Let’s Talk Shop

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