An Interview with Kingston’s Women Business Owners

March the 8th marks International Women’s Day, celebrating women around the world and cherishing their achievements and contributions to the sociopolitical, cultural and economic spheres. Every year, this day stands as a call for action to accelerate gender equality and aims to empower women and girls as catalysts for change. In Kingston Upon Thames, March the 8th is an annual opportunity to celebrate and thank the women who make Kingston the vibrant place that it is, and who play such a vital role in our local community.

This year, we wanted to give a special shoutout to the women independent business owners in Kingston town centre, and share their incredible stories. We spoke with Tal Maginelle, co-owner of The Cheeky Pea, Burcu Bodur, owner of Marna Coffee, and Ali Barnwell, co-owner of the pub and venue The Fighting Cocks. From starting their own businesses to making significant contributions and changes to Kingston’s hospitality and entertainment industries, these three business owners talked us through their inspiring experiences in Kingston’s community.

Read our interview below!

Tal Maginelle – The Cheeky Pea

– How long have you worked in Kingston for?

We opened in 2013, so now it’s nearly 12 years! We have our shop at the Eden Walk shopping centre, which is a hummus and falafel bar, we do catering, and two years ago we got our new trailer so now we also do events; you can find us every first Sunday of the month in Kew Village Market.

– What motivated you to start your own business?

It all started because we were looking for lunch places in Kingston, and we couldn’t find anything fresh and healthy where we could choose the ingredients and control the healthiness of the food. Me and my husband are obsessed with falafel and hummus, so we felt that we had to introduce Kingston to these foods. It was not easy at first! Some people didn’t even know what they are or how chickpeas look like, but now 12 years later, we are very proud of the hummus-lovers community that we have created.

We always make sure that our menu caters for all; you can find Moroccan meatballs and chicken, but we also have a wide variety of options for vegetarians, vegans and people with allergies. Every week we celebrate Shakshuka Day and Falafel Burger on Fridays, so we try to make it special for all!

– What do you like about working in Kingston?

We are very involved in the Kingston community and this is very important for us. These are our customers and we want to take care of them and be thankful for supporting our business. I think what I love the most in Kingston, is the local independent businesses. We are very proud to be one of them, and we love the support we receive from the council and other businesses. Primark and McDonald’s you can find anywhere, but the Cheeky Pea, you can only find it here, which makes people come especially to see us and we appreciate everyone visiting our family business, because it keeps us going.

Also in the past few years we’ve been working with the local charity, Achieving for Children, to support people with hidden disabilities, especially autism, and help them get work experience in a safe environment. We have Theo in our team, who’s been with us for two and a half years now and Thomas who just started, and they both work here once a week. It has been great seeing them interact with the costumers, and building their confidence and work experience.

I feel very lucky to have the Cheeky Pea, I’m a lucky cheeky lady! And I feel very proud of my staff, we wouldn’t be here without them.

– Do you have a message for any new independent business owners or women looking to start their own business?

The advice I can offer is to be more involved and try to give. Don’t think about what you can get, but try to give more and you will see with time that people will come to you. Be consistent, show your face and introduce yourself to the community. Sometimes you have to push to get to places, but people will see that you know what you want and they will support you. And if you need any more advice, you can come to the Cheeky Pea and speak with me!

Burcu Bodur – Marna Coffee

– What motivated you to start your own business in Kingston?

After having spent 12 years in the corporate world, I realised I really needed something more fulfilling, more tangible, something to connect me with people in a real way. So, that’s why I decided to become part of the Kingston community and jump into hospitality. Also, I’ve always loved coffee and I’ve always loved connecting with people, so the idea of being able to create something that people could be a part of, a place where they would feel welcome and cared about, really pushed me to take the leap.

Kingston was already a home for me, before starting Marna, and I believe in being the face of the business, running it yourself and having a strong presence as a business owner. So, I wanted to stay local and serve the community that I was already a part of by opening my coffee shop here. Kingston has this really strong sense of community and I knew there was room for a good coffee shop that focuses on not just quality but also connecting with people.

