East and Lester has come a long way since showcasing their garments at a business show in Earls Court. I caught up with one of the co-founders of the company, Samuel Aderounmu to learn more about his journey.

The full interview is below

Samuel Aderounmu (left), and Yemi Spaine (right)

Hi Samuel, great to have you on YHP, how are you doing today?

I’m doing great, thanks for asking. It’s a glorious day with plenty of Spring sunshine, which always puts me in a great mood!

Before we move on, could you quickly give us some background information about yourself so that the YHP audience can get to know you better?

Sure. I’m 23, Nigerian/British, and currently based in London where I live and work. I graduated from the University of Leicester in 2009 with a degree in Financial Economics, following which I completed an MSc in Finance and Investment at Durham Business School. I now work in an Investment Bank but also run a business with my friend Yemi.

So Samuel, tell me how you got into entrepreneurship, what was your motivation?

I’ve always had a love of business, which I believe that I inherited from my parents. Before I was old enough to remember, my dad had retired from his banking career to pursue several business interests. My mum was also very business-minded – producing hair and beauty products in Lagos, Nigeria. Growing up around such entrepreneurs certainly rubbed off on me. I would say my motivation has always been centred on my love for variety and a challenge. Starting and running a successful business is exactly the type of challenge that keeps me interested!

What was your first business, tell us about your experience running that?

My first insight into business was actually an eBay business, back when I was still in secondary school. The concept was very simple, import mp3 players from China and sell on eBay (back in the days when the iPod was only just emerging). The experience was not so straightforward however, I got ripped off a couple of times with suppliers sending items I didn’t order/counterfeit goods. As you can imagine, after that I wasn’t so keen to pursue that idea and realized I wasn’t ready to take on such a business and decided to focus on my GCSEs. I would say it was a great experience, in that it taught me a lot about the risks of doing business, and what factors to consider next time.

After that business, what else did you get involved in?

I didn’t get involved with any other ventures until I got to the University of Leicester, where I had the opportunity to revive a failing society.

So you went to the University of Leicester? How was the experience, a lot more people are deciding to go into entrepreneurship straight after school rather going to university, what made you realise that this was the right choice for you?

Going to university was probably the best decision I could have made at the time. I matured a great deal in the three years I was studying for my Bachelors. I also came to know myself a lot more, around what motivates me, and what I wanted to get out of my life. A major factor in deciding to go to University for me was that I saw a degree as something I could always fall back on….and three years at Uni would be a great deal of fun too!

At the time that I was deciding to go to University, I had a good idea of what type of career I wanted to pursue – although entrepreneurship was my long term goal, I saw a career in banking as a way to open many doors and prepare me with the skills I would need to be successful in business.

You became Vice-President of the Afro Caribbean Society in your second year of university, how did that happen? How was the experience running the society, especially reviving a failing society as you said earlier and some of the opportunities It brought you?

I actually set out to be Treasurer of the ACS, but as fate would have it, I ended up being the VP. The person running for President moved on to another Univeristy, my current business partner Yemi, got promoted to President, and I took his position as VP. That turned out to be a very fortunate turn of events for us as friends and business partners.

The experience of running the society was certainly very challenging, but equally as rewarding. When we took over leadership, the society was suffering low morale, even lower expectations, and had no money in the account. However, through some great ideas and the hardwork of the whole ACS team, we were able to turn it around to the point where we were nominated for Society of the year. Both Yemi and I would say that the experience of running that Society is what confirmed our passion for entrepreneurship.

Is this something that you would recommend to other university students?

I would definitely recommend getting involved in the running/leadership of extra-curricular activities at University, be it a Sports club or Society. Involvement in the management of a Society is a great way to challenge yourself, and you will learn a lot of practical business skills that you probably wouldn’t learn from the academic portion of University life. In the one year that Yemi and I were managing the ACS, we learned a lot about advertising, marketing, accounting, conflict resolution, people management, stakeholder management, resource planning and forecasting, the list goes on.

So straight after university, you decide to intern at Goldman Sachs and then a MSc in Finance and Investment at Durham Business School?

Correct – I wanted to gain an insight into whether my desired career in banking was anything like I was expecting. So I applied for several internships and was over the moon when I got an offer from Goldman Sachs to intern in the Global Investment Research division in the summer of 2009. The MSc was something I always planned to do even while I was still studying for my Bachelors.

Tell me about your experience at Goldman Sachs, what would you say were some of the key things that you learnt from that experience?

The experience was a very challenging one, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. The long hours (typically 7am-7pm, often longer) would fly-by as the days were busy and there was always a lot to learn. The key things I learned from the experience would be time management, stakeholder (customer/supplier) management, and the value of integrity. In the real world, ‘blagging it’ is not an option. You must have the substance to back up any ideas you’re presenting. These are all lessons that we apply to the way we run our business now.

Why a Msc, I mean I’m pretty sure by then you were already buzzing with ideas for start a business? Why further your study?

In my final year at Uni, I decided to apply for MSc courses. Although I was already buzzing with ideas for business, I thought I would probably never want to return to education once I started working/business. I saw an MSc in Finance and Investment as an opportunity to develop a more robust financial grounding and acquire practical skills that I would be able to apply whether in business or the workplace.

How did you meet your co-founder?

I am in business with my university housemate and good friend Yemi. We met in our first week at the University of Leicester, both studying Economics, and quickly came to learn that we had many common interests, most relevant of which are entrepreneurship and men’s style/ fashion (although neither of us would actually say we follow fashion!).

