2. How did you come up with it?
It came from my mother-in-law. She raised fiber animals for many years (sheep llamas, alpacas) and taught spinning classes and sold her dyed wool as Woolgatherings. She has mentored me for years in knitting, spinning, and dyeing, and passed down the business & name to me when she retired.
I sell hand painted wool and yarn.
4.When did you start your business?
I officially took over the business in Early 2009.
Initially, it was a hobby for me. I was a stay-at-home / homeschooling mom, spinning and knitting for fun and dyeing for a few select clients and one retail store. I really enjoy the dyeing process, and working with color, but I create so much more than I can ever use that it just made sense to sell it. In the summer of 2009, however, my husband was laid off and the fiber business became more of a priority for both of us. Not only was the income more important, but having him at home freed up a lot more time to really develop it. I used that time to open up my Etsy shop, learn as much as possible about running a business, and focus on ways to operate more productively. My husband eventually returned to work, so I am now doing most of it on my own. It has been a really great experience all around.
My schedule is very fluid and changes a lot from day to day. Because I homeschool my kids, I have to be really flexible in order to take advantage of different learning opportunities at home and in the community.
I typically set aside a block of time as soon as I wake up (o.k. after I make tea) to work on the computer, respond to inquiries, and pack up orders. Some days I get a few hours, and some days I get a few minutes, so I just try to make the most of it.
The middle part of the day, from about noon-5 is usually set aside for kid activities. Sports, classes, playdates, clubs, and that sort of thing. Many of these activities involve a drive, so if there are orders going out, we stop at the post office on the way. While we are out and about, I carry my iPhone, and sometimes my laptop, which makes it easy to check in with business stuff. There is a lot of built in down-time (like when my kids are playing sports and I’m just waiting for them) when I can easily answer e-mails and check up on things – if I’m not knitting, anyway.
I find that the evenings are the best time to do my dye work. I like working without time constraints, and I have the added support of having my husband home to help with the kids. My husband is also great cook, so he typically makes dinner, which is a huge help.
7. When do you find the time to work?
My children are with me most of the time, so I can’t just work during school hours, but they are old enough (7 and 9) that their needs are pretty easy to attend to, and they are very good at amusing themselves. If we are home and I need to work for a few hours they are quite happy just to go play, and they know they are welcome to interrupt me at any time. The challenge is that so often we are not at home, so I try to make the most of my studio time in the evenings and weekends.
I am pretty happy with the way things are going right now, but I guess the dream would be get the business to the point where my husband could stay home too!
9. What is the hardest thing about what you are doing?
I think every working mom feels the pull between work and the needs of the children. Years ago, I worked outside the home while my oldest was in daycare and I left because I felt like I really couldn’t be the mom I wanted to be or the professional person I wanted to be at the same time. Working from home feels a lot more balanced, but it takes a lot of effort and organization to keep it that way.
Obviously keep your priorities straight. Beyond that, I highly recommend bringing your kids into the business by really showing them the details of what you do and how you do it. It’s a great opportunity for them to see what’s involved with running a small business. There are lots of ways to have fun with it - for example, my kids love keeping track of where our packages go. We put stickers on a big map, and the kids often speculate about where our wool is going – is it cold there? What language do they speak? How far does the package have to travel? Involving them with the business, even in a small way, helps them feel personally invested, and helps them understand those times when your work makes you less available. They know what you are doing, and why.
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