Independent Thinking - Exploring a new era for retail and the high street

We've all heard the term Metaverse by now, but what is does it actually mean?  What could it mean for how we do business or how we shop, for example? How we interact with brands? Will it be detrimental to bricks and mortar retail? And how relevant is it to independent retailers? The answers might not be what you think. This week's episode is with Mary Wallace, Retail and Customer Experience Consultant and member of IBM's Metaverse team. Mary's brilliantly animated and accessible way of talking about tech is one of the most refreshing things about this episode, as she helps us understand the many opportunities available to independent retailers in the metaverse, why the technology shouldn't lie solely in the hands of the ‘tech bros’ and why co-creation is at the centre of making technology more meaningful. Mary's article for BRC which I mention on the episode: https://brc.cld.bz/The-Retailer-Winter-Edition-2023/38/Get in touch: independentthinkingpodcast@gmail.comSupport the show

This week we're talking the power of localism, collaboration in retail and why a bleak future isn't inevitable for the high street, as we sit down in conversation with Professor Leigh Sparks - Professor of Retail studies and Deputy Principal of University of Stirling. In this fascinating episode, Leigh talks brilliantly about the choices that have brought us to where we are, and how we too can choose a different future for ourselves when it comes to reinvigorating town and city centres - as we discuss systemic change, holding multinationals to account, community action and why Starbucks’ drive-thrus aren’t all they’re cracked up to be…Support the show

This week, we’re continuing our look at industry wide trends and the retail sector as a whole, as we speak to Ailsa Forbes, Retail Impact Fellow at International Longevity Centre UK. Founded in 1997, the ILC is the only specialist thinktank of its kind, looking into longevity in our society and how people can live meaningful and independent lives, regardless of their age. The ILC has lobbied government and pushed for change for decades, and is now leading on a sector wide project that will for the first time, reflect on the impact of longevity on the retail industry, and how, for example we can ensure retail spaces can be accessed with by older people with dignity and  comfort. This fascinating discussion starts with Ailsa's own unique journey into retail, before looking at small changes that retailers can make to improve the experiences of older people, casual ageism in retail and our society more generally, and why recent strides made in improving menopause awareness can give us hope in improving conversations around getting older in the UK. More resources will be shared as the project progresses, but for now you can read more here: https://ilcuk.org.uk/spending-with-dementia/ Support the show

We’re kicking off this series in discussion with Andrew Goodacre, CEO of British Independent Retailers Association, BIRA - who have been supporting independent retailers for over 120 years. They have an incredible overview of the sector, speaking daily to their indie members about being in business, supporting them to navigate challenges in the industry as well as championing their successes. Who better, then to talk to about the sector, to provide some context, to talk about the many ups and downs of running a independent business in 2023, but to also think about the bigger picture - as we zoom out, and think about how we can weather the storm with hope, optimism and the spirit of collaboration and creativity. Our chat with Andrew is a wide-ranging one, as we talk about putting your money where your mouth is, what indies contribute to our high streets, speaking up about mental health in retail, why countless governments have dragged their heels on business rates and why investing time in our communities makes for successful high streets. If you'd like to become a BIRA member, find out more here: https://bira.co.uk/membershipAnd if you're curious about the resources on mental health that we discuss in the show, you'll find out more here: https://bira.co.uk/resources/hubsAnd information on the Retail Trust's resources in this area here: https://www.retailtrust.org.uk/your-health-and-wellbeing?navCode=677Support the show

This is the second of our Christmas themed episodes, as we sit down with Kate from Curate Glasgow, an online discovery platform for independents, that enables them to share their work with new audiences, and helps people like you and me discover our new favourites. From cafes to chocolate makers, ceramicists to florists and much much more, Curate celebrates the best of Glasgow’s independent scene.We first chatted to Kate back in early 2021, so I thought I’d check back in to see how the past 2 years have been, what’s in store in their Christmas gift guide, and how Kate has managed to find balance juggling this project on top of her full time job, 2 house moves and the return to ‘normal’ life. Whether you’re thinking of starting your own project or are currently running your own - Kate shares what has worked for her and offers some words of advice to anyone looking to launch something in 2023. And, if you’re looking for some last minute gift ideas, well we have something for you too…https://www.curateglasgow.com/Support the show

