The Key To Success | Start-ups

I am a professional writer and editor with a passion for creative writing. With a marketing background, I love playing with language to deliver powerful messages and tell brands’ stories in an engaging way. I am a keen advocate for children’s reading and nurturing a love of books from an early age. Follow me on Twitter @MelBrannlund or email me at [email protected]

The Key To Success For Covid-19 Lockdown Start-ups ​

The last year has been challenging for many businesses, especially the retail and hospitality sectors. But for some people it has been the catalyst for realising their dreams and taking the leap to launch their own businesses.
According to the office for National Statistics, 2020 saw a record number of new businesses being created compared to the previous year.
The pandemic gave people who were made redundant or furloughed the chance to consider their options – some were forced to get creative and start businesses as a necessity to pay the bills, whilst others were able to have the time and space to turn their pipedreams into a reality.
In particular, food and handmade craft products were popular business choices started during lockdowns. People began turning their hobbies, passions and side-hustles into tangible sources of income.
There was a real sense of community spirit emerging during the pandemic, with many people wanting to buy locally and support small or new businesses in their area who had been badly affected by the enforced stay at home orders.
Here’s a few examples of start-ups who thrived during the 2020 lockdowns:

Soul Purpose
Mum turned entrepreneur, Suzanne Pattinson, had already been juggling working from home as a freelance PR consultant with looking after two toddlers before the pandemic hit. When her work began to dry up during lockdown, she began to rethink her options.
Having attended a silversmithing course a few years earlier, Suzanne launched her own jewellery business, Soul Purpose, whilst tackling childcare and the ongoing pressures of managing her own business from home with kids.

Tasty Mates
Friends Joe Woolf and Nick Sunshine, based in Hertfordshire, launched their vegan sweets business at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Far from deterring them with their business, the lockdowns gave them the opportunity and time to properly plan everything without rushing.
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Gallagher’s Deli
The newly-wed couple behind Gallagher’s Deli had just lost their hospitality jobs at the start of the lockdown in 2020. Just hours after the government issued the stay at home order, the couple had launched their home-cooked food delivery business in Staffordshire, which has gone on to be a raging success.

Ash & Plumb
Barnaby Ash and Dru Plumb founded their wood workshop in 2020. Born from a passion for handcrafted designs, and their experience fitting some custom shelving in a kitchen, they progressed to setting up their own workshop in their garage and fitted a woodworking lathe.
Focusing on luxury woodcraft products, they create elegant, handcrafted designs for people’s home interiors.

Julia Kirby-Smith outside Crouch End's Fridge of Plenty - Credit: Julia Kirby-Smith

Fridge of Plenty
Julia Kirby-Smith was a broadcast journalist who was made redundant during the pandemic. She took the opportunity to make a drastic career change, setting up an ‘urban farm shop’ – a sustainable grocery business in North London which was able to make home deliveries to people during lockdowns.

In uncertain times, adaptability is the key to success
Statistics show that 20% of new businesses fail in their first year, and approximately 60% will fold within their first three years. 
There are many hurdles to overcome as a new business which, combined with the uncertainties and restrictions of the global pandemic, has added an additional risk factor for start-ups.
However, where some larger, more established businesses struggled to adapt during the Covid-19 lockdowns, many smaller start-ups used this to their advantage by being more flexible and quicker to find solutions to navigate this new retail landscape.
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Look out for Melissa's latest articles on Anita Frost's author website, where she'll talk about topics including business and publishing, author news and events, and giving back to communities. You can find her in-depth monthly feature on the News & Media page of the Green Bean Collection website, discussing children's books and reading, early years education, living a greener lifestyle and all things Green Bean!