My guest this week is Amelia Peckham. In 2005 Amelia Peckham was told she would never walk unaided again, following a serious quad bike accident and consequent spinal injury her ’new normal’ aged just 19, was a life on crutches. Sadly her hospital ones gave her blisters, clicked so everyone could hear her coming, slipped and even snapped - it was then Amelia alongside mother Clare, sought to find something better. 

There was a huge gap in the market for comfortable, silent, certified crutches and walking sticks that wouldn’t compromise on style…and so Cool Crutches & Sticks was born.

Tackling a number of pain points Cool Crutches and Sticks are moulded to a left and right hand (no more blisters), totally silent to use (no more clicking), they’re cushioned (so won’t jar upper body joints), have added grip (won’t slip) and are CE certified to support long term, medical conditions and disabilities. The best part? They’re unavailable in hospital grey - with a wide range of fabulous colours and prints as well as the option to print your own personalised design these sticks are the walking definition of functionality & style.

It was an absolute delight to talk to Amelia, learn more about the story behind the business, and how Amelia’s background in PR and confidence in the product has helped the company go from strength to strength.

Listen in to hear Amelia share:

• An introduction to herself and her business (01:21)
• The importance of proving you can have functionality without compromising on style (03:04)
• How the NHS issues crutches to people and identifying a gap in the market (04:21)
• The design process (08:06)
• Adding fun and style to the design (13:25)
• Working with a manufacturer (15:10)
• Offering personalisation (17:19)
• Using the design and personalisation process as a positive focus for customers (20:33)
• The psychological boost the crutches can provide (21:53)
• Generating Press and PR (25:15)
• Working with and supporting celebrities (27:40)
• The power of absolute confidence in your own product (33:17)
• Her number one piece of advice for product creators (37:30)

USEFUL RESOURCES:

Cool Crutches Website

Cool Crutches Facebook

Cool Crutches Twitter

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Welcome to the Bring Your Product Idea to Life podcast.

2

This is the podcast for you if

you're getting started selling

3

products, or if you'd like to

create your own product to sell.

4

I'm Vicki Weinberg, a product

creation coach and Amazon expert.

5

Every week I share friendly, practical

advice, as well as inspirational

6

stories from small businesses.

7

Let's get started.

8

Hi, so today I'm delighted to invite

Amelia Peckham onto the podcast.

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So in 2005, Amelia was told that

she would never walk unaided

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again following a serious quad

bike accident and spinal injury.

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So Amelia then was aged just 19 and

was told that she would then spend

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the rest of her life on crutches.

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Um, sadly the crutches that she

was given by the hospital gave her

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blisters and just weren't ideal.

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And so working alongside her

mother Claire, they sought

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to find something better.

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They couldn't.

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Realized there was a huge gap in the

market and so they created their own

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business, called Crutches and Sticks.

20

So Amelia and I speak a lot about,

you know, we go delve more into

21

her story around setting up her

business and all that that entails.

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I think I'm going to stop talking now and

let Amelia tell you the rest of her story.

23

And so I would love now to

introduce you to Amelia.

24

So hi Amelia, thank you

so much for being here.

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Amelia Peckham: Thank you

so much for having me.

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Vicki Weinberg: Oh, you're so welcome.

27

Can we please start by you giving

an introduction to yourself,

28

your business and what you sell?

29

Amelia Peckham: Yes.

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So my name is Amelia.

31

I, uh, fell off a quad bike when

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suffered a spinal injury and became

paralyzed from my waist down partially.

33

Um, I was told I would never walk again.

34

Um, Six months later, I was

given the green light to try.

35

So I was given a pair of hospital crutches

and packed off to physio, very excited.

36

But sadly, within a week,

I was back on bedrest.

37

Um, and my crutches had given

me blisters on my hands.

38

They were agony.

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They clicked, so everyone

could hear me coming.

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They slipped and they even snapped, which

meant they weren't really a feasible

41

option for me to get my life back.

42

Um, which was when my mum and I

started to look for different crutches

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to see if there was an alternative

and realised there were none.

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So we decided to design, source

and launch cool crutches.

45

Um, and now with our walking sticks,

that sell, comfortable, silent.

46

Uh, they're CE certified, so they

are safe for long term medical use.

47

Um, and they are unavailable

in hospital grey.

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They come in a wide range of

colors, prints, and patterns, and

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you can even print your own design

with our personalized options.

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So yes, I'm now the co founder with my

mum of a business called Cool Crutches.

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Uh, we've been running since 2006,

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Um, and yeah, it's going very well.

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Vicki Weinberg: That's amazing.

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Thank you.

55

And we were just talking, weren't

we, about, and we'll talk about a

56

bit later about the fact that since

I, since finding out about you, I've

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seen your crutches all over the place.

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Um, so yeah, you're definitely getting

the word out there that crutches don't

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need to be boring and I was about to

say functional because they need to be

60

functional, but they don't need to be.

61

Amelia Peckham: Yeah, it's

having both, isn't it?

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I feel like it was either you can have

this brilliant all singing or dancing.

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It's got suspension.

