From Tradition to Transformation — A Conversation With Nicola Mattey

🎙 From Tradition to Transformation — A Conversation With Nicola Mattey Nicola Mattey From Tradition To Transformation — A Conversation With Nicola Mattey In this episode’s 1–2–1 session, we sit down with Nicola Mattey . A storyteller, performer, and business owner who is turning a simple idea into something with real impact. During our conversation, Nicola speaks openly about the reality of modern consumer habits, particularly around Christmas. She reflects on how the festive season has become increasingly driven by trends. Shelves filled with plastic decorations, ever-changing colour schemes, and items that are often used once before being packed away or discarded altogether. It’s something that never quite sat right with her, and over time, that feeling grew into a question: does it really have to be this way? Instead of ignoring it, she chose to act. That decision led to the creation of The Ornament Exchange Company . A business built on a simple but powerful idea: renting Christmas decorations instead of buying them. Every item is pre-loved, carefully sourced from charity shops and platforms like Vinted , giving decorations a second life while reducing unnecessary waste. Cust