The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
It was a long road before Mia finally fashioned her dream
An Elie woman is still pinching herself after achieving her life’s ambition
The path to opening her own fashion shop has taken a Fife woman on a very long and twisty road – via London, Edinburgh, wine retailing and herbal medicine.
Mia Gonzalez-Noda has finally realised the dream she first harboured 20 years ago.
She has opened her own shop, Piccadilly Lilly, in Elie and is also selling Scottish-crafted jewellery and home accessories made by her husband Sandy.
However, it is fair to say life has taken Mia, 41, originally from Derby, on quite a journey to get to where she is today.
Aged 21, she enrolled on a fashion business course in London in the hope of opening her own outlet.
However, the course was cancelled and she ended up moving to Edinburgh to work for a wine shop chain.
“I started down a different path, going back to university to complete a degree in herbal medicine and a masters in public health nutrition, during which time I met and married Sandy,” Mia explains.
A job in community health development in the Borders meant she was travelling 70 miles a day to get to work and back.
“Our two daughters, Tegan and Frida, were in childcare for more hours a day than an adult spends working,” says Mia.
“It was at that point that we realised something had to change.
“We found a house in Elie and I knew the time was right to reawaken my dream to run my own business.”
Mia’s original plan had been to open a shop in St Andrews but the rents were too high, so she held off.
“In the meantime, we focused on Sandy’s joinery business and renovating our house,” she says.
“Then I noticed a property in Bank Street in Elie had become vacant and decided to take the chance.”
Mia acknowledges it has been quite an adventure to get to where she is today – but does not regret anything.
“It can be hard juggling family priorities when the business is so young but I’m living my dream and it’s wonderful,” she smiles.
“My advice to anyone with a long-held ambition is to just say ‘do it’, as long as you want it enough and are prepared to put in the time and hard work.
“Mind you, a small amount of blind faith and determination will help as well.”
My advice is to just say ‘do it’, as long as you want it enough