Henrietta Maltby

What gave you the idea for Buckles and Bows?

I’d had problems for years trying to find boots which fit my calves, and I knew, from talking to friends, I wasn’t the only woman in the country with this issue.

As autumn approached, I’d go shopping for boots only to be utterly dismayed every time when every single boot I tried on wouldn’t zip up further than halfway up my calf!

A couple of years ago, I decided enough was enough. My husband was in the shoe trade and I worked for a designer, so we decided to combine our expertise and bring out a range of boots in different calf fittings. We did some research and trialled the product through a shop.

It was an instant success; so much so, we had to go to mail order as people were travelling as far as from Scotland to get our boots.

What were you doing at the time you had the idea?

I worked for a designer in London called Anouska Hempel, and my husband worked as a buyer in the shoe trade.

What was the first thing you did to try and make the idea happen?

After sending out a request, we took measurements from over three thousand women’s calves to get an idea of the range of sizes. Then we had samples made up, and persuaded a local shoe shop to trial the product for a month on our behalf to see what the uptake was like.

Who helped you, and how?

We got help from anyone who was willing to give it. We contacted family friends who had been in business, and our local council to ask about funding. We also trawled through the internet to find the best forms of funding.

Eventually, we went to our local bank and got a government-backed borrowing loan and a personal advisor. It’s amazing the kind of advice you get from people when you start up, if you just ask.

The best advice was of course from the general public and the questionnaire we asked people to fill in, which showed that around 70 per cent of women in the UK have suffered from this problem.

When did the idea start looking viable?

After we’d got the funding sorted we were on our way. We then both switched to working part time while we were getting the boots made up, to keep the money coming in.

What obstacles did you encounter along the way?

There were so many, but it was really a matter of pushing on through. We still face everyday challenges and certainly don’t know it all (I wish we did, it would be a lot easier!)

Our main obstacles are importing the goods and keeping up with demand, not over-ordering stock and making sure we keep up to date with competitors.

When did the idea officially get up and running?

We launched in October 2005.

Future plans for the idea?

We are going to expand on our range of boots, offering different styles for women who can’t get other boots to fit them. We are looking to take on new designers to keep the ideas fresh. We are also about to launch a website based company selling women shoes from sizes 7 to 11 all year round.

Advice to anyone else who wants to make their idea happen?

Make sure you’ve researched your idea thoroughly and there is a market. Keep your nerve and keep going! Don’t be afraid to ask for advice; you’ll be amazed how many people will give it. Most of all, enjoy it, as it will involve long hours.