Freaking Bonkers
Fri Sep 20 2019 16:31:00 GMT+0800 (Malaysia Time)
Greetings from Spain
I arrived here earlier this week. Flight from Yiwu to Beijing, then onward overnight to Amsterdam by China Southern airline. Then I was stuck in Amsterdam for 6 hours - finally the hop down to Malaga.
Lovely Malaga, sunny Malaga, nice clean air and smiling people. Including Rodrigo - you remember Rodrigo? The Brazilian guy, married to Jess - Sheffield lass.. Teresa May's Home Office had wanted to deport Rodrigo, heartlessly separate him from his wife and family and send him back to Brazil. We got a minor concession and he was allowed to go to Spain, whilst his deportation was contested. And so for 6 months he lived and worked from my house in Spain. Rodrigo is helping with the Spanish project so he is down here already. Like old times back in the Villa in La Cala de Mijas.
Last week I was telling you about Moon-Cake Day in China. I can't believe it was only a week since Friday the 13th and a full moon was shining over a minor riot in the gardens by our our China apartment. You can read about it here.
It's been a very busy week. We need a folk-lift company, a racking company, to advertise for staff.. we have been back again to our wonderful new warehouse to measure up.
Can you keep a secret? It's currently occupied by a major film studios, who are building sets for a major production there.. we went hoping to bump into a famous person or two.. whilst there was lots going on, it was a bee-hive of activity.. we didn't meet anyone famous.. and if we did we had been sworn to secrecy anyway. Not even a photo allowed, a closed set. Anyway they were all very friendly and helpful and help us measure everything up that we needed. They are out by the end of October and our lease starts on the 2nd of November.. immediately after Brexit. I'm so excited I can barely sleep - or it could just be the jet lag - anyway it's going to be amazing, I have all good vibes about it. Rodrigo is also buzzing, everyone is buzzing.
Our Spanish website is flying.. although we are currently shipping from the UK, Antonio is doing a good job. AWGifts.es if you interested.
Meanwhile back in the UK.. everything is beyond buzzing. It's that time of year when it's just gone Freaking Bonkers.. but the team are on it like never before. Warehouse organised.. customer service and a team in over-drive.. buzzing.. I don't really understand why.. maybe it's just that we have the right products.. but we are way up on last years sales.. and (I'm so proud of the team) pretty much keeping up with the orders. Well this is AW we are always a bit behind.. it's always a stretch.. but it's going good. Let me just find a lump of wood to touch.
Lots of new products are flooding in.. we are getting them on-line PDQ.. It seems the theme now is: eco-friendly.. if you & your customers want eco-friendly - and we do, we absolutely do.. then we have it.. Check out the new stuff below.
We are working on the next batch of products.. I was just reading in the Times that the Italian government are encouraging retailers to sell products loose, allow customers to bring their own containers and refill them - cutting out the need for any plastic and packaging. In another life way back in the 1980's I started a business called "Weigh & Save" - anybody remember that? We opened shops all over the UK selling loose food. It's coming full circle.
One project just coming together is to help you retail shampoo and liquid soaps in bulk, high quality products - customers can buy and keep refillable beautiful containers. If you have any suggestions do let me know.
Next week I will go back to China.. Tomas will be there. Then Malaysia, then Nepal, then India then UK.. it's all getting a bit of a whirl.
Take care.
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