Let’s Talk Shop

Today we are diving into the questions every small product business is asking in mid November. Am I ready for Black Friday. Is it too late to plan. What should I focus on if I do not have much time. How do I reengage a quiet list. How do I stand out in a crowded inbox. And once the weekend is over, how do I turn those new customers into repeat buyers. This episode is packed with practical, commercial advice to help you stay focused and profitable during the busiest season of the year. I am joined by Sarah Mathias, founder of This Is Growth. I have long admired Sarah’s straight talking business advice and I am so excited to bring her to the podcast. Sarah helps product brands become more profitable and more memorable through smart, commercial marketing that brings the whole picture together. She blends brand, email, content, ads and conversion strategy in a way that feels clearer, more strategic and more doable for small product businesses. If you have been feeling behind, overwhelmed or unsure where to put your energy, this episode will help you get focused fast. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Black Friday Readiness 01:01 Meet Sarah Mathias: E-commerce Expert 02:29 Current State of Black Friday Preparations 04:19 Effective Last-Minute Strategies 07:12 The Power of Email Marketing 09:33 Consumer Behavior and Email Frequency 17:36 Alternative Black Friday Strategies 19:21 Value-Based Campaigns and Brand Perception 27:29 Big Brands vs. Small Businesses 30:07 The Genius of Brand Recruitment 31:13 Navigating Black Friday Dilemmas 33:26 Effective Email Marketing Strategies 37:39 Post-Black Friday Customer Retention 46:13 Planning and Organizing for Success 51:28 Final Thoughts and Workshop Invitation In this episode we cover What to do if you feel behind What is still possible in mid November and what is not worth your time.   Where to focus when time is short Why email is the fastest way to generate revenue and how to use segmentation to warm up your best buyers.   How to reengage a quiet email list Who to email first, what to send, and why no one is judging you for going quiet.   How often you can email during Black Friday Why most small brands send far too few emails, and why unsubscribes are not the problem people think they are.   What to do if you cannot offer a big discount Alternative strategies that still convert, including bundles, gifts with purchase and value based messaging.   How to write subject lines that stand out Why your subject line needs to be clear, bold and unmissable during Black Friday week.   How to turn new customers into repeat buyers Why Q1 is critical for retention and the simple offers that bring customers back quickly.   Short term planning for December Why gifting, last shipping dates and customer expectations matter more than you think.   What brands who are thriving right now have in common Planning, simple strategy and a trading calendar that keeps everything moving. If you only do one thing this week Email your list. Email outperforms social at every turn in Q4 and most small brands are not emailing nearly enough. Links mentioned Small Business Collaborative Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Sarah Mathias, This Is Growth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisgrowthecom/ Website: https://www.thisisgrowth.co.uk/ Free Workshop: From One Time to Lifetime If you are listening in real time, Sarah and I are hosting a free workshop together this week.   From One Time to Lifetime: How to turn your seasonal customers into returning customers Date: Thursday 20 November Time: 12 pm UK time Register free: https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/retention   You will learn: • How to identify your highest value customers • How to bring Q4 customers back quickly in Q1 • The key retention levers that work for small product brands • A simple plan you can follow for the next three months   Come

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by Anne-Claire Morel, International Marketing Manager at Faire, to uncover what’s trending in wholesale and retail buying ahead of Christmas 2025. We dive into the data-driven insights behind what retailers are actually searching for and buying right now – from vintage Christmas décor and cosy classics to the rise of the “little treats” trend. Whether you’re a brand selling on Faire or looking to reach more stockists, this conversation will help you understand how buyers think, what’s performing well, and how to make your products easier to discover.   You’ll learn: What’s driving Christmas 2025 wholesale trends The top product categories and colour palettes performing on Faire How to optimise your listings with keywords and filters Why low minimum orders and seasonal refreshes matter How to use Faire Direct and marketing tools to grow your wholesale sales Perfect for product-based business owners, makers, illustrators, and designers who want to increase wholesale orders, attract more retail buyers, and plan a strong Q4 sales strategy.   Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction and Guest Welcome 02:10 – Overview of Faire and Its Role 02:56 – Defining and Identifying Trends 03:48 – Global Trends and Regional Differences 04:40 – Christmas Trends and Popular Products 07:02 – Little Treats Trend 10:48 – Using Filters and Keywords Effectively 15:57 – Faire Direct and Marketing Tools 18:00 – Conclusion and Final Thoughts Links Mentioned Download the Faire Forecast – the latest trend report for brands and retailers: https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/VxX7Pa Retailers: Get 50% off your first order (up to £100) when you sign up via this link: https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/qzdYjN Brands: Join Faire and start selling to more stockists: https://fairewholesaleinc.sjv.io/19AJYx Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative Learn more and work with me: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk

If you’ve ever wondered how to make wholesale work for your product business, this episode is for you. In this behind-the-scenes look at Sales Growth Lab, I’m sharing real results from real brands including how they moved from feeling stuck and inconsistent to becoming confident, organised, and fully in control of their wholesale strategy. You’ll hear stories from makers, illustrators, and designers who have: Doubled or even quadrupled their stockists Built repeatable systems for pitching and follow-up Grown wholesale sales by up to 900% Gained confidence at trade shows and in buyer conversations Made wholesale the main part of their business We’ll talk about what changed when they decided to give wholesale the attention it deserves, and why this shift is the key to building a more consistent, sustainable income from retail partnerships.   00:00 The real reason wholesale keeps getting pushed down your list 01:05 What Sales Growth Lab actually is and who it’s for 02:20 Kate from Factory Floor Jewels: from uncertainty to 50% wholesale growth 03:45 Deb from Tall Order: from Etsy-dependent to confident seller with 900% sales growth 05:10 Sarah from Little Black Cat: 20 to 300 stockists in under three years 07:00 Antje from Soloko: finding structure, clarity, and confidence in outreach 08:35 Kate from It’s Our Planet Too: finally giving wholesale the focus it deserves 09:45 Catherine, Elizabeth, and Charlotte: doubling, tripling, and finding consistency 11:10 What really makes Sales Growth Lab different 13:00 Final reflections and what happens when you give wholesale the attention it deserves 14:00 How to apply and take your wholesale growth seriously   Ready to give wholesale the attention it deserves? Apply now for Sales Growth Lab or book a free discovery call to see if it’s the right fit for you.   Apply to Sales Growth Lab → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab Book a Free Discovery Call → https://tidycal.com/smallbusinesscollaborative/sgl

If your Instagram strategy is not converting, your SEO is not bringing sales, and your email marketing feels pointless, this episode is for you.   I am Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative and host of Let’s Talk Shop. After 17 years in the home and gift industry, I have seen hundreds of product businesses struggle with the same cycle: chasing one marketing strategy after another without ever building consistent sales.   Here is the truth that no one talks about. None of those strategies will work until you can sell.   In this episode, I share: Why marketing strategies fall flat without sales skills How selling actually teaches you what buyers want The mindset shift that makes selling feel natural, not pushy The ripple effect of mastering sales on your content, emails, and website How Sales Growth Lab helps you build a repeatable wholesale system   Applications are open now. Apply here: Sales Growth Lab Watch the behind-the-scenes walkthrough video: Sales Growth Lab Walkthrough   Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Why Your Marketing Strategies Aren’t Working 00:13 Meet Therese: Your Guide to Wholesale Success 00:50 The Problem with Constant Learning and No Sales 01:51 The Importance of Learning How to Sell 03:14 Overcoming the Fear of Selling 03:52 The Benefits of Mastering Sales 04:27 Introducing Sales Growth Lab 04:48 Taking Action: The Key to Success 05:45 Sales Growth Lab: What You Will Learn 06:43 How to Apply and Join the Community 07:14 Conclusion: Take the Next Step

You’ve already sold to shops. Maybe you’ve got a handful of stockists, or you’ve had some one-off wholesale orders that felt exciting at the time. But now things feel inconsistent. Reorders are patchy, outreach slips to the bottom of the list, and wholesale doesn’t feel like the steady revenue stream you thought it would be.   If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.   I’m Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative and host of Let’s Talk Shop. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on Sales Growth Lab, my 12-month group programme designed to help product-based business owners grow their wholesale sales in a clear, structured, and sustainable way.   You’ll learn: What Sales Growth Lab actually is and how it works Who the programme is for (and who it’s not for) Why wholesale often feels unpredictable and how to fix that The results and transformations past students have achieved The role of community, accountability, and feedback in building wholesale momentum   Applications are open now. Apply here: Sales Growth Lab Watch the behind-the-scenes walkthrough video: Sales Growth Lab Walkthrough   Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:15 Who Sales Growth Lab is for 04:30 What Sales Growth Lab includes 09:10 Student results and transformations 12:40 The community and ongoing support 16:20 How to apply and next steps

Let’s Talk Shop: How Moonshine Candle Co Grew to 60+ Stockists   Episode summary   Catherine, founder of Moonshine Candle Co in the Orkney Islands, shares how she grew from roughly 30 stockists to 60+ in just a year. We talk about elevating her brand, smart risks like custom screen-printed bottles, what trade shows really do for a small brand, how consistent follow up turns maybes into orders, and the systems that let her take a three-week trip in November without derailing Christmas.   Meet the guest   Catherine — Moonshine Candle Co Design-led home fragrance inspired by the wild beauty and calm moments of island living. Small-batch candles, diffusers, wax melts, organic soaps, and those much-loved car perfumes.   What we cover The brand refresh that unlocked confidence to pitch and sell Taking a calculated risk on custom packaging and why it paid off Trade shows as insight and relationship builders, not just order days Faire optimisation, email pitching, and the power of follow up Prepping for time off in peak season with wholesale systems Growing beyond the local market and thinking seasons ahead Simple POS that helps retailers merchandise and sell more Reorders, relationship building, and why silence is not a no   Links mentioned Website: moonshinecandleco.com Instagram: @moonshinecandleco Faire Direct: https://moonshinecandleco.faire.com 📍 Upcoming Workshop I’m hosting a free workshop on Wednesday 24th September at 11:00 AM UK time called Cracking Christmas. It’s all about creating your sales plan for the final quarter of the year so you can really smash your wholesale. Sign-up here.   Catherine is part of my program Sales Growth Lab, and doors will open again right after the workshop. Attendees get first access on the 24th before it opens up to everyone else on the 25th.   👉 Find out more about Sales Growth Lab here Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 03:00 Catherine’s Business Journey 07:00 Branding and Wholesale Growth 12:00 Challenges and Risks in Business 17:00 Trade Shows and Expanding Reach 23:00 Preparing for Time Off 28:00 Building Relationships with Stockists 34:00 Future Plans and Product Development 40:00 Proudest Moments and Final Thoughts 45:00 Conclusion and Upcoming Workshop

Are you relying only on emails, Faire, or Instagram to grow your wholesale sales? In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m sharing why traditional sales skills are making a big comeback - and why buyers are craving human connection more than ever. I’ll walk you through what I’m seeing in the home and gift industry right now, and how you can use simple, old-school sales actions to stand out from the noise, win more stockists, and build repeat wholesale orders. Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: Why traditional sales skills matter today 01:12 – What sales looked like when I started in 2008 (fax orders, handwritten notes, manageable inboxes) 03:05 – How digital has changed wholesale sales and why buyers feel overwhelmed 04:32 – Why trade shows feel quieter - and what buyers are really looking for 06:15 – The comeback of human connection in wholesale 07:48 – BookTok, physical books, and what this trend teaches us about selling wholesale 09:10 – The emotional side of sales: trust, familiarity, and connection 11:22 – Handwritten notes, catalogues, and why they still work 13:04 – Curated pop-ups, markets, and the rise of experiential retail 15:37 – What Korea teaches us about retail theatre and brand activations 18:45 – How UK farm shops, garden centres, and big destinations use small brands to drive discovery 21:12 – Examples of activations: Molly Mae’s coffee van, Jellycat pop-ups, and why they work 23:08 – Action steps: how to bring a more human touch to your wholesale sales this week 25:00 – Invitation to Cracking Christmas free workshop on 24th September 26:10 – How Sales Growth Lab can help you build a repeatable wholesale system What you’ll learn in this episode Why buyers are overwhelmed by digital pitches and inbox clutter How traditional sales actions like handwritten notes, phone calls, and catalogues can cut through Examples of curated pop-ups, markets, and brand activations shaping retail trends The emotional side of wholesale sales - why trust, familiarity, and human connection drive orders Practical ways to blend modern sales tools with personal, relationship-driven wholesale strategy Free Workshop: Cracking Christmas On 24th September, I’m hosting a free live workshop called Cracking Christmas: Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet. We’ll map out 5 proven moves to boost your wholesale sales, reconnect with buyers, and finish the year strong. Sign up here   Ready for Steady, Predictable Wholesale Sales? If you’re ready to stop relying only on third-party platforms and finally create a wholesale sales system that works every single month, come and join me inside Sales Growth Lab.

