Cape Town - Leaving the stability of a corporate career to pursue a dream takes courage.
Taking that leap could be for the better – or worse. But one thing is for sure, the worst thing you can do is do nothing.
With determination and a strong drive to succeed, three Capetonians are living that dream, having left their high pressure jobs in pursuit of their passion.
“To wake up in the morning and know that you don’t have to go to a job where you are unhappy or where you feel like you are dying a slow death is amazing. Although there are a lot of challenges in running a business, it’s so much fun. You make your own products and are able to see things come to life,” says Erin-Lee Petersen.
Erin-Lee, 28, and her husband, Chad Petersen, 32, are relatively new to the luxury leather design industry, but their business, Research Unit, is a new take on an old industry, combining ancient craftsmanship with modern technology to create products that are made to last for generations.
The duo was one of 18 entrepreneurs who were selected to take part in the SAB Kickstart entrepreneurial competition for 2013/2014. And they are the winners of the Cape Talk 567 Small Business Awards.
What sets them apart is their attention to detail. From billfolds to sling bags, each piece is handcrafted to create a light minimal sleek look.
Made of stone-glazed goatskin, their “billfold” is their best seller.
The materials are sourced locally and all stitching is done inhouse. The only thing done outside the factory is the laser cutting.
“We learnt the old techniques of working with leather from one of the greatest artisans in Cape Town, and the new stuff we found out by ourselves by watching YouTube videos of Japanese leather artisans,” says Chad.
“You can learn so much by using technology these days, depending on how eager you are and how much you want to learn. We use technology a lot to aid our learning, to be able to make a superior product,” he says.
Their journey started in 2011 after they became frustrated at being unable to find quality leather goods to fit their busy lifestyle. They started small by using their savings and making goods from home. They even had to sell a cellphone to buy tools and materials.
Three years later they are reaping the rewards. The couple are one of 150 specialised tenants selling their goods at the Watershed, the V&A Waterfront’s new hub for craft and design, and have given up their full-time jobs – Chad as a industrial designer and Erin-Lee as a journalist.
“Both of us are still very much involved in the manufacturing process because of the high standard of quality we need to maintain. No one understands your passion or your business the way that you do,” says Erin-Lee.
“My mother installed a subtle quality in me. She never wore a shoe that was not leather. She always had a good bag and a good shoe. She taught me that there is no reason to skimp on quality because quality stuff will last you a lifetime.”
Their customers are mostly fashion-conscious individuals who do not mind spending on quality goods, Chad explains.
“The biggest percentage of our customers are from overseas. It’s the people that know what’s happening in design around the world,” he says.
“We are not looking to make a purely European or African product, but we are introducing a new luxury to South Africa to show the world that there is more to this country than the Big Five.”
The Watershed, next to the Two Oceans Aquarium, opened last month and offers a wide selection of products, from the Petersens’ leather goods to fashion, jewellery and ceramics.
Like them, Tanya Nöckler-Golding of African Teapots gave up her fast-paced job as a prosecutor to follow her passion – making once-off, handpainted, sensual, colourful teapots shaped as women.
“I just woke up with this idea of teapots. I wanted to make something that stands out and does not stand on the mantlepiece gathering dust. Something beautiful and unique, but also useful,” says the 47-year-old.
Nöckler-Golding, who has been painting from a young age, started working on the teapots inspired by the Godwana women about two years ago – and they have evolved since, she says.
Taking the plunge was not an easy decision, but she knew she wanted to get out of the rat race. Her “aha moment” came one day when she was working in court in Atlantis. “There was this woman, wearing a T-shirt that read: ‘If your dreams don’t frighten you, maybe they are not big enough’. It was a sign,” she says.
“I was terrified at first,” says Nöckler-Golding, who is a regular tea drinker and considers Rooibos her favourite. “I kept thinking, ‘what if I don’t sell any pots?’.”
“The response from people has been amazing since we opened. The demand is unbelievable and I’m scared we are going to run out of stock,” she says.
Each of Nöckler-Golding’s funky teapots are unique – they are signed and dated, and carry a special poem written by her. They are also painted with a spotted feather, given to the hero of the book, The Dream Giver and which symbolises the importance of following one’s passion and dreams.
“She (a teapot) has a ‘birth date’ and she is signed,” says Nöckler-Golding. “From start to finish, when the mould is cast, the firing process… it takes about 10 days to make each one.
“The faces of the women are beautiful, with voluptuous lips and big eyes. For me, the eyes are very important. There is the saying that says the eyes are the windows to the soul. So their eyes need to be big and expressive.
“I have a very active imagination and often wake up in the morning with a pot already in my head. Often I see people walking around and I stop them and take a photograph and use what they are wearing as an inspiration,” she says.
Nöckler-Golding’s teapots are given names, such as “Fly by night” and “Rainbow nation”.
“Everyone comes with a story. I’ll be chatting to people and in the middle of a conversation, I would say: ‘That is a great name for a teapot’,” she says. Some are even decorated with beading.
Most of Nöckler-Golding’s clients are tourists, among them are collectors and some of her customers use the pots as water jugs, but “most people buy them just because they are beautiful”, she says.
* The Watershed is located in Dock Road, next to the Two Oceans Aquarium and is open daily from 10am to 7pm.