Meet The Business # 1: No Guts, No Glory – Exeter, UK
The recession has been a big problem for all kinds of businesses in the country. On the other hand, it has also been the opportunity for the local shops and young entrepreneurs to be in the spotlight. Obviously, it will depend on how creative and interesting your products are. That’s the case of the independent shop No Guts, No Glory, from Exeter. Read more.
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Meet The Business # 2: Java Lounge – Birmingham, UK.
Moseley is the bohemian spot of Birmingham where students, business people, musicians, artists, and creative ones (among others) have chosen to visit, study or work. Some of them, end up staying much longer than they have planned.
People like the entrepreneur Akram Almulad, that nearly 10 years ago, picked Moseley to open his business. In this #MeetTheBusiness, we are going to talk about, Java Lounge, an independent coffee shop that typifies the mood of the lively suburb of Moseley.
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Meet The Business # 3: Daniele Drummond Studio – Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Born in São Paulo, raised in Rio de Janeiro and nowadays settled in Minas Gerais, the designer and artisan Daniele Drummond is a model of the modern entrepreneur to be followed. Creating unique ceramic items in her own studio, Danielle is now exporting her work to North America and Europe.
She is also pioneering in e-commerce sales through Mãos de Minas, a non-profit organisation that helps new businesses to increase the sales of their products abroad.
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Meet The Business # 4: Pennychoo – London,UK.
As a genuine supporter of independent businesses, I tend to look for shops that use and abuse creativity to present their products. Browsing the Internet can be a good way of finding those unique shops and services.
That was my experience with Pennychoo, an online shop that sells vintage-inspired greeting cards made, with true passion, by Sue Lee, an experienced graphic designer and illustrator based in South West London.
Pennychoo is an example of a successful e-commerce business that is also focused on high-quality customer service. That was how I felt when I approached Sue Lee in my first purchase and that was just confirmed in this great interview with her.
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Meet the Business # 5: Men’s Finest Pocket Square – Liverpool, UK.
A nice suit can be an excellent business card, but to get straight to the market it’s essential to have the entire look right. That’s the idea behind Men’s Finest Pocket Square, to make men feel and look good with the help of handmade fashionable pocket squares and bow ties.
Based in Liverpool, Men’s Finest Pocket Square is a fine online company created by Michael Frackowiak, a born and bred Poland entrepreneur that is very proud of the quality of his products. In this interview, Mike highlights the importance of a strong social media presence to the success of a business, as well as, it’s always necessary to keep a very personal approach with customers.
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Meet The Business # 6: Feijó – Santos, Brazil.
The city centre of Santos is quite an appealing place for tourists that look for a full view of the city from the top of Monte Serrat Hill or those interested in the history of coffee in Brazil, visiting the Coffee Stock Exchange.
Naturally, its historic part of the city is also a very business-orientated place. With the biggest port in Latin America receiving people from all over the world in cruises and cargo ships, it also places many offices and small businesses around. Feijó is a family-owned restaurant placed in this exciting area of Santos that follows this frenetic pace since 2011 when the place was opened and it was only known as Feijó café.
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Meet the Business #7: Agua na Boca – London, The UK.
Street food is a business that matches perfectly with the multicultural population in Britain. In nearly every part of the country, there is a food market with cuisine from all over the world. And Brazilian food is one of those international options you can find in the streets.
Água na Boca (mouthwatering in English) has provided some of the most popular Brazilian food to the streets of London since 2013.
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Meet The Business # 8: Ochremoon – Birmingham, UK & Brazil
The popularity of yoga is just phenomenal. The recognition of its benefits to mind, body and soul makes this ancient art a lifestyle for many people across the globe.
Not surprisingly, it has also become one of the most popular business industries nowadays, is definitely a market that is booming with numerous services and products that it can provide.
Ochremoon emerged from the bright mind of a Brazilian photographer and Architecture Marina Favato, based in Birmingham (UK), that came up with the idea of bringing her love of art into her passion for yoga.
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Meet The Business # 9 : Tapiocaria Berlin – Berlin, Germany.
Most people around the world don’t even imagine how versatile, tasty and healthy cassava can be. But not in Brazil. In Brazil, cassava, aka manioc or Brazilian arrowroot, is an ingredient used in many popular dishes.
Dishes like tapioca, which is a meal prepared with cassava and that can (may!) have different savoury or sweet fillings.
From cheese to chocolate toppings, to breakfast or quick bite, tapioca has become a gourmet food that spread to the streets of Europe. In the case here, the streets of Berlin in Germany. Read more.
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Meet The Business # 10: Foodswiper – London, The UK.
Magda Sternik and Diego Sanchez met whilst working for a larger financial corporation in London. Both had a background in computing and a very good idea in mind: to create a takeaway app that shows pictures of the best dishes offered in local restaurants that can be ordered with just one click.
Foodswiper was launched in early 2015. The app has received very positive feedback from users that actually think it’s a great way of enjoying the experience of ordering food online. Read more.
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Meet The Business # 11: Arte da Cachaça – Santos, Brazil
You may be surprised to know the popular Brazilian spirit “cachaça” is a drink for approximately four centuries. The beverage made from sugarcane is distilled from the fermented cane juice and it was first consumed by slaves on sugarcane plantations in the country’s northeast in the mid-1500s.
