Thread A Pixel

A mistake won’t lose the customer. How you handle it might. Customer care is one of the biggest reasons people stay loyal to a business, but it is also one of the easiest things to get wrong when things get busy. In this clip from Built Not Born in Business, Helen talks about why customers often do not leave because of price. They leave because the experience starts to feel transactional, careless, or like they no longer matter. Every business will make mistakes. Orders go wrong, timelines slip, things get missed. But the way a business owns those mistakes, communicates with the customer, and puts things right is what builds real trust. For business owners, this is such an important reminder. Great customer service is not just about being perfect. It is about caring enough to take responsibility when things are not. #builtnotborninbusiness #businessowners #customerexperience #customerloyalty #businessgrowth

Couples who run businesses together have very strange pillow talk 🤣 Something people often say to us is, “I could never work with my partner.” Honestly… we completely understand why 🤪🫠 When you run businesses together, work doesn’t really stop at 5pm. We'll be halfway through dinner talking about, customers, staff, ideas, equipment, videos, uniforms or whether an order went out on time! 🫣 So somehow even “pillow talk” ends up sounding like a Monday morning meeting, lols! The funny thing is, when we first started working together all we did was argue. I think I've tried to block this out maybe! Especially in the early Thread A Pixel days. We were both trying to control everything, both stressed, both exhausted and both convinced we were right all the time. Chris' poor dad used to help us in the business back then and he probably went home every night telling Chris' Mom, we're definitely going to split up. Sorry I'm still here! 🤣 But eventually we figured something really important out. We’re completely different people personally and professionally, but now we've turned it on its head to be the reason it actually works now. We stopped trying to do each other’s jobs, started trusting each other more and found our own lanes. Weirdly, once that happened, the business got better and oddly so did our relationship. We still talk about work too much though 😅 That part definitely never changed 🤣 #BusinessOwners #MarriedInBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #podcastclips #husbandandwife

The best partnerships aren’t built on being the same. Our biggest business strength is that we think differently. We used to argue quite a lot in the early days because we were both trying to approach the business from completely different angles. But over time we realised something really important. Our differences were actually the superpower. Chris is brilliant at strategy, business growth, creative ideas and production. I love the customer side, relationship building, branding and making people feel looked after. Very yin and yang. We stopped slamming doors and talking through gritted teeth so much and we soon found our own lanes and respected eachothers strengths. Very yin and yang… but somehow we got it to work. Weirdly… we actually became happier too. I believe the best partnerships are often built on complementary strengths. You don’t both need to be good at the same things. You just need mutual respect for what the other person brings to the table.... and a partner who knows, I'm always right!! 😜 🤣 #businessowner #marriage #businesspodcast

Do I choose the job… or the boy!? 🤷‍♀️ People see our businesses now… but not many people know how it all actually started. It wasn’t through LinkedIn networking events or a mastermind group 🤣 It started on a drunken night out in Birmingham. Back "in the olden days," as our son would say, when if you liked someone you literally had to follow them around a nightclub hoping they noticed you. Apparently that’s what Chris did anyway… 🤣 I’m still not sure whether that’s romantic or slightly concerning. The funny thing is, not long after we started dating, I got offered a great job as an international fashion designer. I genuinely remember thinking, “Do I choose the career… or the boy?” We’d only been together a couple of months. At the time you don’t realise moments like that can completely shape your future. Now fast forward 21 years years later and somehow that random night out led to: a few businesses a podcast a family filming studios hundreds of customers and probably far too many conversations about work over dinner and bed time! 😂 #love #businesspodcast #businessfounder #entrepreneurship

Apparently we look like we actually like each other 🤣 One thing people say to us all the time is, “I could never work with my partner.” There were definitely a couple of years in the early days where we probably questioned it ourselves 🤣 So now nearly 9 years later I'm pleased to hear people like Kim say on our latest podcast episode that we actually look like we like eachother! It made us laugh because most of our conversations for the last 9 years have probably been about: customers equipment staff deadlines ideas uniforms videos strategy finances or whether Chris really needed another camera lens…🤪 It's funny, but I do think there’s something in it that's made us reflect on why we still find it works for us.... Respect and trust. Not just in relationships, but in business generally. Respect and trust for what each person brings. Respect and trust for different strengths. Respect and trust for different ways of thinking. Respect and trust for eachother inside and outside of work. In the beginning we used to try and both control everything. That definitely didn’t work... and our small team knew about it too! 😅 Now we stay in our lanes more. Chris is brilliant at the business, strategy and creative side. I love the customer side, branding and relationship building. Very yin and yang, but somehow it works.... so far!

