Risky Business!

Anyone who knows me would not describe me as a risk-taker. I don’t even like crossing the road without confirmation from the green man that it’s safe to do so, but this year I took what has felt like the biggest leap of my life. 

Doubling the size of the shop this summer, was a really hard decision to make. It was a very sudden opportunity, I had to make a quick decision. Businesses were closing around us, the economic outlook for physical retail has felt so bleak for so long. But even at times of huge doubt and deliberation, before I committed absolutely, I knew deep down I was going to do it. 

The one thing I have learnt through growing this business (at a snails pace mind you) is that you don’t get anywhere without taking a risk. The business had been growing year on year, we felt so squeezed in the layout of the single shop and it was unlikely I would get the opportunity again. I was also confident the team had the skills to enable us to step up which they did - with so much gusto, and I need to work for a while yet so there was only one sensible decision. 

I sought the advice of lots of clever people; friends who run their own businesses,  Helen Marshall from Chichester Bid and, fellow retailer, the hugely generous Emily Davies of the amazing Berylune who all helped me believe it was possible. So we leapt!

The summer was exhausting and exciting in equal measure. Seeing the shop transform at the hands of our marvellous team and so many lovely people who pitched in was beyond amazing. And when we opened, the reactions just blew us away. 

I had under-estimated though! Both the impact of doubling shop front - people who before walked past, now came in. And also the experience the flow of the new shop created - walking through different spaces in a loop. The sense of discovery and the different identities we were able to create in each space had far more impact than I had expected. So though at times it felt like we were riding a runaway horse, the relief that the layout worked was HUGE, I spent a week just exhaling!

But alongside the hugely positive feedback, customers also said ‘wow, you’re brave’. This always stopped me in my tracks as it just highlighted the risk that to be honest I have tried not to focus on. Like walking a big hill - we have been focussing on the next steps rather than the summit. Even now after a truly amazing Christmas the risk is still there, it’s never going to go away, there are always so many things that can go wrong  running your own business. 

But I learnt from a very lovely pal called Alys, that instead of thinking ‘what if it doesn’t work?’, to instead ask yourself ‘what if it does?’. 

To everyone who supported the business during this amazing year: family, team, friends, suppliers, John our landlord and most importantly our customers. Thank you for everything, it's such a privilege to be here doing what we do….just now it seems to be working and will keep doing everything we can to keep it that way! xx