Small Business Spotlight 1: Summer morning stud As this month has been a hard one for many with it being very cold and having yet another lockdown, we decided to give you two small businesses the spotlight this month! First up is Summer Morning Studios, who create the most beautiful candles from our bonnie city: Edinburgh. We spoke with owners Ailidh and Robbie. What inspired you to start Summer Morning Studios? A: Back in March 2020 when the first lockdown hit, we figured we’d do something productive with our new-found evenings and weekends at home. I work in Fashion Marketing and Robbie is a musician so although we were busy throughout, it was nice having something to focus on in lockdown that wasn’t work, a trip to Tesco or watching the news.
If there is one thing that “ 2020 taught us, it’s that you can’t take anything for granted. ”
You create the most aesthetic candles, what inspires your designs? R: Collection 001 had something for everyone, the three shapes are really different and resonate with different people. Collection 002 is the most summery collection we could release considering it came out in winter but we love it and we’re working on collection 003 already. What is your favourite product you have made so far? A: It has to be The Oyster for me, it looks gorgeous on a dinner table… we’re already planning to have them peppered about the tablescape at our wedding next year. How do you ensure sustainability in your business? R: Sustainability is really important to us. With it being just the two of us, we can have control over making our processes and production as sustainable as it can be. All of our packaging is
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Words by Kirsty Taylor
recycled and recyclable and the products themselves are 100% natural too. We see it as an evolving promise, you can always do more but we’re committed to improving, reducing waste and being as sustainable as possible in what we do. Why do you believe shopping small is so important? A: It’s simple but I love shopping small and thinking that my purchase is supporting someone’s dream. Whether it’s buying a print from a local artist, a coffee from an independent coffee shop or picking up an indie band’s vinyl – there’s something really nice about shopping small and supporting independent businesses/artists. Is there anything right now you want to continue the voice on? R: The world’s a pretty difficult place right now so just make time for you, whether that’s going out for a walk, cooking a dinner that you absolutely love or reaching out for support from people and places who can help if you need it. We love your editorial element of your website, and it is one of our favourite things to read. Why did you decide to add this aspect to your business? A: Thank you! I used to be a writer and worked with Dazed, Wonderland and a few other magazines so writing was just what I loved doing. I decided to continue it through SMS Editorial to make our website more of a destination than just somewhere where you can buy candles. This issue is all about ageing, if you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be? R: Life is too short. You never know what is around the corner, so make sure you make the most of the people and experiences you have. If there is one thing that 2020 taught us, it’s that you can’t take anything for granted. Where can our readers find you and your work? A: We’re on Instagram and our website is always open for a browse and a shop.
