She Can. She Did.

If you've been following She can. She did. for a while now, you'll know how much I love my gin! It only seemed right that I speak to the Founder of a gin brand in this series therefore, given that so many distilleries have pivoted away from making the drink in recent weeks and have turned their attention to making hand sanitiser instead... A product which, let's face it, ingredients aside for a sec, couldn't be more opposite to gin!   With that in mind, over my first coffee of the day yesterday morning, I hopped on to Zoom to chat to the wonderful Emily Robertson, Co-Founder of Roundwood Gin (SUCH good gin if you haven't tried it by the way!) to find out what that pivot has involved in reality for her behind the scenes. Given that product development for new products would typically take months and Emily is and always has been a planner at heart, this is how Emily has adapted to the sudden change and need for speed in recent weeks and where her priorities for the distillery lie going forwa

Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of chatting to Deepali Nangia - an angel investor and investment advisor whose work I have been following for a while now because her focus lies primarily on investing in and supporting female founders...Having invested in the likes of PensionBee, Live Better With and Adia Health in recent years, Deepali sits on numerous investment boards and committees and more recently, was selected to invest on behalf of Atomico's Angel Program this year - the programme set up by the European VC fund in 2018 that gives 15 angel investors across Europe $100,000 each to invest in early-stage startups.With that in mind, given that Covid-19 has disrupted so many businesses to date and created so much uncertainty for founders looking to raise investment - myself included - I wanted to chat to Deepali to find out what impact the virus has had on her plans for investing in the coming months and what advice she has for those of us who had been gearing up to raise funds...The S

Having caught up with Amanda on Zoom on Monday, I think I can safely say that when news of the coronavirus started gaining momentum here in the UK, it threw quite a spanner into the day-to-day runnings of her business and the I Can Make Shoes revenue stream came to an abrupt halt. Given that students had flown in from the likes of Hong Kong and Chile for one of her sold out shoemaking workshops in London when the news broke and she was due to launch further workshops in New York this July too, the Founder of the shoemaking school was forced to postpone every class and in the space of few weeks, has shifted to an entirely different business model.From staying more connected with her team remotely than ever before, launching the I Can Make Shoes online shoemaking course that had been in the pipeline for months, and managing to juggle a schedule that has definitely not slowed down in recent weeks, this is how the past six weeks have played out for Amanda and how she's responded to the Covid-19 storm... 

When I went to visit Eloise in January for the regular podcast interviews, the Co-Founder of The Big Bakes (aka. the popular Great British Bake Off-style pop-up experiences for friends and families) had just launched The Big Bakes in Birmingham after the ongoing success of the The Big London Bake; had grown her team to 25; and was gearing up to launch more Big Bakes throughout 2020 in more of the UK's largest cities...Given that The Big Bakes rely on public bookings to make money though, when news of Covid-19's severity started to gain momentum and the nation started mentally preparing for lockdown, The Big Bakes team were inundated with enquiries from members of the public about their bookings and Eloise and her Co-Founder Adam were forced to close both tents. With that in mind, I caught up with Eloise on Friday afternoon via Zoom to find out what she has prioritised over the past couple of months to ensure that The Big Bakes survives... From growing their social presence with recipes, interactive bake

Earlier this year, I met the lovely lady that is Natalie Raven in a random meeting room somewhere in London (sounds very ominous, I know!) to record one of the usual hour-long interviews for this podcast.When the UK went into lockdown however and I launched this bonus series in response to that, said regular interviews went on pause for a bit (because posting hour long episodes each day would drive me a little loopy!) so I reached out to Natalie to see if she fancied chatting to me on one of these bonus episodes in the meantime!Given that Parcel - the London-based gifting brand that Natalie launched in 2017 - was born from the simple notion that it's nice to be nice, it's safe to say that as the UK went into lockdown and the nation scrambled to find ways to show loved ones that we're thinking of them, even if we're not there, Natalie has been busier than ever before... Yesterday afternoon therefore, the two of us caught up via trusty old Zoom so that I could find out what the realities of that increased

