Meet the Maker
Each issue we will be asking a wedding supplier about what they do; here’s this week’s Meet the Maker.
What’s your business?
We own Something Sweet & Ghandis – The trailer Drinks Company.
Something Sweet predominantly works within the weddings and events industry supplying Popcorn, Candy Floss, Chocolate Fountains, Milkshake Bar and a Sweet Cart.
Ghandis – The Trailer Drinks Company is a beautiful converted Horse Box that can be switched from a barista Coffee Bar to a Gin Trailer within minutes. We usually attend private events as a prepaid supplier or public events on a PAYG basis.
How did you get started? How long have you been established?
Something Sweet started in 2015 with a single sweet cart. We decided to start the business up after our own wedding and realising there was a gap in the market for a supplier who was cost effective and not expensive but providing a great quality. We then expanded with Popcorn and Candy Floss within a few months, then Milkshakes around a year after. The most recent add ons were the 2 chocolate fountains, a 3 Tier (which we later had a custom-made Rustic Base for) and the 5 Tier Fountain.
Ghandis was bought in 2018 and towed here from Manchester, already converted using a rustic, burnt wood and copper styling.
What obstacles did you have to overcome to have a successful business?We have had some tough times and harsh discussions around the kitchen table about where the businesses will be going. We have experienced direct competition with underhand techniques too, but the customer feedback was always a positive. You constantly have to change your offering to be appealing to the ever-changing market. Adding new products and removing old ideas. There’s a lot of competition out there.
Do you do this full time or do you have other employment?
I am currently on Maternity Leave from a Part Time Job, which after 2020 and the global pandemic has been a blessing. I have no intention of going back, before we had Archie (our 6 month old), I always said that was the end of working for someone else. It has certainly made the upcoming future very different with Covid, but this is the ideal time. We are very lucky that Andrew has a full time job and career in Marketing which serves us very well. He will remain in full time employment as it is always a good thing to have a secure income.
What piece of advice would you give established wedding suppliers who may be struggling right now due to
the pandemic?
This is not going to last forever. We have been really fortunate that we can switch to Virtual Events and used this as a way to remain front of mind with customers. Eventually we will be back in the game and have the busiest period ever. Make the most of the time that you have with your family at home, because once we hit peak season and can safely have events, I don’t think we will be seeing much of them!
HootSuite – Oh my! I have only recently discovered this app but what a game changer. We use Linked In to communicate with clients in other industries, which has secured us a lot of work of the past 24 months. HootSuite can schedule posts for Linked In as well as social media, with having a 6 month old, sometimes a 7am post is impossible! Make a plan of the posts you can do and schedule them, don’t forget to be human…..posts about you are equally as well received as posts about your business. Don’t be all about the selling.
What helpful tips would you offer brand new budding wedding suppliers looking to dive into working for themselves?
Have a backup plan. No one expected the Covid pandemic and I doubt we will see anything like this again in our lifetime. Things won’t always go smoothly, so make sure you have an idea of what to do if there is a business crisis including your income. Try to begin the journey debt free, if you have no business coming in, you’ll have no way to pay it. Just do it, don’t sit there thinking ‘What if’ but make well thought out decisions.