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It's made of carbon fibre, but then

it, you know, it looks absolutely

65

hideous or, and it always weighs a ton.

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So it's not, you know, I've

always been a firm believer in

67

if it doesn't fit into your daily

life, there's actually no point.

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And I think the tendency seems

to be focus on functionality,

69

forget about what it looks like

or whether you'll actually use it.

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Um, and our whole business model has

really been built on not compromising

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on functionality or style and

proving that you can have both.

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Um, even if you're, you know,

it's a medical device and

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it's, you know, certified.

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And it goes through a lot of

health and safety testing.

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Uh, yeah.

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And it requires a lot of attention to

detail from very intelligent people,

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not like me, uh, in product design.

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And, but then, you know, it

doesn't have to look hideous.

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It can still look great.

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Vicki Weinberg: I'd like to talk a

bit more about the design process

81

in a minute, if that's okay.

82

Because I'm really fascinated by how you

actually, you know, went through that.

83

Um, so just because I know I'm

sort of, this is a really stupid

84

question, but I don't know.

85

So I'm going to ask,

I hope you don't mind.

86

So when you were first issued crutches,

are you issued crutches by the NHS?

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Are there sorts of like NHS

standard crutches you get given?

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Is that how it works?

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Amelia Peckham: They're available in

hospitals and, you know, every hospital

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has a sort of stash of them as it was.

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And that was the only option.

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I think, you know, private hospitals,

NHS hospitals, physio clinics, they all

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have the same, they all have standard

hospital crutches, um, and they're cheap

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as chips, and they can afford to put

loads into hospitals if they come back,

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they don't come back, it doesn't matter.

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But realistically, they're

built for six max 12 weeks use.

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Um, and you know, the small things

like the bottoms, the rubber tips

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on the bottoms are pretty solid

because they've got to take anyone

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from, you know, four foot two up

to six foot four rugby players.

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They've got to be able to house both.

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Um, but I think, and they're brilliant,

you know, the NHS are why I'm still here.

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So I'm, I'm a huge

believer in what they do.

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Um, and those.

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Their crutches do 99% of the time work

and I think if you're in a position

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where you're either having an operation

because you've had a very serious

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injury, you know, lots of ACLs, we

get a lot of that, um, or you've got a

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long term condition and it might be MS.

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It might be what I've got, is

a spinal injury, but you are

109

likely to need them forever.

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And I think that's when it starts

to be like, hang on, if you're

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using these every single day.

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Um, long term, they're

not really built to last.

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They're not really built for comfort.

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Um, they're built to keep your

weight off your legs for a short

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period of time while you heal.

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Um, and long term that that

isn't suitable, basically.

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Vicki Weinberg: Yeah,

that makes a lot of sense.

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I mean, I've definitely

seen those crutches.

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I'm sure all of us can picture them.

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Um, we've probably all seen someone

going down the corridor of a hospital

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in them or maybe out and about/

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Amelia Peckham: Heard them probably.

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Vicki Weinberg: Yeah.

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They definitely, I mean,

I'm very fortunate.

125

I've never needed to use them,

but they do look very heavy.

126

And I can see what you mean.

127

If they're fulfilling a short term

purpose for someone with a broken leg,

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perhaps, or had surgery, I can see

that they probably are great because

129

they look very sturdy and you, you

know, once you get used to them.

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Amelia Peckham: Yeah definitely and

ironically I broke my ankle when I was 15.

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Uh, and I was on them for six weeks.

132

And I remember, remember thinking

it was like the end of the world.

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I was like, oh my God, my whole

summer, I did it on like the

134

15th of June or something.

135

And that was my whole summer

holidays was on crutches.

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And I remember just

thinking that's so painful.

137

I'm actually a bit scared to do

anything on them because I might

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slip or, and I just remember thinking

this is basically, I'm going to be

139

sitting down for the next six weeks.

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But at the time, that's just how it was.

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Like there wasn't an alternative and I

guess unless you'd been in the situation

142

that mum and I were in, you don't think

this is how, this is just common sense

143

that there must be something else that's,

you know, even if you're having an ACL

144

operation, you still got sort of six,

eight weeks with your foot off the ground.

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That's all your body weight

going through your hands.

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Like it's absolute agony.

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And anyone who knows anyone who's

used crutches for a long time will

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know they probably wrap tennis

racket stuff around the handles.

149

It's just one of those things that

for unknown reason has slipped through

150

the net and no one, until now has

thought, let's make it different.

151

Let's make it better.

152

Uh, so yeah, we were lucky.

153

The gap in the market was very

much still there when we realized.

154

And yeah, that's kind of where we started.

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Vicki Weinberg: So you started

by, I guess looking around and

156

realizing there was nothing.

157

So how did you get from there to, let's

talk a bit about the design process.

158

So w was that the point at which

you were inspired to, okay, we

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can't find what we're looking for,

let's create something ourselves?

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Amelia Peckham: Yes.

161

So.

162

Really, it was kind of twofold.

163

It was what does the dream stick

do and what does it look like?

164

Um, and I think, you know, half of

it's physical, half of it's mental.

