Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Woellner.
Hi Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I created White Elm back in 2012 when I was pregnant with my first daughter. After many years of sketching fashions and creating business plans (all the way back to when I was a little kid!) I decided to quit my job in banking and go after my dream. I started hand-making baby products, like crochet baby shoes, and sewing burp cloths and blankets, and selling on Etsy, but one day I started to notice how much I loved bags. After collecting many tote bags from another brand, and still finding that they were lacking in the features that I wanted, I decided to design my own. I launched my first bag design in July of 2013, and after a successful first run, I designed another, and so on. Since then, I have been using customer feedback and suggestions to design new products and refine the brand. Today, White Elm sells a variety of functional and sleek bags for the busy working mom. It’s my passion to design bags that bring sanity to a busy mama’s day. Every woman craves more organization in her daily life, so providing that, while also making women feel stylish and put together is everything to me!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has NOT in any way been a smooth road to where I am today. There have been so many times I’ve been so close to giving up, but something inside me just kept pushing to get through it. There has been so much given to this business, from sacrificing time with family, stress, and sanity, and so many financial risks and instability. It has been so hard to pursue this business while providing a stable home for my kids, but I knew that once I figured it all out, it would be an asset to our family and something we can be proud of.
As you know, we’re big fans of White Elm. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
White Elm is a brand that specializes in providing organizational and fashionable bags for busy women. Our goal is to consolidate the bags you carry on a daily basis into one beautiful bag that has compartments for it all! What sets us apart from other brands is our versatile designs, sleek modern look, and pockets that are designed for things that busy women carry, such as large laptops and giant water tumblers.
I am most proud of the consistent five-star reviews that we receive every day. Women are loving our bags, and we love to hear about it! We strive to provide excellent service along with a product you can be proud to show off to your friends and family.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I did not have a mentor, but my advice would be to talk to everyone you meet. Introduce yourself, tell them what you do. You never know who can help you, who might want to buy your product, or who will tell 1000 others about your business. The more people who know about your business, the better. Doors will open when you put yourself out there, so don’t be shy!
Contact Info:
- Email: support@shopwhiteelm.com
- Website: shopwhiteelm.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/whiteelmbags
- Facebook: facebook.com/whiteelmbags
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTnwqFfmUdlVLv1mVD2GMIw
Image Credits
Kelly Colson Photography
