Bloom & Grow
Fri Jul 26 2019 22:57:00 GMT+0800 (Malaysia Time)
Greetings
It's been so hot, blisteringly hot.. that's a good thing right?
By the time you read this, I will be back in the BBUK... Brexit Bound United Kingdom - or should that be.. BBBUK.. you can probably work out what the extra B stands for :)
So this week I have been looking for a new warehouse in Spain, surprisingly empty warehouses still exist and at reasonable prices - the only issue is finding one big enough for all our plans and ambitions.. I was worried that lots of companies from the UK would be soaking up the spaces as companies from the BBUK make Brexit escape routes. After all South Spain has to be one of the best places to work..
In Slovakia - where we also have a distribution warehouse, they are building new warehouses like crazy, and everyone and their aunt is after a warehouse, Amazon have one so big it's like a small country. Why not here also?
Last week I was telling you about the Olive Tree.. you can read about it here.
As the Boris Brexit shapes up, the need to make plans becomes more urgent. As importer and exporter, and almost half our sales going to our European customers it is a real concern. Who knows how things will pan out? That known unknown is the tricky thing to plan for.. there are 60 staff in the UK who's jobs rely to high degree on the trade, I feel incredibly responsible. 60 families for goodness sake.
Of course in India, Indonesia and China many more people rely on trade with AW to support jobs and families. We mostly deal with small family businesses, over the years we have seen many bloom and grow. At a rough estimate, maybe 500 families rely on AW around Asia. Plus of course we try to help where we can, Mr Chatterjee in India has done a fantastic job with the orphanage we support over twenty children are getting a good education, decent living standard and even weekly art lessons..
I'll maybe be reporting from there later this year. Here is a picture of the kids with me, the art and computer teachers.
I'm not going to let a little thing like Brexit endanger all this.. hell no!
The fox.
I was telling you about the Olive Tree, symbol of Ancient Wisdom and Peace. We planted one in a big pot in the garden here in Spain. It was also symbolic of our new AW company in Spain.. with love and water it will bloom and grow.. but it seems to be under attack from the local wild life, an urban fox (we think) comes in the night, jumps in the pot and for some reason digs up the soil. Why does it do this, every day we fix the soil, every night it comes back, why.. is it mad? Obviously you can't kill a fox, but I will have to find away to make it go away.
Meanwhile back at AW HQ.. so many new things are blooming and growing it's untrue.
Smudge sticks.. yes it's true, that most requested of item, it is finally here..
From Mr Chatterjee's jute factory in India.. Natural (no plastic) Shopping Baskets.
The creation of AW Team.. Natural Beard Oils.. absolutely stuffed full of good stuff..
The mystical Palo Santo incense wood.. full AW range now on line.
and more.. see below.
The natural shopping baskets were my project. Working with Mr Chatterjee in India earlier this year we created a range of natural shopping baskets.
All those plastic shopping baskets, there has to be a better way. No-one online seemed to be offering an alternative. So I spent a couple of days with Mr Chatterjee and his super talented team.
I want a basket I told them, it has to be 100% organic, must stack inside each other (like plastic ones do) and be strong enough to last for years. And it should work out cheaper than the plastic version.. not much to ask right?
And then we made a mini version of the same..
Mr Chatterjee shows an early prototype of the mini version.
You start with a sketch, pick the materials, the model man goes at it, cranking away on his sewing machine. Model made, you make mods and he goes (patiently) and does it again, and again and again.
Eventually, you end up with a product you hope people will love.
And we really love gifts at AW.. remember giving a gift is an act of love..
I learn from google that today is Grandparents Day.
So to Grandparents everywhere - have a wonderful day. Spread the love..
More news next week.
Take Care
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