Into the Spotlight, sponsored by Huddersfield-based Scriba PR, is a weekly feature which highlights some great businesses. This week we feature Bliss Remedies Wellbeing Shop in Huddersfield town centre.
A pandemic redundancy proved the catalyst for Caroline Walshaw to release the entrepreneur within and now she’s launched her own wellbeing business based in Huddersfield.
Caroline, 44, was manager at a beauty and skincare store in Leeds which closed during the Covid-19 pandemic and she was made redundant.
The negative turned into a positive as the redundancy gave Caroline to impetus to follow her dream and launch her own business selling natural, vegan and eco-friendly products alongside teaching yoga and helping people with their wellbeing.
Bliss Remedies started as an online business and then launched in Huddersfield town centre, quickly building its own supportive community.
Bliss Remedies Wellbeing Shop started out as a pop-up shop in the Independent Quarter unit inside the Kingsgate Centre in June 2021 but when her tenancy came to an end, Caroline was looking for a new home for her wellbeing shop.
Laura Oldroyd, owner of Humpit, the hummus and pita bar on Queen Street, wanted to help and offered a room.
Both Caroline and Laura thought both businesses coming together would complement each other and would create an exciting community hub in the town centre.
Caroline said: “I’d always had that entrepreneurial spirit within me. In my previous job, I enjoyed organising wellbeing events, collaborating with local businesses and offering customers an exciting in-store experience.
“Having a retail management background, I gained a lot of knowledge and skills to help me with my own business. Setting up your own business is a big risk and it’s never easy giving up a regular salary to go it alone.
“I love working for myself, though. It has its ups and downs, of course. It’s a rollercoaster but I enjoy getting to know the people of Huddersfield and networking. I’m all about collaboration and I want to work with and help other small businesses.”
Caroline, a vegan, was based in Leeds and had worked for a premium beauty company for 10 years. “After suffering with burn-out a few years ago, I started going to yoga classes, sound healing workshops and using natural remedies which all helped me to recover,” she said. “I now want to help people with their wellbeing.”
The redundancy meant she struck out on her own, launching her business online selling premium products including skin care, candles, crystals and jewellery that she hand-picks herself.
All the products are vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly and natural. Caroline also supports two Huddersfield-based small businesses by selling their handmade products in her shop.
Batley-based Caroline trained as a yoga teacher in 2020 and launched her online business in April 2021. Two months later she heard about the Independent Quarter unit made available on a temporary basis by the Kingsgate Centre after the closure of TopShop.
She built up a good following at Kingsgate but when the unit was let to shoe retailer Deichmann she was given notice and Bliss Remedies was the last business to leave.
Last week Caroline celebrated the first anniversary of her business and she’s been at Humpit now for five weeks.
“I still keep bumping into people in town who don’t know that I’ve moved and I want to let people know I’m still here,” she said.
“I had many customer requests to keep my wellbeing shop in Huddersfield. I’m excited for the future and gradually building up a community for the people of Huddersfield.”
Caroline is launching her in person yoga classes at the nearby Lawrence Batley Theatre and Humpit at the end of April as well as organising some exciting wellbeing events such as sound healing.
For more go to www.blissremedies.co.uk or search for Bliss Remedies on Facebook and on Instagram @blissremediesuk
