BUSINESS
Kent
SMALL BUSINESSES
INSTEAD OF MAKING DO , THESE STARTUPS MAKE IT HAPPEN – LITERALLY . JESS MARSHALL PROFILES THREE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH TRUE ARTISTIC FLAIR
Dam Hog & Co
Paediatric nurse and mother of four Le-Anne Laing created children ' s clothing brand Dam Hog & Co two years ago after losing her best friend . Wanting to honour her memory , Le-Anne started creating whimsical , nature-inspired clothes for her boys and the daughter of her friend , and after discovering that others were clamouring to get their hands on her adorable clothing options , she named her business in tribute to her . Dam Hog & Co ’ s ethos of loving the natural world is evident in each product , which is made from organic , eco-friendly fabrics and are designed and handmade by Le-Anne . Always one to look on the bright side , Le-Anne readily turned the Coronavirus pandemic into an opportunity to grow her product line and engage more personally with her customers . Now life is returning to normal Le-Anne has wasted no time in growing her business , securing a coveted spot in the new Canterbury Makers shop , with plans to continue expanding to sell wholesale at select children ' s boutiques . Find Dam Hog & Co ’ s delightful children ' s clothing at Canterbury Makers in the Marlowe Arcade .
www . damhogandco . co . uk damhogandco
Tia ’ s Plant Pots
Fun , colourful and unique are just a few words that can be used to describe Whitstable-based plant pot painting business ; Tia ’ s Plant Pots . After an unexpected Wi-Fi outage in August last year forced founder Tia Jones and her sisters to get creative , the idea to give boring terracotta plant pots the ultimate glow-up was formed , and she hasn ’ t looked back since . Starting a business in the year of Covid- 19 was a risky decision , but luckily small business owner Tia has had nothing but positive things to say . ‘ Where people are at home more , they have been more interested in decor so have sought out small businesses like myself .’ Tia also revealed she has big plans for the future , including starting her very own ‘ Paint Your Own Pot ’ workshop and the possible release of new products , including vases and gratitude journals . If you are looking to build a creative side hustle and are on the hunt for some tips , Tia shared her advice ; ‘ Focus on your values ; everything I do with Tia ’ s Plant Pots is wrapped around my values .’
tiasplantpots . etsy . com tiasplantpots
Bearberg Bears
After a twenty year career working in Kentish schools , Trudi Dearberg decided it was time for a change . With a lifetime of sewing skills behind her , a passion for all things crafty , and an ingenious suggestion from her son , the idea for Bearberg Bears was sparked . Starting out making bears from baby grows , she quickly added more handmade , uniquely themed bears as she went , perhaps the most special of which are the loved one ’ s memory bears . Each memory bear is made using the clothes of lost loved ones , and are hand embroidered by Trudi herself . ‘ I always feel it is a privilege that people trust me with the clothes of someone that was very close to them , and then to make them into a bear that will create a lasting memory of that person ; it makes me feel very humble .’ Having been up and running for a whole year now , Trudi is loving being a small business owner more than ever , she advises anyone looking to follow in her footsteps to not be afraid to ask for help and to keep supportive family members close at all times .
www . bearbergbears . co . uk Bearberg bearbergbears
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