We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Charlotte Ross a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Charlotte, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
Growing up, my mom always had different arts and crafts projects for my siblings and I to do after school and on the weekends with friends. She always encouraged us to express ourselves through color and creativity, reminding us that life was all about finding what brings us joy. It didn’t matter what our future job title was or how much money we had in our savings, as long as we were finding beauty in the day to day and sharing love with the world. My dad owned, and still owns, a small real estate business – he was less the “artsy” type but more so the motivator and inspirational speaker. He called us “the cans” and reminded us every day that we could do anything we set our minds to – a cliché to hear over and over as a kid with no concept of what that would mean for my adulthood, but now reflecting back, it has shaped my mindset in so many ways.
Over the years I have realized how privileged I was to grow up in a financially stable home with two loving parents. They always supported me, encouraged me, and stood by my side while I explored my various passions. When I graduated college in the height of the pandemic. they allowed me to move home and figure out a new life plan, which is when I eventually created my small business, Lobos. It began as a small hobby to keep some color and vibrancy in my life during a dark, uncertain time but eventually grew into my full-time job. It was never something I planned for or dreamed of but my parents have supported me throughout the journey. I didn’t follow the same career path as my colleagues and I definitely didn’t follow what I originally wanted for myself; things evolved and I was so grateful to have my parents rooting for me along the way.
As I have gotten older and experienced more of life – the good and the bad – I have become more grateful of all the little beauties in the world. I stop to look around, soak it all in, and find inspiration. I feel so loved and supported, which allows me to share those same sentiments in my crafts.
Charlotte, 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?
Lobos is my small knitwear & jewelry business, based out of Portland, Oregon. It began as a small side hobby in August 2020, just a few months after I graduated college and moved back home with my parents to “figure life out” in the midst of the pandemic. I remember feeling very anxious about my future; I was back at my parent’s house sleeping in my childhood bedroom with no plan for what was next. It was a dark time for myself and so many people, so I had to find ways to bring some color and playfulness back into my day to day. I started making polymer clay earrings, originally just for myself, but then decided to sell them on Instagram. I never intended on creating a business but one day I had the urge to share my creations with the world. Eventually my Instagram grew from just my close friends and family to the college students in my hometown to people in other states, and eventually beyond.
I added beanies to my shop after watching my mom knit various different projects while living at home and got inspired to try it out myself. I started with one beanie and never stopped. I grew to love knitting and over time started crafting my own signature styles, which is now a huge part of my business and what helped to broaden my audience.
Everything I design and craft is representative of the different parts of myself – whether it’s the more earthy, outdoorsy side or the groovy, funky side. I spend most of my weekends getting dirty hiking, camping, swimming in the river, etc. but I also love to get dressed up for concerts and fun events – and Lobos is a form of self-expression for folks like me, who like to put on a colorful hand knit beanie or a pair of funky earrings to bring out that more playful side. When I first decided to share my art, I hoped people would enjoy what they saw: something colorful, funky and artsy for their lobes, and eventually for their heads. I started creating at a time when many of us were stuck at home in 2020 – struggling with unemployment, watching friends and loved ones get sick and trying to cope with the uncertainty of the pandemic – I wanted to create art and create joy for people. I never expected it to grow into what it is today but I am so grateful for the journey it has lead me on.
Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?
Etsy is currently the only online platform I sell Lobos products through. I opened my shop just a few months after selling my first pair of earrings – I was originally just accepting Venmo payments or cash and driving to people’s front doors and hand delivering each order. As my business grew and I was reaching customers out of county, out of state, and eventually out of country, I had to look for an easier, more organized solution and Etsy was the perfect setup. The platform is incredibly accessible and user friendly and it feels like a community. The customers understand that handmade items take time, buyers and sellers support one another and the company offers several tips, advice and marketing tools/ insights. I would like to eventually create my own website and design something more independent that matches my business aesthetic but for now I am so grateful for all that Etsy has offered and helped me with throughout my business journey. I have connected with other business owners and customers from all around the world who I might not have interacted with otherwise. It feels personal, friendly and rewarding to be a part of.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Social media, specifically Instagram, has definitely been the biggest contributor to growing my clientele/ audience. When I first started my Lobos page I had just a few followers, which consisted of my closest friends and family members. I was happy with my small community – it felt safe and comfortable for sharing my creations without judgement at the beginning, but when I I realized I wanted to continue creating and selling, I had to work on building a brand for myself. I looked to other artists and small businesses, similar to myself and my art, for inspiration and connection. I followed members of my local community and university and I reached out to small content creators, with similar values and interests as me, to trade content for products.
I have always valued people and businesses who stay authentic to themselves and their message and try to do the same with Lobos. I like to remind my followers that there is a human being behind the account, experiencing life and creating art. It’s a safe and loving space for folks like me who love nature, love color and love human connection. We are all living our little lives, looking for beauty in our experiences and I like to think Lobos helps people express themselves in that way. If you are wearing a colorful beanie or colorful earrings, maybe it strikes up a conversation online or in person, maybe it makes you feel a little brighter on the inside and thus, it shows on the outside. For me, social media is less about advertising for consumerism and more so about encouraging people to find or wear what makes them feel good – we should all follow and support what ignites our joy.
By staying true to what I believe in, sharing photos of customers loving life in their Lobos products and connecting with other like-minded folks, I have been able to grow my social media and feel good about where it’s at!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LobosMade.Etsy.com
- Instagram: @lobosmade
- Other: TikTok @lobosmade_
Image Credits
Photos by Allie Nagel, Marina Neal, Sophie Fountain, Abby Stearns