So at risk of going out of business [for new readers, I own Free Babes Handmade and we make bows] I’m going to publish this interview with Jackie, owner of Happiness Lives Here, and the maker of quite possibly the most gorgeous bows on the internet. #bowcrush
But seriously, if there is one thing I’m committed to, it’s women supporting other women’s creative talents and businesses. I literally don’t believe in competition, and have found personally that with support come success. It’s the whole scarcity mindset. If you think there is not enough business for everyone and you have to compete, that will become true. There truly won’t be enough business for you. But if you believe there is enough for everyone, you will find your journey will be more fun and also more abundant! j u s t my two cents. But I digress…
So Jackie makes darling bows, and they just always happen to pop up on big-time influencers. She used to work for JJ.Cole, and has a wealth of knowledge about the product line and marketing side of the business. I hope you learn a ton from her!
#pressplay to watch our recorded Skype video (can’t believe this happened LAST SUMMER) and enjoy! We also have a written Q&A below. 🙂
https://youtu.be/YYsvoe_z2Gg[/embed]
“Hi, I’m Jackie. I am a mom of 2, well, 3 by the time this interview will be posted. I have a little shop named Happiness Lives Here, where I make and sell bows and hair pieces for babies and little girls. I love being involved in a handmade and entrepreneur community (especially of women and mothers) and am happy to share my process and what I have learned along my shop journey.”
What did you do before Happiness Lives Here? How did you decide to start your own business?
I studied Apparel and Textiles with minor in Apparel Design. When I graduated, I started working at a startup company in the baby industry that was just getting a lot of traction and growth. I worked there until I was ready to have my second baby. I didn’t start my shop with the thought of it becoming a business. I started it just to make a few hundred dollars a month to help my parents with some home repairs that they were in need of.
Can you give us a brief history of Happiness Lives Here? How long have you been in business? What has your growth looked like? Can you tell us a story of some of the “unglamorous” moments just starting up?
I opened my shop in 2012 and just had extra fabric from some clothing I was making for my little girl and thought it would be a good way to make up for the cost of making some handmade items for her and as a bit of a creative outlet for myself. I have closed my shop for 6-8 months a couple of times, because it wasn’t ever the vision to have a bow shop as a real business. My growth had been slow and manageable, until I had a couple of people promote my shop unexpectedly! That happened in February of this year, so I had a major jump. Since then, my shop has gone back to a steady growth with a few small bumps.
Unglamorous moments… Well, when my shop had about 300 orders come in in about 3 days, it was so unexpected and at the time I was hand cutting out my felt bows. I was cutting out those dang bows pretty much every second I could. My cutting hand had callouses for weeks.
I’m Like Brave is about creating an uncommon life. What does an “uncommon life” you love look like for you? How does your business help create this ideal lifestyle?
Right now, I want my primary focus to be on my kids. I am very lucky that my husband is such a hard worker and it allows me to be home with our children full time AND pursue some of my creative goals and dreams. I also want my kids to see that I work because I have ambitions and things that I want to accomplish. And that by contributing to our household income we are able to do things that we would like to do, like travel and have experiences together as a family.
Where did you find your mentors, or resources to help learn about entrepreneurship and running a successful business?
I did learn a lot from my years working–both good and bad. I worked for and with amazing people though and a lot of them have gone on to start their own businesses and I consider them all mentors and resources.
Can you tell a story about the biggest business “lesson” you have learned so far?
Start with the end in mind. Because I didn’t start this shop with having a legitimate, long-term business in mind, I didn’t put as much forethought into the strategy, product offerings and branding of my shop as I wish I would have. It is difficult to backtrack or change the way your shop runs or the offerings of your shop once you have an established customer base.
How many people do you employ? What does the infrastructure of your business look like? Any advice on when or how to hire or outsource?
I have two girls who are in high schools that do some prep work for me, but for the most parts, I am still very much involved of my business. I am currently looking to hire one to two seamstresses.
How many hours per week do you work? How do you balance family life with work?
Currently I work about 25-35 hours per week. Ideally I would like to be down to 20-25 hours. I try to do as much as I can in the morning and then after my kids are in bed, but there are also some afternoons when I have to catch up. I am working on the balance, but I have been making sure to do active things with my kids during the day because we all need to get our wiggles out! My kids definitely come first and I try not to let my phone with Instagram, shop questions come out when I am with my kids.
If you were to teach a college course on entrepreneurship, what would the course be titled? What is one lesson you would teach us?
This is such a tough question for me. I gave an answer in the skype interview, but to be honest I still can’t think of a strong answer.
What has been the most exciting thing to happen to your business so far? How did it happen?
Just to be noticed by someone like Amy Richardson of June and January. It was flattering to have someone that I have been watching on Pinterest, Instagram to share my shop with her followers. It was very unexpected, but I am very thankful for that push and what it did for my shop.
What is your ultimate vision for your business in the coming year? Where do you see Happiness Lives Here in 5 years?
I feel like I am still looking for the exact right product or product line for me to focus on. I have some ideas of what I would like it to be, but I’m still in process of elimination right now. In the upcoming year I am looking to streamline my process and pieces. Make my shop scaleable and products more artisan. I would like to do some collaborations and release a couple of capsule collections.
What’s holding you back from where you are now and your ultimate goals?
Three things. Time, focus and execution.
What is it that you need help with right now in order to take your business to the next level?
I would like to focus more of my time and efforts on promoting my brand and product development rather and the making and fulfilling of orders. That comes down to me taking the time to hire and train–letting go of the controls.
If you could sit down with any entrepreneur for a 2 hour lunch and pick their brain, who would it be and why? What would you ask them?
There are so many great resources out there for us to have access to entrepreneurs with podcasts, books, articles, blogs etc. So I feel fortunate to have so much information at my fingertips. Jenna Lyons has done such an amazing job at J.Crew and that her vision seems vast and flawless. Tory Burch would also be at the top of my list. She literally started at her kitchen table and has created an empire.
What advice would you give your “just starting a business” self knowing everything you know now?
I go back to my thoughts on creating a business plan and putting thought into where you want to be established. I would also tell myself not to think narrowly or limited.
Jamie Tardy, podcaster at “The Eventual Millionaire” says millionaires share 2 habits: they all keep their own journals and they all have a morning ritual. What does your morning ritual ideally look like?
Two days a week I start my mornings by teach reformer pilates classes at 5:30 and have 3 hour-long classes. The other three week mornings I either get up and exercise, but more often than not these days, I sleep in until my kids wake me up!
If you could do anything in the world, with no possibility of failure, what would it be?
Start a business ; )
What’s been the best business book you’ve read?
I just read Essentialism by Greg Mckeown. I needed to hear (or read) so many of the principles that the book teaches–in business and life in general.
What’s your favorite success quote and why?
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – T. Roosevelt
Both help me to remember that working hard, no matter the outcome, is an accomplishment on its own. I am a big believer in hard work and not giving up.
Closing thoughts to other entrepreneurs or those on the verge of starting a business:
Don’t feel like you are pegged into one design, idea, product, etc. Play around and try different things. If one thing isn’t working, don’t give in, change things up and keep trying.
Can you get over those cute bows? I can’t. It was a pleasure getting to talk to Jackie about her business (for someone who isn’t quite sure she has landed on “her thing” yet, she makes it seem like it comes pretty natural) and you can find her on instagram at @happinessliveshere and on etsy at www.happinessliveshere.etsy.com.
Be Brave!
Hillary
