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| Business Chick Renee Labelle |
| Renée Labelle is the founder of www.cosyposy.co.uk , an on-line childrenswear boutique. An ex-pat Canadian from Vancouver, she lives in Essex with her husband Nick, 2 year old son Zachary, three fish, a cat and a hamster named Houdini. Cosy Posy, it's such a fantastic name, where did you come up with it? I wanted a name that celebrated how gorgeous children are and expressed how comfortable the clothes that I stock are to wear. It is important that children feel comfortable in their clothes, hence the word Cosy. Posy refers to the way that children grow and blossom, like flowers. In the end it came in a flash of inspiration. After mulling over not so great names like “Comfy Kids” and Cute and Cosy” it was a relief to think up something that rhymed, was memorable and that actually meant something! What were you doing before you started and why did you want to start an online children's wear store? I worked as a legal secretary for years and I was longing do something more creative and completely different. I left to go on maternity leave and after I had my son I discovered how difficult it is to go to the shops with a baby or toddler in tow. I have been a fan of internet shopping for years but was disappointed by the lack of quality, boutique children’s clothing websites. I thought that this was a void that I could fill. How do you source your designers? I had lived in both Vancouver and San Francisco and was familiar with the type of quality labels favored by A-list parents. I noticed that the type of clothes worn by these celebrities’ kids weren’t so easily available here in the UK, so I thought it was time to bring that type of style over the pond. After a bit of research, I put together a collection from the cream of children’s clothing brands. When choosing whether or not to stock a label, the most important things for me are quality and style. Our clients want something that is very well made and unique. I stock clothes that get compliments which are always nice to get after a long day with a rampaging child. I always listen to what other mothers tell me in terms of their likes and dislikes which helps me immensely in my buying decisions. What's a typical day for you? I don’t need an alarm clock because my son wakes me up around 6 am. I am not a morning person and can’t fully function until I’ve had my morning cup of coffee! After having that I check my e-mails and get as much done as I can in terms of sorting out the house before the school run. When I get back from that, I return e-mails, make phone calls and pack up orders for shipping. Before I know it, it is time to collect my son. Sometimes I feel like I go so fast that I’m like a person on a video with the fast forward button pressed down. I am certainly never bored! What is your long term plan for Cosy Posy? I’d love to keep providing excellent customer service, while at the same time expanding the business to offer more selection. My ultimate dream is for Cosy Posy to become the Amazon.com of children’s clothing in terms of convenience and selection. What do you find the biggest challenge? There are always lots of challenges but by far the biggest is time. There is just never enough of it. It is hard balancing work and family. I think a lot of women can relate to this. It is also challenging to get across on the site just how gorgeous the pieces we stock are. People can’t feel the fabric and only have the picture, a few close ups and a description of the item to judge it by. I wish someone would invent feely vision! What business women do you admire and what have you learnt from them? Don’t laugh but I love Martha Stewart as a business woman and find her very inspirational. She’s not perfect but she has built up this massive empire through hard work and determination. A lot of people think she’s a bitch but if she were a man they would just think she was very assertive. From her I’ve learnt that anything is possible, apart from getting away with insider trading! What's your favorite part of the job? Being my own boss is great. I love working to build something that is mine, rather than spending my time working for someone else. I also love being able to choose, to an extent, my schedule. If I want to take my son swimming or to the park in the middle of the day, then I can just go ahead and do that, then make up the time later. It is very important to me that I am there for my son as much as possible. Any advice for someone wanting to set up an online business? Tread carefully. Don’t overspend on your initial stock and don’t expect it to all happen straight away. It takes time for your clientele to find you and for you to find them! The internet is a huge place and there is a lot of competition out there. Saying that, there is nothing like working for yourself and, to quote Robert Kennedy, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” |
| Posted: 26/06/2006 19:17:30 Last Updated: 26/06/2006 19:22:00 |
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