It was back in the Summer of 2010 when I had just finished the first year of my BA Hons degree in Media and Communications at Birmingham City University, that I had the idea for my business. As a vegetarian I and had become increasingly concerned by some of the ingredients in many well know High Street beauty products and cosmetics. Animal fats, crushed beetles and pig placenta are common ingredients as well as harsh alcohols. These ingredients are used predominantly because they’re cheap and they’re used as fillers but are clearly not ethical or good for the skin.

Over the summer I started to research halal products as I found their stringent criteria matched my own beliefs. I then found that actually there was a demand for these products not only from the Muslim community but also from vegetarians and vegans. In Islam, ‘halal’ means permissible or what is allowed in the Muslim faith. Where beauty products are concerned animal ingredients, animal testing and haram alcohol is forbidden. Halal certification is a strict process whereby the products are tested and certified halal meaning they comply with Islamic law. I was convinced that there would be a demand for these type of products.

Initially I was going to run the business online and thought that maybe I would be able to combine business and studies. One day whilst shopping, I came across a very small but perfectly usable unit in The Pavilions Shopping Centre in Birmingham. The unit had been empty for many years basically because it was too small for most businesses. I managed to get the unit at a very good price and with the help of friends and family painted it and did it up myself to keep costs as low. I soon realised that I had created something very special and was determined to dedicate all my time and energy into the business in order to give it a chance to grow.

There’s no way I could have combined both the business and studies so I made a choice and put my degree on hold. I believe I made the right decision and I found that I had learnt many useful things on my degree course that were very much transferable to the world of business, so my studies were certainly not a waste of time. At first there were so many new things that I had to get to grips with. Everything seemed so confusing; corporate tax, vat, rent and business rates, importation duties, my head used to spin with it all. As time went on though, I did plenty of research and sought advice from people like business link and my local chamber of commerce and things became a lot clearer. Everything in business is a learning curve and every day presents new challenges and obstacles to overcome. Pure Halal Beauty is a unique concept and the first store of its kind that sells solely halal certified beauty products.

When our store first opened in December 2010, we received a lot press features and articles from around the world from national press, international press, local press, bloggers and we were even on television.

As the months went by I realised that some products although they are halal are not particularly natural with regards to their ingredients. I knew we could improve on the products that were available which is when I decided I wanted to create my own natural, halal collection that was completely ethical and eco-friendly.

In the Autumn of 2011, just before we reached our 1st birthday, we launched The PHB Collection- the worlds’ largest range of natural, halal and vegan beauty products. The collection includes, skincare, body care, hair care, cosmetics and men’s and baby products also. Most of the collection is made by hand in the UK, and our packaging is 100% recyclable.

I am incredibly proud of the PHB collection and we have had some amazing reviews and feedback about the quality and efficacy of the products. We did a lot of research before finding a manufacturer that we were happy with and who could offer us what we needed with regards to the ingredients and ethical stance of the products. I didn’t want to use any chemicals, parabens or petro chemicals which are common ingredients in many beauty products, mainly because they’re cheap. We researched and selected ingredients that are gentle, natural and effective. For example rosewood, gardenia and rosehip have some fabulous anti-aging properties, so we use these in our Elixir of Youth range. Whilst ingredients like grape-seed, rose and aloe-vera are used in our Pure & Natural range for Very Sensitive skin because they’re incredibly kind to skin. Also it is important to me that none of our products or ingredients are ever tested on animals or contain any animal ingredients. The halal certification and vegan society registration serve to add extra assurances to my customers.

Since the release of the PHB collection we’ve been inundated with interest from around the world and had a number of exciting opportunities. We’ve had a lot of enquiries about potential distribution and franchise opportunities in the UK and Internationally – so this is something exciting that we are exploring. We hope to expand our number of store in the future also, as we are constantly getting calls from customers who can’t wait for us to open up shops in London, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford etc. So overall 2012 looks like being a very busy and exciting year for Pure Halal Beauty!

For more information visit: http://www.purehalalbeautyproducts.co.uk/
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Don’t you just hate when you got that new shoes/trainers on and then it happens, you step on a piece of gum and you’re suddenly left with the task of scraping it off the bottom of your shoes. Let’s not forget about having it stuck on your jacket, jeans’ bottom etc..

