A lot can happen in 12 weeks

I've had writing this blog on my ‘to do’ list for at least 2 weeks now. I wanted to write about what has happened since we launched tayloryates.com and when I counted back I realised that 12 weeks have passed by in a flash!

I'm told 12 is an important number for lots of reasons, there are 12 months in the year, 12 weeks is a key date when you are pregnant, 12 weeks used to be when you started to give your baby solid food, 12 years old is when you go to big school in the UK, there are 12 stars on the EU flag, 12 days of Christmas, 12 signs of the zodiac…apparently it’s a perfect number.

I have also been told that starting your own business is a bit like having a baby. I have three children, Ellen (19) who studies in Manchester and works with me at taylor yates, Jack (17) who studies computing and helped with some tech stuff today and Tom, (15) who believes anything is possible so I have some understanding, maybe. We hear regularly that most start ups fail, so I was pleased to see a quote from James Watt, co-founder of Brewdog today, that said “Don’t start a business start a revolution”.

Having a baby, failing and starting a revolution were definitely not on my to do list when we started tayloryates.com. It read more like design gorgeous handbags people will love, build a sustainable business and give back, to help give other people's daughters the freedom to choose the life they want. Business should be a force for good and be created to give back. Maybe this is the beginning of a movement, it sounds more beautiful than a revolution perhaps!

Finally, I wanted to share with you the 12 best things that have happened at tayloryates.com in the last 12 weeks;

1. We launched after 2 years of hard work

2. We have lovely customers from Aberdeen to Arizona

3. We have received fab feedback

4. We appeared in Red Magazine

5. We had fun doing our Christmas film

6. We have over 600 followers on Facebook

7. We love creating posts for Instagram

8. Our local press have been really supportive

9. We found out that our stylish customers are loving the Tilly bag best so far

10. Our website visits went crazy when the Sunday Life story was published

11. We started a conversation with our favourite London Store…

12. We are working on some new colours and ideas for Autumn 17

Thanks for visiting tayloryates.com

#abeautifulpurpose