I've had a number of messages since the UK went into lockdown from make-up artists, salon owners and hair stylists alike who have found themselves out of work and unsure of their next steps when they have no access to clients in person in recent weeks; and today's guest, having earned the majority of her income through wedding make-up prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, is a business owner who can wholeheartedly relate.The lady in question being Sasha Louise Pallari - a make-up artist, curve model and the Founder of the BEST YOU movement that is gaining well-deserved momentum since its launch in 2017, by encouraging women to feel beautiful and confident with and without make-up on.Over my first coffee of the day yesterday morning therefore, I had a Zoom call with Sasha to find out what impact the coronavirus has had, not just on her work but her mindset towards both her make-up career and BEST YOU in recent weeks and where her priorities lie for both going forward... The She can. She did. podcast i

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of starting my day chatting to one of the most joyful women I know! The lady in question being Heidi May, the ray of sunshine behind the ethical business that is Aesthetic Laundry - the casual women's clothing brand that is best known for its rainbow tassled jumpers that are loved by the likes of Stacey Solomon and Nadiya Hussein along with a whole host of loyal customers that she has amassed since launching the brand in 2014. Given that the whole nation is on lockdown with nowhere but the fridge to go at the moment however (!) and Heidi was due to launch the Aesthetic Laundry spring/summer collection of dresses any day now, I caught up with Heidi over Zoom (and coffees) to find out how the coronavirus has impacted her and her team so far...With one of her full-time employees stuck in Australia because of the travel restrictions; suppliers closing shop whilst the demand for jogging bottoms and sweats to work from home in soared; and mounting pressure from some of tho

If you're a regular listener, you'll recognise the wonderful woman that is Rachel Burgess from series one of the She can. She did. podcast! As the Founder of the Rachel Burgess Bridal Boutique in Penarth, Wales, Rachel is the Queen of championing Welsh designers and allowing brides from all over the UK to do bridal their way.(As it happens, she's actually just married her long-term partner Jon after the two threw a surprise wedding for friends and family in what said friend and family believed was a party to celebrate the fact that the two had been together for fifteen years! A story, which the hopeless romantic in me can't get enough of!)Anyway, when I caught up with Rachel on Friday afternoon via Zoom last week, it was the fourth Friday in a row that she was preparing for a weekend away from the boutique for the first time since launching her business eight years ago... With the boutique closed until further notice and her brides that were due to wed in the coming weeks forced to postpone, I

On Friday afternoon last week, I got to chat to the powerhouse that is Lydia Millen, aka. one of the UK's leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle creators who has amassed an audience of over 1.5 million followers since launching her blog nine years ago.Working on a regular basis with brands like Armani, L'Oreal, By Terry, GHD and Givenchy to name but a few, having grown her audience organically and got to understand their motives inside out because of that, when Lydia finds a product that her audience will love, said product sells out within minutes...For that reason, given that in times of crisis, many turn to their favourite influencers for escapism; others turn to them for answers and reassurance; and then there's the pesky little trolls that pipe up and cease the opportunity to be more vicious and condemning than ever before; I wanted to find out how the coronavirus outbreak has impacted Lydia's day-to-day runnings of the business, the partnership deals that she has with brands and her longer-term

To round off week four of this bonus series, I spoke to my good friend and one of the most creative women I know, Natalia Talkowska - the Founder of the London-based creative design agency focused on visual storytelling that is Natalka Design and Doodleledo - the interactive experiences that take place all over the world, for anyone that thinks they can't draw.With a client list that includes YouTube, Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Twitter, Sony, Samsung and Disney... (this list goes on...!) prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Nat's days would be spent travelling to conferences and events all over the world with her team in order to turn key messages from presentations and speeches into visual drawings that could be digested quickly.As the Natalka Design slogan says, she 'draw(s) peoples attention for you!'Given that events all over the world have come to a standstill though, this is how the past few weeks have played out for Nat and how she's adapted both business models to ensure that both companies stay

