I Almost Gave Up... Here’s Why I Didn’t

I’ve been thinking deeply about how to start this message. It’s not easy to admit that, somewhere along the way, I forgot my own values—those that form the very foundation of Beira. Our brand is built on honesty and kindness. These are the values I hold close to my heart, but on a personal level, I feel I’ve failed them recently. It’s time to be open and share my story, in the hope that it helps others and allows Beira to continue growing with authenticity and integrity.

(An honest pic - take at the time of writing! with No filter and lots of lines lol)

A Struggle with Honesty

Over the past year, I haven’t been as honest with you as I should have been. The truth is, I’ve been struggling. The cost of living crisis and the rising costs of running a business have impacted us all, but for small, independent, female-led sustainable brands like Beira, the toll has been especially heavy. It’s been heartbreaking to watch so many businesses in our community close their doors. For Beira, things have been tough, too.

Brexit has not been kind to us. Since January, we’ve been wrestling with a major issue (Brexit related issue) involving HMRC, which has had a devastating effect on our cash flow. For small businesses, cash flow is everything—it’s the lifeline that keeps us moving forward. Last month, I finally hit my breaking point. I found myself writing letters to Keir Starmer, Jonathan Reynolds (the Secretary of Business and Trade), and HMRC complaints. Thankfully, Jonathan Reynolds intervened, and HMRC finally agreed to help me. It felt like a victory, but the damage has been done—a huge loss of turnover. This was a huge contributing factor on our decision to close our physical store. Rising rent and a constant struggle for fighting for what’s rightfully owed made it impossible to keep going as we were.

In all of this, I realise now that staying quiet about these struggles wasn’t the right decision. I took advice to stay positive and keep the negatives hidden, but that’s not what Beira stands for, and it’s not who I am. Beira is about transparency. If my story can help someone else, then perhaps something positive can come from the challenges I’ve faced.

A Lesson in Kindness – to Myself

Kindness isn’t just about how we treat others, it’s about how we treat ourselves, too. Over the past year, I’ve come to realise I haven’t been kind to myself at all. Just over a year ago, I lost someone I loved dearly. It was one of the hardest moments of my life, and yet, I didn’t give myself the time or space to grieve properly. Instead, I threw myself into work, putting immense pressure on myself to keep the business running, all while neglecting my mental and physical health.

In the process, I lost my passion for Beira. It’s hard to admit that I fell out of love with the very brand I built with so much care. But I’ve been slowly coming to terms with that reality. I’m a fighter—those who know me well know I don’t give up easily. So, I’ve been working to rebuild my relationship with Beira, little by little, and learning to forgive myself for not being perfect. I’ve been reminded of my PhD research on brand revitalisation and positioning, and now it feels like I need to apply those lessons to Beira, to breathe new life into the brand and rediscover the passion that started it all.

Moving Forward

I want to say sorry. I haven’t been the best caretaker of Beira over the past year, and I haven’t communicated enough with you, my incredible community of supporters. I’m working hard to change that. Your continued support means more than I can express, and I’m truly grateful to each and every one of you who has stuck by Beira during this challenging time.

I can’t promise that the road ahead will be smooth, but I can promise you this: I’ll be trying harder—with more honesty and more kindness, both to you and to myself. Reflecting on the past year, I’ve realised that one of my biggest struggles is asking for help. So, here I am, reaching out. If you have any hints, tips, or feedback, I’d love to hear them. Your thoughts mean the world to me and will help Beira continue to grow and evolve.

Beira exists because of you—to bring incredible quality clothing that doesn’t cost the earth, made sustainably and ethically, with kindness and honesty at our core. I’m asking for your support so that, together, we can make the world a little better.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for being part of Beira’s journey so far. I’m hopeful about bringing new energy to the future. While I can’t promise it will be smooth sailing, I can promise that I’ll be trying harder, with renewed dedication and heart.

Yours consciously, mindfully and sustainably,

Antoinette

Co-Founder of Beira