Remember that movie from 2011, I Don’t Know How She Does it? You know, SJP is on the phone but, also sending an email all the while, wrangling some kids just to get some quiet to be the boss babe that she is? Yeah…well these five new small business owners are like that, times a million. To me, there is nothing more impressive than a woman doing it all – doing it all well. Here are some tricks of the trade on how they built up their small hobby into a moneymaker. Plus, how you can support by (online) shopping their lines in take-no-prisoners-2020!
*Each image is hyperlinked directly to the boutique owner’s site, so click away and happy shopping!*
Pure Bliss Home Décor: In November of 2019, Julie Tran found herself in a new town: Bloomsburg, PA. She knew no one and decided she needed a new hobby to keep herself occupied. That hobby would be macramé (rope knotted designs) and after crafting her logo, and business cards (that she mentioned so casually…they’re beautiful!) she turned to Etsy to help open her first ever business.
What I love about Tran’s shop is the product mix is very one of a kind. “My mind runs by itself so I’m constantly thinking of new products to create, but it gets hard sometimes trying to find time to make them,” said Tran. When I asked about her bestsellers, she said, “large macramé wall hangers and mini macramé car hangers.” These can hang from your windshield to help reduce road rage and increase bliss – something we could all use while driving. Tran also makes macramé wine totes, keychains, earrings, and more. I love these spiraled coasters, which also come in a pink and olive 4-pack. I confidently load my drinks with extra ice knowing my coasters will do their job.
Like myself, Tran has a 9-5 job and works on her Etsy business nights and weekends. She confessed, “If I am working on a custom wall hanger, I tend to stay up late trying to get as much work done as possible.” Weekends are reserved for photographing new items (I saw camera straps will be coming soon for all my photographers out there!) so be sure to check out Tran’s new releases early in the week! Ordering from Pure Bliss Home Décor is like sending a present to yourself. The packaging is divine and I am excited to follow along this company’s journey. Julie Tran hopes one day she can devote her full time to Pure Bliss Home Décor but until then, she is willing to stay up all night to make magic.
Honey Rose Décor: So I actually discovered Johdi Moulton through a referral from Julie! They are Etsy seller friends who are collaborating right now! Johdi Moulton creates planters for her shop, Honey Rose Décor. She just started this June and has over 180 shop favorites and over 1,000 Instagram followers. AKA she is kind of blowing up right now…and rightfully so. If you aren’t obsessed with your house plants yet, you’re behind. I mean, think about it this way: plants are one of the few living things that have a 0% chance of contracting the virus. When talking to Moulton, she went in-depth on why your plant deserves accessories. “For those new to the concept, think of a planter as a space saving, stylish and unique way to cradle your plant. It's perfect for those with smaller spaces who want to avoid floor clutter; those who just bought their first small plant and want to keep safe from pets or kids; or those that just want a statement piece for that one spot in their home.”
Good news! With Honey Rose Décor only being two months old, the original planter designs are still in the shop! The original products are the brass ringed hangers, with metalwork crafted by Moulton’s husband. I love that she has a product for every plant type and size. Plus some planters can fit more than one plant! Moulton is a laidback business owner who isn’t too bothered by her product’s turn rate or her bottom line. “If I go more than a few days without having tried out a new concept I feel stuck because this started out as a stress reliever for me. So creating is always my safe and happy place. And even if the piece doesn't work out later or customers aren't drawn to it, it doesn't bother me because each piece I make is unique and special in their own way,” Moulton said. I admire this trait as I have been trained to always be looking at numbers 25/7.
Though if we are talking success stories, “the sunset planter is tiny but mighty. It always does well and so does my yellow knitted planter with the double blocks.” However, at the end of the day, Moulton’s #1 goal is to spread the love of plants.
Saint James Boutique: So I’ve known who Superman was for a while now, my whole life really. But, I feel as if I just discovered the true Superwoman for the first time. Stephanie Harmeson founded Saint James Boutique in September of 2018, in hopes to create a unique and affordable shopping experience for moms who can’t fit in the time to shop for quality clothes for themselves. I think this is a genius concept not just for moms but for all busy women out there because, after all, you only feel as good as you look. The story of Saint James Boutique (SJB) began as all good stories do, with cocktails and cuisine in Philadelphia. The waitress asked Harmeson where she got her sandals and at that moment, she knew she wanted to blurt out, “They're from my shop." Thus, the shop is named after Saint James Street in Philadelphia, where Harmeson used to live. Flash forward to June of 2019 and Harmeson is a full-time boutique owner, working out of her newly remodeled laundry room. When she described it to me in more detail, it honestly sounds like a sick setup.
