Make it British Podcast

When you run a UK-made brand you need to wear a lot of different hats! In this episode we explore all of the different jobs you need to do and the skills you need to have, on top of producing fantastic products. You'll learn: Why being the chief executive officer of your business is your first title [03:08] How managing marketing content plays a vital role in running a business [05:47] Why you nee...

On today’s episode I am chatting to Maxine Wells, who is the founder of Intimate Apparel Samples, a small lingerie studio in North West London. Getting lingerie made in the UK can be challenging. Whilst the UK once had thousands of machinists making underwear for the likes of Marks & Spencers, sadly there are only now only a handful of lingerie manufacturers left in the UK. I took a trip...

Welcome to Series 5! After taking a couple of months hiatus to focus on writing my book, I'm back with a brand new series. I'll be answering all of your most commonly asked questions about manufacturing, marketing and selling products that are made in the UK, and have some fantastic guests lined up for this series too. In this episode you'll hear a snippet from Selling Without Social - a workshop...

Hello and Welcome to Series 5 of the Make it British Podcast.  The new series is coming very soon. The first episode will be released on Friday 3rd March. In the meantime, I wanted to tell you about a few things we have coming up, that if you are a listener of this podcast you will probably be really interested to hear about. Selling Without Social An online workshop that I will be...

Having worked with hundreds of British brands over the last few years, and speaking to them about what is working for them right now, and what they see working in 2023, here are 11 ideas you can use for growing your British brand in 2023. Discover: 02:31 Why being a small business means you're in a great position right now 05:12 The 11 ways that you can grow your brand in 2023 29:35 How joining Br...

Meet Siwan Oldham, the founder of ByBiology, a business that is giving to scientific research by creating the most beautiful luxury silk scarves. Siwan talks about how her business idea came about, the reason she decided to manufacturer in the UK, and her journey so far in building the brand. Discover: 03:59 What Siwan's background is and how the idea for her business came about 05:10 Why Siwan kn...

Sarah Turner is the founder of Little Beau Sheep, a brand that celebrates the best of British wool through a unique range of hand-made laundry and body care products. Flying the flag for British wool, the Yorkshire-based entrepreneur came up with the idea of eco-friendly laundry balls to help families save money on washing. In this interview we chat all about how British wool has influenced Sarah...

How do you attract the right peoplt to your brand, and keep them coming back for more? In this excerpt from one of the sessions at the Make it British Virtual Forum, you'll hear the ways in which three successful business founders are marketing their brands - and some of the tips they share may surprise you! My guests are Justine Tabak, from womenswear brand Justine Tabak; Jack Millington, fr...

There are around 4,000 manufacturers based in Greater London, making everything from bicycles, ballet shoes, military uniforms, neon signs, umbrellas, mannequins and paint. Photographer Carmel King and factory owner Mark Brearley have produced a stunning book showcasing 50 of the best manufacturers in London. In this interview I talk to them about London’s rich and diverse manufacturing heritage a...

When it comes to manufacturing a product, planning is critical! In this episode, I cover exactly what you need to have prepared before going ahead with your production. You’ll also find out what a critical path is, why you need one and most importantly, how to keep it updated. Discover: 01:27 Why you need to plan your production 03:46 What is a critical path and why you need one  06:41 How to...

In this episode, I chat with Oscar Boatfield, who is one of the co-founders of bags and accessory brand BearMade who make all of their bags in the UK. If ever there was a great example of a business doing the right thing by both the planet and its customers, then BearMade is definitely it. Discover: 02:27 What Oscar was doing before BearMade which led to the launch of his business 07:00 How Oscar...

This episode answers some of your most commonly asked questions about pricing.  Discover: 02:12 What markup do retailers add? 08:19 Should you raise your prices if the cost of your fabric and manufacturing has increased? 13:06 Should you lower your prices if your customers only buy from you when you have a sale on? 17:36 How do you set your prices if you're making everything yourself? Mention...

