Business Discussions

      Trained in the art of perfumery, Blev Lavoux found her years working for large cosmetics companies ultimately unfulfilling. Despite their high cost, she believes that the toxic chemicals used in most scented products are not only harmful to people, but also to the planet.    With that in mind, Blev decided to create her own high-end brand to show the industry that luxury can be combined with sustainability and ethical principles. Although still a relatively young business, Call of the Vialed has attracted the attention of influencers and customers alike — even growing into a successful wholesale enterprise.   We spoke to Blev about why she loves connecting with her customers on a personal level, the power of social media promotion and how she created a routine that helps her avoid burnout.         Name: Blev Lavoux   Business: Call of the Vialed   Started: Spring 2016    What inspired you to create your busine

  Moving to a new city gave Gopi Shah the chance to turn her love for ceramics into a new business venture. Her eagerness to hone her craft led her to a mentor, a friend and a supportive community of makers.    We caught up with Gopi to learn why she decided to strike out on her own, and the lessons she had to learn the hard way about how to best display her products at craft events.     Name: Gopi Shah  Business: Gopi Shah Ceramics  Started: September 2014    How did you create your awesome job?    I was living in Los Angeles when my partner got relocated to Austin for a new job. I had been taking a ceramics class on the side in LA and really enjoyed it. I was working for the Natural Resources Defense Council at the time and toyed with the idea of starting my own business, but it wasn't until we moved to Austin that I really had the opportunity to start fresh. As the cost of living was much cheaper in T

   New kid on the block Valerie Evans found a niche on Instagram for her vintage-inspired embroidered art and jewelry. The former Disneyland tour guide took her quirky products online under the name Plaid Love Threads in 2015, and soon started converting likes into customers.   Valerie took time out from her new business to talk to us about the nitty gritty of marketing online, the support she gets from the maker community and how she managed to sell half her inventory at her first ever craft fair. Name: Valerie Evans Business: Plaid Love Threads Started: May 2015   How did you create your awesome job? I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and focus on raising my kids, but before they came along I spent many years working for Disneyland as a tour guide — you know, the ones with the plaid skirts and the riding crops! It was a great experience, but when my husband and I had children, I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible.   I

  Getting ads in front of the right people can seem like a real challenge, but the powerful marketing tools available to small business owners is impressive — if you know where to start.   Connor Smith is an experienced marketing consultant with insight into how to get the biggest bang for your buck using Facebook Ads. We recently chatted with him about his own experiences helping clients leverage Facebook's paid services for their own companies, and what the most important things to keep in mind are when aligning your marketing strategies with your business goals.   Name: Connor Smith   Business: Science Growth Labs, part of Science Inc.   Started: 2013   What services do you offer your clients?   I work closely with small businesses and startups to help them manage their paid ads on Facebook. What I do is heavily focused on performance marketing in the world of social media — essentially, advertising with very mea

  Pricing, online businesses, social media, oh my!   We covered a lot with Adam Williams – former small business owner of Provo Swim Academy and helpful husband to Erina who is also starting her own business – in our chat.  Here are my favorite takeaways.   1. Have the confidence and courage to fairly pay yourself.   Adam raised his prices three times and didn't lose any customers. "People will pay you what YOU think you're worth." Name it! Have you ever raised your prices? Tell us about your experience below.   2. Focus on the experience you provide your customers.   To justify your premium price, focus on the experience you provide your customers. Even in a commoditized business, find a value added service that will separate you from the crowd.   3. Develop social media goals.   When considering which social media channels you want to focus on, "be clear about what you want to achieve and

  Based in British Columbia, Jessica Quinn taught herself how to screen print and sell the type of kids apparel she wanted her daughter to wear. She set herself up with a solid business plan and did all her research before opening shop, but her best resource just might be the maker community she found herself welcomed in to.   We chatted with Jessica about learning how to price her adorable apparel items for all ages and why she's hoping to learn *your* secrets for balancing work, life, a baby and everything in between!   Name: Jessica Quinn Business: Live Love North Started: 2015   How did you create your awesome job? It really began quite organically. When my daughter was about 6 months old (she's now 14 months), we were out camping and I remember thinking how beautiful the trees and lake were, and wondering to myself, "How can I capture this moment?"   I took to sketching out some of my ideas, and then somewhere along the way it occurred to m

  The cat (or coffee) is out of the bag!   Death Wish Coffee Company — maker of the world's strongest coffee — is the winner of Small Business Big Game and the Big Game commercial.   After months of voting, lots of nail biting and just a *few* caffeine-fueled nights, Death Wish Coffee will have its shot at the "big leagues" of television: a 30-second spot during football's biggest game.   How'd they manage it?    A mix of great marketing, a unique product and some pretty killer fans.  Here's how you can amp up your business, Death Wish style.       1. Get the word out to everyone (yes, everyone!) you know.    Death Wish didn't stop at their fans and Twitter followers — they contacted everyone that they knew, whether friend or acquaintance, and asked for a vote here and a vote there.    The big lesson here? If you need help, don't be afraid to ask for it — even in far-reaching places.

