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‘People are surprised that a brother and sister can work well together’
Bethan and Joe John are the siblings who co-founded the award-winning The British Blanket Company.
The duo dreamed of launching their own business while Bethan worked as an interiors writer and Joe worked in e-commerce development.
Bethan and Joe launched their company in 2015 and chose Bristol as their base. They said they are happy to have “a brilliant business network of fresh and exciting businesses all around” them in the city.
The pair, who won Family Business of the Year at The Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2019, spoke to Bristol24/7 about running a family business, how they grew it, and why wool?
Bethan and Joe launched their company in 2015 and chose Bristol as their base – photo: The British Blanket Company
How did you come about setting up the business together, how did it all start?
Bethan, who has recently been shortlisted for the Great British Businesswoman Awards, said: “It all started with a casual chat that sowed the seed of an idea we couldn’t let go. I had been working as an interiors writer for magazines in London and Joe was working in e-commerce development up in Newcastle. We got chatting about how we both felt inspired to start a business of our own one day.
“From there, we decided to team up and start a business together that combined both our skills. The British Blanket Company was born from my love of interior design and Joe’s passion for online retail and branding.”
What inspired you to set up your business together?
Joe commented: “If you go back to the Victorian era, wool weaving was at the heart of Britain’s industry and wealth. The wool fabrics we weave here are still the best in the world, but since the 1950s weaving has been in decline, with only a handful of working mills left in the UK and Ireland.
“In setting up our brand, we wanted to help revive a traditional industry, keep the craft of weaving alive for the next generation and showcase the amazing quality of British-made wool blankets to a new audience.
“The British Blanket Company is all about fusing traditional craftsmanship with contemporary designs. We’re all about bringing colour to your home with beautiful blankets that feel cosy and look gorgeous.”
How did you grow The British Blanket Company?
Bethan responded: “Bit by bit, gradually getting the word out through social media and online advertising, expanding our range of designs and providing a lovely shopping experience so our customers want to tell their friends about us.
“It’s really important to us that our business grows authentically, in a way that always feels personal and enables our weaving mills to grow steadily with us.
“Although our business is much bigger now, family values are still at the heart of everything we do. Joe and I make every big decision together, so that even though we’re driving for ambitious growth, we stay true to our ethos of quality products, personal service and partnerships with our mills.”
The duo dreamed of launching their own business while Bethan John worked as an interiors writer and Joe John worked in e-commerce development – photo: The British Blanket Company
How do you find running a family business as siblings? Have there been hurdles or is it mainly harmonious?
Joe said: “Usually people are surprised that a brother and sister can work well together, but we really do make a good team. We’ve worked together for seven years now, so we’re confident in our roles and have a lot of trust in one another.
“I think it works because we have a clear shared vision for The British Blanket Company, but quite different skills day-to-day. When a task needs doing, it’s usually quite obvious which of us should take the lead, so we’re not stepping on one another’s toes.
Why have you chosen Bristol to run your business from?
Bethan commented: “We grew up in Somerset, near Taunton and although we’ve both lived all over the place since then, I think the South West was always going to draw us back.
“Bristol gives us the best of both worlds, being close to the countryside we love, while having all the buzz and opportunities of a major city. We both love it here and have a brilliant business network of fresh and exciting businesses all around us.”
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What does the future hold for the British Blanket Company?
Bethan responded: “Christmas is our busiest time of year, so we’ll be busily helping customers fine cosy gifts over the next few weeks.
“Alongside that, we’re working on our Special Edition blankets for 2023 – these are designs we create on a theme. Previous designs have been inspired by British Birds and the flora and fauna of the UK coastlines.
“The new ones are top secret, but you can follow us on social media @Britishblankets if you want to be the first to know!”
Could you please give me some details about the internships you run and how people can get involved?
Joe said: “During our business journey we’ve been lucky enough to have mentors who have shared their advice with us and supported us as aspiring entrepreneurs.
“Internships are one of the ways we try to give back by helping students get a taste of working in a fast-growing business and perhaps inspire them with confidence to start their own businesses too one day.
“We have internship applications open at the moment with both the University of Bristol and UWE for students to join us for placements in the new year – the details are on the careers pages of each uni.”
Photos: The British Blanket Company
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