Kathryn Lewis is the Founder of Irie Box, a dual heritage woman born and raised in Bristol. Irie Box delivers culturally appropriate tropical fruit and veg boxes consisting of items such as plantain, yam, pumpkin, okra, eddoe, cassava, and much more.
They also do recipe boxes with detailed step by step instructions so you can cook delicious Caribbean dishes in the comfort of your home. The Jamaican influence and culture throughout her upbringing led Kathryn to adore West Indian food, throughout her life she has taken her Jamaican grandmother shopping for Caribbean produce. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit she made the decision to shop on her Nan’s behalf so that she could still enjoy the foods she has eaten her whole life without having to leave her home. However, she realised that some people don’t necessarily have family close by to be able to do this for them. So she thought about the people that are still working and those working additional hours who then have to queue up at shops and people who enjoy a Caribbean takeaway who may want to try cooking the dishes themselves or have never tried Caribbean foods.
How did Kathryn find the programme?
”The cohort with people more relatable to the challenges women of colour face was both supportive and inspiring. To be able to discuss the challenges we face and have understanding without having to explain it further was very reassuring. Seeing like-minded female entrepreneurs from a similar background made it a comfortable safe place.
I have always found defining my ideal customer and creating a customer persona quite difficult. Hearing how the cohort determined their ideal customer, how you can use the persona's to communicate with your customers, and receiving tips on how others have used persona's in their marketing really helped me to narrow down the diverse demographic my product appeals to.
Hearing feedback on my pitch helped me to refine it to make it more appealing and relevant to the situation in which I may use it. Also having the opportunity to practice saying it in front of an audience has helped massively with my confidence in speaking to a group.
My biggest takeaways would be:
• Do not feel discouraged if someone does not see the value of your business – it’s just not for them!
• Plan your social media posts ahead and prepare the material in bulk – this saves you time!
• Talk about the difficulties you are facing! Someone has probably come across the same issue and can offer you advice or guidance on how to proceed.
I would encourage the next cohort to make sure they schedule in time to attend the webinars as well as time to re-watch the sessions. This helped me to really absorb the information that was shared. Also, set aside time to work on the topic of the session as the course moves quite fast so it may feel daunting if you need to catch up. I feel that I am now more confident in communicating with customers via social media posts and with delivering my pitch.
Thank you to Bobbi, Mina, BSWN, and NatWest for making this course possible.”
Facebook: @IrieBoxBristol
Instagram: @IrieBoxBristol
Twitter: @IrieBox