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What does your business do?
We embroider on Aprons, Kitchen Towels, Bath Towel sets, hand towel sets, fingertip towel sets, and pillow cases. We crochet tops to Kitchen Towels. We sell Kitchen, bath towels and bedroom pillowcases, sheets, slippers and robes. adult and children chef hats, aprons, and chef coats. We also sell trays, flatwear, and guest checks. In the craft department we sell buttons, cross stitch kits, and needlepoint kits, we also sell mascots, fiddler elbows, dog themed, cat themed, horse themed towels as well as car truck mats.
When and why did you start the biz?
Years ago my grandmother tried to teach me to crochet but I was a knitter. My first success was crocheting a top to a towel. All other crochet hook indeavers looked like knitting. My sister asked me to teach her (she being nine years younger than I) and I taught her. She decided we needed to make a whole bunch up and go to the shows. We went to several shows and they were all a success. after a few years people began to look for us at certain shows buying 10-15 of them at a time. A few times we were totally out! We are known for our variety and the buttons that match the theme of the towel. We are the family act because in those earlier shows my two children, my sisters two children, our parents all contributed with their special talent. My dad made bird houses, mom embroidered pillow cases, and so on. We paid for our vacations by going to various craft shows. What we made paid for the trip and we got to experience watermelon festivals, daffodil festivals and we have been invited to WarEagle many times. We expanded to make our own towels and our own designs too. Well the children grew, went to college, got married and we are grandparents now. I became disabled and needed the funds to help out. So I started an internet business with out crochet top to order towels. My sister and I still do a few shows a year (to get me out of the house) our dad still makes birdhouses. This is a long time and a long story as we have been in business now for over 10 years. I need to make it a living now though.
How Many People are in your Company?
The family act two has Two, adding the family act we have 4
Where's your office?
The living room has supplies, the dinning room has sewing machines, serger, embroidery machines with computer for patterns, and the old embroidery machine from the beginning on it's last leg as it were, we have two spare rooms with supplies. I guess the answer is the whole house minus bathroom and bedroom.
What's the toughest part of running your biz?
Finances to get the supplies we know we can sell. It is frustrating. We would like to expand the house so we can at least have a living space.
What's the most fun part?
Talking over new ideas, meeting new and different people, learning new ways to utilize the net, keeping in touch with the family.
Anything you would have done differently?
Expanded before loosing my job.
What's next on the horizon for your biz?
Expanding the home-making it "green" more efficient, getting an industrial embroidery machine, getting a knitting machine (new idea for geriatric sets I would like to get that campaign off the ground) a Saddie line (a line of Irish Setter products), Oh to be so big the business has it's own plant and employees 1000's (all handicapable workers) to fill orders making a "state of the art" women and children shelter.
What advice do you have for others?
Be true to yourself and don't give up! put all the hang in there signs up you need.
How do you use Idea Cafe to help your biz?
I stayed in a relationship that was abusive and sent me to the hospital more time then I can count. Being a survivor from child hood I didn't know I deserved better. After 25 years of fractures and bruises (he was only jailed once and the second time even with doctors reports, police reports and witnesses he got off-the prosecutor and officer stated the jury just didn't want him in jail for Christmas-court was Dec 19th). When I got free my children gave me a party. I had to go under protection and needed security to make court dates. The story is long but it boils down to coming to Idea Cafe needing funds to expand the business so it is no longer a dabbling hobby enjoyed by the family to keep us in contact -but a business that will allow me to still feel productive as I didn't get out of the abuse unscathed. I came to Idea Cafe to help me go on and go forward never giving up.
School (where, still in school, degree)?
Bachelors of Science
Prior jobs or business?
Child maltreatment investigator, Social Worker Case manager at Indiana Veterans Home.
Favorite Food?
Donuts
What are your pets' names?
Saddie, Toby, Bumper, Peanut, Princess, pretty girl
Do any of these pets help with your biz?
They are Irish setters and one day who knows they love doggie chews! Saddie has inspired a Saddie line that I would like to start, and the rarity and popularity of the Irish Setter has presented a rarely touched market as well.
Is there any one person or event in your life that led
you to go into business for yourself?
I needed to get away from an abusive situation and my sister introduced the idea.
Anyone you publicly want to thank?
Laura McConnel my sister - for helping me out.
Contact Info:
tfrog40@hotmail.com
Website:
http://thefamilyacttwo.com |
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