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Girl Bosses of Great Britain

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Girl Bosses

Girlbosses of Great Britain : Spotting a Niche and Making Dreams Come True with Velvet Circus

Danielle Hodgson-Lindley is the brainchild behind Velvet Circus, a brand that she launched after finding a niche. At Velvet Circus they are dedicated to creating unique experiences in the world of weddings, villa parties and events of all kind; every project is bespoke and tailored to suit their clients’ tastes and personal style.

Here at House of Coco, we love brands that offer that personal touch and Velvet Circus does just that. We spent some time with Danielle finding out more about her and the brand… Can you tell us about your journey which lead you to setting up Velvet Circus
I moved to Ibiza in 2006 from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, with my boyfriend (now husband). I started working for Ibiza Wedding as their head stylist for 8 years , I then saw a niche on the island for top stylist and decoration hire companies working freelance and it was then that Velvet Circus was born. This meant I could then work for all of the planners and concierge companies on their events.

Do you offer your services outside of Ibiza?
We offer services in the Balearics.

Do you have a specific way of working with your clients, if so, tell us about that…
We start by either meeting our clients in person or we chat to them on the phone. We gauge a little on what they like/don’t like and then we put together a comprehensive proposal with inspiration, photo shopping and plans accompanied with a finance sheet. This is followed with more meetings with our florists and clients to get everything just right.

Tell us what being an entrepreneur means to you…
To me this means making a dream come true, I’m also always thinking of a way to be more creative and expand my business. Being a good boss and treating staff well with a good sense of morale is really important to me because, ultimately, we are a family!

Have you made any business mistakes that have turned out to be beneficial learning curves?
I’ve made some mistakes with regards to the way I lay out rules and terms with suppliers and clients which as you say, these are great learning curves that better my business and have lead to me making the business work more efficiently.
If you were to offer one piece of advice to anyone looking to set up their own business, what would it be?
Make sure that you manage your business with a sense of authority but also kindness, always be fair. People will always remember that you work in this way.

Do you have any words of wisdom that will empower us in to feeling that we can achieve anything we set our mind to?
If you feel it in your gut then go for it!

Find out more…

www.velvetcircusibiza.com

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Girl Bosses

Girlbosses of Great Britain : The One With The Handbags with Sarah Haran

Sarah Haran is the founder and creative director behind her brand of the same name. Something that launched on the back of her hobby, she was inspired to make a handbag that not only looked the part but it kept you organised whilst on the move too. Now, making waves in the industry, craftsmanship is at the forefront of the brand and Sarah Haran is one to watch.

We spent some time with her to find out more…

Tell us about the journey that lead you to launching your brand, Sarah Haran…

As Founder, Creative Director and Mum of two, what started as a hobby – when I taught myself how to make handbags, became a passion that I finally turned into my career! I was inspired to create the perfect handbag to ensure I was completely organised when on the move and was carrying a bag that worked easily with the wardrobe I travelled with. I also wanted to be confident and “look the part” in every situation.

Whilst working full time as Chief Operating Officer of a publicly listed company, iomart, I learned how to design and produce handbags myself. Following an apprenticeship with the ex Creative Director of Mulberry, I designed the Dahlia. This beautifully functional tote bag soon became my every day bag and as friends and colleagues began requesting their own, the Sarah Haran brand was born

True craftsmanship is at the forefront of your brand, why is that important to you?

My love of style and my need for functionality that didn’t compromise quality or craftsmanship was really key to me. I wanted to create a lasting product that was not only sustainable but was something you could rely on every day and would not fall to pieces. I also wanted to create a product that could be restyled to make the handbag look completely different by simply adding on different accessories.

As I grew my brand it was no longer feasible to produce every handbag personally, so I began my hunt for the perfect partners who understood the craftsmanship values I wanted to bring to my brand. I wanted craftsmen and women who understood the need to create a product that would last.

Preferring family-run businesses, rather than big, faceless factories it took me ages to find the right partners. I literally researched for hours online and then travelled around Europe and found small factories in England, Spain and Turkey, with over 100 years of experience in producing handbags and small leather goods.

You only work with small partners, opposed to faceless factories that have a high turnover. We really respect this and would love to know, what are your views with regards to fast fashion?

I have always loved the skills and craftsmanship associated with smaller artisan led family-run production businesses, rather than faceless factories, When I was in my teen years I designed my own clothes and was fascinated by the skills of the local tailors (I lived in the Middle East at the time). My mother taught me to sew and I really enjoyed it – sourcing fabrics and trims was much cheaper then, than buying ready-made clothes.

Whilst you might never want to be seen twice in an outfit I think you would have made more effort to try to restyle an outfit in the past but with the advent of fast fashion you can literally purchase another outfit for such a low cost that there is no encouragement to restyle or reuse.

Thankfully, I think that we are all now so much more aware that it is time for us to all make more considered purchases that have a greater longevity and help reduce the impact on our planet. Whilst I truly respect everyone’s decision on how they purchase I do think the fashion industry has a responsibility to do better and enable us all to be able to buy better. Our handbags have deliberately been designed so that you can restyle them to look different thus ensuring your look can be easily changed with an accessory. They come with a lifetime guarantee as well so we are really standing behind the life of our products.

Since launching the brand, what has been your biggest achievement?

I think having the confidence to step out of my previous IT role and take the decision to actually start my business was a huge achievement. Since then the achievement of launching a brand that has received over 350 5 star endorsements and how we have changed the lives of our customers really is my biggest achievement. Reaching our second year in business and achieving our sales goals has also been a highlight, as well as being recognised for having a seriously excellent product by the Observer, The Guardian, Daily Mail You Magazine, Sunday Express, Marie Claire and Homes & Interiors, Good Housekeeping, and various online publications. It gives me confidence to keep pushing on!

Looking back, is there anything you would do differently?

It’s always so hard when you start a new business, particularly when you change career and sector, you just don’t know what you don’t know. I was easily swayed at the start as I really did not know how to present my brand, so if I was to change anything it would be to really have stuck to my guns on what my brand is about. I think I probably stuck to long with a PR agency because it’s so easy to be sold the dream of quick success. If I could go back I would definitely change them out sooner!

Your bags are stunning and practicality is at the forefront of what you do. Do you plan on launching other products down the line?

Yes, ultimately I would like to design a range of beautiful products that really are functional and will aid women in their day to day life’s. We already have plans afoot for this and this year have already launched our first Merino & Cashmere wraps. Watch this space

What does 2020 look like for you?

2020 is full of opportunity I am sure. My brand has gained more traction, more reviews and we have a great team in place now to help us really grow the brand. We have new designs we are working on and I am really excited to enter the 20’s with a roar. We are here and we want to continue to empower women with beautifully functional products!

Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

I have been very lucky to have travelled a lot seeing a range of different cultures and life’s. Next on my list would be going to Vietnam or the Cayman Islands. Both very different places but both hold a sense of a different life to my normal every day so definitely on my bucket list.

What’s a piece of advice you have received that has stuck with you?

I think a key bit of advice I have received is that you should always be willing to be easy to do business with. There are so many opportunities out there and everyone approaches them differently but the lesson of being willing to listen, to take on advice and to provide an excellent service makes you easy to do business with.

I have found that making our brand customer focussed and easy to deal with has given our customers a high quality experience. This has led to over 350 5-star reviews for our products with a net promoter score of +98%.

For anyone wanting to launch a fashion brand, what advice would you give?

Stick to what you believe your brand is all about and try not to be swayed by other ideas or input from others. You started your brand inspired by your own story or experiences and its often easy to get distracted.

Make sure you know who your customer is inside out, it really will make things so much easier.

Finally, I think you must also be sure you love what you do – you spend more time working on your brand so you must be passionate about it. Some days will be tough! Be willing to hustle as people simply may not take you seriously at the start. You have think out of the box to get their support. Hustle to get sales as well, that’s the true lifeblood of your business.

