Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andrew Wilson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Andrew, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
I’ve tried hard my whole adult life to make my own money. While I work at a job that I love, I also enjoy the feeling of being an Entrepreneur, From mowing yards, to baking cookies, to making hats and now Hand Weaving the wonderful kitchen products I now make and sell, I finally feel like I am a real Entrepreneur. I spent several years learning work ethic and “listening to the voice” of customers, when I was mowing yards and weeding for people, I learned to work hard. I also learned that you can work hard and have much satisfaction from a job done well. But, I didn’t make much money doing it. It would take me several hours in the heat of day and would walk away with a fraction of what I thought I should be able to do in that same amount of time. I began baking and trying to sell my baked goods, but learned that the product costs were so high compared to what I could charge for the end product that I (once again) could not make much money doing it, although I loved it. So, my aunt Cathy (who I live with) suggested I try making knitted hats. I worked really hard to learn the skill. I loved the hats I was making and had a lot of fun making them, but unfortunately, they were not an item I could sell year round, so once again; my income was very limited. I searched for other things I might be able to do and was feeling a bit frustrated. It needed to be something I could make money doing after I put in my time at my regular job. Being mentally challenged has always brought unique challenges for me, but I have never allowed my limitations to hold me back or keep me from succeeding; so I asked my aunt if she could help me figure out what I could do. We went to many boutiques, shops, and retail stores to look for ideas. What I discovered is there was an actual need for “woven” hot pads and pot holders. Ladies/Men were looking for decent ones vs. the ones they could buy on the internet, on Etsy or at retail. What was out there either looked loose and sloppy or simple elementary “ish”. The ones that were being made on the internet or Etsy were being called hot pads, but were really more like croqueted doilies. They were not high quality or thick enough to prevent burns. The ones you see in retail are cheep, too bulky, and lack in character, design, and versatility. My aunt had a small loom and taught me how to use it. From there, I got the hang of doing it and perfected my technique. I learned to hand sew so I could finish them off in a long lasting and durable way. I then asked my aunt to help me find a wholesaler so I could make the profit I needed to make when selling them. We found a fabulous manufacturer out of Mass. They actually make a very high quality 100% cotton thick cord (from recycled cotton fabric) that they sell in a variety of colors. Because I did not like their sample designs (they looked very old school- like what my great grandma would have), I decided to get some of their colors in and began designing my own sets. I did this by going out to the internet to see what colors were relevant in today’s market. I did a lot of searching to see what kitchen colors were trending as well. Each year it’s changed a bit. I also take into account what “Pantone” is saying is the new hits for the upcoming year to. (for example, 3 years ago the color trends were very much in the blues, 2 years ago the color schemes of “Pioneer Woman” were all the rage. This past year I’ve seen that blacks, grays and whites are in kitchen themes more. So each year I’ve created new designs that would show off each of these new trends. It’s been amazing, as I’ve done this, not only have I seen more and more sales, but I’ve also see return customers coming back for more and to be able to gift to others too. If you were to ask me 4 years ago, If I would see myself earning money by weaving pot holders and hot pads; I would have laughed. But there seems to be a real need for this product. As long as it is of high quality and durable, looks trendy for today’s kitchen, has a pitch that appeals to our generation (ie. product that is made with recycled fabric) and actually does the job it’s designed to (protect people and surfaces from burns), then it sells. I’ve been at a few boutiques and they seem to be the sweet spot for this product. Last year a customer came up to me and told me a story about how she loves to cook but always has so much difficulty because she has to use a cane and ends up being limited in her mobility. So she begins stirring her cooking and then forgets that she needs a hot pad, She grabs her handle and ends up burning her palm. She asked if there was anything I could do to help her. My aunt and I were talking with her and brainstorming. We came up with a item that we now call “The Kettle Cozy”. I asked her to come back the next day and I would have it made and ready for her. She was so thrilled. I went home that night and made the world’s first ever- Kettle Cozy! It was a hit. She loved it. so much she gave me a big tip. Since that day, I’ve sold several of these items. Each time I explain what they are, ladies say “Oh wow! I need that too.” So, I’ve even created a new product that has past customers wanting it. My business is doing very good. Sale keep getting better and better. My last craft show was in Draper. It was a 6 hour show and in that time I collected over 1500.00 from Hot Pads, Pot Holders and Kettle Cozies. That’s a lot of weaving! This is turning out to be such a good business. One that not only answers a need for the cooks, moms, students and dads of today, but also adds a bit of character to their kitchens. It’s not a cookie cutter stamped China Hot Pad, but rather a personally designed and custom color themed item that customers can envision as well and I can make what they need tailored to them, or they can choose from my inventory on hand. Folks seem to like how these products have a connection to the past, but have been brought up to date with today’s trends. They often comment that they’ve never seen such High Quality ones. They remember them from their grandma’s kitchens, but never liked the colors or patterns of them. It seems almost “refreshing” to them when they seen the colors and options I have. I also have created a color wheel they can choose what colors they want to have if they want something custom. I now have over 20 different designs in a wide variety of color schemes and even seasonal themes. From the Gingham Pattern, to the Herringbone Pattern, from the Bumble Bee to the Watermelon, the Checker, the basic Solid, the Band, the double band, the Ribbon pattern, the gift wrap, the basket weave, ocean wave and the zig zag. The Thanksgiving Pattern, the American Flag, the Candy Cane and the Rainbow just to name a few. Some of my newest 2023 patterns include the Silver/White influence, Hint of pastel, and the Christmas Tree, I enjoy making these products and feel a real sense of pride each time I finish a set. I enjoy talking with customers who come to my booth and home. I had a gentleman last Christmas enjoy his set so much that he decided to purchase a pot holder for each of his co-workers at his bank. He wanted them custom in his bank colors, so we had fun making him 14 of the color themes he needed. He was so thrilled with the final product. He said his co-workers were quite surprised and loved them too! I love talking about my story. I watch the news with my aunt and uncle and am always frustrated when they say on TV that America is a bad place or that it’s not possible for people to succeed here. I feel like it’s really easy to succeed, it just takes a lot of determination, a strong will and a lot of hard work. I think if anyone works hard and sets their mind to succeeding and don’t give up- then they can experience what is so great about our country! If I can be successful, so can others. It just takes getting off your couch and off your game or phone and working. Never be afraid to work hard- after all, that’s what provides us with the money we need to not only live, but to enjoy life! I’m glad I live in America where anything is possible! I love my business, I love my customers and I love what I do.
