Steering a Startup Ella Merriman and Amelia Powell

Steering a Startup

Ella Merriman and Amelia Powell (both NHEHS 2013) are co-founders of start-up MERRI Intimates. MERRI Intimates design and create sexy, comfy, cotton underwear that help prevent UTIs and thrush.

After leaving NHEHS Ella studied for an Art Foundation at Falmouth University before studying Architecture at Newcastle University. She dropped out after two months to focus more specifically on her love of design and making. She received a First Class Honours degree in Furniture and Product Design in 2018 and went on to work at many design studios in the UK and Europe before setting up MERRI Intimates.

Amelia went to Durham University after NHEHS to study Biomedical Sciences. After she graduated in 2016 with First Class Honours she joined the Barclays Graduate Scheme. She is now a Relationship Director in Barclays Corporate bank where she has responsibility for a portfolio of Healthcare clients, combining her background in science with interest in business. MERRI Intimates is something that Amelia does alongside her current job.

What are your favourite memories of your time at NHEHS?

E: I have so many it is hard to choose from! I loved singing in the choir and was part of the Chamber Choir from Year 6 to Year 13. We often got to sing in the chapel at Windsor Castle and that always felt very special. Amelia and I were both altos and would always stand next to each other in the pews! However, some of my all-time favourite NHEHS memories are from travelling to swimming galas with Mr Bent and the team in the minibus. The best trips were when he would buy us McDonalds on the way home. A: I agree, there are so many. Ella and I were looking back at photos whilst preparing for this interview and it really brought smiles to our faces. I had forgotten how many fancy dress days we had - from Noah’s Arc and 101 Dalmations to Goths and Geeks! Some of my highlights were probably on DofE. It's amazing how quickly you forget how cold and wet we got and just remember all the laughs we had instead! Christmas traditions were also great - the classroom decorating competition, the Boar’s Head Carol and the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Did you have a favourite teacher or subject at NHEHS?

E: I have always loved Art and History and they were my favourite subjects throughout school. Miss White was my absolute favourite teacher - I just thought she was so cool. I also loved Mrs Maynard who was always so fair and kind. A: Biology, Maths and Drama were always my favourite subjects. We had a great laugh in all these lessons with various teachers. It's weird to look back and think that Maths lessons were fun but they really were. I did Further Maths A level so my last year in school was pretty much spent in the Maths Department but Ms Peric-Matthews, Mrs Critcher, Mr Porter and Mr Quarmby made it all worth it. Drama was a creative outlet!

How did you come up with the idea for Merri Intimates? E: It was when I experienced my first UTI, sitting in the

NHEHS library complaining about how much pain I was in. I was reading up about the infection on the NHS website after a friend diagnosed me and realised that cotton underwear is recommended to help prevent infections. I couldn’t believe that no-one had told me this before but also couldn’t find any cotton underwear that didn’t make me feel like I was having a Bridget Jones moment. And so, I came up with the idea for MERRI intimates. A: I have to admit, Ella came up with the idea, but as soon as she told me about it I was convinced that there is a gap in the market and wanted to be involved. MERRI really offers something that other brands don’t. Women shouldn’t have to compromise on looking and feeling great to protect their intimate health - our pants offer both.

How do you feel NHEHS instilled a ‘girls can achieve anything’ mindset during your time at school?

E: I think the main thing was that we were rarely told no, and if we were, we did it anyway and that was sort of accepted. A: For me this is more of an unconscious thing. The way we were at school and were taught, meant it didn't really cross my mind that we were any different to our male counterparts. We were given so many opportunities and space to be ourselves. It was pretty ingrained that the world was our oyster and we could make of it anything that we wanted. I think there were some things that Ella and I got involved in which really sparked an entrepreneurial mindset. We were the stage managers for various plays throughout our time in school so spent a lot of time with Ms Craggs and Ms Whitmarsh who gave us complete ownership over budgets and the productions. There were days we would run around Ealing trying to source props and then be back at school designing sets and organising logistics.

What has been your biggest/toughest decision to date whilst launching Merri Intimates?

E: Starting the business and making myself believe that it could be real was definitely the toughest. It took me 8 years from having the idea at 18 to actually attempting to make some pants because I wasn’t sure I knew enough - and then I woke up one morning and decided that I would never know enough so I may as well start somewhere! A: A few things for me. As a start-up there is constant pressure on the resources we have - whether that be time or money. There are so many ideas we have but prioritising with limited funds is really difficult and the decision making around that is even harder. The other thing I find tough is spinning so many plates at once. There are constantly things to do and as a small team there is no one else you can rely on to get things done other than yourselves. It's a constant juggling act with so many competing priorities (as well as a full time job!)

What is your favourite part of running Merri Intimates?

E: I love the design process - listening to product feedback and improving my designs. It makes me so happy when someone puts on our pants and goes “wow these are so comfortable!”. I also love the fact that we are all constantly learning about different areas of business that I would never have thought about before. From patents and care label laws to fabric compositions and customs duties. A: I love that it is so dynamic and we can get things done quickly. We will be together and have an idea and the next day we will be working on making it a reality. The piece around ownership and being able to influence direction and strategy is so important to me too. Ella and Holly (our other co-founder) are fiercely talented and we compliment each other well in skills and also challenge each other in the right way. That doesn’t mean we don’t disagree on things but I think this makes it more likely to get to the right decisions. It is a lot of fun!

What are your top tips for anyone considering launching a start-up?

E: Firstly, work with people who you respect and who share your vision. Secondly, always celebrate the small wins. They are all important and it’s really good to keep stepping back and acknowledging how far you’ve come. And finally, you will never know enough and it will never be the right time, so you may as well get on with it because it is the most exciting and rewarding thing you will ever do. A: Do it! You can always tell yourself that ‘now isn’t the right time’ but I’m not sure there is ever a right time. It’s hugely scary but also hugely rewarding. You’ll make mistakes along the way but that is what life is about as you learn from them. I would say my main piece of advice though would be surrounding yourselves with people who compliment your skills, that you can bounce off and that you can have fun with.

Ella and Amelia are happy for any other NHEHS Alumnae thinking of starting a business to get in touch via the Alumnae Relations Officer.