Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Miller.
Hi Nicole, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Initially, I wasn’t looking to start a business. I just wanted something to keep me occupied where I could make a little to help contribute to my family’s income. Starting out I took a little bit of money and went to a fabric store to purchase a few yards of fabric to make some baby blankets.
I had to google how to thread the sewing machine that I received as a gift years earlier and then started making some blankets. I placed those blankets for sale on local Facebook yard sale pages and took the money received to then go and purchase more fabric to make more products.
After I felt like I was getting good at making blankets, I started to learn how to make other baby products like crib sheets, crib skirts, diaper bags, and car seat canopies. About 1 – 1 1/2 years into this model I decided to create an Etsy Shop and started making goals for how much I wanted to be making per month. This led me to hire other stay-at-home moms to help me sew my product the meet my demands.
My time on Etsy really helped me to understand the ins and outs of a business. After a year or so on Etsy, I saw Facebook come out with their “live video” option. I saw a couple of ladies selling pearls and thought that this would be a much better way to sell more products faster. In November 2016 I did my first Facebook Live video and sold more products in that one night than I would in a week on Etsy. Right then I knew that I wanted to bring my business to the Facebook Live platform. Since making the move, we have seen exponential growth and have made a great business out of Minky blankets.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest struggles that I have had is that there was no model for me to look at and follow. There’s not one simple software that I can use to streamline what we do.
Because all of our blankets are handmade here in Utah, I had to learn to set proper expectations for quality in our blankets. It was so hard to look at a seamstress and tell them that their work wasn’t good enough and that they had to redo it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Being the CEO of Sew Sweet Minky Designs I am in charge of the growth and innovation of the company. I love sales! I love the sales experience and the challenge of the close. On Facebook Live you have to close people through a live stream through a screen. It’s a challenge that I love.
I am honestly proud of what I have built. I didn’t graduate from High School and probably don’t have as much self-confidence as I should. I push myself every day to be better and expect that from those around me. While others are satisfied with what they accomplish, I don’t let myself go there. I know that there is more that I can do and should do.
What makes you happy?
I’m happy that I have a reason to keep going every day.
I have so many people relying on me and it helps me to keep going on the days that I really don’t want to. My family brings me so much happiness. I am about to have my 9th child. I want my kids to know that they can dream big and accomplish those dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: sewsweetminkydesigns.com
- Instagram: sewsweetimnkydesigns
- Facebook: @sewsweetminkydesigns
- Twitter: @sewsweetminkydesigns
- TikTok: @_sewsweetminkydesigns
Image Credits
Miller Family, Casey, Nicole, Makailee, Adalie, Sophia, Chloe, Alex, Nathan, and Soren
