What We Learnt From Starting a Business on a Shoestring During the Lockdown

In late March, my partner and I were visiting potential sites for a cafe. “We can fit 20 people in here, at a squeeze” he said, as we stood in one tiny cafe in Notting Hill, looking around at the blank walls.

Later that evening, we had a meeting about our small business loan. I was apprehensive about borrowing so much money. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) model had been drilled into me as the only way to start a business.

But I went along with it, knowing the drill: cafe first, to establish a brand, name and customer-base. Then start building the e-commerce model. A model which, on its own, can easily disappear into the internet ether.

I knew the plan.

And then I didn’t.

Because, four days later, the UK went into lockdown. Cafes, as well as shops, pubs and restaurants, were closed for the foreseeable future. And, when they did reopen, chances were that “at a squeeze” would no longer be good enough.

It seemed like a disaster.

And then it didn’t.

Because now we’ve launched our very own business, an online ethical tea and wellness shop called NUDITEA. All for less money than our initial logo design…