Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacquelyn Mansfield

Hi Jacquelyn, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

Proxima Design started at the beginning of the pandemic. Masks were almost impossible to find and I work in a grocery store full time, so I felt very vulnerable and unprotected. Many of my friends and family were also working in jobs that didn’t have the work from home option, so I brought the old Singer sewing machine a friend had given me down from the spare room, and really figured out how to use it. The masks I made were so comfortable and durable that I quickly started a business as their popularity spread amongst my friends and family’s network. Along with the masks I started trying my hand at making some cat toys and other accessories just to break up the monotony of mask after mask after mask. The cat toys were also a hit! After a couple years the mask orders dried up and I decided to pivot the business exclusively to cat toys.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

I feel like it’s been kind of a charmed journey. Since the beginning I seem to have been in the right place at the right time for a lot of really wonderful things to happen, like making contacts and friends with other small businesses. We really try to empower each other and help each other grow here in Maine. Some of the challenges I’ve encountered have often had to do with materials scarcity, or a business partnership ending. It really causes you to scramble and think fast so you don’t lose momentum. I enjoy the chance to think on my feet when things like that happen, but it certainly is stressful!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I make handmade cat toys! I think what sets them apart from many of the other toys out there are both their durability and their joyful designs. No cat toy can be indestructible if the cat really wants to get into it, they do have sharp claws and teeth, but I’m very proud of the durability of my toys. They often last much longer than other toys, and between the potent organic catnip and the thoughtful design, my kitty customers show a lot more interest in them on the whole when compared with commercially made toys, or even other handmade toys.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?

The week before we knew we were going to get to go to the amusement park, my brother and I would make lists of all the rides we wanted to go on, and maps of the park. We’d try to plan out the day with how many times we wanted to go on each ride and map out our route through to the next ride. That was almost as fun as actually going sometimes!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://proximadesigncattoys.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proxima.design.cattoys
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProximaDesignCatToys/
• Other: https://proximadesigncattoys.etsy.com