Through our Meet the Tenants feature we hope you’re seeing the wide variety of businesses that partner with us here at the Millfields Trust. In previous blogs, we’ve introduced you to Plymouth’s Number 1 Taxi Service, Easy Cars and Carlton Cleaning but today we’d like to introduce the Little Linguist Ltd.
Little Linguist Ltd is a project set up by Catherine Garland with the aim of providing language learning resources for Children. We caught up with Catherine to learn more about Little Linguist.
What is your name, project name and how long have you been in business?
I’m Catherine Garland, and I’m the sole company director of Little Linguist Ltd. – an online retailer of children’s foreign language books and language-learning resources. Little Linguist was established in September 2004 so we’ve just celebrated 18 years in business!
How are you connected to the Millfields Trust? Why did you get an office in MT?
We are previous tenants of the Millfields Trust; between 2007 and 2008 we first occupied Unit 21 and then moved to Unit 6 of the HQ Building – which is the unit we’ve just moved back to!
What does an average day look like for your project? What happens? What time does your day start and when does it finish?
We start the day at around 9:30am. The first job is to check through all of the orders that have been received since we left the previous day. Those that are ready will get packed for despatch and then stock is ordered as necessary to fulfil other orders. Once the orders are packed, any deliveries of stock that have arrived during the day get unpacked and put away. If new titles have arrived, they need to be reviewed and then added to our website which usually involves writing copy and taking photographs. We finish for the day at the office somewhere between 2:30 and 5pm but I will carry out a few hours of admin work at home most evenings: sourcing new products, preparing email newsletters and social media posts, dealing with emails and financial admin etc.
What types of challenges has your project faced in the past, present and possibly in the future?
I think our biggest challenge to date has to be Brexit. We import books from various European countries and it has been incredibly difficult since the UK left the EU. Deliveries take forever, paperwork is arduous and duties & taxes are often applied incorrectly. We’ve also lost a lot of business selling to customers based in the EU as they are nervous about customs procedures and fees.
Of course the current financial crisis is a worry too – especially the spiraling energy costs – but we survived the 2008 recession so hopefully we’ll come through this period too.
If you could have one thing right now for your project, what would it be?
A crystal ball!
Plans for 2023?
To return to in-person marketing by exhibiting at more teaching conferences and exhibitions. Most of these events haven’t taken place since 2020 due to Covid so it will be nice to get back out there talking to the teachers and educational professionals who buy our products.
What’s the best, or worst business advice you have ever received? Or, what is your business mantra?
Your staff are your business’ most valuable asset. Look after them and they’ll look after you.
Little Linguist links:
Little Linguist – 01752 936 196
Web: https://www.little-linguist.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/little.linguist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlelinguist
Twitter: https://twitter.com/little_linguist
If you’re a business in need of office space, light industrial units or possibly just a meeting room, head over to Our Premises today. If you already know exactly what you need then please don’t hesitate to contact the team.