Building a Better Business Fabric

It may not appear to be an ideal time to launch a business focussed on clients in the construction and hospitality sectors but that doesn’t deter Finnish-born entrepreneur Titta Jones.

“Life has taught me that it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s about how you do it. My goal is to make sure my product is better looking and my service is the best in the market so customers would be insane to go elsewhere,” she says.

And while customers may not be as plentiful as they once were, Titta says that there are always clients looking for deals and new and nimble businesses are well placed to service them if they work hard enough.

Titta’s business, Fabric, launched at the start of last year, supplies soft furnishing to trade clients. Her materials are typically used for seating and curtains in hotels, offices, churches and waiting rooms. She sources fabric on the continent and customises it for architects, interior designers and end clients.

Titta is a second-time entrepreneur with a keen interest in textiles. She sold her first business, which made furniture, to her former business partner to take some time out but soon wanted to get back in the game by herself. This time out, she is taking a different approach.

“In my first business I was trying to do everything myself. Now, I have hired an assistant to do things I don’t like doing myself. This has freed me up to concentrate on developing the business and this has made a huge difference.”

This move was directly supported by the Dublin City Enterprise Board with an employment grant of €7,500 – there is a small manufacturing element to her business. The Board have also helped in several other ways, she points out. “They studied my business plan, queried some of the detail and made a number of constructive suggestions,” she said. “They have offered to help with the development of a website and there is a good possibility of sourcing grants for trade exhibitions when I begin to export,” she says.

There is no substitute for getting out there and meetings clients, she says, and would be entrepreneurs should never be afraid to pick up the phone to chase some new business. “When we hear about a new project such as a hotel, we find out who the key people are and we try to get in front of them in a one-to-one meeting. That’s what we’ve found works best,” she advises.

While the current climate for business is tough, Titta says that this is not a bad time to launch a business as people are open to change. “You have to approach it from the point of view that every sale represents some growth for your business,” she notes.

Titta operates out of a small office on Exchequer Street in the city centre and keeps overheads tight, something she advises all start-up business to do. In particular, she directs new business owners to check out what’s on the web. “There are a huge range of free or very cheap resources online. I’ve found great packages to handle functions such as invoicing and quotations for only a few euros, for example,” she advises.

Credit is another area she watches carefully. From day one, she has insisted that payment is made on delivery, ensuring that cashflow is not a problem. “If you ask, most clients are very happy to accept this and it provides a lot of reassurance,” Titta says.

Planning is another crucial aspect of starting a new business and she advises entrepreneurs to plan properly, set specific goals and also to be realistic about the figures.

For Titta flexibility is key. Working in the city centre, she’s found it is less stressful to avoid rush hour by having a home office as well and doesn’t adopt a nine to five approach to her working hours. “Its about productivity, not hours. If I get inspired on a Sunday morning, I might start working then because I’m energised. Then I might take a couple of hours off on a Monday morning to go the gym and recharge.”

Titta says Fabric is on course for turnover of around €500,000 in 2009. In the long-term she is confident that her business has export potential, having already secured her first orders from the UK. “I’m also exploring the idea of franchising which I think might work well with this business,” she adds.

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