Crafting Change: Caroline talks Inclusivity, Entrepreneurship, and Life in the Trades

From designing kitchens to crafting custom furniture, Caroline’s journey is one of creativity, courage, and community. In this episode, she opens up about what it really takes to leave a stable career and step into self-employment as a furniture maker. 

Caroline shares the highs and lows of building her own business — from overcoming self-doubt to finding support within a community of makers and tradespeople. She talks about the importance of creating inclusive spaces in the trades, where everyone feels represented and empowered to bring their skills to life. 

We also dive into how social media has helped her connect with clients and peers, grow her visibility, and champion diversity in the world of crafts-womanship. Whether you’re an aspiring craftsperson, creative entrepreneur, or simply curious about life in the trades, this conversation will inspire you to trust the process and pursue your passion with purpose. 

Key Takeaways 

• Caroline transitioned from kitchen design to furniture making. 
• She emphasizes the importance of hands-on work in her career. 
• Self-employment allows for more variety and creativity. 
• Community support is crucial for women in trades. 
• Trusting the process is essential in self-employment. 
• Social media helps connect with others in the industry. 
• Representation matters in traditionally male-crowded fields. 
• Caroline aims to create an inclusive environment in her work. 
• She encourages others to pursue their passions despite challenges. 
• Networking can lead to unexpected opportunities. 

Follow me: 

Instagram: @lifeofafemaletradie_ 

Tiktok: @loaftpodcast 

Facebook: Life Of A Female Tradie 

Youtube: @lifeofafemaletradiepodcast

Follow Guest:

Instagram: @inclusive_craft_co

Website: www.inclusivecraft.co.uk 

Chapters 

00:00 Caroline's Journey into Furniture Making 

02:10 Transitioning to Self-Employment 

04:56 The Challenges of Self-Employment 

07:37 Building an Inclusive Craft Company 

10:09 Connecting with Women in Trades 

13:05 Overcoming Gender Bias in the Industry 

15:32 Challenging Gender Assumptions in the Workplace 

18:50 The Evolution of Gender Perceptions in Trades 

19:53 Trusting the Process of Self-Employment 

24:06 The Role of Social Media in Building Connections 

25:24 Exciting Projects and Future Aspirations 

31:12 Connecting with Caroline: Where to Find Her 

32:28 Thanks goodbye

Transcript

Caroline (00:10)

my name is Caroline. I'm a furniture maker and designer. I've been self-employed very newly. So I've only been self-employed for the past two, three months now. But yeah, I've kind of been in the industry a long time. So I started at university doing furniture making and design. So I chose a course in Northumbria.

was heavily focused on the manufacturing side. So they had an awesome workshop, which really drew me to the So yeah, that kind of like sparked a fire of like what I wanted to do. I didn't know I could make it into a career though. I kind of chose that course just because I enjoyed it. My dad's a joiner, so I grew up kind of like working in his workshop and watching him do loads of bits and just pottering in there on evenings and weekends.

but yeah, it never seemed like I could make a living out of it, but I was like, well, I enjoy this. I'm just going to keep exploring where it goes. and yeah, came out of university as a kitchen designer for a few years. but that was basically set at a computer every day. And yeah, it just, I realized I needed a bit more variety. So although I liked doing the design work, I love chatting to customers and figuring out what they like.

Laura (01:19)

Okay.

Caroline (01:25)

and their styles and kind of designing around that. just like, wasn't quite scratching the itch for me. So yeah, sort of moved more towards the manufacturing side after that.

Laura (01:34)

So you were craving the hands-on part of building, so to speak.

Caroline (01:39)

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I used to, so it was really good the place that I worked. So they did have a workshop and out of hours, my boss was happy for me to work on my own projects. And so I've always kind of tried to keep up with that on the side. And I was like, well, if this is what I'm, I'm drawn towards doing in my free time, maybe I should try and actually do it as, yeah, as my day to day job.

Laura (01:49)

nice.

it's hard trying to figure out that bridge, isn't it, between a career and a passion.

Caroline (02:07)

Hmm, definitely. Yeah. like, do you want, do you want your passion to be your career? Cause will it ruin it? But honestly, I love it. I love it. I love that I'm able to do that as my, as my job. when I got my first job in a workshop, it was a really small team. think I was the first employee. So it was me and this, uh, yeah, the boss who was running it. So I had quite a lot of variety in my job. I was doing design.

