With shops in Scotland set to re-open on from the 26th April, I’ve been reflecting on how lockdown has impacted Coastline. I am purely focussing on the positive impacts, but don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any negatives or challenges along the way. It’s never easy being in business, especially in a pandemic!
Anyway, I think everyone can agree that COVID has made us all a little more reflective, so here’s my little gratitude list for the old corona...
Lockdown 1.0 gave me the gift of time.
- Time to work hard at the Coastline fashion truck’s interior kit out and exterior design.
- Time to prepare the launch of Big Burtha (the ex-removals van come fashion truck).
- Time to re-evaluate the business and what it stands for. This involved a deep dive into existing suppliers (getting rid of one or two), and developing a working relationship with some new ones. All with a focus on sustainability, ethics and the environment.
- Time to set up an an appointment system for the Fashion Truck (which has worked amazingly well). I now know and can manage how many customers I see in a day, which results in a more steady flow of customers and less queueing outside... it’s a win-win!
- Time to get involved in the virtual Caithness Markets. This was a total highlight for me. It really showed the spirit of Caithness as a community, getting behind local businesses and keeping us going when times were hard. As a business owner, it was also great to have the support of like minded individuals.
- Time to raise money for a worthy cause. Back in April 2020, I raised £160 for Caithness Foodbank by hosting a raffle to win a Coastline Hamper. As part of the Caithness Market, our sign up fees were also donated to many worthy local charities as voted for by the public.
Lockdown 2.0 gave the gift of realisation.
- I realised new ways to manage my inventory “on the go” in the Fashion Truck with a new e-commerce platform. This was a huge task migrating from an old website but so worthwhile.
- I realised new ways to sell via my new website which allows for Facebook and Instagram shopping. This has definitely paid off in terms of sales.
- I realised some new marketing tools (helloooo Canva) which I used to refresh my social media branding (see @coastlinefashion.co.uk instagram)
- I realised the need for future plans for the business. I am so so grateful that Coastline has actually had the opportunity to expand throughout the pandemic. It has really opened my eyes and made me believe that sometime it could be more than a “side hustle”. My next step for Coastline is to convert our garage at home into a stock room & office space.
On 10th May 2021 it will be Coastline’s 3RD BIRTHDAY! I can hardly believe it, and there will definitely be plans to celebrate seeing as almost a year of the business has been in lockdown! I never imagined that the business would escalate so quickly (especially when life as a 20 something has also been progressing quickly)! And for that, I am so so grateful. Thank you for your continued support. It means the world to me.
Lesley-Ann x
How it started..
How it’s going..