165

And I almost think the mental side

of it is more important than the

166

physical because, you know, your

hospital ones will support you.

167

But I, things like jarring

into your upper body joints.

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So over time, because the rubber tips are

so solid, I was like, I had wrist pain,

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I had elbow pain, I had shoulder pain.

170

And that was my top half of my body

was meant to be the bit that was good.

171

And so I was like, well, this

isn't great if I'm then going

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to end up with residual injury.

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And you know, and then it clicked.

174

So Anyone could hear me coming.

175

I mean, I was in hospital

for a really long time.

176

I wasn't fully discharged until a

year later, and no one wants to tell

177

you your prognosis because they don't

want to be the bearer of bad news.

178

They also don't want to tell you something

that's more negative than it needs to be.

179

Um, but they also don't

want to give you false hope.

180

So no one would have a

conversation with me about, well,

181

you know, would I walk again?

182

Would I not walk again?

183

Is it a wheelchair?

184

Am I fighting to get onto

crutches for no reason?

185

Is it, am I just embarrassing myself?

186

Should I just get on with wheelchairs?

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Like what's going on?

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And I used to creep up to doctor's

offices to listen to them talking

189

about me and they'd hear me coming a

mile off because my crutches clicked.

190

So I was like, I honestly can't

go anywhere or do anything without

191

anyone hearing me, worrying

about me fussing around me.

192

So I just, I think part of it was

like, I want my independence back.

193

And the clicking really, I really

struggled with the same with opening a

194

door or picking up a cup of tea or God

forbid, a glass of wine, the crutches

195

that I was using in hospital, which were

in theory, an upgrade from hospital ones.

196

So not the ones, the NHS issue in Europe,

they have private medical insurance.

197

So lots of different companies supply

crutches, but they're half open cuffs.

198

So if you do anything, it falls

to the floor, and obviously you're

199

not stable on your feet, so I'm the

last person that should be bending

200

down to try and pick them up.

201

And I was like, this is so

embarrassing, because invariably it

202

involves someone coming to help me.

203

So again, by independence, you

can't go anywhere, you can't carry

204

anything, you can't do anything.

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Um, so we listed the kind of main pain

points that the hospital ones and the

206

alternatives that we'd sourced still had.

207

And it was basically, it needed

to have a molded handle, but it

208

couldn't just be molded plastic.

209

It needed to have something squidgy

on it so that you had your hand

210

joints supported, but from a skin

point of view, you had something

211

squidgy so it didn't then rub.

212

And then it needed to have something on

the bottom that was cushioned so that

213

when you put it down, it didn't jar your

upper body joints, but it still had grip.

214

So the hospital ones are rock solid, but

if you hit water, your toast, it just

215

slides straight out from underneath you.

216

So we needed something that

had added grip on the bottom.

217

Um, we needed the option of having

the open cuff because the whole

218

of Europe use open cuff crutches,

but the UK use closed cuff ones.

219

Um.

220

And then essentially that was sort

of where it's and then the silence,

221

we didn't want them to click.

222

So that was the crux of

what we were looking for.

223

And I was still in hospital.

224

Mum then went to medical conferences

and she did a few in the UK and she

225

did a few in Europe and very different

psychology behind what design process

226

needed to be and who could do it.

227

And she was just like, I can't, cannot

find one where I think, or one supplier

228

where I think you could manufacture

them, you're the right person.

229

So we basically parked it and

mum said, just, you know, chat

230

to people in hospital, see if you

see anything, we'll just leave it

231

for a month and see what happens.

232

And she went on holiday.

233

And on a beach in Portugal spotted someone

that looked like it had exactly what we

234

wanted and she ran halfway down the beach

and said, where did you get them from?

235

Uh, and they told us, and

that is now a manufacturer.

236

So it was kind of, you can do as

much research, but then a bit like

237

you said, once you'd heard about the

business, you then see it everywhere.

238

Like you become hypersensitive to anything

to do with mobility aids and walking aids.

239

And once we'd got half way there, we

then had a manufacturer that we could

240

talk to and say, look, could we add

the squidgy grip on, could we add the

241

cuff to make sure that it rotates?

242

Like, can we, and they were just

like, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.

243

Done.

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Prototype.

245

Six weeks later, it was phenomenal.

246

And then took it back into hospital

and everyone was over the moon.

247

They were just like, this is

the most comfortable thing ever.

248

It feels solid.

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It doesn't feel heavy.

250

It feels like it's going to support me.

251

It's practical.

252

I can lift up my arms.

253

So they rotate our cuffs, but

they also the full version.

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So you've got a half one, which is

European, and then you've got the

255

full one, which is a bit like the NHS,

but it's bigger, comes off, so you

256

can choose, you can have a full or a

half, you can do what you like, um,

257

but they all unanimously, and there

were probably 20 people in the physio

258

shack with me every day doing physio

and they were like, why is it black?

259

And I was like, oh, I thought

it looked really smart.

260

And they were like, no, I want a red one.

261

I want a pink one.

262

I want a spotty one.

263

I want leopard print.

