What’s next for Olympic medalist & entrepreneur Melissa Wu

We recently adopted up with Melissa Wu to produce our congratulations on her Tokyo 2020 specific particular person Bronze medal inside the girls’s 10m platform diving event. But the dialog didn’t end there — it started with the Olympics, collectively together with her TikTok video that acquired 2.3M views, and ended with what’s next for her corporations in 2022. 

This interview has been gently edited for measurement and readability.

All regarding the Olympics

GoDaddy: We must ask – how had been the Olympics?!

Melissa Wu: It was truly superior [laughs]. There was loads of safety spherical COVID sooner than we acquired there, nonetheless as quickly as we had been there all of it felt pretty common.

It was humorous going from lockdown proper right here in Sydney to being spherical so many people, however it was truly superior and it went truly simply.

We haven’t had many competitions for almost two years now, so that’s the one worldwide comp [sic] we’ve had in a really very long time.

We’re all very nice in diving. They’re your opponents nonetheless they’re moreover your of us.

So it was such an necessary experience with the flexibility to compete as soon as extra and be in that ambiance. And clearly the bronze medal was pretty fantastic too. Really pleased with that finish consequence and obtained right here dwelling a extremely blissful girl.

GD: That’s so implausible to hearken to – and congratulations as soon as extra!

When you weren’t competing, what did you stand as much as?

MW: There wasn’t a lot to do inside the [Olympic] Village attributable to COVID. There is a gigantic worldwide zone that has retailers and points like that, nonetheless the merch retailer was packed and there have been a lot of individuals there every day. So we tried to steer clear of going to those areas an extreme quantity of.

Other than that, there wasn’t a lot to do, nonetheless our teaching schedule stuffed up the occasions anyway. We had probably a day or a morning off proper right here and there, nonetheless that was spent recovering or just strolling throughout the Village.

Most people weren’t there for too prolonged so it didn’t matter, nonetheless in course of the tip I was getting a little bit bit bored [laughs].

GD: We assume we might know the reply to this one, nonetheless what was your proudest Olympic second?

MW: Definitely profitable that medal was pretty fantastic. It merely meant a lot to me.

I acquired a medal at my first [Olympic] Games, and I don’t assume you truly acknowledge it as quite a bit everytime you’re youthful. It all seems easy, and in addition you don’t have that pressure on you however, and in addition you’re chasing the period sooner than you.

So I really feel in these years handed by I truly acknowledge what it means to win an Olympic medal. Being ready to do this, significantly in an individual event, was pretty specific.

I’ve been with my coach for better than 10 years now, and that’s our third Olympics collectively.

And we acquired a fourth and a fifth nonetheless to get that Olympic medal with him was pretty fantastic. I had a really good help employees and group for this Games significantly, along with GoDaddy, and it felt like this medal was for everyone.

Dream it. Build it. program and lodge quarantine

GD: Unlike earlier Olympics you wanted to move straight into two-week quarantine after competing. How was that?

MW: It was really busier than I assumed it is going to be [laughs]. Everybody on a regular basis talks about all this free time to watch points, nonetheless my time in quarantine was pretty scheduled throughout the reality I had loads of post-Games interviews, conferences and webinars.

It was so good to have quite a bit to do, along with GoDaddy’s [Dream it. Build it.] program. It was truly cool to have that to focus on.

I wasn’t able to do quite a bit enterprise stuff by the Olympics, so it was good to catch up and get on prime of those points.

So though quarantine was busy, it was type of good to get once more into the swing of points and by no means merely actually really feel like I was sitting in a room for two weeks.

GD: Tell us about GoDaddy’s Dream it. Build it. program.

MW: So GoDaddy ran a free program for Australian Olympic athletes to help them uncover methods to assemble an web website and on-line enterprise from quarantine — it was good.

You would possibly work by the use of it at your particular person tempo, watch films, and [the content] was laid out truly merely which I liked.

Even though I’ve completed loads of work with my internet sites, considerably HrdKAW’s website online on GoDaddy’s Websites Builder, it was merely good to watch and see completely different people’s work and see how straightforward the Website Builder software program is to utilize.

