Keeping Company
Who keeps you company in business?
Storytime. In early 2020 Pexmas launched a programme of live events for small business owners. We were going to offer a series of talks and workshops designed to help the sorts of businesses we work with at our markets. It was something we had been discussing with traders for ages and we were super excited. My background is in participatory educational programming and I am super passionate about lifelong learning as well as the survival of small businesses and nurturing community, so it felt like I was bringing together all the parts of my brain… and then Covid.
The programme we had built was dependent on live events and prepping traders for live events, and so as this was such a new part of our work, it felt more sensible at the time to pause it than to try and pivot. And now finally after a *short* interlude, lots of testing of ideas, learning and discussion with our friends, we’re able to bring it back! We’ll be launching a 5 tier programme of support for the small businesses in our community, so no matter where you are on your journey, there is something in it for you.
Trader Chats - During the run up to our eponymous December market in Peckham last winter, we hosted regular online chats for the traders to come and ask questions, meet each other and discuss prep tactics for the market. These were really useful and we realised that we could roll this out more generally as a monthly opportunity for small businesses who trade at markets to come together, say hi, talk about things that concern them, get advice and swap ideas. These are totally FREE and booking now on our website, with March, April and May dates announced.
Pexmas Mixers - This is a bit more like the original plan we had in 2020! Live events hosted in collaboration with a small business expert, a local venue and us. Bookable in advance, your ticket includes a drink and snacks, time to mingle and chat with other traders, a talk/ workshop with a fun and knowledgeable expert and of course Q&A time. In many cases you’ll also get actual resources from that expert to take home and absorb for yourself - maybe a book, or toolkits, or a limited period membership access to their own programme. Each one will be different, exclusive and loads of laughs! The first one is with the fabulous Catherine Erdly of The Resilient Retail Club, now live on our website. Click through for tickets!
Big Picture Package (working title!) - One of the learnings that I have been going through as someone who is a mentor, manager and workshop leader in other guises, is in coaching. I really wanted to be able to bring authenticated, tangible, recognised skills to the sessions I deliver for individuals and groups, so I have been in training! And now we are putting this to work with a series of online group coaching sessions suitable for small business owners, freelance workers and side hustlers. Ultimately we’ll be offering 4 sessions a year, with each session being stand alone bookable and useful, or you can get a booking discount on the whole year and a monthly email with prompts and resources sent to your inbox. Hour long guided thinking sessions for you to focus on your business needs and tackle some of those bits of business you rarely get space to contemplate. The first one in mid May will be all about VALUES. Defining yours, why you should bother with them, and how you might communicate them effectively to your potential customers or clients. This will be on sale soon, we’re just fixing the rest of the year’s dates and themes. Wheeeeeeee!
Work-Along with… - We know hiring an expert to support you on technical stuff is a cost that lots of startups or young businesses can’t afford, AND that doing these things on your own at home without a sounding board or advice is not only lonely but can be actively demotivating. And so we are offering a new format to access professionals with super skills for a day of working on common business tasks like website building, social media content creation, product/person photography, or mailing lists. We hire a place, an expert and gather the snacks; you bring your laptop, a bit of prep work and your questions! We split the costs among a small group to make it more affordable than working 121, and you get the comfort and support that comes from working in a group. Launching in the early summer - what do you want to work on first?
Markets & More Mentoring - We’ve been offering one off mentoring sessions for young small businesses for a while now, but this year we’re crafting that into a more meaningful offer. We’re presenting a 6 session mentoring programme, beginning with a 2 hour slot to get to grips with the fundamentals of your business: your vision, products, stall presentation, online presence, boring essentials (like insurance) and of course, market application writing. You can bring all your questions, and together we will make an initial action plan for you to get to grips with your market trading business. Thereafter we meet once a month to check on your progress, update the plan and offer ongoing support you to make the most out of your live market events. It’s like having Pexmas in your pocket, cheering you on.
So this is a whole heap of information but essentially we’re here to keep you company while you keep your company going. Tell us, what do you need in your business right now?