Let’s Talk Shop

Let's talk shop with Megan from Sandwick Bay Candles

Today on Let’s talk shop, I speak with my client Megan who owns Sandwick Bay Candles who makes candles and home fragrance products with a conscious in small batches from the very top of Scotland.
 
Megan have grown her business so much over the last year and it’s been amazing to see her going for it and it is paying off. She’s constantly pushing forward whilst remembering why she’s doing this and still taking time to enjoy the beautiful nature around her.
 
In this episode, we talk about how Megan started her business, what she learned, and she shares lots of tips that you can put in place right away to help you grow your sales.
 
Sandwick Bay Candles stock quite a few other small businesses which Megan buys in wholesale so she’s got experience from both sides, and in this episode we talk about both buying and selling as well as sharing some very exciting news about how the business is expanding and what’s next.
 
If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.
 
Connect with Megan and Sandwick Bay Candles
https://sandwickbaycandles.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sandwickbaycandles/
https://www.instagram.com/sandwickbayliving/
 
 
Sign-up to my sales course: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/let-s-talk-sales-course
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/
Free FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkwholesale
Sign-up to my newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df908bbf68c9d00263c9c21
 

Let's talk shop with Julie and Karin from Spring and Autumn Fair

Today on Let’s talk shop, I speak with Julie Driscoll and Karin Hausmann from Hyve, the organisers of Spring and Autumn Fair.
 
Spring Fair is the UK’s largest home and gift trade show.
 
Julie, Karin and I meet online to hear all about the new Spring and Autumn Fair Online marketplace that is launching on the 4th May. When it launches, Spring and Autumn fair will become an all year around digital marketplace supported by the live events and buyers will be able to register and go through a vetting process to connect and buy from registered brands straight on the platform.
 
We talk about the marketplace, trends in the home and gift industry and what buyers are looking for as well as Autumn Fair.
 
 
Julie Driscoll, Managing Director UK Retail
 
Julie Driscoll is the Retail and Fashion Managing Director at Hyve Group plc. Uniting key stakeholders behind ambitious omnichannel strategy informed by customer intelligence is how she inspires and empowers organisations. Julie is a board director of the AEO and sits on various other advisory boards and committees including the NEC, the Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry and the Giftware Association and is a judge for various awards. She recently completed an MBA from Imperial College Business School where she was awarded the prestigious scholarship for ‘most inspiring business leader’ with a specialisation in digital business transformation.
 
 
Karin Hausmann, Digital Marketing Director
 
Karin joined Hyve in 2017 and has held various global senior marketing roles in the business. She is passionate about reaching and connecting communities online and was heavily involved in the company’s pivot to digital in 2020. Karin and her team have been driving the digital marketing agenda and know how to deliver online traffic and engagement to an event or platform. As part of her remit, Karin is now managing the launch of the Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace.
 
If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.
 
Connect with Spring and Autumn Fair
https://www.springfair.com/
https://www.autumnfair.com/
https://www.instagram.com/springautumnfair/
 
Online marketplace
https://springandautumnfair.eventsunited.net/#/
 
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Latest courses: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/courses
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/
Free FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkwholesale
Sign-up to my newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df908bbf68c9d00263c9c21
 

Let's talk shop with Sara Ittelson from Faire.com

Today on Let’s talk shop I speak with Sara Ittelson from Faire.com.
 
I know a lot of you are interested in finding out more about wholesale marketplace platforms, it’s something I see being discussed a lot in my free Facebook group, Let’s talk wholesale, and that I get asked about in every course I run.
 
Marketplace platforms can help you grow your wholesale and enter new markets and I’m so happy to bring you this podcast episode with Sara.
 
We talk about what Faire.com is, how you can be successful on the platform and hopefully we answer lots of the questions I’ve been getting later about how these sort of platforms work.
 
 
Sara Ittelson is the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Faire, a curated wholesale marketplace connecting more than 170,000 local retailers with thousands of emerging and established brands. Sara has a depth of experience in business development, product partnerships and strategic partnerships in hyper-growth marketplace businesses. Prior to joining Faire, Sara was in global business development at Uber, where she worked on product, API, driver, new mobility and UberEats global enterprise & strategic brand partnerships. She holds a B.S. from Northwestern University and an MBA and MA in education from Stanford. 
If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.
 
