Meet Emma Downer, the fearless founder of DIY With Emma, whose journey from grief to empowerment led her to revolutionize the world of DIY education, leveling the playing field one million views at a time.
Emma Downer is the founder of DIY With Emma, a digital media company launched in April 2021 with the mission to make DIY education accessible for everyone.
Emma’s inspiration for starting her business came nearly five years ago following the loss of her father, who had always been the DIY expert in their household. When Emma was suddenly faced with repairing a burst pipe by herself, she felt utterly helpless. In the last conversation with her father, Emma told him she had bought a new house and planned to renovate it herself. She spent the next two years honing her skills and learning everything she needed to feel confident in maintaining her own home.
When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, online searches for “DIY” skyrocketed as people lost access to tradespeople and were left to fix things themselves. Emma knew that helpless feeling all too well and began posting educational DIY content, which instantly gained popularity. Between March 2020 and April 2021, Emma worked full time while running her social channels on weekends. Burnt out, she took a leap of faith, quit her job, and devoted herself fully to DIY With Emma Ltd.
Emma’s biggest achievements are the lives she has impacted and partnerships built. Her 1500+ educational videos have over 250 million views and 850K followers. Brands like TikTok, Pinterest, B&Q, and Dremel have partnered with DIY With Emma. Emma has won the Creative Start Up of the Year Award and been featured in the BBC, Telegraph, and Business Insider.
Looking ahead, Emma plans to launch a DIY workwear clothing line for women and those with a feminine fit, continuing her mission of accessibility.
Emma Downer is a finalist in the 2023 Great British Entrepreneur Awards, the “Grammys of Entrepreneurship,” on November 20th. Learn more about this inspiring entrepreneur and her business at https://diywithemma.com/.
