OUR IMPACT
Spotlight on Hera Couture
Visionary duo Katie and Cliff set a new standard in bridal fashion—turning their passion into a global brand, with a bit of help from Venture Advisory.
Hera Couture, founded by the visionary Katie Yeung, is dedicated to helping women embrace their confidence and beauty on their special day. Through her modern yet timeless designs, Katie and her team have set a new standard in the bridal industry, ensuring that every bride, regardless of body shape, size, or gender, looks and feels fabulous. This commitment to excellence has solidified Hera Couture’s reputation as a leading force in the industry.
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Hera Couture for the last two years. We recently sat down with owners Katie and Cliff to talk about how their business has grown, the opportunities they’ve embraced, and the impact we’ve made working together. Grab a cuppa and enjoy reading more about this inspirational business duo.
Can you share the story behind starting your business and what inspired you to get into this industry?
[Katie] I've always been passionate about tailoring and creating unique garments for women who struggle to find the perfect fit off the shelf. My mother, a master seamstress, was my greatest inspiration, teaching me from the age of 10 everything about showcasing a woman's curves through expertly crafted clothing.
My business journey began in my early 20s, crafting everyday streetwear for women. I soon ventured into designing gowns for events and galas, saving diligently to be able to source and purchase the best bridal materials from around the world.
In 2010, I transitioned into bridal wear, creating dresses that help women embrace their confidence and beauty on their special day. In the early days I did all of the designing and sewing myself, but soon realised after working myself to exhaustion, that I needed to surround myself with talented individuals who could support and enhance my skill set.
Today, our business has grown into a global team, and we've introduced a wholesale model, selling our exquisite gowns in more than 60 locations worldwide.
What do you love most about running Hera Couture?
Running our business fills us with a deep sense of satisfaction, especially when we see our customers radiate as they put on one of our dresses. Our team takes immense pride in the quality of our work and we are wholeheartedly committed to ensuring our brides feel their most beautiful on the most important day of their lives.
Years of market research and collaboration with hundreds of women have enabled us to perfect our designs, creating size-inclusive bridal wear that provides each woman with an extra boost of confidence on her special day.
As the industry evolves, our ambitious and competitive spirit drives us to seek new ways to enhance our designs and stay ahead of trends. We are here to build a long-standing brand that continues to inspire and empower women. This unwavering dedication to our craft and our brides is what gets us out of bed every morning.
How do you look for and embrace new opportunities?
We are passionate about innovation and continually test, problem-solve, and question how we can improve and enhance our processes and products. This proactive mindset allows us to identify and embrace opportunities that drive our business forward.
We are also surrounded by a strong network of talented individuals and really value learning from others and investing in people who bring diverse perspectives to the table. This has been particularly important as we enter new markets and have had to adjust our approach to appeal to diverse tastes and cultures.
Everyday we are inspired to push the boundaries of bridal fashion and fall more in love with beautiful fabrics, textures and patterns.
How has working with Venture Advisory made a difference to your business?
Venture Advisory has brought another level of maturity to our business. Our day-to-day operations are more disciplined and process driven which helps us to have a really good pulse of the business at any given time. We’ve also got a better grasp of financial basics to be able to interpret key reports and identify trends in our business which would otherwise catch us off guard.
The Venture Advisory team genuinely cares about our business and is invested in our success. Their mentorship and objective perspective helps to guide investment decisions and has given us better control over our business. Most importantly our business and personal goals are better aligned so the business is helping us to create the life we want.
How has your business evolved since you started working with Venture Advisory?
Our business has gone from strength to strength. We've achieved greater transparency, clarity, and confidence in our operations and decision-making processes. With access to better insights and a focus on forward-planning, we've learned to make decisions in a critical and logical way, ensuring our growth is aligned with our goals.
Before working with Venture Advisory, we knew our business was growing however we didn’t know in what areas or if we were moving in the right direction. By dissecting our strategy and breaking the business down into manageable chunks, we've gained a deeper understanding of what areas we need to focus on and where we want to take our business.
What tips would you give to other business owners about finding a good accountant and why it’s important?
Investing in a good accountant and getting quality advice is invaluable. Having the right advisor on your team, someone you have good synergy with, will help you prioritise where to spend your resources most effectively and will save you money in the long run.
It really comes down to what you’re looking for and what you’d like to achieve. If you find yourself spending too much time working in the business rather than on it, you need an advisor who can offer more than just basic financial services like tax and GST. If you’re lacking direction, find someone who can help with strategy and goal setting. Getting the right advice and having access to insights that go beyond financial hygiene will help you grow and succeed.
Treat your accountant as a business partner and don’t settle for someone who doesn’t understand or isn’t aligned with your business needs.
What do you value most about working with Venture Advisory?
Before working with Venture Advisory, we had never spoken to an accountant that focused on strategies and what our life goals were. The team at Venture Advisory lead with authenticity. They are really smart, down to earth and open minded. It’s not a one size fits all model - services are tailored to fit the needs of your business.
Most importantly the team is patient. They really listen and take the time to walk you through unfamiliar territory. Our financial maturity has massively improved and we’ve made some huge and really impactful business decisions with their guidance.
We feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Venture Advisory and really value their wealth of experience and ability to connect with us beyond the numbers.
Where do you see your business going next?
We have big aspirations for the business! We’re focused on doubling the business and spending more time working on it than in it. We are incredibly passionate about remaining hands-on and immersed in the business, and we’re committed to helping our team grow and learn through exposing them to new opportunities.
As we get older we have the opportunity to learn from younger generations as well as share our knowledge and expertise. We really get a kick out of meeting international stockists, there is a wealth of experience in staying close to the industry and knowing the market. The industry is continuously evolving which allows us to continue learning, pushing ourselves and ensuring that we continue to set the trends. We’re excited for what’s ahead.
Interested in partnering with Venture Advisory?
We’d love to hear from you.
