Happy Sunday! I’m still a bit shocked that I get to talk to such inspiring creative entrepreneurs… especially when they were shop owners who seemed like celebrities in my little Free Babes start up days. Today’s entrepreneur is Sheree Laney, owner of Sherbert Lane!
Sheree Laney is the face behind Sherbert Lane, a hugely popular instagram bow and headband shop that makes the most adorable creations for little ladies (and bow ties for boys!) She has over 14K+ followers on Instagram, has created an intensely loyal customer base, and is one of the creative entrepreneurs I admire most. Sheree is such a beautiful person, inside and out, and I hope you love taking a peak inside her life and story as a budding entrepreneur.
If you have any questions for her, please let them in the comments and she will answer them!
Exciting news: I figured out the audio and it’s now enjoyable to watch. 🙂 You can either read this written interview, or grab a coffee, cozy up and WATCH our interview here!
So without further ado, let’s get started!
Hillary: What did you do before Sherbert Lane and how did you decide to start your own business?
Sheree: I was originally going to school to be a dental hygenist. That was always my passion and my goal – ever since I was in junior high. I went to school for that, and my husband graduated before me and got an internship randomly in Florida. I couldn’t finish school in Utah where we were, because we packed up and moved to Florida where he had his first job. So I was like, “Well, what am I going to do now?”
We decided to start a family! I found out I was having a girl and was so excited because I like to do crafty things and I had a sewing machine and liked to sew. Nothing big, but just little things. I started making onesies and adding cute vintage fabric to them and I would give them away for baby shower gifts. Once I found out I was having a girl, I thought, “She needs headbands too!” So I used all the leftover fabric I had and started designing little things and playing with my sewing machine and figuring out how to make cute headbands. That’s really how I got started. I got a lot of great feedback from my friends and they thought, “Oh! Her headband is so cute. You should try selling them!” I wasn’t so sure, but I just decided to open an etsy shop and surprisingly, they sold! (and a lot of my friends bought them).
I think that the social media boom helped my business grow. (We actually started three years ago this week!) It really helped boost my product. So that’s where I began. I found out I was having a girl and thought I needed to make her stuff.
So like an accidental entrepreneur.
Yeah! It’s not like I was searching to do something… I just stumbled upon it. So I really blame my 3 year old.
So was instagram big then? Or did you mostly do etsy?
No, instagram wasn’t big yet. So I just did etsy. I kinda did Facebook – I started a page, but I never really went to it. Once I discovered instagram for my own personal life, I thought, “Oh, it would be so great to post a picture of a bow and see what people say!” And it turned out to be great! So I thought, “Well, I need to make a business instagram” and went from there.
So how long did it take for you to build enough momentum for it to legitimately be considered a business to you?
It was pretty good after six months. I thought, “This is going pretty good. I’m pretty busy.” So yeah, about six months to actually be consistent with things. And you know, I never thought I would be where I am today. But I’m so grateful for the success that I’ve had. It’s so great. I LOVE doing it.
Was there a turning point for you when you thought, “I actively want to grow this and make this my main source of income?”
That’s a hard question. I didn’t intentionally start out to do this. I never thought it would be as big as it is today! Over the past few years, it’s just progressively getting better and better and I’m wondering when I’m every going to stop. But it’s just going so great, I can’t stop. 🙂
So I love the podcast, Entrepreneur on Fire, and he always starts with a failure moment because it allows the Entrepreneur to really connect with the listeners in a better way. So throughout your journey, what was your biggest challenge or moment of failure?
Well there have been many. But the main one, was when I was a vendor for Nordstrom. That was the most intimidating thing ever! And something BAD happened.
I was so new at it, and I didn’t really know how to run a business. My husband is a finance major and is getting his MBA ,so I turned to him and soaked in all his knowledge and he helped me out. But what happened: I kept receiving purchase orders from Nordstrom and I’m a one-woman show. I had just had my second baby and they would send me purchase orders that were huge! They wanted them in two weeks. I was just like, “Ok! I’ll try to get it on that date.” So I hired someone to help me.
Long story short, they never received one of the big purchase orders I sent. It just got lost. I tried so hard to find it and it NEVER got to them. I have no idea. I was heartbroken because it was all that hard work for nothing and I just think “Where are all those headbands?!?!” There’s like 100s of them! So that’s one of my biggest failures.
So how did that resolve? Did they end your contract?
No I got a couple more purchase ordered after that. But along the way, I was so stressed out. I had a new baby and was doing it all by myself. I think I did the shipping in a hurry, and didn’t take a deep breath. Looking back, I have no idea what went wrong.
I wonder where those bows are. Someone’s going to find a jackpot one day!
