Barking Rad- What is Success?
TestTown People: Barking Rad- What Is Success?
Participants
Colleen Reid, Tigerprint Tees to Barking Rad
About the project
Colleen Reid won her heat in TestTown Kirkintilloch and went on to win a highly commended award at the 2014 Grand Final in Cambridge with her business idea “Tigerprint Tees”. This was a jungle-themed coffee shop for kids were they could design their own T-shirts and accessories on the spot. “TestTown gave me the chance to bring a new idea to local people, let them experience it and get immediate feedback and sales figures from a weekend of actual trade – that’s something a market research questionnaire will never be able to do!”
Based on her experience, she realised that although the concept was well received and had great potential in was not one she could develop at this stage. “The feedback and experience of running the business gave me evidence that the idea was one customers loved, sales figures that proved it could be profitable and an understanding of how many man hours would have to go into the idea for it to work. With this knowledge, I knew the idea was a good one but I didn’t have the time to commit, so I took the invaluable business lessons I had learned and started a new business venture”.
“This natural ‘business starter-upper and sidepreneur’ now runs online business ‘Barking Rad’ alongside working full-time.”
This natural ‘business starter-upper and sidepreneur’ now runs online business ‘Barking Rad’ alongside working full-time. Supported by Scottish EDGE, this is an online shop and monthly gift box service for dogs using only the best, handmade items.
‘TestTown 2014 did what it set out to do – create a buzz in the community and bring life back to the high street. From day one of setting up my shop, local business owners rallied round to find out what I was doing and offer their support. Even with a half closed shutter, closed doors and incomplete window displays, local people popped in to see what business was going to open and share how great it was to have something new and colourful in that empty space.’