264

And we were like, right, next point.

265

We've nailed the product design.

266

We need to make it look fun.

267

And then by the time we'd tackled

colouring them a plain color, we

268

realized we could do anything and

actually we can print anything.

269

So we have a range of ready to go prints.

270

We have a load of different

colours, and then we have the

271

option to print your own design.

272

So we do pets, we do grandchildren,

we do people's favourite cars, we do

273

sports colours, we do fabrics to match

wedding dresses, mother of the brides,

274

you name it, we can print on it.

275

But that was kind of I guess the journey

from idea inception to final product.

276

Vicki Weinberg: That's amazing.

277

Thank you.

278

Um, it's one of those things, isn't

it, where I'm just amazed that, you

279

know, your mum just happened to see

somebody and that was how you found

280

your manufacturer because it sounds like

she's put in so much work to doing that.

281

It just goes to show sometimes if

you're open to things, like you say,

282

suddenly you spot opportunities.

283

Amelia Peckham: It's, but I still

think as a founder, your best ideas

284

don't come sitting at your desk.

285

It's when you've had like a brick

wall moment and you think I'm

286

just going to park it for a while.

287

And then you get on a train or you

go on holiday, you go and suddenly

288

everything clears and you're like,

bing, I know exactly what I need to do.

289

And I think that's when.

290

Yeah.

291

I mean, she obviously was still

thinking about it constantly, but yeah.

292

Vicki Weinberg: I think it's amazing that

you found someone that did what you did.

293

And what I'm surprised about is

that this, so this manufacturer,

294

they weren't, were they not already

mass producing crutches that?

295

Amelia Peckham: Yes, but their

main business is wheelchairs.

296

So there's a lot more, and this is another

thing that I still find extraordinary.

297

So there are six and a half

million people in the UK that use

298

walking aids, use mobility aids.

299

Uh, 1.

300

8 of them are wheelchair users, but a

third of the wheelchair users can walk

301

and use walking aids at the same time.

302

And yet, there must be 20 plus

manufacturers of wheelchairs in

303

the UK and there is not one that

manufactures crutches and walking sticks.

304

It's like, blows my mind that it is

such a huge market, and yet you can

305

get a sort of tinny one on Amazon.

306

You can get NHS crutches.

307

You can't, they're still, we

don't really have a competitor

308

in the crutches market still.

309

And there are multi million

billion pound businesses producing

310

walking aids all the time.

311

So, but of course the margin

in wheelchairs is much bigger

312

than the margin in crutches.

313

So it's a much more appealing, I guess,

business decision to set up a business

314

that produces wheelchairs, which is

what the manufacturer that we still work

315

with, um, does, and they distribute their

wheelchairs, but they mainly produced

316

crutches and walking sticks to get their

foot in the door to supply wheelchairs.

317

So I think for them, it's been brilliant

because we've become their sole

318

distributor effectively of walking aids,

and they've been able to then focus on the

319

wheelchair business and grow it that way.

320

Um, but again, very lucky

that we get on really well.

321

They're a family business as well.

322

So, I think we kind of have a mutual

understanding that we're all singing

323

from the same hymn sheet and it just

was two jigsaw pieces that slotted

324

in and have, you know, it's been,

it'll be 18 years in October this

325

year that we, since my accident.

326

So it's been a long time, but yeah.

327

Vicki Weinberg: That's

really, it's really, yeah.

328

What's the word, serendipitous

I think is the word, isn't it?

329

Amelia Peckham: Yeah.

330

Vicki Weinberg: And I'm, I was amazed

by the way, when I saw that you could

331

personalize the stick so easily, was that

something that was a surprise to you?

332

How easy it is, when I say easy, I'm

not, I don't want to dismiss, I'm

333

sure not, but straightforward maybe

is a, is a simpler way of saying it.

334

Amelia Peckham: Yes, and I think

the colouring aspect, ironically,

335

I think is what looks the easiest

and is probably the hardest.

336

And I think we've worked with

a number of different graphic

337

designers, a number of different

producers, suppliers to get it right.

338

Um, and it has by no means

been straightforward.

339

I know it looks really easy on the

website, but it's one of those things

340

where I think manpower wise, it's quite

heavy duty to do bespoke products,

341

but the impact it has, particularly

on people who, you know, we've started

342

getting quite a few people who will

have a stick in memory of somebody.

343

So it might, you know, butterflies

is a big one where people will put a

344

butterfly that reminds them of somebody

that they've lost on their stick.

345

And I'm just like the impact that

that has on someone mentally every

346

day forever is worth 10, 000 sticks.

347

Do you know what I mean?

348

So I think the personalization, any,

anyone who does personalization will

349

tell you is not exactly the best

business decision because it is a

350

lot of work and not much reward.

351

But I think for us, it's become more about

the impact that we're having and we get

352

so much feedback that's so amazing that I

think that's what's fueled the business.

353

That's what's growing the

business and that's where we

354

have to maintain an element of

respect for, if that makes sense.

355

So yeah, the personalization

stuff, it's, it's full on.

356

It looks a lot simpler

than it probably is.

