Today we’d like to introduce you to Sammi Malone.
Hi Sammi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Rewind to the spring of 2020, when everyone was quarantined to their homes. I, like many others, needed a hobby to fill my time. So I started dabbling in shirt making since my husband had all of the materials available at the house for his business. After I had posted a couple of designs on social media, a friend asked if I would make her a custom onesie for her baby. Of course, I said yes, and then quickly realized I could sell similar items online to other expecting moms. Without doing much research, I decided to just go for it. I opened Etsy in my browser, created a shop, and Sammi Jean Creative was born.
The first year SJC was open was primarily a learning year; learning what products to sell, learning how to market those products, and learning what I wanted my business to be. I was extremely inconsistent, and thus sales were also very inconsistent. Shortly after year two had started, I got a second wind of motivation. I decided I wanted to be a successful small business, not just a hobby I did on the side. So I revamped the designs I was selling, I started posting about them consistently, and the results showed in social media growth and sales.
Now, as I round out year two, I know exactly what I want and what I need to do to get there.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey as a small business owner includes many obstacles, as I assume most small businesses do. At the beginning, I struggled to decide what products I wanted to sell and that other people wanted to buy. At one point, I was selling baby onesies, adult t-shirts, front door wood signs, and custom shoes. This wore me out. I thought that the more products I had to offer, the more customers I could draw in, but in reality, I needed to focus on one product (or category at least) and make it the best possible. Once I chose a category, I felt less pressure to be great at everything, and I could focus my energy on products that I genuinely enjoyed creating.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sammi Jean Creative?
Sammi Jean Creative is a female-owned brand that aims to empower everyone to be the best version of themselves through comfy clothes, totes & accessories. We pride ourselves on high-quality materials that are comfortable and that will last for years to come. Beyond the retail aspect of our business, we strive to help as many other aspiring small businesses as we can. We don’t claim to know it all, but we love to share what we do know. We know that there is room for all of us at the top, and we can’t wait to celebrate all together!
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I have so many fond memories about my childhood, but one that always stands out to me is golfing with my dad. When I was little, he would let me tag along when he went golfing and sometimes, I even got to drive the cart. Other times, he would take me through a 30 ft tunnel and say, “hold your breathe” and then proceed to drive the absolute slowest I’ve ever seen a golf cart go. The golf cart was fun, but my favorite part of the day was when the snack cart came around. We always got the same three items every time; a water for hydration, a blue gatorade for electrolytes, and three musketeers bar for a treat. He would open the candy bar, we would each take a bite, then he would fold the wrapper and put it in the icebox to keep it from melting in the Las Vegas heat. Then at the next hole, when he was up to tee off I would open the cooler to get some water and sneak more of the candy bar. I’m sure he knew what I was doing, but he just let me be. To this day, I can’t remember a single score from the golf game, but I sure do remember the memories we made.
Contact Info:
- Email: sammijeancreative@gmail.com
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/sammijeancreative
- Instagram: @sammijeancreative
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sammijeancreative
