CAREER PURSUIT

asked where I purchased them from, the seed of my business took root. From there, it went from strength to strength. Since I never planned from the outset to set up a business, there are some steps I ‘missed’ which would have been advantageous had I been more intentional about the process. Having learned along the way, I’d like to share my top tips on starting a product-based business with you. TOP TIPS 1 . Record incomings and outgoings from the very start. You don’t have to invest in QuickBooks or Xero – though there are many excellent and reasonably priced accountancy programmes and apps out there now to save time and money. Excel is a fantastic tool especially if you know how to use the formulas. However, if you are not keen on computer- based accounts, a good old-fashioned pen and paper will suffice. 2 . Get your bank accounts in order. Whilst you don’t legally have to have an official business bank account, at the very least I would recommend having I’m Emily, military wife, busy mummy to two little girls Amelia (aged five) and Annabelle (aged three), avid musical theatre fan, and I am the founder of Mimi + Boo Boo, named after my two tinkers. I make button ly lovely greetings cards and gifts, priding myself on my products’ reputation and excellent customer service. That’s the ‘elevator pitch’ now, but for a long time the conversation went a little more like: “So, Emily, what do you do?” “Ummm… I’m a mum! (nervous laugh) But I used to teach … and sing, and well … (mumbling now) I’ve set up my own business.” Be honest, how many of you undersell yourself like this? It took me a long time to be proud and actively open to talking about my business, which was my earliest mistake. I first started making wall art with buttons as a hobby when my eldest was about nine months old. Then, it was some much craved ‘me time’ just doing something creative whilst navigating the rocky path of becoming a new mum. I made frames for christenings and first birthdays, and as people BUILDING A BUSINESS FROM SCRATCH B y Em i l y G a n t 13 C A R E E R P U R S U I T 2 0 2 0