One year ago, Millsy & Kin turned from an idea in to reality.
A logo on a screen. Many late-night conversations. A belief that maybe we could build something that blended family, culture, music, football, nostalgia, humour, and identity into a brand people genuinely connected with.
Since then, it’s been one hell of a ride.
There have been moments where we questioned everything. Moments where we thought we’d cracked it. Moments where we were convinced we had messed it all up. Moments where we made mistakes, learned lessons the hard way, and discovered that running a business is a very different thing from simply having a good idea.
The truth is, Millsy & Kin exceeded our expectations during year one in many ways.
We generated far more turnover than we ever expected during our first 12 months. Designs connected with people. Orders came in from complete strangers, not just from the UK but all over the world. Some collections performed beyond anything we imagined when this all started.
We connected with fellow Oasis fans from all over the world during what was an unforgettable reunion tour. Seeing pictures from you, "The Kin" wearing our designs sent in from not just the UK but also from Australia, Chile, Argentina, The US and across the globe made everything worthwhile.
But the reality behind the scenes looked very different from what people might expect.
Despite generating strong turnover in our first year, Millsy & Kin made no profit.
Not because the support wasn’t there — it absolutely was — but because growth comes with costs that many people never see.
As a VAT registered business, thousands went straight to HMRC. Product costs, advertising, subscriptions, packaging, samples, supplier fees, and reinvesting back into the brand quickly consumed revenue.
That was one of the biggest lessons of year one:
Turnover is vanity. Profit is reality. The only people who have made any money from this venture so far are HMRC. Just because we exist, they have taken thousands of pounds from our revenue, preventing us from being able to receive any reward for the time and money invested in to the brand. Our reward hasn't been financial - it's been having pride and belief in what we do.
Everything so far has been self-funded.
No investors.
No financial backing.
No shortcuts.
Just sacrifices.
Late nights after work. Designing products after the kids had gone to sleep. Family time sacrificed. Holidays postponed. Money that could have gone elsewhere poured back into the business instead.
And while that’s been difficult at times, it’s also what makes this brand feel real to us.
Millsy & Kin hasn’t been built in a boardroom or by a marketing agency. It’s been built slowly, honestly, and sometimes painfully, by people trying to create something meaningful while balancing everyday life at the same time.
There were ideas that worked brilliantly.
There were ideas that absolutely didn’t.
There were collaborations we walked away from because protecting the long-term integrity of the brand mattered more than short-term money.
And through all of it, one thing kept us going: people connected with what we were creating.
That still blows our minds.
Every order, every message, every tag on social media, every customer choosing to spend their hard-earned money on something we created means more than we can properly explain.
Millsy & Kin was never built to be a faceless brand.
It was built around family. Around culture. Around identity. Around the moments, music, humour, nostalgia, and memories that connect people.
One year in, we’re still learning. Still evolving. Still building.
But if year one taught us anything, it’s this:
We’re only just getting started.
So to everybody who has supported Millsy & Kin during its first year — thank you.
Genuinely.
Here’s to year two.