Connect with Faire.com
Faire.com
https://www.instagram.com/faire_wholesale/
 
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/
Free FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkwholesale
Sign-up to my newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df908bbf68c9d00263c9c21
 

Let's talk shop with Sara Collins, ethical production consultant and brand owner of Sister and Kin

In episode 2 of Let’s talk shop, I speak all things ethical and sustainable with Sara Collins, an ethical production consultant and brand owner of fashion brand Sister and Kin.
 
We talk about what it means to be an ethical and sustainable business and how we have to choose what is important to us as brand owners to prioritise first and Sara shares lots of tips that you can use to be more confident in your sourcing.
 
It’s so important to talk about this as it can be both scary and overwhelming to create a brand in line with your values and lifestyle. Even though we want to do it all at once, this is not always possible and it’s important to remember that it’s better to do something well and have a plan for how you can do more in the future than to do nothing at all.
 
Sara has seven years of experience working one-to-one with certified Fairtrade manufacturers around the world and have brought many collections of sustainable fashion, jewellery and homeware products to the European market. She now offers help, advice, and support to independent business owners who want to find social enterprises and local initiatives to work with. Sara is passionate about building partnerships with your manufacturers and helping brands navigate around the world of ethical manufacturing.
 
She also has her own ethical fashion brand which celebrates artisan craft and skill, creating fashion slowly and mindfully. For Sara, it's important to understand that as a brand owner she has an impact and it’s important to make it a positive one.
 
You can find all the links to connect with Sara below.
If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.
 
Connect with Sara and Sister and Kin
https://www.instagram.com/saracollins.uk/
https://www.sarahelencollins.com/
 
https://www.instagram.com/sisterandkin/
https://www.sisterandkin.com/
 
Have a look at Sara and Lottie’s course that is currently open for enrolment:
https://www.sarahelencollins.com/shop/p/ethicalproductionandsustainabledesign
 
Sara runs this course with Lottie Woods, you can find her over on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lottiewoodsdesign/
 
Megan and Frank source overstock and sustainable fabrics and you can find out more over on their website:
https://pigeonwishes.com/
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/
Sign-up to my newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df908bbf68c9d00263c9c21
 

Let's talk shop with Jacqueline Snyder and Minna Khounlo-Sithep from The Product Boss podcast

I’m so excited to be back and sharing another season of Let’s Talk Shop with you.
We’re kicking off the season with an episode I’ve been wanting to record for a really long time with Jacqueline Snyder and Minna Khounlo-Sithep who are the co-owners of The Product Boss.
I’ve been listening to their podcast for a long time, and I love how supportive of the small business community they are and how much practical and actionable advice Jacqueline and Minna shares on their platforms.
This is a first for the podcast as instead of recording two separate episodes we decided to record one episode and release it on both of our podcasts. A virtual round table of a very candid and open conversation about product businesses, trends in our industry, diversity and inclusion and how this all has a global impact on small businesses.
Jacqueline Snyder and Minna Khounlo-Sithep are the combined force behind The Product Boss Podcast. They have grown a community of high-achieving product-based small business owners and have helped them scale their physical product businesses through masterminds, group coaching and digital courses designed specifically for product-based business owners ranging from start-up conception to multi-million dollar companies. Together their goal is to change the landscape of product entrepreneurship by connecting women around the world through a blend of real-life business tactics, creative strategy and modern leadership.
You can find all the links to connect with Jacqueline and Minna below.
If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.
 
Links mentioned in this episode
https://www.theproductboss.com/shop1in5
https://www.instagram.com/shop1in5/
 
 
Connect with The Product Boss on their website, podcast and Instagram
https://www.theproductboss.com/
https://www.theproductboss.com/podcast
https://www.instagram.com/theproductboss/
 
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/
Sign-up to my newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df908bbf68c9d00263c9c21
 

Let's Talk Shop with Judy Andrews at Tickety Boo Creative

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Judy Andrews who’s the owner and creative director of design agency Tickety Boo Creative as well as the owner of her own typography-based print business.
Last year I won a competition that Tickety Boo Creative hosted, and since then Judy and her team have been working on my rebrand, and I’m so excited that today is the day I get to share it all with you.
In this episode, Judy and I speak about how it is to work with a branding agency, what it’s like to run two businesses, and about Judy starting to grow her wholesale. We cover a lot of ground, and I really hope you enjoy this episode.
During January Tickety Boo Creative and I will be hosting a competition with a fab price so make sure you sign up to my newsletter as this competition will be by application.
 