Laura (02:24)

coming.

Caroline (02:33)

manufacturing and honestly I'd come home and I was like I can't believe I've spent the morning doing a bit of design work and then the afternoon just making the cabinets that I've just designed and yeah it was just really nice I was like I didn't know this existed as a possibility and yeah

Laura (02:48)

Wow, I

love that. And did you find you got quite good support in transition from that kitchen design start to where you are now?

Caroline (02:59)

I'd it's difficult. kind of, tried to, so from the kitchen design job, I took a evening course in furniture, fine furniture making, run by this awesome woman in Sheffield called Anna, who, yeah, she taught this adult learning course at the college. She's a furniture maker as well. She's been doing it for sort of 30 years.

⁓ And it was pretty much you go with any skill level and she'll give you the support that you want to do it. So I went with my own project and she kind of guided me through that. it was very much, I think I was kind of like fueled of like, right, I'm doing this to, be able to put it on the CV that I'm really keen to be back into the workplace. Cause I was put off by, you know, I spent the last three years as a designer, our place is going to want to hire me into a workshop role because

I'd not been using those skills day to day. yeah, I think I'm hoping the passion that I showed sort of that interview helped me. And I do think the person who hired me maybe took a bit of a shot on me. don't know. Yeah, cause yeah, I mean, I did feel daunted applying for jobs where I'm, I'm against people who'd maybe done apprenticeships. They've been doing workshop, bench joinery roles for, you know.

Laura (03:52)

Okay.

Yeah?

Caroline (04:17)

10 years at that point. yeah, yeah, it scary. But yeah.

Laura (04:18)

Yeah.

I can imagine it was,

but fair play for finding the courage for doing it. mean, we all know how scary going for any job interview is, never mind one that you feel in yourself that you may not be as qualified as other people because it's such a...

Caroline (04:30)

Mmm.

Yeah.

Laura (04:39)

guess you could say niche. It's a craft niche, isn't it? you know, I can, yeah, I can definitely applaud you for putting yourself out there and going for it. Definitely.

Caroline (04:41)

For sure.

Thank you. Yeah,

I think it would have been more difficult getting a job at a bigger firm maybe. Just in that maybe they would have more applicants who are very qualified. Although I've got a university degree, it's not like an NVQ looks on paper where you actually get experience in the workforce.

Laura (04:56)

Yeah?

What's your degree in?

Caroline (05:13)

So it's furniture, well, it's quite a long name. It's 3D design, product and furniture. So yeah, and basically in your second year, you specialize as product design or furniture design. So I think product design was more, I think they touched on cutlery and like smaller products, I guess. yeah, furniture was furniture. So yeah, I think we did some tables and yeah, basically whatever you wanted in your final project.

Laura (05:19)

Wow.

Okay.

wow, amazing. And how long was that

Caroline (05:42)

Yeah.

So it's three years in total as well. Yeah.

Laura (05:45)

Three years, gotcha.

Cool, So obviously with the degree and then applying for jobs, what kind of drove you towards the self-employment route?

Caroline (05:53)

Mmm.

Hmm, good question.

So I think working in a small firm made me appreciate what it could be like running a business and seeing the whole kind of scale of it. And also I think finding enjoyment in being involved in a lot of the different parts of the business. Whereas if I...

Laura (06:19)

Okay.

Caroline (06:21)

continue to work for a firm, more often than not, you're pushed towards a very specialist role. You're either a designer or you're a manufacturer or you're, yeah, this or that. Especially as businesses tend to grow, it's just kind of the way it goes. So for me, I kind of, yeah, I liked the idea of being able to still do all of that. And then being your own boss is also a bonus. It's a scary, but it's bonus, yeah. ⁓

Laura (06:26)

Yeah.

Sure is, yeah. Definitely.

Caroline (06:50)

And I also did find, so unfortunately that company, they closed down about a year ago, which is why I stopped working there. So we all got made redundant at that time. And I was like, okay, is this the time that I go self-employed? I'd kind of been playing around with the idea, but I was not ready. I felt very unprepared. yeah, I got another job at a really good firm as well, doing more like sort of crafts work.

Laura (06:57)

No way. Okay.

Ha ha ha.

Okay.

