Mamaprenuer: Julie Fuller
Business: Tokyo Blossom
Site: www.tokyoblossomboutique.com
Instagram: @TokyoBlossom
About Julie:
We are a creative, double entrepreneur family. We're a little crazy, and we definitely don't take life too seriously.
About Julie’s Business:
Tokyo Blossom Boutique is a colorful, modern knitwear and accessory company. Our mission is to provide accessories that are handmade with old school craftsmanship and materials, while offering them in cheerful color palettes that appeal to the modern girl. Our goal is to give you that ‘kid in a candy shop' experience!
Why did you decide to become a mamaprenuer?
I had mostly worked for myself as a music tutor after I graduated college, but I decided to take my shop seriously after finding out a couple years ago that our son has autism. This allowed me the flexibility I desperately needed.
What is the greatest challenge you’ve experienced in your business?
Undervaluing my work. I let that stop me from attempting larger partnerships and collaborations for a long time.
How did you overcome that challenge?
I finally decided one day that the worst they could say was ‘no'. When you finally get that first big gig or opportunity and you hear someone that is well known tell you how much they love your work, it becomes a catalyst for making you want to pitch left and right. The ‘no's' don't mean as much anymore.
What is your greatest win as a business owner?
Getting to meet one of my favorite fashion bloggers and give her my planner clips in person. It wasn't a passing thing either. She stood there and talked to me for 15 minutes, and then she picked her favorite colors from a stack I had with me!!! Craziness!
Describe your ‘day in the life’.
Most of my business is seasonal as of right now. Because the business only consist of me and my family for now, I spend a lot of time in the summer making, photographing, and pitching. Then most of the fall and winter is spent fulfilling orders. It's a lot of early morning and a lot of late nights.
What’s your great big dream for your business?
I would love to be able to somehow support or fund a special needs ministry one day. I have a soft spot for that field for obvious reasons, but more than that, Sean and his buddies at school have taught me so much. They are some of the strongest kids I know. They never quit, and even through all of the struggles and hardships that some of them go through, they have such a sweet spirit, eager to love others.
Share a tip with your fellow mamapreneurs.
No two days are exactly the same. You might feel like you are in line with that organizational blogger one day, and the next day you might feel like you need therapy. But the honest truth is, even that famous blogger doesn't have it all together. We're all working through this crazy mompreneur life, and we have to look at each day with fresh eyes and plenty of grace.
Share your favorite Mamapreneur moment!
My family is very supportive. Even my 5 year old son… If he hears me get excited after a phone call or reading an email, even when he has no idea what it's about, he will do the ‘happy dance' with me, followed by a ‘GREAT JOB, MOMMY!!'. It's the best thing ever. LOL