As a female-run business, International Women’s Day could not be more important to us. To celebrate, we spoke to some of the incredible women behind Busy B to take a closer look at what they do behind the scenes and what women inspire them daily. Let’s meet some of the team…
Name: Kerri
What is your role at Busy B? Managing Director
What is a day in the life of a Managing Director like?
Busy! I am juggling work and home life like many working women. My day is often a mix of family and work (especially just now while we are all at home). There are usually quite a few projects going on, so I get to work with different managers in our team in different areas. This means having quite a few meetings throughout the day. I also chat regularly with other business leaders to get insight into how we might develop and to see what’s going on in the marketplace.
What is your favourite Busy B product and why?
I love our Magnetic Pad and Pen. We recently moved house and it’s a product I made sure I had within easy reach at the top of a packing box. It’s a must for endless lists, shopping and to do’s. I love that I can always find the pen next to it on my magnetic pin board in the kitchen. A simple solution but a good one!
What women inspire(s) you daily and why?
This may sound a bit twee, but my mum is an inspiration. She is the ultimate Busy woman and is always juggling lots of things but available to lend a hand without you even having to ask. She has a great relationship with all of her 9 grandchildren and despite being in her 70’s her energy seems to be boundless!
Name: Ruby
What is your role at Busy B? Designer
What is a day in the life of a Designer like?
I work closely with our Production team through seasonal cycles for Spring Summer and Autumn Winter. The start of a season is when the creative juices flow as we collect ideas and begin creating and developing illustrations, patterns and designs. Once we have a good idea of the new look and feel, we next begin to apply this to the products. We are currently at the tail end of this process where the whole Busy B team works together to make sure each product is perfect. I am currently sending our AW21 range to production and should start to see initial samples arriving back to us in the next month or so. It’s such an exciting part of the job to see my designs come to life on real products!
What is your favourite Busy B product and why?
My favourite product is the Goals Diary which I use as a personal diary. I love the size. It’s slightly smaller than A5 and I carry it about everywhere. The “goal setting” pages are helpful to make sure I’m progressing with my goals (usually fitness and health). It’s a great diary for checking in and showing me that I am making good progress on those goals. I always use a Stylus Pen too which I keep together with my diary using the handy pen loop.
What women inspire(s) you daily and why?
There is a long list of women who inspire me, but I will narrow it down to a few women in the design industry.
Debbie Millman is currently top of my list! She is an incredible part of the design industry and is the host of the podcast Design Matters which has been going since 2005!
Gemma O’Brien is an Australian illustrator who specialises in lettering and typography. The work she produces is breathtakingly beautiful and she seems like a really cool lady.
Bonnie Christine because I can probably credit her for my own transition from graphic design into surface pattern design. She is a pattern designer too who focuses on fabric ranges and is a teacher to creatives. I learned a lot of skills from her courses.
Non-design related but I also have to give a shout out to Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda because I find them inspiring in so many ways.
Name: Stephanie
What is your role at Busy B? Production Manager
What is a day in the life of a Production Manager like?
No two days are ever the same which is why I love it. I thrive on the day-to-day communication and interaction with suppliers and the Busy B team to ensure clarity and transparency across the full production cycle and supply chain ensuring products are delivered to the highest quality, on time and within budget.
What is your favourite Busy B product and why?
My favourite Busy B product is the Pen & Case. It has been in the Busy B product range for a while now and although it is an oldie, for me it’s a goldie! I never leave home without it and it is a firm staple in whichever bag I choose to use for that day. Both the pen and case are slim, stylish and elegant and I’m never embarrassed to jot down that note to myself or job to do whilst on the move!
What women inspire(s) you daily and why?
Many inspirational women spring to mind although not always daily. In particular, I’d name Hilary Clinton, Dolly Parton, Madonna, Serena Williams, Judy Murray and Karren Brady.
Name: Claire
What is your role at Busy B? Commercial Director
What is a day in the life of a Commercial Director like?
I manage and drive the various departments at Busy B to ensure our business goals and objectives are achieved. My daily tasks include attending meetings, responding to emails, phone calls, face to face meetings, interviews and more. A whole host of business activities!
What is your favourite Busy B product and why?
The Meal Planner is my favourite! I love using it at home, especially during COVID.
What women inspire(s) you daily and why?
In business, Melissa Odabash inspires me because of her healthy attitude to running her business. Dolly Parton for music, she’s just brilliant! For sport, it must be Amy Williams for her amazing performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics Skeleton race. She won gold which was the first GB gold medal in an individual race in 30 years, just awesome.
Name: Alex
What is your role at Busy B? Senior Digital Marketing Executive
What is a day in the life of a Senior Digital Marketing Executive like?
I love to start off my day with a coffee whilst writing my plans and to-do list in my Undated Planner. Throughout the day I’ll be keeping an eye out on our website and social, making sure everything is running smoothly. You might find me scouting for influencers one day or working with photographers who create our lovely imagery the next. I work closely with Lily, our Digital Marketing Executive, to execute our marketing plans. We’ve got some exciting projects coming up, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram to be the first to see!
What is your favourite Busy B product and why?
Since working from home I can’t get enough of our desk organisers! My favourite is probably our A3 Desk Pad which helps to create the perfect work setup at home, whilst also looking picture perfect. Lastly, a desk is not complete without a good pen and pencil, so I always have the Pen & Pencil set handy too.
What women inspire(s) you daily and why?
As a marketer, I am always influenced and inspired by who I follow on social media. Therefore it’s important that I always follow those who have a positive impact on me. My current favourite Instagrammers include @wearwhatworks, @holliemercedes and @chloeplumstead. I also have to give a shout out to HAIM, Clara Amfo and Dolly Alderton. They’re hugely inspirational figures to me.