Suzanne Hogan recently made the bold move to leave her job as store manager with New Look in Leven and set up her own business. She designs bespoke handcrafted stationery for weddings, and other special occasions, and will work to a client’s specific request or offer her own suggestions.
The 28 year old has loved arts and crafts from a young age and those were her strong subjects at St Andrew’s High School in Kirkcaldy. Suzanne had planned to study art after leaving school but she started working part-time for New Look and her interest in fashion, and wish to help customers, saw her progress to supervisor, deputy, then store manager.
“It was when a friend was getting married and couldn’t find invitations she liked that I suggested making them for her as a wedding present. I designed both the invitation and the order of service and got very positive feedback from guests at the wedding. This was quite a confidence boost and then another friend asked me to do the same for her. After that BG---Stationery-by-Suzannet I got a lot of requests which made me wonder if I could do this full-time.
“I wanted to do things correctly so last summer I did a bit of research on the Business Gateway website then approached Business Gateway Fife for help. I went to ‘start-up’ and ‘self-employment for you’ workshops which gave me a lot of points to consider. The sessions were led by Graeme Allan, my adviser, whose knowledge is second to none,” said Suzanne
Graeme Allan, Business Adviser with Business Gateway Fife, said: “Suzanne gave a lot of thought to going into business on her own and did her research on the Business Gateway website before contacting us. I advised her to apply for funding from Create in Fife Fund and helped complete her application which secured a grant that has allowed her to purchase essential computer software and attend Wedding Fairs which she needs to do to get her name and product known. Stationery By Suzanne is still a new venture and I look forward to supporting the business as it develops.”
Suzanne said: “I finished working at New Look in November. To leave such an amazing team was heart-breaking and it was hard to go out on my own but I have no regrets. I always enjoyed talking to customers so I’m very happy speaking with clients about their wishes for a design and helping them reach a decision. I live in Lochgelly but work out of my parents’ home in Glenrothes which has a small office where I have set up all my equipment and use as my workshop. It also provides a space for me to sit with potential clients and discuss their requirements.”
“I'm excited to be attending the Edinburgh International Wedding Exhibition at the EICC on 5 and 6 April. I will use the two day event to exhibit some new designs and I’m looking forward to meeting possible new clients as well as showcasing my stationery alongside some of central Scotland's best wedding suppliers.
“Although I can design stationery for any special occasion it is mostly weddings that I receive requests for. It is lovely to be part of such a special event in people’s lives and I believe in creating a product that sets the tone for the occasion and gives guests a glimpse of what they can expect on the big day. Examples of my work can be found on my Facebook page and I offer late appointments on a Tuesday evening for people struggling for time between work and other commitments.
“I love what I do and part of me never switches off. I’m always looking at the latest trends for ideas and thinking about different styles, fabrics, details and layouts I can use to inspire clients. I’m getting married next year so will no doubt be designing the invitations for my own big day. In the meantime my aim is to build the business at a steady pace. I’m busy already but wish to increase awareness of my business and develop my customer base. I’ve had a lot of support and encouragement from Business Gateway Fife and wouldn’t be doing this without their help,” said Suzanne.
For more information on Stationery by Suzanne please visit www.facebook.com/stationerybysuzanne.