A HAWORTH business headed by a husband-and-wife team is going from strength to strength.

Modo Creative, which produces personalised gifts and homeware, began on a small scale a decade ago.

Andrew and Emma Tucker founded it using little more than £500 bequeathed following the death of Emma's grandmother.

Now the couple employ 14 staff and often recruit extra help during particularly busy periods.

And the company is close to a £1 million turnover for the financial year.

It recently enjoyed its busiest-ever festive season, with nearly 10,000 orders completed and sent out in the 30 days up to Christmas.

The firm's personalised music box was its best-selling gift, seeing a year-on-year sales increase of 338 per cent.

Modo Creative is one of the best-selling partners of notonthehighstreet.com, 'home' to more than 5,000 creative UK businesses.

"The most important thing for us as a couple and as business partners is that we really like each other!" said Emma.

"It sounds silly, but it's so crucial. We enjoy each other's company.

"We are both naturally shy people, so the things we achieve as a couple we probably wouldn't do as well on our own.

"Our advice for any other couples looking to start a business would be to set out clearly defined roles – it's important to recognise each other's strengths and weaknesses.

"Growing a business is really hard work and you have got to keep a sense of humour."