Meet the Forgers: The Wool Kitchen

Next up in our Meet The Forgers series we talk to Helen Reed, the creator and designer behind The Wool Kitchen, a crafts and design business focused on producing hand dyed yarns. The Wool Kitchen is based in Walthamstow. Helen’s brand is all about inspiring those to knit whether you are new to the skill or need some encouragement to pick those needles back up!

Helen joined the Forge community as part of Cohort 2. Helen was looking to set goals and understand her business USP, as well as to develop her confidence. We sat down with her to find out more about the take homes from her Forge experience . Read the interview in full below:

So we are intrigued to know – how did you find out about the Forge programme and made you look for business support?

I had heard other small businesses that I know talk about Forge and how it had been really helpful, then Nat from Ayama Coaching told me to apply for the next round and sent me a link via the Hive Collective page she runs. 

Running a business and juggling many work and life commitments is a difficult balance, how did you find time for your professional growth and fit Forge into your busy schedule?

When I committed to doing the programme I told myself that this was a good thing for my business and for my long term goals, so I treated it like work and made it my priority. 

What in particular did you take away from the programme and put into action?

Setting realistic goals to create bigger achievements and mostly understanding where I sit in the market. Working on owning that and becoming more confident about my produce. 

Did the programme help with your confidence? Did it help you in ways you didn’t expect?

Absolutely, I often spent time comparing my business to others instead of focusing on what I had to offer and seeing the value in it. 

What advice would you give to those who are about to embark on Forge for the first time?

Do the home work. It shows you how your business works and helps you create a plan on how to move in the direction you want to travel.

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