Why You Can’t Build a Business on Faire Alone   Note: sorry about the sound quality in this episode, I will get better at recording in public.   Timestamps and Episode Overview   00:00 Introduction: The Risks of Relying on Faire If Faire disappeared tomorrow, would your wholesale sales stop too? It’s a confronting question, but one worth asking. In this episode, I explore why relying on one platform is risky and what you can do to create wholesale sales that feel steady and predictable.   01:35 Why Faire Feels Tempting There’s no denying that Faire makes things easy. From streamlined admin to surprise orders, it can feel like wholesale is “working” without much effort. But this ease can create a false sense of security.   04:22 The Risks of Relying Solely on Faire High commissions, shifting algorithms, crowded categories, and the reality that buyers belong to Faire, not you, all make it a fragile foundation to build your business on. When you don’t own the rules or the relationships, you’re leaving your future in someone else’s hands.   09:18 Building a Sustainable Wholesale Business The strongest businesses combine platforms like Faire with direct relationships and systems. That means structured outreach, consistent follow-up, supporting your stockists, and building your own buyer list. With this foundation, your wholesale sales remain steady no matter what happens with Faire.   14:52 Invitation to Free Workshop If this episode struck a chord, I’d love to invite you to my free workshop: Cracking Christmas – Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet, happening online on 24th September. You’ll learn the exact steps to plan your wholesale sales for the busiest season, so you can finish 2025 strong and set yourself up for a thriving 2026. Sign up here.   16:30 Teaser for Next Episode Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s episode: Why Traditional Sales Skills Are Not Dead. In a digital-first world, it’s the old-fashioned touches that are helping brands stand out.   Links and Resources Sign up for my free workshop: Cracking Christmas – Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet (24th September) Follow me on Instagram Learn more about Sales Growth Lab

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by illustrator and calligrapher Kate, the creative mind behind Peggy and Kate. Kate’s nostalgic, story-led cards, prints, and wrapping paper all begin as hand-painted illustrations, capturing the small glimmers of happiness in everyday life.   We talk about how she’s grown her wholesale to around 50 stockists, the reality of doing just one trade show a year, and why she’s never really felt “ready” – but started anyway. From learning the ropes at her first Top Drawer, to creating visual cues (including her “f*** it button”) to push through fear, Kate shares how imperfect action and small steps built her confidence and her brand.   If you’ve ever hesitated to pitch, felt vulnerable about sharing your work, or wondered whether you need to wait until you’re “ready” – Kate’s story will resonate. And if you want support to take bold action this season, make sure you join me for my free workshop Cracking Christmas: Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet on Wednesday, 24th September at 11 AM UK time.   👉 Sign up here: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop   Timestamps   00:00 Welcome to Let’s Talk Shop 00:28 Meet Kate: The Illustrator Behind Peggy and Kate 01:02 Kate’s Journey into Illustration 01:57 Navigating Wholesale and Trade Shows 03:07 Starting the Business: Challenges and Learnings 07:56 The Evolution of Social Media and Marketing 08:56 Lessons from the First Trade Show 13:22 The Importance of Honesty and Learning on the Job 14:45 Overcoming Vulnerability in Sharing Work 14:54 Building Confidence Through Imperfect Action 15:54 The Power of Sharing Work in Progress 18:54 Visual Cues and Overcoming Fear 21:43 The Importance of Pushing Yourself 25:03 Starting Small in Wholesale 26:43 Proudest Moments in the Wholesale Journey 28:59 Where to Find and Buy My Work   Links and Resources Kate’s website: katepeggycronk.com Follow Kate on Instagram: instagram.com/peggyandkate Wholesale on Faire (direct link, no commission): faire.com/direct/peggyandkate Sign up for Cracking Christmas: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop   Connect with Me My website: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

Over the weekend, my Instagram account was hit with thousands of spam followers and over 1,000 spam comments – right as I was gearing up to launch my free Cracking Christmas workshop.   In this short solo episode, I share: What actually happened and how Meta responded (spoiler: not well) Why the experience reminded me never to rely too heavily on one channel The importance of owning and nurturing your own audience What I’m doing differently for my launch – and why I’m not changing my big goal   If you’ve ever felt stuck depending on social media, or worried about what happens if things go wrong on a platform you don’t control, I think this will resonate.   And if you want to feel more confident and in control of your wholesale sales this Q4, join me for my free workshop:   🗓 Wednesday, 24th September ⏰ 11 AM UK time   Cracking Christmas: Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet Sign up here: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop     Timestamps   00:00 Introduction: My Instagram Nightmare 00:49 The Spam Attack Unfolds 01:15 Meta’s Disappointing Response 01:48 The Emotional Impact of Spam Comments 02:29 Reflecting on Social Media 03:05 Support from the Community 03:42 Turning a Crisis into an Opportunity 04:08 Upcoming Workshop: Cracking Christmas 04:53 New Initiatives: Telegram Channel 05:37 Staying Resilient and Adapting 07:10 Final Thoughts and Future Plans   Links and resources Sign up for Cracking Christmas: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative My website: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Kate Stewart, founder of Factory Floor Jewels. Kate creates contemporary jewellery using mixed metals and reclaimed materials, with stories that trace back to her childhood and her father’s engineering background.   We dive into: How storytelling shapes her collections and makes them stand out to buyers The role trade shows have played in building trust and long term stockist relationships Why persistence (without pushiness) is key to reorders How markets and events feed into product development and retail insights Kate’s proudest wholesale moments, from landing major galleries to seeing her work in Tate Modern   This is a brilliant listen if you want insight into building a strong wholesale brand that retailers remember and reorder from.   Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and introduction 00:23 Upcoming free workshop: Cracking Christmas 01:29 Meet Kate from Factory Floor Jewels 02:50 Kate’s journey and inspiration 04:02 Wholesale and retail strategies 07:16 Trade shows and branding 11:45 Storytelling in jewellery collections 16:08 Building relationships with retailers 18:55 Persistence and motivation 24:17 Proudest moments and conclusion   Free Workshop: Cracking Christmas Build Your Sales Plan for Your Best Q4 Yet 📅 Tuesday 24 September, 11:00 AM UK time 🎟 Free to join: www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop   If you’re feeling behind on Christmas, this session will help you reset, refocus, and create a simple, realistic wholesale sales plan for your busiest quarter.   We’ll cover how to: Put your existing stockists at the heart of your Q4 strategy Scale your outreach using your AW range Map out a follow up plan that feels natural (and gets replies) Create a wholesale marketing calendar you’ll actually follow   Join live for access to a Wholesale Toolkit with time saving templates, live mini audits, and Q&A.   Connect with Kate Website: www.factoryfloorjewels.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/factoryfloorjewels Buyers: find Factory Floor Jewels on Faire by searching the brand name   Work with me I’m Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative, and I help product based business owners grow their wholesale with clarity and confidence.   Website: www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Instagram: www.instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative Free workshop: Cracking Christmas — www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/workshop

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by Sarah Wilson, founder of Little Black Cat Illustrated, a Manchester-based paper goods brand creating quirky, folksy prints, greeting cards and stationery.   Sarah shares how she grew from her very first wholesale order in 2023 to now being stocked in over 300 shops worldwide.   We dive into the funding, systems, and platforms that supported her growth — and the lessons she’s learned along the way.   Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:26 Sarah’s Business Journey 01:42 Wholesale Growth and Challenges 04:40 Securing a Business Loan 06:59 Success on Faire 10:34 Diversifying Income Streams 18:10 Balancing Business and Wholesale 23:45 Proud Wholesale Wins 26:50 Conclusion and Contact Information   What you’ll hear in this episode: The moment Sarah decided to take wholesale seriously. How she funded her growth with a £6k small business loan. The systems that helped her manage scale without burning out. The strategies that made Faire a powerful sales channel for her brand. Why SEO, product photography, and stockist relationships have been key to her success. Her future goals: licensing, trade shows, and breaking into larger retailers like Selfridges, Liberty, and Oliver Bonas.   Connect with Sarah: 🌐 Website: littleblackcatillustrated.com 📸 Instagram: @littleblackcatillustrated 🛒 Faire: Little Black Cat on Faire   Links & Resources: ✨ Website: Small Business Collaborative 📸 Instagram: @small_business_collaborative 🚀 Sales Growth Lab: Learn more here 📊 Free Freedom Sales Calculator: Download here   Do you know how many stockists you need to make the income you want? If not, grab the Freedom Sales Calculator — it will show you exactly how many stockists you need, how many to pitch to, and how much traffic to drive to your website.

How Morena Built Kodes Through Wholesale and In-Person Pitching   In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by Morena Fiore, the founder and designer-maker behind Kodes, a bold jewellery brand known for statement pieces, Art Deco influences, aromatherapy diffuser jewellery, and her popular glasses chains.   Morena shares her journey of turning a personal story into a thriving brand, how she rebranded with a strong “why,” and how wholesale has helped her grow in ways she never expected. From pitching in person to opticians, to standing out at 100% Optical with a bright and disruptive stand, Morena has taken a less traditional wholesale route and made it her own.   We also talk about how to push past discomfort when selling, managing business growth alongside ADHD, balancing two businesses, and why wholesale can provide both validation and resilience in a changing retail landscape.   If you have ever felt nervous about pitching in person or wondered if wholesale could work for your brand, this conversation is full of practical tips and encouragement. Time Stamps 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:52 Morena’s Journey into Jewelry Making 02:09 The Importance of Personal Expression 04:15 Support and Community for Alopecia 05:31 Diving into Wholesale and Trade Shows 07:52 Overcoming Sales Challenges 11:39 Tips for Successful In-Person Sales 17:57 Staying Motivated and Inspired 18:40 Exciting Wholesale Opportunities 19:08 Turning Competitiveness into a Game 19:42 Mapping Success and Motivation 20:17 The Importance of Follow-Ups 22:11 Managing ADHD in Business 24:23 Balancing Two Businesses 26:37 Wholesale Growth and Challenges 33:09 Proudest Wholesale Moments 37:02 Where to Find Us Connect with Morena Website: kodes.me.uk Faire direct link: https://faire.com/direct/kodes?utm_source=widgetv2&widgetToken=bw_fj8t66jzfw Instagram: @kodes_accessories Website and SEO services: morenafiore.com   Resources mentioned Sales Growth Lab: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab Elevate Your First Trade Show: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/elevate-your-first-trade-show Free Resource for Listeners Want to send stronger, more confident wholesale emails? Download my Email Pitch Checklist: smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist Connect with me Website: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Instagram: @small_business_collaborative   Subscribe to Let’s Talk Shop on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

How Onneke Grew Her Illustration Brand to 350 Shops Across the UK   In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by illustrator and brand founder Onneke, whose coastal and nature-inspired designs have found their way into 350 shops across the UK. From her beginnings in Sussex with a gift shop and a small collection of greeting cards, to building a nationwide wholesale business stocked everywhere from city boutiques to island gift shops, Onneke’s journey is both inspiring and practical.   We talk about the realities of scaling wholesale, the power of collections, how innovative products like her logbooks transformed her business, and what it takes to plan strategically while staying true to your creative roots.   If you have ever wondered how to grow wholesale beyond a handful of stockists, this conversation is packed with lessons and encouragement. Time Stamps 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:39 Meet Onneke: The Journey of a Coastal Brand 03:21 Expanding the Brand: From Local to National 05:47 Challenges and Growth in Wholesale 08:25 Innovative Products and Market Response 15:35 Strategic Planning and Future Goals 21:22 Reflecting on Smaller Shows 21:36 Preparing for Top Drawer 21:52 Product Design and Market Trends 23:52 Wholesale Business Strategy 26:36 Advice for Aspiring Wholesalers 32:46 Proudest Wholesale Moments 36:11 Where to Find My Work Connect with Onneke Website: onneke.uk Faire direct link: faire.com/direct/onneke Instagram: @onnekestudio Wholesale website: onneke.orderspace.com Free Resource for Listeners Want to send stronger, more confident wholesale emails? Grab my Email Pitch Checklist. It is quick, clear, and helps you pitch without second-guessing every sentence. Download the checklist Connect with me Website: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Instagram: @small_business_collaborative   Subscribe to Let’s Talk Shop on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

Your Sales Aren’t Inconsistent - Your Strategy Is   If you’ve ever thought, “I just need to be more consistent,” or “Why do I keep falling off the sales wagon?” — this episode is for you.   Because the truth is: it’s not about discipline, motivation, or even confidence. It’s that you’re likely trying to grow your wholesale without a system that actually works for you.   In this episode, I’ll walk you through the real reason your wholesale feels chaotic, the emotional toll of winging it, and what a structured sales strategy can do for your confidence and momentum. Plus, I’ll introduce the P.A.R.T.Y. Framework — the five-part structure we use inside Sales Growth Lab to turn guesswork into growth.   📌 This is the final solo episode of the season — interviews with product-based brands are coming next! ⏱️ Episode Breakdown:   00:00 — Introduction: Overcoming Inconsistency in Wholesale 00:40 — Meet Therese: Your Wholesale Consultant 01:22 — Understanding the Inconsistency Cycle 02:42 — The Importance of a Structured Strategy 04:13 — Introducing the PARTY Framework 05:56 — Sales Growth Lab: A Path to Consistency 06:57 — Review and Reflect on Your Wholesale Strategy 09:11 — Final Thoughts and Upcoming Interviews 💡 Quick Action Tip: Take 10 minutes today to review your current wholesale strategy. What’s working? What’s missing? Are you relying on hope… or a plan? 🔗 Links & Resources:   ✨ Join the Sales Growth Lab waitlist and get the free Email Pitch Checklist: https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist   🌐 Learn more about Sales Growth Lab and the P.A.R.T.Y. Framework: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab   📱 Follow Therese on Instagram: https://instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

What Retailers Actually Look for in a Brand   If your wholesale growth has slowed — and you’ve started wondering things like: “Is my range big enough?” “Do I need to do a trade show?” “Should I wait until I have something new to share?” …you’re not alone.   In this episode, we’re clearing up some of the most common doubts that product-based business owners have — and getting to the truth of what retail buyers actually look for when choosing new brands.   It’s probably simpler (and more doable) than you think.   Plus, I’ll share a simple action you can take today to restart momentum — even if you feel stuck.   Time Stamps:   00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:56 Common Challenges in Wholesale Growth 02:30 What Buyers Really Look For 04:15 Addressing Doubts and Taking Action 05:28 Success Stories and Sales Growth Lab 08:15 Final Thoughts and Next Episode Preview   Resources and Links:   Sales Growth Lab Waitlist and Email Pitch Checklist → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist   Sales Growth Lab → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab   Website → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk   Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative/

From zero to 40 stockists in a year – How Lisa from House of Payne has grown her business   In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’m joined by Lisa Payne, the owner of House of Payne – a colourful art print and greeting card company known for its vibrant designs and unique Riso printing technique.   Lisa shares how she’s grown from starting wholesale just over a year ago to working with 40 stockists, including Oliver Bonas, and why she’s kept her range intentionally small. We talk about building relationships with buyers, navigating production challenges, and the mindset shifts that helped her grow quickly without waiting for everything to be “perfect.”   Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your wholesale, Lisa’s story is full of encouragement and practical takeaways.   📍 Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:14 Meet Lisa Payne: Owner of House of Payne 01:07 Lisa’s Wholesale Journey 03:13 Challenges and Strategies in Wholesale 04:54 The Unique Riso Printing Technique 10:01 Building Relationships with Stockists 13:40 Overcoming Challenges and Growing Confidence 17:12 Advice for Aspiring Wholesalers 19:00 Proudest Moments and Conclusion   📥 Free Resource: Want to send stronger, more confident wholesale emails? Grab my Email Pitch Checklist — it’s quick, clear, and helps you pitch without second-guessing every sentence. 👉 Get it here   ✨ Find House of Payne: Website: houseofpaynemcr.com Instagram: @houseofpaynemcr   👋 Connect with me: Website: smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Instagram: @small_business_collaborative   🎧 Subscribe for more guest interviews, solo sales episodes, and behind-the-scenes support to help you grow your wholesale with confidence.