Was that worth it for you do do Nordstrom? Obviously you get the excitement of having your products in their store, but was the wholesale purchase price worth it?
That’s what I’ve been juggling. I’ve been thinking about doing it again, but obviously there are newer ways I will go about it. The margins aren’t very great. But the reason I pursued it is because it’s such an amazing opportunity and accomplishment for me to be able to see my product at Nordstrom for that time. It was really cool just to say that my small business got to be there. And they sold great! That was worth it.
(Even though I lost a huge purchase order.)
And lots of sleep. 🙂 So where do you find your support and community as a creative business owner and mom?
I have a lot of friends who own shops as well. And it’s been really fun seeing how their businesses progress and to collaborate with each other. I just moved and the community here [in Arizona] has also been so supportive. I don’t know if it’s because I’m from here, but all my friends have just been so wonderful. Even people who I just meet on instagram have become my friends – like loyal customers that have been with me from the get-go. I would say I have a lot of support.
So ultimately, what’s your why? Why are you in business and why do you do what you do?
I just love creating cute little things and seeing them on other people’s kids and being able to say, “Oh I made that!” It’s also fun to make little people fashionable. It’s so fun to be up to date on little kids fashion. It has been hard juggling family time with my business, and I definitely am a mom first, and a wife. So right now, after 3 years of doing this, I’ve found a comfortable schedule that allows me to put them first, and then tend to my business. It just seems to work out. It can be stressful at times – like going to bed at 2am A LOT. But it’s so rewarding at the end of the day. Not only is the income great, but it’s just really fun to see other people loving things that you’ve created.
There are definitely times when I’m really like, “WHY do I do this.” There are bags under my eyes and my kids are screaming. But it’s just fun to see my friends and customers putting my bows on their kids.
So I’m going to jump ahead to the work home balance. What is your arrangement? When do you work. When do you not?
We go to Hobby Lobby, JoAnns and the Post Office almost everyday. So we wake up early, and I try to spend the entire morning with the kids. We do something fun. We love being outside and doing fun activities. Whether that’s hitting the gym or Chik Fil A for lunch or Target. But then, I CRAVE for nap time. I have a 3-years old and a 1 year old and they both take naps at the same time. They have to go to bed or mom gets angry. When they are napping, I start working. Then right when 8pm comes around, they go to bed and I start working again.
And depending on the season, I’m either going to bed at 1 or 2am, or midnight. But I’ve been comfortable with that and I see the light at the end of the tunnel. The day will come when I can go to bed at 10pm – the same time as my husband. But right now, it doesn’t bother me that bad. It seems to be working just fine.
So how many hours total do you think you work?
I would say about 30. Then again, that is depending on the season and how crazy it is.
Which is a lot when you are a full-time mom!
Totally. It’s non-stop.
What would you consider are your personal strengths as a business owner. What do you do well?
I would say my customer service is on top of it – even though it’s just me. I want to put myself in the customer’s shoes, and if I were to be ordering something, which I do all the time, I would want them to respond quickly and in a nice way. I like to be positive and “the customer’s always right.” It’s one of my strengths.
And I would definitely add your marketing! Your instagram is awesome.
I try! And I definitely have learned from other great shops! You always learn from other people and it’s always an accomplishment to say, “I have this many followers.” But it really doesn’t even matter. As long as your product is good quality and you have good customer service, the following doesn’t really matter. Sometimes you are like, “Ah! Why don’t I have that many followers!” It’s just about what you are selling.
I totally agree. The thoughts that go through my mind are really ridiculous, like, “Man! My followers aren’t that engaged. Maybe if I changed the filter colors of my pictures they would come back more often.” I know it’s bizarre. I get it. 🙂
Yeah, I try to stay away from comparison. It’s hard, but you just have to stay away from that.
So you literally do everything?
I am a one-woman show. With Nordstrom orders I had hired a friend to help me. But every single day, I’m like, “I need to hire someone!” It just seems like more work to me to have to teach someone everything that I do. I’m kind of particular and make each piece perfect and how I want it. And I know I could teach someone to do it, but it’s just the time. My ultimate goal this year is to learn how to manufacture my things. If I want to get in Nordstrom again, that’s definitely something I have to do.
I have a friends who’s business is thriving and it is only under year old! The best thing she ever did was manufacture her things. She is someone I’ve been reaching out to. I just need to make the move.
Do you mind sharing who that friend is?
It’s Rags to Raches. One of my best friends Rachel started that shop. And it’s all manufactured.
It is so worth it. I don’t know if you know this, but I don’t make a single bow anymore.
You don’t?!
