Finding a sponsor is a great courier move

By Helen Loveless, Mail on Sunday Enterprise Editor
Updated: 06:17 EST, 21 February 2011

 

With bank finance still difficult to access, finding a sponsor can be a good way to take a business to the next stage.

Jenny Holmes and Dimitris Theocharidis set up their fashion design business Jena Theo in February 2009.

The friends met at London College of Fashion seven years earlier while parttime students.

After graduating, Jenny, 30, worked as a buyer for High Street retailers while Dimitris, 31, worked as a waiter and freelance fashion designer.

In February 2009 they launched Jena Theo and six months later won the Fashion Fringe At Covent Garden event, through which they received cash funding for two seasons, studio space in Somerset House, central London, as well as mentoring.

The win helped Jenny and Dimitri to develop their collection, which they sell online.

However, with previous business experience as a buyer Jenny knew how tough running their own business would be.

So they approached a number of companies to ask for sponsorship, before agreeing a deal with delivery giant UPS.

Last week, Jena Theo showed their third season of clothes on the catwalk at London Fashion Week 2011, exhibiting a UPS-themed dress as their star turn.

Jenny says: 'I know that 80% of being a successful designer is managing the business side of things.

'I thought getting a logistics company on board was really important.

'UPS has provided funding but also helps ship our products around the world.'