Bardo, Vesna Trisovic

Bardo Vesna (32) first came to Britain from Serbia almost ten years ago. When she graduated from Middlesex University she set about learning some basic business skills and the practicalities of realising her designs by working for an established fashion designer.

Although it would mean even longer hours, more stress and less money Vesna started her own label Bardo, specialising in leather accessories and handbags. She has received grants from support organisations, without which she would have never been able to participate in international trades shows such as London Fashion Week. However the business is still reliant on investment from her personal finances.

She's passionate about designing and running her business, and tries not to over commit herself. She takes advice from those with more experience and thinks about every move she makes very carefully.

"I am the cautious entrepreneur, used to living with tight budgets but I love what I do and think it is important to do what I love."

Vesna feels that her strength lies in her innovation and individuality, but concepts are easily stolen and products often replicated. To combat this she uses techniques, which aren't easy to mass-produce. She's currently thinking very carefully about how best to finance her next steps.