A TALK WITH CHERRY FROM THE WHITE TENT COMPANY

The White Tent Company is an events business that specialise in immersive experiences. They currently offer a range of online events and printable games for families to play at home. Throughout the pandemic their online zoom mysteries have been so popular however when there isn’t a Global pandemic she loves blending together live events with multi-media techniques to create a fully immersive experience for her customers.

I spoke with Cherry, one of the founders of The White Tent Company and asked her all about her business. She first decided to start this business when she realised that 9 to 5 jobs just weren't for her. Running her own business allows her to have full control over her own creativity and do the thing she loves as a career. There is nothing this lady cannot do when she puts her mind to it, she is a very driven and determined young women. When asked which three words describe them her there was no hesitation and she answered with “Boss Ass Bitch’. 

Cherry has been working very hard throughout the pandemic, getting the new website ready and creating brand new murder mystery packages for you all to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. They make the perfect gift for anyone who loves binging true crime documentaries on Netflix or wants to uncover their inner Sherlock Holmes. 

When she’s not working hard on the business, Cherry (who runs the social media) always provides her followers (also known as her detectives) with engaging and interesting instagram stories and posts. From reviewing Netflix murder documentaries, to educating us on true crime events, there’s always some sort of poll, question box or quiz going on. I love how interactive the social media page is so if you’re looking for some fun content that is sure to be very different from anything else that is on your feed then their Instagram page can be found at the end of this blog post.

When asked what her favourite thing about having a small business is she stated that it didn’t take long before she realised that the community of small business owners and freelancers was a valuable resource in terms of support. Cherry particularly loves the community of female entrepreneurs in South Wales and finds that it is a really uplifting, positive and dynamic space. She also added:

“I feel very lucky in my line of work that I get to work closely with my customers, which is an aspect of my work that I really love.”

It’s no secret that starting a business has its many challenges and when I asked what Cherry found to be one of the hardest obstacles she has faced as a start up she was clear that it was getting customers to engage in the product. This can be a challenge for many many small businesses in the early days due to lack of "reputation" within the industry. She also struggled when COVID hit because as an events business it was extremely worrying to have to cancel all events. However she managed to pivot the business and now has a successful range of online events that keep everyone safe.

One of the most important things to The White Tent Company is authenticity, honesty and transparency. Cherry tries to run The White Tent Company with the ideology that authenticity to who she is and what she stands for is key.

“I try to uplift as many other small businesses as I can using social media, and focus on making all of the experiences as fun and engaging as possible. If you cant have fun in life then what's the point!”

In terms of sustainability, The White Tent Company thinks that sustainability should be important in every business and that it’s in everyone’s best interest to play their own part in protecting the planet. Cherry tried to do what she can for the planet by ensuring that all of the Mini Mysteries are available in printable form, to save on postage and unnecessary printing. She is also looking to make all of the pre printed Mini Mysteries more sustainable by using recyclable and compostable materials in the near future.

When I asked where she sees The White Tent Company in 5 years time, she expressed how excited she is at the idea of being able to be doing live events again very soon but hopes that in five years time she will be in a position to have a database of full time actors on board too! Cherry also wants to be making enough money to be financially independent and just hopes she’s still being the boss ass bitch she is today!

It’s been an absolute pleasure getting to learn more about The White Tent Company and watching the business grow. I definitely recommend giving Cherry a follow on Instagram: @thewhitetentcompany and also go and explore the website: www.thewhitetentcompany.co.uk.

Finally, I’ll leave you with her words of advice to anyone looking to start a business:

“Running a business is not plain sailing. There are times you feel so low that you are going to want to give up. But if you push and persevere to do what you love it will pay off in the long run”.

As the great Agatha Christie said, "the secret of getting ahead, is getting started".