What do you do when business goes quiet, orders slow down and everyone else online still looks suspiciously busy?

In this episode, I’m joined by Scottish designer and maker Nikki McWilliams, whose wonderfully niche world includes biscuit cushions, stationery and a loyal community that has grown with her business over the past 15 years.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Why quiet spells feel so difficult to talk about
• The pressure to always look busy and successful online
• How Nikki built several income streams across products and content
• Why faster growth is not always better growth
• The reality of working with large retailers and long payment terms
• Using pre-orders to reduce the risk of launching new products
• Why email marketing still matters
• How social media has changed for small businesses
• The post-Covid slowdown many creative businesses are feeling

About Nikki McWilliams

Nikki is a Scottish designer and maker known for her playful biscuit-inspired homeware and her stationery brand, Nikki Supply Store. Her work is inspired by nostalgia, everyday objects and the things she genuinely loves, which has helped her build a brilliantly distinctive business and community over the past 15 years.

Connect with Nikki
https://nikkimcwilliams.com/
Nikki’s Supply Store: http://www.nikkissupplystore.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/nikkimcwilliams/
IG: http://instagram.com/nikkissupplystore

I’d love to hear what you think of this episode. If you’ve listened and any part of Nikki’s story resonated with you, send me a message on Instagram at @‌designerinyourpocket_juls or @‌thehonestdesignerdiaries.

I really hope you enjoy the chat.

Juls

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