I came up with the idea for Slinks about three years ago. I’ve always liked the idea of combining beauty with a product that works. I thrive on attention to detail, fabrics, colours, beads and turning a seemingly simple everyday product into something unique and fabulous.
I did a fashion show where I had made foot jewellery; a selection of crystals with beaded and interlinked rings to create a cover for the top of the foot. They worked really well and I thought there must be a way of combining them with a base so that they could be worn out and about.
I had never run a business before on my own and the whole idea was very daunting but, over time, I have learnt there’s no secret to it. I mainly work on what I feel is the right thing to do, work with people I get on with and take it step by step. I’ve found during my working career before doing Slinks full-time (which I have actually only done for six months) that whatever you really want to achieve you can.
Take Dragons’ Den, I used to always watch the programme from behind a cushion, always feeling incredibly sorry for the person pitching. But it gives great business advice. You have five top business people giving you pointers on all sorts of different aspects.
The BBC called me about going on the programme (they had heard about Slinks through the British Inventors’ Award I had won). I never thought I could do it. I prepared and prepared, got friends of my sister’s who work in finance roped in to pitch too, nearly re-created the den in the living room and worked so hard to make sure I got the outcome I wanted: £75,000 from James Caan and Theo Paphitis, for 40 per cent of the business.
I love what I do, I love Slinks, every time I put them on it still gives me a little thrill. I’m trying at the moment to move it all forward. Running a business on your own is difficult and I think the decisions side of it is probably the hardest.
I have just placed an order for 1,000 pairs of Slinks – my maximum order to date was 250 pairs at a time. Trying to work out what uppers people are going to like more than others, which colour will sell the best, where can I keep 1,000 pairs in my teeny studio? The girl I share with is lovely and a great friend but not sure she wants 50 pairs under her desk!
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