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Females Fund Fashion Innovation as Fans
It seems like the enduring trend for both Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter 2010 is fashion retail. There’s been big moves like Balderton selling out of Figleaves for £11.5m and investing $9m in Sarah Curran’s my-wardrobe.com. Michelle Dewberry has found a new partner to grow her Chiconomise.com site and even
I was feeling unusually on the pulse having had the darling of the kitchen, Nigella Lawson, choose to wear my earrings for a forth time (look out for the October edition of Good Housekeeping magazine for the pics!).
The blonde is Katie Eary, the first fashion designer to get funded using the Catwalk Genius funding platform
However Catwalk Genius’ Katie Eary Launch Party soon had me realising who’s sitting pretty and who’s drop dead gorgeous.
Held in The Architecture Foundation in Tooley Street, the blossom of the fashion and tech world came together to raise a cheer for the launch of Katie Eary’s new collection. It’s no ordinary collection either. Aside from having fans like Lady Gaga, Kate Moss and Sienna Miller, it’s made history as being the first fan funded collection to launch from Catwalk Genius’ Back A Designer technology.
The concept of Catwalk Genius’ Back a Designer is simple enough that even if you prefer candy floss to cognos you can take part:
- Take a look at the garments designers want to produce
- If you like it, back it by buying a share in it’s production
- When enough people buy shares the collection gets produced
- As the collection sells the fans get their money back
For those with a business mind there’s also the opportunity to become an affiliate and advertise lines on their own websites, earning commissions on sales. That could prove an interesting way for fashion bloggers to get more involved in the fashion industry. To top it all off there are extra perks like advance shopping options and party invites that go with supporting a designer through Catwalk Genius.
“It’s only a small collection,” Catwalk Genius founder Helen Brown told me, “and we’re delighted to see it on it’s way. A big thanks to all our fans.”
Wishing Helen well was a wealth of Female Internet Heroes including Audioboo’s Karen Barber, and Stradbroke Advisor’s Inma Martinez.
And it’s not just ladies that realise how profitable being well dressed can be, as I found out chatting to Ari Helgason. Ari’s first foray into the B2B world of fashion was World On A Hanger, a software system for managing a fashion label more effectively. Ari subsequently took the YCombinator programme and has started a new business called Fabricly which helps business side customers source suppliers and customers globally. He’s currently in the process of relocating the business to New York’s fashion hub and has received an offer for his World On A Hanger business. Ari maintained that there is a wealth of untapped opportunity in supply chain optimisation in the fashion sector and I’m sure his expertise will help many reach greater heights.
Another phenomenon sweeping the internet at the moment are the disruptive commerce models. Read more
Female Founder Launch: InDinero of Young Entrepreneur and Coder Jessica Mah
Jessica Mah (flickr: Anne Helmond)
In her early life, Jessica was the founder and technical lead behind internshipIN.com, which helped match students with internships. She’s been programming since age 9, building businesses since age 12, and finished high school at age 15.
Founder and CEO Jessica Mah (now 21) has just launched InDinero, a business owners accounting platform that monitors the financial health of their companies. In personal blog she writes about the startup experience. And her motto is:
How to start a company for $0: Learn how to code! Tips and strategies for getting started.
About in Dinero she says: “Most small business owners hate the idea of learning accounting software, so we’ve created a solution that’s easy for anyone to use.:
The startup was a result from the personal experience from the founder: In her first student company, Jessica didn’t know how much money the company was spending, what its profits looked like, or what its recurring monthly expenses looked like. Manually keeping track of the company’s money through Excel or Quickbooks proved to be painful, and no solution at the time allowed for her to automatically monitor her company’s finances.
Fast forward six years later, and inDinero was born. Read more
Michelle Dewberry finds Business Partner to Grow Chiconomise
Female Internet Hero and The NextWomen Mentor Michelle Dewberry, along with her new business partner and co-founder Vicky Zadeh, has re-launched Chiconomise, the one-stop shop to save women money on all things fashion, beauty, lifestyle and home.
