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Girl Bosses of Great Britain

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Any GirlBoss knows the challenges of working in a male dominated environment, but it is one where Clare Villar strives. Her wonderful animal portraits have been commissioned by A-list celebrities and her impressive military artwork has gotten her an audience The Queen.

We catch up with Clare Villar and talk about how she carved out a niche for herself in such a unique industry, the complexities of her work, and how timing, focus, and positivity can make the difference in achieving your dreams. For Clare Villar, her incredible military art work has made her a shining star amongst brass medals.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What made you decide to become a military artist? Have you always had a connection with the military?

I actually trained as an Illustrator from Falmouth University in 1995. After qualifying, I decided to go to London where I worked for various publishing houses before getting married and moving to Ludlow, Shropshire in 1999.

I had been doing my animal portraits as a hobby and actually had a waiting list of a few months. It was at this point I decided to take the leap of faith to pursue my dream of being a full time artist. My husband was serving with the Royal Mercian Lancastrian Yeomanry at the time; and the current Colonel, David Leigh, commissioned me to do a Roll of Honour. Rolls of Honour where popular about a hundred years ago and they depicted the fallen soldiers; names from the wars. Our idea was to reinvent it to include the current serving soldiers names. It took about six months to design the Roll and another three to four months to produce it.

Could you explain to our readers what kind of artwork a military artist does?

To describe my Rolls of Honour, they are approximately A1 in size and depict all the current serving soldiers names hand written in calligraphy with hand painted cap badge, they normally contain about 650 to 700. Once I have completed an enormous one for the Loyal Edmonton Regiment in Canada, which included 979 names and over a thousand miniature maple leaves.

I am so lucky to have found a totally unique niche market with my artwork. My work has been presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward. In 2018, I won the Business Excellence Award for my military artwork and in July 2018 I was selected as a finalist for the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Creative Industries.

My artwork has enabled me to travel around the world, to Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Germany with potentially other countries in the pipeline. The Australian Invictus Games Team commissioned a Roll of Honour to depict their competitors in 2018 and my WW1 Roll of Honour was presented to government VIPs in Canada.

You also work on some fabulous animal portraits – do you have a favourite piece/subject?

I started my career doing animal portraits.I still love doing these as it’s so different and a welcome break from my military artwork, although that has now reached a different level too. I have been commissioned by various public figures such as Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, Trisha Goddard, and Will Greenwood to name only a few. My favourite piece was when I was commissioned by Nick Mason a few years ago to paint all four of his black labradors. It was amazing and I am very lucky to exhibit at his house every two years, which he opens to the public.

I have also just been given the most amazing opportunity to work with Louise Kennedy,who is internationally recognised as one of Ireland’s most successful fashion designers. Their flagship store is in Belgravia in London, and I get to work with her on a new clothing range, specifically in regard to my animal portraits. It is an exciting project and I have to keep pinching myself that it is actually happening!

Girl Bosses are fearless and confident – and you are constantly dealing with Generals, Coloners, and Brigadiers. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as a GirlBoss so far?

Working in a very male dominated environment has made me fearless and confident, but generally the type of people I deal with are polite, professional, and treat me with the utmost respect.

The challenges I face on an a daily basis have to do with the complexity of my artwork. I can’t make any mistakes otherwise I have to start from scratch, and when you are writing 650/700 names in calligraphy then a huge amount of concentration is needed. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced was whether or not I was going to be taken seriously as an up and coming military artist. I’m competing with mainly male artists in this field, but my advantage has been that my artwork is completely different from anything else on the market.

My biggest challenge as a GirlBoss is juggling all aspects of my life from family, career, and my artwork. I am in charge of my own destiny and if I had any advise for any women out there, worried about taking the plunge into uncertainty, is that timing is vital. You need to be ready to take the plunge and do your homework. You hear every day that you can achieve your dreams, which is true, but it comes down to hard work, belief, drive, and passion. Without these it won’t work, you have to be ready to take the knock backs and rejection, but this will make you stronger and more determined to succeed.

You need to have a positive outlook because negativity won’t achieve anything. There are a lot of women in business that I respect and learn from. Lady Karren Brady being one of them as she is supporter of my business, her outlook and message is clear and incredibly powerful. We can all succeed, it’s up to us to determine our future and our success.

Check out www.clarevillarmilitaryart.com for Clare’s Military Artwork and www.clarevillar.com to see her lovely animal portraits.

Meet Loveness Lee. A jewellery designer that combines art, science, and nature to create wonderfully unique hand-crafted statement pieces that are truly out of this world. Here at House of Coco, we’re all about that laptop lifestyle, and this is exactly what Loveness Lee built her eponymous brand on. Working with creatives and buyers from all over the world, Loveness Lee has built her business on different languages and timezones making her a GirlBoss that is not only forward thinking and global minded, but is also winning at the jewellery game with her latest eclectic trans-natural collection. Young, dynamic, and absolutely inspirational, Loveness Lee is a GirlBoss that is definitely Team Coco approved.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what made you fall in love with jewellery design?

From an early age, I developed a keen interest for the natural sciences, in particular chemistry. Also, my mother is an architect, and this fostered in me a passion for art and design. For me it made sense to be a jewellery designer, because I can enjoy the best of both disciplines! I am able to research and experiment with different materials like a scientist does, and also craft beautiful objects like an artist.

Tell us about Loveness Lee – what is your aesthetic all about?

