Profile: Hannah Wells: My Craftea Day
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September 22, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
My Craftea Day offers creative and stylish craft workshops with a highly sophisticated twist, allowing clients to combine craft making with afternoon tea. The Fresh Outlook spoke to the founder of My Craftea Day, Hannah Wells, about the challenges she faced when setting up her business.
Tell us about your business?
My Craftea Day offers stylish creative craft workshops with an indulgent and sophisticated twist.
Clients are invited to enjoy a glass of bubbly and a delicious afternoon tea, whilst creating a beautiful handmade item they can keep. All of our My Craftea Day workshops are taught by expert designer-makers who have a passion for combining traditional craft techniques with contemporary trends to ensure that clients will accomplish and cherish an item they can wear, use to accessorise their home or to give as a gift.
All equipment is provided and materials supplied are of the finest quality. There are My Craftea Day workshops to suit all levels, from complete beginners to the more advanced. We are a portable business, therefore, we are able to bring the Craftea Day either to our clients homes, holiday cottages, bars or other hired venues, making it a perfect way to celebrate a hen do or other special occasion with family and friends or have that overdue girly get together with a difference! We also offer bridal packages which are aimed at brides who want to incorporate handmade details into their wedding celebrations but don’t have access to equipment, materials or know how.
What challenges did you face when trying to launch your own business?
To keep a steady income I am a freelance designer and have a regular three-day commitment but sometimes I am lucky enough to have extra freelance work booked in my diary anything from two to four days. Therefore, some weeks I have seven days of freelance work and My Craftea Day is something that I have to work on in the evenings. I also did a few hours a week lecturing at Worcester College of Technology during the time I was launching. Most of the craft workshops I have run so far have been at the weekends too, understandably, so juggling my time has been the biggest factor.
What did you learn about yourself?
I learn new things about myself all the time. When it comes to the creative side of the business I have many ideas and have to keep a notebook by the bed in case I have those nights where I wake up with ideas in my head, but I do struggle with the ‘business’ ins and outs and that’s where I need to really concentrate and get good advice. I have learnt from exhibiting at wedding fairs that I love talking to prospective customers (something that I worried I may struggle with) and get motivated by people who tell me that the business is a good idea.
What kind of person were you before setting up your business? What kind of person are you know?
I have always been someone who thrives on being busy and it’s a good job with my current schedule! Before I set up my own business I think I always longed to be my own boss as although I was a conscientious, hard working and loyal employee I often would feel dissatisfied that I wasn’t really fulfilling my full potential and didn’t always feel happy in my work or with other people’s decisions. Now I use the passion and hard work ethic that I had as an employee and focus all that energy into my own businesses, be it the freelance work or My Craftea Day. I think I am more confident now and can’t wait around for other people to do things for me as only I can do it now.
Who inspires you and why?
I’m not inspired by any one person in particular; however, I thrive off the energy that positive people give. I have worked in many places where office politics/gossip can really bring people’s creativity levels down and they lose sight of what they are trying to achieve and quite often forget how fortunate they are. Although sometimes running my own business can be tough and a bit lonely when having to make certain decisions, I try to out weigh any negative thoughts that I might get with a positive and really admire other people who can do this.
For more information, visit www.mycrafteaday.co.uk
