For many entrepreneurs, their business starts with no more than an idea. For Laura Robinson, she used a new idea, her creative talent and her vast experience to create her company. Here’s her journey so far.
Meet Laura Robinson
Laura is Founder and Creative Director of My Icon Story™, the first fully interactive design platform that offers customers a completely new way to tell their life stories. You simply search and select icons from an ever-growing library and populate your print to create something personal and meaningful to you or the person you’re giving it to.
1. Why did you start My Icon Story and what were you doing before?
I started my business after working for a Media agency for 6 and a half years. I had won numerous Creative awards for my agency and carved my own unique role. But I had always had an entrepreneurial nature and knew that one day I would start my own business. I took a sabbatical and travelled solo for the first time and upon return I realised I had nothing physical to show for it. I was looking for artwork or a print that represented the places that I had visited and there was nothing suitable.
So I designed my own and realised that I had stumbled upon a fantastically simple and unique business opportunity. I decided to build and launch myiconstory.com – the first online personalised print platform that enabled customers to turn their stories, journeys, travels, life moments and more into personalised art prints, using icons.
2. What were the biggest sources of inspiration and support when you were starting out?
I think inspiration is everywhere but I was inspired by other female founders and business owners doing it for themselves! I joined a number of Female Founder meetups and online communities and gained lots of support both business related and more importantly emotionally. Being a solo founder is extremely isolating and lonely so just having a group of likeminded individuals to talk to and share worries with was fantastic. I’ve made some great friends.
3. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting the business?
The biggest lesson has been to be more cautious. I was far too naive and eager to get started on things without fully understanding THE implications and consequences for some of the early decisions I made. Especially with regards to website development and IP ownership. I was perhaps too trusting when I first embarked on this journey but have learnt so much along the way that I feel like anything is possible.
4. What has been your proudest moment/biggest achievement so far?
My proudest achievement was getting featured in the Metro paper before Christmas. This made a huge difference to my first year of trading. I hit well over my first 100 orders through the website and business has gone from strength to strength. Receiving orders from customers who have no relation to me was such a big milestone.
5. What advice would you give to anyone starting out?
My piece of advice is to surround yourself with people who believe in you and your business. Find a mentor, someone you can run things past, chat to, get their advice and emotional support. Just having someone else to speak to will reenergise you when things aren’t going to plan and will pat you on the back when you’ve achieved something great no matter how big or small. Every little win is a win and should be celebrated.
6. What piece of investment did you make in the business that was worth every penny?
My biggest investment was the development and build of my website myiconstory.com. I would have no business without it – so most certainly worth every penny. It was also the investment where I learnt some of my biggest lessons, tested my strength, patience, project and people management skills. If I ever decided to go back into a role working for someone else, I know I would be extremely well-equipped to handle almost anything!
7. Which element of marketing has made the most impact on your business?
PR has made the biggest impact on my business. That one article in the Metro was the difference between my business surviving its first Christmas and me being able to reinvest back into the business. It has put My Icon Story on the map.
8. What does 2018 look like for you?
2018 is a really exciting year for My Icon Story. We are securing our first licensing deal with a well known organisation that I hope will be a game changer and open new doors for me to expand and grow the business. Getting support from such a credible brand is a monumental boost for such a young start-up and I hope that it will attract other brands to want to jump on board. I am looking at introducing new products as well as expanding the business globally.
