No strangers to success, Christine Beedle and her business partner, Sara Riley, have just set up a new business called The Conservatory Lining Company.
Always keen to embrace a new opportunity, especially when it fills a gap in the market, Christine is well known to many people in the Colchester business community for Monthind Clean, which she built up from the ground and eventually sold in 2000. Now working in a completely different field, Christine has joined forces with Sara to introduce a range of muslin linings that keep conservatories cool and shady in summer and cosy in winter, and act as an alternative to costly ‘made to measure’ blinds.
The idea is simple but the execution is not! Christine’s own conservatory is a showcase for Sara’s skill and design ingenuity. The beautiful muslin drapes shade the ceiling whilst giving the conservatory an elegant and graceful air. Made in white or unbleached high quality cotton muslin, they are fixed with specially made plastic coated metal rods and can be removed, washed, ironed and re-fitted easily, leaving them looking as good as new.
Christine saw a need for the product when in her own conservatory she experienced glare from the sun, over-heating in summer, heat loss in the winter, and the difficulty of cleaning and removing insects from fitted blinds. “There had to be a simpler and better solution” says Christine. Together with Sara, they came up with the uniquely designed muslin linings and have plans to expand their range with a simpler ‘sail’ type design and conservatory drapes to match. There is even an annual ‘after care’ service that removes, cleans and re-fits the linings – perfect for busy people, the elderly, or simply those who have an aversion to the step-ladder! At around a quarter of the cost of blinds, the linings have obvious appeal. Initial response has been exceptional with customers relating stories of how their under-used conservatories have been transformed into a comfortable environment for relaxing, eating, entertaining or working all year round.
With a new idea and bags of enthusiasm, entrepreneurs are sometimes tempted to get their product to market in the quickest possible time and in so doing, shortcut the ground work. In this instance, however, both Christine and Sara knew how essential it would be to have a solid business plan upon which to base their work and were determined to test their product vigorously before launch. A great deal of effort went into sourcing a material that would retain its looks and not shrink when it was washed or subjected to condensation; likewise the unobtrusive fittings were tested on plastic, aluminium and wooden framed conservatories until Sara and Christine were confident that they would hold the linings in place without bunching or gaps.
Despite the fact that Christine had owned and managed a successful company, she still sought advice from Colbea. “An objective view is always worth its weight in gold”, says Christine. “As it is now some years since I sold my commercial cleaning company I felt that I needed to update myself with current business legislation. Keith Powell, my advisor, had all the information I required at his fingertips plus he was able to review the business plan I’d put together. I would recommend Colbea’s advice to anyone in the throes of setting up a business.”
Sara and Christine’s next step is to launch a website and take their products to a wider market. With a multitude of ideas and a focus on quality they are sure to have a bright future.
For more information about The Conservatory Lining Company contact Sara Riley on sarariley@uwclub.net.
PICTURE SHOWS: Christine Beedle (left) and Sara Riley
