Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Shaw.
Hi Molly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My mom taught me to sew when I was 11, and I didn’t realize what an impact it would have on my life. Sewing has definitely been a slow-burn love for me. As I realized what was possible, I was hooked. Growing up, I’d always daydreamed of starting my own business, but it wasn’t until December 2019 that I decided to take the leap (and make the major investment) and create Molly Moon Co. I was obsessed with the idea of creating the items that I had been looking for my entire life- fun and affordable accessories that captured my unique style of myself and (luckily) many others!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges I have faced is the challenge of trying to grow a business while also holding a full-time job. My time and energy were being given to another job, and at the end of every day, I was drained. Despite that, I was able to maintain steady growth for 2 years while juggling my own business and my full-time job. The decision to leave my full-time job was a difficult one. I was nervous about losing a dependable source of income, and all the other things that come from being self-employed, but eventually I took the leap and decided to focus fully on Molly Moon Co. It has been a little over a month since I made this change, and I am now facing the new and exciting challenges of running a business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As we’re wading into the Christmas season, my most popular items have been fanny packs, oven mitts and reusable cloth gift bags. I’m very proud of the high level of attention to detail that you see in every item; I really cannot fathom selling anything that is less than perfect, which is an incredible motivator for me. It makes me think of the saying, “treat others how you want to be treated”. I am treating my customers how I myself want to be treated as a consumer and creating the products that I wished I could find years ago.
What were you like growing up?
When I was very, very young, I was incredibly shy. I would hide behind my parents constantly. Then when was around 7, I completely changed. I became outgoing and loud, and started collecting hobbies at a rapid rate. I had heaps of creativity rattling around inside of me, and I tried anything I could think of- photography, creative writing, drawing, painting, sewing. And at the same time, I discovered a love of numbers. I get very nostalgic when thinking back to the summers growing up, when I spent every day swimming in the pool and also working on the math workbooks I’d picked out at the bookstore. Just like with sewing, math clicked for me. I was very lucky to be able to regularly exercise my creativity and my love for numbers, and eventually, I realized that creating my own business was the best opportunity for me to focus on my strengths.
Contact Info:
- Email: mollymoonco@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/mollymoonco
- Facebook: facebook.com/mollymoonco
Image Credits
Molly Shaw