357

Vicki Weinberg: Yeah.

358

Well, I, I'd be honest, I never thought

it'd be simple, but when you were talking

359

and you're talking about the colouring and

then you realise if you were colouring the

360

sticks, you could print onto the sticks.

361

Um, see, I, that, I guess that was

what led me to think, oh, it's not as

362

hard to print onto sticks as I thought.

363

Yeah.

364

Amelia Peckham: It's definitely doable.

365

I just, yeah, it's definitely doable.

366

And it is, you know, we've got a

brilliant system now and the team

367

that do it, we've got two guys.

368

So.

369

Luke who does all the design and

Al who does all the production and

370

actually getting them onto the sticks.

371

Um, and they're brilliant and

they work like clockwork and it

372

is really straightforward now.

373

But yeah, I think that's probably,

that's been the hardest hurdle

374

was to tackle the colouring and

the personalization element of it.

375

And, you know, when we launched,

we had I think six designs in

376

about January 2006, um, and they

sold out within like six weeks.

377

And we were like, oh my goodness, we need

to get like double that and then start,

378

you know, releasing a new design every

quarter and trying to do it that way.

379

Um, and that's when we kind of realized

actually you can print anything.

380

And if someone sends a photo of their

dog, providing it's not really blurry,

381

we can easily put it onto something.

382

So, yeah.

383

Vicki Weinberg: I mean, I'm, I have

to say when I first came across you

384

and I looked in your website, that was

the thing that blew me away actually

385

was the fact that you could do that.

386

How amazing is that?

387

That someone can design

their own walking aid.

388

I just think that is

absolutely incredible.

389

Amelia Peckham: It's amazing.

390

And it's also just like to give

someone who's having a rotten.

391

And I think that's partly where mum kind

of her angle came from, which she was

392

like, it's very difficult when someone

is in hospital and you're looking after

393

them to think of something positive to

focus on and give them something tangible.

394

You get people bring chocolates, they

bring flowers, they bring, you know,

395

smelly things, they bring everything

that you kind of would panic buy.

396

But mum was like, really, you want to

give them something like a walking stick

397

or crutches that's actually going to

help them get to where they want to be.

398

And there isn't really anything.

399

So she was like, from a sideline point

of view, and I still think, as much

400

as I obviously was not having the best

time of my life, I still think it's

401

harder for the people standing next

to you because when you're in hospital

402

and you're in following a serious

injury, you are not really with it.

403

You're on a lot of drugs.

404

You don't really know what's going on.

405

They are there living and breathing

every single minute, desperate to help.

406

And this gives them something

completely personalized to you that

407

they can give you, that will help and

change your prognosis effectively.

408

Um, so that, yeah, I guess mum and I come

at it from two different angles, don't we?

409

But it's been, turns out, a recipe

for good, which has been amazing.

410

Vicki Weinberg: That is amazing.

411

I'm just going to come back.

412

You mentioned earlier that this could

actually make the difference between

413

somebody wanting to leave the house

and get out in the world and not.

414

So I guess there's that

aspect to it as well.

415

Amelia Peckham: Huge, huge.

416

And I think all too often, there is a

sort of assumption that if you have a

417

disability or a serious injury that a,

being in pain is part of the deal that

418

you get handed and b, you're not likely to

live a life that's as active or fulfilled

419

as someone that doesn't have a disability

or an injury and it's actually the case,

420

I think obviously there are scenarios and

look, I was by no means swinging from the

421

rafters for 10 years after my accident.

422

It takes a really long time

to adjust to your new normal.

423

You know, we've got professional

athletes that use our crutches.

424

We've got, um, the most amazing woman

who's hiking every mountain from

425

here to Timbuktu on her crutches.

426

Like there, there is so much you

can do, but you cannot do it if

427

you've got the wrong equipment.

428

And I think so many people physically

cannot trust the stick that they're

429

using or the crutch that they're using.

430

And so they will say, Oh, okay.

431

Yeah, I could come to a wedding,

but how far, you know, where

432

are you getting married?

433

And then when is there a walk and how

do I get from that bit to the next bit?

434

And you think that's way too much.

435

I can't do it.

436

I will be in agony and

it will be miserable.

437

And it'll take me a week to recover.

438

Not if you've got the right stick or

crutches or wheelchair, whatever it is.

439

You have to be able to make a

choice that you want to live your

440

life and the equipment that you

use is there to help you move.

441

You know, I always say glasses are

there to help you see, and you wouldn't

442

walk up to someone on the street and

go, whoa, what happened to your eyes?

443

You just wouldn't do it.

444

But for some reason with sticks,

people do come up to you and

445

go, what happened to your leg?

446

And I think we're moving towards

a point where it's like, glasses

447

help you see, sticks help you move,

wheelchairs help you move, but just

448

because you need a wheelchair or a

walking stick does not mean you've

449

lost interest in moving or living.

450

Like, it's almost the polar opposite.

451

You have this sort of incessant voice

in the back of your head saying, you

452

know, you've had a stroke of near death.

453

You want to live your life.

454

Go, go, go, go, go, go, go.