Caroline (07:21)

But I still kind of thought in the back of my mind, I think this is something that I want to do. And yeah, I just kind of built it up. And as soon as you start putting the word out, you kind of see the possibility that it could be. And you speak to more people and you like, right, okay. Yeah, I want to do it. And I think do something different as well. Like, I'm keen to try and connect with other women in the trades and non-binary people. And just, yeah, try and have.

Laura (07:37)

bit

Caroline (07:47)

a bit of diversity about the way that I go through with projects and I'm able to drive that I think. It's yeah, it's just nice doing things for yourself, isn't it?

Laura (07:55)

Yeah,

100%, absolutely. mean, I think for most self-employed people, once you dip your toe in, it's one of those that you won't ever want to work for anybody else.

Caroline (08:04)

Mmm.

Yeah, yeah, it's definitely

got its peaks and its troughs, but I think the peaks just yeah, way outweigh other stuff. Yeah, yeah. How long have you been self-employed?

Laura (08:15)

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. And do you find...

I have actually dipped my toe in and out of self-employment. Yeah, so, goodness, I think it was back in 2012 I was first self-employed. I did a stint of four years as a decorator of managing my own business. And then personal circumstances meant that I...

Caroline (08:23)

Love you. ⁓

Cool, okay.

Mmm.

Laura (08:43)

had to get a real job. Yeah. So then got stuck behind a desk doing shift work for seven years and thought, no, I'm not too far behind. Well, in front of you, we say. I picked self-employment back up in 2023. And yeah, I'll never look back. Not this time. I'm too old to go back, know? So yeah, yeah, definitely.

Caroline (08:43)

Hmm.

Yeah. Okay.

Yeah.

Cool.

No. Yeah. That's good. That's good to hear. Yeah. Yeah.

Laura (09:10)

So your business is the inclusive craft company, yes. So under does your company offer?

Caroline (09:15)

Yeah, yes.

it's making fitted and freestanding furniture bespoke for people's homes. So it's all domestic work. But then as part of what I want to strive towards is have a group of individuals that I can pull into jobs who are not your traditional tradie.

Laura (09:24)

Okay.

Caroline (09:41)

And so for example, electricians, plasterers, paint decorators, who can help me with aspects of my projects that I can't do myself. But have this warm and welcoming diverse team, not necessarily hired by me, but like subcontracted. To just provide a different service for people. A lot of my customers are women. think also being a homeowner myself, I've experienced.

Laura (09:41)

Okay.

Okay.

Caroline (10:09)

tradies come in who are men who I felt a bit uncomfortable with and maybe the communication is not very good. I just kind of want to try and shake things up a little bit and yeah, I don't know. It's funny. I think through the workforce, I have been in a minority, but then as soon as I started to put the word out and ask if there's other women doing this, there's like loads of people like, yeah, it's really cool. It's definitely...

Laura (10:34)

There are a lot of us out there,

yeah. But until you start looking, you don't realise. I think we kind of fly under the radar a little bit, don't we? And just not stay in our lane, but we just crack on, yeah.

Caroline (10:36)

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, no.

Yeah,

yeah, yeah, I think so.

Laura (10:49)

how have you found connecting with other females in trades? Have you found it easy to find us?

Caroline (10:56)

Fairly easy.

Yeah. In a sense. I mean, there's a few good groups. I know you mentioned on one of your other podcasts, Tasker, which has a really good WhatsApp for people just to kind of touch base with people, ask if there's someone who's available for a job and such. And then more locally, there's a Sheffield little community group and then kind of a sub from that. There's a Sheffield trades women group, which is really cool. Like I'm glad I'm in a city that yeah, I think it's a lot more.

Laura (11:03)

Yeah.

Caroline (11:25)

prominent, I guess,

Laura (11:27)

Brilliant.

Yeah, I think having those little groups for us to come together and speak about experiences really helps build confidence as well in people. Because I often come across women on social media in the trades that may doubt themselves and their abilities. And I think the more we are able to come together and talk about these things, it...

Caroline (11:34)

Hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

Laura (11:53)

it can build, we can build each other up and reinforce the fact that we are capable ⁓ So it's great that you found those local connections and also the wider one through Tasker. I think I'm actually in that WhatsApp group. So yeah, so that, yeah, that's really great. And have you had a lot of...

Caroline (11:56)

Yeah.

Yeah, definitely.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Nice.

Yeah.

Laura (12:19)

encouragement from these trades you've linked with and that of wanting to come on board with your own projects.

