Two Days at Daylesford with She’s Electric, Volvo & MadeKind

Two days at Daylesford, some seriously inspiring conversations and a lot for two small-business owners to think about.

Last week, Anita and I had the absolute pleasure of spending two days at Daylesford in the Cotswolds with She’s Electric and Volvo. And what an amazing couple of days it was.

There was something really lovely about stepping away from the day-to-day running of MadeKind for a little while and being surrounded by so many interesting, inspiring women who are all thinking about how we live, work and make better choices.

We listened to some seriously inspiring talks from the She’s Electric panel and their brilliant guests, test drove Volvo electric cars (the cars were amazing) and I may have got slightly lost in the beautiful potting sheds. 🌿

And then there was Daylesford itself.

The flowers, the gardens, the beautiful interiors, the food, the potting sheds… the whole place is basically one giant reminder that thoughtful, beautiful living can be a very lovely and inspiring thing indeed.

But as much as we enjoyed all of that, the best part for us was the people we met.

We had so many conversations over the two days with people working in interiors, hospitality, magazines, wellness, retreats, property and other small businesses. And naturally, we talked a lot about MadeKind. About why we started it. About what we're trying to change. And about why we believe everyday household products can be both effective and beautiful, while also being kinder to our homes and the planet.

Why we started MadeKind

MadeKind began with a very simple idea. We wanted to make better everyday products for our homes. Not products that simply looked “eco” or ticked a sustainability box, but things that we would genuinely want to use ourselves. Products that work properly, smell gorgeous and look beautiful sitting on the kitchen worktop or beside the bathroom sink.

That's how we've ended up creating our range of natural and plant-based cleaning products, refillable bottles, hand wash, body care and home fragrance.

Refilling is a big part of what we do because we believe making a more sustainable choice shouldn't have to be complicated. You shouldn't need to completely change the way you live. Sometimes it's just about making a small change to something you already use every day.

Refill the bottle rather than buy another one.

Choose a product without synthetic fragrance.

Use a reusable (cotton) cloth.

Think a little more carefully about what you're bringing into your home.

Small changes. Better choices. Always kind.

That's really the philosophy behind MadeKind.

What we learned from other small businesses

One of the things we loved about Daylesford was being able to talk honestly to other people about what it's like to build a small business. Because sometimes, when you're sitting at your desk looking at Instagram, Google Analytics or your latest sales figures, it can feel as though everyone else has somehow figured it all out. They have the bigger team. The bigger budget. The bigger following.

And you're sitting there wondering how on earth you're supposed to compete.

We're still a very small, independently funded business. It's still me and Anita doing a huge amount of the work ourselves - from packing orders and filling bottles to taking photographs, writing emails, creating content and trying to work out what we're going to do next.

So it was refreshing to spend time with people who understand that reality. We came away with lots of ideas, but also a reminder that there isn't one way to build a business. And perhaps more importantly, you don't always need to be shouting the loudest. Sometimes you just need to tell your story well, keep showing up and meet the right people.

The power of actually meeting people

This was probably one of our biggest takeaways from the event. We spend so much of our time thinking about online marketing. Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn etc. And it can sometimes feel as though everything depends on getting your business in front of as many people as possible.

But spending two days at Daylesford reminded us just how powerful a proper conversation can be.

We met people who were interested in what we do. We heard about their businesses and projects. We talked about potential collaborations and different places where MadeKind could fit - from hotels and hospitality to interiors, retreats, wellness spaces and property.

Not every conversation will turn into something. And that's absolutely fine. Sometimes a conversation is just a conversation. But you never know which one might turn into an introduction, a collaboration, a new customer or an opportunity six months down the line.

And that's something we're going to try to remember as we continue growing MadeKind.

Keep showing up.

Sustainable living doesn't have to be perfect

Something else we kept coming back to was the idea of making more sustainable choices without making life feel overwhelmingly complicated. We don't believe anyone needs to be perfect - we're certainly not.

For us, sustainability has always been about making better choices where we can. It's about looking at the things we use every day and asking whether there is a better way of doing them. That's why refillable cleaning products make so much sense to us.

It's why we think about the ingredients that go into our formulations. It's why we care about the bottles, packaging and materials we use. And it's why we want MadeKind to feel like a brand that fits naturally into people's homes rather than something that makes them feel guilty about all the things they're not doing.

We want sustainable living to feel achievable. And, ideally, quite beautiful too.

And then there was Daylesford…

It's difficult to talk about the event without talking about the setting. If you've ever been to Daylesford in the Cotswolds, you'll know exactly what I mean. It's beautiful without feeling overly precious. The flowers, the kitchen gardens, the food, the interiors and all those little details make it a pretty perfect setting for an event centred around thoughtful living.

We were very spoilt. And yes, I absolutely did spend more time than necessary wandering around the potting sheds taking pretty pictures.

What does it all mean for MadeKind?

We came home with a notebook full of ideas, lots of new contacts and some really exciting conversations. But more than anything, we came home feeling reminded of why we started MadeKind in the first place.

We want to make everyday products better. We want to create a brand that makes it easier for people to make more thoughtful choices at home. And we want to build something that feels genuinely human.

We're not a huge company with millions to spend on advertising. We're two women who started a business because we believed there was a better way to do everyday products - and we're still figuring it out as we go.

Days like this remind us that there is something really powerful about that. You can tell people your story. You can meet people who share your values. You can make connections. You can keep turning up. And slowly, slowly, people start to understand what you're trying to build.

So a huge thank you to She’s Electric for bringing together such an incredible group of people and making the whole experience happen.

And thank you to Volvo for the very enjoyable electric driving experience!

We came away feeling incredibly grateful, inspired and, if we're honest, slightly overwhelmed by all the possibilities. Which probably means it was a very good couple of days.

Now it's back to the MadeKind warehouse, the orders, the bottles, the emails and the glamorous reality of running a small business.

And we wouldn't have it any other way. 🤍

Caroline & Anita x

Co-Founders, MadeKind

Thoughtfully made. Beautifully designed. Always kind.

Event: She’s Electric x Volvo at Daylesford
Location: Heritage House, Daylesford Organic, Cotswolds
Dates: 17–18 September 2026
Themes: Sustainable living, wellbeing, technology, family life and electric mobility
MadeKind: UK-made refillable cleaning, home and body products