In this first guest episode of the season, I’m joined by Charlotte from Another Loop — a beautifully designed hot-foiled stationery brand based just outside Newcastle, co-founded with her partner Tom.   Charlotte shares how they grew from just 5 to 24 stockists in under a year, how they used local grants to fund mentoring and equipment, and why wholesale felt like a more sustainable way to grow — without the pressure of going viral on Instagram.   We talk about pitching, getting ghosted, creative flyers, and what it really takes to build a product business with momentum and meaning.   📥 Free Resource: Want to send stronger, more confident wholesale emails? Grab my Email Pitch Checklist — it’s quick, clear, and helps you pitch without second-guessing every sentence. 👉 https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist   ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome to Let’s Talk Shop 00:33 – Meet Charlotte from Another Loop 00:47 – Starting the business and running it with her partner 03:06 – Why they pivoted into wholesale and how it changed their growth 06:30 – Overcoming the fear of silence and rejection 09:02 – How she built confidence with pricing and wholesale conversations 11:45 – Creative outreach: making flyers and sending physical mail 14:20 – Why little touches (like handwriting and stamps) still matter 15:27 – Using local grants to fund mentoring and buy equipment 19:30 – How to approach your council for support (and what to say) 20:01 – Building relationships with stockists and gaining confidence 22:44 – What surprised her about wholesale vs. selling DTC 23:55 – Lessons from Faire: it’s not the be-all and end-all 26:01 – Big goals ahead: Liberty, Oliver Bonas, international growth 28:00 – Proudest moments and stockist feedback that made it all worth it 30:00 – Where to find Another Loop online   ✨ Find Another Loop: Website: https://www.anotherloop.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/another_loop   👋 Connect with me: Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative   🎧 Subscribe for more guest interviews, solo sales episodes, and behind-the-scenes support to help you grow your wholesale with confidence.

Episode 7: Why Your Stockists Don’t Reorder (And How to Fix It)   You worked hard to get that first wholesale order — so why aren’t they reordering?   In this episode, we’re talking about one of the most common gaps in wholesale: the follow-up. Because most buyers don’t ghost you on purpose — they just haven’t heard from you. And staying visible is what keeps you relevant… and keeps the reorders coming in.   We’ll cover why reorders are the easiest sales to make (and often the most overlooked), how to follow up without feeling pushy, and what kind of visibility actually builds trust and gets results.   💡 Real-life result: One client shifted her follow-up strategy and turned a quiet stockist into a consistent monthly buyer — without discounting or chasing.   Episode Breakdown:   00:00 — Introduction: Why Customers Don’t Reorder 00:28 — Meet Therese: Your Wholesale Growth Guide 00:37 — Season Overview: What’s in Store 00:56 — The Importance of Follow-Up for Reorders 01:30 — Overcoming the Fear of Following Up 02:13 — Building a Solid Reorder Strategy 02:23 — Staying Visible: Tips and Tricks 03:31 — Real-Life Success Stories 03:56 — Shifting Your Strategy for Consistent Reorders 04:29 — Join the Sales Growth Lab 04:57 — Conclusion: What’s Next? 🔗 Links & Resources:   ✨ Join the Sales Growth Lab waitlist and get your free Email Pitch Checklist: https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist   🌐 Learn more about the Sales Growth Lab program: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab   📱 Follow Therese on Instagram: https://instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative ✅ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow Let’s Talk Shop so you never miss a new one. Interviews with product-based brands are coming soon — and they’re packed with practical wholesale tips you won’t want to miss.

Episode 6: 5 Big Mistakes I See in Wholesale Pitches   If you’ve been sending pitches and hearing crickets — this episode is for you. Even with great products, unclear or hesitant emails will get ignored. In this episode, I break down the 5 most common (and fixable) pitch mistakes I see from product-based business owners — and what to do instead.   We’ll talk about: Why vague pitches don’t work (even when your products are amazing) The “hope you’re well” trap — and what to say instead How to sound confident without being pushy Why clear next steps matter more than ever The truth about follow-ups (hint: you’re not being annoying)   I’ll also share a real result from one of my Sales Growth Lab students — and how a simple pitch rewrite lead to two replies and one order right away.   If you want to pitch with more confidence and finally start hearing back from stockists, this one’s a must-listen. 🧠 Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: The Struggle with Wholesale Pitches 00:23 – Recap of Previous Episodes 01:05 – Today’s Focus: Improving Your Email Sales Pitch 01:26 – Common Mistakes in Email Pitches 02:01 – Mistake 1: Vague Pitches 03:13 – Mistake 2: The ‘Hope You’re Well’ Trap 04:06 – Mistake 3: Lack of Confidence 04:56 – Mistake 4: No Clear Call to Action 05:17 – Mistake 5: Not Following Up 05:42 – Success Stories and Final Tips 06:23 – Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser 🎯 Want to improve your pitches today? Join the Sales Growth Lab waitlist and I’ll send you my free Email Pitch Checklist right away. You’ll also be the first to know when the programme reopens and inside you get access to my custom chat gpt that helps you write a full 6-touchpoint email funnel in 30 minutes — tailored to your business. → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist 🔗 Resources & Links Sales Growth Lab info: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab Website: https://smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Instagram: https://instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

Episode 5 — Your Wholesale Sales Style (And Why It Matters) If you’re not getting the wholesale sales you want — or need — the problem probably isn’t your products. It’s that you’re trying to sell in a way that doesn’t suit you.   In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I’ll walk you through the five most common sales styles I see — and how each one can either help or hinder your wholesale growth. Whether you’re an overthinker, a spree seller, a ghost, a connector, or a hustler… you’ll leave this episode with clarity and next steps.   Because when you understand how you naturally sell, it becomes so much easier to build a strategy that actually works for you — and finally stop second-guessing everything. In This Episode:   00:00 Introduction to Wholesale Sales Challenges 00:31 Meet Your Host: Therese 00:34 Overview of the Season 00:55 Introduction to Sales Styles 01:38 Sales Style 1: The Overthinker 02:53 Sales Style 2: The Spree Seller 04:12 Sales Style 3: The Ghost 05:08 Sales Style 4: The Connector 06:28 Sales Style 5: The Hustler 07:27 Why Your Sales Style Matters 08:21 Client Success Story 08:59 Sales Growth Lab: Your Path to Success 09:49 Conclusion and Call to Action 🔗 Links & Resources   Get the Free Email Pitch Checklist → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist   Join the Waitlist for Sales Growth Lab → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab   Inside the program, you’ll also get access to my custom ChatGPT tool that helps you write a 6-part wholesale email funnel in 30 minutes — tailored to your products and buyers.   Visit My Website → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk   Follow Me on Instagram → https://instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative

Episode 4: Is Wholesale Still Worth It in 2025?   If you’ve been wondering whether wholesale is still worth it — because it feels harder, slower, or less predictable than it used to — this episode is for you.   The truth? Wholesale still works. But not if you’re treating it like it’s 2019.   In this episode, I’m sharing: What’s really changed in the retail landscape. 3 key shifts that are shaping how buyers make decisions in 2025. Why wholesale is still one of the best ways to build predictable income — if you’re ready to evolve how you approach it.   You’ll walk away with a clearer picture of what’s going on behind the scenes for buyers, and what you can do to stay visible, relevant, and top of mind (without being pushy).   Because yes — your products are great. But if buyers are overwhelmed, distracted, and being pitched by 10 other brands… the best thing you can do is make it easy for them to say yes.   And that’s exactly what I help you do inside Sales Growth Lab. Links and Resources Join the Sales Growth Lab waitlist & download the free Email Pitch Checklist: 👉 https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist   Explore Sales Growth Lab: 👉 https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab   Visit my website: 👉 https://smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk   Say hi on Instagram: 👉 https://instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative Timestamps 00:00 — Strong Hook + Intro 01:06 — What Wholesale Used to Look Like 02:07 — What It’s Like Now 03:26 — 3 Key Shifts I See Right Now 05:03 — Why Wholesale Still Matters 06:07 — Let’s Recap + What’s Next

Why Faire Won’t Save Your Wholesale Strategy If you’ve ever felt frustrated by low sales during a Faire market or discouraged by their commission rates, you’re not alone. But here’s the hard truth: if you’re relying on Faire to bring in all your orders, you’re handing over your power. In this episode, I share recent feedback from brand owners during the Faire Summer Market, and we unpack what it actually means to take responsibility for your sales — even when you’re on a marketplace platform. Because while Faire is a tool, your strategy is what drives growth. Let’s talk about how to work with Faire in a way that’s mutually beneficial, how to take back control of your sales, and how to avoid the trap of passive selling.   Episode Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:21 Discussing Faire Market Experiences 01:25 The Role of Faire in Your Wholesale Strategy 03:03 Taking Control of Your Sales 04:13 Interviews and Sales Growth Lab 05:12 Commission Structure and Pricing 06:51 Final Advice and Resources   In this episode Real insights from brands who’ve experienced very different results during the Faire Summer Market Why Faire is responsible for their sales — and you’re responsible for yours How to shift from passive to proactive selling Why commission complaints are often a distraction from the real issue What a fair, strategic partnership with marketplaces should look like How your wholesale sales system can help you build predictability and resilience Links and Resources Download the free Email Pitch Checklist → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist Join the Sales Growth Lab Waitlist (and get first access and bonuses) → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab Visit my website → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Follow me on Instagram → https://instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative If this episode sparked a mindset shift, please follow the podcast and share it with a friend. Next up: What retailers actually look for in a brand — and how to know if your business is wholesale-worthy. See you there.

Episode 1: Double Your Wholesale Sales Welcome back to Let’s Talk Shop. And if you’re new here, hello. I’m Therese, founder of Small Business Collaborative, and this season I’m shaking things up. In this first episode, I’m sharing what it really takes to double your wholesale sales without burning out or relying on luck, marketplaces, or non-stop product launches. I’ll also take you behind the scenes of why I care so deeply about this, the turning points I’ve experienced, and how I’m working differently in my own business this year. If you’ve been feeling stuck, tired, or unsure how to make wholesale work for you, this season is here to help. Let’s get started. Episode Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:23 Changes in This Season 01:06 Doubling Your Wholesale Sales 01:47 The True Meaning of Success 03:17 Challenges and Strategies in Wholesale 04:53 Building a Business That Supports Your Life 05:47 Season Overview and Resources 06:59 Next Episode Preview In this episode Why doubling your wholesale sales isn’t just about money. It’s about freedom What I see product-based business owners really craving A behind-the-scenes look at how I’ve shifted my own business Why structure, not hustle, is the secret to sustainable sales What’s coming up in this short, bingeable podcast season Links and Resources Download the free Email Pitch Checklist and join the Sales Growth Lab Waitlist (and get first access and bonuses) → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.myflodesk.com/checklist Sales Growth Lab → https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/sales-growth-lab Visit my website → https://smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk Follow me on Instagram → https://instagram.com/smallbusinesscollaborative If you found this episode helpful, please follow the podcast, share it with a friend, or send me a message to let me know what landed. Next up: If You’re Relying on Faire for Growth… Listen to This See you there.

In this episode of Let's Talk Shop podcast, I speak with, buyer and owner Priya Aurora-Crowe of Lark London.    Lark London is a wonderful chain of 18 independent brick-and-mortar stores in London and Surrey, that is owned by Priay and her husband Dominic Crowe.    Priya shared her experiences and perspectives on the ever-evolving world of retail. Here are some of the key takeaways:    Previews and Prototypes: Priya expressed her love for getting early glimpses of new ranges and products. It's like Christmas for her team at Lark! They enjoy opening boxes, reading emails and letters, and examining samples. These previews allow them to stay ahead of the curve and make informed buying decisions.    Supporting Small Businesses: At Lark London, community support and finding hidden gems are at the heart of their buying process. Priya and her team review applications from local businesses on a weekly basis, selecting small businesses to support and help grow. This aspect of their job is particularly fulfilling and inspiring.    Dealing with Challenges: Priya shed light on the challenges they face, including the unfortunate issue of shoplifting. They have been experiencing thefts at their stores, resulting in frustration and concern. Priya emphasised the need for more effective actions to deter shoplifters and prevent such incidents that ultimately affect both businesses and local consumers.    Dividing Responsibilities: Priya and her partner, Dom, have wisely divided their responsibilities to ensure a harmonious relationship and to run Lark London efficiently. While Priya oversees buying, staffing, social media, and merchandising, Dom takes care of managing the shop, handling fit-outs, and dealing with legalities and maintenance tasks.    Importance of Branding: Good branding and packaging are vital for standing out in a competitive market. Priya highlighted the significance of products having a story and visually cohesive branding for effective merchandising. Strong branding and packaging can truly make a product shine on the shelves of Lark London.    We hope these insights from Priya have given you a fresh perspective on the world of product businesses.    This episode wraps up another season of Let's Talk Shop, the podcast is all about empowering and supporting you on your journey to building a profitable product business through wholesale.  https://www.larklondon.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lark_london/   My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with, Jake and Freya from Studio Wald. This is the second time Jake and Freya comes on the podcast and a lot have happened in their business since last time.   They have now got over 1000 stockists who bought from them, with over 300 buying regularly, and they now employ a team of 4.    In this episode, we dive into the challenges and triumphs of running a product-based business, focusing on wholesale strategies, production quality, and market conditions. Here are three key takeaways from our conversation:   1️⃣ Balancing growth with life: We chat about that it’s not always about growth in business. Sometimes, it’s more about maintaining business so you can achieve a good life-work balance. It’s a nice reminder that we’re building our businesses for us, and they need to fit into our life.    2️⃣ Attention to production quality: Maintaining high production quality is crucial for success, and this always creates new challenges. Studio Wald’s bestselling flower press used to be made with Birch Ply, but since the war in Ukraine, this is now sanctioned as it is mainly produced in Russia, which meant resourcing and switching to maple veneered MDF.  This in turn, meant working with a new material, and having to balance the increased costs with maintaining affordability to the customer.   3️⃣ Adaptability and growth mindset: Jake and Freya shared how their approach to product releases has evolved over time. They moved from a perfectionist mindset of waiting until everything was ready to an organic and agile approach. By building a stock of adaptable photos and embracing flexibility, they were able to release designs more quickly.  About Studio Wald Freya and Jake, are the owners and creatives behind Studio Wald.  Freya and Jake met while studying a degree in 3D design. And now they have 3 children and a busy Leeds city-centre studio where they make or compile their products. All paper products are printed and finished in England, mainly in their home county of Yorkshire, using either 100% recycled or FSC certified paper.  All their products are made in the UK with care & attention to ideas, pattern & process.   Jake and Freya have been on the podcast before, so I’m excited to have them back to hear how they have grown their business since we last spoke. Plus, when I ask paper-based business owners who they look up to, quite often Studio Wald comes up, so I know you’re just as keen to hear from them.   https://studiowald.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/studio_wald/   My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this episode of Let’s talk Shop, I had the pleasure of talking to Myfanwy Gloster from Glosters Pottery. Mev and her husband Tom founded Glosters Pottery, with Tom being the potter and Mev handling the day-to-day operations. They started with a café and gradually transitioned into a craft pottery shop, which has now become a thriving wholesale business.   During the conversation, Mev shares their journey of starting small, how the business grew throughout the pandemic, and how they this year decided to start to wholesale. She discusses their decision to exhibit at their first trade show, and the incredible response they received from buyers. In fact, they went from having only ten stockists to over seventy within a short period of time. Mev also talks about the challenges and learnings from the trade show experience, as well as their plans for expanding their workshop space and adding new products.   If you're a product business owner looking to grow through wholesale or are curious about the world of trade shows, this episode is a must-listen. Learn from Mev's firsthand experience and gain valuable insights into building a successful brand.   [00:00:00] Podcast for product businesses, retail buyers, brand owners. Joined by Mev from GlosterPottery, discussing their wholesale and business expansion. [00:05:36] Stockists and growth; Kew Gardens reordered. [00:07:23] Trade shows are hard work, underestimated busyness. [00:11:25] Creating an easy and efficient wholesale process. [00:13:33] Planning Autumn, ordering complementary items, Christmas preparations. [00:17:41] Summary: Relocation, more space, shop visibility, mug painting. [00:19:48] Challenging journey, but great team and experience. [00:25:49] Thanks for listening to the podcast! About Glosters   Glosters Pottery was founded by Myfanwy Gloster and her husband Tom Gloster. Tom is the potter, and Myfanwy runs the day to day of their busy Porthmadog based pottery workshop and shop.    Glosters designer ceramics are made from stoneware clay and they use a range of glazes inspired by their local surroundings and the changing seasons in North Wales. https://www.glosters.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/glosterspottery My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

You’re going to want to get your notebook out for this one.    In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lucy Hitchcock, the founder of Partner in Wine. We discussed her experience in building a successful brand and her insights on packaging, pricing and wholesale. Here are three key takeaways from our conversation:   1️⃣ Build a strong brand: Lucy emphasized the importance of getting your brand right before anything else. Consistency is key - from your packaging to your social media presence. This means aligning everything you create with your brand's image and message.   2️⃣ Pricing with purpose: Don't let negative comments on social media platforms like TikTok make you doubt your pricing decisions. Consider the value and positioning of your product, like luxury brands do, rather than solely focusing on cost. Remember, pricing should align with your target customer's perceived value.   3️⃣ Start strong, and stay persistent: Lucy shared her experience working with retailers and stressed the importance of being persistent. Don't be discouraged if stockists don't reply. Timing is crucial, so be mindful of when you approach retailers with new products or collaborations.   00:03:00 Successful branding led to stock in Selfridges. 00:06:30 2020 lockdown, wine in sad cooler bag. 00:09:47 Entrepreneur shares business journey on Instagram. 00:11:16 Love, document, story, brand, marketing, launch 00:14:38 Self-employed at 23, helping others market businesses. Working for 7 years before launching. 00:22:35 Focusing on margins to determine product pricing. 00:24:26 TikTok opinions on costs. 00:28:52 "Build strong brand identity; prioritize branding." 00:31:51 Homemade look won't sell in stores. Stand out and stay consistent with branding. 00:35:06 Building anticipation for a launch: watch, learn. 00:38:21 Lucy's amazing podcast is a must-listen.   Lucy Hitchcock, the founder of Partner in Wine and digital marketing agency Sassy Digital.    Partner in Wine is a brand that aims to keep your favourite drinks perfectly chilled on the go. The story behind Partner in Wine is a tale of serendipity – it all started with the quest for a chilled rosé on a sunny day.   Sassy Digital is a digital marketing agency helping brands with their ongoing website, e-commerce, social media and marketing support, plus, Lucy is the host of The Winging it podcast where I’ve also been a guest.   Lucy’s links:  Partner in wine: https://www.partnerinwine.co.uk/ Sassy digital: https://www.sassydigital.co.uk/ Lucy’s Instagram where she shares her business tips and behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/lucyhitchcock_/ Partner in wine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/partnerinwineuk/ Sassy Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sassydigital/   Listen to the episode I was a guest at on the Winging it Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SF4M3LHuCQlEXshk3mnGr?si=25bd76cf2655459e   My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

🎙️ Welcome to Let's Talk Shop, the podcast where we dive into the fascinating world of retail and small businesses. In today's episode, we have a special guest joining us, Rebecca, the visionary behind a unique shop that champions handmade and local products.    Rebecca shares her insights on the growing appreciation for handmade goods in the wake of the pandemic, as well as the challenges she faces in competing with well-known brands. With her extensive network of makers and years of experience, we explore how Rebecca has cultivated a collaborative journey, nurturing relationships with artisans to create high-quality products.   But it's not all smooth sailing for Rebecca. We delve into the difficulties small businesses face, particularly in the Bristol area, where business rates relief removal threatens their survival. Rebecca's passion for supporting independent ventures leads her to seek solutions, already connecting with influential figures like Holly Tucker and Mary Portas to raise awareness and find a way forward.   Throughout the episode, we uncover Rebecca's dedication to promoting small businesses and Bristol-made products to offer her customers something different. She shares personal anecdotes, from her unexpected path to opening a shop to the challenges she's encountered along the way.   Join us as we explore the impact of business rates, the importance of clear brand identity, and the quest to keep Prior - Rebecca's beloved shop - afloat. We also dive into the exciting projects and initiatives Rebecca has undertaken, from workshops and gallery space rentals to innovative product development.   Get ready for a deep dive into the trials, triumphs, and inspirations that drive Rebecca's commitment to celebrating the power of small businesses on Let's Talk Shop! 🛍️🎧   00:00:00 Podcast discusses retail business and sustainability. 00:05:42 Handmade business competes with big brands. 00:10:20 Improved inventory system, automated notifications for makers. 00:15:32 Differentiate, investigate, engage, passion, innovation, honesty, visuals. 00:19:49 Deep connection through engagement on social media. 00:21:37 Larger shops are busier, more information helps. 00:25:25 Council mismanagement, potential illegality, seeking charity status. 00:30:48 Small businesses unite to fight unfair rates. 00:33:59 Prior made expands, new store, staff creations. 00:38:30 Website team edits content, explores revenue options. 00:41:37 Thank you for listening and watching, bye!   Rebecca Prior, is the owner of award-winning independent store Prior Shop in Bristol and her own independent brand, Prior Made.   Rebecca’s centrally located shop is filled to the brim with 150 sustainable designer, and a whopping 70% of them are local to Bristol.    As a non-profit creative arts hub, and eco-consious retail shop, workspace and gallery Rebecca operates Prior shop a little bit different to the usual designer / shop keeper sort of relationship and in this episode we find out all about it.   Petition: https://www.change.org/p/save-bristol-s-non-profit-organisations-and-bring-back-discretionary-rates-relief The shop website: https://www.priorshop.uk Instagram: https/www.instagram.com/priorshopbristol Blogs about the shop - why I only stock unique products, why community retail is important, mission and values etc etc: https://www.priorshop.uk/blogs/our-mission-vision-and-values-here-at-prior My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

🎙️ Welcome back to Let's Talk Shop, the podcast where we delve into the world of retail businesses. Today, I am joined by a special guest who has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the world of buying and marketing. Get ready to be inspired as we welcome Bryony Taylor Edwards, the head of marketing and home and gift and interiors buyers at Yarnton Home and Garden.   In this episode, we dive deep into the art of building relationships with buyers, understanding what works and what doesn't. Bryony shares invaluable insights into contacting buyers, creating memorable interactions, and the power of consistent communication. From product seeding to the importance of personal connections, we uncover the secrets to capturing the attention of buyers and establishing a loyal customer base.   But that's not all! We also discuss the crucial role of marketing and branding in the success of product businesses. With Bryony’'s expertise, we explore the power of authentic storytelling, effective product packaging, and how to stand out in competitive marketplaces. Plus, Bryony shares her own experiences consulting on brand marketing and buying strategy, offering valuable tips and strategies for entrepreneurs looking to grow their wholesale business.   Get ready for an episode packed with insights, valuable advice, and inspiring success stories.    00:00:00 Podcast with Bryony Taylor Edwards from Yarnton Home and Garden. 00:04:57 Big space, eye-catching products, customer service 00:06:38 Product seeding: inspiring customer loyalty for small brands. 00:11:20 Inconsistent contact hampers brand recognition, competition tough. 00:12:41 Regular contact with buyers brings success. 00:16:47 London lobbyist turned garden center worker and consultant. 00:21:57 Imagery and brand messaging essential for sales. 00:24:02 Suppliers who ease my life, organize me. 00:28:05 Instagram primary contact for small business marketing.   Bryony is Head of Marketing and Home, Gift, and Interior buyer at Yarnton Home & Garden. In her spare time, she consults on brand marketing and buying strategy.   Over the course of her 5 years at Yarnton the Home, Garden, and Gift store has grown to include a huge toyshop, a new clothing area stocking women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing and apparel, and a large home, gift and stationary area.   Before starting at Yarnton Home & Garden Bryony had never done a day’s buying her background was in marketing and brand building. However, she learned on the job and loved every moment. She was delighted when Yarnton Home & Garden won The Greats Awards, Best Garden Centre Gift Retailer Award. Other high points have included working with local and small suppliers and using her marketing and branding knowledge to promote the many small businesses doing things well. www.yarntonhomegarden.co.uk Instagram @yarntonhomegarden   And Bryony can be found on insta @bryony_tayloredwards where you can tap into a wealth of marketing and branding advice, aimed at small businesses   My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

Welcome to another episode of "Let's Talk Shop!" In today's episode, we’re flipping the script. As I asked our guest, Nina Elegba to interview me for a change. We chat about everything from selling hot dogs outside nightclubs to becoming a successful business owner. We talk about the role of gratitude, manifestation, and finding your own unique methods to stay calm, grounded, and aligned in the business world. So grab a cup of coffee and join us as we explore the keys to success, the power of trade bodies, and the joy of connecting with your audience.  Timstamps [00:01:33] Thank you to Instagram community for questions. [00:04:55] Instagram helped with daily gratitude through coffee. [00:08:09] Former sales head at publisher led multiple departments, curated books for retailers, sought work-life balance by transitioning to small business with more flexibility, ultimately made redundant due to lack of cash flow management. [00:12:49] Selling blackjack and hot dogs in Sweden. [00:14:54] Stay active, engage, and prioritize visitors. [00:18:40] Industry involvement crucial for representation and support. [00:21:46] Benefits of working for yourself: flexibility, control, self-support, rest, balance, business needs, personal needs. [00:25:50] CRM system: Absade for sales, Thinkific for courses. Whiteboard tracks clients and calls. [00:29:44] Manifestation journal helps attract ideal audience daily. [00:32:07] I love my work and stay positive. [00:35:55] Road trip analogy: map stops to save money [00:38:38] Various independent shops for homeware, gifts, and stationery. [00:42:57] Advice for younger self: embrace spontaneous living. [00:44:37] Workplace, brand, indie biz, Instagram, LinkedIn. About Nina Nina Elegba is the woman behind Recess living. Recess facilitates creative workshops, supper clubs, panel talks and workplace wellbeing events, as well as supporting companies in creating people-centred workplaces that nurture these conversations.   https://www.recessliving.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/recess-living/ https://www.instagram.com/recessliving/   Award yourself with a little selfcare moment - refer your company or someone you know to Recess, if they book a workshop, not only will the team thank you for a wonderful experience, you will also get a £100 voucher to spend on selfcare. https://www.recessliving.com/referral-program My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this episode of Let's Talk Shop, we have a special guest, David Nichols-Rice, who shares his journey and experiences in the creative industry. With a background in working with artists and trade shows, David discusses his love for wholesale and the rewarding yet challenging aspects of being a sole decision-maker. He shares insights on launching his own line of greeting cards, pivoting to online sales during the pandemic, and creating authentic relationships with retailers. Join us as we dive into David's story of resilience and success in the greeting card industry.   Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction to the episode 01:15 - Guest speaker, David, introduces himself and his background in the creative industry 02:30 - David's passion for wholesale and trade shows 03:45 - Launching his own line of greeting cards and the challenges and rewards of working alone 05:15 - Transitioning to online sales during the pandemic and partnering with a local company 07:30 - Sourcing and curating other products for his business 08:45 - The importance of trade shows and face-to-face interactions for David's business 10:30 - Highlights of David's journey, including being a finalist in the Christmas card category 12:15 - Lessons learned and advice for success in building relationships with retailers 14:00 - The role of Instagram in engaging with stockists and researching potential partnerships 15:30 - The significance of trade shows in the marketing budget and successful collaborations 17:00 - Personalizing interactions with stockists through printed catalogs and handwritten notes 19:00 - The importance of nurturing relationships and being patient with customers 20:30 - Strategies for marketing and investing in trade shows as the business grows 22:15 - Overcoming challenges with asking for contact details and incorporating it into conversations 23:45 - David's passion for greeting cards and stationery, and the story behind the name "Ricacle" 26:00 - Learning to leverage strengths and outsource tasks in managing a startup budget 28:15 - Developing relationships with retailers and seeking their input for new collections 30:00 - Future plans and stepping out of the comfort zone with phone-related projects About David David is the designer and founder of greeting card publisher Ricicle Cards. Based in a seaside town just outside of Bristol, he creates colourful, charming and whimsical greeting cards. There's plenty of illustration, hand-lettering and luxe hot foil going on in the collection and in addition to his own designs, he loves collaborating with talented artists from across the world to bring his ideas to life.   www.riciclecards.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/riciclecards Facebook: www.facebook.com/riciclecards   My links https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this episode of Let's Talk Shop, host Therese interviews Hannah Paine, the founder of Epanoui. Hannah shares her journey of starting a jewellery brand and opening a brick and mortar store. She discusses the challenges she faced, the importance of integrating herself within the community, and the careful growth of her business. With her unique perspective as both a brand owner and a shop buyer, Hannah offers valuable insights into the wholesale market and the success of independent brands.   Time Stamps:   - [00:00:00] Introduction to Let's Talk Shop and guest Hannah - [00:01:11] Discussing the podcast hiatus and the excitement of bringing it back - [00:01:56] Hannah's journey of starting her jewellery brand from her kitchen table - [00:04:06] Taking a break from wholesale when the shop became too demanding - [00:05:17] The unique approach of being both a brand owner and a shop buyer - [00:06:45] Building buyer confidence with successful product sales in a smaller town - [00:07:01] Hannah's love for buying from small brands and the visual alignment of products - [00:08:20] The importance of customer engagement and creating a memorable shopping experience   About Epanoui Hannah Paine is the founder of Epanoui, a jewellery brand inspired by nature. She started her business in 2012 and has since grown it into a successful independent lifestyle store in Bedford. Hannah's team handcrafts each jewellery piece, and she has a unique perspective as both a brand owner and a shop buyer. With a passion for supporting small brands, Hannah is always on the lookout for unique products that visually align with her shop's aesthetic.   https://epanoui.co.uk/   https://www.instagram.com/epanouilifestyle/

