MODREN was set up by Sandra MacLeod last year when she moved back to the Outer Hebrides from her corporate job in Glasgow. The bags produced are sold all over the world, from Oslo to Japan.
Name: Sandra MacLeod
Age: 50
Position: Founder
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS CALLED?
Modren. It’s a proper Scots word that means something unusual in Scots Gaelic.
WHERE IS IT BASED?
Outer Hebrides
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I LIVED in Aberdeen and Glasgow for a long time. After 30 years I wanted to come back home and wanted to find a way to do that. I decided to have a go at making bags as a hobby. I wanted to move away from the corporate environment in Glasgow. I was working in marketing and customer service before so there wasn’t much for my skill set back home in the Outer Hebrides. I trained myself and did a formal course – it was a case of trial and error. I wanted to use materials that represented provenance so I chose tweed.
I wanted my own business on and off for a good while. I enjoy the freedom of having my own business. I don’t have to have whatever I make approved by lots of people like I did in my last job. Every job has its downsides but they are offset by the bits I enjoy.
I built it up myself, which is probably quite typical of female-led businesses. I’ve had no external investment. When I sell a bag I reinvest the money back into the business.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
MOST tend to be female aged 30 and above who are self-employed or professionals like lawyers and doctors. They are not all in the creative industries. It appeals to people who want something that will last, is well made and means something unique to them.
They often want to design it themselves and customise it so I work with them.
I made a slot in for a writers’ pens and another for someone’s cousin who is diabetic and wanted a pocket for equipment that had to be big enough to hold a Lucozade bottle. I work with folk to make something that reflects them. They love seeing creativity come to life. Men usually buy the bags as gifts for their partners. In my mind the average customer is 30-50 years old with a bit of creativity and wants to invest in fashion but not fast fashion. My customers come from all over, with 40% coming from overseas. They often become repeat customers. I have bags going to Oslo, Japan and Santa Fe. I’ve had people crying when they receive the product, not because of my work but because it represents something to them. It’s a thoughtful gift.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
IT’S clearly different because the customer has a hand in designing it which makes people care about it and value it more than the high street. Having contact with the customer gives them the ability to change any aspect.
Most competitors on the high street or small businesses don’t offer a service like that.
IS SCOTLAND A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?
FOR my business I couldn’t be anywhere else. Nowhere else has the same history and provenance of tweed. My family were weavers and my sister still is. We are blessed with national icons recognised globally. People warm towards Scotland and it is easier than you would think to find international sales from a small island.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
CASH flow – every penny gets reinvested back into the business. I also work on my own so spend a lot of time in my own head. There are lots of folk up here who are one-woman bands and we meet up monthly. I don’t know if I would hire someone to help in the future. I wouldn’t at the moment. The challenge is how to scale up without losing the handmade aspect.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS TIME?
MORE of the same but my skills will have developed and cash flow will be more secure. The bills will be paid and there will be a more cohesive pattern of work with customers. I have even introduced some of the customers to each other. I feel my skills have improved. I look back at bags I made 10 years ago and can see what bits haven’t worked. I want folk to love the bags and use them for years.
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