The little things are rarely little things. People remember effort and how you made them feel. One of our podcast guests, Andrew Hulbert said something recently that genuinely stuck with us. After we first met him on stage, we stayed behind for a chat, sent him a personalised video the next day and kept the conversation going. His wife’s response apparently was: “Don’t invite them round to the house…” A few weeks later we were filming in his living room for 2 days 🤣 But underneath the irony was something important. He said no one had ever done that before. No one had stayed behind, followed up with a professional video the next day, offered to research him, invite him to our studio and genuinely tried to understand his story. I'm glad we're different. So much business today feels transactional. Send quote. Send invoice. Deliver job. Move on. But the businesses people remember are usually the ones that make them feel like they actually care. That little bit of extra effort, messages, care, questions, more conversations and that extra level of thought. It’s rarely one huge thing. It’s usually lots of small things done consistently well. #podcast #podcastshow #businesspodcast #friendships #businessowner

“This was the best podcast experience I've ever had.” We loved hearing this from Kim Antoniou. One thing we’ve realised from filming podcasts over the last couple of years… People remember how you made them feel. One of our recent guests said this was the best podcast experience they’d ever had because it just felt like sitting in a room chatting with friends. Honestly, that meant a lot because that’s exactly what we’ve tried to build. Not an intimidating studio with us firing un-relatable questions at them. Instead a relaxed environment where people can be their true selves, open up, tell stories and forget the cameras are even there. Ironically, that’s usually when the best content happens. People buy from people. People connect with honesty. And audiences can tell very quickly when somebody feels comfortable… or when they don’t. The atmosphere matters more than most people realise. We spend so much time obsessing over cameras, lighting and tech in this industry, but often the real magic is simply making somebody feel at ease. That’s what creates the conversations people really want to hear and remember and what we love sharing. #podcast #podcastclips #podcastrecommendations #friends

I am often asked how I look so good. Watch this to find out 😝 @threadapixel Support local 🤩

A bit of a different twist on the Built Not Born In Business podcast this week… Usually, Chris and I are the ones asking the questions, but over a glass of wine one evening, Kim had the idea to turn the tables alongside the wonderful Andrew Hulbert.... we were't sure but thought, why not! We met them both last year and they’ve become very special people to us, not just professionally, but as genuine friends too. When we first started our business, we never really thought about the relationships that would come from it all. You think about the work, the growth, the pressure and the risk… but not necessarily the friendships you make along the way. Founders really are a different breed, and a huge reason we wanted to start our own podcast was to help people in similar positions feel a little less alone on their journey. There’s something quite powerful about speaking openly with people who have, and are living it. The highs, the stress, the overthinking, the excitement, the control freak tendencies 😂 all of it. This episode turned into a very honest conversation about life, business, why we do what we do, what frustrates us, what we love… and somehow, after all these years of working together, how we still actually like each other too. Probably one of our most open episodes yet. And with the tables turned, what natural hosts Kim and Andrew were too. We absolutely loved it (in the end!) so thank you both. The episode goes live today at 12:30pm. You can subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. /@Built_Not_Born_Podcast We really hope you get something from it too. Who should we interview next? Tag them below 👇 #businesspodcast #businessowner #founder #founders #podcast

Trust is shown, not said Trust isn’t built through words alone. Telling people to trust you rarely works, it often does the opposite. Real trust comes from consistency, delivery, and how you show up over time. It’s built through actions, not statements. In this clip, we talk about why saying “trust me” isn’t enough and what actually creates credibility in business and communication. Because people don’t trust what you say. They trust what you prove. Subscribe to our podcast below so you don’t miss more conversations like this. #publicspeaker #tvbroadcaster #womenleaders #leadership

Built, not born... and it’s harder than it looks From the outside, business success often looks clean and effortless. But behind the scenes, it’s a very different story. In this clip, we talk about the reality of building something from nothing , the pressure, the persistence, and the constant problem-solving that comes with it. It’s not just about big wins. It’s about showing up consistently, learning as you go, and pushing through when things don’t work the first time. Because success in business isn’t given. It’s built over time, through effort, resilience, and a willingness to keep going. Subscribe to Built Not Born below so you don’t miss more real conversations like this. #entrepreneurship #businessjourney #foundermindset #builtnotborn

Every founder wants a great team. But very few create the environment for one. The truth is, people don’t hold back because they lack ability… they hold back because they don’t feel safe enough to speak up. And that’s where leadership really shows. If your team feels like they have to play it safe, you’ll never see their best thinking. You’ll never get the ideas, the honesty, or the growth your business actually needs. Arti put it perfectly, you’re not supposed to do everything. You’re supposed to build a team that’s better than you. That means creating psychological safety. Hiring for strength, not comfort. And leading without controlling every move. Because great teams don’t happen by chance. They’re built on trust, space, and the confidence to speak. If you want a team that thrives , not just survives, it starts with how you lead. Download the full blueprint in the comments 👇