In this interview, we wanted to shine a light on the excitement and challenges that come with growing a business.

So, we know that you’ve got a bit of an announcement to share with our readers - do you want to take it away Kayleigh?
Eek, yes I do indeed - after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, sleepless nights and ‘PLEASE can someone make the decision for me’ internal arguments, I have decided to collaborate with the incredible The Fulfilment Hub, a fulfilment company based in Lincolnshire.

That’s big! Could you tell us a bit more about what a fulfilment company is?
I think that when a lot of people hear the phrase ‘fulfilment company’ they think of Amazon-esque warehouses, dodgy practices and the conveyor belt mentality. Sure, I’d bet that some are like that, but The Fulfilment Hub couldn’t be further from that image.
The idea of a fulfilment company is that they step in as a trusted partner to help you get your products out to your customers. They put in place simple systems to make sure that all of your practices are adhered to and that deliveries can run like clockwork; smoothly and pain-free.

Well, smooth and pain-free sounds like a win-win situation. Why did it take you so long to move over to this model?
Packaging is a huge part of what makes Alice & Peg so special. I guess I was a bit protective over it. I have such a clear vision of how every box should look, and I genuinely pack them with so much love and care. The idea of handing this responsibility over to someone else terrified me. What if they got it wrong? Or if the standard slipped?
The problem is, as much as I put my heart and soul into every single box, this also takes an enormous amount of time: time that could be spent connecting with independent suppliers, developing new ranges and expanding the business further still. 
There comes a point when you have to hand that baby over, right? It was important to me that I found a partner that matched my own ethos and culture - namely, attention to detail, sustainability and the caring touch.

And The Fulfilment Hub fit the bill?
Oh, absolutely. Dean, one of the founders of The Fulfilment Hub, really understood my vision for Alice & Peg. His team is very hands on and values attention to detail as much as I do. They’re attentive and passionate, and they aren’t afraid to suggest new ways of working if they think a better option is available.
They’ve also thought really carefully about their environmental impact (for example, they’re an Ecologi partner) and don’t use zero hour contracts. It’s an added bonus that they’re based super close to where I grew up in North Lincolnshire.

(Photo: Dean, Managing Director and India, Customer Services Manager at The Fulfilment Hub) 

What does this mean for our customers?
Honestly? Nothing changes. The Fulfilment Hub is now a part of the Alice & Peg team - they’re an extension of the service you’ve always known and loved. 
If anything, they can expect speedier deliveries! Especially in the lead up to Christmas, it gets very tricky keeping up with all your generous orders. Now that it isn’t just me, we can get more out and at a faster pace.

How does this fit into your vision for Alice & Peg?
I want to keep growing the team more and more! There’s so much to be gained from having a group of likeminded people around you, and I truly believe that this is where we find our most influential ideas.
I don’t want to give too much away, but there are some pretty exciting additions lined up for the shop. I would also LOVE to create something offline one day… Watch this space!