Believe it or not, The Prop Factory began as a university project that ballooned out of control. In 2011 I was studying Graphic Design at Somerset College of Art. Originally I applied for a Fine Art Degree, started a Ceramics Degree then switched to a 2 year Foundation Degree in Illustration, and finally in 2011 converted to BA(Hons) Graphic Design. Being indecisive about my career was an understatement! I was also a rubbish employee too, racking up 25 different employers by the time I was 21 (turns out I was just bored!) It wasn't until my final year in my degree that something ‘stuck’. Not actually being that good at graphic design, in fact terrible, it transpires didn't matter that much. Instead of the design side, I became fascinated with the application of graphics. The psychology behind sales and advertising - semantics and semiotics. This started my now lifelong love of marketing. And at that moment in time, my obsession with Facebook marketing. When I started my third year of my degree my marriage to my little boys Dad ended.This was what gave birth to a series of events that created The Prop Factory. Things were a bit of a mess around this time, I hadn't been on my own for 8 years. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted, and that, although the future was uncertain, it was mine. My little boy was 2 at this time. I’d become pregnant in my first year at Uni and come the summer holidays a little bundle of joy had arrived. I took a year out and with the intention of then carrying on my degree after that year. My second year of Uni couldn't come fast enough. I loved being a Mum but the loneliness and lack of direction caused severe PND which stayed for the next few years. So by my 3rd year things were a bit overwhelming. Newly separated, I moved out of my marital home and stayed on friends sofas until I secured a 1 bed flat in Barnstaple. I hate to admit it but I stayed in my car a few nights too. My husband was paying the mortgage as I was a full-time student, so made it clear it was me that needed to move out. With nowhere to live for a while he took our little one back and forth to nursery and kept him living at home to cause him the least upset. It took ages to get somewhere proper to live, as no one wanted to take a self-employed single Mum at University. So I sold my van to pay for 6 months rent up front. I lived on my student loan, eating smash for breakfast as it filled me up enough so that I didn't need lunch - I now hate smash.
During that 3rd year I remember driving south on the M5 and not North like I should of been doing. When I realised what I had done I pulled into a service station and sat sobbing. I had had several warnings from my tutors about my time keeping, and that I would not be able to continue studying if I didn't attend more. It was unfortunate that the previous day one of these ‘talks’ had happened and I’d said quite confidently I’d be in on time tomorrow, and now I was already an hour late. I made a phone call - I actually can’t remember who to - but I called saying that I wanted to quit my degree despite having less than a year to go. They tried to convince me not too, but I was still in two minds. But then I remembered the University had paid for a £1900 Macbook to aid my study as part of my dyslexia funding, and if I didn't finish my degree I would have to pay them back. That was the deciding factor, I stopped my pity party in the service station car park and off I went back up the M5.
Prior to my 3rd year myself and my fellow Mum friend, Alex Harris, made a little sideline selling cake stands. I can’t remember how the idea came about but I know I never would of attended a market or tried to sell anything on my own - the idea seemed so scary. Our first stall we booked at Appledore Arts Festival, Alex made childrens’ aprons and I made cake stands by drilling plates and adding fittings bought online. It was really exciting, and I felt a bit odd taking money when we sold something. I guess I felt like an imposter - that we had a secret - we’d never done anything like this before. From then we rented a stall at Barnstaple Pannier Market once a week with toddlers in tow, and tried to flog our wares. We didn't sell loads, I’m not sure we even made our pitch fee back sometimes. But for me I was motivated, not by making money but by 2 things - 1) buying loads of pretty plates 2) owning a business. I found myself with a new status ‘business owner’ which gave me a sense of purpose I’d never really had before. No matter how little I knew, how good my products or if I even made any money being a ‘business owner’ was enough for me to feel proud. Oddly it took me a while to tell my parents that I now had a ‘business’. At least 3 or 4 months as I was worried by what their reaction might be - just a note here, at this stage in life I would get upset if someone didn't smile at me if I smiled at them - I was a wee bit fragile. I got mixed reactions from people. Some were enthusiastic, obvious people like my friends, family and the guy collecting my pitch fees. Others could be a bit sceptical and some people down right rude. An event that sticks out like Pinocchio's nose, still upsets me now. When we started I didn't really know how to advertise apart from the chalkboard on our stall that said ‘Lovely cake stands for sale, great price’. One day I was walking past our local corner shop when I saw they had little pots of home-made jam on an Argos £10 cake stand - I know as I had the same stand. I saw an opportunity and went home to select a cake stand I could give to them as a gift. I knew it would need to be one of the best cake stands we had to really showcase what we could do in the shop window. I dithered for ages as I had a favourite stand that would be perfect, and suited the window display colours. I decided to take that stand and triumphantly walked down the street before I could change my mind. The shop owner was on holiday so I left it in the care of a staff member. I explained that she could use it for the window display, and if anyone asked about it she could say where it came from. I didn't even leave business cards, I was the completely opposite of pushy, more apologetic I’d even asked. A week or so later I was passing the shop and went in to see if the shop owner had received the stand OK. I was nervous but excited as I expected to be greeted with a beaming thank you. I found it hard to just start up a conversation so I grabbed a loaf of bread to buy. After I paid at the till I softly said “did you get the cake stand OK?” and she replied in a strong voice “Oh so you’re the one that left it” to which I cheerily said “yes” she immediately said “well can you take it back” - I was a little speechless, I felt the blood rush from my face and my heart thud. I said that it’s OK she can keep it, maybe give it to someone else, or just use for personal use, I was shaking by this point. I assumed she was annoyed that I’d been so bold as to ask her to put it in her window. She walked away and I could feel tears in my eyes. Moments later she was behind me with the cake stand saying “take it, I don’t like it or need it and it’s made badly” - it makes me angry writing this. And I am not an angry person at all. Now I’m a business owner like she was, I would never dream of undermining someone's idea, or being so rude to them. You should never underestimate someone's ability to succeed, after all we all started somewhere. We were all that confused, nervous person ‘giving it a go’ at some point. I cried a lot when I got home. I think sometimes I’d love to go back to the shop and say something - but I don’t think I could!
