What does your firm do?
We sell a range of quality gifts and homewares through stores in Stourport and Bewdley in Worcestershire, as well as online.
What has been your greatest achievement so far?
Our greatest achievement has been opening our second store within 12 months of our first. We've also recently purchased the freehold to new premises on the high street, which we are due to move one of our stores into in spring 2018 quadrupling our retail space. This was driven by customer demand.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge has been securing a commercial mortgage. Our bank simply didn't want to help or support us the terms offered weren't fair for a small business. Luckily, we found Natwest through a broker and secured a mortgage with excellent terms that support our business growth.
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What are your plans for hitting your targets this year?
We are trading up year-on-year in both our stores, which is excellent. We achieve this by being first to market with quality items that are unique, quirky and not available in chainstores. We always plan ahead and go that bit further when sourcing new products to ensure we are the only people selling them locally. Merchandising is key, so we always ensure our windows are attractive and different to try and get people through our doors.
What's the one piece of advice you would give fellow entrepreneurs?
Never take "no" for an answer if you are passionate about what you do, just go and do it.
