Working with customers to promote your business – with Charlotte Watts – Made on the Street

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Welcome to the Bring Your Product Idea to Life podcast. This is the podcast for you if you're getting started selling products, or if you'd like to create your own product to sell. I'm Vicki Weinberg, product creation coach and Amazon expert. Every week I share friendly, practical advice as well as inspirational stories from small businesses. Let's get started.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:00:24

Charlotte Watts is the owner of Made on the Street. Charlotte makes stylish, affordable, sustainable clothing for babies and children. I had a really great chat with Charlotte. We spoke about how she taught herself to sew and how to make clothes. Um, her business is still quite young, is less than two years old, and she's done so much in that time, which she's gonna talk to us about.

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One thing we spoke about that I particularly enjoyed was she was talking about how she has, and representatives of her brand, so customers that she works with to inform what designs and patterns she makes, um, they give her input, and also how they help promote her business as well. I thought this was a really interesting model. I don't think I've heard of anyone else doing this, and I'm sure that, you know, you, this would be something that, um, for lots of us is something perhaps to, to think about. So I really hope you're inspired by Charlotte and enjoy her conversation. So, hi Charlotte. Thank you for being here.

Charlotte Watts: 00:01:15

Thank you for having me.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:01:16

Can we please start with you giving an introduction to yourself, your business and what you sell?

Charlotte Watts: 00:01:21

Yeah, so I'm Charlotte, um, mum of two on a normal day-to-day basis, but, um, I started, Made on the street, um, back in 2021 and Made on the Street is, um, a handmade children's and babies clothing business.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:01:36

Oh, thank you. And I'd love to know a bit more about the story about why you started Made on the Street, because I believe the business is fairly young still. Is that right?

Charlotte Watts: 00:01:44

Yeah. Yeah. So, um, it'll be two years, um, this September. Um, so. Basically during my maternity leave of my youngest, um, she'll be three in October. I, I just, I fell in love with being around my kids. Um, I'd been furloughed at the beginning of lockdown. Um, and during my actual maternity leave while she was here, I needed something to do to keep me busy and occupied. And, you know, as you do, mums like to keep ourselves really busy and I decided I'd get the sewing machine out and make some little outfits for her. And a few friends had seen what I'd made and lo and behold, Made on the Street started.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:02:22

And had you, um, been making your own clothes, clothes before Charlotte? So how did you even know how to do that?

Charlotte Watts: 00:02:28

I've made bits for my kids here and there, so my eldest is five, so I've made, you know, the odd bit here and there for him when he was a baby. But no, not really. I've never made any since. So I'm, I'm really self-taught and it's all trial and error. Um, and yeah, I just fell in love with sewing again and I bought a pattern, bought another pattern, and next thing I have a big binder full of patterns and I thought, I'm going to try this and see how it goes. And yeah, people liked what I made, so.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:02:59

Oh, that's amazing. So did you, did you like go to classes or watch's YouTube, or did you literally just sit home and figure it out? I'm just, I'm just fascinated how people make things.

Charlotte Watts: 00:03:08

Yeah, so during secondary school, when I was about, I don't know, 14, 15, we had lessons to make, you know, the little PE bags with the drawstrings or pillow cushions and what have you. But nothing, nothing to this extent. I, yeah, it was literally I thought, oh, I'll make something. I'll, you know, I need to keep myself busy. And yeah, I just sat down and watched a couple of YouTube videos. Just because I'm a visual learner, I, I can work it out better if I see it. And. Yeah, now I just give it a go. I'll buy some patterns and I, if I like it, and I think, oh, that'd sell really well then yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:03:45

Oh, that's brilliant. Thank you. Oh, thank you for explaining that. And obviously you buy the patterns, um, but you also have to source fabric, I guess, as well.

Charlotte Watts: 00:03:52

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:03:52

Um, and I've looked at your website and I encourage everyone to look at your website. It will be linked up in the show notes. Um, and your fabrics are so unique. That's something that really stood out to me when I looked, is that I'm seeing like, designs and things that I, I don't see everywhere because you know what I mean? Sometimes you can see similar fabrics popping up.

