It’s just over a year since I took over the reins here at Etton Taylor and it seems like the perfect time to share my reflections on the journey so far. If you’d asked me a year ago, I would have said I had a pretty good idea what I was getting myself in for, but I didn’t foresee just how much the business would become part of my everyday life.
Over the last twelve months, there have been plenty of long days, exciting moments, steep learning curves, brilliant people and more cardboard boxes than I ever thought possible. There’s also been a huge amount of pride along the way. I feel incredibly lucky to now be at the heart of a brand with such a loyal community behind it. For this blog I’m splitting my experience into two halves – the bits I’ve loved about the past year and the things I’ve learnt.
I hope you’ll find it interesting, and if you’ve ever looked at a small business and thought “I want to do that”, this might be a useful read too. I never want to put anyone off, but it’s an honest and hopefully enlightening blog about small brand ownership.
The Things I’ve Loved
Meeting the people behind the orders
One of the best parts of this journey has been meeting so many amazing women through Etton Taylor. I’ve met some of you at events, some through social media and some through lovely messages that pop up after an order arrives.
It’s very rewarding getting to know the people behind the names and seeing just how supportive this community is. So many of you genuinely champion small businesses, and I will never take that for granted.
I’ve also loved building friendships with other women in business, including Sophie at Frimble, Ginny D from Ginny D Jewellery and Sam from Waring Brooke. Running a business can feel full-on at times but also rather lonely, so having people around you who understand the highs, lows and chaos makes such a difference.
The shopping! (a.k.a buying trips)
Anyone who knows me knows I’ve always loved fashion and clothes, so getting to go on buying trips and choosing collections for Etton Taylor is very exciting for me. I love reading trend forecasts and working out what will endure, what fits into our customer’s lives and what will work for us.
I also get a real thrill from seeing new pieces for the first time, putting outfits together and imagining how customers will wear them. There’s usually a moment where I spot something and instantly know people are going to love it, which is such a good feeling. Do I sometimes add an extra item here and there just for me? Absolutely!
The new season delivery days
I still get excited when new season deliveries arrive at the office, and I don’t think that feeling will ever get old. Opening the boxes and finally seeing pieces in person, sometimes months after choosing them, is always exciting and a little bit nerve-wracking too! But so far ‘past Faye’ has been on the money, and I love everything that arrives. I also love what comes afterwards, when the orders come in and it’s time to send out people’s goodies. Packing up orders is one of those jobs that could probably become routine, but for me it never really has, because I still think about the fact that someone has chosen to spend their money with us and support the business. I always hope opening their parcel gives them that little boost of excitement too.
The “I LOVE THIS” moments
I think this might be my favourite part of the whole job, because seeing somebody light up when they try something on is such a lovely feeling. You can sometimes see someone’s confidence grow when they find a fit that works for them. It might be trying a colour they wouldn’t normally choose, discovering a style or cut that makes them feel amazing or simply putting something on and instantly smiling at themselves in the mirror. Those moments are the reason I love fashion and styling so much, and when its’ clothing I’ve selected, it’s even better.
The messages from happy customers
I don’t think I realised before taking over Etton Taylor just how much customer messages would mean to me. When somebody takes the time to send a photo, leave a lovely review or message to say they felt amazing wearing something, it genuinely, honestly makes my day. On busy weeks or stressful days, those little reminders of why you’re doing it all are so important.
The Things I’ve Learnt
Growth happens in ways you don’t expect
Running Etton Taylor has pushed me in so many ways over the last year, and not always in the ways I expected either. Of course there’s been the practical side of things like buying, stock management and learning how many moving parts there are behind the scenes, but there’s been a huge amount of personal growth too. I’ve had to trust my instincts more, make decisions faster and build confidence in myself as I’ve gone along. You definitely learn as you go, and I think I’ve learnt more in the last year than I ever thought possible!
Comparison really is the thief of joy
Owning a business in the social media age can be difficult sometimes because it’s very easy to look at what everybody else is doing and wonder if you should be doing the same.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt this year is how important it is to stay in your own lane and trust your own ideas. The brands and businesses people connect with most are usually the ones that feel genuine and have their own personality behind them. I think learning to stop comparing myself so much and focus on building Etton Taylor in my own way has probably been one of the healthiest mindset shifts for me personally.
It’s always going to feel like a juggle
As well as running Etton Taylor, I’m also balancing my other business Kilchurn Marketing, so life has been incredibly busy this past year. There have been plenty of late nights, endless to-do lists and moments where I’ve wondered how many tabs one person can physically have open at once, but I’ve also learnt that I genuinely enjoy building things, being creative and having variety in my work. No two days are ever the same, which keeps life interesting!
Creativity and confidence matter
This year has reminded me how important creativity is, not just in fashion but in business generally too. Backing your ideas, trying new things and putting your personality into what you do can feel quite vulnerable at times, especially when you care deeply about it, but it’s usually worth it. Confidence doesn’t always appear overnight either. Sometimes it grows with experience, making mistakes and simply sticking with things when they feel difficult. I’m still learning every day, but I feel far more confident now than I did a year ago.
And finally… thank you!
More than anything, this year has made me feel incredibly grateful. To everyone who has placed an order, visited us at events, shared a post, recommended us to a friend or simply followed along online, thank you so much. Your support genuinely means everything to me and to Etton Taylor, and I’m so excited for what comes next.
