No I'm not taking underwear !     I'm talking the other small business founders we've met on our journey.     Most new business owners and entrepreneurs are really lovely people driven by passion, or a need to find a solution to a problem which then they believe can help others.    Being a small business owner is a lonely path for lots - obviously not for me because I have the best team around me and we have the best loveliest customers who often become friends aswell.     I m also very fortunate that my daughter and son are willing to help too.    (My daughter was packing in the warehouse till nearly midnight last night and my son taught me another way to resize photos yesterday - every day is a school day as they say!)    I can't talk about support without mentioning our fab accountant Julian and my friend Jill who often offers to help me too and has become ace at tolerating my ever changing ways of doing 'boring' tasks to keep me focussed.

Tortue was accepted by 'Buy Women Built' a campaign and movement to make female founders more visible and to shine a light on female founded products.    How many female founders can you name?     Female founded businesses get a tiny proportion of investment funding available.    I'm not going on go on a rant but it is really important girls see great female business and entrepreneur role models.

Buy Women Built is also supported by NatWest and I continue to be supported by the great (male and female)  small business owners I've met through this amazing opportunity for training, coaching and mentoring.  Shout out of thanks to Rosie Gilbert !

Here's some of the great businesses I've met, have a glance and see if there's anything you need!