Hello entrepreneurs.  You ladies rock.

And you know who else does?  Anna Rice, owner of Mina Loves Bows.

I feel like Anna is a magical bow princess… she just exudes creativity out of each fingertip.  If you follow her on instagram, I’m sure you’ll agree!  What’s so incredible about Anna is her humility and generosity.  Success has come so natural for her and she didn’t even set out to make Mina Loves Bows a huge business.  She just focused on developing community and connections and making each customer feel like her best friend.

I hope you learn a ton from Anna!  I loved getting to chat with her.  If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section and she’ll answer them. 🙂

Meet Anna!

“Hi all! I’m Anna – mom to Mina and 3 boys – also wife of 15 years, writer, klutz and self-proclaimed nerd. I’m the owner & creator of Mina Loves Bows, a handmade bow shop for kids of all ages. Looking forward to sharing my story and what my business means to me. – Anna”

AND, if you want to watch an expanded interview where Anna goes more in depth with her answers.. grab a cup of coffee and clip the video below!

So let’s get started!

Hillary: What did you do before Mina Loves Bows, and how did you decide to start your own business?  

Anna: My background is actually writing but before I had Mina I worked as a web development and print advertising project manager with the PGA TOUR. I really enjoyed this type of work but when my youngest son was 2, I decided I wanted to be home with my 3 boys and work only part-time from home. Once Mina was born, I got an itch to make bows for her and then the business just gradually grew into what it is now.

Can you give us a brief history of Mina Loves Bows?  How long have you been in business?  What has your growth looked like?

I started dabbling in bow making in early 2013 so I’ve been in business for about 2 years now. I started my instagram at first just to sell Mina’s clothing and share cute pics of her. I made a lot of great friendships and started making bows for her and friends that followed me. My flash sales started to get crazy and sell out quickly after a while, so I opened my etsy shop in September of 2013.

What’s your big picture WHY?  What motivates you to work hard and build your business?  What is your ultimate lifestyle goal?

 I do this because I enjoy it. If I didn’t enjoy it, I would quit in a second. I’m motivated by the amazing moms and customers that buy from me. Every day I get to wake up and see a cute photo of an adorable baby wearing a bow I made her, is a good day. I’m happy doing what I’m doing now and making everything myself. I have time to do this “work” that I love and still spend quality time with my family and that’s all I could ask for.

Where did you find your mentors, or resources to help learn about entrepreneurship and running a successful business?

The only “experience” I’ve brought to anything I’m doing is from working in the advertising world before I started this. I haven’t really sought out any resources or mentors per se. I don’t really know what I’m doing even now but I do what I think is right and what works from me, simply by trial and error and being observant and not afraid to mess up. So far it’s working I guess!

 Can you tell a story of a specific failure you encountered while building Mina Loves Bows?  What did you learn from it?

 I can’t think of anything specific. I’ve had hundreds of things happen that weren’t ideal but I really haven’t looked at anything as a failure. That sounds annoying but it’s true. It’s all really just another learning experience to grow from. I’m pushing 40 and have been through my share of difficult life situations so I do a pretty good job of not getting bogged down by the crappy little things life throws at you. I’m always looking at the big picture and one upset customer or one missing package or one funky misstep don’t give me much grief. 

The accumulation of those things on top of just being a mom and wife and keeping our family and home stuff in order has sometimes made me just check out for a day or two and question if I want to keep doing it. But ultimately, I love what I do and all anyone can do is his or her best. You have to try not to take it all personally and just keep going.

What would you consider are your strengths as a business owner?

I would say it’s my customer service. As a consumer I have strong opinions about how I think businesses should treat their customers, and in my own business I treat everyone the way I would want to be treated. The golden rule of life and the golden rule of business in my opinion. While I can’t make everyone happy and say yes every time, for the most part I’m willing to do just about whatever I can to make sure a customer is happy with what they get from me. And that makes for loyal customers who come back again and again.

Do you currently have help or do you do everything? 

I have a team of 5 who try to sit on my lap, steal stuff off my desk, eat my bows, spill my trash under my desk and write cryptic notes about farts in my notebook. Oh wait, that’s my 4 kids and my husband who are actually NOT helpful. So it’s just me. I do everything. One time I asked my husband to help me make leather tassels and he was fired immediately because his tassel looked like it was eaten and then regurgitated by a feral dog. But really, I’ve thought about hiring someone just to help me cut or package or something but I haven’t done it yet. I’m pretty happy doing it all by myself right now because I’m a control freak and I want to be the one making the bows that I see on baby’s heads. So I have no advice for anyone on this except that if you have people that can help you, and it gives you more time to spend with your family because you are growing, then by all means just do it! I’m sure the investment is worth it in the long run.

How many hours a week do you work?  How do you balance work and home?

I think I started this out thinking it was about 20-30 hours a week, but I forget that it’s not just about bow production.It’s setting up listings, taking photos, posting sales, packing, shipping – there’s really a lot that goes into it that I even forget is part of the business. I can sometimes work during the day when my husband is home to help with the kids. But usually I work after the kids go to bed. My family always comes first. People always ask how you do it when you have a bunch of kids and work, but you just do it. I spend as much time with them as possible until they fall asleep and then I can do what I want.

What type of lifestyle does your business afford you? 

 I make enough to have extra money for things like my sons’ lacrosse, karate, all their dang birthdays or hundreds of churros and corn dogs at Disneyland. But one of the things I’ve always wanted to do with extra money is be able to help others and causes I care about. This business for me has been the most fulfilling because I’m able to donate to auctions. It’s such an easy thing for me to take a few minutes to make some bows and have that contribute to helping another person who wouldn’t be able to do it on their own.

