Going back to where it all began- KCL Enterprise Connect

We are celebrating, as Innovation at our old university is back! We cannot be happier. Last week we had the honour of listening to Baroness Dido Harding and MBE Cath Kidston.

Photo: Baroness Dido Harding, MBE Cath Kidston, Enterprise Connect

Both inspired us so much we had ideas bubbling in overload while listening to them. 

The dynamic between the two was extraordinary - demonstrating that there is much to be learnt from business owners and CEO's of large corporations.

Brand Spotlight: TalkTalk

We were quite surprised to have found some common ground in TalkTalk's ethos' and our own, very much inspiring us.

Photo: TalkTalk

TalkTalk started with one powerful idea; 'free' - making things free for customers. It's no surprise then, that as a company it was born into chaos, as it was flooded with 200,000 customers within 6 days- not over its estimated 6 months. The TalkTalk inside joke is that it was a company acting like a teenage octopus, with fast growth and not able to control its limbs!

TalkTalk's starting point with anything new is the customer - they ask 'Why would our customers be pleased to be our customer?'

Photo: Enterprise Connect, KCL

The company is formed around their 'Bright Basics';

1. Customer - every company knows their customer can go elsewhere and only if the company continues to deliver will the customer remain loyal. TalkTalk have been nominated the worst company for customer services and won the Money Mail wooden spoon twice - Dido commented that this wooden spoon sits on her desk and spurs her on everyday. 

2. Innovate - why zig when the world zags? TalkTalk aims to approach things unconventionally and innovatively.

3. Value - our customers live on a budget so we must also. That means no big bonuses or first class travel for employees and ultimately lower charges for the customer.

4. People - be yourself at work, TalkTalk encourage individuality, which promotes diversity. 

5. Community - TalkTalk make decisions because they are right, not because they are profitable.

These philosophies are what we share with TalkTalk - it was a very big surprise that we share the same values as a big multi national in the telecoms sector.

1. We prioritise the customer - we are a company founded on the premise that customers are underserved by current lingerie brands and we, as customers, want to do something for ourselves and every other customer that shares our frustration and disappointment with bras on the high street.

2. We believe we buck all the trends - we zig when the lingerie industry zags - we are approaching our business from the opposite end to most people, and mixing up the design process to do it differently than all other competitors. Why follow what the industry is doing it wrong....?

3. Why would we complain about misleading advertising then mislead our customers with our advertising? All our campaigns will be shot with real women, ourselves included, and without any photoshop or photographic manipulation.

4. We want our company to be a place where everyone is themselves, a part of the family and loves the job and work they do daily. We get the honour of working on our dream job, we would love to give others their dream job, or something close to it.

5. We have always remained true to one premise - we are a business founded to solve a problem. We conduct our business first and foremost around solving this problem.

We then had the privilege of listening to an interview with Cath Kidston.

It was fascinating to hear how Cath created a huge, global business with no prior business knowledge or business education.



She started with the Yellow Pages and an explosion of ideas in her head that she was convinced customers would love.



She achieved her success by trusting her instincts, following her passionate enthusiasm for designs that were not available on the market and gaining the best and most experienced, trusted team.

As huge, huge Cath Kidston fans, it was an extraordinary experience to talk with her after the event!

We have always wanted to create a company where everyone that we employ adores working for Attollo.

It is one of our dreams to create a working environment that people adore and where they love working. Cath provided a wonderful insight into how to make this possible, and how to create a team that is loyal to the company ethos's and values.

Thank you not only to Cath and Dido for inspiring us and spurring us on, but also to our university for persistently engaging us with the most fantastic contacts that we have the privilege to be influenced by and learn from.