Serendipity plays a key role in my design process: I am drawn to natural shapes, colours, and textures; which are impossible to pre-determine yet remain consistently familiar. I see the ‘trans-natural’ concept at the heart of my jewellery as a collaboration between nature, science, and art — three distinct methods working in unison. My fascination with organic materials compels me to investigate the interplay between different substances in my jewellery, to understand their properties and potentials without imposing limits upon them through my designs.

Before starting your eponymous brand, you trained as a jeweller and silversmith for seven years. How have these foundations helped you with your approach to Loveness Lee?

I want to create jewellery that is art. Years of studying and training not only helped me to perfect my skills of hand-making, but also helped me discover my design style and concept. Jewellery is a channel. A way of elevating the quotidian by creating beautiful physical objects. The world through my eyes is formed of stunning shapes, amazing textures and vibrant colours. In a way, my jewellery is a small interpretation of the world as I see it. For me, this is the point of art. My life and experiences are a constant source of inspiration and intrigue. Transforming my imagination into something tangible brings me so much joy. I want to translate my passion for living into jewellery, to communicate it for the whole world to see.

Since launching Loveness Lee in 2016 – what has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a businesswoman so far?

The biggest challenge is managing the communications between the team members — essentially HR. Since I started my brand, I have been very fortunate to have international employees and work with photographers, models, makeup artists and graphic designers etc from all over the world. The advantage of having such international team members is not only easier communications with international buyers in France, Morocco, and Korea, but also to bring unique ideas from different cultures. The disadvantage is the language barrier and cultural differences.The time differences between everyone can be challenging. Everyone is artist and passionate about their creations, so sometimes communication is really the key.

Talk us through your latest collection, the inspiration behind it, and if you have a favourite piece?

Trans-natural is an eclectic collection which, as its name suggests, goes above and beyond nature, in its pursuit of daring, statement jewellery. The pieces in the collection are inspired by the unpredictable, organic processes that order the world around us. Specifically investigating the role that decay and rebirth play in the circle of life. Science, art, and nature combine once more in the pieces: coiled, undulated shapes are partially gold-plated to represent the unhurried, gradual movement of being and time. Uncompromising but contemplative designs transform the fragility of nature and the limits of traditional jewellery, into strong statement pieces. They are the ultimate accessory for modern women who possess a thoughtful and bold outlook on fashion. I have always included statement hoop earrings in every collection of mine — as they are my favourite.

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

The beginning of being a girl boss is hard, but don’t let this stop what you love to do. Once you get used to it, it will get easier. I feel very privileged doing what I love every day.

Loveness Lee

Strangely enough, Elina Farschou’s passion for jewellery began in her father’s dentist’s office. After a few years working as a lawyer, she eventually realised her true calling and started her Scandi-inspired jewellery brand – PHINE.

Team Coco sits down with Elina to talk about her inspiring work with The Girls Network along with her latest Feminist collection — and how this was inspired by empowerment, equality, and lionesses.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to start PHINE?
I was born in Stockholm, and up to today it is still the place where I can relax and recharge. Ever since I was about five or six years old, my dad taught me how to make small jewellery pieces in his dentistry office; and since then it has become a huge passion of mine.

After high school however, I studied law and even became a lawyer for a while. In a meeting with my former boss, I didn’t get the promotion that I wanted. I realised, while still in that meeting, that I couldn’t actually see myself working in this company anymore or even being a lawyer at all — so I quit right then and there. Within three weeks, I applied to study jewellery design and moved to London. During my studies, people kept asking me where my own personal jewellery came from, so I thought that there was something there — and so PHINE was born.

PHINE is a London based Swedish jewellery brand. How do your Swedish roots influence
PHINE’s design aesthetic?
The minimal and versatile aspect of the jewellery stems from my Swedish roots and are PHINE´s
DNA.

Talk us through your latest collection. Do you have a favourite piece?
I wanted to create jewellery that symbolise empowerment and equality. Usually, I start a piece by taking inspiration from geometric forms, and then work around it. This time, I took inspiration from symbols of strength.

For example, with the Lioness Necklace and Earrings; Lionesses do must of the hunting while also caring for the pride. Lionesses are a symbol for strength, courage, and royalty — a great symbol for feminism. In fact, I would say my two favourite pieces of this collection are the Lioness and Feminist Necklaces – I actually love wearing them together.

Tell us about PHINE’s Feminist Collection and your work charitable work with The Girls
Network?
The Feminist Collection is all about empowering women through Jewellery. The pieces symbolise
strength and courage — all attributes that we embody as women in 2018. The Girls’ Network is an organisation that inspires and empowers girls from disadvantaged communities, by connecting them with valuable mentors and a network of professional female role models. I believe that opportunities should not be limited by gender or background, so partnering with the Girl´sNetwork and setting out to help them fulfill their amazing vision feels like a perfect match.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?
This is quite a tricky one, as there were actually quite a lot of challenges in the beginning. I think for me personally, the biggest challenge has been starting from scratch. I started the business with just an idea of creating Scandi statement jewellery from fair-trade and sustainable materials; and then evolving to that business by building awareness around it.

What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?
Be passionate in what you do, and never stop believing in yourself!

Jennifer Jane Young is the very definition of a successful 21st century multi-hyphenate. Founder of Injoy Living, she also works as a Virtual Business Manager and Strategic Consultant, writer, alongside running her own podcast called ‘The Art of Making Things Happen’.

According to Jennifer ‘The actions you are not willing to take or the decisions you are not willing to make are the ones that will change your life’ .This motto is the perfect reflection to her willpower and resilience to truly carve out the life she wants to live. Amidst a world of dull nine to fives, Jennifer helps people to turn their ideas into reality through her own self-started business, INJOY LIVING. Using her own personal experiences to inspire entrepreneurs the world over, to not settle, and to truly ‘injoy living’ their best lives.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. What inspired you to start Injoy Living?

