Celebrating 5 Years of Issy Granger
This month, Issy Granger turns five. Although I began the business a few years earlier, it's been five years since I left my permanent job to work on Issy Granger full-time. It was a leap of faith, but one I knew I had to take.
I remember hearing that by the five-year mark almost half of all new businesses are no longer running. With this in mind, five years always seemed like a big milestone that I was determined to reach. Whilst the business has definitely seen a good many ups and downs, it is still going and growing!
In the day to day running of a small business, it is often hard to remember to celebrate the achievements and feel proud of how far we have come. This five-year anniversary has given me the chance to pause, reflect, and thank everyone who has helped along the way.
OUR WONDERFUL MAKERS
When the company began I was the only creator of our products and now we have sixteen different makers and manufacturers bringing my designs to life. From candle producers to lampshade makers, linen weavers and glassblowers, I have the incredible privilege of working with so many talented people. Without them my designs would still just be scribbles on the pages of my sketchbooks not filling the homes of our wonderful customers around the world.
ORDERS COMING THROUGH
Every order that we received at the start was wrapped and packed by me, bundled into my car, onto a bus or into a taxi and carried in multiple bags and sacks into the Post Office whilst I left my car on double yellow lines or asked kind strangers to help me carry them off the bus. A special thank you must go to Dennis - the amazing postman who finally saved me from collapsing under multiple piles of boxes by offering to pick up my parcels every day at the end of his shift. It was a game changer - what a hero!
OUR VERY OWN WAREHOUSE
The days of packing orders in my bedroom seem like a distant memory! Whilst warehousing may not appear to be the most glamourous part of the business, taking on our own space this year was an extremely exciting step for us! Since the start we’ve been in three different warehouses and have now settled into our fantastic new space with a wonderful team in Wiltshire.
A WORKING PARENT
In all this time the last seven months have probably been the craziest to date. Kasper was born at the start of March and as anyone who runs their own company will know, a business doesn’t stop for a baby! I took a few days off when he was born but then was quickly back to work with Kasper in tow. It’s been pretty tricky (and tiring!) at times trying to navigate both the business and the baby and there’s definitely still a lot to learn but I am doing my best and hopefully am just about on the right track!
TO OUR CUSTOMERS
It is safe to say that without you we wouldn’t be here! From the friends who placed those all-important first orders to the amazing loyal customers who come back time and again I really cannot thank you enough! I hope that I can continue to create pieces that you love for many years to come. Here is to the next five years!