Andrew, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I think I just covered all that in the first question. Maybe I gave too much for one question… ha ha ha BUt I would add that Andrew’s Designs is a individually owned business that specializes in Hand Woven Kitchen products. I provide my customers with High End Designer Hand Woven Hot Pads, Pot Holders and Kettle Cozies made of durable High Quality 100% cotton fiber (from recycled cotton fabric). Each Set comes with 2 oversized Pot Holders (10 x 10 inch) and 2 hot pads (7 x 7 inch). A set takes about 1 day for me to create and currently costs just 35.00. I’ve worked hard to keep costs the same for customers for the past 3 years (even though costs all around us have gone up with inflation- including the cost of goods for me too). But, so far, the costs to my customers has remained as it has been for 3 years now. Kettle Cozies are unique to my business as they are my exclusive product. The fantastic little items make it possible to cook and come back to your kettle or pan to stir without needing to reach for an additional pot holder. At just 12.00 each, I have maintained this cost for the customer too. Despite my costs having been increased by the manufacturer. I love my customers and want to put these high quality dependable products into their hands at a price anyone can afford. They are all made by me and I take the time it requires to make each set tight and detailed to perfection so they can count on their item lasting for years and years to come.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Like so many who want to begin making money on their own with either a new product they want to make or a service they wish to provide, I didn’t have much money. My initial investment was 500.00. It took me a bit of time to get that money, I saved it from doing little things (like mowing lawns, selling assets I didn’t need any more, tips, etc) I started very small and started out selling in places that didn’t charge for me to set up a table, or they charged very little. In the first couple shows/boutiques I did, I even had the coordinators work with me so I didn’t have to pay for the table until after I had some sales. This was great because it allowed me a chance to try and spread my wings and see what would happen and how it would go. I took good notes about what customers were gravitating to and made adjustments at my next shows so I could impact sales in a more positive way. I made sure that I did not blow my money coming in but rather reinvested it into the business as much as possible so I could build my inventory and be able to have more options to drive better sales. My first couple boutiques I only sold about 200 to 300.00 in sales, this last boutique I did 1500.00 in just 6 hours. So it has paid off in my case, to build my inventory and provide more of a selection for customers to choose from. I also began creating to order too so customers would have the ability to customize if they needed. Word of mouth has also been a positive for me. I have seen some prior customers tell others about the products I make and sending them to me.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
It took me a while to understand what many new business owners and entrepreneurs struggle with- that is: I can love something. I can enjoy making it. But what I love or enjoy is irrelevant. It’s all about what the customer likes, wants and needs. I had been coached by my aunt, in my first year I began this business, to listen to my customer, to look and observe trends, see what folks are buying and then make what they need. I began just making color combinations that I liked. She kept coaching me that they were nice sets, but probably wouldn’t sell as they were not really colors a woman might want in her kitchen or on her table. I thought I knew what customers would like. They would like what I like. But what I learned in that first year is I had many sets that were not selling and I kept bringing them to shows just to bring them home again. So, I had to rethink my ideas and pay more attention to what was selling, what was trending and what might be trending currently. It took me close to a year to change my perception and adjust my tact. I had spent so many years of my life being told any idea I had was great. However, the truth is, not everyone likes the same thing, and I need to provide what the customer likes, not what I like. I think the hardest thing to do as a new person in business is to truly pay attention to what the customer is telling you with their pocketbook, vs what you think you know. As long as we are willing to swallow our pride a bit and listen to their voice, we will see sales continue.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Andrews designs
- Other: I only have a Facebook business page right now. I’m not on any other social media venue.
Image Credits
I’d like to thank Susan Greer for providing me with the image of her bumble bee potholders on her kitchen counter top. Thank you Susan.