First off, how are you and how is your 2021 going?
Thank you for asking! We are good thanks…2021 has been a whirlwind so far. The last few months have been about finding our balance, as we’ve both spent the last 6-8 months trying to run Daily on top of our full-time jobs. Kit actually left her job in April to focus more time on the business, which has been a real gear change for us. It makes such a difference having dedicated time on Daily and it has allowed us to level up and get strategic, rather than constantly being reactive. We’ve got so many amazing products in the pipeline for 2021, and we can’t wait to share them with you.
Can you tell us about Daily Flame and the products you produce?
Daily is an earth-conscious homeware brand; we create and design products that are good for the home, mind and planet.
What inspired you to start your business?
We were both searching for the same high quality, conscious products and shopping experience that we couldn’t find elsewhere. Our mission is to create a community of like-minded people who are passionate about their home and planet too. The real progress happened when we started dedicating two hours a week to meet and discuss next steps… dividing tasks and coming back with our findings. That would be our biggest piece of advice to those wanting to start their own business… you need to religiously schedule time in, otherwise, it’s hard to make things happen!
A lot of businesses started during the pandemic, why do you think it was such a good time for a small business to boom?
For us, the extra time was everything! With socialising and commuting out the window, we had our evenings and weekends free to dedicate time to growing Daily alongside our full-time jobs, which we were fortunate enough to still have during the pandemic. With so many people sadly being made redundant or placed on furlough, they were also able to turn their hobbies into their own fully-fledged businesses, which we love because it has increased the breadth and uniqueness of products available to buy online. There was also a huge push to support small businesses in 2021. As a customer, it’s empowering to know that we have the power to vote with our money, and make a tangible impact on someone’s life by choosing to shop small where we can.
A lot of your products focus on the female form, why do you think this has become such a big trend?
For us, it’s about reclaiming our bodies, as well as encouraging women to break away from societal pressures and unrealistic, unachievable ‘ideals’ that are fed to us predominantly through the media. Our products are designed to help our customers embrace and accept themselves and all of their wonderful, beautiful quirks.
What is the process like for imagining a product and seeing it come to life?
We are constantly searching for inspiration, whether that’s from articles, magazines, pinterest, but also things we think and feel. For example, our (soon to launch) glassware collection was inspired by our desire to reconnect with loved ones this summer, after such a long time apart. Daily products are designed for and by our customers… so our next step is customer feedback. This often includes short polls and questionnaires on our IG stories – to get an idea of what our customers need and want before progressing any further.Once we have an idea that we are excited about and our customer needs, we research how we can create it in the most sustainable way. Then we test and re-test on small customer groups until we have a product we can be proud of.
What are your top 3 tips for starting a business?
Just start! Don’t worry about the finer details, don’t obsess over the little things… just get the ball rolling
Know your brand values and never falter from them
Stay focused on your brand, your ideas and your customers. It is so easy to feel inferior or compare yourself with other brands, but we firmly believe that there is space for everyone!
What are you currently working on?
In May we will be launching our upcycled glassware collection, with a major focus on reconnecting with your besties and loved ones after what has inevitably been a difficult year. Sneak peek coming so soon on @dailyflame__!
Who are some of your favourite fellow small businesses?
There are SO many we love, but if we had to pick here are our top 3x…
What does your perfect weekend look like?
Kit: I love a movie night with our girl friends, long walks in the sun, going out for a nice meal or to the theatre and then I’m a sucker for a self care Sunday – bath, face mask and Gu Pud vibes all round.
Vez: A yummmyy meal out on Friday (with a few glasses of red ofc)… a long walk on Sunday, with our pals heading over that evening for a roast!
What do you always carry with you?
Kit: Sweets! I have the most ridiculous sweet tooth, you could honestly find sweets in every single one of my bags. I just never know when I might need a sugar fix, you know?!
Vez: Water… that’s probably really boring and practical, but I always have a reusable water bottle on me.
What would your last ever meal be?
Kit: Oh this is hard! I’m not much of a foodie, but definitely a pudding gal.. I’d probably say a biiiig pizza with all the cheese, and then a chocolate fondant pud with mint choc chip ice cream.
Vez: Pad Thai and a mars ice cream… deeeeeelish!
What is one positive piece of advice you could give to our audience?
GO FOR IT – if this is the sign you need, whatever it is you’ve been putting off, waiting to do, too worried to begin, you can do it we totally believe in you!
