A few days in the life of the UK cabi road show

My story about our amazingly successful cabi Road Show starts on Tuesday, 25th September as I travelled to York to join Day 3.

Days 1 and 2 had been in Inverness and Edinburgh and were met with huge excitement and enthusiasm by all who attended. Now was my turn to be part of the adventure.

Alongside fellow Pioneers, Independent cabi Stylists, two of our Founders and our Head of Marketing, we shared our vision for the UK market, as well as our experiences thus far. With cabi being so new here in the UK, this gave us an amazing opportunity to demonstrate just how different we are.

Whilst the concept was born nearly 20 years ago in the US, with a group of likeminded forward-thinking women, it's now time for us women in the UK to share this unique, but so relevant way to work and shop. I can't tell you how proud I am to be part of this fantastic team of UK Pioneers leading the way.

Of course, like any successful business, there has to be a problem that you have the solution for. After all, all success stories start this way. The sad demise of the High Street; traditional retail in brick and mortar stores simply does not offer product variety, nor the experience we all desire these days. And on-line shopping can be equally frustrating. It is so hit and miss. The various times I have tried it, the product doesn't really look much the piece I ordered and certainly doesn't fit as expected. I won't even talk about the quality. And the statistics for returns is scary!

But with cabi, it is different, we are coming together to defy tradition. From unique product design, with patented prints through to quality. From trusted service with a fully trained personal stylist, to the actual shopping experience itself. It is simple. It is easy. It is accessible. And it is free.

But we are more than a women's fashion brand. We affect lives through relationships. And we have humanity right at the core.

Back to that day last week, as I sat and listened to our Founder and Chief Cultural Officer, Kimberly Inskeep, recount a tale from her trip to Rwanda the week before, my eyes filled. You see, when a new stylist starts her own independent cabi business, cabi (working with Opportunity International) gives a micro loan to an entrepreneurial woman in the underdeveloped world. Kimberly had been to meet some of the women who had been impacted by these loans. Their stories are on the one hand so sad, but ultimately inspirational. You can hardly believe what these women have had to overcome. By doing what we are doing, we are genuinely helping these women start their own businesses, support their families, build homes and often create jobs for others too. It is breathtaking.

We then shared Style and Ideas, much like we do when we share the collection with our clients. How to cuff your sleeves so you look 5lbs lighter. How to do the infamous cabi front tuck. How to create column dressing. And more. Then we shared our own stories. How cabi has allowed us to create the perfect entrepreneurial business. And being at grassroots level is just so exciting. There are now 38 of us in the UK and we are growing.

Onwards to Stafford where we did it all again. Only this time we heard another Independent cabi Stylist's story. No two are the same, but what is so apparent is that we all have the same amount of passion to share the cabi opportunity, whether it is the way to shop or the way to work. And we definitely have the passion to continue to do what we can through our "WE are cabi Foundation" (https://mandynoss.cabionline.uk/foundation/)

From here I, along with the UK Pioneer Development Team, Founders and Head of Marketing headed to Birmingham for 2 days full of highly focused meetings. They were full of energy and focus, culminating in detailed plans and I know, exciting times ahead for cabi in the UK. I just can't wait.

The Road Show had two further stops; at a stylist's home in Oxford and our finale in Glazier's Hall, near London Bridge.

Now it's back to work. Whether it's sharing my wonderful cabi collection with my clients through a cabi fashion experience, bringing girlfriends together, a one-to-one in my home studio or even joining me for my monthly cabi casa mornings. Or it might be me talking to likeminded ladies about the exciting career opportunity. No day is ever the same, but boy is it exciting.