Cachaça is divided into two types according to its method of production: industrial and artisanal. And it features the most popular drink coming from Brazil: caipirinha.
Nowadays Brazil produces 800 million litres of cachaça a year with only 1% of this production exported. Read more.
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Meet The Business #12: Peteca Nordic – Norway
The summer is nearly arriving in Europe, which means starting to program our bodies (and minds) to enjoy as many outside activities as possible. Together with it, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro makes 2016 much more sportive.
Thinking about it, the Scandinavian independent business Peteca Nordic, based in Norway, decided to bring to Europe a Brazilian product that can be very popular for sports activities in the summer. Read More.
Meet The Business #13: Superfoodio – London, The UK
I absolutely love everything about Superfoodio. The concept, food and fun come together in my box subscriptions.
Having a range of the latest products with superfood ingredients at your doorstep every month makes it easier for those looking for a healthy life and general well-being. That is exactly what Superfoodio does for you. Read more.
Meet the Business #14:Carioca Brixton – London, Uk.
After all the buzzing of the Olympic Games in Rio, most of us felt a bit more curious about Brazilian culture and the carioca way of life.
Rio de Janeiro is indeed a city of contrasts. It’s not just reflected in the people but also in its food. A combination of indigenous, African and Portuguese cuisine makes our food so popular. Read more.
Meet The Business # 15: Kitty Angels – Birmingham, UK.
Those who have a cat (or two) know how difficult the task can be of planning holidays, and at the same time making sure your beloved pet will be looked after properly while you’re away. We travel quite a lot during the year so, sooner or later, we were prepared to face this challenge with our Dougal. As he is not an outdoor cat, we were looking for something that would not put him under stress whatsoever.
Then, we heard about Kitty Angels; a cat-sitting service run by Tony Williams and his partner Jason Ward (and gorgeous Daisy) in Birmingham since 2014. Kitty Angels serve many cities in the UK providing the care your pet needs when you are travelling, working or away for long hours. Read more.
Meet The Business #16 | NimNik – London. UK
One of the unique ways of building some trust in a business is knowing that they can be also proper consumers of their own products. NimNik is a family-run business founded in 2015 by a husband and a wife that had the idea of selling high-quality babies (and children) products.
As parents, they spent a lot of money on kid’s toys and accessories themselves. So, why not share this expertise with other parents that also praise for quality and value of money? Read more.
Meet The Business #17 | Fressh -Birmingham, UK
You probably heard of Fressh, the new plant-based café that opened in the Victorian City Arcade last week. The concept of healthy eating has been well-accepted in Birmingham for ages, and Fressh is another good example of a business offering quality and affordable plant-based food in town. We talked to its owner, Vijay Singh, to know more about this addition to the city centre. Read more.
Meet The Business #18: |Gartenzwerg
We all tried growing our own food at home at some point in life. Some succeeded, others failed miserably. But let’s be honest, it’s not an easy task. You will certainly need enough space, time and knowledge to keep it natural and growing properly. I have failed this task for years. Then, I heard about Gartenzwerg and became genuinely curious about this product.
Gartenzwerg is a fully automated and beautifully designed indoor gardening system with which people can have small fruits, vegetables and herbs year-round right from home. It only uses water and nutrients to grow plants. No soil, no pesticides, no chemicals. Meaning: it provides plants with everything that nature does. Read more.
Meet The Business # 19 | Grass Direct
Connection Retail is the parent company of Flooring Superstore, Grass Direct and Direct Wood Flooring. As the fastest growing North East flooring retailer, the company have expanded significantly to open numerous retail stores all across the UK – including our home ground of Coventry, West Midlands.
The opening of physical stores marks a shift in direction as they move from purely online brands to create a strong physical presence too. The change in strategy comes as the company recognised the demand for a tangible product – customers want to see, feel and analyse the quality of their flooring prior to buying. Read more.
Meet The Business # 20 | Spare Fare
At least once in life, we all have to face the perks of missing a flight or having to cancel a holiday last minute. It’s not only mentally but also financially frustrating to deal with the non-refundable costs of your trip. But if I tell you there is hope!
Websites like SpareFare have helped hundreds of customers to recover their money on unused travel bookings, connecting other travellers that are looking for a discount on travel options. It’s a winning game and we want to know more about this successful business. Read more.
Meet The Business #21| Nouri
Nouri is a new brand of healthy, all-natural balls. They are vegan, sugar- and gluten-free while tasting really indulgent. This business idea came up when they spotted a gap in the market for indulgent treats made without the inclusion of any added sugars or sugar alternatives.
Is it possible? Yes, it’s! These healthy snacks taste delicious, and it’s real proof that a healthy indulgence can walk together with that free-guilty feeling. Read more.
Meet The Business #22 | It’s Your Bottle
Imagine combining your favourite type of wine with a special occasion or event. Now imagine personalising this wine to make this occasion more memorable.
That’s what It’s Your Bottle does for you. They provide handmade personalised high-quality wine to suit any occasion. Personalised wine bottles can also work as an excellent way of introducing your business to clients.
The company founded by Briony Beckerley and Daniel Cope started focusing on wedding celebrations, but nowadays they cater for all types of events. Read more.