Faye Cardwell : Guiding Growth, Creating Connections

01/12/2025

« Frustrated and disappointed with myself » was how my first client was feeling before we started working together. She’d invested in expensive programmes and had the input but found no one to really bounce her ideas around with.

Over our 6 sessions we made sense of it all, broke it down into simple steps, refined her messaging and put everything in place for her to launch her first offer. 🤩

And that’s my big why - because I believe that when you have a business that works, you feel happier and more settled, wherever life takes you. If you or someone you know, needs a business ally to get them moving, drop me a line. I have 2 spaces open.

25/11/2025

Ever thought about the carbon footprint of the wine you’re drinking? I won’t be surprised if you haven’t ☺️but it’s worth a thought.

Last week I organised a presentation to the German press and trade where wineries from shared how they’ve significantly reduced the environmental impact of their business and it was REALLY interesting.

There was a lot of talk of renewables and intelligent architecture to regulate temperatures and provide the cellars with energy but the 4 speakers also talked about other aspects. The main and most obvious was how changing bottles made huge impacts on carbon footprints not just in terms of emissions due to production but also the reduction in freight weight.

Even though the effects packaging can have are significant ( reduced their CO2 by 2% just by changing 1 bottle - and consumers didn’t notice!) , it’s not the full picture.

🍀 talked about how they moved to regenerative agricultural practices to improve soil health. A recent but important change that is helping to protect the quality of their grapes in erratic weather.

📖 One presentation that stuck with me was . They have been part of the group for 5 years already and whilst they continue to work on areas of how they can bring their CO2 emissions down (they already made huge progress) they have also made sustainability an integral part of their brand. Visitors to the winery are shown what they’ve done and what change it made. Eliminating wooden boxes for their top wines and instead packaging them in recycled cardboard with biodegradable packaging saved them 22.5 tonnes of freight per year. Wow.

🍷 So if you’ve not yet thought about the carbon footprint of your wine as you’re enjoying a glass on an evening, know that there are lots of people who are and who are working hard to get to net zero as fast as they can.

If you want to know more about the group (which is all about bringing together wineries on the cutting edge of sustainability together to collaborate freely between ❤️), drop me a comment and I’ll send you a link to access the materials.

13/11/2025

A restaurant owner told me this the other day and it’s time to call it out…

Personally I couldn’t believe that this is a thing but I’ve heard it from more than one restaurant owner over the years.

Despite the booking confirmations and reminder calls and messages people are still cancelling their tables at the last minute.

Sure, illness and emergencies can happen but when this becomes the norm rather than the exception, there’s something not right.

Prices might be going through the roof in restaurants and this is part of the problem.

I’d love to hear if this is a Munich thing or if it happens everywhere…

12/11/2025

Yesterday’s business breakfast was a reminder of the key to success in business - being open.

Open to feedback, ideas, new perspectives and, in a context like this, giving as much as you take.🤩

22/10/2025

If your idea of a good week involves great food, fine wine and a little dolce vita, I have some good news for you — Gusto Restaurant Week has arrived in Munich! 🇮🇹

Starting tomorrow 23rd October, twenty restaurants and wine bars across the city are inviting you to discover authentic flavours of Tuscany. The four stars of the week — Pecorino Toscano DOP, Prosciutto Toscano DOP, Finocchiona IGP and Olio Toscano IGP — will feature in their menus and offerings according to their concept.

Here are just a few highlights worth seeking out:

🍴 Acetaia (Neuhausen-Nymphenburg) – Starter plate of Savoury tartelette with Pecorini, finely sliced Prosciutto Toscano and Finocchiona chips.

🍝 Ristorante Martinelli (Bogenhausen) – Their signature Tortelli will be back on the menu made with Pecorino Toscano and walnuts and of course, they'll greet you with a warm welcome of finely sliced Prosciutto and Finocchiona.

🍚 Risotto (Neuhausen) – This super cosy restaurant close to Romanplatz will have Risotto al Pecorino Toscano with prunes & Chianti reduction as well as a bruschetta with Finocchiona, prosciutto fondue and smoked aubergine.

💥 Tiratardi (Schwabing) – Under new management since January, the chef here loves experimenting and you'll find a full tuscan menu this week including Bottoni with Pecorino and tomato ristretto, and a dessert of variations of chocolate, with olive oil gelato and frozen raspberries.

⌛ Der Katzlmacher (Altstadt) – One of Munich's most traditional establishments, they'll be serving Risotto with Finocchiona and Pecorino, classic and comforting.

And at z’wein Tagesbar (Haidhausen), Franz Bar (Sendling) and Sticks & Stones (Schwabing), you’ll find traditional Tuscan charcuterie platters paired with Tuscan wines by the glass.

