"People think you can just open a website and it will just happen, but it takes time to become established!"

About SUGARBABIES BOUTIQUE: Our store has been in business since 2005 and is one of the original online baby boutiques. We are a family-owned business based in WA state where our boutique and offices are located. It truly takes a village to run SugarBabies; the original owner and her 8 passionate employees run every aspect of the business in-house. The SugarBabies team is made of working moms with children ranging from newborn to 22!

Can we just say, everything you carry has GOT to give people baby fever! Everything is sooo cute! Do you have a favorite item that you recommend to mamas time and time again?

Tell us about how SugarBabies got started, and what inspired you to bring this brand to life.  

SugarBabies was started in 2005 when I was pregnant with my second son, I was looking for affordable options for baby clothing and I wasn’t having a whole lot of success finding what I had in mind. So, I spent the year going to garage sales and I collected a ton of secondhand baby items and I opened my store as retail consignment shop boutique at first! We no longer do resale or consignment 16 years later but that was the original business model for SugarBabies - it was such a great way to start! The first store was 2,000 square feet on Main Street in Sumner Washington. I often get asked how the name SugarBabies came to be and it’s named after my Grandpa who passed away after battling ALS in 2005 - the same year the store opened… he used to call me his little sugar baby and the store was named in his honor!

We read you were one of the original baby boutiques to show up online + do the dang thing. That is nothing short of AH-MAZING. What was it like to take the internet by storm and share your passion for your baby boutique with everyone?  

When the recession happened in 2008, big box stores and malls started heavily discounting apparel, so consignment prices almost lost their value in a way. Gymboree for example back in the day when I did consignment was so huge because it was so expensive and was almost before boutiques existed so we would resell it, but then the recession hit and things were discounted to 50% off new, customers no longer were wanting used items. Due to this, I started buying new products as I realized my customers were now seeking more unique items that they couldn’t find elsewhere. I switched my business model to adapt to what was happening in the economy - I had to find things that weren’t being discounted by big box sellers and things that could hold their value. The recession is what pushed SugarBabies to turn from a consignment shop to a boutique! I sought to find unique brands that would set my store apart and in 2010 I moved down the street to our 5,000 square foot store and expanded to a retail boutique plus opened an online website. 

Being in business for over 16 years is incredibly impressive! You've survived the recession of 2008 + now a global pandemic in 2020. How did you do it? 

During the recession I changed my business model from consignment to retail, it was also a time where the internet started to become a ‘thing’ so I opened a website shopsugarbabies.com - as I was bringing new merchandise into my store I was also adding every single new thing onto my website. I started with 2 brands and grew as I went - creating and online presence and switching my business model is what got us through the recession. The same website I created back during the recession is actually what set me up to be successful and remain open during the pandemic, we relied heavily on website sales since our physical storefront had to be closed for quite some time. The internet is a strange place because we have built so much organic website traffic over the years that has been crucial for our growth - people think you can just open a website and it will just happen but it takes time to become established! During the pandemic, we were lucky enough to be able to have an online presence, while our store was closed. We doubled down on social media, ran more targeted ads and created more media content! Social media ads led to website traffic, which meant our customers never had to leave their homes to shop during the pandemic… it really opened our eyes to an entire new way of selling! Everything is virtual.  For example, we now offering virtual personal shopping & baby registry assistance! 

We need to know! What show can you binge over and over again without getting sick of it? 

I really liked Schitt's Creek because who doesn't like to laugh!

What's it like building a company like SugarBabies? How do you manage that work-life balance? 

HA HA HA - this one is great! I was raised by hard workers and a family that was very motivated with an incredible work ethic. Having this type of personality, can make a work life balance really tough as I always want to make my business bigger, better and stronger, but that's something you have to learn to do while putting your family first as it really is the most important! I use to work 6 days a week and now I work 3 days in store and 3 days from home so I can have that extra family time… but trust me and don’t get me wrong, if you’re opening a business you’re working 24/7. You must put a good 5 years in before it pays off.  You can then empower your employees and give yourself a little grace to have that little bit of balance. 

What part of being a business owner do you enjoy the most? Which part do you absolutely despise?   

What kind of interview would this be if we didn't ask everyone's "favorite" question. Where do you see SugarBabies in 5 years? What's your long-term vision? 

