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Meet the amazing businesswomen changing the business landscape in Worcestershire
SARA DENNY
Thyme Keepers
People are struggling this last year and now with the need for good mental health, strength and wellness. For us all this has never been more important. Thyme Keepers is a small fledgling company adapting to these crazy times. They have a range of crystals, stones, jewellery, essential oils, meditation CDs and angels for good positivity, obviously! Sara from Thyme Keepers online store insists on providing an affordable quality range with useful information about each item to help you choose. Sara explains that she is keeping faith that things will always turn out OK, with an understanding that even when they aren’t OK, things will always turn out OK; eventually! The trials and tribulations of staying afloat right now can be seen as either a curse or a blessing and a learning curve. Sara says she refers back to her hippy roots at times like these and remembers that it’s not the destination but the journey that’s important. So long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other, we will be OK.
CHARLOTTE JOHNSTON AND NATASHA JOHNSTON
Poplar and Hazel
Charlotte Johnston and Natasha Johnston started Poplar and Hazel with a clear interiors vision, to create a contemporary country living style. The sisters have been working hard over the last year to produce a concept they are passionate about and have developed a distinguished collection of home accessories. The brand is inspired by the family’s lifestyle and love of the Worcestershire countryside, where distinct pieces are used to reflect the rural scenery in which they live.
TEJINDER GHAG
Tej & Co Skin and Hair Removal Clinic
Tejinder Ghag is a guru when it comes to beautiful skin. With almost two decades of experience in the beauty industry, Tejinder is highly skilled and passionate about her work, taking great pleasure in inspiring individuals to look and feel confident in their own skin so they can become the best version of themselves.
Tejinder specialises in skincare and hair removal because she recognises the importance of both. Sensitive skin, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, sun damage, age spots, thread veins, and pigmentation changes are all common skin concerns, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them.
Tejinder uses results-driven treatments including skin peels to improve acne scarring and pigmentation, needling which stimulates collagen production, and laser skin rejuvenation - a medical grade treatment with proven results - to treat these conditions effectively with a tailored programme for every client.
Problematic skin can have a negative impact on self-confidence, the same can be said of unwanted facial/body hair. As a specialist in advanced hair removal techniques, Tejinder will find a solution to your problem with one or more of the medically approved treatments her clinic offers and will deliver them in a warm, welcoming, and relaxed environment where men, women, transgender and everyone in between are all welcome.
JANE AND EMILY NEWMAN
Jane Newman Financial Planning Ltd
Having a financial advisor on your side, particularly during uncertain times, is essential when you are trying to forge a comfortable, worry-free future. Proudly independent with more than 25 years of industry experience, Jane Newman Financial Planning Ltd has gone from strength to strength since appearing in Women Mean Business in March last year.
The firm moved into smart new offices in St Andrews Road in the heart of Droitwich Spa in July 2020 after outgrowing its former home at Gaudet Luce Golf Club and will soon be unveiling a new website showcasing its wide range of services and industry expertise. Using the latest technology to access up-to-date financial products from whole of market providers, JNFP work with clients to devise a peace of mind plan that is designed to provide long-term financial security and support them every step of the way.
Leading the seven-strong team are managing director Jane Newman DipFA and her daughter Emily Newman Dip RFP & CII (MP & ER). With more than two decades’ experience in the financial services industry, Jane can provide advice on pensions, investments and savings, mortgages, protection and estate and inheritance tax planning. Emily joined JNFP as an apprentice in 2018 and is a qualified independent financial adviser after successfully completing a diploma in regulated financial planning.
Jane was named one of the UK’s top rated financial advisers in 2019, 2020 and 2021 based on positive reviews from clients via VouchedFor.co.uk, the UK’s leading ratings site for financial and legal professionals. Emily will make her first VouchedFor.co.uk appearance this year and both will appear in a feature about the prestigious list in The Times.
The team also boasts an experienced mortgage and protection adviser in Jo Bates, who specialises in all areas of mortgages and protection, equity release and long-term care planning. “Building lasting relationships and providing outstanding customer service has enabled us to grow over the past ten years and we're honoured that many of our clients recommend us to friends and family,” said Jane.
To arrange a consultation with Jane Newman Financial Planning Ltd, please get in touch.
SHARON SMITH
The Chamber
The Chamber is a not for profit organisation, with the key purpose to build economic strength within Herefordshire and Worcestershire by supporting all business to grow. Last year was a tremendous challenge and those who have sought out external support, information and connections with other businesses have reaped the benefits and some comfort from others. The team look forward to working with all businesses during the months ahead, helping to support local business to thrive.