A cheeky festive special before the new series kicks off in the new year!  And what better way to kick off proceedings that by chatting all things whisky - a drink that so many of us toast with at Hogmanay, or treat others to as a present at this time of year. So, we’re chatting to Duncan from Woven - a disruptor to the market and makers of blended whisky,  based in Leith, Edinburgh. We chat about the incredible expertise that whisky shops can offer, what role supermarkets have had in shaping our tastes nationally, why it remains such a gendered product and why your taste in curries can say more about your whisky preferences than you’d think…Useful links from our chat:  https://wovenwhisky.com/Becky Paskin and her work in challenging gender stereotypes in whisky: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-63284148Our Whisky Foundationhttps://www.instagram.com/ourwhisky_foundation/?hl=en https://linkpop.com/ourwhisky_foundationSupport the show

And just like that, we're at the end of series 5! To round off then, today we’re speaking to Valentine from Centre for Cities, a leading think tank dedicated to the prosperity of the UK’s towns and cities, who conduct a huge amount of research on everything from the impact of urban transport on the success of a local high street, to net zero and how cities can evolve to meet targets to policies like 'levelling up' and scrutinising what they mean... Recently they’ve turned their attention to how the pandemic has impacted our local areas in different ways, and how we’re faring in our post-pandemic recovery. Today is a super interesting discussion about the eternal north/south divide, how the pandemic  pulled the issue of inequality into sharp focus and why our next steps on how we approach those issues matter, and how we can build more inclusive spaces and reimagine cities that better serve those that live there  - enjoy! Read more about their research and find out how your town or city is faring here: https://www.centreforcities.org/Support the show

There are few places you can escape reality better (on the high street at least) than in a bookshop. Shelves filled with history, memoirs, adventure, sadness, scandal and delight; wonder, joy, pleasure and heartbreak. Books can transport us to another time and remind us that some thoughts and feelings are as old as time itself.Imagination is at the heart of what makes books and authors so special, of course, but what about the booksellers themselves? Well, it turns out they can be just as imaginative as the authors on their shelves. And that’s what I’ll be exploring this week with two-time winning bookshop Mr B’s Emporium, based in Bath.I chat to co-founder Nic about extreme customer service and why it matters, how customers respond to world events through their reading habits, why he remains an optimist about the health of the high street  and whether writers can truly predict the future…Support the show

Three podcast hosts for the price of one! This week we have a very special collab episode with the Business Proposal Podcast as we speak to hosts Ellie Kime and Rachel Emma Waring all about our love of small business and winding paths to success, all the times they’ve taken huge leaps of faith, reliving moments with some truly terrible bosses, what happens when you let the universe intervene and what mafting means…This was such a joy to record, just such a good laugh, I absolutely loved chatting to them both - hope you enjoy! Business Proposal Podcast: https://www.thebusinessproposalpodcast.com/Sparketype quiz that Rachel mentions:  https://sparketype.com/Support the show

This week, just in time for those Back to School and fresh pencil case vibes, I’m delighted to be in conversation with Sidonie from Papersmiths, a ‘stationery shop of your dreams’ with branches in London and Brighton. Sidonie shares her story about the brand’s humble beginnings, through the growth of the business, moving cities, scaling up, and getting through those tumultuous lockdowns. Sidonie’s story is one of seeing the value in every step of your journey, and making it the business owner you are today. Whether you’re looking to start a business or are even thinking about whether to make the leap in another aspect of your life, I think you’ll find our chat really inspiring - we talk about creative and innovative approaches to problem solving, why even the smallest items in our lives deserve to be beautiful and bring us joy, and why there's a time and a place to take risks...Support the show

