We recently connected with Maile Anderson and have shared our conversation below.

Maile, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?

Social media can seem very intimidating to those who aren’t familiar with it. As a millennial, I have grown up witnessing the evolution of social media and how it can make or break businesses. I manage my entire social media and absolutely love it for many reasons. First, I am able to develop a genuine connection with my customers. I strongly believe that because of this I have a 93% rebuy rate. Anytime I get a new order I always make sure I am following them on instagram and engage with their page periodically. This is something that sets my business apart from larger companies. Second, I am able to post content I make that my target audience can relate to whether it’s small business or motherhood related I always get positive feedback, page growth and sales. I love that my followers can put a face to the brand. Lastly, 87% of my sales are funneled through social media. Therefore, I want to have complete control of it. My biggest advice is to be authentic, connect with your followers and build a community instead of scouting customers. In time, they will want to support your brand not only because of the incredible product you offer but also because they can connect with you as a person.

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?

My business began during a very challenging period in my life. I had recently had a baby and left a very unhealthy relationship. As a single parent I really started noticing products that made parenting a little easier. I also needed to figure out a way to make an income from home while I raise my son. Around the time my son, Makai, was five months old I knew I wanted to start a business. After studying Environmental Science at the University of San Diego I knew I wanted to prioritize sustainability. Finally, I decided bamboo children’s clothes would be it! Bamboo fabric is not only sustainable but it also offers so many incredible benefits. My brand was born on the island of Maui which is where I was born and raised. I love being able to incorporate the beauty of my home into my prints.

Looking back, I am proud that the challenges I faced as a single mother inspired the idea of Little Fins Clothing. I am grateful for thé support of my friends and family throughout this entire process.

A few of my favorite things about owning this business is that I can share the beauty of my island home with my customers through the different prints I offer. I am able to give back to my community by hiring local artists and photographers. Most importantly, this business has given me the opportunity to connect with other mothers all around the world where we can talk about the ups and downs of parenting, and share our love for bamboo clothing.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

The best advice I can give anyone who is wanting to build their social media audience is to prioritize having an aesthetic and flow to your feed, professional and authentic photos (not too staged), and most importantly to go to the page of a brand that sells similar products and engage with their followers. This has not only grown my follower base but it has also given me repeat buyers.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Taking things too personal is something I’ve had to unlearn. Throughout the last two years I have learned that not everyone will vibe with what I like, and that’s totally okay! Just because someone didn’t love my design, doesn’t mean I’m a bad designer.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.littlefinsclothing.com
• Instagram: Littlefinsclothing
• Facebook: Littlefinsclothing