A former nurse from Sunderland has turned his love of restoring old furniture into a thriving business.
After a career in nursing spanning 13 years, it was the loss of his father that inspired Michael Veitch to ditch his scrubs and finally launch his dream business.
Sakura Vinteriors launched in January and is a sustainable business dedicated to upcycling and restoring timeworn furniture, particularly items from the mid-century and Victorian eras.
Through Michael’s quality craftsmanship, each piece is carefully brought back to life and either lovingly restored to its original form or thoughtfully reimagined for a new purpose.
Such a success has the business proven, that as well as selling over 170 items in its first two months, Michael’s talent has also been realised as far as Portugal where he secured his first export order.
Michael said: “After losing my dad, I no longer felt able to continue in nursing. I wanted to focus my energy on a new career path, something that would support my mental health and give me a renewed sense of purpose.
“I’ve always loved DIY and making things and I love finding hidden gems in charity shops and online that have been written off, so I started to think about setting up a business which combined both of my passions.
“I finally bit the bullet and officially launched Sakura Vinteriors in January and I’ve been so humbled by the response. I’ve not only had orders from across the UK but also have a lady in Portugal who commissioned me to restore a family heirloom. It’s been such an incredible journey so far.”
Setting up a business which recycles pre-loved and old furniture also chimes with another Michael’s passions, the environment.
“Sakura Vinteriors was founded on a simple belief… the most meaningful furniture already exists,” he said.
“Our mission is to champion sustainability through craftsmanship. By repairing, repurposing, and reintroducing existing furniture, we reduce waste, honour skilled making, and offer an alternative to disposable design. We believe in furniture that endures – both physically and aesthetically.”
With no prior experience running a business, Michael turned to the North East BIC to help him realise his dream of becoming his own boss.
“The BIC has been amazing in helping me set up and grow the business,” Michael added. “I came in knowing nothing, and they’ve supported me every step of the way, from market research advice to introducing me to local support networks and other businesses.
“Most importantly, they gave me the confidence to do it. Having never done anything like this before, it was very daunting, but they guided me through the entire process and were always there to listen when I needed to bounce ideas off them.
“They were a great sounding board and really helped me realise I had something worth building. I can’t thank them enough for all of their support.”
Looking ahead, Michael has dreams of one day opening his own workshop and store where he can sell his wares, as well as create job opportunities for local craftsmen and others wishing to learn the art of furniture restoration.
He added: “My aim is to one day have my own dedicated workshop and store where I can work on projects and display and sell my work to the public.
“I would also love to bring in a couple of likeminded people who share my passion for furniture restoration or are looking to learn the art, as well as offer a bespoke service for those who want to restore family heirlooms or items which have real sentimental value.
“It’s early days, so we won’t be rushing into anything in the immediate future, however if the business continues to grow at the pace it has so far then hopefully it won’t be too long until we’re at that stage.”
Michael has been supported on his business journey by Kelly Marshall, a business adviser at the BIC. She said: “It has been an absolute pleasure working with Michael since we first met in November and seeing him absolutely thrive in his new career.
“His creativity, originality and dedication are truly inspiring and prove that anyone with a real desire to turn their passion into a business can do so with the right support and people around them, no matter what their background or what experience they have in business.
“We would like to wish him all the best for the future and look forward to seeing the business continue to go from strength to strength over the coming months and years.”
The start-up support from the BIC forms part of Enterprising Sunderland which has received £523,541 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, managed in Sunderland by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.
Cllr Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for housing, business and regeneration at Sunderland City Council, said: “The Enterprising Sunderland programme is designed to provide residents with the support and advice required to realise their dreams of becoming their own boss and Michael is a great example of how it continues to do just that.
“The programme has guided him through the entire process of setting up, from registering the business to marketing his products and services and the success he has achieved in testament to that.
“It is yet another fantastic success story for the programme and hopefully it will help even more local businesses to set up and flourish.”
To find out more about Sakura Vinteriors, visit https://sakuravinteriors.uk/
