Orb Clothing : starting a small fashion business

Abstract

Louise returned to New Zealand after three years working overseas and looked at her career options. She decided that her strongest interests were in fabric design and fashionable hats and clothing so she would get most job satisfaction in this area. After completing a Diploma course in Arts and Crafts she was encouraged by the sales of her hats produced during the course to start her own business as a milliner designing and producing fashionable hats. A business plan was prepared with a marketing plan, operations plan and a financial plan to assess the viability of the business proposal. This was evaluated by an assessor from the New Zealand Employment Service who approved the plan and agreed to support the business start-up financially through the Enterprise Allowance Scheme. The business was started with this subsidy mainly producing hats for sale to local shops. The teaching objectives are to illustrate the processes required to plan and start even a very small business for self-employment, and then to show the problems and difficulties when starting a new small business and establishing it successfully.

Related: Orb clothing : starting a small fashion business. Case Centre, Teaching note Reference no. 803-048-8