We are sharing some of our members’ small business stories to mark Small Business Saturday on December 4th. We asked Molly, from Porridgeheads Official, to tell us how she began her small business offering handmade and custom clothing and accessories.
Three years ago, whilst on maternity leave with her twin boys, Teddy and Swade, Molly decided to pursue a career that let her be creative at home. Molly has kindly shared with us an insight into the decisions she had to make as a small business owner. Read all about her small business journey below:
Hi Molly! Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Please introduce yourself and your business
Hey guys! I’m Molly, owner of Porridgeheads Official. I’m a twin mum to three-year-old boys, Teddy and Swade. I started Porridgeheads a little under three years ago whilst on maternity with the boys. I hand-make children’s and adults’ clothing along with some fun accessories in custom prints!
How did the idea form for your small business?
The idea of starting a small business took me by complete surprise if I’m honest. I was a new mum to twin boys and couldn’t bear the thought of leaving them to go back to work. I’ve always been the creative type and started making clothes for them whilst on maternity leave. Everyone loved them and asked if I’d make them some too, so I ran with it and Porridgeheads was born.
What did you have to consider when setting up your small business?
There’s a lot that needs considering when setting up a small business. From pricing fairly to selecting stockists, as well as website designing and finding the perfect packaging. The hardest part I found personally was choosing the name – I went round in circles for weeks before my partner suggested Porridgeheads and it just stuck!
How did you figure out your target audience?
With my products being mainly children’s clothing and accessories, I knew straight away they would be aimed at parents. Specifically those who love to shop handmade. As a result, I personally found it quite simple to figure out who my audience was.
Was there anything that surprised you about your business journey?
The biggest surprise for me on my business journey was the amount of support I received from my Instagram community. They are amazing cheerleaders who keep me going even through the harder periods.
Aside from making and pricing your product, what other factors does a new business have to consider?
I think one of the biggest factors with a new business that can sometimes be overlooked is social media marketing. Social media is one of the best tools you can have. When growing your small business, you can create the most wonderful community that loves your products just as much as you do. If you engage with them and find out what they love, you’ll do fab!
What piece of advice would you give people who are considering starting a small business?
If I were to give one piece of advice to hopeful small business creators it would be to just go for it! Make the jump because, if the passion is there, it will succeed. Like they say, if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life! I’m so thankful that my love for Porridgeheads is the same now as it was when I first started and I have exciting plans for the future!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us Molly!
We would like to say a massive thank you to Molly for sharing her experience and wisdom! Follow more of her journey as a small business owner on her Instagram profile, @porridgeheadsofficial and on her website.
Want to read more about starting a small business? Check out our articles here.
