Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Bryson
Hi Christy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Like many other homecoming mum makers, I started out making mums for my sons’ homecoming dates in 2010. By 2014, I’d acquired so many left-over supplies that I made three small mums and posted them for sale on Facebook, they sold in 15 minutes. I realized there was a need in my town for someone to do what some don’t have time to do. In 2015 and with $400 seed money from my Gramma, I got my Texas Sales Tax permit and a DBA and some wholesale supplies. That year, I also joined an online community of other professional homecoming mum makers, Mums, Inc. I say all the time that I wouldn’t have stayed in business if it weren’t for this supportive group of women. That first year, I thought I would sell 5 homecoming mums, I sold 25. Local business doubled every year for several years. I developed a website and began selling all over the state, with a few being shipped to Texans in other states that wanted to keep the tradition going with their kids. Because I work alone, 120 is the number of mums I produce every year.
A little bit about the Texas homecoming mum tradition. It’s not known exactly where or when it started, but I have seen college year books from the 1940’s with photos of homecoming game attendees with large chrysanthemum corsages. By the 1960’s you see the custom of giving chrysanthemum corsages to homecoming dates has moved to high schools. I went to high school from ’84-’88, mums (as the corsages were being called) were still fresh flowers, but you might have two or three flowers, with knee-length ribbon streamers in school colors. To me, the sound of homecoming is the sound of the swish of ribbon and the bells as the girls walked down the hall. In the 1990’s artificial, silk chrysanthemum flowers became available to the general public and crafty moms began the major shift in homecoming mums from smaller, fresh corsages to the oversized creations we see today. “Go big or go home” became the mantra of the homecoming mum industry. For years, I have had girls contact me with a photo of one of my mums and ask for bigger.
This year is a bit of a shift in business for me. I have quit shipping; the cost is just too great for my micro business to bear. The good thing is that this allows me to be able to focus more on local schools. Previously, I was shipping 50% of my orders and those needed to be done well in advance of the homecoming date. Local customers tend to order a bit later and I would be sold out by the time they wanted to order from me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have to be honest; I haven’t had any real struggles. The only exception would be the year I took too many orders and went without sleep for several days. I learned my lesson and now only take what I am able to do well.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I make homecoming mums in a variety of sizes to suit lots of people. I have made some enormous homecoming mums but the mums I love the most are what I call Classics. While these are larger than the mums of the 70’s and 80’s, they are wearable and fun! I use a 7″ flower with the streamers reaching to about mid shin. In the past, plastic trinkets were used to show school spirit and maybe your sport, they were limited. I am able to create custom cut outs and ribbons for every school mascot, every activity and interest, really make the mum personal and unique to the young person that is wearing it. And since I do cut off orders at a certain number every week, I am able to spend time on each mum, making it as perfect and detailed as I can.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I am a member of Mums, Inc. It is an organization for professional homecoming mum makers. It has been pivotal in my own business. In the last couple of years, there’s been a rise in the number of similar groups, mostly on Facebook. Most of these groups put on shows and host workshops in the spring and early summer. Many wholesalers that cater to homecoming mum makers also put on a show with demonstrations and hands-on learning during the summer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://CentralTexasSpiritWear.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centraltexasspiritwear/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068987320973
Image Credits
Christy Bryson for all photos