Tell me how the idea for East & Lester came about?

After Uni, Yemi interned with Ozwald Boateng on Savile Row. I was invited to Ozwald’s flagship 25th year anniversary runway show at the end of London Fashion week. It was that event that provided the inspiration for us to launch our own men’s custom/ semi-bespoke tailoring company. We identified that there is a large market for affordable, custom tailoring, because most people couldn’t afford the Savile Row prices (typically upwards of £2000 for a bespoke suit).

What is East & Lester? Tell me more about the company

East & Lester is simply a company that offers made to measure / Custom made suits and shirts. We currently focus on men only, but we are working on expanding our products and services to women in the year ahead. The company has been around since the end of 2010, and we have seen a steady increase in clients and sales in the period we’ve been running.

Are you guys profitable?

Thankfully, yes we are. We have been profitable from very early on in the business. Yemi and I worked to a very strict start-up budget which, coupled with the unique business model, meant that we were able to start realising profits within 2-3 months of operating.

What kind of challenges did you face when starting the company and how did you deal with it?

As I mentioned, we were basically bootstrapping when we started the company. That was mainly because we preferred to build the company without any external investment, and we had experience in building up a profitable venture from practically nothing whilst at Uni. The major challenge we faced was that we had to learn to do practically everything ourselves. For example, our website www.eastandlester.com was designed and built entirely from scratch by Yemi and I. I spent a lot of time learning the technical aspects, whilst Yemi worked on things like copywriting and SEO optimisation. We were able to play to our strengths, which I think is key to our success.

How were you able to juggle running the business and studying for your Msc?

That wasn’t much of a problem as we started the business in September 2010, which was around the time I submitted my dissertation!

What are some of the key things that you’ve learnt so far on your entrepreneurial journey?

1. Don’t take no for an answer
2. If you can’t afford to pay someone to do it, invest in yourself and learn to do it yourself
3. Google is your best friend for all kinds of research/solutions to problems (the internet taught me how to build a website)
4. Surround yourself with positive, like-minded people. This is what I love about platforms such as YHP!

What would you say has been some of your most memorable moment so far?

Two moments stay in my mind:

1. The first time Yemi and I wore our East & Lester garments was to a business show at Earls Court. We received many compliments about them, and each time we told people our company made them, the look of disbelief on their faces (probably down to our youthful looks) was always quite satisfying!

2. Being asked by a soon to be married client to take on the duty of dressing him and his seven groomsmen. Not only is that the biggest single order we’ve undertaken, it is also humbling to have the opportunity to play such an important role on such a significant occasion as a Wedding.

What advices would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own business?

I think my advice to aspiring entrepreneurs would be the same advice Yemi and I followed. That is simply to work hard and persevere with their business ideas, until they become a reality. Coming up with ideas is often easy, but what makes the difference (and is more difficult) is being able to execute those ideas into something profitable. Obviously, plan, plan and plan some more, to ensure that you have all bases covered, and that the idea really is feasible and that your expectations are realistic, even if optimistic.

What can we be expecting from you and East & Lester in the future?

At East & Lester, we remain focused on maintaining the quality of our products and services. That has been, and will continue to be the foundation of our expanding client base (which has been driven solely by referrals thus far). We are now operating in two continents, but aim to have a presence across all continents within 5 years.

From Yemi and I, you can expect to see more products/services within the luxury goods/services space. Our mission is to redefine luxury because we believe luxury and expensive should not be synonymous. We have many more ideas in the incubator, all of which are founded on that same premise.

After profiling Sarah April last year, We finally got the opportunity to sit down and discuss her start-up Dressipi. Sarah is currently the co-founder and CEO of Dressipi. Dressipi is an online styling service – Think having your own personal stylist online.

Prior to founding Dressipi, Sarah was the co-founder and CEO of Texperts.com, the world’s first text message question answering service which was sold to KGB, owners of the 118118 directory enquiries service, in a multi-million pound deal.

Below is the full interview.

Hi Sarah, How are you doing, great to have you on YHP?

Thanks, it is great to be here! I love your site and the fact that you are promoting young entrepreneurs – something I am also very passionate about. So, very excited to be featured.

Could you quickly give us some background information about yourself? Tell me about yourself growing up?

Well, I am 34 years old and have greatly enjoyed life so far. My Dad was in the army, so as a child I lived everywhere! Since leaving school in 1995, I spent a year teaching English in China. I then completed my education at Edinburgh University where I studied Economics and Chinese (gaining a 2:1) and was then offered a job in an investment bank working as an analyst in Corporate Finance.

At University, I developed a passion for motorbikes and fuelled by my year in China had a desire to ride my motorbike from London to Beijing across the Silk Route. I managed to convince 5 other friends to join me, the investment bank to give me a year off and we set off in 2001 on 2 Ural motorbike and sidecars, a Land Rover and a lot of spare parts! Thousands of miles, 13 countries and many breakdowns later we made it to Tiananmen Square having raised £50,000 for Cancer Research and Mercy Corps.

I started my first job but quickly realized that life in the city was not for me! But, it was my first job that inspired me to start my first business. Along with my first co-founder (Thomas Roberts) we spotted a gap in the information market and in June 2003 to set up my first business, Texperts. We ended up selling Texperts to our largest competitor (the company that own 118118) in 2008, I then went out to New York to work for them and then quickly realized that being an entrepreneur was now firmly in my blood so then resigned and came back to start Dressipi with Donna Kelly (amazingly talented lady!).