One step at a time for me! Things change so fast so I’m more of a week by week type of person. I see something coming up and I create a plan to conquer it in that moment. I can’t predict the future so why would I try and plan it! If tomorrow everyone starting ONLY shopping online, I would have to adapt. I think it’s always hard to plan things out - or at least I’m not that person. I move, adapt, go with the flow and with whatever is making money! If you asked Nordstroms 5 years ago what they would be doing in 5 years I guarantee it’s not what they’re doing now. 

Tell us about the most memorable experience you've had in the last 16 years of business!   

I have had a lot of memorable moments over the last 16 years but a highlight that sticks out to me is winning King 5’s Best of Western Washington’s Award 6 years in a row - that was pretty exciting! We also did a talk shows, fashion shows on the news, we had King5 come to the store, a lot of celebrities have bought from us, and this year we had an outfit featured in People Magazine! And of course, every experience with our customers is memorable and special! 

If you could give your younger self any piece of advice about being a business owner, what would it be + why? What would you change about your business knowing this advice, anything?

The commitment. The commitment to owning a business is 24 hours a day 7 days a week. So, if you’re going to own a business, you’re signing up for an everyday for the rest of your life commitment. I take on a huge responsibility with my staff, knowing I have people with young families to keep employed that rely on my business - it is definitely beyond just me, I have a lot of other bodies to consider! Crystal ball style its really weird to think about changing anything. I’m already 16 years deep, but we are currently open 7 days a week - that might be something I change… growing the online business so I could have the store front closed a day to dedicate for a family day to help with that work life balance we talked about ;).

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"People can wear whatever they'd like, regardless of their size, and it's our job as a brand to create pieces for bodies of all sizes."

About Nomads Swimwear: Through my experience as a designer, I've been exposed to the glacial pace that the fashion industry has taken when it comes to making size inclusion a priority. One of the many segments of the industry that this glacial pace is evident is the swimwear industry. Throughout my time as a plus-size model, this became apparent while on swimwear jobs where I was having to model matronly and modest swim styles made for curvy and plus-size women. I was often left wondering, who would wear these? Where are the cute brands that have extended sizing? Enter Nomads. We are bridging the gap by offering continuity across sizes in our chic, bold swim styles to show that real size inclusion is possible! It is our belief that everyone should have access to the same style of clothing, no matter their size, that is why it is so important for us to have an extensive size range of sizes XS-5X! 

Uhm, can we just tell you, what you're doing with size-inclusivity is something that we are SO excited to see come into the clothing scene! You've got to have at least one design that is your all time fave, which is it?  

It’s so hard to choose just one. But if I had to pick my top three would be the Bay, Current, and the Wave!

What has it been like building a company like NomadsSwimwear? How did you come up with the idea and how did you get started? 

It’s been a challenging and interesting but fun experience to say the least! Nomads started as my capstone collection in my final semester of fashion design school at the University of Cincinnati. It was there that I learned the fundamentals of design and was able to find the inspiration for the brand and the first collection. Coupled with my experience as a model and my exposure to the market, it became crystal clear just how necessary creating a brand like Nomads is.

Let's get into the nitty gritty-- being a business owner in today's world can be extremely challenging. Did you ever want to give up/quit? How did you deal with this feeling + overcome it?  

There are definitely days when I feel overwhelmed but never days when I want to completely quit and give up. On days when I feel overwhelmed, I try and take some time for myself and do something relaxing or something that brings me joy.

How do you manage work-life balance? How has this shifted since you first started the business? 

To be honest, I’m still figuring out that balance. As a founder of a new brand, it can be a lot of late nights and early mornings which makes it hard to have that balance, at least initially. But as we’ve grown, I’ve tried to set my hours and give myself that time to fully “clock out” and recharge.

Your inbox status says so much about your personality, so we have to know! Are you the kind of person that has an empty inbox or the kind of person who has thousands of unread emails? 

I wouldn’t say I have SO many unread mails, I do have a few unread marketing emails from brands. Does that count?

Girl, you are KILLING it with your features in Marie Claire + Forbes. What has been your most memorable experience as a business owner?

There’s been several memorable moments even though we only launched in July of 2020. Forbes was definitely up there but other memorable experiences have been being selected as a Founder of Change by American Express and the first Home For Dreams initiative recipient by Parachute Home. 

