Mary Jane Baxter is Curator at Made in Greenwich, winner of the High Street Retailer of the Year Award. Made in Greenwich is an independent, not-for-profit community shop which sells hand-made products, with 80 per cent of the profits going to the maker. 

What do you love most about your job?

I love working with creative people to help them make the most of their talents. At Made in Greenwich, we not only sell the work of 100+ local artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs, but we also help support them in other ways, with business advice and free skills training through GCDA Training.

What is a typical day for you and your business? 

There is no typical day! I might be working at Made in Greenwich chatting with customers, meeting makers and scheduling workshops, or I might be teaching someone to sew. I also do press and PR for GCDA so that's something else that keeps me busy!

A tip for women who want to start their career in your sector 

I think perhaps start by volunteering to know it it's something you really enjoy. At GCDA and Made in Greenwich we work regularly with volunteers who often develop new skills during their time with. A recent volunteer has created a whole new 'meet the maker' section on our website  It's a fantastic resource for people wanting to learn more about our artists, but it's also been a really worthwhile project for her and is something she can use on a future CV.

What do you love most about running your business in Royal Greenwich  

It has to be the people. We meet so many lovely local people at Made in Greenwich. Many customers have lived in the borough for a long time and know it inside out. Other newer residents are always telling us about how much they love the community feel in the borough. Indeed, it's one of the reasons they move here.

What role does your business play in the local area? 

We see ourselves primarily as a community shop, somewhere that people can pop in and have a friendly chat and cup of tea as well as browse a beautiful range of handmade gifts created with real love and care. We really hope we help local people celebrate the best of Greenwich as well as contribute to the livelihoods of our artists and makers. We were thrilled to win the Independent Retailer of the Year award last year at the RBG Business Awards. It was wonderful to feel appreciated!

Can you tell us a bit about your journey to where you are?  

I worked for the BBC as a foreign correspondent and producer for about 16 years before I decided to switch and focus on my creativity. In fact, I left the BBC to take a mobile craft studio on a tour of Europe! My new book, Sew on the Go, which you can buy at Made in Greenwich (as well as online from major booksellers) is all about my journey as a single woman trying to carve out a creative life. On International Women's Day its worth reflecting on all those girls and women whose ambitions are blighted through a lack of opportunity and education. I'm incredibly privileged to have been able to carve out my own path.