After a slightly longer break than planned - we are BACK! And what a series opener we have for you...If you've ever reminisced about teenage days spent lolling around your town centre and the role your high street played in growing up, or spotted a ghost sign on the side of a building and pondered "what's that?" - then you're going to love this episode. But that's not to say this episode is all about looking back, as our chat with Ellen, Head of Creative Programmes and Campaigns for Historic England, proves. Far from it. Because whilst it's important to preserve and honour the past, we also need to consider how we learn from it, and how it can inform our future. Historic England are doing just that as part of their High Street Cultural Programme - which celebrates the wealth of stories and tales that our are embedded in our high streets. Ellen talks about how they’re working closely with communities, artists, photographers, poets, musicians, writers and others to take a snapshot of high streets now, celebrate and uncover stories of the past, and help us reimagine where we could be going next. Find out more about the programme here:  https://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/high-street-culture/And check out some incredible photographs from '100 years of high street shopping' here: https://historicengland.org.uk/#gallery-0-2Support the show

In the last episode of this series, this week we’re speaking to Food by Nourish, a gourmet grocer and deli, based in South Lanarkshire. Created by friends Greg and Richard, the business started life in a humble van (the Tattie Wagon)  delivering veg throughout lockdown, but my, have they come a long way since then.  We talk about food as a force for good, running with an idea, an unfortunate lack of Piccalilli lovers locally and why, if an idea's no good, well "it goes in the soup"... We recorded this one a while back, but it’s only now mainly for technical reasons that it’s been able to go out - listening to it back I remembered how fun this one was to record, how funny they were,  and how invested they both are in making sure their produce is as high quality as it can be - so reckon you’ll enjoy this one!   Check them out here: https://foodbynourish.co.uk/Support the show

This week, we are joined by Taisir Gibreel, Head of Retail at Restoration Yard, the winner of  Best Store Design award at Draper's Independent's Awards 2021. Taisir speaks about how she's brought her years of experience as a designer to store merchandising, the thrill of buying and connecting with producers and why she just loves the magic and theatre of retail. You are going to get so excited for Christmas after hearing this - enjoy! https://www.restorationyard.com/https://www.taisirgibreel.co.uk/Support the show

Now, it’s fair to say this year has thrown its fair amount of challenges at retailers. Covid restrictions, Brexit.. just to name two hugely important factors this year of course. But to this we can add; wider global economic uncertainty, global heating and climate change becoming more acute... all making us consider our decisions as consumers and in fact what it means to ‘consume’.            We are of course in the midst of a huge amount of change. So at this point in the year, I wanted to check in again with Dr Sarah Montano of University of Birmingham to help us unpack the complexities and help us understand how the past year has impacted our habits and what the future could look like as we continue to adapt to living through a pandemic. Sarah brings some much needed groundedness to these discussions, talks about small changes we can all make, what innovation we can look forward to in the future and why we have much to be hopeful about. It’s always a pleasure to speak to Sarah, we could have chatted all morning when we recorded this! Hope you enjoy! The 'What is the Metaverse?' article we mention:  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/10/style/metaverse-virtual-worlds.htmlSupport the show

This episode was brought to you by Rebecca, Elaine and Natalie who have kindly pledged their support for the show through Patreon! Hello to you all - you have my eternal gratitude and are helping keep this show on the road!This week we have the first of our Revisited episodes, where a guest from a previous series joins us once again to update us on their business journey. This week we're joined by Edinburgh-based childrenswear brand Bon Tot - who has seen an enormous amount of change in the past year - a shop move, a new brand and the establishment of a new business partnership between Kris, who started the company and Cara, her new business partner. We talk about evolving a brand, being tenacious, working through insecurities, reminding yourself of Beyonce, the joy of finding someone in business who just completely understands you and so. Much. More. Enjoy!https://www.bon-tot.com/Support the show

