News & Events: You can do it!

Asked to contribute to a leading North West Business Blog – where on earth do you start? Well I gave it a go! And here it is ……

You can do it!

Take one Manchester woman, one University friend and two much loved new pups. Roll on a year and a bit and get a brand new start up, supporting British business and a charity to boot!

I’d dreamed of running my own business but never had that brilliant idea until I got a dog! Greeted by a range of dull and uninspiring pet products, I saw a yawning gap in the market for contemporary, beautiful dog products that would look gorgeous in a stylish home.

So along came Poppy & Rufus named after our super cute hounds. A new range of beautiful, British, co-ordinated products for dogs and their owners.

It has been a whirlwind of learning – neither of us had any experience of launching an online business, production or business set up. But what fun it has been. We have met some incredible people, created some amazing products and given new work to dozens of UK companies who amongst other things print our fabric, weave our labels, print our tags, sew our products and mould our pottery.

Lessons for anyone else with a bright idea?

• Make sure it’s something that inspires you – your enthusiasm for your idea will be infectious.
• Don’t be afraid to ask – you will be amazed how many people will be willing to help.
• Remember people do business with people they like – so take the time to build relationships and show your appreciation.
• Make it fun – it’s much more enjoyable if you can laugh in the process. Go for it – with a vision and
  determination, it really is achievable.
• And finally, there really is an amazing amount of free business support out there for the taking.

Click here to see the original article and to sign up to the Huddled Buzz Blog.