Caroline (12:23)

Yeah!

So ⁓ I am struggling to find a few people more locally. I've had people get in touch who live quite far away, which is really great, really exciting. And it's nice to have those conversations, but it's more difficult, obviously, to pull them into jobs. ⁓ So it's just about, trying to get some more local connections. ⁓ Yeah, I definitely, yes, shout out. Definitely.

Laura (12:30)

Okay.

Yeah.

Okay, so if you're in the Sheffield area, yeah, hit Caroline up, you know, let's connect and get

some collaborations going, for sure.

Caroline (12:56)

Yeah,

that be great. And if nothing else, yeah, like you said, it's just great having that support network because I wish it was something younger me had. trying to find my way sort of post university into whatever I was wanting to do. It was very difficult. So straight after university, I got accepted onto an Erasmus scheme. And at that time, so it's like a

Laura (13:05)

Yeah.

I've not heard of that.

Caroline (13:23)

rest in peace EU funded scheme that helps graduates to work abroad and have a placement. So it was for like three months and it was like a work placement and it just helps you to then get your foot in the door. And I think it did help me to get my first job. So it was a worthwhile thing. But I originally applied to do like a, work in a furniture manufacturing company.

Laura (13:26)

Okay.

Wow.

Caroline (13:51)

I didn't get accepted, got accepted onto something else, still worked out okay, but I met with the one of the organizers who helped me arrange all this and he was like, ⁓ it's great that you're, you know, you're doing well, but your application at the other place, they actually turned you down because I think because you're a woman, because they were concerned you wouldn't be able to lift the requirement of, you know, lifting heavy wood and

Moving it on to machinery and stuff and it's like whoa, that's crazy Like that was not that long ago. I think 2017 it's it's like How are you you're not even you know? Asking what my physical fitness is like you're just making an assumption based on my gender like that's that's crazy So yeah, and so really yeah that did dampen like, you know

Laura (14:17)

Wow.

Yes.

Okay.

Yeah.

Caroline (14:45)

It kind of made me question whether I could do it as a job, but it did also give me, I did kind of want to, you know, stick a finger up to them and be like, watch me. So yeah, so yeah, but it definitely can go each way, right? You know, you could walk away from that situation and be like, I don't know what to do. Maybe all companies are going to be like that. You definitely have that in the back of your mind when you apply for the next job, like, yeah, but.

Laura (14:49)

Yeah.

Exactly, play, yeah.

Yeah.

Caroline (15:12)

So yeah, think, able to share these experiences to younger people would be really great. yeah, just tell people to keep going because there will be the good company out there that will take you on and yeah, but you work for yourself. Yeah.

Laura (15:13)

Wow.

Absolutely.

or work for yourself, exactly, that's

it. And I think, yeah, wow, that's shocked me to be fair. And I know we all, at some point, go through an uncomfortable situation like that. It's inevitable, unfortunately, because there are still those opinions around women in trades.

Caroline (15:32)

Hmm.

Hmm.

Yeah.

Definitely.

Laura (15:49)

And yeah, there is the obvious differences in certain trades, i.e. strength and build and stuff like that because of biology. But, you know, don't rule us all out just because of the foundation of that, you know. We are very capable, aren't we?

Caroline (15:54)

Hmm... Hmm...

Mm-mm.

Hmm.

Yeah, that's the thing. I just

think it's complete nonsense. Like, yeah. Yeah.

Laura (16:11)

Yeah.

you been in any other situations where you felt uncomfortable or challenged because of your gender?

Caroline (16:17)

⁓

Mostly with people I work with, no. Funnily enough, it's often delivery drivers who deliver materials to a workshop. I remember in my last place, was almost every single time they'd be like, you take this little box, love. And it's like, no. Don't treat me differently. I don't know. There's just a lot of assumptions there. There's a lot of assumptions about, yeah.

Laura (16:29)

Okay.

Caroline (16:46)

Yeah, it's difficult.

Laura (16:46)

Yeah, it's hard, isn't it? think like

for me, the assumption, but also the potential of manners coming into play of do you want me to carry that for you or do you want me to lift that for you kind of comments? It is that fine line between, yeah, there is that fine line between that and also they're just trying to

Caroline (16:56)

Hmm.

Yes. that boils my blood.

Laura (17:12)

help, but at the same time it's also a bit condescending, isn't it? So it's so difficult.

