This week a former Whitland school pupil who enjoyed a week of work experience with the Tenby Observer has told us the story of her business journey. It includes setting up a small, eco-friendly business during lockdown and overcoming stoma surgery at 20 years old. 

Charlotte Watson and her boyfriend Teifion Eastoe-Williams wanted to start up a small business while on furlough. Charlotte decided to use her love of lettering to design some greetings cards and the idea of CW Cards was born.

Charlotte has Crohn’s disease. She was shielding at the time and going through some health problems, but her new hobby kept her happily busy. 

From the start, being eco-friendly was important to Charlotte and Teifion, so they opted for recycled cards, envelopes, biodegradable wrap and even recyclable stickers! You won’t find any plastic in their postage packaging either. “Before setting up CW Cards I could only ever find cards wrapped in plastic!”

After putting the cards on Etsy, flurries of orders came in from their supportive friends and family. Having spent many nights staying up until 2 am, lettering each card by hand, Charlotte decided it was clearly time to get a printer! This gave time to set up a website and online shop.

As the brand grew, however, Charlotte’s health went downhill. She had two big operations leaving her with a stoma bag. 

After six months of recovery, she was more determined than ever to grow the business. Her previous employer had decided to let her go during this period as she was unable to return to work. “I wanted flexibility, a work life balance and to do something I enjoyed every minute of,” she recalls. 

It took months of very hard work and willpower to overcome the effects of surgery, but you can now find CW cards in several shops around UK!

INTERVIEW

We interviewed Charlotte about her business start-up:

Where are you based and where did you go to school? 

Teifion and I currently live in Carmarthen, but both went to Dyffryn Taf school in Whitland when we were younger. I did both a GCSE and A level in Art during my time at Dyffryn Taf, which really sparked my creative side. 

What shops stock your cards, what makes them unique? 

Our cards are stocked in several shops across the UK including Keelham Farmshop in North Yorkshire, Consciously You in Bath and Mostly Books in Abingdon. Our dream would be to have our cards in local shops in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. Once lockdown is over we’re hoping to visit some shops to see if they’d be interested. 

Are your cards designed with a particular client base in mind? 

Our ideal client is any stationary lover looking to shop small and support a local, eco- friendly business. 

Was it hard getting started?

Setting up a business is never easy, but we both found it really enjoyable. I started by designing cards with a calligraphy pen and watercolour paint. Demand steadily picked up and I couldn’t keep up drawing everything myself, so we moved to digital designs that we could print. 

Do you think women have a harder time being taken seriously in business?

So far I’ve had loads of support being a female founded business! There is a huge community online that celebrates female entrepreneurship which I’ve been involved in. I love that times are changing and we’re proving that women are just as driven, successful and capable as their male counterparts. 

Were there times when you couldn’t work because of your health? 

Yes, there were times that Crohn’s got in the way of my health. In August 2020, I had been battling with Crohns for two years and after all medication stopped working, I had no other option than surgery. I was out of action from making cards for about three months, but continued drawing new designs on my iPad whilst in hospital to keep me happily busy.

Teifion was a huge help during this time and he kept the business going. He fulfilled every order and kept the cards on the shop shelves! It’s a really frustrating feeling setting up a business that’s just taking off for it to be put on hold because of your health. I’m very lucky I have Teifion, and we do every part of this business as a pair now. 

How do you see the future for your business?

I’m excited for the future of CW Cards. We are expanding and growing steadily. With both of us doing this as our full time career, the possibilities are endless! Today (Friday) we are releasing our daily and weekly planners which is exciting. 

To find out more about Charlotte and Teifion’s business, visit www.cwcards.uk 

The Tenby Observer has been supporting local businesses since 1853! To find out how we can help you promote your business, contact the advertising department today on 01834 843262.