René Hill has started a new business making crochet scarves. Ms Hill, a Lifestyle reporter for The Royal Gazette, will stage the official launch of René Hill Originals on Sunday at the 64 Degrees restaurant at Port Royal Golf Club, Southampton, from 5pm to 7pm.She aims to reach customers through her website and sell her scarves around the world.Ms Hill described how the business started and her hopes for the future in a question-and-answer interview.How did you come up with the idea to start your own business?Essentially the idea came to me, rather than me coming up with an idea. I had begun crocheting again back in Christmas 2006 after my daughter had asked if I could teach her. The following November, when we were heading over on the BA flight for her graduation in Kent, I crocheted scarves as gifts for family and friends in London.Upon returning home I made another for a secret Santa gift, but as I was too tired to attend and just sent it off. I then received calls and had orders, so many orders for this one design that I was making scarves until March of 2008 for people both here and abroad through word of mouth marketing.The following two seasons have been the same and last year I made scarves until April and still had people ordering in May, but I decided that it was time to clarify my thoughts and figures and write a business plan.The business plan was approved in principle by the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation (BSBDC) in August, I then took part in one of the BSBDC’s initiatives, Launch Pad TV during Entrepreneurship Week in November, and we were offered funding by Capital G.What is your business about?I make crochet scarves at the moment, but I plan to extend the line in the coming seasons. And rather than using China as a manufacturing base, I decided that I would rather have the items produced with a conscience and to use Fair Trade manufacturers/producers. At the moment, our items will be sold from our site www.renehilloriginals.com and also on Amazon.com. Amazon will also fulfil all orders outside of Bermuda for expediency.When did you launch the business, where do you operate from and how many people are involved?The business, Emily’s Fair Trade Company, was incorporated in December 2010. We currently operate from www.renehilloriginals.com, my Blackberry and my laptop. At present we are only the three directors. Locally we have two crocheters who are helping to fulfil local orders. The fair trade producers are in Peru, Chile and the Philippines.What is your market?Our market is anyone who wants a luxury décolleté winter warmer with loads of style. We will be marketing to the Southern Hemisphere in the coming months in preparation for their winter. And we will be ready with a new line for winter 201½012 in September.Why did you decide to take part in the BSBDC’s Launch Pad initiative?I had already been to Butterfield and was about to go to HSBC when the BSBDC’s Jamillah Lodge asked if I would be interested in taking part in the Launch Pad initiative. My initial thought was, ‘What do I have to lose?’ Then I became quite nervous about the prospect of being in front of the glaring lights, being on TV and ultimately the lack of privacy.I quite prefer sitting behind my desk interviewing interesting people and then writing about them, but I was terrified and was almost paralysed by my fear and I pulled out of the show. Jamillah was disappointed, but graciously said that it was my decision.I then rang her back and told her that I had never lived a life based on fear, and with everything I have done from being a teenaged mum, to becoming Bermuda’s first female fire fighter, and then running off to the UK with the children in tow to write children’s books and ultimately doing a Masters in journalism with lots dotted in between. I have always felt the fear and did whatever it was that I wanted to do anyway. So I decided to take part in the programme and it was there that I received an offer from Michael Veale of Capital G Bank that I couldn’t refuse.What are your plans for the future of the business?We plan to extend our production line with even more fair trade co-ops and to perhaps eventually start one of our own. Our motto is ‘It’s always cold somewhere!’ So our aim is to keep the world warm wherever and whenever it is cold.We also plan to design and produce a summer line for the 2012 season. And I also plan to use many of my other crafting skills and eventually bring them to the market as well.In addition to crocheting, I also quilt in the American fashion, make jewellery, I sew and I occasionally design clothing, and I have too many other talents to mention.Essentially I am a crafts person who has to be doing something with her hands. I find it difficult to just relax and watch TV, as I feel that it’s wasting time, so I’ll either be crocheting, making jewellery or sewing something in the evenings, weekends and in the wee hours of the morning. I am a homebody when I’m not out and about meeting interesting and exciting people.For more information, go to www.renehilloriginals.com