In this episode, I chat with childrenswear designer Dawn Clarke, who is a member of Make It British and a part of our British Brand Accelerator programme. Dawn tells us all about her journey going from making everything in-house and bespoke, to creating ready-to-wear pieces with a UK manufacturer. Discover: 04:03 Why Dawn made the switch from offering bespoke to ready-to-wear children's clothing 0...

How can you sell a UK-made product, or any high end product, at a time when people may be more cautious about spending their money due to rising inflation and rising bills? Firstly, don't panic! I've got 5 tips to help you stay on track with your marketing and mindset during these uncertain times. Discover: 02:06 Why you shouldn't panic and make rash decisions 03:55 Why now is a great time to be m...

UK-made goods have huge value both at home and abroad. Are you doing enough to shout about your own British-made brand? I'll be sharing my 7 foolproof tips you can action right now to sell your UK-made goods. Discover:  03:01 Who will benefit from these tips and why there are no Union Jacks 04:13 Why now is a great time to shout about the fact you make your products in the UK 08:14 The 7 prov...

Want to know how to create a loyal following and keep happy customers coming back for more? Kate Barker (Lime Tree Design), Sue Longmore (Maude and Fox) and Linda de Ruiter (The Slow Wardrobe) share the customer service secrets that have grown their product businesses. Discover: 04:22 How each of the businesses found out who their ideal customers were 08:30 What ways they communicate with their cu...

Is it possible to launch a brand with just a few hundred pounds?  We surveyed our Make it British members and they gave us the insights into how much it cost them to start-up a brand that is made in the UK, and what they spent their money on. This episode will be really useful for you not only if you are thinking of launching a clothing brand, but also if you already have an existing business...

Joining me this week is Veronica Galbraith from fun, colourful homewares brand Republic of Happy. Originally from Colombia and now living permanently in Cornwall, Veronica is a graphic designer turned surface pattern designer. She tells me all about how she deals with perfectionism and the things she would have done differently when launching her printed textile business in the UK. We also discuss...

Do you want to manufacture in the UK but factories keep giving your efforts the silent treatment? This one's for you. In this episode, I share five actionable tips for things that you can do before you start to reach out to a manufacturer in the UK to find your perfect manufacturing partner. Discover: 03:30 The reason why manufactures might not be getting back to you 07:52 How doing your research...

Find out about an exciting recycled cashmere collaboration between three UK businesses. Dr. John Parkinson from iinouiio, Graham Holbrook from Turtle Doves, and Emma Mathews from Socko, share how the project came about, the importance of making in the UK and the possibilities of UK-made regenerated yarns in the future. Discover: 04:41 How the collaboration came about between the 3 UK businesses 10...

Summer is a time for holidays - not just for you, but also for your manufacturer and suppliers. The Factory Fortnight - a time when manufacturers traditionally shuttered their doors for a couple of weeks - may be less common in the 21st century, but it is still something to prepare for. In this episode I talk about the history of the Factory Fortnight, and what you can do to make sure that you are...

This episode is dedicated to those of you that put sending an email to your mailing list at the bottom of your to-do list!  Discover:  02:25 Why email marketing is more important than social media marketing 04:24 How to make sure your email content is engaging so that people don’t unsubscribe 08:21 What to do if you think you don't have the time to send emails 11:15 How to reengage with...

When you get a product manufactured, most of the time everything will go as planned. But what about the odd occasion when it doesn't? It's always better to have thought about what could go wrong in advance, and make sure that you have a plan in place if it does.  That's when a manufacturing agreement can come in handy. In this episode I look at what you should agree with a manufacturer b...

We're back! After a longer than planned hiatus, the Make it British Podcast has returned. And we'll be back to our regular Friday episodes. This week I'm discussing what went wrong with the recent rebuild of the Make it British website, and how you can make sure that it doesn't happen to you! Discover: 01:09 Why it's been such a long time since the last episode of the podcast 02:19 Why we're relau...

We're taking a break from new podcast episodes for a while. Back soon! Stay Connected: Subscribe to the Make it British Newsletter Follow on Instagram Connect with Kate on Linkedin British Brand Accelerator