From a young age I had a ton of creativity and inspiration. My imagination was my safe space but simultaneously I was suffering. Up until I was about 25 I felt like I just didn’t fit anywhere in the world. Throughout my teenage years I suffered with severe anxiety, paralysing me in so many moments, making me feel like I was broken and unlike anyone else. It was a scary time for me because it felt like I was never going to be ok in my life.

I was the black sheep of the crowd, surrounded by people working 9-5 jobs or trying to find their dream program in school and none of that felt good to me. I needed freedom, I needed to do something with my creativity, and I needed to live a life of my own. At the time I could not quite understand all of that yet. In school, I was a little rebel, and I could never hold a job for more than a few months, as I found that it was physically and mentally excruciating. I would daydream of running away from it all and into a life that I would INJOY LIVING.

And so I did.My journey as an entrepreneur began by becoming a Yoga Teacher. I took my summer vacation to do intensive training and never looked back. I FINALLY felt at home in my life. I then went from Yoga Teacher, to Yoga-therapist, to Coach, to Virtual Business Manager & Strategic Advisor.What grew from that was Injoy Living. My company was built to help people craft out the life they are so deeply yearning for, because I believe that we should all be ‘injoying’ our life.

Injoy Living is where personal development meets entrepreneurship. It’s where I serve as a mentor to teach ‘The Art Of Making Things Happen’ by merging inspiration with practicality so people cannot only dream, but also make their dreams happen, one step at a time. I build deep, meaningful connections with people who come into my circle. I wear my heart on my sleeve and share my own journey in an honest way, so that I can use my life and lessons as a stepping stone for them.

The actual big picture vision for Injoy Living came to me when I was on vacation in Ireland, driving through the beautiful Wicklow Mountains. It was so strong that I took out a pad and paper and wrote until my hand was hurting and I could barely hold my pen anymore. I believe that the vision I had that day, was a preview of my life’s mission. Not all of it exists yet, but it’s coming to life, one chapter at a time.

What is Injoy Living all about? How does it help aspiring entrepreneurs the world over?

It’s always about creating a bridge between inspiration and making things happen, through mentoring and practicality. No matter how I’m mentoring someone, I always see myself metaphorically holding my peoples’ hands as I help them step forward. It’s about creating human connection and a community of people on a similar path. I felt so alone for so long, and I don’t want anyone to ever feel that way. There is a unique path for all of us and I want to help people find that path and actually walk it. Through clear intentions, intuitive and strategic actions and the capacity to relax and let go, I help people step forward towards their yearnings. When I am not doing that for myself, I suffer, so when I’m suffering I know that I’m not paying attention to where my intuition is trying to guide me.

Currently my company offers one-on-one services for people to start a business or grow their business with me as the Virtual Business Manager. I mentor through my podcast “The Art Of Making Things Happen” and I invite clients to come work with me under the coconut palms in Cancun Mexico for retreats, work-cations and intensives.

What’s next for you and Injoy Living?

I’m working on getting my book published, where you can read about my philosophy on The Art Of Making Things Happenand one of the biggest leaps I ever took in my life — packing my life and my dog to move to Mexico.

There is so much more to come. I used to get stressed because I wasn’t making things happen fast enough, but now I really appreciate each individual chapter and how they build on each other. If I can spill the beans a little, the next thing I’m working on creating is a caribbean co-working house in Cancun for creatives and entrepreneurs to come stay with me for work & relaxation. I love being a host and taking care of people. You can sign up to Jennifer’s VIP list to be in the first to receive an invitation here.

Talk us through how you help businesses with ‘The Art of Making Things Happen’

I help people connect the dots from their idea/desire to creation. My strength is seeing the big picture and all the pieces involved to make things happen. Where people get overwhelmed, is trying to sort out all the pieces and matching them with the big picture. I help people break things down, problem solve, put the pieces in order and prioritise what to tend to first (while knowing what will be coming next). I’m a natural born project manager.

I also serve by coaching people who are just getting started (or wanting to take their own path) and offering strategic consulting to entrepreneurs. My approach with everyone is highly intuitive.

Communication is the key vehicle to any work or mentoring I do. I offer high-touch support to my community and clients. Unlike so many businesses now online, I want people to feel close to me and have access to me.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a GirlBoss so far?

Taming my creativity. I’ve had to learn that not all ideas are good ones. When creativity hits now I write and write and write. Then I let it sit and see how it feels the next day. I’m a little woowoo so sometimes I’ll pull tarot cards or get a reading from my tarot reader. I trust now that if something is meant to be on my path, it will continue to come bite me in the ass. I use my podcast and writing to channel my creativity, instead of trying to create a new service or a new business with every single blitz of inspiration.

I have to be fully transparent also (because it’s part of my core values as a mentor) and say that money used to be a big challenge for me. Starting at a young age, I had very stressful and scary experiences with money, and those patterns repeated into my adult life. In the last few years, I’ve fallen in love with taking care of my money, with making it, with using it and managing it. It was a long journey, but I finally feel empowered with my finances, which has had a huge impact on my business, success, and peace of mind.

What advice do you have for aspiring GirlBosses who would like to become a Girlboss like yourself?

