By Helen Chapman, Founder of Dotty Fish
Starting an e-commerce business with no experience may sound daunting, but it’s not impossible. My journey is a testament to this. As a mum wanting to spend more time with my kids, I set up my own business, Dotty Fish, which sells leather, podiatry-tested baby shoes and slippers. I started with just £1000 from my savings. Over the years the business evolved and helped by Amazon, Dotty Fish has reached new heights, selling worldwide and turning over £1M+. Here’s how I did it.
No such thing as too many shoes
As a mum of two, I know that finding baby shoes that look good, are practical and are reasonably priced can be a challenge. After receiving leather baby booties as a gift after my son’s birthday, I was in love but found that similar, high-quality shoes were too expensive. I took matters into my own hands and decided to research how to design and make a more affordable shoe. Once I found a supplier, I ordered 500 pairs of shoes, creating my business from the living room floor.
At Dotty Fish, we have tried to (and hopefully succeeded in) creating a range of leather baby shoes and accessories that are stylish and affordable. We have since continued to expand, introducing more designs and maintaining affordability.
One of our passions at Dotty Fish is to develop baby shoes suitable for their little feet as they grow and develop. Our soft leather shoes are designed to be light and flexible and have the stamp of approval from experts at The London Podiatry Centre.
Setbacks will happen
Every entrepreneur knows that starting a business comes with challenges and you must be adaptable. The business was ticking along until the 2009 financial crisis. My husband and I had a mortgage with Northern Rock, which collapsed in the crisis. Essentially, we found out overnight that we needed to make extra money to pay for it. My husband was concerned that I would need to go back to work but I felt sure I could make the business work and bring in the extra money.
After sourcing a factory, I began selling shoes for a low price. However, in 2010, another disaster hit – my supplier told me that he’d lost my latest order and it would take longer than usual. Then he said his wife had died. Then I was told he’d broken his back. It soon became clear that he’d taken my money – over £30,000.
I effectively had to start from scratch. It was an incredibly challenging time and I had to think of new ideas and avenues to keep the business going, knowing that I couldn’t cut any corners. I held onto the reason I first started – which was to be my own boss and spend more time with my family. My view is that if you adapt you will survive and that’s exactly what we did.
I took a £45k loan on the house and had a rule that I wouldn’t use a factory that I couldn’t visit. Now I am sure to visit any factory I use multiple times throughout the year.
In 2010, we converted the garage and recruited our first member of staff. We also doubled down on attending baby shows which helped get our products out there. Then, in 2011 we joined Amazon – which was a game changer for our growth.
Using Amazon for cross-border sales
Amazon is the go-to place for many shoppers today. As a small business, having an Amazon store is a great way to broaden your reach, improve your delivery options and export around the world.
I was introduced to exporting to the EU through Amazon in 2012 and it practically took off overnight. The surge in demand from Italy and Germany was crazy and we realised the business was going to change our lives. Today, Amazon accounts for 75% of our sales and we ship worldwide. Amazon has helped make cross-border sales more achievable. You can test out new markets and products at a very low cost and with minimal time.
Customer is king
Being customer-focused is essential for good business. If you want to attract customers then you have to consider what they’re actually looking for, rather than what you think they might want.
I have also found that it’s important to remember that different markets may prefer different products, so always think about how you present your listings. As a global business, our UK listing can’t simply be replicated for another market – we ensure our product offering is targeted.
I’d advise small businesses not to be afraid of selling abroad. When I first started I didn’t realise the power of the internet and never thought we’d get to where we are now. Ultimately, E-commerce is exciting, fast-moving and ever-changing but with the right attitude and the ability to be agile in your thinking the world is your oyster.
