Lucy Jeffrey is the founder of Bare Kind.

She is 27 years old and currently living in London.

Lucy started her entrepreneurial journey in 2018 when she decided she didn’t want her corporate bank job to be her lasting legacy to the world. Since incorporating the company, Lucy has grown Bare Kind to what you are seeing today - bamboo socks that save the lives of endangered animals all around the world! 

10% of the profits are donated to help save the animal on the sock, so each pair is linked to an animal conservation charity.

Lucy quit her bank job at the end of 2020 to run Bare Kind full time, and hasn’t looked back. The aim is to have the largest range of animal socks in the world, all contributing to save the species on the sock.

You can connect with Lucy on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook or check out her work at https://www.barekind.co.uk

IG: https://www.instagram.com/barekind

LI: Lucy Jeffrey | LinkedIn

FB: Bare Kind | Facebook

You can keep up to date with Helen and Jane here:

https://linktr.ee/janemackcoaching

https://linktr.ee/Helencorsicadmore

ceri-intro-and-outro_recording-4_2022-10-07--t08-37-30am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Hello, and welcome to episode number seven

of Fabulous and Female with Lucy Jeffrey.

I'm Helen Cor Camo, an award winning business mindset and fertility

coach and a mum to twin girls.

ceri-intro-and-outro_recording-4_2022-10-07--t08-37-30am--guest775274--jane: And I'm Jane Mack, a visibility coach,

bestselling author, and mom to two boys.

And our podcast is about having honest conversations with busy, ambitious

females, about growing your business to create financial freedom, having a better

balanced life, and avoiding burnout.

ceri-intro-and-outro_recording-4_2022-10-07--t08-37-30am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: If you enjoy this episode, please hit the

subscribe button and leave us a review.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Good morning and welcome to this

fabulous episode of fabulous and female.

And this morning's guest is the incredible Lucy Jeffrey, who

is the founder of bear kind.

Lucy is living the dream of owning their own business and lives in London.

Lucy has grown bear kind to what you're seeing today.

Basically they're bamboo socks that save the lives of endangered

animals all around the world.

So Lucy, welcome.

Welcome.

Tell us a little bit more about your fantastic company.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah, thank you.

Thanks for having me guys.

Um, so yeah, I started bear kind in 2018.

I was working for a bank at the time and wasn't really

lighting any fires underneath me.

I wanted to do something a bit different with my life.

So I started bear kind.

And the idea behind the business is that it brings something extra to the world.

That's not just, about the product.

Um, so we've got this range of bamboo socks, and as you said,

they help save endangered animals.

So we donate 10% of the profits from every pair, to

help the animal on the socks.

So every single pair is linked with an animal conservation or rescue charity.

Yeah, every year, we kind of add up our donations and make that

donation and, and see what impact we've had for the previous year.

And we started with five animals and now we've got, feels like hundreds,

but there's a lot in the pipeline.

so, yeah.

So yeah, really enjoying it so far.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Oh, it's lovely.

Lucy.

So inspiring.

Isn't it?

It's absolutely fantastic.

How did they endangered species inspiration come around from, was that

something you were always interested in.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

I, I mean, I really, really love animals.

Like as a little girl, I wanted to be a vet when I was older.

But that never transpired.

I'm a bit squeamish, not really into needles or anything like that.

So I wouldn't have really ever gone down that route.

So actually the, the charity donation model was what I came up with.

First.

I was like, I know that I want to donate and I want to help endangered animals.

That's what I really want to do.

And I landed on socks as the product.

So the charity thing came first.

And then I picked socks because they're one of my favorite

Christmas presents to be honest.

So it was a bit of a self fulfilling thing.

I was like, let's just try this as a product.

And people, really liked them.

I literally started with one, I think turtles was my first one in 2019.

Partnered up with the turtle foundation and people really loved the concept

and was straight away were like, can we have some, we want more animals?

So I was like, okay.

And that's where the range of five came out.

And yeah, people just love it.

And it's just such a nice, I mean, socks at Christmas, especially a nice gift.

People tend to give socks at Christmas.

And so with this kind of added charity element, it just makes

it that little extra special.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah, absolutely.

Who doesn't love new socks at Christmas?

Isn't it?

It's socks and pants.

Like the best thing is the best things I look forward to.