Caroline (17:13)

Yeah!

Yeah, because you know it's different

to, like, if there was a cis man there they would act differently, they potentially wouldn't even offer that assistance and I'm not physically struggling in that moment. If I was I would ask for help and it's like, yeah, it's this kind of uncalled for, yeah, yeah, so yes. Yeah,

Laura (17:27)

Yeah.

Indeed, that's the key, isn't it? If I need your help, I'll ask.

Yeah, it's a hard one, isn't it? Very hard one.

And when you are hearing stories of or experiences of people being misjudged, it is always in the back of your mind, isn't it? When you come

Caroline (17:55)

Hmm

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. And I think times are changing. Like, so the small cabinet makers I worked for, they were all quite a like fairly young group of people. I'd say, I mean, the boss was in his 30s. I think most of us were kind of 30 to 40. there it felt completely different to, for example, if I had gone to work in a more traditional firm where you've got people who've been there.

Laura (18:10)

lovely.

Mm-hmm.

Caroline (18:25)

I don't know, 20, 30 years they might have been working there. So yeah, it definitely felt very supported there. I don't think from my colleagues, I had any weird comments really. Occasionally, we had a couple of people who are a bit older who came to work with us for a bit and I did sense a bit of like, yeah, those kinds of comments from them. So I think it is, a younger crowd is obviously.

Laura (18:34)

great.

Okay.

Caroline (18:51)

not gonna have the same probably assumptions because the way we look at gender and sexuality and like yeah everything is changing isn't it so yeah

Laura (18:59)

Indeed, yeah, it's

a constant learning cycle for everybody, isn't it? To make sure that, you're not making those assumptions on any level, ⁓ never mind capability, it's just even on the level of assuming who a person is and who they identify as, yeah, you've got to be, just open-minded, I think, isn't it? At the basis of it.

Caroline (19:02)

Yeah, yeah.

Hmm

Exactly. Yeah.

yeah exactly i think that's it yeah

Laura (19:25)

if you could give one nugget of advice to someone that's, I know I'm kind of getting you here. I know, yeah. Just one, I don't wanna kind of make you, yeah. If you could give one nugget of advice to...

Caroline (19:28)

Okay. Just one.

Laura (19:40)

Someone that's wanting to maybe take the leap, just like you did kind of thing into self-employment or into pursuing their passion. What do you think that key nugget of advice might be?

Caroline (19:50)

Hmm.

Hmm, okay, good question.

I think trust the process and it's something that I'm still trying to trust but it does, it takes time to build things up and you have to have patience with yourself and the process and just know that like one day you're be at a point where you're like, wow, I can't believe I'm here.

Laura (20:04)

Yeah.

Caroline (20:20)

it takes a lot of steps to get to that point. There will be things that knock you back, but you just kind of have to trust the process and trust what it is that you want to do. Yeah, yeah. I definitely keep trying to tell myself that in self-employment, it's just, just trust the process. It's going fine. ⁓ Yeah.

Laura (20:36)

You do though, don't you? mean,

the doubts creep in and the little stumbles along the way make you again doubt whether this is the right thing. I think taking a step back every now and again and just thinking six months ago, where was I? Was I this happy? Did I have the same freedom I have now?

Caroline (20:41)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Mm.

Yeah.

Absolutely,

Laura (21:04)

did I have the same people in my life that I do now, or am I now surrounded by the people that I want to be surrounded by? You know, because it all, there's so many aspects involved in being self-employed and I believe mindset is a big one of them, you know, and believing in your ability, not even to just

Caroline (21:11)

Yes, yeah.

Hmm. ⁓

Laura (21:31)

broadly make it work, you break it down into smaller pieces, if you've got the skills, the rest will build around it, you know, and don't be scared to talk to people, I think as well.

Caroline (21:41)

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, definitely,

Laura (21:48)

because you can bond over experiences as well, can't you? the more you talk, the more you surround yourself with different people and different mindsets. I think it's who it's people always say it's who you know, not what you know, And you you can very much understand that mindset, can't you?

