19 How to tame your dragon
In January this year Ally Stevenson, founder of Clean Heels, walked out of the BBC Dragons’ Den with a £50,000 investment and the support of Deborah Meaden and Kelly Hoppen. Coffin Mew caught up with her to discover how she built her successful business and on how to tame the Dragons
Some businesses are born from a momentary flash of inspiration. Portsmouth mum of two, Ally Stevenson, was at a family wedding in 2005 when standing up to give a short speech she placed two bottle tops under her stiletto heels to stop her sinking into the grass.
It was that quick thinking that led to the creation of Clean Heels and, 10 years later, a significant investment and the support of two of the toughest dragons from the popular BBC Dragons’ Den programme.
Stevenson created the deceptively simple Heel Stoppers; a protective sleeve attached to a plastic disc that protects stiletto heels and stops them sinking into grass and other soft surfaces.
“I launched Heel Stoppers at Goodwood in 2006,“ said Ally. “I took samples with me and had people seeking me out to get their hands on a pair.
know your business inside out and have a complete grasp of the numbers. They are, after all, investing their own money.“
The BBC Dragons have invested £50,000 into Clean Heels, but it is their connections that is of greatest interest to Stevenson.
“They have put me in touch with a great marketing and social media team,“ she explained. “In the two weeks after the show we sold over 30,000 pairs of Heel Stoppers. has just been phenomenal.“
It
Heel Stoppers is also gaining some big fans, including Royals and TV celebrities such as Clare Balding and Gok Wan. Pairs of Heel Stoppers have also been given away in the goodie bags at the Oscars and at the Empire Film Awards.
And Stevenson’s aspiration for the future of Clean Heels? Well, that is quite simple. “I would like to see a pair in every girls’ handbag.“ There is no stopping Heel Stoppers.
Ally Stevenson (centre) with Dragons Deborah Meaden and Kelly Hoppen
her GP, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
It
confirmed what I already knew – that Heel Stoppers was a great idea.“
The first pair of Heel Stoppers were very different from those currently sold by Clean Heels. “I popped into my local DIY store and bought some soft rubber tubing and some CD cases. They didn’t look great, but I was able to take them to engineering business Presso Precision Engineering, based in Portsmouth, and together we developed the finished product.“
Heel Stoppers are available in a variety of colours, including pairs decorated with Swarovski crystals.
It is, however, the
simple black and clear plastic versions that are best sellers, with the heel stopper becoming almost invisible on grass.
Clean Heels turned a profit from day one.
It was then that Stevenson was delivered a devastating blow. Following a routine check with
“The business was really taking off, with sales all around the world,“ she said. “I didn’t want to stop and put that on hold, but I had to focus on the cancer treatment and getting well again. There were times after particularly tough chemo and radiotherapy sessions that I would literally crawl out of bed and, with the help of my family and friends, fulfill orders for Heel Stoppers. Without that support I simply wouldn’t have managed.“
It took four long years to eventually beat breast cancer, and all the time Heel Stoppers was gaining momentum and a dedicated following.
One of the keys to Clean Heels’ success was Stevenson’s savvy determination to protect her designs around the world.
“From the outset we had specialist trademark advisers helping us file trademark registrations in key markets around the world,“ she said. “It was expensive, but it has enabled
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – MAY 2015
us to stop copycat producers around the world.“
Stevenson is adamant that she is not an entrepreneur, just someone with a great idea. It was for that reason that she decided to go onto BBC 2’s Dragons’ Den.
“I didn’t need the money as the business was profitable,“ she explained. “But I really did need support in marketing and making the connections. This is what the Dragons are really good at.“
But they are a tough crowd to please, and do not make their investments lightly. The show is filmed in Manchester, with entrepreneurs given just three minutes to make their pitch.
“I was grilled for two further hours and had four Dragons wanting to invest,“ said Stevenson. “Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne kindly agreed to step aside for Deborah Meaden and Kelly Hoppen.
“Once Deborah had tried Heel Stoppers she was won over. But it takes more than that to tame a Dragon. You have to
www.businessmag.co.uk
This is the latest in a series of profiles and articles on entrepreneurship supported by Coffin Mew, lawyers to entrepreneurs. Coffin Mew is a leading South Coast firm providing legal services and advice to owner- managers and business founders across the region
Details:
Clean Heels
www.cleanheels.co.uk
Coffin Mew Richard Swain
richardswain@coffinmew.co.uk
www.coffinmew.co.uk
Heel Stoppers are available from leading high-street retailers, including BHS, Debenhams, House of Fraser and Timpsons.
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