Episode 14 - Charlotte Jones, 25

At 25, Charlotte Jones has overcome more hardships in the past decade than many of us do in a lifetime and yet in the midst of it all, managed to launch, run and grow what has become the iconic British brand that is Charlotte Elizabeth - the British ladies handbag brand that rose to fame in 2018, when none other than Megan Markle was spotted carrying one of Charlotte's classic designs, in her last public engagement before the Royal Wedding.

No big deal eh girls..!

When we first met in the summer that followed the wedding therefore, when Charlotte kindly agreed to speak at the third She can. She did. - Midweek Mingle! in London back in August 2018, it's safe to say that she was still very much knee-deep in 'Megan mania'. Overnight, the business that started very much from Charlotte's bedroom as a teenager became a global talking point with orders flooding in at a rate that many designers will only ever dream of. With that in mind, I invited Charlotte over to mine on a Friday afternoon last fortnight and asked her to unveil - over multiple cookies and coffees of course - what that sudden influx and demand meant for both her and her business behind the scenes in reality. She also (importantly) highlights the good few years of work and hardship that came prior to that apparent 'overnight success'. Plus, she reveals how she’s managed to visualise so many key moments in the company’s history before they materialised; why she decided to move all manufacturing of the bags from Britain to Spain and why, in her opinion, finding your purpose in life is the biggest pillar of health.

It was a joy to spend an afternoon catching up with her and hearing her story in full so as always, I hope you enjoy listening to us chat!

She can. She did. is hosted by Fiona Grayson and is sponsored by xero.com

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The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!

She can. She did. @shecanshedid

Charlotte Elizabeth @charlottelizbth

Xero @xero