Almost 5 years ago, I saw a post on the Holy Cow! Kids Facebook page ‘Business for Sale’. I felt instantly excited and knew I had to find out more.
I had my day job and had never run my own business, and to be honest, until this happened it wasn’t something I’d ever thought about. After messages, and chats over coffee with the owner Catherine, I decided to go for it. In November 2016, I remember the evening well, I was at my Mum and Dad’s house, waiting to hear if I would be the new owner of Holy Cow! Kids. I got the news I had been dreaming of and from January 2017, Holy Cow! Kids would be mine!
Suddenly I had become the owner of a mini toy shop, toy buyer, advertising department, accountant, social media person, admin assistant, fair attendant, and everything else that comes with running a small business.
Not going to lie, I have learnt so much over these 5 years, and looking back, maybe there are things I would change. Equally, I am so proud of where I am now.
What have I learnt? Thoughts from the last 5 years……..
Most evenings are spent with a distracted brain thinking about Holy Cow! Kids, what toys should I get? what should I post on social media? have I replied to all messages? Pretty sure I’m not the only small business owner who would say this.
Some toy brands I have had from day one and carried on from Catherine. Holy Cow! Kids wouldn’t be the same without the colourful lunch bags and Bigjigs toys. Over the years I have enjoyed adding some more great brands that I really love. These include recycled plastic toys from Green Toys, rubber toys from Tikiri, gorgeous wooden toys from Jumini and of course those adorable TY’s with those irresistible big eyes. I also love the fact that I have found so many amazing goods from other independent businesses out there including Button & Squirt, Priya & Peanut, Me & Ro and Little Wise Toys.
I have learnt that I totally love doing fairs. It’s so lovely to meet my customers in person. With so much now being done online or through social media, it’s always great to meet you. It is also lovely when I go to family days and school fairs, the children coming over, chatting away to me, they are very polite and cute! I can see their brains whirling away deciding which toy to pick. Or more recently the lucky dip has been a huge hit, something I remember being fond of as a child. It’s so cute when they ask me, can I open this now? When I say yes, their faces light up.
I love that I now offer both my physical shop and online shopping. We are all different in so many ways including how we like to shop. I love my Lifestyle Emporium friends, and what a great shop it is to look around and find hidden treasure. I’m so pleased to be part of a wonderful place that supports so many independent businesses like mine. It was also a big step for me to go online too. I was finally kicked up the bum to sort this out during one of the Covid lockdowns so maybe it wasn’t all bad!
5 years on I have learnt that running a small business is bloody hard work, but I love it and would be lost without it.
Thank you to each and every one of you who has supported me, by shopping with me, sharing social media posts, coming to fairs to say hi, it’s because of you Holy Cow! Kids is still here. You are all fab and thanks so much.
Here’s to the next 5 years!
Charlotte xx
0 Comments for “5 years on…..”