Have you gotten any backlash from customers or the fashion industry? Have you been faced with challenges because your swimwear is size inclusive? 

Lately I have gotten some backlash, but it hasn’t come from the industry. It has come from older women who find us via Instagram or Facebook and don’t like seeing liberated curvy and fat bodies. Whenever this occurs, I try and use it as a teachable moment and explain to them that people can wear whatever they’d like, regardless of their size, and it’s our job as a brand to create pieces for bodies of all sizes.   

Where do you get inspiration from when designing new swimwear collections? Where does that spark usually come from? 

Each of our destination collections are inspired by a different destination. Our  photographs we take there are how we create our one-of-a-kind prints. 

What kind of interview would this be if we didn't ask everyone's "favorite" question? Where do you want to see Nomad Swimwear in 5 years? What's your long-term vision?

In 5 years, I definitely see Nomads expanding into new categories like resort wear, activewear, and loungewear. Those are all categories I love designing, so I’m excited to see the brand expand over time. 

What piece of advice would you give to female business owners just starting out? 

Be patient and don’t give up. I think so often we hear about brands being overnight successes and that can really cloud how we think of our businesses and successes. We don’t always hear about the years in the making that led to that moment of success for the brand. And like anything, good things take time so it’s important to apply that to our own lives, brands, and entrepreneurial journeys.

Learn more about the Small Biz Strong movement here! 

Purchase a bracelet for yourself or gift one to a strong, small biz owner here! 

"People say you can't have both, meaning and a full-time business and being a mom and I don't believe so at all! I love my time at work and I love time with my kiddos." 

About POPPI: Allison had been looking for solace from her chronic health issues, and apple cider vinegar answered her prayers — after drinking it every day for a week her symptoms all but vanished. Poppi is a pop with natural sweeteners and fresh fruit, so you can get all the benefits of ACV without the overpowering taste! Cheers! 

Learn how entrepreneur Allison Ellsworth got started with POPPI, and how she and her business overcame the struggles of this past year. 

Our favorite office flavor is easily strawberry-lemon. As the founder of Poppi, you've got to have a favorite flavor! Which flavor would you say has your heart and your taste buds?

So hard to choose between all of our amazing flavors, but I always find myself reaching for Strawberry Lemon! This flavor is close to my heart because it is one of the first flavors I came up with. You can’t ever go wrong with a cold Strawberry Lemon!

So, tell us, how did you come up with the idea for Poppi? What sparked the idea and how did you turn it into a full-time business? 

I came up with Poppi, when I was pregnant with my son. I was experiencing a bunch of health issues and visited many doctors, with no answer as to why I was feeling so sick. I then decided to do my own research and discovered Apple Cider Vinegar! I gave it a try and it ended up making me feel so much better!! The taste on its own is horrible though, so I made it into a drink that tasted amazinggg. I started this as a passion project and sold my tasty secret at the local farmers market, and now it’s on grocery store shelves nationwide!!

We want all the dirt! What was it really like to be on Shark Tank in 2018?! (& not to mention, you were pregnant at the time!) 

It was definitely a life changing experience that is for sure. I was SUPER pregnant at the time and I went to an open casting. We got the call one night that we were selected to be on the show, and I had to get there the next day. I was ready to pop at any moment, but I knew I had to be there and had to make this happen because it was a once in a lifetime chance. It ended up being beyond worth it. I had my son Theo a few days after the show! 

Your business was set for its big debut in March of 2020, but then as we all (unfortunately) know, the pandemic hit. How did this impact your business? Did you make any major pivots during this time? 

I think that social media and the beauty of engagement on the internet really helped take Poppi where it is now. People were stuck at home, but they were also on their phones more than ever, so with the use of social media we were able to get our name out there during a time where no one was going anywhere. We really made the most out of a difficult time and sticky situation!

What's it like building a company like Poppi and being a mama of two kiddos? How do you manage work-life balance? 

I’d be lying if I said it was easy. But thankfully my husband Stephen and I run the company together so that is a huge help. People say you can’t have both, meaning a full-time business and being a mom and I don’t believe so at all! I love my time at work and I love my time with my kiddos. I’m so lucky! It’s all worth it. 

Where can we find you when you're not working on Poppi?