Find out more…

www.sarahharan.com

#sarahharanuk on facebook, twitter and instagram

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Australia

Girlbosses of Great Britain : From Overalls to Overall Success with Amanda Marshall at 3 Donkeys

Amanda Marshall is the founder of 3 Donkeys, a company that she runs whilst juggling life as a mother to 5 children. She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty, literally, and the company was born out of a frustration with the lack of products on the market for women who work hard in farms and stables.

She carried out market research and had numerous conversations with other females that she knew in similar working environments – farming, equestrian, dog walking, gardening – even painters & decorators. It soon became clear there was a gap in the market – and demand was high and that is when she decided to launch 3 Donkeys.

So, in 2017, she set about designing a coverall that was totally practical, adaptable, and versatile, looked good and kept her clean too. And, as they say, the rest is history.

Here, Amanda tells us more about animals being her therapy, her plans for the future and more…

Q) Tell us about the journey that lead to you launching 3 Donkeys

My 3 Donkeys journey started shortly after the birth of my 3rd child Roberta in April 2007. Alongside my rather eclectic mix of animals (horses, alpacas, donkeys, to name a few) I had a small flock of Shetland sheep and during lambing I practically lived in coveralls, they were the conventional men’s all-in-ones. It was a constant struggle to remove them in a hurry and they were the worst fitting clothes I have ever worn. I looked for a women’s alternative and could only find a slightly better fitting version of the men. This however did not solve the ‘removing in a hurry’ issue. It was at that point that my design first, popped into my head. However, family life got in the way and my design was put to the back of my mind for another day.

Fast forward to 2017 and I started to notice more women asking on social media about a ‘true alternative’ to men’s coveralls. After extensive searching on the internet both nationally and globally, it soon became apparent that no one had produced one. I asked as many women as I dared without releasing exactly what I had planned and with the help of a some amazing friends and a few skype meetings between Devon and Australia, my design was a reality and ready for the legal journey of registering etc and the task of thinking of a name started in Ernest. Anyway with the rejected name pile growing and no obvious name jumping out at me, the same friend who helped on the skype callssaw a post on my personal Facebook profile of my donkeys Teabag, Woolley and Dave running off (in the opposite direction that I wanted!) and messaged me with, ‘what about 3 Donkeys?’.

It immediately clicked for me because we are a family business and although only Teabag and Dave are related (mother and son) , the 3 Donkeys are like a family unit. Donkeys are also known for being doggedly hardworking, like our coveralls.

2017 and 2018 saw many prototypes during development for trials. It was made harder because of the fact that it was a completely new concept for coveralls, with the full length waist zip allowing for not only easy removal but being able to wear the jacket and trousers independently and the fact that I wanted to be able to zip them together when wearing them. They were trialled extensively by women not only in farming, but at stable yards, competitions, dog walkers and gardening. I finally had a coverall which was functional, versatile and feminine.

Q) Talk us through an average day in your life…

An average day in my life starts with 3 school runs. I have 5 children ranging from 6-year-old twin boys, 2 daughters (12 &16) and my oldest son who is 18 (and about to start his university journey). Followed by posting stories on our social media profiles. I am very fortunate that I have lovely friends who help me with my animals, which allows me to concentrate on 3 Donkeys. Mornings are generally spent catching up with emails, discussing what is on the daily to do list with my parents who are also an integral part of the business, this mostly fuelled by cups of Tea. I usually head into my shed or 3DHQ as my children named it, in the afternoon sorting out stock, packing orders and jotting down new ideas. The afternoon school runs often come around far too quickly followed by sorting out supper and helping with homework. Sitting around the kitchen table to eat is one of my favourite times of the day as I love to hear what everyone has been up to.

Q) Do you plan on expanding the range in the future?

I currently have tall and petite versions of the classic in development with the hope to release them a little later this year.

Q) Your business was founded because you couldn’t find this product on the market. What research did you. Do before launching?

I spent time researching in shops (mainly agricultural and equestrian), extensively online both on uk sites and global ones and the uk intellectual property office. I also asked many women who use coveralls, finding out what would be on their coveralls Wishlist.

Q) Looking back, is there anything you would do differently?

There are so many things that I would do differently now, however at the time I knew nothing about the industry or indeed the process and started my manufacturing journey visiting Manchester and many of thefabric manufacturers there, which fortunately led onto meeting our pattern cutter and in turn our coverall manufacturer.

Q) Being eco-friendly and sustainability is important to you, can you tell us more about your mission…

I really believe that we all have a duty to be as eco-friendly as possible. With this in mind our packaging is plastic free and reusable, recyclable or compostable. Our coveralls are all made in Britain using the best materials possible – for example our Dartmoor coveralls are made from 100% Ventile® weatherproof cotton and are made to last, thus reducing our fashion footprint.

Q) Who is your ideal customer?

Our ideal customer is someone who has the desire to keep their clothes clean and dry but not compromise on quality, style or femininity, at work or leisure.

Q) Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

I love to travel and one day I hope to see more of America and visit a rodeo along the way.

Q) What does self-care mean to you?

I have found starting 3 Donkeys® to be a real emotional rollercoaster, especially with my lack of business knowledge and starting from the bottom. I am very fortunate that I can go and spend time with my horse Tia and labradoodle Hattie when I need some Me time, to relax and refocus. Animals really are the best therapy.

Q) What quote do you like to read when you’re lacking motivation?

The quote I often tell myself is ‘If you opt for a safe life, you will never know what it’s like to win’ by Sir Richard Branson. It always helps spur me on when I need a little motivation.

Q) What are your plans for the brand in 2020?

My main goal for 3 Donkeys® during 2020 is for our brand awareness to continue growing as it has done, I always have so many ideas of new design features and materials to use which will come along as we grow. I really am excited for what this year holds.

Find out more about Amanda and 3 Donkeys…

Our website www.3donkeys.co.uk and across our social media pages @3donkeysclothing.

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Fashion

Interview | The Bulb

Everyone knows we love a Girl Boss here at House of Coco so this week we caught up with The Bulb a creative production agency that produces sustainable events. We wanted to know more about the event agency and of course Selina Donald and Ruth Weldon the driving force behind the The Bulb!

They bring creativity and passion ensuring that every event they design and deliver is good for their client, and the clients budget, the community and most importantly the planet.

Tell us a little bit about you – how did you meet?

Ruth We have known each other for over ten years and first met in Leeds. We have the same circle of friends and had been bumping into each other at parties and social gatherings for a while. When I moved to London, I got in touch with Selina as she was looking for a freelancer to work with her at ITV as well as to fill a room at her house. At one point we were living together, working together and planning our business together!

How important is sustainability to you?

Ruth We don’t see sustainability as a separate entity to The Bulb, us or our work. It runs through everything we do – all of our decisions are made based on our values and ethos.

This year has been a momentous year for sustainability and climate change. The creation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the ratification of the Paris Agreement with 112 countries agreeing to do everything in their power to fight climate change. Climate change is a bigger risk to the world than terrorism but yet people just don’t know about it which is worrying.

Selina At the moment we are busy working with a team of experts to finalise our manifesto and reporting and metric system. We have chosen five key areas that we know we can have an impact, reducing food waste, choosing production materials responsibly and setting three year targets that will result in measurable positive social, environmental, economic and community impact.

We are building innovative partnerships with people from different industries, taking findings and understanding how we can be better

Ruth Transparency is one of our core values, and setting clear targets and reporting regularly on them keeps us accountable, drives us and allows us to share what we’ve learned and inspire others to head the same direction. Our approach will develop, grow and adapt as new information and trends shape them, and as our business matures over the years.

