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Meet 3 Cool Businesses & The Women Behind Them
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Juno Jablon
’Grette Co-Founder
The idea for ’grette came to me in two phases. Like many other founders, I first noticed a gap in the market. As a self-proclaimed salad enthusiast, I often experiment with creating interesting salads at home, but I realised that salad dressings were something I never actually purchased. This realisation led me to look out for artisan brands in the salad dressing space, only to find that none really existed or resonated with me.
The UK market is dominated by imported American brands or those using questionable ingredients. It felt like there was room for something different. I also noticed that other condiment categories, like ketchup, hot sauce, marinades and jams all had more premium, brand-led, artisan options, but no one was really doing this in the salad dressing space. It felt like there was a real opportunity to bring something fresh and innovative to the market.
The real turning point came when I thought of the name. While I had a clear concept for the brand, I was struggling to find a name that felt bold, distinctive and not overly twee. I started reflecting on brands that inspired me (like Graza, Ghia and Glossier). One day, during a walk, ’grette popped into my head. It was a play on vinaigrette and felt like the perfect fit: unique, recognisable and snappy. I became obsessed with the name and could envision it on the packaging. From that moment, I knew I had to go for it.
I began obsessively going to small delis and farm shops to see if any existing brands were already on the market. When I realised they were few and far between, I started asking friends, family and colleagues for their thoughts. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, so I dug into industry data and saw that the salad dressing category was growing year on year. It was clear there was an opportunity for a new brand in the space.
DELLI also made it incredibly easy for us to test the waters with a trial run. We did our first drop on DELLI in June, and it sold out in less than a week. That’s when we knew we had a viable product. What reinforced this even more was our continued success – month after month, we had our biggest sales yet, proving that salad dressing is far from just a seasonal product.
Getting the initial flavours right and recipe testing was crucial. I started with the two dressings I make most often – ’grette and miso’grette. Since I usually created them by mixing a little of this and a little of that, my first step was formalising the recipes. I refined those initial batches and tested them on family and friends. However, I know I’m drawn to food products based on their packaging, so I knew this was core to the brand too. I envisioned something bold and beautiful that would stand out on the shelves. I also wanted the bottle to be practical, so I opted for a squeezy design that made it easy to drizzle. At the same time, I started collaborating with my best friend, designer Kirsten Pincket, to create a brand that embodied everything we wanted ’grette to be.
The biggest challenges involve keeping up with production and staying on top of inventory. Running a small business is incredibly rewarding, inspiring and motivating but, as the saying goes, you have to wear many hats – finance, operations and supply chain management. It’s great for stretching your brain but can sometimes feel overwhelming. Juggling production and deliveries while managing a full-time job and trying to maintain a social life has been particularly challenging. On a positive note, a wonderful surprise has been connecting with so many other passionate founders who are eager to share their stories, experiences and contacts. Everyone in this industry is incredibly kind, supportive and down-to-earth.
My husband and I currently run ’grette as a side hustle alongside our full-time jobs. Every penny we earn from ’grette gets reinvested into the business to fuel growth and seize new opportunities. Early on, we received some invaluable advice on how to price our products properly, allowing room for middlemen and wholesalers, which has been crucial. We’ve always been committed to more than just having fun with this venture – we want to make money. That’s why we’ve structured things to ensure that every order is profitable, and we avoid any operations that would break even or result in a loss. As much as we would love to spend loads on new merch and ’grette branded goods, we’re taking it slow.
My advice for other entrepreneurs would be to go for it. If you have an idea and are truly passionate about it, take the steps to make it happen. Test the waters, see how people respond to your concept and take action. It’s easy to get caught up in writing business plans, making slides, or discussing your idea with others, but you’ll never know if it’s going to work unless you put it out there and give it a try. Also, consider having a business partner or at minimum a strong support network. For me, it’s been invaluable to have someone who is just as passionate, excited and invested as I am. It means you have someone to bounce ideas off, celebrate wins with and, just as importantly, keep you motivated during the tough moments
My biggest learning has been finding out how much fun running a business can be. People often ask how I manage to juggle this business alongside a full-time job and everything else in life, but when you’re passionate and excited about your product, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see people respond to it and spot it on store shelves. That’s what keeps you going. I feel like my brain is more active, and I have more energy than I ever did before – it really brings a new level of excitement to everything I do.
Follow @GRETTE.CO
Olivia Dowie
RENUE Co-Founder
RENUE launched in December 2020 because we couldn’t find stylish and sustainable underwear. It was very much a side project, but it did really well. Then, both my co-founder Lucy and I fell pregnant and decided to put the business on hold for about a year. It was during this time that we realised there was an opportunity for the brand in stylish but comfortable pregnancy underwear.
The core idea of RENUE is to bring together comfort and style. We spent over a year developing new products, sourcing the perfect fabric that was sustainable and soft, but also offered technical qualities such as moisture wicking and temperature regulation. We relaunched the brand in November last year and the reaction has been incredible. Our maternity collection, in particular, has flown. Our Maternity Bra had six months’ worth of stock but sold out in six weeks.
We have always been very focused on the brand and what it stands for. We both had such a clear vision – both from an aesthetic point of view but also in terms of mission and purpose. We also had a very clear idea of what the product would look like. We took a lot of inspiration from ‘boyfriend’ cuts and always knew we wanted to do wireless styles too. Our aim is to make women feel good and like themselves again, and that is at the heart of every decision we make. We’re mums creating for other mums, so we can really tune into how they feel and what they’re looking for. We also felt that other brands in this space were lacking – from the branding to the content right through to the product. Our Pinterest boards were covered in timeless, clean images and a lot of inspiration came from brands like Celine and Chanel. We wanted to bring that feeling of luxury to our community.