Welcome back to Let's Talk Shop! In today's episode, we have a very special guest joining us. Sakina Bouy, the visionary behind The Somerset Toiletry Co, will be sharing her incredible journey in the toiletry industry. From navigating through economic crashes to understanding ever-changing legislation, Sakina has built an impressive brand known for its integrity and beauty.    Tune in as she discusses the expansion of her company, the importance of understanding market demands, and the challenges faced in today's business landscape. We'll also delve into the impact of Brexit, the company's commitment to becoming more environmentally sound, and the exciting plans for future growth. Get ready for an eye-opening conversation filled with insights, trends, and the passion behind creating luxury products at reasonable pricing.  Timestamps [00:00:00] Shop is back, featuring Somerset Toiletry Co. [00:03:41] Toiletry company offers luxury products at reasonable prices. [00:07:59] Economy crashed, expanded products, different market appeal. [00:11:41] Trade show relationships, new storefront excitement. [00:13:29] Store owners guide us, customers influence trends. [00:19:15] Industry stricter due to legislation, Brexit impact. [00:23:40] Post-Brexit, business faces challenges amid changing landscape. [00:29:36] COVID brought big wins: garden centers open, internet sales booming. Men's/unisex products sell well. Teams improve. Son's product development adds value. Manufacturing sorted out, soap base a win. Mixed weather in June and July. [00:31:41] Expanding offices, retail, cafe, and products.     More about The Somerset Toiletry Co Founded in 1999, serial entrepreneur Roger and aromatherapy expert Sakina identified a gap in the market to produce beautiful, honestly priced luxury toiletries. Following the initial success of producing body care for other companies, the business developed their own popular collections. Design is at the core of the business, as the team of extremely gifted designers, tirelessly create exquisite packaging for each and every product. Over the years the company has been recognised for many prestigious awards for business and design, including the Queens Award for Enterprise.     Trade Fairs all over the world have been used to build brand awareness and develop valued customer relationships. The Somerset Toiletry Co. gifts can be found on most UK high streets and garden centres and are now sold in over 50 countries worldwide. We’ve had busy time in recent years, opening a soap manufacturing facility in Somerset using sustainable palm oil. We also run a café and gift shop from our HQ in Somerset and give space to homeless charity Billy Chip. The future continues to look bright for the business as Zantore, Sakina’s son has recently joined the company.   https://www.instagram.com/thesomersettoiletrycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/SomersetDistributionUK   https://thesomersettoiletryco.co.uk/

Season 6 is coming to an end and in this episode, Sasha and I speak about how we both found the experience of working together and what she’s learned about growing her sales.   We also set some goals for the next 6 months and talk about what’s been surprising and what’s worked and hasn’t worked.   Growing your wholesale and your sales can feel lonely and challenging at times but remember that consistency and staying focused is the way to go. If you need help and would like to work together in 2022, please apply to work with me via my website.   Please like and subscribe if you enjoy this episode and please feel free to leave us questions in the comments. ---------------------------------------------------   LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   https://www.southsearock.com/ https://www.creasedcards.com/ https://www.jeffandthesquirrel.co.uk/ My wholesale courses: https://smallbusinesscollaborative.mykajabi.com/online-courses-beginners-guide   ---------------------------------------------------   🔔 Subscribe for the latest! ➡️ https://bit.ly/letstalkshopYT   🚀🍾 Let’s work together ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/   ----------------------------------------------------   Hello 🙋🏻‍♀️, I'm Therese Oertenblad and I help business owners start and grow their wholesale, get clear on their prices and margins and sell more.   RESOURCES:   FREE Canva line sheet template  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   FREE Third-party wholesale marketplace guide  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   ✏️For all my business tips and hacks ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/blog   💌Get my newsletter ➡️ https://bit.ly/3EfzIkZ   📲Behind the scenes and tips on Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

Today we’re in Brighton where Sasha cold calls on shops in the hopes of getting some new stockists so that she can grow her wholesale business.    Cold calling, whether by phone, email, or in-person can be very scary but it doesn’t have to me. When it comes to cold calling practice really does make a huge difference, in particular, if you visit in person.    In-person cold calling will allow you to check if the store is a good fit before you approach and you will often find out the name of the buyer and get their initial reaction.    In between Sasha’s store visits, we do little mini-interviews about how it felt and we hope these will help you get more comfortable with cold calling and help you grow your business.   We also visit one of Cheeky Zebra’s stockists and see the cards out in real life.    Next Monday we will be back with another episode where we will talk about where Sasha is now with her wholesale and how she hopes to grow it over the next half a year.   Please like and subscribe if you enjoy this episode and please feel free to leave us questions in the comments. ---------------------------------------------------   LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   Sasha’s longest stockist: https://www.creasedcards.com/ My wholesale courses: https://smallbusinesscollaborative.mykajabi.com/online-courses-beginners-guide   ---------------------------------------------------   🔔 Subscribe for the latest! ➡️ https://bit.ly/letstalkshopYT   🚀🍾 Let’s work together ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/   ----------------------------------------------------   RESOURCES:   FREE Canva line sheet template  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   FREE Third-party wholesale marketplace guide  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   ✏️For all my business tips and hacks ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/blog   💌Get my newsletter ➡️ https://bit.ly/3EfzIkZ 📲Behind the scenes and tips on Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

Since Sasha has done some wholesale in the past and had lost a bit/a lot of faith in it we needed to put the right foundations in place this time around to avoid costly mistakes and work way to hard for no return.   We started from the very basics with setting Sasha’s wholesale terms and prices and then moved on to creating her new and much improved wholesale catalogue. Since Sasha’s range is so big, she basically has a greeting card for every occasion you may ever come across, and of course, in a brick and mortar store, it’s unlikely they could fit as many and such a big range could be overwhelming. As such, Sasha did a lot of work on refining her wholesale range to include all her bestseller before creating her catalogue.   Remember to have a look over on Instagram as we wanted to show you the difference between Sasha’s old catalogue and the new one.   In this episode of Let’s talk shop, we talk about: How to set your wholesale prices.  New catalogue vs. old catalogue, what Sasha do differently this time around? How to set your wholesale terms? Hint: you set your terms!   Please like and subscribe if you enjoy this episode and please feel free to leave us questions in the comments. ---------------------------------------------------   🔔 Subscribe for the latest! ➡️ https://bit.ly/letstalkshopYT   🚀🍾 Let’s work together ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/   ----------------------------------------------------   RESOURCES:   FREE Canva line sheet template  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   FREE Third-party wholesale marketplace guide  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   ✏️For all my business tips and hacks ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/blog   💌Get my newsletter ➡️ https://bit.ly/3EfzIkZ   📲Behind the scenes and tips on Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this continuation of us documenting Sasha’s wholesale journey, we speak about selling.    Insecurities around selling are very common and sometimes they show up in very strange ways. It’s very easy to make yourself very busy to avoid having to step outside of your comfort zone and sell your products.   In this episode, we talk about how this showed up for Sasha and what tweaks we’ve made to her workweek to set her up for success so she can reach more retail buyers and get stocked in more shops.   In this episode of Let’s talk shop, we talk about: What Sasha has done in the past to sell her products.  How we implemented a bit more structure to Sasha’s week and what that feel like.  What retailers to target and what to say? Mindset - insecurities to start and to continue to sell. How some insecurities show up in peculiar ways. How to reframe and prioritise selling and how a sales mindset changed how you showed up online.   Please like and subscribe if you enjoy this episode and please feel free to leave us questions in the comments.   ---------------------------------------------------   🔔 Subscribe for the latest! ➡️ https://bit.ly/letstalkshopYT   🚀🍾 Let’s work together ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/   ----------------------------------------------------   RESOURCES:   FREE Canva line sheet template  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   FREE Third-party wholesale marketplace guide  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   ✏️For all my business tips and hacks ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/blog   💌Get my newsletter ➡️ https://bit.ly/3EfzIkZ   📲Behind the scenes and tips on Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

It’s not always that everything goes to plan when you try something new.   When Sasha from Checky Zebra first started to wholesale her greetings cards she would have looked very successful to most of us, getting a big order from a well-known multi-chain card retailer but all was not as well as it might have looked on the surface. In reality, it was very stressful and in the end, Sasha had very little to show for all that hard work.   This really put a damper on her wholesale experience and her focus turned to growing her business using Facebook ads instead and up until recently this worked really well until the ads for Father’s day flopped and Sasha’s sales fell off a cliff.   Building a sustainable and successful business takes resilience and bravery and when something doesn’t go to plan it’s your ability to pick yourself up and admit that it’s not always unicorns and roses.   Diversifying your sales channels can help you grow a much more resilient and sustainable business and over the last few months I have been mentoring Sasha to start to wholesale again and we documented her experience and can’t wait to share it all with you.   In this first episode of Let’s talk shop, we talk about: Sacha’s previous experience wholesale with lots of funny stories! Sasha’s reluctance to do wholesale. And we set some goals for Sasha’s wholesale for this year and next.   Please like and subscribe if you enjoy this episode. ---------------------------------------------------   LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   Facebook ads expert: https://www.carlystringer.com/ Sasha’s longest stockist: https://www.creasedcards.com/   ---------------------------------------------------   🔔 Subscribe for the latest! ➡️ https://bit.ly/letstalkshopYT   🚀🍾 Let’s work together ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/   ----------------------------------------------------   RESOURCES:   FREE Canva line sheet template  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   FREE Third-party wholesale market place guide  ➡️ https://bit.ly/freebieYT   ✏️For all my business tips and hacks ➡️ https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/blog   💌Get my newsletter ➡️ https://bit.ly/3EfzIkZ   📲Behind the scenes and tips on Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

Today’s episode of Let’s talk shop is a solo episode where I talk about what to do and what not to do when sales are slow to help you and motivate you to continue to grow your business.   In the episode I share 10 to-do’s/don’ts:   Check-in with your sales mindset. Stop comparing yourself to others and your sales to last year, normally the latter is something I tell you to do but last year was not a normal year. Make a sales plan, without targets you may never reach the goal. Get analytical. Check-in with your ideal customer. Where’s their mindset at? Don’t go down the discount hole without a plan and purpose. Give products a chance to sell. Focus on getting seen by more potential customers – are there any other sales avenues that you have not tried for your business. This time of the year is a great time to work on your business, whether that’s wholesale, marketing, SEO, processes, PR. What will help you make the most of the busy Christmas period. I think the future is bright for small businesses and especially British made products.   Article mentioned in the episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57531716   Waitlist for my courses: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/start-to-wholesale https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/let-s-talk-sales-course   If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.   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

Today on Let’s talk shop, I speak with my former clients Jake and Freya from Studio Wald. Studio Wald is a wonderful home and gift business based in Leeds. We talk all about how Jake and Freya decided to start their business straight out of university and how they have grown it since.   Jake and Freya share their top tips that has worked for them and we talk about trade shows, hiring their first team member, growing through wholesale marketplaces and so much more.   If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.   Connect with Jake and Freya from Studio Walkd   https://www.instagram.com/studio_wald/ https://studiowald.co.uk/     Sign-up to my start to wholesale course: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/start-to-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

Today’s episode of Let’s talk shop is a solo episode. The first of in season 5 and quite possibly the only in this season. Let me know if you want more episodes like this.   In the episode I talk about how to get started with your wholesale, we talk about: What wholesale is. If it’s right for your business. What you need to consider before getting started. How to set your terms and develop your sales materials. How to get stated selling to shops and where to find them. If this is something you want to learn more about. Please have a look at my next course, Start to wholesale that I’m running in June. We start on the 15th June and you can find all the details and sign-up on the below link. https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/start-to-wholesale   If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.   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

Today on Let’s talk shop, I speak with my client, Leonara Manyangadze who’s the owner and founder of Tanaka. Leonara makes beautiful all-natural soaps that are good for you and for the environment as they are completely plastic-free.   Leonara started Tanaka in the autumn of 2019 and has grown the brand to now being stocked in 40 or so stores, mainly in the UK + one stockist in the US and one in Singapore. She’s done this whilst still keeping a full-time job and buying her first home and relocating to the seaside.   I love how thoughtful Leonara is with everything she creates and she’s such a joy to work with. In the episode, we chat all about how Leonara has grown the business, what has worked well for her and she shares her top tips for growing your business.   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 Turning earth pottery course - https://www.turningearth.org/e2 Gently - https://www.gentlyelephant.co.uk/ Our lovely goods - https://ourlovelygoods.com/ Juno Nuno -  https://junonuno.com/ The Milkman - https://themilkman.coffee/   Connect with Leonara from Tanaka Website - https://tanaka.store/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tanaka.soaps/   Sign-up to my sales course: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/courses   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

