by Mel (Fri Jan 22, 2010)
On
December 9th 2008 Liverpool beat PSV Eindhoven 3-1 in the UEFA
Champions League. On the same day German astronomers confirmed there is a black
hole at the centre of the Milky Way. Also on that day, four women met for lunch
at the Adam Street Club in London, a private members club for business
entrepreneurs.
Over
scallops and wine the conversation turned to their school years in the 70's and
the practical skills that used to be on the school curriculum. They were
incredulous that children growing up now do not know how to sew or cook, wire a
plug or hem a skirt. Keen environmentalists, and inspired by their desire to
pass on their collective knowledge, in January 2009 they launched Make it and Mend it.
At first
glance, the site seems to be another place to swap knitting patterns; recycling
projects abound. But browse a little further and you'll find a well-argued
rationale for making
your own garlic honey by two qualified herbalists or a practical guide
to unblocking
your sink.
So it's not
just another site to make me feel guilty about my lackadaisical recycling then?
Clare Flynn
‘We
don't like to preach' explains Clare Flynn, ‘we don't want to be classed as
eco-warriors or tree huggers. Our aim is funky and fun rather than do-gooding
and worthy. It's about showing people choices, encouraging them to think
differently.'
Make it and
Mend it is certainly brimming with fun ideas. Got a hot pink bra you know
you'll never wear again? Don't bin it, grow lobelias out of it! Do you agonise about sending your Christmas cards
straight to landfill? Turn them into gift boxes using the downloadable template!
With such
girly ideas, this site is for women, right? Clare O'Brien begs to differ,
‘We
definitely didn't want Make it and Mend it to be pink and fluffy and we've had
some good interaction from men. One man posted great images of the jewellery he
made to give as Christmas presents.'
Clare O'Brien
Hilary,
Clare, Anne and Clare are all in their early fifties, and their collective CV
is impressive; financial journalist, former Marketing Director for Procter and
Gamble, co-directors of a digital communications business, a Doctor in
Psychology. They have known each other for years, and have a unique way of
working. It's an interesting blend of old-school business practice - regular
meetings with a Chair (usually Clare Flynn) and an agenda - mixed with a keen
awareness of their working relationship and the importance of keeping it
healthy. As Clare Flynn tells me, ‘Our meetings are businesslike, but we always
start by checking how we are all feeling. Some meetings may be mainly social
where we take time to focus on our relationships.'
But with
four strong-minded women working so closely together, do you never annoy each
other?
‘Oh we have
the odd flaming, screaming row!' she laughs, ‘but we really like and respect
each other. We don't let things fester.'
When I ask
about the management structure of Make it and Mend it, Clare O'Brien quickly
points out that ‘we don't really bother with titles. We all share product
creation and the other roles are divided based on our areas of expertise.'
Broadly speaking, Clare O'Brien takes care of Business Development and
Communications, Anne Caborn deals with any technical issues on the website and
legal matters, Hilary Bruffell works on content and
planning (supported by Anne) and is the lover of all things crafty, especially
knitting, and Clare Flynn sets the strategic direction, ‘I suppose M.D.
if you must have a title.' But both Clares stress that ‘we all do
everything. We have to. Make it and Mend it is a very hungry beast.'
Hilary Bruffell
As they all
have other work commitments, how DO they manage to feed the beast? ‘It's
a constant juggle' says Clare O'Brien, ‘it's more of a time commitment than we
thought it would be.' So do they have time to make any of the stuff that is
shown on the site?
‘I do loads
of it!' exclaims Clare O'Brien, ‘I made Christmas decorations this year and all
my Christmas cards. I love making jam or sewing something, it's very
therapeutic. I grew tomatoes for the first time last year because of Make it
and Mend it.' ‘And it's such a joyous thing to be doing' adds Clare Flynn,
‘we're combining a commercial venture with our passion. We work really hard,
but we make it fun.'
There's no
doubt about the passion behind Make it and Mend it, but it's coupled with a
beefy business plan; these are not starry-eyed idealists blogging for love, ‘we
are all businesswomen, we're definitely here to make money' says Clare O'Brien.
But how far can this idea go? What makes it different to other sites?
Anne Caborn
‘The only
way it can survive is if it evolves, if readers help us shape it' says Clare
Flynn, ‘We are encouraging people to write and we currently have about 500
registered members, with over two thousand followers on Facebook and Twitter.
We are building a brand and we're in it for the long haul with more ideas than
we've got time to execute. We are different because it's not just a ‘how to'
site. We want to inspire rather than tell people how to do it. It's
tongue-in-cheek, it's light-hearted and ultimately we want it to be a one-stop
shop for, well, everything!'
Clare
O'Brien, Clare Flynn, Anne Caborn and Hilary Bruffell form a feisty team who
have taken the zeitgeist of thriftiness and saving the planet, and given it an
edgy, fun twist. They are something of a dichotomy; on the one hand
independent, confident and business savvy, on the other happy to embrace the
homely crafts of perhaps more traditional women. They are as comfortable
setting up a new business venture as they are at upcycling old t-shirts, making
eggshell candles or upholstering a reclaimed chair.
They are,
quite simply, multi-taskers par excellence.
www.makeitandmendit.com
