Make it British Podcast

There are generally 3 main reasons why sales might not be going as expected. But don't panic! As well as discussing what those 3 reasons for a sales slump might be, in this episode I also give tips on what you can do if sales aren't going to plan Discover:  03:32 The reasons why your sales might not be going as you expect 07:10 The things you could be doing for your business in order to attra...

In this episode, I'm chatting with Graham Holbrook from Turtle Doves, a company that recycles cashmere jumpers into brand new products, including their signature fingerless gloves, which sell over 200,000 pairs a year. Graham talks about how Turtle Doves manage teams of outworkers in the UK to make their products. And we also discuss an exciting new project that Turtle Doves are working on, w...

In this episode, I invite you to join us for our second Made in UK Day on 9th March 2022. Following the success of the inaugural Made in UK Day in 2021, the campaign is back this year to raise awareness of the need to buy more locally made products and to showcase all the amazing businesses that make in the UK. Follow #madeinukday on social media to keep up to date with the campaign. Go...

The price of everything is going up at the moment - from fuel prices and taxes, to raw materials and shipping. But what does this mean for you if you have a business that makes in the UK? In this episode, you'll hear thoughts from our Make it British members, both brands selling UK-made products and UK manufacturers, on what price increases they're seeing. And how that is affecting their businesse...

Kitty Bruce-Gardyne is the founder of Scottish Textiles Showcase. Originally set up to give people special guided tours around the textile mills in Scotland, Scottish Textile Showcase is now a retail destination in Edinburgh. The shop represents some of Scotland's best textile businesses and Kitty tells the story of why she so passionately supports the Scottish textile industry. There's also...

One of the biggest mistakes that I see people making when they want to get a product made in the UK is that they think the first step that they need to take is to contact a manufacturer. But this is actually one of the last things that you want to do. In this episode I run through the 5 steps you need to take to get a product made in the UK. Discover:  01:45 The biggest mistake people make wh...

In this episode, I chat with Chris Kyriacou, founder of activewear brand Soma Sportswear. Chris contacted me in 2019, looking for help to find manufacturers to make his very unique athleisurewear. In this episode, Chris talks through the process of going from idea to fully-fledged product and how we worked together to find the right factories. Discover: 02:35 Chris' background and why he decided t...

One of the biggest problems that many fashion firms face is how they can dispose of their deadstock fabric. At the same time, designers often have issues with sourcing materials in small quantities. In this episode, we meet Deborah Lyons and Piarvé Wetshi, the co-founders of Last Yarn, an online fabric marketplace that solves one of the fashion industry's biggest problems. Discover: 4:50 How the i...

If you have a business making or selling products that are made in the UK, what are the biggest trends that will impact you in 2022? Whilst the last 2 years have shown us that it is almost impossible to predict the unpredictable, having worked with hundreds of small businesses that make in the UK over the last ten years, I can see definite patterns emerging. In this episode, I cover my top 6 busin...

In this episode I reflect on how much things have changed over the past couple of years for us at Make it British, as I am sure they have for you. I also look at which of the 61 episodes of the podcast I've recorded this year were my favourites, and why.   Discover:  01:54 How Make it British has adapted since pre-pandemic  04:18 Why I set up my coaching programme to help small busi...

Shanna Bent is the founder of the conscious fashion brand Maison Bent. Having previously worked with Alexander McQueen, Roland Mouret, Agent Provocateur, in 2019 Shanna set up her own luxury label, with a determination to bust the myth that black designers just do streetwear. She’s had a lot of success in a short space of time, from showing at London Fashion Week to capturing the attention of the...

When you have a product-based business and you're working with manufacturers, it's important to have a plan in place. There's no better time to do this than at the start of a new year. In this episode I give you tips on how to plan for 2022 and why you need to when you're working with manufacturers! Discover: 03:22 Why having a manufacturing plan in place is beneficial to both you and your supplie...