Today on Let’s talk shop, I speak with my coach, Jennifer MacFarlane who’s The Money Medium.   Over the past 5 months or so I’ve been working with Jen on my money mindset and I really enjoyed it. I think in particular women avoids speaking about money and by working with Jen I’ve been able to dare to realise that I can make money and fulfil my goals.   I think our money mindset sometimes holds us back in pushing our businesses forward and growing our sales and I hope that you will find our conversation helpful in addressing some of those thoughts that might be holding you back.   We talk about some of the common beliefs around money that is holding us back sometimes and how you can reframe them to move past them.   If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review over on Apple podcast as it really helps others discover the podcast too.   Jennifer MacFarlane is the author of the book Think Create Jump. She is a transformational mindset and abundant life mentor, spiritual alchemist and subconscious reprogramming master.  Jen has a magical way of aligning people with their destiny. From a very young age, Jen has had a calling to understand the connection between the mind and how it creates reality. She uses hypnosis, meditation and deep subconscious conversation to help her clients and students “reprogram” their clients from all over the globe to vibrate at a higher wealth, success and abundance frequency; in turn, allowing them to attract a more abundant lives doing what they have been put on the planet to do with ease. Jennifer helps people from all over the world create a deeper connection with themselves and the life they were born to live through her personal development business @ WWW.THEMONEYMEDIUM.COM Jen Believes we are here to learn how to overcome our own limits and live our Biggest, Wildest Dreams. Dream Big - Smile More          (The words Jen lives by)     Connect with Jen from The Money Medium Instagram - instagram.com/themoneymedium FB - facebook.com/themoneymedium Website - www.themoneymedium.com Youtube - youtube.com/themoneymedium SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/the-money-medium Book - Think Create Jump - https://www.amazon.ca/THINK-CREATE-JUMP-Proven-Limitations-ebook/dp/B00QMO5CHO/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=think+create+jump&qid=1605134081&sr=8-1   IGTV video with money mandalas https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCeIZxlHOOE/     Sign-up to my sales course: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/courses   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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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/

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/

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/

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/

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Anita who owns Diverse Gifts in Brixton, South London. Diverse Gifts is a gift shop who has been open for over 21 years so Anita has a lot of experience to share. We chat all about: Business this year. The impact of Black Lives Matter and Black Pound Day on Anita’s business. What Anita looks for in a new supplier and how she finds and selects new products. Tradeshows and much more. 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.   Links mentioned in the episode   The next Black Pound Day is on the 5th December https://blackpoundday.uk/ https://blacklivesmatter.com/ https://www.instagram.com/makerhoodlambeth/ https://afrotouch.design/     Connect with and visit Diverse gifts   390 Coldharbour Ln, Brixton, London SW9 8LF   https://diverse-gifts.myshopify.com/ https://www.instagram.com/diversegifts/   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/

Episode 3 of season 4 is a short solo episode about Scaling your Handmade business. I'm often asked how a business can make wholesale work for them when they handmake everything and before you even start to think about it it would be good to consider how you can scale your production so in this episode I give you a few ideas to get you started.    Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop speak with Sasha from Cheeky Zebra. Cheeky Zebra is a rude and hilarious card publishing company that primarily sell B2C. We chat about why that is and so much more such as:   Taking your business full time from hobby to a business that can support you. Starting off doing wholesale and then deciding that it is not right for Cheeky Zebra. Dealing with larger retailers and trying to make it work for them but forgetting about your own profit. Simple mistakes that are easy to overlook when you first deliver to retailers. Facebook ads, how they turned Sasha from an ads sceptic to it transforming her business. Importance of sharing some of the lows alongside highs instead of just the highlights. Diversity in our industry. Pinterest and how it can drive traffic for you. How Instagram is not the only way to grow your business.   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Links mentioned in the episode Carly Stringer: https://keystonevirtual.com/ Elizabeth Stiles: https://www.elizabethstiles.co.uk/ Vanessa @ High Fifteen: https://www.highfifteen.com/ Georgina @ Afro Touh Design: https://afrotouch.design/   Sasha’s links Cheeky Zebra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheekyzebradotcom/ Cheeky Zebra Website: https://www.cheekyzebra.com/ Marketing Hun Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinghun/   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/

I'm kicking off season 4 of Let's Talk Shop with a solo episode.    10 things to do in your business right now to drive sales - this could not have come at a more appropriate time, I actually recorded this a while back but re-recorded it on Sunday 1st November after the PM announced another lockdown to make sure my advice is as current as possible. So if you, like many other businesses are feeling either overwhelmed or confused about how to boost your direct sales and wholesale sales this side of Christmas then this podcast can help!   I hope this will motivate you and infuse a bit of positivity and give you some practical and actionable advice.    Links mentioned Instagram live with Elizabeth Stiles https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHDqQEVlKC5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this season finale episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I'm giving you a bit of a pep talk for this autumn, I reflect a little over the season 3 and how privileged I am to have been able to speak with so many incredible business owners this year.  The podcast will be back for the 4th season in October so make sure you subscribe to be notified when we're back.  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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes. If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no-obligation discovery call. Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/ Apply to be a guest on season 4 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Laura Bath, owner and founder of Peg and Board. Laura designs and makes beautiful storage solutions for your home. It all started with wooden peg boards and last year Laura broadened her range to include powder coated metal shelving and during the lockdown Laura received an influx of orders which has really grown her business. We talk all about how Laura got started, what exhibiting at her first trade show was like and about selling on Wayfair and Not On the High Street. 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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Connect with Laura at Peg and Board Website: https://pegandboard.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pegandboard/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Jessica Dawnay who is the Event Director at UK’s largest home and gift trade shows, Spring and Autumn Fair.   We chat about the imminent Autumn Fair @ Home, which will be taking place on the 8-9th September online. As a result of the pandemic this year Autumn Fair decided to run their show online before the government announced that shows of this type could not go ahead, after speaking with their exhibitors and retailers.   Jessica shares what Autumn Fair @ Home will be like, and how to get involved as well as some exciting news that Spring and Autumn Fair exclusively partnered with the government to be a part of their UK Retail Bounce back plan. Everything will be announced at Autumn Fair @ Home on the 8th September at 11am so make sure you tune in then.   We also chat all about exhibiting at your first show, do’s and don’ts and Jessica shares so many helpful tips about exhibiting at a show.   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Connect with Jessica and Spring and Autumn Fair Jessica Dawnay: jessica.dawnay@autumnfair.com Autumn Fair: https://www.autumnfair.com/ Spring Fair: https://www.springfair.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/springautumnfair/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Sophie McNiven, owner and founder of both Sophie Home and Stand Twelve. We chat all about both of Sophie's businesses, her journey and how it all came about and I just love how passionate Sophie is about this industry and how freely and openly she shares everything she learned from running her businesses. Stand Twelve is an online trade show that connects brands and buyers and make it easier for everyone to discover each other. After being approved buyers can place orders straight on the site from all the brands who will then approve and shop all the orders individually. Sophie Home is a lifestyle brand that makes beautiful soft 100% cotton throws, cushions, baby blankets and nursery accessories. Whilst everything moves online this year the wholesale community has also moved online and 3rd party wholesale marketplaces have been more popular than ever! I’ve created a handy 3rd party marketplace guide with Catherine from Resilient retail for you to download for free here - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5fb79b9a7f165b7bc9615f03. Enjoy!   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Mentioned in this episode Rockhopper digital: https://rockhopperdigital.co.uk/ Aria: https://www.ariashop.co.uk/ Search and Rescue: https://www.searchandrescuelondon.co.uk/ Unlimited: https://unlimitedshop.co.uk/   Connect with Sophie Sophie Home: https://sophiehome.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sophiehome_london/ Stand Twelve: https://standtwelve.com/ https://www.instagram.com/standtwelve/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no-obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 4 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Jeremy Corner, owner of award-winning greetings cards publisher Blue Eyed Sun. Blue Eyed Sun was founded 20 years ago and Jeremy is very involved in the industry writing monthly for Progressive Greetings, is a keynote speaker at The Ladder Club, and he sits on the Giftware Association’s National Committee and is a Trustee at Greeting Card Association.    In this episode, we talk about how Blue Eyed Sun has grown over the years and how it all started, the industry right now and the future. Jeremy shares about his experience in the industry, and you will get a real insight into how it works to deal with brokers and large retailers as well as hearing how sales drive your business forward.    If you’re not quite sure how to find new retailers to reach out to and pitch to and how to grow your wholesale this year, then have a look at my new course, Let’s Talk Sales, that will be taking place in September and book your place, doors close Monday 3rd August 2020.  https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/product-page/Lets-talk-sales   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Links mentioned in this episode: The Ladder Club: https://www.pgbuzz.net/the-ladder-club/ The Giftware Association: https://www.ga-uk.org/ Little Dog Laugh: https://www.thelittledog.co.uk/ Rachel Ellen: https://rachelellen.co.uk/ Tracey Russell: https://www.traceyrussell.co.uk/ Progressive Greetings: https://www.pgbuzz.net/ Afro Touch: https://afrotouch.design/ Creased Cards: https://www.creasedcards.com/ Vinegar Hill: https://vinegarhill.co.uk/ Cards Galore: https://www.cardsgalore.co.uk/ Malarkey Cards: https://malarkeycards.com/   Connect with Jeremy and Blue Eyed Sun: Website: https://www.blueeyedsun.co.uk/ https://greenmagpie.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BlueEyedSun/ Read Jeremy’s blog for industry news and insights: https://www.blueeyedsun.co.uk/blog   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no-obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 4 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Catherine Erdly from Future Retail about how to pitch to large retailers if you managed to get a meeting, whether it’s virtual or in-person.   Being prepared and knowing what to expect can really make all the difference so I’m so happy that Catherine and I could work together on this and give you all our top tips.   As a former retail merchandiser, Catherine and I would have sat at opposite ends of the table so we thought it would be interesting for you to get to hear both of our opinions and advice.   If you’re not quite sure how to find new retailers to reach out to and pitch to and how to grow your wholesale this year, then have a look at my new course, Let’s Talk Sales, that will be taking place in September and book your ticket today. https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/product-page/Lets-talk-sales   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Connect with Catherine Future Retail: https://www.futureretail.world/ Resilient retail: www.resilientretail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FutureRetailUK/ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femalefoundersinretail   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no-obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 4 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Maggie who’s the owner and founder of Alligator Pear, a really large award-winning gift shop in Tadworth, Surrey.   We talk about the challenges of sourcing products this year when trade shows have been cancelled and how Maggie might find new things to fill her store with.   Maggie shares what she needs to know from a potential brand when they pitch to her and how to get in touch to introduce your products. We also chat about what works for her store, what she’s looking for, and what changes she’s had to put in place due to Covid. If you are going to submit products, I suggest that you listen to the whole episode and then write a personal and informative pitch.   If you’re not quite sure how to find new retailers to reach out to and pitch to and how to grow your wholesale this year, then have a look at my new course, Let’s Talk Sales, that will be taking place in September and book your ticket today. https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/product-page/Lets-talk-sales   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Links mentioned in the episode   The GA Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2611989742457431 The Bottled Baking Co (Greg): https://bottledbaking.co.uk/ Creoate: https://www.creoate.com/ Stand Twelve: https://standtwelve.com/     Connect with Maggie and Alligator Pear https://www.instagram.com/alligatorpearstore/ https://www.alligatorpear.co.uk/   Visit: 15 High Street, Tadworth, Surrey, KT20 5QU To submit your products for consideration, please email Maggie at: sales@alligatorpear.co.uk   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 4 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop I am talking about trade shows, or rather the lack of them this year now that it’s been announced they won’t be going ahead this September.   I share a few ideas of what you can do and what will be important this year and I also share about my next course that will help you stay on track of your sales this year.   It’s called Let’s Talk Sales and you can find all the details below: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/product-page/Lets-talk-sales   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no-obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 4 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with David who’s the owner and founder of Lift Store in Southwold in Suffolk. Lift is a lifestyle store that has been going for around 4 years now and during the lockdown, David moved to a new location and the store is now 3 times the size of the original shop.   We talk all about retail now, how the lockdown have been, what’s important when selecting new suppliers to work with, how David sources and discovers new products and the lack of diversity in our industry.   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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes.   Links mentioned in the episode My beautiful Caravan https://www.instagram.com/mybeautifulcaravan/ Homebake https://www.instagram.com/homebakeshop/ Pencil me in https://www.instagram.com/pencilmeinshop/ Moxon https://www.instagram.com/moxonlondon/ Lottie Hall https://www.instagram.com/lottiehallstudio/ Rap Cards https://www.instagram.com/wrap_magazine/   Connect with David Website:  https://www.lift-store.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftstoresuffolk/ Visit the brick and mortar shop: 1 Drayman Square, Southwold IP18 6GB     Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 4 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Tasha who owns independent gift shop Flavour Like Fancy in Leeds. We talk all about retailing during the lockdown, what’s been selling really well, how it’s been now when Tasha has opened up her shop again, how she works with the brands and makers she stocks, diversity, trade shows and so much more. I really enjoyed speaking with Tasha and I hope you enjoy this episode too. If you do, 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’re there, subscribe too so you don’t miss any future episodes. Connect with Tasha: Website: https://flavourlikefancy.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flavourlikefancy/ Visit the brick and mortar shop: 8 Stainbeck Avenue, Meanwood, Leeds, LS7 2PA If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call. Connect with me: Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/ Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Vanessa Belleau from High Fifteen. Vanessa is Business Strategist, Executive Coach and she also coaches in Inclusion and Diversity. I invited Vanessa to the podcast to discuss how we as small business owners can be more diverse and inclusive in our businesses and ask all those questions that I’ve been wondering about lately.   I really love Vanessa’s energy and positivity and I felt so inspired after our chat and I hope you do too. I think it’s very important to recognise that we all have a role to play and we can all make a difference. As Vanessa said, as small business owners we are visionaries, we already started and built something so let’s continue and do even more.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Connect with Vanessa Website: https://www.highfifteen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highfifteen_   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Lucy who owns Acorn and Pip. We talk about how valuable it was for Lucy to start her business at Altrincham Market and how it’s grown into the shop and café with a play area it is today.   Lucy really tries to offer as a diverse range that she can, and I came across her lovely business after it was recommended to me by Chantelle from The Wild and the Tame (link below). We were talking about the lack of diversity in children’s toys, in-particular when it comes to dolls and Chantelle mentioned Acorn and Pip and I reached out and invited Lucy onto the podcast.   We chat all about Covid19, what’s been selling well during the lockdown, what’s happening in retail this year and how Lucy source her range of products.   It was really lovely to chat and I hope that more independent shops will actively source more diverse going forward. Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: The Wild and the Tame: https://thewildandthetame.co.uk/ Kitpas: https://www.instagram.com/kitpas.europe Maileg: https://www.maileg.co.uk/ Miniland: https://www.minilandgroup.com/en/educational/dolls-figures/   Connect with Lucy Website: https://acornandpip.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acornandpip/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Ebi and Emmanuel from Our Lovely Goods. Ebi and Emmanuel are a wife and husband team and they started their business around a year ago. Our lovely goods is a wellbeing company selling natural candles and skincare products as well as imported homewares from Emmanuel’s home country, Nigeria.   On the podcast, we talk about how they have built their business, what challenges they have faced along the way, how they started to wholesale and how the business has been during Covid19. We also talk about diversity in our industry, the challenges of being a black-owned business and how we hope the industry will become more diverse now that it’s on everyone’s mind.   I would love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen when shops open up again? What will get you to visit a store in real life? And/or if you plan to continue shopping online more this year?   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: Space at 17: https://www.instagram.com/spaceatseventeen/?hl=en Meraki Concept Studio: https://www.instagram.com/merakiconceptstudio/?hl=en   Connect with Ebi and Emmanuel Website: https://ourlovelygoods.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourlovelygoods   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop I speak with Georgina, owner and founder of Afro Touch Design. Georgina makes beautiful hand finished cards using West African wax fabric and we talk about Covid-19, business in general, wholesale and what challenges Georgina have to meet being a black-owned business as well as selling a diverse product. We talk about why there are not enough cards featuring black people on them in all sort of shops, why does Georgina as a black woman have to go to actively seek out a card in a special shop or online instead of popping into her local gift shop to get an anniversary card for her husband?   This week I learned a lot about myself and about being anti-racist instead of being non-racist and I will continue to learn about this. Going forward I will actively invite more diverse guests and not shy away from having open conversations about biases and inequality in our industry.   I would love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen when shops open up again? What will get you to visit a store in real life? And/or if you plan to continue shopping online more this year?   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: Diverse Gifts: https://diverse-gifts.myshopify.com/ Bonkers: https://www.bonkers.uk.com/ Moon Lane Books: https://www.moonlaneink.co.uk/   Connect with Georgina Website: https://afrotouch.design/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afrotouchdesign/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Zoe, owner and founder of W.A. Green. A wonderful homeware boutique in Shoreditch in London. I love W.A. Greens mantra, “Dopamine for the home” and I never felt it was as needed as it is right now.   We talk all about how the business is doing right now, how jigsaws and pretty wrapping paper played a big part in keeping the orders coming in during this time, what brand owners and suppliers can do to help and how retail might look like when shops are allowed to open again after this lengthy period of lockdown due to Covid-19.   I would love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen when shops open up again? What will get you to visit a store in real life? And/or if you plan to continue shopping online more this year?   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: Cire Trudon: https://trudon.com/eu_en/ Chroma Yoga: https://www.chromayoga.co.uk/ The Completist: https://the-completist.com/ Slowdown studios: https://slowdownstudio.com/ Trouva: https://www.trouva.com/   Connect with Zoe Website: https://wagreen.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/w.a.greenlondon/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