Set up earlier as a newsletter in the format as the very successful Daily Candy, Chiconomise is now more focused on its website and has its own Daily Chic, which gives you the very best deal in your area if chiconomistas are quick, as those deals last only 24hrs.
With the new growth phase for the website, Michelle expanded the co-founding team with long term friend Vicky Zadeh, who is responsible for the financial side of the business.
Idea behind the relaunch is that with so many sample sales, high street sales, daily sales, online sales and private shopping clubs, the web can be a confusing place and finding the best deals can be a full time job.
Michelle and Vicky are doing that work for you: they check 101 different sites, visit the private fashion shopping clubs and read thousands of different emails and then pull all the information together to bookmark, shop or share with friends. Read more
Female Entrepreneurs Launch: PA and Lifestyle Service EasyLife
Your glamorous pay per hour PA and Lifestyle Service… ? For people who wish to enjoy their spare time, not work through it, Female Entrepreneurs and Sisters Sarah and Claire Goodchild, have launched EasyLife London – The Affordable Luxury Lifestyle Management and Concierge Service. If this is anything like the world’s leading concierge service Quintessentially, then they are on to big business.
The Sisters of Easylife
Do you wish there were more hours in the day?… Do you have a mountain of home admin and a ‘to do list’ that is growing out of control?…Do you work long hours and need someone to manage your diary, schedule your appointments, meet the plumber and restock the fridge?… Do you want to know what is going on? Where? When? And not to miss out on tickets?…
It’s a hands-on business, in which Sarah, Claire and their team of four consultants offer a highly exclusive bespoke service and come to Lifestyle Management from equally creative and resourceful backgrounds. EasyLife London looks after an array of clients spanning from sports professionals and television personalities to busy heads of households and professionals. Read more
A Unique Group of Mentors set to Advice the Next Generation of Female Internet Heroes
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Although women count for over 15% of UK entrepreneurs*, they represent less than 4% of start-ups with access to investment funding** in the country. This Gender inequality not only limits the growth of women-led SMEs, but it could also slow women’s enterprise in the post recession years. Following the Women’s Enterprise Task Force Report recommending to enhance the benefit from women networks, particularly in terms of business mentoring and coaching, a group of experienced men and women, all entrepreneurs or involved in SME enterprise, have decided to join forces and take action to trigger change.
Simone Brummelhuis, founder of The NextWomen, has today launched the NextWomen Mentoring Programme, in which over 20 outstanding male and female technology entrepreneurs from across the globe have committed to help the future of online enterprise.
“The Angel and VC investment game is still a very masculine environment. We believe that, with guidance from experienced players, many young female entrepreneurs can help change that, just as the past generations have helped change the corporate environment.” says Joana Picq, COO of The NextWomen.
The programme is unique in the way it manages the commitment to the relationship between the mentor and mentee. NextMentees, as they are called in the programme, commit to one of three different packages ranging in value, while NextMentors choose their NextMentees.
“To be a good mentor you must set your heart to it. I need to know my experience, connections and skills can really help my NextMentee launch or grow their start-up before I accept them.” Added NextMentor Sarah McVittie, co-founder of Texperts which was sold to kgb giant, 118118, at the end of 2008.
Launched to give female entrepreneurs ongoing support and advice, the programme has an impressive line-up of internet heavyweights including Michelle Dewberry, founder of Michelle Dewberry ltd and Chiconomise and winner of the second series of The Apprentice; Andrea Nacmias, former CFO of iBazar which was sold to eBay; Judy Piatkus who has set up and sold two publishing companies over the last thirty years including one of the UK’s top 25 publishing companies, Paitkus Books.
NextMentees will be able to gain insider knowledge and expertise on starting, growing and exiting a business, while they build confidence around the daily decisions they must make as business leaders.
The scheme is primarily aimed at female entrepreneurs, but is also open to men and other professionals seeking entrepreneurial advice and support from its NextMentors.
