We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brittany Hartt. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brittany below.

Alright, Brittany thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think anyone can have an innovative idea or learn skills to make them successful. In order to be successful you have to possess drive and dedication. The road to success is not an easy one and is often filled with setbacks. Pushing through obstacles a using failures as a learning experience rather than a reason to quit is a mindset that is necessary. For example, I learned to sew by watching YouTube videos. I didn’t always have the skills or knowledge to sew. I am self-taught. Many times, over the course of my business I have had collections or events totally flop. Instead of giving up, I used those experiences to better understand my consumer base and adjust my course to meet their needs.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a mom of two beautiful girls, I am also a Healthcare Administrator in addition to a small business owner. In my professional life, I manage a large Hospitalist physician group and a SNFIST physician program (physicians who round within skilled nursing settings).

I first became interested in the handmade industry when my daughter, Sophia was born. I was having trouble coping with work/life balance once I became a mom. I gave up a lot of my hobbies when she was born and really needed something to fill my cup. I started out by making her bows out of vegan leather. From there, I became interested in handmade clothing. I used to sew with my grandmother when I was younger, so I thought, why not learn how to sew clothes for my daughter. My husband bought be a sewing machine for my birthday and from there, my business evolved.

I provide handmade clothing for children aged newborn to 6years. I choose high quality fabrics that hold up against the wear and tear of children. Because I handmake everything in my shop myself, I am able to alter patterns in order to meet my customer’s needs. For example, I can alter sizing to provide a custom fit. I can add access for g-tubes or ports to serve children with medical needs. If you need a custom outfit for a birthday or special event, I can make that happen!

I’m most proud of the community that I developed with my brand. We provide a safe place for our customers and promote an environment that builds each other up. I build personal relationships with my customers. I am also most proud of giving back. My favorite thing about being a small business owner is the ability to give back to the communities that support me.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

About a year into my journey as a handmade clothing designer, I became pregnant with my middle daughter, Hayden. Shortly before Christmas, I went to my 20-week appointment and found out that she no longer had a heartbeat. I was scheduled to have a Christmas collection launch the next day, instead of launching my Christmas collection, I was admitted and induced to deliver my daughter stillborn. I came home from that experience, launched my collection, and continued to sew through grief. That experience really gave me a platform to spread awareness about pregnancy and infant loss. That experience also gave my business purpose. Several times a year I will donate proceeds back to the hospital that delivered my daughter to help fund their bereavement services.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I had to pivot my business a few times since opening. The first example is COVID. When COVID hit, that put a heavy burden on my professional career as a Healthcare Administrator working in a hospital setting. I had to scale back on my handmade business while I focused on navigating my provider team through COVID and find a new groove with managing both. Next came the rising costs of materials. The costs of running a business drastically increased while the amount our consumers are willing to spend on “luxury” items decreased. It is difficult to maintain that balance of being profitable yet affordable for consumers. Handmade clothing is not a necessity in the grand scheme of things.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brittanyharttdesigns
• Instagram: instagram.com/bhartt_designs
• Facebook: Brittany Hartt Designs

Image Credits
Limilu Photography Cherie Marie Photography Ashley Henderson Gabriella Gussenhoven