At first, the online boutique housed tops and earrings, which quickly became best sellers. Two years later, Saint James has become a haven for everything from dresses to joggers. Plus, an expanding accessories section of the cutest clutches, necklaces special enough to make a white tee look fancy, and even everyday mules! Sounds like paradise, right?
As a buyer myself, I had to find out more about how Harmeson creates her seasonal assortments. “I love fashion week so I use those (fashion) shows for inspiration for each season and order pieces that give me that same feel. I actually create a board on Pinterest for each season to keep my thoughts straight on what I'm going for,” said Harmeson. I’m making a mental note to compare Pinterest boards because I do the same thing when outlining article ideas. I picked up a kimono in neutral but not basic tones: cream, black, and rust, to add depth to my outfits. With the side slits there are so many ways to tie the pom-pom hem Madden kimono. A true chameleon.
Sip & Shop Events: Be on the lookout for SJB’s Sip & Shop events. The new fall line is going to launch towards the end of September and pre-covid there was always a seasonal launch party at cool places like wineries in and around the Chadds Ford, PA area, where you do exactly as the name indicates: sip and shop. “Customers can also book a private Sip & Shop that I can host in my home or at their home. They can simply reach out through social or email to schedule a party. I bring the inventory to them and they can shop in the comfort of their own home. The host gets 10% of sales as credit towards their purchases,” explains Harmeson. In the past, Sip & Shops have been super popular amongst teachers – whether it be a brunch party or a quick after school browse in the faculty lounge. For now, you can bring your Zoom Happy Hour crew to a virtual Sip & Shop for a full array of styling tips.
Harmeson has a future goal of expanding to a full showroom when her kids are older. Oh, yeah – did I mention she has twin 4-year-old boys and a brand new baby girl? (I said twin boys. As in two boys born at the same time, for those keeping track at home.) And also, adding a blog to the site, which I think is an excellent idea!
Folie Made: Folie Made’s story is not typical, but it is typical for 2020. The tale as new as time goes like this: two rising seniors from the best school in the land, University of Delaware, are forced to evacuate campus and surrender their internships. Being the smart blue hens that they are, Emma Kremer of NJ and Kelly McGlone of PA refused to sit still. Like pitcher night on Thursdays, they decided getting into the polymer clay earring business was the move. Since Kelly and Emma don’t even live in the same state, they divided tasks like so. “For the first half of the summer, Emma took all of the inventory and handled the shipping, while I (Kelly) handled all of our social media and marketing. Halfway through the summer, we swapped!” In just a few weeks the duo looks forward to reuniting in the promised land of Newark, DE to work together full time.
I was, um nosy and asked Kremer and McGlone the question we’ve all been wondering: how do you create the earrings? The advantage to polymer clay versus traditional modeling clay or that Playdough stuff that comes with Cranium games is, it is easy to add details and bake into a lightweight creation. Polymer clay is actually a key selling feature for Folie Made, “our earrings won’t weigh you down or become uncomfortable like many other statement earrings.” The crazy thing is they only buy primary colors, black, and white to mix, blend, and perfect their own marbled tones. Post-mix, pre-baked the clay is then rolled with a pasta maker.
The earring designs are so unique they could speak for themselves but, it is actually Folie Made’s college-aged customer base that does most of the brand’s advertising. “We have gotten a lot of traction on our posts, and also have customers tagging us in their stories showing their earrings off almost every day! This has really helped to spread Folie Made by word of mouth,” reports the team.
Once back together, (We were on a break!) Folie Made has hopes to sell in local boutiques and run pop-up shops - anything to get more connected to their audience. They also plan to transition off of Etsy and onto their own website very soon. Since they are college seniors, Kremer and McGlone will continue to apply to jobs but Folie Made could be it! Really, it is just the beginning.
One of the things that makes me so in love with starting an online business right now is you can truly be located anywhere and meet people all over the world. Supporting real women who yes, may have some help, but who ultimately do it all is so inspiring! The internet is often seen as a necessary evil, but, I prefer thinking of it in a positive light of increased global connection amongst shoppers and sellers. To find each seller's sites, plus my own see the list of Instagrams below - and remember, all photos in this article are linked back to the seller's websites!
Follow:
@whitneywisdomblog (Of course!)
@whitneywisdombeading (My NEW Instagram for my handmade jewelry!)
@pureblisshomedecor (All things macrame)
@honeyrosedecor (V Special Planters here.) @saintjamesboutique (Use code WHITNEY15 for 15% off the shop!) @foliemade (Amaze earrings.)
This is a great article! So glad you pulled it all together!