Caroline (21:57)

Yeah.

for sure.

that

yeah yeah definitely because it's you know it's it's speaking to those people and then they might say I've I've just done this job they were asking about some furniture maybe I'll put you in touch it is just funny how these things kind of fall into place sometimes and yeah

Laura (22:23)

Exactly.

do you find that on that route of connecting with people, do you find that social media plays a big part in

Caroline (22:30)

Hmm

yeah, so I'm not very good at social media. So it's something I'm trying to like in my personal life, I post once every like, I don't know, six months to a year. So yeah, yeah. So I'm trying to pick that up a bit with with my work, which is a bit easier because it's posting a nice project that you finished or something like that. And

Laura (22:45)

Yeah, when you have a holiday.

Yeah.

Caroline (22:55)

it's definitely a good way to connect and also find people who are doing similar things. I've some awesome videos now I've like started to, yeah. And it's just like, it's really cool seeing other people who might look like you doing something similar and you're like, okay, cool. This is, yeah, this is possible. And then yeah, it's an easy form of connecting, isn't it?

Laura (23:02)

Have you?

Definately

Caroline (23:21)

Yeah, no, it's

good. I think that's maybe how things are shifting so much at the moment. And is that more visibility is, helping people to be encouraged by what other people are doing. And then also being able to form those connections and ask advice. So yeah, yeah, it's definitely helping things.

Laura (23:25)

Mm.

Amazing. I totally agree on that front. think it's one of those, you feel like you can't be what you can't see. You can't achieve what you can't see. because you relate to, if you see someone like you said, that looks like you, for instance, you can then have that relation, that link to think, again, things are possible if you look like this, you know, because...

Caroline (23:48)

Hmm

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yes,

Laura (24:08)

when

you do look different, I know I look different to the standard woman, know, not standard woman, but the typical categorized woman, you know, and that that does it is something that you constantly are conscious of, know. So when social media nowadays, this is why I mention it all the time, because I feel like it is such a big part of

Caroline (24:11)

Hmm

Yeah.

yeah for sure yeah

Mm.

Laura (24:34)

us coming together as a minority, females in trades and using it to connect. So I just, like to see and understand how others use it. So I'm glad that you utilize it and I finding so many interesting projects as well that's awesome.

Caroline (24:36)

Mmm.

Hmm.

Yeah.

definitely.

Yeah. mean, yeah, that's another good side of it is seeing people creatively like address an issue that maybe you're considering with a project and it's like, that's how they did it. That's pretty cool. I'll try

Laura (25:09)

Yeah, I mean, the tips you can pick up nowadays from other tradespeople

are insane, aren't they?

Caroline (25:14)

Yeah, it's good. Yeah,

It's one thing I miss about having colleagues is like that sharing of knowledge and experience and just thinking through a problem creatively.

Laura (25:22)

Yeah.

So have you got any big projects on the horizon that you can share with us or anything exciting that's happening?

Caroline (25:28)

Ooh.

So I've just got a fairly big project to sort of tall plywood shelves, which I'm quite excited about. Nice rounded shelves with a rounded plinth, both fitted kind of either side of this door, which will look really nice. I've just kind of finished my first batch of like jobs I got lined up to become self-employed. So yeah, I feel like

Laura (25:40)

Ooh.

Yeah.

Caroline (25:54)

It was great sense of achievement. Like I've got a little whiteboard in my workshop ticking off that last one. But yeah, now I need to like focus on getting the next few projects in. yeah, no, it's nice to have, I'd say they were kind of like my big, projects that, exciting. I don't know if you saw this sort of bay window bench seat. And that was, yeah, that was my first solo project as a self employed person. And it was, yeah.

Laura (25:59)

Nice.

I did, yes.

Caroline (26:22)

was wicked. There was lots of challenges on it. And it was weird kind of like using my brain so intensely for like, the first time in a while, but it felt really good.

Laura (26:29)

Hahaha!

Awesome, that's

awesome, lovely. Okay, so we've now come to the point where I like to do a quick fire question round. Bit of fun, yeah? You've been looking forward to this bit. Okay, so we're gonna start off with an easy one. Tea or coffee?

Caroline (26:42)

great, I'm excited for this. yeah.

tea, hands down. Yeah, there's nothing that hits quite like a good cup of tea.

Laura (26:58)

Cool. Climbing or skateboarding?

Caroline (27:01)

Climbing, yeah, I've kind of been into, well, it's fallen off for the past couple of years, because my hobby has been my business, which is really sad. But yeah, it's how I met my partner. And yeah, when I got to Sheffield, it's how I met a lot of friends. So yes, climbing every time.

