What is your background, capabilities, and interest?
“My background is I was always an artist growing up, I got my talents from my mother (thanks
mom). I did craft shows for years with my mom before we started a collaborative business.
During college I went to college part time, worked full time at Home Depot, and had an
apprenticeship tattooing. I have always been an artist, and always knew I wanted to do
something in my life having to do with art. I have also always loved to do gardening, hiking, snow
shoeing, running, swimming. I love to do anything outside.”
What routines do you follow every day to keep your business successful?
“Every day I write myself a daily to do list, weekly to do list and a monthly to do list. I individualize
this list for each store, and each area of my life. As I work on the items on the daily to do list, I
cross each item off and when I am finished the page at night, I slowly rip it up and throw it away. I
also write in a journal about my day and what i have experienced and any profound thoughts i
had that day. All of this helps keep me structured and make sure the important things get done
one time. It helps me make sure that all the stores have their weekly to do lists, so they know
what is expected of them for the week.”
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
“In 5 years from now I am hoping to have 3-5 more stores going down the coast towards florida
in touristy towns. I also would like to own a few apartment buildings and hopefully have more
time for myself.”
What’s the hardest part about being an entrepreneur?
“The hardest part about being an entrepreneur is worrying about everyone. You have to make
sure they are all being taken care of. You’re not just working for yourself anymore. You are
working for your staff to keep them employed and you are working for your vendors to help them
sell their items. You want everyone to be successful and work your hardest to do that. I think that
is the hardest part.”
What is your favorite part?
“My favorite part of being an entrepreneur is it doesn’t feel like work. Every day I go into my
stores it just feels like home, it feels like my life. It doesn’t feel like a job I have to do to, but one I
love to be in. I wish there were more of me so I could spend more time in each one of my
stores.”
What are some things you would never compromise on?
“Things that I would never compromise on lazy people. I do not do well with people who are lazy
in my life or who are holding me back. I do not put up with liars.”
What do you think some of your biggest struggles have been?
“Lately my biggest struggle is staffing, but that can always get better. I do struggle a lot with
myself and doubting my abilities sometimes. Sometimes I have these very big ambitious ideas
which I am sure I could do but I tend to hold myself back in fear. Like I want to be the size of
Walmart and offer all handmade goods and farmers market in one location. I want to be able to
support all the local communities where the stores are located, but I don’t know how to get there,
and the not knowing is what I struggled with.”
Who is your biggest role model?
“I have a lot of role models that have shown me the way and expanded my mind into doing these
great things. I will contribute a lot of my success to Grant Cardone 10x mentality. Now whenever
I do anything I do it 10x bigger, 10x more, 10x faster and 10x better.”
How do you define success?
“Success to me is when you are living your life the way you want to live it. But figuring out the
way I want to live it is also a struggle. I am a workaholic and i love to work every min of
everyday. When i am not working i am enjoying a busy life outdoors. I have a very hard time
sitting down and doing nothing.”
In your opinion what makes a good leader?
“A good leader is one that will listen to all of its team members. One who will also ask the team
for their opinion and help resolve issues. A good leader will ask for their thoughts. because they
are working the stores every day and can give better insight as to what is needed.”
How have you grown from this experience?
“I used to be way more stubborn, it was always my way or the highway. I used to get upset when
someone didn’t do it exactly how I would have done it in the short time frame I would have gotten
it done. Now I realize that not everyone is like me and will not think or see things the same way I
do. Not everyone has the same energy or the same drive that I do. I am still a little stubborn and
can be hardheaded too, but I think that I am not as aggressive with it as I used to be. I’ve
learned to relax more and to have the confidence in my team that things will get done when they
can get it done.”
When did you get the idea to open Locally Handmade? Where did you get the idea?
“Every time I go on vacation I want to buy a souvenir or trinket that is handmade from someone who is local. Something that will help support the local people in the area and something that speaks to me. I went on a vacation to Venice Beach California and while walking around on the strip I was looking for a locally handmade store or a store that wasn’t all made in China. There wasn’t one but there were lots of artists and makers down on the pier which we did buy from. Thinking that night, I thought about how I could open a store and help all the local artists and creators in different areas of the United States. I was thinking all the touristy areas would be best because there must be more people just like me.”
Who do you see as your main competitors?
“There are other handmade stores around that help sell vendors stuff the same as we do. They are in different areas of the state but on a smaller scale than us. I eventually want to be Walmart’s local competitor. I want to have large stores with Handmade goods from the local artists and makers and a local farmers market inside as well.”
What makes you stand out from them?
“What makes locally Handmade different is that we jury all of our makers. We make sure that all vendors have high quality items that we know our customers would love.”
With how you’ve grown do you ever worry about over-growing the brand to quickly?
“When I opened 4 stores in 3 years, i was taking advantage of the market. Rent fees were low, malls needed tenants, it was a win for them and for our stores. I don’t think that any brand can grow too quickly. I think you need to grow quickly to expand faster than any competition would.”
How did you market at the beginning and how has it changed?
“In the beginning we mostly did Facebook posts for our marketing and hung-up flyers around town. This year we started running ads on Facebook, Google, and use Waze directional app. We also have a marketing company that helps us market our items.
What is your leadership teams background, capabilities, interests?
“The Leadership I have running my stores are team members that I can rely on. They have a good work ethic background and are capable of putting out fires. All of our managers have different interests and backgrounds and nationalities. It’s hard for me to answer this one.”
What’s is unique about your team?
“I think our team is unique because we all treat each other like family. We all have very open and fun personalities.”
What does it take to be a part of the team, qualities you look for?
“To be a part of the locally handmade team I look for people who need someone to give them responsibilities in which they can learn and thrive. I look for people who want to grow and learn and that want to do better for themselves. Someone who will listen but also speak their mind. I look for people that have a good work ethic, is driven for more, and who already has some of their life together but not all of it. Someone I could help in anyway.”
To learn more about Locally Handmade, visit the corporate site: https://locallyhandmadesalemnh.com/