A weekly podcast for the small business owner and creative entrepreneur to help you grow your wholesale. Brought to you by Therese from the Small Business Collaborative. Find out how buyers select new products, what it takes to make a product successful, how to build a long-standing relationship with a retailer and what you can do to stand out.
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A weekly podcast for the small business owner and creative entrepreneur to help you grow your wholesale. Brought to you by Therese from the Small Business Collaborative. Find out how buyers select new products, what it takes to make a product successful, how to build a long-standing relationship with a retailer and what you can do to stand out.
Let’s Talk Shop: How Moonshine Candle Co Grew to 60+ Stockists
Episode summary
Catherine, founder of Moonshine Candle Co in the Orkney Islands, shares how she grew from roughly 30 stockists to 60+ in just a year. We talk about elevating her brand, smart risks like custom screen-printed bottles, what trade shows really do for a small brand, how consistent follow up turns maybes into orders, and the systems that let her take a three-week trip in November without derailing Christmas.
Meet the guest
Catherine — Moonshine Candle Co
Design-led home fragrance inspired by the wild beauty and calm moments of island living. Small-batch candles, diffusers, wax melts, organic soaps, and those much-loved car perfumes.
What we cover
The brand refresh that unlocked confidence to pitch and sell
Taking a calculated risk on custom packaging and why it paid off
Trade shows as insight and relationship builders, not just order days
Faire optimisation, email pitching, and the power of follow up
Prepping for time off in peak season with wholesale systems
Growing beyond the local market and thinking seasons ahead
Simple POS that helps retailers merchandise and sell more
Reorders, relationship building, and why silence is not a no
Links mentioned
Website: moonshinecandleco.com
Instagram: @moonshinecandleco
Faire Direct: https://moonshinecandleco.faire.com
📍 Upcoming Workshop
I’m hosting a free workshop on Wednesday 24th September at 11:00 AM UK time called Cracking Christmas. It’s all about creating your sales plan for the final quarter of the year so you can really smash your wholesale. Sign-up here.
Catherine is part of my program Sales Growth Lab, and doors will open again right after the workshop. Attendees get first access on the 24th before it opens up to everyone else on the 25th.
👉 Find out more about Sales Growth Lab here
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
03:00 Catherine’s Business Journey
07:00 Branding and Wholesale Growth
12:00 Challenges and Risks in Business
17:00 Trade Shows and Expanding Reach
23:00 Preparing for Time Off
28:00 Building Relationships with Stockists
34:00 Future Plans and Product Development
40:00 Proudest Moments and Final Thoughts
45:00 Conclusion and Upcoming Workshop
Let’s Talk Shop
A weekly podcast for the small business owner and creative entrepreneur to help you grow your wholesale. Brought to you by Therese from the Small Business Collaborative. Find out how buyers select new products, what it takes to make a product successful, how to build a long-standing relationship with a retailer and what you can do to stand out.
