Inspiring success stories, case studies, and behind-the-scenes profiles of our rural and equestrian business clients. See real-world examples of growth, strategy, and creative marketing in action.

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All about Bolesworth with Nina Barbour

nina barbour bolesworth

The Dodson & Horrell Bolesworth International Horse Show is just two weeks away, so what better time to catch up with Nina Barbour to talk about all things Bolesworth.

All about Bolesworth with Nina Barbour

Nina shares how Bolesworth came to be, from her grandfather’s passion for dairy farming through to the International showjumping spectacular that is fast approaching. Nina also talks about her passion for showjumping and how being a competitor herself helps her keep her finger on the pulse, the riders competing, the attractions available to ensure that Bolesworth provides something for all the family, and so much more.

We also chat about safety- something that is very close to Nina’s heart and a cause she’s passionate to champion to help keep grooms and riders a whole lot safer. We speak about how BETA’s Safety Hub is also part of this.

To find out more about Bolesworth and the Dodson & Horrell Bolesworth International Horse Show, see the website here. You can also keep up with what’s going on from the equestrian side of things at Bolesworth by following the dedicated equestrian Instagram and Facebook page.

 

Small & Supercharged Mastermind

 

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From fur pom poms to full on Foxy with Foxy Equestrian founder Sophie Sacco

sophie sacco foxy equestrian

Foxy Equestrian started life thanks to a fur pom pom that the founder, Sophie Sacco, created at her dining room table! And how the brand has grown since then! With many tradestands under her belt and an ever growing collection of beautiful products available, Sophie shares all about how her brand came to be.

From fur pom poms to full on Foxy with Foxy Equestrian founder Sophie Sacco


Having a passion for horses her whole life, working with horses was an obvious step, but creating a whole brand… maybe not! From a humble pom pom created from an old fur coat to a full collection of bespoke base layers, hat silks, riding leggings and more, Sophie talks us through the whole business, her love of challenges and desire to create really exceptional unique products for her customers. She also talks about how you do Badminton and Windsor with a broken leg and ailing lorry… it’s definitely a good listen!

To find out more about Foxy Equestrian and the extensive collection of apparel, see the website here.

In addition, make sure you follow Sophie and Foxy Equestrian on Instagram and Facebook. Through these channels, you can get a lot of inspiration around just what’s possible with bespoke base layers and hat silks. And spoiler alert, the possibilities really are endless!

Small & Supercharged Mastermind

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Podmas #16 all about Rider Clinics, reporting injuries, dressage goals and staying safe with Dr Diane Fisher aka All The King’s Horses

Dr Diane Fisher All The Kings Horses

Podmas is back- and today, we’re joined by Dr Diane Fisher aka All The King’s Horses.

Podmas #16 all about Rider Clinics, reporting injuries, dressage goals and staying safe with Dr Diane Fisher aka All The King’s Horses

Dr Di is a trauma consultant, Chief Medical Officer of the British Equestrian Trade Association, and a dressage rider who’s recently graded as a para rider. In this episode, Di chats about the aims of her accounts and the amazing Rider Clinic, reporting accidents through BETA’s new form, dressage goals and dreams, and staying a bit safer when we can.

This episode of Podmas was recorded Live in the Small & Supercharged Group.

To follow Dr Di (you really really should!) find her on…

Instagram

Facebook

Intro music- “Jingle bells” by scottholmesmusic.com

This year, we recorded Podmas in a slightly different way and used the audio from Lives that were broadcast in the free Small & Supercharged Facebook group at lunchtime. Everyone on Podmas was a member of my membership group, the Small & Supercharged Mastermind group for small equestrian and rural business owners and influencers, and it was such such a joy to be able to share more about the fabulous businesses and the people behind them inside the group.

What’s Small & Supercharged Mastermind?

In Mastermind, each month, we have marketing and mindset masterclasses, social media ideas, weekly Lives, Facebook trainings, group chats and LOADS of opportunities. Podmas is a great example of the type of opportunities Masterminders can tap into and benefit from. Find all the details here.

