Sonya Angus, owner of the award-winning Cults-based independent boutique Sonya Angus: Gifts, Furniture and Interiors, has announced her spectacular first year achievements.
After launching in December 2016, the start-up rapidly became a big hit with the local market and turnover during the first four weeks of trading doubled projections. Reporting on her first six months of trading, Sonya exceeded turnover expectations by 31.25% – a remarkable result for a new business in an uncertain economic climate.
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Within a year, she had more than reached all her financial goals. Her aim of £78,000 turnover within the first year was smashed when she surpassed the £100,000 mark, whilst she doubled expected turnover during November 2017 alone; taking in an impressive £17,000 for the month.
The businesswoman also doubled her expected suppliers (many of which are local entrepreneurs) during 2017 and tripled her projected Christmas orders with one supplier due to unexpectedly high client demand.
Adding to her remarkable first year, Sonya was crowned Retail’s Rising Star at the 2017 Evening Express Awards and, passionate about supporting her local community, raised £500 for Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland through customer evenings.
In addition, she quickly took on two members of staff – far earlier than expected – and was delighted to finish the year with news of becoming a stockist of the world-renowned and much-coveted Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
Sonya, a former buyer at Jenners, Edinburgh – and the iconic department store’s youngest assistant buyer of her time – says: “I’m delighted to have generated such quick start-up success and have exciting future plans to benefit the local community, as well as my business. It’s great to be able to blend my extensive career history with an acute awareness of local and global trends, securing exciting products clients are unlikely to see elsewhere in Aberdeen. I know my customers and have definitely found a gap in the market for what I’m offering: introducing exciting new brands through stunning, special and high quality – yet affordable and everyday – products.”
Throughout her first year, Sonya also hosted a series of events at the boutique, from Christmas shopping evenings to sold-out charity ladies’ nights championing north-east entrepreneurs, and began to develop the collective retail offering in Cults, working with neighbouring shops and services to provide a joined-up approach, sparking local business growth and success.
