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Whenever I share bits about my life in my free Facebook community, Twisted Feather VIP’s (join here) I’m often met with surprise and a smile, so I thought well let’s share the story of how Twisted Feather came to be and all about the woman behind this business of handmade, vegan friendly bath & body products!
How often do you really get to know the people behind companies? I mean we may know who they are but we don't know them as a person...
I think now more than ever when so many small businesses are starting up and all declaring they can bring something different to the table, shouldn't you really know who it is you're buying from?
Well, my name is Alice and here I'll give you some info that I feel makes me the person I am today and why you should have trust in me and what I do...
Young Me.
All through the latter stages of school whilst studying for my A Levels I always said I wanted an apprenticeship, I wanted to further my education but I also wanted to be out in the world living, earning and being independent.
So, at 17 I left school, driving licence in hand, a clapped out Nissan Micra (that just would not hurry up and die...) to get me out to interviews, I was out and living!
I was very lucky and got my first job in an Organic Chemistry manufacturing lab, the first female they had employed in the manufacturing department and I was proud as punch!!
Didn't take long before I learnt that my passion was actually in the analytical side of things so I moved into the Quality department, then proceeded to start my studies again thanks to a part time placement (day release) arranged by my employers.
My Education
I received my HNC Chemistry qualification and wanted to further it to the degree but on a part time scheme the University said there just wasn't enough interest for them to warrant running the course... I was gutted. Now what do I do?
I was introduced to Open University. I did not appreciate what that entailed at all…
I chose a Molecular Science degree as it covered aspects not just of Chemistry, but the Sciences as a whole. Working full time and then coming home to study every night (well almost every night) was a bigger commitment than I had ever imagined.
Little did I know then, what help this would be later on down the line. The juggling of jobs and planning my time has been a great help now within Twisted Feather, although even with all the practice, I still struggle to keep to the plan…
Growing Up
During all of this I thought it would be wise to move out of my home that I had grown up in, and move in with a partner (that obviously goes wrong when two kids try to be adults too early...) so then I was living alone...
Fiercely Independent
I was not going to be beaten.
So at the age of 21 I am now working full time, running a car (the Micra had died you will be glad to hear), studying most evenings and trying to keep a roof over my head. All the time trying to 'enjoy' being 21. Something has to give people kept saying.
Obviously I wasn't going to take any notice of that so I got a part time job too...
It took 7 years but I got there. HNC Chemistry and Molecular Science degree now done. Ticked off. House still there and with no grey hairs just yet…
My Love
Within this time I also met the love of my life. Actually I had met him about 3 years previous but thought he was a plonker... but anyway we started dating and within no time at all really, we were living together. A couple of years later we were engaged and around 5 years after we first dated we finally got married!
Where is life going?
I ended up being at my first job for around 14 years after being made up to Management level and gaining the respect of my fellow male employees. We were a family, a small one but a family nevertheless but I wanted to know what the big fish were like too so it was time to move on.
I got myself an analytical role within a very large pharmaceuticals business that specialised in rare diseases - it was amazing! A real eye opener and loved every minute I was there. I'm not one for just doing the job, I need to know the ins and outs and how things work and there were some people there with an immense amount of knowledge.
I loved learning every day!
But my husband and I, we wanted a family, and I wanted to be at home to raise my family full time so come December 2017 and 8 and a half months pregnant I finished work and had a beautiful baby girl. Hubby and I then started a whole new life with Miss Pickle alongside!
How Things Change
My life as I had only ever known it, working full time, studying a very large majority of it, saving as much money as I possibly could, scrimping by in some parts, had suddenly changed.
Husband was going off to work and it was just me, Miss Pickle and a superb 'mum family' and I loved it!
The Mums and I went here, there and everywhere. No weather conditions stopped us, we'd load the car and off we went! But then they slowly started going back to work...
Covid
With less time with The Mums, Miss Pickle and I started to find things for just us. We joined some new classes, found new routines and then it hit! Covid.
We were home 24/7, Miss Pickle was becoming more independent so sent herself off to her room to play independently not needing mum all the time (don't know where she gets the independence from...) and I was suddenly twiddling my thumbs.
Repping
The pot of savings, so I could stay home, that we worked so hard for was getting lower and I was getting twitchy so thought I could maybe find something I could do from home.
Social media sales were becoming more and more popular and I thought I could get my teeth into something whilst working around family and covid?
I have always supported small and local businesses where I can and was able to find a local-ish business that was family run and sold bath and body products! Oh my goodness I loved it! So in Winter 2020 I starting selling their products.
They were constantly wanting to improve and so I was giving feedback from myself and my customers a lot but they weren't always able to deliver. What with having another 30-odd reps across the country, it was starting to feel less small and local and that wasn't what I wanted.
Suddenly I had a light bulb moment! My husband almost laughed at me that I hadn't thought of it sooner but with my employment background, I already knew the jargon, the batch logging and record keeping was a walk in the park, loved a bit of hard work and I'd been advised it was a good idea by an SEO and marketing expert (that I still use today), so I decided to take the leap!
September 2021
I had already launched Twisted Feather as an online shopping site back in January 2021 as an easier way for customers to order the products through me for the company I was repping for, along with some wholesale home products that I'd fallen for, so my base was there.
I temporarily shut down the site around June. I cleared the stock to try and make back some money and reinvested it all in getting myself approved to make and sell my own Twisted Feather products.
September arrives and Miss Pickle is now in nursery a couple of days a week and I've got time to really get stuck into making and listening to my customers.
Wow!
We're now here, first quarter of 2022, just about recovered from the Christmas hype and I'm overwhelmed by the support.
I am now in a position where I can listen to what my customers want and be able to put it into action.
I am able to keep costs low because I'm not employing staff or paying out for reps and I'm incredibly proud of what I've achieved and more importantly I feel like me again and customers are happy... the support I receive is unreal, I am constantly being surprised by the encouragement and belief from you, quite a few of which are quickly becoming good friends.
I have my own little 'lab' at home locked from the rest of the family where I can shut myself away, occupy my mind, creatively and academically, as I'm learning new techniques, skills and wanting to improve all the time. It's great to be able to apply some of my education and knowledge to something that I'm so passionate about.
So that's me, signing off…
There you have it. You now know my industry background, my education, my drive and passion of working hard. You know about my family and why I'm here now. I'm a keen little bunny who actually enjoys working too hard so do expect me to take the odd week out here and there to recoup but I only ever want to get better.
The only things you don't know about me are, my love of playing pool, drinking gin, watching crime documentaries, marvel films and my occasional dabble in baking but you're never going to find out about them…
If you would like to peruse my shop with all the latest goodies, check out the Bathing Range here, my gorgeous luxurious feeling Body Products here and find yourself a little down time.
If you have any questions about any of my products do check out the FAQ page, or come and check out my socials, Instagram or Facebook. Sign up to my newsletter and you’ll hear about new releases before they even hit the socials! Be a step ahead of the game…
Thanks for all your support, sending lots of love
Alice
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