Meet the Founder

Racheal Straughan - Founder of Mayfli & Market Collective CIC

“Let’s keep our local economies alive with purpose and people.”

Why I Started
I believe in a future where independent businesses aren’t the exception, they’re the heartbeat of how we live, shop, eat, create, and connect.

Whether it’s the artist painting after bedtime, the farmer rising before dawn, the maker crafting at the kitchen table, or the wellness guide hosting retreats, their work isn’t just a job. It’s a purpose, a calling, a contribution.

But too often, they’re doing it alone.
That’s what I set out to change.

My Story
After 20 years working in e-commerce, I saw just how much the system favours the big, the fast, and the faceless.
But the businesses that moved me?
They were small, local, and full of soul.

The soap maker hand-blending every batch.
The food grower sharing harvest boxes with their community.
The independent seller juggling a side hustle while raising a family.
The experience-giver creating moments of joy, healing, or adventure for others.

These are the people I built Mayfli for, a fairer, simpler, more human way to sell online.

Then I created Market Collective CIC to go even further, supporting those who don’t always feel seen by traditional business support: part-time creatives, rural producers, neurodivergent entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and community champions.

Our Mission
To build a movement that uplifts independent business owners, from kitchen tables to market stalls, farms to festivals, and workshops to wellness retreats.

To revive not just our high streets but our whole local economy.
To celebrate craft, care, and community over convenience.
To show that small can be powerful and independent can be world-class.

This Isn’t Just Business
It’s your story.
Your roots.
Your next brave step.

Mayfli exists to make selling and growing easier without losing the soul of what you do.
Market Collective exists to make sure you don’t have to do it alone.

Together, we’re creating something more than a marketplace.
We’re building a movement.

Racheal x