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New management, new horizons…

As of April 2020, a new legal contract puts Artisan Central under the joint management of Rosie Ellis and Micala Wilkins, in what’s described as a ‘major step forward’ for the company and its members.

With dozens of highly skilled artisans currently registered as members of the online directory, it’s already well-established among both tradespeople and consumers. But Ellis and Wilkins say the site has enormous potential, and they’ve got plenty of tricks up their sleeves for harnessing it!

“We’re putting together a revised package of benefits for members and ramping up our promotional activity, which will ultimately see our artisans getting more enquiries.” Ellis explains. “With more members registered as a result, consumers will have more choice when it comes to finding the right tradesperson for the job, so it’s a win-win for everyone.”

The Best of Both Worlds

Ellis and Wilkins are passionate about promoting trusted artisans because they are both “firmly entrenched within the world of trades”, as Wilkins (who’s also an online marketing specialist) puts it, with both of them also working alongside their spouses, who are Artisan Central members.

Wilkins says, “We understand the frustrations of both the tradesman and the customer. It’s often difficult to distinguish between legally registered, highly skilled artisans and the many inadequately registered and insured traders, and well-meaning recommendations from friends or neighbours can often lead to serious financial consequences for homeowners. This, in turn, creates difficulties for genuine artisans when it comes to getting new business. Artisan Central’s objective verification processes and customer reviews mean customers can hire the right artisan for the job with confidence.”

The Perfect Match

The new company directors have also brought on board two other team members, to ensure that they’ve got the right skillset to match their ambitions.

“With a background in tax and law, Karen Jones brings us in-house support when our members and their customers need help. We’ve also hired former journalist, Katy Wright, to ensure that our online articles are factual and well-researched, and therefore genuinely useful.” Ellis explains.

Ellis, originally from Manchester in the north of England, and Wilkins, from Brighton in the south, first met when Wilkins registered her husband’s business on Artisan Central. Quickly realising the benefits of being a member, she contacted Rosie to see if she could use her online marketing experience to help promote the directory more widely.

“It was like finding the missing piece of the puzzle,” says Rosie. “Micala has exactly the right skills, background and passion to help me take Artisan Central to the next level. This is a really exciting time for the directory and our members!”