The Small Business Sessions
The Small Business Sessions is a weekly podcast from the Powering Local Businesses programme, created by Enterprise Nation and EDF Small Business in collaboration with Square.
This series explores the practical steps small businesses can take to grow and thrive – from improving energy efficiency and embracing sustainability to creating a lasting impact in their local communities.
The Powering Local Businesses hub supports small businesses, wherever they're based and however they sell, to grow sustainably. Access grants, pop-up shop opportunities, energy-saving guidance, expert workshops and a supportive community.
Find out more at enterprisenation.com/poweringlocalbusinesses
The Small Business Sessions
Nik Southern on rule-breaking floristry and running a high-street business
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Welcome to Small Business Sessions, brought to you by Enterprise Nation as part of Powering Local Businesses, our collaboration with EDF Small Business and Square.
In this series, we're speaking to founders and entrepreneurs about the real stories behind starting, growing and rebuilding small businesses.
Expect honest conversations, practical lessons and first-hand insight from people who have built businesses with purpose.
In this episode, we're joined by Nik Southern, founder of Grace & Thorn, the floristry business known for its wild, natural and rule-breaking approach to flowers and plants.
Nik shares how she moved from recruitment into floristry, built the business from her living room and grew it into one of London's best-known independent florists.
Topics discussed in the episode:
- Why Nik left recruitment after 13 years and retrained as a florist in her mid-30s
- Starting Grace & Thorn from her living room and selling flowers through friends, pubs and word of mouth
- Moving from a small basement studio to a Hackney Road shop as the business started to grow
- The challenges of running a high-street shop, from service charges to safety and rising pressure
- Why Nik closed the shop and moved to a more manageable studio model
- How Grace & Thorn built strong roots in Hackney's creative small business community
- The burnout, guilt and pressure that can come with running a creative business for nearly 15 years
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Powering Local Businesses
We're helping small businesses thrive on the high street – through expert support, smart energy advice and practical tools to grow sustainably.
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