You have a shop? Me too! We’ve already got lots in common

There’s nothing quite like running your own shop, is there?
It’s joyful, creative, challenging, and deeply personal - often all in the same day. I know, like me, you love it. It’s the dream job.

But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

I’m here to help you work smarter, not harder - and to build a community of smart shopkeepers who support each other, share ideas, and know what it really takes to keep a shop running well.

I’m Sophie and I’ve been an independent retailer for over 30 years

I’m not another desk-based business advisor. I’m a shopkeeper - just like you.

With three decades of hands-on retail experience, I help independent retailers cut through the chaos, lighten the mental load, and stay sane while keeping the tills ringing.

Whether it's through free advice, ready-made marketing packs, or soon-to-come online tools, my mission is simple: to make shop life feel just a little easier and a lot less lonely. 

Born to the Shop Floor

Back when I started out, I had literally no idea what I was doing. Other than selling a few things I’d made at craft fairs, I had no retail experience. But I did have ideas, enthusiasm and solid instincts.

I was constantly making notes, tweaking things, trying new approaches. To my surprise, it worked.

But the story actually begins much earlier.

When I was just a year old, my parents bought Narborough Hall, a beautiful but derelict old house in a Leicestershire village. They brought it back to life and eventually opened a shop inside it. I was 16 and threw myself into helping my dad build the displays, unpacking and pricing all the stock and chivvying them into finally setting an opening date! I served the customers and stocked the shelves.

Even when I left for university, I stayed involved. My very first letter home was basically a list of instructions for how they should run things without me! Every holiday, I returned to work long hours into the night helping the business.

After graduating, the shop needed more than love, it needed to turn a proper profit. So I gave it a year. Along with my now-husband Simon, we cleared out slow-moving stock, repainted, redesigned, rebranded, and relaunched.

And it worked. We hit break-even, then moved into profit and kept building from there.

Let’s Make Shop Life Easier - Together

 
I created Smart Shopkeepers Club to give you the kind of support I wish I’d had years ago — thoughtful, tested tools that fit around your stockroom schedule, not someone else’s agenda.

Whether you're here for tips, shortcuts, or just a bit of solidarity - welcome.

📩 [Join the Club for Free Tips] (link to opt-in or quiz)
📦 [Explore the Smart Shopkeeper Shortcuts] (product teaser)
🎓 [Smart Shopkeeper Street – coming soon] (course teaser page)

Retail Strategy with Heart

Today we still run More Than Just A Gift at Narborough Hall. I also founded Petimo, my greeting card design and publishing brand - helping other retailers fill their racks with meaningful, well-designed, and hard-to-find niche cards.

I’ve built marketing campaigns, mentored team members and created systems that bring clarity and calm to retail chaos.

Now, through the Smart Shopkeepers Club, I share those tools with fellow shopkeepers along with advice that’s practical, heartfelt, and grounded in real shop life.

No jargon. No hype. Just things that actually work.

A Little More About Me

When I’m not in the shop or working on Petimo, I also teach yoga. I’m a 200 hr qualified instructor and while I’m not always floating around in a state of Zen, it’s definitely helped me learn how to breathe through the madness - especially during Christmas stock deliveries!

The other thing that keeps me grounded is our dog Nixie. She loves being in the shop, getting fuss from our customers who all love her too!