Currently...

I co-founded Opumo Ltd last year and work on our retail website http://www.opumo.com/" rel="nofollow">Opumo.com and our online magazine, http://editorsnotes.opumo.com/" rel="nofollow">Editorsnotes.opumo.com.

Opumo.com specialises in the retail of men’s designer accessories sourced from some of the world's most unique and exclusive fashion brands while Editors’ Notes covers the latest trends in men's lifestyle, fashion, news, travel and entertainment.

Working for a fashion start-up with only two full-time employees means that my day-to-day life is incredibly wide and varied. This can include anything from networking with press and bloggers, managing the ever-growing number of social media outlets, to doing accounts, logistics and searching for new, exciting brands. Alongside the retail side of things at Opumo.com, my work at Editors’ Notes includes writing articles and helping manage and edit the work of our 11 talented collaborators.

Before I escaped...

Before Opumo I worked for a foreign exchange broker working with small to medium sized companies. My clients' business activities ranged from importing industrial components from China to large overseas construction contracts, but there was always one certainty - failure to manage an FX exposure effectively could lead to catastrophe. It was my job to help them navigate the crazy and unpredictable world of foreign exchange.

At Opumo, almost 80% of our products are imported and we also sell in Dollars and Euros, so I have had plenty of opportunity to put what I’ve learnt over the last 5 years to good use. 

My moment of truth...

I don’t think there was ever a defining ‘moment of truth’ for me as such. For as long as I can remember I wanted to start a business and work for myself - be my own boss. I probably drove my family and friends nuts constantly coming up with wacky ideas and business schemes!

In my opinion, in order to be a success, entrepreneurs need a fine balance of commercial experience, freedom and sheer confidence in their abilities. Would I have given up my job and ploughed every last penny into a business if I didn’t believe it would succeed? No!

Although there was no ‘moment of truth’, there was perhaps a realisation that given my current personal circumstances, I might never be lucky enough to be in the position to get this balance right again.

Planning for it...

Once we had made the decision and we knew roughly what we wanted to do, we factored in around 3 months planning and researching. However, I would estimate that it took 11 months from the inception of the idea to the web store actually opening.

There were some really tough moments along the way, dealing with banks, trying to find the right balance of equity vs debt, not finding the right web developers until very late, and a crash course in web design and logistics.

Luckily, by taking our time and planning properly, we managed to navigate past the many potential pitfalls that could have been seriously costly.

The worst and best bits...

For me, the best bit of all has been the change in my lifestyle. Having previously worked for large corporations, I never really got the sense that I was actually building anything to contribute to my future, as the primary reward for working hard was money.

Now, although money is still important, nothing beats the sense of controlling my own destiny and being totally responsible for the decisions that ultimately determine Opumo’s success or failure.

Best advice...

Over the past year I’ve been lucky enough to have some very patient and capable friends and family to ask for advice and ideas from. Some of the best include:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and ask frequently
2. Start a business with people you like - it’s no fun alone!
3. Don’t borrow from the bank unless it’s absolutely necessary
4. Don’t quit your job until the business can pay you a salary

Useful resources and information...

Most definitely those people who have started up and run their own businesses. They were an invaluable source of advice and ideas. They have been there and done that. I frequently found myself doing drinks and coffees, taking my notepad and making detailed notes.

Business owners and entrepreneurs love to talk about their businesses and I find that people who have started businesses are always happy to help those at the start of their journey.