Plus there have been so many various useful options on this system, and by no means almost establishing an web website, nonetheless rising your company too.

GD: Sounds like a extremely productive quarantine hold! How was your homecoming?

MW: It was pretty cool. My family organize balloons and did an unlimited welcome dwelling sign on the doorway fence, which wasn’t pretty accomplished as soon as I acquired dwelling so my brother wanted to drive some laps throughout the block so they could finish [laughs]. But it was truly cool.

My family are my largest supporters, and they also’ve been with me by the use of all the ups and the downs, so it was truly thrilling to return dwelling. And get some cuddles from my canine.

GD: And we seen your mum acquired an Olympic bronze medal for her birthday! She ought to have been pretty pleased with that?

MW: Yea I really feel so [laughs]. It’s a little bit bit in-joke with us. I really feel it was sooner than Beijing that she talked about she’d like a medal for her birthday, so now it’s become a little bit bit in-joke. She’s undoubtedly blissful and blissful for me, and it’s so good to have the help of my family.

Surviving lockdown

GD: You must be an expert at quarantine stays now. In fact you bought right here dwelling to a full lockdown in NSW — is that correct?

MW: I really feel one issue that a lot of individuals think about is all the points that they’re going to’t do whereas they’re in lockdown.

I’m pretty lucky because of I run my corporations from dwelling and have our dwelling gymnasium, nonetheless I really feel shifting your focus to what you can do comparatively than what you can’t do is completely important.

Sometimes it would most likely end in new ideas or numerous issues to attempt to develop your company.

For event, with Australian Diving Academy, we’ve merely accomplished a four-week on-line program with a part aimed significantly at divers, and one different part of this method open to people from any sport. So that was good to try one factor a bit completely completely different and attain new audiences.

So normal tip: merely keep transferring forward. Focus on the problems you’ll be able to do comparatively than these you’ll’t.

GD: That’s some good suggestion thanks Mel. Let’s flip to your company, HrdKAW Strength. You’ve pivoted to produce further on-line corporations for the rationale that lockdown in Sydney – is that correct?

MW: That’s correct. Shifting your on-line selling technique is one issue, nonetheless educating on-line is one different!

With every HrdKAW Strength and Australian Diving Academy, now better than ever it’s about retaining people engaged and ensuring you’re supporting their needs.

And as soon as extra, it’s all about creating that neighborhood.

There’s a lot of individuals feeling isolated in lockdown, and many individuals do dwell by themselves which is hard. So video calls have been truly important

GD: Do you have any options for completely different corporations searching for to supply distant educating or on-line corporations?

MW: I’ve undoubtedly been using video calls tons further, and experimenting with the completely completely different choices like break-out rooms and spotlight audio system, sharing screens — that type of issue.

We’ve blended collectively not solely a bodily train nonetheless a dwell presentation on the same time so that folk would possibly work out collectively, nonetheless actually really feel further cozy determining they couldn’t be seen on an unlimited show.

I really feel a little bit bit hack is experimenting with the potential of video calls.

My enterprise companion Kevin and I spent hours one evening time merely coaching and making an attempt to find out the buttons [laughing]. It’s moreover fascinating to see how the completely completely different environments work all through the completely completely different corporations.

But it’s been fantastic seeing the educating corporations get on-line. Even my pal who’s a physio moved most of their corporations on-line, so I really feel it’s merely experimenting and having a go. You’re not going to get it first go, nonetheless you don’t have to be a video title expert. Don’t be afraid to try these little points and see what helps.

Related: The new digital gymnasium

GD: Did your corporations uncover a raise in product sales or train after the Olympics?

MW: It’s been truly helpful partnering with GoDaddy to help get the message in the marketplace that I private three corporations, and it’s given me loads of new work alternate options.

It’s truly important to get the message in the marketplace that I’m not solely a diver because of as athletes, you don’t truly hear about what completely different athletes are doing open air of sport. Most of the people I went to the Olympics with, I do not know what they do open air sport. It could also be lonely typically everytime you don’t know what you’re doing next after your sporting career.  So it’s been good to help encourage completely different athletes and entrepreneurs to go for it and get their enterprise idea on-line.

Black Friday

GD: Black Friday is fast approaching! Will you be doing any Black Friday train?

MW: I’ll undoubtedly be doing one factor for Black Friday. It’s getting bigger and better in Australia yearly. I haven’t labored the specifics out on it however, however it’s on my guidelines for one factor to get organised for.

As a small enterprise I don’t have an unlimited amount of stock.

And it’s harder for me to advertise sooner than I can get new stock as compared with bigger corporations. So events like Black Friday are important to attempt to keep points new and thrilling for my prospects or making devices further moderately priced with a sale.

That’s why I did my bronze medal sale recently, as a result of it was one different associated second to grab all individuals’s consideration with, and it labored very properly and I was truly pleased with it.

Related: How to hold a Black Friday sale in (or just out) of lockdown

GD: That’s good to hearken to! What suggestion would you have for completely different on-line retailers that want to put collectively their corporations for events like Black Friday?

MW: Do loads of evaluation. There’s already loads of information in the marketplace and you will see what completely different corporations are doing, or how one can improve your website online with plug-ins or design updates.

Even in case you may’t put points on sale, there could possibly be one different method you may engage prospects to ship people in. That’s why it’s important to plan for all these events.

Every enterprise is completely completely different so the similar issue acquired’t work for every enterprise. You should enter it doing points your method. I really feel for Black Friday it’s very straightforward for people to solely positioned on a sale, nonetheless typically you is normally a little bit further creative about it.

GD: What spring cleaning do you do for your website online to ensure it’s in tip-top type for giant on-line shopping for events?

MW: I really feel determining how your website online will reply to heavy guests is completely important.

If you had been to have a big influx of holiday makers to your website online – like off the charts I’m talking, normally the people you talk to say that’s not an ideal issue because of their website online crashes and they also’re not prepared for it.

So it’s undoubtedly good to be prepared for elevated guests and ensuring your web internet hosting plan can take care of it.

But normally speaking, with out one factor like that occuring, it is also potential to check out your website online analytics to see the traits occurring over time, which is able to show you how to larger put collectively.

Benefits of an web website with social media

GD: In phrases of reaching new prospects and rising your mannequin, you’re a little bit little bit of a star on social media. What’s your technique to social, and what options do you have for completely different enterprise owners?

MW: The most important issue is consistency, and that is one issue I’m not really that good at [laughs]. Especially for corporations which is likely to be providing a service, it’s advisable to teach your prospects and help them as properly.

I’ve to take some further of my very personal suggestion as I on a regular basis see a correlation with consistency on social media and the way in which properly the businesses are doing. But the hardest issue is staying on prime of it!

GD: We moreover seen your Tik Tok account was going viral on the Olympics!

MW: It went very properly by the Games, nonetheless as I discussed consistency [in social media] is completely important. I’ve been so busy since I’ve been once more that I’ve let the Tik Tok go a little bit bit bit!

But it’s really been a really extremely efficient issue.

I’ve on a regular basis been such an unlimited Instagram client and I’m not very tech-savvy so I averted TikTok for a really very long time. Especially getting on there by the Olympics and seeing the attain it’s possible you’ll get in such a short time interval. So as soon as I do have further time it’s one factor that I want to look proper right into a bit further for my corporations.

I moreover used to imagine that Tik Tok was almost dancing, nonetheless now I can see there’s so many alternative methods through which people use it, and there’s a whole small enterprise neighborhood. And one of the simplest ways that they create films is completely fascinating, and different individuals do it in a method that’s not a troublesome promote, further life as a enterprise proprietor and what goes on. Things that folk don’t sometimes get to see behind the scenes.

GD: And what may be your prime Tik Tok tip?

