EXECUTIVE PROFILE Julia Minchin
Julia Minchin, founder and joint md of Hippychick, talks being prepared for the unexpected and why developmental and traditional toys should be more widely recognised as the bedrock of early years offerings.
“STILL GOING, STILL GROWING AND STILL ENJOYING IT” HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT HIPPYCHICK? Since the very beginning - I started the company in 1999 from our home in Somerset soon after Tom, our eldest son, was born. He is now 23! WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT AT THE COMPANY? The fact that it is still going, still growing and that I am still enjoying it, after 22 years. The greatest individual achievement is winning the well regarded Somerset Business Awards in 2011 – the year Jeremy had a paragliding accident which left him in hospital for three months. It showed us that the business could still thrive when one of us was totally out of the picture and the other was fairly distracted. Another major achievement was fighting Chinese trademark trolls for over ten years and eventually winning all our trademarks back.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE WITHIN THE PRESCHOOL INDUSTRY THAT YOU HAVE SEEN SINCE YOU HAVE WORKED IN IT? So many changes – where do I even start? The growth of online and the power of social media, the exponential growth of Amazon in particular, the demise of the high street. The exorbitant cost of shipping and the lack of real alternatives in terms of manufacturing closer to home. Everything has become instant – people want the right product, at the right price, right now. WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? From my father, who had a wooden toy business called Tiger Toys. He always said a sale was not a sale until it was paid for and that there was no point being a busy fool – margin, margin, margin. BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE TAKEN AWAY FROM 2020?
“ Be ready and open to adapt and change.”
As an understatement - be prepared for the unexpected! Be ready and open to adapt and change. IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE PRESCHOOL BUSINESS, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR JOB? Working with a great team, new product development and photoshoots – in that order. WHO IS THE UNSUNG HERO IN YOUR COMPANY? Probably Jeremy, my husband and business partner for the last 20 years. His energy and enthusiasm drives the company forwards - even if administration and organisation are not his core skills…
I would like to see sustainably sourced, recyclable, natural, wooden, educational, developmental and traditional toys more widely recognised and as the bedrock of early years offerings. None of us can stop the march of time, innovation and technological advancement… but it would be great if the youngest age groups have a period of time to enjoy a world not dominated by electronics and technology.
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