Meet Anna Bullus, a product designer trying to turn all of our gum problems into a thing of the past.
She has created “The Gumdrop Bin” – These visible placed bins horn the job of attracting locals and convincing them to place them gums in it rather than dropping it on the floor, bus, train etc..

It doesn’t just end there, when these gums are collected and the bin is full, it is then recycled into BRGP which in turns creates more bins.

Check out my interview with her.

Can you quickly give us some background information about yourself so we can get to know you better?

Things I love:
-Clever simple design
-Olives
-Winter

Things I am not so found of:
-Laziness
-Baby Sweetcorn

Where do you get the inspiration to come up with these designs?

Everyday Life and Everyday People

Could you please describe your general work flow: how you start from idea, to sketch and rendering and what techniques, tools and software you are using?

When I have a concept I tend to sketch and develop the idea through making models. I don’t enjoy sitting and designing at a computer as I feel it takes away from the romance of creating. I also like making mistakes through experimenting and models as sometimes these mistakes make your work better. I feel that those stages may be missed if I design on a computer

What do you most enjoy about being a product designer?

I love the fact that I am able to bring my thoughts to life.

What skills or training does someone need to be a product designer?

An imagination and a strong desire to see a project through to the end.

How long did it take you to design the gumdrop bin?

I started in 2007 and am still perfecting it!

How was it made, can you tell us the process?

I would love to but unfortunately this is a trade secret and it must remain this way!

Did you have any setbacks and how did you handle it?

I have setbacks every single day. No matter how big or small you just have to focus on the positive points, pick yourself up and carry on.

What is your most rewarding design work, the one that you are really proud of and why?

I think it would have to be GUMDROP. As it has now become a full time job as we now sell GUMDROPS to the public and private sector. http://www.gumdropltd.com. It has been the most difficult project and still is. Yet it has and will be the most rewarding.

When did you decide that you were going to start your business?

I started GUMDROP Ltd in 2009. Before then I was working for various furniture design companies as a junior designer.

Did you come from an entrepreneurial background? what was the inspiration behind starting your own
business?

Yes, both my Mother and Father have their own business’s and are successful in their own right. I suppose that from an early age I always imagined I would do the same. However I am surprised how early it happened.

Tell me about your university experience, would you say it was vital in getting you the needed experience,especially the practical side of things?

I think that it completely depends who you are. University is a great place to experiment in a particular field. In my case, Three Dimensional Design. It is also a place to really find out where your skills lie.

I am seeing pictures of the bins already being placed on the streets of the U.k and the U.S? Do you have any plans to expand or you’re just focusing on the two countries for the time being?

Gum Litter is a global problem. I can only hope that GUMDROP becomes the global solution. I plan to expand slowly.

How did you go about getting the product on streets, do you need a permit or something like that?

I approached local councils and big companies in the private sector. Mainly people and companies that have to foot the bill for cleaning gum litter.

What the funds to develop it, how did you get?

I managed to get various grants through local entities. I also work as a freelance web, interior and product designer to bring the funds in to develop and move GUMDROP forward.

I mean I’m sure they are a lot of people that would love to do what you’re doing, make fantastic products, but obviously they are things such as fundings, right resource centres and things like that, what can you say to such person out there?

There are so many different funds out there that are looking to spend the money in a particular way. A few good ones are:

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
Shell Live Wire
The Prices Trust
There are also a lot of Research and Development funds out there.

What do you do to unwind, this is some real hard-work, and you must really need your me-time?

I run and cycle to clear my mind
I read to fill my mind
I see my friends and family to laugh

What new projects are you working on now and can you tell us a bit more about it?

I really am focusing on getting GUMDROP out there at the moment. However there are 2 other projects in the pipeline. You will have to wait and see!

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

Seeing the first GUMDROP go up.

Are they any advices or tips that you would like to give to young entrepreneurs, especially female product designers out there?

When you think everything is getting a bit hard. It will get harder! Don’t give up. I realise that this is easier said than done. Always bounce ideas off friends and family, as it can be a lonely ride when you are setting up.

So what’s next for you now?

http://twitter.com/#!/GUMDROPLTD
Watch this space!

Thanks for your time Anna

Thank you.

