The Art of Retail: Sarah Holmes on Passion, Pencils, and Personal Branding

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review! In this episode, I'm absolutely thrilled to chat with Sarah Holmes, the brilliant owner of two physical shops in Scotland, Pencil Me In and Seasgair. Sarah has done an incredible job of not only marketing her shops to become must-visit destinations but also cultivating a strong personal brand alongside them. We delve into her journey from a childhood dream of being a shopkeeper to running multiple successful retail businesses, her strategies for online and offline growth, the importance of community, and how she's navigated the ups and downs of retail. If you're interested in what it truly takes to build a brand around physical products and create a loyal customer base, this episode is packed with insights! Key Takeaways: Authenticity Builds Loyalty: Showing up as your genuine self, sharing your opinions, and letting customers get to know the person behind the brand is crucial for building a strong, loyal community. Identify & Fill Market Gaps: Sarah’s success with her second shop, C Scare, and her custom pencil business stemmed from spotting a need and strategically filling it, rather than just following passion alone. The Power of In-Person Networking: Especially in smaller towns or more rural areas, joining local business groups and actively networking can be invaluable for building support, gaining customers, and fostering word-of-mouth referrals. Consistency is Key in Retail: Maintaining regular opening hours and consistently stocking products that your customers are looking for are fundamental to building trust and keeping people coming back. Coupled with this is the need for relentless marketing. Flexibility Can Fuel Growth: For Sarah's custom pencil business, offering low minimum orders and a high level of customer service for wholesale clients has been a significant factor in its growth.   Episode Highlights: 01:10: Sarah talks about her lifelong dream of being a shopkeeper, a passion that started with a childhood post office set! 08:30: The origin story of Pencil Me In's famous personalised pencils – from outsourcing to buying a foiling machine just two weeks after opening in Elgin and teaching herself the craft. 18:45: Sarah shares how she started using Instagram Stories to connect on a more personal level and how a mini-crowdfunder, promoted only on Stories, helped her buy essential equipment and revealed the strength of her online community. 27:40: Sarah’s advice for struggling retail shops: focus on consistency in opening hours and stock, understand your customer journey, and commit to constant marketing. 42:30: Sarah discusses the significant impact that joining a local women's networking group (Moray Business Women) had on her business, especially when starting out in a new area.   About the Guest: Sarah Holmes Sarah Holmes is the owner of two physical shops in Elgin, Scotland & she also runs a successful custom-printed pencil business, supplying individuals and major clients like the House of Commons.   Websites: Pencil Me In: pencilmein.co.uk Seasgair Store: https://seasgair.store Custom Printed Pencils: customprintedpencils.co.uk   Instagram: @pencileminshop @seasgair.store   Mentioned in the episode: Wix (website builder) The Stationery Show London Atomicøn Conference Moray Business Women   I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @lizmmosley or @buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (http://lucylucraft.co.uk )