Connect, connect, connect. You need a community. You need other Girlbosses in your circle. People to talk to and share with. Find a coach or a mentor. Invest in getting help. There are options for support for all different budgets. I would NEVER be where I am today, without the support and connections I have had with other amazing girl bosses. They have helped me become the person I am today. They will share resources with you, connect you with the right people, call you on your bull shit, through your value in your face when you can’t see it yourself. Find your crew is my best advice. No one builds success on their own, not even Oprah. We all need our Gayles!

WWW.INJOYLIVING.CA

Farming is in Annabel Makin-Jones’s blood. She is a fifth generation Yorkshire farmer, having run the family farm near Leeds for the last 15 years. With over 1200 acres of arable land, Annabel also takes charge of 1,800 tonnes of strawberries each year. Forever restless, she wanted to create something more, and Tame & Wild was born. As a Leeds girl myself, I love championing women in the north that are breaking the mould and doing extraordinary things, just like Annabel.

Inspired by a desire to create a natural alternative to alcoholic options, Tame & Wild was designed to be enjoyed at the same occasions, but is light, sophisticated and simply English berries and botanicals with sparkling water, but like fine wine or gin the craft is not in the ingredients, but in how they’re brought together.

We spent some time with Annabel to talk all things self care, her plans for the future and more…

Previously a fruit farmer and bee keeper. How long was the idea for Tame and Wild in the making?

In farming, being ahead of the curve, finding ways to diversify can make the difference of surviving to thriving.I am always thinking my brain never switches off. I have a filling cabinet full of business plans that never quite hit the mark.

Annabel explains her inspiration: “I was out with friends and I was driving – and the non-alcoholic options were limited to sparkling water or drinks full of sugars or nasties.I spotted a gap in the market for a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink.

“Just because we’re not drinking alcohol, doesn’t mean we should be forgotten about. I still want something delicious with a sense of occasion andnot to be fobbed off with an elderflower cordial– so I set to developing a range of natural drinks that can be drunk on their own or as a mixer inspired by the flavours of the English countryside.”

How do you want people to feel when they drink your products?

Special, I want them to enjoy a sophisticated drink in a beautiful glass over ice with a cocktail garnish. It should be a treat, an indulgence.Tame and Wild is for people who care where their food and drink comes from. Its low in sugar and low in calories but totally sophisticated with no artificial additives.

In 2020, what are your plans for the brand?

To gain listings in the very best establishments from spas to hotels to restaurants. To capture an audience with our English flavours and craftmanship and to help educate consumers on how to make better choices and enjoy the produce we have at our finger tips.

Where can people buy your drinks?

Online with Amazon and through our own website and at high end farm shops, hotels, gastro pubs, restaurants and bars.

Are there plans to expand the range in future?

We’ve just launched a new Damson, Rosehip and Passionflower flavour.

This year we’re focussing on gaining wider market share and new listings, its and exciting time for Tame & Wild and the response has been fantastic. 

For any aspiring entrepreneurs, what advice would you offer?

“Women in business owe it to help others in business. That karma comes back. There’s enormous support in a network of female colleagues.Our brand mantra is BE TAME OR WILD, but above all, be yourself.Work hard, play hard and don’t have boundaries to what you can achieve, believe in yourself and you will achieve.”

What are you doing to make your brand sustainable?

We start with sustainable principles, no plastic—we use glass bottles, we only use recyclable packaging. Our offices are heated by solar panels and the water comes from our bore hole on the farm. We champion British produce and flavours ensuring food miles are minimised and we make the drinks in our own county – Yorkshire.

Sustainability is a huge part of my business’.Pollinators, bees, they are vitally important to what we do and in the circle of life. We are doing everything we can to help protect them so we have huge “bug hotels” on the farm to make sure they have a great habitat to live in and we also donate to conservation charities for every bottle sold.

Why is this something that interests you?

Sustainability should interest everyone. We have a duty to look after the world that we live in and protect the planet. As a farmer I know this more than most.

What does self-care mean to you?

Eating and drinking well, making time for pilates and getting a great nights sleep. This can be very difficult running 3 business’ and a start-up with two young children, but I do try to look after myself, I am a huge believer in alternative health and natural remedies.

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

Either cooking with my children (we love a themed night) or friends to come for dinner and enjoy great food and drinks whilst discussing this fast-paced world that we live in and what we have achieved that week!

Tell us your favourite quote to read when you lack creativity?

“Set a goal to achieve something that is so big, so exhilarating that it excites and scares you at the same time.”

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

Golden Triangle in South East Asia. Nestled between Burma and Laos. Lush jungle, mist-shrouded mountains, hill-tribe villages and tranquil views of rice paddies. A wonderful dream to ethically interact with lands biggest mammal; the elephant.

tameandwilddrinks.co.uk

House of Coco had a tea and biscuit Skype chat with Gemma Rawlinson, the owner of Box & Cox Vintage Hire, a wedding and event hire company based in Cornwall.

HOC: Tell us how Box & Cox came about, Gemma?

GR: I started in Sept 2014, so it’s a fairly young business. I was on maternity and I knew that I didn’t want to go back to pedal pushing; I wanted to be creative.

I did go back to work after I had my daughter as had to and I did the 3 months you have to do [to get your maternity leave] and then gave up. I’d had a whole year out of work [while on leave] to think about what I wanted to do and I started making bridal accessories. This didn’t make me any money but did figure our that decor and vintage games hire was what I really wanted to pursue. I did a small business course, got a loan and went for it. We do around 100 events a year so it’s going well!

My clients hire through me as they want to do [their wedding or event] themselves but don’t want to buy all the little bits and pieces or pay for stylist – I’m the half-way option.