How did The Bulb begin? Tell us more about your ethos and what you stand for

Selina Sustainability has always been an interest for me, from an early age I have been following the news on climate change, sustainability development and animal rights. Working on the London 2012 Ceremonies, I was part of the sustainability committee and it was the first time that I realised that events are notoriously wasteful but yet don’t need to be. I’m really proud that we delivered the most sustainable Ceremonies in Olympic and Paralympic history.

Ruth We’ve both worked in the events industry for over ten years, have had brilliant experiences working with huge brands and knew the market was saturated with great agencies. We looked at our passions and expertise as well as what was missing in the market and decided that we wanted to create an innovative and forward thinking agency. Deliver on our passions and expertise.

We spent three months researching, identifying our strengths, weaknesses and meeting key people in the industry and from potential clients to put the concept in front of them and see what they thought. It gave us the confidence to know that it there was a gap and we were the right people to fill it.

We are all about the #girlboss here at HoC tell us what motivates you?

Selina That’s one of our favourite hashtags to use! Other successful women motivate us. We are so lucky to have a group of fantastic and inspirational female friends, mentors and colleagues that we can bounce ideas off, talk through the emotional rollercoaster of running your own business and just encourage and instill confidence in each other.

We went to the recent TEDX Covent Garden Women and it was fantastic – some of the women have been through things that you can’t even imagine and to hear them talk so positively and discuss their achievements was incredible. I guess the other motivation are the young girls that we mentor, we want to succeed so we can inspire them to succeed – if we can do it then so can they.

Favourite holiday destination and why

Ruth As well as The Bulb, we also have another business called Ruth Alexander Weddings which is a wedding planning agency based in Ibiza. Ibiza is an island that has been special to us for a long time and we decided that we wanted a work-life balance from the mania in London and set up over there too. We have ten clients at the moment and all the weddings are beautiful, high-end and creative set everywhere from a beach, to private villas and even one wedding in a woods! It gives us the opportunity to work but also get out of London and get some head space, do some yoga and relax in the Balearic countryside.

ruthalexanderweddings.com

What do you like doing to relax?

Selina Ha! – erm…aside from the time out in Ibiza, I really love to read and have to have a book on the go that is nothing to do with work in order to switch off. Recent brilliant recommended reads are When Breathe Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi and Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solnit – both completely different but brilliant reads.

Ruth I have a puppy, Rafferty. He is absolutely nuts and keeps me on my toes! I love going out for long walks with him and having that time out.

Selina you have an extensive background in events – what makes The Bulb different?

Selina The Bulb is set up differently to any other agency in London. We’ve taken all of our experience and passion and put it into one agency that delivers brilliant, creative events using digital technology and innovations but with the added bonus of being responsible to the environment and society.

We know that the businesses who will thrive in the future – including events companies and those who commission events – are those who can do great things with less. We have done away with the ‘old fashioned’ approach to events with the past legacy of food waste, unconscious energy use, throwaway sets and short-term focus. We also have a particular passion for social sustainability and how we can use events as platforms to empower, educate and engage an audience.

It’s a mans world – have you faced any issues being women in the events industry and how do you tackle them?

We disagree that it’s a man’s world. It’s a scary time but it’s also an exciting time – women are coming together to revolt again patriarchy and rising the profile of women’s rights across the world. Look at the #HeforShe campaign lead by the fantastic Emma Watson, the WOW festival run by Jude Kelly at the Southbank Centre, the rise in feminism across the board – people are talking and making a difference.

Yes, somehow the most powerful position in the world has been filled by a misogynistic predatory man but this should just encourage more shouting and more action. It means that we have to come together as people to highlight and unite against wrongdoings. People are finally talking about rape culture, the gender pay gap, the impact of porn and social media and encouraging women to ‘lean in’ and stand up for themselves and we have to make sure that those conversations do not stop. We certainly won’t be silenced and will shouting from the rooftops, using our events as platforms to further encourage social change.

If you could change one thing about the world today – what would it be?

Selina The current deforestation and impact on the oceans. There are one third less wildlife in the world today since 1970. There are so many species of animals on the brink of being extinct because we, humans, are cutting down their homes, making way for palm oil and the like, filling the oceans with plastic which kills over one million sea animals a year. Every time you use that plastic straw in the pub, it stays on the planet for over 500 years and ends up floating around in the sea. Imagine the world without us, or the world without animals – pretty powerful stark contrast isn’t it?

We are loving Planet Earth Sundays at the minute – how do you spend your days off?

RuthWe LOVE Planet Earth too! There was a great interview with David Attenborough where he was asked what should we do about Donald Trump and he replied, ‘perhaps we should shoot him’. Brilliant! David Attenborough for Prime Minster and World Leader we say!!

Back to the question though… we spend our days off (which are minimal at the moment) with our loved ones, we have the same brilliant circle of friends who are incredibly supportive of what we are doing and we love nothing more than a fun, boozy Sunday roast in an East London pub – red wine, Yorkshire Puddings and lots of laughs!

Your company values are wonderful! How important are they to you to maintain – even in the toughest of situations?

SelinaThe creative concept and sustainability of our events are intertwined. We will not ever deliver an event without the impact of the environment at the forefront of our planning. These are our passions as well as our work so we know that we will maintain them and keep credible.

Name a place in the world where you’d love to organise an event?

Selina I was talking about this last night! Our dream brief would be to organise the an event on the Virgin Galactic Spaceflight. How incredible to organise an event in space, looking back on the Planet. I think it would be a life affirming and changing moment, you would realise just how insignificant we all are.

Richard – if you are reading this – get in touch!

What can we expect from The Bulb in the future?

Ruth BIG things! We are releasing our manifesto and reporting targets in January on our year anniversary. We’ll be starting the year in Las Vegas working on a huge project for Redken. Then we’re working with Vivienne Westwood’s Climate Revolution to produce an 800 people event to start Fashion Week off with a bang in February as well as working on International Parity Day – the day celebrating and promoting equality between everyone. There’s lots of exciting conversations taking place and we absolutely can’t wait to see what 2017 brings.

Who inspires you?

Selina We were incredibly moved by Michelle Obama’s speech on women, education and Donald Trump. It was so powerful, you could have heard a pin drop in our office. Michelle for President 2020 we say!

Ruth Both of us are lucky enough to have fantastic mentors who have supported us along the way and provide objective advice to help us move forward and which we are incredibly grateful for.

Selina We’re also inspired by the younger generation. We keep meetingso many amazing people in their early 20’s who have start-up’s and are absolutely smashing it! It’s so inspiring to see someone young, confident in their abilities and not afraid of failure.

Thank you for taking the time to speak to us Selina and Ruth! we are so excited to hear more from The Bulb – and you can keep up with their journey and adventures

Instagram: @thebulbldnTwitter: @thebulbldnFacebook: The Bulb – https://www.facebook.com/The-Bulb-1243086739085171/

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Accessories

Marielle Kangasniemi shows how Bagpad is all about loving handbags and the environment

Any self-confessed bagaholic is familiar with the age old dilemma of taking care of their prized designer handbags. It is exactly this brilliant bit of insight that inspired fellow handbag lover, Marielle Kangasniemi, to create Bagpad.

The idea for Bagpad is simple. Originally inspired by the iconic Hermès Birkin, Bagpad is a specially sized and customisable product that supports the interior of your handbags, maintaining its shape, and also reducing moisture damage. Besides being an absolute must for handbag lovers the world over, Bagpad also provides a longterm solution to keeping the shape of your handbags, while reducing plastic waste.

We catch up with Bagpad Founder, Marielle Kangasniemi, and talk all things Bagpad, her collaboration with One Ocean Foundation, and about the biggest challenges and triumphs she has faced as a GirlBoss.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, what inspired you to start Bagpad?

