Meet the Member: Sarah Szekir-Papasavva
Posted: Fri 24th Apr 2015
Sarah Szekir-Papasavva studied Fine Art and always wanted to take her creativity and turn it into a business. This was a key motivation to starting A Little Something by Sarah; to bring Art & Craft together and create unique keepsakes and gifts for an audience of gift-lovers.
Whilst you were starting up how did you balance home life with work?"¨"¨
I started the business, A Little Something by Sarah, juggling everything at the same time, but once I knew I was serious about my idea and that it had potential I quit my day job and concentrated on setting it up full time. It's been a tough and sometimes slow process and it requires a lot of self-discipline and motivation, but every small achievement means so much more once you've worked hard for it!
What's your most effective sales and marketing tip?"¨"¨
Having a professional online presence is essential. I was hesitant to start a blog at first, but I've come round to it and it's a lot more natural than I first imagined, providing an ideal space to share news and ideas. Networking is also a major marketing strategy. Having your business card ready to hand out to any contact who shows interest will open up doors you often never thought existed.
Which tools could you not live without in your business?"¨"¨
I always have to balance my time between being creative and producing the artwork for my products, and being creative with the admin side of the business. I enjoy both parts but I have to be very organised in terms of time, so having a firm schedule and planning ahead helps me a lot. The tools I couldn't live without are probably my Mac, as I design and maintain the business' website from it; my Camera, as I take pictures of all stages of product production; and the amazing free resources of the Business & IP Centre at the British Library.
What's been your biggest business success to date? "¨"¨
As cheesy as it sounds, it's actually been how happy I am to get up for work in the morning, working very late hours and over the weekend, as I know it's an investment towards something I really believe in and care about. Since starting the business and doing something I love, I've felt successful even before making a profit! This passion is what drives me to successfully develop and grow A Little Something by Sarah, and now every sale is a success in itself!
What are your ambitions for the next 5 years?"¨"¨
My ambition is to grow A Little Something by Sarah to build a bigger collection of personalised products, to sell through pop up stores and online, shipping globally, and to have our own shop/gallery, where we'd offer art & craft workshops and talks.
How does being a member of Enterprise Nation help you grow as a business? "¨"¨
I first attended Enterprise Nation's StartUp Saturday event, and have been a fan of Emma Jones and the Enterprise Nation team ever since! Their events and offers really benefit those who are starting out like myself, providing practical guidance and professional support at every stage. It has also given me the opportunity to develop valuable friendships with great like-minded entrepreneurs.
If you'd like to join Sarah and become an Enterprise Nation member to access exclusive benefits, sign up now!
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