The Silky Way to Make the World a Better Place

Laura and Kim Appleton are a force to be reckoned with and two of the most passionate and engaging entrepreneurs I’ve met recently. Together they are on quest to change how the world sleeps – one duvet at a time.

In the space of an hour they enlightened me on the entire silk making process, how to source it ethically and why everyone should have one of their amazing Silk Concept duvets. It was clear that Laura could have talked about this for hours and Kim could convince anyone that, once you owned one of their duvets, you would never be able to sleep under anything else.

Laura grew up in the UK with entrepreneurial parents and with a degree in Digital Design she’s a keen connoisseur of all things web related. With stints in professional roles, on a potato farm, as a coffee quality controller, pie maker, waitress, desert chef, junior designer and snowboard instructor she gained a diverse range of priceless skills and knowledge. Mix in representing England at the U17 World Cup aged 11 and playing Field Hockey at the highest level for 8 years and you can tell she’s an over achiever.

Growing up in small town Northern Ontario, Kim thrives on adventure and from a young age competed in sports including sailing and swimming at a national level. She went on to become a globetrotter after highschool and work as a lifeguard, a ski instructor/ski patroller, tree planter, forest fire fighter and managed to squeeze in a degree; a BA in French.
A year working for Rothschild Investment bank in the heart of London’s financial district watching companies sell for millions piqued her curiosity into the world of business. On her return to Vancouver she became Program Director for FWE for two years, helping educate and mentor female business owners in Vancouver.

So how do these two manage to work together, live together and nurture a fantastic relationship? Find out below.

WomanzWorld: What was the catalyst that made you want to start your own business?

Laura Appleton: I grew up with an entrepreneurial father, so far as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be my own boss.

Kim Appleton: After a year working for an investment bank in London’s financial district and 2 years as Program Director of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs – I knew it was my turn.

What has been your biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it?

Kim: We have a new fairly new product in North America. We have spent our first year with a high emphasis on education.

When did you experience your first business win or success & what impact did it have?

Our very first customer was the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel and although that was very exciting I’d say our biggest win

is the testimonials we constantly receive from our happy customers. This really allows us to stay positive on those ‘hard to focus’ days.

What’s the single most important thing you’ve learned to date?

Kim: Cash-flow is king. I know that sounds cliché – but it really is – without sales, we have no business to grow.

Laura: Delegation, learning that I cannot accomplish everything on my own. So delegate to generate.

What are the key strengths/qualities you’ve found in yourself as an entrepreneur?

Laura: Self-belief and optimism. Without these two qualities I wouldn’t have gotten very far. On the skills side I rely heavily on my passion for branding and marketing for all of our promotional material.

Kim: I am an organizer at heart, so I very much enjoy keeping things running smoothly. Schedules are my dream. I also am very fond of numbers and I actually enjoy QuickBooks as strange as that may sound. I am very much a people person and with a large network in Vancouver have had much success in growing our word-of-mouth campaign.

What’s your secret to keeping focused on your business and the vision you have for it?

We wake up every morning under a silk filled duvet – our dream is that everyone else will too. What is more important that a good nights’ sleep? Also we believe that nothing compares to working for ourselves – the pleasure, the pain – it’s all worth it.

Do you have any daily habits as entrepreneurs that propel you to success?

Kim: Exercise – we try to do Boot Camp every morning. It makes for a great start to the day and gives us both an hour to really push ourselves physically this in turn has an amazing effect on our ability to focus for the remainder of the day. That and sweating it out always feels so good!

Laura: Preparation. For all the small thing and big things, I prepare mentally and physically. An old teacher told me once ‘prepare, or prepare to fail’ –it’s totally true.

What are the 3 top books you’ve read that have made a personal difference to you both & influenced you & why?

Laura: How to Wow, by Frances Cole Jones – invaluable strategies for presenting, persuading and perfecting. AKQA – Ideas 1 – This is my design inspiration bible, it features a collection of stunning work from a design/communications agency.
I idolise. The 4 Hour Work Week, Tim Ferris – Kim read it to me, I try apply ‘delegate, automate, delete’ to every part of the business.

Kim: Tim Ferris, The 4 Hour Work Week – such a great book about all things related to making ones business life more effective, I really love this book.
Seth Godin, The Dip – a perfect book to read when you are questioning when ‘it will happen’ and Lance Armstrong, Every Second Counts – fabulous book about dedication, perseverance, drive, passion and good ol’ hard work.

What key resources did you draw on when starting out that you’d recommend to entrepreneurs?

Laura: The Forum for Women Entrepreneurs was really helpful when I started out, a lot of my professional alliances were from referrals by FWE members.
Inc.com is a great online magazine for small business owners
Fast Company is cool for design and technology geeks. I subscribe to Seth Godin and Danielle Laportes White Hot Truth for daily motivation, information and inspiration.

Kim: I would highly recommend anyone who is thinking of starting a business to check out the Government run Self Employment Program. I use twitter everyday to find information, to ask questions and to read great info. I also receive Seth Godin’s daily email.

Which females are your personal source of inspiration and why?

Laura: Madonna. A true pioneer and has evolved with every album – love it.

Kim: Any woman who successfully starts and runs a business. During my 2 years at FWE I met many of these amazing women and now that I’m doing it myself, I honestly have that much more respect for all of them.

What are your future plans?

To successfully grow Silk Concept; to successfully sell Silk Concept; to raise a family and to enjoy every possible minute in between.

What is your key piece of advice to any female considering becoming an entrepreneur?

Laura: Love what you’re doing and it will love you. Ask for help and make at least 24 hours of your workweek, work free.

Kim: Ask questions as often as you can. The time it takes to figure something out on your own can often be a lot longer then you originally thought – ask the expert, they can and will help.

You should definitely go and check out their website and get yourself one of their duvets – they’ve been handsource with love and passion.

Read other inspiring interviews with Dani Kates – making a splash in the world of swimwear. Read up on Jill Earthy’s mission for Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and why Andrea Baxter is one Smart Cookie.

Happy reading.

Related posts:

1. Entrepreneurs Making Their Natural Mark in the World of Baby Products Elisa Hoole and Tara Taylor do not share an ordinary...
2. Winning in a Man’s World, Advice for Women Who Want to Succeed Men and women do not think alike. It’s genetic, it’s...
3. If Women Now Drive the World Economy Then Who Is Steering? "As a market, women represent a bigger opportunity than China...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.