The sweet smell of business success
Starting your own business is the start of an incredible journey, but it is not one without its fair share of struggles and roadblocks. From establishing a name for yourself in a competitive industry, overcoming a mountain of administrative hassles, and stretching your startup capital as far as humanly possible, the struggle is real.
We recently caught up with Trevor Vroom, the business-savvy owner of the successful bath and body store Linen & Glass, to discuss his retail journey. From its early days as a bric-a-brac store to its current success as the biggest independent ladies' sleepwear rage retailer in Cape Town, we got the best advice on how you can succeed.
Refine your collection
Many retail startups begin in a bric-a-brac type way as your first goal is to sell as much as possible to as many people as possible just to keep the lights on. However, a key aspect of establishing your company and brand is to refine your business and your product. Major retailers like Woolworths can sell everything from salt to duvet covers, but smaller businesses do better with a clear product calling card. Don’t worry about selling everything at once.
Build your online presence
Startups today rely heavily on social media, and for good reason - it works! Many new businesses today run almost entirely through their social media profiles and online stores. Whether you are selling sleepwear or bedding, creating a beautiful and functional online store allows you to create little virtual stores all over the country and reach more potential customers than ever before.
Support local talent
South Africans are quite the talented bunch, and our borders are bursting with local talent. As a retailer, you are in the perfect position to promote local talent by supporting local businesses. Additionally, if you’re not the most tech-savvy, head to local universities and speak to the lecturers about working with their top design students. The students can design your company brand, create your website and set up your social media accounts. The students get valuable work experience and your business benefits from fresh ideas!
Don’t be afraid of failure
Trevor Vroom has a long and successful career in retail, and his main advice for young entrepreneurs is that you should expect to fail because it’s all part of the learning and growing process. Expecting every aspect of your business plan to succeed the first time is a fool’s errand and will only leave you feeling disappointed. Giving yourself the room to fail also means giving yourself the space to grow.
Winter is firmly on its way in, and if you need beautiful sleepwear to keep you warm and cosy, head on over to Linen & Glass. You can visit Linen & Glass at Constantia Shopping Centre and Gardens Shopping Centre or visit their website to shop online.
Do you have a business story that you would like us to hear about? Send us a message on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn to be part of our Local Business Spotlight campaign. You can also email us on feedback@stor-age.co.za.