Search and Shop or Sign up For the Latest News and Promotions!

THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL, THINK AGAIN!

May 02, 2022

THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL, THINK AGAIN!

Most of us have dreamt at some time of chucking in the job to start up our own business. And often that dream takes the form of setting up a shop as it did for me. However, it seems as though there is a shop for everything, and a lucrative niche to suit every potential shop owner. What's more, you can be your own boss and leave the job in the city to take up a shop in a country town or village. Sounds good eh? However, along with that dream comes challenges, especially in a post pandemic world. So I thought i'd share my top 10 observations, since acquiring Feather and Twigs late last year, that come with owning a small retail business.

1. Some days you will donate more products to charities in your community than you will sell in your store that day.

2. Some of the best and funniest days are spent chatting to customers and you will get to know more people than you ever thought possible.

3. Every lunch will be eaten standing up, and only one sip of a drink or a bite of a hot meal will ever be eaten hot. 

4. What customers say with their mouths is interesting, but what they say with their wallets is how they really feel.

5. It makes your day special when a customer tells you they love something they bought from you.

6. Just because someone asks for a discount, doesn't mean they won't buy if you don't give them one.

7. People think that because you are the business owner you have no boss, wrong; you have many. Your business loan is your boss, your retail business leaseholder is your boss, plus every customer who walks through your door is your boss too.

8. Never assume that local residents have been in the shop before and make sure you include them in any communications.

9. Sometimes a Wednesday might be your best day of the week; other times it will be a Saturday. In this business, there is often no consistency.

10. Multitasking and being organised is a skill worth working on; it's what can make or break you.

When you are running a retail small business like ours, the things you will learn about yourself, your customers, your online presence through social media, and your community will 100% make your life more rewarding. All in all its the best move i've ever made.

 

Catherine

 





Also in News

WE ARE GOING TO BE ON TV!
WE ARE GOING TO BE ON TV!

July 28, 2022

You may have seen the BBC 1 programme "Money for Nothing".  This daytime programme is all about sustainability.  Sarah Moore the presenter basically looks for items that are being thrown into a skip at a recycling centre and offers to upcycle the item free of charge.  Sarah uses professional specialist designers to develop something fresh and exciting and, once sold, returning any profit back to the original owner.  

Feather and Twigs was approached to see if any of the recent upcyc...

Continue Reading

ON YER BIKE
ON YER BIKE

June 12, 2022

When Vinny and I were discussing the current hike in fuel prices recently we had a lightbulb moment when we realised we had the perfect solution for local deliveries, a traditional bakers bike.  Way back in the 70's Vinny's dad was a Master Baker and deliveries often took place by bike. 

Continue Reading

INVESTING IN OUR UK MAKERS,  INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
INVESTING IN OUR UK MAKERS, INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE

May 24, 2022

We are further developing the Feather and Twigs brand as a unique source of UK sourced homeware products, crafts, art and gifts, from some of our best regional and national Artisan Makers. Today's ethically conscious consumer is interested more and more in knowing and understanding quality products and their provenance. Over the next few months I hope to document on our blog our Artisan Makers, their products and their back story along with other articles of interest.

Continue Reading