I love the English Lake District (I have a sanctuary in Grasmere) and it’s National Parks Week in Britain. An interesting piece in the Guardian, looks at the intersection between beauty and business in the national parks. One of the case studies is giftware company Herdy which is one of my Lovemarks, a beloved brand that reaches out into the world.
I’ve been working with Herdy founders Spencer and Diane Hannah for two years now. Herdy is helping the Lake District – England’s largest national park and a place of breathless beauty – with its bid to become the UK’s first national park to be awarded World Heritage status from UNESCO. Herdy is an official partner. The campaign is using the Herdy brand in leaflets and across social media. Look out Grand Canyon, Great Wall and Barrier Reef; here come the Herdwick Sheep!!
The marriage between business and beauty, which isn’t always an easy one, is unbeatable when you get it right. Being based in a national park, as The Guardian piece notes, brings entrepreneurs challenges such as broadband, recruitment and logistics. And on the park side of things, a balance has to be struck between commerce and conservation. Herdy, inspired by the Lake District’s lovable Herdwick sheep, has found the sweet spot. Its products are sold across the country and to Europe, Japan and the US. The company returns 2-10% of its profits to projects that support upland fell farmers and the rural community. Herdy is about how the brand interacts with its neighbors. Other examples in the article of turning the national parks to commercial advantage include solar powered cheese and a region that is not just in a beer’s branding but in the product itself.
Roll on beautiful business.
