Eco-able’s Founder, Our June Small Business Member Of The Month!
If you were to ask Dani Seatter founder of small business Eco-Able her life mantra it might be something like this ‘I don’t get rid of anything which can be reused’ – she loves the idea that items have a story and a past life and this outlook was probably the building blocks to starting her business.
I took some time out at the end of a very busy June to chat to Dani about life, Sir David Attenborough and her small business Eco-Able.
I’m thrilled to champion our member of the month for June – enjoy!
Why did you start your small business?
I started my small business Eco-Able after a conversation with my sister about plastic free July, we had been talking about how difficult it can be to find good alternatives to single use, in one place. I had a lightbulb moment, when I thought, “I could do that”! I really wanted to help others as well as learning myself, which is why we also have a blog on the website.
Tell us about your background before eco-able
I used to be an early years teacher, running my own pre-school for many years and after that I ran a small craft business, which I loved. I feel like both of these things were leading me to what I’m doing today. I am very passionate about early years and how we can get our children involved in taking care of the planet at a young age.
What’s your best selling product, and why do you think it’s so popular?
It is really difficult to pinpoint just one bestseller, however, my customers really love the simple products like the dissolvable cleaning pods and the wooden pot brush. I’d say overall though, my bestselling product is my eco children’s book, teachers, parents and educationalists alike, all love the simple message and the beautiful illustrations. So I’m incredibly proud of that.
What’s the nicest thing a customer has said about your small business?
Since opening my retail store I’ve had the most lovely comments, so many customers telling me how much they love the shop, the products, and how beautiful it all looks. Plus how helpful I’ve been with information and advice on the products. So many lovely comments, it’s been quite amazing. However…Sir David Attenborough writing to me and wishing me success with the book tops it all though!
What are you most looking forward to during the next 12 months of running your small business?
At the store we’re having some small business supplier pop ups, which is fabulous, as it lets me collaborate with some incredible local small businesses, plus I hope to run some workshops too. I’d really love to get the local community involved in sustainable swaps. I’m also working on other language versions of the children’s book and I have a new book under illustration at the moment. I hope this will be ready to publish within the next 12 months.
As recommended by Eco-Able
We asked Dani if she could recommend 3 resources that have helped her with running a successful small business:
So, I’d definitely recommend your podcast (The Resilient Retail Game Plan). I’ve listened to lots of the episodes and all have brilliant advice and tips, things which I have now embedded into my business. I’d also recommend following Holly Tucker on Instagram and getting involved in her small business campaigns, she’s a real cheerleader for us small businesses! I’d also highly recommend the Boss your PR, Fiona demystifies PR and helps small businesses to do their own PR, it’s a real asset!
Find out more about our June Member of the Month’s business here.
