If I’m honest, this blog has been sitting in my chest for weeks.
It’s not a gift guide.
It’s not about cosy candle scents or Christmas magic.
It’s about something far more real - small business burnout, and the truth that sometimes life knocks the wind clean out of you when you least expect it.
A short while back, I had a wobble…
Actually, it was more like a wave - a big, heavy one - and for a moment, I genuinely couldn’t see a future for JoJo Co. I’m being vague on purpose, not because I want to be cryptic, but because the details don’t matter as much as the lesson.
All I’ll say is this: I received some information - bluntly delivered, not 100% correct, and utterly destabilising - and it took its toll on me. Overnight, I felt lost.
Imagine pouring your heart into a handmade business for eight years, building something beautiful, something solid, something that feels like your third child, only to be told that maybe it couldn’t continue.
It was awful.
And it made me question everything.
But here’s the part I didn’t see coming…
That awful moment triggered huge positive change.
I’d been moving through things on autopilot, trusting that everything was ticking along as it should. But over time, I realised I didn’t have the clarity or detail I actually needed. I wasn’t asking enough questions, and I wasn’t digging as deep as I should have. Looking back, it’s so easy to drift without noticing when you assume everything is running smoothly.
When you run a small business, especially one built on heart, craft and handmade luxury, you desperately want to believe that everyone around you cares as much as you do.
But the truth?
No one will ever care about your business the way you do.
And that is exactly how it should be.
Once I got my head around things… I made changes. Big ones. Brave ones. Ones I would never have made if that crisis hadn’t happened.
And when you finally realise things need to change, you must make those decisions boldly. Don’t tip-toe, don’t apologise for protecting your own business. Make the changes you need to make - and remind yourself it’s not personal, it’s business.
And suddenly?
Everything started to look a bit brighter.
My awareness is sharper.
My knowledge is stronger.
And even though I still feel like I’m recovering a little, I can already tell that this challenge has changed me for the better.
Because here’s the thing they don’t tell you when you start a small business:
You won’t just grow your brand - you’ll have to grow yourself.
Mentally. Emotionally. Professionally.
Whether you want to or not.
And it’s hard.
So, so hard.
Running a small handmade business - especially in the UK right now - is like juggling joy and fear at the same time. You make beautiful things with your hands, you support your local community, you pour everything into your products… but behind the scenes? It can feel like the ground is always shifting. And small businesses are not as supported as they should be.
But we keep going.
We adapt.
We grow.
We stay passionate.
We light our own candles and keep moving.
JoJo Co. is my third child.
And the thought - even for a moment - that I might lose her… that was unbearable.
But I didn’t lose her.
And I won’t.
Because now I know more.
Now I trust myself more.
Now I question things more.
I know this blog will resonate with so many of you - makers, artists, small business owners, side hustlers, creatives, parents, entrepreneurs… anyone who’s been hit with something unexpected and had to find strength they didn’t know they had.
So, if you’re in the thick of it, here are my hard-earned truths:
Small Business Life Lessons (From Someone in the Trenches)
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Trust your gut. It’s rarely wrong.
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If something feels off, it usually is.
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Say no when you need to.
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Be sure on anything financial - don’t assume it’s 100% right.
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Talk to people you really, deeply trust.
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Be prepared to work… really work. If you’re not ready for the graft, the long days, the adapting, the learning and the curveballs - don’t do it. Small business is beautiful, but it isn’t easy.
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Rest before you break.
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Do not overthink every tiny thing.
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And please remember: no one is coming to save you - but you’re stronger than you think.
And through all of this, the brightest part has been you - my customers, my community, the people who buy our handmade luxury candles, gift sets, wax burners, diffusers, and thoughtful little gifts. The people who support small and understand the heart behind what we do.
Your kindness, your messages, your orders, your reviews, your presence - you kept me going when I needed it most.
So yes, I had a wobble.
A real one.
But I’m back...well almost.
And I’m learning.
And I’m grateful.
And I’m pouring all of that strength right back into JoJo Co.
Here’s to honesty.
Here’s to resilience.
Here’s to handmade.
Here’s to supporting small - always.
And here’s to 2026, where I hope I feel more “me” than ever.
With love,
Jo x
