From her studio, Emma designs and manufactures her creations which, she says, are a beautiful, artistic and easy-to-maintain alternative to tiles. Although mostly known for her floral glass designs, Emma now also has a range of co-ordinating trays, tea towels and glassware. 

Emma describes the mentorship she has received since being featured in the NatWest and Getty Images campaign as “invaluable”. 

She says: “I’m so pleased this project is challenging the visual stereotypes of female entrepreneurs, to show other women and the world what doing something you love every day really looks like. I hope what we’ve captured inspires future generations of women. It’s an honour to be part of the Getty Images library and incredible to think that myself and my small female team will be in the archives of how women work in 2022.”

She adds: “My business was born out of an openness to opportunities, uncertain economic times, and a gap in the market. As a small operation we’re nimble, and that was useful when e-commerce demanded more of our energy during lockdowns.  

“The pandemic reinforced our strong foundation of loyal customers, but we got better at making sure what we’re doing is what they want in design, product and marketing. For us, the pandemic has helped strengthen the brand for years to come.” 

Emma’s business is currently preparing the launch of brand new glassware lines, designed and decorated at her studio. Her third botanically inspired glassware collection for the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens launches in March and her designs are set to be showcased at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May.  

“Our in-house production facilities are expanding and we’re putting a greater emphasis on the eco actions we can take as a business to reduce our environmental impact,” she says. “Leading an all-female team has helped me to scale and I’m grateful for the support of the women I work with.” 

Emma says there have been many highs while building her company but taking on her first employee felt like a real achievement. “It freed up my time to focus on running the business, designing and sales,” she recalls. 

 And her advice to other women looking to launch their own businesses? 

 “Trust your instinct when dealing with customers and suppliers, ask lots of questions and build your knowledge. Don’t be afraid if you don’t know the answer to something – it’s OK to double-check and be confident in your response. With self-belief and determination, you will succeed. Go for it!”

Learn more about the winners in the experimental Metaverse virtual gallery.