Meet this month's EMCA winner - Jill of MaiseysDaiseys!
Tell us about yourself
"Never a dull moment" would be a spot on description of me! From the moment I wake in the morning, until I finally drag myself into bed, I am on the run all day long! When I am not chauffeuring, cooking, or cleaning, my mornings and early afternoons are spent working as the office manager for my husband's advertising agency, and in the late afternoons and evenings I focus on Maisey's Daisey's. When I do take time out for myself, you can usually find me out running on the mountain roads of Park City taking in the beautiful scenery. I love it here!
What makes you unique?
Probably my ability to take what seems like an quirky, impossible idea, and turn it into a reality. I love to see my ideas come to fruition. I have created some pretty unusual stuff that I have even surprised myself! But that probably doesn't really make me unique... I'm sure lots of people are able to do that.
What do you love about kids?
Their innocence, their eagerness to learn and I hearing them laugh! Nothing makes me happier than to hear my own children really having a good belly laugh!
What are you currently doing besides your shop crafts?
Training for my 15th marathon, and really hoping that my knees will hang in there with me!
What is the link to your etsy shop?
What do you offer in your etsy shop?
Paper mache daisy headbands and hair clips in all shapes and sizes, paper mache jewelry, daisy bracelets, small, medium and large paper mache flowers for room and party decor & our "Maisey" doll who comes complete with her own paper mache hair clips to share.
Where do you create?
A better question would be "Where don't I create?" I have worked in almost every room in my house, outside in my yard and anywhere that I go on vacation. That's the nice thing about our product - it's totally portable! But my favorite place is probably our family room where everyone hangs out. Even though I am working, we are still together as a family.
Where do you find your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from my daughters and the things they are involved in, from nature and things I see when I am out running, even something as simple as a glance through a magazine can spark some really great ideas.
How did you get started in your current line of business?
MaiseysDaiseys was really created by my daughter Macy four years ago when she was eight years old. She was bored one afternoon, and decided to pull out her bead box and make some jewelry. He friends and family loved it so much, she started making items for them. She was then asked to sell her jewelry at her school's art festival. On a whim, we decided to make some paper mache flowers as a table decoration for her booth and much to our surprise, people wanted to buy those too! Our next thought was why not try the flowers on a headband? And now here we are, selling in markets and festivals, boutiques and online!
How do you promote your business?
Macy and her sister Carter wearing the headbands wherever they go is our best promotional tool! They are always asked where they got them, and their friends have ended up being some of our greatest customers and have really helped to spread the word! And of course blogging, Facebook & Twitter are really great tools. I also apply to as many shows as I can to get our product out there and seen by the public.
What is one of the most important lessons you've learned since starting your business?
You have to love what you do and believe in your product - then everyone else will too!
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
Don't get discouraged - you have to accept the fact that you will have good days and bad days. If you love what you do, with a little hard work, you will succeed.
What are some of your favorite online shops, both etsy and non-etsy?
A few of my Etsy favorites are goodbyebluemonday - her dolls are fabulous! Mama Gourds sculptures are fantastic, and Glad Dog by Lizzy Clara's illustrations are simple and so sweet! Nest Pretty Things Kids makes fantastic jewelry, and Junker Jane just really cracks me up! Her dolls and paintings are so unusual, you can't help but love them!
My non-etsy favorites would be Uncommon Goods, Garnet Hill and Crate & Barrel - I love housewares :)