Trader Spotlight: Meet Lucy aka Squirrelbandit

Trader Spotlight: Meet Lucy aka Squirrelbandit

Meet Lucy, one of our newest #beezestraders. She started Squirrelbandit at the end of 2019 and creates beautiful hand painted wooden keepsakes in her home studio.

We asked Lucy some questions about her wonderful business and thought you'd love to find out a little more about her...

What led to you starting Squirrelbandit?

In a previous life I worked within the greeting card industry for 25 years! I had worked with small wooden details when designing cards and I really took to it, so I knew I wanted to develop my designs further and expand into wooden gifts and keepsakes. Working with sustainable materials was also really important to me.

What is your favourite product to make and why?

My favourite products are our wooden pin badges that convey a really happy and positive vibe. People often send them to loved ones and I feel really privileged to be able to have been a part of people's gift giving experiences and special moments, particularly during the lockdowns over the last couple of years.

Tell us what the three best bits of the job are for you...

I'd say the three best bits of the job are being your own boss, making someone’s day when they receive a Squirrelbandit gift and having the creative freedom to design your own products.

What are your plans for the future of Squirrelbandit?

Squirrelbandit is still very much evolving and I’m currently loving working on new ideas to push us forward and keep it looking fresh. I'm enjoying where I am at the moment and really want to focus on new product development - it's definitely one of the best bit of the job!

What advice would you give to others who are considering launching a small business?

Although I’m still quite new to being a small biz owner, I would encourage anyone who’s thinking of creating their own business just to go for it!

Have a clear plan of what you want to create/stock, so you develop a strong and appealing brand. Work out your margins very clearly, taking into account your creative/making time, material costs etc because you are worth every penny!

Don’t undersell or over stretch yourself, try to keep positive through the ups and downs and be prepared for lots and lots of hard work!

You can find a selection of Lucy's beautiful cards, pin badges, keepsakes and accessories in our Devizes shop and on the website HERE including some lovely ideas for Mother's Day.

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