Home Articles & Features People of the North: Emma and Andrew Tucker of Modo Creative

People of the North: Emma and Andrew Tucker of Modo Creative

Emma and Andrew from Modo Creative
Emma and Andrew from Modo Creative

Emma and Andrew Tucker of Yorkshire-based small business Modo Creative are just one of the 5,000 small creative businesses which are thriving through online curated marketplace notonthehighstreet.com. In just 8 years they’ve turned a scrawled list of ideas into a turnover of more than £1million, and are looking forward to many more years working together side by side as husband and wife.

When we discovered that Emma and Andrew’s business was based just down the road from us, we simply had to take the opportunity to find out a little more about the challenges, inspiration and achievements of this amazingly successful creative business.

How long have you been running Modo Creative and what does Modo Creative do?

Modo Creative is a small designer maker company.  We design and make gifts and homeware from our studio on the cobbles of Haworth Main Sreet.  Everything we do is designed by us and we source most of our supplies from local suppliers within a 5 mile radius of Haworth.  We are very proud to contribute to the Yorkshire economy.  Along with all our products, we also make a fine cup of proper Yorkshire tea.


What or who was the inspiration for the current path you are on?

Emma’s Grandma passed away and left her £500.  We had no money at the time, we had a new baby and a new mortgage so it was a big decision.  She decided to use it on the joining fee for the almost unheard of (back then in 2007) website notonthehighstreet.com.  She would be beyond proud to see the success that her money has brought with the help of the online marketplace.

One bit of advice you wish you’d been given before you started?

Be more confident.

The one most important thing you’ve learned during the experience of running your own business?

We are all capable of achieving our dreams if we are willing to work for them.  Or a more practical note would be the art of delegation, learn to do it!

What do you see as your future business challenges?

In our business the greatest challenge is innovation.  All our products are conjured up in our heads, keeping that creative energy going, coming up with creative solutions to the manufacturing aspects of the business and staying ahead of the curve is our biggest challenge.

What would you like to leave as your business legacy?

Our aim when we are developing new products is to bring people together, this is genuinely something we love to do.  It would be great to leave a healthy business with these values still at its core for our 3 lovely children to take over.

Your biggest business achievement?

Turning a few little ideas into an annual turnover of over 1 million pounds! Almost all of this is from our sales through notonthehighstreet.com, we would never have achieved this without them and the wonderful platform they provide.

When you are not running your business, what do you do to relax?

Top of the list would be spending time with our kids. We love entertaining, eating good food, listening to music and enjoying a good stomp over the Yorkshire moors

Your biggest achievement outside of business?

Our 3 children.  Possibly shortly replaced with the successful completion of a drunkenly booked marathon!

What would you be doing if you weren’t running Modo Creative?

We’ve both got so much that we’d love to try one day when we are grown-ups. We’d both be good with people, maybe in caring professions.  Most likely though we’d be renovating houses or running a boutique hotel near the coast. Actually, maybe we’d be training for the before mentioned marathon!

 

To view Modo Creative’s complete range of inspirational art, gifts and paper fun please visit the Modo Creative website to see them on NotOntheHighstreet.com

Do you run a business that excels in your sector?

Whether through business innovation, growth, business excellence or the impact they’ve had on our region. It’s our aim to get to the bottom of what makes them tick and the secrets of their success, whilst gaining a few insights into their particular area of expertise. We always welcome ideas on who to feature and if you would like to be involved, please contact us at [email protected]