Crafting a Business With Soul
What the “Business Artisan” Approach Really Means
I’m a business artisan.
I didn’t read about this way in a book, but I created it unknowingly, and lived it, with my very first business: Utterly Horses.
Utterly Horses was a model horse specialist, selling model horses of all shapes and sizes. At one stage we had a product range of over 2,500 items dedicated to model horses and horses. Our turnover was over a quarter of a million back in the 2010s, with a team of 5 people. We were a small, specialist company with a big heart, serving a community of model horse collectors, and everything we did reflected that love and care.
Every product we sent out was hand-wrapped in purple tissue paper, our company colours. We added horse-shaped confetti sprinkles inside each parcel. I used to spend hours tissue wrapping boxes and products. At one point I figured out that we went through 3 TONNES of confetti sprinkles a year, that was the volume of products we shipped to our customers all around the globe. It would have been so easy to skip this step, but that wasn’t out style.
We were sending out our products with love, care and artisan flare. It was the way we were as people, and this naturally reflected into our business.
It didn’t end there either.
Our customers received goody bags at certain times of the year, handwritten notes, and tiny surprises because we wanted every order to feel like a gift, not a transaction. We sent our customer birthday cards, notes of occasions, personalised invitations to events and workshops.
And with these small details, people noticed.
They sent us unboxing videos when they received their order (before they became a trend). They messaged us if we accidentally forgot the confetti (“Where are the sprinkles?” became a running joke, and a compliment).
We held sold-out workshops, month on month. People flew into Stansted so that they could get a taxi to come a visit our model horse shop. We hand delivered an order on Christmas Eve when the courier lost the original box.
We became known as the business with a huge heart.
We didn’t do these things because a guru told us to. We did them because they felt right, because that’s how you treat something you love.
At the time I hadn’t realised what we had created, but looking back I now see what it was. It was a business that was an expert in the art of business.
Utterly Horses was a Business artisan.
A business artisan focuses on creating something memorable and building a brand experience people actually feel, deep down.
And once you’ve built something like that, it’s impossible to go back to the ordinary.
Why the Business Artisan Approach Is a Quiet Rebellion
In a digital world obsessed with scale and speed, choosing to slow down and focus on craft can feel countercultural.
But ironically, it’s these slower, deeper businesses that tend to last, because when you infuse soul into every part of the customer journey, people remember.
They don’t just buy from you but they believe in you.
Our customers noticed the little things.
They sent us messages when their confetti was missing.
They filmed unboxing videos before influencer marketing was even a thing.
They flew in from other countries to visit our tiny rural shop.
They felt seen, valued, cared for, and that’s what real loyalty is made of.
What Is an Business-Artisan style Business?
Think of an artisan potter. They don’t mass-produce thousands of identical bowls but they shape each one slowly, with intention, precision, and care.
A fingerprint-style business is just like that:
Unique – It reflects you — your personality, your values, your quirks.
Intentional – Every detail is a choice. Nothing is done “just because.”
Relational – It’s built for connection, not just conversion.
Meaningful – You focus on depth over reach, care over clicks.
This kind of business isn’t built on hype or hustle. It’s built on trust. Story. Soul.
An Invitation to Reimagine
So if you’ve been feeling like your business is missing something, maybe it’s not a new funnel or a better content plan.
Maybe it’s not more scale, more speed, or more “reach.” Maybe it’s a return to your own fingerprint.
A moment of quiet rebellion. A slower path. A more meaningful one.
Because when you build like an artisan — with heart, care, and craft — your business becomes something more than just profitable. It becomes personal, memorable and sustainable.
And isn’t that the whole point?
Onwards and Upwards
- Becky :)