MW: It’s very trends-based, so it’s very straightforward to create films which is likely to be based totally on traits. Whilst they’re humorous, it’s important to create distinctive content material materials in-between to face out. That’s moreover how traits start. By any individual having an distinctive idea, that folk then bounce on the bandwagon.

Importance of a enterprise website online

GD: How important do you assume an web website is to help your company? Can you promote on social media alone?

MW: I really feel [a website] is completely important. Social media is sweet, as a result of it’s free and an answer to advertise your company, nonetheless most people are selling on an web website.

So it’s good to see the correlation between social media and product sales, nonetheless on the end of the day it’s all regarding the website online, supported by the exact know-how at dwelling to take care of you working.

What’s important are points like:

• Having a really nice-looking website online
• Making it straightforward for your prospects to hunt out what they need
• Having a seamless check-out experience

And then observe it up with an e mail affirmation. Make sure all of the issues’s completed professionally, and that method you’ll obtain people’s perception and they also’ll be further extra prone to come once more to you as soon as extra later.

Even in case you’re not tech-savvy there truly isn’t an excuse to not have an web website anymore. If my Australian Olympic team-mates had been able to assemble internet sites in lodge quarantine with GoDaddy’s Website Builder, anyone can do it![AS1]

GD: Outside of tremendous know-how, do you have any hacks or rituals that help you to hold on prime of your recreation?

MW: Having little targets of what I want to do. So an unlimited one for me for the time being is consistency. Consistency of creating content material materials and having content material materials all through completely completely different corporations.

If there’s one factor that you simply truly must do, set your self a goal or write it down someplace.

I really feel merely writing points down makes you further accountable. I’m not wonderful at prioritising, nonetheless that’s one issue that I attempt to do because of it helps me work out what’s important and what have to be completed, after which I can merely tick it off, one after the other.

New NEW – 2022

GD: Looking at 2022, what’s top-of-mind for your corporations?

MW: Good question. We started HrdKAW first and that’s the one we have truly giant targets for. We’re in the meanwhile at most functionality by the use of athletes that we have, with my brother and sister educating, after which moreover by the use of space. We’ve already extended the realm out the once more for the gymnasium and we’ve already outgrown that, in order quickly as we come out of lockdown that’s an unlimited goal for us.

So it’s discovering money that we would like for that, after which figuring how which will work scheduling-wise, between my brother, sister and I, so there’s a little bit little bit of logistics too.

But I’d truly like that to be the massive issue, and I’m blissful for Havok to solely steadily proceed to develop.

GD: And any new enterprise ideas on the horizon?

MW: I really feel I’m at functionality [laughs]. I really feel it’s cool to have ideas for completely completely different corporations and belongings it’s possible you’ll like to do, however when I’ve further time I’ll put it into my corporations comparatively than unfold myself too thinly.

GD: Fair adequate! Are there any Olympic-inspired ranges coming for Havok?

MW: Not at this stage. The issue that’s hardest is that each one the issues have to be completed so far upfront — want it takes so prolonged to supply all of the issues. So if I wanted to do this — probably for Paris [laughs]. We’ll see. An Olympics as soon as I’m not competing will more than likely be less complicated to do this.

GD: And in sport. What’s on the diving calendar that you simply acknowledge of for next 12 months?

MW: So next 12 months it does depend on COVID. There’s some competitions nonetheless we’re not 100% sure within the occasion that they’re going to go ahead.

There is one in December that’s a employees event, and in addition you solely must do two dives so it’s a little bit little bit of fulfilling and good to journey. I really feel I’ll make that my short-term goal.

And then merely get match and get once more inside the pool as soon as extra and keep in mind what it feels want to be moist! I’ve forgotten already [laughs].

GD: So we have to ask … is there one different Olympics on the cardboard for Melissa Wu?

MW: Never say not at all [laughs]. I’m engaged on quite a few points for the time being, after which I’ve that comp [sic] in December to focus on. So I’m merely going to take all of the issues one step at a time, and I’ll see what happens.

GD: Solid method. Thank you numerous for your time Mel!

Image by: Melissa Wu