Recently, I had the joy of spending four days at the Ideal Home Show Scotland, chatting to customers, showcasing our products, and really reconnecting with what JoJo Co. is all about. And let me tell you - talking about your business non-stop for four days? It does something to you. It stirs something deeper.
I left that event not just tired, but inspired. Reflective. Reinvigorated – I didn’t actually realise how much I needed this mood shift till I was driving home from Glasgow on my second day there.
It’s no secret that small business can be a rollercoaster. I’ve had ups and downs (mentally and emotionally), and sometimes the pressures of the world -hormones, age, parenting, being fully responsible for our “family” business - they all stack up and can take its toll. But something clicked for me that weekend, and I owe part of it to a man called Keith Brymer Jones.
He’s a ceramicist (I hope you know who he is, because he’s bloody amazing), a passionate maker, and someone I’ve admired for years. Keith spoke on stage at the show - just like he did last year - and once again, I found myself completely drawn into his story. He shared how, as a child with undiagnosed dyslexia, school was incredibly tough. But at 11 years old, he discovered pottery. He put his hands on clay and just knew - this is what he was meant to do.
Hearing him talk about his journey - from throwing hundreds of mugs by hand in the early mornings, to working with names like Laura Ashley and Habitat - it really struck a chord with me. Because I’ve been there. Not with mugs, but with wax.
In the early days of JoJo Co., I’d be up until 3 or 4am, making candles in my kitchen while my babies slept. I was exhausted. Overwhelmed. But in love with what I was doing.
Keith said something simple, but powerful: "We need to use our hands more in the UK. We need to return to making." And honestly, I couldn’t agree more.
We live in a world that’s so fast, so filtered, so heavily influenced by vanity metrics and empty visuals. It can feel like the value of skill and craftsmanship is being pushed to the sidelines in favour of short-lived trends. But making something with your hands? Creating something from scratch, with care and pride? That still matters.
At JoJo Co., we make every candle and diffuser by hand. Our standards are high. Our hearts are in every product. And being at the Ideal Home Show reminded me just how important that is - not just to us, but to you, our customers. I truly believe people are craving more meaning in what they buy.
So, this blog is a little love letter to makers, creatives, small business owners, and conscious customers. It’s a reminder that buying handmade isn’t just about shopping local or supporting small (though both of those things are so important) - it’s about valuing people. It’s about choosing products made with love, not mass-produced for speed. It’s about making your home feel personal, thoughtful, and real.
We all need to take a moment and think about the culture we’re creating. What are we teaching our young people to value? Is it style without substance? Or is it passion, skill, and purpose?
For me, it will always come back to this: Style your home with scent. But more than that - style your life with soul. Choose what lifts you. Choose what lasts. Choose what’s real.
Thank you for being part of this journey. You make it all worth it.
Love, Jo
