Anna is finding herself navigating a period of cautious resilience mixed with a tad of anxiety. “We are generally ok”, she starts by saying, yet she also confides that Beloved Beadwork is caught between promising growth and persistent challenges.

Beloved Beadwork’s international expansion is gaining some momentum. One Singapore customer has been selling “quite prolifically” she says, providing a very welcome needed boost, while a newer wholesale client continues to place increasingly larger orders every few months. “That’s really the test,” Anna says, “and she’s really picking up”. Yet despite these encouraging signs, cash flow remains stubbornly low, which is a real cause of stress.

Indeed, external pressures have been significant. Tariffs have disrupted Beloved Beads’ US supply chain, forcing time-consuming searches for new suppliers, while an unexpected and obscure SARS administrative requirement nearly derailed import-export operations entirely. “SARS notified us two years ago, but their system never worked, and they never provided a deadline so for quite some time we just ignored it”, she chirps.

The week with the Imperial College team has sparked a fundamental shift in priorities for Anna. “My focus is so scattered all the time – but the experience really made me refocus on what the business needs and especially how much time it needs from me”, she says. This has led her to take the very decisive move of stepping back from her NGO responsibilities to dedicate more time and energy to the business.

While some of the Imperial team’s recommendations remain works in progress - the B2B outreach strategy is ongoing, and a new catalogue is planned for August. Anna has also made strides in areas that previously intimidated her. Social media, once a source of fear, is becoming more manageable. “I really appreciated what the Imperial team shared about the importance of organic growth”, she says, describing her efforts to create more content despite finding social media “quite overwhelming”.

The seasonal challenge, which Anna feels the Imperial team really understood very well, still looms large… Recently, three to four consecutive days of virtually no sales have left her feeling “terrified”, says Anna. However, her strategy for the coming winter appears more robust than previous years, with the US representative launching an online shop and the Singapore relationship continuing to strengthen.

Looking ahead, Anna expresses both determination and gratitude. She is determined to see the business survive this winter, even if she may reluctantly have to borrow some money from family. More importantly, the groundwork is being laid for a more stable future - better systems, seasonal pricing strategies, and crucially, more focused leadership attention.

Her message to the team is gratefulness: “Huge congratulations on graduating ! You really brought something special to us... please know you really brought a lot of energy and focus into our team, with incredible skills, and it still shows”,  she says.