Charlotte Raffo is the founder of The Monkey Puzzle Tree, a homeware business that creates award-winning, artist designed fabrics and wallpapers with a twist and a conscience. Working with artists and designers to produce the most beautiful collection of products, The Monkey Puzzle Tree makes everything within a hundred mile radius of Leeds. The business has also recently won two awards for it’s d...

Of all the social media platforms that small businesses use to promote their business, Instagram seems to be the one that evokes the biggest love/hate reaction. Especially if you’re a creative person, or run a product-based business. You might be constantly bombarded by a stream of reels and videos from other small businesses who seem much more comfortable in front of the camera than you. And it f...

Today we are going on a trip to Leicester to meet the family behind textile firm Shahtex. The guys at Shahtex are experts in circular knitting. Up until recently, they have been knitting fabrics for big online retailers.⁣ Shahtex have now invested in four state-of-the-art circular knitting machines, the first of their kind in the UK. ⁣These machines enable the factory to produce seamless garments,...

Lucy Jones was the founder of a prestigious, luxury lingerie brand back in the 1980s. Her distinctive silk lingerie was stocked in retailers such as Harvey Nichols and Rigby & Peller. After two decades working in education, Lucy decided to relaunch her lingerie brand, making the entire collection herself and at a small atelier in the UK. In this episode, Lucy speaks about some of the differenc...

Join me on a trip to Leicester to meet Said Saleh and Keith Cummings from Mars Knitwear. Based in Wigston, Leicestershire, the chaps at Mars have been making knitwear for over 30 years. Having been manufacturing thousands of pieces of acrylic knitwear for the big store groups, Mars has now gone back to creating smaller quantities of premium knitwear from British wool, lambswool and merino. They ev...

Monika Young is the founder and creative director of Monika the Label - a sustainable fashion brand inspired by 70s California and made in the UK. In this episode, Monika tells the story of how she set up and her brand, and what actions she took when she discovered her original designs and prints being copied by fast fashion online retailers.    Discover: 04:12 How Monika's experience as...

What are some of the things that I see successful British-made brands do consistently? In the first episode of series 4 of the Make it British podcast I look at what makes for a great British-made brand.   Discover:  04:11 Why having a great story to tell can help customers relate to your business 06:17 How doing one thing brilliantly is better for building brand loyalty 08:40 Why develo...

The new series of the Make it British Podcast is coming very, very soon! Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it. As well as the usual advice and tips for making in the UK, along with interviews with some of my favourite people that manufacture products in Britain, we are doing something a little bit different this series. Listen in to this trailer to find out what it is!! About Kate Hills &a...

I've interviewed some fantastic guests over the past 3 series of the Make it British podcast. To celebrate the milestone which is 200 episodes, I'm bringing you a summary from 21 of the Make it British members that I have interviewed over the last few years. All of them have built great UK-made businesses and have some great advice to impart!   Stay in Touch British Brand Accelerator &nb...

Starting any business can be tough - especially one that involves making products! Whether you are just about start a brand, or you've already launched and it's not quite going to plan, here are 11 tips that will help ensure success. Discover: Why you should start with why [01:43] One of the first things you need to think about if you want to ensure your product sells [02:49] The reason you need t...

Probably one of the questions that I get asked more than any other is 'how long will it take me to launch a new product if I make it in the UK?' The short answer is - 'how long is a piece of string!'  The long answer is more complex, and involves taking into account several different variables. All of which I cover in this episode.   Stay in Touch British Brand Accelerator  - F...

London-based designer Maria Grachvogel is renowned for her clever use of cutting to flatter the female figure. In this interview, Maria talks about why she has chosen to use more UK manufacturers for her collection, and how changing her business model has helped her to build closer relationships with her clients. She also discusses the importance of quality, and how buying less, of bette...

How do you follow up with a manufacturer (and have a better chance of a response)? In this episode I give you some great tips on how to make sure that you get a response back from a manufacturer ever time. This episode will be particularly useful for anyone who wants to follow up with someone that they met at an event or trade show. Discover: How to stay at the top of a manufacturer's mind 01:07 W...