Keep an eye on the competition, or promote yourself if you are the competition!
Business name: Chung Creative Group p/l
The Lady in Charge: Michelle Chung
Location: Pyrmont, NSW
Launched: July 2009
Website: www.chinelasbymichelle.com
Hit us with your elevator pitch:
Chinelas by Michelle (pronounced ‘chi-ne-las’, meaning sandals in Spanish) is a range of folding shoes designed to help women walk home comfortably, painlessly and still look great so you can wear high heels to work every day or dance all night at the clubs! Even if you don’t wear heels all the time, they are great on special occasions when you need to look stunning!
Chinelas are unique because they hygienically fold with soles together – forget dirty thongs or sticky gel inserts! They also come in a matching pouch with zipper pocket to keep all your essentials, which cleverly converts to carry your high heels!
What drove you to go it alone?
Being made redundant just before Christmas 2007, when I was 26, from a well paying product development manager position! Didn’t want to look for another job so thought I’d give entrepreneurialism a go, as I was young and keen to learn something new.
Before actually taking the leap I ensured prepared myself with lots of reading, education, attending seminars and seeking mentors for advice.
Give us five words that best describe you, since becoming your own boss?
Independent, assertive, persistent, creative, problem-solver.
What do you find the most difficult, and the most rewarding, aspects of running your own business?
The most difficult thing about running your own business is switching off and resting your mind! Because it’s your baby, you think about it constantly, you keep seeing people on the street who need your product! You have to resist the temptation to shout it from the roof, because having a proper marketing plan is more effective!
The most rewarding aspect is when I get random emails from strangers (especially designers) who say they have read my blog and got a lot of information out of it! I’m still not sure how they find it – thank God for Google – but it feels great to know someone has benefitted from your experiences, and that one day they will share their experience with others too.
Business name: Monique Bryden
The Lady in Charge: Monique Bryden
Location: Sydney, NSW
Launched: March 2009
Website: www.moniquebryden.com
Hit us with your elevator pitch:
The Monique Bryden swim range encapsulates sculptured femininity, flamboyant prints and quirky detailing by combining luxurious Italian fabrics with covetable hardware. The range is a must for any savvy, style conscious fashionista! The 100% Australian made swim label is set to rock your world and capture your heart in an explosion of truly glamorous femininity.
What drove you to go it alone?
The main motivation for starting my own business was to be in control of my own career. I wanted to deliver a brand that resonated in the minds of Australians. It was only when I realised there was a niche in the market that it was really worth pursuing my ideas.
What do you find the most difficult, and the most rewarding, aspects of running your own business?
The most difficult aspect of running your own business is to be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses and not spread your self too thin – and give yourself some down time as well. I’ve been very surprised about the versatility of the way my business can operate within the creative industry.
Starting out in business is never easy (at least we’re yet to hear from someone who says it was) so New Kids on the Block is a SNOBS’ initiative to help start-ups, started by women, that are still in their first year of trade.
Read the previous installment of New Kids on the Block HERE
If you’d like to grab a bit of the spotlight for your new business, write to us via the contact page and we’ll let you know if you’re eligible.
