Interview with Elk Accessories founder Marnie Goding
Sometimes we wish we could crawl into the minds of creative, successful women, pull up the blankets and never leave. Until science catches up with our ridiculous demands we’ll take interviewing them as a good second. Elk Accessories founder Marnie Goding kindly lets us in on the highs and lows of having your own business and offers some solid advice…
See all her pretty wares at elkaccessories.com/au and @elkaccessories.
How did Elk come about?
It started with us identifying a gap in the market – fashion at the time had a real boho focus and there wasn’t an accessories label really meeting the demand coming from fashion retailers who were looking for product to sell in store. This with a great deal of curiosity, heaps of fun and a background in jewellery design lead us to start the label.
What has been the best thing about setting up your own business?
Being able to employ great people that make us laugh and are just as passionate about our business as we are. Also to know that the product we create supports the livelihood of hundreds of families around the world – our label provides them with consistent, sustainable work.
And the hardest?
External challenges from customers and competitors in regards to pricing, IP, design or ranging which comes as a result of living in a world of fast fashion and low prices. We commit an enormous amount of effort into designing unique product and ensuring that everything we produce is handmade, tested and can stand apart from other products in the market.
What have you got planned for Elk for 2016?
We are looking to expand retail, we are rebranding, launching a new website, planning an overhaul of our ethical and sustainable policy and considering new International markets – that’s all!
What’s your favourite Elk piece?
I have one of our new vegetable tanned leather bags from the Summer 16/17 collection which I have been road testing for six months and I think I will keep it forever…. I love it!
What gets you fired up?
Dishonesty, jealousy and people who don’t tell you things straight.
Best business advice?
Trust your instinct, have fun and make sure from the start that you have a clear set of objectives – when you find yourself off track these things will always bring you back.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Hang with my kids, breath salty beach air and cook = the perfect non-work formula
What do you wish you knew ten years ago?
That sweating the small stuff doesn’t help, I wasted so much energy in the past worrying about small things that were so insignificant in the grand scheme.
Who inspires you?
People who can balance work and life well – we are surrounded by clever, creative people with busy jobs and family lives and I find nowadays I am more inspired by anyone that can strike a work/life balance than anything else. Mostly because if you can find balance you can find room for creativity and clear thought.
What was the last…
Meal you ate: Lunch – a delicious Vietnamese salad from a little, authentic local restaurant
Thing you bought: A concrete vessel by Ren Designs
Book you read: Hard Choices by Hilary Clinton – she is an incredibly inspiring, strong woman.
Movie you saw: Zoolander 2 – on a plane, its true that classics should never have a sequel, it was awful!