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Getting to know Nicky Sutcliffe from Equi Travel Safe & Sport Horse Select

Nicky Sutcliffe Equitravelsafe

By Amy Griffiths Photography

Have you heard of Equi Travel Safe or Sport Horse Select? Today, you’re going to meet the founder of both of these businesses, Nicky Sutcliffe. Nicky is a member of the Small & Supercharged Mastermind group and, as part of my quest to get you to know more about the amazing people I work with, let me introduce you to Nicky…

Name: Nicky Sutcliffe

Business name: Sport Horse Select.

Whereabouts do you live? Stillington, just north of York.

In 10 words, tell us what your business does/sells/makes: I provide a variety of livery packages, horse training and compete BS.

Tell us why you started your business: I was horse mad from a toddler so it was inevitable I’d work with horses. I started Sport Horse Select in 2008 when we were lucky enough to move to our home with multiple stables. I love training horses and working through issues.

What’s your favourite event or show? I’d have to say the BS at Bramham International Horse Trials for a number of reasons. It’s one of our biggest local events, my horse loves their big grass arena, my friends and family come to watch and there is just a brilliant atmosphere.

Tell us about your four legged team members: My top horse is Cornelius III, or Cohen to his friends. He’s a giant grey warmblood who hates being bathed yet loves being filthy. He absolutely loves his job as a show jumper, especially the Spring/Summer season in the big grass arenas. We compete up to 1.40m against some of the countries top riders and he makes me look good. Together we are fearless and also best friends.

What’s your greatest achievement/pinch me moment in your business so far? Hard question! Other than competing Cohen, I’ve produced some brilliant horses who are now with top riders, such as Ciletto H, ridden by Ben Hobday. I’d say seeing people doing well with horses I’ve worked with fills me with pride.

Care to share a funny equestrian/business story?: I was once show jumping, feeling confident and probably showing off, when a filler blew down right in front of me as we were about to take off. The horse span and I ended up landing bum first in a decorative plant pot.

Best bit of business advice you’ve been given: You can’t do everything! But I didn’t listen and I still try.

Favourite equestrian brands: The Equi Travel Safe, I’m biased as I did invent it but I’d never travel a horse without it. The Comfy Horse Company who I brand ambassador for too; they have loads of products to keep the horse comfy. And my new KBF99 Shaving fork. Without this, my shoulders would have died mucking out the 16 stables I do daily.

One thing we might not know about you?: Before starting Sport Horse Select I working in a party and fancy dress shop where I became a qualified balloon artist.

If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why? My grandad, he’s dead now but I’d love one more dinner with him. He was a truly fascinating man. John Whitaker for all his helpful tips and his secret to be still going at his age. And Mary King for all her stories.

What is your superpower? Positive mental attitude! Nothing gets me down and if it does, I get back up and try harder.

What’s your pet hate? When your socks fall down in your wellies!

Why did you join Small & Supercharged Mastermind? I’d started a new business with the Equi Travel Safe and I needed so much help! I’m in my 30’s and not down with the kids. My social game was weak and I felt I wasn’t getting the product noticed.

What’s the best thing about the group? I love the Mastermind Group as we’re all people in the same boat. We learn so much from Rhea, most of it I wasn’t even aware I needed to know. It’s about working smart and not hard. My favourite is the Facebook lives where we all get together and ask questions that Rhea helps us with It’s like having business support.

