Posts

Hawkins OrganicToday I have the most gorgeous set from Hawkins Organic, made up of Stable Hands Green Fig Hand Lotion and Muck Off Green Fig Hand Wash . Not only do these products smell divine, but they’re ideal for hardworking hands. So if you spend any time outside with your horse or dog, if you shoot or garden, or your hands just need a little TLC, this is the competition for you.

Why am I giving away Muck Off and Stable Hands from Hawkins Organic?

Hawkins Organic is a lovely brand, run by the same people as Annabel Brocks. I have long admired the brand’s design prowess (have you seen the packaging?!) and the names I thought were really fun too. When I met the products in person (my first encounter was with the Lemon Drizzle Shampoo and Deodoriser for dogs), I was smitten, They smelt as good as they sounded! The company’s ethos is lovely too. Natural ingredients are used in the products, but they’re also free from ‘nasties’, perfume, additives… and they’re made in Suffolk. Find out more about Hawkins Organic on the website.

Why do I like Muck Off and Stable Hands from Hawkins Organic?

When I worked outside with horses properly, the winter was a really challenging time for my poor hands. I’d go from riding out in the rain to filling haynets, cleaning tack to removing the ice from water troughs, and everything in between. My hands went from wet to cold to dry to hot over and over and over again and it was not fun at all. Now I spend more time inside, it’s not so bad, but my hands still get a fair amount of abuse, and I know many people suffer at this time of year. So getting a couple of lovely products to look after hard working hands felt like a good plan.

So, let’s start with Muck Off. This green fig hand wash is free from parabens, colours and chemicals – the lovely smell is created from the gorgeous natural ingredients used. How good is that? Stable Hands is the ‘matching’ hand lotion that can be used as and when, but is ideal for next to the sink after hands have been washed. As with Muck Off, this product is free from nasties and it’s also made using green fig. Both have a nifty pump dispenser too, so are really easy to use, even with grubby, cold hands.

Would you like to win Muck Off and Stable Hands from Hawkins Organic?

You really, really do. Trust me! I have one set to giveaway… and the competition is only running until midnight on the day this blog is published. If you read this afterwards, worry not – you can find the whole Hawkins Organic range online. However, if you’re in time, all you need to do it pop on over to my Rhea Freeman PR Facebook page, watch the video that will be pinned to the top today and enter. That’s it! Of course, I’d love it if you’d tell your friends by sharing the post.

I hope you enjoy my advent calendar competition – best of luck!

Annabelle BrittleThis week’s ‘a few minutes with…’ is all about Annabelle Brittle, part of the team behind My Horse Box, the equestrian subscription box. Here, Annabelle shares a bit more about the business with us. It’s a great read.

Tell us about you and your background.
Hi! I’m Annabelle, and I run My Horse Box with my partner Jonathan. We met at Lancaster University in 2013, where I was studying English Literature and he was studying Nuclear Engineering… they say opposites attract, don’t they? I’m a horse rider, avid reader and tea drinker! Jonathan generally prefers horsepower to horses, but I’ve managed to get him on one a couple of times, and I think he’s catching the bug.

What made you want to start a business?
I used to work in the beauty and fashion industry, and I ran my own beauty blog, so I subscribed to many subscription boxes for hair and makeup. When I started horse riding last year I suddenly wondered if there was a monthly box for equestrians and their ponies, but after a quick Google search I couldn’t find what I had in mind. So I made the mistake of telling Jonathan this – within 24 hours we’d purchased the www.myhorsebox.com domain and started contacting brands. He’s nothing if not proactive!

How is your business different?
In the equestrian market, the whole concept of subscription boxes is relatively unknown, so that’s one big difference right off the bat – we’re bringing something very new to the market. We also embrace all kinds of social media, utilising everything from Instagram Stories to Facebook Live sessions, in an attempt to engage with as varied audience an as possible.

What makes your products special?
My HorseboxI think the fact that our subscribers don’t know what’s going to be in each box until they open it makes them special – people say it’s like Christmas every month. We also have a strong luxury focus, and we like to highlight small businesses, so all the products we feature are either from premium brands or new, bespoke companies. It’s really heartening when we hear feedback from our customers telling us that they’ve discovered a new favourite brand or product thanks to our boxes.

If you had to sum up My Horse Box in five words, what would they be?
Shiny Boxes Full Of Goodies!

