This Monday, 4th July, is Independent’s Day. No, that is not a misprint. Shoppers are being encouraged by the British Independent Retailers Association to buy at least one item from a local retailer and celebrate diversity on the high street. A laudable aim and one that I hope the public will take note of...
Orchard Growth
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The Devil’s Deal
Brilliant, aggressive, flawed are words which only begin to describe the hero and the villain of Richard Lambert’s first brilliant novel. Weaving his extensive business experience into the story you are led through the exciting world of small company finance in a masterful way.
Calm Down Dave
In 2010 David Cameron lost an election which, according to the author, "he should have won hands down"
In 'Calm Down Dave' Tony Drury provides overwhelming evidence for his reservations about the Cameron led 'liberal lurch' of the Conservative Party.
Retailing
Laying e-foundations
Having returned from being abroad for more than a month a half, I have the feeling very little back here in London has happened since mid July. Boris’ bikes are safely installed and I’ve spotted the odd Barclay’s bike out and about. But what has happened on the retail front? Retailers appear to still...
The art of selling
Getting there, to be an exhibitor at a trade fair, was one thing and with a little help from my friends at UKFT Exports (see the previous blog) I had secured the financing to attend. But how was I going to get buyers to come onto my stand and give me the chance to...
With a little help from UKFT – Exports
It was a stockist of mine who recommended that I should exhibit at Playtime, the luxury children and maternity trade fair in Paris. As I delved into the world of trade fairs and the possible help there was in terms of funding, I discovered that there are thousands of recognised ones across all industries...
Good Cash, Bad Cash
For those of us who have woken up from the shock departure of England from the World Cup, there has been a thriving week of retail activity going in the meantime. SALES SALES SALES from SAMPLE SALES to END OF SEASON REDUCTIONS. So it came as no surprise that the sample sale we took...
Is the economic climate creating a mixed bag?
It was during my time as Retail Manager for a French luxury home wear brand that I tried to understand the daily sales fluctuations for our central London boutique. Long serving staff explained that the current sales patterns were as unpredictable as the weather, and incidentally that these two were highly correlated. Sunny days...
The smaller, the smarter (in the beginning)…
Securing stockists as a designer is a huge and vital challenge to take your brand to the next level. After all, your stockist will be your representing interface for every customer who buys your collection, and aligning your choice of top targets with your brand image is the first important step. Then there is...
Entente (very) Cordial
Having written about keeping things focused last time this may seem like an unlikely twist, but having looked at ways in which I could convince my suppliers and clients that they should invest in building a relationship with me, the unlikely happened – I took on a new project into my already overloaded work...
Niche in niche: expanding into other product categories….
Many of the people I’ve met in the last 6 months tell me what a clever idea it is to launch such a niche product, maternity trousers, in a niche market, maternity wear. A recently published UK Maternity wear report sized the 2009 market at £140m with trousers being the most popular item bought,...
The retail storm is not over
Entrepreneurial spirits were buzzing on a high amongst guests at a recent networking event, where Kathryn and I went to hear Neal Ghandi‘s inspiring talk about the entrepreneurial strengths of the moment. It was a refreshing contrast to the resounding phrases of “Credit Crunch” and “Banking Crisis,” putting a positive spin on the economy.My...
Derigo Consulting
Face Marketing
Goodbye Dave
Tony Drury's first book in the trilogy about the new direction of the Conservative Party, where Tony reveals his very personal reasons for leaving the party after 30 years of dedicated service to it.
In his own unique way Tony is able to capture the mood of many in the party and he has had the courage to put it in print. Along the way he adds many fascinating experiences and anecdotes.
"Goodbye Dave" is a 'must read' for anyone with any political interest.
