Exciting news, my episode of How To Start Up has gone LIVE! I got together with uber talented Juliet Fallowfield of Fallowfield and Mason on her new podcast, How To Start Up, to discuss my millinery journey and how to balance creativity with business acumen.
Listen on Apple here
Other platforms here
In this episode you'll hear about how I arrived in London in 2009 having left my life in Hong Kong to pursue my ambition to be a milliner. I talk through what I've learnt about balancing being a creative that also has to run a commercial business as well as where I seek inspiration from.
My advice:
- Be as skilled as you can be in your chosen field before you start
- If you are a creative, be sure to learn commercial skills too, however uninspiring you may find them
- Try to find the balance between your particular skill and the price you put upon it (don’t knock yourself out spending too long creating something if this is going to result in an unrealistic and unaffordable item)
- Keep talking to other experts in your field, study and learn from their processes
- Always be open to learning more even when you’re years into your trade
- Keep a passion for what you do, because this is infectious and will feed through to your client too
- Know your market and your competitors
- Trust your employees. If you bring someone in, trust your decision and their talent too
- Build up personal relationships with your suppliers as not only will it build a better relationship, but there will be economies of scale too that will benefit your business
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and always try to keep a sense of perspective
- Try to find something outside your immediate business that also inspires you. If you can blend the two, even better.
Please rate, review and share this podcast with anyone else who may be starting a company in 2020.
The pod is hosted by Juliet Fallowfield, founder of PR for startups advisory Fallow, Field & Mason, How To Start Up hopes to bring you confidence, encouragement and reassurance that you’re on the right track.
Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield in September 2020.
MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.