Today we’d like to introduce you to Mycole Sheppard.
Hi Mycole, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi there! My name is Mycole and I am the owner, creator, and maker behind Made By Mycole. I originally operated my business under under a different name, but as my inventory and knowledge grew, I decided my new name should reflect that. I am a self proclaimed glitter queen and craft-o-holic! I was born in Wyoming but spent most of my life in beautiful Springville Utah. Some of my favorite things include spending time with my family, traveling, Disney, eating junk food (especially chocolate!) any and all things Halloween, reality tv, and of course, crafting!
My wardrobe consists of mostly black clothes, but I love anything bright and colorful too. I know way too many random pop culture facts and I even could possibly beat you in music trivia. I also love to sing and dance. I have one wonderful sister, and we are really close. My parents are seriously the best parents ever, and I believe that family and friends are everything. I am so incredibly grateful for the ones that I have.
I met my amazing husband during our sophomore year of high school. We have been together for 20 years and married for 15. He is my best friend and seriously the greatest partner I could ever ask for. I really couldn’t have done any of this without him. From building my displays, to making sure I always have the supplies I need, and taking such good care of our kids while I’m working; He really has made every dream I’ve ever had come true.
In 2008 I attended Bon Losee Academy in Provo and earned my master esthetician diploma. I had a hard time finding a spa job so I worked at Maverik in the meantime. My husband received a job opportunity with my dad out of state in 2010, so we put almost everything we owned into storage and moved to the white mountains of Arizona, and into a 26-foot travel trailer. My husband would go to work every day and I would hang out with my mom or go around our trailer park and give pedicures to the elderly ladies. It was so much fun! We were there for two years than were relocated again to Las Vegas for my husband’s job.
We had to move so quickly that we needed to live in a hotel for a few months and then were able to move into an apartment. You can definitely say I’ve had some adventures! in 2012 we welcomed our handsome son, and four years later along came our beautiful baby girl. About a week after she was born, we packed up and moved back to Utah. We missed our family, the mountains, the seasons, and the feeling of “home.” We have been back in Utah since 2016 and we are loving it!
I am naturally a redhead, and our son was born with the longest, thickest, orangest hair ever! Everyone thought he was a girl! So, as irony would have it our daughter was born with fine brown hair and very, very little of it. Everyone thought she was a boy! I decided then it was time to channel my creativity into something useful! I have always had a crafty side to me so I figured why not make something pretty? I started out with just what supplies I had laying around.
I started making a few bows and had so much fun doing it! I was a stay-at-home mom at the time, and it was very therapeutic, as well as calming for me. It gave me a chance to do something for myself yet do something for my daughter too. I loved seeing my creations come to life as my daughter wore them, and so, a year later my company was born.
I started off selling on Esty and doing very small markets, then moved on to festivals and larger events. Last year I was finally able to create my own website. I began making bows out of felt, then moved onto using ribbon, cotton fabric, and then eventually faux leather and glitter. I hand cut and handmake everything I sell as it is still therapeutic for me, and it is still calming for me. It is a way to channel any stress or emotions I may be experiencing and make something beautiful.
After not working outside the home for almost ten years I recently accepted a job at our local hospital where I work a few days a week delivering food to patients. When I’m not there I am still a stay-at-home mom making bows. When we first moved back to Utah I thought about going back and pursuing my career in the spa and beauty industry but found my heart was no longer there.
I enjoy creating things for other people so much that I plan on doing it until I’m no longer on this earth. It is more than a hobby to me; it has become a passion of mine that I am so thankful I am able to fulfill every day. They say that if you love what you do, you’ll never really work a day in your life. I believe that. I feel so lucky that I have found two careers that don’t ever feel like “work”.
I absolutely love what I do. I love knowing that my creations are one of a kind, high quality, and made with love. I hope my customers feel that way too! I have made so many friends and have met so many wonderful people along the way. I also think I have the best customers in the whole world! I always celebrate any order I ever get no matter how big or small. I am forever grateful for the support and love I have received. I feel like I have only just begun and can’t wait to see what the future holds for me and my family.
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?
I really believe nothing in life worth having comes easy, but I think I have been pretty blessed for the most part! I am self-taught and self-funded, and have never taken out a loan or anything for my company. It’s always been just me. I’m pretty proud of that. Saving up money here and there has definitely paid off. I still always put all profits earned back into the business, but I am working on saving some to use for a family vacation to Disneyland. My daughter has never been before so I am working hard towards that. It’s also been years since we’ve taken a family vacation and I think it’s definitely time.
Something I have always had to adapt to is space. There was a time for a while when all of my supplies and projects were stored in a vacuum box in our tiny crawlspace. I would pull everything out, sit cross-legged on the floor, and work. Then, when I was finished, I would put it all back. These days my closet is a little bit bigger, and I still sometimes sit on the floor or work from the kitchen table.
It is definitely a dream of mine to have my own office in our home someday. Having to move all of my projects around the house constantly is kind of a bummer sometimes, but we always make it work! My family is so amazing for putting up with me. Lol.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I started with only making bows.
From there I practiced and expanded my areas of expertise to include a little something for everyone! I wanted to become more diverse. I want anyone to be able to shop from me, no matter who they are. Not everyone wears bows, so I added earrings, bow ties, medical badge reels, keychains, hair clips, and headbands to my inventory. I have also begun working with all different types of mediums including resin and polymer clay.
The possibilities are truly endless, which excites me! I am always growing and improving. I also recently taught myself how to sublimate tee shirts, as well as silkscreen them. I am also in the process of learning how to make coffee cups and tumblers so stay tuned for that one!
I also accept custom orders, so that’s really exciting! There have been times when I have been asked to create a custom birthday crown for a little girl, or a congratulatory keychain for a graduate, and those kinds of orders are wonderful. Being chosen to create something for a special moment in someone’s life is definitely something I will cherish always.
I want to be considered a one-stop shop for people, and I hope that folks try to shop small whenever they are able. When I say my customers are everything to me, I sure do mean that. Customer service and satisfaction are something I really strive for, and I will always do my best to do right by them. I always work hard to provide the best materials, at the best price, and the best experience.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I wasn’t that young, I think maybe 15? but my favorite childhood memory is a family trip to Disneyland we took. It was my mom, my aunt, my sister, my cousin, and myself. Just a fun girls’ trip. We drove, so we were able to see the beach, and venture around as we pleased.
We rode rides, ate yummy food, watched the electrical light parade, and stayed in a hotel that smelled deliciously like oranges. I feel like everything about that trip was perfect, except for the beef jerky someone left behind in the truck that was hidden for days that stunk the whole thing up… lol.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.madebymycole.com
- Instagram: @madebymycole
- Facebook: madebymycole
