The plan was initially for the online business to run for several years before launching a physical shop alongside the website . However , 2020 saw website traffic , demand , and the local shopping movement take off .
" It ' s really hard to articulate what the pandemic did for my business . I had optimised the website from the early days , but growth was very much organic and on a word-ofmouth basis . Suddenly during lockdown , people worldwide wanted to send gifts to their loved ones on the island , and it was my website that they were coming to . I ensured that I worked with local businesses where I could – my care packages contained Kota candles , locally made fudge and bath salts – and I waived all delivery charges during the time . The pandemic has been devastating for many businesses , but many new ventures have launched out of it . Whether it was out of necessity due to redundancy , or the pandemic shifting the mindset so that people finally took the plunge to launch the business they have dreamed about for years , it will have a lasting impact on the way we all work . I feel really optimistic for the future of small businesses in Jersey ."
And there does indeed seem to be a tipping of the balance towards local on the island . From Jersey Skin to The Trading Point in St Lawrence , small , locally founded businesses are springing up across the island and joining the army of independent and creative businesses already thriving .
" Starting a business is not an easy option , but there are so many small businesses emerging now , and it ' s from the passion for wanting to do something different or offer
" It ' s from the passion for wanting to do something different or offer a new product ."
a new product . You need that passion ! Having your own business is consuming and definitely not an easy option . If you knew the hours , the late nights , the lack of social life that it would lead to , you ' d probably not do it . It ' s one of those things that ' s almost best to go into a little blindly . When I took on the lease , I knew that I wanted to document and share the decorative process online as well – I didn ' t have the budget to pay to have the building decorated , so I spent many evenings and weekends decorating and cleaning myself . It ' s been so lovely to show my customers the process , and we all love to see the struggle and poor paint decisions that have had to be undone ! I think that documenting your business journey helps people to see how hard you work . I love accounts with behind the scenes reality as opposed to the polished finished product . Things go wrong . Mistakes happen . It ' s exhausting , and it ' s OK to be honest about things not always being easy . It all makes the business better in the long term .
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