Welcome to episode 270!In this episode I'm chatting with the fascinating Mark Shayler about all things sustainability. Mark is the author of You Can't Make Money From a Dead Planet, he consults with businesses big and small to help them do better when it comes to their environmental footprint, and he is one of the co founders of Reasons to be Cheerful, a platform for spreading good cheer and hope in a world that can sometimes feel bereft of both. We discuss the environmental cost per wear of...

Hello and welcome to episode 269 of the Make it British podcast!At the time of recording this we are just a month away from the start of 2024, and that can only mean one thing - time to start planning! If that idea fills you with dread, because you are a 'wing it and see' type of person, maybe next year needs to start a little differently. In this episode I give you tips on how to stop winging it and start planning. And if you need someone to hold you accountable to making that plan, I have...

Welcome to Episode 268 of the Make it British Podcast! In this episode, I am joined by Laura Ward, founder of the luxury British tennis brand Exeat. Exeat is the UK's most exported luxury tennis apparel brand, and Laura herself is the winner of many awards, including Global Startup of the Year. She's also one of the government's UK export champions, and the brand...

Welcome to episode 267 of the Make It British Podcast!In this episode, I share my recent experiences at the All Party Parliamentary Group for ethics and sustainability in fashion at the Houses of Parliament, organised by Fashion Roundtable. You can hear the full speech that I gave on the importance of localism, transparency, and ethical practices in the fashion industry. In which I highlighted the challenges faced by UK manufacturers, the need for skilled workers, and the potential for a...

Welcome to Episode 266 of the Make it British Podcast!In this episode I discuss how and why investing in your own personal development can dramatically transform your business. I share insights from my own personal development journey and provide valuable advice on how investing in yourself can make a massive difference to your business growth. We'll explore the risks of not investing in yourself, and the importance of matching your personal development with your business goals. Plus, I'll...

Welcome to Episode 265 of the Make it British Podcast!In this episode I'm chatting with Pip Chawner, who is the founder of womenswear brand Philippa London. Pip has got some fantastic tips to share about her experiences of setting up her brand; some of the challenges she's had along the way, including a bit of a tricky experience with a manufacturer in India; and how she has had great success selling her products at pop-ups and live events. So if you've ever thought about doing a live...

Welcome to Episode 264 of the Make it British Podcast!What are the red flags to watch out for when searching for a manufacturer, particularly if you're starting your search on Google or another search engine? From misleading claims of being a UK manufacturer to refusing to sign NDAs and the importance of visiting the factory floor. In this episode I provide valuable tips on how to spot these red flags and avoid potential pitfalls. So join me as I uncover the secrets to finding a reliable...

Welcome to Episode 263 of the Make it British Podcast!Today I'm chatting to Clare Winton from Grow Wild Outdoorwear, a new brand for women in pregnancy and the early stages of motherhood. Clare had the idea to develop her maternity brand three years ago, and started, as many start-ups do, by searching Google to find a manufacturer. This led her to a frustrating two years trying to develop her collection in China. She then stumbled across Make it British, and I introduced her to factories in...

Welcome to episode 262 of the Make it British Podcast!In this episode, l explore the factors that go into setting the perfect price, from understanding your customer and competitors to considering the cost of alternatives. Join me as we unravel the secrets behind pricing strategies for product-based businesses that make in the UK. Get ready to gain invaluable insights and advice to help you nail your pricing for once and for all! HANDY LINKS 🚀 British Brand Accelerator 🕸 Make it British...

Welcome to episode 261 of the Make It British Podcast!In this episode, you get the lowdown on why I ended up taking a 6 month break from podcasting. And why I've decided to make some big changes in my business. There's also some valuable advice on knowing when it's time to make changes in your own business, and the questions you need to ask yourself before you do so. HANDY LINKS 🚀 British Brand Accelerator 🕸 Make it British Website 📺 YouTube 📸 Instagram ⭐️ Rate This Podcast Mentioned in this...

Hello and welcome to Series 6 of the Make it British podcast. After a 6 month break the Make it British Podcast is coming back! The first episode will be released on Friday 6th October 2023.I have so much to fill you in on! Thanks to everyone that has requested more podcast episodes. It wasn't until I stopped doing them that I truly realised how much everyone loved and missed them. A lot has changed at Make it British since I last recorded an episode of the podcast. And it's been so long...

In this episode I discuss some of the hidden costs of manufacturing, and offer tips on how to avoid them. Whether you're starting a new brand, or growing an existing one, there's typically five common areas where costs can spiral out of control, but the good thing is, they are all easily avoidable. Topics covered in this episode: The five hidden costs in UK manufacturing and how to avoid themHow you can minimise sample costsWhy it's easy to overspend on raw materialsHow to avoid buying too...

