A Manchester-based business has been shortlisted in a national competition revealing a snapshot of business during lockdown
The owner of a beauty business based in Whitefield, Manchester, has been shortlisted in a national competition which seeks to reveal how businesses have been faring during the coronavirus crisis.
Gemma Walker, founder of Quirk Botanicals, entered the PopUp Business School Summer Photo Challenge with a picture of herself enjoying some of her own products. She said: “I created Quirk Botanicals back in 2017 as a vegan and cruelty free beauty business.
“Quirk is all about embracing & celebrating natural beauty. All of my products are made with carefully selected ingredients and, of course, a lot of love.
“Currently, Quirk specialises in bath bombs, however I would love to expand the product line in the future, and I already have plans in place for this.
“I wanted to create a brand that was accessible, affordable but, most importantly, was inclusive to everyone, and I felt that I had the skillset and support from my family to do this. I initially trained as a Digital Marketing Assistant which helped with setting up the business as well.
“Vegan and cruelty-free beauty is something that I am fiercely passionate about, and I see Quirk as a chance to educate people on how easy it is to switch up our current beauty routines to something that is more sustainable and kinder to the planet.
“I was also spending way too much money at a certain high street store that also sells bath bombs, so my husband pushed me into making my own.
“As Quirk makes products that are intended for use on or around the skin, the manufacturing process was already strict before lockdown began, but I now make sure that I am the only one who handles the products, in line with government guidance, and I have made my followers on social media aware that postage may take longer.
“Otherwise, I have seen a marked improvement in my business, and I think this is partly due to the success of several virtual markets I have taken part in. These include the Handmade Hour market, the Makers Market from Home and the Chester Vegan Fair. I also have to thank my ever-enthusiastic followers, who have spread the word about my business and so have brought me a lot of new business.
“I think people have supported small businesses more than ever during this time period, which is lovely to see, and I hope it continues.”
PopUp Business School, which helps people from all walks of life to launch their own businesses, is asking people across the UK to take a photograph which illustrates their business, or business idea, with the chance to win up to £200.
CEO Simon Paine said: “Business has changed so much in the past few months, we thought it’d be really interesting to get a glimpse into their world.
“We know many businesses have moved their operations online and are interacting and serving customers in a different way.
“However, due to lockdown, this has all been happening behind closed doors. We’ve seen far less of one another so it’s going to be great to take a look inside.”
The competition is still open for entries here: https://www.popupbusinessschool.co.uk/photo-challenge.html