I’ve always to do something on my own, I just needed to find the idea. So after I finished my masters in Fashion and Luxury Brand Management at Istituto Marangoni, I knew I wanted to do something within fashion and luxury. I’ve also always had a passion for handbags, so I decided to combine my passion with my knowledge and came up with this unique solution that didn’t exist before. Now when you think about it, it’s such an obvious thing that all handbag lovers need.

The iconic Hermès Birkin Bag is the inspiration behind the bagpad, as this is a bag that really needs support when it’s not in use. So the first bagpad was made to fit the Birkin bag, but now we offer bagpads to fit any designer handbag. The bagpads can also be personalised with monogramming and we offer fun patches for decoration too. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who has a handbag.

How important is sustainability to Bagpad? Could you’ll us more about your collaboration with One Ocean Foundation?

Sustainability is one of the core elements of Bagpad, as the whole idea was to create a long-term solution for keeping handbags in shape and reduce the use of plastic. What’s currently in use is bubblewrap, plastic bags, or tissue paper? We know that plastics are the most common form of trash in landfills, and the most dangerous form of pollution. The ocean is filling up with garbage, so in order to help, we are in collaboration with the One Ocean Foundation, which raises awareness about the urgency to resolve problems plaguing our marine ecosystems. They create specific projects to help safeguard marine life, and also perform beach cleanups throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Every individual can contribute to saving the oceans through simple but virtuous actions.

At Bagpad we are very committed to do our part to save the planet, and so we use biodegradable packaging and recyclable materials. Plastic in itself can be harmful to the leather and interior of the bag, as it might transfer colour, start ‘sweating,’ or even scratch the leather, which is why we use only premium materials that are especially suitable for designer handbags.

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What steps can we take to become more conscious consumers?

Always choose the more long-term solution. Even if you can’t find a completely sustainable and Eco-friendly product, it’s better to choose the one that lasts longer, even if it might cost a bit more. There is already so much waste in this world, so any conscious decision to reduce the use of plastic is for the better.

It’s also important to take care of what you have so that it lasts longer. That’s why it’s important to take care of your handbags. They are meant to be used for a long time and if you take proper care of them they can last decades.

There are many ways to take care of handbags, but the most important one is to keep them filled when not in use. This prevents the leather from creasing and helps the bag to keep its shape. Our bagpads also protect from excessive moisture to keep the bag in perfect condition.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?

To find time to do everything! I wish I could clone myself so that I would have time to do everything and be everywhere at the same time. It’s challenging but also very exciting to work with all aspects of the business. I learn so much everyday and I feel so grateful for having this opportunity.

Another thing that can be tricky is figuring out the marketing strategy. There is so much going on in social media and consumers are exposed to so much marketing all the time, so it can be difficult to stand out. You really need to know who your customers are and where they spend their time. Luckily our product is unique and customers can really see the value in it.

What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?

If you have an idea or a chance to start something on your own, just do it! You can dream however much you want but if you never start, you will never know. Don’t be scared of setbacks, they help you grow and push you in the right direction. There is always help available and especially London is such a great environment to start a business. I’ve met so many inspiring people here and you never know who you’ll meet, there’s always someone who knows someone. Expanding your network is key!

WWW.BAGPAD.CO.UK

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Girl Bosses of Great Britain

#GirlBossesofGreatBritain Boot Camp: Workout One, Love Yourself

Have you been enjoying our #GirlBossesofGreatBritain interviews? One of the key themes we keep hearing about is how being your own boss involves a lot of learning. Whether you are your own boss, would like to be or simply want to channel your inner #GirlBoss when planning your next group holiday, we can help.

Welcome to the #GBOGB BootCamp, ladies!

Each week we’ll be sharing some top tips on places to go for more inspo and might even set you some homework, if you are up for it (get those gel pens at the ready!)

Workout One: Love Yourself!

Self-help has some seriously bad rap. Don’t get us wrong a lot of it is about as accomplished and meaningful as the guy spitting some bars on the back of the bus. But self-help is not all about crystals and chakras or power poses (while these things can help if you believe in them!) but finding that place, movie, playlist or book that says something to you.

Here are three of our top sources of ‘Love Yourself’ inspo, with snippy tweet length reviews to whet your appetite:

Love Yourself Reading:

Radical Self-Love by Gala Darling

Gala is a mystical being and self love is her bag. This means whatever you want: meditation, a great squad and the power of a good selfie.

Love Yourself Listening:

Venus Fly by Grimes and Janelle Monae

Oh this song. We hear girl gangs stomping against the male gaze. That may just be our interpretation. Blooming good song all the same.

Love Yourself Watching:

Begin Again, 2013

This is an unexpected, feel good delight discovered on Netflix. Watch and see another side of Keira. Glow inside. Then watch Chef. You are welcome.

What did we miss out? Join the conversation on Twitter and tell us your secret #GirlBoss weapons…

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Beauty

#GirlBossesofGreatBritain – The One with the Badass Neighbourhood Nail Bar

House of Coco had a chat with Abra and Erene of Pastille Bar in Leeds to learn about starting a business in a recession and looking after your employees so they look after you.

HOC: So ladies, tell us about Pastille, what’s it all about?

Abra: We opened in August 2013 and actually, we found the unit before we found the business! We were both passionate about opening a business, found the space and thought about what would work well there. We had a few talks about what would work in a recession and what people still spend money on, and figured that, for women, it was beauty.

Erene: We’re not Beauty Therapists ourselves but we been customers in salons before. We spotted a gap in the market to create a salon with a ‘neighbourhood’ feel in Granary Wharf in Leeds and the feedback is that the specialist service we provide and the space we have is great.

HOC: And how did you both come to working together?

Abra: I’d finished my degree in Law at Manchester Uni and I’d thought about studying business but instead we just did it! The original plan was to spend a year getting the business off the ground, but after working for myself I realised I couldn’t work for someone else. Self-employment is never an option at university, it’s just endless grad scheme applications, which I realised didn’t interest me.

Erene: When Pastille came along I was halfway through training to be a psychotherapist. I’m now qualified so I split my time between seeing clients and the salon. My fiancé is Abra’s brother so it’s a family business now!

HOC: How do you fund the business?

Abra: We self-funded the business, and managed everything really carefully so we started taking a profit at the twelve-month point. While it was a big jump, it never felt like it wouldn’t work. In the run up we were so focused! From having the idea to launching was a four-month period, and we only got the keys two weeks before we opened.

Some people are surprised at how relatively little it was to set up, which we achieved by negotiating our rent and kitting out the salon with low-cost but pretty fittings, and we chipped in with the DIY!

Erene: We employ a team, which can be scary as people’s salaries rely on your business. Abra was only 21 and I was 25 when we started, and it’s people’s livelihoods and careers we’re responsible for. It is an additional cost of course, but they’re the ones that make or break the business so we’re happy to provide them with a great salary and bonuses.

HOC: How do you market Pastille?

Abra: We’ve done a lot with the local area; flyering, discounts for locals – things that get people through the door. We do a lot of work with other local businesses through our Collaborative Partnership Working Scheme, which is completely free – it’s a skills exchange.

Erene: When we opened we were quite quiet so we thought of doing a Pop-Up Beauty Bar in local offices and offer free manicures so people would be introduced to us. This let us meet prospective clients and give them a taste of the Pastille experience rather than harass them through too much leaflet giving!

Once they had met us there was no real reason for them to go somewhere else when we were just around the corner. It costs very little to offer a free manicure if it brings you another customer – you have to spend a little money to make more money.

HOC: What about social media and online marketing?

Abra: We’ve spent time on our social media and most of our followers are on Instagram with people liking us from all over the world. Twitter is better for getting in touch with local businesses. We can have a conversation on Twitter and friends in local businesses who help us run competitions and spread the word!

Erene: We work a lot with beauty bloggers as well, ever since our launch party where we invited lots of local bloggers. We’ve found that the basic rule in getting people through the door is that you always have to reintroduce the idea of who you are and what you do, in lots of different ways. On top of social media we offer online booking, maintain our website, run events in the salon and support external events through our Pop-Up Beauty Bar service.