HOC: Are there many businesses like yours?

GR: When we got married, in 2010, companies like mine didn’t exist but they’ve started to creep in. They are more common in America and the South East of the UK but certainly not in Cornwall. I’m the only person who supplies this style of games in cornwall so I’ve got monopoly over the market!

Initially I was just going to do it part time and cover 30 events a year but as soon as I launched people completely got it! The business boomed and I ended up doing three times as many events as I’d planned to do. So it’s my full-time job, alongside family life. It certainly keeps me busy!

HOC: How do you balance work life and family life?

GR: My biggest challenge is being a working mum and managing my time. During term time my daughter does 15 hours in school, but I work 40 hours a week! My parents live abroad and my husband is also self-employed and works for 60 hours a week so it’s mostly down to me!

Summer holidays coincide with wedding season so she often comes on deliveries with me. I do try to explain it all to her in the hope she’s learning about being a business woman. I hope she’s also learning that if you can’t find a job you love, you can create one for yourself; that there can be creativity in business.

We do live in a very rural place full of fields and farms. So she gets to spend a lot of time outside, I do think parenting is easier in the countryside.

HOC: With the loan you mentioned, did you get a mentor?

GR: I did have a mentor for the first year but they weren’t a local person which was a shame. They didn’t really get the wedding industry so I would explain things and they didn’t get what I was talking about; it didn’t work out as well as I thought it would.

HOC: Do you have any tips for driving business forwards?

GR: I’m a big fan of networking. It can seem daunting but all it is is talking to people and finding out their passions and creating common ground. If you show that person how you can work well within their setting it can open all kinds of doors. For instance, a number of local florists mentioned they needed wedding arches so I agreed to start stocking them if they recommended me to their clients. We can make each other’s lives easier by just being willing and able!

HOC: And how do you find your customers?

GR: I only work within Cornwall so if you search for what I do in Cornwall you’ll find me [HOC; we googled and found her straightaway!] I work hard on my SEO and manage my website myself, tagging everything and do a small amount of blogging. We also have a fantastic local wedding magazine called Wed. The biggest thing that I’ve found to help is getting onto other blogs so you are being tagged by other suppliers, I do this through styled, collaborative shoots.

I don’t meet around 90% of my customers, as most of them don’t live in Cornwall. It’s a real destination wedding location, for couples who grew up in the area and then moved away or others who just want to get married by the sea.

HOC: What’s next for Box & Cox?

GR: The vision is to become a kind of ‘one stop shop’ for vintage wedding and event hire. I’d like clients to be able to style their venue completely from our stock. Everything from furniture to chandeliers and cake stands. However, as we currently only supply within Cornwall, growth has to be based on our clients’ demand.

Storage is a bit of a pain for me and I’ve just taken on my second storage space in time for the wedding season. I’ve considered getting a space to show off all my pieces. As it is, when my customers want to see all my stock I have to ask them in advance what sort of thing they are after so I get can everything out of its hiding place!

I’d also love to be able to offer a styling service for my clients, so I’m starting to think about ways to make this happen.

HOC: What’s the favourite event or shoot you’ve been involved in?

GR: I recently did a styled shoot which was outdoors during Storm Imogen! We lost the door off the van and the couple were soaking, but it looked great.

I’m really looking forward to one that’s coming up which is with 16 suppliers collaborating! I’ve had pieces in Vogue, Rock My Wedding etc – I’m becoming a bit of a badge hunter! I do love working in Cornwall, everyone in the industry knows each other and I feel like part of something bigger than just my business.

HOC: I don’t know about you but we’re off to snoop on some of Box & Cox’s styled shoots and hope we get an invite to a wedding in Cornwall real soon!

Company founder and designer Yan Neophytou has spent most of her life working in the fashion industry, from helping her family’s fashion business while growing up, and qualifying in tailoring and creative pattern-cutting before completing her Fashion BA (Hons) degree, to running a successful North London boutique for nearly ten years. It all led towards the launch of Yan Neo London in 2011. This is a carefully curated, beautifully designed wardrobe line of smart day-to-evening and executive office wear, as well as elegant leatherwear, contemporary jewellery and covetable leather bags. What distinguishes the label is its strong emphasis on tailoring, quality and fit. And those sensible prices.

Yan is a real powerhouse and a woman that knows what she wants, we just could not wait to spend some time with her to find out more…
Tell us about the journey that lead you to launching Yan Neo…
I grew up around the family fashion business. Running around playing with rolls of fabrics, buttons and mannequins, was definitely the start. Later I qualified in tailoring and creative pattern-cutting at London College of Fashion before I went on to a BA Fashion degree at University. After that I had some made-to-measure bespoke clients, and I also owned a boutique for nearly ten years, which led to styling and directing shoots – there was a lot of variety. But I always wanted my own label, which I eventually set up in 2011. There have been a lot of late nights, long hours and weekends – it definitely isn’t a 9am-5pm job – but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
You want to offer the premium look without the premium price tag, how do you achieve this?
I put a lot of effort into sourcing, so we offer the best possible quality, fit and craftsmanship for the best possible price in every piece. If I feel that an item doesn’t make the cut, it’s out, and i’ll start again.
How do you want women to feel when they wear your designs? 
I want women to feel confident that they always have perfect go-to outfits in their wardrobe. We all have busy lifestyles and stress in our lives, but when they walk out of the front door I want them to feel confident that they look put-together, stylish and empowered.
What plans do you have for the brand in 2020?
World domination? Seriously though, expanding the brand internationally – at least to a few countries to start with – is on the cards.
Do you plan on launching other products in future, if yes, what will they be?
Of course! There’s always something in production or on the drawing board. At the moment I’m concentrating on my Summer collection, but Autumn/Winter is also underway.

