My successes.

As an eight-year-old obsessed with his stuffed animals, sewing outfits for them opened a whole new world of possibilities. My mother’s fabric scraps became a tiger’s wedding dress and a groundhog’s coat. She taught me how to stitch together the side seams and cut holes for the little animals’ arms, unable to predict how these skill sets would prepare me for future passions and dreams.

Similarly to countless other creatives, COVID-19 enabled me to dive deep into landscaping and sewing – two hobbies that I rarely took the time to practice. The days in April through August were filled with digging, raking, weeding, designing spaces, transplanting, and watering. Other days involved sitting on my tile floors, huddled over taped-together patterns, fabric, and YouTube videos, committed to learning about garment production. Amidst the uncertainty of a pandemic, I felt privileged to find a season to invest in my passions.

The first cut into a fabric is always the hardest. Initially, thrifting secondhand remnants or pre-loved textiles was the only way to release the stress of ruining a piece and creating. I started cropping shirts and altering pieces to sell on Instagram. Nothing too crazy. Then I began making these flowy patchworked coats and lining them with crisp, cool cotton. People loved them and suggested I start selling some. Last September, I built a website on Squarespace and decided to open my books in 2023.

A friend told me I needed help. They were right. The garment production proved challenging on its own; the business elements were far beyond my understanding. Someone in my life mentioned a volunteer mentorship program called SCORE, so after a Google search, an application, and a few emails, I gratefully welcomed Tanya Berg and Doug Morgenstern into my process in January of 2023.

Tanya and Doug use their expertise and years of experience to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. Google and Youtube are helpful but personal advice from real people who know me and truly understand my vision has proven priceless. Tanya and Doug specialize in marketing and banking, the two areas to focus my growth as a new small business owner. Monthly Zoom meetings allow me to express my frustrations, concerns, triumphs, and attempts. They listen well and remind me of essential items still on the checklist that I’ve neglected. Running a business alone means I need external people to keep me on track through encouragement, reminders, reality checks, advice, and connections.

A brick-and-mortar space became available in Suttons Bay on May 1, 2023, four months after opening my books as an online-only business. Dreams of a retail and studio space that seemed five to ten years down the road became a reality in beautiful yet frantic ways. Tanya and Doug subdued the shock on their faces to keep me sane and calmly talk me through this next stage of business ownership. The support of the Suttons Bay and Leelanau community has left me beyond grateful. Still, Doug and Tanya deserve the most heartfelt thanks for walking (and sometimes sprinting) alongside me on this wild journey.