HOC: Do you have any tips for SEO?

Abra: We encourage as many people as possible to review us on their blogs and share our website. I think people fear giving out free treatments but the more links you have, the higher you rank in Google searches.

Giving things away can feel scary when you start out but it totally pays off. In the first 6 months we were already close to the top of Google for salons in Leeds, ahead of salons that had been around for 10 years! It really is amazing how much marketing you can do yourselves for little or no cost.

HOC: Why else do you think you have been successful?

Erene: I think it definitely helps that we are entrepreneurs and we’re physically present in the salon. Our customers say that they like seeing who the managers are, and that they’re involved. Women are savvy about where they spend their money and why – if we are the face, we need to be there.

While we are the managers, the expertise is in our team. We have a flat hierarchy when it comes to the day-to-day and we always credit our girls for making the business what it is. Three of our team have been with us since we opened in 2013, which is super rare in the beauty industry!

Abra: The difference in what we offer in comparison to other salons is that we’re not two Beauty Therapists with qualifications who wanted to open a salon just to generate an income. We’re both aware of what clients want when they visit a salon – if a customer isn’t happy we fall over ourselves to make things right! We try really hard to keep people coming back.

As Erene said, our team are so important and recruiting is tough, which we’ve heard from lots of business owners. Our team all get more than minimum wage and lots of bonus schemes, as they are trained professionals and they deserve to have this reflected in what they’re paid. We need to recognise the skills of women – beauty is a big industry for a reason, if it’s done right it makes such a difference!

HOC: How do people react when you tell them about your business?

Abra: People don’t understand what’s involved, most of the time. It’s just not a little nail salon – we manage every single aspect ourselves, in-house. At first glance some people find it difficult to think that two young women can work at the level we’ve been doing. I once remember a guy came in the salon and asked to talk the manager, he was so shocked when I told him I was the manager!

Erene: I think it just proves that your business can be in anything, you could be making the most random thing but if it’s doing well, it’s doing well. Because I’m a psychotherapist too I explain to people I have two jobs very often!

HOC: Do you find the business scene to be supportive?

Erene: We’ve got some great networks in Leeds, especially for women. You can meet some amazing people and we can all support each other. I guess the challenge is finding the network that suits you best. Women can fall in the same circles and there’s only so far that can take you! We believe in partnerships and reaching out to other entrepreneurs.

I head up two schemes for Pastille which encourages professional support – our Collaborative Partnership Working Scheme and a new one which aims to support BME, refugee and asylum-seeking women to start their own business in the city.

Abra: There’s always a link between your businesses. You may think that someone is doing something so different from running a nail salon but there’s always a way to collaborate.

HOC: So, what’s the plan for the future?

Abra: We want to add more staff to our team and increase our opening hours, and we’re always looking for little ways to increase business – we launched our online booking system a few weeks ago for example. There’s room to grow in the space we’re in, we wouldn’t want to move because the location is ideal. It’s our third birthday this year and we have some really exciting celebrations planned.

Erene: Our team have helped lead the development of the business and we consult with them about new treatments, as they’re the ones with the expertise and skills. For instance, we offer Russian Volume Lashes which you can’t find anywhere else in Leeds and we also have a freelance Make Up Artist.

I think that one of the worse things a business can do is try to grow too fast. We need a really solid relationship between us, the team and our clients and we wouldn’t want to ruin that. We both feel that we’d rather have one salon that was really great rather than have loads that were okay. I’d rather go to sleep knowing that we had kept our integrity! We’re complete perfectionists, we know everything that’s going on in our salon.

HOC: Finally, any tips for where budding Girl Bosses can go for more inspiration?

Erene: I think it’s tricky to pinpoint a source. We’re in the 4th wave of feminism and there are so many channels of information! I read a lot online from America which helps massively as feminism is now an international conversation. We’ve deal with a lot of women specific employment issues like maternity leave and child care, which I know Sheryl Sandberg talks about in her book ‘Lean In’, so we try hard to be women-inclusive as a company.

Abra: We spend time reading about how to engage our staff and keep them happy, and being in the salon a lot ourselves means we’re hugely invested in this. We do all we can to benefit our staff which in turn makes clients happy – it’s a whole experience. So it’s a case of learning from each other for sure.

At House of Coco we’re excited to see how Pastille celebrate their third birthday and what the future has in store. Be sure to invite us, Girl Bosses!

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Food & Drink

#GIRLBOSSESOFGREATBRITAIN – The One with Tequila (it makes us happy!)

House of Coco had the joy of meeting the fabulous Cleo Rocos, creator of the 100% agave AquaRiva tequila and organic agave syrup, to talk being the only British tequila creator and producer (tequilera), advice from Freddie Mercury and the ethos of business over a couple of AquaRiva cocktails. It’s a hard life!

HOC: Cleo, so wonderful to meet you. So tell us all about AquaRiva, your tequila brand?

CR: Fabulous to meet you too. Do you know what having my own brand wasn’t ever the plan, it was a passion like falling in love with a rock and roll artist and finding yourself on the road!

I hated what I thought was tequila and I think most people are the same. I was in Mexico about 16 years ago in a small place completely off the beaten track. I saw this really glamorous lady in her 60s sitting by the pool in an unnecessarily floaty dress who was sipping from a glass and laughing campily. I asked the waiter was she was drinking as she was having such a wonderful time. He said it was tequila and I reeled in horror! I asked him to bring me what she was drinking and that was the turning point.

From this point I realised we’d all been cheated by not having real tequila! I started to pursue it and learn everything I could. My passion and knowledge grew and in 2009 I received a prestigious award from the tequila industry (CNIT), the only female honoured! I created AquaRiva in 2011. I feel that people are so worried about what they are eating but drink blindly. I feel really strongly that the tequila we’ve all had a horrible experience with is mixed tequila which is only 51% tequila, the rest is industrial alcohol, sugar, colourings, additives; it’s really detrimental to the industry!

HOC: Sounds incredible! How on earth did you go about creating your own tequila?

CR: In 2011 I went out to make a 100% agave tequila with no backing, just a passion. I’m scared to look back as I don’t know how it happened and I’m still scared! I spent 11 months working with a master blender in Mexico as I wanted to create a fantastic tequila. One that is truly great and that isn’t expensive.

The first thing I did was to go the bartenders and found out what bottle they like to work with and they all said a wine bottle. Then I wanted to work on the label. The label for my first tequila was by a 17 year old art student I met on the tube! I had a throbbing tax bill a few years ago and I had the chance to go into the Celeb Big Brother house. Under normal circumstances I’d rather boil my head in rhino phlegm but under these it was the only reasonable option! When I came out of the house I met him on the tube and he was asking me about being on TV and I noticed paint on his hand and I asked if he was decorating and he said he was an art student. I gave him my card and he sent over some examples of his work and I fell in love with it. I commissioned him to design my label, saying it had to feel like the first day of holiday!

I don’t want my tequila to look like other tequilas. I love my bottle and label they are straight forward and mean we can get on with enjoying the tequila. I don’t believe in the ridiculous packaging that most tequila comes in, there’s no point! AquaRiva is the read deal – not an imposter in an artisan bottle. It has won the best of the best in the world’s biggest tequila judging in the USA. I am so throbbingly excited about that.

HOC: And then you brought your tequila over here. How did you start finding your customers?

CR: We had this container of tequila coming over from Mexico and I thought, this isn’t really my field, what do I do? I saw there was a new flight path with Virgin Atlantic to Mexico and called them up to see if I could get a meeting to show them AquaRiva. I got the meeting and went too see them with the tequila and they took it. You can still get it in the clubhouses! So, Virgin was our first customer.

