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Listen "Ep 102 - Creating a Stationery Brand with Hello Time Founder Sam Smith"
Episode Synopsis
Nicole is joined by Sam Smith, the founder of HELLO TIME and the creator of the HELLO TIME Planner that has transformed how people organise their lives. With a keen eye for innovation and a dedication to helping individuals achieve their full potential, Sam has become a leading figure in the world of productivity and time management. She’s on Start Scale Succeed to share her story and give you advice on starting a stationery brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The HELLO TIME Planner offers a practical and intuitive solution for organising your daily life. Its thoughtful layout allows for effortless management of tasks, work schedules, family commitments, to-do lists, notes, goals, and ideas. With its minimal design and adaptable structure, the planner provides ample space to declutter your thoughts, maintain your schedule, store information, jot down reminders, brainstorm ideas, and find clarity.
A lot of us are spending our time not doing the things we love, we’re often in auto pilot. We have about 4000 weeks on this earth so people need to be organised to avoid wasting that time. That’s how HELLO TIME came about, Sam wanted to start a stationery brand that was more than just that, one that helped people and businesses manage their time better.
One thing that was important to Sam when launching her brand was that the planner itself was made in the UK and was high quality. She had seen a lot of bright pink planners that didn’t look professional and weren't items you’d be proud of. Having manufacturing in the UK allowed her to keep the quality high while also being sustainable and supporting other local businesses.
Wholesale can be scary because you have to sell a lot more due to the lower margins, but equally to build a business and a brand you need more people to know about it and you do that by getting the product out there. Not every product needs to go wholesale, be selective about which ones you choose.
BEST MOMENTS
‘After a time of helping others successfully build their brands, I decided to put myself on the other side of the fence’ ‘I want to turn it into a brand that helps other people with running their business’ ‘You’ve got everything you need to plan in there, that’s its USP’‘I make use of every millimetre on the page so you can use that space’ ‘There’s no perfect time, at some point you’ve got to jump’
EPISODE RESOURCES
HELLO TIME Planner & Time Gifting StationeryUndated Planners & Time Saving Stationery (@hellotimeplanner) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE GUEST Sam Smith is an experienced creative and branding specialist with over 27 years of design expertise. As the founder of HELLO TIME and creator of the HELLO TIME Planner, she has worked with various industries, from motorbikes to groceries, collaborating with multinational start-ups and small businesses alike.
With a focus on branding for print, digital, and environmental platforms, Sam has partnered with renowned brands like Virgin, Chinawhite, Mars, and McDonald's. Her approach combines creativity and brand-savvy strategies to deliver tangible commercial results.
After supporting others in building successful brands, Sam founded HELLO TIME following a period of burnout. Today, HELLO TIME continues to thrive under her leadership, marking four years of progress.
ABOUT THE HOSTBuying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comIG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachLinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsukEmail [email protected] https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The HELLO TIME Planner offers a practical and intuitive solution for organising your daily life. Its thoughtful layout allows for effortless management of tasks, work schedules, family commitments, to-do lists, notes, goals, and ideas. With its minimal design and adaptable structure, the planner provides ample space to declutter your thoughts, maintain your schedule, store information, jot down reminders, brainstorm ideas, and find clarity.
A lot of us are spending our time not doing the things we love, we’re often in auto pilot. We have about 4000 weeks on this earth so people need to be organised to avoid wasting that time. That’s how HELLO TIME came about, Sam wanted to start a stationery brand that was more than just that, one that helped people and businesses manage their time better.
One thing that was important to Sam when launching her brand was that the planner itself was made in the UK and was high quality. She had seen a lot of bright pink planners that didn’t look professional and weren't items you’d be proud of. Having manufacturing in the UK allowed her to keep the quality high while also being sustainable and supporting other local businesses.
Wholesale can be scary because you have to sell a lot more due to the lower margins, but equally to build a business and a brand you need more people to know about it and you do that by getting the product out there. Not every product needs to go wholesale, be selective about which ones you choose.
BEST MOMENTS
‘After a time of helping others successfully build their brands, I decided to put myself on the other side of the fence’ ‘I want to turn it into a brand that helps other people with running their business’ ‘You’ve got everything you need to plan in there, that’s its USP’‘I make use of every millimetre on the page so you can use that space’ ‘There’s no perfect time, at some point you’ve got to jump’
EPISODE RESOURCES
HELLO TIME Planner & Time Gifting StationeryUndated Planners & Time Saving Stationery (@hellotimeplanner) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE GUEST Sam Smith is an experienced creative and branding specialist with over 27 years of design expertise. As the founder of HELLO TIME and creator of the HELLO TIME Planner, she has worked with various industries, from motorbikes to groceries, collaborating with multinational start-ups and small businesses alike.
With a focus on branding for print, digital, and environmental platforms, Sam has partnered with renowned brands like Virgin, Chinawhite, Mars, and McDonald's. Her approach combines creativity and brand-savvy strategies to deliver tangible commercial results.
After supporting others in building successful brands, Sam founded HELLO TIME following a period of burnout. Today, HELLO TIME continues to thrive under her leadership, marking four years of progress.
ABOUT THE HOSTBuying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comIG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachLinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsukEmail [email protected] https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
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