Charlotte Watts: 00:04:09

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:04:09

Um, but yours look really unique. Where, where do you find them?

Charlotte Watts: 00:04:13

I'm really lucky that, um, after joining Instagram to promote my business, I've come across some really great pattern designers. Um, so I get, I buy the seamless patterns off some of these ladies, and then they're exclusive to me, so no one else will have z'd pattern or z'd colourway or whichever you like. So I've really enjoyed having that aspect that I can say, oh, you won't ha you won't see this anywhere else. So, yeah. And then. So I've bought patterns and then I've done a lot of research into who's better at printing the fabric and the colours that come out better and yeah, the quality and the feel. And so my kids have had a lot of clothes to try on as I've tested fabrics and who's the better producer of the fabrics. So, but I like, I like to keep everything UK made. So a lot of my fabrics, um, are from UK businesses as well.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:05:10

Oh, I didn't even think about that. So some of the bit, so some of the fabric you are buying in mm-hmm as fabric, but you are, you're actually getting these designs printed as well.

Charlotte Watts: 00:05:18

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:05:19

Oh, wow. How do you even go about finding someone that can print on pap fabrics? I'm assuming you're printing roles. You're not just printing like a square?

Charlotte Watts: 00:05:27

Yeah, no. So, um, some fabrics are printing one metres, so it's not a lot. You can get a couple of outfits from one metres, but they're, what I like to do is my test pieces, but then majority I buy, I don't know, five metres plus 10 metres, 25 metres if it's something that really sells. So I have a lovely big, um, bookcase next to me that houses all my fabrics.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:05:50

Oh wow. And was it a, okay, so, so first of all you had to, I guess you say, find the designs.

Charlotte Watts: 00:05:55

Mm-hmm.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:05:55

And was that literally just Instagram, you made all of those connections?

Charlotte Watts: 00:05:58

Yeah. Yeah. So I've, I think I've got, I think five or six ladies that I've, um, bought quite a lot of designs off of them. Um, which is quite addictive. So I, I found them, I bought one or two patterns, had them printed. I loved how they printed out, and then I've kind of just, yeah, stuck to them ladies and support some more as I go along.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:06:20

Well, that's really nice. And are they, um, designing, are you working with them on the designs or are they, or do they have designs that you are like, well I really like that?

Charlotte Watts: 00:06:30

Um, so some, some, sometimes I'm working with them. So I had, um, some Christmas designs off of, uh, two ladies, um, that I worked with them. I said, this is what I'm aiming for. This is what I'd really like. And they really worked, worked well. And came out with these brilliant designs, um, and sold out my Christmas fabrics, which was amazing. And then some of them they've already designed. Um, and yeah, I just love them and I'll buy them. And then sometimes they ask for input and it's like, oh, this would be really nice. And they're really great that they're like, well, do you want this designed? Like you've put input in, you know, we'll let you have first dibs. So there's, there's loads of designs on my computer.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:07:14

Oh, that's really nice. And do you get input from customers as well? Do customers say to you, can you make this with a unicorn or whatever it is?

Charlotte Watts: 00:07:21

I have some really great ladies. Um, so I do ask their input and you know, they'll be like, oh, you should get, I don't know, a unicorn design or you should get this mummy and turtle design. That would be really nice for baby bundles. Or, you know, the like, they're really great ladies. I've made some really good friends along with making a business as well.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:07:41

Oh, that sounds interesting and we'll talk about that a little bit more, if that's okay.

Charlotte Watts: 00:07:45

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:07:45

In, in a moment. So once you've got the fabrics, how did you go about getting them actually printed? Because it sounds like you've literally just, you know, done all of this from scratch. You've taught yourself. I think it's about, I think it's amazing by the way, that you've sort of gone ahead and done all of this because you're making it sound really easy but I bet it's not as easy as that.