      Engineers Simon Curran and Tom Walters were looking for ideas to start their own company when inspiration struck from an unlikely source: their ultimate frisbee team.    Challenged to brighten up night-time games with high-visibility gear, the pair came up with a unique design — and set up a company, Noxgear, to sell their product. As they began developing their venture, they found a potential new market by marketing their products as safety wear.    We spoke to Simon and Tom about how they discovered a new audience for their product and the challenges they faced when scaling up the business.  Name: Simon Curran and Tom Walters   Business: Noxgear   Started: 2013   How did you go about creating your awesome job?   Simon: Tom and I had successful jobs working together at an aerospace firm in Buffalo, New York, and the company gave us a lot of freedom. We were doing well and making products faster than is typical in

  Karen Sheley moved to Portland, Oregon to learn the business of beer. While working at an established brewery in the city, she met her future husband, Joel, who shared her vision of launching a family-friendly, community-oriented brewpub. Now, two years into running their own operation, the Sheleys are looking to expand from a small production brewery with a pop-up bar to the retail space of their dreams.   We talked to Karen about pairing bikes and beer, the challenges of running a family business and the small steps they're taking today that will help them expand their business in the future.     Name: Karen Sheley Business: Gateway Brewing in Portland, OR Started: 2015   How did you turn your interest in brewing into a full-fledged business?   I moved to Portland in 2003 to get into the beer scene, and joined Widmer Brothers Brewing on the supply chain side of things. While there, I met my husband and current business partner. We

   When a palm reader predicted Tawnia Knittle-White would own her own business someday, she brushed it off as nonsense. After all, she was in love with her steady job at Coors Brewing Company. But then she got engaged, kept coming up dry when she was looking for the perfect wedding trimmings. So, she decided to make her own.   The next thing she knew, she was selling her unique wedding favors and accessories on Etsy full-time — and wondering what else that fortune teller might have gotten right!   We caught up with Tawnia to talk about knowing when to quit your full-time job and the hiring tips she's hoping to learn from *you.*   Name: Tawnia Knittle-White Business: Everlong Events Started: May 2014   What inspired you to create your Etsy shop? I have a long, crazy background of having not-so-great jobs. But then I got hired as a quality assurer at Coors Brewing Company — an amazing position I thought I w

  Jamie Annise did social work with women before she decided to turn her scrapbooking hobby into a home decor business. It was a close friend, she says, who gave her the confidence boost to launch her small business. Today, Jamie happily works at home with her two young kids while running her scrapbook-style gift shop on Etsy. Basketful of Grace specializes in decorative, frameable gifts for newlyweds and new homeowners.   We spoke to Jamie about how friendship pushed her into entrepreneurship, working around nap schedules and how she manages bulk orders.   Take it away, Jamie!     Name: Jamie Annise Business: Basketful of Grace Started: October 2015   Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you come to create your business?   In school I studied social work. I worked in that field for seven years, at a resource center for pregnant women. It was difficult to leave, despite the fact that the work was so demand

  Although Matt only started his business less than two years ago, he's learned a *ton* about how to deal with manufacturers overseas and one tough lesson about trademarking his unique skiwear brand.   Here Matt chats with us about where he came up with the idea for his business and the questions he's hoping to tackle next.   Name: Matt Martin   Business: Retro Mountain Skiwear   Started: November 2014   Where did you come up with the idea for starting your business?   I spotted a gap in the market back when I was in college. I went on a ski trip and I noticed a lot of people wearing vintage ‘80s one-piece ski suits. I tried to find one for myself, but I couldn’t get one anywhere. Tons of my friends said they’d had the same experience. I thought it would be a great idea to make them easily available and of a much higher quality than the original versions.   The idea was always in the back of my mind, but I didn’t act on it until I

