In this episode, we hear from Kenyan-born, Bristol-based Audrey Migot-Adholla who founded jewellery brand Yala Jewellery in 2017. Named after the village in Kenya where her grandmother lived, the brand focuses on creating as little impact on the planet as possible. 

I wanted to speak to Audrey about why the mission behind her brand is so important to her plus ask for advice on what new founders should consider when planning to do the right thing by the planet when starting a company with a view to becoming B Corporation Certified in the future.

Audrey's advice:

• Think hard before turning a hobby into a business - it’s a big step
• Don’t underestimate how hard it is; expect to take some time before showing a profit
• Research your industry thoroughly; you will need to find the sweet spot between being true to your vision and producing a product people will want to buy
• When you set up, go to B Corp for guidance on sustainability in every area of your business; you will have to keep records and it will be exacting but they will help you.  Better to start by trying to match their high standards than try to retrofit your company’s systems later.  
• With B Corp, you will have to recertify every three years
• Also helpful with ideas on sustainability are Oxfam, the Ethical Trading Initiative and Progress out of Poverty
• If you are employing artisans to make your product, trust them to quote a fair price and be prepared to pay deposits in advance to help them source materials
• Get to know them as individuals, foster trust
• Invest in an accountant at the start, even if you think you can’t afford one
• Later, when you can afford to, start to delegate because you can’t do everything yourself

You can reach Audrey via [email protected] 

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.
LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
For contracts check out Law Depot.

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2021 founder of PR for startups advisory Fallow, Field & Mason. Edited by Renale Mathurin. MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

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