At home with my family & our dog buddy! We also like to be outdoors & take the kids to the park. I am busy with Mom life and really try to spend as much time with my two little ones doing crafts, cooking in my kitchen, or taking the kids to sports.

If you could give any piece of advice to a new female-entrepreneur, what would it be? 

My piece of advice would be to go for it! You’ll never know until you start and I think majority of the process is just starting. Make sure it is something you are seriously in love with and fully believe in and you will go places. Everything happens for a reason and when many doors are shut on you, it will lead you to the correct opportunity!    

What kind of interview would this be if we didn't ask everyone's "favorite" question. Where do you see Poppi in 5 years? What's your long-term vision? 

I want Poppi to take over big soda! Anyone and everyone can drink Poppi, while enjoying the taste and not to mention the benefits. Things that are good for you can taste GOOD too. My goal is for our product to provide happiness one can at a time. We represent so much more than just a beverage. We say our drinks are happiness canned, and that’s truly what we believe! 

We have to know, what's your biggest guilty pleasure? 

I have a sweet tooth.. so donuts! Haha. I’m gluten free though so it’s incredibly hard to find good ones. My favorite donuts are from a place called Sidecar in Southern California. They are amazing!!!

We all have that one moment in our entrepreneurial journey that sticks out as being a truly memorable experience. What's your's?

When I was selling my product at the farmers market in Dallas and a Wholefoods buyer happened to be there shopping! She tried Poppi (Mother Beverage at the time) and she was instantly in love with the taste. That experience was a stroke of luck and I am forever grateful! We wouldn’t be where we are without that right place right time moment.

Learn more about the Small Biz Strong movement here! 

Purchase a bracelet for yourself or gift one to a strong, small biz owner here! 

"I never dreamt I would be a small business owner, but slowly and surely I got certified and licensed and before I knew it, I was officially in business." 

Learn how entrepreneur Cara Hanson got started with CUT&iced, and how she runs her business while being a mom of three kiddos. 

Let us just put this out there, we are OBSESSED with your cookie designs. You've got to have a favorite design or recipe you've made so far. Is there a cookie or set that stole your heart?

Thank you! I do have some favorite sets for sure…they are always the ones that are hardest to let go out the door haha. An early favorite was one of the first sets that I had creative license from the client. Her son was turning three and his birthday was a “snorkel and sea” theme. I made these super fun jellyfish cookies that I am still in love with more than a year later! I also made an Amalfi Coast themed wedding set last summer for a small elopement style ceremony (oh, covid…) and I loved making those too.

We need to know where your love for making cookies came from! Were you that little girl who always baked in an easy-bake oven?

I never had an easy bake oven, but I did enjoy being in the kitchen.  I have always enjoyed baking more than everyday cooking, but the cookie love honestly didn’t come until the very end of 2018 when I stumbled upon it through a demo class with my local Mothers of PreSchoolers group.  I took a class at the beginning of 2019 from local cookie celebrity Aime Pope (@thepaintedpastry), was instantly obsessed and never looked back!

What was your "ah-ha" moment, when you decided to pursue your journey as a small business owner? What inspires you to keep going? 

After practicing cookies for several months and having what seemed like a never ending stream of friends and acquaintances inquiring about events, the cogs started turning and my husband surprised me by suggesting I go for it and start a business. I never dreamt I would be a small business owner, but slowly and surely I got certified and licensed and before I knew it I was officially in business.  There are definitely some days, especially when I am up in the wee hours of the morning flooding cookies, that I wonder “why am I doing this?” but then a set comes together or my son comes downstairs and gasps at the cookies I made overnight and it renews my motivation.  My kids inspire me all the time and my inner motivation to continue to learn, improve, and grow keeps me going as well. 

The pandemic definitely changed plans for many people. How did it impact your cookie business? Did you make any major pivots?  

Prior to the pandemic, I was booking out 6-8 months and many orders were for multiple dozens.  My kiddos were in school and preschool, so I had some day time hours to work and things were running fairly smoothly.  In the early days of the pandemic all my orders cancelled.  I actually spent the time taking online classes myself and working on new skills and techniques that I hadn’t had time to try due to being so busy.  I focused on building a website and rebranding to celebrate my first business anniversary which helped bide the time when I wasn’t making cookies.  By the end of the summer, I got back to taking orders again, but things had shifted.  Most orders were for a dozen or less (no big parties, etc.) and I also had my kids home full time now, so it sort of worked out for the best on it’s own.  One of the biggest disappointments was all of the cookie workshops I had scheduled for 2020 getting cancelled.  I was an educator before I had my children and I was so excited to share my new love of cookies in a workshop format.  I am still trying to figure out how to pivot that piece of my business, but I have some exciting things in the works, hopefully being announced soon!

