Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lacey Shamion. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lacey , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I was a new mom desperately wanting to stay at home with her daughter, but knew our household needed two sets of income… I had tried traditional network marketing but it just wasn’t what was put on my heart to do. I knew I loved to create and help, but just wasn’t sure where I fit in combining my passion and my calling.. I had always worn headbands, but never loved loved any that I had bought.

While visiting my childhood home one weekend with our daughter (my husband was away on a hunting trip) I googled how to make a headband, my mom bought me a $60 Walmart sewing machine and I went to Joanns fabric and bought a little material. I had posted on my personal instagram asking if anyone would buy them if I sold them, and of course my closest friends said yes! I created an Etsy shop and instagram, Topknots and Toddlers, that weekend and sold my first handful of headbands.

I remember calling my husband that weekend SO excited. I had sold 70 headbands… it was honestly the most proud of myself I had felt in so long knowing I could do something so fun, flexing my creativity and helping my family.

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 wife of almost 12 years and mom of a 7 and 3 year old. I’ve always been on the more creative side and my heart is in helping and loving people. I went to college for multiple careers, including teaching and nursing and yet here I am hanging out on the internet with the most amazing community creating head hugs!

I started my Etsy, at the time, as a new mom, when our daughter was two. I had tried my hand at network marketing, blogging, working part time but knew ultimately I wanted to be at home. On a whim one weekend visiting family, I had asked my instagram friends if they would be interested in purchasing headbands, many said yes, so I then googled how to make them! my mom purchased a sewing machine for me and bought some fabric; that weekend I sold 70 headbands to my friends and family and that was all the confirmation I needed.

Starting out I spent SO much time and energy and money (yikes) attempting to learn what I even wanted to do, my shop had a variety of different accessories as I was trying to meet the needs of all requests. A lot of my creating was from a point of, how can I make a sale. When youre young and ultimately desperate to make something work.. gosh, the things I said yes to making and creating just to get by.

it wasn’t until I put my head down and really focused on my niche, craft and COMMUNITY above all else, did my business explode. It has had many years of ups and downs and praying and praying harder.

In 2020 I completely rebranded myself, new Business name, Wander and Arrow Co (at the time) turned my dream into an LLC because my accountant told me too, learned how and where to wholesale boutique items and flipped my business. I knew there was no plan B for me, I had to make it work. I started showing up differently on the internet, my instagram became a place and community where I shared all aspects of life and business. I was fortunate to have content spread like crazy the end of 2021 to really get eyes on what I was doing. my community was growing, people were loving what I was creating and because of years of working so hard on my niche it was finally paying off!

in 2022 I hired my first employee and then another.. I had two of my girlfriends helping me sew and create headbands to keep up with the volume of orders. it finally got to the point where I needed to packing and processing orders “full” time; mid 2022 I hired 2 more friends. this has been and will be one of my most proudest moments about my business. I want to be a “boss” that I needed when I started. I can help my family financially while raising my kids and having something for myself. I’m so fortunate for my team. they will forever have my heart

June of 2022 a dream I didn’t even know existed came to fruition, when my husband was able to leave his full time job to be at home with the kids and I. I still cant believe what we have created.

Towards the end of 2022 I turned my LLC to a Corporation, We are now Wander and Arrow Inc, we have 5 employees who sew/create for us and a virtual assistant who helps me keep up on daily tasks.

its overwhelming humbling and exciting to know there are ladies who want to be apart of this, who see my vision and want to support our company. the community we have created online is second to none. im overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to share my passion and heart everyday and have the Wander and Arrow community show up like they do for us every month.

How did you build your audience on social media?

This is my FAVORITE thing to talk about.

I honestly have to slow clap for my OG network marketing days, because I learned SO much about how to show up on social media and “story tell” if you will. It took me until I created my own business to realize its about community and people over anything else, and when I finally figured that out, the game changed.

THIS, is what will create a brand and a community. If you have a product you are trying to get out into the world.. the number one question I ask myself is “why would they want to buy from me?” its 2023 you can get all the things youre needing and wanting at the click of a button and on your doorstep within the week… so why would someone want to buy from me?

I feel like im relatable (its weird talking about myself this way) but I try very hard to share all things life and small business (the good and the bad, and what I feel comfortable sharing of course) but I try to show up the best way I can each day. somedays are easier than others, but you can create a nice workflow that isn’t overwhelming when you show up in a big way the days you feel great and show up as you can on days that the momentum Is lacking.

More often than not the stranger on the internet will want to see you win and will cheer for you harder than anyone else.
if you were to meet me in person my number one prayer is you think; “she’s exactly who she is on social media”

authenticity will get you SO far ahead the game, I truly believe being who you are is your brand. you can certainly be inspired by those around you, but until you make your thing YOUR thing, something that is YOU, your ideas, your heart, people won’t believe it. when they believe you and trust you. that is when you will start to build you community and that is what is going to keep your people coming back to you over and over again and sharing your brand and business.

I truly believe that there is room at the table for everyone, just bring your own chair! How are you going to set yourself apart from someone doing or selling the same thing. YOU are your brand, show your face, your people want to get to know and love and support you!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I would say keeping up with the trends on the platforms I use. Its easy to get on our apps and see what’s trending on our for you pages; by taking those audios for example and using them to promote your brand is my biggest advice!

I also invest monthly into a virtual assistant and her team who help me repurpose my content I create, onto other platforms. I solely focus on Instagram; but she is able to crosspost onto other platforms to help get my business out there! it has made a world of difference for my business, but I’m not doing any more work than I normally would!!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wanderandarrowco.shop
• Instagram: wanderandarrowco
• Youtube: wanderandarrowco
• Other: TikTok: wanderandarrowco

Image Credits
Flatlay photos are the work of Daylinn Brooks at Billie and James creative