University’s former design student shares her experiences as a self-employed mum

Former design student visited Wrexham Glyndwr University to share her experience of setting up a new business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Samantha Harris, owner and creative director of The Ideas Cupboard, a design agency, spoke to students about the pros and cons of setting up your own business at the university’s Creative Futures conference. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said: “It was a big decision to go to university. I’m dyslexic and was always told early on in life I would not make much of myself but I wanted to prove people wrong. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Glyndwr University was the first place that really gave me support with my dyslexia. Graduating was probably my proudest moment.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The entrepreneur studied Game and Interactive Media Design at the university until 2010 and then gained her ‘dream job’ as a designer in Manchester – commuting every day. She soon decided to set up her own business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Samantha, based in Oswestry, said: “I had to weigh up the pros and cons of going self-employed but decided to start my own business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I got a part-time job cleaning, it wasn’t glamorous but it paid the bills. I started Go Wales – Access to ILM course, which gave me the basic business management information I needed to set up my business.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Samantha was granted Prince’s Trust funding and a business mentor to help set up her company, which launched in 2012. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The mentor was brilliant and more valuable to the business than the funding. But it wasn’t plain sailing. I found a business partner but despite putting no money into it he became a 24 per cent share holder and I had to buy him out and resolve bad advice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“After the first few months of starting the business it hit rock bottom as I was working hard on designs but not gaining more clients.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Samantha joined the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) which helped turn her business around within weeks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The entrepreneur also became a mum just after launching the firm, and shared her experiences with balancing family life and work as a self-employed mum. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said: “I actually went into labor in the studio as I was working so hard. But I learnt how to balance life as my little girl was very poorly when she was born, so I learnt how to juggle family and business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“But now my little girl runs around in the office and I love having her there, children can be so creative. I’m so lucky I’m self-employed and I can have my daughter with me.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Glyndwr University is holding an open day on Saturday, March 5. For more information visit http://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​