– What is the story of Marna Coffee?

In very simple terms, Marna is about passion and rebellion. It’s kind of my way of breaking from my 9 to 5 and following my dreams. When I opened the coffee shop, I went completely against my family and friends who thought it wasn’t very logical to leave a safe job behind and jump into the world of hospitality, but for me it felt like tapping into an untapped passion. Marna is about bringing people together with coffee, it’s about doing what you really like. On a busy Saturday, when I have a look around my shop, I can see people enjoying something that I built, which wasn’t here 12 months ago. It’s just the most fulfilling thing!

– What’s your experience as a woman in business and also as an independent business owner in a town surrounded by big chains?

It has been a lot better than in corporate, not gonna lie! I think people genuinely like supporting and appreciate women in business, I have felt that I was always admired and supported for that, which is amazing. As a woman in business, especially in an industry where you’re surrounded by loads of big chains, you have to do the extra hard work to carve out your space, but the best part is that independent businesses offer something unique: you get the care, the human touch, the interaction. So, I think people are automatically lured into this space and so far, I’ve had a really positive experience.

– Do you have any advice for women looking to start their own business?

Just go for it! It’s scary and there will be moments of doubt, but the whole experience is so worth it and so fulfilling. Make sure you surround yourself with supportive people and stay true to your vision, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it! People will want to help you. But most importantly, always remember why you started, because it will keep you going on hard days, and come in for a coffee chat if you ever need any advice!

Ali Barnwell – The Fighting Cocks

– What’s the story of the Fighting Cocks and how did it come under your ownership?

So, my husband and I took over The Fighting Cocks about 3 and a half years ago, and moved to the area from East London. It was never really part of the life plan to be honest, but we are very grateful it happened! We were working closely with the previous owner, Jamie, who owned the venue for 22 years and one day he decided to move to Australia and let us take over. It all happened very fast, and even though he had many offers to turn The Fighting Cocks into something different, he felt that we understood what his vision was and we could keep the spirit of the place alive, so it was a phenomenal opportunity that we couldn’t pass up and lose this space that the community loves so much.

The Fighting Cocks has been going as a music venue since the 1930s, it was huge in the local Jazz scene, it has been through various eras of music styles and has been a real main stage for the community for a really long time. Its current iteration is the Fighting Cocks with the music venue and this style at the moment, and it’s coming into its 25th year! As a venue we have a pub and the music venue next door which is 150 capacity, so we have a lot of bands on most nights of the week. We also have a lot of community events that we run, like a quiz, rock karaoke, Dungeons & Dragons events, all ages shows for kids, and comedy every Monday which has been running for the last 19 years. So, it’s a really flexible space and it’s designed to help people indulge the things they are passionate about and get together to have a great time!

– What’s your experience as a woman in business and also as an independent business owner in Kingston?

It’s been fantastic to be honest, and I think for me one of the real privileges has been to be able to support other women as part of this. So bringing people into the team, helping them and providing training, and also making sure that we are offering opportunities to female-fronted bands, making sure there is a space for them 365 days a year, not just on International Women’s Day. And championing women as part of this business has been one of the real opportunities for me.

This Saturday on International Women’s Day, we have a phenomenal lineup of three female-fronted bands playing at the Fighting Cocks, and we also have a great partnership with Bacchus Late Bar bringing a female DJ to spin tracks till 3am! It’s a fantastic way for us to celebrate the event and we’re it will be a great evening.

– Do you have a message for any women looking to start their own business?

For me, it’s just about finding something you really really love and going for it! Running your own business is a fantastic thing, really liberating and exciting, but it’s also hard work and challenging and a bit scary when spending a lot of time outside your comfort zone. But if you find something that you are genuinely passionate about and you really have a connection to, that’s the thing that will keep you fighting when times get a bit tougher. I find it really rewarding when I’m able to come in here and watch everyone having a fantastic time and enjoying the space, that is the payback for me.