We were lucky to catch up with Liv Perkins recently and have shared our conversation below.

Liv, appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

There is not a doubt in my mind nowadays that I would have failed as an employee of someone else’s dream. I think the people who know me best would say I wasn’t cut out for the 9-5 and that I need a bit of chaos to thrive. The idea of being independent was set in stone for me growing up. My parents were both self-employed, my dad being a creative himself. Seeing their constant hard work and pursual of their businesses grew my incredible amount of respect for them. While it was my only example of what a job could be for my household, I never intended to start a small business.

I attended university and received a bachelor’s in biology. I planned on getting a PhD and teaching at a collegiate level, continuing research and leading a very different life. When the pandemic happened, I decided that I didn’t want to continue my studies online. As a hands-on learner, that style of education would have been pointless. I knew it was unlikely for me to find a job as a fresh college graduate in the middle of the pandemic, so I decided to create in all the free time I had. Throughout my whole life I’ve been creative, so it wasn’t learning a new skill, but rather reawakening one that had been buried by academics. I credit my incredible husband for his endless support and the Lord for the opportunity to have my own business to begin with. Without either, I wouldn’t have DeForest Designs.

Any time I’m feeling particularly insecure about the growth of my business, struggling with bettering a product, or outside disapproval of what I do for a living, I consider how a normal job could be easier. It’s easy to compare how your business is growing to others. It’s easy to get discouraged when the idea for a product looks/works better in your head than in reality. It’s easy to allow the words of a complete stranger to chip away at your confidence. The difficult thing is to accept that everyone grows in their own way in their own time. It’s difficult to accept that if a product isn’t turning out how you expected then maybe you rethink the design. It’s difficult to accept that other’s opinions don’t have to be your own. It’s difficult to be a small business owner, but I think that even though I never intended to be one it was inevitable. An inevitability that I couldn’t be happier with.

Liv, 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?

I’m Liv Perkins. A candle maker and textile artist based in Clyde, NC. My business, DeForest Designs, began with the intention of creating high-quality home goods that serve a valuable purpose. The growing selection of sustainable home goods I make are designed to replace single-use plastics and other harmful products. I believe that the products you bring into your home should be safe to use, environmentally friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. All of the products I make are intentionally reusable, so that you can buy them once and use them for many years. I’m most proud of the home fragrance line I’ve created. The candles are made from 100% soy wax, using clean burning fragrances blended with essential oils. They are safe to burn, pleasant to enjoy, and once finished burning the containers are reusable. One of my best sellers are my reusable facial rounds. They are a three-layer, cotton round that is used to remove makeup and/or cleanse your skin. After using, they are machine washable so there’s no need to buy a new pack of disposable makeup wipes every week. It is of the utmost importance to me that the products I create are of the highest quality possible. Each product I create is made using a balance of the most sustainable and ethically sourced materials as well as ones that are still affordable. It’s my belief that it shouldn’t bankrupt you to care for the planet.

Have you ever had to pivot?

DeForest Designs isn’t the first business I’ve run. For a few years before, I had a small amigurumi business. I created crochet patterns, stuffed animals, and even worked with many amazing amigurumi designers on their patterns. While it was fun, it wasn’t every something that was going to last. It was an underappreciated art style that many didn’t understand. Any given piece could take me a few hours to a few weeks to complete depending on the size and style. When I realized that it wasn’t anything I could keep up, I had to pivot. I still wanted to crochet, because it’s an art form I respect deeply. DeForest Designs was built on a single dishcloth. From there, my desire to create products that help our earth grew into what my business is today.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

The only platform I sell on is Etsy. I chose Etsy at first because it was the only platform for artists that I had ever heard of or interacted with. I am still with Etsy for the fact that it is a marketplace. I don’t have to do the advertisement that would be required if I sold on my own website. I am not a maker who is great at social media and promoting my products. It makes me uncomfortable to tell people they need my products. In truth, you don’t need my products, so I’m not going to pretend that you do just to make money. Etsy has its gives and takes, for sure. As everyone says, the fees are sometimes bothersome, but the overall ease of use for someone who would much rather be sewing than learning to code is why I’m still there. I imagine I will branch out over time. I’m even considering starting my own website this year, but time will tell if I’m able to accomplish that. People know Etsy. It’s trustworthy, and on the front end, easy for consumers to use and contact me with any questions or requests they have. I don’t see myself ever not using Etsy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://deforestdesigns.square.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deforestdesigns/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086421471834
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Craig DeForest