I feel guilty saying it! I started because I love to make the bows and still design them. But i have an 18-year old piecework seamstress who is ready to work. I mean I created an * anal * binder. Super detail oriented. Then we had a 2-week trial period where I was obsessing over details. And now, I place a big order and she delivers in a week and we have a bow-drop at Panera. She makes $2 a bow, so she averages about $15/hour. But it’s so worth it for me to have my time back.
So that’s where I’m nervous. I’m giving them all my fabric and then they are going to their house. How do you know if you can trust them? I have another friend who does the same thing and she gives them all her stuff and I think it’s amazing, but I get nervous.
No it’s true! Because I haven’t heard from my first seamstress in 2 weeks and didn’t realize we had ended our relationship, but you never know. I like to think you can trust people, but there is definitely risk involved. But it is SO worth it.
I think the pros way out the cons. My friend Rachel said that sometimes they mess up huge orders! But it’s so worth it in the end. We’ll have to talk later. 🙂
So what type of lifestyle does your business afford you? Is it full-time income, vacation money, cute clothing money…etc.
This business of mine wasn’t something I planned. It just has grown over time. And I’m so grateful I started it. Looking back, I’m so grateful because we were just out of college. It helped us boost our living expenses initially. You know, everyone is so poor right out of college. Then we immediately started a family. After Florida, we moved to Chicago and the cost of living there is so expensive that it was crucial that I made a certain amount every month in order for us to live comfortably. It helped us get through those financial times.
So your husband was on board. It wasn’t like this was your side project. This was your combined income.
Yes, it definitely was crucial I worked because otherwise we wouldn’t be able to live like we wanted to. (and to buy cute clothes of course.)
Well it’s nice when you stay up till 2am making it, because you can more easily justify paying a crazy amount for, let’s say, a handmade bonnet! (Side note: I would not say buying my favorite bonnets is paying a crazy amount. But my husband may or may not agree, Rachel.)
So, what’s your favorite social media platform and why?
I only use instagram. I would say 80% of my customers are from there. Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without it. I would still get sales through etsy and I used to be really loyal to my blog, but it’s been years since I updated it. I rarely go on Facebook.
It seems like it’s all of our go-tos. It’s just an awesome platform.
So what has been your biggest business success so far?
I would say being a vendor for Nordstrom. It was just so great seeing my product in Nordstrom! It would be great in any store.. a boutique or whatever, but that was the big winner.
I’m sure I can speak for everyone in saying that’s would be classified as a big win for all of us.
And it’s also a big accomplishment if you hit 5k or 10k or 15k. It’s kinda a cool thing to have under you – people interested in following your shop and liking your things.
How did you get into Nordstrom?! (We all our dying to know)
From instagram! One of their people – maybe “vendor lady” (laughs) – contacted me on instagram and said she was interested in selling my things in Nordstrom and online through them and I was like, “Say wha??! … Nordstrom?!” It just went from there. Everything happened so fast, but I’m so glad I did it.
So you literally got scouted.
I wish I could say it wasn’t so easy. Maybe they were testing out vendors and I was one of them. It was great cause they had my stuff in a new Nordstrom they opened and it was great to hear the first day that store opened they almost completely sold out! It was a cool accomplishment. I was really proud of myself, but then it just got crazy because they kept wanting more and more and more.
Did you end it with them?
I had to tell her, “I can’t give you 1000 headbands in a week. I’m sorry!” I should have been more prepared and I totally was a noobie at everything. So now, I’m definitely more prepared. That’s why I want to look more into manufacturing or hiring.
And you still have that relationship? So you could reach out at any time.
I totally could. I just want to be prepared.
So for 2015, what’s your ultimate vision for your business?
Manufacturing! January 1st we are going to manufacture and try to get into Nordstrom again. I think it would be wonderful and totally boom business.
And once you get manufacturing figured out, you can just scale it.
Exactly. I’m excited, but just maybe a little too comfortable with where I’m at right now. I’m a mom first, so it would be hard totally change my whole schedule.
So is there anything holding you back from where you are now and where you ultimately want to be?
I think I need to test out what you are doing. Hire someone and see how it goes. I think that’s where I’d be the most comfortable: when I don’t have to make the product myself and just run the business part of it.
If you could sit down with any entrepreneur for a 2-hour lunch and pick their brian, who would it be a why?
I have a lot! I think Susan Peterson from Freshly Picked would be amazing. I know she holds a bunch of seminars and it would be so great to go hear her speak. I would love to pick her brain. We have all heard her story through Shark Tank and it’s amazing. I’m also really good friends with Joslyn Pattee from Lemons & Lace. She has helped me a ton. I would love to learn more from her. Her business has boomed in a short amount of time as well.