Just remind me, Lucy, how old are you again?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): 27.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: 27.

Yeah.

And your journey to where you are, has just been incredible.

I wanna just take a step back a little bit if that's okay.

And tell us a little bit more about where you worked before and

what your sort of journey into Sox was like from, your previous job.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah, sure.

So, I incorporated the company in 2018, so I was on a graduate

program at HSSBC at the time.

I was pretty much fresh out of uni.

I'd been working on this grad program for a year when I started the company

and I enjoyed the grad program.

I liked my job.

But I also didn't think it was me forever.

The kind of corporate world or any part of it.

I just thought, you know, it's fine.

I'm learning a lot, but it's not really for me.

So I started dabbling in a few different things as part of bear kind.

So socks.

Wasn't my first product.

I tested out a few different things to start with.

So my very first product was reusable straw.

At the time , we were very much on the kind of single use plastic hype.

They were starting to become banned in various different European countries.

And I'd seen a friend using a reusable straw and it was a silver one.

And I just thought, oh, well, we can do better than that.

We can do some like funky colors and things like that.

So I jumped on that hype for a bit, and it really, blew up.

They were everywhere.

So it got to the point where this product is no longer that unique.

They're just everywhere.

That's when I started to diversify.

I'm now full time on the business, but for a while , I was juggling

both the business and my job.

And then of course, 2020 happened to all of us.

And so I was working from

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: in 20 times.

C who knows?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): we don't talk about it.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: know.

So.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I was working from home at that point.

So, I can do it now cause I've already left that I didn't do much

work for HSPC during that year I was working on bear kind stuff.

I managed to get away with it for a whole year.

So I managed to get the business in the position, where it was

doing pretty well during the Christmas shopping season of 2020.

So I thought really, if I don't leave now, will I ever, this

is a perfect opportunity.

We were doing quite well.

We'd had our best month of sales ever.

I think everyone had jumped on, , supporting small business and, sending

a lot more online shopping and I think after COVID happened, a lot of

people went through this phase of being like, What am I doing with my life?

Anything could happen.

I really should be looking at what would truly make me happy?

So you kind of had this bit of existential crisis, which kind of

nudged me over the edge as well.

I actually left my job at the end of 2020, and now I've been doing it full

time in November for nearly two years.

And which is absolutely flown by a cannot believe that's two years.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: it's it's fantastic.

And the reason I ask that a question is to, highlight to our listeners.

You can be in a corporate job or be in a job and actually still start a

business and be really successful.

Your business.

Isn't just a side hustle anymore.

As you said, you work full time in it.

And it's an incredible business.

Like, you know, I'm one of your fans, and I've got quite

a few pairs of your stocks.

My favorite are the tiger.

, but what were your main challenges when you were starting out Lucy going from, you

know, being at the very, very beginning of your business to where you are now

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I think at the very start it's,

it's kind of a challenge, but also a strength is that you really

have no idea what you're doing.

So every, every single new thing you

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: you.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): no, no.

No as well.

There's always something, you've got no idea what you're doing with, but at

the very start, there was things like, I don't even know how to incorporate

a company, how to start a website, all of these steps that were kind

of like modules to get you into the right position, which now you

don't even think about is just done.

Of course now there's still, new things.

They're just slightly different challenges that you have got no idea what , to do.

So I've hired a team now as well.

So I had no idea how to hire a team and I've done it it's

like, okay, what's next?

So at the start, it is very much like you just have no idea what you're doing.

You just kind of have to plow through that because no one knows what they're

doing before they start a business.

Like, it's your very first one.

You've not done it before, but I'd actually say it's a bit of a strength

cuz looking back, I think that naivety means you just go for it.

Whereas now with some hindsight, I'm like maybe I wouldn't have risked

as much in certain areas or tried something a bit differently because

I had no idea what I was doing.

I just had to fall into it.

And I think that helped with me getting to where I am, because I was kind

of happy to just take the kind of higgledy Ty path and just figure it out.

So I went along.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Yeah, I think we're all being in the same

position, Lucy, but even Helen and I, and all those listeners out there who will

be the same people who have started their own business, no one knows where to start.

And you kind of just go with it and kind of flip along the way.

, obviously you've done an amazing, transformation of your business, going

from your corporate world, part-time to full-time in the business, hiring a team.