Tell us all the places where we can find you:

Insta nickyshs and equitravelsafe

Facebook www.facebook.com/sporthorseselect and www.facebook.com/equitravelsafe

Website www.sporthorseselect.co.uk and www.equitravelsafe.co.uk

Small & Supercharged Mastermind

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Getting to know Victoria Bodey, the lady behind Equiboodle

Victoria Bodey Equiboodle, Abi Lyle, Georgie Round

Victoria Bodey is the lady behind Equiboodle, a gorgeous tack shop in Cirencester that I’m lucky enough to work with. In addition to seeing Victoria grow and build her own amazing and continually expanding collection, I’ve also hosted a Small & Supercharged LIVE Podcast in her shop, and we held a great event last November called Equiboodle & Friends that saw a number of businesses in the Small & Supercharged Mastermind group have a ‘stand’ in her shop at a special event. Here, we get to find out lots more about Victoria… I know you’ll love her as much as I do…

In 10 words, tell us what your business does/sells/makes: Large friendly equestrian store with own brand and big brands!

Tell us why you started your business: Started my company as I love all things equestrian and sales. I’m happiest on the ground around beautiful horsey items!

What’s your favourite event or show? My favourite event is badminton, it’s the perfect mix of ultimate equestrian heaven and seeing loads of my friends in the industry. I love catching up with everyone there. I go with dear friends and it’s an event we all look forward to!

Tell us about your four legged team members: I sold my horse last year as I’m too busy in the shop and with my family, I will continue to ride when I can this year, so for now my four legged friends are my dogs and cats

What’s your greatest achievement/pinch me moment in your business so far? I have many great achievements, moving into my brand new incredible shop, being nominated for retailer of the year a few times, meeting and becoming friends with famous riders who shop with Equiboodle, designing my own equestrian range. I’m very lucky! But ‘luck’ was generated by sheer hard work and determination!

Best bit of business advice you’ve been given: Best bit of business advice I’ve been given is by my husband and my family who constantly encourage and support me, it is summed up by this quote: “Success has a price tag on it, and the tag reads courage, determination, discipline, risk taking, perseverance, and consistency – doing the right things for the right reasons and not just when we feel like it.” James M. Meston

Favourite equestrian brands: My favourite equestrian brand is. Of course. My own beloved Equiboodle. A unique well respected, popular, trusted, fun, fashionable brand! And still turning into bigger and better brand all the time. However…..my business model in work is that if I or the team don’t use and love a product, we don’t sell it. Therefore every brand we sell in store comes with the assurance that a customer can freely discuss with us, with any of us giving them our honest opinion based on our usage

One thing we might not know about you? One thing you may not know about me is that: I’ve got my power boat license and that there’s always a small part of me that would like to be on a boat somewhere (normally Cornwall) with sea salt hair and a hint of a tan!

If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why? I’d want everyone to have fun and it be the most talked about dinner party for at least a week so I’d love to invite Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer and Noel Fielding. As they are eclectically funny which I love

What is your superpower? My super power is….being able to read people…..I’ve always been able to understand body language and expressions/gestures more than I realise most people do. Whether this is instinctual or a skill developed through years of sales I’m now not sure, but I quietly take it all in when I meet people and react accordingly.

What’s your pet hate? My pet hate is dishonesty. I can deal with anything as long as the person is being honest. Maybe it’s part of my ‘super power’.

Find Victoria on Facebook, Instagram, her website, or go and see the shop in Cirencester, you won’t be sorry!

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Sophie Callahan is on the Small & Supercharged Podmas

Sophie Callahan and Marilyn

Sophie Callahan is on the Small & Supercharged Podmas

Spicing up your life and not being a boring reindeer!


Equestrian photographer Sophie Callahan is on today’s Podmas. Sophie is a great friend of mine, we work together in various different ways… and she’s also done my only shots at home with Marilyn and Gu (you can’t really get higher praise!). She’s genuinely a pleasure to work with, so SO talented, and I am so excited to share this one with you. In it we chat about juggling being a mum and running a business following the birth of her first daughter this year, Spice Girls paraphernalia, and why no one wants to be a boring reindeer!

This is part of the Small & Supercharged Podcast’s Podmas where each day, between 1-24th December I’ll be sharing some Christmas cheer with a little help from some of the incredible people I work with in one way or another.