Charlotte Watts: 00:08:03

It can be really stressful. Can be really stressful and my partner will vouch for me that some nights I'm up until two, three o'clock in the, in the morning and I'm like, I can't get this situation out of my head. And you know, I'll fester and fester on what's going wrong and I need to get it fixed, and if something's printed wrong or looking for someone else, um, to print these designs that I want such a colour to be so vibrant that I look for this particular fabric printer. And yeah, it just some nights, it can really fester in my head that I need to get this fixed.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:08:39

I, I think that's having your own business, isn't it? There's always something.

Charlotte Watts: 00:08:41

Oh, definitely.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:08:42

To think about. So of all of your fabric printers are in the, in the UK then?

Charlotte Watts: 00:08:46

Um, majority of what I use there is one lady that does, um, European fabric printing. Um, so I try to use her a little bit less just because I like the fact of saying that everything is UK made printed. It's all come from the UK.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:09:04

That makes sense. And how did you go about finding printers? Because I know that you can probably go onto Google and search and get loads of results, but how would you actually go about finding someone that you want to work with that's, yeah, kind of printing them as you want.

Charlotte Watts: 00:09:17

So like you say, Google to start with, and then it was just a case of trial and error and seeing how an example of a des a design printed out, um, how the stretch, the fabric if it lasted well with the wash, the tumble drying. You know, as a mother I like quick and easy, so I want clothes that I can wash, tumble, dried, and that's it. I don't want to be faffing that you only have to do hand wash and hand dry and leave flat to dry. So I wanted something that would withstand mum life.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:09:52

That makes sense. You must be learning loads about fabrics as well.

Charlotte Watts: 00:09:55

Oh, definitely, definitely. It's all a learning curve for me as well.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:09:59

And are you using all the, sorry I've, gosh, I know I'm asking so many questions, but we've got to get all of this out of you. So are you, um, are you using like one particular type of fabric? And you don't need to tell me what fabric are you use, you use, but um.

Charlotte Watts: 00:10:10

At the moment I'm sticking to just jersey fabrics, so, which is 95% cotton, 5% elastin. So it's got the good stretch and the recovery for the children that are on the move, crawling, rolling, running. So I like to use that, that it's a nice stretch, but I am venturing into just some cotton, just a hundred percent cotton dresses, just some nice girly designs that I'm testing the waters with at the moment.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:10:35

Well, that sounds lovely, especially as we're coming into summer.

Charlotte Watts: 00:10:38

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:10:39

That's really nice. And does it, I'm, I know I've got so many questions, but I'm fascinated by anyone who makes anything Charlotte. Um, I guess, does that affect how you actually put them together as in, you know, physically like cutting and sewing fabric? Does the different fabrics must make such a big difference? I'm just thinking what a massive learning curve this almost has been.

Charlotte Watts: 00:10:57

Yeah. So, um, The cotton's actually easier to cut out because there's no stretch, there's no recovery for it. Whereas the stretch fabric that I tend to use a lot there is stretch with it. So you have to learn to position it just right, no stretch. So it's not a false cutout. Um, but again, trial and error, I learned that the hard way of making my kids some bits that I was like, why isn't this big enough? It was big enough in the pattern and yeah, so I learned that the hard way, whereas the cotton is nicer to cut out because there's not really any stretch to it. But it is harder to sew, I find, because it's such a stiff fabric.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:11:34

I know what you mean. Cotton's ki I guess it's kind of quite unforgiving, isn't it? Like the lines, you know? I'm just thinking that you can sort of tell when cotton is poorly stitched, can't you?

Charlotte Watts: 00:11:42

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:11:42

It's fairly obvious. Oh wow. It sounds like you've so much sort of trial and error over the years, it sounds like Charlotte, to get to where you've got to. Um, so let's talk about actually about the past few years. So you mentioned that you've coming up for two years in Autumn.