How much does social media play a role in your success?
Some social media is essential – especially for a brand that began on its own website. They’re a great showcase, and extremely useful. But it’s never as good as touching and feeling the actual product, so they have their limits.
What quote do you like to read when lacking motivation?
I have two favourite quotes that help inspire me.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” —Nelson Mandela
AND
“The best way out is always through.” —Robert Frost
For anyone wanting to launch a fashion label, what advice would you give?
Be prepared for hard work and no social life! It’s not enough to have a passion for design and creativity, you need to learn the business – because it is a business – from design to finished product. It’s a lot less glamorous than people realise, so you need perseverance and patience. But I still love it.
Is there anything you would do differently if you could go back in time?
Nothing. Everything is a learning curve and adds to experience no matter how it is perceived by anyone else. Maybe I’d do a bit more yoga!
Talk us through an average day in your life…
Yoga usually comes first, followed by breakfast and a cup of rosy lee. I can’t start my day without that. I’m always checking emails from 7-8am, then get on with range planning (that’s the designing and fabric sourcing) and/or fittings (on a live model). Or I might check production, either remotely or with site visits. Some days I could be arranging or directing a shoot. And then there’s the rest of the business: talking to stockists, overseeing the website, troubleshooting and a million and one other details. It’s endless really. I try to finish before 8pm, But some nights I may end up working till 1am. My husband isn’t overly impressed when that happens!
Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?
I’d say Japan, I’ve always loved their culture and I’d love to visit during their cherry blossom season.
Where can people find out more? 
Come and visit us at yanneo.com

Laura Bailey and Sheherazade Goldsmith, long time friends and now business partners, have created something truly unique with Loquet London. Each one of their delicate charms tells a story, whether that may be inspired by their children or one of their many adventures. Stories are what drives Loquet London’s design aesthetic, unfazed by passing trends, and the frivolity of flashiness – Loquet creates jewellery that goes beyond being just pretty, but instead immortalises a piece of their customer’s life.

We chat with Girl Boss Sheherazade Goldsmith about Loquet London’s early beginnings, her partnership with Laura Bailey, and finding inspiration in the stories we tell with our everyday lives.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to start Loquet London?
The most relevant part of my background to Loquet, is my love of books and travel. I love imagining who and what is behind the selection of charms that leave our office. Stories. Each of our charms comes from some kind of adventure. The meanings are all related to temples, myths and places that either I or Laura have experienced. Travel inspires the entire collection.

When I left school I worked for a company called Club 21, a wholesale and franchise group that did the distribution for numerous designer jean brands such as Armani and Guess. I was only there for a couple of years and then moved onto journalism, which was a childhood dream. A sabbatical and an MA led me to Loquet. An idea of something I wanted for myself, but couldn’t find.

How did you and Laura meet? What made you decide to go into business together?
We crisscrossed paths for most of our 20’s and then came together as friends in our 30’s. A combined love of adventures with our kids, writing, and other friends. I came up with an idea and asked Laura for some advice, she loved it so much that we joined forces and turned the idea into a concept. Laura was the perfect partner as her knowledge and experience in the world of fashion was everything that I didn’t have. We work seamlessly together, as our strengths lie in different areas. Through our friendship, we have developed a short hand which allows us to make decisions quickly and effectively. We both have busy lives, which makes our friendship the best part about working together.

What makes Loquet London different from other jewellery brands in the market?
Loquet is different because it offers our customers the opportunity to create at truly bespoke piece of fine jewellery. An heirloom that tells their story. It’s a collectable that can be worn day or night; and just as easily with jeans and trainers or lipstick and heels. It’s jewellery with an immersive experience. A combination of sentiment and playfulness; the pieces are fun and classical in equal measure. Our customers are not categorised into generations, as our jewellery accompanies its wearer throughout their lives.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as businesswomen so far?
The biggest challenge has been to innovate technologically, at a rate that a small business can afford. You’re constantly competing with huge companies whose budgets for marketing are you entire annual turnover. The whole retail experience is evolving so fast. Consumers no longer just want to make a purchase, they’re looking for an experience, which Loquet provides. Our customers are people who don’t follow fashion trends or aren’t particularly influenced by celebrity. They’re looking for something more honest; and we want to keep giving people an authentic journey.

You’ve had a number of noteworthy collaborations, including a collaboration with Dimes and with the Wild at Heart Fund. How do you go about finding the right people to partner with?
This is a completely organic process that involves businesses that I admire. I have been a long term customer of Wild at Heart; and have had several dogs from Battersea dogs home. With Dimes, it was a case of my being in New York, stumbling across their restaurant on Canal Street, and falling in love with their concept. I’m a huge food snob as I use to write about food and environmental issues. I have a deep admiration for businesses who are trying to change the system of vast monocultures. Dimes has a conscience behind their menu, and every detail of what they make is so beautifully thought out and utterly delicious. They were the perfect inspiration for making a fruit and veg charm collection.

Finally, what advice do you have for women who would like to become GirlBosses like yourself?
Believe in your idea and be passionate about originality. Don’t be afraid to experiment or innovate, sometimes things need to change to move forward. Do one thing and do it REALLY, REALLY well. Make it better then anyone else. Build a team around you that inspires you, that you can laugh, debate, and cry with. But most of all enjoy the journey, as you’re enjoyment will reflect in everything you do.

