I have an awesome Mompreneur interview for you on this Tuesday from Jane at The Little Ladybug. I absolutely love her story and am so thankful she was willing to share it with other mamas that are in the thick of their own businesses. Jane is a one-woman show in her business, and I will tell you… I don’t know how she does it! Enjoy reading her story!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family:

   I graduated from James Madison University and taught 3rd grade for about seven years before I opened The Little Ladybug. I’ve been married to my husband Patrick for almost 10 years and we have two sweet kiddos. Camden just turned 7 and Finley just turned 5.

2. What prompted you to start a business?

   My mom is an artist and I grew up watching her draw and sculpt. There was always some sort of project she was working on and she happily encouraged my creativity–she even let me paint huge sunflowers on my bedroom wall when I was in middle school! I ended up majoring in early childhood education in college and found a niche for my creativity in the classroom. I taught 3rd grade for several years until my husband and I decided I would stay at home with our little ones right after my daughter was born in 2011. I started making bows for her during nap time and it quickly became my new creative outlet. Around the same time, I discovered the world of boutique clothing and noticed there was a demand for little girls’ hair accessories to match so we got the product and made custom made apparel tags & labels. I had also recently fallen in love with Etsy and decided to try my hand at my own shop and opened The Little Ladybug in June of 2012!

3. How did you decide on the name of your business?

   Ladybugs are said to be symbols of abundant blessings. In fact, there is an old saying: “When a ladybug lands on you, it is said your wish will come true.” I love this sentiment and wanted to incorporate it into my shop name in some way. My college sorority mascot was the ladybug and I started making bows at a time when lots of my friends were having little girls (lots of little ladybugs!!) so “The Little Ladybug” seemed like a perfect fit!

4. Tell us more about your product/business and your role:

   I make a wide variety of accessories but have found myself focusing more on “made to match” pieces in the last year or so. There are several children’s clothing brands that I adore and I have so much fun creating accessories to match their new releases. I also love doing custom work! I’ve gotten a chance to design and make some really exciting pieces–including a headdress that was requested by Vogue magazine!

5. Do you have a storefront or do you work from home?

   I create and make all of my accessories in my in-home studio. We turned our dining room into an amazing work space!

6. How do you balance all of the roles that you have?

   I wouldn’t be successful without my husband. Sometimes I feel like I have 2 full-time jobs between being a mom and The Little Ladybug. He helps keep me balanced and centered.

7. What is the best aspect of having your own business?

   I really love what I do. I feel so blessed to be able to say that. I’m so grateful to get to do what I love and still be able to be at home with my kids. I might feel overwhelmed with the amount of work I have to accomplish or feel stressed out because my house is a mess and I’ve got lots of packages to get in the mail, but I am always excited to walk into my studio and create. I love getting to know my customers and watch their little ones grow. I have lots of clients that I used to make teeny newborn headbands for and now I’m making accessories for their daughters’ first days of preschool. It means so much to me to be able to be a tiny part of their most important moments.

8. What is the hardest part about owning your own business?

   By far, the hardest part is finding balance. I feel like this is an ever-changing process because life is so unpredictable! It’s taught me to be flexible and less of a perfectionist. I’ve also learned to give my self grace and ask for help when I need it!

9. What are some long-term or future goals you have for your business?

   I want The Little Ladybug to be a business known for incredible hair accessories, but more importantly for great customer service and a shopping experience where each customer feels valued and taken care of. I’d also love to work more closely with clothing designers to create pieces that coordinate with their collections and eventually be featured in retail stores one day.

10. What do you do when you’re not being supermom?

    This sounds so lame, but my favorite thing to do when I get a moment to myself is wander around Target with a mocha from Starbucks. I’m sure other mommies can appreciate that!

11. What is your favorite household product?

    Hands down, it’s my favorite candle! I love Capri Blue candles in their Volcano scent. It’s the only fragrance I never get tired of and it makes my whole house smell like heaven!

12. What wardrobe staple can you not live without?

    Leggings! I love them. You can dress them up or down and they are always comfy.

13. What was your first job?

    My very first job was babysitting. It’s so fun to see the kids that I babysat for way back then having babies of their own now!

14. What celebrity would you love to have dinner with, and why?

    Adele. Besides being amazingly talented, she’s hilarious and I love that she doesn’t take herself too seriously!

15. What was the last book you read?

    I just started reading “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”! I’m excited to start simplifying. I also try to spend time reading my Bible every day and am loving Lara Casey’s Write the Word Journal!

16. What is one piece of advice that you can give to a mom starting a business?

    Don’t compare yourself to other people! It’s so easy to get sucked into feeling like you are not good enough, especially since a lot of mommy-run businesses are prevalent on social media. Remember that you are seeing other people’s “highlights,” not the nitty gritty behind the scenes stuff.

You can find Jane at all of the places below:
Facebook
Instagram
Etsy
Website