Interview: Kayleigh Falcus on adjusting to life as a startup founder
Kayleigh Falcus the person is a model, blogger, and creator of Kayleigh Falcus the jewellery business, which also has a gift-oriented spin-off under the same name.
The company has gone from strength to strength drumming up business across the North East, where Falcus is from, and further afield. Whether it’s approaching bands at the stage door of a gig venue, collaborating with charities and other local businesses or collecting scrap materials for specialist recycling hubs, Falcus does everything she can to ensure her namesake is as efficient, environmentally-friendly and successful as possible.
But she only has one pair of hands, which can sometimes be limiting when “you need two or three” for a big event or fair. At a recent event, the Not Your Average Wedding Fair, the 27-year-old watched a fresh face be helped by a friend and husband, dipping in and out.
From side-hustle to success
Falcus sits at the helm of the two-year-old company, hand-making each item to order. “Growth was always in my plan,” she said. Part-funded by The Prince’s Trust after being placed on a scheme in 2017, Falcus put together a 200-page business plan which showed her research and determination. “The person who assessed it jokingly said it took weeks to read,” she reminisced.
Just 25 at the time and having just lost her job, the jewellery arm of Kayleigh Falcus evolved into a full-time gig.
“I had found a real love for jewellery when I was in university, we did a textiles module and that’s where I really found my feet. So I kept doing it as a side hustle when I graduated. I didn’t know where it was going at that point,” she explained.“But then I started getting all sorts of different requests, like can you whittle a canoe? That’s how I ended up creating Kayleigh Falcus Gifts.”
“You need something to pay the bills, so the gift side of Kayleigh Falcus allows me to be sensible while still being creative,” she added.
The Prince’s Trust is tailored towards young entrepreneurs, helping to flesh out business ideas through to fruition. “With them, no idea was a bad one,” Falcus said. “They paired me up with a mentor whose strengths were where my weaknesses lay. Having a mentor and general support network is still something I swear by today.”
But things hadn’t been easy for Falcus ahead of this. “Everywhere else I’d been or people I’d spoken to before The Prince’s Trust were really condescending, to be honest,” she said.
“I feel as though it’s because I was young and am a woman. I have a lot of life experience, which people don’t realise, and could tell that when some looked at me, I was being judged. It’s the worst when people don’t think you know what you’re talking about and make assumptions.
“The advice I’d give to someone in that situation is to just go for it. You have to not listen. It’s hard to have a thick skin but take that as their problem, not yours. If you have the knowledge then find a way to get heard, if you don’t, find a way to get the knowledge.”
The lifestyle shock when starting up
Having a big idea is just the first step, getting the equipment you need without breaking the bank is another challenge entirely. Falcus’ main tool is a laser cutter, which she could only afford thanks to The Prince’s Trust.
“I did look at laser cutters when working on the side, but they’re just so expensive. I’m lucky that I’ve always been good with money so I used the funding from Prince’s Trust along with savings to buy one,” she said.
While a big help, the young founder, who had recently gotten a promotion at her previous job, was not at ease.
“I really struggled to adjust at first. Previously, I was on a pretty high wage so generally always had money in the bank. The redundancy was very unexpected. That instability of not knowing where my next customer was coming from was difficult, but building a business does take time,” she said.
Prioneerings nights in, instead of out, or checking the menu before ordering when eating out are just two simple changes Falcus made in an attempt to be more money-minded.
“One of the most important things is to be honest with your friends and family. If you can’t do something because of money then don’t find another excuse, they’ll keep asking you out and you’ll have to keep lying. Instead, help them to understand that you’re in a different place now and that you can’t come out all of the time,” she advised.
“The most important thing, however, is accepting it yourself — and being humble.”
It can be difficult to be humble when working in an industry so centred around aesthetics, as Falcus did in design, interiors and as a model. But starting a business is grounding.
“I now know that I don’t need nice things. When you work in industries where looks and products play a big role, it’s hard to not get sucked in. It was even more difficult watching my friends buy the latest brands, get new cars and even houses when I can’t afford it.
“It’s natural to feel excluded when we live at a time everyone is expected to have new things — but we never talk about if you don’t. I find it really helpful to meet up with friends who are freelancing or have their own business or even a side hustle. It’s good to know you’re not alone but that’s sometimes really hard to remember when you’re overwhelmed. Surround yourself with people who are in a similar situation.”
Kayleigh Falcus, the connector
From cake toppers and baby blocks to housewarming gifts and jewellery, Falcus has a design for almost every special moment.
She said: “I’m creating things for very precious moments in people’s lives, whether that’s a new baby, a wedding or even a death. My customers tend to keep for a long time because it’s a sentimental item. In the beginning, I really underestimated the value of my creations.”
But this personal connection is now central in Falcus’ ethos, across both her brands.
“I include handwritten notes when I send out my parcels. Letters are dying out but it’s something that’s really nice and that you can look forward to,” she said.
“They’re really important because it says the delivery and item has come from a human, not a big company. Even Lush, the soap store, include stickers on their products to say made by. Obviously, you know it’s made by a big company, but it’s good to humanise and let customers know exactly who made them even if it is in a factory. It’s all about human connection.”
This is reflected in what Falcus describes as her proudest moment: partnering with a local branch of the Royal British Legion to create a self-funded poppy brooch, with all proceeds going to the charity’ grassroots work in the region.
“Last year I know the donations went towards buying veterans a meal and a pint. A lot of these people are on their own, so I also see it as a way to combat loneliness. It doesn’t matter who you are, no one should be lonely or just sat at home by themselves. It’s simple but a good way to help the people in my community,” she said.
Finding the right conditions for growth
The moment Falcus realised her business was sustainable was just six months ago, after going off-grid for a week and returning to an inundation of messages and emails.
“There was a huge backlog that I never felt would end, which of course has trickled down through the rest of the year and now I’m gearing up for Christmas,” she said. “Two years of putting in hard work, and finally I don’t need to worry about getting that next customer.”
Still working from home, from an outhouse in the garden, Falcus would love to take on an intern to help with admin and marketing, but simply doesn’t have space.
“I just don’t have the resources right now to expand how I’d like,” she said. “My current workload is manic. I’d really like to focus on retaining those customers as well as getting new ones, but it’s impossible to put those steps in place.
“I have a marketing plan I know I should be doing but there’s just no time. I’d also really love to push the jewellery side of things a lot more too — gifts has kind of taken over because that’s what pays the bills.”
But Falcus is definitely one to watch, with goals to penetrate the market in Manchester and London, where she currently has a handful of customers.
Could you be her helping hand? If you’re interested in a remote admin and marketing internship, drop her a line on social media.