What has been the #1 most effective way you have marketed Mina Loves Bows?

I’ve only “marketed” on instagram really. I have a facebook but it doesn’t get as much traffic and I don’t pay to promote it. Instagram has been a really unique opportunity to spread the word about your work organically. Every time someone shares a pic of their baby wearing my bow, I get a few new followers. And the giveaways have worked out really great for that too. Plus I like to give things away so any chance I get to work together with other shops I love and spoil a greatful winner, is pretty fun to do.

side note // In the video interview, Anna also shared that collaborations with other shops – one per month in 2014 – played a huge role in growing her instagram following.

What has been your biggest business “win” or success so far? 

I was really proud the first time I had the opportunity to stock at a local boutique. It’s kind of nice validation to have people want to buy my products who don’t already follow me on Instagram. Obviously I love my Instagram followers and customers there, but I know that a big part of my business through Instagram is because of Mina. So knowing that people see my bows in a shop and like them, being completely disconnected from @minalovesbows feels really good. I’ve enjoyed being able to stock at more boutiques since then and want to keep doing that as much as I can.

 What are your ultimate goals for your business in the coming year?   Where do you see Mina Loves Bows in 5 years?

I’m not really sure honestly where I will be or where I want to be with Mina Loves Bows in the future. I enjoy what I’m doing now and nothing right now makes me want to stop how things are going and continue to grow little by little. But I would like to explore some other sides of this business or maybe just branch out with some other opportunities and take advantage of the amazing group of followers I’ve cultivated.  So I guess we’ll see?

What’s holding you back from where you are now and your end game?

If I wanted to expand, I know I should hire some people to help me so I can simply make more bows! But I just don’t know how long I will be doing this. I have things brewing in my brain for what direction I want to take career wise in the next few years and I haven’t yet decided what I want to do. So for now, I’m just going to keep making bows until people get sick of them.

What is it that you need help with right now, and if you could get free advice that would solve your problem right now, what would it be?

 I would like my kids to stop growing. I hate blinking and seeing them grow up right before my eyes. I also wish there were more hours in the day so at night I could do more sleeping then I could still make bows and get more than 4 or 5 hours of sleep.

If you could sit down with any entrepreneur for a 2 hour lunch and pick their brain, who would it be and why?

I feel lucky to have so many great friends that I’ve made through instagram who have businesses of their own. Living in southern California, I actually get to meet up with a lot of them like Jenn Harnett (@benandgellie) who actually got me started on Instagram in the first place. My best friend Jennie Toula (@sweetpeacloset) lives in Utah, along with Ali Jarman (@littlebowandarrow) and Wyatte Lyttge (@cagedbirdblog) and then Jen Anderson (@littlewifepowerhouse) who is in Northern CA, all who I talk to on a daily basis. I would love to get them all together in person. I got to meet up with Ali, Wyatte and Jen at Renegade in San Francisco and it was an awesome experience. And if my bff Jennie could just come live with me in my house, I think we could make magic together. Or kill each other.

What advice would you give your “just starting a business” self knowing everything you know now?

I might tell myself that it’s okay to say no. I think I’m probably a pretty big people pleaser, and I hate telling people that I don’t have time to make them something for a birthday or special event or holiday. I’ve had to do that more lately and I hate disappointing people. But I don’t like to take away too much from my family and I do want to try to get a good night’s sleep occasionally, so I have to remind myself even now that it’s okay to not try to do it all.

Do you have a morning ritual or routine?

I’m up at 6:30 every morning getting my kids ready for school. After I take my 2 youngest boys to school, if Mina is sleeping, I have a little time to catch up on messages and Instagram comments and maybe even work on a few bows or something before I take my oldest to school. When it’s just Mina and I at home, I can’t do much at my desk but I can at least check in on Instagram and answer emails. I don’t like being on my phone all the time but it’s nice to be able to do some of that work from there and still be able to watch cartoons with Mina for a few minutes before she throws my phone and has me make a Play Doh cupcake for her.

If you could do anything in the world, with no possibility of failure, what would it be?

Be an astronaut? Indiana Jones? Make a movie? Haha I guess the possiblities are endless. But really I am pretty fearless – probably stupidly, but that’s ok. I think if you worry constantly about screwing up and failing, you may never take risks but I’ve always just kind of gone for it no matter what I decide to do. If anything it’ll be an experience you’ve been able to learn from no matter what the outcome.

What’s been the best business book you’ve read?

I don’t think I’ve honestly read any business books actually. I like reading autobiographies and biographies of people I look up to, to kind of see what their thought process is or their philosophy about things and notice if there are any similarities or things I can learn from. Maybe all I get from it is a good laugh but that’s good enough to. Recently I read books from Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling and Lena Dunham – clearly, I love funny women and think maybe one day I will write a book about my life and Mina Loves Bows. Who knows?!

What’s your favorite success quote?

 “Every great wizard in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now, students. If they can do it, why not us?” from Harry Potter.

Closing thoughts to all the entrepreneurs following along to this interview?

It’s easy to feel like “no one likes me” or to feel discouraged by bad feedback, an unhappy customer or copycats.  If you care about your business, and it’s something you really want to do, just don’t give up.  There is room for everyone, and you have to still be proud of what you make.  Stop worrying about what you think people want you to do.   Just keep at it and make what you enjoy!

It also helps tremendously to make friends with other shop owners and build a community.

Such great stuff!  And have you heard about Anna’s bow swaps she coordinates?  We touched on this in the video interview, but make sure to follow her on instagram so you can participate in the next one.

Anna’s instagram @minalovesbows // and her website www.minalovesbows.etsy.com

Stay tuned for next week, when we feature the lovely Rachel Goode, owner of @briarhandmade!