I started out as a part-time job when I was 17 – now it’s a multi-million pound fashion empire
ONE woman has told how she turned her love of fashion into a multi-million dollar business.
Conna Walker founded her first companyHouse of CB, at the age of 17, quickly had an army of loyal customers, including Kim Kardashian.
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Speaking of the Work hard, work hardly at all podcast with Grace Beverley, the 31-year-old woman, looked back on her business journey.
With a loan from her family, teenage Conna set out to create an exclusive brand that could be worn by both regular customers and celebrities.
She even did the latter by naming her company House of CB, where CB stood for Celeb Boutique.
Based in London House of CB now has more than 40 points of sale and a significant online presence.
The fashion empire has a global community of more than three million people.
Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, J-Lo and Chrissy Teigen also jumped on the bandwagon.
Kim was one of the first and gave the company a huge boost when she posted a photo in the brand’s classic, waist-shaping bodycon dress.
Thanks to Kim’s online appeal, Kardashian fans quickly became a large part of the shopping crowd.
Her sister Khloe is also an avid fan of the brand and has attended several launches over the years.
Jennifer Lopez has also been spotted in dresses from the clothing company.
She showed off a floral look from the brand in a paparazzi photo of herself walking alongside her husband Ben Affleck and his ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
J-Lo also posted a photo of herself wearing a plaid summer dress from the brand, just days after her highly anticipated 2022 wedding.
Both House of CB and its affordable sister company Mistress Rocks offer a wide range of women’s clothing.
While Conna admits she was initially hesitant to step away from tight dresses, her livelihood, she recognizes the importance of growth.
“I’m always competing with myself,” she told podcast listeners.
Do I have to pay tax on my additional income?
MANY people who are short of cash supplement their bank balance with a part-time job.
The good news is that there are plenty of easy ways to make some extra money, you just need to know the rules.
When you are employed, the company you work for withholds tax from your income and pays it to the tax authorities, so you don’t have to.
But if you want to make extra money, say by selling stuff online or walking dogs, you may have to do it yourself.
Stephen Moor, head of employment at law firm Ashfords, said: “Be careful if you earn additional income as this is likely to be taxable.
“The additional income can be classified as taxable income from trade, which can consist of providing services or selling products.”
You can earn a tax-free gross income of up to £1,000 per year through the trading exemption. However, you will usually have to pay tax on this amount.
Stephen added: “You should register for a self-assessment with HMRC to ensure you pay the correct amount of tax.
“The applicable tax brackets and the amount of tax you must pay depend on your income.”
If you don’t file a tax return, you may receive an unexpected bill from the tax authorities later asking you to pay the tax due, plus additional costs.
Conna, who was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30, explained that her consistent message is key to her business’s success.
House of CB’s goal is to ’embrace the female body to promote female empowerment’.
It started in 2010 with the now dated neon bandage dresses, but has since spilled over into every aspect of the business.
Conna has always emphasized femininity in fashion.
“Style changes over time, but [we] “You should always focus on emphasizing the waist and creating a really feminine figure,” she said.
It is this consistency that the business magnate values more than anything else, even as a universal selling point.
“I’m not someone who thinks you need a USP (Unique Selling Point),” she explained.
“The markets are so saturated that it’s all about selling what you have [better than your competition].
“I think the days of having a unique company are over.”
Instead, she emphasized the importance of consistency within your product.
“It’s really important to have a clear and cohesive brand identity across everything from your social media to your website, from the way things are written to the way it looks,” Conna said.
“It has to be consistent so that it looks like your brand when you see it.
“Everything that has to do with the customer must be consistent and cohesive.”
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