Running a creative business? Check out Cathy’s 4 top tips for success

We caught up with Cathy Olmedillas, owner of The Anorak Press, who shared her advice for running a successful creative business.

Meet Cathy and find out how she produces immersive, fun pieces of culture in this short video.

The Anorak Press, launched in 2006, produces Anorak Magazine, for girls and boys between 6 and 12 years old, and DOT magazine, for preschoolers. To employ an editorial assistant and grow the business, Cathy borrowed £25,000 in January 2016.

Cathy’s top tips

1. Plan ahead

‘All of my lessons were learnt in a very harsh way, as I just kind of bumbled along from one sale to another, one invoice to another, one client to another with no strategy and eventually that catches up with you. You don’t have to have a major ten year plan, but just having a two or three month plan will help.

Write down as much as possible, for example what you’re currently doing and what you’re hoping to do. It will give you the perspective required to make the next decision. It’s also more likely to be the right decision if it’s got that kind of clarity attached to it.’

2. Know your audience

‘I always knew The Anorak Press had to have a website. Originally the website was aimed at kids, but I realised I couldn’t compete with the kids digital world. I also realised that Anorak magazine and DOT magazine were both parental purchases, not necessarily a kids purchase, so I aimed the website at parents.

I specifically wanted to showcase, in the best possible way, the quality of the products that we sell with beautiful photographs and to harness the power of social media to drive people to the website.’

3. Harness the power of digital

‘I’m pretty proud that 60% of our business comes from online and that the website is a nice hub where people can come to buy books and magazines. Customers can also look around and get inspired by creativity and kids culture, which is something I want to grow on the website.

Digital has been instrumental in our growth. It’s something that just keeps growing, which is why I want to do more with our YouTube channel as well as drive traffic back and forth between social media and our website.’

4. Hire a good web developer

‘The website was built by an amazing web designer and developer, Stuart Hobday, who was recommended by a friend. In the past he’s done a lot of very slick and very elegant websites for fashion brands and magazines.

I wanted that kind of slick and elegant style for Anorak because the product speaks for itself. It’s colourful, it’s joyful, but if I had added even more colours and madness the website would probably have drowned into a sea of colours. Stuart built a slick, elegant website within 6 weeks – it was brilliant!’

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