Charlotte Watts: 00:11:58

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:11:58

So how, what's changed in those two years? How have, you know, you mentioned you started making the clothes for your kids and for friends, children, and so talk us through sort of what's changed now, where you are up to.

Charlotte Watts: 00:12:09

Okay. So originally when I started sewing, um. Everyone likes to call me the Harry Potter. So, because I did start sewing in the cupboard under my stairs in my house, so I literally had a little bench. It would have my two machines on, and I'd get on my wheelie chair and I'd slide in. That was it. I had probably one little, little, um, oh, what do you call them? Well, a little piece of metre of fabric. Um, and that was it. I'd, you know, make one outfit. See if that would sell, and then I'd get some more fabric in. Now I'm really lucky. I had a great opportunity just after turning one year old, I think it was, I had a really great opportunity that allowed me to build the shed that I'm in now, where I make all of my makes. So this is actually on the outside of my house, um, that was built, especially for this. So all my, my sewing machines are behind me. I've got a projector or both need to cut up all my fabric. Um, so my patterns are projected down. I have so much fabric in here, it's hard to move some days. Um, I've just recently, um, actually today just put my, um, some of my makes into a local shop. Um, and then we have a little, um, gallery down the road in my village that I've got some makes in there as well. So it's just nice to, I'm just, I'm branching out into physical items as opposed to just selling them on my website. Um, so my, my aim is I'd like to get into one or two more shops for now, just to kind of test the waters if they're, if they're wanted to be seen in the physical form. Um, as again, as a mum, you always want to give the, the fabric that little feel, don't you? To know if it's decent or not.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:13:49

Definitely. I think you're right, especially with, with clothes it's like something that's really nice to be able to buy in person.

Charlotte Watts: 00:13:54

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:13:54

So that sounds great. And by the way, your space looks amazing. I know no one else can see it, but it looks really light.

Charlotte Watts: 00:13:58

Thank you.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:13:59

Looking at all your windows. That was lovely. And so you mentioned that before you were just, you know, you were getting an order and making it. Is that, um, has having stock in shops kind of changed how you make, because I guess before you were making on demand. Are you having to make larger quantities now?

Charlotte Watts: 00:14:16

Um, I still make on demand. Um, a lot of my sales are still on demand, which is brilliant. You know, I, I love the fact that seeing what everyone wants, um, different fabric options coming through, different styles, but I have started making on a larger demand just so that I have the stock there and the ready made side of things, and so that I can ring up z'd shops and be like, have you sold anything this week? Oh, okay. I'll bring some stock in so it's ready and it's there to go that I'm not having to keep them waiting as well.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:14:44

That makes sense. I think it makes a lot of sense when you can make on demand. Mm-hmm. Because like you said, there's no waste either, is there, which is brilliant. And you mentioned earlier the ladies that you were working with that give you feedback and input. Do you mind talking a little bit about that?

Charlotte Watts: 00:14:57

Yeah, so, um, originally when I first started I thought, oh, no one's going to want to rep or, you know, be in involved sort of thing. So I was really lucky when people started asking if I was doing anything along the rep lines and, you know, if I was, you know, willing to do anything like that. Um. So I kind of, you know, took a leap of faith and it didn't work out brilliantly the first time. So it's all trial and error. Um, but I've recently started again at rep ventures. Um, and you know, they, there's a little group of them that have bought from me from the beginning so they know what sort of fabrics I like, what sort of designs I like. So they're always like, oh, have you seen this design and have you thought about doing this sort of, um, outfit for the summer and you know, I always take their opinions on board and it's great that they're all there to help. And some of them have their own little businesses as well. So it's nice that sometimes it's like oh, do you fancy doing a little collab that we can do this outfit with that sort of bow or head band that you do. And it's really nice that, you know, it's nice that I've made friends as well as like customers as well.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:15:59

Yeah, that is really nice. And for anyone who doesn't know how it works, so how does reps work? I mean, we can talk about just how it works for your business, but say how.