Is there anything you would look back and say at the moment that you

would do differently at this stage?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah, that's a good question.

I feel like there's been a few mistakes that have happened

that I wish didn't happen.

But then at the same time, You kind of need them to happen

for you to work out things.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Learn all learnings.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

So even more recently.

Our latest thing is we've launched some Ukraine socks, and a hundred percent

of the profits from these ones are donated to charities, helping Ukraine.

So a bit different from like our normal animal ones, but it's limited edition.

I just felt like it was something we needed to do.

They got sent to the wrong.

They didn't get sent to my warehouse.

, they got sent to my old flat, which I don't live in anymore.

And I was like, oh my goodness.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: And hang on.

How many, how many socks was that?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): not too bad.

It's , one big box.

It was 600 pairs, . So the moral of that story is the last time I ordered socks.

It was a hundred boxes.

So at least this was just one box.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Just, I can't believe I've got to

this stage and this has happened.

I'd asked them to change the address and they hadn't changed it on the invoice.

So when I paid the invoice, I just didn't even think to check the address.

So there's the ever like always check the address and at every point, but I

was like, how have I got to this stage?

And not thought to check the address, it's little things like that, but I

just think we'll continue to happen.

We're human.

Right.

But at the same time, I feel very lucky.

That that's happened now.

And I'm like, right.

I'm just gonna check the address every single time.

And when we're getting into the thousands of boxes and, , I don't know,

like shipment container loads at that point, it cannot go to the wrong address.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: And do you know what though?

It's a really good thing you said there.

Lucy about being human and you know, still having.

Things go wrong.

Like it's part of life, isn't it.

And it's just how you deal with that.

And that's the thing Jane said it earlier.

It's all learning, you know, fail fast and move on.

That's what I always say.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Absolutely.

I'm just gonna say the same hill and such human aspect of it.

Mistakes will get made and we miss things and we should have checked, but

you know what, that's life, we need that human aspect because at the end

of the day, that's what makes us SA

But I love the fact that Luie has turned up today, straight from the

gym, and I would love to know Lucy.

What else do you do to keep your sanity and to keep you being you?

Just to look after yourself

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I think the exercise is the main

thing before the podcast house was sitting down and trying to

think what brings me back to me?

And I don't think there's anything that does it as well as exercise for me.

Just one day without it, doesn't have to be

intense lifting weights every time.

It could be a long walk or something.

But I really notice the difference.

I get brain fog.

If I don't exercise and then I just get moody.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Yep.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah,

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): we all can resonate with that one indeed.

As yes.

Yeah, I know.

I love, I love my exercise and I'm the same if I don't get out

at certain times and, and you think, oh, I just need a break.

You think that's what it is.

I need an exercise.

Just get out, get a walk, fresh air, clear your head and move on and then

much better state than you have been.

So yeah, definitely, definitely helps.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): we're in, we're in a really good,

routine with it at the moment, my partner and I, cuz he's the same.

He really needs to exercise to feel himself.

And I think the main thing is it's really difficult.

Just getting there cuz the first type thing you wake up your body

doesn't really feel like it.

You dehydrated after sleep, but we've worked out.

But if we just.

Go.

We'll just literally just get up and go to the gym.

Haven't even worked out what we're doing yet.

By the time we get there and settle into it, you, your body

has worked out what it needs.

So even if it's just stretching, we've got out of the house.

So , if my body's not ready for a workout, I have now learned to listen

to it, cuz I've had various injuries and stuff in the past from pushing through.

But, Yeah, I'll just have a stretch and that's fine.

I'll do something lighter.

Like yoga or Pilates or something.

I say lighter Pilates is really hard.

I did.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Gonna say any form of exercise

is, exactly lighter interest.

And I did my first yoga in years recently, I was down in.

Uh, deep, dark west Wales.

And I went to do a yoga class and I haven't done it for, a long time.

I feel like my boss is not made for yoga, you know, I'm, six foot tall.

I'm just too tall.

That's my excuse.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): way down.

If you're doing a downward blog, it's a long way down.

Yeah.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Forgotten how hard it was,

you know, it's like all

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Do you expect it to be nice and

relaxing and like, you know, you fall asleep on the mat in the end?

No, it's actually really hard.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Really.

I was like sweating and everything, but I felt amazing afterwards,

which is what it's all about.

Isn't it.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): See, I've never done it.

