Last week I had the opportunity to share my journey during an interview with BBC Radio Solent, reflecting on how my business coped with the pandemic.
It was emotional and eye-opening to revisit those challenging times.
After 12 successful years running an events catering business across Europe, serving charities and high-profile clients, everything came to a standstill almost overnight. Within just three weeks, we saw all the bookings cancelled and the business never recovered following a sequence of Lockdowns, mass event restrictions plus European travel bans, closely followed by Brexit..
It was devastating.
But adversity often sparks innovation. To bridge the gap between the seasonal events, I had started a small hamper business in 2016, The New Forest Hamper Company. During lockdown, this modest venture became our lifeline. Orders flooded in unexpectedly, jumping from a few hundred hampers to over 14,000 during an intensive four-week period for Christmas 2020 - with full Covid guidelines in place!
Not only did this uplift in 2020 save us, but it also enabled growth. We expanded our team to manage the increased demand and received tremendous support from our suppliers, working round the clock to fufil our orders. Each hamper order often carried touching and humbling messages, from families unable to see each other, to 'thank you' gifts for hospital teams and care home staff, reminding us daily of the human connections at the heart of our work.
In June 2024, we proudly opened our first 'bricks and mortar' shop in Sway, nestled in the beautiful New Forest. We're humbled to see our local community and visitors travelling from far and wide, appreciating our passion and dedication and keen to support all things local.
The pandemic taught me resilience, adaptability and above all, the importance of remaining positive. I'm deeply grateful for every customer, employee and supporter who has helped me embark on this next chapter in business.
Scroll down on the article to listen to my interview: https://lnkd.in/eMTCxZrM
This interview, marking the 5th anniversary of Lockdown, a time that many of us have put to the back of our minds, really brought home the challenges business owners had to contend with. Have you come out stronger? I'd love to hear your story and experiences..
