The Countrywoman’s Guide to Work, Life & You…

Have you ever found the things that bring you the most fulfilment, are often the ones you stumbled across when you least expected to?
For Zoe Blair and Ellie Loveday, this happy stumble led them to the world of ceramics. What began as a pottery course has since grown into a creative business, a close friendship and a shared passion for making beautiful, functional pieces.
On today’s episode of the Countrywoman’s Guide Podcast, Emma chats to Zoe and Ellie all about their individual journeys into pottery, leading them to the creation of the beautiful ceramic business the pair share today, Blair Loveday Ceramics. In their riverside studio in Cambridge, Ellie and Zoe blend traditional ceramic techniques with modern day designs to create unique, functional and utterly gorgeous ceramic kitchenware.
Zoe and Ellie are wonderfully honest throughout their conversation with Emma, generously sharing with us the realities of what it takes to turn a creative passion into a livelihood. As we discuss the less glamours sides of running a small business, the pair also share with us the therapeutic benefits they have discovered of working with clay, and just how they manage to find the energy to keep creating when the making itself is only one part of the job.
There is so much to learn from the way they’ve built their partnership. Through the honesty of tricky conversations and the freedom of allowing each other to experiment, the pair have found a way of working together that allows them to grow both as individuals and as a business.
And do you know what Ellie said to us after the podcast? She worried they had talked too much (!) - so you know it’s going to be a fabulous listen! There is no such thing as talking too much on a podcast, and the value both Zoe and Ellie share with us today throughout the episode is testament to that. It’s an episode that explores creativity and resilience, finding your people and making space for the things that bring you joy. Coupled with a few honest reminders along the way that running your own business isn’t always quite as idyllic as it might look from the outside!
So settle in with a cuppa, pop your headphones on for your dog walk, or take us in your ears as you enjoy some garden pottering, and join us today as we discover how this pair have made a business of creativity.
You can listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts.
If you would like to discover more of the wonderful ceramics on offer at Blair Loveday (hint hint - their ceramics would make beautiful Christmas gifts!) then you can peruse their website here, follow them on Instagram here, and on Facebook here.
Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



Get full access to A Countrywoman’s Guide to Work and Life at countrywomansguide.substack.com/subscribe

It’s the first week of November, the clocks have gone back, winter seems to have arrived in a flash with chilly and grey days - it could be easy to feel a little despondent…
But for our Emma, November has started with a bang, and we don’t mean the firework kind!
Instead, Emma’s week has been one of new ideas, lots of learning, and even a new addition to the family.
A highlight being her trip to the Farm Business Innovation Show and Festival of Entrepreneurs in Birmingham.
With talks covering everything from turning business plans into results and understanding the metrics that really matter, to building a personal brand and creating a brilliant customer experience.
One message in particular stayed with Emma: in a world increasingly shaped by AI, the value of genuine human connection and looking after your customers has never been more important.
And today, Emma is unpacking all she learnt with you, in this little bonus ‘field note’ podcast.
Emma also takes a moment to reflect on the things we discussed in our November Monthly Masterclass with our Countrywoman Members, and reminds us that that business isn’t always quite as it looks from the outside. It’s easy to spend a lot of our time looking at what everyone else appears to be achieving and forget that we’re only seeing a small part of their story.
There are also a few familiar faces mentioned along the way, a rather good tip for making proper tea on the road, an exciting new four-legged addition to the Warren family and a little insight into what’s happening behind the scenes at Hiho and Countrywoman’s Guide.
So, put the kettle on and join Emma for ten minutes of thoughts, ideas and takeaways from the first week of November.

Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



Get full access to A Countrywoman’s Guide to Work and Life at countrywomansguide.substack.com/subscribe

For Hollie Savage, farming has always been a part of her life. But how do you help children who haven’t grown up around farms understand where their food comes from?
It’s this question that fuelled the inspiration behind Moor Farm Stories, Holly’s new venture creating children’s books that bring farming to life in a way that’s gentle, engaging and rooted in reality.
Her first book A Christmas to Remember which is being officially published tomorrow (November 2nd), introduces little readers to the journey from seed to harvest, with a festive story woven in along the way.
But as Hollie tells Emma in their conversation today, the idea grew from more than just a love of farming. Writing gave her the opportunity to find a little piece of herself again after becoming a mum and, to take a leap into something that was entirely her own.
From the moment that helped her finally take the plunge, to the rather lovely reaction from her own children, Hollie’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to give an idea a go.
Listen to the full conversation with Hollie on Episode 65 of the Countrywoman’s Guide podcast - available now wherever you get your podcasts

Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



Get full access to A Countrywoman’s Guide to Work and Life at countrywomansguide.substack.com/subscribe

Retail looks very different from the industry Bethan Bithell first stepped into age 13 working in her parent’s own retail store in North Wales. Now 49, she has spent more than three decades learning the rhythms of retail, navigating its changes and finding new ways to keep a business moving forwards.
Bethan is the woman behind Cherry Tree Country Clothing, a business she runs with her husband, Tony, still in her home of North Wales. Back in the days of her parent’s Army and Navy store, online shopping was far from the norm, but after completing a degree in business and returning to the family shop Bethan was quick to recognise the potential of the modern day shopping world and consumer.
But experience alone doesn’t guarantee that a business will keep moving forwards, and it was Bethan’s ability and confidence in recognising when change was needed that led Cherry Tree Country Clothing to the place it is today - not only a physical shop but one with several online platforms and new opportunities very much on the horizon.
Despite her the business’s success, it certainly doesn’t mean every decision has been straightforward. New avenues take time and money, and knowing which opportunities are right for your business requires more than simply following the latest trend. You need an understanding of your customers, a willingness to keep learning and the judgement to know when a familiar approach is no longer working.
In this episode of the Countrywoman’s Guide Podcast, Emma talks to Bethan and discovers the real journey behind Cherry Tree Country Clothing and what more than 30 years in retail have taught her. It’s an honest conversation about adapting as you go, making decisions when the answers aren’t the clearest and having the confidence to try something new.
There is a great deal to be learnt from someone who has not only witnessed an industry change, but has continued to find her place within it.
Listen to the full episode of The Countrywoman’s Guide Podcast now to hear Bethan’s full story.
You can shop from Cherry Tree Country Clothing online here and follow them on Instagram here and Facebook here.

Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



Get full access to A Countrywoman’s Guide to Work and Life at countrywomansguide.substack.com/subscribe

We first met Seb Powell, founder of Twelvebore, at The Game Fair this year. He kindly reached out to us via Instagram and invited us to pop by his stand, say hello and learn more about the story behind what he has created at Twelvebore. It was a real pleasure to meet Seb and some of the team, and we instantly knew he would make a fantastic guest for the Countrywoman’s Guide podcast.
So here we are today, joined by Seb for Episode 63 of the Countrywoman’s Guide Podcast.
In today’s episode we explore Seb’s far from conventional route to building the brand you see today… After studying Mandarin, spending nearly a decade in China and working in private equity, he began questioning what he really wanted from his working life. The answer brought him back to the countryside and field sports, with an ambition to challenge some of the accepted norms along the way.
Twelvebore began with the mission to change women’s field-sport clothing from being an afterthought in the industry, to an element that was considered and through through. With a simple focus on fit, function and clothing that didn’t ask women to compromise, Twelvebore achieved exactly this but it has also gone on to do so much more.
From using buttons made from milk (such a fascinating story) to working with small British manufacturers, Seb’s business decisions reflect a desire to think carefully about where products come from and who benefits from making them. But holding your values firm isn’t always straightforward, more considered materials and local manufacturing come at a cost, and even customers who care deeply about sustainability and supporting rural businesses have budgets to work within.
Our conversation with Seb also explores the wider impact of where we spend our money, from the network of local businesses supported by a day’s enjoying the countryside to the unexpected opportunities that led Twelvebore into tea and coffee.
So how do you build a business around your values, make sure it remains commercially viable and venture into a whole new field than you began in?
You’ll have to listen to find out!
Listen to Emma’s conversation with Seb Powell on the Countrywoman’s Guide podcast now, wherever you get your podcasts.
You can shop from Twelvebore via their website here, and follow them on Instagram here.
Join our growing Community of people who value building a business that fits your life, rather than a life that fits in round your business.



Get full access to A Countrywoman’s Guide to Work and Life at countrywomansguide.substack.com/subscribe