Emma Manley is creative director and owner of Manley, a womenswear fashion and accessories brand established in 2011 and based in the Guinness Enterprise Centre. Manley has collaborated with Kelloggs, 02/ Three and beauty brand Sally Hansen. She is the daughter of former accountant, business strategist and president of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce David Manley and designer Shelagh Manley.
What sets your business apart from the competition?
We are focused on creating beautiful items that are constructed and embellished by hand. These days, things tend to be mass-produced so it’s fairly rare that everything is done by hand.
What was the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?
Something my sister drummed into me from the very beginning was to ask myself every hour on the hour, “Is this the very best thing I could be doing for my business right now?” I could sit here all day designing, but those designs are only the first steps in 20 steps to get that design made into a product and on to the shop floor. There’s a business to run and it’s not just doing the stuff that you enjoy.
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in business?
There was one time I discounted a collection completely by accident online. It was a simple calculation error. The repercussions were a knock-on effect for the following season. I’d be worried, though, if I stopped making mistakes as it would mean I wasn’t challenging myself enough.
And your major success to date?
My goal was always to make Manley a recognisable brand. Getting into Arnotts four seasons ago has been a learning curve and to get that level of – essentially – mentoring from their buying team has been invaluable.
The online aspect of our business has really taken off for us. It takes a serious amount of work but I love doing it and I’m lucky that my fiancé, Eoin O Súilleabháin, is a digital whizz who helps a lot with the business.
Who do you most admire in business and why?
My dad passed away when I turned 16, but I think that I gained most of my business knowledge up to that point. Being someone who has never been educated in business, it was something that I learned by watching and absorbing.
My involvement in the David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards each year is a constant source of inspiration too.
My mum wasn’t so hot on me going into fashion because the success rate is so low but now she is one of the biggest assets to and supporters of my business.
Based on your experience in the downturn, are the banks open for business to SMEs?
Fashion is not the sort of business that the banks want to support. I think there is a perception, perhaps because they don’t know enough about it, that if you are a creative you are not a good business person.
What one piece of advice would you give the Government to help stimulate the economy?
I’d like to see more excitement around what’s being produced right here and now.
What’s been the biggest challenge you have had to face?
I felt that Manley hadn’t achieved the growth I wanted it to achieve and I wasn’t sure whether to go on. I agreed to give it one more year. We hadn’t originally planned to do an accessories line but it has proven a huge success for the business. Our jewellery sales are up over 150 per cent and our online sales are up over 280 per cent so the difference that year has made is incredible. When you are the brand there is a huge amount of pressure. At times I haven’t given myself enough downtime to keep the passion going.
How do you see the short-term future for your business?
There will be a focus on accessories – we need to develop the success we’ve had to date. I think online will see a major focus. We need to start investing in people now. We have massive plans, we just don’t have the manpower to do it.
What’s your business worth and would you sell it?
Who knows, down the line. At the moment I am pushing it to where I want to get it to and the goalposts are constantly changing. What I wanted for the brand two years ago is now much bigger. Right now I’m focused on creating a strong business that I’m really proud of.
www.manley.ie