How did you get into business? Were you exposed to entrepreneurship as a child?

Purely by chance, it was literally whilst working for the investment bank that we got the idea for the first business and starting a business when you are younger is a much better time to do it. I was 25, had nothing to lose – no mortgage, no kids, and no real responsibilities so if it all went wrong I figured I would have learnt a fair bit and would just go back into a normal job! Although I have amazing role models in my family they were mostly in services or teachers so very little exposure to entrepreneurship. I honestly believe that if you see an opportunity or have an idea there is nothing better than just going for it – of course you’ll make mistakes but as long as you learn quickly it is an amazing experience and one that cannot be replicated in an office.

Who was your inspiration growing up and why?

I would say that one of my greatest inspirations growing up was my grandfather, not necessarily from an entrepreneurial point of view but he was without doubt the most time-less, class-less principled person I have ever known. Him and my grandmother were full of fun, laughter and always surrounded by people of all generations and from all walks of life. My parents have also been an inspiration to me, always encouraging me to do what I enjoy and to never give up!

You founded and sold Texperts, tell me about your experience running that company and the idea behind it, that was just after the dot-com bubble – it must have been a hard to start and grow a business?

The idea for Texperts came from our time as analysts on the graduate training program at the investment bank. We spent so much of our time having to locate very accurate information and numbers for very demanding bosses and client at all times of the day, night and weekend. We got fairly frustrated that we were being paid a good graduate salary to do lots of analysis but spent more of our time locating various bits of information. We could find a service that could deliver good quality information quickly (this was 4 or 5 years before the advent of the smart phone) so we decided to have a go at it ourselves!

We were very young and so, as you can imagine, made many mistakes but we also managed to build a good business with really great technology. One of the great things about starting a business when you are young is that you don’t know what you don’t know and so everything seems very achievable. It was hard starting but there is always a way to get through any situation and if you truly believe in your idea and what you are building then you will find the right way through any problem. The most important skill to learn is that of empathy – learn to understand who you are pitching to and what it is about your business that each person (whether it is a client or an investor) is interested in.

What were some of the key things you learnt from the whole Texperts experience?

We made a few mistakes at Texperts but as a result learnt amazing amounts in those 5 years.
Here is a shortlist:

· Make sure your business really needs investment, raising capital is hard work and very time consuming – make sure you have explored all other avenues first
· Make sure you get a good team. At early stages, people invest in the team just as much as they invest in the idea. It’s about the ability to execute in changing circumstances
· Know your business not just the basics; know all stats, figures & what really counts
· Understand that fundamentally investors want a return on their capital – angels tend to have different time horizons than VCs so it is important you have worked out what you want out of your business; are you building it to sell it or run it – what is your ideal exit?
· Learn to listen and watch what aspects of your business excite different investors/clients and adapt your focus accordingly – empathy is key
· Understand who you are pitching to – do as much due diligence on investors as they do on you. At the early stages you need smart investors who add real value. Talk to other companies they have invested, make sure there are no nasty surprises round the corner
· If you can, run a tight competitive process with your investors
· For every NO that you get – make sure you get honest feedback (everyone will have a different reason for the NO) and make sure that point has been addressed before you present again.
· Don’t get disheartened – retain your passion and belief. Don’t give up.
· Network, network, network – you never know where you’ll meet future investors
· Once you have investment, communicate with your investors, whether it is good or bad news, this is key. Existing investors are often the spring board to further investment

So tell me about Dressipi and how the idea came about?

Back in 2009, we were both busy working women who didn’t have the time to shop but definitely wanted to look lovely. And if we bought clothes, it was often from the same brands and not always clothes that were great for us. Everyone was pushing product but no one was genuinely servicing the customer. This led to the idea to create a service where you could find all the clothes and brands in one place, and where every single item you saw was selected personally for you, based on your own style and shopping preferences. A service that was simple and fun to use and where you could always find inspirational and feel good things. Exactly like having your own personal stylist on tap.

What were you doing before you founded Dressipi?

I was working in New York for the company that bought Texperts – they are called kgb and own kgb deals and many of the European 118 services.

What was your biggest challenge during the startup phase?

Working out whether what we wanted to build was technically feasible or not. We ended up speaking to specialists in many areas before we started building the first prototype.

How have you been able to fund the business?

We self-funded the business ourselves to begin with and then raised money from angel investors. But most importantly remember that, especially in the early stages, investors primarily invest in the team. Fundamentally it is about passion, tenacity and drive – with those 3 qualities you can make anything happen!

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

Most of our growth to-date has been through word-of-mouth and some SEO/PPC but to be honest we are still building quite a bit of the core functionality and would expect to have most of the core functionality built by June at which point we would expect to start to simplify the marketing and customer growth.

Would you say the business has changed from the first initial idea?

Absolutely. When we first started we had a social fashion game! It is still not a bad idea but it did not really appeal to the market that we were really trying to solve problems for.

What would you say has been the highlight of your entrepreneurial journey so far?

All of it! I love what I do and am lucky enough to wake up every day and find that I cannot wait to get into the office… (sad I know!)

What can we be expecting from your company in 2012?

We have so many plans for 2012. The first half of the year is about building the remaining 3 bit of functionality that our customers tell us they really want! And then the last half of the year is about introducing the social elements of the site and amplifying the benefits to increase customer growth.

