38 EMBRACING ARTISAN Namaste provides beautifully designed, fairly traded products sourced from the far corners of the world, embracing traditional artisan skills. Founder Lauren Sunderland shares more… When did you start up and why? In 1995, driven by a thirst for adventure, I set off with my sister and a good friend for Kathmandu with a round-the-world ticket. A transformative trek to Everest Base Camp, followed by six months exploring the Indian Subcontinent on refurbished ex-Indian Army Enfield Bullet motorbikes, sparked the vision for the business. A fateful conversation in Rajasthan with Ganpat, a textile entrepreneur who later became a lifelong friend, cemented the idea and inspired us to return home and turn our vision into reality. We wanted to give back to this remarkable region that had left such a deep impression on all of us, and this led to the founding of Namaste in 1997 – a name that beautifully captures our ethos, meaning: ‘I greet the spirit within you.’ Ganpat is still one of our suppliers today. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? We started the business back in 1996 with just £2,000 , a combination of savings and small loans from supportive friends and family. Since then, we’ve grown steadily almost every year. We’ve never borrowed much or sold any equity, so our growth has been entirely organic. That steady approach has helped us avoid some of the more dramatic ups and downs that often come with rapid expansion. Our journey began in a tiny rural barn, and today we operate from a large old cotton mill in Skipton. While Brexit has undoubtedly been a disaster, particularly for exports and, frankly, our sanity, the biggest ongoing challenge over the years has probably been warehouse space, especially in the first two decades. Another major challenge is the nature of the business itself. Designing, importing and wholesaling in the home and gift trade is certainly not easy, some might even call it a mug’s game! It demands meticulous attention to detail, plenty of
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