The Paper Rain Project

Founded: 2013, by Indigo & Wills Rowe Employs: 2 full-time directors, 1 full-time employee and 1 part-time seasonal employee Legal status: Limited liability company

Tell us about your business.

Indigo Rowe: We’re a Marlborough-based social enterprise specialising in products with a story, such as ethical clothing, skateboard artworks and longboards made from recycled or locally sourced sustainable timber. We originally gave back through our process of making, but over the last couple of years, the focus has expanded into giving on through our sales. Each of our new in-house board artworks and every T-shirt is paired with a social or conservation ‘cause’, for which we help raise awareness and funds through selling the product.

What’s your ultimate vision? We want to have a purpose as a business and make financial contributions towards conservation and social issues. We don’t want to be a generation of consumers, but a generation that changes the way business is done, so we can give back instead of constantly taking from our environment.

How’s business been? We registered the business in 2013, and hit full speed in December 2015 when we opened our first Picton pop-up store. Business is fulfilling but hard. We are still small and although our goods may seem a little more expensive, there is so much time, money and effort that goes into creating what we make. Competing with imported goods and generally being seen is a struggle. We have some amazing, loyal customers, but we won’t survive unless we can reach a larger market. We feel (and hope) we’re at the cusp of taking off, but we really need to get our brand out there.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve

learned? Gut feeling and optimism are not good enough reasons to make investments. We wish we’d gotten mentors and financial advisors sooner.