Hats off to stylish entrepreneur who fashioned a new business

Starting a hat hire business from home had always been a seed of an idea for farmer’s wife Jan Overton, until a sleepless night gave her the inspiration to take it from an idea to reality. Fast forward 12 months and the business is going from strength to strength.

Jan has always had a head for fashion, but admits she had never worn a hat herself until a family wedding in 2007.

“I felt fabulous,” she says. “It really added the finishing touch to my outfit.”

That experience, and a job in a bridal wear and occasion wear shop in Norwich, gave her the initial idea for hat hire as a business opportunity.

“We had lots of ladies coming into the shop who were interested in hats - especially to hire. I thought it was something I could do from home.”

Sometime later, Jan found herself unable to sleep one night. “I came downstairs and did an online search for hats and hat hire and found the Get Ahead Hats website.”

From reading about the business and its franchisees around the country - most of which are run by farmers’ wives - she knew she wanted to be part of it.

Jan has always been involved with the 243-hectare (600-acre) farm business, located across two sites at Stalham and Catfield. Husband Richard grows potatoes and some other arable crops, including wheat and sugar beet, and also rears around 150 beef cattle.

“I am still very involved in the farm doing paperwork and quality control of potatoes,” says Jan. “But I have always wanted my own business, and this is another string to our bow.”

She launched her franchise in February 2009 with help from one of the original members of Get Ahead Hats, Sarah Rhodes, who took over the management of the co-operative in 2002.

Jan started by using just one room in her farmhouse at Chapelfield, near Stalham.

“Sarah put my main collection together for me - something of everything - and I chose some special pieces that were more expensive and unusual hats.”

In September, Jan joined the other franchisees to choose her collection for 2010.

“Sarah goes to trade shows and chooses hats from various companies and gets a sample of each one. Then, in September, we all go and visit her at her showroom in Blackburn and choose from those.

“She does the leg work for us, and it means we have more buying power as a group.”

There are also milliners who work especially for the company, who produce an exclusive range for the group.

Trend spotting

The type of hats stocked by the 20 franchisees varies hugely across the country according to event and personal taste, she says. “Around here my main customers are farming families and most are looking for hats for weddings. But I also have customers who are going to the races and I have had three ladies needing hats for investitures.”

Getting to know her customer base has helped her plan her collection for 2010, which now totals 200 pieces, including hats, fascinators (feather creations mounted on a comb or thin hair band) and ‘perchers’, which are somewhere between the two and particularly popular with younger ladies.

She can even order custom-dyed hats for those wanting to buy something to match a specific outfit.

Part of her preparation for launching the business included millinery training, which included how to re-size hats so they can be fitted to the hirer.

“I never let anyone leave with a hat that doesn’t fit them properly,” says Jan.

Designer style

Her personal favourite in the collection is a stunning pale gold hat by designer Vivien Sherriff.

“I just love the colours and the way she designs things - just a little bit different and excellent quality. All the trim and detail is done by hand.”

It was on a visit to Vivien Sherriff’s workshop in Salisbury - with several other ladies from Get Ahead Hats - she chose the hat she plans to wear at her son Will’s wedding this summer.

“I sent her my dress so she could match the colours. I can’t wait to see it - it’s purple and fuschia with beautiful silk flowers on. It is quite a statement but not way out.”

Meeting the other Get Ahead Hats ladies is great fun, says Jan. “It’s fantastic - we have things in common other than hats. It’s nice because when we all get together we understand more of the difficulties and challenges of farming life as well.”

With the anniversary of her first year in business now passed, focus is already being placed on the next stage of her farm enterprise.

“It has been better than I could have expected, given the economic circumstances, and I am really pleased with how it went,” says Jan. “There are always going to be quieter times of the year, but it is picking up again now spring and summer are on the way.”

Marketing

To promote the business Jan goes to various wedding fairs in the county and gives talks to local groups. She had a stand at the Royal Norfolk Show last year and this year she is also participating in a ‘Ladies Day’ event on April 22 at a nearby wedding venue, which is also being run by a farmer’s wife.

“These events are a great way of meeting people and telling them about what I do. Hopefully they remember me if they need, or a friend needs, a hat in the future. Word of mouth has been the best way to promote the business.”

Since starting the business, she has enjoyed meeting her customers and welcoming them to the farm.

“It is lovely down here and people really appreciate coming, especially in the summer months when the flowers are in bloom,” says Jan.

The fact she is able to enjoy sharing in her customer’s happiest moments is one of the best perks in her job. “It can also be the saddest,” she says. “I had one group of four ladies come to choose hats for a friend’s funeral. I was expecting them to want black hats, but they didn’t. They chose really colourful ones, which was what their friend had wanted. It was really lovely.

“The best thing about doing this for me is when people leave with a big smile on their face, having previously said that they weren’t sure about wearing a hat, or weren’t sure they would suit one. A lot of people say they can’t wear hats, but you can - if it’s the right hat for you.”

All customers are asked to bring the outfit they intend to wear with the hat when they come to visit her showroom.

“When they arrive I usually ask if they have worn a hat before and if they have any ideas of whether they want something big or small, or if they’d like me to suggest something for them.

“Some ladies have a very definite idea of what they want, while others want advice and someone who can tell them what looks good.”

“You can tell if someone really likes the hat when I put it on them - their body language changes. I love that about this job - there is something really pleasurable about giving people advice and helping them.

“Yes it’s not life-changing, but weddings are really special occasions and if I can help people feel good then that’s great.”

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