This week, we are speaking to Rare Birds Books founder, Rachel. Rare Birds Book Club started life as a subscription service, created by Rachel to fill a gap in the market - offering a hand-picked selection of women’s literature to shake up your regular reading habits and broaden your horizons. In the past 4 years the business has gone from strength to strength - and this year has fulfilled Rachel’s dream of opening an HQ, by making a move to the local high street and into bricks and mortar retail, setting up shop in August this year, in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge.We talk to Rachel about growing a business and community from the ground up whilst working full time, being receptive to opportunity and making the move into retail.If you’ve ever wondered about starting a business, to follow your passion or turn an interest into an income perhaps  - you’re going to find the next 50 mins very inspiring...https://rarebirdsbookclub.com/Support the show

Our first guest of the series is a special to coincide with COP 26, the UN Climate Change Conference which, if you’re listening to this on the day of release, started yesterday in Glasgow. So, who better to talk to than a business based in the city, which has sustainability at its heart. Today we’re speaking to Bevan from Bawn - an ethical textile atelier in Glasgow’s Southside, a place where you can find sustainably made, ethically sourced fabrics and textiles. Bevan is a huge believer in the local high street, and that some things are made to experience in person - particularly when it comes to something as tactile as textiles - a belief that  began in her earlier days working in a haberdashery in her home city of Dublin. We talk to founder Bevan about how she brought her training from the world of museums into the world of retail, how she supports customers to navigate the ever more complicated world of ‘shopping ethically’ and how she has led a group of like-minded individuals to create her own, unique response to COP 26 - creating something which shows how much more can be achieved when we pull together, as she tells us about the project, Cop Twenty Stitch. Enjoy! Support the show

Just like that, we're at the end of series 3! We'll off on our summer break, but worry not - we'll be back before you know it with more stories from independents across Scotland in the Autumn! Before we go though, we are delighted to bring you our chat with East Coast Cured - as we speak to founders Susie and Steven. Founded in an attic in 2017, East Coast Cured was borne out of a shared love of food, a passion for local produce and a longing to be able to access the kind of charcuterie in Scotland that they had previously only been able to get hold of when holidaying overseas. Spring forward 4 years later, we catch up with Susie and Steven to chat resilience in business, why local produce matters, the power of community and why the past 18 months has given them a renewed sense of optimism about our shared future. Enjoy! https://www.eastcoastcured.com/ Support the show

There has been much talk about the new St James Quarter that opened in Edinburgh last month, and a huge amount of discussion and excitement about their food market - Bonnie & Wild. We’ll be discussing the wider development in more depth next series, but we wanted to first catch up with one of the traders in the new market, gelato makers Joelato - because what better way to celebrate summer on the show?!Founded in Perthshire by Joe Sykes with his partner Lucy, this will be Joelato’s first foray into retail. They had dreams of starting their own food business, and through lockdown turned that vision into a reality, creating a product which people couldn’t help but shout about - including former guest on the show, Flora Shedden. We talk about his passion for Scotland’s bountiful produce, why he finds Italy so inspiring, coping when things go wrong and preparing for such an anticipated opening.  Enjoy! https://www.joelato.co.uk/ Support the show

This week, as we continue to look at partnerships in small business - we’re chatting to Jo and Georgina from Edinburgh-based interior designer company - Jeffrey’s Interiors, who have recently completed a management buyout from the original owners, Jeff and Alison.It’s not something we’ve discussed a great deal on the show so far - what happens when owners decide to retire, or move on to other projects; how do owners plan for their future of their business? Both Georgina and Jo, Managing Director and Design Director respectively, have grown up with the business in many ways , both starting out as Design Assistants with the company, and they share their journeys with us - not only about with their love of interior design and how they found themselves in this line of work, but their journey in the business itself. They talk about the beauty of a business partnership when it works well, and what they bring to the table - and why knowing what animal you are, can help communication immensely....We also talk immersive retail experiences, what scent can add to a room (and to a showroom), and how lockdown has shaped our relationships with our homes. Enjoy!   https://www.jeffreys-interiors.co.uk/Here's the book that Georgina mentions in the episode: https://www.nigelrisner.com/product-page/it-s-a-zoo-around-here  Support the show