Antonia is one multi-talented lady, she was the owner of Tailor Made Living, a lifestyle shop and cafe, and the writer of a brilliant blog with the same name. And now she's the style editor for Cherubs magazine and a mum to 3 beautiful girls.
I've been following Antonia for a while and I was so happy when I reached out to her to ask if she would take part in this little series of mine. I don't know how she finds the time, but she got straight back to me. I am fairly new to Instagram, well I've had a personal account for a long time but apart from entering the odd competition I was more of a silent spectator and it took a long time for me to start to comment and engage with others and it's been such an amazing journey so far. Every time, I reach out to someone or try to engage it makes me so happy when people and businesses I admire takes the time to come back to me and even more so when they are so lovely and engaging.
In this series I ask small business owners or professionals in the industry 5 questions, it is my hope that you will find some tips and advice in their answers and that it will build your confidence knowing that everyone started somewhere.
How did you find new suppliers?
I love discovering new brands and I usually find them via social media, specifically Instagram or at Top Drawer.
What makes you say yes to a new supplier?
As a very young and small business money is very tight so low MOQs, 30-day payment terms, and short lead times from order to delivery are ideal for us.
How often do you think it's appropriate for a supplier to follow up on an initial introduction? Every 3 to 6 months seems appropriate for me as that's when I usually change things around and refresh our offering.
What makes a supplier a good supplier?
In addition to being able to offer the terms outlined in question 2, the quality of the product is obviously very important, and a good personal relationship helps enormously.
What advice would you give to someone starting to think about wholesale?
Take the time to reach out and get to know your prospective stockists. Always give some thought to the brands/ businesses that would be a good fit in terms of aesthetics, core values, ethos, and price point. Keep an open mind about the ways in which you can work together, flexibility on both parts is essential.
I love finding out a little bit more about small businesses and the people behind them. It's amazing to me just how many things a shop owner must do to continue trading, often without a team of helpers behind them. It really reminds me just how important it is to our high streets that we shop independently and support these businesses.
If you're interested in working with me, send me an email to discover how I can help you. If you have any feedback or any topic you would like me to cover please also get in touch. I also share tips every week on my Instagram account.
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