We were lucky to catch up with Crystal Waddell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Crystal, thanks for joining us today. One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?
It took me a while to recognize the patterns in my business. As a maker, I have often felt fully consumed by the requirements of ecommerce. That means optimizing my website, talking to customers, fulfilling orders, handling shipping issues … all in addition to often making the physical product.
So with my head down, working in the weeds, I didn’t take a step back until I had to, which was in 2022. We had two awesome years in 2020 and 2021, in spite of the chaos in the world. Because I was home, even with a full time job it was easier to fulfill orders and do business-related tasks.
I quit my teaching job at the end of the 2020-2021 school year, I was so confident about the upward trajectory of my business! Believing that the good times were here to stay, In Q1 of 2022 I invested heavily in myself and courses to teach me how to execute ads.
I paid small bonuses to myself and team for a strong Q2. And that’s when things fizzled. Q3 and Q4 sales were some of the lowest in years, and I found myself $10,000 behind.
I felt sick and very disappointed in myself … I have always prided myself in existing as a debt-free business, or as close as possible. This was very discouraging, particularly going into a new year.
Now I’ve learned to save, save, save. I pay myself a salary but I have limited my “learning budget” and have focused on paying off this debt.
Crystal, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Welcome to CollageandWood, where we celebrate your sporting journey in the most unique and memorable way! Our mission is to create high-quality sports-related products that go beyond the ordinary.
We understand how important your achievements are and we’re here to help you commemorate them in style.
Whether it’s through our giant wooden letters, intricately designed athlete collages, or oversized senior photo props – every product tells a story, your story.
Hear it from our happy customers, senior athletes and their families, who’ve discovered the joy of owning a personalized memento of their sports journey.
They rave about the seamless ordering process, the thrill of unboxing their custom-made products, and the priceless emotions associated with them.
Collage and Wood began in 2014 out of a need to balance family life with the financial demands of raising a child.
The inspiration was simple: provide for our newborn son without the stress of daycare costs. The solution was beautifully unique: handcrafted, custom photo collages on wooden letters and numbers. This was born out of gifts I created for my club volleyball team.
Our mission is to celebrate senior athletes with distinct, personalized gifts that encapsulate their journey, achievements, and memories. We strive to be the number one provider for high school and college senior nights, senior picture props, and graduation event decor.
Collage and Wood products are unique, many of them handmade and custom-made, standing up to 3.5 feet tall. They offer a way for parents to connect with their high school and college-age children, commemorating their athletic journey with a tangible keepsake.
Our senior night gifts evoke feelings of accomplishment, joy, and a sense of closure as athletes transition to life after sports.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In 2020, I was teaching a class on Zoom and experienced a heart attack.
I’ve recorded it, but I’ve never watched it!
It felt like someone was trying to choke me by pushing my throat down with their thumb.
My son was with me in the room, so I tried not to panic.
After getting him situated with family, I called my husband, who met me to drive to the ER.
Because I looked so young and fit (I was only 39 and a PE teacher), the staff assumed that it was anxiety.
Thankfully, only weeks before I had met another under 40 mom who had a heart attack, and she told me about something called “triponin” levels. If these are higher than normal, doctors take your symptoms more seriously.
Sure enough, my triponin levels were more than 3x the normal limit. I was taken to a nearby hospital where I stayed for a few days. I was terrified I might never see my son again.
During the procedure when the doctor was exploring my arteries for blockages, I noted that he said one of the tendons of my heart was damaged.
Turns out you can physically “tug” on someone’s heart strings after all!
My final diagnosis was Takosubocardiomyopathy. Most people have heard it called “Broken Heart Syndrome.”
The biggest impact it had on my life was that I wanted two very specific things for the remainder of my life: live creatively and control my schedule.
So I quit my job at the end of the school year and dove into entrepreneurship full time.
And now I wake up every day with so much joy, so grateful to go to work and have a flexible schedule for my family!
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I think the best advice I ever read about business was: grow at the speed of cash.
This advice worked well for me because my business is based in my home. I have one employee besides myself (my husband) and one contractor (my woodworker).
To the best of your ability, limit your debt. Debt can make our businesses a cage rather than the freedom we desire as entrepreneurs.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://collageandwood.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/collageandwood
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/collageandwood
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/crystalwaddell
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/collageandwood
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@collageandwood