Her Biz March 2023 Winner
Owner and designer of bespoke handmade rugs, Claire Baines from The Mousepad Studio, wins £500 to jumpstart her business from the NatWest funded Her Biz Start Up Business workshops.
Bespoke handmade rug designer and winner of the March Her Biz business plan competition, Claire Baines aims to create unique one-of-a-kind rugs, crafted with love and care from her studio in Kent.
The Her Biz programme, which is delivered by Let’s Do Business Group and supported by NatWest bank, consists of 4 x 2-hour workshops over 4 weeks, and aims to increase entrepreneurship by breaking down the barriers between women and starting or growing a business. Delivered virtually over Zoom by two expert business coaches, the programme has been a long running success since it launched over 3 years ago.
Claire won £500 towards her start-up costs for The Mousepad Studio after taking part in the NatWest funded Her Biz start-up workshop programme in March 2023, and submitting her winning business plan to the following optional competition, which is open to all participants.
What is The Mousepad Studio?
Working together with the client by listening to their wishes, understanding their design and colour scheme preference, Claire is able to craft custom rugs suited to their requirements. She also considers where they intend to place the rugs as different yarns are suitable for specific areas which ensures the longevity of the product - for example, if the client wants a rug for the entrance way of their home, she will highly recommend using wool as it is more suitable for heavy traffic areas.
After an agreement is made on the design elements like the size, scale, colour and the cost of the product, Claire provides her clients with a realistic timescale, from the start of the production process to the delivery of the finished product to their home.
“All items are lovingly handmade by us using the ‘Tufting’ method, here in Kent. We only use high-quality natural fibres such as wool, mohair, cotton, and silk, which we source from local suppliers.”
Claire’s team has over eight years of design & creative experience and understands that finding the perfect rug to complement a room is a very personal matter! She believes in the importance of rugs adding not only functionality but providing that all-importance finishing touch to a room. Whatever your preference, why settle for something that’s almost, but not quite, what you want?
“Our aim at The Mousepad Studios is to provide high-quality, bespoke products that bring pride, warmth, and comfort to the home. Above all, where viable, we intend to keep the product and the production process British and as local as possible. This approach serves a twofold purpose, as it also applies strong sustainability practices to our products by having the lowest possible carbon footprint.”
One of the biggest goals for Claire is to increase her brand visibility and bring awareness to her company’s ethos. To do this she currently uses Instagram which allows her to showcase the product’s journey and result for a diverse audience. Claire is also currently in the process of setting up a Pinterest account to promote her products visually which will also be able to direct future clients to her website.
Finding the Her Biz programme
Claire joined the Her Biz Start Up Business Workshop to gain some clarity on the practicalities of starting her own business, and how she could set about making her ideas for The Mousepad Studio a success.
The Her Biz Women’s Start Up Business Workshops, delivered through 4 x 2-hour sessions, covers everything from sales, marketing, finance, and business planning; and from this, Claire was able to create her plan of making The Mousepad Studio official, and how she could turn her hobby into a full-time business. After completing series of workshops, Claire submitted her business plan to the subsequent competition, which is open to all attendees, and won the £500 prize towards her start-up costs.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to Her Biz for this incredible opportunity. I’ve learned so much from the weekly sessions, which have provided me with a fresh perspective on how to start a business. Input from the fabulous, independent women also participating in the workshops has been invaluable to me as a first-time business owner. The opportunity to share, question and grow with others has provided me with a solid platform from which to launch my business. Thank you to all involved in my journey, and especially to Lisa, from Let’s Do Business, for your advice and patience.”
Having completed the Her Biz programme with a renewed motivation for moving The Mousepad Studio forward, Claire is continuing to create her products with a mission of sourcing sustainably at the forefront and is now looking to increase her brand visibility through the power of social media marketing.
“It was lovely getting to know Claire when she took part in the Her Biz programme, it was clear to see that she is passionate about her business, and it was great to see her confidence and belief in herself grow from taking part in the workshops. Claire produces one-off pieces which are truly unique, and I wish her the very best going forward.”
All the team at Let’s Do Business Group wish Claire and The Mousepad Studio the best of luck!