I've not done yoga or Pilates at all.

No, because I'm one of these people who love to do a workout and do

that whole, high cardio, that whole jumping about sweating.

And I always think that yoga Pate's, I'm just gonna like stretch and go

into shapes that maybe I can't get into those shapes, but I know everyone

says you end up swearing after I've just never brought myself around to it.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

I love it.

I love a hit workout and I got a bit addicted to them, but they're

actually bad for you if you do them too much, , like, I was doing them like

four times a week , and I'm young.

Right.

But my knees were really starting to hurt.

Like it's not good for you.

So I've really had to kind of switch it up.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Can I just say we're,

we're quite young as well.

Like, you know, we're in our twenties as well.

Jane aren't we

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): well we saw our absolutely yeah.

Young 20 year olds us.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah.

Time times two times two.

Right.

Okay.

So your exercise is one of , your main go to, what about spending time?

Just with you, like you said, , you got to go to the gym with your partner.

What about you to avoid any burnout from the business for you?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I'm not a good example for this.

, I'm very like up, up, up, up, up, and then burn out and then go back up again.

So I, I haven't burn out recently, so I feel like maybe it's on the

card soon, but yeah, I mean, we're not very good at taking holiday.

I do work every day.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Seven days a week?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Weekends is definitely less intense, I've

had a wedding recently I was a bridesmaid.

So obviously I didn't work during that.

But for example, this weekend, Saturday, , my plans with a friend of

council cause of the train strikes.

So I was like, oh, I might, I just worked.

I mean, I do like I'll sit and read for a bit.

But no, I'm not very good at taking time off at the moment, but

it's, that's something I try to do.

, but I just haven't, haven't got round to it yet.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: And do you think that's something

to do with the, a control element of your business?

Is there anything that your team that you've introduced

could take on more from you?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I have no issue with delegating.

That's the thing, , it's not that I have to control everything that's going on.

My team are very good they take on stuff and they just get, get on with it.

And I wouldn't, I don't Wade in and be like, you must do this and this.

Like, I just let 'em get on with it.

I'm actually have no issues with delegating.

It's more the fact that there is always more stuff to do on top of that as well.

Yeah, and I think it doesn't help.

We've gone through it.

Like this is August.

Right.

And this is our worst month of sales this year.

Like it's, it's super quiet.

Everyone's on holiday.

We've had a heat wave.

Who's buying socks in the heat wave, you know, yeah.

We're waiting for Christmas really.

So I think there's that kind of slight panic that we're trying to subdue a bit

because we know Christmas is coming, but right now it's very, very quiet for us.

So we're just trying to get as much done before the Christmas madness as possible.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): When Christmas is coming, like anybody

in retail, how do you gear up for that?

What do you put in place to get organized for it, for your

business and yourself as well?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah, we're doing.

lot of content now.

So we are making our Christmas ads so we've got loads of different

campaign ideas for different things.

We're gonna test over the Christmas period and yeah, basically the

girls are building all that out now.

So all the content we want to put out all the paid advertisement, Like

mostly Facebook for our paid dads.

So we're building a lot of content now, and then that'll just kind of

roll out over the Christmas period.

I'm hiring for a customer service person at the moment as well.

Cuz that was one thing last year that really took up my time and

it's very bitty work as well.

Cause obviously customers don't care what time it is.

They're they're emailing you whenever.

So, it'll be good to kind of give that to someone to take on.

So I have more chance to focus on other things, , and take time.

Obviously, , but this is the thing where like, when we were first talking

about hiring for customer service, I'd said to the team, think we need

to hire someone for customer service because it's just me doing it.

And, you know, I dunno if something was to happen, like I was in a car

crash or something bad happened, like who's gonna do the customer service.

And one of them was like, yeah.

Or if you want to take a holiday and I was like, oh, yes, Yes, that

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah.

Let let's look at the positive.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

I was like, I have to have a car crash.

Do you mean for you to take me away from the business?

So I think, I think it's something that I will look back on when I'm more

mature in the business and be like, wow.

I really should have been kinder to myself and this interesting that I

can say this now and then not do it, but at the moment I'm just riding

the wave that I can, I can actually work quite a lot and be okay with it.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: And do you think that's a,

an entrepreneurial thing?

