Guest guest Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Jenny Little, Mail on Sunday20 February 2006 TIRED of routine and ready to try out your big idea? Then kick off your Sunday shoes and follow our guide to starting your own business. FOOTLOOSE: Natalie Dean's thriving shoe company boasts several celebrity customers Sir Alan Sugar is back hiring and firing would-be tycoons in The Apprentice. And the BBC series Dragons' Den attracted millions of viewers who tuned in to see established entrepreneurs tear strips off upstarts pitching for investment money. But before the success comes the hard work. Natalie Dean took two years to research and raise funds to set up her ethical footwear company, Beyond Skin. She had always been fashion-conscious, but when she became a vegan she struggled to find stylish shoes that had been made without exploiting animals. Natalie, 32, from Brighton, was confident there would be a market among other ethically aware consumers for elegant shoes that did not compromise their principles. While she was getting the business going, she continued to work part-time in her old job as a make-up artist in the music and fashion industries. Now she boasts celebrities such as Natalie Portman, Sadie Frost and Chrissie Hynde among the customers for her shoes. The company uses satins made from polyester rather than viscose, which means fewer acid chemicals are involved, and synthetic leathers made from cotton-backed polyurethane. 'It was difficult because I was single at the time and only had my own income to rely on, so I had to keep up my old job to see me through,' she says. Natalie found the internet her most useful research tool. She spent hours online reading about other ethical retailers and used the Vegan Society's website to run a poll asking members what sort of shoes they wanted and how much they would be prepared to pay. 'I realised there was an enormous market out there, and not just among vegetarians,' she says. 'Awareness over ethical and ecological issues has been increasing significantly, so now we're looking for further investment to expand our range to include a line made from recycled textiles.' Peter H Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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