Costume Craze is an online costume retailer based in Utah. It was started by brother and sister, Kate (CEO) & Matt (CTO) Maloney back in 2001 when Kate was just 20 years old.

Initially Kate and Matt decided to start a software company which would help companies increase their SEO rankings. As a programmer Matt created the software but needed to test it before they could sell it and so set up a test site selling monks robes. Yes that’s right monk’s robes!

Surprisingly, sales from this ‘test’ site were great and they saw a real market for costumes. They slowly added to their range and Costume Craze was born. Their initial software company idea was left behind as they ran in a new direction. They brought their mother into the business and this family affair took Costume Craze from a test to the Inc.500|5000 list.

2010 saw them hit revenues of $13.2million and also saw Kate win Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award. Kate graduated from college in 2002 and was involved in running the orders in the early days when the company was initially seeing orders of 1 a week until Halloween when they saw 22 orders placed. Now a bumper day such as Halloween will see 5,000+ orders for there 60,00sq ft warehouse and 30 employees to handle. Well they have 30 full time employees but in October of each year they hire an extra 170 or so workers to cope with the high volume of orders.

In the second year they were still working from home, even with 8 employees, in fact when Halloween came round again they got over 700 orders compared to 22 the year before and when the FedEx guy turned up he was on the drive for over an hour scanning packages! This is when they decided it was time to move out and they moved into an 11,000sq ft warehouse, 3 times bigger than their house. One year later it was time to move again as the business saw massive growth. Another year later and they were on the move again!

Often you won’t realize what you can achieve until you’re thrown it at the deep end and that’s certainly what happened with Kate, freshly out of college without any real world business experience she had to learn a lot as she went along. “I didn’t realize how capable I was. When you have to get thousands of orders out, you learn to do things like drive a forklift. And that you can go a long time without sleep!”

As the Halloween period rolls round again the Maloney team expect yet another year of bumper sales with Harry potter and Captain America costumes expecting to be popular this year, as well as the usual favourites of Star Wars and Ghostbusters costumes.

In the industry they are in they have to keep up to date with what is happening in the movies and popular culture, so the summer blockbusters can provide a few decent business trips! It’s an industry that is always changing and Kate and the team make sure that they are always up to date on popular trends to insure they aren’t losing out on potential business and this attitude is what is helping Costume Craze successful and it is certainly on it’s way to being number one in the industry.

So did Costume Craze ever look for funding? No. Kate preferred the penny pinching nature of her journey as she had to make sure sure that every dollar spent was efficiently used. “I have a theory that companies that get venture Capital never do as well as they could have,” says Kate, why? “when you don’t have to penny pinch and save and work really hard on your efficiencies you get a little bit lazy & you always assume there is going to be money there to do things,” she explains.

I think what she is saying is that you are used to having a bit of money to play with and so tend not to be squeezing every penny as much as you would be when you have a little or no budget & therefore you are willing to spend a bit more when you really needn’t, maybe if you had no budget you would work to finding a cheaper solution.

Here’s an example from Kate herself:

Happy Halloween

–

Follow @rishi_chowdhury

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.

I recently caught up with Diana Proca to talk about her startup, Workinstartup. Check out what we talked about.

Diana Proca is the Founder of Workinstartups.com. WorkInStartups is the perfect place to find the job opportunities from UK startups and beyond, the website is currently in its BETA stage.

Here’s the full interview.

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

Hey Joseph, I’m very well thanks!

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

Sure! I am originally from Romania where I have previously worked in the corporate world (P&G and banking) and realised that it just wasn’t for me. I wanted to have more impact in the business that I was working on and in the corporate world that meant at least another 10 years of work.

Therefore I decided to find a job that I’ll enjoy and I came to London where I did a MA in Events Management and started working with Launch48. Needless to say that after seeing so many startups being created during the Launch48 events I caught the entrepreneurial virus and decided to give it a try, and that’s where I am now.

When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Ever since I was little I knew I wanted to build something that will bring value to other people and that will improve the way they work or live. After the Romanian Revolution (when we got rid of communism), both my parents took the entrepreneurial path deciding that they want to build their own businesses and I hope I’ll someday be as good as them.

Lets talk about WorkInStartups and how did the idea come about?

Interacting with a bunch of newly created startups while working at Launch48 I’ve noticed the stringent need that the startup scene has for valuable people. Initially the idea was to raise awareness about the benefits of working in a startup as learned from my own experience.

I was also looking for a job in a startup in UK and realised that there is no centralised place for all the startup jobs. All the websites or job boards were dedicated to programmers only or they were promoting only internships. However, every startup that I knew was hiring mostly for paid positions and not only programmers but also sales people, marketers, project managers etc.

At that point I decided to create the job board that will centralise all the startup positions so people looking for an opportunity within a startup will know where to look for. We’ve also started our blog that aims to get an insight into the startup life and to showcase the startups that are currently hiring.

Ok, can you get more granular on the problem WorkInStartups solves for individuals?

Our main goal is to help people find jobs that they love and give people an alternative to working for big corporations.

WorkInStartups is a place where you can find the job opportunities from UK startups and beyond. People don’t have to search for jobs on every startup webpage as they can find on www.workinstartups.com the openings.

Many people are not aware of the benefits that working in a startup could bring so we try to highlight them get as much advice and feedback from startups and startup employees as we can.

Furthermore, on our blog we interview the startups that are currently hiring so people will get an insight of their culture, team and benefits they offer.

How do you intend to charge for your service?

At the moment we are in Beta and the service is free of charge. We intend to keep it this way throughout Beta but we are going to launch soon (end October) new features of the service that will be paid for. Unfortunately I can’t say more about it for the time being but we will let you know details soon.

How is your startup being funded so far?

At the moment we are bootstrapping but we are also in discussions with potential investors.

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

The most difficult part was definitely deciding that I wanted to take the idea one step further and transform it into something tangible and as well getting mentally prepared for it.

I’ve previously had business ideas but I had never tried to pursue them, as the effort you have to put into it is significant. And as they say, entrepreneurship is not a sprint but a marathon so you have to be prepared for the long run.

You’re the Event Manager at Launch48? Tell us some of your experience working with the Launch48 team?

Actually I’m not working with Launch48 anymore, our roads have separated in May when I decided to focus exclusively on WorkInStartups.

However, working with them was an awesome experience as I met a lot of amazing people, seen many businesses being created and listened to a lot of mentors giving advice. That’s why I truly believe that everyone should experience working in a startup at least once in their lifetime.

Tell us some of the key lessons you’ve learnt so far through the beta-process?

We are now almost 5 months old and our product has changed a lot since we’ve first launched it. Here are some lessons that we’ve learned so far:

It is best to have the MVP launched asap and build on it as it accelerates the learning process;
It’s not about the number of applications for each job but what matters is the quality of the people;
Communicating with the customers is key as feedback is precious;
Always think of the next moves/features as they will drive fast progress;

When should we be expecting the full launch?

As previously mentioned we will be launching new features in October but the full launch of the product will be ready early next year.

What can we expect from WorkInStartups in the future?

We are currently busy with building an improved product that we plan on launching early next year. I can’t tell you more details at the moment but we hope to solve the recruiting problem that startups have.

Do you have any advice to young entrepreneurs looking to launch their startup?

Be prepared for the long run as it’s not the speed that makes the difference but the perseverance.

Thanks for your time Diana.

Thank you and best of luck with YHP!!

Emily has teamed up with the Founder of lastminute.com, Brent Hoberman and William Akerman, Managing Director of CragRats to launch MyKindaCrowd

MyKindaCrowd is UK’s first student crowd sourcing website which gives students the opportunity to win career-boosting prizes like internships, work-experience placements and must-have merchandise such as iPods and digital cameras with the aim of also enhancing their employability skills and CV.

The website aims to help students create links with businesses, solve real-world problems and at the same time showcase their talents.

Emily went to say “When I was at school I solved real-world problems during my technology classes and by combining that with industry networking I have been able to achieve my goals and be internationally recognised for it. I want to encourage other young people to promote themselves and their talents as well as enhance their employability skills and I believe that MyKindaCrowd will provide those opportunities to the masses”.

MyKindaCrowd could also be used by teachers to enable students to be more enterprising as well as developing their skills and promoting their talents. It gives young people a real insight into what goes on in companies as well as letting them put what they have learnt in the classroom into action to solve real-life challenges.

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.

Young Entrepreneur, Shauna Mei is the founder and CEO of AHAlife. Shauna started the company in January 2010, raising her first round of funding in March of that year.

