Women Behind Business: The Alban Way

Women Behind Business is a insightful new feature taking real women, in business and shining a spotlight on their successes and lifestyle.

We were so excited to meet the lovely ladies behind The Alban Way Jen & Soph, who visited us instore for a fun morning of trying on clothes and a mini photoshoot for this months 'Women Behind Business' feature. We had the chance to ask them some questions, so we could share with you a little bit about them:

How do you know one another?

Jen: We met at Secondary School in St. Albans and have now been friends for over two decades. We both disappeared for University, but both ended up moving back here. 

Tell us about The Alban Way......What made you start The Alban Way?

Jen: I started The Alban Way after returning to St Albans with my husband. I no longer knew the best place to go for a cocktail, go for dinner, or what was happening when and so began sharing my favourite local discoveries on Instagram. It quickly became more than just a few photos on an Instagram page as I found myself working and promoting local businesses, receiving DMs asking for recommendations and curating local gift guides. After having my first little girl and returning to work, I was juggling The Alban Way, being a new mum with work so Soph came onboard to help.

Soph: The Alban Way keeps gathering momentum as we absolutely love having The Alban Way as a shared hobby - it’s a creative outlet alongside our full-time jobs and gives us the perfect excuse to meet up and enjoy dinner / local events together. We’re super lucky to have such a great set of local businesses who keep offering new things and so it continues to have a fresh offering every week.

What is your favourite part about The Alban Way?

Jen: My favourite part is when a follower messages us to say they enjoyed one of our recommendations, it makes the work we do feel worthwhile. We want to help locals discover new places to drink, dine and explore.

Soph: Likewise, when an event sells out because of a post, or a local business reaches out to say they’ve received lots of orders - it’s nice to know we are making a difference. It’s also super handy to have these amazing local connections as it translates into building relationships which I can then also use at my work locally which is why you’ll see so many cakes on our Instagram!

Jen: We also love working with local businesses from restaurants and beauty salons to museums and market stall holders. We love to find out the backstory of how a business was created and then work together to see how we can showcase and promote the business in an authentic way.

What would be your top 3 destinations for anyone visiting St Albans?

Soph: For someone with a friend visiting who’s maybe been to visit before… I’d recommend brunch at newly opened Toast (you don’t need to make a booking just turn up) and a walk down past the beautiful Cathedral to Verulamium Park picking up coffees from Inn on the Park as you go by. I’d then take them to the Roman Museum (free entry to St. Albans residents) and then onto St. Michael’s Street for a drink at the Six Bells – they also do fab pub bites if the museum has helped you work up an appetite! Walk up Fishpool Street and onto some independent shopping on George Street at Earley’s and High Street for Chloe James Lifestyle and The Dressing Room. After that I’d go to The Boot for drinks and Tacos (especially if the sunshine was out) on their picnic benches or into Dylan’s for slightly less agreeable weather for Spicy Margaritas in their window. That is definitely more than three places but, what a day?!

Jen: That sounds like an ideal St Albans day! We also love a walk and Heartwood Forest is a perfect spot it even has a magical wood so is a great option if you have little ones with you followed by lunch at The Potting Shed. 

What is the one tip you would give to other women, wanting to start their own business?

Jen: The Alban Way was never intentionally set up as a business but evolved from a passion project. Our top tip has to be to do something you love and enjoy - if you could do it with a friend, then even better! 

Soph: As Jen says, doing it with a friend if possible is a game changer. We both have slightly different angles on the Alban Way and bring different ideas and we both have differing weeks, one week Jen is updating every day, one day Soph is and so it keeps the Alban Way fresh!

What is your biggest achievement to date with The Alban Way?

Jen: We don’t tend to chase numbers but reaching 10,000 followers was an exciting moment but for us it’s an accumulation of all the little achievements (helping someone find a birthday venue, helping a restaurant sell out on their opening night).

Soph: Mine was probably the food bank drive that we did, providing hot water bottles and slow cookers to the local foodbank to distribute. We ended up having over 200 hot water bottles and 50 slow cookers delivered which were distributed locally and couldn’t believe how quickly we hit our target.

How do you juggle, full time work, The Alban Way and motherhood? 

Jen: I now have two little girls so Soph coming onboard was a huge help - recognising when you need help and getting support should never be underestimated. Then it all comes down to prioritising and sacrificing whilst utilising every moment of the day. I’ll use my commute to Hammersmith to work on content for The Alban Way (in fact I’m currently writing this whilst I sit on the Piccadilly Line) and we’ll often make plans with family and friends where we know we can capture more content. The reality is that some weeks we will be able to post daily, and then other weeks we might only be able to share a few updates. 

Soph: Jen is a superhero, quite often I’ll wake up and Jen has already posted an event series of about 15 stories for things coming up that week. The reason The Alban Way is the most followed local St. Albans account is because of Jen’s dedication and her unreal work ethic.

CHECK OUT THE ALBAN WAY INSTAGRAM HERE: @thealbanway