Music used -“Jingle bells” by scottholmesmusic.com

Find Sophie Callahan in all the places here…

Website

Instagram

Facebook

If you’d like to hear more from Sophie (and you should, she’s a star!), tune into some previous podcast episodes here…

Babies and business with Sophie Callahan

Sophie Callahan on commercial photography

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Building Equiboodle bit by bit with Victoria Bodey

Victoria Bodey EquiboodleWelcome to the very first EVER Small & Supercharged Podcast Live. I’m so excited to share this with you. This episode was recorded live at Equiboodle in Cirencester in September 2019.

In this first Live episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast, I chat to Victoria Bodey, founder of Equiboodle, about her business, her pending midlife crisis, and how she built her amazing business, Equiboodle, bit by bit.

Building Equiboodle bit by bit with Victoria Bodey


In this episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast, Victoria shares with us….

  • Why and how she started Equiboodle and how the business has grown over the years into what it is today.
  • How Victoria had no intention of turning Equiboodle into a proper business, and how her sole aim had been to make enough money to have a horse.
  • The journey from garage from small warehouse to shop to even bigger shop.
  • How and why Victoria and Equiboodle stock Holland Cooper Equestrian; from going to meet Jade Holland Cooper and being interviewed about taking on the new Collection through to it getting in store.
  • The highs of running the business – from being nominated for a BETA Business Award through to getting recognised by name tag at BETA International and stocking her dream brands.
  • The lows of running your own business, from how lonely it can be to having to make all the decisions connected to anything and everything to do with the business on your own.
  • Pricing, and the issue with pricing and competing against people who don’t have the overheads that Equiboodle, Victoria… and bricks and mortar stores in general have. We also talk about how the kindest customers can give the most cutting remarks, usually connected to pricing.
  • How and why Victoria brought out her own clothing collection, and how it started with the Vixen in grey with the animal print logo, then moved onto the Supastar, then the Sunny vest.
  • Future Equiboodle pieces that are due to come out any day now, and also future pieces due to be released really soon.
  • The equestrian trends that she would like to die a death. And you might be surprised by some of the things she says…

I’m so, so grateful to Victoria, Ginny and everyone at Equiboodle for allowing me to host this amazing event in the most stunning setting; and so thrilled that Victoria agreed to be interviewed for the first live episode ever!

To find Equiboodle online…

Website

Facebook

Instagram

And to follow Victoria’s personal Instagram account (you really should) it’s here.

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5 ways to show your clients you love them

5 ways to show your clients you love them

Getting clients to buy your product or service shouldn’t be where the process ends. Nope. Not even a bit. If you want to go the extra mile, to help build a connection and loyalty , and really delight your clients like bigger businesses can’t and don’t… well, this blog is for you. It’s all about ways to show your clients that you love them… and most are free… good, hey!

Handwritten notes

Have you ever received a parcel with a handwritten note? Oh my – it’s something else. From a business point of view, there is clearly a time factor, and I’m not going to pretend that there isn’t, but the delight your customer experiences should, hopefully counter this. Huge businesses can’t really do this (I mean, they could, but they don’t!), but smaller businesses can. And it can be one really amazing way to shine out against the big boys. It’s seen SO many posts on Instagram particularly of handwritten notes people have received in their parcels. See it as a marketing and client retention expense. It’s a really easy way to show your customers you love them.

Free gifts

Gifts have to be in here- but if you have a customer who’s spending good money with you, why not send them a little thank you? It doesn’t have to be a huge thing – far from it – something thoughtful can be so much more valuable. Maybe a few Lindt balls to orders at different times of the year, a product, a notebook, the list goes on. Think about the customer, what they would like, and go from there. There are very few people who aren’t delighted when they receive a tasty something in a parcel when they didn’t expect it.

Say thank you

Oh- ground breaking. No, in all seriousness, saying thank you is so underrated. Whether you include a thank you on your handwritten note, you say thank you on your order confirmation, or you just say thank you in person, don’t forget it. Yes, you have provided a product, but your customer has chosen you, out of everyone else. Whether you sell a product or a service, it’s a competitive world out there, so say thank you – THEY CHOSE YOU!

