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Exquisitely British - The British Entrepreneur Club for Luxury Brands
An Interview with...
Dan Cox
Founder of Newmakers
By Clare Heighway - 31st October 2014
We chat to Dan Cox, founder of kids contemporary toy company Newmakers, where all products are designed and made in Devon.
Tell us about yourself, Dan.
My name is Dan Cox. I am the founder and designer of our small brand, Newmakers. I worked as a consultant product designer for twenty years in the US, EU and Asia. I am Devon born and so, when I came home, I was looking to set up some small scale local design and production company here. We now design and make kids contemporary toys and furniture, all right here in Devon; onthe edge of Dartmoor.
Where did the idea for Newmakers come from?
The company started out making furniture, together with local artisans in Chiang mai, northern Thailand. We used unusual native timber like coconut wood, acacia, and offcuts from the largersawmills located nearby. It was a really hands-on affair, and I learned so much by working closely together with the local crafts people and it was a lot of fun!
Newmakers in Devon isn't that much different in concept. I wanted as much as possible to be producing locally - right down to the packaging. It is better for control, and makes chasing up problem issues much more efficient.
Who is a Newmakers customer?
A major factor for me when I design a product for children, is that it also looks good to the parents. Newmakers items are intended to be shown off a little, and not shunted out of sightas soon as playtime is over. So, our customers usually have a good eye, and are interested in contemporary design. The mix of exposed timber and punchy graphics lends the range a sort of very British quirkiness, a little of the Scandinavian feeling, as well as maybe some Japanese graphic playfulness. I suppose this mix comes from the various cultural influences I have had travelling in my earlier career.
What has been your biggest challenge since launching?
After the recent recession, simply getting a toehold in the market has become extremely difficult and I honestly do not think that this is going to change anytime soon. Therefore, we hit things at a bad time, and really had to work hard to get our products noticed.
There are a lot of good manufacturers and services out there - and therefore we must always be mindful that we continuously strive to both maintain and improve our product range, service and quality level.
What's been your biggest highlight?
A couple of years ago - almost at the last minute, I exhibited my stuff at the London Design Festival. Some of the products were actually prototypes and I was very surprised that the Zebra Rocker was selected as one of the 'Highlight Products' for thewhole festival!
Suddenly I was getting phone calls from the stand on my mobile, from Elle Decoration Magazine and many others. It was a good feeling, but also saddening, because many of the potential orders/features, I could not take advantage of because I had no stock to immediately ship out.
What or who are you inspired by?
My mum - she travelled the world for four years, alone, in the fifties. I think that must have taken guts back then.
Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
I can only comment on the sort of things I do (designing and making things), these are a few thingsthat I wish I had known, or not ignored:
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It'll probably take a minimum of five years until you can start getting a few modest orders, so don't give up the day job, and be very sure that what you are doing has a future, and is scaleable.
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Get a mentor! This is not easy, as you don't have much money - but any advice from someone with real business experience is invaluable.
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Make sure you 'sit at the right table'. By this, I mean, make sure your idea is valuable to others. Sittingat 'the wrong table' means you are doing something just because you like it, without thinking about whether others might value it.
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Cash-flow really is king! It is so easy to get carried away with good reviews, etc. But if the sales aren't there, you'll soon be out of business.
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Don't back down on your core values. A while ago, we were asked by our only (at that time) large volume distributor if we could reduce costs by manufacturing in Eastern Europe. This went very much against our primary goal so after much deliberation, we dropped the distributor - because they did not share our aims, and were willing to 'fudge' things in order to maximise profits. Time will tell if this was a wise business decision, however we feel much more comfortable with ourselves that we did this.
What does your "typical" work day look like?
I get up early and spend at least the first two hours drinking coffee, checking emails, and setting my agenda for the day. After that it is a mixture of computer work (sales/PR/marketing), design, and visiting the factory. I'm usually in bed early, with a good book. The time when I'm sort of just getting to sleep, and the mind wanders, is when I often seem to have my best new concept ideas. It is my favourite time of the day.
Do you have any favourite British brands?
I do like Caterham cars. Whether by choice or necessity, they have developed probably the most simple, basic, iconic sportscar that just seems to scream 'British made'! Plus, my Dad owns a Lotus Six - which is the original forefather of the Caterham Seven.
Visit Newmakers at www.newmakers.com
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