455

And I think that is harder to control

than the sitting at home feeling awful.

456

Um, but invariably, if you have

got the wrong stick, you are

457

not going to want to go out.

458

You're not going to want to do anything.

459

And, you know, loads of our

customers have said, God, I bought

460

one on Amazon thinking I need one.

461

I'll just grit my teeth, but I don't

want to spend loads of money on it

462

because it's not something I want

and then didn't use it and didn't

463

go out and then finally thought

I'll give the best one a go and see.

464

And then they've been like, why

did I not do this a year ago?

465

And I'm like, because you're not

in the right head space to do it.

466

But we will get to a point where people

know enough about us that they, you know,

467

the minute they get wrist pain or feel

uncomfortable or don't want to go out,

468

they'll think there's an alternative.

469

Should we try one?

470

And that's where the world becomes a

much happier place to admit there's less

471

misery and self conscious and lack of

confidence and the rest of it, I think.

472

The impact potential is huge.

473

We just need to get it, get

our brand out there a bit more.

474

Vicki Weinberg: Yeah.

475

And along those lines, because I

mentioned that as once I heard about

476

your brand, I started seeing your

brand, which is, I think is how it

477

happens, once you've got, once something

comes on your radar, it seems to.

478

But, you know, pop up everywhere.

479

Um, and one thing I noticed is

that over, well, the last couple of

480

months, maybe years, you've received

quite a lot of celebrity support.

481

Um, so it'd be really interesting to

know how that came about, what it's

482

meant for the brand, because, um,

like you said, I guess the overall

483

goal is to get the message out there

that this you know, there's no shame

484

or stigma in using walking aids.

485

You should, you know, and the walking aids

can be, when I say fun, what I mean is,

486

you know, like a lot of designs are bright

and they're colourful and they're fun.

487

They're not, they've almost, um,

the accessory is not the right word.

488

Amelia Peckham: They are not

meant to be hidden necessarily.

489

Um, yeah, I think, well,

I will hold my hands up.

490

I worked in PR after my, after I

left uni, I went into PR and I had

491

no idea what it was before I did it.

492

To be honest, I did a sort of internship.

493

Um, on page and thought, I'll just give

it a go for a month or two, loved it.

494

And then my boss very kindly offered

me a job, um, and it was brilliant.

495

And it was basically product

based businesses getting the

496

product onto a newspaper page.

497

Um, and online wasn't really a thing,

that makes me sound like a dinosaur,

498

but it wasn't, uh, and it was all about

the impact that this had on their sales.

499

So I knew about PR.

500

I knew how to do it.

501

Uh, and I knew the value of it

for products based businesses.

502

So it had always been something that even

when we launched, I did a press release.

503

Um, I had my accident in Scotland

and I knew that the Scottish press

504

would probably be interested to

hear, you know, 19 year old girl

505

breaks her back and then sets up a

business in the Scottish islands.

506

Um, and we got loads

of coverage from that.

507

So I was like, once you've done

it a few times, you kind of build

508

confidence and then celebrities

invariably cropped up on social media.

509

Now, up until then, you had to go

through an agent to access them.

510

So I was like, well,

what have I got to lose?

511

I might as well try and contact anyone

that, you know, hurts themselves.

512

And this comes back around to where,

when you're designing a product and

513

you're launching a product, the time

and the effort that you put into that

514

is what then reaps the benefits because

we'd tested it for long enough, we'd

515

handed it to people in hospital, doctors

had seen them, nurses had seen them.

516

We'd had all the feedback

we could possibly have.

517

And I was like, I know the

feedback is a resounding positive.

518

This is amazing.

519

It's going to change my life.

520

I'm sending it and I

will gift it to anyone.

521

And you know, part of it is luck.

522

Uh Prue Leith injured her ankle

on the Great British Bake Off.

523

And her husband bought her a

pair of rainbow ones because

524

she loves everything rainbow.

525

And she was filmed for six months on

Bake Off wearing them, which is fluke.

526

But again, wouldn't have happened if

the product hadn't been brilliant.

527

So that actually really

didn't involve us a whole lot.

528

And then two weeks later,

Amanda Holden fell off a

529

horrendous inflatable water park.

530

How she ever did it, I will not know.

531

And she was in Spain, I think.

532

And it hit the daily mail at

two o'clock in the morning.

533

And I was, uh, I had a six week old baby,

so I happened to be awake when it hit

534

the Daily Mail and I thought what have

I got to lose, I'll just email her agent

535

and say if you need a pair we can send

them first thing tomorrow to get to her

536

so she can come home because I thought

she's got plaster from her toe to her hip.

537

There is no way in hell she can stand up

on a pair of hospital crutches and not

538

risk slipping or snapping or, it just

filled me with horror and I was like, at

539

least if she's got them, she can use a

wheelchair, she can get her wheelchair to

540

the airplane door and she can get home.

541

And if she hates them, she

can wave them in the bin, but

542

they will have got her home.

543

And by the time she got home, she was

like, I'm going back to work next week.

544

And I was like, what are you mad?

545

She was like, no, they're brilliant.

