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Exquisitely British - The British Entrepreneur Club for Luxury Brands
MEMBER INTERVIEWS > HOME & GARDEN Q&A
An Interview with...
Rhiannon Rowley
Founder of Abaca Organic
By Clare Heighway - 14th August 2014
Rhiannon Rowley, the founder of organic bedding specialists Abaca Organic tells us about her love for Wales, business, and her favourite British brands.
Tell us a bit about yourself, Rhiannon.
I was born and bred in Wales and am passionate about creating a business that showcases some of the fantastic skills we have here. Welsh is my first language and both my children were brought up as Welsh speakers. I have always been entrepreneurial and have tried to create businesses from things that I’ve had an interest in, so at various times (and amongst other things) I’ve had a restaurant, a building business and a smallholding. Recently I’ve trained as a lay reader for the Church in Wales and thoroughly enjoy being part of church life.
What sparked you to create your business?
A belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to sleep on an organic mattress that hasn’t got chemicals as an ‘added extra’. Natural materials are what human beings have slept on for nearly of all our existence, and since we spend a third of our lives in bed it’s really important the bedroom be as healthy an environment as possible.
Who is your ideal customer?
More and more people want to understand the provenance of what they buy. They want to know what something is made of, where the materials come from and how it’s made. My ideal customer is someone who cares about the quality of their sleep and the quality of what they’re sleeping on.
What has been your biggest challenge?
I started this business when I was 50 ... ten years ago now. No-one else in the UK was manufacturing an organic mattress and it was a huge effort to convince both suppliers and bankers that there was business to be done in the organic sector.
What has been your biggest highlight?
HRH the Prince of Wales came to visit us a few years ago. We use a huge amount of organic Welsh wool and HRH was very knowledgeable about wool and genuinely interested in my business.
Do you have any advice for others who are thinking of starting their own business?
You need two things .... passion for what you want to do and the very best team you can build around you.
What does your "typical" work day look like?
I get up at around six and my cocker spaniel and I have a good long walk before I drive to work. I live around 20 mins away from the business in a small market town and the drive to work is always engaging as the seasons change. I spend most of the day answering phones and talking through any issues with my fantastic team. I think it’s really important to stay in touch with our customers, so I do as much answering of phones as is humanly possible. The working day never really ends as there are things to look at and think about when I get home, but before that the dog and I have another walk .... one of the perks of running my own business is that he comes to work with me!
What do you think is important in developing a successful British brand?
Individuality and a link to our culture.
Do you have any favourite British brands?
I think Seasalt is a great business. Based in Cornwall they design and produce organic clothes and accessories that are both fashionable and affordable .... it’s great to see them going from strength to strength.
What are your plans for the future?
Abaca will shortly have a new website and its own showroom in London, and I want to see the business and the people who work for it grow and flourish. My daughter has been involved since the very beginning and as time goes on I hope I will be able hand over more and more of the day to day work to her and spend more time travelling with my little brown dog!.
For more information on Abaca Organic visit their website at www.abacaorganic.co.uk
Abaca Organic are also a Best of British business. Read more about them here.
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