Links mentioned in this episode
https://www.thebotanicalbaker.com/
https://www.judyandrews.co.uk/blog-main/goodbye-a-spoonful-of-sugar-amp-co-uk
https://www.ticketyboocreative.co.uk/blog/the-importance-of-brand-guidelines
https://unlimitedshop.co.uk/
https://sadgirlsclub.org/
https://www.thewern.com/
 
 
Connect with Judy and Tickety Boo Creative
https://www.ticketyboocreative.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/weareticketyboo/
https://www.instagram.com/judy_andrews_/
https://www.judyandrews.co.uk/
 
If you want help with your wholesale, please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/
Sign-up to my newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df908bbf68c9d00263c9c21
 
 

Let's Talk Shop with Haley Solar

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Haley Solar, owner at Haley Solar, a fashion brand with two retail outlets in Los Angles. Haley was sourcing and making clothes out of deadstock fabric before it became a thing and this year when Covid hit she had to pivot her business fast as manufacturers in LA had to close.
I love Haley’s ethos and style and both of her stores look so beautiful. Haley is my first international guest and next year I hope to speak with more shop owners from overseas so you can hear their stories as well.
In this episode we speak all about the pivot, Black lives matter, taking the 15% pledge, supporting female-owned businesses and much more.
 
Links mentioned in this episode
https://evafranco.com/
https://larissaloden.com/
https://pfcandleco.eu/
https://www.15percentpledge.org/
https://the-completist.com/
https://www.faire.com/
 
Connect with Haley Solar
https://haleysolar.com/
https://www.instagram.com/haleysolar/
 
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/
 

Let's Talk Shop with Abigail Warner

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I talk with Abigail from Abigail Warner, a creative studio that design and create luxury paper products all made in the UK. Abigail collaborates with high-end retailers to create ranges for them and runs personalised wrapping paper pop-ups within the same retailers.
 
We talk all about how Abigail got started and I love how she is not afraid of changing direction and trying something new and we chat all about her top tips from what she is learned from running her business.
 
Abigail’s first large retailer was Harrods, and she shares how this came about and why she had to make the difficult decision to pull out of John Lewis.
Links mentioned in this episode
Century Studios in Nottingham http://centurystudios.co.uk/
 
Connect with Abigail Warner
Website: https://abigailwarner.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amlwarner/
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

Wholesale marketplace platforms - are they right for you?

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I talk all about third party marketplace platforms for wholesale. I share my thoughts and tips if this is something you would like to explore for your business. These platforms can be a straightforward way to gain new stockists and grow your wholesale but there are definitely a few things you should consider before you decide to whether they are right for you.
 
Download the free marketplace comparison
https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5fb79b9a7f165b7bc9615f03
 
Find out more about my Let’s Talk Sales course and sign up to the waitlist, the course will run again from the end of January 2021.
https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/let-s-talk-sales-course
 
Find out more about my Start to wholesale course and sign up to the waitlist, the course will run in March 2021.
https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/start-to-wholesale
 
Listen to my episode with Sophie from Stand Twelve and Sophie home https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/podcast/episode/e74e5620/lets-talk-shop-with-sophie-from-stand-twelve-and-sophie-home
 
https://standtwelve.com/
https://sophiehome.com/
 
More tips and articles over on my blog
https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/blog
 
Tickety Boo Creative
https://www.ticketyboocreative.co.uk/
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

Let's Talk Shop - Merry Makers Market Special #2020mmmarket

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, this week is a quite different episode. On the 4th December at 7-9pm UK time I’m taking part in a market over on Instagram. Follow #2020mmmarket to see everything going on. From tomorrow we will start to release some more content and we’re all super excited.
In this special episode I speak with 5 out of 6 business owners taking part and I ask them the same questions about business and all the answers are so different and it was such a fun episode to record. I hope you enjoy listening to all of my guests best and worst business advice and that you will feel inspired.
If you enjoyed this episode, please share where you are tuning in and tag me over on Instagram @small_business_collaborative and if you can take a moment to rate and review Let’s Talk Shop over on itunes/apple podcast I will be forever grateful. Whilst you are there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.
 
 
Connect with all of my guests and fellow market business owners
 
https://www.instagram.com/lunaandflor/
https://www.instagram.com/distinctlycaitlindesigns/
https://www.instagram.com/thatsoapfr/
https://www.instagram.com/thedandyintrovert/
https://www.instagram.com/lauracharleydesign/
https://www.instagram.com/anniesfingers/
 
If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram.
 
Connect with me
Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/