Why I decided to start 2 new businesses during lockdown

It seems like only last week that I was announcing the start of Planty Mandy's Gardening Gang and now here I am announcing another new business, that's 2 new businesses I've opened in the last 7 week.  You might think I'm crazy and I'd forgive you for that...

The thing is, the lockdown has given me so much time and quite simply I saw opportunities to work on myself, to sort out old problems and to seek new opportunities.  Photography isn't something I can do until I'm 80, well not in the sense of shooting weddings and portraits.  I think I'll probably stop those when I'm in my sixties but retail is a very different animal. It's the first business I've ever had which doesn't have my name in it and that's a good thing, keep it and pass it on or sell it in a couple of years, we'll see how it goes!

I've also found out that professional services are not great in the event of a global pandemic and for all we know, this could go on for months, if not years so I wanted to have businesses which are small, future proof and bring joy.

In around 2014 I established an Etsy shop called Philomena's Boutique, it sold photographic prints but it was always supposed to become a quirky gift shop and so when I was thinking about future businesses I knew, I already had the same and that's exactly what I'd call it.

Philomena's Boutique is an online gift boutique but when you visit it, I want you to picture in your mind, a tiny emporium nestled on a cobbled street leading down to a beautiful beach, when you go in the door it's an Aladdin's cave full of beautiful little gifts and not only is there 

things you want to buy for your family, you also want to take them all home for yourself, for your home and your garden.

I've chosen products which are great in the garden, gorgeous things for curious little minds and as we progress through the year, well no one does Christmas like Philomena's Boutique.

I'm trying to stock things which have a conscience, no single-use plastic or products which essentially destroy the planet.

Every time I start a business I try to have low expectations, if it works and is a roaring success then amazing but if it doesn't, it's a learning experience, to not try is to fail in my opinion.

During these dark and turbulent times, we need reminders of joy, we need things which cheer us up and other people do, we've taken to buying local, supporting indie shops and I hope that the world will embrace Philomena's Boutique in the same way.

The wholesale orders are on their way, just a few small experimental products but ones I think will be popular, we'll soon know.  Strap yourself in because the Philomena's Boutique launch party (probably virtual via zoom) is just around the corner.