What three pieces of advice would you offer entrepreneurs starting out today?

1. Make sure you are solving a real problem
2. Make sure you believe in what you are doing
3. Go for it!

Fresh from her trip to New York, I had the opportunity of speaking with Lakhiva Blann, Founder and CEO of LcB Nail Lacquer, an enterprise that has created a marquee concept consisting of a line of nail lacquer shades.

I spoke to Lakhiva about her new company and some of the difficulties she has faced since its launch.

Below is our full conversation.

Hi Lakhiva, thanks for doing this interview with me, how are you doing?

Great. Just returned form New York presenting LcB Nail Lacquer to the Beauty Industry.

Can you tell me a little about yourself? What’s your background?

Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas. Background is in Sales with a flair for creative interpretation.

Take us back a little, how did you get the idea for LcB Nail Lacquer collection?

I am a product junkie with a love for color and fashion. Through creative interpretation I’ve developed the ability to express myself through beauty products and fashion.

When did you decide to start taking it seriously?

When I launched LcB Nail Lacquer February 12, 2011 and I’ve never looked back.

What were you doing before you started LcB Nail Lacquer collection?

A Medical/Pharmaceutical Sales Representative.

What is LcB Nail Lacquer?

LcB Nail Lacquer™ is an enterprise that has created a marquee concept consisting of a line of nail lacquer shades. I grew up being called different names in reference to my dark skin tone. Whether the comments tended to be flattering or insulting, I was motivated and persuaded to create a line for women to inspre, motivate and empower women.

Talking about early days, what difficulties did you encounter in your early days of the company and tell us how you got out of it?

As any small businessperson or entrepreneur will attest, starting from scratch is not for the faint of heart. Initially, being viewed as a serious entrant into the beauty/fashion world was a huge hurdle. Competition is staggering and entrants are numerous. In such a competitive field a new line must set itself apart from the field. Secondly, finances. Operating on a shoestring budget and filling the roles in all facets of a fledgling business takes commitment. My goal remains, operate with the company’s financial means. Lastly, remembering I’m also the CEO of a family. Having a successful business is rewarding however; having a loving and successful family to share it with is heavenly.

Who is your inspiration and why?

I’m inspired both by the drive to better myself and by the people I encounter on a daily basis. I think inspiration can be found everywhere that’s why I love to travel and meet people.

What would you say has been the key to your success so far?

Continue to evolve, staying on trend and being creative. Keep things fresh and new, like it’s your first adventure.

What would you say has been your most memorable moment so far?

Working with Designer Korto Momolu during New York Fashion Week. LcB outfitted the models in LcB Nail Lacquer.

What would you say has been some of the key things that you’ve learnt on your journey so far?

Be patient, my time will come!

What achievement are you most proud of?

When individuals tell me that LcB is the best nail polish. It can last up to 2 weeks and has an ultimate shine without the harmful chemicals, such as DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate), Toluene and Formaldehyde.

What advices would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to get in to business?

Research the industry, be patience and persistence, find mentors, join organizations that relate to your business. Research, research, and more research!

What can we be expecting from you in 2012?

LcB will launch 3 new colors and names, more New York Fashion Week visits and to work with more charities and organizations.

You might remember her from Season 5 of Project Runway. Since then, Korto hasn’t slowed down a bit, she has gone on to design for the female president of Liberia – a place where she hasn’t t been since her family fled to Canada in 1990 to escape the civil war, to having her first solo show at New York Fashion Week in 2010.

Korto Momolu now dedicates her time to being a mother, a wife and running her own company. I had a quick chat with her to discuss some of the key things that have happened so far in her career.

Hi Korto, thanks for doing this interview with me, how are you doing?

I’m fine thanks

Can you give us some background information so the YHP readers can get to know you better? Who is Korto Momolu?

Korto is a designer of fine things, a mother, wife and all around family woman who is deeply rooted in faith

Take us back a little, how did you get into Fashion?

I began designing in my senior year of high school and had a great mentor that helped me tune into my passion

When did you decide to start taking it seriously?

Upon graduation from high school I applied to design college

Talking about early days, what difficulties did you encounter in your early days of designing and tell us how you got out of it?

I could not sew very well going into school so it was very difficult to stay on top of the class and gain praise from instructors

Who is your inspiration and why?

I am very inspired by Oprah Winfrey and her sense of morals and character. She continues to set great examples for women of color and I appreciate that

When you create something, what goes through your mind? What’s your creative process?

I begin draping every item I create it’s a calming and intense process once I decide on my theme for the collection or piece

What is most challenging about a career in fashion design?

Having thick skin and knowing it won’t happen over night

What else do you get up to in any spare time that you manage to have? Is there anything other than designing that you like to immerse yourself in?

I love to read and travel for leisure. the Simple things bring me joy these days

What’s exciting for you right now in fashion?

Lots of color and color blocking is great. I love that people continue to layer

Tell me how you got involved in Project Runway?

I was a fan of the show and decided to apply to be on it after the 4th season wrapped. I auditioned for season 5 and made it on the 5th season

What was the experience like, being in the show?

It was life changing and extremely rewarding!

What would you say has been some of the key things that you’ve learnt on your journey so far?

Everyone is not going to like you but its ok, love yourself and continue to grow daily. Life is about finding new ways to live out your dream

What would you say has been key in growing your business to the stage its at, at the moment?