Lauren Jamieson is the very definition of a successful multi-hyphenate and is a certified #GirlBoss. After discovering her love for dance at the age of 16 and going to a prestigious dance school; Lauren has never looked back. Today, she balances a professional dancing career, performing with Keala Settle and Nicole Scherzinger, a modelling career, yoga, and founding her own business, The Wedding Steps Company.

What started as a few private sessions helping couples with their first dance, soon became a full-fledged business with features on the pages of Vogue and Brides Magazine. The first dance is such an integral part of the wedding, and yet wedding dance lessons weren’t really heard off back when Lauren first began her journey. With The Wedding Steps company, Lauren teaches couples to take ownership of their first dance, and create truly unforgettable wedding moments. How does Lauren balance it all? According to her, keeping yourself motivated and having an empowering support group makes all the difference in the world. Amen to that!

Tell us a little bit about yourself, how did you fall in love with dance? What inspired you to start Wedding Steps?

My name is Lauren, I am 26 and originally from Glasgow. I am a dancer, model, yoga instructor and I have recently started my own business, The Wedding Steps Company.

I started dancing around the age of 16. I loved it because it was a social time with my friends and when I started to advance and moved to a more prestigious dance school, that is when I really fell in love with it. Dancing felt very natural to me and I was always so keen to learn different styles and try new things. When I was dancing, I could be completely myself and that was a safe haven for me. When I eventually started performing, I knew that I wanted to make a living from being on stage. The build up to preparing for a show and the buzz you feel when performing, there is truly nothing like it.

I was travelling for 8 months on a dance contract, I would perform shows at night and sometimes, during the day, I would teach basic ballroom classes. I use to have a few couples stay behind and ask for help with their first dance, and that’s where the idea for my business came from. When I came home from the contract, I attended a few weddings that summer. I couldn’t believe how admittedly uncomfortable some couples felt. For the younger generation especially, it was almost as though it was an embarrassing time and the bridal party couldn’t join them quick enough.

Wedding dance lessons weren’t really a thing back then. The first dance is such a beautiful moment, you can create an atmosphere and set the tone for the rest of the night and it also gives the couple a chance to express themselves and have fun. The Wedding Steps Company gives couples the opportunity to make the most out of their first dance. It invites them to be creative, be themselves, and celebrate their marriage, I am really passionate about that and I think every first dance should be a first dance to remember.

Aside from Wedding Steps, you’re also a model, yoga instructor, and just came back from Abu Dhabi with Nicole Scherzinger and Keala Settle. How do you balance it all?

It is definitely quite difficult, but I think being strict with time management has really helped me. In the beginning, I struggled to fit everything in and as a result, I never had any downtime for myself. I was still doing emails and dancing about the flat just before going to bed. I was constantly on, thinking whats next, which then resulted in me not sleeping very well.After a period of time, it kind of got on top of me a little bit.

If you allow situations like that to carry on for too long, you can lose the love for what you are doing. So I was quite fortunate to catch that early and just learn to utilise my time, I am currently replying to you whilst I am having my hair done for a show I am walking in tonight for opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, I do have times where I just don’t want to do anything, or nights when I need to stay up late to manage everything, but during times like that, reminding myself of why I started and what I am working towards, helps me stay motivated and pull through... and some berocca ha!

What’s next for you and Wedding Steps? Any exciting projects we should know about?

I have a few exciting things that I am working on at the moment. Something that I would really like to do before the end of the year is offer a number of group sessions in different dance styles. A one to one dance class may not suit everyone. Couples who haven’t danced before would maybe prefer an introduction to see if dance lessons are for them. I think it is a really inviting environment and a perfect opportunity to have more people involved and encourage couples to try something new. Also this year, The Wedding Steps has been approached by a few magazines, some of which I was over the moon to hear from, a dream come true! Working with titles like Vogue and Brides to help spread the word about The Wedding Steps and what we offer is a great step forward for the company and something I am so excited about.

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

Balancing four different jobs is a challenge. I personally have a lot of dreams and goals within modelling and dancing and it is so important to me to work towards them everyday, I never want to look back and have any regrets. At the same time, I want to focus on The Wedding Steps, grow the company and involve more people. When I am faced with opportunities that clash or if I know I don’t have the time to manage the workload, that can be really frustrating and making a decision on whats best at the time can be really difficult. I would never want to put myself in the position of not being able to do the job to the best of my ability. Based on that and what my prioritise are, I sometimes have to miss out on things or say no to something that I really want to say yes too. I feel a lot of pressure to make the right decision, so when a time like that comes around, it’s a challenge in how to manage it.

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

I would say having a really supportive group around me has had a huge positive influence on me. It can be quite daunting starting something new; and learning as you go and making mistakes is inevitable. But having a group around me that constantly build me up, giving me confidence and encouragement, especially in the times when I am doubting myself, makes such a difference.

I am so grateful for my friends and family, especially my brother and my boyfriend who have been with me every step. Celebrating the milestones along the way with them has made all the hard work so worth it. Aside that, I often ask myself, ‘What would I do, if I wasn’t worried about failing?‘ I read that in and book once and it has really stuck with me. Whatever the answer is, no matter how far out of my comfort zone it is, I work towards that.

www.theweddingstepscompany.co.uk

Late last year Forbes published research from Upwork and the Freelancers Union that 36% of Americans had freelanced in 2017. No longer spoken with air quotes (oh yeh, you are “freelancing” from your sofa, right?) and talked down as a gig economy poor alternative to the hallowed full-time job, the same research found that 29% of those freelancers surveyed make their sole income from their freelancing work.

