Inspiring Women series: Sharea Samuels, Actress and founder of Chilli Jam Company, Aunty D’s Kitchen
Who: Sharea Samuels
What: Founder of Chilli Jam Company, Aunty D’s Kitchen and actress.
Where: Portobello market
Wearing: Krasimira SS17 short hair jacket.
Instagram: shareasamuels / auntyds
How and when did you start the chilli jam company?
Chilli Jam has been on quite a journey! 2 years ago at Christmas I wanted to get all my friends presents, but I was absolutely broke, so I thought why not make something, hence I made everyone chilli jam which they all LOVED
Then my friend was opening up a popup shop and needed something for her fritters and it went down a treat! However after breaking my ankle I had to take a break from it for a while but I was always keen to get it back up and running.
So this Christmas I reminded people that it was coming back by sending out samples, through instagram, and word of mouth. But that just didn’t work. And now I’ve been doing Portobello Market for 7 weeks and it’s the best outlet for me. For me doing Chilli Jam is great because I don’t need financial resources to do it, but what I do need is time.
What advice would you give to Inspiring female entrepreneurs trying to break into the product space?
I would suggest going to talks, they help, I knew nothing about numbers and percentages or the facts. It is not going to help people buy your product, but it will help you gain insight.
What I would say is be the person that’s selling your product. After all it is YOURS so only you will be able to convey your passion through it.
TOP TIP: if you’ve got a product using fruit and veg go to the wholesaler and make friends, cerate a relationship, once I got a whole box of avocados!
Where do see the chilli jam company in 5 years?
I would love to have it in supermarkets in bulk, but then again I'm not sure – don’t I want to be a bit more exclusive? And just sell it in Selfridges and Harrods. I wish I could just cut out the middleman – go straight to the customer and have them come straight to me.
What would you say inspires you every day?
My sister is a massive inspiration; she runs a business and has 2 kids. I watch her go through it all; being a single mum, spending time with her kids, working for a corporate company and running her own business. Like wow. She’s got the struggles and she still manages to do the school run.
How do you manage your work life balance?
Jam time blends into everything I do. I also act so I juggle running to get stock, going to auditions, taking phone calls on delivery times, but that’s the life of a freelancer and actress. The only set routine I have, and that still changes sometimes is, on a Saturday I'm at the market. Then Monday and Tuesday I HAVE to make chilli jam. But having said that if I get called for an audition on Monday then I just have to accept that I will need to make enormous amounts of jam on Tuesday!
Do you use the digital landscape in you business or do you prefer the offline, face-to-face interaction?
If I didn’t have social media I wouldn’t be able to create the amount of awareness I have from just being at a stall because from that I only gain footfall attraction. However no one wants to watch me making my chilli jam on a Tuesday morning, with my cereal bowl in the background do they?
The truth about digital media is though; people fake it till they make it!
How do you find being a woman in a male dominated working environment?
I have never felt a personal disadvantage with Chilli Jam due to being a woman, perhaps due to the size and area of my business. Men aren’t really in the baking/cooking environment, unless it’s as a chef.
Having said that in my acting world I experience it all the time – not just men and woman but also the fact that I am mixed race. In the U.K film and TV industry is still extremely white dominated.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
My sister once said ‘’nothing is going to get done unless you do it ‘’
And it’s SO true. I have no one to wake me up and say its 9am get to work, I just do it and no one if going to do it for me. People say “I got you babe’’ but don’t rely on anyone. Don’t wait around for the man with the truck to drive you to pick up stock, find a way to do it yourself.
www.wearthewalk.co.uk
www.auntydskitchen.com
You can find Sharea and her Chilli Jam at Portobello Green Market every Saturday 9am - 5pm and Tottenham Green Market every Sunday 11am-4pm