, a startup entrepreneurial thing is that you feel like you, have to be working

on your business all of the time.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I have no issue when I

do take the time off.

So if something's going on with friends or something, I'm not sitting there

shaking, being like, I must be working.

I'm quite happy to take the time off.

It's more that when not much is going on, I'm happy to work.

I like it.

I want to work.

. Yeah, I guess I'm just driven to, and yeah, there's always more things going on.

But yeah, I think we do, we do have to book stuff in to make sure we go and

do the, the social life stuff as well.

And holidays.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Yeah.

And certainly I know.

Years ago.

My last business, I was very much the, I have to be there cuz if I'm not be

there and something happens, then it's my responsibility and I have to deal with

it and I can't leave it for anybody else.

Cause that's not fair to leave it to anybody else.

And I had some burnout because I went through that whole was my business.

I must be here all the time.

Can't take time off and took very, very little time off and

suffered as a result of it.

But I've learned from that as well, which is, a good thing because

that doesn't happen anymore.

Thank God.

But yeah, it is quite.

It's that way of just letting go, especially when it's kiss.

Can your baby, isn't it.

you've nurtured it.

You've grown it and you started it and you kind of feel as if you have

to be the one that's always there.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Have that.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Yeah.

Yeah.

And I mean, I had that for years in my last business.

It took me about five, six years before I could actually go, oh,

let me hand something over to somebody else to do that's okay.

And it's okay.

They can do it.

They're very capable of doing it.

I can step back.

But I think as well, it's just that whole piece of it's a real mindset piece.

Isn't it of, you know, it's my business.

I must be there and I, I can't.

You can, you're absolutely 100% can, but the it's just that, that way of learning

about it before you have a burnout is when you burn, then you learn from it.

You think, oh, it's too late now.

Isn't it.

I've just burnt out from

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I know.

Yeah, that's it.

It's when you're burning out.

It's too late.

Exactly.

Yeah.

And I, I think I'm gonna go through this soon because I am trying

to plan a trip with a friend.

So she, she wants to go away.

She wants to do two weeks and I'd committed a while ago and said, yep.

That's.

Absolutely.

Let's go and it'll be , maybe November time we go.

And then I started thinking, oh gosh, no, it's Christmas.

It's our busiest time of year.

I was really getting into a spin about it.

But then decided no, I have loads of holiday to take, I barely take,

I've been on holiday this year, but I still work when I'm on holiday.

So this will actually be me taking some time where I'm

actually on holiday with a friend.

The team will be fine without me.

They're perfectly capable, but I still have that guilt that I should

be there working with the team.

Whereas I honestly don't think any of them would turn around to me and

say, no, you shouldn't be on holiday.

Cuz I wouldn't do it to them.

Would I

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Exactly.

And that's the thing, isn't it it's like, it's that whole like

leading by example, isn't it.

Cuz they're the ones that can see you then if you are working,

working, working, they may feel that they've gotta work, work, work.

And you know, I guess going back to what you just said, Lucy about, you've

been a little bit quiet now in August and you've been planning so much

in advance for your busiest period.

So actually if you took that time in November, I think you're gonna be okay

because you've planned so much in advance.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): And that that's the hope.

Yeah.

That if I work enough now we'll be fine in November.

And the theory is that super busy time in November, I'm hoping that's super

busy just cuz we've got lots of sales.

So like in theory, as long as someone's on my customer service and it's all

ticking over in theory, it's okay for me to take some time then.

And after that, to be honest, the best possible time for me to take off.

Christmas onwards during that time, because we can actually just

completely shut down the business.

I couldn't put out of offices on anything just to say we are out of office.

Like, that's it cuz people get it at that time of year and no one's

buying from us at that point either.

Cuz everyone's just in that weird phase after Christmas, when nothing happens,

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): people appreciate it as well.

It's nice for people to see a business like that, where you've

done, especially retail for Christmas, you've worked all the hours.

You've done all the work and now you're taking time off and it's, it's always a

good example to other businesses as well.

And other people to see that actually you need, you look after yourselves and

your team and everybody gets time off.

So always, you know, it's always a good way to go.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: And that's it, as you know, like,

you know, my biggest business was retail and having, a number of

stores, obviously we weren't online then, but having a number of bricks

and water stores, I was in the same place where you were that I felt that.