Don't hold back, we want the honest truth... what has been the most difficult part of being a small business owner? 

Gosh, mostly it has been really fun, but I think the most difficult part is probably the emails and communication.  I think people often forget that small businesses are often one person.  Due to my residential kitchen license, I am unable to hire employees outside the residence, so it is always just me, myself, and I.  And that one person is not only running the business side of the business, but baking all the dough, icing all the cookies and on top of that being a full time mama and wife.  It’s a lot of plates up in the air and when you get that one email or Instagram message that doesn’t have the best tone, it’s difficult to not take it personally.  I will say though that I have some of the most understanding and patient clients and for that I am so, so grateful!!

What is it like running a super successful business like CUT&iced and being a mama to three kiddos? How do you manage that work-life balance?

Thank you!  It is a lot and if someone has the answer to the work-life balance, let me know!!  In all seriousness, my day time hours are for the kiddos.  The reason I even went down the business road with my cookies is because I can work in the evenings and the early morning hours while my kids are sleeping.  Our mornings are spent homeschooling, afternoons are for play, chores, lots of outdoor time, etc. and then after we clean up from dinner and I get them all tucked into bed, then the cookies come out.  Sometimes when an order needs finishing up, I’ll work on it during the day time hours, but I really try hard to be present with them during the day.

What to do you do to relax when you're not baking and creating gorgeous cookies? 

Hmmm…I actually take on non-business cookies (like art collabs and such) which makes it fun for me.  Otherwise, I love hanging out with my husband.  We have been making good sport out of traversing our way through Netflix during the pandemic haha, but we also enjoy board games.  I also love a good self care night…foot soak, face mask, etc.   

What is the best piece of business advice you've ever been given? 

Set boundaries and stick to them.  And it’s ok to say no.  In the beginning, I said yes to every order, every opportunity and a couple of them almost broke me.  Now more than ever with having even more on my plate, sticking to my boundaries is so important.  The beauty of being your own boss is you get to set the rules!  

What piece of advice would you give to another female business owner that is just starting her journey?  

Good question!  I think it would be don’t make hasty decisions.  Do your research and know your field.  And have fun!!  Owning your own business is hard and exhausting, but it should still be fun because you are doing something you believe in and are passionate about. 

What kind of interview would this be if we didn't ask everyone's "favorite" question?! Where do you want to see CUT&iced in 5 years? What's your long-term vision for the business?

That is a tricky question.  Ideally I would love to have a little cookie empire in five years, but while custom cookies are trendy now, who knows if they will be a thing of the past in five years.  Hopefully they are bigger than ever!  I would love to be able to teach workshops regularly and maybe even develop my own line of merchandise or products.  The sky’s the limit right?

www.cutandiced.com

@cut.and.iced - FB and IG

cut.and.iced@gmail.com

 Learn more about the Small Biz Strong movement here! 

Purchase a bracelet for yourself or gift one to a strong, small biz owner here! 

"It feels like I am putting together gift baskets for friends each time a new season starts." 

The journey with Women’s Collective began in March of 2020. Having experienced, firsthand, how women, their ideas, and their products flourish within communities that value their voices and empower them to succeed, Rashelle felt inspired to harness the soul-stirring energy that comes from women supporting each other’s dreams. Learn how entrepreneur Rashelle Whiteharris got started with Women's Collective Box, and how she and her business overcame the struggles of this past year. 

We want to tell you just how much we LOVE the community you're building of strong, entrepreneurial women! Tell us how you came up with the idea for Women's Collective Box and how you got started. 

I wanted to start a business that helped support small, women-owned businesses. I wasn’t sure exactly what that was going to look like at the beginning. My first idea was actually to start a magazine, but I really wanted to find a way I could get products directly into consumer’s hands and that’s how WCB came about.