In this episode I'm joined by Tamara Cincik, founder of think tank Fashion Roundtable to discuss the impact of Brexit on small UK textile businesses. We delve into the challenges of supporting and promoting heritage brands, the need for trade associations to refocus their agendas, and the importance of heritage manufacturing in the textile industry. The conversation includes a discussion of the plight of Cluny Lace, the last manufacturer of Nottingham lace in England, and the negative...

We get a lot of people contacting us at Make it British asking if we can put them in touch with a sustainable or ethical factory to make their brand. So in this episode I define ways in which a factory might meet this criteria. I also talk about the launch of Primark's new circular denim collection, which has had mixed reviews in the media, with many thinking it is greenwashing and an insult to small brands that are genuinely doing the right thing. You can read some of the comments about the...

24th April 2023 marks the ten year anniversary of the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh, which killed over 1,000 workers and injured 2,500 more. To mark the occasion, I look back on this episode of the podcast with Dominique Muller from Labour Behind the Label, in which we discuss the issues around fast fashion, and what effect it has had on the Leicester textile industry. You'll learn: Who Labour Behind the Label are and how the organisation came about [02:37]Why the...

Do you know what the no.1 reason is that product businesses fail? It's not legal problems, it's not finance problems, it's not even marketing problems. In this episode, you'll find out what it is, and how to avoid it. You'll learn: Why everything starts with the customer [03:47]The reasons why getting your target customer right will help your business [06:09]How knowing your ideal customer can help to develop a good partnership with a UK manufacturer [08:01] Stay in Touch British Brand...

Download my Selling Price > Profit Calculator that goes with this episode here. Recently Bentley Motors announced their financial results for 2022, which revealed they'd had their best year ever. This is a luxury car brand, made in the UK, having a phenomenal year during a cost of living crisis. In this episode I discuss what small business can learn from Bentley's recent success, especially when it comes to price positioning. You'll learn: Why Bentley Motors had a phenomenal year in 2022...

If you love factories, then today I have a little treat for you, as we are going on a factory tour with Contrado, who are a print on demand company. Contrado are a truly impressive UK manufacturer. They not only print fabric, leather and other surfaces like glass and pottery, in their huge facility in West London, but they also stitch bags, clothing and accessories from their printed fabrics, and even make furniture as well. Listen in on my tour around the factory with Chris Childs,...

When you run a UK-made brand you need to wear a lot of different hats! In this episode we explore all of the different jobs you need to do and the skills you need to have, on top of producing fantastic products. You'll learn: Why being the chief executive officer of your business is your first title [03:08]How managing marketing content plays a vital role in running a business [05:47]Why you need to be in control of your production and why you can't rely on manufacturers to do this for you...

On today’s episode I am chatting to Maxine Wells, who is the founder of Intimate Apparel Samples, a small lingerie studio in North West London. Getting lingerie made in the UK can be challenging. Whilst the UK once had thousands of machinists making underwear for the likes of Marks & Spencers, sadly there are only now only a handful of lingerie manufacturers left in the UK. I took a trip to Brent Cross where Intimate Apparel Samples is based to ask Maxine why there aren't more lingerie...

Welcome to Series 5!After taking a couple of months hiatus to focus on writing my book, I'm back with a brand new series. I'll be answering all of your most commonly asked questions about manufacturing, marketing and selling products that are made in the UK, and have some fantastic guests lined up for this series too. In this episode you'll hear a snippet from Selling Without Social - a workshop I ran recently, which covers all of the different ways that you can market and sell your UK-made...

Hello and Welcome to Series 5 of the Make it British Podcast. The new series is coming very soon. The first episode will be released on Friday 3rd March.In the meantime, I wanted to tell you about a few things we have coming up, that if you are a listener of this podcast you will probably be really interested to hear about. Selling Without SocialAn online workshop that I will be hosting on Thursday 23rd February. Covering all of the different ways that you can market and sell your...

Having worked with hundreds of British brands over the last few years, and speaking to them about what is working for them right now, and what they see working in 2023, here are 11 ideas you can use for growing your British brand in 2023. Discover: 02:31 Why being a small business means you're in a great position right now05:12 The 11 ways that you can grow your brand in 202329:35 How joining British Brand Accelerator can help to hit your goals in the next year30:27 Why now is a good time to...

Meet Siwan Oldham, the founder of ByBiology, a business that is giving to scientific research by creating the most beautiful luxury silk scarves. Siwan talks about how her business idea came about, the reason she decided to manufacturer in the UK, and her journey so far in building the brand. Discover: 03:59 What Siwan's background is and how the idea for her business came about05:10 Why Siwan knew she always wanted to print her silk scarves in the UK07:52 The challenges Siwan faced during...

Sarah Turner is the founder of Little Beau Sheep, a brand that celebrates the best of British wool through a unique range of hand-made laundry and body care products. Flying the flag for British wool, the Yorkshire-based entrepreneur came up with the idea of eco-friendly laundry balls to help families save money on washing. In this interview we chat all about how British wool has influenced Sarah and her brand.   Discover: 04:01 Why Sarah invented her cute wool laundry balls.07:34 How's she's...