Charlotte Watts: 00:16:07

So, for my business, um, I obviously advertise that I'm looking for someone to rep for me. So represent me, um, that they've bought from me in the past or want to buy from me in the future. I offer them a discount, um, for them to promote me, if you like. And then I give them a code for them to offer to their friends, followers, family, whoever you like, so that they get a little bit of a discount as well. So they're getting a little bit off of my makes for their time of posting on Instagram or Facebook.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:16:39

Oh, that's so interesting. So I don't know anyone who's done this sort of model before, I'm really quite fascinated. You mentioned when you first started it, it didn't go well. Would you mind telling us, and obviously only as much as you want to. What wasn't working out? Just because I'm thinking that people might be able to learn from it.

Charlotte Watts: 00:16:53

Yeah, I think it, I think it all depends on the people that you ask to do it for you. You need to kind of, um, look at what their Instagram, their social media, you know, if they're active, if they're not active, you know, some people can be really active and they're, they're great, but some people are really active and they're not active for you. So it's, it's just trial and error. And at the fir the first time I tried it, I had some people, and they were lovely ladies. They were, but they just weren't interested in working with me. They were kind of, they just wanted the discount code for themselves. They, they never really promoted that bit more, which, you know, it's fine. It's all trial and error, isn't it?

Vicki Weinberg: 00:17:32

So that makes sense. Yeah. And you are, and you're right. And it's good that you learn that. And do people sign up for a set amount of time or is it just?

Charlotte Watts: 00:17:39

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:17:40

So I try.

Charlotte Watts: 00:17:41

I tend to do, um, like a three, four months period. Um, so the kind, the ladies that are involved at the moment, they've done just after Christmas and they'll do up until, I think it's end of April if I remember correctly. So they've kind of had a bit of Christmasy, uh, bit of wins, free Easter stuff as well. And then obviously I'll look for new ladies first, uh, end of spring, summer to bring in some new designs and what have you.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:18:09

Oh, that's exciting. So as well as using them for input, you're also using them to, well say using them. They're also promoting your products and showing pictures of their children wearing your clothes and things like that on social media. That's really nice. And I guess that also gives you some content you can use as well.

Charlotte Watts: 00:18:24

Yeah, yeah. It's lovely because I love the, I obviously on my Instagram there's lots of, uh, flat pictures of my makes and items and what have you, but it's always nice to get the active shots and of the kids playing in the items and, you know, just enjoying the clothes you know. I, I. I don't want them to be pristine pictures. I love seeing the kids using them and being dirty in them and you know, having fun like clothes are meant to be fun.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:18:52

And as you say, because you've really carefully chosen your fabrics, you know the fabrics that you can just throw in the washing machine. It's nice to have clothes that they can just wear and enjoy every day rather than, because you're right, I um, I have a son and a daughter. My daughter definitely has the odd bit of clothing that she doesn't wear that often because I know that if it has to go in the wash well it doesn't even go in the washing machine. I know it's a faff because I have to hand wash it.

Charlotte Watts: 00:19:12

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:19:13

And I'm like, well, don't, you can't wear that to the park because I don't really want to be scrubbing it tonight. But it's great that your clothes are so wearable.

Charlotte Watts: 00:19:20

Yeah. So my daughter, she's a nightmare for not keeping clean, so she's my prime example of that. A lot of my clothes, you know, go into the washing machine with God knows how many stains over them, or you know, food or what have you. She does, and they come out and they look fine.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:19:37

Well, that's brilliant. And I think that's really like an endorsement, isn't it, as well for the, for the fabric that you're using that it just washes up really well because like you said, I think that's one of the most important things for parents. It's nice that you're getting feedback from other parents as well.

Charlotte Watts: 00:19:49

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:19:50

To kind of reinforce that. How do you go about finding, um, ladies to work with you?