Laura (27:10)

Nooo

Cool.

A driver or passenger?

Caroline (27:23)

driver, my partner is a passenger princess so... this always got me and I enjoy driving. I think I find being a passenger a little bit boring now because it's like I've got nothing to take my attention.

Laura (27:30)

Someone's gotta be.

Yeah.

I'm

the same, yeah. I'm like a second driver with the pedals in the footwell, like, brake, brake. Oh dear. Crafting a coffee table or a chair.

Caroline (27:46)

Yeah. Break!

Ooh, ooh, good question. So a chair is more complicated, which makes me think that maybe I prefer that because there's a lot to consider with it. Yeah, as my tutor at uni said, everyone has a chair in them

Laura (28:05)

Okay. ⁓

Caroline (28:14)

there's a there's a chair in everyone's soul and you've got to make it.

Laura (28:18)

Love

that, love that. Cats or dogs?

Caroline (28:23)

Er, dogs. Definitely. Yeah. Growing up around dogs and they're just... I think I... I prefer that, like, unrequainted love. Like, yeah. Is that the right word? They'll just give you their love no matter what and that's... that's what I need.

Laura (28:33)

Mmm. Yeah, it warms the heart, doesn't

Yeah, don't we all?

Hand tools or power tools?

Caroline (28:46)

⁓ I'd love to say hand tools because I think there's a beauty in doing woodwork with hand tools, but I would, think my answer is power tools because they've been invented for a reason. They make things a lot more efficiently, like more accurate. Yeah. I think power tools and they're Yeah.

Laura (29:05)

That's true, that's true.

And order in or eat out?

Caroline (29:12)

Ooh, good question.

Ooh, I think, it depends on the day, doesn't it? It's like, are you in a mood to go out, out on the town and have a nice meal? Or I do love a good order in, stick a film on and chill. And yeah, have as many drinks as you want at home. Yeah.

Laura (29:18)

Yeah?

Both of them. Awesome.

And final one, hand drawn designs or computer plans.

Caroline (29:38)

Computer plans. ⁓ Most of my jobs start with a hand-drawn design, but they're no way near accurate enough than what I need. yeah.

Laura (29:40)

Yeah.

Okay.

Cool, okay. So final couple of questions for you before I let you go. First one being, if you could be a different trade or craft, what trade would you choose and why?

Caroline (29:54)

Mm-hmm.

you

Hmm, so I I'd like to learn how to be an electrician. I think that would be such a useful skill. There's so many jobs around the house that I could do if I was an electrician that I can't. And I guess it's a it was a question of instead as but to learn it alongside my work as well would be really useful.

Just being able to you know, put a plug inside a cabinet or something like that. It's just yeah fairly simple things that I yeah, I have to get an electrician around to do so

Laura (30:33)

Yeah.

Good choice. think, yeah, that's a good also what trade or who do you think I should have on the show next?

Caroline (30:46)

Ooh, okay. I had a look through some of your past episodes. So I don't know, I don't know if you've reached out to someone or you've got a project lined up, but a roofer would be really cool. I don't know if you've managed to find anyone. Yeah, that would be great. I'd love to hear from a roofer. Yeah?

Laura (31:04)

We shall see then if I've got one on the cards. I don't like to give away my secrets, but yeah, good choice.

Cool. All right, lovely. Well, where can people find you, Caroline? What are your social media websites called, et cetera?

Caroline (31:21)

So you can find me on inclusivecraft.co.uk or on Instagram on inclusivecraftco, I think I am, with underscores in between. And yeah, drop me a follow. If you go onto my website, there is a form to fill in if you're a tradie, to get in touch, send me details and we can chat. If you have a project in mind or just wanna connect, you can find me there.

Laura (31:47)

Perfect, amazing. Well, I'll make sure all those links are in the show notes so people can just click on them and get to your Instagram and your website, et cetera. So hopefully we can get some more people connected with you and you can get some more projects on the cards going forward. No, you're welcome, you're welcome. And thank you again for sharing your time with me. I've really enjoyed getting to know you and more about your amazing new.

Caroline (32:01)

That's great Laura, thank you.

Laura (32:14)

self-employment journey and I really wish you well with it. yeah, you're welcome. All right, no worries. I'll speak to you soon. You too, bye.

Caroline (32:16)

Brilliant, thank you. That's great. Thanks for the chat, Laura. Yeah, take care.