Alright, Heather thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?

Miranda Lambert contacted me after sending product to her store to sell. We decided to cold send product to Miranda Lamber’s store in Tishomingo, OK, several years ago when she first opened it. We packed it up, sent a small note about who we were, and told her we thought the items would do well for her in her new venture. After a few weeks, she called me on the phone and wanted to place an order because they had sold out. I was so shocked that she called! It was a surreal event that we laugh about to this day- The call came in from a blocked number. I answered it, and she said, “Hey! This is Miranda. I want to place an order for more earrings.” I stupidly said, Miranda Lambert?!?! She said, “Uh-Huh”. I said, “Oh yes, of course.” Like it is normal for us to talk to celebrities every day. As an entrepreneur, you are surprised most when things work out as you plan!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My husband created a pair of earrings out of bullets back in 2010. From that one product, we have grown a business that is now almost exclusively a handmade leather goods business. Over the years, with customer input and my husband’s creativity, a product mix evolved that showcases a uniqueness in style and a classic aesthetic that has proved successful. We started out as a wholesale company that did temporary markets at the Americasmart in Atlanta. In 2015, we decided to open our first brick-and-mortar and our second in 2023. We have found a niche selling an experience. That experience, in turn, provides the customer with a handmade product they can pass down from generation to generation. Our storefront has maker spaces sprinkled throughout so that the customer is immersed in our making experience firsthand, as well as the process and patience that goes into the pieces we create for them. Our customers can customize their pieces to their liking and personalize them with debossed initials or a brass plate. Over the years. we have developed a paid apprenticeship program with our local high schools. Approximately 90% of our products are made by high school students. We love the opportunity to teach them the hard skills of making leather goods and the soft skills it will take to be successful once they embark on their journey after high school.

we employ old-world techniques that feel like you are stepping back in time.

Handmade. Sustainable. Heirloom Quality. SouthLife.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

We did not set out to start a business. My husband was a nurse, and I was a pharmaceutical sales rep. So, we had no idea how to structure a business or how to scale and grow it. He is the creative in our business and I am the business side of our business. Over the years, we would hit highs and lows and struggle to grow to the next level. I finally found several books that were helpful, including Profit First by Michael Michalowicz, E Myth Mastery by Michael Gerber, Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits by Greg Crabtree, and Good to Great by Jim Collins.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

We make our own product, and we have sacrificed growth because of it to some extent. However, we have a reputation for creating a quality product. We have about a 30% return customer rate. We are competing against anyone else who makes a handbag- including all the designer brands. I think the thing that has helped us to build our reputation is our quality- we also have a lifetime warranty on our craftsmanship- so our customers know if there is a problem with the stitching or rivet or whatever it may be, we will fix it for them- no questions asked.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.southlifesupplyco.com
• Instagram: @southlifesupply
• Facebook: @southlifesupply
• Youtube: Living The SouthLife