Promoting them on social media

If you have clients who show your products or say nice things about you on social media – can you return the favour? On Instagram, reposting from grids or sharing to your Story are great ways to do this, or retweet on Twitter, or share in Facebook. If you’re reposting on Instagram, don’t forget to ask permission. It’s not just polite but the photographer (often your customer) owns the copyright so you do need permission. From a PR point of view, asking to use something that your client has created, and saying how lovely it is, can further strengthen a bond.

Engage

Yes, that old chestnut. When customers (and potential ones) comment on your social media, please, PLEASE do your best to engage back. If you have a crazy busy account, you might not have enough hours in the day to comment on each post… but you could definitely do some. It shows that you care and appreciate them and their support. And that isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s excellent for building relationships too.

As you’ll see, none of the ideas above are rock science – far from it – they’re really obvious, aren’t they? I think we all spend a lot of time being absorbed in tech, automation, software and cleverness… and this means that sometimes we overlook the obvious.

It’s also a well known fact that it costs you a LOT less to keep an existing customer happy and loyal than to find a new one. So how can you show your clients you love them? And what could that mean for them, for you, and your business.

Rhea Freeman Newsletter
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5 things you might not know about Hiho Silver

Image by Sweet Images UK

Today’s blog focuses on one of my lovely clients, Hiho Silver. Well, after #hihoandco on Monday, it seemed as good a time as any to share this!

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Hiho Silver for quite a few years now and I’m so, so proud to work with them. Not only is the jewellery stunning (and can put up with the level of abuse that happens to it in my daily life!), but the people are lovely too.

As I get to hang out with Hiho Silver a lot, I thought it might be fun to share five things you might not know about Hiho Silver. I mean, you might do, but I thought it would be quite a fun way to lift the lid on this popular equestrian jewellery company. Are you ready? Let’s look at five things you might not know about Hiho Silver…

Hiho Silver is 25 years old this year!

Yep, Hiho is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. On the wedding anniversary chart this is… silver! To celebrate its 25th year, Hiho will be releasing a number of super special, limited edition pieces. I can’t tell you what they are or who Hiho is working with – because Emma and the team would actually shoot me – but trust me when I say you have some real treats in store!

Not all silver is the same

Ok, this is a fact about silver rather than Hiho Silver, but it’s an interesting one all the same. Not all silver is the same. Hiho use sterling silver, meaning it contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal. Pure silver is a really soft metal, meaning that if you were to make jewellery out of it, it wouldn’t stay in the shape it was meant to for long. By adding another metal and making sterling silver, Hiho’s pieces are a lot more durable, but the additional metal is chosen so it doesn’t detract from the silver’s beauty.

But before you think ‘this sounds odd’ – it isn’t. The hallmark 925 is used on a lot of silver, including Hiho’s, and the 925 refers to the percentage of pure silver in the jewellery. All Hiho is made with the highest quality 925 sterling silver, and pieces over the minimum legal weight threshold have a hallmark as a further guarantee of quality.

The Cherry Roller

Ah- the Cherry Roller. I LOVE this piece, but there’s a lot more to it than just a beautiful piece of jewellery. The Cherry Roller was designed by the Hiho team and is exclusive, trademarked and copyrighted. This piece took a long time to refine – and I know a lot of testing went on behind the scenes before it was sold. There are lots of clever elements in the design, not least the fact it can be customised with the beads a customer chooses. This, to me, makes it even more special.

Hiho Silver was in an old piggery for a number of years

Hiho may have started life at Forde Abbey, but a good fews years ago the team relocated to a piggery. Ok, that’s not quite true. Although the building used to be a piggery it had, obviously, been converted into a pretty impressive office space with everything you’d expect. They’ve now moved to the old granary.