Perseverance, persistence, confidence and last but never least FAITH

What would you say has been your most memorable moment so far?

Going to my home town in Liberia in May 2011 after 23 years of exile

What key advices would you like to give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Dream… Believe…have FAITH …REPEAT

What can we be expecting from you in 2012?

Sky’s the limit! www.kortomomolu.com for those who want to come along on the ride

I caught up with Ole Fjelberg, founder of OnePiece UK – OnePiece is the ultimate comfort, leisure and lifestyle wear.

In the full interview below, Ole talks me through his journey so far running the company, studying at Queens Mary University and how he has managed to get the UK excited about OnePiece and some of the difficulties he faced starting the business.

Hi Ole, how are you doing?

I’m going great

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

I was born and raised in my fathers delicatessen shop in Oslo, Norway. Moved to UK to study at Queen Mary in 2008 and started OnePiece in the UK in my second year, which I still run. I love to ski, tennis, see the growth at my own company and help friends with their ideas.

So Ole, how did you get into entrepreneurship, what was your first business?

As the son of a great shop-keeper I always wanted to do something for myself. First business was KleinService, an innovative cleaning service, cleaning up after pre-parties in Oslo. Due to the innovative concept we got amazing press in the largest newspapers-, TV- and radio stations.

After that, what else did you get involved in after that?

Did some military service in the Norwegian Royal Navy and went studying. In uni I founded the Queen Mary Trading & Investment Society, and then the OnePiece came up and took all my time.

Tell me about your experience studying at Queens Mary University?

Queen Mary was great, but I was more hooked up in things around uni than the actual course. I played on the tennis team and met a lot of great people. At the end of the first year I founded the Queen Mary Trading & Investment Society, which was a great experience. We got great backing from the department and great feedback from speakers, students and sponsors. At the end of second year I had to give up my position as President for the OnePiece venture, which was a good decision. The society still lives and grows.

I guess with the whole issue about the value of going to university being questioned, what’s your thoughts on the whole issue?

After three years in uni I did wonder: ‘what did I actually learn?’. As I did a major in economics I didn’t really learn any specific job, however knowing how the world works around you is very valuable, and I definitely knew that better after three years in Queen Mary. However the most valuable thing I believe you get out of university is the people you meet. You get to meet like-minded people from all over the world, and make friendships lasting a lifetime you would never have made otherwise.

Tell us about One Piece? How the idea come about?

In 2007, three friends of mine lying hung-over on a Sunday afternoon, discussing how they could make themselves more comfortable than they were there and then. The waistband on their sweatpants really bothered them, so they decided to try sewing together a hooded sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants, connecting the two with a giant zipper to create the first OnePiece.

What is One Piece?

OnePiece is the ultimate comfort, leisure and lifestyle wear. Made by the highest quality cotton with a brushed inside it’s developed to be ridiculously comfortable at the same time as we offer colours and designs to suit every taste. So you can stay comfortable and look great;)

Tell me about how you got involved in the company?

The OnePiece literally exploded in Scandinavia, fuelled my social media, PR and blogs and became massively popular. I was watching this from my student flat in the UK and thought we needed to show this to the brits, and we certainly did.

So does that mean you have shares in the business?

Yes, I own a share of the UK company OnePiece Jump in Ltd, where the Norwegian mother company is also shareholder.

How difficult has it been introducing the brand in the UK? What would you say was the hardest part?

It was certainly a totally different market than Norway. As the Scandinavian countries has a very unison market, the UK is very fractioned and it’s like you need to take one part at the time. There’s also so many things happening in a city like London that you have to scream very loud in order for anyone to hear you. We got a lot of very good press and celebrity endorsements which have helped us a lot on the way. The hardest part was when our previous shipping supplier UKMail totally failed on us previous to Christmas sales 2010, and we needed to stay up around the clock to solve all the mess they’ve made. We quickly got DHL on the team, and that helped us a lot.

What would you say has been some of the most valuable things you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

Everything that can go wrong will go wrong and a little bit more, but even though something goes wrong – take it by the horns and solve it as fast as possible and get on with the good parts.

What would you say has been some of the toughest part of running a startup?

Learning and doing everything is very stimulating but can also be very frustrating. Maybe the toughest part is getting into the whole HMRC tax system. It’s the thing you have to do, but since it’s not affecting your sales it’s easy to wait too long with.

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

When the Daily Mail article ‘OnePiece – The new fashion wave’ became the most commented article on the Daily Mail Online – more than the US governor elections and the war in Iraq.

What advices would you give to any aspiring entrepreneur out there looking to enter the fashion industry?

- Find the right suppliers and make sure the sample is 100% right before ordering.
– Don’t compromise quality for quantity
– Make sure you’re 100% square with HMRC, if you can’t take it get an accountant.
– Don’t be afraid of changes as you go
– Listen well to tips from people from the industry, although it doesn’t mean you have to follow them all.

What can we be expecting from you guys in 2012?

Lot’s of exciting stuff! We’ll introduce a whole new clothing line with anything comfortable like sweatpants, hoodies, t-shirts and so on. We’ll also come with loads of new designs, washed colours, maybe even different fabrics…

I caught up with Jon Penn, one of the co-founders of the newly launched startup – Goodfibres which launched last year August. Goodfibres is an ethical fashion brand that provides a platform for artists and up and coming artists to upload and submit graphic designs.

In the full interview below, Jon talks me through his journey so far running the company, how the idea for Goodfibres came about and what Goodfibres is all about.