We couldn't take any time off, you know, it was very much work, work,

work, work, and it's only now looking back, it's probably the worst thing

that we can do to our, to ourselves.

Because, as you said, , if you feel like you are edging towards a burnout

now, like what's that gonna do to you, your team, your business, and

it, it comes with, you know, learned experience, isn't it, you know, it

comes in and you can look back now and hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

But, So, okay.

Let, let's step away from burnout because we don't want you to go to burnout.

I want you to go on that holiday, Lucy, enjoy yourself, but interesting.

What sort of direction are you and bear kind heading into?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I hope up and out.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Definitely.

Yeah.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): yep.

Mm-hmm.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah, I mean, I really wanna go global

with, this company, like at the start of the year, I think naively said,

right, we're gonna do America this year.

And then as I started looking into it realized that we've kind of put that on

hold because we couldn't cash flow wise.

We couldn't afford to do it.

Um, you know, we obviously we'd have to have a set amount

of stocks sent out there.

All the like added costs of like the taxes.

It's very hard to break America.

You need a lot of marketing budget.

So we put that in the hope for now until we kind of see how this Christmas

goes, but I also want to do Australia.

, we're back selling in Europe again now as well.

We, we were selling in Europe and then Brexit happened and then we had to stop

cuz of all the taxes and stuff, but we're now back in selling in Europe.

So I think, I just think there's so many more customers out there for us.

So now it's just an exposure piece.

It's really, you know, how, how are we getting in front of these eyeballs?

How are we getting more people?

To see our product.

And, I think big retail will be a part of that.

So we're in a lot of retailers at the moment, I think 350 different

retailers, but they're all quite

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: three 50 now.

Oh my goodness.

That's incredible.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

We've done a lot of work on that this

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah,

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): a lot of podiatrists, so like

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yay.

We had that conversation.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

Yeah.

So we've like really doubled down in that niche.

So we're doing well with that, but I also want to see if we can get into some more.

Chain retail.

I mean, if it works for us, I know it's difficult to get into.

And once you get there, they they're really tough on your margins.

And it's, you know, obviously working with a company that is true to your values,

but I'd like to try that, you know, maybe John Lewis would be a good option for us.

And I can definitely see a gap in there, stock market as well.

There's no products in there that are, obviously there's

lots of socks, but nothing with the kind of impact that we do.

We have.

So yeah, I've got

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: you in John Lewis.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

And there's very much our target market who shop

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: yeah, yeah.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): I think since so many people now

are going towards ,the fact that's sustainable, like the bamboo and

the, with char helping dangerous species, people are loving all that.

Now everyone's moving very much towards all that way, rather than just buying

your standard every day pieces,

and so many more shops are now moving away towards offering something new.

It's always something that has an impact on something now.

I think people's ethics are changing a lot as well in terms of, you know, how things

are produced, how they're made and, where they're sourced from and all that piece.

I mean, 350, is that just independent stores?

You're in the moment.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Right.

Okay.

That's amazing.

And does that just in the UK then just look right across

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I attend majority UK, but we've got a few

in America, a few across Europe as well.

It's all through.

Have you heard of the wholesale platform fair?

F a I R E yeah.

So they're, American initially, but they've really done a lot

of expansion in, in the UK.

So it's basically, I sign up as a brand and retailers can come and

shop for my product on the store.

It's like a, I guess, kind of an Amazon, but for wholesale and,

yeah, it's a great platform.

And they, at the start of the year, they had an incredible deal where

every new customer that I sign up.

So if I have a wholesaler and I get them involved, they get 300.

To spend on my stock, free shipping, free returns, like ridiculous offer.

So we just rinse that.

Honestly, we've done like a hundred grand through this,

just this platform this year.

So we've absolutely rinsed that.

And we, we know that we're um, cuz we're we're we keep closely in touch with them.

And they love us cuz we go to them and share ideas with them and stuff.

And we are not the biggest one on there because there's lots of quite big

brands sitting on there, but we know we're in, we know we are one of their

highest growing, uh, our fastest growing brands on there because it's literally

like been a massive priority for us.

That deal has now gone.

So obviously it's quite down a bit now, but we've got all these customers sitting

in there now and hopefully a lot of them will repeat, buy for Christmas.

So yeah, we've really rinsed that platform.

, we did well out of.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Yeah, so it's a really good platform.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Mm-hmm

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Okay.

