BUSINESS
Kent
SMALL BUSINESSES
JESS MARSHALL ROUNDS UP THE ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE SETTING A HIGH STANDARD FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS IN KENT .
Daisy Elephant
After becoming a stay-at-home mum in 2014 , Sarah Heward decided she wanted a hobby . So , having always had an affinity with all things crafty , Sarah picked up a sewing machine and started her sewing business making bags , cushions , and later deciding to focus more on memory quilts , as well as designing and printing t-shirts . Once all Sarah ’ s youngsters had gone off to school full time , she decided to jump into the business world head first and the Daisy Elephant Craft Den was officially born . Owning a business can be a steep learning curve so we asked Sarah what her biggest lesson has been : “ I ' ve learned to be a lot calmer about things - I ' ve always been very conscientious , but it ' s important to prioritise and not worry excessively about things you can ' t control .” After Covid hit just five months after Daisy Elephant opened for business , Elizabeth has felt herself spending the last two years unendingly adapting and changing her business plan , so now with a ( hopefully ) clear horizon ahead , this crafting extraordinaire has vowed to settle down into her original business plan - to create a buzzing hub of creative activity for the people of Ashford .
www . daisyelephant . co . uk daisyelephant
44 Charing
When Elizabeth Tweed was looking for a new house in 2009 , she had no idea where a simple viewing for her new potential home would lead her . With an empty shop included in the sale , Elizabeth started contemplating what to fill the space with , and having had a lifelong love of art and all things accessories , the decision was in fact a pretty easy one . After opening 44 Charing , Elizabeth quickly picked up that her customers were desperate for good quality clothes they could actually try on , and soon clothing for every occasion was included in the shop ' s merchandise . Now over 13 years later , 44 Charing is a thriving retail business set in the heart of Charing . Though the many lockdowns that came with the Covid pandemic put untold stress on both the business and Elizabeth , the shop has luckily come out the other side and is now flourishing in the post-pandemic environment . We asked Elizabeth what advice she has for other unsuspecting business owners and she said : “ I would say to anyone who has an ambition to open a shop to decide your budget and don ' t risk your savings and security . However , Richard Branson did exactly that so what do I know !”
www . 44-charing . co . uk
Strange Cargo
Multi-award-winning arts charity , Strange Cargo , run by artistic director Brigitte Orasinski has been bringing spectacular art installations to the people of Kent for over 27 years . Since starting life back in 1994 , Strange Cargo has pioneered the Folkestone Charivari Carnival , as well as actioning projects such as public artwork for Folkestone Triennial , and Everywhere Means Something to Someone - a people ’ s guide book to Romney Marsh . Since 2013 , Strange Cargo has also specialised in delivering light festivals to the people of Kent , bringing international artists into residential settings to create spectacular works of art . We asked Brigitte how Strange Cargo has evolved over the years and she explained that though many of the principles the business started out with remain the same , such as their mantra : Access , Participation and Excellence - the company is now less performance-based , with the light festivals and public artworks becoming a staple part of their programme . Clearly passion runs through the very veins of this business , so we asked Brigitte what she loves most about her work and she replied : “ What is most lovely is being able to touch people ’ s lives , of all ages , through the arts .’
www . strangecargo . org . uk strange cargo – art strangecargoart strangecargoart and strangecargoguidebook
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