Recently I signed a huge distribution deal. Other than that I was literally going bar to bar to spread the word. I do masterclasses all over the place, in bars, in Waitrose, educating people about the sugar and other junk they are consuming. AquaRiva is a big little brand and I want people to be able to trust in my tequila. I’m in this for the long haul and when I’m doing demonstrations in Waitrose these people come in with odd questions who we just know have been sent in by the bigger brands! I do love tequila people but what happens often is that customers think that they are buying a boutique tequila brand not knowing that it has actually been bought up by a larger company a few years before and then corners get cut and the product quality suffers, telling a different story! There are no secrets with AquaRiva, I used to have my mobile number on the website, anyone could call me to ask questions!

HOC: We love how close you are to your tequila and agave syrup brand, do you ever see yourself moving further away from it?

CR: I am so passionate about it. I go to the fields where the agave is grown and see the sexy Beyonce agaves that get used in our 100% agave tequila and syrup. AquaRiva Organic Agave syrup is the highest quality available, gluten free, low GI and is used by people like Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey and Gino D’Campo which makes me hugely proud.

I just want everyone to have the experience I had! I want my tequila to feel like the first day of a holiday which is how you feel when you drink it. [You feel] more happy and divine, more like Mykonos, Ibiza and Monte Carlo.

Not so long ago, I was invited to speak at King’s College. The other people who were speaking had notes and iPads and I just got up there and said “I can just tell you what happened, I’m still on the journey”! On the panel discussion we were asked what the biggest drive was for our businesses and I said it was enthusiasm and passion. You don’t feel pain, you see where you need to be and you aim for it!

I own 100% of my business and, if I’m honest, I can’t see myself putting the same amount of energy into something I don’t own. When it’s yours you half dream ideas at 3.30am in the morning and suddenly an email pops back into your head that you didn’t send….If I didn’t own it I don’t know if I could get by on the little sleep I do get!

I remember Freddie Mercury once told me (when I was first getting into television) to always remember the early days. The days when you are scared and don’t know what it’s going on, those are the best days. Once things happen people try to box you. I also feel that you aren’t pushing hard enough if you don’t feel like a lemming clinging to the clifftop!

HOC: Looking at everything you’ve achieved in your career to date we’d say you definitely have an entrepreneurial spirit, where does that come from?

CR: My life has just come together, all the best things just seem to happen! It truly all started as I was late for a ballet class running across a carpark and I’m scared to think what could have happened if I had been on time. It’s all about the moments! I always feel like I’m running through the fire and I hope I can make it through. You have to move on your gut instinct to stay ahead.

For instance, we had this situation where we had contracts coming in and our prices were going up and I needed to pre-buy tequila, fast! So I went to the HSBC bank and I knew I had to get the money. We met at 9:30am and I arrived with my tequila and freshly squeezed lime and my agave and told them all about my brand. We’re all in a boardroom and we shook up some cocktails; they tried not to look too shocked. Needless to say, the meeting went well!

I’m experience and passion drive about building the brand. Money doesn’t matter to me, the brand matters.

HOC: You said you are one of few female tequila makers, what’s it like being a woman in this industry?

It’s a very male dominated industry and I don’t know if it’s because I have brothers and love being with men but I’ve been treated with nothing but respect. I think people can tell that I’m serious! Something I’ve learnt as well is that women have amazing palates and we have far more receptors than men, it’s a natural thing. I never consider myself a woman in business at all, it gives me a strange sense of fear as there are some business women who hate men! The second you say you are a woman in business you create a divide and I honestly don’t think it matters. Sometimes I have to be reminded that I’m a woman as I just don’t think about it.

HOC: We’ve seen some fabulous famous fans of AquaRiva, how do you go about marketing the tequila and agave syrup?

CR: I was invited by CNN to do an interview and it went global to 290m homes which was unbelievable! We also do things like Twitter, Facebook and recently got going on instagram. It’s so funny, when I was doing TV if someone said they were following you you’d call the police!

I do love people but I have a bit of discomfort with the whole selfie culture! I am lucky to have a number of great celeb friends but I’d rather die than ask them to promote my brand. So when they do it’s because they want to, Holly Willoughby recently instagrammed AquaRiva which was great!

HOC: You wrote a book about ‘The Power of Positive Drinking’ , what does a good cocktail mean to you?

CR: We have the best AquaRiva parties, it’s brought so many people together. It’s all about being the favourite version of yourself – not being the office version of yourself. Cocktails should be the catalyst for those magicky moments. The taxman can’t take your memories – yet!

The book I wrote was not for the drink industry but the customers and tells stories of evenings that started with a particular cocktail! Stories and moments that wouldn’t have happened without that one drink. I really feel that people don’t dance enough – you just need to go out and throw your body around. I think let’s just have a party – when I see a table at the start of the evening I want to know if I can dance on it. Oh, the number of chandeliers I’ve misjudged the size of! If you don’t have a good story, what’s the point. We have to be going up and down in life to be alive.

Everyone is so marketed to, people worry about age and I believe that it really doesn’t matter. You are either fabulous and you get more fabulous or you aren’t! Life is a journey, there’s no such thing as a mistake. You just think ‘that wasn’t very pleasant, I won’t do that again’. Everyone is trying to pile guilt on but we should just enjoy it.

Life is a journey, there’s no such thing as a mistake. You just think ‘that wasn’t very pleasant’ I won’t do that again. Everyone is trying to pile guilt on but we should just enjoy it.

HOC: Cleo, you are a fabulous girl boss and we can attest that AquaRiva is so superior to tequila we’ve been drinking so far. You’ve opened our eyes to the power of positive drinking and let’s share another Paloma really soon!

You can try the fabulous AquaRiva tequila and syrup in great bars around the country and purchase online at retailers such as Waitrose, The Whisky Exchange and Drinks Direct.

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Girl Bosses

BossBabe Stories : Exploring the world of Art, Love and Female consciousness with Catherine Blades Couture

Catherine Blades is a force to be reckoned with, a powerhouse and true boss babe who founded a company of the same name. Catherine Blades Couture , award winning wedding dress designer, exploring the world of art, love and female consciousness and a name that should be on everybody’s lips. When you think wedding, you need to think Catherine Blades Couture.

Catherine Blades provides a fully bespoke service creating stunning wedding gowns and occasion wear that are unique to every client.

Her intimate knowledge of cut and fit set her apart from other designers. She is a highly skilled dressmaker, taking your ideas and transforming them into the dress of your dreams. The warmth and personal service you will receive at the Blades Bridal studio makes having a dress designed and made by her a truly wonderful experience, one that has her clients feeling at ease, and thoroughly enjoying the process from beginning to end.

Catherine learned her craft with some top name designers, including Alexander McQueen, and over the past 20 years has refined her skills to become a couture dressmaker, designing and hand crafting exquisite gowns using a mix of traditional and modern techniques, luxurious fabrics and stunning embellishments. Catherine designs with innovation, and her creations are cutting edge.

Catherine works from the beautiful Blades Bridal studio, set in the tranquil countryside on the Berkshire/Hampshire border. All dresses are designed, made and fit by Catherine personally and her attention to detail leave her clients owning a truly stunning bespoke gown.

Catherine is not just a couture designer. She is an artist in her own right, creating stunning works of contemporary art and exploring the art of bridal in a totally different way. Her work as an artist allows her to bring that creative vision to her design work, which sets her apart from so many other designers.

Here, we spent some time with Catherine to find out more…

Tell us about our journey so far to get to where you are today…

Working for Alexander McQueen and being a freelance creative pattern cutter, working in the wedding industry was not at the top of my list. Whilst freelancing, I found myself working in a reputable bridal shop. The very first customer I had sent flowers to me at the shop as it was the best service she’d ever had. I think from that moment I was pretty hooked, knowing that I had the ability to use all my skills and make a difference to each and every bride during this life transition filled my heart with joy. I worked in retail for 12 years before Catherine Blades Couture began in 2012.

