Welcome to Savvy Business Saturday!! Another week has flown by and this girl is still trying to find her groove in the new year. Enough about me though your here to meet the wonderful Lesley from The ElleBelleTree.
1. Thank you for being here Lesley, can you tell me a little bit about The ElleBelleTree and yourself?
L: Hi!! Thank you so much for asking me to be a featured vendor! A little bit about me, well I’m Lesley and I am the owner and creator of The ElleBelleTree. I will start off by saying that I love all things bunny related, I will never turn away a taco and I absolutely cannot sing in front of people. I have always had a passion for creativity and textiles and I love the ebbs and flows of running a handmade business that incorporates those two things. I have a soft spot for nostalgia and love things with a vintage flair. Incorporating that into my life and my job makes me pretty ecstatic. And speaking of my work, The ElleBelleTree!! It has gone through quite a metamorphosis since its origins, but has settled on a great place that I have been able to kneel into. I refer to it as a whimsical accessory brand offering functional and handmade lifestyle bags as well as quirky and inspired home decor.
2. How long have you been in business? Was this always a passion and if not how did The ElleBelleTree come to be?
L: The ElleBelleTree has been in business for over 10 years. Again, it has been through some changes but has been as it is now for about 8 years. Believe it or not, it started as a jewelry brand- I dabbled in the art of leather and vintage like jewelry for quite some time before I found my footing in the world of textiles. I was always very passionate about textiles, my mom sewed my clothes when I was younger and learning a practical skill was quintessential in the art of growing up for me. There really was no significant catalyst for The ElleBelleTree, it started out of a desire to find a creative outlet and has snowballed because of it.
3. What does being a small business owner mean to you?
L: Running a small business has really provided me with a sense of community and an understanding of consistent work ethic and managing the ups and downs that come with it. The handmade community is so thoughtful, diverse and unique it really gives me a feeling of pride to be a part of it. There is a significant amount of patience that comes with learning to grow a business. Lots of trial and error and a strange love for weathering the storm.
4. Do you have any advice for someone wanting to start a small business?
L: Advice for anyone wanting to start a small business. Well, my advice is threefold. Firstly, what are you passionate about? You will not be able to sustain a business making something you are not excited about. Don’t think about it from the perspective of “what will sell?” , but from the understanding that your love and passion for your product will make it sell. Secondly, can you stay in your own lane? Once you discover what you’re passionate about you can find the courage to make mistakes, learn from them and try new things. I think in a creative world it can be tempting to do what someone else is doing because you see their success, but truly you have the ability to offer a unique product with your own flair and expertise over time. Finally, charge appropriately for your work, I still struggle with this but there is so much value in understanding your worth, time, skill and your product. If you need someone to hype you up in thos arena I am always here for you.
5. What do you think sets you apart from others in similar business? What is one thing about yourself that you’d like customers to know about you?
L: I think the main thing that sets me apart has been my ability to stay in my own lane.( Look at that, I can take my own advice lol) I think I have stayed true to my brand, challenged myself when it was needed, owned up to my mistakes and have a product that represents itself, unapologetically. I think people resonate with that and enjoy the consistency in style, fabric and craftsmanship that The ElleBelleTree offers. I would like customers to know they can trust me and my brand, that I truly love what I do and it shows in each one of a kind piece.
6. With Covid (which I now consider a swear word ) running a muck What have you learned about yourself, your business and do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs struggling right now?
L: Covid, for my business and many other small businesses has been a bit of whirlwind.It has come with a lot of uncertainty, fear in making goals moving forward and an overall sense of hopelessness. However, it has also shown me my ability to pivot, meet a demand and remind me of what is important in my business. I started selling non medical masks in May 2020 because so many of my customers were asking for them ( I mean I do have the best fabrics and all 😉) and I was looking for a creative distraction. I was apprehensive about selling them in the beginning because I didnt want to come across as selling an item to people based on fears and I didn’t want to sell a product I couldn’t keep consistent. After lots of trial and error and many many tears, I ended up making it work and like all things committed to it fully as if it were a mainstay product in my lineup. My ability to pivot is obviously unique in that I have a specific skill set but I would urge other makers to do what feels right to them. If using this time to rev up your business is what you need, do that, if what you need is to pull back and reflect, do that. There is no right answer and productivity guilt has no place here.
7. What is your favorite product to make and why?
L: I am going to regret admitting this , but I kind of enjoyed making masks. Hear me out. It was fun making something different AND I was able to explore more seasonal fabrics which was new and fun for me last year. Believe it or not Halloween toiletry bags are not a big seller, so I found it inspiring to look at fabric differently. Now, in all honesty, of my mainstay products: Long live the Medium Retreat bag. I will never not love making it. I love the vintage take , with the wireframe and “doctor’s bag” feel, the function of the spillproof lining, the size and shape of it shows off the fabric beautifully, great lines and overall size. Not to mention I always feel really proud of myself for being able to make something so professional. It is also a piece that reminds me of the joy in perseverance. I vowed never to make one again after making it for the first time because it was so awful, but stuck to it because I knew it could be something great and now it is my most favorite style to offer.
8. When are we going to see a Tik Tok or YouTube channel of you and your Mom? I love when she makes her appearance LOL
L: Oh my Goodness. Just so you know she is reading this question right now and is REALLY excited at the thought of it. I don’t think you are alone in loving the Mama B snapchat videos- I know it is her favorite thing to watch back on my IG stories. Maybe one day I can figure out what TikTok is,exactly? One of my favorite Snapchat videos with Mom was the first ones. She thought she had to change her voice for the video so she was speaking in her best “snapchat voice”.
9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
L: I will be honest with you. I have a hard time making long term goals for myself both personally, and professionally. I think this year has been a reminder that things can often be fleeting and it is ok to live in the moment. I , would LIKE to see myself doing more of what I love and with some more confidence to try new things with more tools for some expansion. Does that count as a goal? Something about manifesting it maybe?
10. In closing, Is there anything you’d like to add?
L: I just wanted to add that I think it is lovely you have put together a format for small business sharing. I love hearing about makers and some of the things that go on behind the scenes. It is a nice reminder that we’re all human and we are all doing our best with the passions that we have. Be inspired, Stay Happy!!!!
Well that’s another amazing Q&A with a pretty great entrepreneur. If youd like to show Lesley some love or shop please go to http://www.ellebelletree.com or head to Instagram @theellebelletree to see her amazing products. We also offer some of her great things here @magnolia_rustic as well. Thank your Lesley for sharing today. Till next week.
Love a pretty Content Magnolia xx
Rustic Magnolia 