Today's episode features the story of a lady that I've had the pleasure of getting to know at a good few of The Midweek Mingles now (plus a fair few coffee catch ups since launching She can. She did. too), who has in recent weeks, since the UK went into lockdown, launched a now sold-out course for anyone looking to launch the fashion brand that they've been dreaming about but never felt like they had the time.The lady in question, of course, being Elizabeth Stiles - the Bedfordshire-based, fashion brand consultant with over 12 years experience in fashion buying and design management who helps purpose-driven designers and fashion brands become financially sustainable fashion businesses.From how she responded quickly to the lockdown and launched the course in a timely manner given that her target audience were sat at home with new-found time on their hands; how she approached selling and marketing sensitively during this time (given that there's so much conflicting noise about what's "right" and "wrong" be

Having worked at a deli during every holiday as a student, I have a whole lot of respect for anyone that decides to launch a cafe and even more respect for anyone that decides to launch two (and make both work simultaneously, that is!). It can't come as a surprise therefore, that as the Founder of Wild Thing - the popular plant-based cafes in Cardiff with social goals - Lauren Saunders is a bit of a legend in my eyes!Having first met and heard her story when she spoke at the launch of the Cardiff Midweek Mingles last October, when I heard that cafes were being forced to close in light of recent events, Lauren, along with a handful of other amazing cafe owners I know, immediately came to mind. Given that she'd taken out a Start-Up Business loan to launch both cafes, has overheads in the form of rent and a team of twelve to look after too, I wanted to find out what impact the imposed-closure of cafes like hers has had on her plans for Wild Thing to date and how she's adapted her business model and adjusted to t

I first met today's duo back in 2017 when I launched She can. She did. and can safely say that not only has their story and charm stayed with me but I have fangirled over their stunning creations ever since.As the Co-Founders of the London flower studio that is WORM - a four-year-old brand with a portfolio filled to the brim with collaborations with the likes of Burberry, Erdem and Matches Fashion; styled shoots for the likes of Harpers Bazzaar and Elle and a whole host of wedding installations that I could spend hours swooning over - it can't come as a surprise that Katie and Terri's revenue model relies heavily on event styling, weddings and styled shoots.Given that the current pandemic has put a stop to all of the above and I've seen a number of florists and floral designers facing similar challenges in recent weeks, I caught up with both Katie and Terri via Zoom last Thursday afternoon, to find out how the past few weeks have played out for them both behind the scenes...The S

If you came along to the London Midweek Jingle in December, you'll remember that Sarah Richards's goal for 2020 was to move to Jordan and encourage more Arabic women to dive. As the Founder of the world's largest female dive community that is Girls That Scuba along with the plastic-free shop that is A Waste Free World, Sarah and her boyfriend packed up their belongings, moved out of their home and made the move in early March; a decision which she hoped would allow her to finally launch her mission whilst continuing to manage her two businesses and team remotely.A week into her new life out there however, Jordan went into what has been quoted as "the most extreme lockdown in the world"...With travel put on pause worldwide and a business that relies heavily on sponsorship and affiliate sales from travel bookings within her community, Girls That Scuba's revenue fell by 80% and overnight, Sarah's plans for the next few months went into disarray.This is the extraordinary journey that Sarah's been on sin

If the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on businesses in recent weeks has reinforced anything for me, it's that resilience and grit are key if you're going to survive in business and over the past few weeks, even though I already knew she possessed those qualities in abundance, Rosie has proved herself to be one of the strongest women I know... As the Founder of two PR-based businesses, LFA and PR Dispatch (I'll leave Rosie to explain the difference between the two on this recording), in the space of just three days last month, Rosie lost 80% of her clients at LFA (at the time of this recording on Monday, that stat sits at 90%) and in her own words, within days had no choice but to adopt 'business survival mode'. Having become a Mum for the first time seven weeks ago too - a period that alone is often cited as one of the most overwhelming chapters in mothers' lives - and responsible for two teams on top of that too, this is how the past few weeks have played out for Rosie and what 'business survival m

