Let’s Talk Shop

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Sarah from Pencil Me In, a stationery shop in Scotland. Sarah shares so many brilliant tips that I almost feel that you need a notebook during this episode. Tune in for lots of practical tips that you can action right away to help you wholesale your range and grow your business.   We talk about retail right now, what gaps there are in the card indus...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop I speak with husband and wife team Becca and Chris Williamson who are owners of Truce, a lifestyle fashion and home store in Nailsworth, Cotswolds. We talk all about buying right now and how retail might look like this autumn. It was so lovely to hear how Becca and Chris have been able to keep placing wholesale orders throughout this time and that they are also k...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Gayle from Gayle Mansfield Design about continuing to do well during Covid-19 and how she’s had to adjust how she works from her garden studio to keep up with demand, how she’s feeling at the moment and what she will hold onto when this pass.   I then speak with Patsy from Moxon London, a wholesale platform that helps design-led brands reach a new a...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Nicki from Pedddle, an online platform for that connects markets, stallholders and visitors. Since no markets can currently take place Pedddle have pivoted and are now running online markets every two weeks to help their stallholders stay visual and drive sales to their online stores.   Pedddle also helps makers with their businesses through their b...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with the Amalia from The Botanical Candle Company. Amalia and her partner James run the business together and they have both a shop where they stock their beautiful scented range and lots of other brilliant makers as well as selling their candles wholesale.   Amalia and I speak about the decision they made to close the shop, both physical and online temp...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with the Nicola, owner of Oklahoma in Manchester. Oklahoma is a brilliant big and vibrant gift and lifestyle store in the Northern quarters of Manchester and it was great to speak to Nicola about how she feels about buying this year, trade shows, how everyone in the supply chain need to support each other during Covid19 lockdown and so much more.   Like...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I am stepping outside my comfort zone with my first ever solo episode, it’s a short episode where I share what is happening in retail right now, what opportunities there might be in retail for you during this time and as shops open up again and how I think you can help your retailers and stockist right now.     If you have a story to share, please get in touch,...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with the very inspirational and energetic. Rachida Benamar, founder of Rama Publishing, a beautiful stationery brand. I love that when I asked Rachida to come on Let’s Talk shop her response was “only if I can be completely honest”. Rachida is outspoken, warm, and so passionate about her business.   We got talking about all sorts of things, why Rachida d...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with, Leona Thrift-Ola, founder of Indie Roller. Leona is a coach, mentor, podcaster and trade newspaper publisher and we speak all about how our small business superpower is that we can be super agile. Leona is all about being authentic and real and feels that there’s an even stronger shift towards being real on social media right now and it’s okay to f...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Rebecca who’s the founder of Seekology, a newly launched marketplace platform for indie beauty and wellness brands. Seekology launched with a pop-up shop in Richmond and Rebecca shares what products are selling well and what the customers are looking for.   Next, I speak with Laura from Fold & Seal, an online stationery shop in Ireland. This year La...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop I speak with two brand owners that both are predominantly wholesale businesses. Although both businesses are so different from each other they are both focusing their efforts on their B2C sales at the moment and seeing this as an opportunity rather than letting it get them down.   I speak with Kayleigh is the owner of Kinshipped and she deigns beautiful greetings...

In this episode, I speak with two independent shop owners with brick and mortar shops in different parts of the country. Both stores have shut their doors during the Covid 19 outbreak and are working hard to continue trading and keeping their businesses going.   Both shops are a big part of their community and shops like Soper and Co and Austin and Co are what makes the high street fun and communi...

Whilst Covid19 has us retreating to our homes I decided to dedicate my time and season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop to speaking to as many business owners as possible and to share their stories of how their businesses are doing, what they are focusing on and what they are doing to keep it all going when most wholesale orders have evaporated overnight.   In this episode, I speak with Emily from Doodle Moo...

Season three of Let’s Talk Shop was always supposed to launch around this time but because of the state of the world right now because of Covid-19, I’ve decided to make a few changes to the podcast.   This season I will be releasing episodes in much quicker succession and I will be speaking with more business owners and buyers than in previous seasons. I will share their stories of how they are de...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop I speak with Hazel and Jimmy Russell from The Wood Life Project. I have had the pleasure of working with Hazel and Jimmy and I really love their thoughtful products I really admire how they have built their business over the last year. What really hit me while I was editing this podcast is just how much they have achieved in just one year, from incorporating in J...

In this episode visited Martina and Andrea at their concept store 1n1 Fashion n Pizza in East London. Martina and Andrea is a couple from Italy who managed to combine their two passions, fashion and pizza into one store/restaurant. It all started around three years ago with a pop-up and in this episode, we talk about: -Working together as a couple -Sustainability -How Martina and Andrea find new b...

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure to speak with Jana Pavasovic who is the founder of The Completist. The Completist creates fun, vibrant and totally swoon-worthy paper products in their South London studio in Peckham. I am a self-proclaimed stationery addict and which I could basically buy everything Jana creates and I’m so impressed how The Completist has grown in such a short period o...

A new year and a new episode of Let’s Talk Shop, it seems to be very fitting that to be talking about planning this time of the year and who’s better to share some wisdom and planning magic than Josephine Brooks. Josephine Brooks is a Make it Happen mentor. She helps purpose driven creatives find clarity, plan more effectively and most importantly make those plans a reality. Her mission is to empo...

This is the last episode of the year, we will now be taking a little Christmas break and the podcast will be back on the 6th January 2020. Thank you so much for listening this year and I really look forward to the next one.  In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop I speak with Keira O'Mara, founder of Mama Designs, a baby product business that has been going for over 10 years. Mama Designs make practic...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop I speak with Carina Lawson who’s the founder of Ponderlily. An Eco-friendly stationery brand based in the Newcastle area. In Carina’s introduction, it sounds like she says that the business started in 2007, that should be 2017 and 2018. I really admire that Carina has built her business whilst working full time and raising twins. We spoke about: - Building a busi...

This episode of Let’s talk shop is a little different as I speak to a sizable retailer,  Tom Joule, is the founder and Chief Brand Officer at Joules and I invited Tom as guest before I even launched this podcast because I wanted to share his story of how he and his team built a business from a stall at a country fair to being a listed company and about Joules new marketplace “Friends of Joules”. O...

In this episode of Let’s talk shop, I chat to Jo Johnson, owner of fashion and lifestyle boutique Form SE15. Jo opened her shop after she was made redundant with the help of a small business grant and we talk all about: - Jo’s story and background. - How social media helped Jo grow her audience and customer base even before she opened her doors. - How Jo finds new suppliers, what’s important and h...

In this episode of Let’s talk shop, I chat to Niko Dafkos and Paul Firmin from Earl of East. Earl of East started as a market stall and has grown to be a lifestyle brand that includes 2 permanent shops that host regular workshops plus a pop-up shop. As well as being stocked by over 200 retailers worldwide. Niko and Paul also just released their first book, The Scented Candle Workshop which is publ...

To kick off season two of Let’s Talk Shop I’m talking to the inspirational Leona Thrift-Ola from Indie Roller. Leona has built several businesses and in today's episode we are talking about Lady Luck Rules, the jewellery brand that she set up in the early 2000s and at it’s peak was stocked in 240 stores all over the world. Leona has so much experience running an indie business, she also ran a shop...

This is the season finale of Let’s Talk Shop and I talk to the lovely Jo from Firain, a beautifully curated online shop that I really enjoy. Firain is more than just an online shop, Jo writes beautifully, and she also have one of her friends contribute with a recipe each month. Jo and I speak about: - The challenges of running a small business. - Her recent pop-up shop. - How she works with makers...