Member Article

Liverpool mother of two turned entrepreneur enjoys success with baby retail brand

Liverpool-based baby retailer Izzy Melody has been started by founder Alissa Koopal and is enjoying great success with the expected turnover for 2015 to be £143k.

Alissa is the only employee of the company at the moment however she makes use of third party companies such as designers and agencies.

Alissa hopes to welcome employees into Izzy Melody this year.

The company was started with a combination of startup loans partly from The Princes Trust, and also through the Merseyside investment fund (MSIF) and the Start-up loans company.

Being able to source these loans and have them behind the business was key as the product was such a new one.

The company had to start with samples and first batches for sale, which were quite expensive.

The company manufacture all its products in Britain for extra quality control, which founder Alissa says gives parents extra peace of mind.

The company has some major new international deals and are launching Izzy Melody products in new countries, so are looking to expand its office and start taking staff on to support growth.

It has worked with UK Trade & Investment to get into foreign markets something that Alissa said has been a huge part of growing the business which has inspired her to support the Business is GREAT campaign.

Founder Alissa Koopal, told Bdaily: “There are only so many hours in a day and having two small children at home to look after (as I am still a mum, first and foremost) does present challenges, especially with the fast growth.

“But on the other side, this makes it exciting and makes me feel extremely proud of what has been achieved.

“Being so busy is a massive plus point as it means the business is going the right way.

“When people hear about Izzy Melody, I would like them to be left with the impression of a beautiful and exciting brand that has a lot of potential and is constantly improving.

“I have just been named by The Daily Telegraph as one of 15 female entrepreneurs to watch in 2015, so fingers crossed I live up to the mark.

“As Izzy Melody Ltd is my major passion (and I also mean everything to do with it, the designing and developing, the marketing and the exciting challenges) it seems to come quite naturally to ‘care for and nurture’ it, I have often called it my ‘third baby’.

“I love going to work every day (and many nights too!) and seeing how everything is growing and developing, it makes me extremely proud.

“I also love developing relationships and friendships as I enjoy working with people, which I believe is key for a successful business.

“Whether it is customers or the supporting network around the business, it’s all connected and is such an important aspect.

“Izzy Melody is: Caring: we want to support parents and baby in every way we can, and a part of this is us being ethical in our materials, manufacturing and workforce, this is part of the reason that we manufacture here in the UK.

“Natural: all our products have an emphasis on supporting both parents & baby (and especially to try to involve the father) in a natural way and not being intrusive (as in ‘shut-up’ toys for example). We want to help them work together to soothe and bond. Also, our raw materials are natural, totally non-toxic and do not drain any natural resources.

“Practical: all our products are truly practical to use and clean.

“Beautiful: We want to create a beautiful, gentle and loved environment.

“Edgy: We try and add a bit of design, style and prettiness to every product we bring out. We want to make it exciting and new, as natural and caring does not have to be ‘hippie’!”

Izzy Melody is an ambassador for the Business is GREAT Britain campaign. Visit www.greatbusiness.gov.uk to find out more about how government support could help your business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Taha .