I've had a few messages since this series started from those of you who physically aren't able to access your business at present. Be it that you own a salon or a restaurant or a spa that's been forced to close, sometimes it really isn't as simple as, 'just focus on your digital offering' when your company's existence relies solely on engaging with the public face-to-face.With that in mind, given that I've watched in awe on social media at how today's guest has handled the past few weeks, I spoke to a Founder who can wholeheartedly relate. As the Co-Founder of Cake Drop - the company that delivers the yummiest cakes from London's best independent bakeries direct to London offices in zone 1 and 2 - Anna Ward has had to have some seriously tough conversations in recent weeks given that her business up until early March, thrived on office culture.With no choice but to re-evaluate Cake Drop's entire business model since the UK went into lockdown, this is an insight into how the past few weeks have played out for

For someone with a schedule as jam-packed as Sophie's is (spend two minutes scrolling through her Instagram feed and you'll see what I mean), Sophie is and always has been so generous with her time and advice - something that makes the wave of success that she's riding at present, all the more well-deserved in my opinion. So I don't know why I was surprised when I received a DM on the back of announcing this new series last fortnight, saying, in true Sophie style, "babes, I'll do one!"Having landed in Australia two days before the UK went into lockdown, over the past fortnight Sophie has battled with various challenges that have emerged for the Sophie Tea brand in the wake of the world's response to the coronavirus outbreak. Yet in the midst of that, as she goes on to say, in many ways the pandemic has forced her to reassess her business model and has given her permission to focus solely on being the creative that she is. Having caught the attention of the prestigious Saatchi Gallery and Sotherby's in re

Earlier this week, I got to catch up with the powerhouse that is Grace Beverley who at 22 is not just the Founder of one business but the Founder and Director of three companies that have, over the course of the past twelve months, each found a successful niche in the heavily saturated industry that is health and fitness.Having first met Grace in December 2018, when she spoke on the panel at the first ever She can. She did. - Midweek Jingle in London, I've watched in awe as her personal brand exploded last year and her three companies have taken the fitness industry by storm.From Tala - the sustainable and ethical sportswear brand made from recycled plastic bottles and factory offcuts; Shreddy - the app that provides its users with home workouts, classes and recipes to keep us all fit no matter where in the world we find ourselves to be; to B_ND - the premium gym equipment brand that compliments said home workouts - it's unsurprising that the past few weeks have seen sales soar across all three companies

With so many brands experiencing understandable drops in wholesale orders at present as well as (again understandable) disruption when dealing with delivery companies in recent weeks, I wanted to find out what impact the coronavirus has had on the duo behind one of my favourite snack brands, who I know from previous conversations with the pair, rely heavily on both. On Monday afternoon therefore, I had a Zoom call with the award-winning sisters that are Gracie and Sophie Tyrrell, Co-Founders of the 100% natural, gluten-free and plant-based snack range that is Squirrel Sisters... aka. some of the tastiest snacks on the market at the moment in my opinion made all the more special by the fact that the brand has been self-funded from day one. From how they've adapted and are continuing to find new ways to encourage sales elsewhere; their thoughts on comparison culture with so many brands offering worthwhile initiatives left, right and centre at present; and why clear communication has been key when deal

If any of you have popped to the shops in recent weeks, I have no doubt that if you're supermarkets are anything like mine (!) you would have struggled to get your hands on those all-important cleaning products that pre-corona were simply part and parcel of your bog standard shop.In the past three weeks however, as the nation approached lockdown and stockpiling went into overdrive, I think it's fair to say that they've become something of luxury items with everything from soap to antibac in unprecedented demand.As the Founder of Nuddy - aka. the vegan, plastic free and cruelty free soap brand that aims to make bars of soap cool once again - Kassi Emadi has (unsurprisingly) had a pretty manic few weeks.Whilst Nuddy's wholesale trade - which up until recently has been its primary focus - has dropped off the radar in recent weeks, this is the uplifting story of how Kassi has pivoted her focus in recent days and the reality of what a 700% increase in direct to consumer sales has meant for her, her business and he