Who are you?

Goodfibres is an ethical fashion brand that provides a platform for artists and up and coming artists to upload and submit graphic designs. Once the designs have been uploaded other artists within the Goodfibres community will rate the designs and will give feedback as to how the design could be improved if at all. Every week we look at the most popular designs and then turn them into funky t-shirts paying the artist a 10% royalty on every sale.

How did you start?

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and find myself consistently evaluating companies that I admire and wondering how they can be done differently and better. I find that I have to reign myself in at times as I continuously come up with new business ideas that I want to pursue. Due to the routine constraints of life, I try to put the blinders on and think about the big picture; you need to focus on one big goal at a time. I originally started out in the tech sector working for the big banks and realised very quickly that it just wasn’t for me. My business partner Damon Bonser has a similar mindset- he has a creative spirit and likes to do things in a manner that blazes new trails rather than following existing ones.

It was about a year ago that we were looking online for a site that offered a good selection of t-shirts that had great designs and something a little different from the high street. During our research we came across a few sites in the US but found that although they had some good designs the quality was quite poor and you had to pay a lot to get them shipped over.

It was at this point we thought there might be an opportunity but rather than build the traditional model of employing in-house designers we thought it would be a great idea to build an online community of artists. One thing we noticed whilst building Spinning Hat, our product design company, was we were finding that there are so many talented artists out there but many of them were never really taught on how to promote themselves in a big way so we thought by building a platform we could do this for them.

Before setting up Goodfibres Damon and I were already successfully selling products to the same demographic through Spinning Hat. Fashion apparel and Funky T-Shirts are always popular items for this target audience and are often sold into existing retailers that Spinning Hat supplies. The plan was to create a complimentary brand able to draft on Spinning Hat’s success whilst also helping us to enter new markets and leverage additional retail accounts. The plan was to create a sexy retail product that had a bigger purpose and story beyond the actual tangible item.

What do you offer?

Goodfibres designs are curated and created by artists, so by wearing a Goodfibres t-shirt you’re actually wearing a piece of original artwork. Goodfibres works hard to champion the contributing artists, so in addition to placing their names on every creation, the designer keeps the rights to their artwork, and receives 10% of the proceeds on every sale.

Breaking Through

When we saw the competition begin to adopt attributes that we were using to differentiate ourselves I knew they were keeping their eyes on us and that we were on the right track. We will continue to be agile and to focus on serving our customer base. If we do this we will just go from strength to strength.

Setbacks

The two biggest challenges with Goodfibres from day one was going to be how do you grow an online community from scratch and the second challenge was how are we going to find artists to submit artwork for the initial collection when we didn’t have a brand/site just an idea. We also needed to make sure as part of the launch we had a great collection of cool t-shirts to sell so we could drive sales from day one.

I think a lot of the success of this was probably due to the fact that we have already built a successful business so when we started to actively contact the artists they could see that we had potential to take the idea forward and implement it.

After a few months of contacting various artists we soon found ourselves getting inundated with artists contacting us and expressing their interest and wanting to be involved. After a few months we had close to 300 submissions of artwork for t-shirts which was really amazing. We then spent the next few weeks going through all the artwork to filter it down to a collection of 45 T-Shirts that were designed by a mixture of artists from all over the world and had different artistic styles as we didn’t want to create a genre that stopped certain artists from submitting their artwork.

Once we had built this collection of artists we then started to actively contact other artists offline and online and were introduced to friends of friends and it kind of snow balled from there. Within a few weeks of launching we had over 1,500+ artists sign up which was really amazing.

Pointers for others?

• -Check what is already in the market place?
• -Identify who is going to buy your product?
• -Is the product design realistic?
• -Can you achieve the right price point with the chosen design?
• -Is the volume you are expecting to achieve worth the effort of even designing the product?
• -Surround yourself with talented people as you cant do it all on your own.

Future

I would like to think that in 5 years from now Spinning Hat is a well established, recognised high street brand with its products being sold all over the world. Within that time we should have built an experienced, talented design team that could allow us to move into other industries or areas within design. As long as I am surrounded by talented and creative individuals who continue to challenge me, I will be happy. Goodfibres will continue to grow and will service more and more people but at the end of the day the game will still be the same. If it continues to be fun I won’t need an exit plan.

It’s not every day you get Oprah talking about your company especially when it is been listed as one of the five things to have in 2011, that’s what happened to Rochelle Behrens’s start-up “The-shirt” and since then she hasn’t looked back.

Rochelle Brehrens is the founder of The-shirt. All I can say is that ladies you don’t have to feel so self-conscious or restricted again.

This is the Interview.

Hi Rochelle, thanks for joining us on YHP, how are you doing?

Hi, very well, thank you for having me.

Can you quickly give us some background information about yourself before we move on?

I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, double majoring in Art History and Political Science. Having developed a strong interest in politics (I interned for The White House during a semester in college) I moved to Washington, DC to begin my career.

When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I come from a family of entrepreneurs, individuals who work for themselves, set their own schedules, and who all started something from nothing. I don’t think I set out in life to be an entrepreneur – it’s simply what I understand.

Tell us about The Shirt and how the idea came about?

Working in politics – particularly in Washington, DC – as a young professional female, I had to make my clothing choices for work very carefully. The line between youthful and inappropriate can be blurred quite easily. Button down shirts became my work ‘uniform’ and I filled my closet with them. They’re professional, polished and go the distance from day to evening. The only problem is they never fit right, particularly across the bust. My shirt would gape open between the buttons at the chest, and the more I paid attention, the more I realized this was a rampant problem affecting a lot of other professional women I saw.

