June 14, 2014
Amy Rush, Bottom Of The Cupboard
At a Glance
Bio The path that led her to this point
Bottom of the Cupboard was created out of a passion to fulfill my dream of owning my own decor business.
After finishing grade 12, I studied Commercial Graphic Art in Brisbane, only to discover that graphic art wasn't really the direction I wanted to go. My first role in the business world was with Taubmans Paints. This gave me the chance to explore interior design and colour co-ordination.
During my time at Taubmans, I undertook a course in Interior Decoration at TAFE and began doing some colour consultancy. This helped to establish my love of colour and design.
Not long after, I met my husband Marty who has his own paint and decorating business - ACA Decorators. I eventually took over the business-management side. This helped equip me with the skills to successfully manage a small business. Of course, it was a natural fit to take over the colour consultancy side, therefore allowing me to indulge in my passion for colour and design!
By this time, I'd worked for Taubmans for 10 years and decided I needed a change.
I applied for a job at Country Road - a field I had absolutely no experience in - and commenced working for them as the stock and inventory controller.
Working for Country Road has been a wonderful learning experience for me. It's taught me the "behind the scenes" running of a large retail business including the fundamentals of stock procedures and balancing inventory - not to mention a love of fashion and design!
Whilst all this was going on, I gave birth to identical twin boys, Parker and Jensen. This was a major life change for me. I didn't understand the true gravity of what was about to happen. It's definitely taught me how to multi-task, be patient and helped to create that personal drive to succeed in life, not only for me but for them.
While working for Country Road, my husband and I had also been renovating various homes as a side project and creative outlet. One day I decided that rather than invest in property, I wanted a new challenge. I decided to take the plunge and leave my property safety net – this was the birth of Bottom Of The Cupboard.
Q&A Insider advice & tips
What's been your greatest achievement to date?
Besides the birth of my twin boys, it's been finally launching Bottom Of The Cupboard. It's always been a dream of mine to own my own business. I've always loved design and anything creative.
What's been your biggest challenge so far?
I basically started knowing NOTHING. I encountered lots of problems with the initial website setup and really struggled with finding my direction. It took an entire year to source and design the products, eight months to set up the website and feel confident in managing it and even then, I'm still learning new things everyday.
Best lesson you've learned along the way?
I would definitely create a thorough business plan. I basically did everything the wrong way round. I could have saved a lot of time if I'd investigated everything first. I really struggled with the shipping side of things. Learning how to ship stock in the most cost efficient way was huge.
A website, book or resource that has helped you in your business or inspired you and why?
I'm a huge fan of Instagram and Facebook. These mediums are such a great source of advertising and being able to connect on a personal level.
Which person or brand do you most admire and why?
My dad has been a huge inspiration to me. He's always told me that I can achieve anything in life and that sometimes all it takes is jumping in and taking a risk. Anything can be achieved if you believe in it.
What advice would you give someone starting an independent business in your industry?
Take a deep breath! If something isn't working, step back and re-evaluate. At times, things can seem really complicated and impossible to achieve. There's always an answer, you just have to source it elsewhere. Also, invest in a really good web designer. Someone you feel confident discussing any issue with, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.
Finish this sentence
Everything changed for me when…
I realised I could do this. Having confidence in your abilities is so important. Self-confidence is the key!
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