NextMentees can ask to be matched, or can apply to the NextMentor of their choice:
- Alicia Navarro – Founder and CEO of Skimlinks
- Andrea Nacmias – Director of Sunfive and the Cannonball Group
- Bindi Karia – VC/Emerging Business Lead for Microsoft UK
- Christina Vaughan – Founder and CEO of Image Source
- Emmanuel Noirhomme – Managing Director of Letsbuyit.com
- Jana Eggers – CEO of Spreadshirt
- Joana Picq – COO of The NextWomen
- Judy Piatkus – Founder of Piatkus Books
- Katarina Skoberne – Founder of openAd
- Lesley Eccles – Marketing Director and co-founder of Hubdub ltd
- Michelle Dewberry – Founder of Michelle Dewberry ltd and Chiconomise and winner of the second series of The Apprentice
- Natalie Turner – Founder and CEO of Entheo
- Paul Grant – Founder of The Funding Game workshop initiative
- Polly Gowers – Founder of Everyclick.com
- Sarah McVittie – Founder of Texperts
- Simone Brummelhuis – Founder and CEO of The NextWomen
- Stewart Townsend – Manager Sun Startup Essentials, UK, Ireland and Europe
- Tom Harrow – Co-founder of Findababysitter.com
- Ashley Ward -
- Collette Dunkley – Founder of XandY Communications
- Sophie Neary -
More information about individual NextMentors and the various packages can be found on the site and applications can be done by simply filling in The NextWomen Mentoring Programme survey.
For industry professionals interested in joining the scheme as a NextMentor, contact jo[at]thenextwomen.com
Press contact: Joana Picq – 07530057536 – Jo[at]thenextwomen.com
Launch Interview: Motivating Mums Launches their Mumpreneur Mentor Scheme
Clare Oliver, Laura Tenison and Alli Price
After mumsnet hosted live webchats last month with Gordon Brown and David Cameron, it is believed that the site can greatly improve people’s participation in politics. So it seems the Prime Minister has recognised the rising power of geek mums as they work together in communities for the greater business good, and just looking at the wealth of support coming from, and going to mums on the net, he is spot on.
Today Alli Price, Founder of Motivating Mum, launches the Motivating Mum Mentor Scheme for businessmums. Aimed to prevent the reinvention of the wheel, the scheme is amazingly cost effective and has some high-profile mentors already signed up, including Laura Tenison of JoJo Maman Bebe. Here, Alli Price talks to The NextWomen about the potential isolation when starting a business on your own, the importance of mentoring in the 21st century and how people should learn to ask for what they want.
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Tell us about yourself – your background and education
I have a Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management and Catering and initially worked in the marketing department of a 4* hotel in Melbourne, working my way up to Marketing Manager. After a few years, I returned to school to study Film and TV and then worked as a Production Manager in a Production Office, also in Melbourne, making TV commercials, corporate videos and pilots.
After years of talking about wanting to travel, I finally left in 1998 aged 28 for a trip to Sweden to edit a film for a friend. The film didn’t work out but the backpacking bug had well and truly bitten and five years later I had been to much of Western Europe, America, India, Nepal, Fiji, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Slovenia and Poland. Although I had worked a lot in the corporate sector, I realised that I was only truly fulfilled when helping people so trained to be a life coach. I completed my training at the same time as giving birth to my daughter and launched Motivating Mum.
What is Motivating mum? When did you launch and what are your objectives for the next three years?
Initially, Motivating Mum was a coaching service for mums, whatever stage of pregnancy, launched in 2006. However, running a business from home, coupled with looking after my daughter full-time quickly revealed how lonely and isolating it can be, being a Mumpreneur. In the belief there must be other mums out there like me, I launched the Businessmums’ Networking Lunch, a chance for mums to get out of the house, network and rest assured they weren’t the only crazy ones. The first lunch attracted 45 mums!
Following three years of mixing with Businessmums, I recently relaunched my service as a website offering support and advice to Mumpreneurs. The site consists of mentoring with established businessmums, a forum, articles and features and details of events now being held across London.
My objectives for the next three years are to provide Mumpreneurs with a service tailored uniquely to them. This includes providing mentoring and events for an exceptionally good price (as mums in business traditionally don’t have a lot of disposable income), having events offered across the UK (as although online support is great, it doesn’t combat the isolation), developing the forum to a point where mums can connect, network and help each other succeed and have each and every visitor to the site or an event walk away with whatever it is they need: a connection, information, inspiration. Lastly, it is to always be accessible. My pet hate is trying to contact businesspeople and their websites offer plenty for you to buy, but no details for contact.