The issue is that the one piece in my wardrobe I was selecting to project professionalism, was doing just the opposite as I flashed my colleagues (inadvertently, of course.) Tired of safety pinning my shirt closed as has become my routine, I had had enough. The technology I developed to close the gape is now patented!

What makes The Shirt different any other shirt company out there?

In my experience, if I wanted a shirt to fit across the bust, I had to go up a size, meaning it was blousy and big elsewhere. If it fit along the body and shoulders, it pulled and gaped at the chest. I wanted to create a shirt that simply fit – everywhere. The Shirt comes in regular sizing. If you wear a medium then you’ll wear a medium in The Shirt.

I remember feeling self conscious in meetings that my bra was showing. Women feel like their movement is restricted – they can’t raise their arms or arch their back for fear their shirt will gape open. The Shirt helps women perform better because the focus is no longer on manipulating their clothes to fit and stay closed.

How have you funded the company so far?

The Shirt has been self funded from the start. We have been diligent about growing the business from sales.

What would you say was probably the most difficult part of starting the business?

Sourcing materials and finding the right manufacturing. Fabric makes a garment and so finding the perfect fabric – one that wears well and that washes well is not a simple task. Also, locating good manufacturing that still will enable us to meet our goal of keeping The Shirt’s price point is a constant effort.

How do you balance social & work life?

My life is The Shirt so at this point, there are few boundaries. I try to entertain a lot. My guests are accustomed to having dinner near boxes of samples, garment racks and fabric swatches.

What effect has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey show as one of ‘five things to have in 2011′ had on your business?

The mention by Oprah Winfrey put The Shirt on the map, giving us immeasurable exposure. It is now up to us to continue to turn that opportunity into an even more thriving business. Ms. Winfrey’s audience is dedicated and trusts her. It’s an incredible relationship she has built over her career. We are obviously so lucky to have been a part of her final season.

What’s the toughest feedback you’ve ever received and how did you learn from it?

I love speaking with customers. Most of the time it’s positive. I mean really positive. Customers really identify with the brand and fortunately, with me, so their letters, comments and words of encouragement really help me stay focused. Occasionally a customer is not satisfied for various reasons, and just as there is an open forum for compliments, there is equally opportunity for customers to give critical feedback. Long ago I decided to not take it personally – afteralll The Shirt has become an extension of me to a degree – and have really used those comments to better the product.

Tell us some of the key lessons you’ve learnt so far on your journey as an entrepreneur?

Self promotion – something I have a hard time doing! – is very important. Use opportunities to talk about your product. There is always someone with a good idea or a person you should meet. At the same time, make good, intuited decisions about your business. It is up to you as an entrepreneur to sort through all the options and decide what is best for your business. Trust yourself. We will all make mistakes, but some of them could have been averted had I just listened to my gut.

Afterall, I know my business best. There isn’t a job you can’t do. Everyday, there is something absolutely new that I need to be an expert on. To be honest, a lot of being an entrepreneur is making things up as you go and sometimes those serendipitous outcomes are really good. Think big. This was instilled in me from my parents. Entrepreneurs get told ‘no’ a lot, but if you believe in your business, are committed to it, and have an idea of where you want to take it, you’ll bulldoze over those ‘no’s’ and just seek out the ‘yes’s’

Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years?

At The Shirt, we’re committed to innovating and creating products that inspire confidence in women of all ages. We will soon be expanding our categories of shirts, adding new styles, colors, patterns and fabrics. Our goal is to be the “go-to” shirt company for all needs – work, play, weekend, fashion, while still ensuring our fit is fabulous. We also plan to expand our retail reach and add new doors so women all over the world will have access to The Shirt!

What advices can you give to entrepreneurs out there looking to get involved in this industry?

Make sure you have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish. The fashion industry is not easy to break into. Buyers, editors and consumers are very sophisticated, so offering something different, with a clearly articulated vision will help you get noticed and stay around.

Thanks for your time Rochelle.

Trish Richards and Brad Cheng are the co-founders of Wear Chemistry, a company they set up in July 2010.

Wear Chemistry is a new, sustainable fashion label that is turning the eco/ethical fashion scene on its head by bringing together something that looks good, feels good, fits incredibly well and is sustainable.

Before they started the company, Trish was a marketing executive for nine years, specialising in international marketing while Brad worked as an investment banker for nearly 10 years.

The clothing is made from 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton, all ethically produced. All packaging is recyclable or biodegradable.

Wear Chemistry have continued to grow in popularity, impressing onlookers and managing to strike deals with online stockists ASOS, NotOnTheHighStreet.com and Etsy.

Victoria is a young british designer with a beautiful vintage style of ready to wear clothing, as well as being a highly celebrated fashion show producer.

She’s constantly producing fashion events and clothing and showcasing her garments all around the country.

This collection is a hommage to the 60s and 70s – her passion for classic rock music fuelling the colourful design. She uses vintage materials – and all her garments are handmade with car.

She organises 2 of the biggest fashion shows in the North – The Spring Fashion Show in Manchester and The End of Summer Fashion Show in Leeds, bringing an affordable outlet for talented designers to showcase, as well as holding a fashion market where guests can buy lovely treats.

