Textile designer scales up business with help from Digital Skills

A Fraserburgh-based textile designer has successfully grown her business with the launch of a new online shop after accessing support through DigitalBoost, Scotland’s national digital upskilling programme delivered by Business Gateway.

17th February 2022

About the business

Owned by Fiona Ross, Candy Coated Accessories specialises in creating high-quality textile products. These include luxury knitted scarves, mini hot water bottle covers and cotton baby accessories.

By working with Business Gateway’s DigitalBoost programme, I’ve been able to upskill and learn how to make changes to my website. Before, I wouldn’t have been confident switching up the front page, but now I have the knowledge to make technical changes.

How Business Gateway has helped

Fiona started her business in 2003 after graduating from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. She worked on her business part-time as she gained experience working as an accessory designer for well-known Scottish manufacturer Johnstons of Elgin, then as a merchandise buyer at BrewDog. However, at the end of 2019, she decided to take the plunge and work on her business full-time.

She started working with Business Gateway in 2020 where she was accepted for the Business Boost programme and received 1:1 support from a business adviser. She received a strategic review of her operations, which helped her rebrand the business and increase her product offering and start manufacturing out-of-house in Shetland.

Fiona also received support from DigitalBoost which included 1:1 support from an adviser who reviewed her website and provided support as she built and launched an online shop. This has helped Fiona reach new customers and supported her applications to Christmas markets in Aberdeen and Dundee, which has increased her direct to customer sales by 30%.

Fiona said, “By working with Business Gateway’s DigitalBoost programme, I’ve been able to upskill and learn how to make changes to my website. Before, I wouldn’t have been confident switching up the front page, but now I have the knowledge to make technical changes. The whole package of support has helped push me forward and I’m not sure I’d be in the same position I am now without their support.”

Fiona is now developing a new product with another manufacturer based in Scotland and hopes to scale up her operations further by working with a variety of Scottish-based manufacturers to help her meet customer demand. She is also aiming to take on her first part-time employee this year.