1) What are you currently doing with your life?

Running Khunu, a clothing brand that uses yak wool to produce knit and woven wear. The idea came to me and my business partner when we were travelling in the west of China looking for ways to generate extra income for Tibetan nomads living out there.

As the yak is so central to their existence we focused on using the wool, which is extremely soft and warm, to make contemporary clothing that people in the West would be interested in buying.

I’ve just got back from a wool purchasing trip to the Tibetan plateau and spend most of my time in Asia but with regular trips back to London and Europe.

2) What did you do before this?

I worked in the financial communications industry in London and Asia, so setting up Khunu was seen by most as an unusual career move. At the time I was tired of working in an overly corporate environment and wanted the opportunity to build something of my own that not only made money, but could benefit people who really needed some economic opportunity.

3) What was your moment of truth?

There have been a number of them, but the first was sitting in a herder’s tent and realising that we could make something with the wool they collected.

The second, and perhaps the truest moment, was walking into a smart retailer in Zermatt and seeing for the first time our products displayed on shelves next to well established brands.

It was at that moment that I realised how far the initial idea had come.

4) How did you plan for it?

Yak is a relatively rare and unused wool, so our first aim was to divise a way to make this great fibre attractive to consumers. We conducted some independent lab tests to see how the fibre performed against better known wools such as merino and cashmere, and the results were pretty much as we expected, with yak proving to be warmer than merino and more resistant to pilling than cashmere.

Although lab data is useful, perhaps the biggest real-world surprise to most people is how soft the fibre is – yak to the uninitiated is seen as coarse and uncomfortable so the great feel our garments have is often unexpected. With this understanding it was easier for us to set about deciding what products to make and which markets we should be targeting.

It's all very well having a great concept but you need to be able to execute on it, so the second key element was putting in place our supply chain, which currently extends from Tibetan and Mongolian herders all the way to our customers in Europe and North America. Doing this has been a huge challenge but we now have an effective supply chain that is also true to the story of the company.

5) What have been the best and worst things about making this happen?

The best part has been watching the whole thing evolve and grow - seeing your product gain acceptance with customers and being able to connect back to the people at the source of the supply chain. It was a special moment when I first showed herders some of our finished products - they were truly amazed at what could be made from the fibre their yaks produce!

The negative aspect is not always having the funds to take full advantage of the opportunity we see, and sometimes being overly reliant on the goodwill of friends and family to help out.

6) What was the best advice you have received

We are very lucky to have a Chairman who has been a successful entrepreneur. It’s great to have someone who has been there, knows what you’re going through and can see several steps ahead. So perhaps the first (and best) bit of advice we heeded was to get someone who can mentor you through the process of starting a business, and help you overcome those moments of self-doubt.

It might sound obvious but I was also told to remain focused on the goal and to be prepared to say no to things on a regular basis. Time and money are usually scarce so managing these resources carefully is critical - pay close attention to your burn rate and expect things to take longer than you initially planned for.

7) What resources or information have you found really helpful?

Being able to chat to fellow entrepreneurs is a great way to work through problems. You soon realise that many of the things you agonise over are not unique to your own venture.

Perhaps I have been lucky, but nearly all the people I've met who started their own businesses have been incredibly supportive and willing to share contacts and ideas.