What is your business model and how do you differ from your competitors?
My business model is to help Mumpreneurs. Everything I have done to date has been a case of trying to help fill a need or offer a service and I have had success with this approach as a result. I feel I differ from my competitors in that I always try to maintain approachability no matter how busy I get, I don’t charge membership fees for my services and I encourage face-to-face meetings in addition to online connections. I like to feel that my site is set up to offer support and advice, first and foremost, not to simply make as much money from people while I sleep.
What were your start-up costs and how were they funded?
My start-up costs were minimal as I only needed a website and business cards. The re-launch of my site and other investments have all been funded through money raised by the business. I am lucky in that the most expensive thing required of me for the success of my business was my time.
You are about to launch your Motivating Mum mentor scheme for businessmums and already have some great names onboard like Laura Tenison of JoJo Maman Bebe. How important do think mentoring is in the 21st century and how have you secured your mentors? Read more
Bespoke Shoe Design Site, Upper Street, to Launch March 2010
Having the option and ability to design your own little piece of fashion is becoming ever more popular. Nike began the craze with their Nike ID range, enabling sport lovers to personalise their trainers. More recently, companies are taking the concept online, and it seems the competition is building.
Due to launch March 1st 2010, Upper Street is:
‘The made-to-order footwear label that lets you create your ultimate pair of designer shoes. Choose the style, all the detailing and the finish, then sit back while our craftsmen create your one-of-a-kind pair, delivered right to your door. Upperstreet.com – the perfect way to unleash your creative streak or simply create the shoes you’ve always searched for.’
Co-founded by sisters Julia and Katy Grinham, the site has the potential to be very slick and already has a sneak preview of the immense options to come on its facebook page. With sizes ranging from a UK 2 – 10 (I know a lot of women that will be excited by such broad offerings), there is reported to be hundreds of materials, colours and embellishments – including Swarovski gems – that can only signal shoe heaven for those of us who just cannot resist. With seven basic style choices – including courts, sandals, gladiator heels and round toe platforms – users can design a shoe for any occasion, even for their wedding day.
Bridal Shoes (all pictures from upperstreet Facebook page)
The site already gives a written teaser for what is to come. ‘The Rise of The Killer Heel’ talks about ‘delicate pieces’ and ‘foot confection’ which only strengthens the notion that women and shoes are like children in a sweet shop. It goes beyond providing a platform for simply designing shoes, however, presenting fashion trends and celebrity inspiration: Read more
The Clinton Global Initiative is Empowering Girls and Women Through Information and Communication Technologies
![Laptops for children in Africa cc: Flickr Lil[Kristen Elsby]](http://thenextwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/laptop_flickr-LilKristen-Elsby.jpg "laptop_flickr Lil[Kristen Elsby]")
Laptops for children in Africa cc: Flickr Lil[Kristen Elsby
Since 2005, CGI has:
- Brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 10 of the last 16 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organisations and prominent members of the media.
- Made more than 1,400 commitments valued at $46 billion
- Improved the lives of more than 200 million people in more than 170 countries
- More than three million people have better access to information technology
- More than $600 million has been invested in or loaned to small and medium-sized enterprises
- Almost three million micro-entrepreneurs have been empowered through microfinance
The 2010 CGI ation areas include: Empowering Girls and Women; Strengthening Market-Based Solutions; Enhancing Access to Modern Technology and Harnessing Human Potential. Of the 12 new initiatives/commitments in place to empower girls and women, 4 focus on the advantages of information and communication technology:
Plan USA and its Partners
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Commit over the next three years to:
- Train 140 adolescent girls from Ghana in media production and journalism skills, Read more
Startup Interview: Sonia Hully of The First Exclusive Dating Site, Love Definitely
If you have a read through the archive of our posts over the last year, you will find many articles related to online dating. From mysinglefriend, where friends compile profiles; to the original online dating site, Match, to dating for the rich and beautiful on Seventy-Thirty and toyboys on toyboywarehouse, and even finding a founding business partner through FounderDating, you wouldn’t believe there were any variations left. Yet here, Sonia Hully, founder of Love Definitely talks about producing the first exclusive dating site, getting her website built and her plans for the coming year.
