have done all the work on the website myself and I want to learn about every area of the business. I don’t want to bring people in and just hand things over. Not yet. I need to learn everything myself first. I like having that control and depth of understanding.'
She is to be admired. Juggling house, children and husband with his own career whilst still keeping the feeling of excitement about her own personal venture is quite an art. 'Once I start on a project, say for instance, updating some of the photographs on the website, I have to see the job through to its conclusion.
If that means I am up until 2am then so be it.' Between us at home, we manage to maintain a good family balance. Being at home and running my business online means I can work flexibly throughout the day.
She tells me that she always wanted to have a business that sold ‘lovely things'. The name of the business intrigues me.
'Oh yes' she smiles, ‘when I thought of the name Otterley & Hester it immediately conjured up an image of two wonderful older ladies who had lived the most amazing, glamorous lives and of all their treasured accessories snaking back through the decades.
I like the idea that they are characters rather than a person, but the business is very much about carrying those accessories forward and styling them in a modern way.
I think that's appealing, and it gives the business an original identity rather than just another vintage business.'
Self-assured and confident, Zara has all the makings of a successful future ahead of her. So what does she think is the secret of staying at the top, in what has been termed recently as a highly saturated market?
To me, the answer is pretty clear: it’s about staying niche and providing an excellent customer service.
'I think my customers come to me because they have something specific in mind.' Zara explains. 'They are after a certain key accessory for an occasion like a wedding and they want a good quality, classic handbag or piece of jewellery that complements their wardrobe and which they’ll be able to use again and again.
I also think there are other important elements. I want customers to feel excited when they are unwrapping their purchase and so I take great care with packaging to make that experience as captivating as possible.
She goes on, ‘Over the years I have picked up quite a bit of knowledge about vintage accessories and I am very keen to build on this and share what I have learnt with my customers: in particular, I would love to do more research about British handbag and jewellery brands.'
Zara is a woman with a future. She has the energy and ability to move forward, with ideas popping into her head even during the course of our afternoon chat.
‘Buying for others has meant I’ve quickly become much more discerning in terms of quality, condition and style, but at the same time it’s taught me to be true to my own taste and style, as the accessories I’ve found hardest to part with are always the ones which sell first'.