546

I feel so safe.

547

I'm so comfortable.

548

And she did.

549

She went in and out of Heart FM

on them every morning on them.

550

Uh, Jamie Feetston, I then

contacted Jamie Feetston said, she

551

said, she's coming back to work.

552

Would heart FM like to gift her a

pair with heart FM on to say, now

553

you've got a set at work and then

you can just wheel from home to work.

554

And he was like, brilliant.

555

And then they designed them.

556

We put heart FM logo all over them.

557

And then he presented them to her

on live radio, on a live video

558

stream that went all over Twitter.

559

It was just, I guess, lighting matches and

fires were starting and it was phenomenal.

560

Uh, and yeah, I don't, you know, I

think it looks like we've had a lot

561

of celebrities, which we have, but

there's probably one in five that

562

results in any kind of profile or press.

563

But I think, you know, people need them

and they want them and they love them.

564

And if you create something that people

need and want and love the hard work's

565

done, you know, it's just a case of them

putting them in front of the right people.

566

But I think the other thing with

celebrities is, for me, it's been having

567

the visibility of someone who's willing

to put themselves in the newspaper and be

568

photographed with what mobility aids that

they're proud of, and in turn, it shows

569

that injuries and serious disabilities

and all the rest of it doesn't just

570

happen to people you can't see.

571

It happens to everyone, and whether

you're a celebrity or not, everyone

572

is at risk of landing in the

minority group that is disability,

573

um, at any point in their life.

574

And it, and it really isn't

straightforward and it really is hard,

575

but if you can see it, and you can

see people doing it confidently in the

576

press in wherever there's much more

relatability and it fuels this I can

577

do it mentality and that's what for us

working with celebrities is so important

578

because I just think there's too many

people sitting at home thinking I'd

579

rather not go out than go out with a

stick and that has to change and the

580

only way we can do that is by showing

them people are doing it and not just

581

me, celebrities, whoever, it's everybody.

582

Um, but yeah, we have had a

fair amount of celebrity press,

583

which has been a game changer.

584

Vicki Weinberg: Yeah, I

think that's fantastic.

585

And like you say, even if it, even if

they're seeing the celebrities on, even

586

if the attention isn't to drive sales.

587

Like you say, just people

seeing a celebrity on a stick

588

is just, that's positive.

589

Whether that person needs a stick

in their life or not, just seeing

590

that kind of just, I don't know if

normalizes is the right word, but just.

591

Amelia Peckham: Yes, a hundred percent.

592

It's that, you know, awful feeling

where you think, and I was in hospital

593

and I just thought there's no one,

there is not one person on the telly.

594

There is no one in a magazine.

595

There's no one in the newspaper.

596

Every time I thought.

597

Oh look, there's someone with a stick.

598

It was someone in their 90s being wheeled

out because they were about to die.

599

And you just think that is not real life.

600

There are, you know, and the real life

is also not acquiring a disability and

601

then having to completely divert your

whole life to a separate lane where you

602

do half of what you were meant to do.

603

And I think the opportunity is there.

604

And actually, I think social media

has made it a thousand times better.

605

Um, and you can, you know,

the world is changing.

606

There are so many people with

disabilities doing so many amazing things.

607

But at the bottom, the bottom line is

if you want to go out and get a job and

608

live a life that's happy and be a parent

and do whatever you want to do, whatever

609

you want to do, there is a way, it's

just a case of sort of adjusting and

610

realigning which direction you go in.

611

And that can be something as small as

having better crutches or better walking

612

sticks to make sure that you can live.

613

Um, but yeah, I'm hoping that's

what we're trying to change.

614

Vicki Weinberg: And the key thing

I'm taking from you as well, Amelia,

615

is that, because you mentioned that

you're sending out, you know, you

616

might be sending crutches, but not

everyone, they may use them, but they

617

may not be publicly used, promote them.

618

Amelia Peckham: Promote them.

619

Vicki Weinberg: But actually, the real

key thing I've taken from you is that

620

you are so confident in your product and

that it's a good product and that it will

621

help people and it is the best option

for people who might need some kind of

622

walking aid, that it almost doesn't matter

because you know, you're providing, I

623

don't know, you're helping somebody by

providing that, whether you get anything

624

back from it in terms of press or not.

625

And that's, I think really key, um,

that you're not sending products of

626

just, oh, you know, please feature me,

please, you know, please post about this.

627

Amelia Peckham: We're lucky because people

need us, uh, you know, I wouldn't send

628

it to someone who didn't need sticks.

629

Vicki Weinberg: Of course.

630

Amelia Peckham: Do you know what I mean?

631

But that's really having

worked in PR, you know.

632

We, I used to look after food and

drink brands and I had thousands

633

of chocolate boxes on my desk

that are desperate to get into the

634

times and the Christmas gift guide.

635

And you think, God, you're up

against 10 other things that

636

do exactly the same thing.

637

And it's basically going to come

down to what your box looks like.

638

That is almost the reality that a lot

of product based businesses are in, and

639

we're very lucky in a way that ours is

seriously niche and it is filling a need,

640

um, and it is more targeted and it is,

you know, it does have a better response.

