Dan Hoyland, managing director of The Fan Cave, tells unLTD how he built a successful business within the memorabilia industry and how the Sheffield business scene has supported him.
I was inspired to start my business by …
I was always inspired by my parents growing up and what they managed to achieve. From humble beginnings to running successful pubs, they set the perfect example for me. The desire to make money and see how far I can take something has naturally been instilled into me and I think that’s what gave me the confidence to put everything into The Fan Cave.
My favourite thing about running my business is …
Having the opportunity to regularly meet and work with incredible sports, TV and film stars. I feel so much pride in seeing the business expand and watching the people within develop and grow.
The three words that best describe my business are …
Unique, multifaceted and inclusive!
Sheffield City Region is a great place to start a business because…
There is so much support around and so many fantastic, established businesses that are willing to offer a helping hand. The networking opportunities in Sheffield are brilliant too because you create relationships with people who are willing to provide support in the early stages when you need it the most.
The best advice I ever got was …
To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late and to be late is to be unacceptable.
The worst advice I ever got was…
To be content with where you are. I felt that was a one-way street to losing my aspirations for The Fan Cave. Rejecting that advice has got me where I am today, and it proved to me that you have to take risks and dream big every step of the way.
The organisations that have supported me and my business include …
Redtooth Memorabilia have been a huge support and working alongside them provided a much stronger infrastructure for The Fan Cave, so I am grateful for Redtooth’s support.
British Land, which part-owns Meadowhall where The Fan Cave is based, was also incredibly supportive of small businesses during the pandemic and ensured flexibility for companies during what was a really uncertain period for us all.
The main challenges facing my industry/sector are…
Authenticity and trust are a huge challenge when it comes to memorabilia. Showing people you are legitimate is difficult because there are so many people trying to cut corners with fake merchandise. That’s why I am so passionate about The Fan Cave being open and transparent.
We always try and provide pictures of the players we work with holding our sign to prove we are directly working with them. We provide certificates of authenticity and all of our proof is available online to prove we are legit to gain our customer’s trust.
In 5 years’ time I expect my business to …
Be the leader in memorabilia in the UK and further afield. With us only being five years old, we’ve got so much space to grow and expand both online and in the retail sector. I want us to be in a position to be able to do more to support other businesses in the Sheffield city region and give back to our local community.
To find out more about Fan Cave visit: www.thefancavememorabilia.co.uk