So what's your top tip for anyone that is starting out in business?

What would be your number one takeaway for somebody that's listening now?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I think it's to try not to be a

perfectionist and try, I don't think going to market with the absolute

perfect product is a good thing.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: No.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): I think I see quite a few like businesses

that are like, you know, either they're going through fundraising or they've

know, there's lots of chat about their product and nothing's materialized yet.

And I'm like, well, you haven't tested it.

Have you, , you need to try something.

You need to get eight, at least one customer to, to see how you go.

. I'm four years down the road now.

And the product I've got now is not, did not exist.

When I first started, I've gone through various different products,

various different iterations, and so I'd say like, you just need

to start and then see how you go.

And that goes to everything, not just the products, like my Instagram, for

example, if I, if we scroll back to like my original Instagram post, so

I look at them and just think, oh my goodness, what was I thinking?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Uh, I love

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): And then now it looks like a

completely different thing and it looks incredible to be to me now.

But I dunno, maybe in like a year, two years time, we'll look back and think,

wow, okay, we've come really far.

So I just think you just have to start and just tinker around and not

be afraid to put something out there and just see what happens because

you need the feedback and you need to understand the people that interested.

Cuz if you spend all this time working on this perfect product and no one

buys it, what waste of time and money.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): Oh, absolutely.

I love it.

Cause I think if we, if we all look back on our Instagram profile

from the very beginning, we go, oh my God, how Robish was that?

What is that all about?

That's crap.

Isn't it.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: That's so true

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): I know, I know.

I mean the last year I've flipped my business around about three different

ways and three different niches and stuff, so yeah, you're right.

You just need to go with what starts with, and then see what evolves and you know,

it's always say, you know, it's progress over perfection, so it doesn't matter if

you make a mistake or doesn't work, try something else, move on, do something

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): you could end up with

a whole other business.

That's nothing to do with how you started.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): AB absolutely.

And that's nice thing.

It's like, just let it go, go.

And I think as well, eventually when you find your feet, you kind of follow

your own passions and intuition then, that's gets you in the right direction

and yeah, it's just follow it and go with the flow and see it happens.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: And that's the thing, isn't it.

And I always say this, just start, you know, if, if you don't start, nobody's

gonna , hear about you, how amazing you are and what amazing things you can do.

So I love that.

Thank you.

And the last question for me is, so Jane and I always come back

to food, whatever we're talking about, we always come back to food.

What's your favorite cake, Lucy?

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Cake.

I love cake.

I dunno if this counts as cake, cause it's more like a pudding,

but I love sticky toy pudding.

With custard.

It

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Oh no, not

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): cream need

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: no, no cream,

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): No ice cream.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: I love that.

We all love the put in, just not the accompaniment.

Brilliant,

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): no cream for me at all.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Right.

Lucy, you've been absolutely fantastic.

Thank you for your honesty and your, your rawness and just sharing a, a little

insight of your incredible, incredible bear kind, bamboo sock business.

How can people get in touch with you , if they've been inspired

by what you've talked about today or, or while they buy your.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): Yeah, absolutely.

So we're, yeah, we're very vocal on Instagram.

So you can go head over to just bear kind B a R E kind.

Please.

Don't scroll back past the last, maybe two years.

um, you

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: No judgment.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): like it.

Yeah.

We're bear kind.com on the website's where you can find our socks and yeah.

Please find me on LinkedIn as well.

I'm happy to get connect with people.

So that's Lucy Jeffrey on there and yeah, just thanks so much for having me.

This has been fun.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): It's been lovely Lucy, lovely.

To get to know you and hear all about your amazing business.

It's very inspirational.

It's fantastic.

Well done.

You and look forward to seeing what, seeing what 2022 and beyond let's

see what comes, how big, and global you go be following your journey.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest912870--lucy (1): crossed.

Thank you so much, ladies.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--62f24825f1f4b50164e72a69--fabfemales: Wonderful.

lucy-jeffrey-barekind_recording-1_2022-08-22--t08-08-28am--guest553234--jane (1): you.

Thank you.

We end every episode with a top tip for

you, and today's top tip is your gut instinct is one of your biggest assets.

Outro - Your Gut Instinct Hels: and our leaving message to you

is always remember to do the one thing that makes you feel fabulous.

If you enjoyed this episode, please