641

We don't have as much competition and,

you know, there are lots of things that

642

have made it better for us, but that

knowledge and your product confidence

643

in your product, I think is the key,

because also the other flip side to that

644

is that testimonials have become gold

for our business and once we started

645

generating them automatically, that

has been a huge conversion to sale

646

tool that I massively underestimated.

647

And I think that would only have been

as beneficial as it has been because

648

we spent so much time honing in on

the product and making sure that the

649

product was bulletproof and that we'd,

you know, done a bit of market research

650

and had tested it in hospitals with

doctors and nurses and the rest of it.

651

And I think that's where, yeah, you can,

you can then hit the ground running and

652

you can send it to people confidently

and say, this is going to be the best

653

stick you've ever used and know that

99% will say, I completely agree.

654

And then you're off.

655

Vicki Weinberg: That makes sense.

656

Thank you.

657

And thank you for explaining that.

658

Because I think you're right.

659

Obviously it is good to be in a position

where there isn't much competition,

660

where you're the first one out there.

661

Um, and I, I think lots of people do

create really unique products because they

662

might be in a situation where there isn't

much competition, where their product

663

is something that only they are doing.

664

Um, but for me, it still comes back

to like having that confidence that

665

your product is really good, because

I think if you're not a hundred

666

percent about your product, it makes

it a lot harder to confidently talk

667

about it, try and get it in the press.

668

And, you know, all, all of that.

669

So I think knowing your products

the best it can be is a really

670

good place to come from.

671

Amelia Peckham: And also, if it solves

a problem, I think it, if it solves

672

a problem, you've got your marketing

plan there because you, you know, all

673

of our marketing, particularly social

media, has taken many twists and turns

674

over the last however many years, but

it is now very problem solution based.

675

So whether you're doing a single post,

a carousel post or a video on Instagram,

676

Facebook, TikTok, you name it, the

first hook that's going to get them in

677

is going to be, do you get blisters?

678

Do you hate the stick

crashing to the floor?

679

Do you find it slips when

you go near a swimming pool?

680

All of that, we can provide a solution.

681

That's your marketing.

682

And that is where I think so many

people find it really difficult to sell.

683

You should have a product that

solves problems and then you

684

just focus on the problems.

685

Because if anyone says to me, you know,

does it drive you nuts when your kids

686

aren't ready for school by eight o'clock?

687

I'm like, I'm listening.

688

I'll buy anything.

689

What do I, do you know what I mean?

690

Like if someone taps into a relatable

problem, you're like, yeah, I'm sold.

691

What do I do?

692

Vicki Weinberg: Absolutely.

693

And as you say that knowing what, who your

product is for and how it helps and being

694

able to articulate that really clearly,

it's just always going to massively help.

695

One final question before we finish

Amelia, and this is when I ask everybody,

696

what would your number one piece of

advice be for other product creators?

697

Amelia Peckham: Oh, this kind of

goes back to what we've just talked

698

about, which is spend the time and

the money finalizing your product.

699

And I think that is the

single most important thing

700

you will do in your business.

701

Once you've done that, it's kind

of grit your teeth and go for it.

702

And I think that's, if you can draw a

line in the sand and say the product is

703

as good as it's ever going to be, and

I am confident if someone asks me about

704

it, I can nail them why it's brilliant.

705

Once that's done, you

have to just go for it.

706

Like, just grit your teeth.

707

Anything you think is

embarrassing, it's not.

708

You've created a brilliant product.

709

Say yes to everything.

710

Try everything.

711

Be prepared to fail and just keep going.

712

I think it's my, probably my parting shot.

713

Vicki Weinberg: That's really good advice.

714

Thank you.

715

Because I'm a big fan of just

getting things done and moving on

716

and things don't have to be perfect.

717

But the one exception I would

say to that is your product.

718

Amelia Peckham: And probably you

probably won't ever feel ready.

719

I think that, you know.

720

You have to look at your product

objectively, and that's incredibly

721

difficult when it's what you're selling

and what you're basing your business

722

on, but you will never feel like,

right, I'm ready to walk into a sort of

723

exhibition of 40, 000 stores and be one

of those stores and sell confidently

724

because no one is, no matter how glossy

it looks on social media, no one is

725

having a well of a time all the time.

726

It's, it's really hard and it's relentless

and there are constant hurdles, but

727

you've got to just grit your teeth

and stick your neck out and go for it.

728

Because if you don't you won't get

the one in 10 opportunities that

729

do convert to something amazing.

730

Vicki Weinberg: That's really good advice

and great and great note to finish on.

731

Thank you so much Amelia.

732

Amelia Peckham: Thank you

so much for having me.

733

Vicki Weinberg: Thank you

so much for listening right

734

to the end of this episode.

735

Do remember that you can get the

full back catalogue and lots of free

736

resources on my website, vickiweinberg.

737

com.

738

Please do remember to rate and review

this episode if you've enjoyed it

739

and also share it with a friend

who you think might find it useful.

740

Thank you again and see you next time.