We were lucky to catch up with Dru Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dru , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, Riley Corinne, when I came up with the idea to start a business. When I found out I was having a girl, I decided it would be a hair accessory business. I waited until after she was born to get started. Thought it would be nice to have a model in-house already. I have a retail background working for companies like Nordstrom, Reebok & Victoria’s Secret. I have a strong sales background but nothing in product development so I didn’t know where to start exactly. First step I took was to begin doing some research & I discovered a whole new world! I found materials from different fabric vendors, bow templates and tools I could use to make the hair bows myself. I’m a crafty person and I already owned a cricut machine that I would use to make crafts & keepsakes for my other children so I thought this would be a better idea than to just source products. Also I wanted my brand to stand out and have unique offerings. I could customize bows to match outfits and really be creative with designs. Next I needed to come up with a name & logo. Initially I had named the business- Something About Riley, since she was my inspiration but ultimately felt like that didn’t speak to what the brand was really about. In 2013 I experienced a miscarriage. Growing my family was a dream come true to me but it quickly turned into a nightmare. I struggled with depression and never felt comfortable to share my story. I was ashamed and felt alone. Fast forward to 2016 and conceiving again. I was a nervous wreck my entire pregnancy, but after the storm we got our rainbow! Rainbow baby that is. I decided to change the name to Third Ones A Charm (TOAC) with a rainbow logo. Now I needed to find a platform to sell on. I decided to start a Etsy shop. It was user friendly and very easy to add photos and product details. There was no huge out of pocket costs to get setup which was also a plus. I started a Instagram page @third_ones_charm to be able to post new releases and connect customers to my shop. Lastly before I could officially open up shop I needed to create marketing materials, stickers, bow cards, thank you cards and shipping supplies. Once all my materials has arrived I began making bow samples so I could take pictures and list them quickly. My shop opened in October 2017. When I got my first sale I was so excited! I initially was operating as a made-to-order business which I learned quickly would not be sustainable for me as I was still working a full time job on top of being a wife & mother. Going from an idea to a small business has been a journey. It hasn’t been easy but worth it. I’ve learned so much along the way but the most important thing has been to do it even if I’m afraid and it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I love to make things. Doesn’t matter what it is, I’ll always try to make things on my own first before I buy it. I enjoy being creative and making things look good ever since I was a kid. With that said I’ve also always been drawn to fashion. I studied and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. I kinda regret not studying to become a designer but I wouldn’t change the path I took. I got my degree in Merchandise Marketing. I’ve always wanted to own my own business one day. I grew up watching my grandmother be an entrepreneur. I admired her in so many ways but most importantly how she cared for her family. Throughout her career she had done things like selling fine China and lingerie at one point to owning a cleaners and ultimately a family daycare. She sold baked goods throughout the holidays like she could really do it all! I’ve embodied her spirit on my own entrepreneurial journey. What I didn’t know was I’d be making and selling kids hair accessories. It’s been really fun to do and I like the community of mothers I get to meet and connect with. I began sharing my story about my miscarriage. It was scary but I felt that I should challenge myself to be vulnerable in that way. I was so surprised when other women started sharing their own stories with me. I started to feel seen and heard for the first time. It’s really been magical! TOAC is more than bows, we celebrate and uplift women who have been struggling in silence. Miscarriages, Pregnancy Loss and Infertility are not easy topics to discuss or bring up and I want to change that because every woman deserves to be seen, supported and loved during those difficult seasons. TOAC also celebrates those babies that came after a loss. I refer to them affectionately as my little Charmers. I’m honored to create special items from birthday crowns to custom onesies & tutus to celebrate their milestones because I know how hard their mother prayed for them. I’m currently working on growing the brand to include more products for women that focus on healing through grief & gift giving. I launched a candle line in October of 2022. I’m excited about what’s to come in 2023!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In this day and age of social media I had to unlearn the idea that having a large following means you are successful or a successful brand. It’s just not always the case. Everyone also has different measurements for what success is so I had to really hone in and focus on what mine was. Being honest I have fallen into that trap and at a time was a bit obsessed over growing my following, which isn’t a bad thing BUT I wasn’t focused on growing my core audience, people who would actually buy from me, my target demographic. I started being a part of those followers loops oh gawd haha. What a hassle and waste of time! I should’ve been spending more time building my email list & creating campaigns to keep current customers engaged instead of chasing new followers who didn’t even like my post. That’s what lessons are meant to do, teach you things. I know I have plenty more to learn.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve had to pivot a few times in this business. Remember when I told you how I started with -Something about Riley? Well I wasn’t just selling bows. I also had listings for other things like cupcake onesies, hand painted name blocks, gift boxes with clothing and baby essentials. It was a lot going on haha. I needed to keep it simple and stick to something, not do every idea that popped in my head. I’m crafty and creative so it’s naturally a occupational hazard. It wasn’t easy to manage from a inventory perspective or margins. So although I love making I had to pivot and make things make sense.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.thirdonesacharm.com
• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/third_ones_a_charm