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A St Helens entrepreneur has traded working as a postal manager to launch her own unique pet products business.
Samantha Roberts – who lives in St Helens – had been out of work since July 2011 as a result of taking voluntary redundancy from the Royal Mail, where she had worked for six years. Samantha, 31, started as a part-time post woman in 2005, progressing over time to the role of postal manager.
However, it was her passion for pets which set her on the path to launching a business – Posh Paws Boutique – with the help of start up specialist Blue Orchid. Samantha launched the business in April on the first floor of the CPS Centre in Common Lane, Culcheth, Warrington.
As a devoted dog owner and groomer – she owns a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – Samantha was mindful of the costs of buying pet products. Her idea was to create a shop where people would be able to get popular quality products and grooming services at affordable prices.
After her redundancy, Samantha committed herself to completing an intensive dog grooming course in Northwich Cheshire.
She said: “I was then referred to Blue Orchid through the Government’s NEA (New Enterprise Allowance) programme, which provided help towards running costs for 26 weeks.
“Blue Orchid gave me direction by talking through projected figures, outgoings, and setting up an overall business plan. My advisor’s support was essential in helping me to organise the day to day running of the business – we worked together on creative and financial ideas and how to develop business contacts.”
Posh Paws Boutique now sells high quality products for pets including, designer doggy clothes and coats, dog strollers, designer collars and leads and grooming accessories.
Samantha – who also served as a Lance Corporal in the British Army – added: “I had noticed a gap in the market for good quality pet products; in my local area it was hard to find larger retails stores that supplied good quality pet products and even fewer that sold them at affordable prices.
“My market research took me down various avenues, gathering information on what was popular and what did not sell. From visiting all kinds of different shops to see what I would profit most from I found most products were either not stocked or sold at expensive prices.
“My vision for Posh Paws Boutique is to source top quality pet products from the UK, America and the Far East and to sell them as prices that are affordable. I source the personalised diamante collars from America and China for designer dog clothes as well as Puchi, K9 Designs, Pet London, Ancol, and more popular UK designers for dog clothes and accessories.
“The business has been really well received in the two months since I opened – mainly due to word of mouth. I have had customers from as far as Manchester, Wales and Wirral, which is great for a start up store in Warrington.
“I have already got an eBay business account for people to buy products online and my next aim is to set up a Posh Paws Boutique website.”
For more information on Blue Orchid visit www.theblueorchid.co.uk
