Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yolanda Monahan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Yolanda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My mission is to inspire people of all ages and genders on the positives of wearing headbands with comfort and style. YoBandz® started this business with a deep passion for finding a comfortable fitting headband that everyone could wear. After many years of wearing those uncomfortable headbands, I found myself only wearing them for a few hours because they hurt behind my ears causing headaches. Based on my customer research, my studies shows that people also have the same problems that I have been experiencing. My Fashionable Clip-On Headbands eliminates any pressure behind the ears, is bendable to form around your own head and I’ve added Clip-On barrettes on each end to keep it from slipping off. Headbands can be worn to either keep the hair out of your face, while playing sports, dancing or just to make a fashion statement, but Headbands are not for everyone. YoBandz® Headbands are unique compared to the competition because they are soft, durable, fashionable, pain free, slip proof and can be worn all day long and there is no other headband like it. As of today, I have formed a partnership with my local community at Farmers Markets and with my new relationship with Amazon.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
We all love our hair and like many, I like to wear headbands to keep the hair out of my face, but the pressure of those uncomfortable headbands hurt behind my ears causing headaches and was only able to wear them for a couple of hours at a time. I continued buying different types of headbands hoping that the next one would work better, but instead the elastic headband slipped off my head because it was too big, so I threw it in the drawer. I then saw a cute one hoping that it would work, but it was still uncomfortable as well, and I thru that one in the drawer. After spending many painful hours and money, guess what I ended up with? A drawer full of headbands that I could not wear. I then decided to cut one of the bands and sewed a clip-on barrette on each end and wore it to work for 10 hours and forgot that I even had it on. Then a few coworkers asked me where I got the headband from, and I told them that I made it. That is when YoBandz was born.
By merging hair clips and headbands together, the YoBandz innovated new design is unique because these Fashionable Clip-On Headbands forms around the individuals head and the clip-on barrettes keeps it from slipping off. Our solutions have many features that solves wearing those painful headbands to be comfortable, pain free, can be worn all day long, is bendable to form around the head, slip proof with added Clip-On Barrettes, fashionable, soft, durable, saves money spent on unwanted headbands and is a Registered Trademark.
What customers are saying, they have never seen anything like this, they wish they had this solution when they were younger, this is a brilliant idea. After many trials and errors we now have YoBandz on the Market today.
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
YoBandz LLC, located in Chesterton, IN established on August 26, 2020, and I have been employed at the Walgreens Return Center for the past 32 years. My mother taught me how to sew when I was younger and have been making clothes for my children since then. I started sewing the headbands out of my home and is still manufacturing them on my own as of today. After 2 years, I am in the process of working on the first steps of manufacturing my product with a company called Tradewinds. Tradewinds, a sewing Manufacturer that has been producing garments under the Ability One Program for 35 years, and they are an agency in Northwest Indiana that provides services and employs people with physical disabilities.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I am currently advertising through my social media channels, and I have booked to sell at Farmers Markets 3 times a month for the rest of this year. (Which I have repeat customers) I just signed a contract with RangeMe, which is an online platform that enables retail buyers to discover and purchase products from suppliers. I am furthering my skills on how to gain customers as an Amazon and Walmart New Seller. I started off not paying for advertisements and doing everything myself, but I had to bite the bullet and am in the mist of outsourcing a Marketing Team that does everything for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yobandz.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yo_bandz_headbandz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yobandzheadbandz
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yo-monahan-90b933223
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/yobandzheadband
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UComqZtC7Cxy1NP5fG94L_EQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@yo_bandz
Image Credits
All photos taken by Yo