On the stylish route to success…

Sometimes you just meet someone in business that makes you stop in your tracks! Let me introduce you to the very dapper Nathan Palmer. Owner and tailor of his brand Nathan Palmer Clothing.

Not only a friendly and geniune gentleman, Nathan is a very talented and charasmatic entrepreneur with a flair for tailored style. A talented chap who I am going to enjoy watching while he builds his empire in Penarth

I recently met up with Nathan so he could tell me what he has learnt since starting his business and what inspires him along his journey to continued success and happiness.

Why did you start your business?

I have studied fashion design from the age of 16. When I was first introduced to fashion, the intention of creating a bespoke suit service or commercial clothing business did not occur to me. It has naturally evolved and lead us to the stage that we are at now. I will always be a student of fashion tailoring and for me this will never change. It is more than just a hobby or an interest, I am constantly living fashion. Whether it is visually, mentally or emotionally. This is how I choose to live my personal and business life. Quality and trust – are fundamental attributes, and provide the opportunity to reinvent myself all over again and again. But as a fashion entrepreneur, I get to be whatever I want to be. People ask me how or why ‘fashion’ but it is my passion. I always strive to provide a great service and our products will always speak for themselves. My wife Jessica is my team mate, we share the same values. Jessica is willing to provide her best efforts and is dependable whenever a need arises. This is an essential quality for my personal and business life as it allows us to move forward successfully. When you build something from the ground, and you see it becoming more and more successful, it’s a great feeling. Now every day I am thankful and I dream that when my son’s are old enough I can pass on our business – then they can then pass it on to the next generation. And be proud of it, because I created it. I love to meet other entrepreneurs, swap stories, listen and learn from each other’s experiences.

What has been the best and most challenging moments to date?

We never view our consultations as a single transaction, but rather the start of an important relationship. I positively assume that they will be back, because for me, excellent service is paramount, as the product will always speak for itself. I constantly make a conscious effort to have a positive mental attitude. A part of our suit service is the consultation. As the fashion lead I am always keeping up to date with the latest fashion and suit trends. I have a personal vision of how I would like to dress every NPCman or NPCwoman and work with each client to achieve the look that they want. It is important to make a good first impression, I put my energy into creating early, light-hearted vibes. The first ten seconds of any meeting is vital to shaping the reception you are likely to get.

Who inspires you and why?

I am inspired by my family. My family is a melting pot of diversity, creativity, personality, formality and originality. The more ideas I have to choose from, the more I can assist a client when creating what they desire. Creativity gives me the ability to see beyond the ordinary and conventional roles, affording me with the opportunity to create a fit where a fit may not currently exist. Some of us need time alone to find it, looking within. Others have more success looking outwards, observing and interacting. There is no golden answer to the question “what inspires you.” I find inspiration in more things than I can count. Looking back at my life, my answers to the question “what inspires you” have changed dramatically over time, and rather frequently too. When I was a teenager I would mirror and copy the leaders in the fashion world to desperately achieve the highest height’s of my profession. I still strive to achieve this and I believe it will happen. While I still enjoy reading biographies, novels and journals, I have a deep respect for anyone who is living their dream, whatever line of work it is. More recently, I find the people that inspire are bloggers, world travellers, and entrepreneurs. People are amazing. I’m constantly amazed at the accomplishments people achieve every day and we are making it happen.

What are your 2015 business goals?

My business goal for 2015 is to create 200 more happy NPC suit clients.

What are your top 3 tips for anyone thinking of starting their own business?

Gratitude and appreciation for what you already have, what is the point of achievement if your life has no balance? You can focus on things that are happening right now or on what you want to create in the future. Or you can focus on the past. Where focus goes, energy flows. Rather than focusing on what you don’t have. You can be grateful for your health, family, friends, opportunities and mind. That’s where the joy, happiness and fulfilment can be found. Start looking for role models who are experiencing what you want out of life. If you become aware of the differences in how people approach decisions, you’ll have a pathway to help you create a permanent positive change in any area of life. To succeed as an entrepreneur, one must fail forward. You have to be fearless. You have to accept failure, embrace it, turn it around and transform it into success. Without failure nothing happens. For things to be interesting there has to be a balance of failure as a setback vs. failure as an endpoint. Failure usually means that you are given another opportunity from a restarting point to try again. This time however, you are armed with knowledge of how to navigate the path ahead, allowing to make smarter, more informed decisions. You should try to develop good time management skills. Successful entrepreneurs manage their time, they don’t wish for more of it.

What is your secret to a good work/life balance?

Eating well, exercising and setting aside time to unwind. Find a technique that works for you, allowing you to reduce stress and relieve mental fatigue. Exercise has been shown to improve mental performance, whether it’s memory, reasoning, problem solving or planning. Sleeping well helps. Make a to-do list and put it aside, stop checking email by 8 p.m. and read a book that helps to give your mind a break. Set your intentions for the day by telling yourself what actions you’ll take to improve your performance. Use positive language that reminds you of how capable and committed you are. Your intentions create your reality. When you seek to do your very best at something, you’ll begin a wonderful process that will lead to you growing, learning, improving and achieving. When you have both high-performance and health, you’ll have the opportunity to craft a world-class life where you can achieve your dreams.

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