What has it been like building Women's Collective Box in the middle of a global pandemic? Did you have to pivot, or how did the shut-down affect your business? 

 We launched about three days before the pandemic really hit Michigan so in a sense I haven’t really known what it’s like to run this business not in a pandemic. At the beginning it was terrifying, there was so much panic around what was happening that we saw sales drop overnight. There were definitely many discussions at the beginning about not going forward but my desire to help small, women-owned businesses was stronger than ever. We were really lucky that our business was already based online so for the most part, our main business didn’t need to pivot. Obviously, we pivoted on items that were included in the box so they made sense with staying at home and we started to do partnerships with other women-owned businesses to provide classes and at home things to do. 

It can't be an easy decision to choose which female entrepreneurs to feature in your box every quarter! How do you do it? 

This is one of the hardest parts for me because I just want to include everyone! The biggest things we focus on is if the entrepreneurs have products that fit with our aesthetic and if they can keep up with our quantity demands. We were actually able to launch our online marketplace in the Fall so we had another opportunity to feature more entrepreneurs! 

Every entrepreneur measures success differently, what does your success meter look like? By the number of boxes sold? The number of female business owners supported? 

Success for me definitely has to do with the number of female business owners we have been able to support. Like I said before, we launched the marketplace a lot earlier than planned because I couldn’t wait to support more businesses. I also view if a box is successful or not by how much growth our brands in the boxes have received and if our community continues to support those brands after the season is over.

How do you manage your work-life balance, especially being a mama of three? 

I don’t. LOL I am still working on this, but it has been more challenging because we pulled our kids out of pre-school/daycare when the pandemic hit so for the entirety of my business I have had all three kids at home with me and we are just doing our best to do what we have to. Going into this business I knew the first few years were going to be demanding so it doesn’t bother me to spend late nights and weekends working on business things. I try to get a little bit of balance by planning certain nights for family things so there are times when I can give them my full attention. 

From what we have seen, you are a one woman show right now. Which is insanely impressive by the way. Which parts of running your own biz do you love, and which do you not enjoy as much?

My favorite part is curating the boxes for each season, I love picking the designer and products to fit my vision and then getting to see it all come together when I assemble boxes. It feels like I am putting together gift baskets for friends each time a new season starts. I also love the social media aspect of it, we have a very active FB and Instagram community and engaging with the WC sisterhood has brought me so much joy. 

The least enjoyable part of running the business for me is handling a lot of the back end processes like the billing for boxes and customer service. It’s those non-glamorous things that entrepreneurs don’t talk about that you have to do to have a business but aren’t quite as fun.

Do you plan to continue running things on your own or do you have plans to make additions to your team? 

I have big goals going forward for WC and that definitely includes adding more women to our team in 2021. I actually just hired our first part time employee to help with our ambassador program so I could focus more on the parts of this business I love and it has been so helpful!

So, if you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be? 

That is such a hard question, but I think I would pick Jen Hatmaker. I love her books and podcast and I have so many things I would ask her. She also just seems like she would be such a fun person to chat with. 

What kind of interview would this be if we didn't ask everyone's "favorite" question? Where do you want to see the Women's Collective Box in 5 years?  

I am a dreamer so I have so many goals and ideas for our future, but I always tell
everyone my long-term plan for Women’s Collective was never to be just a box. I want it to be a place for women to come together and thrive and I hope that in the future WC can have spaces to actually do that in person. 

And lastly, what is the best piece of advice you've been given thus far that has made a difference in your business?

That you can never please everyone. I struggle with this a lot still and it’s a great reminder that there is always going to be somebody that doesn’t love what I create and that is okay.

These women are strong, badass babes that appear to be living their absolute dreams. Which we are, BUT we also struggle -- more than you probably even realize. Building a business is one of the hardest things you can do on it's own, let alone through a global pandemic. I want to encourage small business owners today, and say that WE SEE YOU. We see ALL of you.

The pivots, creativity, flexibility, blood, sweat and tears that small business owners put in over the past year are undeniable and these stories must be shared and recognized.

It's time we encourage the women we all know in our lives, who are pouring their heart and souls into their businesses. It’s time we recognize the strength and resilience they put in over the past year and continue to do each and every day.

Learn more about the Small Biz Strong movement here! 

Purchase a bracelet for yourself or gift one to a strong, small biz owner here!