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How did you come up with the idea of your start-up?
About a year ago, I was looking for a new venture.
Having worked in capital markets for 7 years, 3 years in the film industry followed by a bit of property development, I developed a taste for new challenges and working for myself. Two years ago I tried online dating myself and realised there were no sites for eligible bachelors. That’s how my idea took place. It took me about two months to find the right developers and programmer to build my site. I didn’t want to build something from a template as I wanted a differentiated site with a feeling of quality. Six months later, in June 2009, Love Definitely was launched.
How did you form your team?
I am lucky to be well connected from my previous jobs. Apart from two shareholders, a few interns and me it is a one woman show at the moment. I take regular advice from my friends entrepreneurs, lawyers etc… and I am actually starting to build an advisory board. The site, PR and other usual administrative duties are outsourced. I have also just negotiated a deal with McCann Erickson, a leading advertising agency, to manage my account. They will be developing my campaign for 2010. It is very exciting.
How did you fund it, with how much money, and what is the business model?
I have done quite well over the past few years, I was working in property development and decided to leave in 2008 before the crash. I founded most of the company myself with the help of two friends who also advise me on the financial side of the business. Since starting we have invested £55 000 into the business and launched an invite only membership section of the site called the Lounge.
The income is coming from registration fees even though it was free until very recently. It is £20 per month, £40 for 3 months and £60 for 6 months. I don’t believe in having advertising on a site especially a high end site. I always find it confusing when you have too many adverts on a page. I like the site to be simple and elegant.
As I was mentioning I have also a newer membership called the Lounge, by invitation only. This one will be more expensive eventually but at the moment it is free for the people invited.
What differentiates you from other players in your sector?
The idea is to be exclusive, elegant and fun for the eligible single. There can still be a stigma about online dating and that is where I am hoping to break the ice.
I also realised that many of us find it difficult to write about ourselves, really enjoy meeting friends of friends, but lack time and prefer like-minded crowds to mass gatherings.
In that respect I decided to involve a friend to help users register and write their profile. If you wish, he can even set you up for a blind date which is innovative in the world of online dating and makes it really fun. The Lounge, which is the premium membership section of our site, is by invitation only and has a calendar of events organised by the members themselves or by Love Definitely and other exclusive event organisations.
What was your biggest challenge during the development process and how can other start-ups learn from that?
I still consider the business as being in the development stage. Read more
MOTIVATING Mum to Launch Nationwide Mentoring Initiative for Businessmums
It was only last month that we featured an interview with Iveta Tancheva of Mums Like You – a venture geared towards mothers – highlighting the massive draw the internet has for women. In the same vein, a mentoring scheme to support businessmums across the UK is to be launched on March 15, 2010 by Allison Price, founder of Motivating Mum. This exciting new initiative will enable mums already in business, as well as those wanting to start up, to obtain affordable support and advice to help them achieve their dreams.
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Launched three years ago, Motivating Mum was set up by Allison Price, professional life coach, mumpreneur and mother of one, for mums who needed help with the everyday challenges they faced. It now helps mumpreneurs across the UK succeed in achieving their business dreams through the provision of support and advice.
Increasing Numberss of Mumpreneurs
An increasing number of mothers are setting up their own businesses, however many of them lack knowledge and/or experience and face difficult challenges right from the start. The Motivating Mum mentoring service will connect mums needing professional guidance to mums who are experts in their field. It will cover all areas of business from law and accountancy to marketing and PR, in addition to getting ideas off the ground.
The Who’s Who of Business-mums
High profile business-mums already signed up as mentors for the launch include Laura Tenison, MD at JoJo Maman Bebe, Rachel Jones, inventor of Totseat and Wendy Shand, founder of Tots to Travel.
When talking about the launch, founder Alli Price said: Read more
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