In this episode of Let’s Talk Shop, I speak with Rosie Davies Smith who’s the founder of PR Dispatch and LFA PR Agency. We talk about pivoting your business and adapting to the current climate. Why now is a great time for small businesses to start doing PR since the press has a lot of time for small businesses at the moment, how to get started, tips for working with influencers and much more.   I really admire how Rosie does business and how she is building PR Dispatch up and how it’s helping our small business community.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: Yeshen https://www.instagram.com/yeshen.uk/ Crafty Fox https://www.instagram.com/craftyfoxmarket/ Shrimps House https://www.instagram.com/shrimpshouse/ Dinky Human https://www.instagram.com/dinki_human/ Etna Loves https://www.instagram.com/ettaloves/ KanKan https://www.instagram.com/kankan_london/   Connect with Rosie Website: https://prdispatch.com/ Website: https://www.lfa.agency/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prdispatch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lfa_agency/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosie_daviessmith/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 industry here in the UK and how we as small business owners can help each other.   Pencil Me in is also the home of #myshoplife and I recommend that you give the hashtag a follow and you will discover lots of brilliant shops to support.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: Katie Housley: https://www.instagram.com/katiehousleystationery/ Holly & CO: https://www.instagram.com/holly.co/ Text a Potato: https://www.instagram.com/textapotato/ The Yorkshire Sculpture Park: https://ysp.org.uk/ Hunter Paper Co.: https://www.instagram.com/hunterpaperco/ Jade Fisher Card Co.: https://www.instagram.com/jadefishercardco/ Mean Mail: https://www.instagram.com/meanmail/ Ohh Deer: https://www.instagram.com/ohhdeer/ Twin Pines: https://www.instagram.com/twinpines_/ Stormy Knight: https://www.instagram.com/stormyknightuk/ Hiya Pal: https://www.instagram.com/hiyapalcards/ Artist Support Pledge: https://www.instagram.com/artistsupportpledge Oh Squirrel: https://www.instagram.com/oh_squirrel/                             The Decorating Centre Online: https://www.instagram.com/decoratingcentreonline/ Hole in my pocket: https://www.instagram.com/HIMPdesign/ Yeshen: https://www.instagram.com/yeshen.uk/ Holly Booth Studio: https://www.instagram.com/hollyboothstudio/    Connect with Sarah Website: https://pencilmeinshop.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pencilmeinshop/ If you’re a shop owner, join Sarah’s Facebook group, My Shop Life Collective https://www.facebook.com/groups/445843332443456/?ref=share   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 keeping their eyes open for new suppliers.   It’s not surprising, but just as most retailers I’ve spoken to during this time they are receiving a lot fewer pitch emails which is understandable but it also means that don’t feel bad about doing everything you can to keep your business going during this time and assume that stores don’t want to hear from you. Continue sending thoughtful and well-researched pitches but be as flexible as you can with minimum orders etc. to help your stockists and work together with them.   Also, don’t be afraid of thinking outside of the box and perhaps offer to send a sample and jump on a video call to present your range.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: Tom Pigeon: https://www.tompigeon.com/   Connect with Becca and Chris Website: https://www.truceonline.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truceonline/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 audience and grow their wholesale. Patsy shares lots of great tips that you can use for your wholesale about how to reach out to brands, how to decide what tradeshows to attend and much more.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: An Artful life: https://www.anartfullife.co.uk/ W.A Green: https://wagreen.co.uk/ Papersmiths: https://www.papersmiths.co.uk/   Connect with Gayle Website: https://www.gaylemansfield.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaylemansfielddesigns/   Connect with Patsy Website: https://www.moxon.london/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moxonlondon/     If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 brilliant blog and weekly lives on their Instagram account and I love what Nicki is building and that we can discover new makers and small businesses to support during this time.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode: Future Retail: https://www.futureretail.world/ Folksy: https://folksy.com/ Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ Andsotoshop: https://andsotoshop.com/   Connect with Nicki from Peddle Website: https://pedddle.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pedddleuk/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 temporarily and why that was the right decision for them, what retail may look like when they open up again and so much more. I really loved our chat and I think you can really hear how there are kindness and authenticity running through the business and I think that is so beautiful.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Connect with Amalia from The Botanical Candle Company Website: https://www.thebotanicalcandleco.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebotanicalcandleco/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 so many, Nicola is juggling home-schooling her children, running a business with a skeleton staff and trying to carve out a little bit of time for herself too.   Oklahoma has been one of the most requested guests to Let’s talk shop so I hope you are as excited about this episode as I am.   If you have story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you. Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Connect with Nicola from Oklahoma Website: https://www.okla.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oklahomamcr/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no-obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 decided to close her shop for now and not send orders, what is next for Rama publishing and what Rachida has been keeping busy with during this time.   If you have story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you. Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode Kinshipped: https://www.kinshipped.com/ Hear my episode with Kayleigh here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lets-talk-shop-kayleigh-from-kinshipped-sanjay-from/id1467418507?i=1000472360066 DoodleMoo: https://doodlemoo.com/ Hear my episode with Emily here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lets-talk-shop-emily-from-doodle-moo-claire-from-claire/id1467418507?i=1000471131296 How to fail podcast: https://www.elizabethdayonline.co.uk/podcast Laura Jackson: https://www.instagram.com/iamlaurajackson/?hl=en Lucy Wren: https://www.instagram.com/wernchat/ Donate to Tom Moore 100th Birthday Walk for the NHS: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tomswalkforthenhs PR Dispatch: https://prdispatch.com/ Future Retail: https://www.futureretail.world/    Connect with Rachida from Rama publishing Website: https://ramapublishing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramapublishing/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 feel all the feelings and share them.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Connect with Leona from Indie Roller Website: https://indieroller.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indie_roller/ Indie Roller news: https://www.instagram.com/indierollernews/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 Laura launched her own notebooks and invested in a new set of letters for her hot press so she can continue to offer personalisation and grow this aspect of her business.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on iTunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode Willow Yoga: https://www.willow-yoga.com/ Fable Yoga: https://www.fableyoga.com/ Rama Publishing: https://ramapublishing.com/ The Completist: https://the-completist.com/ Mean Mail: https://www.meanmail.co/ Badly Made Books: https://www.badlymadebooks.com/   Connect with Rebecca from Seekology Website: https://seekology.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SeekologyUK/   Connect with Laura from Fold & Seal Website: https://www.foldandseal.ie/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foldandseal/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no-obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 cards, gift wrap and stationery. Kinshipped has been going for a little over a year and is stocked in over 100 stores both here in the UK and in the US. I think that it’s so impressive what Kayleigh has achieved in the last year and I know that her stockists love dealing with her since they have told me so.   I then speak with Sanjay from Spice Kitchen. Spice Kitchen has been going for 7 years and started as a retirement hobby of Sanjays mum, Shashi, and they still run the business together now. They are stocked in hundreds of retailers, and a substantial portion of their business has been wholesale. Spice Kitchens hero product is their traditional Indian spice tins with (repurposed) sari wraps.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode PR Dispatch: https://prdispatch.com/     Kate Halfpenny: https://www.halfpennylondon.com/ Monday Club: https://www.mondayclub.uk/ The Butlers Larder: www.thebutlerslarder.co.uk Foodbod: https://foodbodsourdough.com/   Connect with Kayleigh from Kinshipped Website: https://www.kinshipped.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinshipped/   Connect with Sanjay from Spice Kitchen Website: https://www.spicekitchenuk.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spicekitchenuk/     If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 community-spirited and I love the passion they both have to keep going so that they can continue to serve their communities beyond this pandemic.   First, I speak with Amy who owns Soper and Co in Toddington, a village not far from where I live. Amy was about to reopen her newly renovated shop that will now also include a coffee shop when Covid 19 struck. She is now offering a click and collect service, online ordering and online workshops where you can learn to use chalk paints.   Next, I speak with Sean Austin who is the owner of Austin and Co in Malvern. Sean has always been passionate about the brick and mortar shopping experience and up until now has not had a webstore. Since closing his doors, the day before Mother’s Day Sean has been working on setting up his webshop that will be launching later this month.   I hope that these episodes will inspire you to keep going, in whatever way feels right for you and that hearing how others in a similar place as yourself are coping with it all will make you feel part of a really strong and resilient creative community. If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode www.creoate.com Photographer Amy at Soper and Co uses: https://binkynixon.com/ https://www.instagram.com/binkynixon/    Connect with Amy at Soper and Co Website: https://www.soperand.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soperandco/   Connect with Sean at Austin and Co Website (when it does launch): http://austinandco.shop/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinandco/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustinAndCo/   If you want help with your wholesale please get in touch either on my website, by email or Instagram and book a free no obligation discovery call.   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 and Claire from Claire Hill designs and I am so impressed with how they have both changed their messaging and how they talk to their community and customers to keep their online sales going.   We speak about the community spirit, how selling is changing all the time and how to stay positive.   I hope that these episodes will inspire you to keep going, in whatever way feels right for you and that hearing how others in a similar place as yourself are coping with it all will make you feel part of a really strong and resilient creative community. If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Links mentioned in this episode www.creoate.com Claire’s stockist in North Wales that is selling on Instagram is @lottiandwren Connect with Emily and DoodleMoo Website: https://doodlemoo.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doodle_moo/ FREE PRINTABLES FROM DOODLEMOO: https://doodlemoo.com/collections/free-printables   Connect with Claire and Claire Hill Designs Website: https://www.clairehilldesigns.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairehilldesigns/ USE CLAIRE’S NEW HASHTAG #SMALLSENDSHAPPY   WHOLESALE COURSE BUNDLE – http://bit.ly/wscourse-bundle   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 dealing with this pandemic and what they are doing to keep their businesses going during this challenging time.   Hearing all the different views of others will hopefully inspire you and give you confidence that you are not alone in this. One of the best things that have come out of this already is a stronger sense of community, both locally and in the business world and I hope that continues when we come out on the other side.   To kick off the season I speak with Catherine Erdly and Elizabeth Stiles about what it might look like at larger retailers at the moment and why they are all cancelling orders and enforcing force majeure terms leaving their suppliers and their factories to pick up the pieces.   They also share some insights into what might happen when things start going back to normal and restrictions on movement are lifted and what fashion trends we may see develop because of this worldwide pandemic.   As I mention in the episode, if you are struggling, please do not hesitate to reach out, I am working as normal and I am offering free 30-minute calls for those who need it, you can book these by email or DM.   If you have a story to share, please get in touch, either using the link below or via DM or email, I would love to hear from you.   Lastly, if you enjoy this podcast and the content I create, in particular right now please share where you are tuning in so others can discover the podcast too and rate and review it over on itunes/apple podcast.   Connect with Catherine Erdly Website: https://www.futureretail.world/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futureretailuk/   Connect with Elizabeth Stiles Website: https://www.elizabethstiles.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethstilesuk/   WHOLESALE COURSE BUNDLE – http://bit.ly/wscourse-bundle   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 January 2019 to finding a manufacturer, changing manufacturer, exhibiting at a tradeshow and being stocked in around 30 stores in less than 12 months, it’s truly inspiring and in this episode, we talk all about how they achieved this. -Why Hazel and Jimmy decided to start a business, how they came up with an idea and what has been instrumental in making this reality. -The biggest challenges and surprises they have come across during their first year in business. -How not knowing everything might have helped them rather than hindered them. -How it was to exhibit at a trade show for the first time, speak to stockists and buyers and what they have learned. -The importance of providing good customer service to their stockists, big and small retailers.   Connect with The Wood Life Project Website: https://www.thewoodlifeproject.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewoodlifeproject/     Links mentioned in this episode Mean Mail: https://www.meanmail.co/ And Create: https://www.and-create.com/ Friends of Jules: https://www.joules.com/friends/The%20Wood%20Life%20Project Not on the high street: https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/thewoodlifeproject Mama Brown and Co: https://mamabrown.co.uk/collections/tableware Veronica Dearly: https://veronicadearly.com/ Holly Tucker: https://holly.co/ Conversations of inspiration: https://holly.co/podcast/ Julie Deane, The Cambridge Satchel Co: https://www.cambridgesatchel.com/ Will Jones, The Black Farmer: https://www.theblackfarmer.com/ Healeys: https://healeys-printers.co.uk/ Top Drawer: https://www.topdrawer.co.uk/ Darren Harper from Tech Velocity: https://www.techvelocity.co.uk/    FREE Webinar – Get started with wholesale https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/webinar   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 brands and new suppliers -The difference between buying fashion and other items such as accessories and giftware. -How to approach a potential stockist. -The enjoyment they get from building a relationship and chatting with their customers. -What they learned over the last 3 years. -The importance of being flexible when running a brand and a business.   Connect with 1n1 Fashion n Pizza Website: https://1n1fashionnpizza.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1n1fashionnpizza/Twitter: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1n1fashionnpizza     Links mentioned in this episode PR Dispatch: https://prdispatch.com/ Future Retail: bit.ly/planyoursales Top Drawer: https://www.topdrawer.co.uk/ Scoop London: http://scoop-international.com/Home Documentary mentioned: A True Cost   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 of time. Jana runs the business together with her husband Marko and we talk all about: -Growing the business and the importance of having a range plan. -Working with Mentors and having business friends. -Attending and exhibiting at Trade Shows. -How Jana has grown their wholesale and all her top tips and much more.   Connect with The Completist Website: https://the-completist.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.completist Twitter: https://twitter.com/completistldn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lecompletiste/     Links mentioned in this episode Papersmiths: https://www.papersmiths.co.uk/ Mean Mail: https://www.meanmail.co/ Search and Rescue: https://www.searchandrescuelondon.co.uk/ Bravery and Co: https://www.braveryco.com.au/ PR Dispatch: https://prdispatch.com/ LFA: https://www.lfa.agency/ Present and Correct: https://www.presentandcorrect.com/ Goods For The Study: https://www.mcnallyjacksonstore.com/ Rare Device: https://raredevice.net/   Tickets for the PR Dispatch event: https://prdispatch.com/upcoming-industry-panels-workshops/2020/1/28/should-i-be-doing-a-trade-show Tickets for Start-up 2020: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/startup-2020-the-uks-biggest-start-up-show-of-the-new-year-tickets-66868813421   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 empower creative business owners to do more of what they love and create the slower, more meaningful lifestyle they long for. But her philosophy isn’t all about being busy and striving to get more done, it’s all about doing less and focussing on the most impactful projects and tasks. In this episode we talk all about: -How Josephine got started and how she came to realise that she wanted to help others plan and grow their businesses. -How we stay motivated -How planning can help you stay on track with your wholesale and break down all those tasks so they seem less daunting. -How we can’t let the fear of rejection win and how planning can help us move past this and stop procrastinating.   Connect with Josephine Books Website: https://www.josephinebrooks.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephinepbrooks/ Podcast: Make a Plan Make it Happen: https://www.josephinebrooks.co.uk/podcast/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/JosephinePBrooks/ Free workbook: https://www.josephinebrooks.co.uk/free-resources Nurture and Thrive https://www.josephinebrooks.co.uk/community   Links mentioned in this episode Kyleighs Papercuts: https://www.kyleighspapercuts.co.uk/ Gretchen Rubin Quiz: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   12-week group training program – FAST TRACK TO WHOLESALE https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/12-week-group-training   Apply to be a guest on season 3 of Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 practical baby products and just started producing some of their new range in the UK, something that has bee a goal for a while in the business. Keira started her business after being made redundant whilst on maternity leave and we spoke all about that and much more on our podcast. Keira also recently launched an online course for small business owners and in 2020 she will be hosting events in the Birmingham area.  - Building a business and growing it. - The importance of being persistent with your wholesale. - Third-party warehousing and how it can free up your time to work on your business vs working in your business.  - Tradeshows and what's next for Mama Designs. - Keira's newly launched online course and what's next for Mama Designs Business Club.     Connect with Mama Designs https://www.mamadesigns.co.uk/ https://www.mamadesigns.co.uk/mama-designs-business-club/ https://www.instagram.com/mamadesigns/   Links mentioned in this episode   https://www.instagram.com/velveteen_babies/   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Work with me - I am now taking bookings for 2020 Book a discovery call today: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/book-a-discovery-call   If you're interested in hearing more about my group training program and sign-up for the waitlist, just DM me https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/ or drop me an email on therese@smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk

