Every parent’s priority when they’re on holiday or around water is the safety of their children, so any product which helps them to achieve that will always be hugely popular.
Slipfree is a range of flexible and comfortable footwear for children that protect them from the dangers of slipping and falling near water, or from burning their feet on hot floors. Also available in adult sizes, the shoes have a ‘barefoot’ feel to them and are rated Sun Safe UPF 50+.
The product was launched in the UK and Ireland five years ago when sisters Jo Robinson and Louise Rawlinson were on holiday in Turkey and came across the shoes for the first time. They tried the footwear on their own children and knew they would be lifechanging for many other parents just like them. Eager to bring them to their home country, the sisters launched Bonison Ltd, which became the exclusive distributor of Slipfree in the UK.
Encountering their first foray into a retail business, the sisters needed financial guidance and having been recommended Champion Accountants by a family member, they struck up a partnership.
Jo, brand director for Slipfree in the UK and Ireland, said: “From the very first day of working together, Champion have supported our business in ways we couldn’t have even imagined. They manage our yearly accounts and oversee our quarterly VAT returns, but more than that, they provide advice and consultancy on our business plans and growth strategy, giving us a fresh perspective on things we might never have considered.
“The service we receive is fantastic and we get everything we need; communication is clear, and we feel like valued customers.”
Jo and Louise say their work with Champion has been crucial to their phenomenal business growth since launch. They now have a team of five and will achieve a turnover of £600,000 this year – a 100 per cent increase in sales compared to 2021, which was affected by the pandemic.
Additionally, Bonison Ltd has expanded their Slipfree range to include swimwear – clothes which match the patented non-slip shoes, and which also offer a Sun Safe UPF 50+ rating.
Jo said: “Our business is constantly changing; in the immediate future we’re looking at getting our own premises and know we will be reliant on Champion’s advice to ensure that is a success. We’re keen to expand the product range further and add more suppliers to extend our team and footprint.
“As these things happen and our business model becomes more complex, we need to have the right systems in place and will need solid guidance along the way. Champion is the team for that – there’s nowhere else we would turn. We couldn’t recommend them highly enough.”
Contact Champion today for advice on how to grow your new business from start-up to success.
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