I mentioned my friend Rachel from Rags to Raches. It would be fun to pick her brain too… as well as Jenn Bloomies, owner of Bloomies Handmade. She has been in the business for a while and has done a phenomenal job. I would love to know her secret.
Are these all friends who were friends first or cyber friends you’ve made?
Joslyn and I are from the same place, but we got to know each other better online. And I’m really good friends with Susan’s brother. I don’t know her personally. I want to say I do! (laughs) I actually reached out to her years ago. That was when she started making little zippered bags.
I think it’s awesome that someone like Susan isn’t only successful with her business, but also so influential and inspiring to others. She really takes an interest in sharing her knowledge to help others while growing her business.
Yes she was at the Land of Nod event in Chicago and was so real and down to earth! She is just so normal and I loved it.
What advice would you give “just starting out self,” knowing all that you know now?
Do all that you can to put your name out there and your product. That’s really how you get started. Create something that is new and different. It’s always great to use different fabric and have a cool design, so people can see it and be like,” Oh, that’s a Sherbert Lane headband.” Create your own look and design so your stuff can stick out in the crowd. There are so many competitors out there and a lot of people do the same things, which isn’t a bad thing. We all feed off each other. But have your own little twist.
And another thing… don’t be afraid to ask other shops for advice. I always view it as a compliment when a fellow shop asks me for some help. I’m so happy to help them.
Well, I’m going to ask you a ton of stuff!!! (laughs) I’m a huge Tony Robbins fan and he made a little diagram before of how you succeed really fast, and then you hit a wall – a plateau – and you can’t get to the next place. A lot of people get super frustrated, grind and can’t get past it. But the easiest thing is to find someone who’s done it before, and ask them!
You are just asking – what’s there to lose. If they say no, oh well. Move to the next person.
What do you do for fun?
I’m an outside person. We love to be outside. I feel like I”m a sun worshipper. We LOVE to be in the sun. Florida did a number on us. We were so spoiled and lived on the beach. I also love to workout. My poor kids are always like, “No! Not the gym again!” I love to play volleyball as well. I played college volleyball, so it’s one of my passions. And I love to shop for kids clothes. I always see adorable things in mini sizes and wished they came in my size.
If you could do anything in the world with no possibility of failure, what would it be?
First of all, I’d be on the beach by myself soaking in the sun. That’s my favorite thing to do in the entire world. But honestly, I would love to be a mom to a TON of kids. I know that might sound weird and have nothing to do with business, but that’s what I would want to be. If I knew every child I raised would be a success, I would have a ton of kids!
And money wasn’t an issue, right?
(laughs) and if my body still looked good.
Do you have a morning ritual?
Yes. We wake up and go to the gym and I get the kids off to their activities and then we play.
That sounds awesome. Some uninterrupted kid time in the morning.
I love it. It’s the greatest. I don’t ever want them to feel like I’m neglecting them because I’m working. I try to be my best at paying attention to them.
What’s your fave quote?
I’m not necessarily a quote person because I can’t remember them. My husband can remember anything! It’s so crazy. But one that I love is through my church. It’s “When we learn to expect more success than failure in life, we soon will develop an attitude of success.” I think it’s so true, because it’s really just your attitude and your view [on life]. If you make an effort and have a good attitude, you will become successful.
That reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: “Whether you think you can, or you can’t, you are right.” It’s so motivating. It really is all about your attitude.
Who are your top three entrepreneur inspirations in general?
I really love Ellen DeGeneres. I think she is so great – so positive and upbeat and has a great business going on. Also Susan Peterson. And that brings me to my favorite business book. I love Dave Ramsey! I would say he is a good inspiration too. He gets you in a great mood to save money and budget. It doesn’t help that my husband is a finance freak. He’s a Dave Ramsey junior. [Dave] helps you with your business and gets you on your feet.
What’s the funniest thing your kids have ever said?
My three-year old has lately been saying, “Hey mom! Boys smell like dirt and girls smell like flowers.” And her latest quote has been, “I’m going to pinch your cottage cheese buns.” And I’m like, Oh my gosh! Are you looking at mine???
Do you have any other advice to all the handmade/creative business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs watching and listening?
Just keep doing it! Don’t ever give up. There may be times where you are like, “Oh my gosh, why am I doing this.” Things can be so competitive. Just keep designing and having your own twist to your product. Don’t be afraid to ask and learn from others. There are so many ways you can reach people. Hopefully they will respond!
I had such a wonderful time interviewing Sheree, and getting to know the biz she has created a bit better. You can find her on instagram here, and visit her website on etsy here.
Stay tuned for next Sunday, when we will feature Joslyn Pattee, owner of Lemons & Lace!
Be Brave, Hillary