It was the day of Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s Royal Wedding that cemented the fact it was time to open my own studio. Having worked for McQueen and also the lady who created the flower girl’s dresses, I felt that it was my time.

My philosophy has always been the same, that each bride should be totally unique and have something designed and created just for them. Having sold 5 of the same wedding dress in one day, telling each girl how utterly lovely she looked, it felt fake. I didn’t want my brides to feel that they were on some sort of conveyer belt, so now each dress is designed working closely with the bride, using my expertise in cut, fit and design, to create a dress which conveys not only the way she wants to look, but the way she wants to feel.

I work with the most incredible women, the most luxurious materials, and, in the most tranquil of settings on the Hampshire, Berkshire border, in South East England. I spend my days creating bridal gowns that are loved and cherished by their wearer.

You recently made a pivot in your business and want to take a slightly different direction, tell us about this…

I have discovered, whilst on my creative journey, that what seemed to be the ideal job, has now become a quest for true connection to ones heart, soul and authentic self, that in a time when, as women, we are learning to embracing a new sense of femininity, we need a bit of courage to love ourselves in totality. From the pit of my stomach, I knew brides suffered from a lack of self love, and as female consciousness rises, the need to express this through art has become a must for me.

The new direction of my business aims to express how to love ourselves fully. This journey is detailed on my blog, The Art Of Bridal.

I shall be getting all romantic, positive and creative. Showing you how I work for my brides, what inspires me, and also taking you on a journey of self discovery, as I embark on producing some exhibition pieces for an art show that combine a variety of creative, philosophical and spiritual works, helping us, as women, become more connected to the divine feminine, peace and balance within our hearts .

When people say “I Love My Job” part of you thinks “yeah right” or “is that even possible”, but for me it’s true. Everything I do is in the pursuit of becoming more whole, in order to serve my beloved brides. From the ability to manage my own stress, to pushing my boundaries of creativity to meet a bride’s desires, the sense of reward is immense and for these opportunities of growth I am truly grateful.

There is no other dress that is as important as your wedding dress. To me, a wedding dress is a sacred gown, that empowers the bride with love for herself, and the journey ahead, representing her in all her glory, and radiating her inner beauty. The seams, fabric, cut and every detail must be infused with deep love, confidence and the pure potential for a successful loving life. This is my Zen and hopefully it can be felt in abundance by the wearer.

What is it like working in the wedding industry?

Working in the wedding industry has been an absolute joy. I’ve met some incredibly talented and supportive individuals. Coming from a bridal retail background it is exceptionally different having your own business. I now have the ability to support and connect on a social level, an essential part of both my business and my personal growth. I’ve built some beautiful relationships with my clients and other business owners alike.

One of the most important relationships I have is with my colleague, right-hand woman, former wedding photographer and graphic designer, Jo, of Grey Card Creative. We work closely on my brand direction, website and promotional materials, and have a great working relationship as well as friendship.

Collaborations have been essential in order to bring my visions to reality, starting with ex-bride Chrissy Lippett of Smart Frames Photography on some branding images and art works. I have recently collaborated with Sam Lucas of Sam Lucas Photography, and the husband of one of my brides. Sam is an incredibly talented individual, and we have worked closely together on creating branding and artworks together in the past year. My mentorship of him has been most rewarding for us both.

Tell us about the most important relationship in your life…

The most important relationship in my life is the one I have with myself. This may sound egotistical, but I’ve come to realise, in the last few years, that when my connection to myself is in balance, when my mind is focused, and when I’m creating from the heart, this is reflected through each and every relationship around me.

This has not always been the case. When I have been in a state of war with myself, when my self talk was aggressive, this was reflected in the lesser amount of love and connection I was able to give to my clients and to others around me.

My home life is one of laughter and love with my husband, daughter and dogs.

Although different to my home life, the relationship I have with my brides is one of great depth and honour to be part of such an impactful time in their life. I’m lucky enough to class the majority of my brides as friends. This individual connection to me is like gold.

The one relationship that I value above all others is the one with my daughter Sophie. She is 15 years old, and is part of a generation that is under such pressure, more than any other generation has had before. As I connect with her, the work I create is my legacy to her.

What does self care mean to you?

Self care to me is about creating a reality that feels like a dream, allowing stillness and clarity everyday. The social world we live in has us pushing constantly, breaking down boundaries, and presenting the best version of ourselves. Self care and a balanced life to me, are the same thing . I keep it very simple, but these simple daily habits mould my day and mental state. I awake early and work the best in the mornings.

I take a long walk with my dogs in the woods every afternoon, no matter how busy I am. This always clears my head and helps me to work more efficiently.

I have a Himalayan salt bath every evening and go to bed at a decent time. These simple habits help me to live a wholehearted life, where clarity and balance are essential.

In fact these are the topics of my art. Clarity is discovering your authentic self, not the one you’ve been told or programmed to be, not the one that society would lead you to become, but a version of yourself that comes from the heart, from a deep understanding of who you are and your connection to everything around you.

A life that leads to being calm, centred, transparent, joyful, fulfilled, balanced, inspired to live as a fearless, free and a joyful master of incredible clarity and integrity.

“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness,” Brené Brown writes in Daring Greatly. “It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.”

I am forever tweaking and learning how to be the best version of myself and it’s not always pretty and perfect, sometimes we have to unravel a little in order to learn how to live the right way .

Top of travel bucket list is…?

The top of my travel bucket list are visiting Japan and Tibet. I have always been fascinated in a zen way of living. Oh and Burning Man!

Outside work, what do you like to do to switch off?

I take a long walk with my dogs in the woods every afternoon, and take pleasure in being in nature.

Family time is important to me, and I make sure that my life/work balance is considered.

Looking back over your career, what have been your highlight?

The highlight was the day I found my sanctuary. A random set of circumstances lead me to take an alternative route, driving past a to-let sign. I turned left past a beautiful grand house, and opposite some tennis courts was the studio, a converted and extended stable unit, with a wild flower meadow and romantic mown path leading to some grand oak trees. I fell in love instantly, not only with the location, but the potential of who I could become there.

There is always a moment with every bride when I’ve created her vision, and I know that all the hard work, worry and endless hours of hand stitching have paid off. When the deepest of connections happens, and the bride is transported in her mind and heart, standing next to the person she loves. This has to be the highlight for me with every client.

Yes, I drive a sports car. Yes, I have the freedom of being my own boss. Butthe real highlights of this career is making other people happy, and it fills my soul.

Is there anything you would do differently?

There is always a darker, more serious side of me, that wants to come out and play. I think it’s the Alexander McQueen influence in me. My art allows that, and also the red carpet dresses that I’m creating. I think if I were to do things differently, I would have started my art work sooner, but I often think that maybe I didn’t have enough to say then, and the timing is perfect right now.

I would have worried less in the early days if I’d know what I do now. The first 2 years were torture, feeling like I had to have everything figured out, scared to make a mistake, scared to get anything wrong. The loneliness was intense and my inability to share my vision was frustrating. I felt I had to be everywhere and know everything, whilst raising a young daughter and keeping a happy marriage. The standard pressure of being a women in business these days. Now I realise it is possible to have it all, and not be under so much self-inflicted pressure.

What does 2020 look like for you?

In 2020 I hope to produce some of my best work to date. My dream is to exhibit at the Satchi gallery and have a Harper’s Bazaar front cover. To dress the stars and provide centred guidance. The change in my business has opened the cage door, allowing me to function as the truest version of myself. As an artist, as a soon to be reiki master, and as a master couturier.

