JEWELLERY TALES...WITH
HOLLY TUCKER
Founder of original gifting emporium, Notonthehighstreet, Holly & Co and super champion of small businesses, Holly Tucker, shares her favourite Annoushka jewels.
Tell us a bit about you
As a child, I was nicknamed ‘Holly Hurricane’ because I was always in such a rush to do the next thing, I was a whirlwind of energy and on a mission! And whilst I might have slowed down a bit (some of those around me might disagree!) I am very much still on a mission and it's what has driven me throughout my professional career.

After leaving school at 18 and bypassing university I went straight into the world of advertising where I learnt the power of connecting with the customer, thinking outside the box and working extremely hard! Having been in a hurry, things started to unravel and by the time I was 24 I was going through a divorce and had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. I knew I needed to go back to my creative roots to find some grounding again, so I started making vegetable wreaths (I know… I really thought I was going to make my fortune!) I quickly realised there was nowhere to sell my wreaths in my local town, so I put on Chiswick’s first Christmas Fair. I hired the hall, found amazing local businesses to take a stall, did all the advertising and promotion—and it was a huge success. There was electric magic in bringing together small creatives with their customer, and so I started my first company ‘Your Local Fair’, and put on fairs across London for the following 2 years.

There was a problem though... if it rained if there was a football match on—no one came. So, with my 3-month-old Harry coinciding with a relatively new thing called ‘the internet’, I contacted my old boss Sophie and asked her if she wanted to join me as I’d had an idea about ‘putting everything, ‘not on the high street’ on the internet. She said yes, and I guess, the rest you could say is history!

As founder of both Notonthehighstreet and Holly & Co. you champion small businesses, what advice would you give to someone starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Trust your gut instinct—it's not always easy, but that instinct is your internal compass, you must listen carefully and be guided by it. Today there is such a huge wealth of information out there, everyone you meet is an ‘expert’ and will not be shy about giving you advice... It’s important to listen to this advice, but if your internal compass is telling you ‘this isn’t right’, listen!

Where is your favourite place in the world?
Barcelona - Old Town. I have such happy memories with Frank here and love it every time I am back. The beautiful markets, the endless winding streets filled with independent shops and the tiniest of wine bars—all on the beach and in the sunshine.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Trust your gut instinct. I know, its one that is said a lot, but it is just so so true and I often wish I had learnt to listen to my internal compass earlier in my career.

Who is your role model?
Iris Apfel! At 97 years old she’s still shaking things up a bit... I plan to cheerlead small businesses and do what I am doing now for the rest of my life, so I hope I am as brilliantly colourful and accessorised as Iris when I’m in my 90s still championing all the brilliant creative small businesses!
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