We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Arly Stroben a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Arly, appreciate you joining us today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?
My hero is my father, Chris Stroben. He was a huge supporter of my business and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.
He didn’t come from much and always taught us kids that if we wanted something, we had to work for it. That lesson played a huge role when starting my brand from the ground up with nothing but my ideas. I knew that if I wanted it to happen, I would need to put in the work in because nothing great in life is handed to you.
My father taught me to never give up and to always chase my dreams no matter how unrealistic they seemed at times. I am grateful for the strong work ethic he instilled in me and will carry it on for the rest of my life.
Arly, 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 am a fashion creative. My job consists of clothing design from start to finish – Patternmaking, Cutting and Sewing.
I got into the industry 6 years ago after teaching myself how to sew. I worked mainly in the festival scene for the first few years and have ventured into other areas like alterations, loungewear, bridal, embroidery and swimwear.
At this point in my career, I provide sewing services in all areas but a majority are alterations and custom pieces. When something doesn’t fit well, is damaged or a customer cannot find what they’re looking for…that’s where we come in. We are able to solve those problems and come up with creative solutions for the clients’ needs.
I believe what sets me apart from the rest is that my business isn’t defined to one area of sewing. We have experience in every department and will take on any project that requires a needle and thread. By doing this, we are helping people be more sustainable in their wardrobe.
What I am most proud of is all of the progress made over the years. I never thought I would get to have a job where I could be creative, fashionable and help people all at the same time. I hope that my future clients know that the sewing possibilities are endless with us – if you can dream it, we can create it.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
My business began on Etsy and within two years, I had a retail store and it was my full time job.
I had been going to music festivals for years and wanted to be able to make my own outfits. I would go to thrift stores and repurpose my finds into costumes. I figured if I could make myself clothing, why not create for others too.
By that time I had a huge network of friends and acquaintances who were extremely supportive of my new business. They would purchase pieces, commission me for customs or would share my work with others which helped my brands exposure.
Some of the most memorable milestones have been opening a retail store, being featured on the news, creating costumes for theater and being hired by one of my favorite festivals to create for them.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
My passion for sewing has helped me build my reputation within my industry.
If you talk to me one on one, you will know within minutes how much I care about my work. My knowledge and experience doesn’t go unnoticed. It has created a very reliable foundation with clients over the years. People know that they can bring me their ideas and it will be a positive experience.
Like they say…Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/thriftsys
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thriftsy.clothing
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thriftsys
Image Credits
Sabrina Lynn Photo Lizzie Rose Media Heidi Peinthor Photo Stephanie Dobash Photo Im Keiki Visuals De Luca