More than one in five Brits want to start their own business or side hustle, according to research.
And a third of those want to make the leap within the next two years.
Becoming your own boss and having more flexibility (both 40 per cent) are the top factors for leaving behind the 9 to 5 and focusing on going it alone.
The poll of 2,000 adults found others valued more independence (35 per cent) and a better work-life balance (35 per cent).
The research was commissioned by AXA as part of its Startup Angel competition, where entrants can win two top prizes of £25,000 in funding plus mentoring from successful entrepreneurs.
And a third of those want to make the leap within the next two years.
Becoming your own boss and having more flexibility (both 40 per cent) are the top factors for leaving behind the 9 to 5 and focusing on going it alone.
The poll of 2,000 adults found others valued more independence (35 per cent) and a better work-life balance (35 per cent).
The research was commissioned by AXA as part of its Startup Angel competition, where entrants can win two top prizes of £25,000 in funding plus mentoring from successful entrepreneurs.
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FunTranscript
00:00The fashion industry really needs to see that disabled people are out there,
00:03they've got a voice, they want to wear fashionable clothing,
00:06so bring them in and it will massively change your business.
00:11Being able to see on TV somebody in a wheelchair or someone with a prosthetic
00:16wearing adaptive clothing can be a game changer for people.
00:19It can change the trajectory of their life seeing that they're represented
00:23and that's really what we want to do.
00:25Hanan is joined in her studio by Amy Conroy,
00:28GB Paralympian and AXA brand ambassador.
00:31They are both seated and in conversation.
00:34Hanan, I'm so excited to finally meet you.
00:36Firstly, congratulations on winning AXA Startup Angel.
00:40What an incredible initiative.
00:41How has it changed your life?
00:44The AXA Startup Angel competition win has been massive for the business.
00:47I wanted to kind of disrupt the fashion industry,
00:50so I'm really glad that this support has meant I can do it from the get-go
00:54rather than having to go work in the industry first to do it.
00:57I'm so excited to hear more about your range.
01:00Sounds game-changing.
01:01I'd like to say it is.
01:03Yeah, absolutely.
01:04We've worked really strongly with the disabled community
01:07through our collaborations with different charities.
01:10We've designed a collection based on consumer feedback.
01:14Ease of dressing has been considered in everything.
01:17Fabric choices, sensory needs to make a cohesive collection
01:21that's really considerate to the disabled community.
01:24Intotem's range of adaptive clothing is showcased on mannequins.
01:28Intotem is actually a Latin word, and it means all together,
01:32and so it's kind of building on that idea that Intotem is a community.
01:36You know, this is fashion for everybody.
01:38It works for the disabled community, but it also works beyond that as well.
01:42So, for instance, we've got trousers here.
01:44These were designed specifically looking at wheelchair users
01:48like yourself that have a prosthetic.
01:49So being able to have this zip means you can open it up
01:54and get to your prosthetic without having to do that awkward thing
01:57of bunching all your trousers up.
01:59Hanan demonstrates the zip feature of Intotem's trousers.
02:03Other inclusive features of Intotem's pieces are interacted with.
02:07Zips, mesh, pull tags and drawstrings.
02:10Would you like to try on one of the pieces?
02:12I absolutely do.
02:13Amy tries on a fuchsia-coloured jacket.
02:16The colour is gorgeous.
02:17Thank you.
02:18Take a seat.
02:19Oh, that's so easy with the backless, isn't it?
02:22Yes.
02:22We've done this coat specifically so that it's backless,
02:26so that you can easily get into your chair
02:28without having to have someone help you and tuck the coat under.
02:31Do you find struggles with coats and your wheelchair?
02:34Yeah, absolutely.
02:35I think the main thing is just getting kind of stuck, like you said, excess material.
02:38I guess my experience from shopping would just be
02:41finding things that I can then make work.
02:44Rather than you doing that, you're making it work for people.
02:47You might have clothes I've snipped up and shoes I've snipped up to make them fit.
02:50It hurts your heart when you buy something nice and you're taking some scissors to it.
02:54You shouldn't have to buy a coat and then hack at it.
02:57You should be able to just pick it up off a rack and it's your coat.
03:00Photos of Helene's grandfather are shown.
03:03My grandad actually was the inspiration behind Intotem.
03:06He had to have an Erostomy bag fitted.
03:09And the thing about my grandad is he's very well-dressed
03:12and so he was kind of left with jogging bottoms
03:15and I just thought, well, this is ridiculous, you know?
03:17There should be a solution out there.
03:18And that was the moment I discovered there wasn't a solution.
03:21And so I was like, OK, I guess I'll just fix it myself.
03:25A sewing machine is being used to craft garments.
03:28How have the Angels mentors played a role in giving you confidence?
03:32They gave me the confidence in being assured I'm doing the right thing.
03:36Things like starting a business plan.
03:38I didn't have a business plan, I just had this is what I want to achieve.
03:41So being able to quantify that into goals for the next five years was great.
03:46So what would you say makes a successful AXA Startup Angel application?
03:50I'd say it's showing what makes your business different.
03:54We were able to show the differences, especially through our video pitch.
03:57We had samples, prototypes to show that I'd worked with a disabled community.
04:01I'd prove that people want this because if the Angels can see
04:06that there's a need for this, they'll believe in it as well.
04:10Hanan's AXA Startup Angel entry with video pitch and product ideas is shown.
04:16The first place to start is, what are you trying to solve?
04:19For me, it was adaptive clothing. It's unfashionable and it's uncomfortable.
04:23I love that. If there's a problem, instead of kind of being like,
04:26oh, this is annoying me, go out and do something about it.
04:29Close-up shots of the materials and tools around Hanan's workshop are shown.
04:33In the application, do you have to have a physical product to show
04:36or can it just be a concept?
04:38No, it can absolutely be a concept.
04:40If you've got a concept or an idea that you think could change, you know, change the world.
04:46Put an application in.
04:47Hanan takes Amy through her book of drawings and sketches.
04:52What does the future look like for Intotem?
04:54I think the future looks really bright for Intotem.
04:56We're hoping to expand.
04:58We really want to make a big dent in the fashion industry.
05:02We've done London Fashion Week, so we're hoping to launch next,
05:06which should be spring this year.
05:08We'll be launching the first ready-to-wear collection
05:10and then from there, we're hoping to do pop-ups and shows across the summer
05:15and even take the range further into new collections.
05:18We're floating the idea of adapting existing clothing in the future
05:21so that you can keep those memorable pieces.
05:24Incredible. What about a sportswear range?
05:26Yeah, absolutely.
05:26That's my two cents in there.
05:28Sign me up.
05:30No, absolutely. That would be great as well.
05:32I think this is the thing, there's so many different ways.
05:34The end goal, you know, we'd love to be involved in the Paralympics and things like this
05:38and they're like our kind of five-year goals as Intotem.
05:41An adaptive range sponsoring the Paralympics, that would be incredible.
05:46Excellent goal. See you in LA, 2028.