When I spoke to James, who runs Woolas Barn in Yorkshire, I asked him to describe being a business owner in three words. His response? ‘Who, needs, sleep!’ You’ve got to love the honesty… And that’s exactly what this interview is about. It’s the stripped back, raw and inspiring honesty of being a business owner - the good, the bad and the ugly all included. Get scrolling and enjoy!

How long have you been running your business for? How was your business born?

We began our journey with Woolas Barn 2018 when, as a family, we began renovating what were some of our farm buildings and we now proudly call our venue. It was our first ever attempt at farm diversification and our first date in the diary was my sisters wedding in September 2019 before the first of our couples arrived for their day in June 2020.

What did you want to do for a career? Was this something you’d always intended on doing?

The only thing I remember telling my Mum and Dad that I wanted to be was a Lobbyist (I was an odd child) and I was doing that before I returned to the farm and opened the venue.

To say I always planned and dreamed of running a wedding venue would be a big, fat lie but I’m loving it. It throws up its challenges and couldn’t be any more different than chasing sheep or bumbling around on a tractors on the farm (my other day job!) but welcoming people to our home and helping them enjoy their Big Day is brilliant!

What is one thing you know now that you would have told yourself when you first launched your business?

Other than not starting a hospitality business shortly before the C-bomb hit? That’s an easy one. Find yourself a good team of folks to help. That means anyone from the joiners who I stumbled across on a building site to our Civil Engineer who Dad sold some hay to seal the deal. The number of people who have helped shape Woolas Barn are innumerable but I’d genuinely call them all friends now and we hope to be able to do the same with the suppliers and couples who come here over the coming years.

What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a business owner, and how have you overcome it?

This C-bomb keeps cropping up here but it’s way too obvious. Finding a balance between life and work is pretty tough at times, especially when I’ve been learning how to be a real life farmer too – think Jeremy Clarkson but less capable and hopefully with a smaller belly!!

I think to say I’ve overcome the challenge is a little too hasty but it’s something that I have to balance and manage on an ongoing basis because time away is important.

Tell me an invaluable lesson you have learnt as a business owner?

Your brand and image is everything but knowing your limits is just as vital. I have to confess that I am not a social media guru and ensuring our image remains consistent on Instagram or our website is something that I really struggle with – herein lies my reason for having a good team – but you need to realise what you can do and what you can’t. I’m rubbish at Marketing so leave that to folks who smash it. Life is about working together.

Being self-employed can be a struggle! How do you stay motivated? Do you have any productivity tips?

I think this is hugely underestimated. Having only gone it alone relatively recently, it was quite the culture shock feeling like you have to be the Accountant (I can’t count past 10), Head of Marketing (see the above answer) and the Cleaner (is there anyone who really likes cleaning?) all rolled into one. Throw in the C-bomb last year and I must admit there were times I stared blankly at my laptop screen.

To shake up that funk, I personally need variety. For me that comes by pulling on my ‘work boots’ and getting stuck into some physical work on the farm. It’s always nice to finish a job where you can see the fruits of your labour and farming is brilliant for that. Chuck in going for a walk with my Fiancé, Fiona, and our dog Murphy and my head begins to clear, for a few minutes at least.

Is there anyone (within the industry, celebrity, friend or family member) who inspires you and what you do for a living?

While I researched what we wanted to achieve when we set out on our venue journey, I consciously made a decision not to go and see any other venues and subsequently my contact pool is limited in the industry. Therefore the folks we work with, we have chosen to do so because they’re good people, which is what matters most to us, and understand what we as a family want to do. Therefore it would be remiss of me not to mention Emily K Weddings and Louisiana Bars at this point, who have worked so closely with us from the start.

Away from the world of work the list of folks I draw from is endless. They’re normally folks who have a certain attitude that constantly makes them question the status quo. It’s something that has helped us as a family, who have had to learn new skills as we moved away from just farming and into the world of weddings.

If you were pushed for one name then it would have to be an ex politician (boring!!) Rory Stewart. He’s a little bit crackers, which I like, but has an incredible mind. I highly recommend reading The Places in Between. It’s probably the least weddingy book imaginable but will give you a brilliant insight into Afghanistan particularly and the Middle East more broadly.

Name me your go-to podcast, audio book or song that you listen to while working?

This is a little mean to just let me have one; so I’m not going to!

Podcasts – The High Performance Podcasts (I promise it’s not as David Brent as it sounds), The Phil Hay Show (I’m a big Leeds United fan) and Seriously (they’re a real eclectic mix).

Music – Shuffle is my go to but anything by Oasis, Sam Fender, Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, the Stones…

I’m all about supporting small businesses. How can your followers / customers / clients support your biz?

Well the obvious one is if folks want to get married then our website is www.woolasbarn.wedding…but assuming that isn’t the case for everyone, then just give us a push on social media @WoolasBarn or if you know us leave us a Google review (fingers crossed it’s positive!). Little things seem to stack up and help spread the word.

What’s one thing you dislike about being a business owner?

I miss my bed on a Saturday and Sunday morning!

What’s one thing you love about being a business owner?

Control. Don’t worry, I don’t mean that in a North Korean kind of way. Having worked for other folks and privately grumbled that things aren’t done the way I wanted them to be done, there is now only one person stopping me changing things and it’s me, so I can crack on and do what I see fit.

What is a common myth about your business / field of expertise?

That the wedding industry is only full of women. Yup, there are a lot but there are plenty of us fellas too, giving it a good crack.

If your business could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?

Family! It’s what drives everything behind Woolas Barn.

What’s something your followers / customers / clients wouldn’t know about you?

Until question 2, very few folks will have been aware that when I had a ‘proper job’ I was a political lobbyist working on shaping agricultural policy in London and Brussels. A little different to chasing sheep and chatting with brides to be!

What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting their own business?

Work hard. No one else will do it for you.

What do you have in store for your business? Is there anything exciting around the corner?

The C-bomb took our first 16 months away from us so my plans have been a tad delayed. Therefore at the moment my aim is to concentrate on ensuring our couples receive the service they deserve on their Big Day and consolidate on the work we have already done.

Describe being a business owner in three words. (E.G Rewarding, freedom, challenging).

Who, needs, sleep!