From Corporate Law to baby bag designer…

From Corporate Law to Storksak…

Suzi Bergman, 39, was a lawyer for a top City law firm before giving it all up and starting Storksak with her friend Melanie Marshall. In two years, their stylish baby bags have become a global success and can count Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as fans. The golden couple were papped with a Storksak, which got them selling like hot cakes. Their annual turnover now tops £1 million and the bags sell across the globe. Suzi has two children and lives in London.

You practiced and worked as a lawyer in a top City firm. When did you decide to take the plunge, give up law and set up your own business?

I initially trained as a lawyer but only worked as a lawyer for around a year after finishing- I found it too constrictive. I went on to teach at the College of Law soon after, which was great fun. Teaching there allowed me lots of freedom and flexibility, great hours and no surprises when it came to the work load! Teaching in shift patterns means that you are your own boss; the more you put in the more work you have but you always have weekends off. Corporate law is sporadic and extremely hard work which often leaves you having to cancel weekend or evening arrangements due to unexpected commitments and work load.

Working as a lawyer, which involves long hours in the office, isn’t always pertinent to raising a family. Did you leave the legal profession before starting a family and, if not, did you struggle to juggle work and home?

I left corporate law but as I taught at the College of Law, I didn’t totally give up the legal profession! Being a teacher is far more conducive to raising a family. At the College of Law they are far more sympathetic to parents than at a corporate law firm. They offer generous maternity leave and as it is mostly shift work, you can always get someone to cover for you if, for example, your child is sick. It’s not as good as having your own business though!

Suzi Bergman, left, and business partner Melanie.

How did you come with the idea for Storksak?

My business partner Melanie and I met at the school gates! She is the designer. We spotted a gap in the market as, at the time, there were no baby bags on offer which combined fashion with functionality. There were only functional baby bags that weren’t fashionable and vice versa. We wanted to combine both ends of the market, saw there was a market and demand for them, and took it from there.

Do you have any regrets about leaving your job at a top City Firm? Is there anything that you miss in particular?

I’ve got absolutely no regrets and don’t miss anything, although I did enjoy teaching at the College of Law.

What are the most positive aspects of owning your own business?

You’re learning every day. The learning curve is huge. You are in charge of where the company goes and how it runs-it’s exciting! I also get to take the kids to school in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon. I am also within walking distance to the office which is in between where I and Melanie live.

What did your typical day look like when you worked as a lawyer and how does it differ from your typical day now?

There’s nobody looking over you shoulder, no timesheets and nobody checking up on you whether you are pulling in the money. You put in your own hours, you have weekends off to spend with the kids and there’s less pressure from other people. It’s nice that there’s nobody monitoring how long both Melanie and I are sitting at our desks. You also get to try your hand at everything-from marketing, to design to meeting customers. It’s so exciting being in charge of which avenue the business will go down!

Did you have lots of support from friends and family or were they sceptical about you leaving such a well-paid, established profession?

They weren’t at all sceptical and I had lots of support from both my family and my friends.

What advice would you give those wanting to set up their own business?

I held down two jobs when we started out. Once we knew the business was going to work, I gave up teaching. Make sure you do plenty of market research and have a good product to sell. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Also make sure you have your finances in order and that your partner will be able to support you during the initial set-up stage. You could be earning very little or not at all for the first few years so be prepared for that. It’s also so important to find good people that you can trust.

Do you think your legal training and experience helped you be where you are now?

Definitely. I used to teach business and commercial law which really helped. I think everyone who is thinking of starting a business should go on a commercial law course! It covers so many legal issues that all entrepreneurs should be aware of. It’s certainly helped me, especially that now we’ve gone global! We distribute in Australia, Japan, the US and Europe.


www.storksak.co.uk

 

Interview: Vanessa Wozniak