We love getting to know the people behind the businesses in Bedfordshire. We caught up with Carrie at Otter & Moose and asked her our very special 5 questions!
1. Hi Carrie, so what made you start your own business?
I’m actually a Chartered Accountant and worked for large firms for more than 25 years. I worked with some fabulous people in brilliant teams and travelled a lot, but … sometimes you just need a change. More than 25 years of doing the same thing just started to feel too long. Rather than working for large organisations I needed to work for myself and, if I’m honest, prove that I could do it. So Otter and Moose was born – a creative business quite unlike my previous career and something I absolutely love doing.
2. What does your business offer its customers?
Otter & Moose is a Bedford based curated gift service. We sell gift boxes full of beautiful, hand made products from small UK companies and specialise in boxes filled with gifts made by small businesses in the Bedfordshire area.
We sell through our website and also provide a full gifting service to both retail and corporate clients. Customers contact us with a budget or their exact requirements and we’ll work with them to put together the gifts they’ve been looking for. To work with someone to create their perfect customised gift is a joy and supporting other small businesses is something that gives me great pleasure.
3. What kind of customers are you looking for? Are there any types of businesses you’d like to collaborate with?
We’ve worked with a wide variety of corporate clients including gallery shops, wedding and conference organisers, hotels, photographers, virtual assistants and financial planners. We can help companies with client and staff gifts and provide welcome packs for hotels for their VIP guests. We’re always open to collaboration with other local businesses.
At this time of year we’re looking for customers who would like us to manage their Christmas gifting. We can put together the perfect gift for their clients, make sure they are beautifully packaged and arrange delivery. A stress free service!
4. What’s the toughest part of running your own business?
As an accountant I can look after my finances but marketing and social media were a complete mystery to me! I’ve loved the steep learning curve but with the benefit of hindsight I think taking the advice of a marketing expert from the start would have helped.
5. What piece of advice could you give to another business owner?
The learning curve of running your own business certainly keeps you on your toes. But what I’ve learnt is that many skills are totally transferable. Whatever your previous experience you’ll have skills that can be adapted to a new role. So if lockdown has made you re-assess your career and you’re tempted to take another path – do it!
There’s lots of ways to connect or get in touch with Carrie:
Carrie Rainbow
Otter & Moose
www.otterandmoose.co.uk
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Or the good old fashioned phone – 07789 997292