SARA MATTHEWS
Business development manager
After delivering the Worcester Stands Tall giraffe art trail for St Richard’s Hospice in 2018, Sara Matthews returned to the charity in 2020 as its business development manager. This income generation role sees her focus on large scale projects for the hospice including Worcester’s Big Parade. The Big Parade is a fun, free, elephant sculpture trail coming to the city for eight weeks this summer. Sara says: “It’s an honour to work for St Richard’s. I’m doing work I love with wonderful people, and helping to make a difference. I’m incredibly proud to be part of its future and legacy.”
TRISHA COOPER
Jordan Williams Upholstery
Established by Trisha Cooper in 2016, Jordan Williams Upholstery strives to provide a professional and high quality traditional and modern re-upholstery experience. Trained by the AMUSF (Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers) in Hereford and London, Trisha has built up her upholstery business with the help of son Jordan and husband Mark. With the move to premises in Bromsgrove town centre in November 2019 Trisha is pushing the business forwards. As well as offering full bespoke upholstery, Jordan Williams Upholstery services include cushion refilling and making made to measure curtains and blinds as well as cushions and other soft furnishings. For more information and to discuss your projects please call, e-mail or see our website.
jordanwilliamsupholstery.co.uk
SARA AND LISA ROWLANDS
Rowpire
Twin sisters, Sara and Lisa Rowlands always knew they would own a business together (perhaps it was a twin thing) and following respective successful careers in the property industry, they decided to finally take the plunge and strike out on their own. Armed with exuberant excitement, and their collective passion for home interiors, the sisters pooled their skills and knowledge gleaned from a decade of working in the property industry together, and Rowpire was born. Rowpire offers a professional property staging service which transforms properties for the sales market, creating attractive and desirable homes that sell fast and command a high value. Sara and Lisa are passionate about the benefits of property staging and are keen to demonstrate to homeowners and developers how presenting a property in its best light, and to the highest standard creates maximum interest, and offers. Rowpire’s mantra is “inspire the buyer”. Sara and Lisa embed this ethos into their work by creating inspirational living environments that are indeed inspiring and unforgettable. As twin sisters, Sara and Lisa share a unique bond and naturally have complementary traits which makes for a very special working relationship. There is no competition, no battle of egos, just an innate desire to push each other to reach their full potential.
SAMANTHA MCCARTHY
Projects & marketing manager
Worcester Business Improvement District (BID) tackles issues facing the city and its businesses, promoting and lobbying for businesses to help them grow. Samantha McCarthy heads up projects and marketing at Worcester BID and she definitely means business! During the pandemic, Sam and the BID team have been developing ever more support for city businesses to boost trade and diversity, as well as continuing BID’s direct support for businesses with the day to day running of their business. “We are passionate about Worcester and believe it is a fantastic place to live and work. During the lockdowns we are focused on helping businesses adapt so that they will survive and grow.”
VICTORIA RICHARDSON
Marketing executive for Savills
With over 15 years building relationships with local stakeholders and businesses, Victoria continues her passion for supporting all of the great things Worcester has to offer in her role as marketing executive for Savills at Crowngate Shopping Centre. “Being in a position to promote and celebrate Worcester’s arts, history and heritage with joint partnerships, alongside our retailers is particularly rewarding during these difficult times for retail and the high street.”
EMMA BLOOR
Fable and Willow
"Home isn’t always a place is it?” Extract taken from The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackey, 2019.
Like many of us my family home changed in March 2020, it became a place of comfort, safety, work, play, home schooling, leisure and so much more. Creating a balance of work and play became increasingly difficult especially as the home market began to pick up and we became extremely busy.
The demand to create beautiful multi use spaces became everchanging and from that my customer evolved too. Suddenly we were booking in entire houses to be designed, made and fitted often in one or two installations. These clients were more adventurous, welcomed our creativity and were wanting something hand crafted, bespoke, and sometimes technical which suited our skillset and allowed us to grow. We took on farmhouses in Essex, town houses in Kensington and beautiful stately homes and cottages within Stourbridge, Worcestershire and Pershore. Not only did people start to buy more locally we had to be more resourceful and find local suppliers that were open and able to supply. This enabled us to build a wonderful list of talented local craftsmen and women and invest in new fabric accounts and utilise some of our favourite suppliers we had always desired to use in the past.
From the growth came a change in our working practices, processes were put in place making us more efficient and enabling us to expand but keep the quality of our work. we made endless improvements to the execution of our product. Often by creating mini samples to ensure we had got it right. More than ever, it was important to deliver a high standard and tailor each hand sewn design for the customer within a timely manner while meeting the everchanging demands of home life.
Often the journey would start with a home visit or online consultation, where we would design a colour story, sample board and create a vision to aid the clients in making their design decisions. We became skilled in templating and patten making and dealing with the challenge of working with huge quantities of fabric for sometimes enormous windows and sometimes just interesting shapes. Over all 2020 was an exciting year of growth for Fable and Willow and it looks like 2021 is set to be the same.
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