Follow Catherine Blades Couture for more…

Chrissy Lippett – Smart Frames Photography

Sam Lucas Photography

Grey Card Creative

The Art Of Bridal

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GIRLBOSSES OF GREAT BRITAIN: THE ONE WITH NO FRIDGE MAGNETS IN SIGHT

House of Coco caught up with Alice Mayor, the lady responsible for kicking our London souvenirs into shape with the innovative We Built This City. Be gone snow globes and magnets and hello limited edition prints and, er, pigeons!

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HOC: Hello Alice! Welcome to GBOGB – our series about ladies doing it for themselves. Something we’ve loved about our interviews so far is how so many of our GirlBosses are queens of reinvention – where you are in life or what you do for a living now doesn’t define you! How did you come to setting up We Built This City?

AM: I started life in PR and marketing for an agency with Arts clients. After being in the Arts industry I decided that I wanted to get more of a hands on feel for business. I felt there was a distance between being in an agency and actually in a business and I wanted to get involved in a start up. So, after 4 years of working in an agency I went to work for an online art and design retailer. It involved taking a pay cut but it was a lot of fun. I met a lot of artists and heard them all telling me how tough it was to be an artist. They had to do tonnes of admin and trade shows which meant they didn’t have time to get on and do what they did best!

I’m really passionate about creativity and felt sad that art wasn’t getting to a wider audience. It soon became my mission to help artists and designers with their careers through opening up and democratising art and design – so that artists could find new audiences and customers could find new products in a different way.

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HOC: What was it about souvenirs that attracted you?

AM: Post the Olympics, London was in ascendency as a city. I remember reading an article that we were the most visited city in the world. Suddenly it didn’t seem right that people visiting London would always stick to the central tourist areas and rarely see the cooler sections. At the same time, London-related pieces were selling very well at the online retailer I was working for. I think that people feel very emotional about London; they come on holiday here, fall in love here, live here – there’s something for everyone in this city.

Typical souvenirs are so outdated and there’s a huge gap between what you can buy in a traditional souvenir shop and what the city represents. Typical souvenirs also tend to be cliched, generally not made locally and don’t represent an experience of contemporary London. There’s a lot more to London; you don’t even need to a be tourist to want a souvenir; many Londoners are very tribal about their areas!

It was surprising to me that this idea hadn’t been done in this way before. Of course, you can find good London inspired products in museum & gallery gift shops and places like Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason. However, no-one was doing it with a proper design-led approach. I realised that so many of the artists and designers, being based in London, had pieces inspired by the city. And even better, they were quality products and artworks with an affordable price tag, so perfect for a diverse customer in central London.

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HOC: Your store couldn’t be more central in London (on Carnaby Street); how on earth did you get that to happen?

AM: Finding the right space was definitely the toughest thing. I literally walked around for 6 months banging my head on the walls looking for property! I couldn’t end up in Shoreditch, I knew I needed to be in central London for the shop to work. There were plenty of people who said that it wouldn’t work in a traditional retail environment as rents are so high.

In my 6 months of looking for the perfect space, I lurked around London; lots of lingering outside traditional souvenir stores, ringing estate agents, pop up managers etc. I finally found a contact who dealt with leasing around Carnaby Street and Soho; two areas where I thought the shop could work really well. The area has such heritage but you also get a lot of fashion and design in the area.

I pitched with a keynote presentation with the name ‘We Built This City’ and some example products. The team loved it but had a caveat – we would have to open in the next 3 weeks in a 3,000 sq ft space on Carnaby Street. It was crazy and utterly exhilarating and we opened on the 21st November for 8 weeks, it was really popular, so much so we were invited back in time for Summer 2015 and we’ve just moved to a new space right in the middle of Carnaby. We’re not really a pop-up anymore, I call us a ‘stay-up’!

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HOC: Wow, it happened so fast. How did you manage the transition from working full time for someone else to working for yourself?

AM: During the time I was lurking around London I left my job at the online retailer – the business was being sold to new owners, so it was the right time. I then did some freelance work with Pip Jamieson – she’s a massive inspiration and a great female entrepreneur. I worked with her to launch The Dots but the day after the launch party I had an emotional reaction that, after helping another business, told me this was my time. It was a real guttural instinct that pushed me on to get the meetings that led to the launch of We Built This City.

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HOC: And who makes up ‘We Built This City’ now?

AM: The ‘we’ of ‘We Built This City’ has been important from day one for me. When we first opened I already had a retail analyst friend of mine on board; she had been working for 10 years and wanted to do something else. She’s been instrumental to our success; she has been incredible at setting up the store and all of the finance side of things. I never dreamt of having a 3,000 ft shop at Christmas and I honestly don’t think I could have done that without her!

In fact, as everything moved so fast with the first opening – almost everyone in my life has been involved with We Built This City in some way. I had been trying to get a start up loan from the government but that takes around 6 weeks and I only had 3, so I did a big ring round my friends and family telling them I’d pay them back at some point in the future!

For the first opening I was in the shop every day for 8 weeks and I had a team of 5 people who also did shifts. It was like having a baby; I just couldn’t leave the shop; I had the key and was in first and out last. It got to a point that, in order for the business to have a future, I needed to come out of being full-time in the shop. Now we have a great team in place: Olivia runs the Carnaby store and does all the product buying, Katy takes care of all the artist liaison and art buying – they both have great commercial eyes and are instrumental to our success at making sure there’s something for every taste and budget. We are also now very lucky to have Adam who has 10 years experience in creative marketing and PR – support in that area is vital in the early days to build a strong community and brand. We also have a really talented shop team. Above anything else, the most important thing for me is our customer relations with our shop customers and the creative community. From my time working with Pip at The Dots I was very aware of what it takes to make a business run and that’s why I’ve taken the decision to build a solid team across the board early on. My advice to anyone starting out is to be very honest as early as possible about your strengths and what you can offer the business. Then plug the gaps and build a really strong team around you to share the weight.

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HOC: Is it all about London, then or would you consider other locations?

AM: London was the starting point for me. In fact, a friend of mine came up with the name ‘We Built This City’ over a pint – I didn’t want London in the name as I didn’t want to be restricted! Tatty souvenirs are a problem the world over. There’s great homegrown craft out there but there’s always the standard souvenir store. I’m sure there is still a place for a snow globe souvenir but we can do more!

We are really ambitious to grow outside of London, whether that’s around the UK or beyond, will have to be seen. We’re still learning so much from our experience on Carnaby and need to spend some more time consolidating our offer here first. It is though very important to me that We Built This City is not just about London and we take this opportunity to more creatives around the world.

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HOC: Our series is in part inspired by #GirlBoss movement and something they celebrate are Girl Boss Moments – do you have a recent experience that made you feel like a real Girl Boss?

AM: I’ve been asked to do a lot of talks recently. When you are invited to speak about your experience it really makes you realise that you’ve nailed something! It’s also a great opportunity to stop and reflect on what you’ve actually achieved, as well as what’s working and what’s not. I was first asked to speak at the Pulse trade show and was inundated with questions – it’s then that I also realised that I can now share my story and help others in the process. I was quite humbled by it all! More recently, I’ve spoken at Guardian Masterclasses and SohoCreate festival.

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HOC: So what’s new for this new phase of We Built This City?

AM: We’re launching our online store later this summer.

We also have loads going on in our new space at 46 Carnaby Street; events and workshops that bring our designers into the store. For me, it’s so important that the store is about more than the transaction; we recently invited an artist called Rugman to design our third storefront which is a bold & colourful geometric design with a vinyl of the Queen as the centrepiece.

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HOC: Sounds awesome, Alice! Thanks for sharing your story with us and we can’t wait to pop down for a workshop soon. Make sure you check out We Built This City, now at 46 Carnaby Street. They represent over 250 London artists and so far have supported over 600.

Do your part and support local artists and their creativity when you travel. We hate to break it to you but no one really wants an ‘I’m with Stupid’ t-shirt from your next city break!

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