39.869 --> 00:38:43.952 What would be your advice to someone thinking about joining an accelerator? 00:38:44.994 --> 00:38:46.257 I think there's no harm in it. 00:38:46.257 --> 00:38:47.760 Hey, you know, like what? 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:48.702 What have you got to lose? 00:38:48.702 --> 00:38:50.474 I think that's my attitude. 00:38:50.474 --> 00:38:52.461 It's like what could you gain? 00:38:52.461 --> 00:38:59.932 You know, there's either you continue doing what you're doing or you could continue and have this incredible support system. 00:38:59.932 --> 00:39:01.293 So why not? 00:39:03.615 --> 00:39:04.335 Amber Probin. 00:39:04.335 --> 00:39:05.077 Thank you so much. 00:39:05.077 --> 00:39:08.918 It's such an inspirational story and you're changing the lives of so many people. 00:39:08.918 --> 00:39:11.900 From here in Bristol, you're changing the world. 00:39:11.900 --> 00:39:13.222 Thank you so much for joining me today. 00:39:13.242 --> 00:39:14.061 No, thank you for having me. 00:39:14.061 --> 00:39:14.682 It's been really fun. 00:39:14.682 --> 00:39:15.722 Cheers, it's my pleasure.