Charlotte Watts: 00:19:55

So, some of the ladies I work with, they're local and they're you know, the kids go to the same school that my son goes to and they bought from me previously. So it's just trial and error that, oh, do you fancy, you know, you buy a lot off me recently, so do you fancy being a little rep and there'll be a little bit of a discount in it for you, and nine times out of 10 it works out brilliantly because they're like, oh yeah, like, I like your stuff. So it helps. Um, otherwise, I put posts up on Instagram and Facebook, kind of searching for people, asking people to share them, you know, if friends might be interested and stuff like that. And it usually works really well that people come in and, you know, a apply with their children. You know, they tell me a little bit about themselves, their children, what sort of photos they take. Kind of shared a couple of photos with me too, so I can see and you know, ni, most of them, well, nearly all of them that I've had apply are brilliant and I wish I could work with all of them because they do look amazing and the, the kids are so cute. Like it really does make me broody seeing all the babies and the, you know, the toddlers and as you do, but unfortunately, as a small business I can't afford to work with hundreds and hundreds at the moment, but you never know. Watch this space.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:21:13

Well, that's really exciting. And also something you made a point of there that I didn't think about is, I guess as your children get older, I guess it's going to be even more valuable to have, um, other young families

Charlotte Watts: 00:21:23

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:21:23

Working with you because your children, presumably you'll get to a point where maybe you're not making clothes for that age, but you'll still need the pictures and people to test them out and stuff. So that's really smart. And hope you don't mind asking me, so, me asking you so many questions about this, Charlotte. It's just, I think that, I just think it's such, so clever and when I saw the reference on your website, I thought that's so smart. Because I think a lot of businesses, if they wanted to, could do something smaller and then you have another small group of people as well as giving you input, but also helping to promote your products.

Charlotte Watts: 00:21:52

Yeah.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:21:52

Because that's what people need, isn't it? Especially with clothes. You want to see people wearing them.

Charlotte Watts: 00:21:56

Yeah. Oh no. As small businesses, we've got to stick together. It's so, especially with everything that's going on in the world at the moment, it's so hard. So it's so nice that, you know, if my small business can help that small business and another small business just by sharing pictures that have got my items, their items in that we can all help each other out. It's just, it's nice to be able to stick together at the moment.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:22:18

Definitely. And that's why I also really appreciate you being here as well, because I think just what you've shared is going to really help have the businesses who listen to this podcast as well. Because I'm convinced at least one person will hear this and go, oh, I could try that. And I just think that's, yeah, I just think that's, that's the whole reason I do this. I just think it's amazing that people can get ideas and input from each other and um, yeah, and I really appreciate the, you sharing so much? Because I know I've bombarded you with questions. Thank you so much. I've got one final piece of, uh, one, one final piece of advice. I don't, I don't really have advise Charlotte. I have a question, which is what would your number piece, number one piece of advice be for other product creators? What's the one thing you'd like to leave us with?

Charlotte Watts: 00:22:59

I think don't give up at the first hurdle. You, you've got to keep trying. I think if I'd given up when I first started and, you know, certain items weren't working out, certain items didn't sell and I was left with so meant so much stock fabric and I, you know, if I just left it there, it just wouldn't have been worth my time to start it up. So just don't give up, keep going. Like that moment that you get over the hill is coming and it will, will arrive.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:23:27

Thank you so much. I really like that. Thank you. And I think, yeah, you've embodied that really well when you, you know, all that you've shared, you can definitely set, set sail. You know, you've mentioned trial and error a few times. I think you're a really good example of just trying things and changing things. And you're right, you have to be adaptable because I think in. There's hardly anything where your first idea is the best or the way you do things originally is, yeah. So it's really good. I think it's really useful people to hear that. So thank you so much, Charlotte.

Charlotte Watts: 00:23:53

Oh no. You're welcome. Thank you for having me.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:23:56

Thank you so much for listening right to the end of this episode. Do remember that you can get the full back catalogue and lots of free resources on my website, vicki weinberg.com. Please do remember to rate and review this episode if you've enjoyed it, and also share it with a friend who you think might find it useful. Thank you again and see you next week.