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New Business Owner
10 | iNarrabri Magazine | September 2016
What's the first job you had?
Does this include milking cows
and driving tractors… or does
this only include the ones away
from home? In that case it has to
be as a retail assistant in the local
music shop... that was back when
John Williamson was peddling his
own cassettes!
What career ambitions did you
have in your final year of school?
I was always going to be an
agronomist, it must have been
the farming background. I did
the work experience program, a
bit more research and made the
decision that it would probably be
a difficult industry to leave to have
a family and then return to. In
hindsight it was a good decision.
How did you find your way to
owning your own business?
Just under 4 years ago I decided
to purchase the quilting machine.
I had been deliberating long and
hard as I knew that my current
employment was coming to an
end. I wanted to do something
that I enjoyed... don’t we all? It
was a pretty natural progression
from operating the machine from
home to purchasing the shop. It’s
ironic actually as one of the fabric
reps had suggested I buy the shop
some time ago... the timing just
wasn’t right then... but now...
Describe your business.
The retail side of the business
ensures that locals have a place
to purchase fabric, wool, sewing
machines, haberdashery and all
the other bits and pieces that are
needed to make both a new item
from scratch or do the dreaded
mending. We also stock Simplicity
patterns.
I offer a machine quilting service
for the local patchworkers. This
means that clients can drop off a
quilt top and using the Gammill
machine, I quilt (stitch) all the
layers together. This can be as
simple or as intricate as a client
likes as there are 1000’s of patterns
to choose from. We also offer a
mending and alteration service,
sewing machine repairs and
services, and scissor sharpening.
There are also in-store classes and
workshops held on a regular basis.
Why do you think your customers
frequent your business?
You will always be greeted with a
smile and cheery ‘hello’. The shop
is a light bright and airy place,
lots of colour and inspiration and
rarely a dull moment! There is
always something new instore.
We keep the prices as reasonable
as possible so anyone can try
sewing, knitting or quilting.
What is a perception of your
business that you would like to
overcome?
That sewing, knitting and
patchwork is only for older ladies.
It really couldn’t be further from
the truth as some of the most
talented designers and quilters are
men, especially so overseas. One
of the most amazing quilters I
ever had the fortune to teach was
a man who went on to make and
show several queen sized quilts.
What is the most enjoyable part of
your job?
People are of course! I will never
ever cease to be amazed at our
wonderful community. There are
so many out there who are
knitting, sewing and even baking
for those less fortunate.
What is an aspect of your job that
you could do without?
The paperwork of course, it eats
into valuable sewing time!
How do you deal with stress?
Apart from sharing time with my
family and having a good laugh at
my grandkids antics, I head bush.
There are a lot of great walks and
picnic spots within a relatively
short distance of Narrabri. I also
hit the water once it warms up...
ever tried paddle boarding? Like
quilting it’s a bit addictive... and
yes, that was me on the lake last
summer!
What's the best professional advice
you've been given?
Create a business plan and have
a vision of where you will be in
12 months and again in 5 years.
Don’t lose sight of your goals.
Don’t expect too much of the first
12 months... expect it to be the
most stressful and least rewarding
period of your business life. Just
hang in there! And don’t forget to
reward yourself occasionally!
Who is a person in business that
you admire and why?
That’s easy... the farmers wife!
She is wife, mother, partner, farm
hand, neighbour, friend, first
aider, book keeper, counsellor and
the list just goes on… and so does
she!
If you weren’t doing this, what
would you like to do?
That’s a really tough one. I think
I’d like to do some more travelling
and see this wonderful country.
Leesa Cupitt - Creative Stitches
photo: John Burgess