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 business that is sustainable to Carina’s lifestyle. - Building a family business and how that happened. - Wholesaling and building relationships with your stockists. - Tradeshows and Carina’s top tips. - How there really is room for everyone and how we need to help each other as a community. - What’s next for Ponderlily and much more.   WIN a Ponderlily Planner ENTER GIVEAWAY by 9am on the 9th December by sharing where you are tuning in or your favourite Ponderlily planner and tag @weareponderlily and @small_business_collaborative.   Connect with Ponderlily https://ponderlily.com/ https://www.instagram.com/weareponderlily/ FREE Printable Library https://ponderlily.com/pages/printables   Links mentioned in this episode Penfax https://www.penfax.co.uk/ Papersmiths https://www.papersmiths.co.uk/ Lauren Aston Designs https://www.laurenastondesigns.com/ Tincture London https://tincturelondon.com/ Maddi Alexander https://www.maddialexander.com/ Hunger Project UK https://www.thehungerproject.org.uk/   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Work with me 1:1: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/one-to-one-mentoring   Apply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop  https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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”. On Monday the 18th November I packed up the car with the dog and husband and drove up to Market Harborough for our podcast recording, I would love to be able to take the time to do this all the time and we had such a lovely day out. For this podcast I have invited buyers and industry professionals from all sort of sized businesses and I continue to invite them and stay persistent but it’s not always easy as there’s often lots of red tape to get past but at Joules there was none of that and Tom said yes right away which I really appreciate and I really hope you enjoy this episode and that you go and have a look at Friends of Joules and discover some new small brands to support. In our chat Tom and I talk about: How it all started with a stand at a county fair in 1989. Tom used his close relationship with his customer to constantly innovate and develop new types revenue streams. How Tom built a truly multi-channel business that has stayed true to its values and the importance of building a team and keeping them. Friends of Joules, why and how this came about and how Tom see it develop. The challenges of building a marketplace that doesn’t get overcrowded and that stays true to Joules values. Importance of building a mailing list from the start.   Connect with Joules https://www.joules.com/ https://www.joules.com/friends-of-joules https://www.instagram.com/joules/ https://www.instagram.com/friendsofjoules/   Links mentioned in this episode   Tillyanna On Joules: https://www.joules.com/friends/Tillyanna Website: https://tillyanna.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tillyanna/   HiHo Silver On Joules: https://www.joules.com/friends/HiHo%20Silver Website: https://www.hihosilver.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hihosilveruk/   The DenKit Co On Joules: https://www.joules.com/friends/The%20Den%20Kit%20Company Website: https://www.thedenkitco.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denkitco/   The Marmite Fudge I mentioned is from: https://www.instagram.com/getfudgedonline/   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/   Work with me 1:1: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/one-to-one-mentoring   Apply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop  https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 how to build a good relationship with a retail buyer.  - How it differs to buy fashion vs. lifestyle products. - The challenges of running an independent business. - The ever-changing retail climate and how independent businesses can stand out.   Connect with Jo and Form SE15 https://www.formse15.com/ https://www.instagram.com/formse15/   Links mentioned in this episode https://www.manrepeller.com/ https://www.joinstorelondon.co.uk/ http://www.waranddrobe.co.uk/  https://www.instagram.com/waranddrobe/ https://www.folkclothing.com/ https://lfmarkey.com/   BUY JO’s CHARITY CANDLE https://www.formse15.com/lifestyle/form-se15s-nurture-candle   BOOK A POWER-HOUR https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/power-hour   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/ Work with me 1:1: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/one-to-one-mentoring Apply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 published by Kyle Books and you can win a signed copy by sharing where you are tuning in on Instagram and tagging me @small_business_collaborative. For an extra entry, write a review on iTunes and send me a screenshot. The giveaway closes Monday 11th November 2019 at 9 am. In this episode Nike, Paul and I talk about: - How they built their creative business whilst both being in full-time employment until very recently. - How they create a new scent. - How they create a unique community-focused store experience for their customers. - What they learned from writing their beautiful book, The Scented Candle Workshop. - How they select new products and brands to stock in their shops. - The challenges of scaling a business. - What’s next for Earl of East.   Connect with Earl of East https://www.earlofeast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/earlofeast/?hl=en https://twitter.com/earlofeast https://www.instagram.com/earlofeastlondon   BUY Niko and Paul’s Book https://www.earlofeast.com/collections/books-magazines/products/earl-of-east-the-scented-candle-workshop Links mentioned in this episode http://www.annabatchelor.com/ http://www.taminehdhondy.com/ https://kinto-europe.com/ https://fermliving.com/ https://www.escuyer.com/ https://www.kanalondon.com/ https://couriermedia.co/ https://www.meanmail.co/ https://teressafoglia.com/ https://www.thames-sidestudios.co.uk/ https://www.webuilt-thiscity.com/ http://parker.tokyo/ https://mapstores.co.uk/ https://uk.allpressespresso.com/ ONLINE WHOLESALE COURSE BUNDLE http://bit.ly/wholesale-bundle Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/ Work with me 1:1: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/one-to-one-mentoring Apply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 and a subscription box and travelled up and down the country sharing her knowledge and it was so great to find out more about her business journey. Leona is a supporter of indie businesses and runs a brilliant membership group for makers, creatives and small business owners and is just coming to the end of a successful Kickstarter campaign. In this episode we talk about: -Selling to shops and what it’s like to see your products in a retailer for the first time. -Why wholesale was such an important part of growing her business at that time. -The key to a successful tradeshow. -Why flexibility is key. -How creating a starter pack of her jewellery changed how her buyers bought from her. -What’s important when building a relationship with a retailer. -Stepping out of your comfort zone. -The importance of self-care and mindset when running your own business. -What’s the first thing to do if you want to start to wholesale. -Making connections and marketing.   Leona’s Kickstarter campaign is closing at 5am on the 31st October. For a chance to WIN YOUR COPY, share where you are tuning in and tag me at @small_business_collaborative on Instagram by mid-day on the 30th October. For an extra chance, write a review over on iTunes/apple podcast and send me a screenshot.   Connect with Leona https://indieroller.com https://www.instagram.com/indie_roller/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheIndieRollercoaster/ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/indieroller/the-indie-roller-annual-membership-in-2020   Links mentioned in this episode Zabby Allen https://www.instagram.com/zabbyallen/ https://zabbyallen.com/ The procrastination Paper https://www.instagram.com/theprocrastinationpaper/   ONLINE WHOLESALE COURSE BUNDLE http://bit.ly/wholesale-bundle   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/ Work with me 1:1: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/one-to-one-mentoring Apply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX

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 and small suppliers, what works for her and how to build a good relationship between a maker and buyer. - Her new business mentoring service. - How she encourages all her customers to really consider a purchase before buying something.   Connect with Firain https://www.firain.com https://www.instagram.com/firain_shop/ https://www.pinterest.co.uk/firain_shop/ https://twitter.com/FIRAIN_SHOP   Links mentioned in this episode Join https://www.joinstorelondon.co.uk/ Also on episode 7,  https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/podcast/episode/59a03c4e/lets-talk-shop-with-jen-beby-from-join Antonia from Tinker Tailor https://shop.tinkertailor.online/ Also on episode 1, https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/podcast/episode/1ae60f11/lets-talk-shop-with-antonia-sanchez-toomey-from-tinker-tailor Catherine Future Retail https://www.futureretail.world/ Different types of sales on my blog https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/post/what-is-wholesale Lily from The Super Sparrow https://www.thesupersparrow.com/ https://www.firain.com/meetthemakers#/the-super-sparrow Becca at Ivy Pip and Rose https://www.ivypipandrose.co.uk/ Josephine Brooks https://www.josephinebrooks.co.uk/ Kayte Farris Simple and Season http://www.simpleandseason.com Haeckles https://haeckels.co.uk/ The Kind store https://www.thekindstoreonline.co.uk/ Clae by Josie Smith https://claejosieswift.com/ Buy Clae it on Firain https://www.firain.com/the-shop?category=NEW%20ARRIVALS    ONLINE WHOLESALE COURSE BUNDLE http://bit.ly/wscourse-bundle   Connect with me Website: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/ Join my Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkwholesale/ Work with me: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/services Book a discovery call: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/book-a-discovery-call           Book a Power-hour: https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/power-hour Apply to be a guest on Let’s Talk Shop https://thereseoertenblad.typeform.com/to/ZPiHVX