Do you have a motto or ethos?
Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down! Can I say that?? We’ve had a lot of challenges thrown at us since launching, the most frustrating of which being copycat companies coming out of the woodwork, who have copied our box contents, stolen writing off our website to use on their own, and tried to poach subscribers. But we just keep our heads down and keep on trucking, and we have a truly wonderful group of subscribers and friends who help keep us going.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring business owner, what would it be?
Go for it – and sort out your social media as soon as possible. We had around 5,000 social media followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram before we even made our first boxes, so when we launched we had a ready-made audience who were sharing and engaging with our content. It really helped give us that first boost when we launched.
My Horse BoxOne thing that helps you run My Horse Box more effectively
Our business mentor (also called Jonathan) from Virgin Start Up. If we ever find ourselves stuck for ideas regarding marketing, logistics, or anything else, he comes in with a fresh pair of eyes and gives us excellent feedback and food for thought.

Best thing about running a business?
Being my own boss. I have the freedom to conduct business calls in my PJs, I can finalise project details from the comfort of my sofa, and I’ve even been known to reply to emails whilst on horseback, hacking through a forest!

Worst thing about running a business?
Also being my own boss. It’s often tempting to take a lie-in on a Monday, and it’s all too easy to be distracted by the TV/fridge/garden… but I just have a stern word with myself and get back to business!

Top business blog you follow
We really like Tim Ferris’ blog. He wrote ‘The 4 Hour Workweek’ and his blog is full of useful tips about how to maximise your productivity whilst leaving you with plenty of time to actually enjoy your life. He totally rejects the ‘9-5’, hard-slog style of work that many of us are used to, and offers a very fresh perspective on how to achieve a better balance.

Top business book you’ve read
‘Oversubscribed’ by Daniel Priestley, because it really changed the way we looked at marketing our business. It essentially guides you to consider how you could make the demand for your product higher than your capacity to supply, ergo making yourself ‘oversubscribed’. If people perceive an air of exclusivity and ‘club-ness’ about your brand (think Apple, Chanel, Aston Martin), they will form an orderly queue. It works!

One thing we might not know about you
My Horse Box isn’t the first business we’ve run. During my first year of uni, Jonathan and I used to make and sell yoga hair ties out of our student flat (you know, the ones made of soft, flat elastic ribbon that people went crazy for circa 2014). We did it for 6 months and made ourselves about £400, so you could say that sowed the entrepreneurial seed for My Horse Box!

Top business achievement
When showjumper Anna Power wore our branded saddle pad whilst competing at Olympia last year. I felt my heart nearly explode with pride when I saw the pictures.

Where can people follow you or your business online 

Our website it at www.myhorsebox.com

Facebook: @myhorseboxuk
Twitter: @myhorseboxuk
Instagram: @myhorseboxuk

Julia Andrews is Managing Director Kate Negus Saddlery. Kate Negus Saddlery specialises in bespoke British bridlework for horses participating in all sports, and has customers from grassroots through to professionals. The bespoke concept is particularly clever as very few horses fit the standard sizes, and Kate Negus Saddlerythis means that most people have to buy extra pieces to make the bridle fit. This means that in order to
get a ‘cheap’ bridle to fit, some people can spend more than a good quality British bridle that will last a very long time when cared for correctly. What’s more, Kate Negus offers every individual part, even down to a keeper, separately, so if your horse breaks something or a part gets lost, it can be replaced at minimal cost. I’m very proud to have worked with Kate Negus Saddlery for a number of years and seen many of the company’s innovative products go from design to sale.

Tell us about you and your background

I have been in retail all my working life. I started stacking shelves at the Co-op aged 14 1/2. Then I did an A Level training scheme at a department store, then 15 years at M&S as a selector then visual merchandising manager.

What made you want to start a business? 

Bought a bridle from Kate Negus and then I bought the business!

How is your business different?

The way we sell bridles is different to the vast majority as they are bespoke and off the shelf bridles so we can correctly fit any horse while the customer waits! We do this by having all components available at time of purchase, so with the measurements (or, at shows, the horse’s current bridle), we can put together a bespoke combination to get the perfect it. Our service is also pretty different and something that gets commented on a lot. We go above and beyond to ensure the customer gets the perfect fit for their horse and will talk people through every stage if that’s what they want. We want them to be delighted with their new purchase and then some!

What makes your products special?

The way we sell them, the service we offer and that they’re made in the UK. We’re also able to create complete one off products if needed with short lead times. We have some pretty innovative productsJulia Andrews- Kate Negus Saddlery too, like the Elastic Grackle, Five Point Breastplate and Beetle Grackle.

If you had to sum up your business in three words, what would they be?

Quality, value, service!

Do you have a motto or ethos?

Quality, value, service!

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring business owner, what would it be?

Remind them that we are here for our customers. Without them we would not have a business!!

One thing that helps you run your business more effectively 

Rhea Freeman!! (Thank you!)

Best thing about running a business?

The harder I work the more I get out of it

Worst thing about running a business?

As a one man band it would be hard to maintain my service. Thank goodness for Hayley!

One thing we might not know about you

I have an A Level in needlework!!

Where can people follow you or your business online 

Website

Twitter

Facebook