Our interviewee today, Kirsty Hulse, runs her own agency run solely with freelancers Manyminds and has recently self-published her book The Future Is Freelance which promises to help you develop a routine to keep motivated, manage the fear and stress of being your own boss and make it patently clear that absolutely nobody has a clue what they are doing.

HOC: Hey Kirsty, can you give a whirlwind tour of how you got to where you are today?

Kirsty: The whirlwind tour is that I never had any clue of what I wanted to do growing up. I had loose ambitions to be a writer though that never seemed especially sensible or achievable. I went to university and studied philosophy, for the ever-reasonable rationale of a 17 year old that the boys were the most attractive at the opening day. I graduated with my 1st class honours in Philosophy in 2009, smack bang in the middle of the recession. I had zero employment prospects and at the time unpaid internships were the primary route to any career, however growing up in a fairly working class household in Stoke-on-Trent, that was never an option. So, I began working in commission only sales and I was shocking at it. I worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week for 6 months and earned a total of £162. One evening, whilst I was very drunk and very miserable waiting for my bus home, I (completely uncharacteristically) struck up a conversation with a random woman who turned out to be an editor for a Theatre magazine and was looking for writers. She gave me her card and said she would love to give me a trial. I could not believe my luck and wept uncontrollably all the way home.

I began writing for the online section of the magazine (still, at this stage, for free) and learnt all about the internet. What affiliate sales are. What SEO is. Why I should include keywords and found it incredibly interesting and decided that digital marketing was what I wanted to do. So, I applied for every potential role I could find and got hired, to my absolute surprise. I knew nothing at the time, so I am forever grateful to my boss at the time for taking a chance on me. Ironically, I think it was actually the degree that got me hired.

From there, I worked my way up, joined a big media agency in London, began to run teams, spoke at conferences and then eventually, set up my own agency, Manyminds, which is a totally remote, freelance collective. I believe passionately that professional autonomy, and being trusted to manage your own time, is the future of employment. Then I wrote a book about that.

HOC: Woah, that is one wild ride. It’s said that we all have a book in us, when did you know and how did you go about writing this book?

Kirsty: I never really knew, and I am not convinced I know even now! I began writing it because I was speaking at a conference and met a woman who had recently published a book about her field, User Experience. I remember thinking she was so cool and I made a decision there and then to write my own. I found the process relatively easy in that I never put a huge amount of pressure on myself to make it perfect. I just wrote a few hundred words a day, without much self criticism and when I hit around 40,000 words I closed my eyes and sent to some publishers. (After a morning of my husband standing at my office door going “Have you sent it? Just send it! Send it now! Just send it!”).

I know that had I tried to make it “perfect” I would still be struggling with that now. We all set such high expectations for ourselves as individuals that we can prevent ourselves from completing, or even starting, things because of that.

When I read it now I see things I would change and do differently, though that has only spurred me on to write more and other people seem to really like it, so that’s all that matters!

HOC: Like many members of #TeamCoco – I’m a freelancer and I can struggle with motivation and also keeping my mental balance right. What advice would you have for this? Any recommended reading / viewing?

Kirsty: Oh so much! First of all, it’s so hard to take time out when you work for yourself. There is a perpetual guilt of always having something else to do, or not working hard enough to earn your keep. That’s a mental shift that takes a lot of time, and practice to adjust to.

I would speak to as many other freelancers and business owners as you possibly can, to reassure you that we are all in the same boat. Because I am a sole founder, if things go wrong in my business I end up internalising those failures because I have nobody to talk to about them or nowhere to put them. I think I really damaged my self esteem after 3 years of doing that, so any other freelancers you know, reach out to them and be vulnerable.

I am starting to listen to more and more Podcasts as they stop me feeling quite so isolated when working alone. I like to listen to broad inspiring topics so enjoy TED Radio Hour, The Reith Lectures and Magic Lessons.

HOC: No book spoilers but why is the future freelance?

Kirsty: We all live in a world where we see idolised views of others lives through social media and a lot of that is the freelance lifestyle. For the average office worker, the invention of laptops and the cloud have made it largely unnecessary to be at a desk for a certain time, every day. That’s just a hangover from the industrial revolution that is no longer applicable to a modern workforce and it won’t take long for that to be societally and culturally recognised. Whilst being your own boss is certainly not for everyone, I do believe all companies will have to offer some level of flexible, remote working in order to retain the best staff.

HOC: Do you find the freelance sphere is equally open to men and women?

Kirsty: Yes, absolutely. One of my favourite things about freelance is that it is a huge equaliser, across gender and social class and location. Freelance offers excellent opportunities for woman at large, levelling the playing field of raising and family and sustaining a career if one, or both, parents can work more freely. There’s huge freelance communities focused on supporting women and mothers exclusively. Likewise, in order to secure the best employment you no longer need to live in the biggest most expensive cities. We can decentralise society and enable people to achieve their career potential without sacrificing other elements of their life.

HOC: If someone is thinking of going freelance, what steps would you recommend them to take?

Kirsty: Do it! Don’t over think it. You can’t plan for what you don’t know, and being freelance is a huge learning curve.

HOC: Finally, what’s been your proudest moment working freelance (some might call it a Girl Boss moment)?

Kirsty: Speaking on a stage in front of 6,000 people in Seattle was kinda cool!

Look out for our House of Coco review of The Future Is Freelance and grab your own copy over at amazon.co.uk/Future-Freelance-Discovering-Possibilities-Flexible .

Find out more about Kirsty at KirstyHulse.com