Our first step was creating moodboards – both for the brand creative and the products. It’s so important to have a really clear vision so that you are laser focused with your time, energy and budget. Our next step was to find a technical product designer – we needed support creating things like the CADS, spec packs etc. While this was an investment at an early stage, it was so important to get things right from the start.
Something else we’ve done differently with the relaunch is tighten up the range. When we first launched, we spent too much time and money on too many designs. This time, we perfected our key products, testing them, getting feedback and testing them again. It took longer to get to market, but we learnt how important it was to nail that first product, so your customers trust you.
Our biggest challenge was finding the factory. We had a lot of non-negotiables, particularly in terms of sustainability credentials, so we had to wade through several factories to even find the right people to sample with. We spent a lot of time sampling with various factories because we wanted to know we were getting the best-quality garment. There were a few shockers along the way, but we were determined not to settle. Pleasant surprises along the way have included hiring – we’re so lucky, we’ve got a great team.
Running a business is like running a marathon – there are many moments you ask yourself why you’re doing it. You have great weeks and really tough weeks. Resilience and grit are your superpowers – you definitely have to develop a thick skin as a founder. Luckily, I’m a big believer in asking questions; nothing is ever too stupid and if you ask for help, advice or support, you will receive it. Surround yourself with likeminded people who can pick you up on those tough days.
Visit RENUETHELABEL.COM & follow @RENUETHELABEL
Riya Patel
La Jambu Founder
I’ve always been drawn to art and design. From early on, I knew I wanted to create my own brand – something design-focused and minimal that was still fun. At one point, I toyed with the idea of starting an Indian street food brand, but it didn’t take long to realise I loved eating far more than cooking. What truly excited me was the idea of taking my creative vision, bringing it to life, and showcasing it beautifully through photography and branding. Instead of launching with a single product, I thought about building a world – a curated brand that embodied my personal aesthetic while celebrating thoughtful design and craftsmanship.
Along the way, I’ve not only refined my own style but also gathered a small community of people who share my love for beautiful, fun and well-made pieces. It’s been a rewarding journey to see those ideas take shape and resonate with others. I always pinch myself a little bit that people want to buy my designs.
What makes La Jambu different is our fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern design. We’re trying to redefine the narrative that ancient techniques belong solely to classic styles. From the outset I wanted our pieces to be more than just objects – they’re stories, designed to bring joy to everyday rituals. We try to create harmony between functionality and design throughout the range.
I’m very grateful to my parents for taking me to India every year since I was born. I think it’s the reason I started La Jambu, without knowing it. I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t always appreciate the richness of my Indian heritage. Growing up, I didn’t fully grasp the depth of its artistry – particularly the exquisite crafts like hand embroidery, which have flourished for centuries in India. I didn’t realise then that these crafts are not only incredibly intricate, but they also require immense skill and dedication. Now, at 27, my perspective has shifted. I really admire the craftsmanship passed down through the generations, and I want to honour it by blending these timeless techniques with modern, design-forward ideas. When creating La Jambu, it was essential to me that our pieces were made slowly, paying respect to the processes and people behind them.
One of the very first things I did in launching La Jambu was create a presentation. As a visual person, I needed somewhere to dump all my ideas – collections, designs and colour palettes. Looking back, I genuinely thought I could do everything. Spoiler alert: that idea flopped. I quickly learned that starting small and nailing those initial designs with high-quality materials was the way to go.
The next big step was coming up with a name. I knew I wanted something that felt meaningful. One day, while rummaging through my parents’ old book collection, I stumbled upon a particularly tired-looking one. I flicked through it and found a chapter named Jambudvipa, which is what India was called many years ago (it translates to ‘the land that had everything’). I thought, ‘That’s it. That’s want my brand to be.’ And then there’s my slightly strange hyper fixation with doors – that’s how the logo came to life: a door representing a gateway into the world of La Jambu.
Even though La Jambu is a small business, switching off is tough. There’s a lot going on in the background people don’t see. I love La Jambu – it’s my passion right now – but because we’re still so new, my partner and I do everything from product design, social media and customer inquiries to working with influencers, packing orders, managing suppliers, website logistics, photography... The list goes on. It’s exciting, but work-life balance isn’t something I’ve mastered yet.
The amount we’ve grown in such a short time has blown me away. I feel so grateful for the trust people have placed in me. Seeing our reach expand globally has been surreal – knowing that our pieces have reached multiple continents is always a special feeling, especially considering we’ve only been going a year. One ‘pinch me’ moment was seeing La Jambu in Selfridges’s main Christmas window display on Oxford Street. It felt like validation for all the hard work we’ve poured into this brand.
My advice for fellow entrepreneurs would be to take your time and build strong foundations. There’s no need to rush. Every business is different, and it’s important to recognise what’s right for yours. I spent a year on product design, and even though people encouraged me to launch earlier, I knew the brand I wanted to create required more time. While it’s important to be open to input, no one knows your brand better than you do. Filter feedback, trust yourself, and stay true to what makes your brand unique. Be intentional with every decision, and don’t let shortcuts or quick wins distract you. Building something meaningful takes time and prioritising authenticity over short-term gains is what sets a brand apart and gives it longevity.
Visit LAJAMBU.CO.UK & follow @LA_JAMBU
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