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Business Name: SimplyJune

Your Name: Karen Grant

Your Title: Owner / Designer

Business Location: Natick, MA

Website URL: www.simplyjune.com

Blog URL: simplyjune.blogspot.com

Describe Your Products and/or Services:

Handmade Items for Family, Friends and Home - Simply June is a design studio located in the Boston area. All items are designed and handmade in our studio. We have are always designing new items from handbags to embroidered buttons and crocheted hats.

What prompted you to start your business?

In the summer of 2004, my husband Jason and I decided we would like to adopt a child from Russia. As this dream started to become a reality, I started to think about the women who were at that very moment taking care of our future son. As a way to pass the time and as a way to feel more connected with the adoption process, I began designing and sewing silk handbags for the caretakers in Russia. Eventually, in April of 2006 I was able to hand these bags to the many women who had cared for and loved our son Nikolai during the first 21 months of his life. Somewhere along the line, SimplyJune was born. I now love being a mother and having SimplyJune as a creative outlet!

What skills did you have that helped prepare you?

As I mentioned before, I had a lot of graphic design and marketing skills from my past business. I also minored in photography in college, which helped me to take my own product photos. My mother had also taught me how to sew as a child as well as do other crafts and both of my parents instilled in me a love of reading which has given me the confidence to learn just about anything I need in order to accomplish what I want.

What was the worst job you've ever had?

Without a doubt, that would be the summer I spent cutting wire contact relays in a small warehouse in my home town. I came home every evening drenched in oil and thankful that it was just a summer job!

How has your business evolved since you launched?

My business is just a year old, but I have built up my product line and I think really narrowed in on what the look and feel of SimplyJune will be. I\'m excited to see how it evolves in the future. I have endless design ideas and ways in which to build on my business.

What is the biggest lesson you've learned since opening your company?

There are just not enough hours in the day. It is definitely a challenge to be both a mother and a business owner, but my biggest lesson has been to set goals and stick to them. It is so easy to be distracted by all of the things you could do, make, design, etc. It is better to have a small, well designed and well made line than to make one of everything!

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter is definitely my husband, Jason. He knows I can do anything I put my mind and heart into and he reminds me of that constantly. He is always ready to hear my ideas, give me suggestions, help with a photo shoot, proofread my writing, etc. We are a team.

What do you do to keep yourself inspired?

I really find inspiration all around me. I love to travel, read, look at magazines, read blogs and just create.

What is the hardest part about running your business?

I just think as I said before, there are just not enough hours in the day. I have way more ideas than I could ever implement. I just have to slow the pace and enjoy my creative time.

What's the one thing you wish you'd known before starting your business?

I really can't think of anything specific. I think in general that as I learn things I grow and I like this process. I wish I had known that SimplyJune is where I would find my bliss. I would have started this business a long time ago!

Tell us something unique about yourself!

Hmm...I mentioned this before, but I love to travel. I have traveled to countries including Greece, Russia, France, Germany, Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. I have been many places in the world and I think this has influenced my design sense, my culinary tastes and my view of the world and my place in it.

What keeps you going?

My love of creating and how that fulfills me really keeps me going. This is how I express myself.

Business Name: Little Flower Designs

Business Location: Abington, PA

Website URL: http://www.littleflowerdesigns.com

Blog URL: http://lilflowerdesign.livejournal.com/

Your Name: Linda Johnson

Your Title: Crafty Girl

Tell Us About Yourself:
I have been making "things" since I was very young. Everything from Barbie clothes to clothespin people and of course drawing. I think I got serious about art the year I got a Crayola Caddy for Christmas. After high school I went onto Tyler School of Art where I majored in sculpture and having fun! After my time at Tyler I floated around for a few months then landed at my parents house in Vegas - yes! Vegas. There I had the great fortune of being hired as a ceramic tile glazer at Fox Tile Studio. That's where I fell in love with clay! My time in Vegas was short and I soon returned to the east where I attended ceramic classes at just about every studio in the Philadelphia area, just to get studio time and build my skills. In 2000 I decided to use my dollars towards equipment and set up a home studio where I have been working ever since.

Describe Your Products and/or Services:
Handmade ceramics for home and for you!


What prompted you to start your business?
I love to make things and have a strong focus on designing beautifully crafted home accessories. Starting Little Flower Designs was a natural occurance.

Describe your initial investment:
My main investment has been time. I spend all of my free time and some of my not so free time on my business. I set up my studio about 6 years ago and officially became LFD in 2004.

What skills did you have that helped prepare you?
I've spent years in the studio developing my skills in ceramics, I've tinkered with the web for a few years as well. I try to do most of my sales online and thru the occassional craft sale.

What was the worst job you've ever had?
I spent a summer cleaning rooms at a hotel - yuck!

How has your business evolved since you launched?
Right now is an exciting time, my work is starting to develop a following and I'm now getting free press! This is mostly from finding my target market which is indie and that community has been VERY supportive.

What is the biggest lesson you've learned since opening your company?
A good accountant is essential.

Who is your biggest supporter?
My family and friends are great motivators, and my customers.

What do you do to keep yourself inspired?
I am inspired by fashion and popular culture, giving into this has been a great help in staying motivated.

What is the hardest part about running your business?
Time Management, it is often a stuggle to work on the business side ofthings when I'd rather be in the studio. It is also hard to have time for the important people in my life.

What's the one thing you wish you'd known before starting your business?
I still have a few things I'd like to learn on the ceramics side, casting is a new interest I'd like to explore.

Tell us something unique about yourself!
When I get side tracked I try to go with it to see the distraction thru. Hence, making a skirt when I should be throwing pots!

What keeps you going?
The dream, the need to make this as big as possible.