‘Brilliantly British’ hatter shares his top tips for success

We caught up with Alex Torun-Shaw, owner of Laird Hatters, who shared his top tips for running a small business.

Described as ‘Brilliantly British’, Laird Hatters sell handmade caps and hats combining the essence of classic style with an approachable, modern twist. Alex has borrowed £140,000, across two business loans, from more than 2,000 Funding Circle investors, to enlarge the business’s main retail premises in Covent Garden.

Laird Hatters has a diverse range of clients from judges and films stars, to tourists and cab drivers. “We are an unstuffy, friendly place to buy quality and affordable headwear,” says Alex who also has shops in Soho and Cambridge.

In this short video you’ll meet Alex, find out why he felt it was important to observe his new premises at various times of the day and how they came to be featured in magazines such as Vogue, Esquire and GQ.

Alex’s top tips are:

• Do your research
• Think outside the box for marketing
• Always keep an eye on your costs

If, like Alex, you’re looking for a business loan, you can check you qualify for a business loan in just 30 seconds.

Apply online and a member of our team will get back to you within 2 working days.

We’ve helped more than 10,000 businesses in the UK and US access finance for a range of finance needs, and you can read more stories like Alex’s here.