'We built a great business from Covid lockdown'

From bicep-curls to brownies - Leanne and Keegan Cadman have had quite the career change.

The 25 year olds, from Fleet in Hampshire, both started out as personal trainers but in March 2020 the UK went into Covid lockdown.

"They announced that gyms had to close and that was it, immediately we had to go," Leanne says.

"We had to pack up and leave and I remember it was quite scary in that moment, the uncertainty, not knowing what was coming next."

So like thousands of people across the south they turned to alternative streams of income, and from their home kitchen they began baking.

"We had the single oven, one baking tray. And that baking tray was, in, out, in, out all day," Leanne says.

From the home kitchen, their workspace grew into a converted garage and then into an industrial unit to keep up with demand.

"In the first six months we went on to do about 13,000 brownies per year. And now, five years on, we are doing just over 100,000," says Keegan.

The couple sell their sweet treats via their Duo Delights website and a popup stall in Guildford.

And Kegan says they have not let their physical fitness slide: "We could be unloading over 1,000kg chocolate. A bag of sugar could weigh 25kg. There's quite a work out."

New business registrations were 8% higher one year into the pandemic than in 2018-2019, driven by first-time solo entrepreneurs and new online retailers, according to research by the Bank of England.

In Andover Paul Moorhouse and Tom Holman's livelihoods also pivoted.

Pre-Covid, Paul used to work in events, lighting stage shows, concerts and exhibitions, and Tom worked as cabin crew.

When their work stopped, Hampshire Candles was born.

Very quickly the couple started to see orders coming in and the business moved into a much larger premises.

"We managed to find a unit and we signed a five-year lease, which was probably the scariest thing we've ever done," says Tom.

But Paul explains they have not looked back: "When we first started we would get anywhere between two to 10 orders a day.

"Just over the Christmas period just gone, we sent out over 10,000 orders."

Adie Callaghan found herself in a similar situation: "We had an events catering business that worked across Europe with charities and high profile clients."

The business had been established for 12 years, but Adie says it "disappeared in about three weeks. It was horrific".

She put her efforts into a small hamper company she had been running to "fill the gap" between catering events.

"We were doing an average of a few hundred hampers," she says.

"Suddenly all these orders started coming through the website – it saved our bacon.

"We did 14,000 in the first year."

The New Forest Hamper Company employed 12 people and took on an additional 18 freelance employees to keep up with demand.

"Some of the messages on the hampers were humbling, from people could not get together at Christmas," Adie explains.

In June 2024 the company opened a physical shop in Sway in the New Forest, and she says the future is looking bright.

"We are building a lovely reputation up. People are coming from further afield," she says.

"I think just think you have to remain positive."

Back at the bakery that is something echoed by Leanne Cadman.

"I'm really glad that we were able to turn a negative into a positive.

"We have built a great business from lockdown."

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