It really is a team effort…

And this is one of the really lovely things about Hiho. The team. When a piece is designed, so many people chip in with their thoughts, ideas and so on, to help perfect each piece and make it as good as it can possibly be. Of course there’s usually a lead and someone brings the seed of the idea which is then developed, but everyone brings something to the party and I really think that is why Hiho’s jewellery is so special. This collaborative way of working doesn’t stop at design – on no. When we are planning a campaign or a sponsorship or anything else, everyone involved has a say on how we can make it better so we get the desired outcome. It’s a rather lovely way of working…

To find out more about Hiho, have a look at the Hiho Silver website, or go on over and follow them on Instagram or Facebook.

If you liked this, you might also like…

Why I love the CZ Roller Bead

Hiho & Co Instameet

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The power of collaboration and trying new things – Emma Warren

Do I have a treat for you today! Today’s episode is all about the power of collaboration and trying new things. If you’ve ever wondered about how collaborations work with many brands, or why it’s important to try new things, this is for you!

For this episode, we’re talking to Emma Warren, MD of Hiho Silver. In it, she talks about working together, why it really is important to try new things in your business, and how the Style, Skills & Silver event Hiho ran in September ’18 did this. Emma is a lady who just doesn’t just talk a good talk, she’s always trying new things and testing theories… and we get a look at the mindset behind that here too.

Let’s talk about the power of collaboration and why we should embrace trying new things

Show notes for the Small & Supercharged Podcast – Episode 15 – the power of collaboration and trying news things with Emma Warren. In this episode we have a really good chat with Emma Warren, MD of Hiho Silver, about collaboration, trying new things, and how this all came together in the Hiho Silver Style, Skills & Silver event. In this episode you’ll hear…

  • How the idea for Style, Skills & Silver came about.
  • The idea that was at the hub of the event and how this grew and developed in line with Emma’s vision.
  • How the skills that the group of amazing attendees learnt are being used even now.
  • The ability to collaborate with other brands to make an event like this work – Melanie from Mackenzie & George, Ben from Fairfax & Favor, and Sophie from Evemy & Evemy attended in person, and Annie from Albion Lifestyle and Belle from Annabel Brocks let us loan products to play with and use for the workshops.
  • How Style, Skills & Silver was quite a different concept, and how Emma and Hiho felt about that.
  • We talk about how Emma’s knowledge from different industries has been brought across to Hiho and that can help to encourage her to do new things.
  • How an event, like Style, Skills & Silver, has far reaching benefits – not just for skills but also for people’s lives.
  • That people who attended and presented at the event really pushed themselves outside their comfort zones, as much as the people who attended and tried new things did.
  • How the biggest take aways from the day were things that no one could have really predicted.
  • Why working together with other brands is kind of brave, but also hugely valuable and important. We also talk about balance and how some people and brands really embrace collaboration and others don’t. Emma also acknowledges that collaboration isn’t for everyone, but how this is fine too!
  • How people like different things at different times, and how collaboration isn’t just about the pound notes. It’s about far more than that.
  • The importance of authenticity when it comes to collaborations – how this idea might not work for everyone, but how it works for many brands and when it does, it’s great. But we also talk about why it doesn’t work for everyone and can depend on heritage and company DNA.
  • We talk about the next Style, Skills & Silver event – and how this will be in February.
  • How you can find out about the next event and how the people who came to the first event will get a 24 hour window to order their tickets before general release.
  • Why Style, Skills & Silver was a no shopping event and the benefits of this.

Since this episode was recorded the event has been renamed as Hiho & Co and the next event’s theme is around being all you can be. This will focused around helping people tap into their own skills, using them as well as possible, and not fixating on what you can’t do. I’m excited…

To find out more about Hiho Silver, all the links are below. And if you want to find out more about Emma, I’ve included her links too!

Emma Warren:

Instagram

Website

Hiho Silver:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Dimpsey Glamping:

Instagram

Facebook

Website

 

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