Episode 40 - Starting a Lean Fashion Business With Leigh Unwin

True testament to starting a lean fashion business is Leigh Unwin, founder of The Style Attic which as the name suggests, did actually start in her attic in 2015 to fit around the needs of her family. This Start Scale Succeed episode is a recording of an Instagram live Nicole did with Leigh. Some of the topics discussed are: Starting a business around the needs of a family. Juggling a side hustle, full time job and family. Running the business through word of mouth and Facebook in the early days. Overcoming obstacles. And engaging customers through being authentic, honest and truly themselves.    KEY TAKEAWAYS Leigh has gone from strength to strength selling womens clothing and did eventually open a bricks and mortar store followed by her own website in 2020. It's now a true family affair with both her mum and sister involved in the business.  Leigh found it hard being a new mum working a job which wouldn’t let her do less than one minute of her contracted hours.  Covid was actually a benefit to some small businesses and The Style Attic had the best summer in terms of sales. Before the pandemic Leigh was selling online through Facebook but needed a website for May 2020 and when it launched sales were great.  There is always a challenge being taken seriously when you run a business from home. Although in the post Covid world, this has become more common.    BEST MOMENTS ‘We just want to sell clothes to the people like us in situations like ours’  ‘We just try and be real’  ‘I want to grow but I don’t want to grow too quickly’   VALUABLE RESOURCES  www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach https://thestyleattic.co.uk   ABOUT THE HOST Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.  Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)  Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme:  thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist   CONTACT METHOD  Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk  Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com  Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall