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Articles by Johnny Paterson
Are family businesses a competitive advantage in modern retail?
The beauty industry has become increasingly competitive, with more brands entering the market, faster product cycles, and constant pressure to stand out beyond product and price. In this space, brand identity, trust, and genuine human connection matter just as much as formulation, and this is where family-run businesses often really come into their own. At Dr.PAWPAW, I see us as a family business first and foremost, even as we continue to grow.
Why supporting charities strengthens your business
Building a business is rewarding but it can also feel like it’s all about numbers, growth targets, and keeping the wheels turning. For founders, one of the most powerful ways to bring meaning back into the day-to-day is through supporting charities. Giving back creates a real sense of purpose: it reminds you that the business you’ve built can do more than generate profit, it can make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
The importance of building a community with your brand and customers
Something that has always been important to me as a founder is remembering that a brand is more than just a product on a shelf. In today’s market, people don’t just buy what you make – they buy into who you are. That’s why building a genuine, engaged community around your brand isn’t a “nice to have”; it’s essential. At Dr.PAWPAW, community is about connection, conversation and belonging. We actively speak directly to our customers, listen to their feedback and invite them into our world.
Turning the page: Why 2026 matters for British business
As we enter 2026, it’s understandable that many in the UK feel unsettled. The continued strain of the cost of living, alongside rising operating costs for businesses, has created a sense of collective tiredness. Turn on the news, scroll through social media, or listen to conversations in the business community, and a familiar sense of panic seems to linger in the air.
Maximising trade show success: My top three tips
This year, Dr.PAWPAW has recently been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade and this is an achievement we take great pride in. I am also a UK Export Champion and truly believe that international and UK trade shows are a must for any business looking to grow its national and international market. Why? It’s a great way to engage either with the consumer or with your trade and understand what people are liking about your products, your services and your brand.
Exporting is great, when you get it right!
In this article, Johnny Paterson, Co-Founder of Dr.PAWPAW, shares his top tips for brands looking to export to new markets. Exporting is great, when you get it right! Since the start of October, I have been on a fair amount of international travel, including Cannes, Bucharest, Budapest, New York, Mumbai, to name just a few. This got me thinking to provide you, the reader, with some great advice on exporting.
Stand Up, collaborate and listen
Up until this year, our brand Dr.PAWPAW hadn’t created product collaborations with other brands or retailers. In all honesty, the idea made us feel nervous, as what we wanted to avoid at all costs was slipping into the wrong collaboration and sending out the incorrect message to our customer base and fans, which would not resonate with them.
Charity can start with the Business
Starting a business with purpose is essential in today’s world, as it goes beyond mere profitability. A clear purpose inspires passion and commitment among employees, creating a work environment where individuals feel connected to something larger than themselves. Businesses driven by purpose resonate with consumers who increasingly seek brands that align with their values and contribute positively to society.
How to make the most of a retailer contact
In this article, I’m going to dive into how to maximise your relationship with a retailer contact. It’s all too common to hear from friends and business acquaintances about partnerships that quickly fizzled out or never even got off the ground. My goal here is to share what I believe are the best strategies for managing a valuable retailer relationship to ensure you make the most of it.
What does the future hold for the UK?
Like many of you, I’m quite nervous about what the future holds for the UK. While I believe that the UK needs change, especially within the government, history has shown that not all change leads to positive outcomes. Instances such as Brexit and the Trump administration have demonstrated that the results of such shifts can be unpredictable and not always beneficial. Change for its own sake might not always be the best solution.
Building a great place to work
Dear readers, I hope you’re great. I was absolutely delighted for our business to be included in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work recently. Just so you know, there was quite a tough criteria for entering, but the entry also strongly depended on what our team thinks about the business. In fact, as part of the award submission process, an anonymous survey was distributed to the entire team, making this achievement particularly meaningful to us.
Three great reads to really help you run a business
Over the past 20 years in business, I’ve read countless books and listened to numerous podcasts. While I enjoy audiobooks and podcasts, there’s something irreplaceable about picking up a book and really absorbing its content—it feels like it’s seared into my brain. Today, I wanted to share three books that have really changed how I behave in and around my business. Book 1: The Secret The Secret was given to me when I was about 28 years old by my father-in-law.
Bootstrapping a larger business
In my last article I covered the top tips on building a business from scratch ie. bootstrapping it with your own cash, I hope you found the insights useful. Now I’m going to talk about when you get to a business going over the multi-million pound mark and how you continue to grow that and bootstrap that under your own guise.
Bootstrapping your business from a startup
Hi everyone. After a hiatus, I’m back to writing articles. Over the past year, I’ve been busy with some exciting projects at Dr.PAWPAW, our beauty brand, and soon I’ll be sharing updates. Now I’m back, let’s talk about something that could help budding entrepreneurs – bootstrapping. If you decided that having that early cash injection wasn’t for you, I get you. We started Dr.PAWPAW with just £20k, and that initial capital covered 10k product units, trademarks and logistics.
Working in harmony with your bank
Hi everyone, I hope you are enjoying this incredible start of summer we have had. Here at Dr.PAWPAW HQ we have had some amazing weather which has given us all that summer feeling and I hope you and your teams have had a chance to enjoy it too. Now back to business and with all the issues around price rises, global demands on ingredients and packaging, this month I thought it was a good time to talk about how you can make the most of working with your bank.
Feeling lonely at the top
Johnny Paterson Johnny Paterson is Co-founder of Dr. PAWPAW alongside his wife Pauline. They’ve been running the business for almost a decade and in just 3-4 years have managed to grow the business from £20,000 to a multi-million pound turnover. Now entering their next stage and aim to progress the business to reach over the £10 million mark. Their products can be found all around the world in over 35+ countries including the UK, US and South Korea.
Johnny Paterson - Elite Business
Johnny Paterson is Co-founder of Dr. PAWPAW alongside his wife Pauline. They’ve been running the business for almost a decade and in just 3-4 years have managed to grow the business from £20,000 to a multi-million pound turnover and we are now entering their next stage and aim to progress the business to reach over that £10 million mark. Their products can be found all around the world in over 35+ countries including the UK, US and South Korea.
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