Tell us about yourself...
I never thought that I would be selling indoor wooden climbing frames across the globe. In, 2017, while decorating our house for Christmas, I found my 17month-old son, Reuben on the first rung of a ladder. I then set about finding a safe climbing frame for him.
After a lot of searching and not finding what I was after, I decided to put my Engineering and Manufacturing qualification to good use and make my own. I shared a picture on a parenting group on Facebook, and the orders started flowing. Sawdust and Rainbows was born.
I was inspired by the Hungarian Paediatrician, Emmi Pikler who was passionate about babies developing in the way nature intended, allowing the child to learn and master skills at their own pace. Creating the Pikler inspired triangle for Reuben was a slow process. He spent some afternoons on my back in his carrier singing and eating treats! But we got there and when his frame was finished, I named it, the Wee'UN. I now have a range of frames and accessories, all made from sustainably sourced wood and safety tested to meet UKCA and CE standards.
Why did you join FSB?
To show our support for local business and keep up-to-date with the unknown, unknowns that seem to come thick and fast in the current climate.
Have you used FSB Services so far, how has it helped your business?
I've found the weekly newsletter a great source of information.
How did Covid-19 impact your business?
The lockdowns due to Covid19 were a strange time for us. With everyone stuck at home, orders started to go through the roof. March 2020 was busier than the previous Christmas, and Christmas 2020 exceeded all expectations. While we're back to some sort of normality now, our sales have surpassed Christmas 2019 and I'm super happy with our growth to date.
I think the past year has really made me take stock of what matters - people and planet. For every sale of our most popular products a tree is planted through our partnership with Just One Tree. A few months back we confirmed our commitment to paying a decent wage by joining the Living Wage Foundation and made it a requirement that our stockists do the same. We went flat pack across all our frames and accessories and are continuously adjusting throughout the production process to reduce our carbon footprint and eliminate waste. We only use FSC and PEFC wood and cardboard, and any off cuts we do have are now being used by a local community art group. We only use recycled paper packaging and use carbon neutral delivery where possible. My hope is that each little step can help make a difference to the next generation.
What is single greatest challenge for any SME at the minute?
Our material costs for some items have gone up 300%. Shipping is another area that has increased. International shipping has gone up around 30-40%, and the availability of space on ships is incredibly tight, which means our items are taking a couple of weeks longer to get to stockists. With 1% of our products remaining on the island of Ireland this is a real headache for us.
What are the opportunities and positives for SMEs at the minute and how are you embracing recovery?
The Northern Ireland Protocol provides an export opportunity for us. This gives us a slight edge over our competitors in GB.
Of FSB’s key campaign issues at the minute. Which is most important to you and your business at present and why?
We're based just outside Crossgar. While the village and residential areas benefit from fibre broadband, we've had to opt for mobile broadband - even though we're only a couple of minutes' drive away. All our systems run on the cloud and internet connectivity is really important to us.
Have you any words of advice to anyone starting a small business or running a small organisation?
Don't do it!... no, on a serious note, there are challenges, and every day is a school day. You'll find yourself becoming a jack of all trades, some you will master and some you'll need help with. I've been fortunate to be able to hire in the right people to help the business grow efficiently. Don't think you can do it all by yourself. Surround yourself with people who compliment your skills and don't be afraid to delegate and relinquish control of the small tasks.