The company is a commerce site that website that sources and curates unique products from around the world. What makes AHAlife different is that it is based on stories, each product has a story behind it. Each of the sites curators have a profile on the page and so do each product designers, so they can share their stories and answer questions in relation to the product. Everyday a new product is showcased.

‘AHAlife is the online discovery destination where you can learn about -  and purchase – the best unique products from around the world.’

………………………………………………………………………………………………………. AHAlife.com

After raising $3million in funding, last year the site got it’s beta launch in September 2010. Earlier this month AHAlife announced it had raised a further $6million in funding bringing total investment so far to $9million.

Leading up to the recent investment, Shauna’s vision and passion has seen the company grow by 600% this year.

“We have gotten a tremendous amount of traction and have grown 600 percent this year while staying true to who we are,” says Mei. “We get e-mails and tweets saying that they love the story behind our products, especially our ‘good karma’ products because they are tied to a good cause. Then they share our stories through their social media streams.”

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If you’re still wondering what pillow talk is all about. Here you go: Pillow talk is a product that aims to connect long distance lovers. Each person has a pillow for their bed and a sensor which they wear to sleep at night.

The sensor wirelessly communicates with the other person’s pillow; when one person goes to bed, their lover’s pillow begins to glow softly to indicate their presence. Placing your head on the pillow allows you to hear the real-time heartbeat of your loved one. The result is an intimate interaction between two lovers, regardless of the distance between them.

Since its launch or should i say since she posted the video of Pillow Talk on youtube, the interest and press has continued to skyrocket, the video has over 160,000 hits.

Check out the video below

The 23 years old entrepreneur who graduated from Dundee University last year with a First Class BSc(Hons) in Interaction Design launched her startup Little Riot last september, a creative interaction design company that aim to provide creative and unique solutions for networking individuals in simple, thoughtful ways.

On her university experience, she said “My four years at university helped me grow as a person and I would recommend it to anyone. Both the course and the student experience far surpassed my expectations and have shaped me into a mature, multi-disciplinary individual with a wealth of knowledge to draw upon.”

Her company, Little riot has gone on to secure a £25,000 development funding to steer the first project, Pillow Talk, a project she started during her final year at the university and also secured a further £10,000 of funding as a result of being crowned the NACUE’s National Varsity Champion 2011.

Last month, Little Riot was also awarded a Shell Livewire Grand Ideas Award which comes with a £1000 cheque which she hopes helps with the implementing of the online store and also to cover the cost of producing a few units for user testing.

She said “I am aiming to connect people with technology using design, I am a hybrid between the design and HCI worlds. My design work and research explores the concept of digital intimacy and presence – namely using physical objects to allow people to interact with each other in subtle, engaging ways”.

This statement pretty much explains what she has accomplished with pillow talk so far.

She plans to start selling before Valentine’s Day 2012.

Rebecca Holder, a graduate with a first class honours degree in illustration and animation from Coventry University decided it was time to turn her skills into a job for herself after spending months trying to find employment with little success.

She decided to start an online handmade merchandise and craft company called The Emporium Oundle selling quality, ethically sourced, handmade craft.

With the help of Princes Trust, she got a grant of £250 in their “Will it work?” followed by £2,000 loan from the organisation in March.

With the funds, she was able to create The Emporium Oundle website and source a diverse range of artisans’ work, with the emphasis on unique, ethically sound, high quality items.

On starting up, she said “The first challenge I faced was signing up fellow graduates, friends and neighbours to create an array of handmade merchandise that I could sell on my website. But with so many young people unable to find work at the moment, I soon found willing suppliers to work with me and my business.”

“Initially it was a very daunting process as I had no idea about how to run a business. However, with the support of family, friends and third parties such as The Prince’s Trust and Simply Business, I have significantly improved my understanding of how to manage a company. It’s been a steep learning curve but I’m having a great time and enjoying the challenge”.

She currently sells high quality crafts ranging from soaps made from a woman’s garden herbs through to candles, bags, stationery, jewellery and many other unusual, quality gift items on her online website.

Rebecca offers a gift box and gift wrapping service, with boxes made from UK recycled card, handmade gift tags and hand written notes and cards provided to add that personal touch to ensure the highest levels of customer service.