  We first met Ashley at a holiday marketplace featuring women-owned businesses in the Bay Area, and we were immediately drawn to her story!    After taking over a natural products line that was first started by her mom, Ashley has tackled rebranding, pricing challenges — even a cross-country move. We asked her to share with us the big lessons she's learned so far as a small business owner, and the one question she has for all of *you.*     Name: Ashley Dion  Business: Herbs + Oils Bath Started: January 2013   What originally inspired you to start your business?   Funny enough, today as we're talking I'm celebrating my four year anniversary running this business!   Originally, though, my mom started the business back in 2008. She'd become allergic to any products that were store bought, so she started making her own soaps and sharing them with family and friends.   At the time, I was dancing competitively throughout

    Greg Samborski stumbled into his passion for photography during his downtime while he was teaching English in South Korea. Now that he's transitioned to being a full-time corporate and portrait photographer, he's constantly looking for ways to grow his business and he hopes to relocate back to his native Canada.    We chatted with Greg recently to learn more about how he made the leap from hobbyist to professional and what he's learned so far about getting new customers and expanding his business.       Name: Greg Samborski      Company: Greg Samborski Photography     Started: February 2015        How did you create your awesome job?   If you'd asked me what I wanted to do for the first 29 years of my life, I would never have said photographer! I wasn't the kid who found his dad's old film camera and turned the bathroom into a darkroom.   I studied criminal justice at Unive

  Kim Risi is a problem solver. When she needed to support herself through grad school with no time for a regular job, she turned her spare minutes into extra dollars by setting up an Etsy shop where she sold custom posters geared just for college students.    Now that she's juggling a freelance career in film *and* running her successful shop, Kim is wondering how she can turn her side gig into a sustainable business.   Let's hear her story!   Name: Kim Risi   Business: Designer and Owner at Eskimo Chateau   Started: May 2012   How did you create your awesome job?   I work in LA as a freelance art director and run Eskimo Chateau on the side. When I started my business, I did so out of necessity! I was just about to begin graduate school and had signed forms that said I couldn’t work full-time alongside my studies. I needed to find a way to support myself, so I decided to sell some posters on Etsy.   I mad

    Spruce is a barbershop and clothier that's unlike any other business you've encountered before. Taylor and Becca Romero’s small business in Denver Colorado offers style consultations for men, with an emphasis on swapping the lumberjack duds favored by the guys in the store’s neighborhood for sharper looks.   On top of this, Spruce also has a web-based app for booking appointments and building a style profile for every client that was customized by Taylor himself. It also alerts employees to the next appointment, giving them time to review a profile page and welcome customers by name.   We chatted with Taylor about how they came up with the idea for starting their business, what's working for them on social media and the tips they most want to get from *you* around getting new customers.       Name: Taylor Romero   Business: Spruce   Started: June 2015   How did you create your awesome jobs?  

    Jiang Yuan first found her passion for making jewelry while juggling part-time design classes with her job as a Fashion Merchandiser. Her pieces are influenced by the Zen philosophy of China and aim to inspire positivity in her customers.    It’s been a gradual journey from changing careers to finding the confidence to start her own business, but with her first collections finished, Jiang is ready to share them with the public!    We spoke with the budding entrepreneur about making the transition to launching her own company and her favorite time-management strategies.                        Name: Jiang Yuan Business: Nine Hope Started: Summer 2016    How did you come to create your awesome job?    I initially studied Fashion Merchandising at the the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, then moved to New York six years ago to start a job at Coach as a

    Ask Sara Rossi about the latest fashion trends and she’ll tell you that practical is the new black. When she launched Beau & Ro, a range of bags and clutches designed to make it easy to celebrate hands-free, she mostly had her friends — and their partying habits — in mind.   A few years down the line, word has spread. Fans all over the U.S. are buying into the Beau & Ro philosophy: that fashion and function can go hand in hand.    We caught up with Sara to ask about how she’s conquering the world of style with no previous design experience, why she focuses on repeat customers above all others and what's next for her growing business.   Name: Sara Rossi   Business: Beau & Ro Bag Company   Started: December 2013   How did you create your awesome job?   I designed my first clutch-to-belt bag in 2013 after years of wishing I had a way to tie my tote around my waist at concerts or in bars when out dancing

    Chances are if you're an avid cyclist, you've already seen Walnut Studiolo’s leather six-pack carrier. The perfect gift for anybody who loves beer and bikes, this product has been featured on the pages of countless magazines and websites across the world.   But despite this recent success, creator Geoff Franklin had no idea how popular his bike accessories would become when he first started making them.   We caught up with Geoff to find out how he and his wife Valerie manage to separate out life from work, the biggest pricing lesson he's learned so far and the social media tricks he's hoping to master next from *you.*   Let's hear his story!       Name: Geoff Franklin     Business: Walnut Studiolo     Started: October 2009       How did you create your awesome job?   I’ve always had an interest in design and graduated with a major in Architecture from the Uni