Hi Victoria, how are you doing today? Thanks for doing this interview with me

It’s fine thanks, thank you for having me.

Can you give me some background information about yourself?

I am a 22 year old creative from Nr Manchester. I use the term creative, because I seem to have so many roles, I can’t narrow it down! I have my own clothing line, producing vintage style clothing from recycled materials, and I organise two fashion shows in the north, as well as lending a hand to many others.

So how did you first get into fashion?

When I was young, I never liked what was in the shops, so I simply taught myself how to sew, so I could create something I really wanted to wear. My love of the 60s and the music really fuels the designs. I guess, I’ve never been really ‘in’ to fashion, I keep an eye the trends, but I don’t follow them much, I’ve had the same style since I was 15, and I like it.

Why did you start The End of Summer Fashion Show? How did it all begin?

It took me by surprise really. I have always been creative, making my own clothes since I was young, and studying art, textiles, graphics etc. But I just did it for myself. When I was travelling in 2009 I met a model, and we realised we lived about 5 mins away from each other in Leeds. She was really interested in what I was making, and suggested we should do a show. Since then it’s just grown, I now have another show The Spring Fashion Show in Manchester as well.

Three attributes a fashion show producer should have?

A good memory, the ability to work well with all kinds of people, and organisation skills. I find all three of these vital!!

What do you think makes your fashion shows different?

For one thing, it’s a lot cheaper to showcase than many shows! So this gives emerging designers, who have just graduated, or people who don’t have a huge marketing panel behind them the ability to get involved. I think this is really special, we get some great testimonials about people involved.

I also love the variety of clothing that we have, there is never a set theme, so the style of clothing really ranges, there’s something for everyone.

On the day of the show your survival kit will definitely include?

A pen and paper, some pins just in case and a big smile. I plan most things in advance, so actually the day of the show can be quite relaxing.

The most memorable moment so far?

There have been some great ones, what I really enjoy is just after the show is finished, seeing everyone faces, backstage and in the crowd, it gives me and everyone involved a real sense of achievement.

Tell us a difficult situation you have faced and how you got out of it

One year, the show venue had some internal miscommunication, so 2 weeks before the show we had to find a new venue! Luckily, my staff and I all pulled together got a new venue close by, and actually it went very well, we still had a big audience and no one would have even noticed!

How do you fund these events?

Upfront, I use my own money…a bit risky I know but you only get out as much as you put in and I’ve put in loads…money, time, effort so my aim is for my shows to be the best they can be and more.

Tell us about your upcoming show on Sept 9th, what should we be expecting? Any suprises?

Ohhh the designers this year come from all walks of life!

Some have been professionally trained like Naomi Ding, or Helen Barran, who has just graduated in Fashion
Studies from the University of Lincoln and is based in Leeds. Her collection is very much based on the Victorian elegance so keep an eye out for her interpretation.

Other designers are much more established within the Leeds fashion crowd such as Pop Boutique which opened it’s 1st store in Leeds back in 1994.

We also have two very exciting ethical brands Jamilia Designs which specialises in mens and womens mohair knitwear and Crystal Padmore who designs using bamboo.

So you see we really do have an eclectic range of designers showcasing this year which is why it’s really interesting to see how the they have developed themselves and put their collections together.

All of the designers are one to watch and we believe in the next few years you’ll see them either on our high streets or in major retail stores!

What would you suggest to those that want to be involved into the business?

Be persevering, sometimes you make wrong choice, but stick at it. Try to network, sometimes knowing the right person can go a long way. I also think it’s good to do your research, find out your niche or your target audience and really learn about it, it will give you an advantage, and maybe help to discover new avenues.

Thanks for your time Victoria.

Ritika Walia started Pret-amoda.com in 2010 after discovering that they was untapped potential in fashion and design in India compared to the growing appreciation it was getting outside of India. She said “she wanted to create a unique platform to bring the best of fashion talent and the growing hunger for Indian fashion products”.

Pret-amoda.com sources exclusive selections of fashion products from established as well as independent fashion designers from India. An easily accessible online portal for shopping exclusively curated premium Indian fashion products.

The website also features individually handpicked pieces of the latest and hottest fashion from India’s coveted fashion designers.

Ritika Walia who holds a BSc Economics degree from University College London and a MA in Fashion Merchandising & Management from Polimoa International Institute of Fashion Design & Marketing in Florence, Italy started her retail career at British fashion house, Burberry where she assisted the head buyer for Ladieswear and Childrenswear at Burberry’s corporate offices in London.

A year later, she joined the Menswear luxury and heritage brand, Alfred Dunhill at their London head office where she worked as Merchandising Manager for Leather products for 3 years.

In 2009, Ritika decided to extend her experience and knowhow in the Indian retail sector having interacted closely with several international luxury fashion houses and seen their success online, Ritika wanted to apply the online retail concept to Indian designer brands.

Following her move back to India, she headed the domestic Retail and Merchandising functions for Indian fashion designer, Manish Arora and researched the Indian Fashion market for 6 months.

Ritika, an avid online shopper herself discovered that many designers still needed to be educated and better informed of the benefits of exploring the online space for retail. The customers, especially from India needed their hand held through the online shopping process. Her findings motivated her to create an online shopping portal that is simple and easily accessible for potential shoppers while being an exclusive retail channel for designers.

Pret-amoda.com was launched in June 2010 and has since gone from strength to strength and it’s on it’s way to becoming India’s premier fashion portal.