A few years ago, handmade crocheted and knitted accessories for women and children was the rage. Anything vintage-inspired was flying off the shelves. My daughter Kristy suggested that I create headbands for ladies and toddlers with a 20’s and 30’s style. After testing the local craft markets we had some reasonable success. We knew it had to be a collaboration of our strengths in order to move the business beyond our own backyard.
Since my daughter is a blog designer and photographer and I loved working with yarn, our joint venture seemed obvious. The idea of actually selling it on the open market was a little daunting at first. Etsy was the new on line storefront to showcase handmade items with minimal financial upstart money. It seemed the perfect opportunity to test market our products.
We had to first sit down and talk about branding, colors and design ideas. Simple, right? Let me say that both of us are very independent thinkers. Although we had the same vision in which direction we wanted Lady Like to go, we had some kinks to work out. Definitely not taking everything personal was a hurdle to overcome. Through time, we’ve learned to respect differing opinions. It’s not about who’s right or wrong but rather giving each person a chance to share their ideas, good or bad. When you put all concepts on the table and brainstorm, wonderful results can happen.
One important aspect of a joint business is that each one deserves credit for their work. In our business, my handmade items are displayed in our Etsy Shop, my Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, and all other media sites. At first glance, it might appear that I’m Shopladylike which is far from true! Without Kristy’s expertise in her gorgeous photography, building my blog site and additional technical needs, there would be no business. Her style, adventurous personality and creative mind keeps my fingers working on our next idea. After all, it’s a partnership.
I can’t tell you how many times people have commented how wonderful it is to see a mother and daughter working together. I’ve also noticed more mother/daughter enterprises telling their unique stories of success. Kristy and I have shared a special journey with our small business. It has stretched our creative juices and opened up an opportunity I never would have dreamed of. Because of the business, I’ve met some wonderful people on social media who continue to inspire me. If you’re thinking of taking that step to join your mother or daughter in business, it can be a rewarding experience like ours. I would love to hear your family business adventures and any advice would like to share.