  With a client list that includes Google, YouTube and Nordstrom, Canary Marketing is at the top of its game. But what’s most impressive about this small business is that it reached this point through word of mouth alone. Cadi and her team at Canary don't pay for advertising — they let the quality of their customer service speak for itself.    We asked co-owner Cadi Stephenson to dish on the best ways to celebrate #CustomerLove, why it's crucial to ask for testimonials and how she personally sets goals for the year ahead.    Name: Cadi Stephenson Business: Canary Marketing Started: February 2001   Tell us a little bit about your background and what brought you to Canary.   Before becoming part of Canary Marketing, I worked in retail as a General Manager at Banana Republic and spent a brief period of time working for an internet startup. When I heard about Canary and what it was trying to achieve, I knew I wanted to be a

    In this digital age, it still pays dividends to nurture your business's brand recognition in your local area. Through starting small with a stall at her nearby farmers' market, clothing designer Tracy Fillion soon built up a loyal customer base that allowed her to establish a permanent shop in the area, as well as a thriving online and wholesale business.    Now, Tracy is on the verge of expanding her operation in order to meet demand but she still holds her hometown, where it all began, close to her heart.    We spoke with Tracy about the pros and cons of having formal training, the flexibility that comes with being self-employed and the importance of consistency when you're producing new products and designs.   Name: Tracy Fillion    Business: We Are Stories    Started: Summer 2008    How did you come to create your business?    I decided to start my business partly in response to the fact

    Trisha Mathis was a journalist before starting a family took her life in a new direction. Now a military mom to a 2-year-old, Trisha turned to Etsy as a place to launch a creative career that would allow her to work at home. She started Dry Humor Boutique as a quirky kitchen goods business before making the switch to greeting cards, a medium she describes as “limitless.”   We talked to Trisha about the path to becoming an entrepreneur, her unexpected journey into designing greeting cards and the efficiency tips she's hoping to learn from *you.*     Name: Trisha Mathis     Business: Dry Humor Boutique     Started: November 2015     Tell us a bit about how you started Dry Humor Boutique.   When I became a mom, I knew I would need to create a career for myself where I could work from home. I’ve had friends who had success with Etsy, so I started researching how to start my own shop. &n

  Lena Schlabach, a native Ohioan and mother to two daughters, drew inspiration from her heritage when she started her first business, Lena’s Amish Granola. After establishing a huge social media following, she returned to her first passion — fashion — and launched Farmhouse Frocks, a country-chic line of clothing made by skilled Amish seamstresses. Fans flocked to Lena’s story, as well as to the relaxed, feminine style of her designs. Today she has two brick-and-mortar stores and hopes to open a third in 2017.   We talked to Lena about what drew her to creating such a unique retail business, why she won’t be taking her manufacturing process outside the Amish community and what she's hoping to learn next from *you.*     Name: Lena Schlabach   Business: Farmhouse Frocks   Started: August 2014   Why did you start your business?   I started Farmhouse Frocks because I’m a plus-size woman and could never find items that fit m

      When her mother passed, Nichol Brinkman threw herself into making soft toys, pillows, prints and baby mobiles as a distraction from her grief. One thing led to another, and soon she found herself selling her striking products on Etsy.   We caught up with Nichol to chat about the work she put into starting a small business, why pricing for her ideal customer in mind is so important and the different roles she takes on each and every day.     Name: Nichol Brinkman Business: Pink Cheeks Studios Started: 2008   How did you create your awesome job? I Mr. Magoo-ed my way into it! It wasn't a linear progression at all.   I have my BFA in painting, but while I was in college I took a fiber arts class and found working with fabric to be very exciting. After school, when my mom got a scary cancer diagnosis, I moved home to care for her and taught myself to sew during that time. I loved it! It gave me a very physical, tangible, creative thi

  With a background in documentary photography and an appetite for outdoor adventure, Jake Baggaley is always chasing the perfect moment.    After a request from a friend led to his first wedding shoot, Jake soon realized he could use the fly-on-the-wall approach he developed in the field to capture real emotion on camera without falling into the corny trappings of traditional wedding photography.    We caught up with Jake to learn more about why raising his prices was a smart move and the big lesson he learned about having a website.   Name: Jake Baggaley   Business: Jake Baggaley Wedding Photography   Started: March 2015   How did you create your awesome job?   My Dad has a PhD in photography and my mom has an MA, so my destiny was sealed from a young age. I studied Commercial Photography at  Arts University Bournemouth and took every opportunity to include documentary-style projects in my coursewor