To close the week, Mein Wein Vinothek in Lehel will host a tuscan evening of wine and charcutterie. There'll be a set price of 30 euro. I am hoping to make it there and would love to use the occasion to get a good group together too. If you're interested, just hit reply.

I have to say I have LOVED working on this project - it's given me the chance to discover even more restaurants and wine bars that are raising the bar of hospitality in Munich. The products featured are also really excellent quality and truly what Italy is loved for.
You can find the full list of participating restaurants at enjoygusto.eu/restaurant-week-3 divided by city district.

Vom 23. bis 30. Oktober 2025 erfüllt die 3. Ausgabe der von GUSTO München mit authentischen Aromen und toskanischem Genuss!

17/10/2025

What happened to my charity silent auction? 🍷

Just before summer I decided to clear out some of the older bottles in my cellar using a silent auction. These were the older and dustier bottles that have been on my shelves for a while that deserve being drunk sometime soon ☺️

It wasn’t a huge fundraiser - I only had 2 bidders - and didn’t get rid of everything I had earmarked but still, it’s important for me to be transparent. I’m very much a “what I say is what I do” person and closing the loop matters a lot to me.

I managed to donate 420 euro to two local charities - the Munich Children’s hospice and Sawabona that works with various projects in South Africa to better the lives of children and young adults - which is still a great result.

And there are still a few bottles left ☺️. If by chance you are interested in any of these, drop me a PM.

I have to be honest, I

16/10/2025

Munich’s going Tuscan 🇮🇹

Happy to be supporting a project about proper, authentic food! 😋

Yesterday I organised a press conference for the GUSTO project - a theee year iniziative that shines the light on four authentic Tuscan products :

Pecorino Toscano DOP
Prosciutto Toscano DOP
Finocchiona IGP and
Olio Toscano IGP

The maim event? A restaurant week where 20 restaurants and wine bars will integrate these products into their menus - this goes from classic tagliere or deli meats and cheese, to authentic risotto and tortellini with pecorino and finicchiona, to innovative olive oil ice cream 😋.

The goal is to help people rediscover real flavours and understand what those DOP/IGP seals stand for - origin, quality and care..

Keep an eye out for the list of the 20 outlets. I’ll share it next week!

22/09/2025

I love to be proved wrong…

Two weeks after I wrote a pretty vital post on LinkedIn about how I’d spend the day at a fair dedicated to alcohol-free drinks and came to the conclusion that the alc-free wines weren’t as good as others, I found a couple I liked 😂.

Thursday night I was at a tasting hosted by at that was SUPER interesting. This sector of the drinks industry is exploding - especially in the UK and US so it was interesting to hear about the evolution, how profits are changing and the endless bureaucracy producers face to open this market.

We had a tasting of 8 products, three of which I needed to take home ☺️.

Rubin aperitif from I really wish more places stocked this or a similar product. Reminiscent of a spritz with a strong bitter orange taste but without the alcohol means I can save my alcohol quote for dinner and some really good wine… 🍷

Moderato from gros manseng and Merlot. This rosé has got a surprising amount of lengthways the aromas are preserved by removing them and then putting them back in once the alcohol has been removed. Pretty crazy stuff but very enjoyable. Good for food or without.

Senzo Cabernet Sauvignon. This was served cold to start which was ok but really reminded me of quince juice with some flatness in the mid palate. Warmed up in cupped hands and it was singing.. Not cheap but really good and I loved the packaging.

The final test will be to see how the meat-eater in the house says it matches up to a good steak!

If you’re wondering whether or not I’ve quit drinking, no, still happily a wine drinker however I have so many friends that are looking for these products that I’m happy to have found a few options that really hit the spot ☺️

03/09/2025

You're so excited to have started your business : the website, the logo, the offers.. But where are the clients?

I realise there'll be some service providers out there who may not agree with what I might write here but...

When I talk to the newbie entrepreneurs in the WEM community in Munich, finding FIRST clients is one of the challenges that stands out because...

1) We're told we need a perfect website that truly reflects our brand

The reality : We reflect our brand more than anything else. People will decide to work with us if they know, like and trust us and whilst that can come with a gorg website and logo, it's not the deciding factor.

2) We tell ourselves we need another course / qualification to be "really ready"

The reality : fear of failure in front of something new is normal. Self-employed people learn on the job just as they do in employment. Take the opportunity even if you don't feel 100% ready. You can only learn and grow.

3) Ad's are the best way to get to people

The reality : They are when you're 100% sure you're tuned in to what your customers want and you can only know that once you've had your first clients, otherwise, it's expensive research.

The reality is that we think we need magic strategies and money to get those first clients but the reality is they're closer than we think.

If you or anyone you know has started their entrepreneur journey and are looking for those first clients, let them know about my workshop : How to find your first Customers, Tuesday 9th September. I'll leave the link in the comments.