Pay the rent and dress for success

By ELLEN READ

It's refreshing to meet a small-business owner who says she would not do anything differently.

Kim Chapman, owner of women's designer wear hire company Embody, still has plenty of goals, but says she is content with the way her business has gone so far.

What is her secret?

Starting with a clever idea and a good business plan was half the battle.

Ms Chapman had a plan drawn up several years ago while living overseas and although it went on the backburner for a while, it eventually formed the basis for Embody.

She came up with the idea while working as an advertising executive for the Herald. She is still in advertising, and attends many corporate functions.

With the end of allowances for clothing, all this networking became expensive, leading Ms Chapman to decide that there was a gap in the market for a fashion hire business specialising in designer wear.

She began Embody three years ago with a combination of a bank loan and savings, running it from her home while also working fulltime.

Embody has now moved to premises on Dominion Rd.

"I wanted to have a professional shop and image because that's who our customers are," Ms Chapman said.

She said fitting out the shop had been more expensive than she expected.

Although the shop is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday (a manager is employed to cover the weekdays), Ms Chapman said an important part of the business was offering flexible appointments in the evening and at weekends.

She will even select outfits and go to customers if that suits them better.

"These people are busy women, so I have to do what I can to help them, that's the whole point of the business," she said.

With this in mind, Embody also stocks accessories for outfits and takes care of dry cleaning.

"I love it so much. I'm helping them professionally and personally," Ms Chapman said.

She prefers to stock outfits of international designers.

That reduces the chance of the nightmare of someone else turning up wearing an identical outfit.

Initially she favoured sizes 10 to 12 but learnt that the eight to 16 range was a lot more realistic.

While she has done some advertising, many of Embody's clients are contacts she established through her advertising career.

Word of mouth has been important in raising her profile.

Ms Chapman has bigger plans.

"I want to franchise and be the next Frank Casey [suit hirer].

"I don't see why I can't do that," she said.

First, though, are plans to open a shop on North Shore.