Uninspired by unimaginative high street furniture, Carol-Anne Ward is now enjoying the ‘creative freedom’ of running Urban Mermaid and making statement pieces that are ‘unafraid to be bold’
I was inspired to start my business by …
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a strong desire to be the leader in my own life, to run my own time and to pursue the things that light me up. I love working with people, colour and spaces, so I decided to create furniture that is unafraid to be bold and brings more vibrancy to people’s environments. Urban Mermaid is the perfect way to combine my three passions and to be uniquely creative with a brand.
My favourite thing about running my business is …
The creative freedom. Being able to make decisions based on what inspires you is a great feeling. Then seeing how those decisions are felt by my customers when they receive them. That’s always a great moment.
The three words that best describe my business are …
- Unafraid
- Unconventional
- Fun
Sheffield City Region is a great place to start a business because …
Sheffield has a great independent business scene and a strong Northern spirit, so there’s a lot of encouragement for doing something different and being creative. A place can have a lot of influence on a business and Sheffield has taught me to do what I love, and not to follow the crowd.
Sheffield City Region is a great place to grow a business because …
People in business here are very supportive of each other and there is always help if you need it. Other small business owners know how hard it can be and want to be a part of a wider community that lift each other up and make Sheffield stand out. It’s a very encouraging community with such a rich mix of people, styles and ideas.
The best advice I ever got was …
In a field full of roses, be a wildflower.
The worst advice I ever got was …
Play it safe and give the people what they want, you’ll make more money that way.
The organisations that have supported me and my business include …
Oliver Brown Design (branding), Nigel Barker (photography), The Ministry of Upholstery (training + business development), Sam Lightfinch (copywriting), Toby Hyam (mentoring), Lorna Dockerill (copywriting, PR + peer mentoring), Business Sheffield (start up business events), Test Creative (peer mentoring), Design Futures Sheffield Hallam University (packaging design), Born + Raised (creative agency), Laura Lightfinch (social media), Glyn Booth (finance), Content OD (content agency)
The main challenges facing my industry/sector are …
The more corporate big boys in the industry such as John Lewis and IKEA. People think “Why are your products so much more than I can buy in X,Y,Z”. The answer is simple, but it’s hard to convince some people of value over price.
In 5 years’ time I expect my business to …
Be featured in Vogue.
